by Diana Tobin
“Yes, you have. Many times.” She tried to nudge him back, but he slipped his arms around her, drawing her in and nuzzled the back of her neck. “D-don’t we need to g-get back to work?” He pressed a kiss beneath her ear before nibbling at her bare lobe.
“This isn’t work.” His breath was hot on her skin. “This is all pleasure, honey. With more to come.”
JC turned her in his arms keeping one hand at the back of her head, the other at the small of her back, lifting her into him as he bent over her. His lips latched onto hers, parting them so his tongue could sweep in and taste all her secrets.
Coherent thought flew from her mind. She could only think More! Lynn dug her fingers into his shoulders and wrapped one leg around his forcing his arousal to press against her center. He made a sound low in his throat she took to be approval and sent her fingers beneath his tee shirt.
His skin was hot and moisture beaded at the base of his spine. She hummed, pleased she could bring him to this. Her hands slid up the muscles of his back, taking his shirt along for the ride. Then, she pulled her mouth from his to yank the tee over his head. The shirt fell from her fingers as she used them to explore his chest and the pale hair covering his impressive pecs. She leaned closer to lave one flat brown nipple with her tongue, and felt his indrawn breath.
“You’re gonna kill me,” he growled. Her own shirt was pulled off over her head and he stared down at the pale yellow lace covering her breasts. “Pretty,” he murmured as he traced the edge of one cup with a long finger. “But it needs to go.”
Before she could blink, her bra was gone and he was moving her torso against his in a hypnotic dance of breast to chest. Holding her close he kissed her deeply before his lips trailed down her neck to explore the wonders below. Heat surged through her, and for one insane moment she feared JC had backed her into the hot stove.
Going to his knees he buried his face between her breasts, turning his head one way then the other to plant kisses on her flesh. “So beautiful.”
“I-I’m too big,” she whispered.
He lifted his head to stare into her eyes, placing a palm over each breast. “You’re perfect. Perfect for me.” Keeping his gaze locked on hers, he shifted his hands to her sides and pressed a pouting kiss to each nipple. Then, trailing his lips down her abdomen, he opened her jeans and pushed them down her hips and legs. He massaged each bare foot as he pulled it from her jeans. Wrapping her legs around his waist, he got to his feet, lifting her with him.
“JC?”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Can’t wait.”
He carried her to the table, where they’d just eaten lunch, and gently set her down, leaning over her as he pressed her back. He took one step away, his gaze devouring her as he fumbled with his own jeans, finally getting them open and shoved down.
Lynn nearly choked on the breath she sucked in. JC was a big man. Big everywhere. She must’ve made a sound of distress for his eyes locked on hers. “I won’t hurt you, honey.”
His hands at her hips he pressed a kiss to one knee, then the other. Slowly, his mouth traveled up her body, following the trail of his hands, until his mouth was joined with hers as well as their bodies.
“Told you,” he said with satisfaction. “We’re a perfect fit.”
JC began to move and, again, Lynn’s one thought was More! Her gaze was locked on his as they climbed higher and higher. Then, her vision blurred and they flew off the edge together.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Lynn remained on the table with JC sprawled over her. She was trying to put two thoughts together, but all that came to mind was bits and pieces. Wow! Hot damn! Oh, my God! Can we do that again?
“Damn, baby. That was perfect.”
He might as well have dumped ice water on her. She blinked away the tears that sprang to her eyes. JC’s words were too much like the ones Donny had said to her. Only, she’d never had mind blowing sex with Donny. While she’d been left feeling unfulfilled, Donny told her how great it was. If, he managed to stay awake long enough to say anything.
And, she’d believed him, until she’d heard him with Becky. He’d told her he’d had to praise Lynn just so he could get it up with her.
Now, JC was saying much the same thing. Which meant, to JC, she was just one of many. Hadn’t she expected that? She’d known that, but it still hurt to know the mind blowing was only on her part. Business as usual for him. She’d merely provided an outlet for him.
“I need to get up.”
