Under LockDown

Some men really know how to pleasure a woman when they get between their legs, and I was so glad that Jace was one of them, because, wow! The man was like a master of oral, as he savored me with deep hungry moans, he almost had me quivering right out of my skin.

"God, you're sweet and so wet," he murmured as he slipped a finger inside me and then a second, while I tugged at his hair and squealed, when the clever man located my elusive g-spot with one try, slowly sliding those two incredible fingers in and out of me, curling in right where I needed them most. Closing his lips around me, suckling hard on my clit as his fingers worked their magic, he soon had me coming so insanely hard, I wondered how I didn't pass out from sensory overload. I'd never been experienced anything like it, with every inch of me tingling from my scalp to my toes, though amazingly it occurred to me that we hadn't even made love yet.

When he finally smiled up at me and reached for a condom, I couldn't tear my eyes from the sight of him rolling it down over his long, hard very impressive shaft, already wondering how incredible it was going to feel to have that bad boy sliding inside me.

With his heated gaze locked on mine, Jace got up on his hands, and kneed my thighs apart. Then he surprised me when he took the time to kiss me, long and slow, as I felt him nudging inside me, carefully pushing in, till he had me shivering from the delicious sting of him stretching me inside to fit him as he lingered over my lips, whispering, "Damn, you feel good."

I smiled up at him, wrapped my arms around him even tighter, clenched him inside me, and murmured, "Hmm, so do you." Because I don't think I'd ever felt anything as good as making love with my incredibly sexy neighbor Jace.

And I knew that's what we were doing, too, making love. Because he was proving that not only was he a master at oral, but also knew just what it took to make the earth move as I surrendered myself to him and his deliciously wicked ways.

The feel of him sliding into me just felt too good for words, sure that I'd never felt as full, he was such a tight fit. And the slight sting of him stretching my inner walls to take every long hard inch of him, only added to the pleasure. His weight on his hands, with his eyes locked on mine, he swirled his hips, hitting spots inside me I never knew I had, but all of them reacted by sending jolts of electricity straight to my throbbing clit.

Ooh, a girl could use to this kind of treatment, I decided, starting to think that I'd hate to have to give him up. But since we were just neighbors riding out the storm outside, in the most pleasurable way imaginable, I didn't think he'd want much more than this, since he'd always been pretty aloof, and probably preferred to keep it that way.

But as he got up on his knees, clutched my ass in his hands and showed me what it felt like to be ravaged by a man who really knew his way around a pussy, I just hoped we'd have more than just tonight. By the time he had me screaming his name again, he was right there with me, throwing back his head, and gritting his teeth as he pumped into me hard and fast, then froze, with both us shuddering as we came in a blinding rush.

I just couldn't stop shivering. I'd had sex before, but it was never like this. He just seemed to know what I needed and knew exactly how to deliver it. And now, after an experience like that, I just had to have more, because that couldn't be all we'd ever have.

Turns out in addition to be amazing in bed, my lusty neighbor also had stamina to spare. So for the rest of the night, we enjoyed each other so many different ways, I think I kind of zoned out, he made me come so many times I lost count.

When he had me on my knees, sliding into me from behind, with me fisting the sheets in my hands as he pummeled my pussy till I was screaming my head off, I was glad now we were the only two left in the building, because if anyone heard the way he was making howl, they might be tempted to call the cops. Especially since I'd never let loose and screamed before in my life until he'd shown me just how fantastic sex could really be.

Jace clutched my hips and drove me into so hard and deep, that he shifted me on the bed as he came. Dropping his weight onto my back, he kissed his way up to my ear and whispered, "Brooke, it's got to be you, because I've never felt anything even close to this before."

I knew just what he meant, because I was just as surprised as he was, it all so new to me, to be getting off this hard, when normally I'd barely made a sound in bed.

Then he rolled off me, pulled me into his arms and kissed me almost senseless.

We were grinning at each other like fools as we nodded off to sleep, because after a night like we'd had, it was pretty hard to wipe the smiles off our faces.

