Can you tell me again why I brought you here?” With a loud sigh, I sit back in the driver’s seat of my car, peering out the window at the flurry of activity. A symphony of noises assaults my ears even with the windows up. Saws, hammers, yelling, but it makes me happy to see the progress.
“Because someone said they had something they wanted to show me,” my best friend Christy says in a sing- songy voice.
“This was a stupid idea.” I groan aloud, letting my head fall against the steering wheel. I turn my head with my eyes crossed.
Christy chuckles. “Well I can say with one hundred percent truth that the shell of your condo is breathtaking.”
“You’re such an ass.” I glance at the condo. “It’s more than a shell now. They’re actually working on the inside.”
Christy shrugs. “What are friends for?” She twists in her seat and leans against the door. “ Sooo…”
“I don’t like that look on your face, Christy.”
Christy crosses her arms over her chest. “So, who is he?”
I bang my head on the steering wheel and inadvertently honk the horn. “Damn,” I cry out, sitting back with my hand plastered against my heart. “ Ohmygosh.” My head falls back against the headrest. I glance out the passenger side window and see a dozen or so workers staring at my car. I point.
Christy glances over her shoulder. “Oh my.” Her mouth makes a perfect O.
“What can I say, I’m a sucker for big, muscular, sexy as hell men with tattoos.” Drawing a deep sigh from my throat. “I can’t help it”, I always have been. I step out of the driver’s side of my car, shut the door and lean on my forearms on the hood with my chin resting on my palms waiting for Christy to join me.
“Okay,” Christy says as she gingerly stands in the dirt and steps around the car to join me. “Not what I had in mind when you said, ‘Hey come and look at my new condo’.”
I roll my eyes at her expected sarcasm. “You knew it was under construction.”
Christy crosses her arms over her chest and grimaces down at her red four-inch heels sunk in the thick mud with her right brow raised. “Had I known we were coming to a mud pit, I wouldn’t have worn these shoes.” She attempts to pull her foot free and finally gives up with a huff.
“Somehow I thought you might find something else to occupy your thoughts other than the mud.” I pull a face. My eyes are already searching for what I came for. A fitted T-shirt over bulging muscles, jeans that ride low over slim hips, and an ass that calls out to me in my dreams. He caught my eye the first time I stopped in for a tour. The only thing standing was the concrete foundation and the outside walls and a bunch of sweaty men.
I watch her eyes widen as she takes a moment to actually look at what’s right in front of her. “I guess I can see the appeal.”
“I thought you would.” I cock my hip, playing with one of my loose curls when I finally catch sight of the back of his neck. I know it’s him because he has a tattoo starting at the base of his shaved head. I jab Christy in the ribs.
“Ouch.” Christy’s brow furrows as she rubs her side.
“That’s the one that keeps bringing me back.”
“Wow, Stephanie.” Christy’s mouth drops open. “I had no idea you were into that kind of man.” She points her red-tipped expensively manicured finger in his direction.
“Me neither.” My mouth’s salivating. At that precise moment he bends over stretching the material of his jeans over the tight, muscular globes of his buttocks and delineating the muscular lines of his thick thighs through the worn material of his jeans.
“He’s huge!”
“I know.” I sigh. “Isn’t he yummy?” My stomach clenches and my tongue darts out between my lips to wet their sudden dryness. It’s as if all the liquid in my body decides to pool in one specific area. I squirm, squeezing my thighs together to keep it from leaking down the inside of my legs.
Christy turns her head and asks, “Have you had a conversation with him yet?”
“No, not really. Not outside of the usual, ‘hi’.” I shake my head in reply to her question. “I was thinking of taking that step today.”
“Did you bring me along for moral support?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Maybe.”
Christy laughs.
My eyes widen slightly at her laughter. “Whatever…” I tip my water bottle to my lips and take a long drink.
“Hey, hey, hey…” Christy puts her hand on my arm as I turn away. “I’m just teasing you. It’s actually quite nice to see you so enraptured with a man.”
“As opposed to what?” I hear the annoyance in my voice. I turn toward my best friend with my arms crossed protectively over my chest.
“Work.”
