On the Prowl Read online

  Not that he’d mind. His eyes were practically bugging out of his head.

  “So perky. It’s a good look for you.” Brent leaned in to whisper into her ear. “Reminds me of when we were teenagers, although you’ve filled out nicely since then.”

  Her breath hitched.

  Damn him!

  He knew exactly what to say to embarrass her the most. She stared straight ahead and fought not to react. It was what he wanted, she knew, and she refused to give him even that much. She just had to make it through the song. Then she could stand up and walk away. Preferably right out the front door.

  “Oh, come on, Tally. Don’t play coy. You remember the night I’m talking about.”

  She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, angry with herself for letting him get to her, but unable to stop it. Of course, she remembered that night. How could she forget?

  “We were at Mimi Devonshire’s party,” he pressed. “I took your bra and paraded you around in front of the football team wearing only your tight, white T-shirt.”

  Talia finally gave in to the need to cover herself. As surreptitiously as she could, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Stop it,” she whispered.

  “Why?” he said, tugging playfully at her elbow. “You like having people look at you—at least you did then.”

  Her nipples tightened painfully and she couldn’t hold back the memories any longer. She’d been fifteen at the time and he’d been a well-experienced seventeen. She could still remember how her knees had gone weak when he’d smiled at her. She hadn’t been able to believe that the football quarterback had been interested in her! When he’d cocked his head, she’d willingly crossed the room. She could still remember how warm his fingers had felt when he’d caught her hand. She’d followed like a trusting lamb when he’d pulled her into the bathroom.

  Oh, she’d been so naïve.

  It had all been a game to him—a bet with his preppy friends. Well, he’d gotten her bra from her, all right. That hadn’t been enough, though. Not for quarterback stud Harrington. He’d teased and fondled her until she’d looked like a slutty magazine centerfold.

  “Don’t try to hide them,” he whispered, pulling her from that nightmare back into the one of the present. “Let me see those pretty titties of yours.”

  Talia turned her face away. She’d like to act affronted but she couldn’t. What had happened in the Devonshire bathroom so many years ago had been a sexual awakening for her. Although she’d been humiliated by the outcome, she had taken pleasure in his touch. Debasing as it was, her body still reacted to him. To this day, he could arouse her with a look.

  And he knew it.

  So every board meeting, social encounter and business lunch, he’d look his fill and she’d walk away with hard nipples and a wet pussy. At least she’d kept that secret hidden from him. She had no doubt he’d use it to his advantage if he ever found out. The Turd had certainly earned the nickname.

  The violin hit a long, high note and Talia closed her eyes in distress. It was taking everything she had not to squirm on the hard metal chair. His blatantly suggestive looks and words were having their usual effect on her body.

  Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to remember why she was here. The after-school program. She needed to concentrate on that.

  “Brent,” she said quietly, turning back to face him. His gaze didn’t stray from her breasts. It was degrading but she let her arms drop to her sides to give him an unrestricted view. At least that way she knew she had his attention. “I’d like to get you alone for a few minutes, if I could. Do you think we could find somewhere private to talk?”

  His gaze finally lifted to meet hers and the air between them crackled. “Need some one-on-one time, baby?”

  Not in this lifetime.

  “Please,” she forced herself to say. Applause broke out from the crowd as the quartet finished and she felt relieved. The sooner she got off this stage, the better.

  “This should be interesting,” he said. He gave her a wink. “Let me close this thing up and we’ll find someplace quiet.”

  She cringed. Being alone with him was never a good idea but, then again, she hadn’t had a chance to talk to him face-to-face. He’d brought up the vote on the funding when it hadn’t even been on the agenda and she hadn’t had much of an opportunity to make him see her side of things. Maybe speaking to him privately would help.

  She sighed. And maybe the moon was made of cheese.

  It was a pipe dream and she knew it. Still, she needed to make one last plea for the kids’ sake.

