“Demanding.”

“I think I’d be comfortable taking charge, if that arouses you.”

“Maybe later.”

He quickly stepped out of his jeans and boxers. The shirt fluttered to the floor, and he was na**d.

She immediately reached for his penis, wanting to touch him. The tangible proof of his arousal excited her nearly as much as the physical contact. Although she would be hard-pressed to say that it was better than having him stroke her breasts. Or kiss them. Or lick her clitoris. If she had to put the three of them in order, she would have to admit that—

Gideon swore under his breath, then pushed her toward the bed.

“You can’t do that,” he growled.

“Do what?”

“Look at me like that.”

“I was looking at your penis.”

“Same thing.”

He drew back the covers and urged her onto the mattress. After pulling open the nightstand drawer, he tossed a couple of condoms next to the lamp and joined her on the bed. As soon as he was horizontal, he drew her against him, holding her tight and kissing her deeply.

She savored the feel of his tongue circling hers as much as the pressure of his strong body next to hers.

Anatomy was so interesting, she thought. His chest was sculptured in a completely different way than hers. The basics were similar but the execution created so many erotic possibilities. She loved the feel of her br**sts flattening against him. The light dusting of hair tickled. Their legs slid so easily together, his slipping between hers.

He gently eased his knee up until it rested against her vulva. Instinctively she tilted her hips, bringing her in more direct contact. She began to rock back and forth, but it wasn’t enough.

She moved her hands up and down his muscled back. She felt frantic. Desperate. Hunger burned, and finally her mind began to shut down. There was only need and what he could do to her.

She drew back. “Gideon,” she said, gazing into his eyes. “Would you please lick my clitoris?”

His mouth turned up in that slow, sexy grin of his. “With pleasure,” he murmured, already shifting to his knees.

He nudged her onto her back and pressed his lips against her collarbone. From there he trailed his way down her chest. She closed her eyes. He licked between her br**sts before pausing. She waited, not sure what was next but confident she would enjoy it. He didn’t disappoint.

He touched his tongue to one breast, then the other. While the ripples of pleasure were still coursing through her, he settled his mouth over her left nipple and sucked. As he drew in the tight tip, he used his tongue to circle and tease.

She found herself clutching at the sheets with her fingers and breathing more quickly. She’d passed through the stages of arousal with great speed and now found herself hovering on the edge of an orgasm. Her muscles were tense, and she was swollen.

Before she could tell him, he abandoned her br**sts and continued his journey down her belly. Lower and lower until he’d reached the very heart of her.

She parted herself for him and waited. A whisper of warm breath was her only warning before his tongue lightly stroked her clitoris.

She groaned. She parted her legs as wide as they would go, then bent her knees and dug her heels into the bed. Nerve endings fired in a sequence designed to fill her with pleasure, and it worked. She was helpless, close to begging.

He licked her again, then circled her swollen center. Slowly at first, slow enough that she could catch her breath with each cycle, then faster. Her body became a symphony, each muscle an instrument tuned for exquisite pleasure. He played her, making her gasp as she drew closer and closer to her cl**ax.

Suddenly he stopped. She was so close, she thought.

“Gideon,” she breathed.

His mouth returned, but this time he sucked, drawing in her clit, even as he thrust two fingers inside her.

She came with a scream, her body surrendering to him and the moment. Shudders took over, and she could only do as he bid, coming and coming until there was nothing left. Only then did he sit up.

“I always have these big plans,” he said, reaching for the condom. His hands shook as he tore the wrapper and slid on the protection. “How I’m going to go slow and make it last. But how the hell is that supposed to happen when you come like that?”

She didn’t think he expected an answer to his question, which was good, because before she could think of one, he’d already thrust inside her.

He filled her completely, only to withdraw and fill her again. His pace was nearly frantic, his breathing already fast. He gazed into her eyes, pumping harder, faster. Over and over until he came.

Later, when they were under the covers, he pulled her close. He wrapped his arms around her as he had before, holding on as if he would never let go. If only, she thought.

“Felicia?”

“Yes?”

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but if it ever seems I’m not in the mood for sex, all you have to do is ask me to lick you and I’m done.”

She raised herself on one shoulder. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s the sexiest thing ever.”

“But I’m just asking for what I want.”

“Yeah, and it turns me on.”

Men were strange, she thought, settling back into his arms. “What about if I asked you to rub my back?”

“Not as interesting.” She felt as well as heard him chuckle. “Now if you asked for a spanking, that might work.”

She smiled. “Especially if I told you I’d been very, very bad?”

“Oh, yeah.”

* * *

THE CDS LOGO, a target with the initials spelled out in bullet holes, was enough to make a guy think before entering the building. Carter had a feeling they didn’t take any crap in this place. He wasn’t nervous, exactly. Just...cautious.

Reese studied the closed door. “They’re serious, huh?”

“Felicia knows the guy in charge. Justice. He’s not running the class or anything but she likes him.”

They glanced at each other. Carter shrugged and reached for the handle.

Inside, the ceilings were high, the floors concrete. A tall man with big shoulders, scary gray eyes and a scar across his throat was waiting in the foyer.

“Names,” he barked.

Carter did his best not to jump.

“Reese Hendrix!”

“Carter, ah—” Carter hesitated, not sure what last name Felicia would have used.

The man glared at him. “You don’t know your name? Then we can’t help you.”

Carter swallowed. “I just got to town. My dad is Gideon Boylan. I didn’t know how Felicia registered me for the class.”

