by Anara Bella
With her forefinger, she lazily stroked the part of his forearm she could reach without moving. “Me either.”
“We always were dynamite together.”
She tossed him a worn-out half-grin. “We were at that.”
He grinned back, feeling uncharacteristically mushy but he kept it hidden from Thea. He knew she wouldn’t appreciate it.
As if reading his mind, she pushed him off with a groan and sat up. Pulling herself together, she nabbed a few tissues for herself and shoved the box at him. “That was great but I’ve got to get back to work.”
“I was hoping we could go for a walk. An ice cream would really help cool us off.”
“Sorry, break time’s over for me. We’re short-staffed so I have to work the bar.”
“Then I’ll stay and help.”
“Thanks, but that’s not necessary.”
“It’s not a problem. I’m happy to stay and help out.”
In the process of buttoning up her dress, she jerked to a halt. Anger, or something close to it, flashed in her eyes as she speared him with a look. “I can handle things on my own just fine, Cain. I don’t need your help, and I don’t need you.”
With that, she turned on her heel and left, leaving him stunned by the abrupt about face.
Cain struggled to absorb what had just happened. Not easy since he was still trying to catch his breath after the best sex he’d had since the last time he’d been with her. He suspected he’d still be reeling from it days from now.
One thing was for sure, she’d just put him in his place with a resounding thud. God knew he had it coming, but wow. Once again, she’d blown his mind.
Way to keep it all about sex, Thea.
But one other thing was also clear—nothing had changed for him as far as Thea was concerned. And he’d do whatever he had to to win her back.
Chapter Seven
A few hours later Thea was convinced she was going to lose her mind.
It was a Saturday night, she was short-staffed, and the bar was even busier than normal.
Of all the nights for her bartender to call in sick, this was the worst. Naturally, none of her backups could come in and help either.
A petite waitress came over to pick up her order. “The natives are getting restless.”
She’d noticed. “I’m sorry, Suz. Just do your best to keep them happy.”
“Will do. But I can’t make any promises. A couple of them are getting nasty.”
“I know. I’ll try to hurry.”
Suzie sped off with her order.
“I can help.”
Thea spun around. How long had Cain been standing there? She hadn’t even seen him come in. “I told you before. I can handle it.” And wasn’t that a whopper, but she was determined to prove she didn’t need anything from him.
He tossed her an incredulous look. “Come on, it’s Saturday night. You need my help and you know it.”
She was nothing if not stubborn. “I don’t need anything from you, Cain. I’ve been doing this for a very long time without you around. I can handle things on my own.”
He reached out and caught her hand, his calloused touch setting her heart racing. “Thea, I’m not saying you can’t handle things. I’m saying you need some help. I can do this. Your dad taught me well. I still remember how to mix drinks. Please, let me help you.”
She waivered. She didn’t want to give in, but she realized she was being mulish, and that was just plain stupid. She did need his help, no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it. So much for her grand plan to avoid him. “Fine. You want to help me, go right ahead.”
He grinned. “Will do, boss.”
She sighed. She just knew she was going to regret this.
*
Stop it!
For the umpteenth time in the last three hours, Thea caught herself watching Cain out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t help it. He was like a frickin’ eye-magnet she couldn’t resist. Not surprising since he was a veritable sex god and scrumptious eye candy all wrapped into one irresistible package.
And she knew the sex god thing without a sliver of doubt after today’s sextivities. She couldn’t stop thinking about it, or him, no matter how hard she tried. The man had always been good but he’d definitely picked up a thing or two over the years and whoa Nelly, the sex was even hotter than she remembered.
Yep, one thing was certain after their interlude, she’d been way off base when she’d thought one time would be enough. It wasn’t even close.
She’d pretended to be all business-like afterwards, but it had all been an act. She’d wanted him right after they were done, and the desire to have him inside of her again hadn’t waned any in the past few hours. If anything, it was rapidly becoming an obsession. Obviously it would take a little more time for her to get bored with him.
