Between the Sheets

by P. J. Mellor

  A series of tugs shoved her dress over her hips. It slid down to puddle around her feet. Hands cupping her breasts, he urged her to step out of it, then walked her backward to the edge of the mattress.

  “My turn,” she whispered, reaching for the button on his jeans. The sound of waves washing to shore counterbalanced the sound of his zipper releasing tooth by tooth.

  Just as he thought he would howl his frustration, she slipped her hands beneath the denim. Warmth seared his hips as she slid her hands around to palm his butt. They swayed back and forth, his fabric-covered erection dragging across her abdomen.

  After an eternity, she pushed on his jeans until they slid down his legs, the change in his pocket making a chinking sound against the plank flooring.

  She continued swaying, rubbing the hardened tips of her breasts against him.

  He clenched his teeth, tamping down the urge to rip the scrap of fabric from her delectable body and plunge into the wet heat he’d craved for so many years.

  But he didn’t want to scare her. If she needed time, he could afford to give it to her. After all, he was in it for the long haul.

  Lost in his thoughts, he almost yelped when her mouth closed over one of his nipples.

  Her delicate tongue toyed with the rapidly puckering tip, her hot breath ratcheting up his already-monstrous desire for her.

  Their gazes met.

  Ashley dropped to her knees, pushing on the waistband of his tighty-whities, her jaw set in determination.

  He grabbed her hands, stopping the downward progression of his underwear.

  If she took him into her mouth, it would be over before it began. And that would be just one of the problems. He needed more time.

  At her puzzled look, he shrugged, hoping she wouldn’t misunderstand. “Later,” he managed to choke out. “I want to see you. All of you,” he said, pulling her to her feet and reaching for the sides of her thong. “We’ve waited so long.”

  In answer, she pushed her panties down and stepped out to stand before him, the setting sun gilding her toned body.

  Overwhelmed, he was speechless as his eyes caressed her.

  “No Beard? Ah, Daryl?” Her cheeks darkened while she attempted to cover her nudity with her hands. “Did I do something wrong? Am I moving too fast?” Tears swam in her eyes. “I knew this was not a good idea.”

  “Shh.” He kissed her eyes closed, trailed kisses down to her mouth, and then brushed his lips across her trembling ones. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect. I was just admiring the view. And I don’t mean the ocean. Did anyone ever tell you you’re gorgeous?”

  She shook her head, toying with the elastic of his waistband. “Then why are you still wearing these?”

  It felt as though his whole body smiled. “Good question.” He stepped out of his underwear, making sure his hands were strategically located.

  “C’mon,” she whispered in a seductive voice as she backed away to sit on the edge of the mattress.

  Her shriek immediately followed when she hit the floor with a resounding thud, the mattress flipping over her head.

  “Ashley!” Daryl shoved the mattress aside and helped her up. “Are you okay?”

  “No,” she mumbled, dragging the cotton thermal blanket off the flipped mattress to cover her nudity. “I’m embarrassed.” She looked up into his concerned eyes. “And I’m afraid, Daryl,” she whispered. “What if we’re making a terrible mistake?”

  Her eyes didn’t obey her mental command to stop ogling her best friend. Who knew Daryl was so built? More importantly, how could she have not noticed over the years?

  “If it’s a mistake,” Daryl said in what sounded like carefully enunciated words, “terrible isn’t the word I’d use. Even as a mistake, it would qualify as pretty damn great, in my book.” He pulled her to him, blanket and all. “Ashley, we don’t have to have sex to enjoy being together, you know. We—”

  “I knew it!” Struggling with the yards of blanket tangling her arms, she tried to move with at least a modicum of dignity. Don’t cry, her mind screamed. It was your stupid idea to have a sex-only vacation with Daryl, of all people. He either just was not all that interested in you or obviously knew it would be a disaster and was just too polite to turn you down.

  Still, it stung to know he didn’t find her doable. Oh, sure, he had an erection. But it had been her experience that pretty much any guy would get a hard-on at the sight of a naked woman. Any naked woman.

