by Ali Parker
I reached up and snagged it out of the air. "What's the matter with her car?"
Erica walked around the corner and stopped. "I got rear-ended yesterday. I'm good, but the car... not so much."
Her tank top and tight yoga pants left very little to the imagination, and even though I'd spent all day the day before staring at a mostly-naked picture of her, the real thing was always so much better.
I closed the distance between us and reached out, grabbing the side of her neck softly and rubbing my thumb over her soft skin.
"You sure you're okay? Why didn't you call me?" I let my eyes move around her face, memorizing everything about her that I hadn't picked up before.
She smirked. "Why would I call you? You have a superman cape hidden somewhere in that big apartment of yours?"
"I might." I took a shaky breath. "Damn, you're gorgeous. How do you walk around without having a million guys trying to get your attention?"
"Who says they aren't?" She reached up and pulled my hand from her as Lanie walked by chuckling.
"This way, guys. We're going to be late, and you know what that means..."
I lifted my eyebrow and watched my girl. "What does that mean? Something tells me it's nothing good."
She wagged her eyebrows. "I dare you to be late and find out."
"Not only no, but hell no." I moved past her, grabbing her hand and pulling her with me. "She makes an example out of the late people, doesn't she?"
"Oh, it's way more fun than that." Lanie glanced over her shoulder and giggled again.
"Lanie. You dating anyone?" I couldn't help but ask.
Erica glanced over at me. "Why do you care?"
"I have friends, thank you." I squeezed her hand and released her.
Lanie stopped just inside the door and whispered, "No, but if you have a brother, I'd be interested in meeting him."
Erica and I both laughed loudly only to be reprimanded by the older woman bending in half at the front of the room.
"Silence, please. Come in quickly, quietly and get into downward dog. Find your center, your peace, yourself." She stood up and put her hands on her hips and watched us.
I barked softly under my breath and got the reaction I was after. Both girls beside me laughed. The old woman up front didn't seem to think I was too funny, nor charming.
"I'm just going to get back here." I moved behind Erica and got into position, focusing on the sexy curve of her ass and legs and trying like hell to ignore the burn that ran up the back of my legs. I was sure to make a fool out of myself, but if it scored me points with the woman that captivated every part of me... it was worth it.
"Today we're going to work on an advanced move called the handstand scorpion. Let me show you how it looks and just know that we'll start working on it together. Do not be intimidated by it. Okay?" The instructor glanced around the room as Erica glanced back, her beautiful face contorted into complete terror.
"Uh oh. This can't be good." I turned my attention back to the instructor and tilted my head to the side as she went into a handstand and then contorted herself. "Oh no. Hell no."
Erica turned to face me, put her hands over her mouth and laughed softly until her face turned red.
I moved up and wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. "If I do this... you spend the night with me tonight."
"What?" She glanced up. "No way. That's not fair."
"Yeah, it is. Someone has to help put the stint along my spine when I break it. That should be you for making me come here." I kissed her forehead and moved back.
"I didn't make you come here. You came because-"
The instructor’s voice was sharp, and scared both of us. "Is there something you guys would like to discuss with the class?"
"Um, no, but thanks for the opportunity. It's all you." I lifted my hands and gave the woman a sweet smile. She didn't seem to necessarily like sweet.
"Well then, why don't you come on up and we'll use you as the example today seeing that your pliable and fully willing to participate."
"Me?" My voice rose three octaves and Erica and Lanie chuckled. "No. I'm good."
"No, really. Come on up." She motioned for me, not giving in. I was stuck.
"All right, yeah, sure." I walked past her and growled at Erica. "You're mine tonight for this shit."
Her response was lost to the blood thundering past my ears as my heart raced. I was in for a world of hurt. I deserved a lot for fucking things up with Erica, but this seemed a little much. Or a lot.
***
"Are you sure you're okay, Matt?" Lanie stood beside my car, her arm wrapped around Erica's narrow shoulders.
