by MK Schiller
Kyle was about to call and check on his sundae when he heard a tentative knock. “I was beginning to won—” Kyle stopped short, staring at Lanie, dripping wet, shivering, and standing outside his door.
Kyle pulled her into the room. “Why are you so wet?” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to generate some heat.
“I got here twenty minutes ago, but I had some thinking to do, and someone once told me a walk was a great way to think, but then it started raining and I wasn’t done thinking, so I just kept walking.”
“Are you crazy? You were walking around in the rain at this hour?”
“It didn’t start raining until the end.” Lanie’s lips chattered as she spoke.
“What were you thinking about?”
“I missed you. I missed my friend.” She embraced him then, and Kyle wrapped his arms around her tightly, closing his eyes as each one of his muscles relaxed. She shivered in his arms.
“Take off your clothes.”
“What?”
“Take off your clothes.” Lanie regarded Kyle quizzically, and he realized how it sounded. He took her by the elbow and led her to the bathroom.
“I don’t want you to catch pneumonia. Whatever you have to say to me can wait. Take off your wet clothes and take a hot shower. I’ll be out here waiting for you.”
Kyle stood outside the door in case Lanie needed anything. He had a million questions for her, but he wouldn’t let his curiosity win out this time. He’d make sure she was warm and comfortable first.
“Um, Kyle,” Lanie said through the closed door.
“Yes?”
“I don’t have anything to change into.”
Kyle didn’t think. He just took off his shirt. He opened the door a crack to hand it to her. “Wear this.”
“My legs will be cold,” she said. He shrugged off his sweats and handed them to her. “You’re giving me the clothes off your back? That’s very generous.”
“I’ll give everything I have to give you anything you need.” The words were pure and honest, born from the heart and not contrived by the head.
It occurred to him that there was a terry cloth robe in the closet he could have given her. He justified that by telling himself the clothes were already warmed from his body heat. He heard the water turn on. She stepped out, leaving the door open, still wearing her evening dress.
“Why are you still dressed?” he asked.
She turned and lifted her hair. “I need a little help. Unzip me.” He swallowed, dropping the zipper down the length of the dress, staring at the lacy red bra beneath it and the waistband of what looked like a thong. Damn. “Now unhook me.” His knew his way around women’s bras, but his fingers shook as he unclasped it. He stared at her beautiful back with its perfect dip and couldn’t resist running his hand down that stretch of skin.
She turned her head toward him, looking at him with hooded eyes, about to speak, when a loud knock interrupted her.
“Room service.”
Kyle cursed. “Leave it at the door, please.”
“Sir, it’s ice cream. It will melt,” the anonymous male voice called back.
“Then take it away. I don’t want it.”
“Kyle, you’re turning away ice cream?” Lanie asked with amusement.
He smiled at her. “You can’t have it anyway. Not until your body temperature’s normal.”
“So much for giving me anything I need.”
“Need being the key word in that sentence.” He stomped over to the door, ready to scream at whoever was there. As soon as he opened it, though, the young room service attendant took a step back, almost dropping the platter in his hand. Kyle realized why immediately. He was almost naked with a bulging erection that made his boxer briefs appear two sizes too small.
“Just take it away.”
“You don’t want it?”
Kyle sighed in frustration, reaching for his wallet off the console table. He took out a crisp bill, handing it to the man.
“Leave it on standby, please.”
“Have a good evening, man,” the room service guy said with a wry smile.
“I hope so,” Kyle replied after he slammed the door.
He darted back to the bathroom, where the door was now shut, but steam escaped through the narrow slit, warming his bare feet. He wasn’t sure what Lanie was doing, but if the door was unlocked, he had every intention of finding out. He smiled when the knob turned easily in his hand, and he entered with such force that he slammed his shoulder against it. “Lanie?”
