The Bottom Line

by Shelley Munro

  “We were together for a year. We stopped seeing each other when I finished my computer course and came to Auckland. Karen stayed in Dunedin.”

  “I see.” Words deserted her entirely. The woman had a name. Karen.

  Connor picked up the bag. “Think about it. We don’t have to do anything straightaway.” He picked up his bag. “You ready to go?”

  Maggie stood and followed Connor out the door, aware of him in a way she hadn’t been before, ultra conscious of her clothes and the way they fit her body. No thinking required. She wanted Connor so much, but tangled emotions filled her. They were there in her mind, hovering on the fringes like scared children riding a rollercoaster.

  Could she have sex with Connor and keep her emotions at bay? And more important, could she keep out of trouble and juggle all the lies without dropping a ball?

  Two hours later they drove down a narrow gravel road, and Connor pulled his SUV into the driveway of the last house on the dead end road. Maggie breathed in the tang of the sea filling the air. To her right, the distinctive black sand rose in rolling hills as far as she could see.

  With her stomach doing somersaults, Maggie followed Connor inside, feeling a little like Alice stumbling into the unknown. She hoped Connor would head straight to the bedroom. Temptation thrummed inside her, urging her to act on her instincts. Jump him. She curled her hand around the handle of her overnight bag, digging her fingernails into her palm, determined to keep it together and act with decorum instead of desperation. It didn’t help when her parents’ voices kept jumping into her mind, urging her to consider the consequences of her actions. They didn’t want another public scandal of the Penisgate variety in the family.

  Connor led her into a large open room that looked like a combined lounge and kitchen. She scanned the room with interest. The furniture was old and mismatched, a little on the scruffy side, but everything appeared spotlessly clean, not musty. A breakfast bar divided the kitchen from the rest of the room.

  Connor dropped his bag on the floor, and taking his cue, she did the same. “We have time for a walk before it gets too cold,” he said. “That will give you time to do your thinking in the fresh air.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Perhaps if she compiled a list of pros and cons, her decision would be easier. The question of spanking would definitely make the list. Dare she mention it to him? Maggie shot him a swift glance and saw the intensity seething in his face when he returned her scrutiny.

  “If you don’t mind walking in the dark, we could go for a walk after dinner as well.” His eyes narrowed, and suddenly he morphed into predator, unnerving her. Tall. Dark. Deadly.

  Her mouth dried. Her heart flip-flopped. She took a step backward. “Yeah, sure.”

  “Do I make you nervous?” His soft purr curled her toes, made her body bloom with eagerness.

  “A little.” Everything was happening too fast for her to process and agonize over in her normal manner. For once she’d reverted to gut instinct…

  “I’d never hurt you. You know that, right?”

  She nodded. “I know.” Her attention centered on Connor, watching him shrug out of his denim shirt. He dropped it, his clothing fluttering to the ground. Her throat worked in a swallow, her eyes on his bare chest, the hard expanse of muscles. She’d never let herself look and linger to appreciate this magnificent male specimen before because she hadn’t wanted to spoil things with her girlfriends. She’d never wondered what the Celtic knot tattoo on his biceps would taste like.

  Friends only.

  Maggie gulped. And now they were going to have sex. The mutual scratching of an itch. She had it bad. But could she really do this? The warmth in his eyes not only made her heart beat faster, but turned her limbs to jelly.

  This time she advanced instead of retreating, reaching out to touch him. His skin burned her fingertips, and Maggie jerked her hand away, her head lifting to study the sensual sweep of his lower lip. She’d felt his mouth on hers, knew how soft it was, and wanted more.

  “Touch me.” This time his purr tempted her like rich, bitter chocolate. She had no defenses.

  “How do you want me to touch you?” Let me count the ways.

  “Run your fingers over my chest. Use your mouth. Anything you want, babe. I need you to touch me.”

  A dream. Christmas and birthday gifts combined in one. What was she waiting for?

  “So we’re not going for a walk after all?”