"Yeah. I'm good." I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Last time I try to impress a woman by turning myself into a human pretzel. I'm way too big to do that kind of stuff."
"I think you did great." Erica shrugged, a smile playing on the side of her mouth.
"Lies. All lies." I glanced around the parking lot. "Is your rental car here?"
"No. I got an Uber. You want to give me a ride home?" She turned and hugged Lanie as I nodded my response. Of course I wanted to take her home. I wanted to spend the night with her, which she was more than aware of.
"You guys be careful and have fun, okay?" Lanie glanced over at me.
"Absolutely, and I'll be on the lookout for a guy you might be interested in." I wagged my eyebrows. I didn't know anyone, but I'd meet people. I always did.
"Awesome. Make sure he's hot, rich as hell and has a huge-"
"Okay. That's good." Erica walked around to the other side of the car as I laughed. Lanie might be small, but she was ballsy as hell.
"Age matter?" I stood to my full height, getting ready to get in the car.
"Nope. Well, not like fifty or anything. I'm good with forties at the max and probably twenty-nine at the other end?" She put her hands on her hips. "Are you messing with me?"
"Nope. I'm a great matchmaker. See you later, Lanie."
"You too, Matt."
I got in and glanced over at Erica, who was watching me closely. "What?"
"You're just setting her up to fail. You don't even know anyone." She buckled and shook her head, causing some of her blond hair to loosen from her ponytail.
"I'll find someone for her. You have to be focused on looking or you miss things, you know." I started the car and backed up.
"No, I don't know. Explain." I loved that she wanted to challenge me. I'd spank her eventually for that shit when our relationship got better.
"All right, so take for instance when you got your car. What do you have?"
"A grey Mercedes. You know this."
"Right, but before you got it, you barely noticed anyone driving around in a Mercedes, right?"
"I guess."
"And afterward?"
She smiled and nodded. "Everyone had one. I remember thinking I was an idiot for getting the same car as everyone else in Seattle. Or I wondered if they had a big ass sale on them."
"Exactly. It's about focus. If we're looking for love, we're going to find it. Same goes with looking for love for our friends."
"Our friends?" She smiled. "Are you considering Lanie one of our friends?"
"Yeah. Of course. She's your best friend." I reached over and gripped the top of her hand, ignoring the way she stiffened. "What's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine. You'll get it down soon."
She jerked her hand from me and popped me in the chest. "Ass."
"I love ass." I licked my lips and pointed to the pet store up ahead. "This the one where your little fur-ball is hiding out?"
"Yes." She tugged at her seatbelt and sat up straight in her seat. She was beyond cute in her excitement. "You think he's still there?"
"I'm sure he is. Let's go check." I pulled into the parking lot and chuckled under my breath as her breathing changed. She was excited, and I loved it.
***
"He's so squirmy," Erica complained as we walked to her condo. She held the puppy against
her chest and I toted the massive amounts of stuff that neither of us knew went along with having a dog. "But cute. Yes, you are."
"Whatcha got there, Erica?" a raspy voice called out, the owner a plump woman with wiry hair and a cane.
"It's a new puppy, Ms. Gander. Do you have any animals?" Erica moved toward the woman and I paused by the door, holding my patience as I clutched everything in my arms.
"Nope, but I'd love to have one that looks like that feller over there." She pointed her cane toward me, and I glanced back.
Erica laughed. "You want an animal that looks like Matt?"
"Heavens to Betsy, yes. Tall, strong and fine as a fig tree." She wagged her unibrow at me. Creeped out wouldn’t begin to describe how I felt. I stifled a full body shiver.
"Can you get the door, Erica? I'll just put this stuff inside while you and Ms. Gander Mountain are talking." I whispered the last half, but Erica must have heard, because she swatted me before opening the door and threatening me to be nice.
I walked in and set the stuff down on the table. The place smelled of vanilla and sugar. Erica must have baked something. I made my way into the kitchen and found a plate of chocolate chip cookies wrapped in foil.
