“Baby, enough.” He hauls me to my feet.
My hands on his chest, I press him back to sit on the hood of the car. He’s stronger than I am and capable of protesting, but he allows my control. And if I’m not mistaken, I think it’s turning him on.
With his back against the hood, I climb above his body, and straddle his hips. He cups my br**sts. I give him a moment to play before I take his wrists in my hands and push them above his head. He smiles at me as if my attempt at domination is cute. I give him the wettest, sexiest kiss I can muster, wiping that smile right off his gorgeous face.
“Fuck, baby.” He runs a hand through my hair to rest at my throat. “You’re amazing. My sexy, shy girl one minute, sex crazed vixen the—”
I take him in my hand, lift up on my knees, and bury him. He groans so deeply it vibrates our connection.
“Mine.” My possessive claim tapers off into a moan.
And with that, my dominance is over. His hands tangle into my hair and his back leaves the car. His kiss is deep, proving the word I’ve just said.
Yes. I’m yours.
Exultant tears burn the behind my eyes. I fight to hold them back. My h*ps roll in waves and Jonah matches my pace. I kiss his jaw, neck, and shoulder, pushing him back against the hood. Bracing my hands on his brawny chest, I thrust harder, pressing down deep, reaching.
“You’re so beautiful, baby. I love watching when I’m inside you.”
I’m beyond words as pleasure coils in my belly. His thrusts become urgent and powerful, spurring on my frenzy. My body is overflowing with sensations, begging for release.
His eyes spark beneath heavy lids. “Let yourself go, baby.”
My body obeys his command. Tiny explosions fire from low in my belly and shoot up my spine. I grip his shoulders and throw my head back. He holds my h*ps steady as reverberations rock through my limbs.
Lost in the foggy aftershocks of my cli**x, our positions flip. I lie flat on my back on the hood of the car, and absorb the heat from where Jonah’s body was. My heels brace on the bumper, my knees fall open. I bring them back up, but lack the strength to keep them there.
Jonah leans down and drops a tender kiss on my lips. I kiss him back with lazy strokes of my tongue.
He straightens and grips my hips. Entranced, I watch the slashes of his muscles roll as he finds his release. He bites his lip, and I gasp at the blissful pinch of his fingers digging into my skin.
His pace quickens moments before he groans my name. Goose bumps race across the planes of his chest and ecstasy floods his face. He slows to a glide, sending delicious sensations to my belly. He falls forward, braces himself with his arms, and kisses me.
This kiss isn’t fast or deep, not a beginning to a desperate end. His lips are firm, molding against mine. We explore each other’s mouths in tender strokes. Patient and meaningful, expressing the love between us with every swipe and passing nip.
He breaks the kiss and looks at me. His eyebrows knit together and he looks over his shoulder.
“How many times has this song played?”
My face heats as I try to think of a way to get out of having to explain my song choice and the fact that it’s been on repeat.
Your iPod must be broken. I accidently hit a button. I don’t know why the same song keeps playing. Remember, I only own tapes. The list of excuses keeps growing. I settle on indifference. “I think it’s Beyonce.” I shrug.
His eyes narrow at me. Darn it! He sees right through me every time.
“Yes, I know who it is. I remember putting it on the iPod for you.” His eyes dart to the side as he listens to the words. He hits me with the deadly one-dimple smile. “I guess you like it?”
I nod and turn my face away. Avoiding his eyes will help the red coloring my cheeks to fade.
“I like this song. It . . .”
“It what?”
The softness in his voice tells me he’s well aware of why I like it. Why does he need to hear me say it?
I exhale a heavy breath and meet his eyes. “It reminds me of you. You’re my saving grace, Jonah. My angel.” I wiggle my arms between our bodies and cross them over my chest. “Happy?”
His teasing smile dissolves. His dimple is replaced by a slight tick in his jaw. He doesn’t look angry. More like, confused.
I feel stupid and exposed after my sappy comment. “Can we go inside now?” I hope to get that intense look off his face or at least get me out from under it.
He blinks and his expression softens. “It’s funny, this thing between us.” He flicks his finger back and forth from me to him. “Every concern or emotion we feel, it’s mutual.” He laughs in a short burst. “Here you’re thinking I’m saving you, when all this time it’s been you who saved me.”
My heart swells to the point that I’m choking on it. “Jonah—”
“I was cold. Dead on the inside from the time I heard about my dad’s accident. Never felt anything outside of kicking ass or a killer hit in the octagon. Fighting gave me my breath, but you brought me back to life.”
I whimper and cover my mouth.
“This whole time I thought I was living. But the day I met you, the lights came on. You fill me with things I thought I’d never feel again.” His hand tugs my at my wrist, freeing my gaping mouth. He kisses my lower lip. “You’re my angel, baby.”
With my world split in two, ultimate devastation runs parallel to blessed elation. And I’m stuck in between. My future uncertain, staring into the hazel eyes of everything I’ve ever dreamed about. And more. More than I deserve, but I’m taking it.
