Chapter 3

Six months later

Anya smiled as Gus turned out the bathroom light, stripped off his boxers and slid into bed beside her. She loved the feel of his big, hard body and the warmth it exuded. She still could hardly believe everything that had happened since that night she'd called him afraid for her life. In the past six months Virgil Branson had been arrested for running a prostitution ring, one that was backed by a major cartel and that sent its women all over the world. Sold them off like a piece of merchandise.

Anya, Stella and Amy had been star witnesses in his trial. Now her friends had been relocated, Virgil was in a federal prison, and she and Gus were building a life together. Something she never could have imagined in her wildest dreams.

Gus slipped an arm beneath her and pulled her toward him. She loved the feel of his body against hers, hard muscles beneath smooth skin. And he always smelled so good—that delicious combination of soap, outdoors and male that was distinctively Gus. Pressing her nose against his shoulder she inhaled deeply, taking his scent inside her.

"I wonder if I'll ever get enough of touching you?" His voice was already deepening with desire.

"I still have to pinch myself to believe that this is happening," she told him.

"Oh, I think I should be the one to do the pinching." He took one nipple between thumb and forefinger and squeezed it lightly.

Heat arrowed straight to her cunt, moisture flooding her and her pulse kicking into overdrive. He could do that to her with just one touch.

Anya ran one hand lightly over the thick hair on his chest, curling her fingertips into it and seeking his nipples. When she scraped gently over the surface of them his breath hissed out slowly.

"Darlin', you do like to light my fire, don't you." He dipped his head to capture the lobe of her ear in his teeth, then trailed his tongue along the column of her neck.

Anya shivered in anticipation. She never would have dreamed that a woman of such sexuality lived beneath her skin. Her experience had been limited and her self-esteem low, especially after Virgil sweet-talked her for the sole purpose of selling her body to the highest bidders.

But from that first night when she'd called him for help, Gus had been caring and protective, coaxing her out of her shyness. He'd taught her that sex with the right person could be wonderful. That most men weren't like the very few she'd been with, fumbling and inexperienced. Or brutal, like Virgil and his customers. He'd taught her to learn how to respond to the needs of both her body and his. And to welcome his touch.

And Gus had given her the strength to testify against Virgil and to convince Amy and Stella to do the same. He'd sheltered her in his apartment and then in his bed, teaching her the pleasures of erotic love. As the emotional bond between them had grown, she'd opened for him like a flower. Now a day never passed that she didn't crave the touch of his mouth on her, his fingers, his cock inside her.

She'd had to transfer to another office, of course, but luckily there was an opening in one on the same floor. Whenever he stopped by to check on her she wondered if anyone noticed the smoldering glances they exchanged.

Now she rubbed her body against his in a way that fed the pleasure in both of them. Gus moved one hand along her curves with a light, feathery stroke that sent shivers through her.

"You always feel so good to me," he murmured, his head dipping to capture one nipple between his lips. "Your skin feels like cool silk but there's such heat beneath it." He nipped at her jawline. "But that heat's just for me, right, darlin'?"

"Of course," she breathed. As if any other man would ever appeal to her.

His mouth continued its sensuous journey along her neck, pausing at the hollow of her throat to press his tongue to the spot where her pulse beat so furiously. And all the while his hand traveled everywhere—her thighs, her arms, her shoulders. Anya anchored her fingers in the thick warmth of his hair, holding on to him tightly as little ripples of pleasure raced through her.

One palm cupped a breast as his mouth found the nipple, his tongue licking it, his lips pulling on it, his teeth nibbling in tiny little nips. Anya felt the liquid gathering in her cunt and the lips there swelling with need. When he'd teased the nipple into a swollen, aching point he moved to the other one, kneading the soft flesh of her breast while using his mouth and teeth on the swelling bud.

Anya moved against him, pressing herself into his mouth and hands. She let one of her own hands drift lower, reaching for the thick hard shaft against her thigh, wanting to touch him, too.

"Uh-uh," Gus murmured, his mouth against her body. "This is my play time."

His lips traveled further down her body, until they reached the soft curls covering her pussy. Moving so he knelt between her thighs, he spread them wide, bent his head and spread her cunt lips. Anya had discovered he loved to look at her fully exposed, his eyes eating her up. Tiny shimmers of heat rippled through her.

"I could spend the rest of my life eating your cunt." Gus' voice was low and raw with need. "Bend your knees for me, darlin'. Just the way I like it."

Anya planted her feet on the mattress, knees bent and legs as far apart as she could get them. Gus took a long, slow, delicious sweep of his tongue the length of her slit, not hurrying, not rushing. Taking his time to enjoy every morsel. Anya wanted to scream at him to hurry, but she knew by now that slow and easy was his favorite way to make love. He knew how it drove her crazy. By the time he was ready to enter her she would be so aroused she would climax at once, then again as he fucked her.

With his thumbs Gus spread the lips of her pussy, breathed into her and then closed his lips over her throbbing clit. Anya bucked, her hips rising from the mattress as she lifted to meet his mouth. Gus took leisurely swipes at her demanding flesh, alternately sucking the hot bud and lapping each inch of her inner pussy lips. By the time he plunged his tongue inside her wet channel she was half crazy with desire.

He was so clever with that tongue, thrusting it in and out as he would do later with his cock. It brushed rhythmically against her flexing pussy walls, reaching in deep and curling the tip to reach that oh, so sweet spot that sent her spinning up the spiral. Pushing her hips at him she tried to draw him deeper inside.

Instead he withdrew his tongue and drew concentric circles with it around her clit. Again and again, around and around. Anya clutched at the sheet, digging her fists into it and bracing her feet on the mattress. She wanted him to let her come, to carry her to that wonderful place with fireworks and black velvet, but that wasn't Gus' style. She'd already learned that.

Lifting his head, he licked the inside of each thigh with tantalizing swipes of his broad, flat tongue, leaving her pussy vibrating with need. Planting kisses on the inside of each knee, he slid his hands up the outside of her thighs then around to the cheeks of her ass. With one deft movement he flipped her over onto her stomach and pulled her up to her knees. Then he was kissing her ass, those light butterfly touches that made the pulse low in her belly thrum with excitement.

Gus shifted so his body was over hers, circled her wrists and lifted her hands, clamping her fingers around the slats in the headboard.

"Hold on tight, darlin'." His voice was husky and raw. "Stay just like that."