Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold #11)

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.