Playing Fastball, page 20
It was dark when she exited the apartment building. She headed toward the Lamborghini she’d left illegally parked.
Crap.
Several men on motorcycles were parked around the luxury sports car and one was looking in through the window.
Tina squinted in the dusky darkness and thought she recognized one of the guys.
He’d been the second-in-command at the club during Lennie’s tenure, and had taken over once Lennie went to jail.
Tina straightened her spine and swaggered up like she owned the sidewalk.
“Russ, what’cha looking at?” She projected her voice to deepen it.
“Awesome set of wheels,” Russ said, running his hand over the smooth paint job.
“Heard it’s stolen,” Tina said, pointing to an apartment window. “Just spoke to my landlady and she says the cops are on their way. Couple of break and enter jobs. You guys know anything about them?”
Silence.
“You seen Lennie lately?” Tina hooked her thumbs in her belt loops, acting like she was shooting the breeze. “He kidnapped some woman.”
The three men shook their heads, glancing at each other.
“Better hope he’s not with you when they find him,” Tina said. “Big Mafia man’s daughter. Stupid Lennie.”
Tina observed the men’s Adam’s apples rise and fall, clearly nervous. She pointed to the Lamborghini. “Anyway, I’d wipe my fingerprints off that ride if I were you. Heard it belongs to Giomani’s daughter, the one Lennie nabbed.”
“How do you know?” Russ challenged her. “Not like you have all these friends.”
“My landlady sees everything. Old biddy’s TV broke. This is more fun. Bet she’s taking pictures and calling the mob boss right now. Anyway, ciao.” Tina made a cut mark across her throat and turned around to cross the street.
Three sets of motorcycle engines rumbled to life and roared away down the street.
Tina waited until she was sure they weren’t returning, then unlocked the car and drove off. Her heartbeat didn’t return to normal until she was outside the gate of Timmy’s exclusive community. She pushed the remote and waited for the stately gates to open.
The rich always lived better, and money could buy security.
Tina drove through the gate, feeling safer. She was going to have to thank Timmy for bailing her out, letting her use his ride, and sticking up for her.
She owed him another night, if he still wanted her.
Her body tingling with excitement, she drove the Lamborghini into the garage.
Power and pheromones were a potent combination, especially for a woman who’d never tasted any of it.
She wouldn’t mind owing Timmy for the rest of her life and paying him back every chance she got.
Timmy perked up when he heard the garage door. He ran to the window and watched Tina roll the yellow sports car into its stall.
Yes! She was home.
He ran down the stairs to meet her before she locked herself into her garage apartment. The big mansion was empty and quiet. Baba had retired with the two dogs to the master suite on the other side of the house without speaking to Timmy.
Timmy stepped out of the French doors facing the garage and grinned.
Tina walked toward him, handing him his hoodie.
“You won’t believe what’s happened,” she said. “My mom stole everything from my apartment. She has my purse, ID, and keys. And Lennie ran off with Madge. Jeanine and I searched all day, and we couldn’t find her. I’m so worried, I could—”
Timmy cut her off with a bear hug and covered her lips with his. Sure, she was a bundle of nervous energy, but she was also his comfort and he needed her in his arms.
He kissed her, massaging her lips and tasting her sweetness. Tension melted from her body as he held onto her, caressing her body and inhaling her breath.
When she came up for air, he said, “Viper or Lambo? Race you.”
“Lambo, and you’re on!” She fist-bumped him, and the smile on her face brightened his entire evening—maybe his entire life, he hoped.
“Oh, hell no, I won.” Tina swiped her fingers through her tangled, tousled hair, trying to detangle the flyaway strands as she swaggered toward a patio bar lit with tiki lights along the banks of the Scottsdale Waterfront.
“What part of Viper by a nose did you not get?” Timmy hooked his arm around her neck and clamped her with his elbow.
“If I didn’t care about your paint job, I wouldn’t have braked for the tumbleweed.” Tina purposely hip bumped him and hopped onto a barstool. “I was ahead by at least a length.”
