She pinched him lightly on his belly for that. “I only put myself through this torture once a year for you, you ungrateful oaf.”
“I appreciate your sacrifice,” he said solemnly. He also liked the way she splayed her hand on his stomach. “Now be quiet so I can watch the rest of the episode without you yammering in my ear.”
She huffed in response to his playful insult, and her warm, damp breath wafted against his neck—which he felt like an electrifying caress all the way down to his groin. He sucked back a groan, and it took monumental effort to concentrate on the show and not the perfect way Alyssa fit against him.
The episode continued, with the gremlin wreaking havoc on the aircraft’s propeller and engine, and freaking out the man in the process. In a fit of panic, the guy managed to secure himself a gun, and after opening the auxiliary exit and getting himself sucked halfway out the plane, he shot at the monster, in his mind killing it. The bizarre encounter sent the man into a mental breakdown, leaving the audience wondering if it had all been real, or yet another wacky trip through The Twilight Zone.
With the episode over, Shane’s attention returned to Alyssa, who was still snuggled up against him, her body completely relaxed and her breathing deep and even. Realizing she’d fallen asleep, he grinned to himself and threaded his fingers through her soft hair and caught the floral scent of her shampoo, which went straight to his senses. He thought about waking her up to watch the next show, but instead decided to let her rest a little longer while he played with her hair and enjoyed the feel of her lush, pliant breasts pressed so enticingly against his chest.
He was halfway into the next episode when Alyssa murmured something in her sleep and shifted closer, so that her thigh slid in between his and she was half on top of him. She nuzzled his throat, and her soft, moist lips trailed along the underside of his jaw, sending a flash of heat rippling through him.
His body hardened in a rush, his pulse quickened, and he didn’t dare move, because he didn’t want this erotic moment to end. When her hand started wandering lower, toward the waistband of his khaki’s, the erection straining the fly of his pants throbbed in anticipation.
But instead of stroking along that taut, confined ridge of flesh, her palm changed directions. Her fingers found the hem of his t-shirt, slipped beneath, and stroked and caressed his stomach, his chest, and all the way up to his taut nipples.
Unable to help himself, and needing to touch her too, he gently slid his hand over the sweet swell of her hip, then dared to skim higher, until her plump breast filled his large palm and his thumb rasped over the tight nipple beading against her top. She moaned softly, arched into him, and Shane was certain she was still sleeping and in the throes of a very pleasurable dream that was beginning to mingle with something far more tangible.
He really should wake her before this encounter went any further, but that thought fled his mind when her mouth settled against his, tempting him beyond reason. Lost in the seductive moment, he flicked his tongue along the seam of her lips, and when they parted for him he delved deep inside, engaging her in the kind of slow, soft kiss he’d fantasized about for years.
Except reality was so much better. So much sweeter. She tasted like honey and heat, and his most treasured wish come to life. And he couldn’t get enough of her. Knew he never would.
Gently, he eased her beneath him and his erection found a home at the crux of her thighs. Tangling one of his hands in her tousled hair, he kept on kissing her . . . deeper, and deeper still. He was getting drunk from the feel of her, and her uninhibited response was like a drug to him, dragging him under and pushing him to the point of no return.
And that was a line he refused to cross without her being completely and totally aware of who she was about to make love to.
He slowly, gradually broke the heated kiss. His breathing was shallow and ragged, his body rioting with the need to be inside of her. Ignoring those demands, he grazed his lips along her cheek, her jaw, then lower to the fragrant skin of her throat.
A soft, purring sigh escaped her, along with his name, which surprised the hell out of him. Either she was more cognizant that he’d originally thought, or she’d just let her true and intimate feelings for him slip.
She stirred beneath him, and he lifted his head just in time to watch her lashes drift open. Even with only the soft glow of the TV for illumination he could see that her lips were swollen from his kisses, and her eyes were hazy with desire.
She frowned up at him for a handful of seconds, until the confusion in her gaze gave way to the realization of what they’d just done. That what she’d just experienced hadn’t been a dream, after all. Then, with a physical jolt he felt to his soul, she panicked.
“Oh, God, no,” she said in a raspy, frantic whisper and started pushing him off of her.
He immediately moved, and as soon as he let her up she bolted off the couch to put some distance between them. She stared at him, horrified. “What were we doing?”
He sat up, braced his forearms on his thighs, and tried not to think about the aching erection still making itself known. Her question was a silly one, because he knew that she fully realized what had just happened between them. But just in case she needed him to confirm their actions, he gave it to her straight. “I believe we were kissing.”
She moaned, a low, keening sound that told him she wasn’t at all pleased to hear him verify that particular truth.
“It’s not a big deal, Alyssa,” he said, trying to soothe her.
“Yes, it is!” she wailed and waved her hand wildly in the air in her near hysteria. “You’re my best friend!”
He tilted his head and regarded her calmly. “And?”
She looked at him as if he were insane. “And best friends don’t kiss like that. Those kind of kisses can change everything.”
