Ricochet: Friendly Fire Page 9

  This time? He wanted to say yes. He wanted to claim her and for everyone to know it. Maybe his brother’s pep talk worked. Rick smiled as he decided he would see what Quinn thought about that when she came over later, and to his utter surprise, he couldn’t wait.

  Chapter 10

  Was it possible to be more nervous than you’ve ever been in your life, yet unbelievably excited at the same time? Quinn decided it must be, because that’s how she felt as she drove towards Rick’s condo. Her heart was thumping wildly and her palms were slick on the steering wheel. Determined to remain calm, she made a mental grocery list to keep her mind occupied.

  The next thing Quinn knew, she was standing in front of Rick’s door. Blinking hard, she realized she had no idea how she got from the parking garage to this spot. It was reminiscent of the few times she would get in the truck to go somewhere and completely space out, only to arrive at her destination unable to remember any part of actually driving.

  I’m losing it. He’s just a man, Quinn. A good man. One who won’t beat the crap out of you because he didn’t like the dinner you cooked or the way you said ‘hello’.

  Steadying herself, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

  As soon as it opened, it revealed Rick, casually dressed in jeans and a navy, short sleeve burnout tee. His usual heavy black boots were gone, his feet bare on the dark hardwood floor. Every worry Quinn had evaporated the minute she looked up at his handsome face. She felt hot, too hot considering the air conditioner was on full blast, blowing out into the hallway where she stood.

  “Come on in.” Rick stepped back so Quinn could enter. The door closed behind her and she felt his hand on her lower back. Rick gently spun her around to face him, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Do I get a kiss?”

  Quinn laughed at the adorable smirk he flashed her. “If that’s what you want.”

  “Oh, I want that and a whole lot more, doll, but I’ll start with a kiss.” One of his hands slid up the curve of her back to rest at the nape of her neck. Because outside it was a humid day in the middle of a long Georgia summer, her hair was swept into a loose updo. The few pieces that escaped were curling down around her face.

  Rick pulled her in as he tipped his head down, brushing his lips across hers lightly. She tried to deepen the kiss, her hands going behind his back to fist his shirt. Quinn could feel him smile against her mouth, and gasped as he slowly licked her bottom lip, sucking on it seductively.

  “Rick...” Quinn shuddered when he released her lip and stepped back. She immediately missed the warmth of his body against hers, the comforting scent of his woodsy aftershave, the wet heat of his mouth and tongue.

  Rick chuckled at her obvious displeasure. “After dinner, doll. First, let me feed you.”

  Quinn enjoyed her dinner immensely. Rick had prepared everything himself, which was yet another first. Never before had a man cooked a meal for her, not since she was old enough to fend for herself. They fell into a comfortable conversation, as if they had known each other for years instead of months. She threw questions at Rick at lightening speed, not only because she wanted to know everything about him, but also because she didn’t want to discuss her own history with Travis.

  “So you have two brothers?”

  “Yep, both older.” Rick took a sip of the beer he was holding, his expression giving away nothing.

  “Do you still talk to them?”

  He shrugged. “Some, not as much as I should, probably.”

  Quinn shifted on the couch so she could face Rick, their knees bumping together. “Why not? I don’t have any siblings. I think if I did, I’d want to talk to them all the time.” She remembered wishing for a baby sister when she was younger, someone to play with and share girly secrets. Maybe a sister would have talked some sense into her, made her see what a loser Travis was before it was too late.

  Before she could let herself get swept away on the what if train of thought, Rick responded. “My dad… he’s pretty, ummmm, opinionated.”

  “I don’t understand. What does that have to do with your brothers?”

  Rick swirled the half empty bottle in front of his mouth before taking another sip. Quinn watched his throat work, his Adam’s apple bobbing as it swallowed the beer down.

  “I guess I don’t like who he raised us to be. Talking to my brothers makes me realize that I’m the same as them, a selfish, uncaring asshole. Well, one brother may have broken the mold, the jury’s still out.”

