Fuck, I’m in trouble.
She chuckled. “Yes, yes, you are.”
He blinked. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
She nodded, her hair slipping back and forth as she did it. “Oh yes, you did. Now let’s eat.” She made her way past him, poured herself another cup of coffee, and darted around him to enter the back deck. He followed her, unable to keep his gaze off the sway of her hips and the way her butt cheeks moved up and down in the tight denim.
He been so focused on her that when she stopped, he crashed into her. “Shit. Sorry,” he muttered.
“Hey, are you trying to get me bent over the chair? If you want to call off the bet, just say so, and we can start fucking like bunnies.”
He grunted and moved back. Temptation reared its ugly head, but he pushed it down with willpower. “No, not gonna let you get out that easily.” He made his way around the table and sat across from her. For a moment, he contemplated telling her what he’d heard on his way to get a midnight snack.
“Of course you wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t let you unless you declare me the victor.” She grinned and placed her napkin on her lap.
He decided to just tell her and get it out of the way, even though he hadn’t stayed long enough to hear anything except his name. “Look, don’t freak out, but I heard you, um, masturbating last night.” He held up his hands. “Not the whole thing, just long enough to hear you murmur my name and that’s it.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So what? The bet is off? I’m disqualified, or is that why you decided on the clean-a-thon last night?”
Need to be careful with this part. “Um, no. I just ate a box of cookies and surfed the Web.”
“So you had to vacuum up the evidence, huh? I see. You owe me.” She tossed her head. “You owe me.”
“That’s it?” He’d expected her to try and take it out of his hide. “And you’re not mad about the cookies?”
“Well, if there’s no sex, what the hell was I supposed to do? Just be horny? No, don’t think so. I’m a grown woman, and I enjoy sex. You know that. Not going to punish you since you didn’t stay and listen or jerk off while I was in there all alone without you. But you will be punished for the cookies. They are part of the reward, Alexi. At least one of us is behaving.” She snorted and dug into her meal.
They fell into quiet, him wondering what she was plotting. Every glance he threw her way told him nothing. She had put on what he called her “lawyer face.” A sinking sensation filled his stomach. Great. She’s probably gonna make me eat something disgusting, like one of those protein shakes she swears is delicious despite the faces she pulls while downing them. He slumped in his seat. At least my erection has deflated. With that thought, the little fucker twitched. Shit.
“I’ve decided that instead of punishing you, we’ll just up the ante. I’ve been playing it safe and flirty, but now all bets are off, mister. And just to really stir the shit, I’m throwing in a blowjob if you win, and if I win, you have to act out any fantasy I want.”
He studied her face. Every line and curve of her features had hardened, and there was a steely glint in her eyes.
“You’re serious?” He ruminated over the new prizes. “So the BJ would be separate?”
She nodded. “By itself, yes.”
He noted that she didn’t specify time and place. “Anywhere or you decide?” He didn’t care who got the say about when and where. He just felt honored she’d want to do that for him.
“You get to call the shots on that so long as it’s not in public and it won’t ruin my reputation—not that you’d do that,” she added.
“How about I throw in eating you out anytime anyplace you decide? Fair is fair, Ti.” He wanted to show her that they were equal in all things, sexual acts included.
She gifted him with a winning smile that made his stomach flip. “Deal. You drive a hard bargain, Kurraine. And thanks.”
He shrugged.
“You do realize that this is going to heat things up, right?”
He swallowed and nodded. “Yeah.”
“You didn’t think of that, did you?”
He shook his head. I’m fucked. Tianna fought dirty when it was something she really wanted, and he could only imagine what he was in store for.
“Let the games begin.” She went back to eating.
What the hell did I just do?