"Now I just need some milk." I got in the fridge and got out the gallon, grabbed two glasses and moved to the living room.
She walked in and closed the door behind her, still chuckling to herself. "She likes you. Like, really likes you."
"Creepy. Come over here and get a cookie before I eat them all." I unwrapped the package, dipped a cookie in milk and ate the whole thing in a bite or two.
"You know cookies aren't exactly what you're supposed to eat after working out."
"Says who?" I settled back on the couch and watched her closely.
I could so play house with this woman until it became a way of life.
"They say." She sat down and lifted the puppy up in front of her. "What are we going to call you?"
"Ask ‘they’. Seems like they know everything." I smirked as she gave me a look over her shoulder. "How about Buster?"
"Or Cocoa?"
"Or Sam?"
"How about Zek?"
"Hmmm... I like that. Zek it is." I reached up and ran my hand down her back, rubbing it softly as she pressed against my touch. "You know I'm staying the night, right?"
"Says who?" she scoffed and set the dog down before turning to face me.
"Why they of course, and they are never wrong."
It was effective enough. The conversation ended and the night began.
Chapter 30
Erica
"You want a salad?" I leaned into the living room an hour later to find Matt cuddled up on the couch with Zek. How I had gone from not being sure that I was going to let him back into my life to agreeing (non-verbally) to let him stay the night was a mystery to me.
"I'd love one. You want my help?" He glanced up and smiled.
He so belonged right there on my couch, in the middle of my living room. Much like he belonged in the center of my world. Scary enough, if I wasn't careful, that world would quickly come to rotate around him. That was never a good place to be, especially not with a 'runner' on my hands.
"No. You stay there. I'll get it." I worked to chop up a few things and made both of us big chef salads before setting the table and calling him over.
He moved up behind me and ran his hands over my shoulders and down my arms. "You still haven't accepted my apology."
"I'm trying to work through all of that." I stifled a moan as he leaned down and pressed his mouth to the side of my neck, kissing me so sensually it hurt. His soft lips moved to hover just beside my ear.
"Tell me if there is anything I can do to help you get there faster. I'll apply pressure to any part of what you're struggling with if you need me to." He kissed my ear and I shivered.
"I'm good, but thank you." I moved out of his hold and sat down, ignoring the deep pulsing pleasure building between my thighs. The man could take me from cold to blistering hot in a matter of minutes. It was almost disturbing.
"Anything for you." He moved around me and sat down, reaching for his fork. "So I think I'll keep my place in Dallas until just after Christmas and then I'm going to take two weeks to go over to Saudi Arabia with Sophie and then I'll move up here for good."
"Sophie?" I tried to keep the angst out of my voice, but he could sense it. I could tell by the way he glanced up.
"She's my best friend since I was a kid. Mean as a fucking snake when we were little, but she got better. Sort of." He snorted and shoveled a big bite of salad into his mouth.
"Why is she going to Saudi Arabia? Work?" I wasn't comfortable with the idea of Matt having a female best friend, but it really wasn't my place to say anything. Where we might be headed back toward having a relationship, we didn't have one yet. Not really.
"Yeah. She's a reporter for NBC." He gave me a cocky smile.
"What was that smile for?" I picked up my fork and glanced down at my plate, pushing the salad around a little.
"You're jealous." He laughed.
I glanced up. "No, I'm not. You and I are barely friends. Why would I care that you're spending two weeks with a woman who's pretty enough to be on the news channel in a foreign country?"
"Oh, wow." He took another bite of his salad and got up, putting Zek in his cage. He moved toward me and reached down to pull me out of the chair. "Tell me you’re jealous."
"No. I'm not." I stiffened in his hold.
He gripped one of my hands and pulled it down, cupping his erection. "It turns me on to think you are. Just pretend for me."
"Matt," I mumbled and brushed my thumb over the head of his cock. "Don't. I'm not ready for this."
"Of course you're ready for this." He leaned down and kissed me. Hard.