Okay, so it would take a lot more time.
Guess they’d all been way off base about that one.
Something she hadn’t considered when she’d set things in motion. Not that she’d thought it through any. He’d riled her up, and she’d jumped in with both feet. All of which had made for a rather wild and exhilarating ride.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Thea jumped, and her hand flew to her chest. “Lexi! I didn’t notice you there.”
“Yeah, you were off in your own little world, that’s for sure. Thus my interest in your thoughts. I hope they’re good.”
Thea poured the drink she’d been mixing on auto-pilot, then turned her full attention to her friend. “Asia not coming?” Thea held up a mug in silent enquiry and Lexi nodded.
“No, she’s busy with Marcus. They had some family thing to go to up at his mother’s.”
Thea handed Lexi the topped up mug of beer and grabbed herself a bottled water. “Cain, I’m taking a break. Be back in a few.”
He caught her eye with his heated gaze before nodding. “Sure thing.”
Lordy, even with a look, the man knew how to set off every one of her libido buttons.
Lexi’s chocolate-brown eyes goggled as if she’d just realized who the hunky new guy mixing drinks was, which was probably the case. Giving Thea a meaningful look chock full of questions, Lexi leaned closer to Thea. “That’s Cain? The Cain? In your bar?”
Thea nodded. “Come on. Let’s go to my office. We can talk there.”
Thea scooted out from behind the bar and led the way to her office and some privacy.
The second Lexi was through the door she threw herself on the couch and launched a verbal volley at Thea. “What happened? You said you had something to tell me but wow, I wasn’t expecting this. And omigod, can I just say the guy is to-die-for gorgeous.”
Thea collapsed on the couch beside her friend. “I know, right. He’s even better looking now than he was when I went out with him.” And that was no lie.
“So what the hell happened? Why’s he here?”
Where to start? “Well, I’m embarrassed to admit I did something kind of crazy after you guys left last night.”
Concern etched Lexi’s face. “Like what?”
There was no way to downplay this one. “I drunk dialed Cain.”
Lexi’s eyes went as big as saucers and she almost choked on her beer. “You did what?”
Thea gave her a sheepish grin. “I didn’t think I was that wasted but I guess I was. This morning I didn’t even remember doing it. Seemed more like a dream than anything. That is until Cain dropped by and reminded me.”
“Oh, that must have gone over well.”
Thea chuckled. “Yeah, not so much at first. I guess you could say I was a bit touchy on the subject.”
Lexi snorted. “I’ll bet.”
Thea shrugged. “Anyway, once we got past that, we really got into it. He finally explained why he didn’t break up with me in person. And apologized for ending things the way he did.”
“His reason must have been pretty darned amazing for this about face.”
Thea turn
ed thoughtful. “He said he left a note because he would never have been able to leave if he’d seen me again.”
Lexi quirked a brow. “That’s it?”
Taken aback by Lexi’s unimpressed reaction, Thea tried explaining it better, as much for herself as for Lexi. “He was sincerely sorry he’d hurt me even worse by the way he’d handled things. He also explained how he was afraid he’d resent me if he didn’t follow his dreams. He didn’t want to become like his dad.”
Lexi’s considered nod wasn’t promising. “So why couldn’t he have just said that to you? Or better yet, why didn’t he just phone you later to explain it to you?”
“He said he was afraid he’d back down from his decision if he saw me so maybe he felt the same way about talking to me. I don’t know, I’m still trying to sort it out.”
“Well, I’m not sure I buy it, but then I guess I’m not the one he has to convince.”
Thea bit back a secret smile, remembering how Cain had convinced her of at least one thing today—he was still hell on wheels in the sack.
Lexi’s eyes narrowed. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
“Geez, are you psychic or something?”
Lexi laughed. “I wish. There’d be times it’d be very useful. So spill already.”
Thea wasn’t sure why, but she hesitated.
