After the Hurt Read online

  Any number of images could have sprung forth. All could easily be used to fulfill her fantasy and slake her desire. She relaxed and let a memory pick her up to sweep her along on a lusty journey. The night they christened the club on the sofa by the fireplace downstairs had been one of the most erotic moments of her life. She remembered Tank leaning over her, assaulting her with sensation and touch until she’d squirmed under him. She’d begged him for release, but he’d denied her.

  “I want to play with you,” he’d told her.

  Pepper shivered in the bed now and imagined his hands on her breasts. She wasn’t restrained, like she had been back then. She remembered how his kooky tie had come in handy that night. She’d never forget the intensity in his eyes as he’d lashed her arms above her head.

  Pressing her into the couch, he’d tasted her. Licked and kissed every curve and rise of her body. Pulling on her peaked nipples until she was quivering, flicking them with his tongue as they rose to hard, demanding peaks. While he’d suckled on her, his hands slid lower to push her thighs apart. Here, now, lost in her fantasy, her body trembled with desire. The image of Tank cradled between her thighs back then seemed so real in her dark, hushed, lonely bedroom.

  Pepper squeezed her eyes shut and let her thoughts bring Tank to bed with her now. She cupped her breasts as he had that night and flicked her thumbs over the stiffened nipples. The sensitivity of them took her breath away. She slipped her hand lower, over her belly, until she pressed lightly against her swollen folds seeking her stiffened flesh. She turned her face to the pillow and let it conceal her moan, even though there was no need to. Tank. Pepper clenched the muscles in her bottom and a delicious thrill ran through her pelvis.

  Her slow swirling fingers and Tank’s image brought her closer to bliss. When the delicate throbbing began in her belly, Pepper increased the pressure on her clit. She held her breath, so close to falling into a pool of tummy-quivering release. Through the haze of her desire, thoughts of Tank, and soft moans, she heard a sound unnatural to the quiet of the room and the hum of her passion.

  Pepper teetered, trying to hold back from coming so she could try to identify the noise, but she was too far gone. Her body trembled on the bed and a small puff of breath whooshed from her as the first wave of release rolled over her. Pepper grasped the sheets in a desperate struggle not to make a sound while her orgasm crashed around her.

  She tried to get under control quickly and rolled to her side, keeping herself from panting and reaching for the carved wooden club she always kept next to her bed. It was a habit learned on her travels that she continued to keep: Always be prepared and have protection against nighttime intruders.

  Pepper swung her trembling legs over the edge of the bed, adjusted her tank top and sleeping shorts, and stood. She tiptoed to the bedroom doorway. Her hair fell across her face. Shoving a hand through it, she peered into the darkened living room. The loft was hushed. Only the hum of appliances made a sound. She cocked her head to the side and listened, staring into the blackness, but couldn’t hear anything else. Not much light crept through the closed living room blinds, but there was enough to make a slight distinction in the shadows. Some were darker than others.

  Then she heard the old plank floor creak. Alarm tingled along her spine in hot sparks, melting into searing heat at the base. Her vision burst with colors and her nostrils cleared.

  She heard another creak. Someone was walking around. Pepper gripped the club tighter and looked for her phone in the shadowy room. She swore under her breath. It had to be in the kitchen. A beam of light pierced the darkness. Prickles of fear shot down the backs of her arms and Pepper held her breath, flattening herself to the wall. They were in the den.

  Should she call out? No, that would be dumb. She needed her phone! A scraping noise broke the quiet. The urge to flee burned inside her, making her muscles twitch. She slipped along the wall, keeping a sharp eye on the doorway to the den. She had to get to the kitchen, grab her phone, and get out the door before being noticed.

  Feeling her way along the wall, she kept her gaze on the darkened doorway of the den and fought to breathe in slow steady breaths. There was a louder clank, and booted feet thumped on the floor. Then a shadow passed by the opening. Pepper froze and waited with held breath while more sounds and beams of light carved through the inky darkness. What were they looking for? She had to move or it wouldn’t be long before they discovered her.

