Winning Dawn Read online

  “Dental floss?”

  “You know, the blond you brought to Kayla’s rehearsal dinner last week.”

  He grinned. So he wasn’t completely invisible to her. “It didn’t work out.”

  “That was quick.”

  “Yeah, I can be pretty decisive. I know what I want and what I don’t want.”

  “Dumped you, huh?”

  He laughed. “Let’s say it was mutual.”

  “Definitely dumped.”

  “I want to fuck you.”

  This time, it was Dawn who stopped abruptly on the dance floor. “Excuse me?”

  He could have bitten his tongue off. He was doing a web search on social graces as soon as he got home. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”

  “Just how did you plan to phrase it?”

  He shook his head. He was at a complete loss as to what to say to make this situation better. “May I fuck you, please?”

  “You don’t date much, do you?”

  He pulled her closer and resumed dancing. Josh and Kayla were staring at them. When she gasped, he knew she could feel his erection. “Dawn, you may have noticed that I tend to be brutally honest. I’d like to think it’s a trait we share. I don’t date. I was married once and let’s just say committed relationships don’t work for me. But I’m not a eunuch. And I want you very much.”

  She bit her lip and looked away. When she met his gaze again, there were tears in her brown eyes. “And you thought that since I let one man string me along for fourteen years without the benefit of marriage, now would be the right time to ask me for no strings sex?”

  He really was a clod. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. I didn’t mean it that way.” Could he screw this up any worse? He hadn’t given her feelings any consideration. He’d been so thrilled to learn that she was available that he’d immediately moved in to ask for what he wanted. And she was still Kayla’s cousin. This made her his cousin-in-law of sorts. And to think he usually accused Josh of thinking with his dick. “I’m really sorry.” He would have said more, but the music ended and she walked off the dance floor without another word to him.

  Kayla was glaring at him. Josh, the bastard, looked amused. His eyebrows raised, he gestured with a jerk of his head in Dawn’s direction. “Follow her, you dummy,” he mouthed.

  * * * *

  Dawn checked her makeup in the ladies room mirror. The damage from her crying jag was minimal. Her false lashes were holding strong. She generally didn’t cry at weddings, but she had at this one. Twice. The first time had been when she’d seen the tears in Josh’s eyes as he’d watched her cousin coming down the aisle. Why couldn’t she find a man like that? She was more than a little envious of her cousin. Everything came so easy for her. Kayla was perfect. She’d gone to college and finished. Then, wham, she’s co-owner of a successful business with her gorgeous best friend. Of course, he falls head over heels in love with her and marries her. Dawn loved her cousin, but it was damn difficult living in the shadow of the younger woman sometimes.

  Now, here she was, crying again. Damn Evan. He’d offered her something she wanted, but in the most repugnant way possible. She refreshed her lipstick. Maybe she should have said yes. It’s not as if she’d want any type of committed relationship with him. She’d decided upon her course of action since the breakup with Reggie. She would take time to rediscover herself. She’d concentrate on her work. Maybe take some online courses. Then after six months or so, she’d start dating again and find her Mr. Right. He would be an ambitious, intelligent, employed, supportive and faithful African American male within the age range of thirty-three to forty. She wasn’t asking for much, she thought with a smile at herself in the mirror.

  As she walked out of the restroom, she passed one of the twins that worked for her cousin. She could never tell the two apart when they weren’t standing next to each other. She stopped short when she saw Evan leaning casually against the opposite wall.

  “Can I talk to you alone for a sec?”

  She rolled her eyes, but allowed him to maneuver her to a private alcove where hotel staff had placed a large palm plant. “What is it?”

  “I’m sorry.” She waited for more, but he remained silent. So did she, but she arched a brow to let him know that she was not satisfied. He sighed. “I wasn’t being a gentleman when I offered you my proposal and I’d like you to forgive me for being such an uncouth idiot.”

  That shocked a small laugh out of her. “Okay,” she relented. “I forgive you.” She offered him a weak smile. They were practically family. They would have to learn to play nice with each other.

