Chapter 5

“Nola, I have to say you’re quite a surprise. I was expecting someone much older.” General Howard’s blue eyes crinkled at the corner as he smiled at Bronx’s sexy little companion.

She laughed. “I’ll take that to mean you thought I was extremely capable and efficient?”

Unbelievably, the hard-nosed four star general laughed right along with her. “Hell, yes I did, little lady. I wish my assistant was half as efficient as you,” he sent a glare to his fresh faced assistant. “I certainly wasn’t expecting such a young woman. I don’t know how these fellas get anything done.”

Bronx couldn’t believe it. Nola blushed. “Well, they’re too busy creating amazing software to help you and your men keep us all safe.” And just like that she won the General over and turned the conversation back to business. “I’ll hang back and let Bronx woo you with his magnificent program.”

She gave him that sweet, adoring smile that knocked him on his ass but the shove she gave him brought him back to the moment. “I guess I have to bring my A game with an intro like that.” They shared another laugh and he got down to business, giving the General a live demonstration of how the program worked. “As you can see, we dug deep into Brady’s background,” he cast a wary glance at the General’s assistant and flashed a sympathetic smile. “We’ve indicated all the areas he would likely respond to for information extraction, not that we’ll use them but you get the point.”

General Howard stared for a long time before he spoke. “This is damned impressive, Mr. Corona. Give me the rest of the day to look it over with the Secretary, but I think we’ve got ourselves a deal.”

“Great. That’s what I like to hear.” It was exactly what he’d wanted to hear but these damn meetings always made him nervous until they were over.

“Expect a call from me early tomorrow.”

Bronx’s shoulders finally relaxed. “I look forward to it.”

Nola stepped forward and took the General’s hand. “By the way, I have something for Thomas. Brooks and Bronx asked me to find something and I think this will be the perfect holiday gift for your little boy.” It was gift wrapped and clearly a video game.

“Is this that new space game everyone’s been talking about?” She nodded and he beamed a smile at her. “Fantastic! You have just made my Christmas.”

“Happy to help, General. I’ll see you when we sign those contracts in the morning. Give Maureen my best.”

When they were outside with the sun setting over the capital, Bronx took a deep breath and smiled at Nola. “You were amazing in there!”

“Just doing my job,” she insisted with a shy smile.

“Hell, Nola that was above and beyond. You charmed the hell out of the General and he doesn’t like anyone.” He scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around, ignoring the way his body tightened at the feel of her hard nipples pressed into his chest, her supple curves under his hand and squeezed against his hard—oh, so damn hard—body. “Let’s go out to celebrate.”

She blinked but her smile never wavered. “Okay. This is a big deal, Bronx.” Her hold tightened on him for a brief second before she slid down his body and took a step back. “You did it!”

“No babe, we did it. Come on, let’s go!” He grabbed her hand and they hopped into the waiting car, instructing the driver to take them back to the hotel while he made reservations for the best steakhouse in town. “Wear something short and tight.”

She laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. “You wish.”

“Damn right, I do,” he groaned and placed his hand on her thigh, feeling a rush of anticipation when she didn’t remove it. He didn’t know if she was finally ready to admit they hadn’t burned that fire out between them yet but he considered it progress. When they arrived back at the suite she turned to him and pointed.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you switched our two rooms into a suite.”

He flashed a smile at her and chuckled. “Nothing gets by you Nola, now go put on something sexy. And make it snappy.” She rolled her eyes and disappeared while he removed his jacket and poured a couple fingers of whiskey to unwind. This day had started like any other. He got up and ran five miles before getting dressed and picking up Nola. What he hadn’t counted on was being so affected by Nola’s nonstop presence. Her soft, feminine scent and those sexy curves, that throaty laugh that his cock responded to instantly. He liked her, dammit.

And after that kiss they shared on Friday, one that his body couldn’t seem to forget, he knew he needed to have her. To get another night with her, maybe seven of them, and get her out of his system. Yeah that sounds like a plan.

“What are you smiling about?”

He looked up and choked on his whiskey at the sight of her body hidden beneath miles of terrycloth. She took a seat at the other end of the sofa, leaving one curvy leg available for his gaze. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

She snorted. “Real mature. I promise to get dressed but this robe is so magnificent I needed a few minutes to luxuriate.”

“Believe me, I am not complaining.” Especially not with the way the robe gaped at the chest, giving him another glimpse of that creamy cleavage that he wanted to lick. To taste. Maybe to fuck, if she would let him. His pants were getting uncomfortable. “I’m trying to behave, Nola.” His voice was a warning and she froze, big green eyes like a deer in headlights.