I’ll hold on with a grip so tight, that even if they take my body, they’ll never take Jonah from my heart.
Twenty-eight
Raven
“What’re you doing here, Ray?” Leo walks into Guy’s office as I’m putting my stuff in a locker. “Thought you’d be spending the day with your man. Big fight tonight.”
I suck in a shaky breath. Big fight is right. That’s why I’m here on my day off. Jonah has to go to the training center, and there isn’t enough work left to do on the Impala to keep my head in a good place until tonight.
“Nah. He’s got official UFL stuff to do all day. I’m going to meet up with him after the fight.” I put on my most unaffected face and stroll past Leo into the garage. “What have we got?” I motion to the few cars in the bay.
“You can run a diagnosis on the Tahoe. Said it’s making some clinking noise. Check the alternator.” He goes back to working on a Toyota.
Greatest thing about working with guys, they never ask too many questions.
I start work on the Tahoe, my hands moving through the procedures, but my head wrapped up in tonight. Flutters of nervous energy turn my stomach and tighten my chest. My phone rings in my pocket, making me jump three feet in the air, and earning me a lowbrow look from Leo.
“Hey, Eve.” I greet my friend loud enough for Leo to hear. He rolls his eyes and disappears back beneath the hood of the car.
“Rave. Ugh, I’m so pissed right now.” Her voice sounds genuinely pissed, and she’s huffing and puffing like she’s just run a marathon.
“Why? Are you okay?” I head back to Guy’s office, close the door, and flop down in his chair.
“Hillary came in two nights ago with the stomach flu. I told her to take the night off, but did she listen? Noooo.” She grunts loudly and I hear something heavy drop. “So here I am, forty-eight hours later with six, six people short for dinner service tonight. On one of the busiest nights of the summer.”
I know where this conversation is going. My nervous flutter turns into a throbbing pound. She’s not coming.
“I have to work. There’s no way around it.”
Darn it.
“I understand. It’s a bummer, but you’re the manager. What can you do?”
“Um . . . I could kill that bitch Hillary for starters.” More banging.
“What are you doing? It sounds like you’re trashing your house.”
“Oh, what am I doing?” Her voice is high and dripping in sarcasm. “I’m setting up the bar. By myself! I have one bartender tonight. One! Man, I need a drink.”
I rub my forehead. How am I going to get through this night without my best friend?
“Where’s the after party?” Her question gets my attention.
“After party?”
“Well, yeah. Duh. The heavyweight champion throws an after party following a big win. Jeez, Rave, how long have you lived in this town?”
“Right. Um . . . okay.” There will be no big win, therefore, no after party, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“I’ll be off by eleven. Text me and I’ll meet you guys out. Just make sure to have Mr. Pecs-n-Abs put me on the list.”
Her mention of being put on the list reminds me of Vince. “Hey, have you heard from Vince?”
Her throat clears followed by an even bigger bang that has me pulling the phone from my ear. “Nope.”
One word answer. Translation: I don’t want to talk about it.
“You okay?”
“Fine.”
One word again.
“I’ll text you after the fight.”
“Sounds good. And Rave, I’m really sorry.”
“No worries. I’ll see you tonight.”
I end the call as a new layer of dread falls on my shoulders. At least I’ll have Katherine there with me. He’s going to lose this fight. Everyone will be devastated, but at least I’ll be free for us to be together. That’s all that matters.
I punch out a quick text to Jonah.
Eve called. Emergency at work. She’s not going to make it.
I’m holding the phone in my hand when it chimes seconds later. New text.
Sorry, baby. Ask Guy? xJ
I never thought to ask Guy. He’d love to go to a UFL championship fight, and I’d love the extra support, even if he has no clue what’s at stake.
Great idea! I love you.
I’m already dialing Guy’s phone number from the garage line when my phone chimes again.
His ticket will be at will call. See you in a few hours. I love you more. xJ
Jonah
My drive to the UFL Training Center is silent. Usually on fight day, I surround myself with deep, bass-hitting music. It always helps me to get pumped up, ready to destroy my opponent. Not today. I’m lost in the weight of my thoughts. My strategies for the fight play in my head on an endless loop.
Stay away from the jaw. Take him to the ground, lock him down. Keep moving. Do not get hit in the face.
My pulse pounds with adrenaline for the fight. But tonight I’m amped for a different reason.
After tonight, this mess with Dominick will be over. Raven will be free and clear to live a long happy life.
That’s if I avoid flipping the switch. I’ve never, not once, been able to control it from happening. A groan rumbles in my chest. There’s too much on the line for me to doubt myself. I will control it tonight.
Before I know it, I’m pulling into the lot at the training center. I jump out of the truck and head to the door in a daze. My head is a whirlwind. I focus on my pre-fight checklist to keep my mind off the emotion.