Not a Second Chance

by Laura Jardine

  “You just can’t admit you want to sleep with me.”

  “I don’t want to sleep with you.”

  “Liar.”

  “Jerk.”

  He held up his hands. “Okay, I’m a jerk. Now admit you’re a liar.”

  “After you answer my question. Apparently this is a real problem for you.”

  “Fine. I look forward to you telling me you’re a liar, and you can’t wait to tear my clothes off and—”

  “We’re in public,” she hissed.

  “I can wait until we’re alone.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  She expected him to tell her otherwise, but he leaned back and said, “I actually did spend a year living in my parents’ basement, playing lots of online poker. But I’m good at it, so I made money.”

  “And then?”

  “My parents threatened to start charging me rent if I didn’t do something with my life. A lot of rent. But I had a friend who was training to be a welder, and I figured I could do something like that. So I did an apprenticeship and became an electrician.”

  “How long did that take?”

  “About five years,” he said. “Now I work for a construction company.”

  “Do you regret going to university?” she asked.

  “Nah. It was a ton of fun.”

  She supposed it was if you didn’t do any homework.

  “But it was a waste of time, yeah. Life got easier when I stopped thinking I had to be someone I wasn’t.” He grinned. “Now will you tell me you’re a liar?”

  “I’m not finished yet. I’m going to assume you’re single, or the things you’ve said to me would be highly inappropriate.”

  “And we both know I’m never inappropriate.”

  “Exactly.”

  Why, why, why did her mind have to jump to images of them doing something very inappropriate? If only she could banish these thoughts to Antarctica. Or Mars. Better yet, Pluto.

  She glanced back at Eliza, who gave her a thumbs-up. All Eliza would be able to see was Allison talking to a hot guy. From her view, it would look much better than the reality. The reality was that Allison was having some seriously unwanted thoughts about her ex.

  “Yes, I’m single,” he said.

  And she would not take advantage of that. “Divorced?”

  “No.”

  “Any children?”

  He laughed.

  “I don’t see why that’s funny,” she said. “I remember you wanting children. And I remember us having serious conversations about that sort of thing—all of them instigated by you.”

  “You’re the last woman I had those conversations with.” He wasn’t laughing now. No, he looked a little grim. “The last woman I dated for more than a month or two.”

  That surprised her. “Was having serious relationships part of you trying to be someone you weren’t?”

  “You could say that.”

  Liar. When they were together, he’d truly seemed like a relationship kind of guy. But she wouldn’t bring that up—no need to get into this with Sidney. She didn’t need to know any more about his love life. Time to talk about something that had nothing to do with their past.

  “Where do you live?” she asked.

  “Near the lake. You?”

  “Close to here.”

  “Ah. So it would be easier to go to your place.” He tilted his head, his expression now playful. “Come on, just admit you want to sleep with me.”

  “Even if I admit that—”

  “Which you will, because you promised you would if I told you about my life.”

  “—it doesn’t mean I’ll go home with you.”

  “But you’ll take me back to your place.” He crossed his arms and nodded, an irritating smile on his face.

  My God, he’s impossible.

  “Okay, I admit I lied,” she said, cringing at her words. “I’m sure if we slept together, it would be good. And it’s been quite a while since I had sex, so the idea is rather tempting. But we are not doing it.”

  He picked up his fork and pointed at the plate. “Since you won’t let me help you burn off calories, should I eat the rest of your cake?”

  “No.” She grabbed the plate away from him. “This is my reward for dealing with you. If it goes to my hips, well, that’s too bad. But I deserve this treat.”

  “And here I assumed you were having cake because you’d broken a nail.”

  She bit her lip.

  “I’m right?” He slapped the table, then tipped his head back and laughed.

  “No, you’re wrong. I’m having cake because I’ve had a rough week. And it just turned into a very rough week.”

  “Fine. Eat your cake.”

  “I will. Don’t watch my mouth while I do it.”

  “If you insist. “ He closed his eyes and rested his hands in his lap.

  Allison turned toward the window and started on the remaining third of her slice while trying to forget about the man beside her.

  And she was having some success until he said, “Want to know what I’m picturing with my eyes closed?”

  She glared at him before realizing he couldn’t see her expression. “I’ll pass. And I suggest you think about sunshine and rainbows instead.”

  “I’m curious to hear what you believe I’m thinking about.”

  “Well, you’re out of luck.”

  Allison quietly picked up her cake and coffee. She walked to the back of the bakery and sat down at a table, where she finished her cake without any interruption.

  Eliza came over and collected her dishes. “He’s hot.” She glanced toward Sidney. “What’s up with you two?”

  “My ex,” Allison said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. He seemed blissfully unaware that she’d deserted him. “Haven’t seen him in ten years. For good reason.”

  Eliza nodded and said nothing more. As she walked back to the counter, Sidney opened his eyes and looked about. He waved at Allison.

  She could just leave. Walk out the door and hope she never saw him again.

