The Goddess Within (3 page)

"You could have any super model look-alike you wanted."

"I don't want a plastic woman. I want a real woman." Stryker's eyes locked on hers. "I want you."

"Based on a quick tumble." Mardi knew she had to harden her heart with a good dose of reality or she would be handing it to this man any minute now.
Remember it was just sex,
great sex, but still just sex.

"Hey, I am more than happy to take the time before I slide on in but we both let the moment take us and it was good."
Damn good.

"You know what I mean." It was hard to sound firm and convincing when Stryker's fingers were circling her nipples.

"No I don't. Do you think I'm just saying this because we had sex? Yes, you are delicious to fuck but I don't just want any woman." He head bend down and licked one pert rosy nipple.

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Oh God ... focus.

"Other than the physical attraction of tits and arse what do you know about me?" Mardi pulled his mouth from her breast. As much as she wanted him to keep doing what he was doing, she needed to know what the hell this wild attraction was all about. Could this be as real as he made it feel? Was it more than just wild, hot sex?

Stryker pushed the hair back from her face gently as his eyes searched hers with the certainty of a man who knew what he wanted.

"I know that you have three good friends who want to see you happy, so that means you are special to them and you value friendship. I know that everyday you stop and chat to lonely old Ned sitting on the bench outside the Brew-ha-ha." He saw her look at him in surprise. "Yeah, I have watched you."

"Why didn't you..."

"Make a move before this? I was planning to but your friends got in first." He slowly rubbed his cock back and forward over the wet cleft of her parted legs. "Why can't you just accept that this is meant to be?" Synchronicity—fight it or go with it?

"And you are definitely not on drugs or insane?"
Go with it
the Goddess within her called. Bloody hell it was hard to concentrate when he was placing wet sucking kisses on hers breasts. "Stryker..."

"Yes Miss Mardi?" Stryker murmured softly in between kisses.

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"There is more to love that just sex." Though, to be honest, at the moment Mardi was not about to split hairs.

"'Been in love before?" His tongue circled her nipple.

"No..." Mardi moaned in response.

"Good." Stryker ran his hands down her hips, gripping her thighs and pulling her legs up to wrap around his waist.

"You are not being serious," said the woman who locked her legs around his waist willingly.

"I am deadly serious." His eyes locked with her. "I want to marry you Mardi Keller but first I want to hear you pant, moan and then scream my name." Stryker's fingers sought out her clit and massaged slowly.

That was guarantee if he kept doing that.

"Stryker I thought you wanted to go slow." She grabbed hold of him as his other fingers slid inside her.

"You turn me on like no other woman."

"Boy. You know all the right things to say."
And do.
"Your fingers are good, but I need your cock inside me."

"Yes ma'am." Stryker pulled his fingers out and sunk his cock deep inside her wet, slick pussy. "Heaven," he murmured as he pushed and pulled slowly, rocking in and out of her.

"I can't remember..." Mardi gasped and clutched Stryker to him.

"Can't remember what?" Stryker whispered against her lips.

"Ever feeling this good." Why lie? She had known only two lovers in her life and neither compared to Stryker.

"And this is only the start."

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"What are you doing here?" Mardi asked when she saw Stryker Reed standing on the door step. Her heart did a crazy flip flop and her body ran instantly hot with need. God he was gorgeous. That smile, those eyes, that body. "How did you get my address?"

"Your friend Zipporah came to my office and demanded to know if my intentions towards you were honourable."
Good one Zipp.

"I did go to your work before I came here and they said you were sick. As your friend had already given me your address I came straight away to see you." His eyes were soft with concern. "Are you okay? You look tired."

"I, um ... come in." She shut the door and looked at him. Other than her friends, Mardi had not had anyone care about her in a long time. It was sweet and loving. "I'm fine. I hate my job and I had a lot on my mind."
You. I had you on my
mind all bloody night.
After lunchtime sex with Stryker yesterday she had wobbled back to work and stared at the computer screen for an hour before feigning illness and going home. Last night she had lain awake thinking of 'what if's'

and 'could it be's' until the sun rose. Mardi looked at him purposefully. "I don't want to have sex with you again." That sounded fake even to her own ears.

"Okay."

"What?" That was not the right answer. 26

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"You know how I feel. I love you and I want you. If that's all too much for you I will walk out this door any time you want me to." Stryker's tone was straight to the point. "It's up to you. What do you want Miss Mardi?" She licked her lips and assessed him. Well of course she bloody wanted him. That was a no-brainer. Feelings verses rational thought. Hot sex verses a sleepless night in a cold bed. Part of her knew this might all end in tears but that wasn't the part she was thinking with. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her.

Stryker smiled widely at her response.

"Excellent choice ma'am."

"Shut up and kiss me." Mardi pulled his head down to her and kissed him passionately as her hands tore at the buttons on his shirt.

"Do you like this shirt?" Mardi asked between hungry kisses.

"Not particularly."

"Good." Mardi ripped it open sending buttons flying in all directions. Her hands went down to his zip. "I need to see you naked."

"Are you the same woman who wasn't going to have sex with me two minutes ago?" Stryker asked as he pulled her shirt over her head and reached for the clasp of her bra.

"I changed my mind." She tugged his pants down and smiled as his cock popped up and out in excitement. Mardi ran her thumb back and forward over the head. "Do you have a problem with that?"

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"Hell no." Stryker watched as she dropped to her knees.

"Mardi?"

"I want to taste you. May I?" She looked up at him and knew at that moment this man was hers to do with as she pleased. She leaned forward and licked the head of his cock in slow cat like nips.

"Oh God," Stryker growled as his fingers threaded through her hair. "You don't have to do this."

"But I want to." Mardi liked the way his hips bucked forward in eagerness. It gave her a power over him that she liked. She wasn't the only one losing control in this situation. She took the head of his cock into her mouth and sucked hard.

