Shoot Out (The Baltimore Banners Book 7) (2 page)

She shook her head again, dislodging the beads that caught in her hair. The colorful strands fell, landing against her chest and curling around one firm breast. Mat blinked, mesmerized at the sight even though he knew he shouldn't be staring. He sensed her smile, knew she was watching him watching her, and he still couldn't look away. Not when she reached up and gently cupped both her breasts, pinching the nipples and making the peaks harden even more.

Whatever blood was left in his head shot straight to his cock, leaving him momentarily lightheaded. He saw Nicole's lips move, knew she was saying something, but he couldn't make out the words through the buzzing in his ears. He shook his head and finally looked up at her, at the playfulness in her warm eyes and the full smile on her luscious mouth.

"Touch me, Mat."

He didn't need to be told twice. He reached out and skimmed the back of his hands over the hard nipples, softly, gently. Nicole's breath caught in her throat and her head fell back.

"Like that?"

"Yes."

Mat did it again, brushing the peaks a little harder this time. He shifted his hands, cupping each breast in his palm, their weight warm and heavy. He brushed each nipple with his thumb, over and over, lightly, teasing. Then he leaned forward and took one nipple in his mouth, grazing it with his teeth before sucking, licking.

Nicole gasped and arched under him, her hand cupping the back of his head and holding him in place. He moved to her other breast, teasing and sucking, licking, until the sound of her harsh breathing echoed around him. He eased her back on the mattress, kissing his way down her body. Using his mouth, his lips, his teeth. Teasing, tasting. He dragged the tips of his fingers along her sides, smiling at the little sounds she made. Short gasps peppered with little moans, the noise both oddly sweet and completely enticing. Enchanting.

He reached the edge of her silky skirt, hesitating only a second before dipping his fingers into the waistband and dragging it past her hips. Mat shifted, just enough to pull the skirt down the long length of her legs before tossing it to the floor. He sat back on his heels, his gaze hungry as he stared at her.

Full firm breasts with dark pointed nipples. Lean waist and flat stomach, the flesh firm and tanned. Flared feminine hips, slightly round, tapering down to long toned legs. The flesh of her body glowed with a warm tan, honey and gold.

He reached down with one hand and dragged his fingers up her leg, slowly, teasing, dipping behind to caress the sensitive flesh at the back of her knee. Her body arched and she gasped, the sound small and breathy. Mat swallowed his own groan and continued dragging his finger up her leg, gently tracing the lines of the tattoo that covered the top of her left thigh. A fairytale castle protected by a dragon, surrounded by flowers, boldly colored.

He didn't waste time looking, not when his focus was elsewhere. Higher up, there at the juncture of her thighs. Completely smooth and bare, the soft skin there as tanned as the rest of her body.

He dragged his hand up, his palm covering her heated skin for just a second before he slid his finger along the delicate folds. Nicole's hips arched up, her legs dropping to the sides, opening her to his gaze, his touch.

Mat traced the soft opening with the tip of his finger, back and forth, her flesh damp and hot. He reached behind him and grabbed her right ankle with his free hand, bending her leg and moving it further to the side, opening her even more. She moaned, reaching out with one hand before it curled around air and dropped to the mattress beside her. Her eyes were closed, her head turned to the side, her teeth pulling at her lower lip. He stroked her again, sliding the tip of his finger inside until it disappeared into the rosy flesh. Wet. Hot. Welcoming.

In. Out. In once more as her hips tilted higher, searching. He grabbed her, holding her still as he lowered his mouth to her.

Fuck, she was so wet. Sweet. He ran his tongue along her clit, teasing the sensitive flesh until her moans became louder, her breathing harsher. He reached up with one hand, spreading her moist flesh, holding her open, giving him more. His other hand drifted up to one full breast, kneading and squeezing as he feasted on her.

Her hand drifted up from the mattress, her fingers tangling in his hair as her hips thrust against his mouth. Her moans drifted off, becoming whimpers mixed with words that made no sense. Then her breathing stopped and her body tensed under his touch, her back arching as she held herself above the mattress.

And screamed his name with her release.

The noise startled him and he pulled back, but only for a split second before he grinned. A cocky, satisfied grin that he quickly hid by kissing the inside of Nicole's thigh. Her fingers dug into his hair, tugging then releasing as tremors racked her body.

Mat slid off the bed, quickly removing his shirt and tossing it to the floor before pushing his shorts and briefs down and stepping out of them. He leaned over and pulled his wallet out, grabbing the foil packets he had tucked inside earlier, then tossed the wallet on the pile of clothes. Condoms securely in hand, he climbed back on the bed and stretched out beside Nicole, tossing the foil packets next to the pillow as he watched her body slowly relax.

