Tempting the Best Man

by Tanya Michaels

  He groaned. “I’m never going to be able to grade papers in here again. How can I concentrate on sophomore essays when I’m rock hard and obsessed with memories of you?”

  “Sorry,” she said without an ounce of contrition. “I blame the little devil on my shoulder. She gives me ideas.”

  Daniel curled his fingers in the soft knit of her sweater and she obligingly raised her arms so he could lift the garment over her head. “Honey, you don’t have a devil. More like a tour bus full of them who visit you for creative inspiration on tormenting people.”

  “Is that what I do?” she asked, her breathing erratic as he unbuttoned his shirt and revealed mouthwatering abs. “Torment you?”

  “In the best fucking ways.” He lifted her to sit on the edge of the desk and kissed her again. It wasn’t wildly out of control, like in the elevator, but this was no less erotic. He took his time, teasing her, delving into her mouth as his fingers ran up and down her bare arms. As good as it felt, her triceps were not where she needed to be touched. Squirming, she tried to lock her legs around his waist, but he thwarted her with a half step back.

  She bit his bottom lip. “Talk about torment.”

  “Welcome to my world.” There was a hint of laughter in his voice, but the amusement was strained with desire.

  “Keep it up, and you’re going to get a failing grade.”

  He gave her an I-know-what-I’m-doing smile as he straightened, reaching for his belt. “I promised you we’d see each other naked. Now seems like the right time.”

  Her gaze was rapt as he unbuckled the belt and moved on to the fly of his slacks. Soon he was wearing only a pair of navy boxer briefs, the outline of his erection unmistakable.

  She swallowed. “Don’t stop now.” It was supposed to be a demand; it sounded like a plea.

  He hesitated, parroting her earlier coy tone. “I’m not sure I should keep going. After all, I’m down to just this.” He dipped his thumb into the elastic waistband, inching the fabric past his hip bone.

  Her eyes eagerly followed the trail of dark hair below his navel.

  “But you’re fully dressed except for one measly sweater.” He gave her a pointed look. “Does that seem fair to you?”

  She scrambled off the desk, shimmying out of her pants. It took her two attempts to unhook her bra, and she held Daniel’s gaze as she let the lace flutter to the floor.

  He ran a hand over his jaw, staring reverently. Her breasts were tight and full, swollen for his touch.

  “Now we’re even,” she said, clad in nothing more than a pair of lacy bikini briefs. Her voice was raw with desire, nearly unrecognizable. If he didn’t touch her soon, she would be forced to take matters into her own hands, dammit. She eased the lace down her legs, the satin a leisurely caress across her skin, and stepped out of the bottoms. Completely exposed, she raised an eyebrow to indicate it was his turn.

  He was already reaching for her as he kicked free of his underwear. “You’re beautiful.” Closing what little space remained between them, he traced her collarbone with his thumbs before cupping her breasts.

  She arched her back, offering herself up to him. Just as he’d threatened earlier, he started with slow, torturous circles that had her shifting weight from foot to foot before he finally rubbed across one nipple. A few strokes were enough to make her breath come in shallow pants, and he responded by tugging at the tip while he kissed the side of her neck, sucking with just enough pressure that there would probably be a faint mark. She was so wet now, so ready.

  Craving more of him, she reached between their bodies, sliding her fingers down his shaft, loving the velvety texture. Softness stretched over unyielding hardness that was going to feel so damn good inside her. She gripped him tight, and he hissed out a breath between his teeth.

  She relaxed her hand just long enough to do it again, and his hips jerked toward her. “Daniel, I was fantasizing about you in college. That’s like ten years of foreplay. I want you now.”

  He nodded, his expression hungry. “Condom first.” He turned in the direction of his discarded pants, but she moved faster, unzipping the purse she’d set on his desk.

  “Here.”

  Taking it from her, he glanced at their options. “Sofa’s probably more comfortable than the desk, fewer sharp edges.” He caught her close, nuzzling her neck as his hand glided over the slope of her breast. “I’ve got all the sharp edges I can handle with you.”

