A Date with Desire

by Heather McGovern

  With a hand cupping her breast and his lips still on her skin, Dev spoke, his voice a raspy demand.

  “Get in the car.”

  Chapter 12

  Of all the days to be unprepared.

  But getting lucky wasn’t what was on Dev’s mind when he left his room this morning and, contrary to popular belief, he was not that guy. He didn’t roll around town with a stash of condoms, presuming he might get laid at any moment.

  Devlin crawled into the back seat of his 4Runner with Anna. No condoms, no nothing, his options limited. He would not make this mistake again, but right now he was more concerned with making something happen, regardless.

  Necessity being the mother of invention and all that.

  Anna wanted more and was as worked up as he’d been since he met her. More was going to happen.

  On the one hand, limited space was less than ideal. But how long had it been since he’d made out in the back of a car? A long damn time, and if anyone ever said making out in the car wasn’t hot, they were lying.

  She slid over, making room, her hair tossed and lips kissed swollen and pink, and Dev was on her, instantly.

  Then under her, as he sat and tugged her over to get onto his lap.

  She squeaked. “What are you doing? I’m too big.”

  “No, you’re not.” He cupped the back of her head and pulled her down for a kiss. Her thick hair, smelling like sweet sin, fell around him. A dark curtain blocking out the rest of the world.

  Arching her back, she pressed into him, every bit of his need thrumming through her body, the same.

  Twice now they’d been cut short, their moments interrupted.

  Not today.

  He kissed his way down her neck, where he’d left off the other day. For two nights he’d thought about her smooth skin against his lips. The noises she made when turned on. As he kissed his way across her collarbone, he worked on the buttons of her blouse, pushing and pulling until it no longer blocked his way.

  Her shirt gone, she wore nothing but a black lace bra. Breasts filling the cup and spilling over the top.

  And damn if the real thing wasn’t a million times better than he’d imagined.

  Cupping them, he ran his lips over the swell of each, worshipful, but he was helpless not to be.

  What could he say; he was that guy when it came to the beauty of a woman’s body, and Anna was breathtaking.

  Above him, Anna threaded her fingers through his too long hair, pressing her breasts against his lips. Desire that overruled any holding back or being bashful, and he loved it.

  He reached up her back, until he found the clasp of her bra. Only a second or two for him to unhook, and yes.

  “Beautiful.” The word left him, a greedy sigh that he felt like a gnawing in his chest.

  The swell of her breasts, rosy-pink nipples, almost the same color as her lips, the taper of her waist, even the way her dark hair fell over her shoulder to brush over her cleavage—everything about her made him ravenous for more.

  In so many ways, he wanted her.

  The backseat of his car and in his bed, yes. But he wanted even more. He wanted coffee with her, not only today, but every day this week. Her hand over his, brushing the pressure away with the tips of her fingers.

  With all she was dealing with, to want more of her might be the picture of greediness and need, but he did. In exchange, all he could give her was himself. His ability to find ways to laugh, even when life was kicking you in the teeth. And his body.

  That he’d gladly give. He knew how to bring her pleasure and she deserved all the earthly delights she could stand.

  She reached for the buttons of Dev’s shirt, and he had absolutely no shame about his eagerness. He had the buttons undone and his shirt off before she could blink twice.

  Anna’s gaze took him in, her touch even softer, more reverent than his, as she explored the sensitive skin near his collarbone, down his chest, to the line of hair dipping into his pants. Her light touch tickled and he clenched his teeth to keep from jerking or flinching, because he didn’t want her to stop.

  She did stop, eventually, resting the flat of her hands on his chest. “You’re beautiful too.”

  “C’mere.” Dev held her close, guiding her lips to his, kissing her until her breath came in short puffs once more.

  When he moved on to one nipple, sucking and flicking his tongue, she clung to his arm. Wriggling in his lap, hints of a keening noise building in her throat.

  She rocked her hips into his, seeking friction, even if she didn’t realize that’s what she was doing.

  He moved, putting his hand between them, over the fly of those red pants.

  She pushed herself into his touch, back arched, her eyes wide and dark with need.

  “You want me to touch you?”

  A jerk of her chin. “Yes.”

  If she wanted to get off, needed it, he’d be damned if they were leaving here until he made that happen.

  Tugging at the button, then the zipper, he worked her pants down enough to slip his hand in. He brushed against the cotton of a low-cut thong, and pushed it down, until his fingers touched her trimmed mound.

  Lower, she was all heat and slick desire.

  Dev bit back a possessive moan. She was so wet. Wet and swollen and holy hell, he wanted his mouth on her. Wanted to give her the release she so desperately craved. He wanted to taste her, see how many times he could fulfill that need.

  Damn backseats.

  He could manage it if he just . . .

  But then Anna began to move.

  Shifting in his lap, she rubbed herself against his fingers, and his eyes rolled back into his skull. He was going to die of pleasure.

  Rarely happy or satisfied with the state of anything—he was going to die, right now, because of her.

  “That . . . that feels so good,” she murmured.

  She was killing him.

  He shifted beneath her, urging her to lean back a little, for the view and some space to work.