Blinking, she looked down at all the skin on display. “Okay.” Her voice was shaky but damn when he looked up he was hit with a wave of lust. Her skin was flush from the shower, or his blatant ogling, and she looked more beautiful without a stitch of makeup on. Nola stood and tightened the robe. “All right, then.”

She made it two steps before he found his voice. “Come here, Nola.”

She turned and damn, that oversized robe had opened again. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to kiss you now.” Oh, he planned to do more than kiss but he thought telling her so might scare her off.

“Okay,” she told him and took one step, then the other until she stood right in front of him looking nervous.

Hell, yeah. He let his fingers graze up her knee, her thigh. His cock hardened at the way she trembled at his touch. “So soft,” he whispered as his fingers went up higher until her heat beckoned him. “So hot.”

“Bronx,” she moaned and it felt good to know she couldn’t help the breathy way it came out. “Th-that’s not a kiss.”

“No, it’s not. Not yet,” he told her as his knuckles brushed against her folds. “But soon.” He slipped a finger inside and waited for her to push him away, to slap his face like he deserved. Instead, she clenched around him and they both groaned. “So fucking soon, Nola.”

She said the one thing he wanted to hear and her voice sounded so deep and full of sex he knew it was happening. “Yes.”

That was all he needed to hear to pull her closer and open the robe, thrusting his fingers deep inside her as his mouth closed over one rosy nipple. She tossed her head back and moaned, holding his head close as her fingers tangled in his hair. Bronx was lost in her taste, moving from one breast to the other as his fingers brought her closer and closer to climax. “You’re so fucking wet, Nola.”

Her legs trembled and he stood, never breaking their connection and laid her on the sofa. Fuck, she was so goddamn beautiful. This time he would take his time with her. Make her feel right. Then her pussy clenched around his fingers and her skin flushed from head to toe as she moaned his name. “Bronx.”

“Damn, Nola, you look so hot when you come apart,” he told her, pulling his fingers from her body and licking them while she watched.

“Damn but you are potent, Bronx.” She laughed and it was like warm honey sliding all over his cock.

“And you are delicious,” he told her and kissed his way down her neck, all around her large pale breasts and down her belly. “And now we’re going to get to part two of that kiss.”

“Part two?”

He nodded and spread her legs open, gazing at her slick pink pussy pulsing in anticipation of him. He blew on her and she cried out his name. “Oh yeah. Now here’s the important part, Nola.”

“W-w-what’s that?”

“Watch,” he told her.His eyes never left hers as he dragged his tongue along her hot wet slit, dipping his tongue deep inside for a taste of her honey. Suckling the sensitive bundle of nerves, he watched her bite down on that plump bottom lip and moan. “Are you watching, Nola?”

“Yes,” she hissed, breath heaving in and out of her ecstatically. He curled a finger inside her, hitting that magical spot that he knew would send her into the stratosphere while he sucked harder on her clit and her eyes closed in passion. “Yes, Bronx.”

Fuck, yeah. He added another finger and hooked them both inside her as her hips bucked against his mouth, a lazy sexy smile tugged on her lips as she shouted her orgasm. “Damn, I want to fuck you so bad, Nola.”

She smiled, tits jiggling as she laughed. “I think you know I want the same thing,” she growled.

He stood and quickly undressed, loving the way her eyes widened at the sight of him. “Forgotten everything already?”

She shook her head, licking her lips as those green eyes tracked over his body, darkening as she took in his tattoos, his muscles and the hard cock jutting between them. “It was a little fuzzy but no, I couldn’t forget if I tried.”

Fuck that’s exactly what he wanted to hear as he stroked his cock, noticing the way her body responded to him. “You ready?” She nodded and licked her lips and that was all he needed to slide deep inside her damp heat with a deep groan. “Fuck Nola, you feel incredible.”

“You, too,” she gasped and he froze. “I’m fine just trying to…adjust.”

“Sorry.” She’d had sex exactly one time and he hadn’t been gentle then and now he slammed into her like a fucking animal. “Shit.” He started to pull back and she locked her legs around his waist, digging her heels into his ass.

“No. Don’t apologize I just need to get used to your size.”

“Babe, you really know how to pump up my ego.” His hips started to move, slow at first but the feel of her drenching his cock with her arousal pulsing around him made it difficult to remember this was about her. Not his own need to fuck her hard and deep, to lose himself in her wet heat. To hear that sultry voice moaning his name.