  “Hey!”

  “Perfect balance of sharp edges and lush curves.” He followed his fingers with his mouth, licking a taut nipple, and the heat of his mouth blissed out all thought.

  Her mind might have gone too blank to form words, but thankfully her legs were still steady enough to carry her to the love seat. He sat and she watched unabashedly as he smoothed the condom over his jutting cock. Resisting the urge to launch herself atop him, she teased them both by bending forward at the waist, loving his predatory gaze on the sway of her breasts, and framed his face in her hands, kissing him fiercely.

  When she finally moved to straddle him, he stopped her with his hands at her hips. “Turn around?”

  Curious, she did as requested. “Still looking for that second tattoo?” she joked breathlessly. It was small but too colorful to miss.

  “No.” He reached between her legs to stroke his thumb over the colorful image of tiny flowers amid a tangle of calligraphy vines. “Although I will want a closer look at it later.” Without warning, he tugged her backward so that she tumbled onto his lap, facing away from him. It wasn’t graceful, but it got her where she wanted to be—naked and on top of him.

  He kissed the feather on her neck, running his tongue along it while his hands covered her breasts. She writhed, her soft cries escalating as he tweaked a nipple.

  “You are drenched,” he murmured at her ear as she ground against him. “I can feel you already.”

  She was drenched—and empty. Needy. With a whimper, she wiggled her hips, trying to find just the right angle, and he helped by pressing her forward with the flat of his hand against her spine. She raised up on the balls of her feet, and he positioned himself at her entrance, right there, the tip sliding into all that wetness, and she shuddered. He gripped her hips and thrust upward, spearing her with enough force that her body clenched around him, pleasure a bright starburst.

  Her breath hitched, and she rotated forward, almost all the way off him, then slowly lowered herself until he was buried deep. He rolled his hips, rubbing against all the right places inside her, while his fingers were at her breast, tugging and pinching before soothing with softer touches. She babbled disjointed words of encouragement, like “yes” and “do that again” and “Daniel.” With his free hand, he reached around her, grazing the narrow strip of hair between her legs before parting her folds and finding her clit. A groan reverberated through her and she rocked faster, giving herself over to a mindless rhythm that was all instinct and driving need and spiraling ecstasy.

  So close. So good. So much. She was drowning in sensation and any minute that wave would come crashing down on her.

  “God, Mia, you’re...” His voice broke in a guttural noise as he clamped his fingers on her hips and he yanked her down on him. Her climax slammed through her, and she spasmed around him.

  He bucked wildly. “Fuck, yes.” He bit the juncture of her neck and shoulder, his cry muffled against her flesh as he came. Then he collapsed back against the couch, his strong arms around her midsection, holding her close.

  Her heart thundered in her ears as she fought to catch her breath. That had been the kind of frenzied, pulse-pounding sex that incinerated one to a pile of satisfied ash. Eyes closed, she grinned inwardly. It was going to take a while for this phoenix to get feeling back in her legs, much less rise in a blaze of glory.

  She turned her head to the side, resting it on his
shoulder, loving the sensation of him surrounding her. The dark hair that dusted his chest was a not unpleasant rasp against her skin, and they were slick with each other’s sweat. On impulse, she licked him, savoring the salty tartness.

  “Mmm.” He cradled her head in his hand, stroking her hair. “Honey, if you’re going to start that up again, give me a minute to recover first.”

  Her muscles were limp with sensual satisfaction. If he could move at all, he had more stamina than she did. “Only a minute?”

  “Maybe five. Half an hour, tops.”

  She laughed at that, but her amusement faded into a sigh. Half an hour from now, she should be at home. She needed to shower and fire up her laptop for one last review of the wedding details. “We can’t start anything up again. I have to go.”

  “Same.” His voice echoed her own wistful disappointment. “No offense to Eli, but I wish you were the one sleeping at my condo tonight.”

  “The problem,” she said with a grin, “would be the lack of sleep. That was too good to only do once. A-plus work.”