“But I crossed the line first. You owe me a drink.”
“Only a drink?” Tina gave him a slow wink.
“I’ll take a drink now and a kiss to go.” He stood in front of her, jutting his hard, hot body against her and kissed her full on the lips.
Yum.
Tina melted at his touch, opening her mouth and closing her eyes. There was nothing like a biting kiss, a shot of whiskey, and a hot man to end her very eventful day.
Sure, she still had a pile of problems, but somehow driving fast seemed to drive away all her worries. There was no room for thinking when speeding down a ribbon of asphalt at over a hundred miles per hour. No distractions allowed. Pure focus and pure adrenaline.
Her hands still tingled from the high-speed vibrations, and her heart was so exhilarated, it didn’t want to stay inside her chest. She jockeyed her tongue against Timmy’s, sucked his plush lips and gave him a nip before throwing her head back and laughing.
“Gosh, that was fun!” she squealed and gulped in the cool, dry air. “Faster than a Timmy Li fastball. Sounds like a new cocktail.”
“Order it then,” Timmy challenged her.
Tina turned to the bartender. “Shot of whiskey in a hurricane glass. A dash of Red Hot cinnamon powder. Fill it with Red Bull and top it off with a splash of Bailey’s Irish Cream.”
“Why that combo?” Timmy asked after the bartender mixed their drinks.
“Hot, fast, and velvety smooth,” Tina said, running her fingers over Timmy’s hairless forearm. His skin was buttery soft over hard muscle, and she loved the contrast.
“I’m betting this drink will keep me up all night.”
“That’s what I’m aiming for.” She raised her glass and clinked it with his.
The heated look back at her ignited her on all cylinders as she let the fiery, smooth cocktail send a swift kick deep into her belly.
She’d never craved sex until she’d had it with Timmy. Sex, she learned, was the most potent and mind-blowing way to blast herself into a blissful oblivion after the kind of day she’d had.
THIRTY-FIVE
“Your place,” Timmy said, dragging Tina up the stairs to her garage apartment.
The two race cars were parked side by side, still ticking with heat, and the newly christened Timmy Li Fastball drink blazed through his veins, fighting with the unleashed sexual urges stirring him up.
Tina needed it, too. She clung to him, hands spread under his shirt, and he drilled his tongue into her mouth as he backed her against the door.
She moaned loudly and rode one leg over his thigh like she was climbing to get him inside of her.
He licked a trail down the side of her neck and nipped her pulse point, drawing a shrill hiss of arousal. He was so revved up he could take her right outside the door.
Picking her up, he let her ride around his waist while he fumbled at the doorknob. It was locked.
“I don’t have the key.” Tina’s voice was breathless.
“Don’t worry, I have one.” Timmy reached into his pocket.
Tina dropped herself from his body. “What the heck? You mean you could have sneaked in on me at any time?”
“I’m the landlord.” He winked as he unlocked the door. “Besides, it’s the same key as the main house.”
“You never told me that,” Tina said, flipping on the lights. “Did you think I’d sneak into your bed?”
“You won’t have to sneak.” He lifted Tina and collapsed with her onto her bed. His hands and her hands were everywhere. Pieces of clothing flew across the room, and they undressed in record time.
Next time, he’d be slow and take his time. But not now—not after the explosive day they’d both had. Racing had taken some of the edge off, but when he got so tense and wired up he wanted to explode, the only cure was a fast and hard fuck.
It was the same for her.
Before Timmy knew what hit him, Tina pounced on him, pushing him onto his back. Her nails dug into his chest, and she ground herself against his eager, hot erection.
She grabbed a roll of condoms from her nightstand and tore a packet with her teeth.
Wow.
He’d never been attacked so fast and with such fury.
Her eyes blazed with a mixture of lust, pain, and need as she sheathed him and rode over him.
