Page 50 of Love & Rockets

“Suck me,” he ordered. “I wanna feel your mouth on me.”

“I, um, Jake—”

She halted, looking up at him with a pleading expression he’d never seen before. But he didn’t care. Darla Kennet was hell-bent on breaking his heart. The least she could do was kiss his dick and make things a little better.

“Open.”

To his utter surprise, she did. Those petal pink lips parted and a rush of warm breath washed over the very tip of him. Just the tip. A thousand crude jokes played through his head as he grasped the headboard and leaned in. But he told himself even a little would be enough. If she’d only give him that much, he’d take it and be happy. Well, not happy, he conceded as she wrapped those plush lips around him. But it’s better than nothing.

Holding himself poised over her, he watched as the head of his cock disappeared into her mouth. She closed her eyes and drew gently on him. A low groan of surrender rolled up from the very depths of his soul. Pressing his palms into the edge of the headboard, he tried to push back and away. But Jesus. Sweet Lord, the gravitational pull of her was too much.

Gritting his teeth, he tried again to break away, but now she had him and Darla wasn’t about to back down. Her cheeks hollowed as she lifted her head from the jumble of pillows. Her eyes locked on his and he knew then his plan would backfire. Sure, he’d get the blowjob he’d asked for, but she was in no way humbled or even incensed by his crass demands. In fact, if he was reading her right, and in the past few weeks he’d become an expert on the nuances of Darla Kennet, he’d say she looked a little relieved. And a lot turned on.

He groaned and gave in. Her mouth was wet and welcoming. Her tongue as smooth as velvet. She ran the tip up the length of him, then enfolded the very tip of him in its plush heat. Mindless of her pinioned arms, he thrust into her. How had he thought he’d somehow bring her to her senses by allowing her to drive him out of his? This whole thing between them was clearly making him crazy.

He fucked her mouth. Fucked her so recklessly he barely felt like himself. Oh, but the sensations. Those were real. Very real. He felt every lick, pull, and suck down to the marrow of his bones. She drew on him as if she were extracting the essence of him from each and every one of his cells and he was the one held helpless. Fingers digging into the unyielding wood of the headboard, he plunged into her mouth again and again. All notion of giving or taking was lost as he felt his balls tightening and the pressure growing. He didn’t even give her a gentlemanly warning. No, all he could do was grunt, groan and shudder as he emptied himself into her.

And Darla didn’t make a sound at all. Not a cry or whimper. Not even the husky little laugh she usually gave as her muscles closed around him and she milked the tremors from his body. He watched her throat work, but she gave no moan of satisfaction or mewl of disgust as he pulled out of her and flopped onto his back. Completely spent.

Darla lay unmoving and unspeaking. After a few minutes, the fog cleared from his brain. But he couldn’t look at her. He loved looking at her, but not now. Not after this. Chest heaving, he forced himself to examine the truth he’d tried so hard to ignore. He couldn’t go on like this. Holding back. Biting his tongue. Never asking for what he wanted for fear he’d get nothing at all. Or worse, like tonight, she’d give him exactly what he asked for, and it would scare him spitless.

They lay in thick, heavy silence for a few minutes. She wouldn’t make the first move. He knew as sure as he knew his own name. Jacob Andrew Dalton. He wondered if Gracie had fed the information to her mother. Or if Darla even cared. Jake sighed and tried to muster the strength to get out of bed. He didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know things had gone too far for either of them to come out unscathed. Unfortunately, he was one, and the outcome was staring him dead in the face.

He had to end this. Now. Before all three of them got hurt worse than they already would be.

Fueled by the thought, he rolled off the bed and to his feet. He located his briefs and pulled them on for the third time that day. Dropping to the edge of the bed, exhausted by the very thought of what was about to happen, he reached over and gave Darla’s leg a gentle pat to rouse her.

“Come on. Get dressed, and I’ll drive you home.”

She rolled onto her side, her eyes wide open but registering no shock or surprise. “Now?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t see the point in waiting, do you?”

Wordlessly, Darla stared up at him. A full minute passed, then she looked away. “No. You’re right. Now is better.”

They dressed in silence and left his apartment. The night was moonless and cool. The breeze off the bay ruffled her dark curls as he opened the car door for her. She hesitated only a moment before asking, “What about Gracie?”

He inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the pain slicing through his gut. “Would you have any problem with me picking her up and taking her out to Brian’s place to use my telescope there? She has a little bit to go on her essay, and there are a few things I’d like to show her before we wrap up. I’ll make sure Brian and Brooke are home, but you’re welcome to come along if you don’t want her spending time alone with me.”

A myriad of emotions flitted across her face, but he’d be damned if he had any better read on her than he had in the darkened ballroom. At last, she settled on a small, tight smile as she climbed into his car. “Thanks, but I’m okay with you taking her. I’ll have her ready to go Tuesday evening and be waiting when you’re done with her.”

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