Claimed by the Marine (4 page)

Dazed with ecstasy, she arched her spine in response to Hawk’s fingers suddenly pulling on her long hair. She soon had him leaning close against her back as his hips moved in that unbroken, drill-like speed.

He was groaning, his free hand cupping one swaying breast as he placed his lips close to her ear. “Too deep? Or do you want more? Tell me, Ashanti. I can give you whatever you want.”

“Oh yes, more. Please,” Ashanti pleaded, turning her face and trying to meet his lips in a kiss.

She whimpered when he instantly obliged, capturing her mouth while slipping his hand from fondling her tit to touch between her legs. She was gasping into his lips when she felt his fingers twiddle her hot button at the same time that he was slamming into her pussy farther than ever before. Hawk picked that same moment to rub harder on her clit and the whole combination had her shattering to smithereens.

“Ashanti!” Hawk roared, his thick long shaft detonating as her tight heat rippled around him.

Her orgasm as before, set off his own release, which had him thrusting into her rampage-style. The loud noises of sex and passion made it sound like they were having a flipping orgy and not just a raunchy twosome. The squelch of cock within her ultra-moist walls laid proof to the fact that Ashanti had enjoyed every second of Hawk’s doggie-style invasion. She would never have dreamed being able to survive taking him so deep, and she her body would pay for it by morning…but she didn’t care. This was one hardcore session with her Marine lover that she wouldn’t have wanted to miss for the world.

“Damn!Babe,” Hawk swore hoarsely, leaning over her bowed back for a moment as, still hard and deep inside her, he heaved in steadying breaths.

Ashanti chuckled shakily, her whole body still ablaze from being taken so powerfully by him. She bit on her lip in regret as he finally eased out of her.

Hawk promptly pulled her down with him. It warmed her how he liked that bit of closeness immediately after sex. Her ex couldn’t wait to run off to the bathroom to clean up, leaving her feeling strangely unloved so soon after the act of copulation had occurred. But her tough lover Hawk liked to cuddle and he was holding her tightly, her back spooned against his chest as he laughed softly in her ear.

“You sure turned out to be full of surprises, Ashanti,” he murmured with unhidden delight, making her glad he couldn’t see her face which she now ducked into the pillow. He snuggled closer and she could hear his breathing growing deeper, steadier, as sleep overtook him.

Finally letting herself relax against his rock-solid frame, Ashanti dreamily confirmed to herself that Hawk was right. She’d also certainly surprised herself.

And right now, even a whole day later, she still couldn’t believe she’d acted so unlike her normal self. From letting the stranger who called himself Hawk lead her away from her friends…to letting him dance slow and sexy with her…and then to finally tumbling into his bed…It was nothing like she’d ever let herself experience before.

But she was glad she had. She’d
needed
it – in many ways.

The hot sex, the feeling of companionship even for a few stolen hours…oh, she’d definitely wanted it too. And when the morning came; when she quietly unhooked herself from his embrace, Ashanti had dressed while looking with longing at the man lying sleeping in bed.

Ashanti knew he could never be hers. She knew this was nothing more than shameless lust for him. And for some reason, it didn’t matter. Not when she had used it to serve the same purpose.

Sex for sex’s sake. Nothing more.

Because men like Hawk Malone didn’t fall for women like her. She couldn’t even keep her lazy ass fiancée, so what chance did she have keeping the interest of someone like Hawk? No; it was better this way.

That’s why she left before he woke up; to save him the awkwardness of having to kick her out or make his gentlemanly excuses. She didn’t want to remember the morning-after that way. She wanted to remember it with the last glimpse of his gorgeous, sleeping face; the edges smoothed out by rest and giving him an almost boyish expression.

After resisting the urge to kiss him, she had reached for her discarded panties, intending to stick them into her purse. But something made her leave them where they lay, just behind the front leg of the chair.

Chapter Nine

“Just what the hell do you think you’re up to, Hawk?”

Bertha stormed in to where two guys dressed it t-shirts and jeans were sitting at a table on the porch of a white-picketed house. It was a sunny afternoon and their beers were in front of them.

Of the two was an African American guy with his hair cut close to his head, much the same haircut that the other man at the table, a blonde, was sporting. But before the blonde-haired one could speak, the black guy right next to him turned to the slim figured woman stalking up to them.