Chapter Eight
Tianna tried not to stare as Alexi walked past her for the third time, shirtless and in shorts that molded to his ass. After yesterday’s little breakfast tête-à-tête, things had become hot under the collar, so to speak. They’d returned from the town fair, which ended up not being set up yet. Alexi had taken to walking around without a shirt on, cooking on the grill and working up a sweat. He’d started brushing against her or walking close to her when they were cooking or setting the table. Last night had been another session with her vibrator. Whether or not he heard her, she didn’t care. The desire had been too potent to ignore. All those muscles, the tats, the light bit of chest hair that covered his pecs and arrowed down to the place he denied her—it was too much. Whenever she turned around, she couldn’t ignore the tenting of the fabric of his pants at groin level.
To keep herself from turning into a horny, drooling mess, she focused on gardening…well, as best as she could before getting attacked by every flying pest and spider known to man. Then she’d tried reading until lunch. That became a washout after Alexi decided that going with no shirt was a fantastic idea. Rather than shut herself in her room, she’d opted to change into a bandeau top and short shorts, showing him two could play at that game. The plan’s weakness became evident after five minutes of sitting in an air-conditioned room and needing a blanket to get warm.
He hadn’t commented on this development and whether he found her actions amusing or not. She didn’t know as the grill was out of her view. When reading failed, she turned to TV, thankful for the satellite dish on the roof. A thousand channels, nothing on. Next to try: movies. For lunch he’d presented her burgers with the cheese molded into the center of the burger patty rather than on top of the meat, corn on the cob, and for dessert slices of fruit cooked on the grill. He’d kept the conversation light and didn’t mention her blanket. No mentions of bets or cookies or anything of that nature. Dinner was the same affair, only she’d changed into yoga pants and a tight V-neck shirt, no bra. They’d repeated the movie date, cuddled up into each other, his arm around her shoulder, her snuggled into his side as they watched a classic rom-com featuring pirates, giants, and sword fighting.
She’d even fallen asleep in his arms, and he’d carried her to bed only for her to wake up alone and horny, hating the bet with every fiber of her being. On the plus side, when she’d woken up, he’d presented her with breakfast in bed: homemade buttermilk strawberry waffles, bacon, hash browns, and a large mug of coffee. He’d told her that he would be fishing for most of the day, so she’d be on her own. A small bit of relief for the both of them. He’d bent down and pressed the softest, sweetest kiss against her mouth that left her flesh tingling and her yearning for more.
Banked energy buzzed along her limbs, demanding movement. Rather than watch the maids do their thing, she headed into town on foot, wandering around, nodding at people she knew, stopping off at farm stands for small treats in fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables. She checked in on the fair once again, only to find they still weren’t finished setting up; the need for repairs had delayed them a bit. After that, she returned home for lunch. The cleaning staff Alexi hired for their stay had already left. Alexi lay in the boat, line in the water, hat covering his face. She stood on the small dock and called out to him, “Coming in for lunch?”
He just waved a hand but didn’t move his cap off his features. “Dinner.”
“Okay.” She made herself a strawberry and chicken salad with a strawberry milkshake for balance and settled herself in for junk television. After several of her brain cells got killed off watching housewiv
es fight, she returned to movies, this time a classic sci-fi trilogy about good and evil with robots and laser sword fights. Buoyed by the triumph of heroes, she decided to try her hand at the grill for tonight’s menu: boneless barbecue chicken breasts, potato wedges, a summer greens salad, and for dessert, s’mores. She’d changed into a sundress and set up the back porch with candles and lanterns, creating a more romantic tone.
Alexi returned to the house with his clothes soaked through and his fishing equipment drenched.
“What happened?” She pressed her lips together to keep from chuckling.
“Damned bird landing on the edge of the boat. Let off this huge screech, startled me, and I fell in.” He put his tackle and pole down against the far wall before he stripped off his T-shirt, undid his fly, and shoved down his shorts, leaving him in only his boxers and sneakers.
