Driven by Desire Read online

  Tanya’s phone vibrated on the table, alerting her that she had a text message. She was silently relieved for the distraction. She picked it up and read the message displayed across the screen. It was Zaira.

  You heffa! How could you not tell me you were fucking his fine ass?

  Her face heated even more when she looked up and saw Marcus staring right at her.

  He scooted up his chair and leaned forward so that their knees were touching. “Has it occurred to you that this is my first time? I’ve never done this before.”

  “Done what?”

  “Pursued a woman like I have you.”

  “Do you really want me to believe that? I know your type.”

  “You think you know me?” he asked, his voice low and deep. “Define me. Define my type.”

  “Arrogant. Cocky. Uses his power, good looks, and charm to steal a woman’s heart. You want something until the next best thing comes along.”

  “You’ve appraised me. Now let me appraise you.”

  “Go ahead,” she said, nonchalantly, yet she was nothing but.

  “Smart. Beautiful, inside and out. Cautious, yet adventurous. A strong black woman who needs a strong black man. A man who will complete you. To bring out the naughty side of you. To make you forget what normal even was.” He waited for a few moments, his gaze sweeping across her face seeking some response. When she didn’t give it, he continued, “When you want something, you fear the risks it entails. This is understood, but if one never takes risks they never gain either. This is true in business, love, and in life. You should never give your heart unless you trust completely, but what I am asking is that you allow me a chance to earn it. Like I said before, I can put something extraordinary in your life.”

  Tanya swallowed. “What do you want me to say to that? We share an attraction. One that won’t go away, especially when we keep bumping into each other like this.”

  “That’s all I needed to hear. That you feel it too.”

  Tanya lifted her mug and took a sip of her green tea. Of course, it was cold in comparison to the hot attraction to Marcus. “So…what do you propose we do about this attraction?”

  “I’ll call you tonight and we can discuss our next date.”

  She grinned. “Are you asking me out?”

  “Are you going to accept?” he teased.

  “We can discuss tonight.” She gathered up her stuff, tucking her cell phone into her purse. “I’m going to be late for class if I don’t leave now.”

  Marcus wrapped up his half-eaten sandwich and got up with her. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “That didn’t sound like a question, but you may.”

  “That sexy mouth of yours has a crafty reply to everything I say.”

  Tanya had parked in the garage directly across the street, so it didn’t take long to reach her little white Corvette.

  “Nice,” he said, as they stood next to the driver side door. “You like fast cars, then?”

  “Yeah, but not as exciting as your motorcycle, I’m sure.”

  “I’ll have to take you on a ride and you can see for yourself.”

  His gaze fell on her mouth, and in that moment her knees became weak as the tip of his tongue slid across the seam of his lips.

  “Marcus, I…”

  He kissed her, taking her mouth passionately and demanding entry. He tasted just as good as she remembered. The freshness of his aftershave and spiciness of his cologne surrounded her, and in that moment she could think of no place she’d rather be than in his arms. He teased her with his lips over and over again, kissing her as though it were the first and last time he would see her. His gentle touch at the back of her neck felt blissful and for a moment she forgot she was in the middle of a parking garage.

  Tanya pulled away from the kiss, placing her palm against his chest followed by her forehead. It took her some time to catch her breath. He, too, breathed hot and heavy against the top of her head.

  “I’ve gotta go,” she said, finally lifting her head.

  “Yes.” He nodded. “You won’t stand me up again and I should expect my call to be answered tonight?” This time, his inquiry did come out like a question and not a mandate.

  “You should expect this,” she confirmed, then picked up his royal blue tie, and straightened it so that it was perfectly aligned on his chest. She couldn’t help but think back to how they first met back in Ocho Rios. “Blue. The color exudes power, loyalty, and authority. Good choice.”

  “And the man wearing it? What does he exude?”

  “I haven’t quite pinpointed it yet, but whatever it is…it works for me.”

