Remembering how she’d dropped that bomb on her parents and walked out on them still had the ability to make her cringe. Her mom’s demands for an explanation ringing loudly in her ears as she escaped to her house down the road from her parent’s compound. Sometimes she was still like the impetuous character she’d played on the sitcom. Maybe that was why she’d acted the part so well, she was really playing herself.
It had taken some careful planning and stealth moves, but she’d managed to leave without her mom knocking on her door demanding answers. Although doing that would go against everything in Bettina’s life. People came to her, she didn’t go to them, her daughter included.
Thomas’s fingers played with her hair and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. At least he hadn’t pushed her away. “Seems like she’s still not onboard with our relationship from the little I could make out from your conversation with her.”
Amberley reached over and played with the buttons on his shirt. “Yeah, I don’t understand what her issue is. Your job is one to be admired not ridiculed. You’d think she’d be happy that I was happy.”
Beneath her chin his chest lifted and dropped as he took in a deep breath. “But it’s all a lie, Ambs, we’re not a couple. Never have been.”
Never will be.
The words weren’t spoken out loud, but they hung in the air between them and she hated it.
She wouldn’t mind being in relationship with Thomas, it was why the lie had tripped off her tongue so easily. All through that dinner with Rob he’d been on her mind. They hadn’t seen each other since Jenny’s wedding. Had only just recently started talking again. Sporadic as it was, it had still been communication between them. Their last text conversation had been flirtier than anything they’d ever exchanged.
“I know. It was stupid of me to put you in this situation. If you want to take me to a hotel I’ll understand. I shouldn’t have used you like this.”
His lips brushed against her temple and she sighed, closing her eyes at the brief contact. It wouldn’t be a hardship to lay in his arms like this on the couch night after night. Her life may have been made up of living in a large guesthouse on a thirty-acre property, not having to worry about watching her pennies and being able to buy whatever she wanted. Although the lure of being able to have everything she’d wanted had died off pretty quickly. In the end she liked a simple life. Liked the quas-anonymity she lived with now.
Unlike her parents, she didn’t thrive with constantly being in the spotlight.
A finger hooked under her chin, lifting it so that she looked deep into Thomas’s smooth brown eyes. “I’m not sending you away, Ambs. You can stay here for as long as you need.”
Two sentences.
That’s all it took for the worry about him kicking her out to leave and a different kind of tension to build up between them. Her gaze dropped to his lips and she recalled the feel of them against hers from the kiss they’d shared at the airport. Firm, yet soft. Her mouth dried imagining another taste. Imagining Thomas lowering her back to the couch and him leaning over her before he captured her lips again.
Her tongue darted out and swiped across her dry lips. A split second later her fantasy came to life, as though Thomas had reached into her mind and plucked it out. Her back was on the soft cushions of his couch, and his face was inches from hers.
“This could be a huge mistake, but I don’t care,” he muttered before he closed the gap and kissed her. The hair on her arms rose as gooseflesh rippled over her skin. Her fingers gripped his biceps as he lowered himself on top of her. She relished having him this close.
For so long she’d wanted to be in his arms. Have his lips on her and nothing she’d conjured up in her mind could compare with the reality of it. His body aligned with hers perfectly, like they were made for each other. Her nipples peaked against her bra and she rubbed her chest against his muscular one. His hips jerked against hers and she couldn’t miss how much the kiss was affecting him. His hard length rested at the perfect spot between her legs.
What would it be like to be naked like this? Knowing that with one thrust he would be buried deep inside her?
A shaft of desire arrowed through her, wetting her already damp panties. Her hands moved to the waistband of his jeans, grabbing at his shirt, pushing it up until she could trail her fingers across the small strip of flesh she’d exposed.
Thomas broke the kiss far too soon for her liking. One second she was caressing his back, the next she was by herself on the couch and he was standing on the opposite side of the room.
Amberley sat up and smoothed down her dress. She resisted the urge to press her fingers against her lips, imprinting the kiss into them. “Are you okay?”
He glanced at her, his face impassive. The lips that only seconds ago were locked with hers, now resembled a thin line. His shirt was still untucked and his hair was ruffled, giving him the just out of bed look. It suited him, but mentioning that to him wouldn’t be wise.
“Yeah.” He scrubbed his hands through his hair, messing it even more, before they fell to his side. “Are you hungry? It’s getting late.”
Okay, so not what she expected him to say but now that she thought about it, she was famished. Her last meal had been a long time ago and she hadn’t wanted to risk eating anything on the flight over. Amberley was sure the sandwiches the airlines supplied were perfectly fine, she just never trusted airline food.
“Umm yeah, that would be great. What do you have in mind?” Wow how had they gone from steaming hot kisses on the couch to polite, formal conversation about food?
“If I remember, you like pizza. There’s a great pizza place not far from here, they deliver.”
“Pizza sounds fine.”
“Good. Great. I’ll go order it.”
He was out of the room before she could say anything else. She flopped against the back of the couch again.
Well this was going to be fun.
