Between the Sheets

by P. J. Mellor

  “Don’t you want to put the mattress back on the bed?”

  “Nope. Too much effort; plus it would probably just dump us back on the floor sometime during the night. This way, we just eliminate a step.” He kissed her neck. “Much more efficient.”

  Besides, by staying on the floor, she wouldn’t see his monster hard-on.

  Dawn’s first blush lit the bedroom of the beach house in a warm glow. Ashley opened her eyes and stretched, a smile curving her lips. Beside her, Daryl slept in all his magnificent nudity.

  She did a leisurely perusal. Yes, no doubt about it, her best friend had a smoking-hot body. How could she have not noticed it for so many years?

  Fists clenched to avoid the temptation of touching him, she began her closer inspection, finding the shadow of his morning beard adorable and sexy. Her lips itched to kiss his Adam’s apple. Broad shoulders reminded her how far removed he was from the skinny kid he’d been when they’d first met.

  She visually caressed his chest, then frowned at the corner of the blanket that protected his modesty but blocked her view.

  Did she dare raise it for a peek?

  Moving slowly, she tugged at the offending piece of cotton thermal material until his hips were bare.

  Licking her lips, she looked down.

  Her laughter erupted, jerking Daryl awake.

  10

  Daryl jerked awake from what was easily the most X-rated dream of Ashley to date.

  Funny, in all the years he’d dreamed of waking up naked with her at his side, he’d never once dreamed she’d be pointing at his package and laughing.

  His hands hurried to belatedly cover the object of her hilarity. “Hey, my boys were sleeping. They were hunkered down for the night.”

  Sobered, she blinked at him. Then her eyes crinkled and her laughter sprang forth again to echo from the ceiling.

  “Okay, Ash, I get it. You can stop laughing now, before you hurt my feelings.” Scooting to the edge of the mattress, he wedged his hip against the bed frame. “Cut it out. There’s a fine line between humor and hostility. And you’re walking that line.”

  Smiling, she wiped a tear from her eye. “Oh, don’t be like that. I wasn’t laughing at your, um, privates. Really.” A snicker escaped. “When did you get a tattoo?”

  Shit. And he’d been careful to cover it last night. He sighed, eyes closed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Oh, come on!” She scooted closer, her soft, naked breasts pressed intimately against his thundering heart. “It’s so cute.”

  “Cute is not the look I was going for, Ash.”

  “Honestly, Daryl, what were you thinking?”

  “I said I don’t want to talk about it!” He’d get up, but she was lying on the blanket, and he wasn’t about to flaunt the stupid tattoo. Or anything else, for that matter. At least, not now.

  Morning sunlight bounced off her golden curls when she shook her head. “You know I’m just going to keep after you until you tell me.”

  She ignored his warning glare.

  “Seriously, Daryl. ‘The South Shall Rise Again’ with a little Confederate flag?” Her giggle just added to his humiliation. “Move your hands. I want to get a closer look. I still can’t believe you did it.”

  “I was drunk. It was spring break. Enough said.”

  “Move your hands.” She rolled to straddle him, batting his hands away, then holding them at his sides while she inspected the artwork adorning his lower abdomen with such an intense look on her face, he felt a blush burning his face and neck.

  Their eyes met. “Did you have to shave for them to get it that far down?”

  This conversation cannot be happening. He swallowed and cleared his throat. “I don’t remember.”

  “Sure you do.”

  He closed his eyes for a second before meeting her earnest gaze. “No. I was, um, less hairy in college.” He shrugged. “Like I said, I was drunk. It seemed like a good idea at the time.” His abs jerked at the feel of her fingertip tracing the tiny flag. “Wh-what are you doing?”

  “Just looking. Did it hurt?”

  “Not as I recall. But, then, I’d had plenty of anesthetic.”

  Before he could take another breath, Ashley bent down and brushed a kiss over the flag tattoo, then traced it again, this time with the tip of her tongue.

  He tried to think of baseball.

