The Bet Read online

  The picture he painted only made her desire for him skyrocket, and she squirmed in her seat and her thighs clenched together. She almost wished she was wearing jeans because then at least she’d have the seam to press against her aching clit.

  And then he leaned back, as if he hadn’t just set her panties on fire, and smiled at Margie, rattling off their order. With her blood pounding heavy in her veins she hadn’t heard a word he said to the old waitress.

  And then Margie was gone, and Ember was once again mesmerized by Saber’s emerald eyes, which held her trapped in some kind of snare. She hastily took another sip of water to ease her parched mouth.

  “Are you a sorcerer or something?” she managed to ask in a low voice.

  He grinned. “Believe me, I’m just as enamored with you.”

  Ember frowned, suddenly finding ground to tread upon. Now she knew he was making things up.

  “You almost had me going there,” she said.

  He frowned. “Excuse me?”

  “There’s nothing special about me. There were dozens of prettier girls than me in that bar.”

  He picked up her hand and clasped it between both of his, and she immediately felt that zing again. It pulled at her, drawing her closer, until all she wanted to do was crawl into his lap and stay there forever.

  She shook her head to clear it. What the hell?

  “You see,” he said. “This is what I knew, what drew me toward you. Call it fate or destiny or whatever you want, but you pack a helluva wallop, Ember.”

  She pursed her lips and pulled her hand away. “Okay. Granted. What happens now?”

  “Now … we eat,” he said just as Margie showed up with their plates of food. Ember’s eyes widened at the steaks, pancakes, eggs, bacon, ham slices and fresh fruit laid out of her. And coffee, to top it all off.

  “Good lord,” Ember murmured. “Are we feeding a third world country?”

  “Eat up,” he ordered, pointing with a fork. “You’re going to need your stamina.”

  His words sent a shiver through her body because she knew exactly what he meant by needing stamina. She’d never been a one night stand or a sex on the first date kind of girl, but she was quickly learning new things about herself. And one of them was the fact that she knew, before the night was over, she was going fuck Saber six ways to Sunday. Or maybe seven. How many positions were there?

  “How old are you, Ember?” he asked, in between bites.

  “Twenty-two. You?”

  “Twenty-five. I’m a Leo, B positive blood, I always use condoms, and I like cross word puzzles.”

  Ember couldn’t help laughing. The humor had been just what she needed to relax and enjoy her food.

  “Well, I’m a Sagittarius, my birthday is December twenty-first, and I’m glad you use condoms. Safe sex is my motto. I don’t do crossword puzzles that much. I like to read.”

  “How come you’re not in college?”

  She shrugged. “I tried college. It wasn’t really for me. It’s hard to go to class when you’re working around two jobs.”

  “What about family?”

  “That’s why I’m working two jobs. It’s just me and my mother, who prefers her alcohol more than she prefers having a roof over her head. What about you? What about your family?”

  He took a long drink of coffee, and she got the feeling he was procrastinating on answering. “Just me. My parents died when I was young. I went through the system and learned to hustle pool when I was fifteen, became good at it. I recently started taking some online courses, so we’ll see where that goes.”

  Her eyes widened. She’d never pictured him as a college boy.

  He grinned. “I know, I know. But I don’t want to hustle pool when I’m old and decrepit.”

  She had a very hard time picturing him old and decrepit. In fact, she’d make a bet with her future self right now that when he was eighty he’d still be dripping sex appeal. Probably chasing the pretty nurses around in his wheelchair trying to cop a feel.

  “So what are you studying?”

  “Right now I’m just doing the basics. English, math, all that crap. Then I’m going after my BA.”

  “Business administration?” Her eyebrows shot up. “Wow, you’re full of surprises.”

  He shrugged. “For now, I’m hustling rich kids, taking their daddy’s money.”

  “Well, you’re very good at it.”

  “It’s luck. And tonight I was very lucky because I won you.”

  “I’m not a possession, you know. I can’t be won.”

  He eased out of his seat and came around to her side, bumping her hip with his as he scooted into the booth. Their sides were pressed against one another, and Ember felt her heart rate rise. If she had a thermometer in her mouth, it would explode from how hot he made her. She only hoped she wasn’t leaving a wet spot on the back of her dress from how much pussy juice was running down her thighs.

  He put an arm across her shoulders and tipped her chin up to look at him. She saw his green eyes darken with need, and her body responded. It yearned to be with him. How discombobulating was that?

  And then her gaze fell to his mouth, to his very firm, generous mouth that was slowly descending toward hers. Good lord! His kiss stole her breath, and when she opened to get more oxygen, his tongue swooped in to twine and twirl with hers. In and out, he teased her, making her lightheaded. The people disappeared, the diner disappeared, hell, the whole world ceased to be. There was only her and Saber. When he pulled back, she whimpered and tried to reclaim the kiss, but he was turning away to talk to Margie. Ember blinked and noticed the check.

  Whoa! She was in a diner! Kissing a stranger! He’d won her in a bet! If she was smart she’d run for the hills. If she was smart she’d forget all about him. But she must be the dumbest girl in the world to trust him because damned if she wasn’t about to let him take her to his car and drive to wherever his love shack was hidden.