  Quinn put her mug of Irish coffee down on the end table so she could put her hands on Rick’s firm thigh. “You are not selfish or uncaring, Rick. Why would you think that?”

  Again he shrugged. Quinn was baffled. No way would she ever have dreamed that cocky, self-assured Rick thought so poorly of himself.

  She grabbed his rough, battle-scarred hands and brought them to her lips, kissing gently over the bumps and indentations earned in the ring. “You are one of the most generous, honorable men I’ve ever met.” Ignoring the scoffing noise he made, she continued, “You offered to drive a girl you didn’t know to the grocery store, you took me to the mall and made sure I got home okay, you enlisted in the Marines and fought for your country until you couldn’t anymore… explain to me how that makes you selfish?”

  Rick was closer now, his lips just inches from hers, their combined hands between them. Quinn let go, putting her hands back down on his muscular thighs, squeezing them so he knew she was listening.

  “You didn’t know me before, Quinn. I was a different man than the one you see now. I took what,” he cleared his throat, “who I wanted without guilt or shame. I didn’t think of anyone else’s feelings but my own. I did things not caring who would be left behind to pick up the pieces.” Rick swallowed hard, his brilliant blue eyes locked on hers. “It’s you. You make me different. You make me want to be better than the man I was raised to be, the men my brothers became.” Rick’s hands came up to cup the sides of Quinn’s face, his thumbs gently stroking her blush-stained cheeks. “I don’t know how this happened, or why, but… there’s something about you, Quinn. Something that makes me feel things I didn’t ever expect to feel.”

  Quinn’s mouth dropped open. She was speechless at Rick’s honesty. Once she finally figured out how to stop gaping and make noise, all that came out was a strangled, gurgling sound.

  Rick closed his eyes, his lips pressed together as if in pain. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way, Quinn.” His blue eyes opened, refocusing on her with a look so adoring that it touched the deepest, most damaged recesses of Quinn’s heart.

  “I—I do, Rick. I’m not sure what it is, but I feel it too,” she whispered, her breath hitching in her chest.

  Their declarations ignited something deep inside Quinn, something she hadn’t felt… well, ever, certainly not with Travis. The glowing embers of desire that had been burning in her since she arrived at Rick’s condo, flamed up into a roaring blaze of frantic need.

  Grasping her by the waist, Rick easily pulled Quinn onto his lap. With a groan, their mouths met in a hot, messy tangle of tongues and teeth, impatient and full of raw hunger. When they parted, Quinn inhaled a deep breath, biting her bottom lip and moaning as Rick savagely attacked the sensitive skin of her neck, sucking and nipping his way down to her shoulder.

  Rick’s hands found the hem of her shirt, yanking it up and over her head. Quinn stood up, hurriedly shedding the rest of her clothes, desperate for skin-on-skin contact. She grabbed his shirt, impatiently pulling it off, then attacked his belt and jeans. Rick lifted his hips off the couch so she could shove them down and out of the way.

  Naked, Quinn slid to the ground between Rick’s thighs, staring at his stiff cock, jutting up from his lap, the swollen head shining with pre-cum. She wanted to do this, more than she ever thought she would. Wanted to taste him, to make him scream, to make him writhe and beg. With Travis, forcing her to do this was the worst kind of violation and he knew it. He used it to control her. Not this time.
Today, she was going to exorcise the ghosts of her past by giving this man an amazing blowjob and loving it.

  Meeting Rick’s glazed eyes, she licked her lips and eagerly swallowed him down.

  Rick watched Quinn go to her knees without a stitch of clothing on, licking her lips and staring at his cock like it was her favorite meal and she was fucking starving. He nearly came when her mouth opened wide and engulfed him, her tight heat swallowing him down to the base.

  “Holy fuck!” His hips jerked on the couch and it took all of his concentration not to thrust up and gag her. “Jesus, doll.” He let out a low hiss between his teeth as she tightened her lips around his cock and sucked—hard.