  The position put her breasts on beautiful display, and he rubbed at the cleft of her sex, dipping his fingers inside, until he found the perfect rhythm and spot. Anna pushed against his fingers, eyes wide, dark circles, creamy skin stained a delicate pink, and the places he’d kissed and sucked standing out in darker pink blotches.

  She pinched her bottom lip between her teeth, smooth brow wrinkling in the concentration.

  “That’s it, beautiful.” He pressed against her clit with his thumb, rubbing her with intent. She was close; her hand clamped down on his forearm hard enough to cut off circulation.

  He could come from watching her get off, she did it with such wonder and drive.

  “I want to put my mouth on you, Anna. Feel you come against my tongue.”

  “Oh god.” She took in a raspy breath. Eyes squeezed shut, her mouth fell open into a perfect O as she tightened and pulsed around his fingers.

  He stroked her through it, helping her ride out the orgasm, not wanting to miss a second of it.

  When she finally opened her eyes, huge pupils ate up the rich brown color.

  “That . . .” She panted for breath, doing great things for the view. “When you said . . .”

  He held her steady by the waist. “That I can’t wait to taste you?”

  With a bubbly laugh, she tucked her head against his shoulder. “Yes. I thought I was going to die.”

  He caught her chin, bringing his mouth to hers. Their kiss was languid, less desperate than before, but her wandering hands brushed over his zipper, bumping against the raging hard-on he’d sported from the moment she got in his lap.

  She leaned back, the flat of her hand over his length.

  Before he could respond, she was tugging at the button of his pants, pulling until his erection popped up between them.

  “Yeah, I don’t—” He was such an idiot. “I don’t have a condom.”

  * * *

  She studied his face, the flat line of her mouth confir
ming he wasn’t joking.

  Dang it.

  “Neither do I. But . . .” They could manage.

  He’d made her come in a cramped backseat in what felt like a few seconds, and she wasn’t completely without ingenuity.

  Carefully, she touched him, trailing her fingers down his length.

  Dev’s breath caught in his throat.

  “We could, you know.” She took a quick glance around. They remained alone in the long narrow parking area. “I want to do the same for you.”

  “You want to touch me?”

  She nodded.

  “Say it. Say it like you did before, outside the car.”

  Anna leaned forward. “I want to touch you. See if you feel as good as I’ve imagined.”

  When she sat back, he was grinning like the devil.

  With their fingers intertwined, he lowered her hand to touch him. She brushed the head, down his length, wrapped her fingers around him. Dev clenched his eyes shut, mouth open slightly, his body tightening at her touch.

  She buzzed with the power and anticipation. The awareness that she had this effect on him was intoxicating.

  She wasn’t the kind of girl that men went crazy for, never had been. Her whole life, she’d been satisfied with being plump and cute, moderately pretty.

  But that’s not how Devlin saw her.

  Over and over he’d claimed she was beautiful. Amazing. Her.

  His claims weren’t merely words either. The truth was obvious, from the heat in his eyes, to the way his abs went taut, his erection jerking in her hand, more slickness coating her fingers.

  She wrapped her fingers around him and slid her hand up.

  Dev sucked in a ragged breath and moved his hand away. He braced himself with both hands on the seat, letting her touch and explore, however she wanted.

  She’d thought doing this with Dev was only pure fantasy, with a dash of flirtation. Something to think about as she fell asleep, a daydream to pass the time. But this was reality. The two of them, sneaking off so no one would know they were together, hooking up in the back of his 4Runner.

  She didn’t have to be a grown-up with a hundred responsibilities. She could be carefree and do things that brought her pleasure and joy.

  She pondered the feel of him in her hand, smoothness over strength, the width, the way he clamped his mouth closed over a moan when her thumb brushed under the head.

  The sad truth was, this was the first time she’d hooked up in a car. Making out in backseats was what other girls did while she was studying and excelling. Pleasing the powers that be, scared to let them down.

  She wasn’t a virgin, but a fair-to-middling sex life didn’t exactly throw open the doors on excitement and ecstasy.

  Her life, up until now, was about focus, not exploration. Forward momentum, grabbing the brass ring and accomplishing everything she set out to do, whether or not the goal was something she really wanted.

  But Devlin was for her.

  She wanted to touch and kiss him, lick him and drive him crazy, until he couldn’t bite back the moans any better than she could. Until his limbs quivered like hers.

  He let his head fall back against the seat. “Damn. I can’t watch your hands on me . . . with that . . . red nail polish.”

  “I thought you liked it.” She glanced down, the red standing out against his skin.

  “I like it too much. That’s the problem. I might’ve thought about it . . . real hard one night . . . if you know what I mean.” His gaze met hers instead, his words sending bubbles of triumph through her body.

  He’d jerked off thinking about her. She’d been the subject of fantasy. Her. And she was driving him crazy.

  When he squeezed his eyes closed again, she leaned down, flicking her tongue over the head.

  Dev cursed, his body tense and thrumming, so she did it again. A small, sucking kiss against his flesh as she stroked him, until he grabbed at her free hand, urging her up.

  “Anna . . . shit . . . I’m gonna—”

  He was going to come, and she was making it happen.