“What I do is important to me.” I know that being a social worker has its ups and downs, but it is fulfilling to me. There are those times that I feel like I’m making a difference and that gives me great joy.
“I know.” Christy smiles. “It’s still nice to see something or should I say someone capturing your attention.” Christy looks up. Her eyes widening just a fraction and clears her throat.
“You can call him a Greek god.” I dig around in my purse. “Do you need a cough dro…”
“Who is a Greek god?”
At the sound of the deeply masculine voice, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, my heart races, my nipples tighten, and my limbs freeze. I have to stifle the groan that nearly escapes at the question voiced in a deep rumble behind me. I don’t know how I know, but I know it’s him. My fuck me fantasy in the flesh. Within touching distance. Within fucking distance.
I slowly turn and lift my head higher and higher to clash with his sparkling emerald eyes that are crinkling at the corners. Damn!
I take a deep breath and glance over my shoulder. “Hi.” Even though I’m not short, I still have to glance up to look into those green eyes.
“Hi,” he replies, a small smile playing at his lips. “I saw you standing over here; do you ladies need some help?”
Please keep talking. Please keep talking. Please keep talking. The vibrations of his voice are setting me off. I have a feeling that if I was leaning against his hard, drool-worthy body I could come with the sound of his voice alone. “No,” I answer, I plaster a smile on my face. “Just showing my friend here my soon to be new condo.” I gesture towards Christy.
“Not much to see yet.” His brow furrows.
“I guess that’s a matter of opinion,” I mutter. He looks at me with narrowed eyes and an all too knowing look. “I’m just excited.” My awareness of him is so acute, I can’t think of anything else to say.
“My name’s Liev.” He holds out his hand and when he does, a tattoo that surrounds his Twenty-inch bicep is revealed to my searching gaze.
Not another. My heart hammers in my ears and it won’t shut the hell up. “Stephanie.” I place my hand in his and warmth surges through me. “This is my friend, Christy.”
He looks over at Christy and smiles, but his gaze returns immediately to mine. “Nice to meet you both.” He replies with a pointed glance. “Did you have any questions about our work?”
“Not yet.”
He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a wallet. Flipping it open he extracts a card and hands it to me.
I look down at the card.
HUNTER CONSTRUCTION
LIEV HUNTER
“Oh.” I look back up into his dark eyes that are currently watching me so intently. “You own the construction company?”
“Yes,” Liev answers simply. “You sure you don’t want a quick tour?”
Christy steps forward, not a timid bone in her body and I know exactly what she is trying to do. “I would love one.”
My gaze flashes to Christy’s accusingly as I take a hesitant step closer. “Sounds good.”
“You’ll both need hard hats,” Liev says as he reaches for my arm and urges me toward a large black SUV. He grabs two hats from the back of the truck at the same time Christy’s phone rings.
Christy looks down at the caller id. “I have to take this.” She smiles a smile full of mischief. “You two go ahead. It’s not like I won’t get to see it when it’s done.”
“Christy?” I squeak out.
She waves me on with a distracted flick of her hand.
“You’re sure?”
“Of course.” She waves us on. “Go ahead. I have a feeling this is going to be a long call.” She turns and walks toward my car, then expertly pivots on her heels with her hand outstretched. “Keys?”
I thrust my hand into my purse and snag my large key ring tossing it to her which of course she catches. She does everything right all the time. It’s really quite annoying.
“So I guess we’re on our own?” Somehow he makes the question sound seductive.
“It sure looks that way,” I mutter in disbelief, all the while smiling and trying not to sound too eager.
He puts the big yellow hat over my auburn curls and steps back admiringly. “You look pretty good in a hard hat, Stephanie” he says gruffly, reaching up to rub a curl between his fingers.
I blush. “I probably look like a clown with my red cork-screw curls and a bright yellow hard hat.” I rub the tip of my nose. “Now all I need is a big red nose.” I watch as he digs around in his pockets for a few seconds. “What are you doing?” I press my lips together.
He looks up with a crooked grin. “I must have left my extra nose at home.” He leans subtly closer tucking the loose lock of hair that had fallen forward behind my ear and smiles. “You actually look kinda cute with this hard hat on.” He taps the top with his forefinger.
