AintNoAngel Read online

  Turning from their antics on the dance floor, she tried to get Johnny’s attention. She wanted another beer, but the place was so full he was hopping at the other end. Damn.

  “Want a beer?”

  The voice was low and close to her ear, sending a shiver down her spine, but it was one of those thrilling shivers. The kind that let her know there was a predator on the prowl and she was the prey.

  Turning, she stared into steel-gray eyes. He was tall, taller than both Marc and Brad, who were both almost six feet. His shoulders were wide and his arms, big. He must have spent a lot of time working out. But what really caught her attention was the tattoo that peeked out from under the collar of his tight black t-shirt.

  There were more tats on his big arms but she couldn’t tell what they were. The one coming out of the neck of his shirt was some sort of tribal design, black and bold, that came up the side of his neck to end just below his ear. His head was shaved smooth and she had to control her hands from reaching out to run across it.

  He smiled at her and she realized she must look like an idiot. She took the beer from his hand. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” He leaned against the bar next to her as she took a sip from the icy-cold bottle. “So, out and about for a bit of fun tonight?” he asked, leaning down again to be heard over the music.

  “You could say that,” Jessie answered but didn’t turn to look at him. He was so close that she could feel the heat from his body and smell his cologne. It was something dark and musky and she wondered what it was.

  Jessie took another healthy sip of her beer and laughed at Brad and Marc, who now were twirling each other about on the dance floor. Glancing at the man still standing next to her from under her lashes, she was struck again by how sexy he was.

  He turned to her and she quickly looked away.

  “Do you want to dance?” he said close to her ear.

  Jessie hesitated, but only for a moment. Nodding to him, she set her beer on the bar as he took her hand and led her into the crush of people on the dance floor.

  He swung her around and into his arms, making her laugh. He smiled down at her as the music abruptly changed to a slow number. His big hands rested on her hips and she could feel the heat of them through her thin tank top.

  He swayed her gently as other couples paired up around them. He was so dang tall that she only came up to his shoulder. Her hands were resting on his biceps and they flexed under her fingers when his arms pulled her in closer.

  Her belly gave a slow roll and her nipples tightened as they brushed against his chest. Lifting her face to stare up at him, she stilled when he lifted a hand and brushed her hair back from her face.

  She shouldn’t be doing this. She should go home and forget all about him. Men were nothing but trouble.

  But his other hand started rubbing her back in small circles. If it was meant to be soothing it was having the opposite effect. Her heart started racing and there was a quick clench between her legs.

  The song ended and the people around them erupted into a frenzy of movement but Jessie stood still as his gaze held her hostage.

  His head lowered and for the first time in years she wanted to be kissed. He had sucked her in and she was helpless to stop him.

  “You fucking fags! Get the hell out of our bar!”

  Whipping her head around, she was just in time to see Brad get a face full of fist. He staggered and blood spurted from his nose. Marc planted himself between Brad and the upset and very drunk customer. Jessie didn’t think twice, untangling herself from her sexy dance partner, and headed for the fray.

  Marc and the man were now struggling, Marc trying to restrain the man from causing any more harm.

  The music stopped and as she got closer she saw who the culprit was. Harry, one of the more outspoken people in town about the nature of Marc and Brad’s relationship, was just fighting free of Marc’s hold.

  “Harry! What in the hell are you doing?” Jessie yelled and stepped between Marc and Harry before they could start up again.

  Harry pointed a menacing finger at her. “Damn you to hell for bringing them here! This is all your fault!”

  Jessie blinked in surprise at the verbal attack but didn’t back down. The new guy looked between them and asked her, “Do you know these two?” He inclined his head at Marc and Brad.

  “Yes, they are my friends,” she told him.

  Jessie stood stone-still as he planted his big body next to hers and put his arm around her waist. His silent support had more than a few eyebrows going up in the bar.

  Harry looked between them and took a step back when the big hand on her back eased her a step forward, but she didn’t take that step alone.

  Harry glanced around him, looking for help. The people standing behind him watching obviously weren’t on his side. He had stopped the party.

  Johnny, the bartender and owner of the bar, chose that moment to elbow his way through the crowd.

  “What the hell is going on? I leave for two minutes to take a piss and all hell breaks loose,” he grumbled.

  It took him all of three seconds to figure out who the problem was. Between Marc helping Brad to his feet, blood dripping from his nose and Jessie and the guy’s big body blocking Harry from them, it was pretty obvious. “Damn it, Harry. That’s it. Get out of my bar!”

  Harry sputtered and tried to plead his case but Johnny cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re bad for business. Out!”

  Harry turned and slammed himself out of the bar and Jessie breathed a sigh of relief. Marc helped Brad to a stool and Jessie passed the cloth and bag of ice that Johnny gave her to him.

  Marc looked at the man who had stood next to Jessie and stuck his hand out. “Thanks for helping,” Marc told him.

  The guy shook his hand and said, “No problem.”

  Jessie watched the exchange. Marc turned to her then. “Are you ready to head home? I think Brad is done for the night.”

