Desert Angel (Family Justice Book 2) (35 page)

Not only was her make-up perfect, goddammit, but so was her outfit. She’d chosen well. A vampy long line black corset bustier with a
Hey Look at Me
neckline, showcased her curves. The way the garment was fashioned accentuated her long torso and let her cinch the waist tight enough to really emphasize an hourglass figure.

Smirking at the sight of her boobs spilling perfectly from the scalloped top, she adjusted the necklace hanging right at the peak of her cleavage. The unique design featured an infinity loop and a knot sparkling with diamonds while a delicate sapphire hung underneath. She’d picked up a bit of sunglow from the amount of outdoor time she’d enjoyed since coming home and the fine gold chain and tiny diamonds sparkled against her skin.

One of her favorite wardrobe essentials from the collection of shrugs and camisoles she had with her was a skimpy, sheer, silk and gauze bolero in a beautiful shade of deep blue that coordinated beautifully with her eyes, jewelry, and even her hair. All it really did was offer some covering for her shoulders and a bit of modesty to even out the flagrant boob showcase going on. It was also sexy as hell.

Angie nodded approvingly as her eyes drifted downward to continue her inspection. This corset fell almost to her hips. She loved the long line it gave her. Bringing the D cups out for the evening was enough, she figured, so instead of a skirt that would have him wondering all night what color her panties were, she went with a pair of skintight straight leg pants that molded to her body like a second skin.

Yep. She looked fantastic. Sliding her feet into a pair of suede pumps, her favorites, the ones with a red bottom that coordinated with the rest of the blues in her outfit, she giggled. Oh, my god. He’d most definitely never seen her look like this!

Grown-up Angelina laughed at her in the mirror. When all was said and done, she knew without a second’s pause that she looked hot. And available.

Grabbing some lipstick, she rolled several coats of
Undress Me Red
on her naturally pouty lips, then did the mandatory perfume spritz with the last one shooting into the air to drift down onto all of her as she twirled happily.

Get ready, ‘cause here I come.

“Oh, for god’s sake,” Parker repeatedly mumbled as he rummaged through what was essentially Alex’s underwear drawer. He really was going to kill Irish for putting him through this. Maybe he should just go commando because there was no fucking way he was putting on any of the briefs he found.

For about ten seconds, he wondered at his friend’s taste in undergarments then shut the snide judgment down when he remembered Alex’s injuries. He swallowed hard and felt the boom-boom-boom in his chest that happened every time he thought about the years of agony his friend endured knowing full well that almost one entire side of the man’s body had been shredded, leaving behind a patchwork of angry scars and puckered flesh. Of course, he’d favor the least amount of fabric possible that close to his skin.

But Parker was more the long cotton brief kind of a guy. So, commando it was. He hesitated half a second then shook off the thought. Nah. No way was he getting naked tonight. It still remained to be seen how combative Angie would be after his arrogantly forced invitation so gearing up for anything intimate seemed like a waste of time.

In the end, he followed Meghan’s welcome wardrobe advice. He was a guy. What the fuck did he know? Match the tie to the suit was about as deep as he got. But teaming up a black button-down with the black jeans and boots was pretty effective. Rolling back the sleeves of the shirt, he strapped on the all black Tag Heuer watch his folks had given him for Christmas.

“Seems like a theme to me,” he muttered looking in the mirror. He was either Steve Jobs or an undertaker.
Meghan better be right,
he thought. She also said not to shave, so he hadn’t. Day three of not shaving and he was starting to look like a pirate.

Quickly reviewing his plan, he decided to take her out to the Roadhouse for a cowboy dinner. What she needed was some Southwest home cooking. They’d pick apart an appetizer, talk, and relax. She’d close her eyes and get all dreamy when she took that first bite of steak. He’d try not to flatten her to the table and . . . yeah.

If they made it to dessert, they’d each get something different and share. Just as they used to from the time she was a kid until later when they sat naked in bed after fucking like animals, indulging in something sweet.

It was clear to Parker he wanted all of that back. The history. The closeness. The feeling you got when the person sitting next to you lit up the darkest corner of your thoughts.

He’d fucked things up before. Molding her innocent desires to his had been the chance of a lifetime to build the type of fully formed relationship he knew was the only kind he’d ever be able to commit to.

Things were different now, yeah. Alex was right. She wasn’t the kid he remembered or the coed he fucked. This time, if he wanted her, Parker was going to have to step up his game. One of his mistakes before had been not telling her what was going on in his head and heart. Stupid move. She would have reacted differently when trouble came if she’d known it was more than just sex for him.

