by Donna Alward
This wasn’t dessert, she realized with a shock. It was foreplay. It was … sweet seduction. And she had the sneaky suspicion she might just be in over her head.
He reached for her hand, guided it to the dish and swiped one of her fingers in the warm fudge. Then he moved her finger to his mouth, where he sucked it all off, rolling his tongue over her fingertip. Arousal slammed into her, tightening her muscles between her legs so completely that she ached.
“Aiden,” she breathed.
“I’m really afraid that you’ll get brownie all over your work shirt,” he said, adopting a worried tone. “Here. Let me help.” A moment later her cotton golf shirt was on the floor and she stood before him in her black lace bra.
“Mmm,” he approved, pausing to pull her close for a thorough kiss. His hand molded her breast, the lace rubbing against her sensitive skin.
She broke away and cut a piece of the brownie, then put it between her teeth. Then she stood on tiptoe and put her hand on the back of his neck, pulling his head down to meet hers, giving him the bite of brownie and a hot swipe of her tongue.
“You’re catching on.”
Things got more heated after that. Kisses led to Aiden picking her up and sitting her on the table, so their hips were pressed against each other. Brownie bites were shared and drips of sauce licked away, until Aiden flicked the clasp on her bra and lay her back on the table. Laurel could hardly breathe as he trickled warm chocolate over her breasts and in the valley just below, between her ribs. At the first touch of his tongue on her breast, her hips jerked upward. Never, ever had her body been this turned on, needy, demanding. And Aiden didn’t bother being delicate. He was very deliberate in his attentions, licking and sucking away the chocolate while Laurel tried not to moan with delight.
“You are a beautiful mess,” he murmured. “Better than any dessert. Better than anything.” He carelessly tossed the nearly empty container in the sink and came back to the table. She looked down. Her pale skin was streaked with little bits of chocolate, her nipples hard and pointed. She held out her hand and Aiden took it, pulling her up, and she wrapped her legs around him as their skin pressed together and they kissed, long, deeply, completely.
She wanted to take the lead. Wanted to be sexually confident in a way she’d never been before. When their bodies parted, they stuck a bit, sticky from the sauce, and she grinned, coming up with the perfect solution.
“Oh dear. I appear to have gotten you all sticky.”
“I don’t mind.” He started to move in again, but she put a hand on his chest.
“Oh, but I do. And I really, really need a shower.” When his face fell a bit she laughed. “I was thinking a shower for two. Unless you’re not into that.”
“Oh, I’m into it. If it’s with you.”
She loved that he’d added that last part. He didn’t need to know that her only carnal experience was with her ex. It would surely make her look naïve and, well, not very worldly. He seemed far more comfortable with the little games they were playing, but she wouldn’t let the disparity of experience dampen her new sense of adventure.
“Oh, it’s with me.” They’d started something that they’d finish tonight. “It’s all with me, if you want it.”
“I want it,” he confirmed. “I want all of you.”
She took his hand and led him to the shower.
CHAPTER 12
Aiden stepped into the shower, aroused beyond reason and scared beyond measure. There were only two things he knew for sure tonight. He wanted Laurel more than he’d ever wanted a woman before. And the fact that he was going to have her scared him right to the soles of his size eleven feet.
She was in the shower already, completely naked, and his chest cramped as he caught his breath. God, she was beautiful. The hot water had already washed the streaks of chocolate off her breasts and diaphragm, and her skin looked warm and wet and perfect.
Laurel took some liquid soap between her hands, rubbed them together, and then smoothed her fingers over his chest and abs. But instead of scrubbing, she pressed herself against him and lifted her head for a kiss. It was no innocent, sweet thing. It was as hot and steamy as the spray they stood under, and the way her body moved against his lathered the soap.
“Mmm,” she hummed, running her soapy hands over his back, down over his butt. He pressed against her, throbbing with need, but she was taking her time. He loved it and hated it all at once. He didn’t want to rush, but his body had other ideas.
