Doughnut Darlin' (Plus Size Romance 4) Read online

  His chest puffed with pride. There was no way for her to know how much her approval meant to him. “Yeah, it’s surprisingly spacious yet cozy. The high ceilin’ beams and shiny hardwood floors are a nice touch. They make the rooms appear larger than they really are.”

  Her face beamed. “And the bay windows are magnificent. What a cheerful, peaceful home. It’d be the perfect place to write a romance novel.”

  Home. It wouldn’t be a home until he had a wife to share it with. God, he must be losing his mind. Ronan Dark was a loner—a selfish bastard, not husband material. What kind of spell had this sexy woman cast on him?

  “Speakin’ of romance, let me show you the bedroom.”

  He couldn’t help but smile when she rolled her eyes.

  “Do I look like I just fell off the turnip truck, Biker Boy?”

  His smile turned to laughter. “No. You look like an angel who just fell from heaven.” He stepped closer, pushing his fingers into her hair. Gripping the silky strands in his fist, he gently pulled her head back.

  She sighed.

  He dipped his head and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft and sweet but sent a bolt of electricity clear to his toes. The effort to control himself, to keep from plunging his tongue into her mouth made him tremble. He wanted to take things slow with this beauty, but the urge to ravage her was strong.

  Ronan released her hair and took her hand, leading her to the bedroom. He held his breath, waiting for her to resist. Instead, Raven laid her head against his arm as they walked down the narrow hallway.

  The master bedroom was on the left. The four-poster king-size bed served as the centerpiece. The frame was made from solid oak. It was strong and hard and masculine just like its new owner. But it wasn’t the reason Ronan wanted her to see the room. It was the walls; they were literally made of bookcases. From floor to ceiling, the shelves were inset as part of the construction. After her romance novel comment, he could imagine her sitting in this room writing it, surrounded by books.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  The look of amazement on her face would have been answer enough, but he was tickled when he heard the excitement and pleasure in her voice.

  She walked from one wall to the next, running her hands over the bindings. Her breath was soft and fluttery. “It’s heaven on earth. I could stay right here in this room forever.”

  “Darlin,’ havin’ you here is heaven. Spend the night with me, Raven.”

  She pulled her gaze from the books and gave him a questioning look.

  “Are you that anxious to put a notch on your new bedpost?”

  He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

  She answered him with another question. “Have you looked at yourself, Ronan Dark?”

  He was getting more confused and pissed by the minute. “Like in a mirror?”

  “Yes. You’re so hot and perfect. You can have any woman you desire. You can have one of those skinny, sexy biker chicks in your bed. You can’t honestly want a chubby girl like me.” Her voice came out in a whisper.

  Her insecurities clenched his heart. Before the night was over, she would understand she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him—the only one he desired.

  “There’s only one woman I want, and I don’t care for mirrors.”

  “Why not?”

  “They never reflect who I really am.”

  She fidgeted with the hem of her T-shirt. He could sense her nervousness.

  “Who are you really?” she asked, timidly.

  He blew out a hard breath and knifed his hands through his thick, black hair. She was giving him an opening, a chance to tell her the truth. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not until he had tasted her again, all of her. “I’m a selfish, lyin’ asshole who happens to be a helluva good kisser.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” she said, smiling that thousand-watt smile he loved so much.

  He closed the space between them, effortlessly scooped her up as though she weighed nothing and carried her to the bed.

  She draped her arms loosely around his neck. “I didn’t say I’d stay the night.”

  “No. But you will.”

  She giggled. “You also said I’d beg you to take me for a bike ride, but I didn’t.”

  “This is different. You’ll stay because leavin’ would be unbearable.”

  Laying her gently across the bed, he stepped back and stripped naked.

  RAVEN LOST HER BREATH at the sight of the bad boy standing in front of her. Ronan Dark made Michelangelo’s David look like it was sculpted from Silly Putty. He was right. It would definitely be unbearable for her to walk away from such a fine specimen.

