Need You Now

by J. Kenner

  But then she said nothing. Just pressed her lips together and stared him down. "Good answer," he whispered, then just about melted when her mouth twitched in the tiniest of smiles.

  "Arms up," he said, and when she complied, he peeled off her shirt, leaving her in the hallway clad in her jeans and bra.

  She released a shaky breath, her teeth on her lower lip. But her eyes were bright with arousal, and he felt a masculine pride in knowing that she wanted him. Wanted the pleasure of surrendering.

  Just the thought made him hard, and spurred him on, and soon she stood naked in front of him, her clothes tossed casually toward her couch.

  "You're beautiful," he whispered, then watched her skin flush with pleasure.

  "I never imagined you like this," she said.

  He tilted his head. "So you've imagined me?"

  She nodded, and his cock that had gotten hard at the sight of her, now stiffened painfully from the knowledge that he'd played a role in her fantasies.

  "If not like this, then how?"

  "Sweet," she said, not meeting his eyes.

  He laughed. "I can do sweet. Do you want me to?"

  He watched her face, the unfocused desire in her eyes. Then he let his eyes trail down to her breasts, her nipples hard, her areolae puckered. She didn't want sweet, and his assumption was proven right when she shook her head and said, "Not tonight."

  His stomach flip-flopped with glee. "Next time, then. Tell me what you want tonight."

  He already knew, but he wanted her to say it.

  "Those things you said in the alley. Or was that the bourbon talking?"

  "I don't need bourbon when I'm around you to be buzzed. And I can be sweet when you want me to be. But just so we're clear, Mina, when I imagine you, this is how it is. Because how else could I ever get you if I didn't just take what I want?"

  She licked her lips. "Then stop talking and take, already."

  He laughed, her playfulness and open desire making him even more turned on. "Yeah," he said, brushing a kiss across her lips. "I think I will."

  He hadn't lied when he said he wanted to get on his knees and taste her, but he intended to get there slowly. This beautiful woman was naked in front of him, and he trailed his fingers over her body, exploring and teasing and kissing and tasting, as he worked his way down lower and lower.

  He wanted to memorize her skin, her reactions, the places on her body that made her tremble and sigh. And then he wanted to go back to each of them and explore all the decadent possibilities.

  Now, he just wanted to revel in the fact that she was right in front of him, naked and open and ready--and that it was him she wanted.

  With deliberate slowness, he ran his hands over every inch of her. Exploring, touching, teasing. And only when he was certain he'd committed every curve and every freckle to memory did he ease down onto his knees as he pressed gentle kisses from her cleavage to her navel, and then lower still.

  She was so damn wet, and she tasted sweet and earthy and feminine. He teased her clit with the tip of his tongue, and she surprised him by grabbing his hair as her whole body shook. He smiled, realizing she was closer than he'd thought, and he used his hands to gently spread her thighs, and as she knotted her fingers in his hair, he sucked and teased and licked and tasted as he reveled in the scent and taste of her.

  He didn't let her come, though, and when he slowly kissed his way up her body she begged him to rectify that little oversight.

  "You promised to make me come," she said, when he only held out his hand to lead her to the bedroom.

  "I promised to make you scream. And I did."

  Her eyes narrowed, and she tossed a couple of not so nice names in his direction. But it was true. She'd screamed his name. Screamed that she was close.

  And now she was even closer. Now when he took her in the bed, he knew that she'd explode.

  That's where they were going, of course. Because, frankly, Cameron couldn't stand waiting another second to be inside her. And as he walked, he unbuttoned his shirt and slipped out of his shoes so that once they reached the bedroom it would be easier to get naked.

  Easier still with Mina's eager fingers helping undress him.

  When he was naked, she slowly looked him up and down, subjecting him to the same inspection through which he'd put her. She lingered at his cock, then raised her eyes to his. "You'll do," she said, making him laugh.

  "Do you have a condom."

  "Only one in my wallet," he said. "I wasn't anticipating tonight."