  “Not unless you want to.” His laser-sharp gaze contained questions.

  “No,” she whispered. “Maybe later.” With a trembling hand, she reached out and pressed her palm against his chest, basking in his warmth, the soft grin curving his mouth. His heart beat with a solid thud. A faint sprinkling of dark hair covered his pectoral muscles, soft to her touch. He smelled of soap and the aftershave she’d given him for Christmas. She loved his scent. Clean and masculine. Sexy and tempting, and he was all hers.

  Grasping his shoulders, Maggie leaned into him, heard his sharp intake of breath. A small sign he wasn’t as calm as he pretended. Her lips touched his skin, and his solid muscle bunched in a visible reaction. Maggie dragged her tongue along his collarbone and nipped him. Connor groaned and moved so fast she blinked. One moment she stood, the next she lay on her back, staring up at Connor’s intense face. He wasn’t even breathing hard after his rapid trip down the passage and into his bedroom.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yes.” He’d acted like a caveman, tossing her onto the bed as if she were a lightweight. When Greg had tried the same thing, he’d dropped her and she’d borne bruises on her backside and hip for days. And he’d had the cheek to tell her she needed to lose weight.

  This time it wasn’t anger coursing through her veins. This time excitement pounded in time with every beat of her heart. Invisible energy crackled in the air between them. She stared up at him with wary fascination, wondering what he’d do next.

  “That’s good.” He removed her shoes, dropping them with a clunk onto the hardwood floor. Her socks joined the heap. After unlacing his boots and peeling off his socks, he joined her on the bed, pinning her to the mattress with his chest. He kissed her, taking instead of cajoling, his mouth covering hers hungrily. Sensations skittered through her mind and body one after the other, heat licking across her skin. He tasted her, yet didn’t probe for her tonsils as Greg did when he was excited.

  What was she doing? It wasn’t right to compare the two men. She wasn’t with Greg and this thing with Connor was all about fun and mutual pleasure. That’s all.

  She pushed Greg from her mind and drifted as in a dream, wallowing in the skillful mastery of Connor’s mouth, the easy thrust of his tongue that made her think of penetration in another area. Jolts of pleasure rocked her with little explosions, moistening her body, preparing her for his possession. Had he packed condoms? They’d need a lot because once or twice wouldn’t douse the flames searing her body.

  “Connor.” She clutched his shoulders, sighing softly when his mouth left hers to graze kisses down her jaw, her neck. His teeth scraped over her pulse and her hips bucked sharply upward, pressing against his hard body, loving the firm weight of him.

  “I like that,” she whispered, decided to state her likes and dislikes up front. Otherwise, how would he know? Besides, they were friends and friends didn’t judge each other. She admitted that didn’t stop her nerves from going into overdrive, the whisper of her conscience. He repeated the move, his lips sucking lightly. When he lifted his head, a moan of complaint nearly escaped her lips. Almost. She trapped it inside by biting her lower lip.

  “Do you mind if I mark your skin?” His probing gaze sought a reaction.

  “A love bite?”

  “Yeah.”

  She drew in a sharp breath. Hot intent and desire darkened his face, passion simmering between them. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and he followed the move with avid attention, making her pulse race faster. “I suppose that woul
d be okay,” she said, “as long as I can hide them beneath my clothes.”

  A love bite. Wow.

  “Good. I’m hungry.”

  Satisfaction rang in his words. He levered his body away from hers, and immediately she missed the solid weight of him. A protest built inside her, only to fade away with understanding when he tugged her woolen sweater over her head and started on the pearl buttons fastening her pale blue shirt. One tiny pop at a time, the expanse of bare skin growing larger. Tension replaced the sexual excitement when the realities of baring her body to him came closer. Plump. She knew this was coming, but that didn’t mean it was easy for her. Her body stiffened. No point sugarcoating the truth.

