When We Met

by Susan Mallery

  The first stroke of his tongue explored. The second found her clit and the third had her hanging on to his shoulders to keep from falling.

  There was no dignified way to stand barefoot while a man sucked and licked her to orgasm, she thought as she parted her legs more and dug her fingers into his shoulders. And she didn’t care. She let her eyes close and her head fall back as she gave herself over to the stroking.

  He circled her steadily. Every third or fourth time he went a tiny bit faster and harder. He reached for her hands and positioned them so she was holding herself open for him. She could feel his warm breath on her skin and every now and then he ran his tongue across the very tip of her fingers.

  Her leg muscles began to tremble. Her breasts ached as every part of her focused on what he was doing to her. Tension grew, pushing her toward the ultimate goal. He cupped her ass with one hand and dug into her skin with kneading fingers. He ran the other up the inside of her thigh and pushed two fingers deep into her.

  The invasion was exquisite. She wanted to sink onto him, drawing him in deeper, but she couldn’t move. She was already barely standing—her legs spread, her thighs shaking, and still he moved his tongue against her.

  She was getting closer. So close, she thought, her breath coming in gasps. A few more strokes.

  “Angel,” she gasped.

  He pushed his fingers into her, then withdrew. Again and again. She was getting there. She could practically see it.

  Then he stopped. All of it. His fingers went still, his tongue wasn’t moving. There was nothing. She hung there, her body ready, but with no way to—

  He pressed his lips to her clit and sucked hard. At the same moment, he pushed into her, curling his fingers toward her front, finding her G-spot and rubbing the swollen middle. She came without warning, trembling and gasping, calling out, afraid she would fall but unable to do anything but let him take her over the edge again and again.

  The last shudder had barely rippled through her when he drew back. He grabbed her and then she was being lowered to the blanket on the ground. She was shaky and unfocused. There was movement. She was vaguely aware of Angel tearing off clothes. His jeans landed by her hip. She fingered the soft, worn fabric and wondered when she’d last felt so incredibly satisfied.

  Then he was between her thighs. He filled her with one smooth push. She went from hazy to interested in a heartbeat. Her eyes snapped opened. Angel was over her, pushing into her again.

  She could see his face, his shoulders, his passion-filled eyes and she smiled. This was going to be good.

  He didn’t disappoint. The man had control and style. He found a rhythm and depth that touched the very core of her. Just when she was about to relax into the sensations, he shifted slightly and had her chasing to keep up. He pumped slow, then fast, then slow again. She was wet, swollen and surging toward another release.

  Just as she was about to wrap her legs around him to draw him in, he somehow flipped them both so he was on his back and she was on top.

  She wiggled a little to find a comfortable place on his erection. She unfastened her ponytail and shook her head so her hair hung loose around them. After bracing her hands on either side of his shoulders, she smiled at him and began to move.

  “Think you’re in control?” he asked as she slowly, so slowly, slid up and down.

  “I know I am.”

  One eyebrow rose. He cupped her breasts, then touched the very tip of her nipples. The light, teasing brush made her insides clench and had her hips pumping a little faster. He massaged her breasts. After her last orgasm every part of her was more sensitive and she found it difficult to remember she was trying to hold back. Because honestly, what was the point? Angel was naked and hard and inside her.

  He continued to rub her breasts, his gaze locked with hers.

  “Come for me.”

  The command was unexpected and sexy and dammit all to hell if her body didn’t start to tremble as a climax washed through her. She rode him up and down, unable to stop herself from going faster and grinding deeper, pulling every ounce of pleasure from the lovemaking.

  Angel dropped his hands to her hips, guiding her as she slid over him. When she was finally surfacing again, he pushed in deep one last time and shuddered his own release.

  * * *

  “WHAT ARE THE odds of you eating lunch naked?” Angel asked when he and Taryn had washed up in the frigid water. He already knew the answer, but figured a man couldn’t be judged for inquiring.