  She wanted to be special.

  8

  “I understand.”

  Daryl’s voice broke into her internal pity party.

  “You understand what?” She paused in her fight with the blanket.

  “It’s a big step for us, Ash.” His warm hands cupped her shoulders.

  She had to lock her knees to prevent leaning into his solid warmth.

  “It’s understandable to have, well, reservations, after everything you’ve been through romantically for the past several years. But I hope you know I’d never hurt you. Not intentionally, anyway.”

  “But I can’t even get into role-playing.” Blinking back tears, she stared at their bare feet. Feet that looked amazingly erotic for some reason. “I’m just a big fat loser,” she choked out.

  Daryl had the nerve to laugh.

  She’d have socked him, but he pulled her into a quick hug, pinning her arms beneath the blanket at her sides.

  “You’re not big, you’re definitely not fat, and no way are you a loser.” His finger beneath her chin tilted her face up to his. “You’re my best friend. Always have been, always will be, regardless of what takes place in this beach house. Or doesn’t take place. Got that?”

  Nodding, she sniffed. “Now what?”

  He scooped her up in his arms, holding her tight when she squealed and tried to wiggle from his grasp. “Hold still! I don’t want to drop you. Now we’re going to check out the rest of the house.” He flipped the wall switch with his elbow, illuminating the shabby living room. “I think it looked better in the dark.”

  Arching her neck, she saw what he meant. The sage-green sofa, while fairly contemporary in style, had definitely seen better days. Or a lot of action. The thought heated her cheeks.

  Oblivious, Daryl strode past the scarred end tables to a door on the far side of the room, elbowing another light switch. “Ah, a kitchen. Sort of.” Smiling, he rubbed noses with her. “Good thing we enjoy eating out.”

  “It’s not so bad,” she said, sliding out of his arms to stand on the cool tiled floor while she tugged at her blanket, his arms around her from behind feeling secure. Feeling right. “Maybe we can go buy some food tomorrow morning. Nothing fancy. Maybe some bread and stuff for sandwiches, some bagels, butter.” She shrugged. “The toaster looks clean and fairly new. Look, there’s a coffeemaker, too.”

  “What’s wrong with Starbucks?”

  Good old Daryl. He was so predictable.

  “Nothing,” she said, peering into the first empty cabinet. “But I didn’t see any close by. Did you? Hey, we’re roughing it. We can make our own coffee.”

  “We can?” He stood directly behind her, the warmth of his hands branding her hips through the layers of blanket. “I don’t know, Ash. I sort of like my amenities.”

  “Oh? Like what?” Sure, the beach house looked nothing like the ad, but it wasn’t that bad. She stepped back.

  “Well, take, for instance, the last pizza we had delivered. Remember that?” She nodded and he continued, stalking her until he had her backed against the sink. “After I left your place, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the opportunities I missed with that pizza. Those kind of opportunities come with amenities.”

  “Opportunities?” Her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

  He nodded, pressing closer to her suddenly eager body.

  His hands slid beneath her arms as he lifted her to sit on the counter next to the sink. “Missed opportunities, Ash. Think about it.” He tugged the blanket until it parted, baring her breas
ts. “For instance, I could have taken a piece of pizza and stroked you like this.” He dragged his fingertips over her breasts, causing her nipples to jump to attention.

  “Th-that might have been, um, a little messy,” she managed to say around her shallow breaths.

  “Which is another missed opportunity. An opportunity to do this.” Bending slightly, he covered her nipple with his mouth, surrounding her in his heat, and sucked, the action causing her hips to lift off the counter. “And this.” He repeated the action on the other breast, then licked both breasts until they were thoroughly wet and aching.

  “Then what?” she whispered.

  The smile he shot her made her wet.

  He nudged between her legs, spreading the blanket out to the sides. “Then I’d have laid you down and given my famous pepperoni massage.”

  She couldn’t stop the giggle the thought evoked. “Really. Pepperoni massage?” She tsked. “Daryl, I thought you could come up with something better than that.”

