“I debated with you. You just always seemed to lose.” She smiled. “Besides, I was shy and you didn’t even make a direct pass at me.”
“I left you roses,” he pointed out.
“Yes, you did.” Her smile grew soft. “I loved that.”
His hand shifted gently against her ribs. He still couldn’t figure out how it added up, how she was there, skin to skin, his for the taking.
He waited for her to broach the subject but instead she touched his nose. “How did you get this?”
“Drunken bar fight.”
She chuckled. “Ah.”
With his other hand, he tucked her hair behind her ear. “Anyone ever tell you that you have beautiful ears?”
She raised her eyes in surprise. “You should see my breasts.”
He laughed. “Those are beauts, don’t get me wrong, but your ears are downright sexy.”
“You mean, instead of buying lacy bras and lingerie, I should just get a couple of nice earrings?”
“They look great naked,” he said, being deliberately husky.
“Wow. Who knew?” She turned her head and contemplated his ears.
“Well?”
“Lovely, but I’m more fascinated by your dick.”
He laughed and turned her so they were both on their sides, facing each other. At this rate, she was never going to raise the question that needed to be asked, so he asked it. “Why didn’t you call me, Shauna?”
With her index finger, she traced the muscular roundness of his shoulder, glancing at him. “I couldn’t get to a phone, but I had Brandy call you.”
He hadn’t heard the message on his voice mail until the next day. “Yes, she said you couldn’t make the dance and that you had to leave, but what about afterward?”
Her face saddened a little. “The truth? My father had his first stroke about then. I spent a couple of days at the hospital with him before I found out about our financial ruin. Then I heard you’d been fired by my dad … and the collectors started swarming and … the rest is history.”
She tried to hide the past behind a smile, but he knew better. “Shauna, I—”
“No more questions tonight, Max,’’ she said, gently squeezing his hand. “Not tonight. Just make love with me again.”
“You’re asking too much,” he murmured.
She glanced down at his blatant erection. “Oh, I don’t think so.”
“I mean—”
“You can ask me all you want tomorrow. Right now, I’m dying to know what bump-and-grind moves you can teach me. How about you tell me what turns you on?”
He groaned involuntarily and firmly held his desire in check. “Good thing you’re not shy anymore.”
She wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be the one on top.”
His erection plumped further and throbbed, and by the look on her face, Max could see she was enjoying his reaction.
“Or maybe you won’t object if I put my mouth on your body—”
He silenced her with a hungry kiss, unable to help himself. “Lord help us, I’ve created a sex fiend.”
“I would’ve thought you to be a certified freak, but you’re not showing it,” she teased, biting back a grin.
“Oh yeah? Try to keep up.”
He put every skill he had into making love to her again, branding his touch on her so she’d never forget him.
He loved the way she sighed, loved that her innocent, fumbling caresses became bolder as he got weaker. He loved the way she moaned his name, the way she gripped him with her thighs, her tight, wet sex almost too perfect for words. He loved how she arched a little when she was crashing toward an orgasm, so uninhibited. He loved the way she made those soft, vulnerable sounds, then got all breathy and tremulous when she finally lost it with an openmouthed gasp.
No sooner had he recovered from that one than she tried to tumble him, and when he allowed it, he had to grip the bedsheets in his fists, almost tearing the material when she flattened her hands on his chest and rode him like a rodeo queen.
Finally, covered with a sheen of perspiration, he fell into a calm, dreamless sleep, with her sleeping at his side, until she woke him, running her hands over his body. The bedside lamp had been turned off, and a sliver of moonlight illuminated the curve of her hip and tilt of her breast. It was too sacred for words.
And like shadows, they moved together like a calm tide, their breaths heavy with want and barren of words. In the intimate embrace, he dared to wish for more, dared to admit that he was getting tangled in more than her mouth and body heat, in more than her unspoken words and limber rhythm.
In the sanctity of darkness, he thanked her the only way he could, with everything he had, until she could no longer hold back, and neither could he.
SHAUNA WAS RUDELY jarred awake by the sound of loud knocking. The first thing she realized was that she was practically sprawled on top of an equally sleepy Max.
“Yo, Max! Wake up, man,” the voices that accompanied the knocking were persistent. “Church rehearsals are in less than an hour.”
Shauna’s eyes met Max, and the words hit her like a ton of bricks. Church rehearsals? “Shit! The wedding!” She froze, then sprang out of bed, snatching her coat from the ground and racing into the bathroom.
The events of the night before crowded her mind, but she shoved them back, ignoring the sore sweet spots on her body and knowing only that she had to face Max briefly before they hurried off to the church.
One glimpse at the mirror confirmed she looked like she’d been indulging in a night of sex—sweet, delicious, hard-rocking sex.
“Lordy, lordy …” She quickly cleaned herself up and tried to make the best of her hair, but it wasn’t a vast improvement.
She could hear voices in the other room and hoped Max was shooing his friends off. She heard the door close, then silence.
With a sigh, she belted the coat, gave herself a stern look in the mirror, then rushed into the bedroom before she could allow herself to lock the door and cower there forever.