I swallow thickly. I look up at him. He’s so tall in comparison with me, and large. He looks as if he could pick me up with one hand and not think a thing about it which really turns me on.
“Follow me.”
I just wanted to say Yes, Master, and be done with it. I wasn’t even trying to push aside my arousal. As he turns around to head for the front door, I get a better look at the back of his head and neck. I raise up on my tip-toes, trying to read what the sexy tattoo on the back of his neck reads. “De r e ir a ch e ile a th o gtar na caisle a in?”
“Not bad,” he says. “Most people slaughter it.”
“What does it mean?” I look up and nearly get lost in his green eyes. He grins and twin dimples crease his cheeks. Wow, I hadn’t expected that. Dimples go against every bad-boy image I can think of.
“It takes time to build castles.”
He clears his throat.
“Stephanie?”
I take a deep breath to gather my scattered thoughts and force my attention back to Liev. “Huh?” Great, now I sound like an idiot.
“Did you hear what I said?” His voice deep, rich.
“I was too busy staring at your dimples.” My hand flies to my mouth, my heart thuds strongly beneath my breastbone.
He smiles again, his bright green eyes never leaving my face.
My brow furrows. “Don’t do that anymore. I can’t concentrate.”
“Do what?”
I grimace. “Smile.” I try to look at him without getting all giddy inside, but I can’t. My pulse is racing and I want to put my finger in his dimple. It’s just too darn cute.
He flattens his mouth in a straight line. His brow furrows in concentration and it only enhances his dimples as he tries hard not to smile. “I’m sorry. I can’t do it.” A bright smile breaks out across his face and I can’t even pretend to stifle my groan. I’m definitely a goner.
I shake my head in resignation. “Okay.” I hold up my hands. “What does the tattoo mean again?”
He raises his brow, his sultry bedroom eyes meeting mine.
A promising tingle settles at the base of my spine at his look. “I promise I’ll listen this time.” I bite my bottom lip, my eyes wide.
He runs his hand over his short black hair. He leans down close to my ear. “It takes time to build castles.”
I shiver. “Oh.” I turn my head and Liev’s mouth is a mere two inches from mine. “That’s perfect.”
His probing green eyes make my heart rate spike. “You ready?
“I’ve been ready,” I say as if in a trance.
Liev chuckles. “Me too.”
I can’t stop my eyes from lowering to his crotch and notice the tell-tale bulge in his jeans. Oh, damn. He wasn’t kidding.
“Lead the way.” I stand and watch him go, my appreciative eyes following his perfect denim-encased ass for a second.
He looks over his shoulder.
“Coming,” I mutter as I trot after him. God, how I wished.
“That’s all of the downstairs,” he says. “Want to take a look at the upstairs?”
“Is it done?”
“Just finished the master bath yesterday.”
I clap my hands excitedly. “I can’t wait.” I smile up at him. “I picked everything out myself.”
He grabs my hand and tugs me up the unfinished stairs. “I think you’ll be pleased with the finished product.”
I giggle. “You sound so professional.”
“I am a professional.” The corner of his rugged mouth curves up in a smile.
“You have a great smile.”
“Thanks.” His smile widens, flashing perfect, white teeth. Not to mention emphasizing his perfectly kissable lips. “So do you.”
Stop. Stop. Stop. “Please stop.”
Liev pauses one step from the top. “Is something the matter?” He turns to face me, dropping my hand.
“I can’t take it anymore.” I launch myself at him grabbing a handful of his T-shirt in my fists, almost knocking us both down in the process. “You’re making me so hot.” I practically crawl up his body, my mouth clambering for his.
He smashes his mouth to mine grabbing me by the waist and lifting me to the top step and I wrap my arms around his neck jamming my tongue down his throat. He consumes me and my wildness accentuates his ardor. His hands lower finding the bottom of my dress. He runs his calloused hands up the backs of my thighs pushing the skirt higher until he cups my cheeks in his large palms.
“Oh, God,” I breathe against his mouth, I can’t resist his bad-boy, hard-working man roughness a second longer.
Without warning he wraps his large, strong hands around my waist and lifts me in his arms. “Wrap your legs around my waist,” he growls out the command. His fingers grip my waist tightly.