  He smiled. “Good.”

  Chapter Eight

  The next day…

  “Make yourself at home,” Tanya said, throwing her keys and purse on the end table in the foyer as Marcus followed her into her one bedroom studio apartment.

  Their talk last night pretty much confirmed what she already knew. Marcus Brooks was a man that one never really got enough of. Their walk through Centennial Olympic Park for the live Caribbean music fest and then winding down for an early dinner at a nearby restaurant was the icing on the cake. She’d never had anyone really pay this much attention to her wants and needs. Dating in the past had always been a quick movie every once in a while or maybe dining in a restaurant she’d frequented many times before.

  “Nice,” he said, closing the door behind them. “Pretty view of the skyline. How long have you been living here?”

  “Going on two years. I left the University of Georgia campus after graduating my senior year. I knew I wanted something small and relatively close to shopping and central to the city. Most of my classes are online and some nearby, so I don’t have to worry about the travel time as much. Plus they’re a lot of companies close by where I wouldn’t mind starting my career at.”

  As an underemployed graduate student it was all she really could afford and it had been important to her to live in one of the safest and up and coming neighborhoods of Atlanta. The rent took a hefty chunk of her income and savings, but her peace of mind and comfort was worth more.

  “You’re a smart, successful woman. I love that about you.”

  “I’m an only child and I grew up in a single parent home with my mother, so being independent and making wise decisions is really all I know.”

  He sat down and watched in the kitchen as she unwrapped the cheesecake slices they’d ordered to-go from the restaurant. “You said your mom didn’t stick around Georgia when you started college, right?”

  “Right.” She took two saucers from the cupboard and put cheesecake in the middle of each one. “She moved back in with my grandma to help out since grandpa died. I had to convince her that I could make it out here on my own by myself before she would leave. I knew grandma needed her so I kind of had to fake it the whole first year of college.” She looked up at Marcus and smiled. “It was my first time on my own, and being such a homebody and everything, I barely knew anyone. Once I started getting out, going to parties, and tail-gating events things got easier. Then I met Zaira…and I got wilder.”

  They both laughed.

  “Zaira reminds me of her father. They both get down to business when it comes to work, but truly know how to have a wild time.”

  “That sounds like Zaira.” She sat down on the sofa next to him and handed him the saucer, and then went back in the kitchen to grab some glasses and a chilled glass of wine.

  “Tell me about your family. We talked about you growing up in Virginia while we were sitting out on the lawn at the park, but not much about them,” she inquired, after taking a seat beside him.

  “I grew up with three other brothers. A full household. Both mom and dad. And my uncle and my grandfather lived with us. I’m the middle child. No one ever paid attention to me, of course.” He turned then, and gave her a wicked smile. “I had to do a bit more to prove myself every now and then. Andrew is the oldest, then me, then Sean. Andrew got married just last
year to his high school sweetheart. According to him, I’ll be an uncle myself in seven months. I can’t wait.”

  “You sound very happy about that.”

  “I enjoy being with kids. I’m always fascinated with the way they learn these days. I plan to have three maybe more one day myself.”

  “Three? Wow,” she laughed. “Have mercy on your future wife.”

  “I am having mercy on her,” he said, and winked.

  She blushed. “You’re silly. So tell me about your other brothers. Trent is the one I met in Ocho Rios, right? Don’t you have another?”

  “There’s Austin. Trent, Austin, and I met some twelve years ago when me and my youngest brother, Sean, joined the crew. There are other brothers, but these three I trust with everything. I’m the last to officially move to Atlanta.”

  “What is this crew?” she asked, placing her saucer on the coffee table in front of them.