Max had pulled on his jeans, but he stood rubbing his face, looking bewildered. He immediately grinned at her, and butterflies of pleasure fluttered in her gut again.
“I—I have to go,” she stammered.
“Wait a few minutes.”
“I wish I could, but I’m already behind.”
More knocking sounded at the door. “Hey, Max, you have the check for the caterer?”
Max walked to the door, cracked it enough to speak to his friends. “Enough already. Kick rocks. I’ll be downstairs in a few.”
By the time he’d shut the door, she was on her knees, shoving all her items into her spilled purse and searching for her shoes. She found one under the bed and looked up to see Max holding the other one.
“Great view,” he commented.
She blushed and stood to get the shoe from him, but instead of handing it to her, he got on one knee and slid it onto her foot, running his hand up her leg and burying his face just under her breasts.
“Max!”
His hand kept riding up until it slipped under the coat, headed right for her hips.
“No, stop it!” She couldn’t decide whether to give in to the urge to giggle or simply panic.
“I’ll introduce you to a quickie,” he promised.
“We’re both going to be late!”
He groaned, but his grip loosened enough, so she scrambled for the door.
“Wait.” The flat of his hand slapped against the door as she twisted the knob, and just like that, time reverted, sliding to a halt. “About last night… It seems inadequate to say just thanks.”
She kept her back to him. “Urn, you’re welcome.”
“I still have more questions for you.”
“Later, okay?”
“Could you at least look at me before you leave?”
She half turned, looking at him over her shoulder. “Sorry, but my breath is hideous, and I know I’m not much t
o look at right now.”
“You’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.”
Her heart did its silly flip-flop again. “You should never get your eyes checked.”
Max dropped a kiss on the curve of her neck. “Save a dance for me, okay?”
“Okay.”
He lowered his hand, kissed her again. “Promise?”
She heard the implication. Promise me you won’t leave without an explanation like before. “I promise.”
When Shauna pulled the door open, she recognized two of his friends from the party standing by the elevator nearby. She was painfully aware of her state of undress and the obvious scent of sex that still clung to her.
She heard Max mutter a curse behind her and couldn’t bear to even glance at him.
Muttering “Good morning,” she hurried past them with all the dignity she could muster and headed for the staircase.
“Man,” one of the guys remarked. “You already tapped that? You are one fast mother—”
She heard a rumble of comments like blunt daggers at her back, the words cut short by Max’s angry comeback. It was too low for her ears, but the threat was unmistakable. She didn’t stick around to hear the rest.
Once the staircase door closed behind her with a loud clang, she paused midway up the stairs and drew a deep breath, feeling tainted and unclean.
Bastards.
Last night had been amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Max had been right. Wishes were not for cowards. Just thinking about him sparked a glow within her like sunshine, until she was near to bursting with joy. No, even though it had meant parading herself past those guys, she still wouldn’t have changed a thing from the night before.
Feeling giddy, she took an extra moment to hug the memories of Max to herself and then rushed up the stairs to get ready for Brandy’s wedding.
THE TWO HOURS leading up to the wedding were nothing short of orchestrated chaos. She felt as if there were a huge neon sign hovering over her head that announced she was no longer a virgin. And just as absurd, she felt like grinning and hugging everyone. Hell, she felt like belting out a love song!
A couple of times, she’d caught herself holding her hand over her chest as if to calm her own heartbeat. And yet no one seemed to notice a thing.
Thank God.
Shauna set to work, making sure the flower girls stayed neat and the rose petals remained in their baskets until the appropriate time. Even her snug lavender bridesmaid’s gown made her feel feminine and voluptuous, whereas before it had made her feel like a trussed-up mermaid.
Amid all of this, her friend Brandy was the definition of a happy bride. She looked utterly beautiful and serene, seemingly oblivious of the fact that it had begun to drizzle on her wedding day. The bride wore a string of shells decorating the headpiece of her veil, which was a family heirloom that had been passed on from mother to daughter since God knew when. Her gown was a shimmer of white that wrapped around her like the froth of a waterfall, and her face had a secret, knowing acceptance that practically made her glow.
Brandy’s family was everywhere. Everyone from Brandy’s grandmother, aunts, mother, and endless number of cousins wanted to be around Brandy, fussing over her, tending to every little detail.
“Come on, people, get back to your stations! The music is about to start,” Daisy yelled, waddling into the small room like a penguin. The pregnancy, accentuated by her bridesmaid gown, made her stand out from the rest of the bridesmaids like a sore thumb.
The music cued up, and the ceremony began. Shauna watched it all as if from a distance. She hugged the bride, and the tight embrace moved her almost to tears.
“I’m so happy for you! You look gorgeous,” Shauna assured her. “Remember when we were girls, playing dress-up in your mother’s closet and dreaming about this day?”
“Don’t get me started. I can’t afford tears right now.” Brandy laughed.
