N. Walters - Craving Candy

“Oh, Lucas.” Her arms wrapped around him, her grip surprisingly strong as she hugged him. “I’m so sorry.” He could hear the tears in her voice as she sniffed and buried her face against his chest.

This was the first time he’d ever shared his sorrow over his mother’s death with anyone else. No one had ever hugged him and told him they were sorry or shed tears for him. T. S. knew what had happened, and so did Katie, but both of them had always respected his right to bear it alone. But not Candy.

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her tight to him. He lowered his head, nuzzling his face against the softness of the curve of her neck, reveling in her caring as she reached up and stroked her hand through his hair. But reality finally intruded and he made himself step away from her once again. “Now you see why it’s over between us.”

Her eyebrows came together as she frowned at him. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you and your mother. But I don’t understand what that has to do with us.”

Lucas’ already frayed temper began to heat up again. “Because I’m like my father, Candy. His blood runs through my veins. I look in the mirror every single day and see his face staring back at me. I’m capable of beating a man almost to death.” Swearing, he stalked away, prowling around the room. “Then there’s the other night.”

“What about the other night?” He could hear the caution in her voice.

“I took you without care or control the other night. I was no better than an animal, lashing out at you in anger. I hurt you, Candy.” He was in agony now, just wanting her to leave so he could lick his wounds in private. He’d never felt so emotionally exposed in his entire life. “I won’t risk your safety.”

“That is the biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard.”

He whirled around and she was right behind him. Anger raced through him. How dare she make light of this! He’d just laid himself emotionally bare before her and she was mocking him. “It’s not bull.”

She poked her index finger at his chest. “Yes. It. Is.” She spaced each word carefully as if he wouldn’t understand her any other way. “You’re a coward.”

A fury unlike anything he’d ever experience enveloped him. How dare she accuse him of being a coward? “Don’t push me, sugar. You won’t like what happens.”

“Oh, yeah?” She got right in his face, practically boring a hole in his chest with her finger. “What are you going to do?” she demanded. “Hit me?”

It was as if all the blood drained from his body. “God, no. I would never hit you, sugar.” He felt himself sway on his feet.

“Exactly.” She wrapped her hands around his neck and forced his head downward until he was staring right at her, their noses practically touching. “You would never hurt me physically.”

“But the other night—”

She interrupted him. “Was the most erotic experience of my life.”

He could see the sincerity in her eyes. But most of all, he could see the love. A weight seemed to fall away from him as the significance of what had just happened finally seemed to seep into him. Yes, he had come from violence and was capable of violence, but never against her or anyone he truly loved.

“Lucas, your past has made you the man you are. You’re so controlled and self-contained it’s almost scary. Yes, we’ll probably fight and yell at each other.” She laughed. “We’re both such strong-willed people, I don’t think we can avoid that. But.” She stroked her hand over his face and smiled at him. “You’ll never hit me. You’re not capable of harming a woman.”

Her belief in him humbled him. And her hand on his face and the closeness of her body was arousing him unbearably. His earlier anger had transmuted itself into lust. He wanted Candy. No, he needed her. He needed to claim her as his, once and for all.

“Be sure, sugar. Because once I take you, there’s no going back.” His cock was rockhard beneath his jeans and the urge to fuck her was all-consuming.

In answer, she whipped her blouse over her head and dropped it to the floor. “I certainly hope not.” Her smile was wicked and filled with erotic promise as she turned and sauntered toward the bedroom, her lush hips swaying gently from side to side.

The pure, unadulterated happiness that filled him was only superseded by the lust for this woman that pounded through his body. She was his and once he claimed her, he would never let her go.

Swooping down on her, he caught her up in his arms and tossed her over his shoulder. She laughed and reached down and squeezed his butt in response. He swatted her bottom playfully as she did it again. And her shrieks of delight mixed with his own low laughter as he carried her into the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him.

One minute Candy was hanging over Lucas’ shoulder and the next she was flying through the air. She bounced once on the mattress before sinking back against its softness.

