Blown Away (2 page)

Apparently
everything she’d heard about his reputation was true. Dominant.
Arrogant. An expert between the sheets…? That remained to be seen,
and given the tension in the room, Ava began to question whether
she would ever prove or disprove that rumor. “Why do you want me to
drink the coffee?”

“So you’ll
remember this in the morning.”

Ava quickly
swallowed the strong, tepid liquid. He was right. If he was going
to indulge her fantasies, she didn’t want to forget a single second
of it.

“Good girl,” he
said, nodding his approval. “Now tell me what the hell possessed
you to get shit-faced at your girlfriend’s party?”

“I am not-”

“Don’t even try
to deny it. I saw how much you had to drink. You must weigh a
hundred and ten pounds on a good day. No way could you drink that
much and be unaffected.”

One hundred
and thirteen pounds, thank you very much.
“I don’t have to
explain myself to you.” She watched him over the rim of her cup.
Hmm, this coffee tasted pretty good. Maybe her friends were right
about it.

“You do, and
you will.”

That guy was
too much. Maybe she should have sought out his brother instead. At
least Keith didn’t have Brent’s attitude. Of course, he didn’t have
those ridiculously broad shoulders either. “I just wanted to have a
little fun tonight.”

He crossed his
arms, causing his sleeves to stretch over bulging biceps. “And you
need to get loaded and have sex to have fun?” She didn’t answer.
Should she tell him the truth about it being her first time, or
would that scare him off? “You shouldn’t have to think about it.
Just answer the question.”

“I… uh… never
drink or…” She brought the mug to her lips, praying he wouldn’t
notice the crimson stain on her cheeks.

“Or…” He
gestured for her to continue. “You never what?”

“I’ve never had
sex.” She spit the words out, hoping she wouldn’t be as mortified
if she said it quickly.

He ran a hand
over the stubble covering his jaw before pressing his thumb and
forefinger into his closed eyes. “Then what the hell are you doing?
Why did you invite me up here?”

“I can’t stay a
virgin forever!” She thought that much would have been obvious, but
judging by his stunned expression, it was anything but.

“You don’t just
jump into bed with some guy at a party after saving yourself for…”
He frowned. “How old are you again?”

“I’ll be twenty
next month.”

He sighed and
tipped his head back. “You need to keep saving yourself for the
right guy. Someone who loves you and appreciates you.”

She was tired
of saving herself for Mr. Right. Her body was demanding she take
action. Now. If Mr. Armstrong couldn’t rise to the challenge, she
would find someone who could. She had plenty of male friends
downstairs, and if they weren’t interested, surely someone at the
party would be.

When she jumped
up and set her mug on the dresser, Brent asked, “Where do you think
you’re going?”

“Downstairs.”
She reached for the door handle. “I’m obviously wasting my time
with you. I’ll just find someone else who’s actually interested in
me.”

Brent moved in
and slammed his palm into the door above her head. “You’re not
going anywhere.”

***

Brent was
trying so hard to be good, but since “good” was the antithesis of
who he was, it wasn’t easy. He’d been interested in Ava Cooper for
months. Every time he spotted that long blond hair in a crowd, his
body jumped to attention. But she was young. Too young. And even
more innocent than he’d suspected. A virgin. God help him.

“I should warn
you, I’m a black belt in karate,” she said nervously.

He pressed his
body into hers, deeply inhaling her berry-scented shampoo. She was
so sweet, so innocent. So perfect for him. “You really think I’d
try to force you to do something you don’t want to do?”

Brent was
actually relieved she could defend herself. She was half his size,
and if he’d been serious about taking what she was offering, she
would have found fighting him off difficult, especially with his
training as a martial artist. That was a line he would never cross,
but he knew dozens of guys downstairs would gladly take her up on
her offer and get seriously pissed if she tried to back out at the
last minute.

“No.” She
covered his hand with hers as she rolled her hips, pressing her
bottom into his arousal. “You’re turned on.”