The little flower girls went first, counting each step silently before carefully dropping the rose petals. All the pews of the church were filled with families from both sides. Here and there, several Sunday-special hats tilted on women’s heads as they craned to get a better view. The men were all decked out in ties, suits, and in shoes polished to a shine. Their muffled coughs blended with the low-level murmur of anticipation.
The clean smell of candle wax and polished wood gave the inside of the church a reverent and somber atmosphere, perfect for vows and forever-afters.
And then Shauna saw Max, who was stunning in a tux, and her heart felt like it had grown wings and threatened to fly right out of her chest. When he looked at her like that, with the world of intimate secrets in his eyes, he simply took her breath away.
She automatically reached for his hand when he offered it and felt his warm squeeze before he placed her fingers at his elbow. They fell in line behind Daisy and her husband as they went down the aisle.
When they reached the pastor, they each went their separate ways, standing across from each other as the bride made her entrance.
The rest of the ceremony began to blur together. Loud organ music was both romantic and spiritual. Shauna was lost in the solemn promise of the couple as each proclaimed vows to honor and love the other without spite, with forgiveness, and with the strength to face whatever life may cast their way.
The candles flickered, and the bride’s eyes shimmered with tears, her smile full of love for her husband.
And it was there, in the sanctity of hearing the words and looking past the couple to Max, that her heart twisted in her chest with longing. He was watching her so intently, the world seemed to fade away. For a desperate second, she wished she could be in his embrace, wished he knew how precious last night had been for her.
Max gave her a soft smile, and Shauna managed to return it and pull her attention away.
The warm, fuzzy feeling remained with her for the rest of the ceremony, and it wasn’t until the couple jumped over an old traditional broomstick that the world seemed to speed up again.
Posing for the photos went by quickly, thanks to the militant little photographer. Then everyone walked over to the reception hall to toast the couple and cut the wedding cake.
When the married couple finally had their first dance, the bridesmaids soon found their partners and joined them. Still she felt a bittersweet moment when Max stood before her holding his hand out. “Care to dance?”
“Yes.” I promised I would.
She stepped into his arms, the music soothing and slow. She closed her eyes for a moment and imagined herself at the junior ball, in the dance they should’ve had together five years ago. The one she hadn’t been able to attend.
“He’s nothing but a thuggish gardener!” her father had yelled, the vein in his neck sticking out. ’Are you so desperate that you have to date the help?”
She’d yelled back, rebellious, angry with his narrow-minded decision. It was the only time her father had ever raised his hand at her. Even now, she could clearly feel the sting of the slap.
It would be much later when she’d realized her father had been informed of the extent of his devastating debts that night and had taken it out on her.
“You look sad,” Max whispered into her ear.
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing.”
“It’s something.”
The music came to an end, and he pulled her toward one of the corners and out into the balmy June sunlight. “Tell me.”
She sighed. “I was just wondering how different life would’ve been if I’d made it to the prom that night. My life changed so suddenly, I felt like I’d stepped into an alternate universe.”
He simply watched her with eyes that reminded her sharply of the young man he’d been, wary and hopeful.
“I know what that dance meant to you, and I want you to know, I never meant to deliberately hurt you,” she whispered.
He tipped her chin up and brushed a kiss on her lips. “We did what we had to.” He smiled, but she suddenly fe
lt as if he was distancing himself. “Want some punch and cake?”
“Max—”
“It was just a high school dance, and old history to boot.”
“I’m trying to make amends.”
“Like I said, it’s in the past. Don’t sweat it.”
“Have you any idea how guilty I felt about the way our friendship ended? I never thought I’d make it up to you.”
His brow furrowed sharply. “So last night was about guilt?”
“No!” Nonetheless, she couldn’t stifle her blush. “Of course not.” She suddenly couldn’t read his expression.
“What was it about, Shauna?”
It’s about giving my heart to you! About taking the chance I didn’t think I’d have again. About love.
Daisy waddled briskly over, closing in on them.
Shauna tried to stem her frustration. “Can we talk about it later, Max? I’d rather not discuss it here.”
A new calm came into his gaze, and she could see she’d offended him. “Sure. Later.”
MAX TRIED TO shake off the conversation with Brad and Jamal. Both had been teasing him about Shauna since they’d seen her leaving his hotel room.
Jamal, in particular, had warned him that Shauna was almost destitute, having the nerve to imply that if Max had been stupid enough not to use a condom, she may have found a surefire way to get out of her monetary problems.
A visceral anger had snarled through Max and almost made him throw Jamal through a wall. Thankfully, the guy had sensed his mistake, mumbled an apology and left, but the implications fell into a well of questions he had about Shauna. Had she lied about being on the pill? Was she callous and calculating enough to leverage her virginity like that? Had she really saved herself all those years for him?
He stopped one of the bridesmaids as she walked past him. “Have you seen Shauna?”
“I saw her grab her purse and keys earlier. Maybe she left early?”
He couldn’t believe that she would leave without a word to him. Not again.
The bewilderment steadily compounded as the party wound down, and lingered long after the blissful bride and groom rode off in a black limo covered with shaving cream banners and streamers.
Mr. Satisfaction Page 9