She stood in front of him wearing nothing but that sexy red lace thong, her hands on her hips, not attempting to cover herself in any way for the first time. His eyes raked over that thick, lustrous mane of reddish-brown curls, stopping just shy of the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen, down her slim waist and those curvy hips. He didn’t remember his feet carrying him, but somehow the space between them had dissolved until he was so close he could feel her breath as it brushed his skin.
“You almost caught me with my panties off,” she teased with a seductive smile.
“Are you trying to torture me?” His voice was thick with want, and he was having a difficult time focusing.
“Can you help me with my last layer?” she asked, sliding her fingers around the narrow waistband.
“Should we talk first?” The small portion of his brain that was still functioning made him ask. He wanted to kick himself for the stupid question.
She trailed her fingers down his chest. “I think you can tell me without words. I need you.” He pulled her against him then, unable to stand the tiny space between them, and held her face in his hands. He kisses weren’t soft and sweet. They were full of need, fueled by his hunger. There was a desperation between them to touch and feel.
He hooked his fingers under the thin waistband of her panties. He meant to slide them down, but in his urgency, he snatched them right off her body, curling them tightly in his fist.
He couldn’t handle any more. “Shower, now!” he growled, grabbing a hold of her shoulders and spinning her around to the glass-encased executive shower.
She giggled and sauntered slowly toward it, swaying her hips and voluptuous ass with each step. He was in a trance, staring after her. She crooked a finger at him as she entered. “Coming?”
“Not without you,” he replied, almost ripping his own boxers as he pulled them off before lunging in after her. The hot spray hit both of them. Kyle moved her underneath it to warm her chilled skin, watching the rivulets dance on her body. He smacked his lips against hers, feeling a sweet relief in touching her. She pulled away, breathless and staring up at him with those golden eyes. He pulled her back, suckling her ear, neck, shoulders with his lips. Then he concentrated on her breasts, kissing the small white line where the scar had been. She shivered under his touch, holding his head there. He finally dropped to his knees, spread her thighs apart, and slid his tongue between her slick folds. She moaned right away, encouraging him to go deeper. He sucked her clit, drawing the nub into his mouth and feeling rewarded each time she groaned his name. He licked her pussy at a leisurely pace, punctuated with fast flicks.
“So damn delicious.”
“Kyle!”
“What, baby?” he asked.
“I can’t keep standing,” she whimpered.
Her legs were shaking. He grasped her waist and gently moved her against the tiled wall without losing his rhythm. He leaned her against it and held her steady. “I won’t let you fall. I’ll always hold you up.”
She said his name again, but in a needful, lusty moan while running her hands through his hair. He quickened his pace, knowing she needed release. Then he felt the clenching of her muscles, and her yearning moans turn to orgasmic screams.
When she was finished, he stood up, wrapped his arms around her bottom, and lifted her against the wall. He kissed her neck and nibbled on her earlobe before whispering, “I want to fork the hell out of you.”
She threw
her arms around his neck, pulling him close. “I need to be Kyle Manchester-ed real bad.”
He entered her so abruptly, she yelped. “Are you okay?”
She crossed her legs over his hips and pressed her forehead against his. “Yes. You’re not going to hurt me, Kyle.”
“I know that,” he gasped against her neck. “Hold on to me.”
“I plan to.”
“That’s good, because I’m never letting you go.” They weren’t just talking about their sexual positioning.
Then he couldn’t say anything else because her tight, wet folds took hold of him. He thrust into her like he never had, forcing himself to hold off his climax.
“You. Feel. So. Good.”
The water was pelting his back and her face, washing the sweat off their bodies as they gripped each other, expressing their need. She tightened her legs, pulling him in with every propulsion. “I’m coming,” she whispered against his neck.
“Thank God,” he said, feeling his own release come fast and swift.
He held her there until her body stopped shaking and his heart calmed its frantic beats. He put her down gently and backed away.
His allowed himself one more lingering, appreciative gaze over her naked form, placing a strand of her drenched hair behind her ear. “You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she replied, smiling at him.
It was the first time she’d accepted the compliment without looking nervous or embarrassed. She believed it. “Thank you,” he replied.