In the morning, I was feeling so comfy and warm curled up in his bed, smiling to myself after experiencing undoubtedly the best night of my life with the most intriguing man I knew I was ever likely to encounter. Really hoping this wouldn't be a onetime thing, because that would almost be cruel to let me have just one taste and then snatch it away from me.

Then I tipped my head, sure that I could hear him in the next room talking to someone, and imagined he must be on his phone, since his was the only voice I could hear.

Then suddenly the hair stood up on the back of my neck when I heard him say, "Yeah, I'll take two bags. And no filler, I want the good stuff. Oh, and I'll take a half kilo of some of your best dried..." Then his voice faded out as he must have gone into the kitchen.

My eyes flaring as I sat up in bed, I looked down and anxiously searched the floor for my clothes, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, I knew I had to get out.

Oh, god, how could I have not known he was into drugs? The one thing I detested most in the world, after seeing so many people's lives spiral out of control once they got hooked. I would never touch the stuff and wouldn't go near anyone who did. And now, holy crap, I couldn't believe I'd just been sleeping with a drug dealer! All I knew was I had to go. Hopefully he wouldn't even notice I was gone if he was busy securing his supply. Probably loads of people out there trying to get through the pandemic anyway they could, would be happy to pay him whatever he asked.

I crawled out of bed and frantically started looking for my blouse and skirt, deciding I didn't really care if I had underwear on when I snuck out to get across the hallway. But just as I was on the floor, on my hands and knees, trying to see if my skirt had managed to wind up under his bed, Jace came walking in with a cup of coffee in his hand, looking down at me, confused.

"Looking for something?"

I nodded. "Um... yes, my clothes."

"Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted to have a shower." He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. "You know, I scrub your back, you scrub mine."

I tried not to look as freaked out a felt, but I imagined my eyes looked pretty wild, because his tone suddenly changed and he sounded concerned as he walked over, studying me more closely. He set the cup down on the night stand and asked, "Brooke, what's going on? What's wrong?"

I wanted to say, "I'll tell you what's wrong, I did not sign on for a night of kinky fun with a freaking drug dealer, you jerk!" But, doing my best not to sound like a hysterical shrew, all I did was mutter, "I just thought you probably had things to do today... so maybe it was time I left."

Looking relieved, Jace helped me to my feet, wrapped his arms around me, tipped up my chin, touched his lips to mine and shook his head. "No worries, I got nothing going on. So, I thought we'd spend the day together. I just put a batch of brownies in the oven and we could have them with some ice cream later, maybe while we look for something to watch on Netflix."

Oh, yeah, sure. No doubt he'd fixed a nice big batch of hash brownies to try and get me stoned. The worst of it was I hated that I didn't see this coming, since I'd always prided myself on being a pretty good judge of character. Jace definitely had a dangerous edge to him, I knew that. But I just thought it meant he'd be more interesting than the average vanilla type of guys I usually dated -- and not that he'd be a freaking criminal!

Then he started peeling out of his clothes, and I don't why I didn't run, but I just couldn't look away, as he bared his perfectly sculpted form just covered in fascinating designs. Maybe if he'd been crap in bed I'd have been more inclined to turn tail and race back to my place and lock the door behind me, whether I was naked or not.

But when he took me by the hand and quietly said, "Come on. You'll feel better after a shower." I couldn't believe I let him lead me into his bathroom.

And I really wanted to cry when he patiently ran his soapy hands over me and washed me, even taking the time to gently shampoo my hair, making my eyes roll back in my head as he slowly massaged my scalp. It was like there was two of him, on one hand a sweet, tender lover, who only wanted to please me, and the other, a guy I knew I'd probably never even want to speak to again, once I'd finally came to my senses and left.

I thought seeing as were both in our birthday suits that he might want to try something in the shower with me, but aside from teasing my nipples a little, smiling into my eyes as he washed my breasts, and then sliding his fingers over my pussy to wash there, too, even though he was fully erect the whole time, he showed amazing restraint. And once he was done pampering me, after he'd quickly washed himself he shut off the shower, led me out and dried me off. To be honest I was kind of shocked that he the control to hold back, when judging by how hard he was, I knew he had to be aching to get inside me.

