A Better Man

by Candis Terry

  But wanting and having were two different things.

  He didn’t want her to think he’d brought her along to service him and he didn’t want her running out the door because he’d scared her. Though she responded to his touch and his kiss, he didn’t know exactly where she stood with the whole sex thing.

  Maybe because of her past she wasn’t receptive to the idea. He needed to be careful about that. Though he’d been a man who’d always taken, this time he had to give. And with Lucy that meant he had to give her time to decide if this was what she wanted, not that she felt she’d been forced into anything.

  Reluctantly he ended the kiss without being abrupt, then he made some lame-­ass excuse about it might be better if they stopped in case Nicki walked in, which was a complete one-­eighty on what he really wanted to do.

  Lucy lay in Jordan’s giant bed between ultra soft, luxurious sheets, staring up at the ceiling wondering why he’d abruptly ended such an amazing kiss.

  Maybe, like he said, it really had been because Nicole was just down the hall and could walk in at any moment. Or maybe Lucy just didn’t push his buttons dressed in a pair of raggedy cutoff sweats and a T-­shirt. Of course, if he’d gone a little further he would have discovered her newest Victoria’s Secret lace undies. Those were certainly sexy, if she had to say so herself. And of course she did because no one else had seen them.

  Or probably ever would with her luck.

  Lucy had never had the opportunity to be the aggressor in a relationship. Her ex and whatever this was going on with Jordan was all the experience she had in the world. It wasn’t much. Especially since her ex had been so callous and selfish in bed. Not to mention very, very speedy.

  Thankfully.

  Unlike many women who’d gone through abusive situations, she wasn’t turned off toward sex. Just the opposite. She was very curious. She wondered if there really was such a thing as multiple orgasms. Or even if it was possible to have an orgasm with a real live man and not a battery-­operated boyfriend.

  She readjusted the pillow, giving it two punches just for good measure.

  Why was she lying there thinking about that kind of stuff when all it would do was bring her another frustrated night of tossing and turning? She needed to think about something else. She ran her fingertips over the fluffy comforter and her thoughts immediately shifted toward guilt.

  How could she lie there all night in that gigantic bed—­alone—­while Jordan, who was well over six feet tall and built like a god—­was probably uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa? Especially when he had to get up the following morning and hit the ice for another grueling practice.

  She sat up, pushed her hair off her face, and got out of bed. She couldn’t let him sleep out there. He was right. The bed was big enough for both of them. They’d just have to make sure Nicole didn’t find out.

  She’d tiptoed into the darkened living room before she realized she’d left her glasses on the nightstand. Though moonlight filtered through the curtains, she couldn’t see anything but a blur because of her nearsightedness.

  Too late to go back and get them now.

  Careful she didn’t stub her toe, she made her way toward the sofa. Jordan was stretched out on his back with one arm thrown over his eyes. The other arm was hugging a blonde stretched out between him and the back of the sofa.

  Lucy stopped.

  Squinted.

  Her heart pounded. Maybe he’d ended their kiss earlier because he had someone else in mind and she was on that sofa with him right now.

  No.

  He wouldn’t do that.

  Would he?

  She took another step closer and squinted again. Between the dim light and her horrible eyesight she couldn’t see much. Just a mop of golden hair. Beneath her foot a floorboard creaked. The head popped up and relief poured like sugar through her when she realized it was only Ziggy.

  Not wanting to startle Jordan, Lucy crept closer. She reached out her hand to touch his shoulder and gently wake him. Like a bullet his hand shot out and he pulled her down on top of him. Ziggy escaped over the back of the sofa.

  Lucy let out a giggle. “You scared me.”

  Suddenly his hands were on her behind and he was grinning up at her.

  “I didn’t know you had it in you to be so sneaky,” he whispered. “I like it.”

  His hands pressed her down and she figured he must really like it, because his sizable erection surged against her most sensitive area.

  Want and need sprang to life.

  “What were you sneaking in here for?” He smoothed his hands down her entire backside.

  “To get you to come to bed.”

  He lifted his head to get a better look at her through the moonlight. “Why do you want me to come to bed, Lucy?”

  His voice sounded hopeful. And though she hadn’t intended for him to come to bed for that, she had to admit that subconsciously maybe she’d done exactly that very thing. But she’d never be able to say it out loud.

  “It’s not fair for you to sleep on this sofa when you have to work so hard tomorrow. Now that I’ve seen a little bit of what it is you do I feel selfish being in that big bed all by myself. You’re right. There’s plenty of room.”

  “Is that the only reason?”

  When she didn’t answer—­because she couldn’t without lying or being completely embarrassed—­he cupped the back of her head and brought her face down to his.

  “Tell me you want me, Lucy. Because I sure as hell want you.”

  She could lie, but her nipples were aching and hard and pressing into his chest. And surely he could feel the tingle between her legs where his erection was pressed.

  She could lie.

  But why would she when she’d wanted him since she was seventeen years old.

  “I want you.”

  “When I make you come . . .” He brushed her hair away from her face and gave her a smile that sent an extra jolt between her legs. “And I will. I want to hear you scream my name from that sexy mouth of yours.”