"You keep doing that and I will come way too soon ." Mardi slid his cock from her mouth momentarily and looked at up him.

"That's the plan." Once again her lips slid back to his cock, licking and sucking until Stryker pushed her mouth off his cock and drew her to her feet.

"When I come I want it to be inside you." He lifted her into his arms and kissed her. "But thank you."

"My pleasure. I've never done that before." The look Stryker gave her was as if she had given him the best gift in the word.

"Which way to the bedroom my lady?"

"It's a mess." Mardi pointed the way to her messy boudoir.

"If it has you and a bed that's all I need." Stryker kicked open the door.

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"I love a man who kicks a door open." It was so strong and manly and every hormone in her body went
oohh
in response.

"You're right, your bedroom is messy." Stryker looked at the chaos within—clothes scattered, shoes haphazardly thrown on the floor and books cluttering every space.

"Well we can clean or have sex." Mardi bounced once as Stryker dropped Mardi on the bed. She looked up at him enticingly. She thrust her breasts forward and licked her lips.

"Jeans off
now
woman." Stryker helped tug her jeans off and he tossed her panties on the floor. He grabbed her ankles and pulled her forward so his mouth was in line with her pussy. "Now let me taste you," he growled. Mardi shrieked as Stryker's tongue insistently licked the wet pink flesh between her legs.

"Oh Stryker..." It was the most intense sensation Mardi had ever felt and when his lips fastened on her clit she sucked the breath caught in her throat as she forgot to breathe. She held his head between her legs and panted with need. "Now, I want you now."

"Got a condom?" Stryker looked her between her parted legs.

"Don't you?"

"Not in here. I have a pack in my jeans outside."

"Were you looking to get lucky sailor?" Stryker leaned forward and kissed Mardi.

"I already am."

"Go get them and come straight back." She giggled as Stryker leapt off the bed, cock bouncing in eagerness as he 29

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ran for the door, slamming it behind him. Within a minute he came back and kicked the door open.

"I knew that turned you on last time." Stryker rolled the condom over his straining shaft.

"Oh honey you already have me, now get over here." Mardi spread her legs wide in invitation. Stryker grabbed her ankles again but this time put her legs over his shoulders and penetrated her in one long stroke, then stopped still.

"Are you going to move?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Well I'm not here waiting for a bus mister." Mardi had the heat she craved now she just needed the friction. "Now move."

As Stryker thrust his cock in and out, he leaned forward and sucked one nipple into his mouth.

Mardi cried out as the most incredible wave of pleasure shot through her body. She clutched Stryker to her as the tremors shook through them both. She looked in his eyes and she knew then and there that she was in love.

* * * *

"Let's make a deal," Stryker said the minute he saw Mardi was awake. His hand splayed possessive on her arse and his cock poked into her stomach. It was the perfect way for a man to wake up. The woman in his arms looked at him with suspicion. "We go two weeks without sex. I will court you every day and if you can think of one reason not to marry me then we won't."

"One reason?"

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"But it has to be logical." He could see her minds ticking over with thoughts.

"Okay."

"And you can't blow me off because you're scared."

"I'm not scared. This falling in love thing is weird." Stryker smiled at her admission.

"So you admit you are in love with me?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do." Stryker kissed her softly and got up. He knew Mardi was watching him dress with interest. His cock was as hard as a rock but he had made a deal and he would honour it no matter how much he needed to bury himself inside this woman.

"Are you going now?" Mardi lay back with hands over her head in naked invitation.

"Two weeks without sex remember?" He swallowed hard as he dragged his eyes from her body.

"Right. What are you going to do with that?" Mardi pointed to his cock.

"Think pure thoughts." Which meant Stryker had to get out of Mardi's house now as his thoughts were anything but pure. He pulled up his trousers and pushed his cock inside wincing as he did. "Get prepared for some serious courting Miss Mardi."

* * * *

"If you were not a friend I would hate you." Zipporah smelled the richness of the deep red roses with envy as she sat on Mardi's desk.

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"Oh Zipp the last week has been incredible." Stryker was as good as his word. Each day he courted her with such love and charm that Mardi knew she was hopelessly hooked on him. "Stryker has taken me to lunch every day and we went to the movies and held hands and it was so sweet and romantic. When he walked me to my front door he just kissed me on the cheek."

"I want him," Zipporah announced teasingly.

"You can't have him, he's all mine and I intend to keep him."

Stryker heard Mardi's last words as he walked in with a picnic hamper. He smiled softly at her.

"I thought we'd go on a picnic for lunch."

"Do you have a brother?" Zipporah looked at Stryker with interest. "Well, I can't have you as you belong to my friend, so a sibling would be the next best thing."

"Sorry Zipp, they're all married."

"Bugger." Zipporah slid off the desk. "I can see you two are all gooey-eyed over each other, so I'll leave before I get a sugar overload."

"Come with me on a picnic my lady?" Stryker held his arm out to Mardi.

"Oh yes." Mardi knew she would follow this man anywhere.

* * * *

"You invite me over for a home cooked meal and you order take-out?" Stryker chuckled as the cartons of Thai food were placed on the table. He looked up at Mardi and he stopped 32

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laughing. "You weren't wearing that when you met me at the door ten minutes ago."

It had been one week and five days and Mardi Keller was so hot and needy for Stryker Reed that she had deliberately set out to seduce him into taking her now and forgetting the extra two days of the two week deal. She had met him at the door in a simple sun dress that happened to conceal the deep pink lace teddy she was wearing now.

"There are two days left Mardi." Mardi sat down on his lap, pleased to know by the feel of his cock prodding her arse he was ready for action. She made sure her barely concealed breasts were bobbing in his face.