  Evan’s answering smile was slow and lazy. “You know, you never gave me an answer.” He still held her elbow in his hand from when he’d led her to this spot. Now he used his hold on her to back her against the wall.

  “Evan, let’s not—” Her words were cut off with a gasp as he pressed his groin to hers. He was already very aroused. She braced her hands between their bodies to keep him from getting any closer.

  “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since that night.” He flexed her hips against hers. Hard. Her hands balled into fists. He wasn’t playing fair. “I want you all the time. I want to feel you naked in my arms, your legs wrapped around my waist while I ride your pussy.”

  An entirely too pleasant shiver of arousal chased its way down her spine. “Oh, God.” She shook her head in hopes of clearing away the overwhelming tide of lust his words sparked in her. His large hands moved down her back to cup her bottom, tilting her hips so that his erection was cradled by her heat. My God, he was going to fuck her right here in the hotel lobby. And she felt like letting him. Her limbs were languid with desire. “Please, Evan,” she began in feeble protest.

  “You want me, Dawn. And I want you.” He bit her earlobe then opened his mouth over her pulse, licking and sucking. His voice, when he spoke again, was huskier than usual and thick with passion. “Just one kiss, Dawn. Then tell me if your answer is still no.” He was temptation itself and she lacked the will to deny him while he held her like this. She opened her mouth to receive his kiss. He was swift to take advantage. His tongue thrust deeply even as he did a wicked move with his hips that had her whimpering and clutching at his broad shoulders. If he kept that up, she’d be begging him to fuck her.

  Someone cleared his throat loudly. “You guys might want to get a room.”

  Evan broke the kiss immediately, but did not release her. Her head was still swimming. She barely registered that they’d been chastised by a member of the hotel staff. He eased away from her slowly, but not so far that their lower bodies weren’t still in contact. His cock brushed her belly. His dark gaze was ablaze with heat. She swallowed. She’d never seen that type of desire for her broadcast so clearly in a man’s eyes. It frightened her that he would want her so much. It also made her want to give in and see where this would go.

  “Oh, there you two are,” said her cousin, looking lovelier than usual in her white wedding gown. Dawn hurriedly shoved away from the wall, pushing Evan behind her. “Dawn, we’re ready to leave,” Kayla continued. She gave her a quick, fierce hug. “I’m going to miss you.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure while you’re frolicking in the sun in Hawaii you will think of nothing but your poor cousin stuck here with winter breathing down her neck. Your poor husband will be hard pressed to get any of your attention. Why bother going?”

  Kayla laughed. “Come, see me off.” She grabbed Dawn’s hand and led her away. She paused. “Oh, and Evan, Josh wants to have a word with you before we leave,” she tossed over her shoulder. “So, what did he do to tick you off now?” Kayla whispered to her when they were out of Evan’s hearing range.

  * * * *

  Evan reminded himself that he was a grown man. And as an adult, he knew that a hard-on would not kill him. He adjusted himself with a grimace. He should be thankful that someone had stopped him from taking Dawn in a shadowed corner of the hotel where anyone could have seen them fucking. What was it about her that got to him so quickly? One second he was apologizing and the next he hadn’t been able to think about anything other than getting her naked.

  He followed the women, leaving enough distance between them that they could talk in private. He wondered if Dawn would tell her cousin about his proposal. Probably not.

  Damn. He realized suddenly that he still had not received her answer. Obviously, she’d intended to say no. It was for the probably best. If things went badly, she wasn’t some stranger that he would never see again. It had been uncharacteristically impulsive of him to ask.

  It made no sense for him to continue pursuing her. Now if only his cock would agree.

  He tried to clear the scowl off his face as he saw Josh. He hugged his little brother. “Have fun, man.”

  “I know I will. You stay out of trouble.”

  “Since when have I needed you to tell me to stay out of trouble? You have this backwards.”