  Saber slid out of the booth and dropped a few bills onto the table for the tip, and then he held out his hand for her. And she took it without one ounce of hesitation.

  Chapter Three

  At the cash register Saber let go of her hand to pay, and Ember looked around. She wasn’t the only woman affected by Mr. Tall, Hot, and Handsome. A number of the female population seemed to be panting after him as well, and it made her feel awesome when he slipped his arm around her shoulders.

  Yes, girls. He is mine!

  Wow, didn’t take her long to get possessive, did it?

  He opened the door for her to exit the diner and then again when they got to his car. And then they were speeding off into the night, and she knew this was it. She knew what he had planned next, and her body practically vibrated with excitement. He drove to a gated apartment community, one that was priced higher than what she could afford, and she noticed the majority of the cars were on the higher end of the pay scale. He pulled toward the back of the complex and parked the car before turning to look at her. One arm slid across the back of her seat while the other hand came to rest on her knee.

  “This is it,” he told her. “You go in that door and you belong to me.”

  “W-what does that mean?” she asked breathlessly. Not out of fear but because she wanted him so badly she ached.

  “It means, you and me, something is pulling us together, and damned if I’m going to try to break it. You feel it, don’t you?”

  Ember nodded. Oh yes. She felt it all right. She was feeling a whole bunch of something tingly and hot. She leaned closer, hoping he’d kiss her again, but instead he left her bereft as he withdrew his warmth and exited the car. She only had seconds, though, until he opened her side and pulled her out. He swung her up in his arms and marched to his front door. And then once inside, he led her straight to the bedroom.

  Their mouths met, exploring, caressing. It wasn’t enough for her, and the fantasy she had back in the pool hall came roaring to life. She tugged his shirt up and over his head, tossing it aside. He ha
d tattoos on his arms and chest, symbols of his resident bad boy status. She’d never dated a guy with tattoos, and the designs only revved her need higher. She could barely wait to be naked in his arms, where she belonged. And she knew it was true. She belonged to him, and he to her.

  Ember’s knuckles glided over Saber’s stomach, and she felt the muscles contract against the ticklish caress. She found the zipper to his jeans and lowered it, sinking to her knees to work his pants over his hips.

  Slowly, her hands slid inside the pants and under the elastic band of his underwear to grab the firm globes of his ass. She explored for a moment, tracing over the firm, smooth skin and even dipped into the crack to trace the seam until she skimmed his sac. Saber groaned and wiggled his hips a little impatiently.

  Ember pushed his clothing down, carefully freeing his long, thick cock. The blood-engorged member stood proud from a dusting of dark curls, and much to her surprise, a barbell went through the head of his penis vertically. It twitched as if knowing that it was being admired, bobbing slightly above a full sack. But the piercing threw her.

  “It’s called an apadravya,” he murmured as his hands sank into her hair.

  “It looks painful.”

  “It was to have it done,” he told her. She detected amusement in his voice. “Very painful. I passed out.”

  “Then why have it done?”

  “Because when it’s inside you it’s going to make you scream with pleasure,” he assured her. “Now, suck my cock, baby. I want to see those pretty lips wrapped around my dick.”

  Oh boy. She wanted that, too. She wanted to suck it into her mouth and play with that barbell but knew if she did that now, her little seduction scene would lose its memorable quality. So she continued teasing

  Instead, she licked his balls and caressed them, feeling each individual weight. Saber moaned, his hands tightening only fractionally in her hair. Ember ran a finger over the tip of his cock, catching the moisture leaking from tip and using it to coat the head. She rubbed it over and over, back and forth as her mouth kissed the hot skin at the base of the shaft then moved up, taking her sweet time to enjoy it.

  And she did play with that barbell. Her tongue found the sensation of unyielding metal and silken skin unbelievably sexy. The skin on the head was smooth but swollen as pre-cum leaked steadily from the tip. Ember sucked it into her mouth, using the flat top of her tongue to massage up and down. Saber made breathy little noises of need, and they just about drove her crazy. She rubbed the bulging vein that disappeared under the mushroom head where she lapped up the drops of white fluid that dripped from the hole.

  She loved his salty essence on her tongue. He moaned and bucked his hips as if demanding attention. Ember slipped her mouth around the head, tracing each curve with her tongue, as well as testing the pull on the barbell. She eased her mouth over then down, going slowly. Her right hand encircled the base while her left hand rested on Saber’s hip to control the thrusts.

  She began the blowjob with short, shallow thrusts, each time, however, allowing his cock to go further, deeper, letting her throat muscles relax. She could deep-throat, but it took her a few minutes to work up to it. Just like anal sex, one couldn’t just plow in without preparation. Although she’d never cared about giving head, the one thing she was appreciating now was the power it gave her. The rush. And Saber was very responsive. She wondered if the piercing made him extra sensitive because it tickled her throat.

  Little by little, Ember increased the tempo, speeding up, her right hand moving to his sack and squeezing it, playing with it, rolling the balls through the thin skin. Saber gave a heavy gasp, his hips twitching under the restraint he was holding onto.

  “God! Ember!” he grunted.

