Temptation

by Hart, Romi

  Leaning back, she tore her shirt over her head, barely removing it before Marc was up and on her, pressing her back against the soft couch with his weight. She instinctively cocooned him, wrapping her arms and legs around him and drawing him closer, as if she could pull him inside her and they could be a single being. His mouth sought out her neck, her breasts, and the soft skin of her belly, and she gasped, calling out his name.

  If she was this aroused now, what would happen when she managed to get him naked, press against him skin to skin?

  It didn't matter. She wanted this, needed the connection with him more than ever. Her fear had nearly cost her the joy of having him in her life, and she wanted the passion and the glory they created when they came together like this. He bit down on her nipple through her bra, and she arched her back, whimpering at the pleasure and pain it brought her.

  Marc fumbled at the fly of her jeans, his fingers shaking as he worked the button and the zipper, and Reesa took the opportunity to gather his shirt, jerking it from his torso as he sat up in triumph, tugging her jeans down to the floor, her panties going with them. She kicked them aside and held out her arms for him.

  He grinned down at her. "Someone's anxious."

  Wriggling in discomfort at the distance between them as her desire demanded his touch, she told him, "I'd take it to the bedroom, but this isn't my place."

  He chuckled and turned her so she lay across the couch, her head pillowed on the arm. "You think Kylie would prefer we use her couch?"

  "I would," she laughed with him. "Come to me."

  His eyes sparked with that need she recognized now, and it liquefied her core. She moaned as he lowered his body over hers, slipping his pants off effortlessly in the process. His cock stood hard and tall, and she licked her lips, sighing in delight as it pressed against her thigh. With tender fingers, he reached up and brushed her hair back from her face, his gaze lingering on hers for a moment before he dove into a kiss full of love and commitment. Reesa could taste it on him, knew what it meant, that it was more than just a kiss. It was a promise of a future, of peace and trust that she needed to survive.

  Marc brushed a hand down her arm and back up her side, making her shiver in anticipation. He dipped his head, nibbling at her neck so she tilted her head to the side, letting him work his magic on her. With trembling hands of her own, she explored his smooth back, the curve of his broad shoulders, and the bulk of his biceps. She wrapped her legs around him, rubbing her wet center against his belly in an effort to excite him further.

  She felt his cock jump, and he grunted. "You're a naughty girl," he muttered as he took one taut peak into his mouth and suckled at her. The words vibrated through her, making her cry out again as his ministrations sent electrical sparks straight to her core.

  "No, I just need you," she breathed, straining to pull him closer. Still, he took his time, languid strokes of his tongue taking him lower and lower on her body until he connected with her swollen nub. "Oh, god, Marc!" She screamed, fisting her hands in his hair and holding his face buried against her folds as he laved at her. His hot breath blew over her, and she moaned, fighting the pressure that built inside her. She didn't want to come yet. She wanted to explode, and that meant holding back as long as she could.

  With one deft hand, he dipped fingers inside her, teasing at her internal button while he rolled her clit with his tongue. Her pussy poured over his hand, and she couldn't restrain herself, the release demanding and making her bow down to its power over her.

  "Yes!" Marc spoke against her heated center, heightening her pleasure, and she soared, the elation almost too much to handle. And still, he worked her, drawing her cleft into his mouth and tugging until she writhed and begged him for mercy. Ever so slowly, he lifted his head, a salacious grin spread over his face, and he crawled up her body with the grace and power of a predator. Reesa had no problem being his prey.

  She urged him toward her, spreading her legs wide so he could settle between them, and his hips bit into her thighs as he lowered his body over her. His tip touched her core, and she shivered with delight, unsatisfied. Eagerly, she drew him to her mouth, nibbling his lips, delving into his mouth with intense fervor. He matched her enthusiasm, his tongue tangling with hers in a wicked dance. The sweat on their bodies mingled, letting their skin slide easily against each other. Reesa cupped his round ass, squeezing and lifting her hips to feel his length brush along her pussy lips.

