Between The Sheets

by Julie Prestsater

  Tyler combs his fingers through my wavy locks and it feels so good. He tilts my head back and traces kisses along my jaw and down my throat. My breath hitches and a moan escapes me. He brings his mouth back up and devours me. Our lips entangle and I pull back sucking on his bottom lip before going back in for more. This time our tongues seek each other out, and dance together so tenderly, my eyes well up with happiness.

  If only we had more time…

  I can’t dwell on Tyler leaving in six days. I just can’t.

  Instead, I go to work unbuttoning his shirt. Ty pulls on the string holding up the top of my dress, and my bare chest is revealed as the triangles of material slide down. Removing his mouth from mine, he slides his tongue down my neck to my breasts. While his hands explore, he takes my nipple between his teeth and nibbles gently, igniting every flame in my body.

  My fingers run through his hair and I tug on the longer strands on top pulling him closer to my chest.

  He backs me up slowly till the backs of my legs make contact with the bed. His hands make their way to the zipper on the back of my dress and he slides it down. Instantly, the gown drops to the floor and I’m standing before him with nothing but a black lace thong and my four-inch Louboutins. Ty cups both my breasts in his hands and bends down to kiss each one. “You’re beautiful,” he whispers.

  I reach out to his shirt and push it off his shoulders. Then I begin working at his pants, button first, and then his zipper. He kicks off his shoes and pulls off his socks by standing on the toe of each one. I don’t know why, but that makes me smile. Ty drags kisses from my breasts to my neck and back again while I slide my hands into his boxer briefs and tug them down till they fall on their own.

  Taking his erection into my hand, I trace the silken skin with my fingers, and say, “I want you, Tyler.”

  He places a few gentle pecks on my lips and says in a hushed tone, “I want you too, but slow down. Let’s take our time.”

  I lie down on the bed and Ty follows me, stretching his long body next to my small frame. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and pulls me into another kiss that takes my breath away. He then nudges me on my back and I lie as still as possible as he traces kisses from my forehead to my chest to my belly to my thighs and to my calves. Slowly, gently, dragging his tongue along the way. My body shudders in waves of passion when his wet kisses find their way between my legs. The things he can do with only his tongue is pure, raw talent.

  When my body finally relaxes long enough for me to move, I sit up slowly and push Tyler on his back for his turn. His skin is soft as a baby’s bottom, but his body is also hard and firm. His chest is sprinkled with just a little golden blond hair that traces a happy trail down his center. I trace my fingers down the path, taking time to suck on every inch of his chest, abs, and sides. He tugs a little harder on my hair as I drag my teeth along his V. Nibbling, licking, and pressing kisses first on the left and then on the right before taking his length in my mouth. Using my hands, my tongue, my teeth, my lips, I take him in enjoying every moan and grunt that escapes him because of my doing.

  Ty curls up and places both of his hands on my shoulders and guides me up till our faces meet. He parts his lips and our tongues dive in tasting each other deeply. He rolls me over and settles himself between my legs. His eyes are darker as he gazes down at me while teasing me with his finger. “You’re so ready, Melly.”

  Watching him sheath himself with protection, I smile, my breath quickening at what’s to come. “I’m always ready for you,” I murmur.

  He leans down and covers my mouth with his. My lips part in a gasp as he enters me slowly and deeply. I rock my hips into his, matching his gentle pace.

  We look into each other’s eyes, and I tell him what I can’t with words.

  Chapter 4

  Melissa

  Another day in Vegas, baby. Sleeping in is awesome. With the sun resistant curtains blacking out any light from entering the room, even though it’s noon, the only evidence of the time is on the clock on the bedside table. I smile at the thought of how late it is. I live for vacations, for the chance to sleep and sleep some more. And with Ty lying next to me, all naked and sexy, I’m in no hurry to get out of bed.

  Tyler throws his right arm and leg over my body and pulls me closer to him. He presses soft kisses to my bare shoulder, causing goose pimples to pop up all over my skin. The tingles make me giddy and I wonder if I will always feel this way in his arms. Will it ever get old? Will we ever just wake up and roll out of bed without snuggling first? Without striking up a conversation?