  Oh. My.

  He rolled her beneath him and with the buttery leather at her back he pressed his erection into the soft spot between her thighs. A hot tingle danced down her spine as he lowered his face and kissed the side of her neck.

  No man had ever kissed her neck. Or licked the shell of her ear. Or nipped playfully at her throat. Jordan was a lot of man. She just hoped she could handle him.

  “I love the way you smell.” He ran his nose up her throat, then he gently sucked her skin.

  Panic started to set in. Not that she didn’t want this. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted anything. But even though she’d been married, she had no real experience at sex. That relationship had never been give and take. On second thought it had been. She’d given and he’d taken. In a hurry. Unlike her ex, Jordan didn’t seem like he was in much of a rush to get to the end result. As embarrassing as it might be, she needed to let him know.

  “I . . . don’t know how to do this,” she whispered.

  He lifted his head. “What?”

  “Sex. I really don’t know how. Not in a loving manner. Not in . . . how to give real pleasure to a man.”

  “And I’ll bet you don’t know how to receive pleasure either.”

  She sighed and looked away. Even though it was dark she could feel his gaze on her face. “This is so embarrassing.”

  “You have nothing to be embarrassed about. A sexual partner is supposed to discover the other person’s needs. Their desires. What makes their blood rush, their heart race, and their toes curl. If your past partners—­”

  “Partner. Singular.”

  “Partner, didn’t take the time to get to know you or take care of you, that’s not on you, Lucy. That’s on him.”

  “So you don’t think I’m sexually stunted?”
<
br />   A smile lifted his lips. “I think you’re a strong, sensual, fascinating woman who deserves to know what real lovemaking is like.”

  Thought stopped. Desire and curiosity took control. She’d never thought of it in those terms before. One of the great things about Jordan was he opened doors to new things. So far they’d all been pretty good. God help her, she trusted him.

  She rolled out from under him, stood, and held out her hand. “Come on.”

  The brief confusion darkening his eyes brightened as he looked up at her. “Where are we going, Lucy?”

  “I want to learn what real lovemaking is like.” She crooked her finger in a come-­here-­big-­boy way. “Time for you to learn a little bit about me, and for me to learn a whole lot about you.”

  The minute she put her hand in his, Jordan knew he had her trust. But he wanted more than that. He wanted her to relax, enjoy, and completely give herself over to him. He didn’t need to hear the details of what went on in the bedroom when she’d been married to know that her jerk of a husband had been harsh and selfish.

  To Jordan, Lucy was like one of those brilliant blue orchids—­rare, delicate, and ready to bloom under the right conditions. He had all night, and everything he knew, everything he had to give, was hers for the taking.

  She led him into the bedroom and quietly shut the door. Then he opened the heavy drape over the window so the moonlight filtered through the sheer white curtain. By the time he turned around she was hugging herself and looking very unsure. The carpet was soft beneath his feet as he made his way back over to her and cupped her shoulders with his hands.

  “Do you trust me?”

  She nodded without hesitation.

  “Good. Because I would never ask you to do anything you feel uncomfortable with and I would never hurt you. Clear?”

  She nodded again.

  “First rule . . . no more nodding. I want you to talk to me. Tell me what you want. What you like. What makes you feel good.”

  “Oh God.” She snagged her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “Nope.” He smiled to reassure her. “It’s just me and you. Close your eyes.”

  When she did, he cupped the side of her head with his hand, letting the soft, silky curls fall over his forearm. He used his other hand to grasp her hip and bring her closer. Then he whispered against her lips. “Tonight is all about you.”

  He brushed feather-­light kisses down the side of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent along the way. When he reached her shoulder he gently pushed the loose material of her T-­shirt aside and continued his descent. He could hear her heart pounding as he lifted the shirt over her head. She breathed a small gasp when the cool air touched her skin and she lifted her arms to cover herself.

  “You’re so beautiful, Lucy. Let me see you.” He moved her hands away, then gently cupped the fullness of her breasts in his hands. When he stroked his thumbs across her nipples they peaked into tight rosy buds. “Do you like that?”

  Eyes still closed, she started to nod, then obviously remembered the rule. “Yes.”

  “I want to touch you all over. I want to know what makes you feel good. And then I want to touch you again to be sure.”

  “I like you touching me.” She spoke in a breathy whisper that was so sexy his cock hardened more with a deep, needy ache. He couldn’t remember a time where he’d been so turned on just leisurely touching a woman. Most women wanted to get right to the action. Lucy didn’t even know what the action was. But she was about to find out—­the slow and seductive way.

  He took her hands and placed them down at her sides. Then he took his time kissing her mouth, throat, and shoulders. He kissed her arms, lifted her hair and kissed the back of her neck and all the way down her spine. He touched her smooth skin with the gentlest of hands, and she rewarded him with soft sighs and throaty moans. When he reached her hips he tucked his thumbs in the waistband of her cutoffs and slid the fabric down her legs. He lifted each foot to remove the pants, then sat back on his heels to look at her standing there in a high-­cut lacy pair of pink panties and nothing else but skin.