  Josh grinned. “I’ve been watching you with Dawn. You keep it up, and she’s going to flay you alive. Not to mention what my sweet wife will do to you. You’re treading on thin ice.”

  Chapter 4

  Dawn rang the doorbell before her courage could desert her. She glanced at her watch. It was almost midnight. She bit her lip. What was she doing here? This was insane.

  After the wedding, she’d gone home and lay in bed staring up at the dark ceiling, feeling sorry for herself, thinking about all the good times she’d had with Reggie and feeling lonely. Twice she’d reached for the phone to call him at his mother’s house. The second time she’d dialed every digit except the last before coming to her senses. She’d been lonely for a long time. Even when Reggie was around, she’d felt alone. In high school, they’d each had their own set of friends with whom they’d partied. There had been the occasional one on one date, but the norm was for them to go out with a group. When she’d gone to college, he’d been resentful about being left behind, but she’d assured him it would work out. Two years into college, he’d given her an ultimatum. It was him or school. It was too difficult on him being without her, he’d said. He’d confessed to sleeping with other women when he’d felt particularly neglected. Each time, he’d seemed as hurt and confused by his own behavior as she had been. And each time, she’d forgiven him. Against her mother’s adamant protests, she had dropped out of college. The plan had been to go to night school or take online courses. Somehow, that had never come about.

  She’d like to blame everything on Reggie. But she had been a blind fool. He’d treated her poorly, but she had let him. She was barely on speaking terms with her mother. Her mother had been at Kayla’s wedding, but she had barely acknowledged her. That had hurt like hell. Her mother didn’t know about the break up. Dawn had called her to tell her about the engagement, thinking her mother would finally be satisfied that Reggie was the right man for her. Bernice Smith wasn’t. A terse congratulations was all she’d received before her mother said she was in the middle of baking one of her famous cheesecakes.

  So she hadn’t told any of her family about her break up. She didn’t want to see the pitying glances. Nor did she care to receive the condescending pats on the back she’d gotten in the past during one of their mini separations. How annoying she must have been to everyone. Constantly seeking their comfort during one of their many arguments, only to return to Reggie again and again. Her previous mistakes were so clear to her now and she was embarrassed and ashamed.

  She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment when she had fallen out of love with Reggie. It was probably years ago. Many times, she’d forgiven his infidelity because of how good things used to be or because she didn’t want to give up on her fantasy of a future as his wife. And there was all the time she’d put in and the sacrifices she’d made for their relationship. All of that would be wasted if she gave up and let him go.

  A brisk wind swept by, chilling her ankles and bringing her focus back to the present. Dawn shivered. Should she ring the doorbell again? She tightened the belt on her ankle length wool trench coat. The deep plum color accentuated the creaminess of her butterscotch skin tone.

  Maybe he wasn’t home?

  The door swung open. He was topless, wearing only midnight blue satin pajama bottoms that hung indecently low on his hips. The sight was enough to make her mouth water. The man was all solid muscle. His chest was covered with a fine layer of black hair that arrowed down to a trim waist. He crossed his arms over his chest when he saw her. His biceps bulged. “If you want an apology for the kiss in the hotel tonight, you’re going to be disappointed. I’m not sorry.”

  She stepped inside. He backed up to allow her entrance. She leaned back against the door to close it and undid her coat. The edges fell apart to reveal a midnight blue lace bra and panty set she’d bought when she’d thought she was getting married. “We match,” she said with a smile.

  Evan sucked in a breath. “Oh, damn.” His dark eyes turned molten with desire from one second to the next. His gaze covered every inch of her and came back for seconds.

  “I decided to take you up on your offer.”

  “Okay.” He reached for her.

  She laughed and halted him with a hand to his chest. “Don’t you want to know why?”

  “Later.”

  He pushed her coat from her shoulders and tugged her into his arms. Skin to skin contact was a shock for her. His body was hot and hard all over. She ran her fingers over his shoulders and down his back. The obvious evidence of his strength made her feel ultra-feminine. She trembled.