“Oh, Bronx.” Voice strained and full of desire she clung to his biceps and her hips moved in time with his, he knew she was close. “Yes!”

His hips moved faster, slamming into her over and over again, hard and deep while she begged for more. And then she was coming apart and Bronx watched her face as she pulsed around his cock, lips parted and eyes dark and feverish. A growl of pleasure escaped, knowing he’d been the one to put that look on her face. That final look, of pure raw bliss pushed him over the edge and his own body shook with the force of his own orgasm, jetting from his body to hers as the orgasm went on and on, and fucking on. “Nola!”

“That. Was. Amazing.” Her smile was bright and her eyes were sleepy.

“Glad you agree, babe.” He smacked a kiss against her lips and rolled over so she was on top of him. “I definitely owed you better and that was a great start.”

“A start,” she asked, voice incredulous.

“Yeah. Give me a few minutes and we’ll go again. Or we can get that steak.”

She smiled and licked his bottom lip, slowly.

They never did get around to having that steak. Maybe next time.

* * *

I had sex with Bronx. Again. And again. And that wasn’t even the problem. Well, it was a huge part of the problem but the real issue was that it had been amazing. Fantastic. Incredible. She had never felt so much pleasure in her entire life and her body was deliciously sore. She didn’t know how they’d gotten here, sharing a bed for the past three days. Making love all night long after long days spent at the alphabet agencies, drumming up business. And the pleasure he gave her body had her heart all confused, wanting more than it should.

“Sweetheart, that is entirely too much thinking before the sun has even woken up for the day.” Bronx’s arm tightened around her waist and pulled her against his hard chest and even harder erection.

“What makes you think that I’m thinking about anything?” He didn’t need to know what was on her mind.

“Because the smell of the smoke coming off your brain is what woke me up.” His lips touched her neck and she shivered. His mouth was a wonder of the world.

She could go for a half truth though. “I was just thinking that I need a long soak for these sore muscles.” Though the way his erection was slowly sliding between her thighs nudging against her opening, told her she’d be more than sore before they got their day started.

“I have just the thing you need,” he told her and slid deep, giving her two more orgasms over the next hour.

“Damn, I hate to admit it when you’re right.” She laughed, loving the way his body felt wrapped around hers, deep in hers. But she needed to remember that this was a lost week, not real life. He wanted her in his bed and this allowed him to make her a weekly without embarrassing her. “I need to hit the shower,” she told him even though her thoughts were the bucket of cold water she needed to get her head on straight.

“I’ll join you, in case you need your back washed.” He flashed a sexy grin she found hard to resist. “And you can tell me about that tattoo. I don’t remember seeing it on Halloween.”

“It’s new and no can do lover boy, we have an early morning meeting with another agency and you need to be prepared.” She’d set this up yesterday while he was on the phone with Brooks giving him an update.

“What agency?” She told him and his eyes grew wide. “How in the hell did that happen?”

She shrugged with a satisfied smile. “General Howard set it up for us.”

“Hot damn Nola, that’s fucking great!” He jumped off the bed, giving her the perfect view of his thick muscular body and that quote running the length of his oblique muscles. Powerful thighs bunched and flexed as he closed the gap between them, magnificent cock standing at attention and hugged her so hard she knew he’d be joining her in the shower after all. “Damn, this week has been incredible.”

She couldn’t agree more but she’d made herself a promise right there in his arms. She would not get carried away with thoughts of her and Bronx being more than this week. She would enjoy every moment, explore the depths of sexual pleasure with a master and then get back to her regularly scheduled life. “Sure has. But now we need to get a move on.” The meeting was scheduled for seven o’clock at some restaurant that didn’t open until noon. She thought it strange but refused to comment on it because this contract would push Brooks and Bronx into the major big leagues.

He slanted his mouth across hers, a long hot kiss that made her body feel more than it should. Made her heart stop and turn over before it began to race like crazy. “Later though, you’re all mine Nola.”

The fact that those words did something strange to her heart told her she was in trouble. Bronx wasn’t a long term bet, he didn’t even keep a woman for longer than a week and she was not the type of woman he normally chose. She couldn’t go thinking about them being together in California because it wouldn’t happen. It would just be another let down and after losing Grammie she couldn’t face another big disappointment.

So she put her big girl panties on, straightened her back and got them to the meeting with a few minutes to spare.

I can do this. I can enjoy this week and not have it mean anything.