After he'd helped me find my clothes, that it seems he had neatly folded on a chair, once we were both dressed, I winced when I heard a knock at the door, sure that it was the drop-off he'd been waiting for.

Jace called out, "Thanks, Jimmy. Just leave it outside on the floor, and I'll send you what I owe you in an e-transfer. Take care buddy and stay safe."

I shuddered to think about him taking his delivery into the kitchen and probably weighing it and putting it in little bags, so he could peddle it for a profit.

Once he opened the door, I couldn't stop my mouth from falling open. The two bags he'd ordered were absolutely massive, both of them the size of garbage bags. And then I knew this was how he earned his living. And he was no petty dealer.

Oh, how could I have been with a man like this, I wondered, as I tried to think of a way to leave without making him think I was nervous and afraid of who he turned out to be.

Jace must have noticed how spooked I looked as he hefted the bags onto his kitchen table, and explained, "I get this delivered for my girls."

"Your girls?" I know my eyes had to be the size of dinner plates, after he said that. I had no idea who these girls of his were, but I had a pretty strong feeling I'd be better off not knowing anymore about his secret life. Now I just had to get out, because I didn't want any part in seeing what he was about to do with his stash, figuring the less I knewthe better.

I watched as he lifted a clear plastic bag out of the top of one of the two bigger ones, and I was pretty sure, since it was green and dried, it was the half kilo I'm guessing of the marijuana that he'd ordered.

He smiled and said, "Girls can't resist this stuff, which is how I trap 'em."

Jesus. Was he actually telling me that he used the stuff to trap women, probably into doing whatever he wanted with them? Now I just had to find my shoes and my purse and get the hell out before I collapsed in a heap on the floor, I was starting to feel to really light-headed the more I learned about his alter ego.

Then he tipped his head, looking at me curiously. "You've never seen me downstairs with my girls?"

I shook my head, as I tried to remember where the hell I'd put my shoes. Though I wouldn't really need them to get back to my place, but I would need my keys, and those were in my purse. And shit, looking everywhere at once, I just couldn't see where the hell I'd the stupid thing down, because I sure as hell didn't want to meet his girls.

My heart already pounding out of control, it nearly leapt into my throat when I finally noticed my heels by the door. I walked over and slipped them on, as Jace came up beside me, took me by the hand and said, "Come on and I'll introduce you."

With a sealed plastic pail and the big bag of weed in one hand, and my hand wrapped in his other one, and me filled with a feeling of dread, he led me downstairs and out to the back of the building. With each step we took, I felt closer and closer to passing out, terrified of finding out who these poor girls of his were.

Then I stared confused as Jace shook the pail back and forth and called out, "Hey ladies, come and see what I've got." And suddenly my mouth dropped open, as were surrounded by a swarm of purring cats! All of them squirming around our legs at once with their tails in the air and looking up at Jace like he was their savior.

As he popped the cover off the pail and began to fill the bowls he had inside it with the dry cat food sitting at the bottom, I just stood there and blinked, realizing that the bags he'd had delivered weren't bursting with drugs, liked I'd assumed, but with cat food for the hungry pack of feral cats, that he was caring for.

I bit in my lip watching him affectionately rub each one's head as he put down the bowls, introducing them to me one by one. Rubbing its ears, he said, "This here's Bootsie, obviously because she's all black except for the little white boots on her feet." Then he stroked another one's head as he gave her some food. "And this little red-head is Ginger, who wouldn't come near me even to eat, for the longest time, but I think she's figured out I'm not such a bad guy, especially since I never come to see them without something to fill their bellies." And as he fed the rest, and named each one, making sure they all got a little rub between the ears. I nearly wanted to cry, seeing how kind he was to the poor mottled bunch of strays.

Now I felt silly, wondering how I could have misjudged him so badly. Just because a guy had tats didn't make him a drug lord. Yet, that's the conclusion I'd jumped to, without even giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Then I remembered the green dried stuff in the bag and asked, "What's the green stuff for, do they eat that, too?"