  But she couldn’t seem to haul herself out of the chair as she watched him swagger over to her table, every gorgeous inch of him getting closer and closer. There was some kind of invisible glue working its magic on her ass, some kind of invisible force that would not let her look at anything but him, some strange kind of electricity sending currents of desire down her spine.

  This was bad.

  “Back corner,” he said. “Interesting choice.”

  “As far away from you as I could get.”

  “Without actually leaving.” He sat down and shifted his chair close to hers. “Let me help you make the decision.”

  “What decision are you—”

  His mouth was on hers before she could finish that sentence, his hand on the back of her head, pulling her toward him. His other hand crept up her shoulder to her neck, just above the collar of her shirt. He stroked her bare skin as he brushed his lips over hers, and she closed her eyes and sank into his kiss. But even though it felt damn good, even though her entire body came alive at his touch, she didn’t kiss him back. She just slid her hand onto his knee and let him have his gentle way with her at the back of the bakery, keeping her eyes closed so she couldn’t see who was watching. So she couldn’t see him.

  He didn’t kiss her for very long. Just long enough for her to know she had no chance of turning him down.

  Irritating, irresistible man.

  And he knew it.

  “When we go back to your place, do you promise to be an active participant?” he said.

  “Yes.” If only she was immune to his charms. Unfortunately, she wasn’t. “But let’s be clear on what’s going to happen. We are going back to my condo to have sex. It has to be quick because I’m having dinner with my friends at seven thirty. And then you will leave, and you will never come back. This will not become a regular thing, the two of us sleeping together.”

  “Always so bossy.” He dropped his
forehead to hers. “Okay, I promise. But—”

  “One more thing. You will talk as little as possible, or you risk getting kicked in the balls. Got it?”

  “Perhaps that’s a risk I’m willing to take,” he said, sliding his hand through her hair.

  “Then you’re an idiot. You better do as I say.” But she didn’t put much force into her words. In her mind, she was already lying naked on her stomach as he kissed his way down her back.

  She couldn’t believe she was going to have sex with Sidney. She clenched her thighs as she imagined him sliding inside, his weight pressing down on her, his tongue tangling with hers.

  She better not regret this.

  But she probably would.

  Chapter 2

  They walked up Yonge Street toward Allison’s place, wherever that was. It was early May, a rather nice spring day. There were even a few birds chirping, though the sound of the birds was overwhelmed by the sound of traffic.

  And Sidney had a rather bizarre urge. He wanted to hold her hand.

  What the hell was wrong with him?

  The last time he’d held a woman’s hand would have been ten years ago. Allison’s, of course. He wouldn’t do it outside of a relationship, and since then, he’d had a rule: he never slept with a woman more than five times. And he’d been very good at following that rule. He’d probably have more sex if he was in a relationship, but that was the only advantage of being in one. And it wasn’t worth it.

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and fell a few steps behind Allison. There. Now he couldn’t hold her hand, and he could stare at her ass.

  He hadn’t been lying: he loved her figure. Pretty much exactly as he remembered. Her waist flared out to generous hips and a great ass. She was average height, and her breasts were average size too. But they were great breasts. And soon he would get his hands on them.

  She stopped and turned around. “It’s weird that you’re walking behind me instead of beside me.”

  “But you said I should talk as little as possible.”

  “It would be less weird for you to walk beside me and say nothing than to walk behind me and stare at my ass.”

  “Who said I was doing that?”

  “Come on. I know that’s what you were doing.”

  He stepped toward her, and they started up Yonge again. Since Sidney wasn’t a big fan of this silence thing, he said, “Lovely weather, isn’t it?”

  Her eyebrows shot up, as if she was surprised he was capable of talking about something as innocuous as the weather.

  “Yes,” she said. “It’s the first day I didn’t wear a jacket to work, though I’m wondering now if that was a mistake.”

  “Well, it’s not much farther, right?”

  “Three or four minutes.”

  “Excellent.” He wouldn’t have to wait much longer to touch her. To grab her ass, not hold her hand.

  She smiled faintly at that. “And then you’ve got one hour. Nothing is happening between us after that one hour.”

  He didn’t know why she thought that would be a problem for him. It wouldn’t. This was how he liked his sex. Quick, no emotional entanglement. It was the perfect setup.

  Sidney scrubbed a hand down his face. No, he knew exactly why she thought it would be a problem for him. It was just that he tried not to think about how he used to be, and what had caused him to change.

  He tried not to think about the seven months he’d been with her.

  But tonight he would sleep with her, and then he would go home and have dinner, maybe watch a baseball game. He would prove to himself he was over Allison by treating her just like all the other women he’d slept with. Yes, he still thought she was sexy, but it was nothing more than that.

  When they got to Allison’s condo on the fourteenth floor, she took off her shoes, put down her purse, and leaned against the wall, arms folded over her chest.

  She did not look like a woman who wanted to have sex.

  Shit. Maybe he’d been an ass, bringing the conversation back to sex again and again. Finally she’d agreed, but she seemed to be having second thoughts. And she hadn’t even kissed him back.

  “I can leave if you want,” he offered.

  “It’s been two years since I had any decent sex. It’s time I had some.”