  Her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage as she took in his massive erection. Now was probably a good time to tell him she was innocent and sexually inexperienced. But she couldn’t find the words while her eyes roamed over his perfectly-carved hairy chest and flat abs. He was a real-life Adonis. His skin was flawless, marked only by a single tattoo—a black panther on his right shoulder. The wild animal was poised to pounce. Ronan had the same expression on his face. It was powerful and predatory, making her wet and horny.

  Maybe her confession could wait a little while.

  His voice was husky and gave her goosebumps. “Slide over darlin.’ Let me lie down beside you.”

  She inched over just enough for him to lie on his side and face her. “Shouldn’t I take my clothes off, too?” she asked shyly.

  “Do you want to?”

  “I—I don’t know. Maybe.”

  He smiled sweetly. “Why don’t I kiss you first, then you can decide.”

  Raven nodded.

  He rested a big hand on her hip. Dipping his head, he took her mouth in a passionate kiss. He parted her lips with the expertise of a man who had a way with women.

  Moaning, Raven put her hand in his hair and pulled him closer. Her boldness shocked her. She had only been kissed one other time, and it was nothing like this. The boy had been shy and awkward. His pitiful attempt had left her cold. She never knew how heady, stimulating and heavenly a kiss could be. Until now.

  Instinctively, she threw her leg over Ronan’s hip, making room for his manhood to nestle against her most private part. The heat of his body seared her through her clothing, and she found herself hating the cloth barriers between them. She wanted skin-to-skin contact with this hunky biker.

  As if reading her mind, he said, “Raise your arms.”

  He grabbed the hem of her T-shirt and pulled it over her head, undressing her like she was a little girl. She giggled nervously when he gave it a toss. Then she kicked off her Keds and lifted her hips in a silent plea for the removal of her pants.

  Deftly, he unbuttoned and unzipped them. Her capris landed on top of the other clothes piled by the bedside.

  Wearing nothing but her deep fuchsia-colored bra and panties made her feel extremely vulnerable. While his eyes roamed over her exposed flesh, she anxiously awaited his reaction.

  “My God, Raven, you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, ever touched, ever tasted. And you do taste delicious.”

  Tears of joy brimmed her eyes. She didn’t care if he was a self-proclaimed, lying asshole. He made her feel like a queen, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

  “Ronan?”

  “Yes, darlin’?”

  “I don’t want to take off my bra and panties, and I need to tell you something important.”

  “I’m listenin.’”

  Heat filled her face. Talking about intimate things was way more embarrassing than doing them. “I—I’ve never been with a man. You know, in the biblical sense.”

  She felt worried when he furrowed his brow.

  “Are you sayin’ what I think you’re sayin’?”

  “Yes, but don’t worry. I’m not a prude. I like trying new things.”

  He took a deep breath. “We’re not talkin’ abou
t switchin’ to a different brand of yogurt here. Losin’ your virginity is a big fuckin’ deal.”

  “Everything is a big deal when you’re a big girl. Oh, I see how it is—you don’t want to be my first because I’m fat.” She pushed herself up and scooted to the edge of the bed. “Would you please take me home now?”

  He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down onto the mattress. She gasped when he covered her with his body, pushing her knees apart with his powerful thigh. He was acting just like he had in her dream.

  His breath was coming hard and fast. “Did you not hear a damn word I said earlier? Fuck, woman, what do I have to do to make you believe me? I love your curvy, womanly body, your beautiful, sweet face, your precious personality and your sassy sense of humor. Hell, I’m pretty sure I love you. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s how I feel.”

  Raven was reeling from his declarations. He sounded sincere, but she just couldn’t be sure.

  Lowering her eyes from his gaze, she said, “You’ve lied before.”

  “Does this feel like a lie?” he asked, nibbling her neck. “Or this?” He licked her nipple through the lace of her bra. “Or this?” He moved down her body, kissing her rounded belly.