Her mouth went dry. She’d seen him naked once before. Alexi was a work of art, all muscle and sinew. Tanned skin stretched over toned and well-defined muscle. His hair seemed whiter, burnished by his time spent outdoors, even if it had only been two days. He gave her a dark grin, kicked off his shorts, and strode toward her, a king in his domain, confidence radiating out of every stride. He didn’t stop until he had her scooped into his arms and an unquestionable erection pressing into her stomach. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, pressing herself against him until not even air could get between them.
“Well…” The word gusted out of her mouth on a breath. “Welcome home.” Heat cascaded through her chest, climbed up her throat, and filled her face.
“Hi.” He brushed his lips against hers, a whisper of skin that left her mouth tingling and aching for more contact. Arousal flared to life in the pit of her stomach. Liquid need flooded her pussy, dampening her nether lips and soaking her panties. Her nipples tightened to hardened points. It had seemed like a century since last she’d had him like this, solid muscle pressed against her softer curves. The thick ridge of his erection between them sent a shiver of need through her. Her vaginal muscles constricted; an ache took up residence deep inside her womb. She moved her head forward, taking his lips with more pressure, only to have him withdraw.
“Alexi.”
“Not yet.” He placed her on her feet and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Have to go shower. Thanks for making dinner.”
“Damn you, Kurraine!” The only problem was she didn’t know how to make dinner romantic or sexy. There was no way she would sit through dinner naked. As amusing as it would be to drip barbecue sauce on her breasts, the idea of the additive of grease didn’t make the idea more appealing. She could try the bandeau approach but felt that it had already been done and hadn’t gotten a rise out of him. So instead, she settled for using words, phrases, and innuendo to get her way or at least to get her revenge.
After a brief look over to make sure that everything was in place, she sat at the table and waited for him. He returned in just shorts, no shirt or shoes.
She raised an eyebrow. “Trying to distract me?”
He chuckled and took his place across from her. “No, just trying to cool off. It was hot and humid around the pond. No fish as usual but relaxing.”
“Yeah, I saw you, taking a nap. Is that how we fish nowadays? Sleep and let the pole and line do all the work? I thought there would be more activity.” She picked up the plate of chicken and passed it to him.
“That would be if we’re on the open seas. Here we relax and let it happen.” He winked at her, damn him.
She tried to ignore her desires and focus on the meal. Throughout dinner words formed, but nothing rolled off her tongue. Alexi saved her by asking about her day. Relief swept through her at the opening he gave. She told him about the stops at the farm stands, checking in on the fair, and whom she spoke to.
“I’m sure they’ll have the stuff finished tomorrow. We can go if you want. This is really good, honey. Thank you.” He grinned at her.
She ducked her head. “Welcome. Figure it was my turn at the grill.” She grinned.
“I am not a grill hog. The coach’s birthday is Friday, by the way. ”
“I wasn’t trying to say that. I just wanted to make something for us to eat. Okay.” Words failed her.
“And our special Popsicle drinks.” He gave her another wink.
She laughed. “Wanna get me drunk? I will be very aware of what happens, especially since that is when I will win my bet.”
“Oh, you’ve been playing me all this time, honey? We’ll see about that.” Mischief danced in his eyes.
Her tummy flipped at his stare. She swallowed. A sense of disquiet filled her. “Don’t you dare try anything funny,” she warned.
“Would I do that?” His features transformed into a mask of innocence, but the devil remained in his eyes.
“Yes”—she pointed at him—“yes, you would. I won’t fall for it.”
He grunted. “So movie night, I’m going to suggest classic noir.”
She thought it over. “Okay, s’mores are all ready.”
He nodded. “Deal.”
For a second, her gaze took in the room, and she sighed. The gauzy light, the shadows that played in the corners, the soft night music beyond the screens and door, and the cool breeze that drifted into the room causing the candle flames to flicker—all of it wasted, it seemed. She didn’t know how to do romance with him. It always turned to something comfortable with them. Nothing special.
Alexi shook his head. “Don’t. I love this. We’re comfortable with each other, and this is special. It’ll just be my turn next time. Now you clear the table, and I’ll get dessert, okay, beautiful?”