Lexi’s eyes flew wide. “You had sex with him.”
Thea chuckled at Lexi’s perception. “Yeah, I did.”
“Hot damn. You lucky girl. Was it as good as you remembered?”
Thea felt all gooey just thinking about it. “Better. Way better. He definitely rocked my world.”
Lexi pouted. “I am so jealous right now.”
Thea laughed. “You should be. If sex was an Olympic event, Cain would be the gold medal winner, hands down.”
Lexi took a huge swig of her beer while she digested that piece of information. “I need to find me one of those. Cain got a twin brother?”
“Nope.”
“That’s a damn shame.”
Lexi looked so thoroughly bummed, Thea laughed. “Don’t forget, this is the guy who dumped me ten years ago. He looks good, is a genius between the sheets, but once you get past all that, he’s totally unreliable for the long haul. No matter how great the sex is, he’s not exactly a keeper.”
Lexi snorted. “Who said I’d want to keep the man? I just want a piece of all the amazing sex going on around here.”
“Well, if I hear of anyone who qualifies, I’ll be sure to send him your way.”
“Please do. It’s been way too long since I went on a date. I need to find me a man.”
Thea commiserated, but her mind was already elsewhere. Everything she’d learned about Cain didn’t change anything. Even feeling the way he claimed he did back then, Cain had still left her. He’d thought of himself and his own needs first. Not her. So, when she came right down to it, his coming back now didn’t change much. Being hot for him was one thing, feeling anything more than that was another. There was no way she could ever trust he wouldn’t just up and leave again someday. Because of that, she could never trust him with her heart again either.
An unwanted feeling of sadness washed over her that she and Cain couldn’t have the whole deal—hot sex, love, commitment. But there was no point in dreaming, so she shook it off and instead focused on the positive. And there was a positive because she could trust him to satisfy her sexual needs.
And that’s just what she was going to do. This was about her and what she wanted. Hell, the sex was spectacular, so why stop now. “You know, great sex isn’t everything, but it sure is fun when you’re getting some.”
Lexi groused. “I wouldn’t know.”
“You’ll find someone, you’ll see.”
Lexi sighed. “Maybe. So, what’s your game plan?”
Thea would do what she’d always done when it came to men. “I’ve decided I’m going to have a good time with Cain. Emotionally, I’ll keep my distance. No relationship or lovey-dovey nonsense. This is just going to be about sex. I’ll be the one in control.”
Oh yeah. She’d wring him out and use him as her own personal sex toy until he started to bore her like every other guy she’d ever gone out with had. And when she was done, she’d walk away fully satisfied, with her heart intact.
Chapter Eight
Four hours later, Thea had closed up the bar for the night and was now enjoying herself immensely.
Cain’s lips sizzled their way along her neck, dallying at the super-sensitive spot just under her ear. The one only he seemed to know existed.
Delicious shivers tripped down her spine, and she gasped as the delicious fluttering settled way down low, heating her core to blazing-hot life.
Thea marveled at her body’s quick response to Cain’s simplest touch. Any other guy would have had to work a lot longer and a lot harder to get her this worked up, this fast. No wonder she’d missed being with him so much. It also explained her eagerness for more than leisurely kisses on modestly exposed places on her anatomy.
She wanted to savor the way Cain made her feel, to concentrate on the sensations coursing through her body, but she found herself wishing he’d hurry up and get to the good stuff. Like now.
His tongue teased her flesh. She whimpered. “Cain?”
He kissed her lobe. “Hmm?”
She squirmed suggestively in hopes he’d take the hint, but he continued his lazy exploration, apparently oblivious to her current raging needs.
Maybe he needed a bit of motivation, something to make him move to second base. She dropped one hand and cupped the impressive bulge in his jeans. It leapt at her touch but nope, he ignored her silent urging and continued nuzzling her ear, nipping her lobe, tracing the shell of her ear, all of which felt wonderful but… “You’re deliberately torturing me, aren’t you?”
