Tempting Target Read online

  She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and if he didn’t want things to go too far, he knew he needed to get his shit together.

  Maya stirred in his arms as he laid her against her pillow. Her eyes half opened and confusion marred her pretty face. “What are you doing?” she mumbled.

  “You fell asleep on the couch.” He kept his voice low, soothing, not wanting to wake her.

  “I’m surprised you even noticed,” she mumbled again, softer this time. It was obvious she was more asleep than awake because he knew she’d never say something like that if she wasn’t.

  Still, the words were like a punch to his solar plexus. She actually thought he wouldn’t notice? He’d gotten so used to having her curled up next to him it was damn near impossible for him to get a good night’s sleep without her.

  Maya still wore her robe so he slowly pulled the tie free. When her stomach and breasts were freed to him his breath caught. He loved everything about her body. Especially her scar. He knew she hated it but it just reminded him how strong she was. His warrior. Tough, demanding and all his.

  Her breasts weren’t overly large. Just enough for him to hold on to. Her nipples were a light brown. A little darker than the rest of her golden skin. Even though she rarely went to the beach anymore she looked as if she were sun-kissed year round.

  As the air rushed over her, her nipples slightly hardened. He wanted them hard because she was turned-on for him though. By the time he was through with her, they would be.

  Her eyes widened now that she was coming awake. “What are you doing?”

  Without answering he leaned forward and traced his tongue around her areola. She let out a soft, contented sigh. The sound made his cock jump. He wanted more than sighs. He wanted her panting and moaning and begging.

  With the dim lighting from the bathroom streaming in, he watched as her nipple grew harder. Colin blew on the moist bud and something primal inside him smiled when she shuddered.

  No matter how many times he had her it didn’t get old. The day after they’d met they’d found themselves between the sheets. He’d brought her back to his place—something he’d never done with another woman—and they’d fucked for days. Hell, it had been more than fucking. He’d known it the second he’d entered her tight pussy.

  His wife was like a drug. Addicting and powerful.

  Reaching underneath her, he lifted her up a fraction and helped her out of her robe so that she was completely naked.

  As their gazes clashed he realized she was fully awake now. Her full lips parted slightly as she stared at him. Wordlessly she reached between them and tucked her hand underneath his boxers. She grasped his cock and began stroking him.

  The moment her fingers wrapped around him, his balls pulled up painfully tight. They’d been together so long he knew how to hold off but for how he felt at the moment, he might come in her hands.

  Damn, had it really been that long for them? He’d been so wrapped up in work lately he’d been avoiding the bedroom when this was exactly the type of release he needed.

  “Hold on, baby.” He grasped her wrist and lifted her arm above her head.

  When she grinned mischievously and tried to grab his cock with her other hand, he captured that wrist too.

  Using the tie from her robe, he looped it around and between her wrists and secured them to the headboard. She didn’t struggle or say a word as he worked. It had been a long time since they’d engaged in any light bondage and now he wondered why.

  The sight of her stretched out before him made him ache. “I’m so sorry, Maya.”

  Her eyes seemed darker. “For what?” she whispered.

  “For being an asshole lately.”

  Her features relaxed at his words. “Then make it up to me.”

  Grinning, he moved so that he was nestled between her legs. A dark patch of hair covered her mound and as he looked at it he realized she’d had her hair waxed into the shape of a heart. “When did you get this?”

  “A couple days ago.”

  “For me?” His words were strained. Shit, it better be for him.

  She nodded.

  No doubt about it, she definitely deserved more of his attention. With one finger, he gently rubbed between her pussy lips. He didn’t touch her clit though. Not yet. He wanted to get her worked up first.

  Her back arched when he inserted his finger into her tight sheath. Just as quickly he pulled it out and ran it up the length of her slit, rubbing her own wetness over her. He continued stroking his finger up and down her folds and when the smell of her desire rolled over him, he groaned. His cock pushed against his boxers, demanding some attention.

  Using his thumb and forefinger, he teased open the hood protecting her clit. The small bundle of nerves was swollen and pulsing and begging for him to lick.

  Maya tried to squeeze her legs together but Colin kept a firm hand on her inner thigh. With his tongue, he flicked over her clit. The quick action sent a jolt of pleasure curling through her.

  A month probably wasn’t that long but when she was used to having him practically every night, it seemed like a lifetime. Her inner walls clenched, begging for him to fill her.

  As he rubbed his tongue over her clit again, her hips instinctively rolled. “Harder.”

  He increased the pressure as he stimulated her. Colin definitely knew how to get her off. In a way, he knew her body better than she did. Even when she touched herself, it somehow didn’t feel as good as when he did.

  “More.” She wasn’t quite sure what she wanted but she knew she needed more of something.

  She struggled against her bindings. They didn’t hurt but part of her wanted to be free. To run her fingers through his dark hair as he licked her. The other part of her loved the feeling of being restrained. Completely at his mercy.

  The moment he’d started to tie her up, her pussy had flooded with warmth. The heat in his eyes had been unmistakable and her body had simply reacted to what she knew was coming.