“Hey, sis…”

“No, you stay out of this, Marcus,” Bertha said to her older brother, her eyes glaring at Hawk who had straightened up from his chair. “Exactly what are you playing at, Mr. Hawkins Malone?” she gritted out, thumping a finger repeatedly against his hard-packed pecs which stretched his tight green-colored tee shirt.

“If you’re talking about Ashanti…,” Hawk began lightly, but she cut him off.

“Who else?” the petite woman growled ominously. “Look, I know I asked you to do me a favor but if you think that gave you the right to mess around with my friend…”

A scowl crossed Hawk’s face. “Nothing happened that she didn’t want to, Bertha.”

“Now see here,” snapped Bertha after hissing in an angry breath, “I knew your reputation Hawk, but I trusted you because I needed someone who fitted the image I wanted perfectly. I knew it would be a good pick-me-up for Ashanti after her recent heartbreak. But I didn’t expect you to
actually
pick her up! What the hell happened last night?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” Hawk asked her wryly, looking away with a slightly embarassed smirk. “Look Bertha, I don’t want to fight about this. Sit down and let’s talk about how I’m going to get to see Ashanti again. I want…”

“Hold it right there hot shot. If you think I’m letting you
anywhere
near Ashanti again, you’re dreaming. You know she’s just been through a nasty heart break. You really think I’m going to set her up to get hurt by a player like you?”

Hawk scowled. He never really liked the impression people, especially women, had about him. Sure he liked the females but he wasn’t a heartless playboy. It was true he had more than his fair share of admirers though that wasn’t enough for the label he got tagged with where women were concerned.

But no one really understood him. Hawk had always been wary of commitment because of his life as a Marine. He saw his friends and team mates try to hold down a relationship and even a marriage and it was tough, hardly ever home and hardly ever sure you’d make it home in one piece after a hazardous mission. There was also the part of getting so messed up in the head sometimes with all the stuff you saw out there in action.

“Look, I just came to warn you to stay the hell away from Ashanti Jackson,” Bertha was saying heatedly, uncaring of Hawk’s thunderous scowl. “You’ve had your fun. Now let it end there. All I wanted was her to feel a little special for once and you were simply meant to give her a good time at the club, maybe play the gentleman and drive her home at the end. She’d have come away feeling admired and everything and maybe have her spirits lifted up to start dating again when the time came. But you just couldn’t resist coaxing her into your bed, huh?”

Her brother Marcus rose to stand beside Hawk. Both men standing side by side, solidly built with muscles like granite beneath their close fitting Marine branded tees and their snug blue jeans, would seem pretty intimidating to anyone, especially with their military-style haircuts. But Bertha wasn’t fazed because one of them was her brother and the other was his best friend whom she’d known since both men had finished basic training and got put on the same team ten years ago.

“Hey, chill out, Bertha,” Marcus said. “You’re talking to my best buddy here. I never wanted him to get involved with your whacky ploy but since I like Ashanti and she’s been through so much, I didn’t stand in the way. But there’s no need coming out here to my place to embarrass us while we’re trying to have some peace and quiet.”

“Peace and quiet? Oh good for you. Have at it. But I’m serious; Ashanti is not to be played like any of your groupies, Hawk. In a week or even a few days you and Marcus will be off again and I don’t want you leaving Ashanti’s broken heart behind on top of all her other troubles.”

“If Ashanti wants to see me again, you can bet I’ll want to see her too,” Hawk said with his jaw taut. “I didn’t plan any of this, but it happened. Ashanti’s an adult and she chose for the night to end the way it did. And about me playing her…it’s not what you think.”

“It had better not be,” Bertha said stiffly, and then sighed heavily. “I just…I don’t want to get her hurt, okay? I’ll never forgive myself. She’s already hurting so bad and it’s obvious she’s on the rebound and that’s why she acted so…uncharacteristic with you. She’s not used to smooth players like you, Hawk. Please, just leave her alone. Okay? Don’t make me wish I never got you involved with her in the first place.”

Hawk held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “Take it easy, okay, Bertha. I hear you. Ashanti is safe from my evil clutches. Even if it means denying myself a chance at happiness, then fine. After all she’s only like the first girl that’s touched me right in my heart since like…years. But hey, there’s that damn reputation of mine. So I’ll leave her alone. You happy now?”