Her hand slid down between them and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “Easy,” he murmured. “I’m a bit of a hair trigger tonight.”
She smiled against his mouth. Saucy wench.
But he let her take control because he sensed she needed it. Each time he’d kissed her before tonight, he’d had to make the move and she’d been totally reactive. But not tonight. She was right there with him, giving as good as she took, and it was incredibly arousing.
He lathered his hands and rubbed them all over her, trailing his fingers over sensitive spots, kissing her neck and collarbone. When the soap was gone, he did what he’d nearly done at the golf course. He slipped his hand between her legs where it was hot and wet; instead of resistance she surprised him by lifting her foot and putting it on the little seat in the back corner, giving him better access.
And the spray cascaded over them as her moans and cries echoed through the bathroom, her muscles contracting around his fingers.
Urgency took over and he shut off the shower, opened the door and grabbed the towels she’d hastily thrown on the floor. The drying job was cursory and incomplete at best, but Aiden was done with play. He lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the bathroom to the adjoining bedroom and laid her on the bed.
And for the first time, he thought about protection.
“Laurel … do you have … shit. I don’t have a condom.”
“I’ve been on the pill for years. It’s okay.”
He met her gaze. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t you want to do this?” she asked, and her eyes looked uncertain for a moment.
“Look at me,” he said. “Hell yes, I want to do this.” He reached out and touched her, trailing his fingers from her collarbone to her core. “I want this more than anything. I’m dying for this. But…”
“But safety first.” Her gaze softened, and he wasn’t sure he was comfortable with what he saw there. It looked almost like … affection. Like …
No. Not love. That would be foolish. And definitely premature.
“I’m sure,” she whispered. “Please, Aiden. Please.”
There wasn’t begging in her voice, but there was longing. Yearning. And he responded by slipping into her, surely, completely, deeply.
And then forgot about everything else but her.
* * *
Laurel woke before the alarm. A quick check told her it was only five-thirty. But then, she’d slept like the dead. The long day, plus the fresh air, the walk, and then the sexual workout had completely worn her out.
She rolled carefully to her side. Aiden was still there, his back to her, sleeping soundly. She heard his deep breathing and smiled as she looked at the light freckles on his back. God, that had been amazing. Had she really been stretched out on her table, had she really had an orgasm in the shower?
And all that was before the sex. The mind-numbing, crazy-cakes sex that had turned her world upside down. He’d taken care to be gentle, but in the end it had been wild and demanding and … dare she think it … damn near primal.
She blushed thinking about it. And wanted it again. Wanted to hear him grind out her name, feel the force of his body against hers. To possess and be possessed.
But it was daylight and they had thinking to do. Never mind the fact that he’d stayed the night and his truck was right outside. It was a small town. People knew vehicles. And a lot of people figured it was their duty to inform other people of the goings on of the neighbors.
So much for
keeping this discreet.
She wasn’t sure if he sensed she was awake or it was just his natural way of waking, but he lengthened and stretched. She watched the play of muscles in his back and shoulders, wanted to touch.
“Good morning,” she said quietly.
He rolled over, rubbed his eyes, and smiled. “Good morning to you, too.”
They were quiet for a minute, and it was slightly awkward. Then he smiled his cheeky smile. “Know what?”
“What?”
“We’re naked under here.”
Her lips twitched a little. “Know what else?”
“What?” They were both smiling now.
“Your truck’s been parked outside all night.”
His eyes shadowed. “Does that bother you?”
“Maybe a little. But I need to get over it. I should stop caring so much what other people think.”
“That’s easier said than done.” He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Do you want me to go before all the neighbors are up?”
Right now she was just loving the feel of his fingers along her temple. “Honestly? I don’t know. I’ve … I’ve never been in this situation before.”
His smile was slow and sweet. “I’m glad.”