  “Sleep good?” he asks.

  I wiggle closer to him. “I haven’t slept this good in a long time.”

  “I haven’t either. I think it’s those bad ass drapes. It looks like midnight in here.” He fumbles around, touching my thighs, belly, and arms before filling his hands with my breasts in a playful squeeze. “Wait, you’re my Melly Belly, right?”

  “Your Melly, huh?” I turn around to face him. My eyes try to adjust to the darkness before I peck him on the lips.

  “Well, you better not be anyone else’s,” Ty responds, and kisses me back. “I’m a nice guy, but I don’t have any intentions of sharing you.”

  Excuse me? Is he trying to make some kind of declaration here without really coming out and saying it? Is he trying to say that he wants to have a real relationship? Or at the very least, he doesn’t want me to see anyone else. He hasn’t mentioned keeping it in his pants when he gets back to San Francisco. For all I know, I’ll be down here with the vadge on lock down and he’ll be up there getting so much action it’ll seem like his pecker is a flashing neon “Ride This” sign.

  “Mel,” he says, tipping my chin with his thumb and index finger. “What’s wrong? You went quiet and still all of a sudden.” He searches my eyes for answers but I don’t have any. There is so much to consider. What the hell are we doing here? “Come on. Talk to me.”

  With a deep breath, I sigh. I have to give him something. The man knows me to well to try and lie. “I’m just thinking.” I try lowering my eyes but he brings me back to him again with a nudge of his fingertips to my chin. “About us. About what we’re doing. What happens next? When you leave? Do we just keep meeting for a quickie between the sheets? Or is there something more?”

  This time, it’s his turn to lower his eyes. He falls to his back and scrubs a hand over his face with a loud grunt. Or maybe a growl. “Do all these questions have to be answered now? Why can’t we just have a good time and see what happens?”

  Typical guy. Wants to have fun without talking. Without any look into the future. He just wants to be in the here and now and has no interest in thinking about what comes next. Well, I do. “I am having a good time. But you asked what’s on my mind. So don’t get all pissy when the answer isn’t what you wanted to hear. I can’t just wait to see what happens next. You just said you don’t want to share me. What the hell does that mean? That doesn’t sound like a “we’ll see” kind of thing to say. Or is it just that you don’t want to share me but you want the freedom to share yourself with any little sex kitten who scratches up your tree?”

  When I see a smile spread across his face, I could punch him. “Sex kitten?” he questions.

  Out of everything I just said, this is what he focuses on. “Yes. What do you want me to call all the women who are more than willing to provide you with hours of adult entertainment?”

  “Wow, Melly. You make it sound like I’m some porn star who’s getting laid everyday by someone new. You know that’s not me.” He turns to his side to face me, propping himself up on an elbow. “And even if I wanted to, who has the time? I work all day and I paint all night. Dating hasn’t really been at the top of my list of priorities.”

  Now, I’m groaning. “So I am just a quick roll in the sheets. You’re not interested in making this something more.”

  Without warning, his lips are on mine. If I was smart, I’d back away and get the hell out of this bed.
But his moist strong lips take hold of mine and my brain suffers from a complete meltdown of wills.

  His mouth hovers over my own, and he says, “You’ve never been just a roll in the hay for me. You know you’re something more to me and always will be. I want you in my life. I’m just not sure how it’s going to work.” A gentle peck presses on my mouth. “So until we can both figure it out, together, how about we exercise some patience and see what happens?”

  “Patience?” I murmur.

  “Yeah. I know. Asking you to be patient is like asking my sister to stop drinking beer.”

  With that, he kisses me again. And again. Until I’m breathless and panting for more.

  “So where to?” Ty asks, sliding his shades down to cover his eyes. The man is pure hotness in aviator glasses. I’m tempted to call him Maverick but I know he’ll toss them out the window if I do. Maybe I should tell him he reminds me of The Rock. Yeah, not so much. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

  My brows rise with amusement. He caught me. “Just checking out the view.”

  He smiles. “Good to know you like something above my waist. I’ve gotten so used to you gawking over my ass and my manhood, that I was starting to develop a complex.”