  "I want you inside me, Marc," she told him, her lips still on his. "I want to feel every inch of you, deep inside, and I want you to make me come until I can't breathe."

  Marc moaned and raised himself, holding himself above her with trembling arms, as if he struggled to keep himself above her. He locked gazes with her and said in a gruff voice, "I want to take my time with you, Reesa. I want to be buried in you, making you come over and over, but I want to do it slowly, make it last. I want to make love to you."

  As if she hadn't already found a world of bliss with him, his words made a warm euphoria spread through her limbs and course back through her veins until it settled low in her stomach and deep in her heart. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she blinked them back. Even if they were tears of joy, she wouldn't shed them. Now wasn't the time.

  Instead, she nodded and managed a quiet, "Please."

  Her words broke his control, and Marc slid into her, his cock finding its way home. She sighed, and her hips bucked of their own volition. He stroked her hair, calming her, and she let his tenderness wash over her like a cooling breeze. Marc didn't push forward, only sheathing himself halfway before drawing out and thrusting in again, just a little deeper. He took his time, just like he said he wanted to, and no matter how torturous it was, Reesa let him.

  It made the pressure build again, slowly, teasing her and bringing her to the edge and then releasing her from its grasp for a brief reprieve. Over and over, the sensation nearly took over her body, and then it subsided, leaving her a little fuller, a little closer to bursting. When Marc finally filled her completely, she tensed with the attempt to control her reaction, and clenched her jaw, shifting her hips so his cock twitched against every soft spot, grew inside to stretch her walls.

  Now, she truly needed all of him, and she couldn't hesitate any longer. Moving with him as he maintained his slow, torturous rhythm, she forced him to thrust harder, to stay fully inside her. She rolled them, letting her clit brush against his skin, enticing her further.

  And then, her body defied her, betrayed her, erupting violently and convulsing with the effort. Marc cried out, shoving to the end of her and bucking wildly in his own release, and for a moment, she couldn't tell one voice from another as they let their passion take control. Reesa clawed at his back, trying to keep a grip on reality, but her vision blurred and, for a moment, she was completely blinded. All she could feel was pure ecstasy, the jumping of Marc's spent cock inside her as he spilled his seed.

  When he collapsed, she didn't let him roll to the side, drawing him to her and cradling his head between her breasts. He dripped with sweat, but it didn't matter; she was already soaked with her own. She reveled in the scent of salt and sex in the air, the aftermath of a frantic but gentle session of lovemaking. She couldn't have asked for such a perfect moment as his chest heaved against hers, his heart thudded and synced with her own thrumming beat.

  She ran her nails lightly over his back as they came down from their high, drawing goosebumps up on his flesh. She used the last of her strength to lift her head enough to kiss the top of his. "I love you, Marc."

  "I love you, too," he muttered against her chest. She grinned languidly, not caring how long they laid there, not even caring if Jordan and Kylie walked in and found them this way. Hell, for all she cared, they could fall asleep and spend the night just like this. All she cared about was keeping him close, physically and emotionally.

  Something inside her broke in that moment, and it made her breath catch in her throat. The snap didn't hurt, but it surprised her,
and as she assessed the damage, she found none. In fact, she felt free, as if she'd just broken a chain that held her down. The fear is gone.

  All these years, she'd carried such a heavy burden left behind by her ex, and it held her down, imprisoned her, and she had never even realized how much she'd lived in a cage. Now, she felt like she had wings to spread and the strength to fly.

  "Marc?" Her voice came out as a whisper, and he shifted on top of her, trying to move and failing. She waited, let him slip out of her, and with great effort, he pushed up on his hands, rising above her enough to look down at her in question. "Thank you."

  He gave her a lazy smile that crooked up one side of his mouth and made the dimple appear in his cheek. "I've been told I'm good in bed, but no one's ever thanked me before."