He turned off the water and took his time drying her with the towel before helping her out of the shower.
“You can have the top, and I’ll take the bottom,” he said, throwing her his T-shirt.
“Any excuse to have your shirt off, eh?”
He shrugged. “It looks better on you.” He put it over her head. “It’s never my preference, but I’m not going to risk the room service guy coming back and seeing you naked.”
As soon as they were dressed, he picked her up, placed her on the couch, and wrapped a blanket around her. He sat on the edge of the couch and threaded his fingers through her soft, damp hair.
“Lie down with me.”
“Let me make you some tea first. What kind do you want?”
“Ice cream flavored,” she replied with a smiling pout.
Kyle ran his finger down her nose. “Such a smart-ass. Earl Grey it is.” He bent over to kiss her forehead.
He shook his head, unable to stop smiling as he prepared her tea and his whiskey. She hadn’t received the makeover. He had. All she had done was shed some of her physical layers, and in the process, freed Kyle from his emotional ones. She made him a better man. Lanie was still the same sweet, beautiful girl he’d met at Duggan’s Pub on that blind date all those months ago at Brad’s insistence. Brad!
Kyle walked over to the couch and set the drinks down quickly before his hands started shaking. He felt the blood rush out of his face and all his elation evaporate like the last wisps of steam billowing from the bathroom. Did she know there was another offer on the table? One she had been waiting for? Fuck, they’d just had sex. He tried to do the math in his head to see if it was even possible that she’d had enough time to have such a conversation. Kyle tried to mentally calculate the probability, accounting for the distance, her walk, and her lead foot. There were too many unknown variables. He’d never been great at word problems. Damn math teachers had always told him they would be necessary, and he cursed himself for not knowing the answer.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him.
He sucked in a deep breath. “Lanie, did you make it to your apartment before coming here?” he asked, willing his voice to sound nonchalant. Part of him didn’t want to know the answer.
She took the mug he offered her and blew across the top. Kyle slumped on the far end of the couch, feeling his heart stammering in his chest as he waited for her answer. “Yes, I went home.”
He nodded slowly. “And what happened when you got there?”
She flashed a bright smile, and Kyle prayed it wouldn’t be the last one he’d see. “I was upset. I needed ice cream. I knew I didn’t have any, but I went to the freezer anyway out of habit, and there it was, a fresh pint of double-trouble chocolate.” She pushed her foot against his leg in a teasing gesture. A few minutes ago, Kyle would have grabbed it and tickled her in that spot that made her laugh so hard. But right now he didn’t dare touch her. “I wondered where it came from for a minute, but then, for once, I remembered you had a key. Of course you’d bring it because you always know what I need. I didn’t even eat any, so you should feel guilty about turning away the room service.” Kyle did feel remorse, but it had nothing to do with ice cream.
“You didn’t talk to Brad?” he asked through gritted teeth.
She looked confused. “No, but I think I passed him on the way here, taking Cassie home. I’m glad I’m not there right now. I wonder if she’ll move in with him. I kind of feel sorry for him.” She shrugged. “But it’s not my problem.”
Kyle wasn’t listening anymore. He felt his throat dry up and every muscle flinch at once. He downed his drink, wishing he’d made a double. “Fuck Brad,” he muttered.
“What?”
Kyle shot up from the couch. He paced the length of the room with hurried steps. She stared at him, moving her head in rhythm like she was watching a tennis match.
“I’m such a fucking idiot.”
“Kyle, calm down. What’s the matter?”
He crashed back onto the couch, feeling completely defeated. He put his elbows on his knees and rested his head in his hands. He didn’t want to see her expression when he told her. If he saw the surprise, joy, or anger in her face, it would cut right through him. “He didn’t have Cassie with him. He was coming to see you.”
“Why?”
Was there ever a more awful word in the English language than why? Kyle sucked in another deep breath, daring a glance at her. She tilted her head, staring at him with curious concern. The expression spoke volumes. She had no idea. “I thought you knew or I never would have… Fuck, you’re going to hate me,” he said, running his hands through his hair. Kyle felt her hand on his knee, rubbing it. Even this small touch at this strange moment brought him comfort.