  Laughter fills the car, as we cruise along the boulevard. “Oh, poor you. Good thing we don’t work together or it’d be considered sexual harassment.”

  “Nah, I like it too much to file a claim. Ogle all you want, babe.”

  With a grin, I tell him, “Oh, I plan to.”

  After a few more blocks, passing casino after casino, Ty repeats his question. “Where to?”

  “I don’t know. Feel like dollar margaritas? Or three buck prime rib?”

  “No, thank you.” He ducks his head to look out his side window. His mouth forms an O, and my belly starts to somersault. I can already see what has caught his attention and I’m not thrilled. “Let’s go up there.” He points up. Way up.

  “Nope. Not happening.”

  “C’mon, Melly. I’ll hold your hand. I’ve never been to the top of the Stratosphere and I hear it’s an amazing view. I can’t think of anyone else I’d like to share it with.” He bats his freaking eyelashes at me.

  Shit. “Laying it on a little thick, don’t you think?”

  His bottom lips sticks out. Ty looks adorable with his pretend pout going on. “Pretty please, with a cherry on top.”

  “No way. You know I’m afraid of heights.” Just the thought of going up there, all the way to the top, makes me want to throw up. My blood pressure is probably spiking to unhealthy levels just looking at the floating sphere from way down here. I’m as low to the ground as I can get in the shelter of my car and I still want to cry. My knee bounces uncontrollably as I say, “I’m not doing it.”

  I know Ty hears me, but he chooses not to listen.

  He steps on the gas, pulling us back against our seats with the sudden acceleration. When he reaches the hotel, he turns into the valet lane and slows to a stop.

  “I’ll go in the casino and play the slots while you go on your stupid field trip.” Exiting the car, I walk ahead of him and don’t turn back.

  The blast of smoke hits me as soon as I cross the threshold. Instantly, my nose starts to burn and I wish I had a gas mask. The older hotels just don’t have the same ventilation as the newer ones—not that they’re much better. I’m shocked some multi-billionaire hasn’t invested in a non-smoking casino. They’d make a boat load. I know I’d be knocking down the doors.

  I find my trusty Wheel of Fortune quarter machine and slide in a twenty. Why I play this game is a mystery to me. On the off chance I get to spin the wheel, I’m always disappointed when I hit a measly twenty coins. It’s only the old ladies with silver hair who win the big money. Yet, here I am playing max bet crossing my fingers the reels land on “spin”. Pathetic, I know. But so freaking fun at the same time.

  Shit! I slap my fingers down on the button one last time, playing my last three quarters.

  “Nothing,” I sneer, giving the machine my evil eye.

  “How about a drink?” Ty asks. He’s been hovering over me since I sat down but hasn’t said a word. He’s probably been mapping out his plan of attack to get me to travel up to the revolving floor at the top of this building. But I’d rather teach freshman English than be transported to what looks like outer space—and that says a lot.

  “Think you’re gonna liquor me up and shuttle me to the outer limits of earth?”

  With the slightest touch of his fingers, he brushes back a strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear. Oh, shit. He doesn’t even have to get me wasted. Just the look in his eyes is enough to get me to follow him anywhere … even several hundred feet in the fucking air.

  I shake my head to pull myself out from under his spell. “Not gonna work, hot shot. Let’s go to the bar and play some video poker. Free drinks.” Forget waiting for a response, I turn on my heels and walk away. Fast enough so that he can’t sweep me off my feet, again.

  After cruising by two bars, we finally find two empty seats next to each other and sit down. When I’ve deposited another twenty into the bank account of the ridiculously rich people who own this place, the bartender trots himself over to me. “What can I get you?”

  A bottle of something good, I want to tell him, since I’ve already paid plenty for this drink. “X-Rated and Sprite.” I’d like a Big Gulp size, but instead he brings me a glass the size of a Dixie rinsing cup. “Keep ‘em coming,” I tell him after I’ve tossed a five in his tip cup. Hopefully that’s enough to get a refill around here.