  “Damn.”

  “What’s wrong?” Concern tinged her voice but she managed to keep her eyes closed.

  “Not a thing.” He smoothed a hand down over her hip and thigh. “You just take my breath away.”

  “No I don’t. I hear you breathing just fine.”

  A smile touched his lips before he leaned in to kiss her firm belly, cup her sweet, rounded, lace-­covered ass with his hands, and slick his tongue across her belly button. Her skin tasted sweet like honey. He could only imagine how delicious the rest of her would be.

  Slowly he lowered his hands down her hips in a smooth caress, letting his long fingers dip into the warm, damp apex of her thighs. Just enough to test.

  To tease.

  Her long, hungry moan coincided with the weakening of her knees. Without missing a beat, he scooped her up in his arms and laid her on the bed.

  “Are we done now?” she asked.

  The disappointment in her tone made him smile and a chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “Baby, we’re just getting started.”

  Eyes closed, Lucy grasped the fluffy comforter as he trailed his fingers from the base of her throat down between her breasts to the top of the lace on her panties.

  “Relax.” His fingers brushed and swirled, sending chills—­the good kind—­through her body. “Use your hands for something better than gripping the bedding. Use them on me.”

  He leaned down, his bare chest pressed into her breasts as his hot breath whispered in her ear. “Or better yet, touch yourself. Show me what feels good.”

  She’d touched herself before, but not with her bare fingers. A vibrator gave her what she needed without it becoming too . . . personal.

  This definitely went beyond personal.

  The low, sexy tone of his voice kept her calm and made her want to do as he asked. She wanted to please him as much as apparently he wanted to please her.

  When his lips found her throat again he kissed his way down to her breasts where his tongue flicked her pebbled nipple before he sucked it into his warm, wet mouth. A hot ache of need shot down between her legs. She arched into him, and a gasp she couldn’t control slipped past her lips.

  “Does that feel good?”

  “Yes.” He sucked again and the need tripled. “More. Please. More.”

  With a murmur against her skin he moved to the other breast, and instead of instantly sucking her nipple into his mouth, he circled it with his tongue, then flicked it and rolled it gently between his teeth. Her hands came up off the comforter and dove into his hair, holding him at her breast, silently begging him to continue. Between her fingers his hair was silky and long enough to grab and hold tight if the need arose.

  And boy did she ever hope it arose.

  She’d never had a man’s tender touch. Never had her breasts paid attention to in a sensuous manner. Never knew they could be so fabulously sensitive when the right man was in command.

  Her entire body was on fire. Tingling. Craving more.

  This kind of control she was willing to hand over.

  Only one problem existed. She wanted to see him. He was a gorgeous man with an incredible body and a sexy tattoo running over his broad shoulder and chest that she wanted to lick. Keeping her eyes closed seemed unfair. Currently he was busy rocking her world so she snuck a peek. Seeing him at her breast, concentrating on what he was doing to make her feel good intensified the sensation.

  “Oh.”

  He looked up. “You cheated.”

  “It’s so much better with my eyes open. I want to see you. I want to touch you.”

  “Believe me, there’s nothing more I want than your hands on me. But right now, there’s something I’ve fantasized about doing to you.”

  “You’ve fantas
ized about me?”

  “From the minute I walked into your classroom. You looked so prim and proper and sexy as hell. All I wanted to do was strip you down and get you messy.”

  “Messy?”

  “Hot. Wet.” He gave her nipple a lazy stroke with his tongue. “And sweaty.”

  “Sweaty?” Totally new concept for her.

  “Mmm hmm. But right now let’s focus on . . . wet.”

  He slid his way down her body, kissing her stomach, her hips, and sliding her panties off. Then he cupped his hand beneath her bottom and kissed her pubic area. She didn’t panic, but she froze.

  “Jordan . . . I’ve never . . .”

  “I know, baby.” He kissed the apex of her thighs and . . . hmmm . . . fancy that. Her legs just parted all on their own like they knew exactly what was about to happen.

  “And I promise I’ll make it good for you,” he said.

  When he kissed the inside of each thigh she held her breath. Then he gently parted her feminine folds with his thumbs.

  “Mmmm.” He moaned. “So pretty.” His warm, wet tongue slowly licked across her slick flesh, and a jolt of white-­hot pleasure curled all the way up into her chest and down to her toes.

  So, so, so much better than a vibrator.

  His moan of approval pulsated against her skin while he teased, licked, and sucked the sensitive flesh. He made her come alive and she grasped at everything she could get her hands on—­his hair, shoulders, the bedding, her own hair. A sizzling heat caught fire to all the nerve endings in her body and she exploded. The jolt rendered her speechless but for a lusty groan that came from somewhere deep inside she never even knew existed. As she spiraled even higher, one single word burst from her lips.

  “Jordan!”

  Moments later as every muscle turned to jelly, he moved back up her body and propped himself over her. His huge erection pressed against that flesh he’d just caught on fire and he moved his body in a way that kept the sensation going. He kissed her and she parted her lips to let his talented tongue slide inside.