Chapter Four
Tom disconnected the call to the pizza joint and tossed his phone on the kitchen counter. He closed his eyes and visions of the kiss he shared with Amberley played across his eyelids.
What the hell had he been thinking kissing her again?
Simple fact, he wasn’t. He’d listened to her story, trying hard to ignore the stab of jealousy in his gut when she talked about the guys her mother had tried to set her up with. He hadn’t liked hearing about the guy who wouldn’t leave her alone. If the asshole tried anything while he was around, he’d regret it.
What the hell?
He needed to stop thinking that way. They weren’t in a relationship. Once Amberley went back to L.A. her mother would continue with her search for Amberley’s perfect husband.
Perfect husband.
Whoever it ended up being, they would probably have the right family connections. Overflowing bank accounts and didn’t put their life on the line every day of their life. He didn’t want that life. He wanted the one he had and he was damn proud of what he did. But all the guys were settling down and seeing them so happy had him wondering if he would ever be as lucky as them.
You’ve got Amberley here. You had her in your arms. A place she seemed happy being.
One thing he didn’t have was any claim over Amberley. She came from Hollywood royalty. There was no chance for them. Besides, she was Jenny’s best friend.
Why the fuck did that matter?
Exactly, why did it matter? Was there really an unwritten rule that you couldn’t hook up with your sister’s best friend? Sure, Jenny had told him to keep his hands off her friend and he had. Why was he still clinging to her wishes when his sister had gone ahead and broken it anyway fucking years ago by hooking up with his friend?
Because that was who he was. He’d made a promise to his sister. Sure the promise had been when he’d been a teenager, and shouldn’t still be an issue now. It shouldn’t hold him back from going after what he wanted. Jenny certainly hadn’t let it. Truthfully, he was the only one wh
o was having issues. Did Amberley even know about the Jenny’s command to him? Had his sister mentioned it to her at all. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things.
“Tom, did you order the pizza?”
He turned and plastered a smile on his face, keeping his gaze averted from her luscious lips. Her dress wasn’t the sexiest thing in the world, but fuck did it turn him on. Underneath the fabric were curves he’d dream about tonight, without a doubt.
“Yeah. Should be here in about forty minutes.”
As she gazed around the room, and fidgeted with the material of her dress, he could tell she was as rattled as he was by the kiss.
What would she do if he threw caution to the wind and swept her up in his arms and strode to his room? If he consumed her body and made her his. After the way she kissed him back, touched him back, he didn’t think she would object to it.
A second later her eyes lifted and connected with his. Desire blazed in them, turning the irises from dark green to bright emerald. His dick immediately responded, going hard again.
“Fuck it,” he muttered and crossed the room in two strides. “I’m done playing it safe.”
He cupped the back of her head and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her tight against him. Her arms immediately looped his neck and she melted into him. Their lips met and everything dissolved from his mind except the woman in his arms.
Her mouth opened beneath his and he thrust his tongue in, telling her exactly what he wanted to do to her. The way she moaned beneath his onslaught left no doubt in his mind she was on board with what he wanted to do.
Gripping her beneath her ass he lifted her and she wound her legs around his hips, bringing her hot heat in line with his throbbing dick. She ground her hips and he almost came in his pants, something he hadn’t done since he was thirteen.
The need to be inside Amberley pushed all sensible thoughts to the side. In this moment all he wanted was to feel her inner muscles clench around him as he thrust into her. He should take her to his bedroom, lay her out and worship her body. But his desire for her consumed him and he didn’t think he’d make it.
He walked them until Amberley’s back connected with the wall. Anchoring her against it, he bunched up her long dress until he found her panties. He slipped a finger beneath the elastic and stroked her slick folds.
If possible her moans got louder with every pass he made.
“God, you’re so wet. I want to taste you but I need inside you right now.”
“Do it, Tom. Take me.” Her hands were frantically trying to get to his jeans.
As much as he didn’t want to, he set her feet on the ground while he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet to get the condom he always carried with him. Amberley leaned forward and kissed his neck, causing his fingers to slacken and he nearly dropped the foil packet.
His lips chased hers until they were connected again. At least if he was in control of her mouth he wouldn’t lose the condom—delaying the moment when he could possess her fully.
One handed he undid his jeans and shoved them and his boxers down. He broke the contact with Amberley’s mouth so he could rip open the condom. Once he sheathed himself, he gathered up her dress again and lifted it. Amberley raised her arms and he pulled it over her head, tossing the soft fabric over his shoulder.
All his teenage dreams hadn’t prepared him for the vision leaning against the wall. Standing in only a scrap of white lace, Tom took his fill of her. Her breasts were beautiful mounds of flesh, and her nipples puckered under his scrutiny.
There was so much he wanted to do to her. Make her orgasm from just playing with her breasts. Hear her screams of delight as he made her come from eating her out. Most of all he wanted to have her wet heat surround his cock as he sent her into oblivion.
His dick jerked, clearly agreeing with the last scenario.
“You’re so beautiful, Ambs. So many places I want to taste and explore, but I need to be inside you now.” He closed the distance between them and, once again, lifted her so she could wind her legs around him.