She was beautiful, but not in a calendar or lingerie model kind of way. Her body was lean but full, supple yet firm. Healthy golden skin stretched over muscle and curves, soft and hard all at the same time. Her hair fanned around her, the long lengths tangled on the pillow. Mat reached out, fingering the thick strands. Soft and smooth, vibrant, almost alive as they curled around his finger. Nicole shifted, her head turning toward him as her lids fluttered open. Her gaze was warm, slightly dazed as she looked at him, a small smile teasing the corners of her full mouth.

Her tongue darted out, a soft peek of pink running across her bottom lip. She rolled to her side and propped her head in her hand, still smiling at him. "Wow."

Mat grinned. "Wow, huh?"

"Definitely."

He reached out and ran a finger along her collarbone then down, tracing the bold colorful lines of the partial sleeve tattooed on her left arm. Another dragon, more fairies and flowers. He met her gaze once more, the corners of his mouth curing in a grin. "There's definitely more wow available. If you're interested."

Nicole laughed then moved so quickly that Mat barely had time to blink before finding himself flat on his back, his arms stretched above him as Nicole straddled his waist. She leaned forward, her full breasts pressed against his bare chest, and playfully nipped his bottom lip.

"Oh, I'm definitely interested."

Mat's grin faded with a small groan as she kissed her way down his chest. He gasped when she nipped one flat nipple, moaned when she teased it with her tongue. And then her hand closed around his cock, stroking, and he forgot to think, forgot about everything except her touch.

And then her touch disappeared, was simply gone. Mat swallowed his groan of disappointment, wondering if she changed her mind, if maybe he had pushed too far, too fast. He lifted his head from the pillow and opened his eyes, almost afraid he'd see her getting dressed. Fuck. He wasn't any good at this. He should have wooed her some more, should have—

No, she wasn't getting dressed. She was sitting back on her heels between his legs, a sultry look in her exotic eyes as she watched him. She grabbed several of the tangled strings of beads and pulled them over her head, the purple and gold plastic rubbing together with a whispered clicking as she let them run through her fingers. A teasing grin played at the corners of her mouth when she leaned forward and dragged the beads down his stomach—

And across his cock.

Holy shit, he hadn't been expecting that. Hadn't expected the thrill that shot through him at the sensation. Nicole wrapped the beads around the base of his cock, around his balls, tightening them just a little. Then she leaned forward and—

Mat's breath escaped in a rush when her mouth closed over his cock. Hot, sweet. Christ, her mouth was a wet dream come to life. Not just her mouth. Her hands, gently squeezing his balls, gently stroking the beads up and down his throbbing erection.

And holy shit, the way the beads tightened around his cock, his balls, the way she sucked him, like she was working on a thick milkshake, trying to draw it through a straw and—

What the fuck was wrong with him, thinking about milkshakes when he was getting the best fucking blowjob he'd ever had? And shit, Nicole's mouth really was a wet dream come to life because if she didn't stop, he'd be making his own fucking milkshake right in her mouth.

He reached down, searching, trying to stop her—or hold her in place, he wasn't sure which. But just before he lost it, just before he came right in her mouth, she pulled back, that devilish grin still in place. She stretched forward, one hand still playing with the beads around his balls, and grabbed one of the condoms. Mat held his breath, his jaw clenched as she ripped open the packet and rolled it in place. Fuck, just that much was nearly enough to send him over the edge. It had been too long, too damn long, he wasn't used to—

And then she was straddling him, her hand stroking him as she guided him closer to home. He thought this would be it, that she'd lower herself on his cock but no, not yet. She tilted her hips forward, rubbing her clit along the hard length of his cock, back and forth. He watched, afraid to move, afraid to so much as breathe, as she grabbed the beads and moved them so the strand was between her clit and his cock.

And holy fucking shit, he didn't think he'd ever felt anything quite like that. Rough, hard, soft, wet. And he wasn't even inside her yet. Fuck, if he didn't get inside her, soon—now—he wasn't sure he'd make it.

But then, yes thank God, she lowered herself on him, the beads still wrapped around his cock, tightening around his balls. Mat sucked in his breath with a sharp hiss. Air filled his lungs, threatening to burst as he raised his head, his gaze locked on Nicole.

Her eyes met his, warm and glazed with desire. The corner of her mouth lifted, just briefly, before she caught her lower lip between her teeth. Her head dropped back and she braced her hands behind her, resting them on his thighs. The movement thrust her full breasts forward as she raised and lowered herself, riding him.

Slow, so slow.