  “Don’t tense up, babe.” Grasping her shoulders, he shook her lightly, an edge to his words. “I like the way you look.” He stopped undoing the buttons and pressed a kiss to her mouth, nibbled at her bottom lip before soothing the sting with the lave of his tongue. Her breath came in short gasps when he finally lifted his head. “I like your curves and I can’t wait to see you without your clothes. Don’t try to hide from me. Please.”

  His fingers strummed across a throbbing pulse point at her jaw, making it beat impossibly fast—she could feel the rapid tic—and embarrassment flooded her cheeks. Heat. Arousal. She clamped her thighs together, intensifying the hot fire between her legs.

  “Connor, I…” What could she say? Her body was one big throb.

  “If you want me to stop, I will.”

  Her gaze flew to his, consternation replacing or at least shoving aside her anticipation. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

  “If you stop now,” she said in a hard, no-nonsense voice, “I’ll grab you by the ears and manhandle you.”

  “In that case…” he teased, daring her to go through with her threat.

  Given the way he’d tossed her on the bed, grabbing his ears might take some doing. She grinned. She’d give it her best shot. He wasn’t getting away that easily, not when her body pulsed from head to foot, her breasts heavy and tight, nipples aching for his touch. Without a doubt, using her own fingers to get off this time would leave her feeling empty, hollow inside.

  “I’m a bit nervous,” she said. “I don’t want you to stop. Do you hear me?”

  Connor chuckled. “I’d like to see you try to manhandle me. Sounds interesting.”

  His eyes sparkled with amusement and echoed in his curved lips. He stood and stripped off his jeans, returning to her side dressed in tight black boxer-briefs that left nothing to her imagination. Taking her hand, he pressed it to his groin, silently encouraging her to touch him. Her pussy clenched as she measured the length and girth of his cock with her fingers, judged his size and savored the heat of him. He made a soft sound and, when checking his reaction, she noticed his tight jaw, his stillness. The tension in his body.

  “See how much I want you?” Raw desire blazed in his face, twisting his lips and darkening his eyes. “I suffered from a hard-on for the entire drive out here. Never doubt I want you.”

  His words slid over her like a soothing balm, calming her ruffled nerves. Along with relief, a grin surfaced. “Then what are you waiting for?” she whispered.

  “I’m all about mutual pleasure…” He paused, as if weighing his words. “…but I like to do things my way. Is that okay with you?”

  Maggie cocked her head to the side, amusement bubbling inside her. If only he knew how much she wanted to give over control to her lover and enjoy the loving, the pleasure between them, without having to perform, without having to worry about a report card being thrust at her during a future disagreement. “I’ll let you know if it’s not.”

  “Good.”

  She noticed an air of approval stamped his demeanor. The man was brimming with confidence. She liked that. It boded well for the future. Spanking…

  He continued unfastening the buttons on her blouse, and this time she tried to relax, to enjoy every brush of his fingers against her bare skin. When he parted the fabric to reveal her lace-encased breasts, her bravery faltered a fraction, even though his steady gaze glowed with masculine appreciation. While she was busy sucking in her stomach, he unzipped her jeans.

  “Lift your hips for me.”

  Bemused by his assured manner, she obeyed and let him tug her jeans down her legs. He lifted her upper body and removed her shirt, leaving her dressed only in matching pale blue bra and panties. Thank goodness she’d shaved her legs earlier after her workout at the gym.

  “Damn, you’re sexy.” He traced a forefinger along the lacey top of one bra cup, the drag of his finger making a prickle of yearning spring to life. He retraced the same path with his tongue and dipped into her cleavage. A shiver worked free. To think she’d almost missed this. Her hands cupped his head, fingers twining in his hair. A small croak of dismay escaped from her when he lifted his head. He grinned. “Don’t panic. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Condoms,” she said with a trace of impatience.

  “I have some in my bag. It’s out in the other room.”

  “You should go and get them.” She gave him a nudge. “Immediately.”