  Quinn moaned as she took Rick deep again, sending toe-curling vibrations down into his groin, drawing his balls up tight. He could feel the head of his cock nudge the back of her throat and nearly exploded. About to burst from her talented mouth, Rick gently pushed her away. Quinn released his cock and looked up at him, her red lips swollen and shiny with saliva.

  “Did I do something wrong?” The insecure look on her face nearly broke him.

  Rick pulled her up onto his lap to straddle him, sliding a hand behind her neck. “No, you did something right. I was about to come, and when that happens, I want to be buried inside of you.”

  He flipped them so Quinn was beneath him on the couch. She lifted her hips instinctually as he teasingly slid his cock over her wet pussy.

  “Rick, I need you inside me… please.” He didn’t think it was possible, but his dick got even harder when Quinn begged.

  “Not yet, doll. This time, I want to go slow. I want to taste you.”

  Rick grasped the back of her thighs, pushing them back and hooking them over his shoulders. He took in the sight in front of him, Quinn spread out as he lay between her legs, her breaths coming fast and loud, her small breasts moving as her chest rose and fell.

  “So fucking beautiful.”

  Rick flattened his tongue and took a long, slow swipe over her pussy, savoring the sweet taste. He gently sucked her clit into his mouth, then swirled the tip of his tongue around it. Quinn let out a muffled string of words and groans that had his cock harder than it had ever been in his life.

  “Don’t hold back, Quinn. I want to hear you scream.”

  He thrust one finger into her depths and curled it forward. Rick knew he found the right spot when Quinn began to thrash on the couch, her moans getting louder and louder. Adding a second finger, Rick slid his tongue back over her clit, latching on and flicking it until she was screaming for release.

  “God Rick, yes! Jesus… ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. Rick, don’t stop! I’m—”

  She shattered beneath him, her tight pussy pulsing around his fingers. Rick continued licking her until she begged him to stop.

  “Please, please, stop. I need you to fuck me, Rick.”

  He climbed up on top of her, teasing her again by sliding his cock across her sensitive folds.

  “Now!” Quinn head snapped up to meet his gaze, her eyes blazing with carnal need. She gripped the hair at the base of his neck and pulled, just enough for him to feel a sting of pain that made blood thunder to his already hard as steel cock.

  “I quite like this demanding side of you, doll.” Rick smirked as he lifted his hips, lining himself up with her opening. In one deep thrust, he was in as far as he could go, his balls slapping against her ass.

  Rick plunged in and out quickly a few more times before lowering down on top of Quinn, bracing himself on his forearms. She pulled his head down for a kiss, a kiss so passionate Rick felt sparks of electricity tingle down his spine to his groin.

  “God, I need you,” he whispered against her lips as he moved slowly, torturously against her.

  Her amber eyes conveyed everything she could possibly say. Was it love? Lust? Whatever it was, it was a connection greater than any he’d ever felt before. Quinn shifted and Rick sensed her body stiffening up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him to go faster by digging her heels into his ass.

  “Fuck, I’m close doll. I need you to come for me.” Rick ground his teeth together, attempting to hold back his orgasm, a trickle of sweat running down the center of his back. He knew she was almost there again already. Her breath was coming fast from parted lips, and her eyes were glazed over and nearly rolling back in her head.

  “Rick—” A deep, throaty moan escaped as her back arched up off the couch.

  “Fuck. Holy—fuck, fuck… Jesus, Quinn.”

  Quinn convulsed around him, squeezing his cock tight. He threw his head back and thrust deep twice more, his body jerking as he came long and loud.

  Exhausted, Rick pressed his forehead to Quinn’s. She pushed his sweaty hair back with her hands, gently raking her nails across his scalp.

  “I— that was amazing.” Her voice was small, no more than a soft sigh, as she lay loose and relaxed beneath him.

  Rick wrapped his arms around Quinn’s small body, hugging her tight. “Everything you do is amazing.” Pulling back, he grinned as he met her gaze. “What do you think? Want to get a shower?”

  Quinn’s mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk. “Only if you’re in there with me.”

  “I think I can manage that.” He winked. “I have to warn you, we might not get very clean.