Jace walked over to a small cage in the corner of the yard, and said, "It's catnip, and I use it to try and trap them. I have a friend who's a vet, who helps me out with the cost of spaying and neutering them, so they don't keep reproducing. And if I can get them comfortable around people, I try to find them homes to get them off the street."

I watched as he put some food in the cage on the metal trigger plate then sprinkled it with cat nip.

Then he stood up strode back over to me, and together we watched a few of them curiously saunter over, stick their noses inside and have a sniff. As we laughed at the way they drew back and then cautiously got closer again, drawn by the combined lure of the food and then scent of the catnip, Jace pointed out a short-haired cat with a protruding belly, and explained, "I'm hoping to get Lulu, that grey and white one to go in there. As you can see, she'll be having a litter soon. It worked out well last time I brought Molly, another momma to my vet friend's. He kept her in his clinic and made sure she was healthy until she had her kittens, and by the time they were born, since he'd put up a notice about when they'd be available, they all found homes. And the receptionist got so attached to Molly, who was just a big fluffy sweetheart; she decided to give her a home with her family, too. So, I'm hoping to have the same luck with Lulu, and eventually all them, if I can, since it isn't much of a life for them out here, trying to survive on the streets, especially in winter when they could freeze without any shelter."

I could hardly swallow I had such a big lump in my throat. I realized then what an incredible guy he was, with a soft spot for anyone or anything, he saw needed rescuing, I think maybe including me.

So I took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze, deciding that I was glad I'd taken him up on his offer and gotten to know him better. Because I really liked what I'd discovered when I finally looked past the ink and into the heart of possibly the kindest, sweetest man I'd ever be lucky enough to know. Now I hoped we could have something together that would last beyond this time of uncertainty we were all living through. Because I just knew there was so much more for us to discover in each other.

After Jace had cleaned and refilled their water bowls, and the cats had disappeared, including Lulu who decided she wanted nothing to do with the trap, he locked the trap door, to be sure that nothing got stuck in it overnight, and we headed back inside.

Once we were up in his apartment, he put away the rest of the dry food along with the catnip, and shrugged. "You know I'd take in a few of them myself if the landlord allowed pets in the building. But lucky for me, he turns a blind eye to my little cat colony, so I'm just happy I can help them out."

Pushing up on my toes, I pressed a kissed to his lips, wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled into big blue eyes. "I think it's wonderful the way you take care of them, and they're lucky to have you." I brushed my nose against his. "And I feel just as lucky to have you as my friend and neighbor."

Jace wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me tight against him. "You know, Brooke, I could see in your eyes that you've got a kind heart, which I think was what drew me to you the first time we talked at the barbecue last year. But I thought you might be a little young for me, which was why I didn't let it go any further."

"So..." I traced my fingernail over his beautifully shaped lips, "...what made you change your mind and invite me over for dinner?"

He shrugged. "I had a few places I could have gone to get out of the city till this thing finally blows over. But when you mentioned last year that you were living on your own here, I didn't like to think of you all alone in the building with everyone gone. So, I decided to hang around to be sure you were okay. And then when I saw the kind of crap you were planning to feed yourself, I knew I had to step in and take care of you, too."

Though I laughed at how he was teasing me about what I ate, if I thought he was sweet before, he just convinced me he had to be the most thoughtful man in the world.

Seeing as he'd told me something that touching, I decided I would go to my grave before I'd admit my earlier suspicions about him, especially knowing now how far off base I was.

He grinned. "So..., how about I put the TV on, make some coffee, plate us some brownies and ice cream. Then we see where the afternoon takes us..."

Considering how things turned out for us last night, when we'd wound up naked in his bed, I was more than happy to agree to anything he suggested.

As we laughed through some old episodes of Thirty Rock, while we savored the chocolatey goodness on our plates, I just had to ask about a few of the pieces he had displayed around the room as my darted from one thing to another. "You know from the minute I first walked in here, I just couldn't get over how many fascinating examples of art and craftsmanship you have on nearly every surface in here. So I'm guessing you're into art?"