  “Sure, of course,” she answered as she glanced at the helpful stranger from under her lashes. She would probably never see him again.

  “I’m fine, Marc,” she heard Brad say. “Jessie hasn’t had any fun in ages and she isn’t ready to leave.” But Brad’s eyes were glued to the big man standing next to her.

  “Are you good to drive?” the new guy asked Marc.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Nothing but Pepsi for me tonight,” Marc told him.

  It made her like him even more. Most men never thought about that. It was how her parents had died. A drunk driver had hit them head on.

  His gray gaze caught hers. “Do you want to go for a little drive and then I’ll take you home?”

  She didn’t know what to say. Her first reaction was to say no. She didn’t know this man and he could be a serial killer or something.

  Marc took one look at the panicked expression on her face and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Killers and rapists don’t make spectacles of themselves in a bar full of people. Everyone here can identify him. You still have that mace in your purse?”

  She nodded and Marc gave her a little push. “Go, live a little. If he hurts you, I’ll kill him.” Jessie smiled at that. She supposed she was overthinking it.

  “Okay,” she said, throwing her purse over her shoulder.

  The sexy man smiled at her and took her hand to lead her out of the bar and to his truck.

  Chapter Three

  Travis closed the truck door after he had helped her up in the cab. It was a tall truck, four-wheel drive with aggressive mud tires. It suited his purposes well. Criminals hid in the craziest places.

  Swinging up into the driver’s side in one smooth motion, he started the grumbly engine and put it in gear. He knew just where to take her.

  There was an overlook on the outskirts of town that he had busted more teens at than he could count. But it was late and he figured the place would be deserted this time of night, he hoped. After all, the kids had a curfew.

  He glanced h
er way and she smiled at him. The cab of his truck smelled like her and he took a deep breath.

  “So, what’s your name?” she asked and he grinned at her.

  “Sorry, we didn’t get around to that. I’m Travis. What’s yours?”

  “I’m Jessie.”

  Jessie suited her. She struck him as a no-frills kind of chick. He knew that he should be making small talk with her but she didn’t seem to mind the silence and his brain was too clouded with her scent to think straight.

  He said the first thing that came to mind. “Do you want to scoot over here closer to me?” he asked as he lifted his arm and made room for her.

  She hesitated and he thought for a second she was going to turn him down. But then she slid over on the bench seat and pressed her side against his. They drove the last mile or two in silence and Travis could think of nothing but how well she fit, tucked under his arm.

  He pulled into the overlook and cut the engine and the headlights. They were alone, just like he had hoped. He left the radio on, a country station, and the dash lights illuminated the inside of the truck softly.

  “Where are we?” she asked quietly.

  “The overlook.”

  She looked up at him and said with a smile, “You brought me to the make-out place?”

  “I did. I’m a gentleman when it comes to women but I ain’t no angel. Taking a pretty girl to a make-out spot seemed like a good idea.” What he really wanted was more than that but he would let her lead the way. He wasn’t in the habit of taking things from women that they weren’t willing to give.

  “I think it was a very good idea,” she told him.

  * * * * *

  Jessie liked having someone so close to her. Warming her from the inside out, in ways that she thought had been long buried inside her.

  He had brought her to the local make-out spot, a place that she had never been. Oh she knew where it was and had driven past it but no man had ever brought her here.

  It was kind of romantic. The night sky had a blanket of stars winking down at them and in the distance she could see a few of the streetlights from town.

  She could feel Travis’ body getting tenser by the second and she wondered why he didn’t make a move on her. That one small thought left room for more doubts to creep in.

  But he must have thought she was somewhat pretty or he wouldn’t have bought her a drink and asked her to dance. He had her in the cab of his truck and the seconds started crawling by.

  It made her feel young and untainted. But that was far from the truth. Maybe she should just lay it out. Ask what he intended and go from there.

  They both started talking at the same time. He smiled and said, “You go first.”

  Taking a deep breath, she sat up and away from him without moving back across the seat.

  Holding his gaze, she blurted out, “Do you want to have sex with me?”

  She could tell that she had surprised him. His eyebrows went up and his lips parted, but his eyes also went dark and caused butterflies to erupt in her belly.

  She waited for his answer, barely breathing.

  Finally he said, “I do.”

  Closing her eyes briefly to savor the words flowing over her, she let out a deep breath.

  He reached for her hand and she watched, mesmerized, as he raised it to his mouth and stuck the tip of her index finger in. He sucked gently and then twirled his warm, wet tongue around it before releasing her.

  He sighed and seemed to come to a decision. “Since you are being so honest, I want to tell you that I can’t offer you more than tonight.”

  Somehow Jessie had expected that and honestly it made things less complicated for her. Answering his unasked question, if she was all right with that, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

  He stayed still for a heartbeat before his arms came up around her and pulled her across his lap. The hard ridge of his cock pressed into her bottom as his tight thighs cradled her. One hand came up to tangle in her hair as his mouth settled firmly against her lips.