  As he helped her off of the couch and they made their way into the bathroom, Rick couldn’t remember a time when he had ever felt so content. Maybe he should have said the words… told Quinn he loved her. Selfishly, he didn’t want to ruin what they had. He knew his job—the lying, the danger, the travel— plus his own fear of settling down, would eventually become a problem for them. Rick pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his mind, deciding he could worry about the details another day.

  Chapter 11

  Jesus it’s hot in here.

  Quinn blinked slowly, her eyelids heavy with sleep. The room was stifling. She could feel sweat beading up between her shoulder blades as she lay on her stomach.

  When she tried to prop herself up on an elbow, something heavy was pressing her down into the bed. Quinn shifted to see Rick sleeping peacefully next to her, one heavily muscled leg and arm thrown over her back, keeping her pinned to his boiling hot side.

  She couldn’t help but smile when she thought about last night, how they made love on the couch and again in the shower. Quinn had no idea sex could feel so good, be so powerful of a connection between two people. Hell, her only previous experience had been with Travis, and he had never made her feel that way. Usually he made her feel like a useless slut. Last night was the first time anyone had ever gone down on her, and it was freaking amazing.

  Quinn realized how idiotic she must look, grinning at Rick as he slept. Unbidden, her mind recalled an image from last night in the shower, and despite the heat a shiver ran down her spine. She frowned at one particular memory.

  Quinn drank in the sight before her as the showerhead rained water down on Rick’s muscular physique. After holding her up against the tile wall and fucking her in the steamy heat until she nearly passed out, he had tenderly washed every inch of her body.

  Now, Quinn was eagerly anticipating her chance to return the favor, eager to get her hands on his body. She poured some of Rick’s body wash into her palm, rubbing it across his broad chest until it turned into thick, fragrant foam that smelled just like him.

  “Your hands feel so good, doll.” Rick was practically purring as she ran her greedy fingers over each rock hard muscle.

  “You’re perfect,” she murmured, working her way down his defined abs.

  When Quinn got to those delicious ‘v’ shaped muscles that pointed straight down towards his gorgeous cock, she choked, her eyes wide. Coughing, Quinn struggled to catch her breath.

  “Are you okay?” Rick rubbed her back until the fit subsided, his brows pulled together in concern.

  “I’m fine,” she wheezed when she was finally able to speak. “Let… let me do your back.” Quinn struggled to k
eep her voice from breaking.

  Rick turned around, but she caught a wary expression on his handsome face. She must not be holding it together well. He knew something was up.

  Quinn lifted her trembling hands, already knowing what she would find on his tan skin, but her mind not quite accepting the truth. Her gaze drifted down. There it was, a mirror image of what she saw on Rick’s abdomen— a round, pink scar down low near his waist. Quinn recognized it immediately. Her father had two similar scars on his flesh, though faded to a pale white over the years. She’d know it anywhere.

  A bullet wound.

  Quinn wiggled out from under Rick’s hold, trying not to disturb him. Unfortunately, he was too heavy and holding onto her too tight to escape unnoticed. When she shoved his arm off, Rick’s eyes popped open.

  “G’morning, doll. Did you sleep well?” Rick released her, grinning as he lazily turned onto his back to stretch.

  Unable to stop herself, Quinn’s eyes narrowed in on the raw, pink wound that was exposed. The cool air from the ceiling fan rushing across her skin helped to mask the reason for the goose bumps that broke out on her flesh. She jerked upright, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. Quinn didn’t want Rick to catch her looking at his injury, let alone have him realize that she knew he lied to her about it.

  She heard the sheet rustling behind her. “You okay?”

  Swallowing down her nerves, Quinn pasted a smile on her face and looked at Rick over her shoulder. “Never been better.”

  He returned her smile, so she focused on getting dressed before he figured out something was up.

  “Want to get some breakfast?”

  Rick came around the bed, sliding his hands around her waist. He had on a loose pair of athletic pants and a tank top, covering up the evidence of his injury. Holding back the tears that pressed against the back of her eyes, Quinn threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss.