Just Like a Hero (3 page)

She smiled. “I didn’t think we’d be doing this so soon.”

“Really? We’ve known each other for more than a month. And you think this is too soon?”

Lexie shook her head. “We’ve seen each other in passing for a month. We haven’t spoken a dozen words during that time.”

“I spoke to you all the time in my head. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

She smiled as she looked from his warm, dark gaze to his mouth and back again. “What did you say?”

“You mean besides, you’re a gorgeous lady and I’m dying to make love with you?”

She laughed. “Yes, besides that.”

“Mostly what I said was, ‘
God, please tell her to come knocking at my door one night. I need her in my apartment. I need to kiss her. I desperately need to lick her nipples’.”

It took a few moments to realize what he said since he again licked her nipple. When she did, she stiffened slightly, her gaze widening in shock. She pulled back just enough for him to lose his suction, and a low wicked laugh slipped from her smiling lips. “Shame on you. You can’t pray for things like that.”

“Why not?” he asked. He cupped her breasts, bringing them together, while his mouth returned to play again. “Looks to me like it worked.”

“You’re very bad, and I haven’t a doubt God ignored that particular prayer.”

He grinned. “Maybe,” he said with a shrug. “Still you’re here. Instead of praying, I should have taken matters into my own hands.”

“Matters in your own hands? Sort of like what you’re doing now?”

“If you knew how much I wanted you here, wanted to touch you, you would have been scared.”

“I don’t think so. If I’d known, I would have knocked on your door sooner.” Her soft sigh turned into a low moan of pleasure as his hands, measured and weighed her softness. His thumbs teased her nipples into hard buds. He bit each one then rubbed his tongue over the tender flesh. “I can’t tell you how good this feels.”

A pulse pounded in her throat as she struggled to lengthen their play. Lexie thought nothing was better, nothing enticed or set her senses spinning like teasing foreplay, especially when that foreplay involved her nipples. “I think it feels better because we waited. It’s always better to wait a bit.”

“With wine and cheese maybe, but not with you. I think it’s hot in here and you might be more comfortable if you took some of these things off.”

“I’m only wearing a shirt and shorts.”

“Are you? They’ve got to be awfully heavy.”

“They are a little heavy,” she said, agreeing with his absurd comment.

“You’re very strong. They would probably crush me.”

Lexie took a shuddering breath and leaned back, placing her hands slightly behind her and supporting herself as he left her breasts to nibble at her lips again. “Do you know how freaking sexy you are?”

He grinned as he backed up a few inches and watched her gaze move hungrily over his chest and belly. “I was sort of thinking the same thing about you.”

“Were you? What else were you thinking?”

He smiled. “I was thinking I’m feeling a little light-headed ‘cause most of my blood is throbbing in my dick. It’s bigger and harder than it’s ever been before.” His breath came in short jerking gasps. “Damn, I need you now.” He grabbed her by her collar and pulled her toward him so their mouths were even again. “Kiss me. I need you to kiss me like you’ll never get enough.”

Chapter Two

“Oh my God,” she groaned, dazed, shaken and breathless from the desire their kisses had instilled in her. Unable to hold up her head, she allowed it to fall back, giving him ample access to her neck and shoulders. Somehow, her shorts had slipped down her legs and now lay discarded on the floor. She’d never felt him pull them away and now sat on his counter naked except for a shirt that lay open, exposing all of her to his view.

His gaze moved hungrily down her length. “God, do you know how beautiful you are? I knew you’d look good, but I never imagined anything like this.”

She took a sharp breath as his fingertips plucked at a nipple. “Like that, do you?”

She tried to shrug, but couldn’t manage the movement. “Some,” she returned, knowing “like” was nowhere near the truth. She didn’t like it. She loved it more than she could say.

He chuckled at her response and nuzzled his face into the warmth of her neck, while his hand slipped from her generous breasts down her slim midriff to her softly rounded hips then finally between her legs.

She held her breath at the movement. His fingers were hard, warm and slow against her swollen, moist flesh. She shivered, knowing she’d never been more ready for a man’s touch. She shuddered and whimpered a soft sound, telling clearly her pleasure and her eagerness.

“Like that too, I take it.”

“Shut up,” she said on a groan.

He laughed as his finger slipped slightly inside her, barely touched the sensitive edge of her clit. “Should I stop?”