  “A club of sorts. Almost like a fraternity, but we have our love for motorcycles in common. We’re called Rugged. That’s what the R.R. is on my chest. Rugged Riders. We operate like a company. We sponsor all sorts of events, organizational and charitable. Have dues and hundreds of members. Our main and biggest source of income are from dividends and return on investments. We have some ownership in dozens of private and public companies in the U.S., including Svelte. Contrary to popular belief, we aren’t an outlaw or gang and don’t condone crime. However, we don’t let anyone run over or harm our own without consequences. We do whatever is necessary within reason to protect each other. My uncle is one of the five officers on Rugged’s board. It’s how my brother, Sean, and I got acquainted into the lifestyle.”

  Tanya was fascinated by this secondary lifestyle of his. “And here I was thinking that all you did was ride motorcycles recklessly on the freeway all the time.”

  He grinned. “We do that too. I can take you out riding one day.”

  “I think maybe I’d get sick.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe and we can start slow.”

  “We’re off to a pretty fast start now. Nothing we have done so far has been slow,” she teased.

  He arched an eyebrow. “Is that your way of asking me to go slow and steady?” The look in his eyes told her that he was referring to something naughtier.

  Her neck heated, and she cleared her throat, hoping that she could get through one day with him without thinking about his bedroom skills. “What made you move to Atlanta?”

  “I’ve been wanting to join my brothers here officially for years. I had to make sure that’s what I really wanted with my parents and blood relatives being in Virginia and all. I had a pretty lucrative job back home when Mr. Wright and I talked about me filling the CEO position at Svelte. We’d been going back and forth for months before deciding that the position and I were a good fit for each other. Even though Mr. Wright is one my brothers by bond, things stay professional when it comes to business. We all strive to be successful.”

  Tanya shifted her gaze away from him, thinking what a weird coincidence it was that he’d chosen a position at a company where her husband used to work only to run into her months later.

  Marcus leaned in closer, slid his palm against the back of her neck, and drew her lips toward his. “I don’t want to talk about family or anything else but you for the rest of the night…and don’t try and change the subject again either.”

  “Fair enough,” she said, just as their lips met. Each kiss they shared felt just as explosive as the last, and she enjoyed the way he teased every inch of her lips from corner to corner. “But are we moving too fast?”

  “I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand not touching you. I won’t subdue this attraction.”

  He dragged his lips against her neck, and she lifted her chin to allow him better access.

  “We always end up having sex before the night ends.”

  “Is that so wrong?” he asked, pressing his lips softly into her shoulders. “This is so much more than sex, Tanya?”

  “It is?”

  “Let me show you the difference between sex and making love,” he replied, as the heat of his tongue dipped into her cleavage.

  He peeled the straps of the sundress down her arms, freeing her breasts. His mouth fell over and over again on the ripe flesh and around the areolas. He took each nipple between his lips, licking and sucking gently.

  He went to work on her, toying with her until her buds were shaped like little thimbles and sensitive to his touch.

  As he moved lower, she fell back onto the cushions of the chair. His pursuit downward resulted in her being unclothed, except for the black lace panties she’d worn especially with him in mind. His breath was hot against her mound through the flimsy fabric and his fingers teased lightly at the seam between her sex and thighs.

  Marcus slid off her panties, and when she was finally naked, he missed not one beat as he kissed her against the clit. “Sweet.”

  “Marcus.” She grabbed at the cushions beneath her and drew her thighs closer together.

  “Let me please you.” His day old stubble tickled the insides of her legs just as he bent to take her with his mouth.

  His lips were gentle against her sex as he zeroed in on her clit. He found a pressure and tempo that had her crying out for release. Fingers gripped her thighs, tempting them open, and exposing her even further like a banquet. He dipped his tongue in and out of her, tracing the folds of her sex, and sucking on the hood of her clit.

  Minutes later, Tanya fell apart, her loins tightening as her orgasm pounded through her sending her over the cliff at a heart throbbing speed. As she came down from her orgasm he licked up and down the length of her pussy, tasting the evidence of her desire.

  Tanya brought him up, taking his lips as their hands worked his shirt over his head, followed by the shredding of the rest of his clothes from his body.