  "That's okay. I'm a girl who likes to be prepared. There's more if we need them."

  He pulled her close and cupped her ass. "I think we'll need them," he said, and she nodded, laughing.

  "On the bed," he said, but this time she shook her head. "My turn to do a little exploring," she said, pointing toward the bed and ordering him to stretch out. It was, frankly, a command he wasn't about to disobey

  He laid down, and she got on top of him, straddling him at the waist and sitting just low enough that her ass rubbed against his cock. "Thought I'd torment you a little," she said, wriggling.

  "If this is your idea of torment, I'll take it."

  She kissed him, then winked, then laid her body on top of his, her heat coiling through him and firing his senses. "I like your chest," she murmured, kissing it lightly, then lifting her head to meet his eyes. "Keep working out."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "And your earring," she added, sliding up his body so that she could suck on his earlobe and the small gold stud he'd worn since he and Darryl got drunk freshman year. "Darryl let his piercing close up, but I'm glad you kept it. It's sexy."

  She trailed her finger to his mouth. "And these lips. I like them, especially," she said, and kissed him soft and deep, then surprised him by sucking hard on his lower lip. So hard he felt the intensity of it all the way in his cock.

  "Christ, Mina," he groaned when she did it again. "You're going to make me come without even trying."

  "Oh, I'm trying," she said, then laughed. "Want to watch me try harder?" She eased down him, peering up coyly before wrapping her hand around his cock and then running her tongue over the tip.

  He closed his eyes, arching his head back and surrendering to the building intensity that she was wreaking within him. His body seeming to reduce to nothing but his cock and her mouth, and it was so fucking incredible the way the explosion built, coming closer and closer and--

  "Mina."

  It took all of his strength, but he pulled away, then flipped her over so that it was his turn to straddle her. "Inside you," he said, so desperate to have her that he could barely utter the words.

  She nodded, her face bright with desire as she pulled her knees up, giving herself to him. "Yes. God, yes."

  He didn't waste any time. He was hard as steel and almost came simply from looking at her pussy, all pink and wet and ready for him. "It'll be fast," he said, hurrying to slide on a condom before thrusting deep inside her. "I can't go slow."

  "Fast is good," she said, moving in time with his thrusts. "Fast is great."

  The both fell silent then, their bodies now doing all the talking as he claimed her. As he sank deep inside her. As he made her his.

  And when he felt her core tighten around his cock, he couldn't hold back any longer. "Come with me," he demanded, and she arched up crying out, "Yes, yes," as she went over, her climax coming so hard and so intense that she milked him dry, and he collapsed, spent, on the bed beside her, his body little more than a well-satisfied shell.

  She curled up next to him, practically purring, and he draped and arm over her waist, letting the warmth of their joined bodies curl through them. He felt amazing--and at the same time, a little surreal.

  This was Mina. Naked and satisfied in his arms.

  The woman he'd wanted forever.

  The girl who was his best friend's sister.

  The sudden reality hit him like a splash of cold water. He'd slept with Mina. With the "little" sist
er that Darryl had looked out for his whole life.

  He drew in a breath, not entirely sure how to handle that particular truth. But one course of action came to mind and he started to sit up.

  "Hey," she protested, pulling him back. "What are you doing?"

  "I should probably go," he said, reluctantly pulling away from her to sit on the side of the bed.

  "Go?"

  He squinted at the floor searching for his pants, then looked back at her over his shoulder. "It's ridiculously late. Do you think I should walk down to the street? If I call for a ride share and it comes up the drive, Darryl might wake up and notice. And I don't think he--"

  "Cam." She propped herself up on her elbow, the sheet falling away to reveal one perfect breast as she said his name.

  "Mina, I--"

  She reached out, then rested her hand gently over his. "Stay," she said. "I want to do that again."

  And so he did.

  Chapter Six

  Mina came awake slowly, her fuzzy mind trying to make sense of all the wonderful sensations. The sunlight tickling her nose as it streamed in through the east-facing window. The equally enticing heat of Cam's breath against the back of her neck. The warmth of his skin as he spooned against her.