He had been
since he caught sight of her in those snug, low-rise blue jeans,
thigh-high boots, and cropped black sweater. The only thing he
could think about was peeling it all off, but he couldn’t take
advantage of her. She’d had too much to drink and she was offering
him something precious, something she’d been guarding for a long
time.

“So am I. I
want you. I’ve wanted you for a long time.” She moved her platinum
blond hair aside and tipped her head, exposing more of her neck.
Brent had carefully ignored the sexual tension brewing between them
because a girl like Ava would run for cover if she ever caught a
glimpse of his dark side. “I was hoping you’d be here tonight.”

He hadn’t
intended to come to the party, but his brother had asked him to be
his designated driver. “Ava…”

“Touch me,” she
whispered.

Her plea drew
him in like the lure of a drug he knew would be his downfall. Brent
slid his free hand over her bare abdomen. He was losing control.
Her soft, warm skin made him want to uncover every mouth-watering
inch of her taut little body.

She turned into
his arms, looping her arms around his neck. “Kiss me.”

Her eyelids
were heavy, concealing the bright blue eyes he loved to get lost
in. If she were sober, this would have been a no-brainer, but he
refused to be her morning-after regret.
One kiss.
He told
himself he would indulge in one kiss, because he would never
forgive himself for passing up the opportunity to find out if she
tasted as delicious as she looked.

As soon as
their lips met, he got lost in her. Reason disappeared as he fisted
her hair, sanity slipped away with the slow slide of her tongue
against his, and good intentions died a fiery death when she
wrapped her legs around his waist.

He walked
backward to the bed, praying she would find the sense he’d lost and
demand he stop before they took this too far. But she deepened the
kiss, and he knew he couldn’t walk away. It was crazy, but he
wanted to be her first lover. He wanted to be the man who showed
her how incredible sex could be when she gave herself over to the
passion and let her body guide her in to oblivion.

“Brent,” she
whispered, sliding her hands under his shirt, as greedy as he was
to banish the barriers between them.

Clothes were
flying before his conscience could tell him to stand down. She was
naked and spread out on the bed, looking like the cover girl in one
of his brother’s favorite magazines, and he was falling deeper in
lust with every breath. Ava shocked him by cupping her full
breasts, squeezing and pulling her nipples on a deep moan of
satisfaction. His mouth went dry. He may never let her out of this
room. He’d keep her here, captive, a prisoner to her own body until
he had his fill of her... which he suspected may never happen.

Her eyes fell
to his erection, and she flicked her tongue over her lower lip
before closing her eyes and letting her hand drift lower, over her
stomach, to the apex of her thighs. “On no, you don’t,” he said,
climbing on top of her. He pinned her arms beside her head. He
snared her in his gaze. “I’m calling the shots tonight. If that’s
not what you want, you’re free to leave.” Though he feared letting
her go may kill him. Her eyes mapped his body, unabashedly taking
in every dip and plane, especially the defined abdominal muscles
flexing with every subtle movement. “I’m waiting. If you’re not up
for this, I’ll take you home right now. No harm done.”
Notwithstanding the effect of spending the rest of the night
standing under a cold shower.

“I do want
this.” She slipped her thigh between his legs, rubbing his arousal.
“I want you.”

Brent knew he
had to restrain her or he would embarrass himself. He’d been having
sex for almost fifteen years, but he couldn’t remember ever being
so turned on. He needed to be respectful of the fact that this was
her first time. He intended to worship every inch of her delectable
body until she was pleading for mercy. He reached for the chains
hooked onto his belt loops. Most people assumed they were a fashion
accessory, but they served a different purpose.

Her eyes
widened when he slipped the chains over her wrists. “What are you
doing?”

“What does it
look like I’m doing?”

Her eyes darted
up, following his actions. “Um… I’m not sure about this.”

“I’d die before
I’d hurt you, Ava.” When Brent was satisfied she couldn’t use her
hands to drive him crazy, he imparted his sweet torture. He feasted
on her from the dip in her collarbone to the shell of her ear. She
was already panting, and he was just getting warmed up. He hoped he
survived this.

“Brent…
oh…God.”

