“Put that way, yeah. Indeed.” Duke pulled her close, hugging her for a bit until the dog kept head butting him to get his attention.

“She’s jealous.” Carmella bent to scratch Ginger’s ears.

“If she knew what I planned to do with you, she’d run the other way.” Or watch. Carmella had to shut the bedroom door because the dog often sat looking at the two of them as if they were absolutely crazy.

“Maybe. She sort of looks that way all the time, though,” she said.

Ginger snorted a little bark and then, after assessing Duke and his lack of treats, went off to do her thing elsewhere.

“About that I want to fuck you thing. That’s accurate. Totally.”

Duke used his body to move her back to the couch. He eased her down, lying against her but not with his full weight. The windows were open, letting in some light, but the couch was low enough that while they reclined, they weren’t visible. But he knew Carmella had a thing about maybe being seen.

Duke was beginning to realize that he got off on making her hot. He loved watching the Carmella she showed to most people fall away and she gave him a side of herself he knew she rarely trusted anyone to see.

A secret, dirty Carmella that was all for Duke and goddamn if that didn’t make his fucking day. He got off on it in a way that shot right through his body.

“I’m going to have you,” he murmured against the skin of her neck. “And later, when we get home from being out on the boat all day? I’m going to have you again.”

She hummed her assent and he managed to get her shirt off while only breaking his mouth away from her skin for the barest of moments.

More. More. More.

Her bra fell away under his fingers, allowing him access to her breasts. He buried his face, breathing her in for long moments.

“If anyone came to the windows now, they’d see us, here on your couch. All spread out for me. Your lips swollen from my kisses, eyes glazed.”

She made a sound that seemed to tear through him. A moan full of need and pleasure. Her nails dug into his shoulders, urging him closer.

He licked over her nipples, going from one to the other. Then over the silk of each rib, down across her hips. Her ink stood out, the color of the flowers vivid against the cream of her skin. Feminine and sexy. Like Carmella herself.

“Carm, baby, I just want to spread you on toast and eat you up.”

“You don’t even need the toast. I’m low in calories,” she said, a tease in her tone.

“Leaves me more room to gorge on you without wasting any time on bread. I like the way you think.” He didn’t bother with the skirt she wore, as he dropped to his knees in front of her. Drawing her panties down her legs and off, he reversed his hold at her ankles, sliding his palms up her legs as he pressed them apart at the thigh, exposing her pussy. “Mmm yes. Right there.”

Duke dove in like a starving man and Carmella loved it. Loved the way he seemed to revel in her, in every single part of her, of her taste and the way she looked. She could easily get used to a man treating her like that all the time.

Which was stupid as well as dangerous. You went getting used to it and it hurt a hell of a lot more when it ended.

He held her wide, palms hot against her inner thighs. His beard scratched the sensitive flesh around her pussy and the pleasure pain of it was just on the verge of being too much.

Her skin felt too tight. Ready to burst with all the pleasure building up as he sucked on her clit, tickling the underside with the tip of his tongue. She arched against his hold and he kept her in place. Heat arced through her at that, at the ease of his strength.

Not once did he let go, licking and sucking relentlessly until climax hit her so hard all she could do was feel until she finally went limp, breathing hard.

The rip of the condom wrapper and he gripped her hips. Before her eyes were all the way open, he’d pulled her down as he rested on his knees, his cock thrusting into her pussy so hard she saw stars.

Carmella leaned back against the couch, giving herself balance so she could thrust back at him each time he moved. Though they both clearly were hot for the other, their frenzied movements clicked into synch after several breaths. And she let it.

Outside, she heard the drone of a lawn mower, the hum of other machines all the neighborhood dudes paraded out the first sunny day and played with at all hours until they had to admit the grass wasn’t going to need cutting until spring.

Anyone could hear Duke when he came. He tended to keep his sex talk quiet, but when he came, he could be loud. So could she, for that matter.

Neither of them spoke as he fucked her slow and deep. Each thrust sent her boobs bouncing, which seemed to delight him anew. She had no real complaint about such a thing.

In the kitchen, Ginger’s collar jingled as she got some water and then the flap of her doggie door opened, letting in a little more noise from outside. Carmella’s heart beat even faster as she heard her neighbor outside.

He rarely came over, but he could. Anyone could.

And Duke knew how wet that got her. And he worked it. For her.

Her orgasm was slow to build the second time around, but he adjusted her weight to reach between them and circle her clit with his fingertip in time with his thrusts.

“So close,” he muttered as he sped up.

Mail hit the door slot, falling onto the floor in her entry, and Carmella cried out, leaning in to bite his shoulder to keep quiet. Orgasm claimed her again, and with a snarl, the grip he had on one of her hips tightened as he came hard.