“Oh my God, I’m going to get you for this,” she said, her eyes narrowing with warning.

“Jesus, I hope so. You want to move to the couch?”

“I don’t care,” she returned. It didn’t matter where they were as long as he never stopped touching her. Her arms around his neck refused to let go as she drew his mouth to hers.

“Lexie, God, babe,” he murmured amid mind-stealing kisses. “You’re driving me crazy. I’ve got to have more.”

The kiss went on and on. He angled his mouth again and again as if to gain greater access as he ate at her, with teeth, tongue and lips, absorbing all he could of her taste and texture. His mouth was hot, wet, his tongue smooth yet rough, its movement, his obvious hunger sent chills down her spine. “I can’t get enough. You taste so good.”

She was on the couch. She didn’t remember how she got there. He pressed her back and sat at her feet, pushing her knees apart. “I need to see you. All of you. Is it all right?”

She couldn’t speak. There was no way she could carry on any sort of conversation. All she could manage was a moan in response. With her legs parted, his fingers played with her clit, gently massaging the nub to madness, wet with her juices. He studied the prize before him as his fingers teased. Delicately, he rimmed her warm tunnel, never penetrating but causing her shivering gasps, while her pleasure bordered on near insanity. She was nearly overcome, trembling with the need for more. He pulled slightly away from her and licked his fingers.

Lexie shuddered as she watched his eyes close in obvious enjoyment. She trembled in her need for more of this man’s touch.

“You want to taste how good this is?”

This was the sexiest moment in her entire life. She didn’t respond. She couldn’t. She’d never known passion like this, never suffered under the weight of this kind of lust.

His fingers, wet again with her juices, painted her lips just before she hungrily sucked them into her mouth. Lexie’s heart pounded like a hammer in her chest. Breathless with anticipation, she wondered if she’d live through it. She couldn’t catch her breath. All but this man blurred out of focus. In a daze of passion, she was helpless.

“Tell me, Lexie. Tell me you want me to touch you again.”

“I do. Touch me. Never stop touching me,” she mindlessly replied.

He groaned as he knelt between her legs and drew his zipper down. His dick was enormous, thick and long. Her breathing was nearly non-existent as she waited. She shivered in anticipation. Her hips rose from the couch daring him to refuse her. She trembled in near desperation to feel him inside her.

The moment he reached for her again, he frowned. “Lexie, someone’s pounding on your door.”

“I know,” she said on a sigh. Dazed, she sat up and searched the floor for her shorts. It took a moment for her to overcome the passion, for her mind to catch up. At last, she saw them on the floor by his kitchen counter. She blinked in obvious confusion as his words finally registered. “Someone’s pounding,” she said as if he hadn’t just said as much. “Why?”

“Let’s take a look.”

She was pulling her shorts into place when they heard the sound of wood splintering. Her hands shook as she yanked her shirt closed and buttoned it. She had only one shoe on. For some reason, she couldn’t manage to slide her bare foot into the other. Finally, she grabbed it.

He took her free hand in his as they hurried from his apartment.

“What are you doing?” she almost yelled at the firefighter presently attacking her door.

He and two of his mates turned to look at her. She may not have known what they were doing, but there couldn’t have been a doubt in anyone’s mind what she’d been about. She’d missed two buttons, while the rest, buttoned crookedly, left a gaping space and a good portion of one breast partially exposed. She knew her hair was mused and felt her lips swollen. She wore only one shoe. “Someone’s inside. Stay out of the way.”

“No one is in there. This is my apartment.”

“Lady, we got a call saying a woman went to look at something burning.”

“Oh my God, that was me.”

“What? You reported a false alarm?”

“No, no, no,” she said with a quick shake of her head. “That wasn’t me. I told my neighbor something was boiling over and,” her face grew hot as she realized what she’d done, “I-I-,” she stuttered, “I forgot to get back to her.”

“We’ll need to make sure everything is all right.”

Another firefighter grinned and said, “Sorry about the door.”

They checked the stove and were gone within five minutes, leaving her with a destroyed door. There was no way she could stay there with her door only half in evidence, hanging uselessly, on only one hinge, halfway to the floor. The floor was littered with pieces of chopped and splintered wood. She put on her shoe and took a broom from her closet.

“Are you all right, dear? I was so worried. Oh my, look what they did to your door. How awful,” Mrs. Morgan said taking in the destruction. “They were pounding on the door. Why didn’t you answer them?”