Exactly, he wanted to say, but didn’t, because it was obvious to him that she had a big problem when it came to accepting any kind of change in their friendship. No matter that she’d just shown him how much she wanted him minutes ago, she wasn’t ready to admit that things had, indeed, already changed between them.
“Look,” she said, her tone pragmatic and much calmer now. “We were obviously both asleep and not thinking straight, so let’s just chalk it up to a mistake and forget it ever happened. I need to go to the bathroom, and we’ll finish watching the marathon when I get back.”
He watched her leave the room, and as soon as she was gone he cursed beneath his breath, hoping that he hadn’t just ruined all the headway he’d made with her over the past few days.
Tomorrow night, New Year’s Eve, would be the telling factor.
CHAPTER FIVE
Alyssa was on a mission—to find the perfect New Year’s Eve party outfit and to forget all about the hot, melting kiss she’d shared with Shane the night before.
With her arms loaded down with an array of outfits, she made her way to the boutique’s dressing room, still shaken by how far things had gone between the two of them. Now, knowing just how weak she was when it came to resisting Shane, she was more driven than ever to date other men and force herself to get over her intimate feelings for him.
As she’d told Shane last night, giving into a physical attraction would change everything between them. What scared her the most was the thought of not being able to live up to his expectations. She also feared she wouldn’t be able to give him what he needed from a committed relationship when she’d never been able to sustain anything remotely serious or lasting with a man. The possibility of losing Shane for good because of her inability to open herself emotionally wasn’t a chance she was willing to take with him.
Her worries were probably for nothing, considering he was interested in another woman. Their kiss had most likely been a fluke. A spur of the moment passionate embrace that had gotten out of hand and never should have happened. What she needed to concentrate on was her own secret admirer, and grabbing his attention tonight.
With that thought i
n mind, she decided to hell with being sedate and practical. Tonight she was going to throw sensible right out the window and wear something sexy, sultry and fun. An outfit certain to attract her own fair share of attention.
Half an hour later she left the boutique with a sparkly white dress that was flirtatious and more form-fitting than anything she’d ever worn before. She’d also purchased sheer, lacy, barely-there lingerie to wear beneath, and a pair of strappy high-heeled shoes that made her legs look slender and endlessly long.
She stopped at the beauty shop and treated herself to a manicure, pedicure, and facial, which was a rarity for her. By the time she arrived back home and indulged in a fragrant bubble bath, she was feeling upbeat and optimistic about the upcoming evening.
With a few hours still left to go before Shane picked her up at six, she wrapped her damp hair in a towel and slipped into her well-worn terry robe until it was time for her to get ready for the party. She went into her office, booted up her computer, and did a bit of work and internet research on a few open projects. And since she hadn’t heard from her secret admirer yesterday because of her busy schedule, she was hoping he’d contact her today, one more time before they met face-to-face tonight at Drew and Cynthia’s.
He didn’t disappoint her. His Instant Message appeared on her screen, blinking with a greeting.
TheOne4You: I can’t wait to see you tonight.
She bit her bottom lip, wishing she was more excited about the prospect of meeting him, too. Sure, she was curious about who he was and she’d enjoyed their correspondences over the past few days, but she lacked that exhilaration and anticipation that usually came with dating someone new. And she had a feeling her sizzling kiss with Shane was to blame.
Still, she was determined to give this guy a chance.
IshopForYou: Are you going to tell me who you are before we meet tonight? Like at least your name?
TheOne4You: A name isn’t necessary. I promise you’ll know me when you see me, and you won’t need an introduction.
She arched a brow as she read his evasive note and wondered why he felt the need to be so secretive.
IshopForYou: You like to draw out the suspense, don’t you?
TheOne4You: Yes, I do.
After that short and to the point message, he immediately signed off, before Alyssa could post a response.
She blinked at the computer screen, feeling frustrated and confused. That was it? Meet him at midnight? After all their instant messaging, she had to wait until the end of the evening to finally find out who her secret admirer was?
Unbelievable, she thought with a shake of her head.
But she had no choice but to be patient and wait for the stroke of midnight to appease her curiosity, because she didn’t have a clue as to who her mystery man was. And since she was dying to discover his true identity, she knew she’d be in the rose garden, as he’d asked.
#
Shane’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Alyssa opened the door to her apartment when he arrived to pick her up for the New Year’s Eve party. He’d never her seen her look so blatantly sexy, and she literally took his breath away.
“Do you like my new dress?” she asked, and twirled around so he could inspect her from all angles.
Like it? God, he was in awe of how that shimmering white fabric clung to her generous breasts and molded to her waist and hips, showing off her voluptuous figure. The low, plunging neckline displayed more cleavage than he’d ever seen on Alyssa, and the hemline hit her mid-thigh, baring her smooth, long legs to his gaze.
Then there was her hair, which she’d piled on her head in a mass of tousled curls, some of which had escaped to wisp against the nape of her neck and along the sides of her face. Her make-up was lightly applied, but the soft pink and beige hues she’d used brought out the deep blue of her eyes, and her glossy lips looked as sweet and ripe as a juicy peach. He swallowed hard. “You look . . . wow.” It was the only word he could find to describe just how incredible this transformation of hers was. “I’m sure I’m going to have to beat the guys off with a big club tonight.”