  Dev lusted after her, cursing with the need. The muscles of his stomach drew tight and he grabbed on, around her waist, closing his eyes as he called her name.

  His body curled in and he came, pulsing in her hand, spilling over.

  The thrill of satisfaction, of power, charged her smile. A rush from winning an account was one thing, familiar and something she missed. But this was new.

  Dev was as helpless and enthralled by her as she was him.

  She was still smiling when he finally opened his eyes again. Her face hurt, but she couldn’t stop.

  Dev slumped back in the seat. “I . . . I have tissues . . . give me a sec.”

  He struggled to pull himself together and for some reason it made her feel light. Giddy.

  “Where are the tissues?”

  “Middle.” He pointed behind her. “Middle console.”

  Holding on to her, he leaned forward and they both fumbled with the console, finally producing some tissues. Dev cleaned them up, and flopped back, pulling Anna toward him, against his chest.

  They lay that way until she grew self-conscious enough to get dressed. Then they lay there even longer.

  The sun touched the tops of the mountain range when she finally asked, “What time do you need to get back tonight?”

  He checked his watch. “Ten minutes ago.”

  “Dev.” Anna sat up, but he still had an arm around her, and wouldn’t let her get away.

  “It’s fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He lifted the shoulder she rested against and let it fall. “You really want to leave right now?”

  More comfortable and content than she’d been in years, she didn’t want to go anywhere. “No.”

  “Good. Me either.”

  She lifted her chin and kissed him, her lips sensitive and swollen from earlier.

  “A few more minutes and we’ll go,” he whispered, his hand smoothing over her hip, over the curve of her bottom.

  Ten minutes later, they finally left, and Dev was over an hour late for his shift.

  Chapter 13

  He managed to avoid Roark that night, and went the whole next day without anyone questioning him on almost missing the dinner service entirely.

  His tardiness came with a good reason though.

  Not a reason he could share, but between Anna, lying in his arms, and putting on a tie to represent management at the restaurant that night, the choice was clear.

  Being fashionably late never killed anybody anyway.

  Sophie didn’t say anything about his tardiness at their meeting Wednesday morning either, but she caught him checking his watch. “Am I boring you? Do you have somewhere to be?”

  “Actually, I’m supposed to have the afternoon off.”

  “It’s barely past ten.”

  “I’m listening. Big reunion sometime this summer, the Butlers. About a hundred people. I got it.”

  Sophie pursed her lips, looking like she was about to tell him he was full of shit. “I know you’ve got it. I need you to help me make sure we’ve got the details covered before we meet with Roark. You know he’s going to ask. And I’m going to bring up the dock needing work.”

  “All at the next meeting? That’s a whole lot to throw in the ring at once.” Roark would keep them there forever, plotting out the plans.

  “Yes, all at the next meeting,” she said, her voice going up a notch. “That’s why I brought it up. You’re hospitality.”

  “Okay, okay. Give me the contact for the reunion. I’ll coordinate and handle all of that. When we have a firm date and an idea of overnight guests, I’ll work with you and we’ll sort out the logistics.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled. Then she set her papers aside, stuck her elbows on the table and planted her chin in her hands. “Now. Tell me where you’re in such a hurry to get to on your afternoon off.”

  “I’m—I’m not in a hurry.”


  “Y’know, back in the day, you were a fantastic liar. I remember the time you told everyone you had a school trip, in tenth grade. Wright told his parents the same thing. And then y’all proceeded to hitchhike to Cherokee, to see if you could get in the casinos and drink.”

  “Correction. We did get into the casino, and drank. Wright had that great fake ID, and he won enough money to pay for a cheap motel and a case of beer. Then we got thrown out. Those were good times.”

  “You never did get caught either.”

  He sat back, the memory one of the few that still resonated, warm and golden, in his mind. “Nope.”

  “Point being, you were a top-notch fibber back then, but right now you’re horrible at it. Where are you going today, and who are you going with?”

  “Damn, you’re nosy.”

  “Is it that pretty brunette who thought Beau was a bear?”

  “No—what?” How could she possibly be suspicious based on one brief encounter? Regardless, he answered way too quickly, making her grin.

  “Well . . .” Sophie grabbed her papers and stacked them, tapping them against the table to get them lined up. “If it did happen to be her—even though you said no—and you were doing something with her today, I’d say she’s cute and seems very nice, if wildly overdressed for summer vacation. I would also say you are going to be in so much trouble if Roark finds out.”

  “Roark isn’t going to find out. That’s if I was going somewhere with her, which I’m not.”

  She kept grinning and stacking her papers.

  “Shut up. I’m out of here.” He got up and shoved at her shoulder as he walked by.

  Sophie nosed in his business, but it came from a place of fond pestering, not judgment. She’d keep his secret, same as always.

  She still owed him for hauling all those plants too, so she’d cover for him, if matters came to that.

  And hell, they might. He’d walked the straight and narrow for a while now; his sneaky skills were rusty.

  * * *

  Anna waited on him by the 4Runner, right on time.

  As soon as he saw her, his stomach twisted into knots. He was really doing this. He was going into town to face more than the clerks at the grocery store, talk to more than Brenda or the kids who worked at the movie theater.