  “If a woman wants sex, it’s easy for her to get it. She just needs to walk up to any guy in a bar. Hell, there was that other man hitting on you at the bakery.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Let’s not analyze this decision.”

  “You sure? You don’t seem very enthusiastic.”

  “I can’t believe I’m about to do this. But yes, I want to sleep with you.” She swayed her hips as she came toward him, then wrapped her arms around his neck. Her voice a little husky, she said, “I’ll show you some enthusiasm soon enough.”

  That was better.

  He picked her up and carried her to the kitchen, where he set her on the counter, keeping his hands on her ass. He nudged her legs open and stood between them. Her thighs rested against him—oh, that was definitely better.

  Allison shifted forward, pressing herself against his erection. Her lips nearly brushed his ear as she whispered, “I want you to strip me bare. I want you to lay me back on the counter, and slam into me over and over again.” She leaned back. “Is that enthusiastic enough for you?”

  Hell yes, that was good. But if she wanted to keep going, that was fine too.

  He circled his arms around her, pulling her chest against his. So much of her touched him, and he couldn’t wait until it was more. He kissed her collarbone before slowly dragging his lips up her neck. Up to her ear, where he nibbled on her earlobe.

  “I guess it was enthusiastic enough for you,” she said dryly.

  Sidney would have preferred a moan. Would have preferred some evidence that what he was doing affected her. He shifted one hand to her breast and stroked her nipple through her shirt.

  “Are you wet?” he asked.

  “No.”

  He quickly unbuttoned her pants and slid his hand down her panties. He shoved his middle finger inside her; she was definitely turned on. Fuck, he wanted her so badly.

  “Liar,” he said.

  “I knew you would do that if I said no.”

  “You were playing with me.”

  “Of course. I…Oh, God.”

  He’d shoved two fingers as deep as he could and pressed his thumb to her clit. Her lips parted slightly, and she bucked her hips against him.

  “That’s better,” he said.

  “It sure is. Stay right there.”

  He pulled his fingers out and placed both hands on the counter.

  “I hate you,” she muttered.

  “I know.” He planted tiny kisses down her cheek. “Now the man you hate is going to kiss you on the mouth, and he won’t touch you again unless you kiss him back.”

  Sidney pressed his lips to hers. He started to kiss her, very gently, very slowly.

  She did nothing.

  No surprise there. He knew she’d play with him like this, but he expected her to kiss him back soon enough.

  Any moment now.

  When she finally did, her hands coming up to cup his face, he groaned. He’d missed this—missed making out with a woman, not Allison specifically. He’d been having a bit of a dry spell lately. God, it felt good to do this again.

  He started unbuttoning her shirt as they kissed. As fast as he could—he wanted her bare breasts in his hands. But it was hard to focus on the basic task of undoing buttons when she was pleasuring him like this, her tongue running along his lips, now dipping inside. Her mouth was perfect on his, her kiss searing.

  He finally managed to pull off her shirt and remove her bra. When he squeezed her tits, she drew back and bit her lip.

  “Just moan,” he said, desperate to hear some response from her. “You know you want to.”

  He kept one hand on her breast and dropped the other one lower, his fingers flirting with the top of
her panties. This is what I’ll do if you moan for me. Then he circled his thumb around her nipple. Very lightly—he remembered she had sensitive nipples.

  She finally moaned, and he slid his hand lower and fingered her clit. Slowly, not enough to get her off—unless things had changed in the past ten years.

  “See?” he said. “Everything’s better when you cooperate.”

  “Everything’s better when you shut the hell up,” she shot back.

  He stopped moving his finger.

  “God, I hate you,” she muttered.

  Sidney laughed and went back to rubbing his finger over her clit. And rubbing his erection against her thigh. Damn, she was making him hard. She was half naked now, and she was beautiful. Her dark hair hung to the tips of her hardened nipples. All that smooth skin for him to touch…and touch her he would.

  “I know you want me to shut up,” he said. “But I need you to tell me—do you really want me to fuck you on the counter?”

  “Hmm.” She unzipped his pants. “Do you have a condom? Or do we need to head to the bedroom to get one of those anyway?”

  “I have one.”

  He pushed down her pants and underwear, then used his thumb and forefinger to spread apart her folds. He didn’t slide a finger inside, just held her open and imagined being surrounded by her damp heat, taking her roughly in the kitchen. Yeah, that was definitely what he wanted.

  “Here,” she gasped.

  “Good.”

  He returned to kissing her, holding her open and letting her imagine what came next. She wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked him lightly.

  What came next would have to happen soon. Very soon.

  When he spread his thumb and finger slightly farther apart, she said, “Yeah, you are pretty big.”

  “Bigger than you remember?”

  She grasped his cock more tightly. “No, same as I remember.”

  “So you remember.”

  “Of course I do.”

  Sidney shoved his fingers inside her and listened to the soft moans that escaped her mouth.

  “You’re gonna come for me,” he growled. “Gonna make you scream, whether you want to or not. And then I’ll slam into you while you’re lying back on the counter. Tell me you want—”

  “I want that.”