  She couldn’t help but moan and writhe as his lips teased her sensitive flesh. The magical things he was doing with his mouth was driving her out of her mind.

  When he got to the waistband of her panties, he stopped. “I know you want to leave these on.” He sensuously slid two long, strong fingers underneath the flimsy fabric and around the edge of the leg opening. She sucked in a sharp breath when he pushed aside the lacy panel covering her feminine core. “So, I’ll just work around them,” he said, winking then burying his head between her thighs.

  Raven shivered when his warm breath brushed her clit. The first kiss he placed between her sacred folds was so sweet it was almost chaste. It was like he was kissing her on her forehead or nose, anywhere but the center of her pleasure. But still it was powerful, causing heat to course through her veins.

  He placed his big hands on the inside of her thighs pushing them farther apart.

  The vibration of his voice against her womanhood sent shock waves of pleasure through her whole body. “Your sweet little pussy is so damn delicious, Raven.”

  She smiled down at him. “Sweeter than a cream-filled doughnut?”

  He raised his head and met her gaze. “Sweeter and creamier.”

  She was completely laid open before him. But she wasn’t embarrassed; she was on fire with desire and need.

  Raven moaned and fisted the sheets when he licked her from her opening to her clitoris. She was floating on a cloud of euphoria as he peppered her flowering sex with openmouthed kisses that were both gentle and insistent. There was a tender ferocity about his lovemaking that left her weak and trembling.

  The unexpected, thrilling penetration of his tongue made her cry out. Oh God! He was fucking her with it, pushing it in and pulling it out just like he would if her were using his cock. His actions were laced with lewdness, and it was turning her on like nothing ever had before.

  Her hips bucked off the mattress as he shoved his tongue even deeper inside her slick pussy, alternating the thrusts with flicking her clit. The combination sent her over the edge. The intensity of her orgasm shook the bed.

  He moved to lie beside her and took her in his arms.

  “Now it’s my turn to tell you somethin’ important.”

  Resting her head on his shoulder, she ran her fingers through the thick mat of hair covering his chest. “Okay. Is it something bad?”

  “I guess it depends on how you look at it.”

  She raised up on one elbow and gazed into his eyes. “You’re kind of scaring me, Ronan.”

  “I don’t mean to. I’m more concerned about you bein’ mad.”

  “How could I be mad after what you just did? I’ve never felt so good, so happy, so—so loved.”

  “That’s what makes this so damn hard, Raven Leigh Shore.”

  It was fight or flight time, and her body had made up its mind for her. Instantly, she sprang from the bed and gathered her clothes. Anger filled her eyes as she threw them on in record-breaking time. “Only one person—my mother—ever called me by my full name. And only one other person—my stepfather—could have told you what that name was.” The realization hit her hard. “Oh God, Alan sent you to find me, didn’t he? But I bet he didn’t tell you to have sex with me. No, he wants to do that himself!”

  Ronan’s face blanched three shades of pale. “He wants to do what? I thought you were his daughter. You have the same last name. I just assumed you were biologically related.”

  “Are you deaf? Alan Shore wants to fuck me! He adopted me shortly after marrying my mother Lana. After she got ill and could no longer be a wife to him in a sexual sense, he started leering at me. The sicker she got, the farther south his hands roamed when he hugged me. My mother noticed his disgusting behavior and insisted I leave home two days before she died. She gave me money to get away from him.”

  “Shore told me he wanted to find you because you had stolen a lot of money from him.”

  “That’s the excuse he gave you. He didn’t know about the money she gave me. No one did. He wants me back home under his thumb and his other disgusting parts.”

  Ronan shook his head. “I had a feelin’ he was a liar.”

  Jerking on her Keds, she spat the words, “It takes one to know one. The two of you could be twins.”

  “Now wait a damn minute,” he said, snatching his own clothes off the floor and dressing. “I’m nothin’ like that sick cocksucker. I admit I lied to you. But every lie I told was to protect you, Raven.”