Holding her at the perfect angle, he guided himself to her entrance, teasing her with his tip.
“Geez, Tom, do it. Stop teasing. I want you. I’ve wanted you for so long.”
He chuckled against her neck, nibbling at her tender skin as he slowly slid into her. Tom wanted to savior their first time together. This moment of connection was a long time in the making, and from her declaration, it wasn’t one-sided.
It seemed Amberley wanted him as much as he wanted her. If he’d known that all those years ago, he might have acted on it. For so long he thought Amberley was ambivalent toward him. And why wouldn’t she be? He had nothing to offer her. He still didn’t, not in comparison to the guys her mom no doubt paraded in front of her.
But what he could, and would do, was love her until she couldn’t stand. With one last thrust he seated himself deeply in her. A shudder rippled through him and an answering one swept through Amberley.
“Oh, God, you feel so good,” she arched herself into him, brushing her luscious breasts against his chest.
That was all he needed, he started to move then. Sliding out before thrusting back in. Her fingernails dug into his back and he relished the sting of the contact.
He couldn’t wait until he got her in his bed, where he could lick, suck and nibble his way down her body. Taste her sweet juices on his tongue. Hear her scream out his name as her orgasm ripped through her body.
All those thoughts of what he wanted to do, increased his desire to make her come right now. She chanted his name in his ear and her inner muscles greedily grabbed at his cock every time he slid out.
He couldn’t last much longer, but he wanted to make sure Amberley reached her release before him. Adjusting his hold he angled deeper in her on the next thrust and a scream rent the air as her body shuddered around him in release. He hung on to her tight as he stroked into her one last time before his own climax hit him. He held her close until his body stopped shaking.
Tom dropped his head to her shoulder, licking at her skin, tasting the faint saltiness of it. “Are you okay?” he whispered.
Her arms tightened around him and another shudder rippled through her. “More than okay. That was everything and more.”
Before he could respond she lifted his head and captured his lips with her own. Inside her his cock jumped a little.
Yeah, it wouldn’t be long before he was ready for round two.
Amberley pulled her lips from his when she felt the movement of Tom’s dick inside of her. “Are you serious?”
He chuckled and, because of their connection, it flowed through her. “What can I say. You’re very tempting.”
Before she could drag his head back to her so they could get started on round two, the doorbell rang. She groaned at the interruption.
“That will be the pizza,” Tom said and slipped out of her.
“Way to state the obvious,” she grumbled as she plastered her back to the wall in an attempt to keep herself upright. Slipping to the floor was a high option at the moment.
The doorbell rang again. “Coming,” Tom called out and he pulled up his jeans.
She picked up her discarded dress and slipped it over her head. “Yes, you did.”
For a split second Tom paused and looked at her, before laughing out loud. She winked and peeled herself off the wall and headed to the fridge. “Do you want another drink?”
“Sure. Grab me a beer. I’ll go deal with this guy before he walks away without giving us our pizza.”
Tom walked out of the kitchen and Amberley opened the refrigerator, gripping the door as if it were a life preserver and she was bobbing all by herself in the ocean.
The fact she had been able to joke with Tom after the way he’d blown her mind with out-of-this-world-sex, surprised the heck out of her. Nothing had prepared her for the way her body seemed to come alive beneath his fingers. When she’d asked to come and stay wi
th him, she never imagined that within two hours he’d have her up against the wall pounding into her. Not that she was complaining. Her dreams about him of possessing her paled in comparison with the real thing.
A shiver wracked her body, and it had nothing to do with the cool air emanating from the fridge.
How was she going to keep her hands to herself now that she’d sampled Tom?
It seemed impossible not to jump him every single chance she got, but she had to control her urges. The whole point of this visit, apart from escaping her mother’s stupid matchmaking plans, was to do research for her script. The same script that was going to catapult her into the world of screenwriting. And prove, not only to her mom, but the industry in general, that this was a serious vocation for her. She wasn’t playing at it like her mom intimated.
“Ambs? Pizza’s gonna be all gone if you don’t come and get some. Are you having trouble finding the drinks?”
Tom voice was closer now and she looked up to see him standing in the doorway. “Um, no. No trouble.” She reached in and hurriedly grabbed two bottles of beer. Normally she avoided beer, but a little alcohol may be what she needed to get herself back under control.
Mentally she laughed at herself. What an oxymoron that was, having alcohol to get herself under control. Alcohol lowered inhibitions, it didn’t raise them.
A hand closed around the back of her head and the next instant she found herself wrapped up in a hug, her cheek resting against Tom’s warm chest.
Sighing, she wound her arms around him, making sure to keep the cold bottles away from his bare skin. Being in his arms all her thoughts and worries drifted away and peace settled over her. If there was an option to stay in this very spot for the rest of her life, she’d tick, tick, tick it. Unfortunately, life didn’t work out that way and she’d always been independent. One hot sex session with Thomas Grant wasn’t going to change that.
She pressed her lips against his chest and pulled out of his embrace. “I’m starving, let’s go eat.”
Guarding Amberley Page 4