  “Great minds think alike.” He paused to kiss her again, a sensual sliding of lips that grew into more. A rough growl vibrated in his chest as he feasted on her mouth. When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. “Don’t move a muscle,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

  As if she could move. Her limbs felt like strands of cooked spaghetti after his kiss. Sighing, she parted her legs and ran her hand down her torso. Her fingers skimmed over her panties, and she wondered if he’d spank her for misbehaving. When she strummed her fingers over her clit, hot pleasure radiated from her core. Her eyes fluttered closed to better concentrate on the sinful sensation. The crotch of her panties grew damper, her folds swollen with arousal.

  “I thought I told you not to move.”

  Maggie gasped, her eyes flying open. She stared at him with guilt. “I…um…”

  “Are you wet for me?” He prowled from the doorway to join her on the bed. Dragging her close, he gave her a playful swat on the butt.

  She gasped, the jolt on her ass electrifying her entire body, zapping through her nerve endings like a fork of lightning. Ohhh, that was amazing. Could she get him to do it again? She chewed on her bottom lip, indecision paralyzing her voice.

  “Answer me, babe.” Connor stroked her ass firmly, intensifying the sensations rippling through her body.

  “Yes,” she murmured. And how!

  “Show me.”

  The softly voiced order reverberated between them as they stared at each other. Panic kicked Maggie in the stomach. What did he want her to do?

  Connor said, “Show me how you like to touch yourself.”

  She swallowed hard. “You want me to masturbate in front of you?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. All her bad girl exhibitionist behavior seeped into the mattress.

  He grinned. Wide. “I didn’t expect to do all the work myself.”

  She pulled back, her emotions shooting through her like a bee in a tizzy. Although she had to admit, along with his command came a dark thrill.

  “Get started,” he ordered. “No secrets, remember?”

  He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, making her slow her breathing. When she was certain no amusement or anything sinister lurked in his face, she relaxed. Showtime. Lifting her hips, she whisked her panties off and spread her legs to flash her glistening folds.

  His breath hissed out, approval glinting in his eyes. “Pretty. I like knowing you want me.”

  His appreciation and praise sent her confidence soaring. She brushed her fingers down her slit, coating them with her honey before returning to tease and circle her clit. A gentle pleasure filled her and she closed her eyes to savor the blissful hum. So good. Knowing he watched her every move pushed the sensations even higher.

  “Let me taste you.”

  Her eyes flew open. She removed her hand, expecting him to mov
e between her legs. He didn’t. Instead, Connor lifted her hand to his lips and took her finger inside his mouth. Warm heat seared her digit, a dart of sensation spearing down to her pussy. When he sucked her finger, she couldn’t contain the hungry groan of pleasure emitting from her throat, her sheath clenching with need.

  “Connor,” she moaned. Even her voice contained hunger. Yearning. She needed him so badly she couldn’t hold back, knew she’d suffer if he didn’t take her and yet they’d barely started. Their gazes met, desire rippling between them in silent code.

  With a final swipe of his tongue, he released her finger and smiled. “I want to see your breasts.”

  Maggie thought of his mouth on her nipples and gulped. Hard. “Yes.”

  His brows rose at her taut whisper, his mouth curling into a knowing grin. With a competent flick of his wrist that gave her pause, he removed her bra and, after licking a finger, gently circled one areola. Together they watched it pucker, pulling to a tight crest. His blunt-tipped fingers traced across the plump curve. Maggie sighed, enjoying his explorations, feeling the moment rife with possibilities.

  “Tell me what you like.” He pinched one nipple, rolling it between finger and thumb, watching her reactions closely until her cheeks glowed with heat because of his scrutiny.

  “Everything,” she whispered. She liked everything, which reminded her of the slippery slope she teetered on with Connor. She had to remember to keep a firm grip on her emotions. Any relationship between them was sex for mutual pleasure. That’s all. No long-term partnership. No expectations. Just sex.

  He repeated the move, dragging her attention back to the present, the jolt of pain smoothing out until she drifted in a heavy fog of desire, each lingering caress ratcheting up her sexual appetite. Her pussy throbbed, clenching with fresh hunger at each pinch, every sensual kiss.