  “Ah, but you would be wrong, because you have no knowledge of my many sensual talents, Goldilocks.” He waggled his eyebrows. “And I see you’re a natural blond.”

  She smacked his arm and tried to pull the blanket back around to at least partially cover her nudity. “I didn’t have time to wax before we left. Thanks so much for pointing that out, by the way.”

  He chuckled and pulled the blanket from her grasp. “Cut it out. I’m still telling you what you missed last night. Where was I? Oh, yeah, my pepperoni massage. First, I’d have taken a couple of pieces off the pizza; then I would have stroked them all the way down your body, like this.” He demonstrated by stroking her sensitized flesh with just the tips of his fingers, outlining the bottom of her breasts, then going ever so slowly down until he reached the juncture of her thighs. “At this point, I’d lay you back and do this.” Her bare back met the cool countertop. He lifted her legs until she lay flat.

  Excited beyond reason, she closed her eyes, trying to forget her best friend was seeing her totally naked.

  He nudged her inner thighs, urging her to spread her legs. She eagerly complied, somewhat surprised to feel the warmth of his palm against her cleft.

  “Down here, I’d move the pepperoni around, mixing it with your juices,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear as he ground his palm into her aching flesh.

  She whimpered, doing her dangdest to not writhe against his hand, begging for more. Her ache was palpable when he moved on to massage her legs and feet. Still, she waited.

  The wait was short. She felt his mouth begin its tortuous journey back up the inside of her calves, then the inside of each thigh, each time stopping short of the place weeping for his touch.

  Just when she thought she could stand no more teasing, his breath fanned her swollen folds. “Of course, then I’d have to make sure I removed all the pepperoni oils.”

  “Of course,” she squeaked, her breath coming in rapid pants as his hot mouth covered her, his tongue flicking her distended nub, driving her higher and higher.

  Then his tongue speared her, taking her over the edge as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her while his tongue lapped at her.

  She tried in vain to clamp her legs together, sure she would die from pleasure if she didn’t stop right that moment.

  Daryl wouldn’t allow it.

  Using his forearms, he pried her legs apart, his fingers and thumbs busily massaging every erogenous inch of her.

  She was on sexual overload. Did anyone die of bliss? Just her luck, she’d be the first victim. Her mother would be mortified.

  Normally, thoughts of her mother during sex would have the immediate effect of a wet blanket.

  Not this time, for some odd reason.

  “Wait,” Daryl said, his voice vibrating her labia, “there’s more.” His tongue swiped her engorged folds. “Much more,” he said, his breath poker hot.

  The sensation that followed had her gasping, struggling to raise her head enough to see what the heck he was doing to her pliable body.

  Braced on his elbows, forearms holding her legs splayed, he cupped her outer lips with the outer three fingers of each hand, pushing with his thumbs until her distended labia formed a shiny purplish pink mound, while his index fingers massaged and probed her clitoris. The effect, along with the pressure it caused on her vagina, brought her to screaming climax within seconds.

  Panting, she collapsed back on the drainboard, wondering if she’d spoken in tongues. She couldn’t remember ever coming so forcefully. Well, maybe once before…

  Daryl chose that moment to interrupt her afterglow by placing her feet on his shoulders and closing his mouth over her again.

  His tongue swirled around and around her swollen clit before sucking it deeply into his mouth.

  She screamed and arched her back, not sure if she was wanting him to stop or wanting more.

  He continued to suck her excited nubbin as he slid his finger into her eager body, revolving his fingertip deep within her.

  Her back arched. The third climax roared through her like a tsunami, dragging her in its undertow, robbing her of breath or even coherent thought.

  She wasn’t entirely sure, but she may have lost consciousness.

  9

  Daryl’s muscles vibrated, head to toe and everywhere in between, as he reined in his lust. His erection thumped against the cabinet with each move he made. Instead of cooling his ardor, it excited him even more.

  He rubbed his face against Ashley’s soft blond stubble, inhaling her unique scent, willing his heart to slow down. At that point, he could easily ravage her with very little provocation.