  Her sexy smile and twinkling eyes greeted him when she raised her head. “I think the South has risen,” she whispered, scooting up until she lay on top of his excited body. “Let’s celebrate,” she said, rubbing her damp folds against his renewed erection.

  “I…but…condoms…” he stammered. He’d longed for just such a situation, dreamed of it, since he’d found out about sex. The yearning had only intensified after their one night together. Now that it appeared to actually be about to happen, the idea excited him beyond human reason.

  And it also scared the shit out of him.

  What if they were not as terrific in the sack as his memory insisted they were? What if being intimate did not make her fall in love with him? Was it worth risking their friendship to find out?

  Maybe agreeing to a sex-only vacation wasn’t the brilliant idea he’d thought. Maybe he should just stick with his memory of that one perfect encounter.

  Ashley chose that moment to suck on his earlobe while rubbing her breasts suggestively against his chest.

  Then again, maybe he was an idiot to even hesitate. After all, sex had been his idea. Sure, he’d meant a sexual relationship. Which he’d hoped would lead to more. Like opening her eyes to see the guy she should have been with all along. But he’d readily agreed to a sex vacation. And now he wanted to wait. Wait for what? For Ashley to get discouraged and go sleep with yet another wrong guy? Not damn likely.

  His fingertips stroked her perfect, smooth skin from her buttocks, up her ribs, to finally cup her breasts. “Grab my shorts, would you? They’re by your left foot.”

  She slowly shook her head. “Don’t even think about getting dressed, Stud.”

  Stud. No one had ever called him Stud. He brushed a strand of silky hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear, and then kissed the tip of her nose. “I have condoms in the pockets.” He grinned. “Lots of condoms.”

  “Ooh.” She smiled and did a little shimmy that went straight to his groin. “I love a confident man.”

  Love.

  He planned to do his damndest to make that a literal statement.

  But, for now, he would take it slow and easy. Rubbing her nipples into stiff peaks between his forefingers and thumbs, he grinned back and said, “I prefer to think of it as being prepared.”

  “Like a Boy Scout?” Ripping open a packet, she sheathed him in record time before climbing back to her previous position.

  He chose not to think about how many times she may have performed such a service for her previous lovers.

  Because, if things went as planned, he would be her last lover.

  Poised above him, her heat scorched the tip of his penis. He gritted his teeth to prevent eagerly flexing his hips and filling her. It had been so long.

  On some level, he knew it was important to allow her to take the lead. At least once.

  Knees clutching his hips, she arched her back, her breasts jutting out, begging him to play.

  He didn’t believe in making her beg.

  Caressing her knees, he inched his hands up the smooth, firm flesh of her thighs. His fingers silently counted her ribs. He palmed her breasts, enjoying the heaviness in his palms, the smooth warmth of her skin, the little hitch in her breath when he rubbed the pads of his thumbs across her puckered nipples. “You like that?”

  She raised her head, her gaze locked with his, and nodded slowly. “But I can’t wait anymore.” Leaning closer, she stretched until her nipples brushed his lips.

  Gently pulling her closer, he squeezed her firm flesh, pushing her nipple deep into his hungry mouth.

  Ashley squirme
d with excitement as Daryl’s satiny tongue circled her nipple, then drew it deep within the heat of his mouth. Had anything ever felt so good, so right?

  She arched her back, pushing deeper into his voracious mouth, rubbing shamelessly against his abdomen, reveling in the feel of his skin against her most intimate part.

  While he sucked her, his hands kneaded her breasts, firing her excitement to the boiling point.

  She whimpered when his hands left her, not at all pleased with the cool air bathing her heated skin. Thankfully, the heat of his hands returned as they skimmed down her body, paused to circle her belly button, then continued their path to her excited core.

  Another whimper escaped when he stopped, his thumbs teasing her, rubbing the sensitized skin just shy of the spot yearning for his touch. Having already experienced world-shattering orgasms by those hands, she knew their capabilities and eagerly anticipated a replay. What was he waiting for?