Bertha sighed again, looking embarrassed as she got down from her heated phase. She looked to her brother Marcus whose expression was sporting a frown, and then back to Hawk. She seemed to regard Hawk warily as if she couldn’t be sure he was serious or not.

“Yes…I’m happy,” she said slowly. But then she added clearly, “But know this Hawk, if I see you anywhere near Ashanti again, I’m going to tell her how you were coerced to act like an admirer. I’ll make sure she knows you were just a set up from the start.”

She smiled at them demurely, totally ignoring his furious intake of breath. “Have a nice day, boys.”

Chapter Ten

Marcus could see how mad his sister had made Hawk. For a woman who was so petite and harmless looking, Bertha always had a lot of guts. No one he knew was ever allowed to speak to Hawk in such a manner and still be standing, but Hawk had taken it pretty well.

He’d warned Hawk not to get mixed up in any of it but being Hawk he’d seen it as another chance to be the hero. Marcus knew he liked the idea of trying to “rescue” a damsel in distress. The thought of making some unknown woman smile or feel better about herself had appealed to the gentle side of Hawk who should have known better.

Marcus sighed angrily. When his sister had approached them with the idea, he’d been dead against it. But then Bertha had explained how low Ashanti had been feeling ever since being dumped a month before her wedding.

As Bertha laid down the idea, he saw how Hawk would be the right candidate. Girls went gaga for Hawk – literally. He was the kind of guy you may not be too comfortable introducing your new girl to. Not that Hawk was the kind of guy you couldn’t trust; no, it was the girl you’d have to worry about.

Marcus wasn’t bad looking himself but he pulled in no way as many chicks as Hawk could on a good day. If they both went out, Marcus was always used to Hawk ending up with the hotter chick if they met two new girls.

Marcus had known that Ashanti would be flattered if she thought a guy like Hawk fancied her. But that was all it had been meant to be. Some flattery, an hour or two of flirting. Leave the girl blushing and hot under the collar.

The way it was supposed to work out, Ashanti would have been happy for the attention but would have politely declined any of Hawk’s attention. But from what Marcus had subsequently learned, Ashanti hadn’t denied Hawk much that night.

He wasn’t sure what to say that would ease his friend’s obvious anger. He found himself venturing cautiously, “So…are you really going to stay away from her?”

“Hell. No.”

Marcus smirked. It was just as he thought. He shook his head with a deep sigh. “Well, maybe you should. I mean, she’s totally on the rebound. You don’t need that baggage right now. Besides, she left without a word. Didn’t leave you a phone number, nothing. She obviously has no intention of taking it further than this.”

His best friend laughed. “That goes to show you know nothing about women.”

“And suddenly, you know all about Ashanti?” Marcus said with another shake of his head. “I really doubt that. I’ve known her much longer than you, pal.”

“That may be the case. But I’m the one who’s got to know Ashanti, the woman. And I promise you, she
will
want to see me again. However, she needs me to chase her. This is all part of her subconscious wish to be wanted again. She wants me to seek her out; to find her – and claim her. And I will.”

Marcus was staring at him. “You know, that sounds messed up. You and that interfering sister of mine…you two should take lessons in staying out of Ashanti’s head. There Bertha goes thinking a flirtation from a hot Marine will lift her friend’s spirits. And here
you
are playing psycho-analyst after what, one night with her? Man…I’m not going to want to be around when this bombs in your face. And it will, Hawk. Big time. I’m telling you.”

“So like Bertha, you think I should walk away? Forget I ever met her?” Hawk said through clenched jaws. “I know you and I could be called out at any time…we’ve been home for two weeks already and we’ve even received our deployment details. And yet…I want to see Ashanti again. I’m not going to deny myself a chance with her. Not after what we shared last night. Will you help me?”

Marcus opened his mouth, stopping short from answering. He observed Hawk’s determined face, but then he thought of his sister Bertha and what she would do to him if she found out he helped Hawk in any way to get to Ashanti. Bertha was his younger sister and he was a good five years older than she was, but there were still some times he avoided messing with her. Between Bertha and Hawk, he sort of knew which one he’d rather not piss off, especially in this situation.