  He didn’t want to do that. He wanted their lovemaking to be mutually satisfying.

  He also wanted to make love to her for the first time in a bed. Where the hell was a damn bed when you needed one?

  Ashley’s hand reached out to stroke his bare hip, causing his penis to jerk as his hard-on intensified.

  “Daryl?” Her voice was soft in the quiet kitchen. “I think I’d like to go to bed now. Please,” she added, her hand dipping to give his cock an encouraging squeeze.

  He required no further encouragement.

  Scooping her into his arms, he headed for the bedroom, stumbling and tripping on the long tail of the blanket in his haste.

  He paused at the doorway of their bedroom and took a deep breath. Suddenly the room didn’t look at all weather-beaten and drab.

  The chipped bed frame glowed with the moonlight spilling through the open French doors, the ocean’s ebb and flow making erotic background music.

  Ashley’s sigh drew his attention. “Aren’t you glad we rented this house now?” she whispered.

  He wanted to tell her yes. He wanted to qualify it by adding any place they were together was heaven to him. But the lump in his throat prevented him from doing anything other than nod and flip the light switch.

  He walked toward the bed with his precious cargo, gazes locked.

  “Daryl?” He looked down at her and had the urge to tell her how the moonlight intensified her beauty. “Turn out the light, okay?” She shrugged. “Without curtains, lights would make us a peep show for anyone walking by.”

  He cleared his throat. “Good point. But wouldn’t you like the breeze from the fan? I know the ocean breeze will make it cooler later on, but right now it’s a little muggy.”

  “Okay. I think I see a little piece of string. If you lift me higher, I can pull it. I bet it will turn off the light portion.” Her shriek echoed from the walls. “Careful! A little higher, I almost have it.”

  Click. The room plunged into moonlit darkness.

  Slowly, he lowered Ashley until their breaths mingled.

  His toes tangled in the dangling corner of Ashley’s blanket.

  Try as he might, he couldn’t recover his balance. Clutching her tightly, he braced for impact.

  Instead, they bounced and rolled on the air mattress Ashley had toppled earlier. Their laughter drowned o
ut the surf.

  “Daryl!” Ashley’s voice was muffled. “I can barely breathe with you squeezing me so tightly.” She giggled when he released his grip, smiling up at him. “You really know how to get a girl in the mood, goofball.” She tweaked his ear.

  Crushing her against his still-partially-excited body, he growled, “Given the opportunity, I can do better than that.”

  Instead of melting from his sexual heat, she had the audacity to laugh. Again.

  “Much as I enjoyed what went on in the kitchen, I’m really tired.” She inhaled deeply and smiled at him. “Being at the beach is always so relaxing.” She patted his shoulder, drawing her hand down his chest, across his nipples. “I would worry someone was trying to tell us something, but I loved the foreplay in the kitchen too much to listen.” Another pat, this time in the general vicinity of his sternum. “Rain check?” She leaned close, brushing her lips across his surprised mouth. “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise,” she whispered.

  Make it up to him? She didn’t owe him a damn thing. Did she think he was keeping score?

  Say something.

  “Ash, don’t look so worried. I don’t care if we never have sex,” he lied. “I just want to spend some time with you. And, of course, if we do end up sleeping together, I’d like to explore that as well—oof!” Ashley’s elbow connected with his unsuspecting abs.

  “You’re such a weirdo!” she said, and laughed. But then she grabbed his arm when he began to move away from her. “And do not even think about getting dressed again.” At his questioning look, she hurried on. “I meant it, Daryl, about having a sex vacation with you. Really. Don’t laugh. Why can’t we stay naked and just cuddle tonight?”

  Why can’t they just cuddle? Naked? He could probably come up with about a hundred reasons, just off the top of his head. But he wasn’t about to rock the boat.

  Instead, he lay down beside her on the felled mattress and pulled her close as he pulled up the blanket. “Sounds like a plan. Good night, Ash.” He kissed her ear, then whispered, “Wake me up if you decide you want to have your way with me.”