  Ty orders a beer. Sometimes he’s so much like his sister, I feel like I’m sleeping with my best friend. “You’re gonna give in eventually, Mel. So why don’t we just get it over with?” He tilts the bottle of beer to his lips and downs half the liquid before placing it back down on the bar. Yup, just like his little sis. “Or maybe you’d rather see the view at night? I bet, with the city all lit up, it’s spectacular.”

  I give him the bird, and he swipes my finger in his big hand and kisses it. Damn him. My resolve can only hold out so long.

  Trying to ignore his sweet face and lingering stares, I tap at the screen determined to get a royal flush. It happens, right?

  Three drinks later, I’m a little buzzed and holding a ticket worth twenty-five cents.

  “How about one of the tables?” Ty suggests. “Blackjack?”

  “Hell no!” I shout. “I’ll end up getting in a fight if some dumb ass gets pissed because I hit on the wrong card or stayed when I wasn’t supposed to.”

  “Show?”

  “How about food?” My body takes that as a cue to groan like I’ve passed gas inside my stomach. Embarrassing much.

  Ty laughs. “Yeah, let’s get some food in that belly of yours before it starts eating your insides.”

  We find a spot at a small fast food counter and Ty orders for both of us. Chili cheeseburgers and fries. Chocolate shakes too. I love this man. He knows the key, or keys, to my heart are fries and chocolate. And wine.

  “I think we should crash a wedding while we’re here.” Ty winks as he chomps down on a fry.

  “Okay. Sure.” Sarcasm laces my words.

  “No, seriously. Let’s just head by the chapel and see if we can peek in. Maybe some crazy groom will be wearing an Elvis costume.” His goofy grin reminds me of his boyish looks. When we were kids, he always had the most ridiculous ideas. One time, he convinced Shel and me to smoke cigarettes. We were only ten at the time but he figured that if we did it, we couldn’t tell his parents on him and his friends. As if I would’ve ever done anything to get him into trouble. Another time, he suckered me into crashing a dance class at the Y. The two of us waltzed like an old couple and shared cookies with the senior citizens when the lesson was finished. The ladies loved him, of course. And the old dudes thought he was hysterical with his dirty jokes. I must have been about fifteen at the time, but even then, I knew Ty was special. A heart of gold and a smil
e that could get you to do anything.

  “Stop that,” I tell him, lowering my eyes before his grin has a chance to hypnotize me.

  “What?” What, my ass. He knows exactly what he’s doing. If I don’t get my ass in that elevator and go to the top of this sucker right now, my panties are going to melt. I can almost feel the crackling of burning material right now as his sexy stare brands me with heat.

  I let out one long sigh. “You’re killing me, you know that.”

  He dabs a fry into a glob of ketchup and then holds it to my lips. “I’m just eating, Mel.”

  I bite into the delicious carb hoarding vegetable and watch Ty as his eyes narrow on my mouth when I lick my lips. Crap. How can he take a fried food, smothered in ketchup, and turn it into something sexy. If I wouldn’t scare the children trekking by with their parents, I’d push him down on this little table and have my way with him.

  “Let’s go,” I tell him, as I stomp off through the casino.

  “Where are we going?” He has the nerve to smirk.

  “Let’s get this over with. My legs are twitching and my panties are on fire, so unless you’re gonna strip me right here and relieve me of the stress you’ve created, I need another way to release some energy.” He smiles again, and I have to squeeze my thighs together when my lady love throbs.

  He bends down and presses his lips to my temple. “You’re going to love this. I know it.”

  “God, I hate you.” Stepping out of an elevator after traveling almost 900 feet above the safety of the first floor, I feel like I’m ready to pass out.

  Ty glances at the couple who took the ride with us. “Excuse me while I calm my woman.” With a quick grasp of my waist, he twirls me so I’m facing him, presses his lips to mine, and kisses me senseless.

  The touch of his soft lips molds to mine with a force that makes me want to wrap my legs around his hard body and cry uncle. I can hardly remember my name much less where we are. How does he do this to me? His tongue sweeps into my mouth, and my knees buckle. Ty’s strong arms flex around me, pulling me closer to his body till I can feel the length of his passion digging into my belly. Are there rooms up here? Because I feel an intense need to take care of business right here and right now.