What was he planning to bite?
“You look gorgeous.” His gaze roved over her body, lingering at the open vee of her shirt.
“Thanks.” Abbi finally managed a reply. Man, she needed something stronger than a makeover and a pep talk from Nadia to get her act together. She should have preloaded with a stiff drink instead. She folded her arms across her tummy as she walked upstairs alongside him, desperately trying to get a grip on her lust. But oh yeah, she wanted him to bite her.
At the top of the stairs he turned to face her, suddenly a whole lot closer than she expected him to be. “Tell me more about your man-eating app.”
“I already told you it’s not about man-eating.” She looked up at him, acutely aware of how exposed her neck and cleavage were given how far she had to tilt her chin to see into his eyes.
“No?” He chuckled. Slowly he looked down, then back up her body. “Are you going to show me your moves?” he asked quietly. “Can you distract a man from a ball game?”
His words, his expression slammed into her bones. Heat. Humor. Challenge.
Electricity crackled between them. A jolt of power surged into her veins as she realized she had his full attention. And she could tease a little, right? She could channel Sasha Fox again. “You tell me.”
A smile slowly creased his face. “I’m not going to make it that easy for you.” He turned and walked, pausing at the open doorway through which Abbi could hear the sounds of people talking, laughing.
His provocation struck deep in her belly. She couldn’t help following him. Game on.
“What do you expect me to do?” she asked.
He looked thoughtful. “Remind me of the aim of the app.”
“Tips on how to get a guy’s attention and keep it.” She swallowed.
“And you’ve been ensuring those tips are accurate.” His emerald eyes speared. “How’s the info working out for you?”
Abbi narrowed her eyes. Doubtless he thought she was desperate. Even if she was, she didn’t want him thinking it. She might be a flirt failure, but she wasn’t going to be teased by him. “It’s working wonders to expand my social life.”
“Really.” His brows lifted. “So, let’s see some app in action. Show me how all that valuable info works.”
He stood in front of her, feet planted apart, expectant.
She drew in a deep, brain-clearing breath. “First of all, I need to find a suitable target.”
His eyes widened, startled. She suppressed a smile as another trickle of confidence surged through her. Did he really think she’d try to prove her skills on him? She wasn’t that crazy. Not when he’d made his skepticism so clear. She turned, checking out the three-quarters-full room—mostly men. Men in supporters’ gear or polo shirts. Not as many of the plain tees like Joe’s, which she most definitely preferred.
“See anything that takes your fancy?”
She heard the unbelieving amusement in his voice. Arrogant man.
“There are a number of options,” she lied.
“Really? Where?”
She gestured vaguely to the nearest group—three guys talking together, laughing. Definitely talking baseball.
She didn’t have a hope.
“Which one?”
“Maybe the blond?”
“Hmm.” Joe sounded like he thought it was an iffy idea. “So what’s your strategy? Are you going to ask him for a bite of his hot dog?”
What was he implying there? She saw the amusement, but there was heat in his eyes as well. She liked that combination a lot.
Joe “So Freaking Sexy and He Knows It” Fuller wasn’t just arrogant, but he had unreal good looks and a huge sense of fun. And didn’t that just make him all the more attractive.
“Okay.” She turned to try again, determined not to let him see just how easy she’d be for him.
So. Mission accepted. Every article had stressed the importance of eye contact. Plus, this afternoon Nadia had explained her “no-talking, no-fail” formula for getting a person’s attention…
Hold eye contact for four seconds. Count ’em and don’t rush. Then glance away. Glance back quick. And smile.
Abbi glanced at Joe. He was smiling. She glanced back at the room. Failure in front of Joe Fuller was not an option. Not when the few women in there were already scoping him out. Hell, half the men were too. Recognizing, respecting. They all sucked in their stomachs as they saw him, as if they were all suddenly preening to attract. Slightly irritated, Abbi flicked her hair back off her shoulder and walked deeper into the room.
Target, target…someone friendly, safe, approachable…
A few guys looked her way, but maintaining eye contact? She was so screwed. That’s when she noticed that Joe had moved farther into the room, well ahead of her—and now he’d turned around so he could see her face?
