by Caitlyn Blue
Besides, I’d seen her barf after getting off the Ferris wheel and throw a hissy fit when her best friend got picked for the competition team at her dance studio instead of her. But the day my sister met Zach and he couldn’t take his eyes off her, was the day she became my nemesis.
“Are you kidding?” I exclaim. “We didn’t get any work done on the presentation because you followed my sister around the house with your tongue hanging out.”
“I did not. If I remember correctly, she was the one who butted in and wouldn’t leave us alone.”
“Wouldn’t leave you alone,” I correct him, frowning as the events of that day replay in my mind. Had Julie pushed her way into our study session? Why am I so sure it was Zach who deserted me and not that Julie had lured him away?
He parks the car in front of my house. After leaving the store, he’d followed me home so I could clean up and change my clothes before dinner. Although it isn’t a date, I’d paired a striped knit dress in cream and black with a cream trench coat and a chunky pearl necklace. Unlike the sexy black number I’d borrowed from Gabby, the conservative look is much more my style.
“This was fun,” I murmur as his fingers coast over my cheek.
He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and traces my jaw. It’s been a year since a man has touched me. And no one has ever caressed me like this. It’s like he’s trying to memorize my features, and I’m enthralled. It’s hard to know what to do next, so I clutch my hands in my lap and stare at him. His eyes lock on my lips and I realize I’ve seized the lower one between my teeth.
His breath hisses out in a soft sigh. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?”
“No.” It’s not the default word anyone uses when describing me.
“You are.”
How many women has he used this line on? Hundreds, surely. A player is a guy you sleep with, not someone you date. I’m torn. I’ve never been a woman guys like Zach sleep with a few times and never call again. Casual sex has never been my thing. I tend to take months getting to know someone before jumping into bed. Then again, no guy has ever turned me on the way Zach does. I’m in the same room with him and my heart rate increases. When he touches me, it’s as if every nerve in my body comes to full awareness. I hunger for his kisses and daydream about what it would be like to feel him slide into me.
My temperature spikes just thinking about it. Resisting the urge to fan myself, I contemplate my options. I can listen to my body and have several amazing orgasms to relive over and over, or I can listen to my heart, stay true to who I am, and keep looking for a guy who can make me happy long term.
His fingers curve around the back of my neck. As he draws me forward, I ask, “Are you going to kiss me again?”
“I’d very much like to.”
This time his kiss is more direct. Firm and determined, he claims my lips, and as his tongue darts forward, I open up for him. He tastes like the peppermint we snagged on our way out of the restaurant.
The kiss quickly goes nova. Heat explodes in my midsection and lances downward as Zach’s hand curves over my knee. I clutch his shoulder, trembling with longing. Phrases spill through my mind, naughty things I’d like to say to him. Images of taking him into my mouth and making him cry out my name as he comes. I’ve forgotten that I’m not the type who has sex in cars. Right now, all I’m thinking is yes, please, let’s do this.
Our tongues are dueling, my legs are parting, and Zach’s hand is riding up my inner thigh when the phone in my lap buzzes with an incoming text. It’s close enough to my happy place that the vibration only adds to my arousal. I moan. Zach drags his lips from mine.
“That’s it, baby. Let me hear it.”
As his other hand dips inside my coat, fingers gliding over my breast, it’s easy to moan again. Damn, he’s good at this. Trembling with need, I bite my lip as the urge to whimper takes over. I shift my hips as pressure builds. If he doesn’t touch me, I’ll go out of my mind.
A second text follows the first or maybe it’s just the reminder that I haven’t looked at the first one. Either way, it feels great. So does Zach’s mouth on my neck. And is that his teeth? I open my thighs, silently begging him to go higher. He’s so close. I’m so close.
Buzz.
I’m panting. He’s sucking on my earlobe. Shit. That’s amazing. His thumb grazes my nipple.
Buzz.
Buzz.
The hand beneath my skirt reaches the elastic on my panties and I shift my hips, pushing into his fingers. Does he feel how wet I am? A little higher, please.
Buzz.
Buzz.
The vibration is so constant it’s like a sex toy and I’m so close to getting off. Just a little bit more. His finger brushes my soaked panties. The lightest touch and my body is electrified.
“Fuck,” he mutters, tracing over my hot, aching core a second time. “These are soaked.”
A garbled noise emerges from my throat.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.
And then Zach’s fingers are retreating and I groan in protest. “Um, do you need to get that?” he asks.
Get what?
Buzz.
Buzz.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I exclaim as Zach removes his lovely, clever hands from beneath my clothes.
He flops back against his seat with a hearty curse. Eyes closed, breathing hard, he shields his face as his shoulders shake. Damn the man. He’s laughing.
Snarling, I pick up the phone and see at least a dozen texts from my cousins. Looking over at the house, I spy all three of them lined up in the living room windows. Well, what did I expect? I’m making out with Zach in front of our house. I might as well have set up a neon sign on the front lawn that says orgasms happening here. Almost happening…so close. A growl vibrates in my chest.
“Your cousins?”
“Yes.” Voyeuristic bitches. I’m sure they are having a great laugh at my expense.