Lexie managed to keep her groan to herself.

Jim was also looking at her door. “I think Home Depot is open ‘til 10. I’ll get something. You’re going to need solid wood. Maybe the landlord will cover the cost.”

Lexie knew he wouldn’t. In any case, the entire matter was her fault. She shouldn’t have tried to take Mrs. Morgan’s attention from the hallway. The wages of sin her mother would have warned. What she should have done was tell Mrs. Morgan she had another call and would get back to her later. It would have given her enough time to scurry down the hallway. Instead, Lexie had led her to believe something was boiling over, perhaps out of her control. It was her own fault. “Thank you. Let me give you my credit card.”

“I’ll take care of it. Mrs. Morgan, can you stay with Lexie while I’m gone?” he asked the wide-eyed lady who couldn’t seem to bring her gaze from Lexie’s blouse. Jim noticed her stare and muttered a barely heard curse as he moved to stand in front of Lexie, blocking the lady’s view. “Fix your blouse.”

She looked down and gasped. “Oh my God, was it like that the whole time?”

“I’m afraid it was. I was wondering why those guys couldn’t stop grinning. I’m sorry.”

Lexie groaned as she buttoned her blouse correctly. “It’s not your fault.” She managed a sick smile at his concerned expression. “Mrs. Morgan, would you like a cup of coffee?”

“I won’t be long,” he promised as he left to pick up another door.

Lexie managed to regain her usual control as she went about the business of making a pot of coffee. She ground the dark beans into a powdery mix. As she worked, Mrs. Morgan chattered happily behind her. Lexie didn’t hear much of it, until the old lady said, “He is hot, isn’t he?”

She turned to see her eighty-plus-year-old neighbor sitting at her kitchen table, fussing with a paper napkin. “Who?”

“Why Mr. Marino, of course, and quite a catch, if I say so myself.” The lady shrugged. “He is a lawyer, after all. Must be a pretty good one. He’s been working at the DA’s office for a spell.”

Lexie nodded. “Maybe.”

“The thing is even mediocre lawyers make a good living. I think you should grab this one.”

Lexie watched the lady across from her. She was greatly tempted to tell her grabbing the man was exactly what she’d been about when she’d been interrupted by the firemen. She thought better of it. Instead, she admitted, “He is good looking.” She added, “If you like the type.”

Mrs. Morgan allowed a low, wicked snicker. “I might be old dear, but I’m not dead. Everyone likes that type.”

She laughed at Lexie’s soft blush. “So you were at his place when the firemen came?”

There was no sense denying the truth. It was easy enough to see where she’d been, what with Jim holding her hand and keeping his arm around her waist throughout the entire episode. “I was. For a few minutes. I needed to borrow some sugar.”

Again the old lady smiled, this time with a bit more confidence. “But you got something else instead. Something equally as sweet?”

Lexie only blinked in response. If this woman thought Lexie would discuss her love life, she was sadly mistaken.

“Don’t take offense, dear. I know I’m a busybody old lady, but I love a good romance. You’ve seen my bookshelves. Why I must have two hundred romances, plus double that in storage.”

“I saw the police leaving when I got home today. Do you know why they were here?” Lexie asked, hoping to change the subject.

“I called them. It was that little weasel Kerrington again,” she said, speaking of the new landlord. “Each of us got a letter telling us they’re changing this place into a co-op. I asked the police if there was anything I could do to stop him.”

“What did they say?”

“They said it was a civil matter, and I needed to find a lawyer. They were very nice.

“You know Mr. Kerrington was such a good man. He never had a bad thing to say about anyone. How do you suppose his nephew turned out like this?

“He wants all the old folks out,” Mrs. Morgan mused.

Lexie nodded.

“We got letters. Now, we each have to buy our places. None of us can afford to do that, so it looks like we’re off to court again. He’s been trying to get us out since he inherited the place. Too bad, his uncle died so young. He was a nice man.” She sighed deeply. “I’ve lived here for more than sixty years, since I was a young girl, just married. We moved in, Harry and I, with his family and I’ve been here since. We raised our children here. Now, that mean-spirited little brat is trying to aggravate me into an early grave.” She smiled at the thought. “Well, perhaps not early, but a grave nonetheless. Only I’m not ready to go yet, and I’m definitely not leaving my home.”