  She watched as Brent strode cockily up to the microphone. He wouldn’t try anything with so many people around. Especially this crowd. He needed to keep these people’s respect if he was going to keep his status in the community.

  “That ends our program for tonight,” he said in a velvet voice that carried throughout the room. “But please stay and enjoy the food and champagne. We’ve earned this night of celebration!”

  Glasses tinkled and cheers of “Hear, hear” sounded. The board members began to disperse from the stage and Talia rose from her chair. Brent headed back toward her but stopped to talk to his wife. Shelli laughed at whatever he said and gave Talia a wave. Her hair bounced as she turned back to play hostess to her guests.

  “This way,” Brent said. He took her arm as the quartet started playing again. Couples began dancing but he deftly negotiated their way through the crowd.

  Talia followed as he led her up the stairs to his home office. She knew she only had one chance at this. She needed to find the best way to approach him. Everything she’d tried before had been from the Arts Council’s perspective. Maybe it was time to try a different tack. “Brent, do you know my associate, Sadie?”

  “The sexy black woman who works at your antique shop?” he asked, looking over his shoulder. “I’ve drooled over her once or twice.”

  Talia’s lips thinned but she refused to take the bait. “Her son, Lincoln, was arrested last week.”

  “Arrested?” Brent finally stopped his quick steps and turned to look at her. “For what?”

  “Vandalism. He and some of his friends were caught spraying graffiti on his school’s walls.”

  Brent shrugged and began moving again. “Sounds like he deserved to have the cuffs slapped on him.”

  “You don’t understand,” she said, hurrying along to keep up with him. “Linc’s a very talented artist. He just doesn’t have an outlet for his creativity now that the after-school program has been canceled.”

  “Aha! I knew you’d eventually come back around to square one.” Brent opened the door to his office and let her pass through in front of him. “You were outvoted, Tally. Why can’t you just let it go?”

  “Let it go?” She whirled about on her heel. She’d vowed to keep her composure but that didn’t mean she had to be a doormat. “That program was my father’s brainchild. It’s helped countless kids—several of whom have gone on to attend college on art scholarships.”

  “Once again, funded by whom?”

  Frustration roiled in her chest. “If you’ll just stop to think about all the implications, I’m sure you’ll see what a pernicious decision the Board made.”

  “Pernicious? Oh, now you’ve gone and made me feel bad.”

  It took everything inside her not to slap the smirk off his face. How dare he make a joke out of this! “What do I have to do to make you change your mind?” she asked, her jaw tight.

  The wicked grin that lit his face made her suddenly uneasy.

  “The question shouldn’t be ‘what’, but ‘whom’.” The lock on the door clicked ominously behind him. “And the answer would be ‘me’.”

  The move he made was blindingly fast. Before Talia could realize her error in judgment, he’d caught her about the waist, spun her around and pushed her up against the door.

  “Brent! What do you think—”

  His hard lips cut off her words. Shock reverberated through her system and her fight-
or-flight instinct kicked in. She dropped her purse and her hands came up to his chest. She pushed hard but he retaliated by sticking his tongue deeper into her mouth.

  It stopped her cold.

  He hadn’t kissed her when he’d caught her in that clench so many years ago. She was suddenly glad he hadn’t. She would have ended up losing more than just her bra.

  His tongue swirled around hers and her knees wobbled. “Brent,” she gasped as she tore her mouth away. “Get off me.”

  He leaned his big body more heavily against hers and nuzzled her ear. “Don’t give me that crap, baby. You want me on you. You want me in you. You always have.”

  “I have not. Brent!”

  His groping hands had caught the spaghetti straps at her shoulders and were pulling them downward. He didn’t bother with the zipper at the back of her dress and the straps cut into her arms. Talia started to struggle again but she was caught between a hard door and an even harder man. She could feel his stiff cock bumping against her stomach as he wrestled to get her under control.

  “Let’s see what you’ve got hiding under here,” he said with a callous smile. His hands caught the neckline of her dress and began rolling the bodice over her breasts. Without the zipper loosened, the fit was tight. With every tug on the material, another inch of her chest plumped out into view.

