by Roxie Odell
“Still, you could’ve wrapped it all up with a big bow, a little nicer. Why’d you have to be so…abrupt?” she inquired.
“I can’t and don’t want to defend what I did, Cheri. I believe in getting right to the point, so…”
“So get to the point, then.”
He sighed. “Okay. The point is, I took the wrong approach with you.”
“So you regret what you did?”
“I do, at least the harsh goodbye part,” he said, nodding. “I get that you might say, ‘No fucking way,’ but I’m hoping there’s some way you can find it in your heart to overlook the jerk move I made, because I’d really like to see you again.”
“Do you know I got busted for contempt of court?” she asked, though it sounded like more of a confession than a question.
“No shit?” His eyebrows rose in shock.
“I’m surprised my lawyer didn’t tell you.”
“No, your lawyer was all business. He did say you were up Shit Creek without a paddle, but he didn’t tell me that part,” replied Thomas.
“I spent a couple hours in a holding cell,” she said, hating that her cheeks were burning. “They cuffed me and everything.”
“Cuffed you, huh?” he asked, a naughty lilt in his voice. “Bet you were a pretty little jailbird,” he mused. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not funny, and I’m sure it was horrible for you, but at least now the two of us have something in common.”
“Maybe it was a little funny,” she said with a smirk, holding her thumb and index finger together in a pinch to indicate just how little. “I thought I was going to have to post bail and the whole nine yards, but the judge gave me an ROR.”
“A what?”
“Released me on my own recognizance.”
“Oh, well, that’s lucky. What did you do to get in the ol’ slammer?” He winked as he tried to tease her.
“I was trying to text you. Warn you that my lawyer might be getting in touch.” She shook her head. “The judge came in and decided to make an example of it. I tried defending that I was turning my phone off. It didn’t go over so well.”
“It sounds like you had a pretty shitty day,” he said.
“A shitty week actually,” she fired back at him, her last ammunition in the arsenal of guilting him for being way too straightforward. He had already apologized, and she finally felt like she could forgive him and move on.
Just as they were starting to get along, they were interrupted by a busboy who set a basket of bread in front of them and filled their water glasses from a crystal pitcher. “Your waiter will be right over to take your order,” he said with a smile, then walked to the next table.
“Bread and water,” Cheri said with a laugh. “I guess they know we were prisoners after all.”
“Funny girl,” Thomas said, clinking his water glass against hers.
As promised, the waiter soon arrived and riffed off the specials, officially changing the subject.
The wine began to warm Cheri, sending happy tingles through her as the appetizers arrived. She hoped Thomas was minding his limits, because she looked forward to riding with him on his motorcycle again, rather than helping him push it in an inebriated stupor.
Thomas picked up a piece of calamari and fed it to her. “Something so sensual about this, right?” he said with a smoky look in his eye.
“Mmm,” she muttered, enjoying the crispy, salty deliciousness. Before he fed her another bite, though, a question popped into her head. “What’s sensual?”
“Feeding you,” he said, lazy with passion. “It sorta brings out the alpha male in me.”
Cheri gasped, feigning offense, when she wanted nothing more than for his talented fingers to indulge her once again.
They ate and laughed, laughed and ate, and he fed her bite after bite, till they had made a sizable dent in the appetizer and the warm, buttery bread.
“I guess I was hungrier than I thought,” she admitted, though she realized it was just her nerves causing her to commit gluttony.
“Aw,” he said. “Well, your belly’s getting full now, right?”
“Yes,” she said, grinning and patting her middle. “I love the food here.”
“Well, good. Personally, I’m loving the company,” he said, then gave her a wink. He picked up the bottle, but she put her hand over her glass to stop him. “You good?” he asked, nodding toward her empty goblet.
“Yes, I’ve had plenty,” she said.