Too fucking slow.

He grabbed her hips and thrust up, burying himself deep in her wet heat. She gasped, a low keening cry, and dug her nails into his thighs. Mat bent his knees and pressed his heels into the mattress, bracing himself, and thrust deeper.

Slow, fast. Deep. Steady. Over and over, burying himself. Losing himself.

Nicole's body tensed, her gasps turning into sharp moans. She held herself still, her nails scoring the flesh of his thighs, her legs tightening around his hips. Her internal muscles clenched, gripping, squeezing his cock for one long second before exploding around him in a million tiny tremors. She cried out again and collapsed against him, her teeth nipping at his neck and collarbone. Mat clenched his jaw, holding himself still for the briefest moment, straining. Too much. It was too much.

He groaned and thrust up. Once, twice. Then his own climax ripped through him. Hard, intense, blinding. Long seconds went by, filled with nothing but sharp sensation and the feel of Nicole's body against his.

His breathing slowed as contentment filled him. Soothing, reassuring. He reached up and cupped one side of Nicole's face, turning her head and claiming her mouth with his. The kiss was slow and languid, over too soon when she pulled back and grinned down at him. Mat groaned when she shifted and rolled to her side, his body already missing hers.

He pushed himself from the bed and moved to the bathroom, untangling the beads and disposing of the condom before washing up. He almost tossed the beads in the trash then stopped. Before he could think too long about what he was doing, about how silly the whole thing was, he rinsed them off and tossed them into his shower kit. He didn't know why, didn't even want to think about why.

Nicole smiled when he returned, rolling to her side and patting the mattress beside her. Mat hesitated, not quite able to hide his own smile, then climbed into bed and stretched out next to her.

"Did you need to leave or anything?" And shit, what a stupid thing to ask. Why would he even say something like that?

"Not unless you want me to."

"No." Mat shook his head, hoping he didn't sound too eager now.

"Good." She smiled, a small tired one, then curled up next to him, draping her arm across his waist and resting her head on his chest.

Mat stiffened, surprised, then relaxed and wrapped his arm around her. He pressed his mouth against her temple, his lips lingering on her skin. "Good."

But his whisper was lost in Nicole's soft breathing. He looked down, noticed her closed eyes and the dark shadow of her lashes against her skin, the relaxed line of her full lips. Something warm and unexpected flowed through him, something he didn't understand.

He brushed it away and closed his eyes, his arm tightening around Nicole and holding her close as he drifted off to sleep.

Mat stirred, his mind fighting against the pull of wakefulness. No good, not with the sun pouring in through the room's window and heating the air. It shouldn't be this warm, not with the air conditioner on.

He groaned and rolled to his back, his eyes slowly opening. A hazy minute went by as he got his bearings.

Strange bed. Warm room. Combined scents of sex and light perfume.

A slow grin spread across his face and he pushed up on his elbows, looking to the side. Shit. The bed was empty, all except for a few strands of Mardi Gras beads draped across the pillow. His grin turned into a full smile at the memory of other beads, the ones he tossed into his shower kit last night.

Holy hell, he'd never look at beads the same way again.

He pushed himself to a sitting position, throwing the heap of covers off to the side. No wonder he was so hot. Nicole must have tossed all the covers on top of him.

Where was she? Mat cocked his head to the side, listening for the sound of running water. No, she wasn't in the bathroom. A quick look at the open door and the darkened room beyond told him that much. Maybe she was out in the main part of the suite. Yeah, now that he was a little more awake, he could just make out the smell of coffee.

Still grinning, he grabbed a pair of gym shorts from his open suitcase and stepped into them. Maybe he could convince Nicole to take a shower with him. Better yet, maybe he could talk her into using the oversized Jacuzzi tub.

Thoughts of soapy bubbles gliding over her silky skin firmly in mind, he opened the bedroom door and walked into the living area. "Did you sleep as well as I did?"

"Once all the noise from your room finally stopped, I did."

Mat froze, the hard-on in his shorts quickly dying at Kenny's dry words. He looked around, his subconscious registering the fact that Nicole wasn't anywhere in sight a full thirty seconds before his mind actually accepted it.

"What are you doing here?"

Kenny quirked one dark brow at him, the coffee mug paused halfway to his mouth. He shook his head and took a long swallow, then placed the mug on the low table in front of him. "We're sharing the suite, remember? Or did all the sex last night fry what's left of your brain?"

"But I put the Do Not Disturb sign out."

Kenny shrugged and turned back to the paper he'd been reading. "Must've fallen off."