  And, most interesting of all, the decadent promise of his erection pressing insistently against her bare ass.

  Smiling to herself, she wiggled a bit, not sure if he was awake or simply aroused in his sleep. The latter wouldn't surprise her. If he was anything like her, his night had been filled with dreams that were at least as erotic as the reality they'd shared before falling asleep. And as hard as he was, she knew that she was equally wet.

  And, dammit, she really hoped that he was awake.

  "Careful," he murmured, his voice gravelly with sleep. "Do that again and you'll be hard-pressed to get me out of here this morning."

  His words filled her with delight, and she pressed her face against the pillow to stifle her laugher as she wriggled against him again.

  "Now you've done it," he said, and any thoughts of waking up slowly and lazily evaporated as he pulled her roughly over, then straddled her.

  "Don't even try to escape," he teased. "You're totally under my control."

  "You've got that right," she said, happily surrendering as he slid down, so that he was partially under the sheet with her. He lowered his mouth to her breast and sucked, sending spirals of pleasure curling through her.

  And then, right when she thought the sensation couldn't be any more tantalizing, he grazed his teeth against her nipple, just enough that she wasn't sure if it hurt ... or felt absolutely amazing.

  "You like that," he said as she squirmed beneath him, her body craving more.

  "I like everything you do to me," she said honestly.

  "Good, because there's a whole world of everything out there for us to explore." As if to illustrate the point, he moved down lower and lower, so that he was nestled between her legs. The sheet moved with him, leaving him exposed from the waist up. But, sadly, his cute ass was completely covered.

  She realized soon enough that it didn't matter how cute his butt was, because the things he was doing to her down there were so amazing that she couldn't concentrate on her own sensations, much less his ass.

  He'd kept one hand on her breast, and now he rolled her nipple tight between his fingers. That alone could send her right over the edge. But he didn't stop there. He'd nestled his shoulders between her inner thighs, and his mouth covered her sex, his tongue dancing over her clit, then dipping inside her folds. And the combination of nipple play and the stimulation on her clit was enough to make her positively lose her mind.

  So much, that she was writhing shamelessly on the bed, her hips gyrating in a way that made his five o'clock shadow rub enticingly over her sex. And her own fingers on her other nipple mimicked the motions he was so expertly executing.

  She was in a wild haze, a rising storm of passion, and with each thrust of her hips, his tongue and fingers took her higher. It was as if they were dancing, moving in a pattern so well-known it was almost instinctual. And when he used his free hand to thrust two fingers deep inside her, she felt a spiderweb of electricity shoot out from her core to escape through her fingers and toes.

  So close ... she was so damn close.

  "Again," she begged, then repeated the demand, her voice breaking as his mouth closed over her sex. Her lips parted, her head tilting back as she moaned with pleasure--and then squealed with surprise as her bedroom door burst open.

  "Christ, Darryl! What the hell!" Even as she yelled at her brother, she'd yanked the sheet up around her chin, completely covering Cam, who'd had enough of his wits about him to tug his hand down under at the same time. His face, though, was still between her legs, and the feel of his breath against her tender--and aroused--sex was more than a little distracting.

  "You said come in!" To his credit, he looked embarrassed.

  "I said again, you moron. Do you want to get the hell out of here?"

  He glanced at the bulge under the sheet, his eyes narrowing. He knew that she had a few guy friends that she slept with but didn't actually date. Like Jeff, for example. She also knew he disapproved.

  "Do you mind?" she snapped.

  He shook his head as if to clear it. "Sorry--I just--you said you had a run this morning. It never occurred to me you'd brought anyone home."

  Fuck. The 5K. She'd completely forgotten. She'd signed up with her friend, Taylor, and she made a mental note to call and explain.

  "Can we talk about my physical fitness later? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

  "Um, yeah. Sure. No problem. I just wanted to know what time to tell Zach to show up for the party tonight."