He followed her down onto the bed, his expression intense as he framed her face in his hands. “Although there’s been nothing in the papers about what happened at the talk show taping, there’s still a chance it will get out. If not now, then someday. My past will always be there, sugar. I’m a rough man with a violent past. That will never change.”

She stared up into the face of the man she loved and knew deep in her heart that his past no longer mattered to her. “What you are is a good man, Lucas. The best I’ve ever known.” She covered his hands with her own. “I’m sorry for your past because it hurt you, and I’m sorry for the death of your mother. But I’m glad that I found you.”

He closed his eyes and nodded. When he reopened them, they were blazing with undisguised lust. But beyond that, she could see the deep, abiding love, and it filled her with hope for the future. This was a man a woman could depend on, now and forever. And he was all hers!

One question nagged at her. She hated to ask, afraid of ruining the mood, but she had to know. “What happened to your father?”

Lucas sat back on his heels, reached his hands behind his back, grabbed a handful of fabric and yanked his T-shirt off over his head. He flung it aside as he leaned over and found the opening of her skirt. “He died in prison.” Making quick work of the zipper, he tugged her skirt down her legs, tossing it behind him.

She knew that Lucas didn’t want to talk about it any longer and that was fine with her. She knew what she needed to know. While she still had many questions to ask him, they could wait. Right now, she needed him to make love to her. Needed to join her body to his and give him the comfort and release from his torment that sex could provide.

Smiling at him, she stroked her hands up her belly and cupped her lace-covered breasts. She was wearing a new strawberry-colored lacy bra and matching panties. “Do you like my new lingerie?” She batted her eyelashes, flirting shamelessly with him.

He laughed and the sound was like music to her ears. “You look good enough to eat.” His voice was low and gruff and sent shivers down her spine. He licked his lips as he leaned down. “And I plan to taste every sweet inch of you.”

His tongue traced the edge of the lace, sweeping across the top of her breast. A fire was burning low in her belly and she knew that only he could appease it. What was it about this particular man that ignited such passion and desire in her? He raised his head and the sensual gleam in his eyes curled her toes. And when his mouth covered her nipple, sucking at it through the thin lace covering, thought fled and was replaced by physical need.

The fabric of his jeans was rough against her skin as he settled between her legs. The action spread her legs wide, draping them over his hard thighs. His fingers trailed up her arms, raising goose bumps in their wake. He hooked his thumbs beneath the strap of her bra and slowly lowered it over her arms, dragging the lace cups from her breasts.

“Beautiful,” he whispered reverently as he skimmed the tips of her breasts with his fingers. The light touch seemed to reach every nerve ending in her body, making her tingle from head to toe.

He stroked his tongue across one swollen peak before taking it deep into his mouth and sucking hard. Candy gasped and arched her hips. She felt so empty inside. “Lucas,” she moaned as she clutched at his shoulders, digging her nails deep.

He growled, the sound low in his throat, as he left her breasts and kissed a heated path down her torso to her bellybutton. Dipping his tongue inside, he swirled it around. Her fingers tugged at his hair, trying to push him lower. He laughed and nipped at her hipbones, which were exposed by the low cut of her panties.

She could feel the dampness between her thighs and knew he could smell and feel her desire for him as he dragged his tongue over the lacy fabric.

Lucas sat back on his heels and traced the lace band at the top of her thigh-high stockings. “You’re so fucking sexy in these and those ridiculous high heels you usually wear. But right now, I don’t want anything between us.”

She almost took offense at his disparaging remark about her footwear. Almost. But when he edged his fingers beneath the band of the stocking and began to slowly roll it down her leg, she promptly forgot everything but the feel of his hand against her skin. As he lowered the stocking down her leg, he kissed and licked every inch of flesh he exposed. By the time he got to her foot, she was sweating.

He whisked the stocking off and kissed the top of each of her toes as he dug his thumbs into her arch. “Oh, God,” she moaned as his fingers continued their magic on her foot. He stroked the sides of her foot and the bottom, paying particular attention to her arch and the ball. It was heaven.