  He gave her a very male smile, looking pleased with himself. “I always did test well.” He traced the shell of her ear with his tongue, his voice a dark temptation. “Especially at oral exams.”

  She shivered but forced herself to move away from him. If she didn’t, neither one of them would get any rest tonight.

  “I don’t want to leave,” she said, trying to round up her discarded clothing. “But it’s time.”

  “What if I refuse to take you home yet? We still have the desk...”

  If only. “No distractions,” she said sternly. Her grin probably ruined the reprimand. “I need to get to bed, and you are not invited.” Not tonight, anyway. “I have to be up early to keep everything running smoothly tomorrow.”

  He rose, gathering his own clothes. “From what I saw today, you excel at it. I suppose that shouldn’t be surprising. You always did like being in charge.”

  “Says the man who insisted on being the leader of every group project he was ever assigned.”

  “Guess we’re both bossy.” He kissed the top of her head, making it an endearment, not a complaint. Then he dropped more kisses below her ear, tracing his mouth along her jaw as he coaxed, “Ever give up control to someone else?”

  “Not if I could help it.” Delightfully wicked possibilities shuddered through her, all the things Daniel might do to her if she was under his power. Like you aren’t already halfway there? “But there’s a first time for everything, given the right motivation.”

  He scraped his teeth over her throat. “Challenge accepted.”

  She closed her eyes, melting into him for a moment before reality intruded. “Another time.”

  “Count on it.”

  * * *

  KISSING MIA GOOD-NIGHT at her front door had been both sweetly intimate—more poignant now that they’d had sex—and achingly difficult. It was impossible to hold her, mouth locked on hers, absorbing her shuddery breaths and mmms of encouragement, without wanting more. But, for the sake of his best friend and Mia’s professional reputation, he’d told her to sleep well and managed to pull himself away.

  He didn’t trust himself not to turn around and go back until he made it all the way to his condo’s parking garage. Skipping the elevator, he subjected himself to flights of stairs to burn away the restless energy that had built during his drive while he mentally replayed their evening. Sex with Mia had been phenomenal; he should be sated, bonelessly content. Yet recalling each erotic detail left him hard and wanting again. He clung to the addictive draw of her kisses, the sweet weight of her breasts in his hands, the gloriously uncivilized sound of their bodies slapping together as they’d rocked toward orgasm.

  Oh, hell. He’d reached his hallway and was even more turned on than when he’d parked the car. Think about something else! Unlocking his door, he cast about for possibilities, trying to occupy his mind. Baseball stats, an alphabetical listing of characters in King Lear, the tedious prospect of a fund-raiser he’d promised his family he’d attend next month.

  “Hey.” Eli looked up from the couch when the door opened. A tumbler of bourbon sat on the marble-topped coffee table in front of him, and he had his phone in his hand. “I was just texting Bex sweet dreams. And trying to remember why the hell we decided to spend the night apart,” he grumbled. “There’s no one else I’d rather be with right now. No offense.”

  Daniel chuckled. “None taken. Believe me.” He crossed the room to the minibar and poured himself a bourbon. “Been here long?”

  “Just got here. Dad and I went for coffee—decaf, not that I’ll be able to sleep a wink tonight either way. He had some fatherly wisdom to impart. It took him an hour and a half but boiled down to, don’t piss her off, but, since you will anyway, don’t be too stubborn to apologize.”

  “Seems to me you’ve already got that mastered. Meant to thank you for the suggestion of flowers, by the way.” He wasn’t sure how much the bouquet itself had thawed Mia’s attitude toward him, but checking to see if she’d received it had provided an excuse to call and win her over. “She forgave me.”

  “Yeah. I noticed that you and the fine wedding coordinator were pretty cozy tonight. You might actually have a chance with her.”

  Daniel grinned into his drink, too refined to kiss and tell.

  But apparently he had no semblance of a poker face, because Eli let out a startled laugh. “You’re kidding. Nice going, man. Mia’s the total package—savvy, sassy, sexy. Almost in the same league as my Bex.” He held up his glass in an across-the-room toast. “Damn, we have good taste in women.”