JC lifted his chest a bit, but continued to nuzzle her neck and jaw. “Nope. I like you right here.” He shifted his pelvis, reminding her he was still deeply seated inside her. As if she could forget.
“Th-the table is hard.” Immediately, he slid his hands under her to provide a cushion. Lynn turned her head away but couldn’t stop the tears that leaked out.
“Gimme a minute and I’ll carry you up to bed.” She felt his grin against her breast. “I promise not to be in such a rush this time.”
“No. I-I need to get back to work.”
He was kissing and nibbling his way over her chest and neck. “Sweetheart, I don’t care if people pick those berry bushes clean. I’ve finally got you where I want you, and I’m not letting go.” He lifted his head and the grin slid off his mouth. “You’re crying. I hurt you.” He gathered her up against him. “I’m sorry, honey. I was too rough. I forgot what a tiny bit you are.” JC stood up, taking her with him, and shuffled to a chair where he sat, keeping her on his lap.
“No. You didn’t h—you weren’t too rough. I…” she shrugged her shoulders. She wasn’t about to tell him she thought she was different. That she’d thought he actually cared about her. She moved to get up, but his hands clamped on her hips keeping her firmly on his lap, still joined to him.
When she stilled, he slid a hand slowly up her back and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Holding her close, he said softly, “I’m sorry it wasn’t good for you, baby. I would’ve sworn you were right there with me. But, you blew my brains out and I was totally lost in you.” Gently, he rubbed his hands up and down her back, keeping her against him, as he grew bigger inside her. His lips twitched. “See, I’m trying to be considerate, but all I can think about is doing it again.”
She stared at him. “Because I’m available.”
His face lost all humor and softness. “Lynn, available is pretty much everywhere. You’re not available. You’re special. If that asshole told you otherwise, well, you need to consider the source. You need to put aside whatever that idiot did to you. I’m not him.”
“Have you put aside everything your wife did to you?”
JC flinched and blew out a breath. “Working on it.” He settled more firmly in the chair and bent his head to kiss her. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
“I’m sure.”
“If you need more proof of how special you are, talking about my ex-wife is a sure cure to a hard on. But,” he flexed and she felt him move inside her. “As you can tell, that’s not the case now.” His voice went deep and husky. “You’re the only cure for that.”
He proceeded to show her just how with his lips as his hands guided her hips to the satisfaction of them both.
○◊○
He tried to convince her to stay.
JC was sure he’d sweet talked her into going upstairs to shower with him, then spending the rest of the afternoon—all night?—in bed. Suddenly, she jumped off him and was yanking on her clothes as if her luscious round ass was on fire. The slamming of the door behind her broke through his sexual fog.
He’d just had the best sex of his life and Lynn couldn’t get away from him fast enough. What the hell?
He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. His dick was at half-mast, his bare ass felt glued to the chair, and he wanted Lynn back in his arms.
She’d called him a horn dog and he couldn’t disagree with her assessment. He’d been panting after Lynn from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Once he got insid
e that hot tight body of hers, he didn’t ever want to leave. Hell, he hadn’t for over an hour. Chances were good he’d still be inside her if she hadn’t suddenly scrambled off him in a rush to get away.
JC shook his head trying to recall what he’d said.
He was pretty sure he’d been talking about her soft skin. Hell, he couldn’t keep his hands, nor his lips, off her. He wanted to gobble her up in one huge bite, while at the same time he wanted to savor every tiny inch of her.
He was going to carry her upstairs, he just needed a few minutes first. Lynn insisted she could walk, but he didn’t want her that far away and he wanted her to save her strength for more important things. Like him. Not walking, not cooking, not working on the stand. Just him.
Next thing, she was pushing away, throwing on her clothes, and lit out of there like the hounds of hell were after her.
Did she consider him that hound?
…just a horn dog. You think fucking me is payment for my work?
Is that what she thought of him?
He would have winced when he pulled his bare backside from the wooden seat of the chair, but his mounting anger over rode discomfort. He had a good mind to go down and kick that stand to hell and back. How could she reduce their relationship down to a working one? That stopped him as he yanked his jeans up.