  Pepper’s heart pounded in her ears and the urge to dash overwhelmed her. She drew in a few quick breaths, telling herself it was now or never. Enough of creeping, and to hell with her phone.

  One. Two…three!

  She darted to the door and pulled on the handle. It wouldn’t move. She was locked in. She fumbled with the knob until the tumblers finally turned over. Pepper panted. She was positive the thief would hear the rumble of the lock and her rasping breath. The muscles in her back trembled, waiting to be touched or grabbed by whoever was in the other room. Finally as if a gunshot rang out, the tumblers fell into place, she hauled the door open and slipped through, flying down the hall to Tank’s door.

  Pepper pounded on it with the club. She bounced on her toes, scared shitless, while trying to be quiet. When he didn’t come right away, she banged harder. Noises from her apartment grew louder. She heard footsteps and what sounded like furniture being pushed around.

  “Oh God, Tank, open the door!” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, and she flattened herself to the wood, hoping the deep door frame would hide her. Pepper banged again and finally the door gave way. She pushed it with all her might and fell into the room against a hard body.

  —

  “Pepper!”

  Tank caught her as she flew through the door into his arms. She was in a high state of panic and obviously frightened out of her wits, her hair a wild mass of flaming tendrils and her face flushed. She clung to him, breathless, her fingers digging into his arms. He gripped her shoulders and lowered his gaze to her, wanting to get her to focus on him and tell him what was wrong.

  “S-someone…is…in…the apartment.” She gasped for breath before continuing and closed her eyes for a second before opening them. The violet depths were turbulent and bright. “They’re…looking…for…s-something.”

  He gripped her tighter and gave a little shake. She had to steady herself. “Calm down. Tell me what happened, slowly.”

  She nodded and panted, then took a big breath and let it out between pursed lips. “I was sleeping,” she hiccupped. “Something, someone woke me up. Noises came from the other room —”

  “Stay put.” Anger boiled in his gut. A break-in! Without thinking, he grabbed a baseball bat from the umbrella stand by the door and sprinted into the hall with the bat raised above his head. The hall was clear. Then he heard a light click when the door at the end of the hallway shut. Tank raced down the corridor and pushed the fire door wide. Cold air rushed up the stairwell.

  The clatter of footsteps at the bottom reached him. Tank jumped down the stairs by threes, gripping the railing to swing himself around the turns. The exterior door was open a crack, letting in the frigid winter air and flurry of snowflakes. He sidled to the edge and peered around. He couldn’t see anyone, just a few parked cars. He stepped outside. The frosty night hit him with a blast.

  “Shit.”

  He took a quick look around the parking lot and didn’t see anyone. The blisteringly cold snow stung his bare feet, forcing him back inside.

  “Tank. Are you all right?” Pepper’s voice echoed down the stairwell.

  “Yep.” He let the door close and ensured it was firmly shut and locked before running back up the stairs.

  “Did you see anyone?”

  He glanced up to the top landing. Pepper stood with her arms crossed over her breasts, rubbing her legs together in the chilled air. Her hair blew like wildfire around her face from the icy gust of wind breathing up the stairwell. She had that just-been-made-love-to look and he wished he’
d been the one to put it there. This late-night drama was not expected. Tank wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she snuggled up to him.

  “No; whoever it was is long gone. Come on, it’s friggin’ freezing.”

  He led her into the apartment and was glad the throw rug at the front door caught in the threshold, propping it open. Otherwise they’d have the whole key dilemma all over again. He went in first and switched on all the lights.

  “Shh.” He listened to see if anyone else was lurking about.

  “What? Do you hear something?” she whispered, leaning in to his back so he felt the press of her breasts against him.

  “No. Just checking.” He stepped toward the den. “Were they in there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where’s your phone?”