He ran his fingers over her shoulder and they lay there, simply looking at each other for several seconds. “What time do you have to be to work?” she asked.
“I’m off today.”
She suddenly wished she was, too. Oh, to have the sublime luxury of spending a day in bed—with company. But she couldn’t. It was Friday. A truck would be arriving before noon with a load of bedding plants, not to mention bags of mulch and soil that would need unloading with the forklift.
“I take it from your expression, you’re not,” he said, his fingers still stroking back and forth.
“Unfortunately not.”
He slid his hand down her arm, then slipped it beneath the sheets, where he found her breast and fondled it lightly. She sighed, wondering where the new sexual appetite came from. Last night should have left her satisfied, but she wanted more. His hand moved downward and she opened for him, welcoming his touch.
“Jesus, Laurel. You’re…”
She arched into his hand. “I’m what?”
“So much more than I expected.”
“Aiden, I’m more than I expected.” She smiled, feeling slightly smug and very turned on. “Lie back.”
His eyes widened as she shifted her leg and straddled him. And then he closed his eyes and she drew a long breath from him as she started to move.
* * *
It ended up being after seven when Aiden finally left her house. He left the pack with her to return to Willow, and didn’t waste any time getting in the truck and driving away. The less fuss, the better. Laurel was right about small towns. The guys at the station had been quiet about the golf course incident, but they probably wouldn’t be forever. Especially if other talk started going around.
He didn’t mind so much. People hooked up; so what? But he knew Laurel cared, and he didn’t blame her. There was lots of gossip going around about her as it was.
Rory was up when he arrived home, stirring some scrambled eggs on the stove, dressed in sleep pants and no shirt. “Hey. Early morning or late night?”
Aiden threw his keys on the counter. “Maybe a little of both.”
Rory grinned. “You want eggs?”
“I ate already.”
“I just bet you did.”
Rory’s sideways grin was teasing and Aiden couldn’t help but grin back. “Screw off, brother.”
“What’d I do? I was home in my own bed like a good little boy. You’re the one who stayed out all night.” He dished the eggs onto a plate. “So Laurel, huh? Funny.”
“Don’t go spreading it around. Laurel likes her private life to be private.”
“She probably made a mistake moving back to Darling, then.” Rory frowned. “Hey, have you seen the raspberry jam?”
“Back of the fridge, second shelf, left-hand side.” He’d put it there deliberately, just to get on Rory’s nerves. Rory kept all the jam and spreads on the right-hand side, on the short shelf. It was one of the perks of being Rory’s roommate. Someday he’d have to get over his neat-freak stuff. The way Aiden figured it, eventually Rory would stop dating here and there and actually settle down with someone. That girl would appreciate how much hard work Aiden had put in, trying to loosen his brother up a bit.
Rory grabbed the jam, two slices of toast from the toaster, and sat down at the table. “So, are you in love with her or what?” He spread jam on his toast and looked up at Aiden.
Aiden poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. “Hell, I don’t know. I like spending time with her. She’s … easy.” At Rory’s mischievous expression, Aiden sighed. “Not like that, you idiot. She’s just … low maintenance. Last night we went to Red Rocks for a picnic and a walk. Doesn’t get more simple than that.”
“And then back to her place.”
“I didn’t want the screaming to keep you up.”
Rory balled up his napkin and threw it at Aiden, while both of them laughed. “Ew.”
“You started it.” He took a drink of coffee and grimaced. He wished his brother made better brew. He’d have to make a stop at the café later.
“So, what next?”
“I don’t know. One day at a time, I think. She’s cautious and rightly so.”
Rory’s teasing grin faded. “And what about you? Are you cautious?”
Aiden cradled his cup in his hands and stared down into the dark brew. “I wish I could say no, but I am. I mean, I try not to be. It shouldn’t be a big deal…”
“But it is.”
“Yeah.”
“Because it’s Laurel, and she means something.”
“Now is not the time to get all wise, bro,” Aiden warned.