“Make it hurt,” he urged her on as she tightened her thighs against his hips and rode. Her hands were propped on his chest and he gripped her waist tightly, moving her fast and rough.
Her tantalizing breasts jiggled with every stroke, and he was fast speeding toward oblivion.
This was so good, incredible, unexpected.
She was going to be his future wife.
She was awesome, fearless, fun, and unpredictable.
Not the wife and mother type, but as wild and crazy as he.
Maybe wilder.
“Wildfire,” he said, as heat licked his nerves, seared his skin, and flayed every part of his body with exquisite sensations.
He reached for her breasts, playing with them, while watching through half-closed eyes the juncture between them.
Up and down, up and down. Her folds parted, pink and glistening, making a sucking, slapping sound as she rode, full throttle and killing his cock with her sweet tightness.
He dragged his glance up her body, tracing the dots of scars and cut marks, the edges of tattoos where the makeup had rubbed off, and when he reached her face, he held her gaze.
She was a damaged goddess, riding and possessing him. Her hair flew every which way. Sweat prickled over her flushed and heated skin. Her nostrils flared with every greedy breath, and her fingers flexed, gripping and clawing him, but her eyes burned with intense desire—piercing through every barrier between them.
She trusted him one hundred percent.
She sought only her pleasure, lost to everything other than relentless passion.
Turning him inside out and ripping every shred of control from his body.
The explosions ignited deep inside of him, lit the fuse of his cock and roared like subterranean thunder.
Timmy had never been dominated. Never lost control, but his body flailed and jerked as he grabbed her ass and spread her wider, plunging as deep as he could.
She was close. So close as she panted, louder and harsher, but she was tiring. Like a horse racing too fast, unable to surge enough for the last hurdle.
He slapped her ass, spurring her on, over and over.
Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she screamed as her entire body convulsed, shaking and shuddering.
He wanted to admire her gorgeous body shattering with ecstasy. Wished he could video the scene in his mind. Yearned to always have her in this position, but he lost it.
Incoherent thoughts and feelings scrambled his brain as the mother of all orgasms hurled him skyward, jerking him so high he was shooting all the way to the moon. Volcanic passion blazed through his veins and pulsed into his heart, crashing and obliterating every barrier Timmy had ever been confronted with.
Race. Culture. Language. Status.
He’d love, because he couldn’t help but love.
And with love would come conflict, loss, and pain.
Yet, love was stronger, and love kicked his ass in the form of a sweet and crazy wildfire.
The fireball collapsed over him, panting, sweaty, and smelling like raw sex and warm woman, alluring and intoxicating.
And then, she burst into tears.
“Tina, Tina,” he muttered, running his fingers through her hair and stroking her body, still rippling from the wonderful way she’d taken everything out on him.
Oh, goodness, was she lame.
Tina lay on top of Timmy’s smooth chest, letting her tears flow and mix with her sweat and makeup.
Why did she have to ruin the best sex she’d ever had?
Why couldn’t she have let it all go? Let go of the fear? The doubts? And just grabbed the brass ring like she’d set out to do?
“Tina, it’s okay,” Timmy’s deep voice whispered cozily into her ear.
His arms and body were comforting, and that scared her.
It was only supposed to be sex. Releasing all the tension and pain, hitting herself with a potent and natural drug—crashing against Timmy’s hard body and letting passion blow away all her troubles.
Sex she could handle.
Hadn’t she always used it to appease, to pay a debt, to curry a favor?
But the comfort and the caring, like a parent for a child, a brother for a sister, a lover for a friend. She’d always wondered how it would feel to be hugged and tended, to belong and to be secure—but that dream was elusive and never for her. She wasn’t good enough for even her own mother to keep.
How could a man, a baseball player, a son of a billionaire care to stay with her, and how dare he tempt her with anything more than plain sex?
She tried to shake the afterglow from her still tingling skin, the coating of warmth and the delicious sizzle lingering all over her sensitized body.