  Between her legs, she felt Cam stiffen, and she forced herself not to yell at her brother that she wasn't interested in a fix-up or a relationship or an arranged marriage or any of the ridiculous scenarios that were bouncing around in her brother's head. But instead, all she said was, "Six. You can tell him that your not-really-a-surprise party is at six. Now get the hell out of here."

  He actually laughed--bastard--then started to head out. "I'm going to brunch with the judge," he reminded her. "If you and your boy toy decide to frolic naked in the pool, just remember we have security cameras."

  She grabbed Mr. Meow, the stuffed cat she'd had since infancy, off her bookshelf-style headboard and hurled it at him. But he was already gone, and the poor cat smacked into the now-closed door.

  Beneath the sheets, she felt Cam relax before he slowly emerged. She scooted over so that he could share the pillow, then grabbed hold of his hand as they both exhaled loudly.

  "Holy fuck," he said, and she thought that summed the situation up nicely.

  They both stared at the ceiling, just breathing, for at least five long minutes. Then Cam rolled over and propped himself up on his elbow. With his free hand, he traced random patterns on her belly, making her skin tighten as a new electricity started to zing through her. Because, apparently, she hadn't yet had enough of him. Who would have thought that the Cam who'd tormented her as a kid would be such a tender lover?

  No, she corrected. Not tender. He was, yes. But there was a roughness, too. An edginess. He'd claimed her, no other way to describe it. And dear God, she'd surrendered completely. Willingly.

  She liked men who took charge--that much she knew. But she'd never looked at Cam and seen that side of him. He was so sweet. So nice. Smart and funny and serious about his studies.

  All qualities she admired. After all, she worked hard at school and on her job, and she'd locked onto her career path with laser-like focus. She recognized commitment when she saw it. Admired it, too.

  But somehow, she'd never seen that side of Cam before.

  Had she not been looking? Or had he always been hidden by Darryl's shadow?

  "Thinking deep thoughts?" he asked, sliding his hand down along the curve of her waist to rest on her hip. "Or trying not to think about Darryl's sur
prise appearance."

  "Both," she said. "And neither."

  He nipped at her earlobe, making her squeal. "I like a woman who speaks in riddles."

  "Actually, I was thinking about you."

  "Yeah?" He lifted his head, his expression wary, but pleased. "What were you thinking?"

  "That you surprised me, Cameron Reed."

  "Did I? I bet I can do it again."

  "What? Surprise me? I sincerely doubt it."

  He didn't answer. Instead, he slid his hand between her thighs, then roughly thrust two fingers deep inside her. "Surprise," he whispered.

  * * *

  Cam swallowed a moan, his cock growing hard again as his fingers explored her slick heat. Would he ever get enough of this woman?

  Honestly, he really didn't think so. And despite the mortification factor from Darryl walking in on them--and almost seeing way more than Cam would ever be inclined to share with his best friend--he was pretty much floating on cloud nine at the moment.

  "Oh, God, Cam." She arched up, grinding against his hand as if she, too, couldn't get her fill. "What are you trying to do to me?

  His fingers continued their merciless tease. "Right now? I'm just trying to make you come. Why? Do you think I should be doing more

  "Honestly? I think you're doing exactly the right amount. Don't stop, okay?"

  He wouldn't dream of it, and he touched and teased until she exploded once again in his arms, and a warm wave of satisfaction crested inside him from the simple knowledge that he'd brought her to such dizzying heights.

  "We have to stop," she murmured, stretching as the last shudders of the orgasm fizzled away. She rolled over, then smiled as she eased on top and nestled her head under his chin, her breasts firm and warm against his chest. "I came so hard, I'm not even sure if all the pieces of me are put back together right."

  He ran his hands over her shoulder blades, then down her back, then over the curve of her ass. "You feel pretty well-put together to me."

  "Mmm," she said, her face pressed to his skin. "I think I know what's happened to us," she said.