Hell.
She wasn’t going to pay any attention to him. Wasn’t going to fail. She was going to find—
That guy. To the left. Not that much taller than her. She was so determined not to look at Joe, she stared at the guy instead.
One, two, three, four…
She glanced down and smiled to herself. She’d done it. Actually maintained eye contact for the magical four seconds! She glanced back up and caught the guy’s eyes. He smiled. And her smile deepened.
He stepped forward. “You looking forward to the game?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Thanks.”
She wasn’t going to clock Joe’s reaction. Not going to look over at him. She was maintaining eye contact with the new guy, who wasn’t too tall and intimidating. And she was relaxing and smiling because she’d won.
“You’re a regular supporter?” he asked.
“Uh, no.” She laughed a little self-consciously. “Actually, it’s my first time.” Ugh. Brainless, unintended innuendo.
“No way.” His smile broadened and he stepped closer still. “Then we’d better make sure you have a really good time. My name’s Pete.” He held out his hand.
“Abbi.” She took it.
“Great to meet you, Abbi.” He held on a little too long, a touch too tight, too. That was a good thing, right? Except she didn’t like the feel of it.
“You too.” She nodded and pulled her hand back. “So you’re a regular?”
“Absolutely,” he laughed.
Jeez, she was actually getting somewhere. Nadia’s no-failure tip had been right. Except—now what?
“You here with friends?” he asked.
“Yeah, at the bar.” She stumbled over an explanation. Should have thought of that first.
“Leaving you free to talk to me.”
“It would seem so.” She racked her brain for something to say. “You’re a big Giants fan?”
Duh, given the club shirt and cap and the fact that he’d already told her he was a regular supporter, that’d be a yes.
“Sure am.” He moved. “You’re gonna be cheering for my team tonight, right?”
Uh. Though the room was filling up, Pete was now standing just a little too close. She could smell his aftershave. It was good of him to think of personal hygiene, but it was a little strong. It wasn’t as nice as the freshly showered, soapy smell of—
“Abbi?” Joe slung his arm along her shoulders. “You need a drink?”
Startled, she jumped. His hand tightened, pulling her closer.
“I’m Joe.” He nodded at Pete. “Lost track of my special guest there for a minute.”
Could he be any less subtle? And could she be any more stupidly relieved? But she sent Pete an apologetic smile.
“Yeah, well, you wouldn’t want her to get lost given it’s her first time,” Pete answered, his expression souring.
“No, I wouldn’t,” Joe replied, his smile more a baring of teeth.
“I better go find my guys.” Pete stepped back.
“Enjoy the game,” Joe called after the guy as he disappeared into the crowd.
“What was that?” Indignant, mostly
with herself, Abbi turned toward Joe, trying to ignore the fact that the movement brought her too close to him. There was that fresh soap scent and as for the wall of heat? The solid wall?
“What?”
Oh, now he looked all innocent?
Abbi shook her head. “You just cock-blocked me.”
“I—what?” He laughed—but it was a surprisingly humorless sound.
“You did. You scared him off.” She lifted her hand and gave his chest an ineffectual shove. “I was getting somewhere.”
Joe’s innocent facade suddenly sharpened, his smile falling to reveal a set look about his mouth. “Only because you didn’t stop staring at the guy.”
“He didn’t seem to mind.” She lifted her chin and tried to take a step back but found she couldn’t. When had Joe’s arm tightened to prison strength?
“Of course he didn’t,” Joe half snorted. Keeping her close, he turned and walked them out of the room into the quieter corridor.
“I really was doing okay.” Not that she wanted to do any better, mind. But that wasn’t the point.
Joe shook his head. “No trying to run before you can walk.”
“Pardon?” She bridled, but was glad to get out of the crowded, wicked-hot room.
Joe walked her farther along and then into a doorway on the opposite side of the corridor. Abbi frowned as she took in the small room.
“You were making it too easy for him.”
“Too easy?” Her jaw dropped and she whirled back to face Joe, who was now leaning against the door he’d just shut. A burst of anger sizzled in her veins. “Maybe I wanted easy.”
