He wandered back into his kitchen to make the final preparations. Anna had had a lot of boyfriends -- no strike that -- lovers. She’d never really had a steady boyfriend. Well, there was Freddy What’s-his-name in high school, but since then she’d never stayed with one guy long enough to consider him her boyfriend.
He chose a nice Merlot, setting it on the counter while he looked for the corkscrew. Max knew what the problem was with Anna and all her lovers, her boy toys. He’d bet his left nut that not one of them had ever tried to romance her. Anna’s sexuality was out there for everyone to see. She didn’t flaunt it, but it was unmistakable. Her every move was sensual. The familiar shot of heat spread throughout his body. His dick twitched at just the thought of being with her, touching her, tasting her.
The doorbell rang, interrupting his thoughts. Max shook his head and took a deep breath, trying to control his libido. His plan was simple. He would force Anna to deal with him as a lover, not some sexual toy. Max knew she did that to protect herself. To win her heart, Max knew he had to take it to the next level. They knew each other better than Anna knew most of her lovers. Intimacy, not sex, was what she shied away from.
With that resolved, he opened his front door and promptly lost every rational thought in his mind. There stood Anna, her hair pulled into a loose bun of curls atop her head, her lips painted cherry red, and dressed in a loose, white cotton dress. With the fading sun behind her, every inch of her -- her nipples, her belly button, her sex -- was visible through the thin fabric. Anna wasn’t wearing a stitch beneath the dress.
Every drop of moisture dried up in his mouth, his balls tightened, and his heart smacked against his chest.
“Max?”
“What?”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her nipples. A slight breeze tightened the fabric against her skin. “Max, you gonna let me in?” He could hear the smile in her voice. He looked up and saw the amused satisfaction dancing her eyes.
Heat slid through him, and Max realized he was standing there staring at her like some horny sixteen-year-old. Swallowing hard, he stepped back. Anna brushed by him. The scent of her -- wildflower and musky woman -- surrounded him, enticed him. When he raised his hand to run it over his face, it shook. Every cell in his body screamed for relief, for him to grab her, strip her out of that damn dress and plunge his cock deep inside her wet, hot sex.
Max drew in a calming breath and shut the door. Most of the blood had drained from his brain, but he fought those primitive urges. She’d done this to show him that this was what they were all about. The action was telling. On one hand, he was furious with her because she was trying to maintain the kind of relationship Anna had with all her little boy toys.
But, at the same time, his heart warmed at her attempt to throw him off kilter. Going to such extremes might mean she felt threatened in some way. And the only thing that bothered Anna was showing the soft underbelly of her personality. Hard as a rock on the outside, she had a soft heart.
He followed her into his living room, enjoying the sway of her hips, the nearly transparent fabric showing every inch of her rounded ass. His fingers itched to slide beneath the material, skim the soft skin just under the fullest part of each cheek, then back up over each rounded globe to the small of her back and her tattoo.
Dammit. Max took a deep breath as she started to turn to face him. The same little smile curved her lips. Anger and determination tightened his gut. Lust, passion, whatever she wanted to call it, would not be enough to make this work. He knew for a fact there was more to her feelings than sexual need. He mentally rubbed his hands together. If Anna thought this was some kind of battle, let the games begin.
* * * * *
Anna’s whole body sizzled. Lord, she’d worn the dress to push Max over the edge, but it had the same effect on her. Each time she moved, the full skirt slid against her overly sensitized skin. Max hadn’t touched her, but the look in his eyes when he’d answered the door had sent her senses spiraling out of control. That, and the way he was dressed. Soft, old jean and a red polo shirt about a size too small that emphasized his well-defined chest and abs while highlighting the golden flecks in his chocolate-brown eyes.
“Would you like a glass of wine?” His deep, resonant voice washed over her. She’d always loved the sound of his voice.
“Sure.”
The moment he left her alone, she drew in a deep breath. The soft cotton fabric brushed against her nipples and she groaned.
“Is there something wrong?” He walked back into the living room, a glass of red wine in each hand.
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
Anna took a sip of wine to calm her nerves. Never in her life had she been this aroused. Especially considering that Max hadn’t even touched her. Yet. The thought of his hands on her, skimming over her skin, sent sparks through her already overheated body. Liquid dampened the lips of her sex, and she fought the urge to squirm under his scrutiny.
“Are you feeling all right, Anna?”
She took another sip of wine.
“Of course.”
Jesus, even Anna recognized the arousal vibrating in her voice. One side of his mouth kicked up. She should be really irritated that he found it amusing, but it turned her on more.
“Well, then we can go into dining room. I decided to cook instead of ordering out.”
It was then the scent of garlic and tomatoes reached her. All she had noticed before was Max -- the way he looked, the way he moved, the way he smelled.
When she stepped into the room, her breath tangled in her throat at the sight before her. The only light came from the multitudes of candles he’d placed on every available surface. Barry White’s smooth, rich voice sang in the background, and in the center of the table sat a pepperoni pizza from the local pizzeria.