Thomas sat back, and they regarded one another. Cheri was weakened under the power of that stare; all she had to do was look at him, and warmth stirred in her belly. He was such a big, handsome guy, a mountain of a man erupting from the booth. The cut of his broad shoulders and his rock-hard pecs were not hidden well beneath his chambray shirt.
He seemed to know she was softening, because he bravely stroked her hand, sending little thrills racing through her bloodstream. Their physical attraction was so strong, and the contact of his hand against hers caused a slow, erotic intoxication to wash over them both.
The stress of the lawsuit was behind her, Thomas had apologized, the food was delicious, the motorcycle ride was as hot as it was breezy, and the California red had relaxed her. Now would be a good time, she thought, to enjoy more of that raw, passionate, meaningless sex, and she could think of no person in the world who was more suited for that than Thomas Graham, her hero in the gaudy boots.
“So is the court thing officially over? Any loose ends to tie up, or all you all done?” he asked huskily.
“I think it’s all done,” she responded lazily. “There is one problem, however.”
Thomas straightened up, and his eyes were suddenly clear and intense. “What is it?”
“I just… I don’t think I can stay for the rest of dinner after all,” she said.
He looked genuinely disappointed. “Oh. Well, I understand,” he said softly. “Really.”
“I don’t think you do,” she said, suddenly taking total charge. “I think we should have them box up our orders for carryout, because I want to take you home right now.”
“Oh,” he smiled suddenly. “Shall we throw in some dessert while we’re at it? Your place or mine?”
“Mine,” she whispered. “I want you in my bed this time.”
“Well, Cheri, if it’s any consolation, I’ve imagined myself there a million times already.”
Chapter 12
While they waited for their check and for their food to be packaged to go, it seemed to be a tortuous eternity. Thomas extended his leg under the table and stroked her calf. The effect was nothing short of erotic; he barely had to do anything to send a wave of blood rushing her ears.
She tried to be subtle in her reaction, so as not to cause a scene in public, but Thomas had her squirming on the bench of the booth. Cheri felt her face slack with arousal, so intense she could hardly lift her eyelids.
After they finally walked out with their food, Cheri tilted her head up to look at him.
Thomas took his cue and lowered his face to hers, kissing her softly on the lips. “What is it?” he asked as he mindlessly secured the bag of food to his bike.
“Do me a favor,” she whispered.
“Anything,” he said.
“Braid my hair again,” she mewed.
He chuckled. “My pleasure. Turn around,” he ordered.
Once again, Cheri stood while he fooled with her hair, filling her with the most intense, lulling sensation she’d ever felt. She was limp while she awaited her helmet.
He braced her shoulders. “Are you okay?” he demanded squarely. “We can walk if you’re not.”
“Are you okay?” she asked back.
“I only had half a glass,” he said, his lips curling into a smile. “I’ll take care of us, but we can walk if you prefer. It’s nice out, and it’d take ten minutes, tops,”
“I don’t think I can wait that long,” she said breathlessly.
“Neither can I.” His voice was so deep and rich that
she was sure she could have stood there listening to him whisper sweet nothings to her all night.
Thomas lowered his mouth to hers, nudged her chin up with the tip of his finger, and stole a sweet kiss. She was happy to comply, for she had missed the taste of him, a taste she had known only briefly. The kiss surged with intensity as he penetrated her mouth with a powerful sweep of his tongue. It was different from their first kiss in the metro, and it was different from the raw, erotic kisses of their weekend. This kiss was all them: a connection, a possession, an utter, two-sided claiming.
When he pulled away, their faces lingered, each savoring the little afterglow. “Are you good to ride?” he whispered.
“I am,” she answered soberly.
“Let’s go then.”
They put their helmets on, and she paid close attention to one of her favorite parts of riding the bike: the magnificent spectacle of his leg sweeping over the seat. Cheri eagerly climbed behind him, and this time, when he pulled her close to him, she took full advantage of every urge she had worked so hard to suppress on their first ride. She pressed her body against his, savoring the feel of her soft breasts against his hard, broad back. She let her hands run a course over the thick denim that encased his ripped thighs. Flashes of what he looked like naked danced through her mind with every touch.