  With obvious reluctance, he pulled back to plop out of her mouth. She looked up at him through her lashes, knowing her lips glistened with saliva. He pulled her up to bring her body against his, chest to chest, walking them toward the bed. He practically tore her clothes off as he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. He fell upon her, kissing her.

  “You are so fucking hot,” he panted. “And I love how you suck my cock. But when I come I want to be inside you. Do you want me, too, Ember? Do you want my big cock buried in your tight little cunt as you come?”

  The nasty words only took things up a notch, and Ember moaned when he lightly bit and then sucked on her neck.

  “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, Saber. Fuck me!”

  “Good girl.”

  As his lips trailed down her neck his fingertips traveled upward until they reached her breasts. She hissed and arched her back, thrusting more into his hands. His thumb flicked over her nipples, and she groaned impatiently.

  “Saber, please!” she gasped.

  He gave her what she wanted. His mouth engulfed her right breast while he played with the other, his fingers rolling the taut nipple around. Ember threw her head back as he sucked and teased her. And then he fell to his knees and pried her legs apart, his fingers sliding up her thighs to find her pussy already wet. One finger pushed through her slit, into her core, and her hips undulated.

  “Oh my God!” she moaned. “That feels so good.”

  He used her natural lubricant to tease her, pumping in and out between her plump pussy lips and making sure to bump against her clit. She could feel her juices running down and felt him lean forward to lap it up, following the trail up to her needy little cunt. While his finger continued to tease, he sucked her sensitive nub into his mouth and began to suck. She cried out, and her fingers curled into his hair as she began to thrust in time with his fingers that fucked her. She began to splinter apart.

  “That’s right,” he murmured. “Come for me.”

  She screamed his name as her orgasm swept over her. He continued to finger her, licking her until she gave a little shudder and went limp. She heard the tear of a foil wrapper, and then he was pushing into her body, into her wet depths. As their eyes met, something meaningful singed through her blood, arcing between them. And she knew this wasn’t just a meaningless fuck. Yes, they’d just met. It was true that she didn’t know anything about him.

  But her soul did.

  “Oh my God,” he groaned when he bottomed out all the way inside her. “You feel so good. I don’t think I can last long, Ember. You’re like heaven around my dick.”

  “Yes!” she urged him on. God, she didn’t want him to go slow. She wanted him. She needed him.

  Her plea must have driven him wild because he pounded into her, going harder and deeper each time. He was right. The apadravya was hitting her G-spot, causing her to climb the mountain of orgasm fast. Holy hell, she’d never felt like this before, this wild, this full. And she knew once she hit that plateau she’d never be the same again.

  Ember could feel he was fast losing control, and she so wanted this moment to never end. He reached down between their bodies and touched her clit, and that was all she needed to fly apart again. She pussy spasmed around his cock, and her incoherent screams of pleasure seemed to push him over the top. He came with a loud shout. She felt his cock jerking into the condom as he buried himself as deeply as he could.

  They lay there in a sweaty heap, and he kissed her gently, lovingly, on the temple.

  Chapter Four

  Ember lay awake, staring at the dawn creeping through the bedroom window, rising to start a new day. Saber lay curled up behind her, his arm across her waist. She was feeling slightly apprehensive to face him because she’d never, ever, slept with a man she’d just met.

  A stranger.

  A hustler who’d won her on an eight ball.

  Was she supposed to wake him up? Was she supposed to do the walk of shame? She didn’t even know where she was, so walking home in three inch heels wasn’t even an option.

  Well, whatever this was that was going on between them, she still had a life to get back to. She lifted the arm carefully and slowly from her waist, and began to edge out from under it when Saber woke up and pulled he
r back into his body, wrapping both arms around her.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Bathroom,” she answered. “And then I have to get to the coffee shop. Can you drive me to my apartment so I can grab a change of clothes?”

  “How about you quit your jobs right now and stay with me?” he suggested, nuzzling her neck.

  “As much as I want to say yes, I have rent due next week.”

  “You can work for me.”

  “Work for you? Doing what?”

  “Oh, I can find something for you to do.”

  “You want me to help you hustle?” she murmured and felt an answering rumble of laughter. She twisted in his arms until she was able to look up at him. “I can wear skimpy clothing to distract your hustles. Bend over at the right moment so they get an eyeful?”

  He cocked one eyebrow. “You might be distracting me too much to concentrate. But I don’t live by hustling. That’s just a supplement.”

  “You don’t?”

  “No. I only hustle now when I need a large influx of cash. Or when I want to win the girl of my dreams. Does that disappoint you?”

  “Yes and no. What do you do?”

  “I own a tattoo parlor. That’s why I want my BA, so I can expand the business. My parents died when a drunk driver hit them, and the guy was a rich bastard. So I got a settlement funneled into a trust, and when I came of age I bought the tattoo parlor.”

  “I’m sorry about your parents.”

  He shrugged. “I was lucky there was a witness. Wasn’t much said bastard could do.”

  “Is that why you target rich kids? Paybacks?”

  “Hm. Never thought about it that way. Are you sure you’re not a shrink?”

  “I see you didn’t answer the question.”