  Reesa rolled her eyes and smiled. "You and your ego! That's going to get you in trouble one of these days." Taking a deep breath, she let the smile fade and grew solemn. "Really, thank you. You've changed my life, my whole perspective, and that's something I can't repay."

  He planted a sweet kiss on her nose. "You've already repaid it because you've changed me, too. You make me happy and selfless. I'm a better man because of you."

  It was everything she needed to hear, filled with emotion and truth. She held his gaze for a long time, letting the peacefulness of their situation settle over her. Then, Marc shifted again and got to his feet. "Where are you going?" she asked, not quite ready for the separation. A chill ran down her spine as the heat of his body left her.

  "I have to go to the bathroom. And then, we should probably get dressed and let our friends know everything's alright. Don't you think?" As he spoke, he turned and searched for the door to the bathroom before running on the balls of his feet in that direction.

  "I suppose you're right," she agreed reluctantly, pulling herself up to a seated position and reaching for the panties and jeans on the floor. Kylie would be proud of her, at least. And Jordan wouldn't rip her head off for breaking Marc's heart. The thought made her smile, and she knew she was settled.

  * * *

  Monique the Liar, as Kylie had dubbed her, held a press conference the next evening, looked ashamed and still pretty roughed up. Reesa sat with Marc to her left, leaning against his side, and Kylie on the loveseat to the right, snuggled up in Jordan's arms as they watched the scene unfold.

  "I made false accusations against Marcus Winters, claiming he physically and sexually assaulted me. The truth is, he turned me down when I made a pass at him, and I was angry. When I went home, my ex-boyfriend was waiting, and we got into an argument. He beat me, and then we made up and had sex. Mr. Winters was nothing but a gentleman, and I apologize for trying to ruin his reputation."

  Kylie threw popcorn at the television, then blushed. "Sorry, Marc."

  He shrugged, scowling at the screen. "I don't care. I'll buy a dog. He'll clean it up." He waved a hand at the television. "She's a miserable person."

  Reesa shuddered. "I don't need to hear anymore. Anyone who stays in a relationship like that is bound to be miserable. At least I never took my sorrows out on anyone else."

  "Yeah, well, not everyone is as good a person as you are," Jordan piped in, flipping to a different channel, where some reality show star whined about much less serious circumstances.

  It meant a lot to hear something like that from him, and Reesa tucked away the compliment for a later date, when she needed to bolster her morale. In the meantime, she turned her head and puckered up, earning a kiss from Marc. "So, Mr. Winters, you're a free man. What are you going to do now?"

  "How would you like a trip to Disneyland?" he asked, chuckling.

  She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I wouldn't mind a vacation, but I don't think Disneyland sounds right. Maybe we could go somewhere tropical, escape the New York winter for a few days."

  "That sounds like an excellent plan to me," Kylie agreed. She raised a brow at Jordan. "We could all go. You don't start playing again for a few months. There's plenty of time."

  "I'll call my travel agent," Marc said, clapping his hands. "Consider it done." He stood and stretched. "I'm going to get a beer. Does anyone else need anything from the kitchen?" The three of them shook their heads, and then Reesa thought better of it, following at his heels. Marc smiled at her. "What can I do for you, my love?"

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, Reesa rested her head against his chest and listened to his heart. It always soothed her when he held her, when she could feel the force of his life against her cheek. "Just love me."

  "Well, that's easy. I thought you were going to ask me to buy you a beach house or something." His soundless laughter rumbled in his chest.

  "I'm serious, Marc. Everything else could go to hell in a handbasket, and knowing you loved me would be enough to make me happy." She meant every word of it.

  Marc took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Same here, Reesa." He reached between them and crooked a finger under her chin, lifting it and bringing her gaze to his. "I will love you for the rest of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving it to you."

  "You've already done that," she argued. "Let's just live for the moment, okay? Not for the past or the future, just for right here and now." It was something her best friend had taught her, something she still needed to thank Kylie for. And with Marc, she was eager to put the advice to good use.