  Talia tried to push him away but the straps bound her arms to her sides. Her stylish little party dress had just turned into a sexual bondage outfit. Things were suddenly getting scary. She didn’t want to submit—not to him. “I’ll scream,” she said harshly.

  “That’s the idea,” he said.

  Her pussy clenched. Oh, God!

  Suddenly, her nerves sizzled with a strange combination of fear and excitement. She couldn’t let this happen—and for so many different reasons. She tried to roll away but, in that moment, he worked the silk material over her curves and her breasts sprang free. She froze at the look that entered his eyes. He’d seen her before. He’d touched her. Only this time, he wasn’t going to stop after a little heavy petting.

  His hard hands came up to cup her breasts and the feeling was electric. She closed her eyes as her nipples jutted into his palms. Traitorous pleasure swirled through her body.

  “I never expected you to whore yourself for your little charity,” he said, “but I’m an obliging sort of guy.”

  His hair swung forward onto his forehead as he bent down toward her. “Try your damnedest to convince me, baby. I should warn you, though. I’m feeling particularly pernicious tonight.”

  Talia squirmed against the door, fighting herself as much as him. “Damn you, Brent,” she said, breathing hard. “Let me go!”

  “Why?” he said, laughing softly. He pinched her nipples hard. “You wouldn’t have come here with your titties bouncing all over the place if you weren’t begging for a fuck.”

  The pain was sharp. Talia rolled her head against the unyielding door but he didn’t ease the pressure on her tender flesh. Her distress and her pleasure mounted. He was going to make her do this.

  “Please,” she begged when his mouth skimmed down her neck. Her nipples felt like they were in vices. “It hurts.”

  “Admit it,” he growled. “You’ve been annoyed with me for the last ten years because I didn’t follow through.”

  His leg slipped between hers and pressed hard against her mound. Talia was in such a state of miserable arousal, she could hardly stand it. He had her nipples pinched nearly flat. “You debased me,” she said, her voice catching. “You intentionally embarrassed me.”

  “You liked it. You liked having my hands and my mouth on you. You liked having all my friends look at you.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  She whimpered. Her breasts were on fire but, like it or not, her hips were starting to rock against his muscled thigh.

  He nipped at her neck. “You felt sexy then. Do you feel sexy now, Tally?”

  Oh, God, she hated this man. She’d die before she admitted that to him. “I didn’t come here for this.”

  “No? Well that’s too bad, because it’s what you’re going to get.”

  One of his punishing hands mercifully left her breast. Talia gasped as circulation was restored to her tender nipple, but he leaned down and latched onto the red peak with his mouth. She jerked reflexively when his intent suckling brought a rush of blood to the delicate bud. Her neck arched against the door and she let out a piercing cry. The sensation was too fierce. Too heightened.

  “That’s more like it,” he said as he hauled up the hem of her dress and began pawing at her panties. The protection they provided was laughable. He yanked them down and jammed his hand between her legs. Two thick fingers poked roughly at her opening.

  The fit was tight but she was so wet, they slid in easily.

  The surprise was enough to make him stop the plundering of her breasts long enough to look in her face. He worked his fingers higher into her and Talia was mortified. Closing her eyes, she rolled her head away from him.

  He refused to let her draw back. “Look at me.”

  His fingers began pumping determinedly in and out of her and it was all she could do not to roll her hips in rhythm.

  “Look at me!”

  His thumb suddenly tweaked her clitoris and her eyes flew open.

  “I get hard every time you walk into a room,” he said in a voice like sandpaper. “Do you get wet?”

  It was her deepest secret but she couldn’t hide it from him anymore—not with his fingers dripping with her juices. “Yes,” she whispered miserably.

  “Did you want me to bang you in that bathroom when you were fifteen?”

  “No!”

  “The truth, damn it.”