  He was a guy—he enjoyed looking at the female body. Taryn was tall and lean. He liked her small, perky breasts. Her nipples were slightly oversize and seemed to always be hard. Talk about arousing. Having her long hair play peekaboo with her nipples added to the show. Her legs were long, her pubic area trimmed but not waxed—just the way he preferred.

  She looked from the pile of clothes they’d scattered around, to the lunch cooler, then back to him.

  “Sure,” she said, and dropped to the blanket.

  All right!

  He got the cooler and passed out sandwiches. There were also bottles of water and cut fruit. Taryn sat cross-legged and reached for one of the sandwiches.

  He stared at her. She was totally naked. Her hair partially covered her breasts, but not enough to keep them from being a distraction. Worse, with her legs like that, he could see all of her. She was still damp and swollen and he felt himself getting aroused.

  She bit into the sandwich, chewed and swallowed. Her mouth twitched. “Is there a problem?”

  He swore, grabbed her sandwich and tossed it into the cooler, then bent over her and began kissing his way down her chest.

  “You did that on purpose,” he accused, just before he licked her nipple.

  “I only did what you asked.”

  “Because you knew what would happen.”

  “Did I?” she asked with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around him.

  * * *

  MONDAY MORNING TARYN walked from her car to the company offices. Across the street the basketball game was in full swing. She paused to watch the action and felt a tiny tug of regret when she saw Angel was on the shirts team. Too bad, because the man looked good without clothes.

  They’d managed to make love again, get dressed and eat lunch before their ride found them. Angel had spent the rest of the weekend at her place, mostly in her bed. They’d talked about everything but what had happened and what she’d told him. She had a feeling he would never bring up the topic of her father again.

  But it was enough that one other person knew the truth.

  She walked into her office and turned on her computer. As she set down her tote, she saw a plain white envelope with her name on the front. She opened it and found a note from Angel.

  “Because we never talked about it.” The paper underneath was a copy of a blood test from only a few months before.

  Taryn sank onto her chair. Other lovers had sent flowers or jewelry after a weekend with her. Some gave her clothes or tickets for island getaways. But this—this was special. Thoughtful, just like the man himself. Angel took care of people.

  She was on the pill, so pregnancy wasn’t an issue. But they hadn’t used a condom until they got to her place. She’d thought they would have to have an awkward conversation, but he’d handled the situation.

  She tucked the note and the blood test into a side pocket of her tote, then unloaded the paperwork she’d never gotten to. She had plenty to keep her busy, she reminded herself. There was no time to swoon over a man. Still, Angel seemed very swoon-worthy. And someone she could almost trust. Almost being the key word.

  Sometime around ten, Larissa walked into her office with two mugs of coffee.

  “How’s it going?” her friend asked.

  Taryn winced. “I have an appointment with Mayor Marsha this afternoon. I get to explain to an old lady why she needs to change the town’s slogan. I’m not looking forward to it.”

  Larissa set one of the coffee mugs on T
aryn’s desk, then settled in the visitor’s chair. “How was your weekend?”

  “Good, yours?”

  “I went to a conference in Sacramento.”

  “Greenpeace?”

  “No, but it was on animal rescue and preservation.” Larissa leaned forward. “What do you know about marmosets?”

  Taryn shook her head. “No.”

  “But they’re adorable.”

  “No. Don’t even think about it. No monkeys. Not here and not at your apartment. No.”

  “But...”

  “No. I mean it, Larissa. Don’t go there. We’ll all regret it.”

  * * *

  “YOU SHOULD BE happy I’m coming with you,” Jack said as they drove through town.

  “That remains to be seen,” Taryn grumbled, not sure how she ended up having to be the one to talk to Mayor Marsha about the town slogan. Although it wasn’t as if she could have let Kenny and Jack go by themselves. Heaven only knew what they would have said.