Thomas positioned her hands tightly around his waist, and Cheri hugged him tightly as they drove to her place. The cool draft from the ride carried his scent into her nostrils, like a favorite perfume that induced a strong, erotic reaction.
Don’t fall too hard now, Cheri silently told herself as he revved the bike engine. Though their mix was rare and potent, some part of her was clear-headed enough to remember that was only part of what made two people work. There was no way to resist him if he was near, no way she could pass up an opportunity to be with him if one presented itself. Saint or sinner, she just wasn’t strong enough to walk away from him.
She hadn’t prepared to have a guest, but as luck or providence would have it, she had mercifully just changed her sheets. She wasn’t a messy person, but because she lived alone and had few visitors to impress, she sometimes slacked off on her housework. Her home was nowhere near as immaculate and perfect as his, which would have made any Marine sergeant proud, but it was fine for their purposes.
They removed their helmets, and Cheri shook her head to loosen the braid.
Laughter rumbled in Thomas’s chest as he gathered the bag of leftover Carmine’s.
“What’s so funny?”
“Well, I’m thinking that as soon as I step inside, this doggy bag’s just gonna end up in the trash. I doubt we’ll find time to eat it.”
“Hmm. Well, in that case, I guess you’ll just have to ask me out for dinner again,” Cheri said with a smirk. “Sooner or later, we’ll get it right.”
“I’d be happy to do so,” he said, “no matter how many tries it takes.”
“What happened to the guy who wouldn’t let me take him to dinner?” she teased.
“He met this hot little Southern belle during a hurricane.”
“He sure did,” she purred. “You’re right about the food, though. It’d be kind of wasteful not to eat it. I guess we’ll have to show some discipline. Besides, we might need the energy.”
Thomas’s eyebrows nearly rose off his face. “I’m sorry. What?”
“What, what?” she teased.
“Don’t be coy with me. Off my bike,” he ordered in a playfully dominant voice. “Now.”
She began to dismount, but he very spontaneously hoisted her up off the seat before lowering her down. He was so powerfully built, and she was a featherweight; she had no trouble appreciating the fact that he could lift her so easily.
“Wow, that was fun,” she said.
“Like that?” he asked, then whipped her around.
She couldn’t help but squeal. “You’re like a human amusement park,” she said as she landed.
“Lady, you have no idea,” he said with a sexy growl.
“I think I have some idea.” She smiled. “I’ve tried out your rollercoaster a couple times before, mister.”
“Well, you’re about to get your money’s worth.”
They stepped onto the landing, and Cheri quickly worked her key into the door.
As soon as she had it unlocked, like a proper superhero Thomas tossed the food down and dashed up the stairs with her in his arms. “Which way?”
“What if my room’s on the bottom floor,” she toyed with him.
“Is it?” he asked, hesitating a moment.
“No, but what if?” she asked.
“One…” he counted, his voice full of fake threat.
“To the left,” she giggled.
Thomas tapped her bedroom door with his foot.
“Say, were you a firefighter in a past life or something?” she asked with a soft laugh.
“No,” he answered.
“Could you be one for me?”
“Certainly,” he said, setting her down on the bed. “I’m always happy to take requests.”
As he leaned over her, Cheri put a hand between them to stop him. “One second,” she said, her voice deadly serious. “I’ve got another question for you.”
“What?”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a contractor,” he gently replied. “I own my own business.”
“Then why do you take the metro?” she asked, not buying it.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’ve got job sites all over the place, a few projects going downtown. There’s a lot of work to be had right now, with all these remodels and renovations.”
“What’s the name of your company? Are there signs or billboards or anything?” she asked, continuing her interrogation.
Thomas turned on her assertively. He took advantage of his size and created an almost human canopy over her as he urged her back to a submissive position. “Didn’t you read my witness statement?” he asked with a playful scold.