Mat wanted to call bullshit but figured it wasn't worth it. Figured Kenny would either deny it or just laugh. And it didn't matter anyway, not really. It wasn't like Kenny had walked in on them, or stopped to watch.

Mat finally forced his feet to move and made his way over to the small coffee pot. There was barely enough left for one cup. He tossed a dirty look over his shoulder then poured the remnants into the small mug and took a sip.

It was awful. Too strong, too dark, too bitter. But he drank it anyway, just for the caffeine hit. One more sip, then he leaned against the counter, going for what he hoped was a casual look. "So. Did you, uh, happen to see a woman around anywhere?"

Kenny lowered the paper, one brow quirked in amusement. "Your girl left about an hour ago."

Disappointment, sudden and unexpected, swirled in Mat's gut. He took another swallow of coffee, grimaced at the bitterness, and put the cup down. "Did she, uh, say anything?"

"Nope. I was just coming out of the room when she opened the door. I got a grin and a finger wave and that was it."

"A finger wave?"

"Yeah." Kenny held up one large hand and wiggled his big fingers like a little kid. "Like this."

"Oh." Mat lowered his head, trying to hide his frown. "And she didn't say anything?"

"I already told you no."

"Oh." There were other questions Mat wanted to ask but he didn't, not when he figured they would just make him sound desperate. And he didn't understand the disappointment lodged in his gut. Had he really expected her to stay? She probably had things to do. Or maybe she wanted to take a shower back in her own room, so she could change clothes.

Yeah, that was probably it. He could understand that. Who wanted to take a shower only to put on the previous day's clothes? Some of the disappointment left at the rationalization. That had to be it. Even he wouldn't want to get dressed in dirty clothes.

But he still wished she would have let him know she was leaving. He could have walked her to her room.

If she was even staying in the same hotel. Maybe she wasn't. Maybe she was staying somewhere else. He hadn't thought to ask her last night.

Disappointment flooded him again, deepening his frown. What if he didn't get a chance to see her again? He hadn't even thought about getting her number, had no idea how to get in touch with her.

So what the hell was he supposed to do now?

"Hey, Casanova. Did you hear a word I just said?"

"What?" Mat looked up, surprised to find Kenny staring at him in amusement. He mentally shook himself and tried not to look completely lost. "Dude, sorry, no. I was thinking."

Kenny tossed the paper on the table with a muttered curse then stood. "Yeah, thinking. You're already planning the wedding."

"Why would I do that? Emily and JP already have everything—"

"Oh for shit's sake. Not their wedding. Yours."

"Mine? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You've got that look on your face, like you're already in love and counting the days to the wedding."

"Dude, fuck off. You have no idea what you're talking about." Mat shook his head and prayed that the heat he felt warming his face wasn't a blush. He liked Kenny better when he didn't talk quite so much—a trait that seemed to have disappeared in the last year since he'd been called up to the team. And Kenny was an idiot for even saying something like that. He had no idea what he was talking about and it was so far from the truth, Mat didn't even know how to respond.

So what if he was already wondering when he'd be able to see Nicole again? That didn't mean anything—even if last night was supposed to be just a one-night thing. He had fun. And he was pretty sure Nicole did, too. There was nothing wrong with wanting to have some more fun.

Kenny nudged Mat to the side and put his mug in the small sink. "You're killing me."

"What? Why?"

Kenny rolled his eyes, the expression almost as exaggerated as his heavy sigh. "Because you are."

"Like that makes sense. You know, this is why I'd rather room with Justin instead of you. You're all—" Mat waved his hands around, searching for the right word. He gave up and blew out a deep breath. "You're just a pain in the ass."

Kenny didn't say anything, just watched him with one raised eyebrow. That was another thing that annoyed Mat. Even though Kenny talked more than he used to when he first joined the team, he was still too quiet at times, always noticing too much. And always doing that one eyebrow thing. How the fuck did he do that? Mat couldn't figure it out, couldn't do it no matter how hard he tried. He just ended up looking like some psychotic owl on crack.

"Whatever you say." He glanced down at his watch then gave Mat a pointed look. "If you're planning on joining us, you better get ready. We need to meet everyone else in forty minutes."

"Meet for what?" The words had barely left his mouth before the answer came to him. Everyone was getting together for a walking tour of the Quarter, at Emily's insistence.

"At that café place for coffee and donuts."

"Beignets. They're called beignets."

"I don't care what fancy word you want to use, they're donuts."

"Dude, donuts have holes. These don't."

"You're really going to argue with me on this?"

"No. I'm just trying to help broaden your horizons."

Kenny rolled his eyes again then pointed to his watch. "You're not going to do anything if you don't get moving. I figured you'd want to get there early to see your girl again."