  Adjusting, she widened her stance, nudging his wrists with her thighs to tell him what she wanted. What she needed.

  But instead of moving downward, his maddening hands moved up. They cupped her breasts, flexing and squeezing them until she decided it wouldn’t be terrible if he sucked them again.

  No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than his hands were on the move again until they gripped her beneath the arms and lifted. Lifted until she hung suspended over his head. Before she could form a question, he lowered her, his tongue circling her opening, licking her swollen folds, sucking her clitoris deeply into his talented mouth.

  She’d scarcely settled into the rhythm of his tongue when her climax was upon her. Reflexively, her knees gripped his head while she rode out the orgasm, his breath hot on her sex, her muscles twitching.

  Before she caught her breath, he was moving her, pushing her shoulders downward until the tip of his erection kissed her swollen labia.

  He murmured something, setting off vibrations in her chest. Did she actually hear the word love? Love what? Love her? Impossible. Love sex with her? Much more probable. And a sentiment she shared.

  Air whooshed from Daryl’s lungs as he flexed his hips, plunging deep into her eager flesh.

  He paused, the only sound their labored breathing mingled with the surf.

  “Open your eyes, Ashley,” he said in a low, rough voice. “I want you to know who’s inside you, loving you.”

  She lifted heavy lids to meet his green gaze. “I know,” she whispered, then moved her hips for a better, deeper alignment.

  Hard hands gripped her hip bones, lifting her slightly away from the warmth of his body. “Look, Ash. Look at us. Watch me filling you. Watch your gorgeous pussy stretch to accommodate my cock. It feels even more amazing when you watch what we’re doing.”

  Fascinated, she could only nod, watching the veined erection, shiny with her fluid, disappear deep into her body, then reappear again. It took her breath away and puckered her nipples. Every nerve ending was on alert, feeling every millimeter as Daryl went in and out of her excited body.

  She’d never watched the actual act of intercourse before and found it fascinating, alluring, intoxicating. And exciting as all get-out.

  A renewed gush made Daryl’s skin slick against her inner thighs. She was forced to slow the thrusts of her pelvis or risk having his penis pop out of her slick folds. It was agony, torture, when all she really wanted to do was grip his lean hips tighter between her thighs and ride him hard. Harder. Until they both were exhausted.

  Then she wanted to do it again. And again.

  She hadn’t felt this way in years. Five to be exact. Her movements slowed. If she didn’t know better, she’d think it had been Daryl that night in the storage closet. But that was ridiculous.

  Wasn’t it?

  Daryl slid his hand between their bodies, derailing her thought, pushing her higher on his shaft. “Keep watching,” he said in a gruff voice.

  His hand slid lower, pushing her labia together. The purple pearl of her clitoris peeked through, shiny with moisture. He massaged it with the pad of his thumb, bringing her to an instant, breath-stealing, heart-racing climax.

  When she would have collapsed on his solid warmth, he held her hips in a viselike grip as he increased the speed and power of his thrusts.

  It was pleasant, she thought, a smile tugging at her tired lips as she enjoyed the delicious friction of each forceful thrust.

  She’d had her orgasm; she’d just go along for the ride while she waited for his completion. Her eyes opened wide as another wave of sensation washed over her, almost drowning her in her release.

  Inner shock waves were just beginning to subside when he flipped her to her stomach and entered her again, pulling her up to her hands and knees as his hips pistoned into her.

  Her excitement built again, wetting her inner thighs, when he reached around to play with her aching nipples.

  “Again!” His breath was hot against her neck when he bent over her back, grinding a little harder and deeper with each thrust. “I want you to come for me again, Ash.” He pinched her nipples, eliciting a cry of release from her as he pounded into her receptive flesh for a second and third time before shuddering with his own climax.

  Pulling her tightly against him, he lowered her, rolled with her until they were once again lying on the mattress, front to back, with his arms securely wrapped around her.

  His hand stroked her damp hair from her face. “Good morning.”

  She giggled and reached back to pat his bare hip. “Good morning to you, too.”