Angie was still going to make him pay for having been such a monumental dick and for letting their estrangement linger. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself, and really, he didn’t want her to. This was part of what he meant by a relationship that was fully formed. He wasn’t interested in superficial bullshit. Couldn’t be satisfied with shallow nicey nice as the price for getting laid. He wanted it real. And raw. Fierce. Open. Honest. If she wanted to kick his ass, he’d set up the scene himself.

A minute ticked by after Parker shut the study door. Then another one as Meghan cuddled against his chest.

Alex didn’t want to say anything to ruin the quiet, effortlessness of the moment. Her laying on him felt so right.

They’d weathered another storm, but he was sorely aware that he needed to be careful with her. She was a lot more fragile than even she realized. Their playtime out in the desert had left an impression on Alex. They hadn’t really talked about it, which he feared had been a lost opportunity, and that kind of bugged him because they really should have. He’d taken them on quite an intense journey that day. And not just because they’d made love so many times and fucked in so many different ways that there didn’t seem like much else they could do and survive.

Long before then, he’d been thinking about something a woman who he’d dated briefly had told him. She was an architect. A busy, highly paid professional at the top of her game, a Type A personality who struggled to relax and was a heart attack waiting to happen.

She told him of discovering a unique release that was like an emptying of whatever part of her held all her stress and worry. The release? Everything he and Meghan had been exploring—particularly the domination scenarios, light bondage, and the sensory play they regularly enjoyed.

It was hard not to notice that his sexy Irish fuck goddess had grown quite fond of having her ass pinked on occasion. Same for anything that he called
balls out excess kept tightly controlled.

So he started doing some research and after having his eyeballs singed and his balls shriveled from the crazy and sometimes sadistic kinkiness to be found online, he’d stumbled upon a resource of straightforward information about some of the things he thought might fit into their playtimes.

And that research led him to the fascinating world of sensory flogging. None of that
beat her ass till she’s screaming and covered in welts.
To him, that shit was insane. To each his own, but that just wasn’t his taste. But the more sensual aspects of it intrigued him. The ballet of it drew him in. The different strokes. How and when to administer them. The slow warm-up and the important aftercare. Supposedly, the whole thing could be really cathartic.

So, he took a chance. That day in the desert, after she was completely broken down from their lust-filled explosion, he took her on that first step to something different. And that was when he fully came to understand how vulnerable Meghan was right now. She’d shattered completely during the simple scene. So had he. She was so beautiful and her need for him so great that they’d probably pushed it a bit too far that first time. But it had been worth it. When she fell apart in his arms afterward, he finally grasped just how on edge she’d become.

Nothing had really changed since that day. The storms still came and went, and until the wedding was behind them, he feared she’d continue to be a bundle of nerves and anxiety. But now he knew without any doubt that his woman was struggling.

Tucking a finger beneath her chin, he lifted until her bewitching green eyes looked at him.

“I have never loved anyone but you. I will
never love anyone but you.”

Kissing her tenderly, Alex held her close to his heart.

The sweet kiss became less gentle, more demanding. Her, not him.

Squirming on his lap, Meghan pressed against his chest as she went on a voracious exploration of his mouth that turned Alex’s cock to stone.

Her hot breath and wet mouth were everywhere on his face and neck leaving kisses, licking, moaning, and nibbling. He could feel the fire burning hotter and hotter till her skin heated and a gorgeous pink glow spread across her fair skin.

Meghan pawed at the front of his shirt while kissing him furiously, managing to undo the top few buttons, but from her position on his lap, that was all she could reach.

She boldly explored his lips and the inside of his mouth as their tongues did a sexy slow-dance. Gasping for air, he searched her expression, found her gaze wild and hungry, and crushed her to him for a kiss that went nova, exploding around them in a cascade of firelights that shone only slightly less bright than the glory of their love.

Pushing off his lap, she sank to the floor between his knees and started tearing off his shirt. Alex felt like a fucking god among men when she gasped, eyes aglow as his chest was exposed. And then she fell on him with a wantonness that actually surprised him under the circumstances.

Alex had expected to do the appropriate amount of sucking up and groveling for his earlier faux pas and was looking forward to making his formal apology in the form of tender lovemaking that would obliterate her fears.

The woman gazing lustfully at his muscled torso, who was lightly skating her fingertips over his exposed flesh, however, had a completely different agenda in mind. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one on his knees?

“Meghan,” he groaned. The warning growl he meant to make must have gone on vacation.

“Be still,” she whispered softly. His heart fluttered
. Be still
—that was usually his line.

Oh. My. God.

U
NABLE TO HOLD BACK, HE
gave himself over to her passion—groaning from the exquisite arousal washing over him as she devoured his skin, neck to navel. Alex’s breathing was labored and heavy as he watched her bite at his nipples, growling dangerously when she bent and put her mouth on the skin above his waist, biting and pulling until he shuddered all over.