Depending on Timmy was dangerous. And he wasn’t helping with his gentle words, his cuddly chest, and the way he held her so tenderly and patiently, waiting for her to recover.
“I’m sorry, so sorry,” she mumbled, raising her face and blinking through her tears and smeared mascara.
His eyebrows tented with a puzzled expression, and he touched her chin. “Sorry? For what? Sharing yourself with me?”
She shook her head, slicing her cheek away from his too-loving touch.
“For splitting you and your father. For taking advantage of you and letting you help me.” She grasped at a logical reason for the utter despair drowning her. He would be loyal to his family, and eventually, he’d see her for who she really was—an ex-con and a thief, a sneak and a betrayer—someone who would steal him blind and turn on him—not because she was evil or conniving, but simply because she was afraid.
“Let me worry about my father,” Timmy said. “As for helping you, I want to do it, and so does my father. Neither of us want you to stay in that apartment where that motorcycle barbarian can bother you.”
“I’m not talking about staying here.” Tina snuffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’m worried about the arguments you and your father have. He’s your dad, Timmy, and he raised you. I don’t want to be the cause of problems between you.”
“You’re not the problem. He is. Don’t you think I’m old enough to choose my own friends?”
Tina rolled her eyes and snorted. “What we’re doing isn’t exact what ordinary friends are doing. I get the feeling he doesn’t want us to be more than friends. He was hurt when I canceled the skydiving trip, and maybe he thinks I dumped him for you.”
“Why did you cancel?” Timmy raised an eyebrow. “Was it really because of work?”
“I was worried about Lennie coming after him,” Tina admitted.
“Well, I took care of Lennie.” Timmy’s eyes narrowed into happy crinkles as he grinned. “He hasn’t been around your place, has he?”
“No, but he went to The Hot Corner and nabbed Madge.”
“True.” A frown darkened Timmy’s face, and he rubbed his chin. “What if he’s using Madge to get back at you?”
“I don’t see why he would care.” Tina rolled to her side and propped herself up on one elbow. Her makeup was smeared, and she was a mess with tattoos partially uncovered. “I’m afraid Madge is in over her head. She’s on the autism spectrum and sometimes she can be pretty stubborn and difficult. What if Lennie hurts her?”
“Does Lennie hurt women? Has he hurt you?”
“Only if he’s drunk or upset.”
“That’s still wrong.” Timmy cracked his knuckles. “I wish there’s something I can do to find Madge.”
“Me too. The police are on it, but if Madge went willingly and Lennie tricks her into thinking how much fun it would be to ride on his motorcycle and hang out with him …”
“You’re thinking too much. If Madge went willingly, she might be having fun, or maybe he’s already let her go. There’s nothing you can do.” He held out his hand and pulled her hand. “Care to join me in the shower?”
“I’m a mess, aren’t I?” Tina smeared some of the makeup from her forearms.
“A hot mess.” His eyes glinted as he raked his heated gaze over all the areas of her body that were still glowing. “I hope you left room for my tattoo.”
“Your tattoo?” Tina blurted.
“Yep, the one I’m going to brand you with.” He palmed her ass, hot from the spanking that triggered the megaton climax she was still smarting from.
Goodness, just one touch, and the frisson of sexual awareness was once again shimmering through her body and sparking her mind with emotions she’d never dreamed of entertaining.
She couldn’t possibly be in love with him, could she?
Not that she knew what love felt like, either on the giving or the receiving end.
But heck yeah, a hot shower and more Timmy?
Definitely.
THIRTY-SIX
Tina and Timmy sat across the breakfast table the next morning with Donut on her lap and Blondie, Yan’s golden Labrador, at their feet.
She sipped her orange juice and watched Timmy eat porridge with chopsticks. It was so easy to slip into a dreamy state and believe this homey scene could be reality.
Last night had been emotional, but Timmy, being his cheerful, upbeat self, had managed to soothe her hurts and worries enough for her to get a good night’s sleep.