  “What a way to start the day,” he said against her ear.

  “Mmmm.” Smiling, she tilted her head, baring her neck for his kisses. Speaking required too much effort at the moment.

  Besides, she didn’t want whatever they had going on to end. At least not yet. And if they started talking, it just might.

  No, she wanted to bask in the afterglow for at least a few more minutes.

  “Ash? Are you okay?”

  She sighed. Apparently Daryl was done with his basking.

  “Ashley?”

  “What?”

  “Are you mad? I thought you…I mean, I know we…Where are you going?”

  Tugging the blanket until it was out from under Daryl’s weight, she refused to look at him. When she had the blanket secured around her, she headed for the door. “I’m going to go take a quick shower, then go to the Quickie Mart for something to make for breakfast. If you want to go with me, I can call you when I get out of the shower.”

  Feeling vulnerable, Daryl grabbed a pillow to cover his assets. Ashley had made it clear she was showering alone. Fine with him. At least this time. “Sounds like a plan,” he said, avoiding eye contact.

  He refused to look up until he heard the bathroom door close.

  Being a sex object was turning out to be a lot harder than he’d anticipated.

  11

  Ashley stood beneath the stinging spray of the shower and wished she hadn’t locked the bathroom door. Would Daryl have joined her behind the cheerful rubber-duck-print shower curtain? Would she have welcomed him?

  Heck, yes.

  Instead, she’d made it clear she planned to shower alone.

  Dumb, she thought, really dumb. Water slicked her skin. Bubbles from her shampoo slid over her shoulders to caress her still-sensitive nipples, making her wish it were Daryl.

  With a growl of frustration, she grabbed her body wash and finished her shower in record time.

  Wrapped in one of her beach towels, she opened the door, allowing the steam to escape from the little bathroom.

  Daryl stood just outside the bathroom door, leaning casually against the wall, a venti cup of coffee in each hand. “I thought you might like a cup of coffee before we leave.”

  “Where…?” Even in her confusion, she reached for a cup.

  He shrugged. “I remembered seeing a Starbucks in the little strip mall down the road on our way in. I knew I had plenty of time to get dressed and make the coffee r
un.” His teeth flashed white when he grinned. “I notice you still take marathon showers.”

  Nodding, she savored the taste of her latte, barely managing to refrain from moaning her appreciation. After her first swallow, she opened her eyes to find him staring at her. “Leave it to you to spot a Starbucks in any direction while driving eighty.”

  “It’s a gift.” He tossed his cup into the dented metal waste basket by the kitchen door. “Let me grab a quick shower, then I’ll drive you to get groceries. I thought maybe we could have a late breakfast somewhere, then hit the beach after we put everything away.”

  “Oh, ick,” Ashley grumbled when she turned over on the blanket next to Daryl. “I have sand in my teeth.”

  “I told you not to eat that last chip,” he said, his eyes closed to the bright afternoon sun.

  “Yeah, but you didn’t tell me it was sandy.” She made a combination gagging-spitting sound that made him smile. “Don’t laugh at me, Daryl Garrett. I’m warning you.”

  Since he was easily a half a foot taller and fifty pounds heavier, the warning was laughable.

  In hindsight, he probably should not have laughed, he realized, when she pulled his bathing suit open and poured a handful of sand into his crotch.

  Howling, he jumped to his feet, immediately shaking the waistband in an effort to dislodge the sand clinging to his sweating abs and farther down. “You’re playing with fire, Clark.”

  He lunged, but she got away, shrieking as she ran across the hot sand toward the waves, with him in hot pursuit.

  At the edge of the water, he caught her, his arm grabbing her around the waist, and lifted her off her feet.

  “Put me down!”

  “Stop kicking! You may hit something vital. Ash, cut it out!” He’d meant a playful toss. Instead, he was surprised to see her fly through the air to land several yards out into the Gulf of Mexico with a splat.

  “Ash!” He waded toward the spot where she’d gone under. “Ashley! Are you okay?”