  “I’ll drink to that.”

  They chatted for a few minutes about plans for tomorrow, but Eli’s cell phone kept chiming. Texts from acquaintances who couldn’t make the ceremony but wanted to send congratulations, a question from a relative about the reception menu, a tipsy prank call from the bride-to-be. When that one came in, Eli excused himself for the night, retiring to his room with a grin.

  Daniel heard muffled laughter through the wall as he rinsed out his glass in the kitchen. Would it seem too needy if he called Mia after already telling her good-night?

  He headed to his room and took a quick shower, but the impulse to talk to her didn’t subside. She was probably either busy with last-minute preparations or getting ready to turn in, but he wanted to hear her voice almost as much as he wished he was kissing her right now. He climbed into bed, the room dark except for the soft lamp he’d planned to read by. Instead of reaching for the seven-hundred-page fantasy novel on his nightstand, he grabbed his cell phone.

  His compromise with himself was that, rather than calling, he’d send her a quick text that could be ignored if she was working or asleep. He started to type a message about how much tonight had meant to him but deleted it immediately, deciding to send something silly that would amuse Mia and her shoulder devil.

  I know you already gave me an A plus, but I’m a perfectionist. I’d love to discuss the possibility of extra credit sometime.

  A second later, her response illuminated the screen. Don’t you mean sextra credit?

  He laughed even as he rolled his eyes. Terrible puns are below your dignity.

  Nah, dignity is overrated. Great sex is never dignified. It’s a little noisy, a little messy and a LOT of fun. Three dots appeared, followed by, You’d better be taking notes. There will be a quiz.

  Her playfully bossy tone was so clear in his head, it was almost as if she was in the room with him. He turned off the lamp, wanting the only light to be from the phone, from their flirting, shutting out the rest of the world. What if I have questions about the material? he typed. Can I come to you for private tutoring?

  You can come to me. Or in me. Or on me.

  Lust surged through him and he gripped his phone so hard it was a won
der the screen didn’t crack. He was breathing hard, the mental images her words conjured filthy hot. He hadn’t yet decided on a response when her next message came through.

  Did I shock you?

  Shocked, no. Aroused to the brink of pain, yes.

  Poor baby. If I was there I could kiss it and make it better.

  Daniel groaned softly at the thought of her mouth on him. Mia had edge. He recalled her almost deliciously cruel grip when she’d squeezed his dick in her soft hand. Her version of kissing it all better might involve teeth. But however she did it, he knew it would be good. The best. He resolved to be that for her, too. In retrospect, he wished he’d gone slower tonight. She’d told him she was ready, and there was no question that she’d climaxed hard. Her cries still rang in his ears, and when she came, she’d tightened around him in rhythmic clenches that had propelled him to his own release. So, yeah, the sex had been great. But what if he’d taken the time to drive her even wilder? To stoke the fire so hot that even her friendly devil was calling for ice water and mercy?

  I’m not sure I lived up to my full potential tonight.

  She sent him a wide-eyed emoji. Don’t know whether to be intrigued or alarmed. Any more “potential” and I’d be walking funny.

  Tomorrow would be an interesting challenge. If he grew hard every time he looked at her, he’d be walking pretty damn funny by the end of the day himself.

  More words popped up on his screen. Pop quiz! If you had it to do over again, to demonstrate your full potential, what would you do differently?

  That was easy. He’d already considered it on the car ride home, thinking about the next time they had sex. Soon, he hoped. Tonight, he’d spun her facing away from him. He’d wanted to see that absurdly sexy feather tattoo when he pumped inside her.

  The position had made it easy to touch all her most sensitive places, but only with his hands. Now that he’d experienced how responsive she was, how turned on she got when he played with her breasts, he wished he’d been better able to explore them with his mouth. So he gave her the raw, uncensored truth, remembering how her eyes had darkened at the restaurant when he talked dirty to her. I’d spend more time tonguing your gorgeous tits. Discovering what makes you wetter—slow licks or the graze of my teeth or sucking you until you couldn’t take it anymore.