  He parked his Mercedes in front of City Hall and walked around to help her out of the car. As he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her up the steps, she had to admit that for all her complaints about the boys, they were basically good men with nice manners. Even better, they respected women, paid their bills on time and in Jack’s case, put up with Larissa’s craziness.

  “By the way,” she said. “If Larissa says anything about a marmoset, tell her no.”

  Jack frowned. “What are they? Monkeys?”

  “Yes, and they bite. I checked them out on the internet. They’re wild animals and we don’t want them anywhere but in their natural habitat. Which is not your house, by the way.”

  “Okay.”

  Taryn glanced at him. “Really?”

  Jack shrugged. “Sure. I can stand up to her.”

  Taryn laughed. “Yeah, we’ve all seen that happen.”

  “You’re saying I can’t?”

  “I’m saying you won’t. There’s a difference.”

  They walked into the old building. Taryn paused to take in the architecture. There were murals and a wide staircase. All very pretty when she wasn’t there to deliver bad news and no doubt get sucked into doing something she didn’t want to do.

  “I blame you for this,” she told Jack.

  “We’re giving back to the community. That’s a good thing.”

  “I’ll remind you of that later, when I’m beating you with a stick.”

  He winked at her and pointed to the stairs. “Mayor’s office is that way.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I’m a man of mystery.”

  “You probably looked it up before we left.”

  “That, too.”

  They went up to the second floor. As they approached the mayor’s office, a woman came out of another office and walked toward them. Taryn recognized the beautiful, pregnant redhead. Felicia Boylan was in charge of festivals in town. Taryn had met her when she’d first come to check out the town. Felicia was extremely intelligent and more than a little blunt. Taryn admired her for both qualities.

  “Good afternoon,” Felicia said as she approached. “Mayor Marsha asked me to sit in on the meeting. If the town slogan is changing, we’ll have to address that in our advertising for the festivals. Depending on what the change is, we can use it to our advantage. Although I must point out that there are costs involved. Printed material, banners, updating online.”

  Jack looked startled by the information that accompanied the greeting. Taryn only smiled.

  “Nice to see you,” she said. “I agree, there will be costs. The question comes down to value.”

  “I like the slogan,” Felicia murmured, leading the way into the waiting area by the mayor’s office. “I have my own Fool’s Gold happy ending.”

  Jack made a choking sound. Taryn looked at the other woman’s baby bump and knew exactly what he was thinking. She elbowed him to keep him quiet.

  As they approached the double doors leading to the mayor’s private office, she saw an older woman sitting at a desk.

  “Hi, Marjorie,” Felicia said, smiling at her. “Should we go in?”

  Marjorie nodded and motioned to the half-open door.

  Mayor Marsha was waiting for them. She shook their hands, then led them over to a small conference table by the window. The mayor was dressed in a suit, with her hair up in a bun and pearls around her neck.

  “How can I help you two?” she asked when they were all seated.

  Taryn glanced at Jack, who smiled back. She held in a sigh. Obviously he was going to make her do all the talking.

  She wished she’d brought paperwork. Handing out files was always a nice distraction. But what was she supposed to do? Diagram out a “happy ending”?

  “We’re concerned about the town slogan,” Taryn began.

  “So you said in your message.” The mayor looked pleasant but not overly interested. “Fool’s Gold has been the land of happy endings for nearly a hundred years. I’m not sure we want to change now.”

  Jack started to chuckle. Taryn glared at him.

  “I agree with the mayor,” Felicia began. “People come here and fall in love. The happy ending is—”

  She froze, her mouth still open, as if she were going to continue speaking. Then her jaw dropped and her green eyes widened. “Oh no.” She turned to the mayor. “They’re right. The land of happy endings. ‘Happy ending’ is a euphemism for a male orgasm. Like at the end of a massage. When the female masseuse stimulates the man’s penis until he—”

  “Thank you,” Mayor Marsha said forcefully. “I get it.” Color stained her cheeks. “None of us ever thought of the name that way, but now that you’ve pointed it out, it seems like something we should have noticed long before this.”