  “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you,” he whispered against her neck.

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “Good.” He opened his mouth over her throat, sucking and kissing her.

  “Oh,” she gasped. The sexual chemistry between them was electric. He seemed to know just how to touch her to get the biggest response. He’d hit the exact spot on her neck that drove her passion the highest. When he backed her into the wall and pressed his lower body to hers, she thought she might pass out from the pleasure. He unsnapped her bra in the front and cupped her breasts, tugging on her pouting nipples. She shook her head to clear it. She wasn’t going to make it. She was going to come before he was inside her. He insinuated his thigh between hers and thrust his hips into the cradle of hers. The feel of his hardened penis against her made her feel excited and wanton. “Evan, I’m going to—”

  “No.” He stopped kissing her. “I want to be buried to the hilt inside you when you come.” His voice was deep and thick with lust. His words and the tone made the walls of her pussy clench.

  She moaned. “Don’t talk to me like that. I can’t take it.”

  He flicked her nipples with his thumbs. His hips never stopped their circular motion. “You’re very responsive.”

  “I’m not usually.”

  He groaned. “Then let go and come. This time is just for you.” He dipped his head and licked her nipples.

  She thrust her hips into his to assuage the ache building in her belly as he moved from breast to breast, feasting on the tips while his fingers never stopped working. He suckled around his thumbs, kissing her breasts as he would her mouth. She’d never been so wet in her life.

  He slid his hand over her tummy and into her panties. He circled her clit teasingly before thrusting one thick finger inside her and she splintered into pieces with a shocked cry. Her nails dug into his shoulders. He finger fucked her through her orgasm. When she’d calmed down, he was staring at her in wonder. “What?” she managed.

  “Dawn, you’re very tight.” He added a second finger to the first and she moaned. “How long has it been since you had sex?”

  “Don’t know.” She wet her lips. She couldn’t recall. His thrusting fingers certainly weren’t helping her concentrate. “Evan, please.”

  He smiled. “I like the sound of that.” He removed his hand from her panties. “You begging me,” he clarified at her confused look.

  “Jerk.”

  He grinned. “Let’s take this to the bedroom.” He took her hand. She only had quick glimpses of his home as he was practically running. The house was spacious and modern. The decorations were minimal. It definitely needed a woman’s touch. She’d dropped Kayla off here to meet Josh once, but she’d never been inside before.

  His bedroom was upstairs. The walls were white and completely bare. The bed was made up with a smoke gray micro suede comforter. It was king-sized and was pleading for some cute pillows. Evan picked her up and tossed her on it. She thought he’d follow her down, but he paused to take off her panties. She lifted her hips to aid him. She shrugged out of her bra. He opened a drawer in his nightstand and took out a condom. He pushed down his pants and turned to her. Dawn guessed he was giving her time to change her mind, but she wasn’t going to back out.

  He wasn’t as tall as Reggie, but he was thicker built. Evan’s chest was broader and more heavily muscled. His abdominals were tight and well defined. She grasped handfuls of his comforter as her gaze fell to his cock. He was bigger here also. Not monstrously so, but it was more than she’d ever had to handle. Her lack of experience had her suddenly nervous. It must have shown on her face.

  “I’ll be gentle,” he said, crawling over her. “I want you so badly. We’ll go slower next time, but this time is going to have to be fast.” He rained brief kisses on her lips. “Open,” he commanded, spreading her thighs with his hands.

  She gasped as he stroked her clit with the bulbous head of his cock.

  “Watch,” he said with awe. “Watch me take you.”

  She pushed herself up on her elbows. The condom glistened with her moisture. He fit himself to her opening and slowly fed her his cock. She bit her lip as he stretched her. He sank in an inch. Then more. She whimpered. She’d never felt this vulnerable during sex before. Evan’s eyes flashed up to hers. The passion and the determination on his face told her there would be no backing out. He had her spread for him and he wasn’t going to let her go until he was satisfied.

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