Rory sat back in his chair. “Dude, I know being with Erica messed you up. You haven’t had a serious girlfriend since.”
“That’s different. Erica wanted to get serious. She wanted to start talking about ring shopping and mortgages and…” He stopped, scowled. “Babies. I was barely twenty-one. All I could see were the walls closing in around me. I wasn’t ready to be a husband and father.”
“You didn’t handle it the best.”
“And I paid for it.” He looked up at Rory and the crooked grin was back. “Anyway, no rush. It’s new, you know? We can just enjoy that for a while. She’s in no hurry and neither am I.”
“Just be careful. I can tell she means a lot to you. You don’t want to go screwing that up.”
Rory pushed back from the table and took his plate to the dishwasher. Aiden remained at the table, staring into his bitter coffee. He wasn’t exactly comfortable examining the level of his feelings for Laurel, but he reminded himself of what he’d just told his brother.
They were both cautious. No sense putting the cart before the horse. They could definitely take it one day at a time.
CHAPTER 13
Laurel took her lunch break and decided to pop into The Purple Pig for a coffee and to return the picnic pack. She’d washed everything and put it back precisely, and when she walked into the café, Willow’s beaming face greeted her.
“So? How was it?”
Laurel felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “It was delicious. Particularly the brownies.”
“Did you like the fudge sauce? It’s definitely not low fat, but it’s from all-natural ingredients.”
Laurel coughed a little. “It was … scrumptious.” Her face was so hot now she knew she had to be bright pink. She handed over the pack. “Thanks for the use of the bag. It’s really neat.”
“Oh, there’s more to the story than that. Let’s grab a drink.”
Laurel accepted a mug of steaming coffee while Willow brewed herself a cup of mint tea. They sat in a back corner at an empty table.
“Laurel,” Willow said, leaning forward and
looking right into Laurel’s eyes. “You’ve got morning-after glow.”
“Hush.” Laurel looked over her shoulder, hoping no one had heard. “We just went for a picnic, that’s all.”
Willow laughed. “Oh, I call bullshit.”
Laurel kicked her under the table. “I mean it.”
“Sweetheart, it’s plain as the nose on your face that you’re smitten with Aiden Gallagher. It was true ten years ago and it’s true now. And this time I’m guessing he didn’t take you out on a bet.”
“Thanks for the summary and reminder.” Laurel scowled. The coffee suddenly wasn’t quite as appetizing. She had been sweet on him then. Really sweet. It was actually kind of embarrassing.
“He’s smitten with you, too. You should have seen him yesterday, asking if I knew what time you were done work, what he should take on a picnic. It was adorbs.”
This time Laurel rolled her eyes. “No one says ‘adorbs.’”
Willow shrugged. “Tell that to the teenage girls who came in last night. They thought it was very cool to have all-natural, vegan, free trade, ecologically responsible food. So cool that they posted all sorts of pictures of it on their phones while wearing clothes that were probably produced in some Bangladesh sweatshop.”
Willow’s annoyance was so genuine that Laurel burst out laughing. “Well. Someone’s spooled up this morning.”
“Right. Back to you. Did he stay over?”
“What did you hear?” Laurel responded quickly, her eyes narrowing.
“Nothing. But that response told me all I needed to know. Good for you. It’s about time, I say.”
Laurel took a sip of her coffee. “Promise me you won’t say a word to anyone. Promise, Wil.”
“Of course I promise. I don’t gossip. You see? I went straight to the source.” Willow blew on her tea. “So … is this the real thing or just bumping uglies?”
“Oh my God! You really are full of it today.”
“Just answer the question. Best-friend privilege.”
“What if I say it’s neither?” Laurel met Willow’s gaze. “I really like him. I think he’s a good guy and there’s this crazy chemistry thing happening. He didn’t even seem to mind that I had my hair in my ratty ponytail and dirt on my work shirt.”