The way she
said his name, as though she was desperate for him, was almost more
than he could stand. She’d stoked his hunger months ago, when he
first spotted her talking to his brother outside of their English
class. An animalistic impulse he couldn’t explain swept through him
the first time their eyes collided, and he knew he had to have her.
Exactly like this. Pinned under him, at his mercy, ready to give
herself over to his every demand.

“Remember what
I said,” he whispered hoarsely, dipping his tongue into her ear. “I
say when.”

She rolled her
hips and squeezed her eyes shut. “But I’m so close…”

He knew the
longer he made her wait, the more intense her orgasm would be, and
he intended to draw the first one out until she was ready to claw
his eyes out in frustration. He inched down and cupped her breasts.
When he looked up, her eyes were closed and she was whimpering and
writhing beneath him. Exactly the way he wanted her. He didn’t just
lick her soft mounds; he devoured them. He was starving for her and
he intended to take everything she had to give and make her beg for
more. He would ruin her for other men. She wouldn’t be able to
think about taking another lover once he was finished.

Ava’s hands
squeezed into tight fists and her entire body was rigid. “I had no
idea… ahhh…”

He planned to
introduce her to her body in a way she’d never known it, show her
pleasure beyond her wildest fantasies. It made him crazy to think
he could send her over the edge just like this. Her breasts were
spectacular, probably the best he’d ever seen, and he could gladly
pay homage to them all night, but her initiation had just
started.

“Brent, I
need…”

He looked into
eyes so full of need he was nearly rendered speechless. “Are you
sure about this? If you’re not, we don’t take this any
further.”

“Don’t do
this.” Her blue eyes widened in panic. “Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not
teasing you, sweetheart.” He caresses her until she relaxed. “I
just don’t want you to have any regrets.” Sex with Ava was the
start of a relationship, and the last thing he needed was for her
to run scared when they woke up together tomorrow.

“Don’t leave me
like this. Please.”

Was she
serious? “Baby, I’m not going anywhere and neither are you. I just
want your first time to be everything you want it to be.”

She flicked a
glance overhead. “Why did you restrain me?”

“Because this
isn’t about my pleasure. It’s about yours. I don’t want you to even
think about touching me.”

“It doesn’t
have anything to do with control?” She gasped when he slid a finger
inside of her.

“It does. The
control you have over me.” He watched with satisfaction as her
mouth fell open and she grinded into his hand. “I’m afraid if I let
you touch me, I might lose my mind.”

“Oh… I… uh…”
She tossed her head from side to side when he eased another finger
inside of her.

“God, you don’t
know what you’re doing to me. My sweet Ava.” He leaned in and
kissed her, matching his tongue to his fingers. “You’re making me
crazy.” He deepened the kiss as he circled the delicate bundle of
nerves with his thumb. He’d been half-crazy for the woman for
months. She’d finally given herself to him, and he wanted to keep
her all to himself. When she continued moaning, failing to
acknowledge him, he nipped her bottom lip to get her attention.
“Tell me how you’re feeling right now.”

“What?” Her
eyes looked cloudy as though she was drunk on lust. “Oh… yes…” Her
eyes slid closed again. “Incredible.” Satisfied with her response,
he kissed her neck as his fingers continued to work their magic.
“Oh… I’m going to…”

“No, you’re
not,” he said, withdrawing his hand. Brent smiled when she scowled.
She was feisty. He was so going to enjoy that.

“What the hell
kind of game are you playing, Armstrong?”

He dropped
gentle kisses on her shoulder, encouraging her to relax again. “I
want you to let me set the pace, baby. Just for tonight. I want to
ease you into this.”

Ava looked down
her naked body. “This isn’t fair.”

“I’m going to
give you everything you want and so much more…” He laid down beside
her, brushing her hair off her face. “Soon.”

“I’m tired of
waiting,” she groaned. “I want you inside of me. Now.”

Brent was
harder than he’d ever been, and her plea only intensified his
state. He’d never wanted anything as much as he wanted her, but he
had to rein himself in. He prided himself on being in control…
always. He controlled his body and his impulses, not the other way
around.