He smiled against her skin. “Um hmm.”
“Bastard.”
He chuckled, and gave her a quick nip on the neck, his hot breath adding to the shivers already racing out of control throughout her body. “What’s the rush?”
What could she say? She couldn’t tell him she didn’t want to feel all soft and mushy like she was right now. She wanted to have sex. She wanted it hot and raw. She wanted it down and dirty, and she wanted it now. “The rush is that I want you inside me. Now.” She squeezed his cock for good measure.
He groaned. “Believe me, darlin’. I want that more than you can imagine.”
“Then what’s the hold up?”
He pulled back a bit. “Impatient little thing, aren’t you?”
“I guess I am.”
He caught her gaze as his fingers traced down her neck and collarbone, skimming across her nipples. Even through her clothing, they tightened as the backs of his fingers danced across the sensitive tips over and over until she was hot with longing.
After what felt like an eternity, he started slipping one button free on her light blue sundress. Then another. And another. Finally, he took her breast into his large hand, kneading, and kissing, and sucking the soft mound, working her flesh, working her, into a needful, wanting, shivering frenzy of lust.
His hot breath turned her insides to liquid while his tongue dipped into the shell of her ear. Under her dress, his other hand squeezed one ass cheek, pressing her closer, tighter, harder into his erection. Sensation lapped sensation until she could hardly stand it, the overload sending her pussy into tingling spasms of joy, as he whispered wicked things into her ear. And she wanted to do every single one of those wicked things with him.
“We need to take this upstairs to your place. We need a large bed and hours and hours of uninterrupted time.”
Oh God yeah. The sooner they got started, the better. “Excellent suggestion.”
And then she realized something. If they stayed here at her place, she couldn’t leave whenever she wanted and short of kicking Cain out of bed, she’d be stuck with him for the whole night. Which would lead to all kinds of very dangerous co
uple-like stuff. Stuff she needed to avoid if she was going to have any chance of keeping her heart intact.
It all but killed her to stop Cain’s delicious assault on her body, but she didn’t have any choice. Going upstairs so wasn’t happening. There was another, much-better-for-her, option.
She took a deep, shaky breath and pulled back, forcing a light, breezy smile she didn’t feel. “Why don’t we take a nice little stroll and head over to where you’re staying? I could use some fresh air after being stuck in the bar all day. Besides, anticipation is half the fun.” Yeah, and maybe if she repeated those words often enough she’d begin to believe them.
Cain blinked, then narrowed his eyes as he studied her. She got the uncomfortable feeling he knew exactly why she suddenly wanted to go for a walk. She was all ready with a quick come back but he never voiced any suspicions he might have had, he just shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
Oh.
Her stomach muscles relaxed, and she heaved a mental sigh of relief, surprised by how nervous she’d been about the prospect of him staying the night at her place and all the potential problems that entailed. “Let me grab my purse.”
Before she could move, he pulled her back into his arms and kissed her with long, sweet thoroughness until she was regretting in a big way having to wait to take things further. But she knew what he was doing and wasn’t falling for it. She could tough it out.
She broke the kiss and extricated herself from his strong arms with a fair bit of difficulty. “You’re not playing fair.”
“Who said I had to play fair?”
She evaded his grab. “I do.”
He didn’t say anything, but his self-satisfied grin told her he knew he was getting to her.
“Oh, shut up.” With that, she led a chuckling Cain out of the bar.
As it turned out, it was a gorgeous, clear summer night. Perfect for a midnight stroll. They headed toward the bed and breakfast, and before she knew what he was about, they were walking hand-in-hand like they always used to do.
The whole thing felt so good, and yet way too familiar, taking her back to a time when they’d been as close as two people could be. A time when walking hand-in-hand had led to marathon make-out sessions and talk of love. A time when she’d trusted him like she’d never trusted anyone before. Or since.