  “In the kitchen.” She stepped out from behind him. He watched her walk away, letting his gaze eat her up. Her long tanned thighs and calf muscles were tight and nicely shaped under her firm flesh. She was much more muscular than she had been and it made him wonder again about her trip. What had she done, experienced, and seen? Looking at her athletic legs, bare and lean, reminded him how perfectly he fit cradled between her thighs.

  Ah, sweet Jesus.

  She came back and this time he appreciated her from the front. The tight pink T-shirt showed every dip, curve, and swell. The dusky areolae behind the thin fabric and her large nipples rose up to tease him. She made him hornier than hell and he itched to hold her breasts in his palms. Pepper’s hips curved sensually under the baby doll shorts and his cock grew heavy just looking at her.

  Now’s not the time.

  She handed him the phone and slipped her arm around his waist. He pulled her tight and dialed 911. “The police should be here for this.”

  The night seemed to drag after the cops arrived. They asked questions, took some photos, and looked for prints. Nothing was found and it didn’t appear that anything had been taken. There seemed to be no purpose to the break-in. Tank didn’t keep anything of value in the apartment and Pepper had only her suitcases. The only issue was entry into the building. Did they have a key and if so, how? Was the door left open? Perhaps Pepper had somehow unlocked the loft door and that’s how they got in. She admitted she was tired enough to have made the mistake. The police really couldn’t pinpoint it to anything specific, so they reported it as a random break-in.

  The cops would file an occurrence report and told Tank to call if anything further was discovered. They also advised him to change the locks. Finally, after all the hullabaloo, they were alone. Tank was exhausted, but he didn’t want to leave Pepper by herself. If the person had a key, they could still come back until the locks were changed. Although highly unlikely, there was still a remote chance.

  “Listen, stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  She gripped his arm. “Where’re you going?”

  She still looked rattled and he knew he was right about what he was going to do.

  “To lock my door. I’m staying here with you until morning.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be okay.”

  He tipped her chin with his forefinger. “All the same, I’d rather be here. If that loser has a key they could come back any time and, if they do, I want to be here.”

  She smiled at him and his heart skipped a beat. Oh man, he was falling under her spell in a hurry. He left the loft and made sure the door clicked shut behind him. Tank didn’t feel safe leaving her alone, even if only for a few moments. In his loft he quickly grabbed his phone and a sweater and shoved his feet in a pair of slippers. After snagging his keys from the counter, he made sure his door was locked, then knocked on hers.

  “Pepper, it’s me.”

  She opened it and he secured it, then turned to her. She looked worn and just as tired as he was. She was probably jet-lagged and could use a good night’s rest, if not more than one night. There were only a few hours left to get some sleep and he’d make sure she got the most of it. His sleepy brain wasn’t working as astutely as it should have and the first thing that popped out of his mouth may not have been the right thing to ease her tension.

  “So, now what do you want to do for some excitement?”

  Tank was relieved when she burst out laughing. He was glad to see the apprehension run away from her face.

  “That was pretty freaky, you know. In all my travels, I’ve never had that happen. Yet here at home, it does.”

  Why did he like the sound of her saying “home” so much? He shouldn’t, but it sure felt good hearing it roll off her tongue.

  “I don’t know, but I’m relieved nothing really bad happened.”

  “Me too.”

  “You should get into bed. Try to rest.”

  “What about you?” She looked up at him and he almost gave in to the invitation he swore he saw reflecting in her gaze.

  “Couch.” He pointed to the overstuffed one in front of the fireplace. “It’s comfy and I want to be where I can see the whole loft.”

  Was that disappointment he saw in her eyes? Did it matter if she was disappointed? How did he feel about the invitation he thought she was silently extending?

  “Okay. If you think so.” Pepper stepped forward. As if an invisible magnetic field drew them, Tank couldn’t move away. He enveloped her in a hug when she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” He was so distracted by the soft press of her breasts against his chest and the spicy cinnamon scent coming from her silky flesh and hair, he couldn’t think straight.