She laughed, the husky sound increasing his internal temperature a few notches. “I’m feeling pretty good, and I’m determined to have a good time tonight.” She stepped toward him and straightened the collar of the burgundy dress shirt he’d worn, then tipped her face up to his. “By the way, you look pretty ‘wow’ yourself. Your lady friend might not recognize you all dressed up like this,” she teased.
He nearly groaned as her hands trailed briefly down his chest before falling away, and he had to resist the strong urge to wrap his arm around her waist, pull her tight against him, and kiss her like he was aching to.
But resist that particular temptation, he did. They both had a big night ahead of them, and remembering too well how she’d panicked on him last night after their heated embrace, he wasn’t about to spoil her good mood with a spontaneous kiss now.
So, he took a step back and smiled. “Are you ready to go?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She grabbed her small purse and a shawl, then hooked her arm through his and returned his smile with a dazzling one of her own. “Let’s go meet our dates.”
#
By nine that evening, the party was in full swing, with champagne and drinks flowing freely, a buffet of food set out for guests, and music drifting from the speakers flanking the large backyard patio, which had been turned into a dancing area for guests. One of the nice things about living in Southern California was the weather, and even on the last night in December the evening was gorgeous, with a clear, moonlit sky with glittering stars overhead, and just a hint of chill in the air.
At least thirty-five people were celebrating New Year’s Eve with Drew and Cynthia, and they mingled from inside the house where it was warm, to the backyard where it was cool. Alyssa found herself circulating through the throng of guests, as well, talking to friends she hadn’t seen in a while, and also sizing up the single guys as someone who might be her potential secret admirer.
But so far she hadn’t experienced any kind of spark or chemistry in the few men who’d expressed an interest in her, and she still had three hours to go before she discovered her admirer’s identity.
She also found herself keeping an eye on Shane during the course of the evening. She watched every female in the room who approached him, or that he conversed with, always wondering if she was “the one”. Her emotions ran the gamut from flashes of jealousy when he paid too much attention to one particular woman, to extreme relief when he moved on to another group of friends, leaving the lady behind. She felt like she was on an emotional roller coaster with no end in sight.
At the moment, Shane was standing with Drew and Cynthia, and Alyssa made her way across the room towards them, thinking that Shane looked so incredibly handsome in his new clothes and his shorter hair style that made him look as though he’d just stepped straight out of the pages of a GQ Magazine. But despite how he’d changed on the outside to impress his lady friend, Alyssa hoped the woman appreciated the genuine man beneath those clothes even more. Shane was one of a kind, and he deserved a woman who treated him like the true catch he was.
As if he could sense her thoughts were centered on him, Shane glanced at her as she approached, his gaze slowly sliding down the length of her dress, then back up again. The sexy, disarming grin that pulled up the corners of his mouth and the heat that filled his eyes made her heart skip a few beats. She’d yet to see him smile like that at any of the women at the party tonight, and it gave her a bit of a thrill to have captured his attention with the dress she’d worn.
Alyssa came up beside Shane and lifted her nearly empty glass of champagne to the happily married couple in a toast. “Great New Year’s Eve party, as always.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.” Cynthia’s eyes sparkl
ed with delight, and her complexion glowed in a way that Alyssa had never seen before. “You look absolutely amazing in that dress.”
A warm blush swept across Alyssa’s cheeks at the compliment, making her realize that she really ought to dress up more often. “Thank you.”
Cynthia touched her husband’s arm and glanced up at him adoringly. “Drew and I were just about to tell Shane some exciting news, and we’re glad you joined us.”
Whatever it was, Alyssa could feel their excitement. “What’s up you two?”
“We’re going to have a baby,” Drew announced, and puffed his chest out proudly.
Alyssa gasped in surprise and hugged Cynthia, while Shane shook Drew’s hand. “Oh, my goodness! Congratulations. I’m so happy for you both.”
“We’re pretty thrilled, too.” Cynthia placed her hand on her still flat belly. “We’re going to go spread the good news, but we wanted the two of you to be one of the first to know.”
Alyssa sighed as the couple moved on, a little envious—okay, a whole lot envious—over their close, loving relationship. They were such a great pair, and she experienced a deep pang of loneliness over the reminder of how her friends were getting married, having families, and moving on with their lives while she was still hopelessly single and so afraid of making the kind of commitment it took to sustain a lasting relationship.
Refusing to allow such depressing thoughts to get her down tonight, she returned her gaze to Shane. “So, where’s your mystery woman?”
“I’m not meeting her until later,” he replied easily. “Where’s your secret admirer?”
She finished off her champagne and set it on a nearby passing tray. “The thing is, he could be here, right in plain sight, and I wouldn’t even know it.” And that possibility frustrated the heck out of her.
He slid his hands into the front pockets of his slacks, his brown eyes seemingly searching her expression. “So, you haven’t seen him yet?”
Guilty Pleasures: A Collection of 3 Super Sexy Novellas Page 8