  “Mmm,” she whimpered. He was close to her G-spot. “Yes.”

  “Is that why you’ve been so prissy around me all these years?”

  “I’m prissy because you’re a jerk,” she said, finding one last thread of her fighting spirit.

  He laughed. “You don’t know what you want, do you, sexy Tally?”

  He pulled his fingers out of her so abruptly she groaned.

  “Don’t worry, babe. Big Brent will show you.”

  He pushed her panties down her legs. They draped across her ankles like a last defense surrendered. Talia tried to shove him away but she couldn’t get any leverage with her arms restricted. All she could do was watch as he undid the zipper of his three-hundred-dollar slacks and pulled out his cock.

  It was big and red—nearly purple, he was so hard. Her eyes rounded but she knew there was no escape.

  She had to tell herself again that she wanted one.

  He gave her no time to think before he was on her again. His hot mouth zeroed in on her breast. His tongue pressed her nipple tight against the roof of his mouth and she gritted her teeth at the bolts of electricity that shot straight to her core.

  His fingers bit into the back of her thigh. With an abrupt tug, he lifted her leg up and to the side. With no preliminaries, he thrust into her.

  “Ah!” she cried. His cock was longer and thicker than his fingers. And hotter. It felt like he was shoving a fat, red-hot poker up into her.

  Brent grunted. He lifted her higher against the door until only the tiptoes of her left foot touched the ground.

  Talia couldn’t catch her breath. She felt dominated being trapped and spread so wide.

  She couldn’t move. Couldn’t escape.

  He nipped hard at her breast and thrust deeper.

  “Ohhh!”

  She could feel her pussy stretching under the invasion of his hard, determined cock. As exhilarating as it felt, accommodating him was an effort. Reflexively, her fingernails dug into the wooden door behind her. The discomfort was acute. He was having to be forceful but, of that, she was secretly glad. She wasn’t welcoming him. She’d never have let him do this if he hadn’t made her.

  “Worth the wait, baby?” he growled into her ear when he was finally seate
d.

  “Screw you,” she panted.

  “Since you ask so nicely,” he said, nipping her earlobe. “I will.”

  He began to move and she nearly came unglued. In her constrained position, though, she could hardly budge. His mouth went to her other breast and, reluctantly, she threaded her fingers through his hair and held him against her.

  She quickly learned that he wasn’t one for shallow thrusts. He liked to work deep. He’d only pull out a few inches before ramming back into her. Her butt bounced against the door with every thrust he made and the knocking sound became faster and louder.

  “Oh… Oh… Ohhh!” Talia moaned. Sensations spiraled through her. Pleasure. Loathing. Satisfaction. Compulsion. Her fingernails raked down his back. She hated him but she’d hungered for this forever.

  Sweat ran down Brent’s temples onto her naked breast. He grunted like a pig as he sucked on her tit and fucked her more and more fiercely.

  “Christ,” he snapped as he came up for air. He pressed her leg higher against her chest, opening her wider. He shifted his stance and his hips swung in a wide arc.

  When he slammed home the next time, Talia’s air caught in her lungs. He was banging directly against her clit. It took only a few rough thrusts before she went off like a house of firecrackers. She let out a sharp cry and his rhythm quickened as the orgasm rocked her. His cock swelled inside her and soon the unbearably tight friction had him shooting his load.

  For long minutes afterwards, Talia had to depend on Brent’s strength to keep her upright. Every ounce of energy had been wrung from her body. When he finally pulled out of her and let her leg drop, she couldn’t let go of his waist. It was the only thing keeping her upright.

  “I knew you’d be a Grade A fuck,” he said, breathing roughly against her neck.

  She kept her eyes closed and fought to find her center. She didn’t know why his crudeness shook her. She certainly hadn’t expected love talk out of him. Their whole relationship had been based on dirty, unwanted, sexual undercurrents.

  “Don’t you feel better?” he asked.

  He let go of her and she sagged against the hard wooden door.