  “Your turn.” She grinned, pushing him backwards and straddling him.

  “Mmmm,” he groaned, as her pussy came in contact with his dick. He took her hips with both hands, smoothing his thumbs along her waistline. “You’re so beautiful.”

  She bent low to kiss him, sipping on his lips just the way he’d done her moments earlier. Moving lower, she traced the muscles and ridges of his chest with her tongue, tasting his manly aroma as she began her trek downward. The dark tattoos on his skin were a beautiful contrast to his skin, and she loved them all. Every one of them. They were neither to overbearing nor off putting. She knew that each one had meaning to him and a bit of the story behind it.

  He clenched his teeth and she wrapped her fingers tightly around his dick which was already fully alert and ready. She pumped, gliding her palm up and down his shaft watching as he grew even more and his balls tightened against her fists.

  She ran her tongue up and down the length of him, paying careful attention to the sensitive veins at the base. He could barely fit into her mouth and she gagged whenever he hit the back of her throat. She alternated between the hand job and sucking his cock head until his hips were rising in unison with her movement.

  “Tanya…”

  His forehead creased in deep concentration, and when their eyes met she saw the carnal need in them. He tasted sweet and spicy. Of nutmeg and sugar. Her pussy became wet as she pumped him almost to bursting.

  He pulled her to his mouth and claimed it with a kiss, then brought her legs around his waist, and lifted them both from the couch.

  It took him about four steps to reach her bed, and he laid her out on it. He produced a condom, tore the wrapper open, and handed it to her.

  Tanya obliged his silent request and knelt on the mattress to take him deep within her mouth as he stood at the foot of her bed. She enjoyed the sounds of his moans just as much as she enjoyed the way his body reacted to each and every stroke of her tongue.

  She lured him back first onto the bed, and rolled the condom down until it reached the base of his cock. He grabbed either side of her hips, his finger
s spreading across the expanse of her belly and guided her slowly down onto him. The moans that escaped their lips as he speared her sounded like melody to her ears. Her muscles milked him involuntarily as she adjusted to his thickness once again. The last time he’d taken her was the morning before she left Ocho Rios. Since then, she’d forgotten how much he filled her to completion.

  Marcus thrust his hips upward, burying himself to the hilt. Ripe lust spiraled through her body when he tilted her forward and encouraged her to move.

  For what seemed like an eternity, she rode him, enjoying the never-ending waves of ecstasy. His gaze never fell from her face, and he watched her with avid concentration. No man had ever gazed on her with such admiration during the throes of love-making. Yet, no man had ever truly made love to her in this manner, paying attention to her body and catering to her every need. Sex had always been quick and the purpose had always been for instant gratification. It didn’t seem that way with Marcus. He sexed her with purpose, as though each time would be their last.

  Marcus lifted the top half of his body, angling them so that her clit received direct contact. She continued to glide up and down on his rod, arching into him. Her breasts crushed and slid against his chest as he pressed his lips to her neck and licked and sucked her there. Their breathing became quick and synchronized and their grips tightened around each other as they neared a climax.

  He grabbed her ass, pushing her deeper onto him.

  She cried out against his shoulder as he began to thrust up into her long and hard.

  “This is how it should feel, yes,” he rasped against her throat, his teeth scraping against her skin, “when a man wants a woman so much that he can’t possibly get enough of her.”

  “Yes…”

  “I want you so much, Tanya. Never have I wanted anyone this much.”

  “I want you too, Marcus.”

  Tanya could tell he was growing near an orgasm by the way he held her ass tight in a vice grip and panted hot against her skin. His plunges became intense and her screams carried high across the apartment. She bit hard into his shoulder as her orgasm quaked through her. His was not too far behind and in four strokes he reached his own release joining her. Her body convulsed against him and his dick continued to pulse inside her as they achieved bliss. Both spent, they fought to catch their breaths with ragged inhales and exhales.