She nodded. A warm glow began in her belly and spread through her body in a gentle wave. “I’ve always been crap with trying to do something romantic,” she confessed.
“Don’t worry about it. You’ll just have to wait until I try and wow you.” He winked at her again before he pushed back his chair and got up. “I’ll get dessert.”
She glanced down at her plate. The orange glaze gleamed up at her. “Wow, I didn’t realize that I’d finished.” She chuckled.
“That’s because the meal was so good, honey.” He took her plate and utensils. “I’ll be back with the s’mores. You get settled on the couch.” He nodded toward the house.
“I get too used to this, I may not go back to my apartment in the city and move in with you.” A ping hit her heart, and she regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. A teasing reminder of the one hurdle she didn’t in her heart of hearts think they could overcome. It all seemed like too much work to her for something that would make them that much more resentful of the distance. Rather than wait for his response, she followed him into the cabin and got started on their nightly ritual.
Maybe if I lose myself in the movie and being snuggled up to him, I’ll forget. She hoped that was the case. The sound of dishes being rinsed off reminded her of just how sweet Alexi could be. Tears blurred her vision for a second, and that damned heart-of-hearts place opened up, revealing what she wanted: to move back home and give it a go for real, but her biggest fear of all was losing him when the distance became too much. Being friends was one thing. Becoming more was another. They would have to work triple overtime for it. She wasn’t sure she had the commitment, what with her job taking up so much room in her life right now.
She wiped away a few stray pearls of water and put on her best front, hoping that Alexi wouldn’t notice. Take the rest of this week and treasure it, she told herself. Next time I may lose him when it all gets too much.
“Hey? Here you go.” He handed her a bowl with the s’mores sitting on the top.
“Thanks!” Her voice was too bright, and she knew it.
Alexi narrowed his eyes but, thank God, didn’t say anything. Instead, he settled in next to her, kissed her temple, and wrapped her up in a one-armed hug before starting the movie.
“Whatever it is, Ti, we’ll get through it together, unders
tand? It’s always been like that and always will be like that.”
Yeah, you say that now, she thought.
Chapter Nine
They arrived at Coach’s farm before anyone else. They were put to work cooking and placing the food. Seeing Tianna in a setting where she could bond with his team family made his heart lighter and filled his soul with a happy fire that couldn’t be dampened. Even when pearl-gray clouds rolled in and the distant sound of thunder could be heard, he kept that grin in place and just moved the tables and chairs into the empty barn. Every once in a while he felt Tianna’s hand graze his lower back or give his butt a gentle slap when no one was looking.
Last night he’d left his door open and masturbated, letting her hear every moan and groan. She’d responded by doing the same thing until he’d heard her come. He, on the other hand, hadn’t found his bliss. Instead, he’d been left unfulfilled and irritated that he hadn’t been with her. Now some of that unresolved passion reared its head. The arrival of his teammates and members of the coaching staff helped keep his mind from how tight his pants were, with no place to sneak off to—he wouldn’t do that to his friends and family—and no relief in sight. He’d just have to grin and bear it. His long T-shirt covered the evidence of his frustration.
He spotted Brice with his arm wrapped around his girlfriend, Ava. Alexi made a beeline for them, greeting people as he went. Snatches of league gossip and news drifted around him. Just as he reached his friend, Coach let out a loud whistle. “Hey! No league talk. Just enjoy the party.”
Alexi chuckled. He doubted anyone would give Coach’s command any serious mind. The men couldn’t help it, and with their new team members from the draft, the shop talk only increased as people got to know everyone.
“Hey, Brice, Ava.” He nodded to Ava.
“Hey, yourself. Is that Tianna?” Ava tilted her head in the direction of his best friend.
“Yup.” Pride swelled in his chest at the ability to claim a close relationship with her.
“Gorgeous. Good job, Alexi. Didn’t think you had it in you,” Brice teased.
Facing Off with Alexi (Witch Field Prowlers Book 2) Page 6