I lift my legs and wrap them around him squeezing him tight with my thighs. My hands grip his nape before running up the back of his neck, knocking his hardhat off his head. It makes a resounding thud as it lands on the steps followed by several loud thumps as it bounces the rest of the way down and lands at the bottom with an ominous crash.
He stands frozen in place for a moment before he takes a quick glance over his shoulder and down the steps. “Fuck,” he says on a groan.
His erection surges hard against the juncture between my thighs and I grind my dripping pussy into his hard length. “Forget it,” I whisper against his lips, grasping his shoulders to pull his mouth back to mine.
“Someone could have heard it fall and come looking for us.”
“I don’t care.”
“I like hearing that.” He walks forward, stepping into a room and kicking the door shut. “Master bedroom,” he rumbles. He keeps walking as if I weigh less than a feather and sits me down on the cold counter of the master bath.
I glance around. “It turned out exactly as I wanted.” I tighten my thighs around his waist and press myself into the rough front of his jeans. I’m so far gone I could come with a few more rubs of my clit against his covered hardness.
“The tile’s perfect.” My heart pounds in my chest erratically as I reach for the hem of his T-shirt and pull it quickly up his body. “Arms.”
He lifts his arms without question and I toss the sweaty shirt into the bathtub. “You’re gorgeous,” I whisper. My breath hitches and saliva pools in my mouth at the sight of his beautiful, tanned torso. “You smell delicious.”
“I smell like sweat.” I slide my fingers over the fine sheen of sweat that still glistens on his muscles. I lean closer and press a kiss into his chest, feeling his muscles jump beneath my lips. I sweep my tongue out along his pecs until I circle his flat nipple surrounded by dark hair and gently suck until it hardens against my tongue.
His back arches and I can feel his erection swell against the inside of my thigh which releases another gush of liquid.
I can’t help but run my fingers over the tattoo that circles his right arm. I lean down and place several kisses over the ink. “I’m a sucker for tattoos.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh, yeah.”
He reaches between our two bodies and shoves his hand into the elastic waistband of my panties sliding into my damp curls, flicking over my engorged clit and playing in the slick arousal gathering between my thighs.
I thrust my tongue into his mouth on a loud moan crushing my mouth over his almost painfully. My teeth bite and scrape. My hands claw at his flesh. Needing him nearer. I grip the sides of his head and hold him steady plundering the wet recesses of his mouth, drinking him in, needing to drown myself in his taste.
A growl erupts from his throat as he rips his mouth from mine and takes a few deep gulping breaths. “Stephanie.”
My breasts heave shallowly as I draw in much needed air. “Don’t stop, Liev.” My lust is past thinking as he slides his hand into my hair and pulls my head back. His mouth, wet and hot, glides over my jaw, his tongue taking long licks over my skin and he sucks on my throat.
The look he gives me tells me that stopping is the furthest thing from his mind. My hands trace every line and ridge over his chest. Testing every muscle as it bulges beneath his taut skin and he grips me tightly.
I spread my legs wider as he nudges past my swollen folds and plunges two fingers deep into my slick channel. My body arches and I lean back on my hands, my head falling against the mirror. I lift my hips as he massages the walls of my pussy and thrusts deep. Sliding over my engorged walls reaching for and finding the one spot that will make me shoot off like a rocket. He swirls his fingers and flips his wrist and I gasp.
“Oh, God.”
He slides his fingers free and pushes them into his mouth. “Delicious.”
I close my eyes at the erotic picture he makes sucking his fingers into his mouth and sucking and licking my juices clean.
A low moan emerges from my throat.
“This is better than what I brought for lunch.”
My pussy swells even more, so hot that it feels like flames could shoot from deep within my body. The only thing keeping the fire at bay are my juices that are flowing freely now.
His fingers warm and steady push my panties over my hips, sliding them off my legs and holding them up to his nose. He inhales deeply before stuffing them in his jeans pockets.
My eyes widen. What are you doing with my panties?” I whisper frantically.
“These are mine.” He grins, his green eyes flashing as the heat in his eyes intensifies. “A souvenir.”
“ Liev,” I moan out.
“You want to come, Stephanie?” He smashes his palm against my bare mound and rubs my cream in a circle with the heel of his hand.