“Just say it,” she whispered.
“He was coming to tell you he loved you. He’s ready to be your hero now, and you two can go off into the sunset to live your fairy tale. It’s everything you ever wanted.”
It was out there now, and his whole body was a tight coil as he waited for her to walk out of his life. He felt her shift off the couch, but instead of running away, she bent down in front of him. She clasped her hands around his wrists, pulling them away. Kyle jerked his head up and stared at her. She looked like an angel with that long mane of hair a color somewhere between fire and earth and those luminous golden eyes.
She crawled into his lap and straddled him. He embraced her tightly, feeling each muscle loosen with her touch. “Kyle,” she murmured against his ear, “I can never be with Brad. He’s lactose intolerant.” The situation seemed too intense for Kyle’s roaring laugh, but then again she always shocked him in the most pleasant ways. “You are everything I want and have been for a very long time.”
He exhaled for so long that he had to pause in between. Then he took her shoulders and eased her away so he could look at her when he said the words he’d been thinking since the day he left. “I was so preoccupied justifying why I couldn’t be the right man for you that I completely missed it.”
“What?”
He took her hand, kissing each fingertip. “Miss Lanie, you are the hero in my story. I love you so much.”
She closed her eyes, smiling softly. “I love you too, Kyle.” Hearing her say it for the first time created a surge in Kyle similar to a runner’s high but much more powerful. She opened her eyes, pressing her forehead to his. “And even with all the do-overs you’ve had, you’re my hero too.” She ran her finger
down his chest. “But no more. Now we’ll just do us.”
“I couldn’t agree more. I’m so honored you let me be your first, but I really want to be your last.”
She cupped his chin, smiling. “You are my only.” Kyle wasn’t expecting that and, as a result, couldn’t hide his huge grin. He stood up and carried her to the bedroom. They had a king-size bed to try out, after all. He wanted to rip his shirt off her and make crazy love to her again, but he had more things to say.
“I’m going to move back here, and now that you don’t have a roommate, I’d like to fill the vacancy if you’ll have me.” She opened her mouth to speak, but Kyle covered it with another kiss before she could protest, dropped her on the bed, and lay on top of her. Her soft body underneath his was so enticing that he almost forgot the rest of his appeal. “I’m a pretty hot commodity right now, and I can get my old job back. I can’t spend another night without you.” He suckled her neck, inhaling her delicious scent.
Lanie grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling his head up so their eyes met. “I don’t want you to move in with me.” Kyle stared at her perplexed, but she kissed him before his muscles clenched again. “I want to move in with you…in New York. I can get a job there. You see, I’m a pretty hot commodity too.”
“You would leave your family?” Kyle hated them, but he knew Lanie loved them, and he didn’t want to make her sacrifice anything.
“You are my family.”
Kyle swallowed hard, wondering if he’d ever be able to build a pedestal high enough for her.
“You’re my family too, sweetheart.”
As he explored every one of her perfect features, Kyle had a fleeting thought. It was quick but full of genuine sympathy. “Poor Brad.”
Epilogue
“He was flirting with you,” Kyle said, holding the door open for her. She caught his ‘I’m joking’ smirk right before she brushed past him into the apartment.
“He’s my co-worker. He was being nice.” Lanie sighed and dropped her purse on the sleek gray couch in their Manhattan apartment. One of the furnishings she and Kyle instantly agreed on. Everything else had been a compromise, but their combined styles worked well together. It had been almost a year since she’d moved to New York and life had moved fast. At first, it had been a real adjustment. She’d begun a real relationship with Kyle, started at a new firm, and moved hundreds of miles away. Not to mention, she had left behind the poisonous relationships she had with her family, choosing not to interact with Cassie or her mother. Lanie faced challenges on each front, but Kyle had become her family. She’d become his.