He and Lynn didn’t have a relationship. They were friends. Good friends. Helping each other out. If they decided to throw some good sex into the mix, what could it hurt?
Okay, it was better than good and lacked a lot of finesse on his part. For Pete’s sake; he’d taken her on the table and a kitchen chair because he couldn’t wait another moment to claim her as his. He’d had her in his arms, nibbling at her neck and shoulder and contemplating where he’d like to next put his mouth, when she’d fled.
Jesus, Benjamin. What a dumbass!
JC put his clothes back on and went out to finish work on the stand. He needed to think about how to make things up to Lynn. She deserved better and, somehow, he’d make sure she got it.
○◊○
Lynn had the music on low but couldn’t bring herself to sing along with Adele. Instead, she concentrated on rolling out her cookie dough. Stars and moons. They’d be a nice touch for mid-summer. Next week she’d do the watermelon slices again. They took a lot of time, but she had plenty.
Was she being a fool, again?
A few sweet words from a gorgeous man, even sweeter kisses, and she was flat on her back with her legs spread for his pleasure. Okay, she had to be honest, definitely her pleasure, too. She’d never been pleasured like that.
With Donny, she’d tried hard. Tried to convince herself she enjoyed it. At first, she had. He’d gotten to her with his compliments. After too many years of coming up short as a boy, as her father insisted she be, she’d fallen even shorter as a girl. To Ted Baxter’s mind. In high school, JC Benjamin had seemed to appreciate the girl she’d become, or more to the point, he appreciated her curves. But he’d given no thought to the person behind those curves.
She’d decided men were the scourge of womankind and she’d do without. Then, slick talking Donny had come along. Praising her brain, her work ethic, her ability to remain calm no matter how much was on her plate. And, lonely pathetic fool she’d been, she’d fallen for it until she was doing all she could for him while he did…nothing. Including satisfying her in bed.
He’d get off, tell her it was great, or words to that effect, pat her on the butt, and roll off, snoring. Lynn would lie there wondering what was wrong with her. For her, pleasure was a fleeting thought, just out of her grasp. Half the time while Donny snored she’d get up and shower, feeling soiled, then hit the books, again, mostly for him.
What a sucker she’d been!
Was she doing the same with JC?
He acted as if he genuinely appreciated what she did, thanking her often. Boy, did he thank her this afternoon. Heat, not from the oven, flushed over her skin as she recalled the way JC had kissed her. Touched her. Loved her. He’d wanted her so much he’d taken her on the nearest flat surface. Then his post coital praise had sounded so much like Donny’s she’d felt her heart crack.
She hadn’t wanted JC to see her tears and tried to blink them back. When that didn’t work, she’d tried to hide them. But, he’d seen, and thought he’d hurt her. Which he had, but not with his body. He’d gathered her close to comfort, remaining hard inside her, until he’d sat on a chair, draping her over his lap. And, had grown harder and bigger. She could take a lifetime of being thanked by JC Benjamin.
Which was part of the problem.
While JC was nothing like her father, nor Donny, he was still a man. One thing she’d learned was that men disappoint and couldn’t be counted on.
Wil isn’t disappointing your mother, and he waited nearly thirty years to have the woman of his dreams.
Wil was the exception, as was her brother-in-law, Ethan.
JC is more like Wil and Ethan.
While that might be true, he wasn’t looking for long term. He was willing to be friends, something they hadn’t managed when younger. If he was willing to give her excellent hot sex while he was at it, she’d be a fool to turn him down.
She was done being a fool. She was willing to help a friend, and if it aided her at the same time, so much the better. From now on, she was doing what was best for her. That included having hot wild sex with JC. She wouldn’t look for more.
Feeling better about life in general she belted out lyrics as she rolled out cookie dough.
A pounding at the front door cut her off mid-note. “Can’t people read?” she grumbled as she stepped through the curtains hiding her from the front of the closed shop.