  He lifted his head a fraction. “More what?”

  “You. Inside me,” she gasped out.

  With a languid push, he inserted a finger inside her and she moaned in relief. She wanted more than a finger but it eased some of her aching.

  He continued to flick and tease his tongue around her clit. The small circles he made were maddening. Her hips jerked upward. She was so close to finding release. It wouldn’t be a mind-blowing orgasm but she knew it would take off the edge she’d been feeling lately.

  As her climax started to build, he lifted his head and grinned at her wickedly as he withdrew his finger.

  “What are you doing?”

  He didn’t respond. Instead he bent down and captured her mouth. Hungrily, his lips pressed against hers. Instead of the calm man who’d been teasing her moments before she now sensed an unsteadiness about him.

  Colin ran shaky hands over her breasts as his tongue danced with hers. His cock pressed against her opening but he made no move to do anything about it.

  She tried to move her hips against him but he just lifted up, refusing to give her what she wanted.

  As she fought to catch her breath, he pulled his head back and raked his teeth against her neck. He wet her skin with his kisses, then lightly sucked on the moistened area. The action sent tingles rolling through her.

  “Inside me. Now.” The words tore from her throat. They sounded as raw as she felt. For the past month she’d been all twisted up inside. Needing to know she still mattered. That her husband still wanted her.

  Without lifting his head, he slammed into her. Only then did he look at her. His cock filled her, made her cry out.

  “Maya,” he groaned out her name as he pulled back and slammed into her again.

  On instinct she tried to reach for him but the bindings did their job.

  He grabbed her hips, holding them so tight she knew she be bruised in the morning. She also knew she’d love seeing them on her body.

  It had been too
long for them. She wanted to wake up sore. Wanted to feel him all over her body tomorrow.

  “Come for me.” His words were deep, steady and completely commanding.

  And that’s all it took. Her pussy milked his cock with a shocking intensity. Her inner walls clenched tighter and tighter. The orgasm rushed up then crested in a freefall, crashing like a tidal wave.

  Her back arched and she lifted herself up like an offering as the pleasure swam through her.

  As he pounded into her harder, she realized he was coming too. His dark eyes locked on hers as he released into her. His come shot into her in long, hot strokes. She wrapped her legs around him and held fast as he fell onto his elbows.

  He grinned softly at her. “Don’t ever doubt my need for you.”

  “Then don’t give me a reason to,” she murmured.

  “I won’t.” Still inside her, he covered the small distance between them and lightly brushed his lips over hers.

  She smiled against his mouth when she felt his cock twitch inside her. He’d need a few minutes but she knew that they were not finished for the night. Not by a long shot.

  Chapter Four

  As Jade pulled out clothes from the dryer, a pair of leopard print panties fell onto the floor. She scooped the scrap of material up and for a brief moment wondered what David would think of them.

  The thought was so potent, so bizarre, her face heated up even though she was completely alone. She absolutely did not care what he thought of her underwear.

  In the midst of her cleaning she realized she hadn’t heard from him since the day before. She’d taken him home, but he hadn’t called all day. Not that that should surprise her. He wasn’t a phone person, and if he said he was going to pick her up for dinner, he didn’t need to call and confirm. He’d be there.

  Still, she missed his voice. More than she’d admit. It happened every time they got together. She was always so excited when he came back into town but when he left she got into a funk for a couple days. Now that he was actually here, she wanted to soak up all the time she could with him because she knew he’d be leaving again soon.

  Yesterday all she’d been able to think about was her strange reaction to his touch, so maybe it was a good thing she hadn’t heard from him.

  When her phone rang she nearly jumped out of her skin, but she smiled when her sister’s name popped up on the caller ID. “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself. How was the date?” Maya asked.

  “Long and annoying.” A bad date wasn’t the end of the world. It was something she should probably get used to.

  “That bad huh?”

  “I’m going to tell Mom he wasn’t my type, but I’m never letting her set me up again.”

  Maya snorted. “I knew you weren’t going to like him, but Mom insisted. I think she just wanted to give you a practice date so you wouldn’t be nervous for the next go-around.”

  That sounded exactly like something their mother would do. Belinda, her mom, had a way of doing things her own way, even if it made no sense to her daughters or to their father.

  “Bad date aside, I want to ask you something, but I don’t want you jumping to any conclusions.”

  “All right. What’s up?”

  “The other night, David stayed over—”

  “Whoa. Nice.”

  Jade sighed. “Let me finish. He stayed in the guest room Friday night because after we were through catching up, it was too late to drive him home. I know it sounds crazy, but I think I saw him checking me out.”

  “How exactly?” Maya asked cautiously.

  “I caught him blatantly staring at my butt. Not leering or anything, but he was definitely staring. Intently. Like he wanted to, you know…”

  Maya chuckled lightly. “Well, you do have a nice ass. It runs in the family.”

  Jade rolled her eyes, even though she wasn’t going to deny it. The Bancroft women were all slim and small-breasted. However, their backsides were a different story. No amount of exercise reduced the size of their hips or butts. “That’s not the point.”