A broad smile split Mat's face. Of course. Why hadn't he thought of that? He felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner, for having Kenny point out the obvious. That had to be why Nicole left early: to get ready for the tour. It made perfect sense now.

His grin grew even wider as he pushed past Kenny and hurried to his room, suddenly eager to get ready and leave. He ignored the off-key humming from Kenny, refused to even give him a dirty look when he recognized it as the Wedding March. What the hell did he know, anyway? Just because Mat had one night of fun didn't mean he was looking to get married.

Twenty minutes later, Mat was ready to sucker punch Kenny. If he didn't stop humming that stupid song, he was going to do exactly that. He turned and rammed his elbow into Kenny's side then jumped out of the way when the man's coffee sloshed over the rim of the white cup. Kenny just laughed, but Derek gave him a frown when some of the coffee splashed on Bridget. She narrowed her eyes at the two of them then pushed away from the cramped table, muttering something about little kids as she walked away, probably to get some napkins to clean up the mess.

Guilt swept over Mat and he went to stand, knowing Bridget shouldn't be the one to clean up the mess he made. Derek stopped him with a quick kick in the ankle, his frown even deeper.

"What is your problem, Herron?"

"He thinks he's in love."

"Dude, shut up. I told you before—"

"In love? Who with?"

"Nobody—"

"Some girl he picked up last night."

"Kenny, I said—"

"Last night?" Derek looked away from Kenny, his eyes narrowing on Mat. He shifted under Derek's look, the metal chair suddenly too hard, too uncomfortable, the air around him suddenly too hot and humid. Mat cleared his throat and reached for the plate of beignets. He popped one into his mouth, ignoring the generous dusting of powdered sugar that coated his fingers and drifted onto his shirt. If his mouth was full, he couldn't talk, couldn't answer the questions that filled Derek's eyes as his friend stared at him in disbelief.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Mat looked away, heat filling his face as he tried to chew the fried dough. And shit, now he needed something to drink, something to wash the dough and powdered sugar from his dry mouth.

Then he forgot all about drinking anything because Derek burst out in laughter. Not a small chuckle, but a full-blown belly laugh that doubled him over. Mat narrowed his eyes, suddenly wishing he could talk, wishing he could tell Derek to shut the hell up. He chewed faster, resisting the urge to swallow the partially-eaten dough so he wouldn't choke. He'd love to choke Derek, though. That thought stayed with him even as Derek's laughter slowly faded.

"What's so funny?"

Mat shook his head, trying to tell Kenny that nothing was funny, wishing to hell they would just change the subject. He looked around, wishing Bridget would hurry back to the table. If Bridget was here, maybe Derek would stop acting like an ass.

But there was no sign of Bridget. And great, here came JP and Ian—without Emily and Kayli. Where the hell were all the women? Mat finally spotted them across the open-air room, walking into the kitchen. No doubt heading to the restrooms tucked back into the corner there.

"The girl from last night? Was she sporting a half-sleeve, all tatted up? That one?"

Mat shook his head at Kenny and tried to kick him under the table, but he couldn't reach him in time.

"I only got a glimpse when she left this morning but yeah, that sounds like her."

"Oh man." Derek laughed again then reached for his iced coffee and took a long swallow. "I told you she wasn't a good idea."

"Who's not a good idea?" JP and Ian reached the table, hovering on either side of Derek. He glanced up at them then looked back at Mat, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"The girl Mat picked up in last night and took back to his room."

"You? No way." JP shook his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Mat finally choked down the last of the beignet and reached for his own coffee, washing the last bit of powdered sugar from his mouth.

"I did not pick her up."

"Yeah, you did. And she is so not your type."

Mat opened his mouth to disagree but Kenny spoke over him. Again.

"I don't know. She was pretty. I admit I was surprised about the tattoos, though." Kenny nodded then glanced over at Mat. "Derek's right. Ink isn't really your style."

"That is so—"

"I'm not talking about the tattoos." Derek shook his head one more time, the smile finally dying as he stared at Mat. "I'm talking about her being married."

Stunned silence swept over the table, made louder because it was so out of place among the conversations and laughter and street noise that surrounded them. Mat blinked, the beignet and powdered sugar turning to concrete in his gut. He opened his mouth but only a strangled sound came out.

"No fucking way. She's married?" Kenny turned in his seat and stared at Mat, his dark eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Holy shit, Mat."

A thousand different words whirled through Mat's mind, all of them some form of denial. A chill filled him, chasing away the heat and humidity that had been threatening to suffocate him moments earlier. His stomach turned, a sickening twisting that threatened to reject what little was in it.