The man smiled. “That Carter, huh? I’ve got you right here. Good to meet you.” He held out his giant hand. “Nice to meet you both.”

The transformation to nice guy was nearly as frightening as the scowl had been.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Carter said in a small voice, shaking hands with the man. Reese did the same.

“I’m Angel. You got any questions, come see me. You’re going to work out in the main fight room. It’s this way.”

He led them through several short hallways. They stepped out into a big open gym with punching bags along one wall, ropes dangling from the ceiling and a big area in the middle covered with thick, padded flooring.

Angel looked at his watch. “You’ve got about ten minutes, if you want to stretch.”

Reese nodded and Angel left.

Carter leaned toward his friend. “You know how to stretch?”

“No, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. Did you see his scar?”

“The one on his neck? Yeah. You think someone tried to kill him?”

“I don’t know.”

They sat on the edge of the mats.

“I wonder how many other kids’ll come to the class,” Reese said.

Carter didn’t know enough guys his age to guess. Although there could be girls in the class. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He wouldn’t be comfortable fighting a girl.

“Felicia’s picking us up when we’re done here,” he said, to change the subject. “She’s busy getting ready for the book fair this weekend, but said she had time to take us to lunch.”

“You still doing okay with her?” Reese asked.

“Yeah, she’s cool. It’s harder with my dad. He mostly avoids me.”

“They’re not married?”

“No. They’re...” Carter shrugged. “I don’t know what they are. She likes my dad and I’m pretty sure he likes her. It’s hard to tell. My mom didn’t date much, so I haven’t seen how people in love act with each other.”

“Don’t look at me,” Reese told him. “My mom took off years ago. I could ask my dad, though, if you wanted me to. He might remember.”

“No, I don’t want him telling anyone. You know how grown-ups talk.”

Reese sighed. “All the time. My grandma is great, but she goes on and on about stuff. How my aunts are doing. Who’s pregnant, which of my cousins is having a birthday. They’re babies. It’s not that fun hanging out with them.”

Carter thought about the problem. “Maybe I could find some information online or something. There are a lot of weird articles and—”

His brain shut down. One second there were ideas and the next, nothing. He scrambled to his feet and stared at the most beautiful, sexy, incredible woman he’d ever seen.

She wasn’t that tall—maybe three inches shorter than him. Her long, dark hair was wavy and curly in that sexy way girls had with their hair. Her face was all big eyes and lips, but what really got his attention was her body.

He didn’t know where to look first. Her boobs or her butt. She had on a clingy workout tank, and pants that came to just below her knees. His body turned to fire and he was terrified he was going to be unable to control himself.

Reese mumbled something under his breath. Carter glanced at his friend and saw Reese looked as stunned as he felt.

The woman put her hands on her h*ps and shook her head. “I’m way too old,” she told them flatly. “Don’t even think about it.”

“You could wait for me,” Carter said before he could stop himself. “I’ll be eighteen in two years.”

Reese snorted. “You mean five years.”

“Shut up.”

“You’re thirteen. She’s not going to believe you’re sixteen. She’s hot, not stupid.”

Carter jabbed Reese in the stomach and walked toward the goddess.

“Hi. I’m Carter.” He hoped she would shake hands with him, like Angel did, but she only smiled.

“Consuelo. I’m going to be your teacher.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.” She put her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. By the end of the hour, you’ll be hating me.”

“Not possible.”

He was having trouble breathing. Being this close to her was torture. He wanted her. He wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted her for, but he needed to claim her, to tell the world that she belonged to him.

“Give me your hand,” she told him.

He held it out and braced himself for the sweetness of her touch. She took his hand in hers. Her skin was cool, her fingers—

Everything spun as he found himself jerked up and over. The ground came up fast and hit him hard on the back.

“Wicked,” Reese breathed. “Can you teach me how to do that?”

“You’re both going to learn how to do that and other things, as well,” Consuelo said, helping Carter to his feet.

“You flipped me,” he said, unable to believe what she’d done, despite his battered body.

“Yup.”

Her skills only made her more amazing, he thought.

Consuelo sighed. “You’re going to be stubborn about this, aren’t you?”

If that meant he would love her forever, then the answer was yes.

* * *

GIDEON STOOD IN the middle of the street, across from Brew-haha, and wondered how the hell he was going to get through the day. The annual book fair had turned much of the city into a giant bookstore with signings, readings and booths everywhere. Because Felicia was in charge of the festivals, she was working from dawn until eight or nine at night. Today was Saturday, which meant no camp, no classes, no way to keep Carter busy. Worse, tomorrow was Sunday. Gideon had two days with his kid and no idea what he was supposed to do to fill the time.

“You want to walk around?” Gideon asked.

“Sure.”

“You read much?”

“Some.”

Gideon wandered past a booth with a display of books on how to make furniture out of twigs. Next to that, a lady was demonstrating various quilting techniques. The day stretched out in endless minutes to be filled.

“There was a festival when I showed up, too,” Carter said. “Does the town have them a lot?”

“Every couple of weeks in the summer. A little less the rest of the year, but at least once a month. Tourists are a big part of the economy. The festivals bring them in.”

Carter looked around, then frowned. “I don’t get it. Felicia runs this?”

“She organizes the events.” He pointed to the list of signings and arrows pointing to the different venues. “She says where all the booths go and makes sure there are plenty of bathrooms. All the advertising runs through her, along with the permits. The Fourth of July Festival was her first one. She just started the job.”

Carter’s eyes widened. “She’s good,” he said. “I can’t believe she’s the boss of all these people.”