“No, I did not,” she admitted.
“Then what did you do with it?”
“I shredded it,” she confessed.
“Bad girl! If you ask me, that deserves a spanking,” he said. “You’re a paralegal, so you know the first paragraph would have mentioned who I am, where I live, and where I’m employed.”
Cheri dropped her head in shame, realizing he was right.
Thomas laughed. “You could’ve had the goods on me a little sooner.”
“Okay, okay,” she admitted.
He touched her jaw and turned it so she was looking him directly in the eye. “Look, Cheri, the two of us met during… a whole lotta craziness, but I would really like to put all that behind us. If you have any questions about me, just ask. I’ll answer you, and I won’t put you off. I want this to be a fresh start,” he said.
“Like really dating?”
“Yep, like that,” he said with a nod.
“I’m down with that,” she teased, intuitively knowing it would push his buttons.
“I got your ‘down with that’,” he said, tickling her.
“Please!” she squealed. “Don’t! Uncle!”
“Aw. Don’t like that?”
“I-I’m not sure,” Cheri purred between giggles, “but let’s call a truce for now.”
“If the lady wants truce, the lady gets truce,” he conceded.
Cheri didn’t know exactly what he meant by that, but what he did next skirted any confusion she felt. She opened herself up to the torrent of intense emotions and sensations that the union of the two of them created. She was flooded with a sweet high of attraction for him, and forceful, powerful moans erupted from deep within. She couldn’t contain herself, even though all he’d done so far was to take off her clothes and pepper her body with light butterfly kisses.
Their wrestling soon transformed into soft, gentle stroking. Cheri’s whole body undulated toward him, arching and yearning. Thomas’s mouth left hers to blaz
e a path down the length of her body, trailing the valley of her breasts to the flat of her stomach. Cheri spread her legs wide and drew her feet back toward her buttocks, offering herself to him. His lips and tongue found her, and she restrained her stomping her feet with the thrill of his contact.
Thomas’s style was extraordinarily knowing. A lightbulb went off in her head at that; she didn’t know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that Thomas was so damn good in bed, that he seemed so talented and experienced at what he was doing.
His mouth was so hot, though, and he expertly explored the dewy folds at the entrance of her body, torturing her sweetly and swirling her doubts away in a fit of passion. He tended to her with agonizing slowness that made her stew in complete arousal. Cheri fisted the bedding. In no time, he had her on the verge of begging.
“Thomas!” she called. “Oh, Thomas!”
He didn’t answer her with words. Rather, he reached for her blindly and took her hand in his. She squeezed it at times as she withstood his sugared bliss. Her fingers groped, tangling and playing with Thomas’s wild hair. It was a wispy mix of colors, and Cheri toyed with it while he made love to her with his mouth.
She writhed, rocking her hips upward to intensify his pleasure and her own. He pinned her with his powerful hands. His hands felt so rough and large around her thin waist. As he braced her, her body absorbed the full impact of his pleasure. It coiled around and around on itself, building in her belly.
She could only manage to make slight movements, just enough to help her ecstasy along. She cupped her mouth and bit gently on her finger as the pressure built within her, threatening to make her explode. Then it hit, like a nuclear blast. She slammed her hands against the mattress, clutching futilely while a sweet, luscious orgasm ripped through her, punctuated by several aftershocks that left her breathless.
Cheri spasmed again and again, tremors coming from deep within her core. Thomas rose above her like an erotic storm cloud. She looked at him through slitted eyelids and smiled. He smiled back and then, in a single, furious stroke, entered her.
“Goodness,” she murmured.
“Goodness back,” he said.
He began to move in and out of her hungrily, pushing up on his palms and drawing her leg up behind her knee to drape it over his wrist. He pumped into her again and again, his groans growing louder with each thrust. She reached up for him, touching and exploring his masculine body, the hard contours of his muscled, sweaty physique.