I opened up, turning my head and sucking on his tongue the minute he pressed it into my mouth. Why was I giving myself over to him again? He would just end up hurting me.
"Stop thinking," he mumbled against my mouth and gripped my hips, lifting me. "Legs around my waist. Now."
I wrapped myself around him and breathed in deeply, wanting so much more than I should have. "I'm jealous."
"I know you are." He kissed me a few more times as his strong fingers dug into my ass, massaging it. "I love it."
"Should I be?" I rolled my hips, working myself against him like the starving slut he forced me into becoming.
"Not at all. There's only one woman I've wanted for the last two years." He moved up toward the bedroom, never once loosening his grip on me.
"Please tell me it's not this Sophie chick." I pressed my breasts to his chest, loving how incredibly strong he was. No one could make me feel small, petite, feminine like he could.
"No, baby. It's you. You knew that though." He gripped my hips and forced me to slide down the front of his body. "Accept my apology. I'm not running again."
"Lies," I whispered and pulled my shirt over my head. A scream left me as he tackled me to the bed, his mouth hot and wet against the top of my breasts, his hands tearing at my pants to get them off.
"I'll just have to prove it to you, Erica."
"Just fuck me, please. No more talking." I cupped his face in my hands and leaned down to kiss him as he threw my yoga pants across the room and snapped the front of my panties, popping the sides and laying waste to them. "I loved those."
"I'll get you more." He moved up to lick at my throat. "Take your bra off."
"Do it yourself," I challenged him. The docile, fun-loving guy who'd captivated me from day one was nothing like the man above me.
He glanced up and smiled before moving back and forcing me to turn on my stomach. I yelped as he popped my ass hard.
"So bossy. Someone needs to teach you a few lessons." He unhooked my bra before sliding his hands down my back, over the steep curve of my hips and squeezing my flesh. "So fucking hot, baby."
I pressed my hands to the bed above me and lifted my ass in the air, teasing hi
m. "Hard to believe you wanted to walk out on this."
"I'm a fucking idiot." He gripped my legs and moved to his knees before pressing his mouth against me. I wasn't at all expecting it.
"Matt," I gasped and tried to pull from him, but his hold was tight. Almost too tight.
"Relax and let me taste you." His voice was deep, gravely, delicious.
Whether it was right or wrong, I didn't care. I needed the carnality of the moment. We could figure out the damage of our night together tomorrow. I needed tonight, and by the way he worked his tongue against me, he needed it too.
I pressed my face to the bed and cried out as pleasure raced through my center, stealing my breath. "So good."
"Yeah, you are." He flicked his tongue over my clit before sucking it in his mouth. The painful press of his fingers gripping my ass was more than enough to throw me clear over the edge of ecstasy. "I can taste you. You're getting close."
"Harder," I mumbled and closed my eyes, diving into what he must look like kneeling behind me, his arms wrapped around my legs, his hands clamped down on my flesh as he worshiped me with his mouth.
My orgasm slammed into me full force, and I arched my back and cried out before pressing back on him and rocking my hips hard.
"That's it." He rolled his thumb around the entrance of my body, dipping it in as I continued to cry out over and over. "Come for me again."
"No. I need a-"
"You need to listen." He pressed his finger into my body, jack-hammering it as I writhed with pleasure. "Come again."
I worked myself against him until the world exploded. All the air in my lungs rushed between my lips and left me stunned, overwhelmed. Matt wouldn't relent until I begged him to.
He moved back and I rolled over and pulled my knees toward my chest.
"Fuck," I whimpered and rolled onto my side.
He didn't say a word as he got a condom, pulled his jeans off and rolled it onto his thick shaft. His t-shirt was thrown into the pile of clothes near the bedroom door and he moved to the edge of the bed.
"My turn." He bent his knees and reached out, grabbing my leg as I lay on my side and pulling me toward the edge of the bed. "Have I told you how much you mean to me? Was that part of my apology?"