At least she hoped so.

* * *

Bronx’s body still buzzed with the hum of leftover lust. Residual desire from the past ten hours. After a lavish celebratory dinner at Bourbon Steak where he’d spent too much time laughing and getting to know Nola, he’d taken her back to the suite and made love, no had sex with her on and off until the sun came up. The woman was as hungry and insatiable as him and that had been a thrilling discovery. He’d held her curves in all manner of ways as he thrust into her, filling her mouth, her slit with his aching cock.

Even now his body heated, pulsed with the need to have her again. To fill her up and tremble at the way she tightened around him, the way her short nails scraped down his back as he thrust into her. Dammit, this has to stop! He shouldn’t be reliving last night or the past damn week. They were headed back home, back to the real world where they would resume their normal roles. Her as Brooks’ steadfast assistant and him as, well the other brother.

And that’s why he beckoned the busty flight attendant waiting patiently to see to their needs and asked for a double shot of whiskey. He needed to talk to Nola before they landed. Before things got weird. “Nola, we need to talk.”

She looked up from her spot on the sofa on the other side of the aisle, legs tucked under her, e-reader clenched in her hand. “About?”

“We’ve had fun this week. A lot of it, don’t you agree?”

She nodded but he could see the slight change in her posture. “I do and I know what you’re about to say and I agree. This was…a lost week. Not real life and I know that.” Her green gaze turned towards the window before sliding back to him. “Don’t worry, Bronx, I’m not expecting anything from you. We had fun and now it’s over. I got it. Was there anything else?”

Dumbstruck, he shook his head. “No, that’s it.” She went back to her e-reader and he just stared at her. She didn’t seem out of sorts, disappointed or upset in any way and for some reason that confused him. Hell, it pissed him off is what it did. And the fact that he felt anything other than relief also pissed him off. They were on the same page and that was a good thing since they worked together. Despite what everyone thought, Bronx did dip his dick in the office ink. It got messy and it left too much potential for lawsuits.

Until Nola.

Who didn’t expect a damn thing from him. How could that be when everything about this woman screamed long-term, commitment, marriage? He didn’t want to dwell on it, not after the night he’d had but he couldn’t help but watch her. Wait for her to get around to asking for another night. Maybe a weekend away together. For the crying and pleading for him to reconsider. She didn’t seem the type to use her feminine wiles or the promise of unbelievable kink to entice him, but wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d tried.

But she didn’t. Dammit.

Fuck this. Bronx Corona didn’t lust for women, didn’t pine after them. He fucked them, spent a little cash on them and then went on living his life as though it never happened. Nola wasn’t special, she just knew him well enough to know nothing would change his mind.

Yeah, that had to be it. So he would stop staring. Stop stewing. Instead he turned his gaze to Yvette, the curvaceous flight attendant who’d been giving him ‘fuck me’ eyes since they boarded. He crooked his finger to summon her over and spent the rest of the flight flirting, engaging in a dance he knew would go nowhere but gave him something to do other than focus on the surprisingly sexy blonde on the other side of the jet. The damn woman hadn’t looked up once, other than to decline the lunch offered by Yvette.

By the time the plane touched down in California, he felt nothing but irritation and confusion. The more out of sorts he felt, the angrier he got and there was only one place to direct it. “Are you waiting for a special invitation,” he grunted at her.

Without a word, Nola looked up at him, blinking twice before she stood and packed her things. Glancing around the cabin, she picked up her purse, her work bag and left him standing there. All without saying a damn word. To him. “Thanks, Yvette. Enjoy your holidays.”

“Thank you, Nola. You do the same.”

He waited inside the cabin, flirting with Yvette while keeping an eye focused on Nola struggling with her luggage until the waiting driver came over to help her, receiving that grateful smile that made a man puff out his chest and want to take care of her. The middle-aged driver did just that, standing taller at her thanks and carrying both bags as though they weighed nothing.

She cast a glance back to the plane and even from a distance he could see the indecision play on her mind. So he waited. Eventually, manners won out and she trekked back to the jet. “Do you need the car to wait?”

Flashing his best ‘I’m bored as fuck’ look at her, he flung an arm around a surprised Yvette and rolled his eyes. “I’m capable of finding my own way home, Nola.”

She didn’t even flinch at his words. “All right,” she said and made her way back to the limo, sliding in without a look back this time.

I’m an ass. He knew he would have to find a way to make it up to her because Brooks would have his ass if things got awkward at the office.