The effort he went to shouldn’t really charm her, but it did. The time he took, picking her favorite wine, her favorite music, and serving pizza on china… It was just so sweet.
Something unfamiliar curled inside her heart, warming her from the inside out. She swallowed her panic. Max didn’t think there was more to their relationship than sex. That was just the way he was. He romanced every woman he was involved with. Lord knows she’d watched him do it plenty of times. She’d wondered just how it felt to get that treatment, to be the focus of his attention.
And now, after years of watching and yearning, she knew. Lord help her, she didn’t want it to end.
Chapter Nine
“Why don’t you take a seat?” Max asked, trying his best to keep his voice even. It wasn’t easy, because he knew each time she moved, the fabric of her dress brushed against her nipples, arousing her.
She nodded. He pulled out the chair and she settled into it. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. Before he grabbed her by her hair and yanked her down the hall to his bedroom, he stepped back and went to his chair.
They chatted about the people they knew, the local happenings, anything he could think of to draw his attention away from the those red lips, or the way her breasts swayed each time she moved. Damn, didn’t she know what her going without a bra was doing to him?
Her lips curved as she took a sip of her wine. Hell, yes, she did. Minx. He was trying to take this to the next level, but she wanted to keep it all sexual.
The woman didn’t play fair. As he thought about the plans he had for the night, he had to admit he didn’t, either.
* * * * *
After dinner, they settled in the living room to watch the movie Anna had brought. She snuggled closer as Max slid his arm across her shoulders. He played with the sleeve of her dress, his fingers tickling her arm. With each brush against her skin, a jolt of electricity shot through her. He was playing some kind of a game.
Fine, if that’s what he wanted, so be it. She rested her hand on the top of his leg. A moment later, she began to massage the inside of his thigh. Instantly, his muscles stiffened under her touch. She smiled to herself as
she inched her fingers up his leg to the very top of his thigh. His breathing accelerated and deepened.
Just to be evil, she pretended interest in the movie while she moved her fingers in lazy circles within inches of his cock. Without looking, she knew he was hard. Just thinking about it sent another wave of heat rolling through her, urging her to move her hand higher. The need to touch him, to unzip his pants and take his cock in her hand, in her mouth…
She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm the need screaming through her. She wanted so badly to touch Max, to have him touch her, caress her skin, but her desire to teach him a lesson was more important.
As his arm slid from her shoulder to her waist, she held her breath. A moment later, his fingers inched up to the underside of her breast. Lightly, too lightly for her own satisfaction, he massaged her skin through the thin fabric of her dress. The action pulled the material tighter across her nipples. Ever so slightly, he pulled on her dress, allowing the fabric to show the definite outline of her hardened nipple.
She gritted her teeth and moved her hand higher, barely touching his obvious erection. His hand stilled. Over and over, she brushed the back of her fingers against his cock. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him swallow, hard. Even through the thick denim, she could feel the outline of his hardened shaft. To push him over the edge, she took one finger and, starting at the top, slowly slid down his cock.
She only got halfway down when he groaned and grabbed her hand. A minute later, she was turned upside down as he threw her over his shoulder and stood.
“Max!”
He smacked her ass. “Shut up. I swear, woman, you just don’t know when to give up.”
He strode down the hall to his bedroom. Anticipation snaked through her. She really shouldn’t be turned on by this Neanderthal attitude, but there was no mistaking the excitement coursing through her, causing her nipples to tighten further as more liquid gushed between the lips of her sex.
A moment later, he dropped her on the bed. For the second time in as many days, he’d carried her, then thrown her on a bed like some kind of caveman. As a twenty-first century woman, she should really be appalled. But there was no way to ignore the fact that every nerve ending in her body tingled. She craved Max just the way he was -- dominating and aggressive.
Standing before her, he rested his hands on his hips, his nostrils flaring with each breath he took. Her gaze traveled down his body and she licked her lips when she saw his erection straining against his jeans. He stepped forward, and before she knew what he was doing, he grabbed the bottom of her dress and yanked it off in one fluid motion, tossing it on the floor behind him. An instant later, he was stripping off his shirt, then practically ripping off his jeans. He stood before her, gloriously naked. Before he could tackle her, she slid from the bed and dropped to her knees in front of him.
* * * * *
Max looked down at Anna’s bent head and almost came at the sight of her kneeling in front of him. The curls she’d fastened to the top of her head now lay about her shoulders in abandon. Their foreplay in the living had been light, nothing compared to what he usually liked. He loved teasing, pushing a woman higher than she’d ever been before. But knowing Anna saw him as a challenge turned him on. Usually the initiator, Max found her brand of aggressiveness more arousing than sex with other women.
Every fiber of his being demanded she take him in her mouth, but he wanted her to call the shots. Allowing her to control the rhythm of their intimacy was pushing him beyond anything he had felt before. The thrill was knowing he was at her mercy. She cupped his balls with one hand, squeezing, caressing them. They drew tighter and a drip of pre-cum wet the head of his dick. As she continued to massage his balls, she circled the fingers of her other hand around the base of his cock.