“Yes.” My face heats as I smile.
A low growl vibrates in his throat as his head lowers, nostrils flaring as he thrusts two thick fingers deep into my well-lubricated pussy. His thick fingers keep a rhythmic in and out motion. He squats, his face even with my glistening pussy, his warm breath easing over my heated skin. He latches on to my clit and sucks hard.
My stomach muscles clench with need as his tongue slips and slides up and down my slit. His tongue flicks out flat against my labia and laps up my excess juices as he fucks his fingers deep. I begin to melt with the heat of his body and his masterful touch. The walls of my pussy grip his fingers tightly as I drag in a deep breath.
“Please, Liev,” I beg.
“God I’d love to feel that cunt gripping my dick, Stephanie,” he rasps.
“Then hurry.” I beg. “Hurry, please.” I look up and catch him staring up at me with a smile in his intense eyes before he pushes my legs even wider and thrusts his tongue inside me.
“Yes. Yes. Yes.” I lift my hips, pressing his face deep into my pussy. Tremors begin low in my spine and travel down to my toes and back up to my clit, with a couple more lashes of his tongue and one more flick of his fingers I scream in ecstasy. His tongue driving me mad until the final tremor ends.
He rises and shifts his hips into place between my thighs. The sound of his zipper lowering is muffled by our loud breathing. I lift myself, tilting my head forward to catch even the faintest glimpse of his stiff cock as it springs free from his jeans and boxer briefs. I moan in anticipation as I finally catch sight of his thick, veined penis bobbing between my legs.
I lick my lips as a pearlescent drop of liquid beads on the purplish, engorged head of his cock. “Hmm…”
“Stephanie.”
I jump with a start at the sound of Christy’s voice filtering up the stairs. “That was work. I have to go.”
Liev quickly shoves his rigid cock back into his jeans with a cringe before helping me off the counter and I straighten my clothes. He grabs his T-shirt from the bathtub and slides it over his head.
“Stephanie?”
“Were coming!” I yell back, covering my mouth to muffle my chuckle. “Well at least one of us did,” I murmur.
Liev stands in the doorframe. His eyebrows high. “ Ain’t that the truth,” he says with a lazy drawl and a grimace.
“I’m sorry.” My eyes flicker to his crotch.
“Why?” His question comes out rough as if he hadn’t spoken for some time.
I look down at the ginormous bulge behind his zipper. My tongue flicks out at the thought of what I could do to get him off. “You didn’t… ya know.”
“ Ya know?” He asks his voice gravely with desire.
I hit his arm, then lay my palm flat and squeeze his muscle forgetting what we are talking about.
He blows out a deep breath. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“Okay.” I clear my throat.
How about dinner Friday night?” Liev flashes a grin but straightens his shoulders as if concerned with what my answer might be.
“You want to go out with me?”
“I would think it’s obvious that I’m in to you.”
“I practically attacked you.” I huff a breath, my cheeks turning pink in embarrassment.
He leans close and nips my earlobe. “I liked it.” His chest rises and falls.
I pull back, rubbing my ear.
His eyes burn a trail down my body and back up to capture my gaze with his intense stare.
“I’d like that.”
He cups my face and brushes his mouth over my lips. “Can I have your number?” he whispers against my mouth.
I jump back. “Oh, yeah.” I pick my bag up from where it fell and dig until I find my cards and pull one free to hand to him. “Wait.” I grab my card back from him and write my personal cell number on the back. “Call my cell.”
He takes the card from me but doesn’t immediately release my hand. He rubs my palm lightly with his thumb and all I can do is groan.
“Stephanie!”
I cringe at Christy’s impatient call. “I’ve got to go,” I say as I scoot around the corner and head down the stairs only to stop half-way as I see Christy standing there with a smirk holding up Liev’s hard hat.
I race the rest of the way down the stairs and grab her by the arm pulling her to the car. “I can explain.”
“You better, slut.” Christy laughs.
“I’m not a slut,” I whine.
“Tell that to the big, yummy man standing in the doorway with a goofy grin.”
I glance over my shoulder and sure enough, Liev is standing in the door with a huge grin.
I turn around, giggling as I grab Christy by the arm. “Oh, God, I’m a slut.”