  “I know it’s not. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to assure you that you’re mistaken, because, sweetie, I have a feeling that he was most definitely checking you out. David wants you in a bad way, and I’m surprised it’s taken you this long to figure it out. No, I take that back. I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to do anything about it.”

  A rush of heat swept over her. She wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was heading. “What are you talking about?”

  “Look, I’m not saying I know anything for sure. I don’t get to see the two of you together very often, but I do know that man thinks the world of you and would probably give up his left nut to sleep with you.”

  Jade choked on her sweet tea.

  “Hey, you wanted honesty, and that’s what I’m giving you. David is interested in you, and in my opinion, he has been for quite some time. You’re just too blind to see it.”

  “What is it with men and their left nut anyway? Why not the right one? Or both of them?” she muttered. Talking about this was better than talking about David.

  “I don’t know. I’ve asked Colin about that, and he has no sufficient answer. Don’t get off the subject. What are you going to do about this?”

  Do? Was her sister crazy? “I’m not going to do anything about this. There are at least three very strong reasons I can think of why we would never work, and I’m not willing to throw away our friendship over sex. I know my hormones have been a little wacky lately, but I’m not that desperate.”

  David was Aidan’s best friend, he wasn’t the type of man to settle down, and, oh yeah, he was Aidan’s best friend. It could never work with them, and for all she knew, he was just being a typical man and admiring what had been placed in front of him. Did she think he was attractive? Sure. She’d have to be blind not to, but they were friends.

  “Who says it would end with sex, Jade? I don’t think he’s looking for a one-night stand.”

  “Well, I seriously doubt he’s looking to settle down. He’s almost forty, and I’ve never known him to stay in a relationship longer than a few weeks. And I’m being generous with that length of time. Not that that even matters. This conversation is so stupid it’s not even funny.” Talking about sex and David in the same sentence was making her whole body flush.

  “All I’m saying is, don’t ignore his presence in your life. He could be exactly what you’re looking for… Listen, I need to get off the phone. It’s been quiet around here for too long. I’ve got to check on the boys.”

  Once they’d disconnected Jade glared at the silent portable. “Well, you were no help.”

  “Maya giving you trouble again?” A deep voice from behind caused her to scream and jump out of her chair. She moved with such speed, the chair toppled on its side, and she nearly lost her footing.

  “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” She clutched the phone to her chest and pushed David square in the middle of his chest as she tried to steady her breathing. She knew her face had to be bright red.

  “I knocked a few times and tried the doorbell.” He shrugged but didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “The front door was open, so I let myself in. You need to start locking your doors and paying more attention to your safety, Jade.” He took a sip from a fresh glass of iced tea, which let Jade know that he’d been there for at least a few minutes. How much had he heard exactly?

  “I didn’t hear you knock.” She wrapped her arms around her chest. She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath her T-shirt. Normally she wouldn’t have cared, but with Maya’s words fresh on her brain, she was very aware of her state of dress. David standing in front of her wearing a navy blue crewneck fleece stretched across his muscled torso, looking good enough to eat, didn’t help either.

  “Obviously. You’re on my way home and I wanted to give you this before tonight.” He held out a razor-thin, pink cell phone.

  “Pink?” She couldn’t hide the am
usement in her voice. When she reached out to take it a breeze blew up, and she felt her nipples harden. She forced herself not to think about it but they got even harder.

  He held up his hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t know what to get you, and the woman at the store assured me you would love it.”

  “Thanks. Do I need to call and set up a number or something?” She used her computer to keep inventory at work, and she was more than proficient at paying all her bills online. However, when it came to new gadgets she was technologically challenged. It had taken her an entire day to figure out how to download songs to her iPod. If her friend Pam hadn’t intervened, it would still be in the box it came in.

  “No, I’ve already taken care of that, and I paid for the first month. All the information is in here.” He held up a small shopping bag. “You can transfer everything to your name this week.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. I’ll pay you back whatever it cost.”

  His lips pulled into a thin line. “No. I did this for my peace of mind. I can’t stand the thought of you walking home every night without a phone.”

  He had the same expression of fierce determination on his face that he had about a year and a half ago when he’d dragged her out of bed, thrown her into the shower fully clothed, and told her to stop feeling sorry for herself. That had been such a dark time in her life and he’d been the exact kind of friend she’d needed then. If giving her this was that important to him, why waste her breath?

  “Okay. Thank you then.”

  “I just wanted to stop by and give you that. I’ve got a few errands to run before dinner. What time did you want me to pick you up?”

  She glanced at her watch as she followed him to the kitchen. It was three o’clock, and she still needed to finish cleaning and go over her books at the store. “How about seven?”

  “Works for me.” He drained his glass and placed it in the sink. She walked him to the front door but he paused in the entryway. There was something intense in his dark eyes. She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking but the heated look he gave her made her knees weaken. “Lock the door after me. Anyone could have walked into your house today, Jade. I know you live in a safe area, but anything can happen.”