JC, hands cupped around his face, peered in at her through the glass door.
Lynn unlocked the door and pulled him inside. “What are you doing here?” She checked that the Closed signs were facing outward, re-locked the door, and hurried him through the curtains to the back room.
Before she could say a word, JC scooped her up in his arms, her feet dangling above the floor as he kissed her. Several long breath-stealing moments later he lifted his lips from hers. “Nice to know you couldn’t wait to get me alone.”
Her mouth fell open as she stared at him. “I didn’t want anyone to see you come in.” When his grin turned to a frown, she added, “I don’t even want people knowing I’m in here.”
“But, you live here. Or, is that a secret?”
“Not a secret, exactly, but I don’t advertise it. Besides, too often if folks know I’m in here baking they think I’ll gladly make them a coffee, too.”
His frown deepened. “Even though the shop is closed?”
“According to some, like our dear mayor, as long as I’m fussing about the kitchen how much trouble could an iced latte be? That’s why I keep the curtains closed and the lights dim back here.”
JC nodded his understanding. “I thought maybe it was so no one would see me making love to you in here. Because what happens with us has nothing to do with payment of any kind. Don’t ever think that.” He boosted her up his body, wrapping her legs around his waist. He pressed kisses across her face before planting a long deep one on her mouth. “Whatcha baking?”
“Cookies.”
“Can I get an iced latte?”
“I can give you a fat lip.”
His grin was quick and sexy. “Only if it’s from kissing me.” Which he did with great thoroughness. “Show me where you sleep.”
The oven timer beeped. “I need to get my cookies out.”
“Okay,” he agreed.
“You need to put me down before they burn.”
“If I put you down will you show me where you sleep?”
“Why the sudden interest in my sleeping habits?”
He pulled her closer. “Nothing sudden in my interest in you.”
“JC. My cookies will be ruined.” He continued to hold her and stare. “Fine,” she agreed. “Let me see to the cookie
s and I’ll show you my apartment.”
His grin spread across his full lips as he slowly let her slide down his body until her feet were on the floor. She grabbed oven mitts and felt his gaze on her as she bent to open the oven door and remove the trays, placing them on the cool stovetop. He stopped her before she could put a new batch in the oven.
“After,” he licked his lips and watched her gaze follow the movement. “We don’t want to worry about burning anything down here. In fact,” he reached around her for the controls, “let’s turn off the oven in case the, um, tour takes longer.”
“It might take thirty seconds if we walk real slow.”
JC splayed his hand across her back and urged her toward the stairs. “I can guarantee it will be slow.” His voice was low and deep.
Lynn swallowed and started up the stairs. She startled when his hand cupped one butt cheek.
“You’re wearing my shorts, again.”
She hadn’t given a thought to the fact she was dressed in only a thin tank and his boxers when she rushed out to see who was pounding on the shop door. “I’ll give them back as soon as I do laundry.” They’d reached the top of the stairs. “This is it. Mind your head,” she waved her hands to indicate the sloping roofline.
JC barely glanced around the room. “I don’t plan on standing for long.”
“Y-you don’t?”
Slowly, he moved his head from side to side and one long finger traced over the strap of her tank. Rather than his regular boots, JC wore sneakers which he toed off, leaving his large feet bare. “I want my boxers back. Now.”
“N-now? O-okay. Let me—”
“No. Changed my mind.” He unbuttoned his jeans and slid the zipper down. He hadn’t bothered with a belt tonight. “You can keep ’em, but I want them off. As you can see,” he pushed his jeans down over his slim hips and tugged them off his legs. “I don’t have any on.”
She shouldn’t be staring, but nothing short of a hurricane could stop her. Lynn doubted even a hurricane would. The man was simply gorgeous. She’d barely gotten a glimpse of him this afternoon. He’d had her naked and was inside her before she’d gotten more than a peek. Later, she’d been too angry and hurt to do more than disentangle from him and throw her clothes over her nakedness. But, now... Now, she could take her time and look her fill.