  Jessie felt that first soft kiss like a key that opened a box she had long since slammed the lid on. She moaned and he took advantage by sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. Her fingers dug in where they rested on his chest and she wished they were wearing fewer clothes.

  His fingers tightened in her hair and his tongue swept in deeper. He lifted his other hand to trace the top edge of her tank and her nipples went painfully hard.

  Jessie kissed him back with all the pent-up needs that had gone unfulfilled for far too long. Their tongues dueled and danced together, giving and taking in equal measure.

  Suddenly he broke free and stared at her, his breath coming in heavy bursts.

  “Jessie, if we only have tonight I don’t want to take you in the cab of my truck and I’m very close to doing just that.”

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked as she traced her nail around the little hard nipple poking through his shirt.

  “Let’s go back to my hotel room,” he said, already reaching for the ignition.

  Scooting from his lap, she nodded and he threw the truck in gear. The tires spat dirt and gravel as he turned and gunned it out of the little parking area and back on the road.

  Moving to the passenger side, she reached for her seatbelt but he stopped her.

  “Come back over here. There’s a belt in the middle.”

  His soft, firm words raised the tension between them and Jessie moved back over to the middle of the seat. He lifted his arm and she tucked herself back into place against him.

  He drove a lot faster back to town, but not dangerously so, and it made her smile. He turned into the parking lot of the only motel in town and cut the engine.

  Raising his hands to her face, he lifted her chin and kissed her hard and fast. But as she lifted her fingers to his neck he broke loose and opened the door, hopping to the ground and holding his arms out to her.

  She went willingly and let him lift her from the driver’s side seat. But his big arms held her weight and slowly let her slide down the length of his wide body.

  By the time they made it to the door of his room, Jessie was quivering with nerves and need. She refused to contemplate the events that got her to this moment. All she wanted to do was enjoy it. There would be plenty of time later to think about every detail.

  Travis pulled her inside and kicked the door closed behind him. She stood in the middle of the small floor space and glanced around.

  It was a typical motel—sagging bed and rickety dresser with a small TV that looked to be from the eighties on it.

  Her gaze came back to rest on Travis, who was leaning against the closed door.

  “Jessie, will take your clothes off for me?” he asked.

  She shook her head and looked at the floor. She didn’t want him to see how afraid she was. Not of him exactly but of what he wanted. She might make him mad but she wasn’t afraid of that. She was used to it.

  “Come here.” His voice was low but she heard no anger.

  Taking the three steps slowly, she stopped in front of him, only inches between them.

  “Why not?” he asked.

  She didn’t want to answer and ruin this night with memories of the past. But he lifted her chin and she could not evade him.

  “I just can’t.” She shook her head to emphasize. She couldn’t do as he asked. It made her too vulnerable. But she still wanted him.

  Leaving her hands at her sides, she closed the few inches between them. Carefully she brushed her breasts back and forth against his hard chest. His body went rigid and tense but he didn’t move.

  “Can I, then?” His voice was low and gravelly. It shivered over her, leaving little licks of flame that centered between her legs.

  Her desire for him was overriding her normal inhibitions. She blamed it on the alcohol and the length of time she had been without.

  “Okay.” This wasn’t going to be the quick roll that she had expected.

  Tra
vis stood away from the door and took her hands. He brought them both to his lips and kissed each of her palms in turn.

  Lifting her arms over her head, he told her, “Leave them there.”

  He slid his hands back down her, slowly, brushing his fingers along the inside of her elbows. Jessie stood still as his fingers continued down to her shoulders and across her neck.

  By the time his exploration made it to her waist she was trembling with need and her panties were soaked. His rough fingers slid against the skin at her sides as he lifted her tank over her head and arms to drop it on the floor.

  Popping the button on her jeans, he lowered the zipper and helped her shimmy them down over her hips and off her legs.

  When she stood before him in nothing but her white lace bra and panties, her arms extended over her head, he brushed her hair back off her shoulders.

  Flicking open the front clasp of her bra, he stared as her breasts spilled free.

  “Beautiful,” he whispered. But he didn’t touch them and Jessie thought she would go mad with his slow tormenting. She breathed a small sigh of relief when he hooked his thumbs in her panties and slid them down her legs.

  She didn’t know how he could hold on like this. She could see the huge bulge in his jeans and prayed that he would hurry.

  He went to his knees before her and she bent to join him but he stopped her.

  “Stay standing, Jessie,” he told her, “and put your arms back up where they were.”

  Jessie did as instructed. At the first lick of his tongue on her thigh she flinched.

  “Relax, baby. You will like this, I promise.”

  She could feel the breath from his words on her pink folds and her little nub hardened even more, releasing more wetness. She was worried that any moment it would start dripping down her thighs.

  “Spread your legs a little wider,” Travis murmured up at her.

  Once she had done as he asked, he started with long licks up and down the inside of her thighs. With each flick of his tongue he got closer to the spot that was throbbing for him.