“We could go back to my place.”
I inhale slowly as I consider. Then with all the willpower I can muster, I shake my head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Ever or tonight?”
I lean across the center console and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for dinner.”
“You’re welcome. I’d walk you to the door…” He glances down at the erection tenting his slacks. The smile he gives me is strained around the edges.
I sympathize. There’s an unrelenting throb between my thighs that isn’t going to be satisfied anytime soon.
“It’s okay.” Glancing toward the house, I gather up my purse and phone. “I need to commit a triple murder and I really don’t want any witnesses.”
And then, before I weaken and give him one last lingering kiss goodnight, I thrust open the car door and step out. With his encouraging go get ‘em ringing in my ears, I head toward the front door.
8
Zach
Three days after that incredible make out session in front of Emma’s house, I’m standing on her front stoop a little after noon, my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket as I wait for her to answer the door. I was surprised by her call inviting me to lunch yesterday and I did something completely unexpected. I cleared the rest of my day so I could spend it with her.
My heart rate picks up as the door opens. Her smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in days. Dressed in jeans, a floral blouse, and a brown pullover sweater, her long hair pulled into a flirty high ponytail, she looks exactly like the girl next door.
And suddenly the Emma I’m dying to spend the afternoon tangled in the sheets with, is a woman I want to get to know better with her clothes on. This isn’t like me at all. I’m not always the guy who jumps into bed on the first date, but I’ve never put much effort into finding out what makes a woman tick either. Keeping things casual has always worked best for me. Anything else is just messy.
“Thanks for coming to have lunch with me.” Her inf
ectious grin is just begging for a kiss. I lean down and let my lips graze the corner of her mouth just to taste her delight. Delicious. Pulling back, I admire her delicate nose, flawless skin, and the soft curves of her cheekbones. Long lashes frame warm brown eyes. In the daylight, I notice flecks of gold in her irises. Is that what makes her eyes sparkle? “I hope you like grilled cheese.”
“My favorite.”
She smiles at me and I smile right back. We both know why she invited me here and why I came. It’s not for lunch. In the middle of the day with her roommates gone, we have the place to ourselves. What an awesome opportunity to get to know each other a little better.
The house smells like fresh baked bread. I drop my jacket on a hook in the foyer and slip out of my shoes before following her into the kitchen. With my gaze locked on the sway of her firm backside encased in worn denim, I can’t help but remember being here for Julie and Paul’s wedding shower.
Before Emma pulled that condom out of her purse, I’d never really thought about her as a girl who might one day end up naked in my bed. Maybe that’s because a part of me recognizes she doesn’t hook up and move on. She gets serious. When it ends, there will be hard feelings involved. Which means I should probably back off before things go too far. Yet the way she melts in my arms tells me she wants me as much as I want her. Stupid lust keeps me from doing the right thing.
I park my ass against the counter near the stove and watch her bustle around the kitchen. She pulls out butter, bread, and some sort of orange spread I’m assuming is made from cheese.
She nods toward the refrigerator. “Do you like pickles with your grilled cheese?”
“Sure.” I walk over and open the door. “Looks like you have three different kinds.” Why am I not surprised?
“I like the bread and butter pickles. A little sweet and a little sour.”
I pull those out while she slathers butter and the cheese mixture onto slices of homemade bread. A skillet is already heating on the stove. Following her direction, I fetch plates and silverware. She offers me a choice of drinks and I pick a soda. All the while, I grow increasingly aware that I’m enjoying her graceful movements and the sassy swing of her ponytail.
Watching her in her element at the store and now in the kitchen, I realize that she’s more than just someone I intend to get into bed. I want to dig more into her creative side and listen to her plan to transform the antique store.
“So now that we’ve settled on a long weekend getaway instead of a single event,” she says, getting to the reason why she’d invited me for lunch. “Where do we go?”
“We could rent a cabin in Northern Wisconsin.”
“It will still be chilly in May, and that’s going to appeal to the guys more than the girls.” She flips the grilled cheese and pivots to face me. “When Julie first got engaged, we talked about a three-day cruise.”
I can tell she’s not really all that excited about the idea, and I get terrible motion sickness. Being on the water for three days isn’t my idea of a good time.
“There’s always Vegas.”
“I think Vegas would be too hectic with the entire wedding party. I know Evan, Sam, Riley, and probably Brynn would be up for raising some hell, but Julie’s putting in some crazy long hours at work and she’s pretty stressed about all things wedding. She’d probably appreciate something more low-key.”
“What about a trip to the beach?”
She hums. “That has potential.”
“You in a bikini.” I imagine her luscious curves revealed by a barely-there number in bright red. “Can’t wait.”
She dishes the grilled cheese sandwiches onto plates and turns off the stove. Before she can turn around, I come up behind her and set my hands on her hips. Lowering my head, I murmur in her ear, “Did you really invite me here for grilled cheese and getaway planning?”
“Of course.”
“This is a conversation we could’ve had over the phone.”