  “For being here.” She stepped back from him and rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

  All he had to do was turn his head slightly and he would’ve captured the pink plumpness of her lips. But he didn’t. By the time he’d gathered his wits it was too late and she’d walked away. Stopping in the bedroom doorway, she turned to him. He’d never felt more gut punched by her beauty than he did at that moment.

  “I’ll be right in here.” She opened the door wide and disappeared into the dimly lit room. He heard the rustle of the satiny Egyptian sheets he knew would be on that bed, and her slipping between them. Had she taken off her pajamas or did she keep them on?

  Something you won’t know the answer to, buddy, Tank told himself. He pulled a thick, colorful blanket from the wicker chest and flopped onto the couch. He stared at the ceiling, fighting to keep his eyes open. He was here to stand guard for her, not sleep. But as he drifted off, his last thought was Pepper sleeping in the big bed in the room right beside him.

  He woke with a start a while later and bolted up. Had he heard something? Looking around the dark room, he relaxed and settled down. It was just the wind whistling past the windows. Man, what he wouldn’t give for some sun and surf. Tank swung his legs around and his feet hit the floor, glad for his slippers. He cocked his head and listened to the building sounds. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He knew every creak and groan of this old place now. All was well. He yawned and stood.

  He had a promise to keep and that kept him from going to the bedroom door. Tank fidgeted and wished he’d brought something to read. He stood in front of the window and watched the blizzard rip down the street. Fucking snow. Unable to stop himself, Tank turned and looked at the bedroom door. He found it extremely difficult to stay away. But he should check on her, right? So he walked over and stood in the doorway. Not stepping over the threshold, as if it were the forbidden zone on the other side. Pepper slept like the dead. He watched her, barely able to see her in the dark all cuddled down in the blankets. Her deep, even breathing filled him with calm. She was resting. That was good and he was glad.

  She was back under his roof, under his care, and goddamn it, that’s where he’d wanted her all along. It took her coming home for him to accept it. But why did she have to go and screw things up by taking off in the first place? He shifted on his feet and decided to lie down again, but he couldn’t tear his eyes off her.

  Finally, he was unable to stand it an
y longer. Tank silently moved to the side of the bed. Light reflecting off the snow outside filtered through the window, casting a silvery glow onto the bed and her. Pepper’s beauty never failed to take his breath away, and in sleep, she was angelic.

  He smiled at that. Pepper, an angel? Maybe a tempting fallen one. Her devilish nature enticed him as a teen and then as an adult. They’d grown up together, experiencing pretty much everything that came their way by each other’s sides. Her adventurousness matched his own. Then she left him and, unable to properly deal with her rejection, he’d stoked his anger, carefully harboring a grudge against her. She’d hurt him bad. Made him feel like a failure. Why couldn’t she trust him enough during a time in her life when she’d needed him most? Her rejection had cut deep and hardened him. If she could leave him after all they’d been through and the time they’d been together, how could he ever put himself out there again and risk someone else doing the same? Watching her now gave him a little bit of hope.

  He thought back to the intruder. What the hell else was going to happen? Just when he thought he’d had it all together, shit comes flying from all directions. He couldn’t deny the excitement, though. It gave him pure adrenaline. A rush that was a clear indicator he’d been bored. Until Pepper came back. He missed fighting too. Damn the knee! Having already performed one surgery on Tank’s ACL, the doctor felt it was far too risky to do a second. The only saving grace was that Pepper had made him invest wisely. He’d never been one to think too far into the future; he was glad she had.

  He’d been floating through his days, simply checking the boxes since she’d left. Not living life to the fullest. Which was, or rather, had been his motto. Grab life by the balls and don’t let go. Yet he’d let go when Pepper had gone. It took her coming back for him to sit up and take notice that aside from running the business, he’d been dead inside.

  Pepper rolled over with a soft sigh that sent his blood racing. Only she and fighting could get him revved up. It was her sound of sex, her pleasure moans, that shot right to his cock. He hadn’t forgotten them. How could he? Even if he did repress the memory. Tank wondered what she was dreaming about. Him?