  She screwed her face up. “If Alan were a cocksucker, I wouldn’t have anything to worry about. I’m pretty sure he prefers pussy—my pussy! So stop spouting bullshit and take me home. I need to get far away from here and far away from you.”

  Ronan took her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “I’m not spoutin’ bullshit. I found you four days ago, Raven. I could have taken you back to that pervert then. I could have given him your location anytime, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Not after meetin’ you at The Little Doughnut Shop and talkin’ with you outside your apartment. And I never will give you up to him or anyone else, especially not after what we just shared.”

  She stared daggers at him. “You can’t give up what you never had in the first place.”

  RONAN HAD THE HARLEY handle bars in a death grip. The ride back to Raven’s apartment building was the saddest of his life. She was too angry to reason with, demanding he take her home immediately. And he couldn’t blame her. He should have come clean sooner. Probably way before he licked her scrumptious cunt. But damn it to hell, there would have been no good time to drop the Alan bomb. Bad judgement or not, he was glad he had pleasured her in his bed. He was going to fix this and make her feel good in that bed again—and again and again.

  Pulling alongside the walkway in front of her building, he cut the engine. Raven had jumped off the bike before he could get the key out of the ignition switch.

  Leaping off the bike, he charged after her. She was practically running. He called out, “At least let me walk you to your door.”

  She spun around so fast, they nearly collided.

  “Go away, Ronan! I never want to see you again!”

  Her words stung, but he understood her anger. The best thing to do was give her some space. It was well after midnight. They both needed sleep. He’d go back to the motel since it was close and catch a few winks. First thing in the morning, he’d come back and try again.

  Ronan stopped at a gas station a few blocks from her apartment complex. While he was filling up the tank, he flipped open his phone and called Raven’s stepdad. Ronan didn’t give a dismal damn what time it was. He just needed to sever all ties with this asshole. He no longer wanted the twenty-thousand dollars. He’d find another way to pay for the cabin. All he cared about was Raven.r />
  Ronan frowned when the phone rang and rang. Anytime he had called Shore over the last week, the man had answered on the first ring. That’s how anxious he had been to receive any news about Raven. Maybe the rat bastard didn’t have his phone in the room with him. Or, maybe it was turned off or set to vibrate. Or maybe he no longer needed Ronan to tell him where Raven was because he already knew. Shit! Ronan ripped the nozzle from his tank and tore out of the gas station. He had to get to her before Shore did.

  RAVEN WAS MORE EXHAUSTED than she had ever been. Dragging herself up a flight of stairs to her apartment, she was near tears. How could an evening that started out like a sweet dream turn into a nightmare? When she got to her door, she paused with her key hovering over the lock. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled. There was a tiny stream of light visible beneath the crack. Shaking her head, she chastised herself for being so skittish and paranoid. She was perfectly safe here. No one except Ronan and the Dimsdales knew where she lived. Obviously, she had left the lights on earlier in her haste. She had been flustered by Ronan’s surprise visit and rushed out without turning them off.

  Opening the door, she stepped over the threshold. Her eyes quickly scanned the living room. Everything looked just the same as she had left it. Knowing her fears were silly and unsubstantiated, Raven smiled to herself, locked the deadbolt and slid the safety chain into place. All she needed was a snack and a good night’s rest.

  Tossing her keys onto the coffee table, she made her way to the kitchen. When she pushed open the swinging door that separated it from the living room, she screamed. Bile rose in her throat as she fought the urge to faint.

  “Did you really think you could hide from me forever?” Alan Shore asked, sitting at the small breakfast table where Raven always drank her morning coffee.

  The smug look on his face made her stomach roil with nausea.

  She answered his question with a question. She was getting really good at that. “How’d you find me?” Raven hated talking to him at all, but she needed to know if Ronan had sold her out. If he had lied to her once again.

  He grinned, fingering the laptop lying on the table.