  "That sounds like a plan, as long as we can future trip about marriage and babies and vacation homes and...hey!" She cut him off with a playful slap on the arm. "Okay, I get it. Right here, right now. What do you say we kick our friends out and I make love to you on the living room rug, right here and now?"

  Now, that was an idea she could get behind one hundred percent.

  Epilogue

  Reesa watched her friend carefully as she spoke to Jordan, trying to gauge what exactly was between them. Marc had warned her that Jordan had commitment issues, and Kylie claimed to know that. But Reesa knew her best friend like the back of her hand. Kylie wanted to settle down, with a house full of kids, a loving husband, and the picturesque house to hold it all together.

  If Jordan couldn’t give her that, why did they seem so intimate?

  As Kylie kissed Jordan and said goodbye, she turned toward Reesa, a giddy smile on her flushed face. Quirking an eyebrow at her, Reesa noted, “You look like the cat who rolled in the cream.”

  Kylie giggled. “Things are good in life. You know, I’ve told you for a long time to live in the moment, but I’ve been so busy trying to plan a future I didn’t take my own advice. Jordan forces me to do that.”

  “And you’re okay with not naming your children with him, planning your retirement, and talking about your honeymoon?” Who was this woman standing in front of her?

  Kylie scowled. “First of all, things wouldn’t happen in that order. But I’m concerned. Am I really that bad?”

  Reesa rolled her eyes. “Please! You’ve practiced signing your married name with every guy you’ve ever dated. You’ve talked about the right wedding and the perfect dress for each ceremony.”

  Kylie jutted her chin out defiantly. “So what? There’s nothing wrong with that. And I’m not in a place where I need to do that now. Things are different with Jordan. We’re having a good time, and that’s the important thing. If it stops being fun, we cut things off, clean and simple.”

  Pursing her lips, Reesa crossed her arms and considered her friend with narrowed eyes. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” When Kylie didn’t respond, she sighed, putting a hand on her arm. “Come on, I’m not trying to put a damper on things. I just want you to be happy, and I see this thing going all wrong. You’re already starting to have feelings for him. It’s written all over your face. If those feelings aren’t reciprocated, you’re going to get burned, and you’ll have a hard time recovering from this one.”

  “Why do you say that?” Kylie asked.

  Why? Kylie had a number of devastating failures in her past, but she’d never t
hrown herself in headfirst and fallen in love. She’d never looked at a man the way she looked at Jordan, and Reesa recognized that expression, the glow on her face and the light in her eyes. It was how she’d looked with Ethan, and the way she felt when she was with Marc. It meant Kylie was already head over heels for Jordan, and though she could see that there was something special between them, she also sensed Jordan holding back.

  And then there was Marc’s warning.

  “I just worry about you, Kylie. No matter how much you want a relationship to work, you typically hold back. And I don’t see you doing that this time.”

  Kylie scoffed, and her growing anger manifested in squared shoulders and jaw. “Where has holding back gotten me before, Reesa? Where did it get you all these years? You almost lost out this time because you couldn’t make yourself let go and commit fully to something. I’m better off taking my chances and learning a thing or two about myself and what I want than sitting around, manifesting a future that doesn’t exist. Look, maybe I’ll fall in love with him, and my heart will get broken. But I’ll know what that feels like, and I’ll be able to use it to find hope for the future. And there’s always the possibility that Jordan will come around, too. I know it’s a longshot, but it’s still something I can think about, if I want to, and since I don’t expect it, I won’t be disappointed when he doesn’t.”

  Reesa wanted to be happy for her friend, but her concern shoved it down in her chest. Still, she forced a smile. “If you feel that way, really believe you’ll be okay, then I support you, just like you’ve always supported my decisions.” She reached out to hug Kylie, and she gave a silent plea to the universe that things would work out for Kylie, one way or another. She may have found her happiness, but her best friend was still waiting for hers, and if anyone deserved a happy ending, it was Kylie.