  Taryn resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. “Yes, well, Jack, Kenny and Sam noticed it. For obvious reasons.”

  “They’re immature and driven by their need to ejaculate?” Felicia asked.

  Taryn grinned. “Yes, that would be it.”

  “Hey,” Jack said, sounded wounded. “There’s more to us than that.”

  Felicia nodded. “Yes, of course. You have emotional depths. It’s just the male drive for orgasm is very powerful. It can cause focus problems and poor decision making.” She leaned toward him. “I’ve noticed that falling in love and making a long-term commitment tends to redirect a man’s sexual energy. When a man has a partner he truly loves, he is more able to direct his energies in positive ways.”

  The mayor cleared her throat. “Perhaps we could keep on the topic at hand. The town slogan.”

  “We’re working on several options,” Taryn said. “If you want to hear them at a later time. Or you could brainstorm in-house.”

  “I think I’ll leave this to the professionals. Do you have any idea what direction you’ll be going in?”

  Jack started to speak, but Taryn glared at him again. No way she wanted him telling the mayor anything like Fool’s Gold—Where Men Are Finally Coming.

  “It’s early yet,” Taryn said instead. “Let me put together a presentation.”

  “That would be helpful,” Mayor Marsha told her as she rose. “The work will be pro bono.”

  The words were a statement, not a question. Taryn nodded. Later she would take up the matter with the boys. But as they’d created the problem by noticing it in the first place, she didn’t think they would be in much of a position to complain.

  They all shook hands again and the three of them left. Once they were in the hallway, Felicia turned to Jack.

  “I have to discuss a matter with Taryn. It’s female in nature and will upset you. I suggest you leave now.”

  Jack glanced between them. “You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said. “Call when you want me to come get you.”

  He practically flew down the stairs.

  Felicia pointed to a bench in the open hallway. Taryn sat next to her and waited. She couldn’t imagine what the other woman would wan
t to talk to her about. Especially under a “female nature” topic.

  Felicia angled toward her. “As you know, I’m pregnant.”

  Taryn glanced at her baby bump and nodded. “You’re past the point of hiding that from anyone.”

  Felicia smiled. “Gideon and I started trying in December. I believe I got pregnant right away. I took the test the morning of our wedding and it was positive.” Her smile faded. “I’m having a girl.”

  “I don’t understand. You wanted a boy?”

  “No. I would have been equally happy with a child of either sex. My concern is Gideon has a son. Carter is very helpful and informative. I had thought to draw on his memories of his childhood to help me be a better mother. But he’s concerned his experiences as a boy won’t give me enough information when it comes to raising a girl.”

  Taryn didn’t know Felicia’s whole story. She’d heard bits and pieces—that Felicia had been so intelligent as a young kid that her parents had been afraid of her. As a result, she’d been raised in a university lab. Somehow she’d made her way to the military, where she’d been a logistics expert for a Special Forces team. Now she ran the festivals in town.

  While her background was extraordinary, Taryn could see how Felicia would feel unprepared to be a parent. “How can I help? I don’t have kids of my own. Or a lot of experience with them.”

  “That is true. However, you and Angel are working together with a new FWM grove. I’ve talked a lot to Patience about raising Lillie, but I would like a more robust amount of information. I would like very much to come to a meeting and observe the girls. I thought spending time like that would help me understand them better.”

  Had the request come from anyone else, Taryn would have told the woman to suck it up and get over it. That having a child would be an on-the-job training experience, as it had been for millions of women. But she knew Felicia was different. Taryn knew all about never quite fitting in. Felicia had experienced it because she was so intelligent. Taryn had been an outsider growing up because no one could be allowed to get close enough to guess the family secrets.

  She lightly touched Felicia’s arm. “There’s going to be a mother-daughter tea. Angel just texted me about it.” She smiled. “He’s totally freaked, which is pretty fun. If you came to that, you can see the girls and how they are with their moms.”