I press myself against her firm backside and lust stirs. With her hair pulled up I have quick and easy access to her neck. As soon as I graze my lips over her soft, fragrant skin, she tips her head to give me better access. This is definitely going the way I had hoped.
“But then you wouldn’t get to sample my grilled cheese,” she says, lifting her arms so I can peel off her sweater. “It’s famous.”
“What’s your secret?” My fingers shake a little as I slide them beneath the hem of her blouse and across her flat stomach.
“My secret?”
Her muscles jump beneath my touch and I smile as I trace my tongue along the outer edge of her ear.
“What’s the special ingredient that no one else has?”
One by one I unfasten her blouse buttons. With each one that slips free, her trembling increases and my dick gets a little harder. She presses her hips back, rocking her ass against my erection. I don’t need any encouragement to grind myself against her, but she slides her hands into the back pockets of my jeans and fuses us together.
“Beer,” she breathes and then moans as my hands cover her breasts. I sink my teeth into her shoulder. “Oh, Zach.”
She’s a living, writhing flame in my arms and hotter than hell.
“I definitely want to try one later.” I slide one hand down the front of her jeans and in between her legs. Even through the denim I can feel the dampness of her arousal. “Much later.”
As one, we turn and face each other. Her fingers dart through my hair as our mouths collide. She gives me everything, holding nothing back, and I plunge my tongue into her mouth, savoring every impassioned moan she utters. Lifting her onto the counter, I step between her thighs and tug down her bra to bare her breasts. They are perfect. Full, high, and tipped with tight pink buds that I can’t wait to taste.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” I murmur, rolling my tongue around first one then the other nipple before pulling it into my mouth and sucking hard.
She whimpers and gasps while her fingers tighten almost painfully in my hair. And then she’s tugging at my shirt. I oblige her by stripping it over my head. As it falls to the floor, I’m rewarded by the warmth of her palms skidding over my shoulders and down my back. I crush her torso to mine, reeling beneath the soft press of her breasts against my chest, and find her mouth again.
Her body goes rigid and her fingers dig into me. “Did you hear that?”
9
Emma
Straining my ears, I wait for a repeat of the sound, but our heavy panting is all I can hear. I put my hand on Zach’s chest. While one part of my brain enjoys the agitated rise and fall of his ragged breathing thanks to our kiss, the other part is wondering if I’m imagining things.
“Do you mean the sound of you falling for me?” he asks, one eyebrow cocked at a deliciously sexy angle. “I did.”
That happened a long time ago, but I don’t bother to correct him. Better that he has to work at getting me into bed. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m spread eagle on my kitchen counter with my blouse undone and a half naked guy between my thighs.
“Be serious for once.” I try to mimic Sarah’s teacher voice, but he’s staring at my half-exposed nipples like they’re luscious summer strawberries he can’t wait to get his mouth on. “I heard something fall upstairs. What if someone’s home?”
“So what if they are? You don’t expect me to believe you haven’t been caught half naked with a man before.”
“Not once.”
He lifts his head and gives me a look of such glee that suddenly I’m wondering if he wants us to be discovered.
Is he some sort of exhibitionist? I’m accustomed to normal sorts of experiences. Sex in a bed, occasionally on the floor if things get a little heated. I’ve never done it outside or where other people might see. What sort of journey am I on? And why is it so hard to think with his mouth against my skin?
My spine melts as his hands glide down my back. My roommates already know that I’m lying about my interest in Zach. It’s writte
n all over their faces every time his name is mentioned. None of them would be surprised to find me like this with him.
Another thump. This time it’s my heart as he groans something indecipherable the second after his mouth settles over my nipple again. A jolt of the most incredible pleasure makes me gasp. Shit. Fuck. Ohmygod. The words are a litany in my head as he sucks and licks and nibbles.
“Up star.” Bliss has made me incoherent. But I’m not so lost that I’m willing to share him—even just the sight of his naked gorgeousness—with any of my cousins. “Stairs.”
“We’ll go upstairs in a bit.” His lips find mine and resume that mind-blowing awesomeness that he calls kissing.
I hope I’m not imagining that the rumbling moan filling my ears is from him. Please let him feel as desperate as I am at the moment. There’s a rushing sound in my ears, and I’m completely under his spell. The entire house could fall down around me and I probably wouldn’t notice.
Zach breaks off the kiss and his entire body stiffens—not just the part that I hunger to feel buried inside me. I’m trailing my fingertips along his ribcage when I realize he’s stopped participating.
“Zach?”
“Did you hear that?”
Damn it, now he’s hearing things.
“I was a little distracted.”
My panting turns into a low groan of protest as he steps away from the counter and runs long fingers through his disheveled hair. I lean back on my elbows in what I hope is a sexy, enticing manner and give him my best get back over here and kiss me some more look.
“I think you’re right. Somebody’s upstairs.”
Although I’m concerned that we might have been caught making out in the kitchen, I’m more alarmed by the fact that we’re not going to finish what we started. “Why don’t we go to my room where we won’t be disturbed?”
“Didn’t you say no one was home?”
The throbbing between my thighs is too insistent for me to think straight. “I guess.” His concern is starting to dispel the haze clouding my brain.