She slid her hand up the length and back down. Blood drained from his head and rushed straight to his dick. His head spun as he watched her lick the cum off the tip with her tongue.
Jesus. She twirled her tongue around the top of his shaft, then opened her mouth, taking the length of him into her warmth. She looked up, caught his gaze, and slowly began sucking on him. Each time she drew to the top of his dick, she passed her tongue over the top.
He threaded his fingers through her hair, molding his hands to her head. She closed her eyes, humming as she increased the speed of her ministrations. The vibrations reached down to his toes. He curled them into the carpet and gritted his teeth, trying to keep from losing all control.
“Oh, Anna, yeah, baby.”
His muscles tensed as she pushed him further, massaging his balls, sucking and slurping his dick. When Max thought he would never find relief, when he was sure there was no way of feeling any better than he did at that moment, he exploded. Anna continued sucking as he blew his load in her mouth. She licked up one side and down the other as he continued gyrating his hips, fucking her mouth, knowing nothing had ever felt as good as this.
Seconds later, they both collapsed on the bed and he pulled her close, reveling in the feel of her soft skin next to his.
“Well, Maxwell, I think I won that little game.”
He chuckled. “Give me a minute, Anna, and we’ll do round two.”
Chapter Ten
Anna gathered her purse and the information that the realtor had given her about several shops in Valdosta. If she wanted to open another shop, she needed to plan. And rents in Valdosta were going to run higher than in her neck of the woods.
She hurried out of her shop, trying not to think of the nights she had spent with Max over the last couple of weeks. Each day she felt herself weaken. She didn’t like it one bit. If Anna tried to put some space between them, Max made sure he planned something to bring them together. Like her love of watercolors. He found out there was an exhibit of Monet’s works in Tallahassee and what does he do? Just shows up and whisks her away on a Saturday morning for a day at the museum and a candlelit dinner.
Max had to know she was trying to keep their relationship a secret, because he tried his best to be seen in public with her. Anna shook her head as she stepped out of the shop and shut the door behind her. As she turned to lock the door, she spotted Max leaning against the hood of her car. Without saying anything, she continued her task then walked slowly in his direction.
Every hormone in her body bounced to life at the sight of him. Damn, the man was dangerous to her ability to think. A light spring breeze shifted a few strands of his hair, making her envious. The crooked smile he wore, the look in his eyes -- she knew he’d shown up for one thing. And damn if her traitorous body didn’t respond.
“What are you doing here?”
He pushed away from the car and his smiled widened. “I missed you too, sweetheart.”
Even said in a sarcastic tone, the word sweetheart made her heart trip. Men never called her sweetheart. Except her father, and he didn’t say it with that husky edge to his voice. Thank God.
When she reached him, he leaned down and gave her a swift hard kiss. As he pulled back, she noticed a couple of old biddies across the street staring at them. Really, she should be mad at him. But with her lips still tingling and her body warm from the brief kiss, she couldn’t think of a proper put down.
“I thought we could drive up to Valdosta, take in a movie, stop for dinner.”
“I had plans.”
He frowned. She resisted the urge to change her answer just to bring out the smile that did delicious things to her body.
“What kind of plans?” Suspicion colored his voice.
She sighed. “I am actually heading to Valdosta to look over a few places the realtor sent information on.”
“Realtor?”
Was that panic she heard in his voice?
“Yes. Remember I told you I just started researching the cost of opening another shop? I wanted to do it down there in Remerton, close to the college, but didn’t know how expensive it would be.”
The tenseness in his shoulders relaxed and his smile returned
. “Well, a drive to Valdosta might be just the thing. Plus I could give you my professional opinion.”
She was positive it wasn’t his professional opinion that he wanted to give her. But he was standing there, his hair mussed, smelling of his sandalwood cologne and looking so gorgeous she couldn’t say no.
“All right, but you have to behave yourself. This is important.”
“Promise.”
* * * * *
“This place sucks.”
Anna offered the realtor a smile. “I think Mr. Chandler and I need a moment or two alone.”
The woman flashed them a brittle smile and walked stiffly from the shop. Anna clenched both her hands into fists and counted back from ten. And then did it a second and third time. Max had made what should have been a fun adventure into the trip from hell.
“I can’t believe that woman actually thought to offer you this place.”
His tone had become increasingly juvenile and obstinate through the afternoon. At first she’d been shocked because it was so out of character, but now she just wanted to strangle him.
She rounded on him, her fists on her hips. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
His eyebrows rose in surprise and he crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you mean?”
Max frowned, and this time she didn’t care. He’d pushed her to the limit.
“What do I mean? I mean all the snide comments you made during this trip.”
“Snide comments? I have no idea what you are talking about. All I’ve done is given you my opinions on a few of the places.” But he shifted his feet as if uncomfortable with the subject.
“You call saying this place sucks an opinion?”
“Well…”
“Or maybe the last place? What was it you said… Oh, yes, you said you wouldn’t store the carcasses of dead dogs in it, especially for the price they were asking. You call that an opinion you should share with the world at large?”
A Little Harmless Sex Page 5