Fire flashed in his green eyes.
“Maybe all I wanted was to touch first base,” she said rashly. “You can’t hit a home run without rounding first base.”
“No?” He reached out in a swift movement, his hands descending on her waist and he tugged her toward him. “Let’s talk first base, shall we?” His eyes locked on her lips. “I don’t see first base as exciting.”
“No?” Heart tripping, Abbi looked up at him, carefully pressing her palms on his chest and determinedly not licking her lips—no matter how dry and needy they felt. First base sounded like a great idea to her. His lips on hers? His tongue?
“No. Here’s why I prefer basketball—”
“You’re saying that in baseball HQ?” she interrupted, unable to restrain a small laugh.
“I don’t mind taking risks,” he answered, his grin chasing away the intense expression of a second ago. “And the thing I like about basketball is the creativity it offers the players. I can go for the behind-the-back pass, jump over, strip, swipe, tip in… I think it’s more fun when you don’t know where the player is going to go…as opposed to boring old ‘first base.’”
Huh. “Okay…” She could go with the creative idea. Anticipation licked through her. “So what’s your favorite move?”
“I have several.” His hands firm on her waist, he turned her like they were dancing, swapping their positions so suddenly she was the one with her back to the door and he was right in front of her.
Several? Of course he did.
He let go of her and braced his hands on the door on either side of her. “I like to be unpredictable.”
“I bet you do,” she whispered. She had no problem maintaining eye contact now. Nadia would be proud of her.
Except it was more than the four seconds. She’d descended into stalker stare. But there was no tearing her gaze from his.
He leaned over her, bending to bring his big body devastatingly close. “What is it you’re after here? To have sex as soon as possible, or to be so alluring you have every guy present hanging on your every word?”
Uh, what other guys were present? There was only one guy in here. Joe. So, duh. With him? Have sex as soon as possible. There was much she could learn from him, right? And it was all about learning…
He stared at her. “Abbi?”
She swallowed.
He lifted a hand and ran a featherlight finger across her lower lip. Abbi’s blood rushed, making her lips full and hot.
His lips quirked. “You’re that hungry?”
His fingers dropped from her mouth, landing firmly on her thigh, swiftly, easily sliding upward, inward.
Abbi sucked in a shocked breath. “We…uh…shouldn’t…” she barely whispered.
“Sure we should…” He pressed in closer to the door, partly turning to rest his shoulder against the wood, but keeping his body angled in toward hers enough to keep her his prisoner.
His willing prisoner, what with his hand working its way up to where she was already wet. Stunned, she watched him, waited. Ached.
“We’re alone,” he pointed out oh-so-not-innocently.
And he was so close. So big. And in an instant she wanted everything.
“You check all the venues for private places?” she asked, trying to stay coherent in spite of the boldness—the brilliance—of his moves.
Oh man, his fingers slid higher, firmer up her thigh. He was gazing so hotly, so deeply into her eyes. He was so damn close, and suddenly so was she. She just had to rock her hips that little bit.
“I know my way around sports facilities,” he said softly, not stopping the skillful slide of his fingers, not lessening his intensity one degree. “There are always small meeting rooms in the corporate entertainment area.”
She wasn’t really listening. She was looking—those eyes, that height, the sheer, overwhelming masculinity of him.
And she was feeling. A firm touch. Bold, knowing, teasing. He stroked her inner thigh. Teased his way higher. She drew in another sharp breath, watched the intense darkness swallow his emerald irises. Beautiful man.
“So we’re…having a meeting?” She swallowed, heat billowing over her. She felt like they were lost in a heated fog, only the two of them.
“We’re having a moment.”
Oh, they were. And she wanted it. She’d been wanting it all day. Succumbing to temptation, to that overwhelming heat, she spread her legs just the slightest, allowing him greater access—fully regretting the trousers. If only she’d gone with a skirt, he could have her panties off already.
But even as he pressed at the uppermost point between her thighs, she closed her legs and clenched on him, imprisoning his hand. This couldn’t happen. Not here. Not now. There were people just on the other side of the door. Thousands of people. And this was Joe Fuller—wanting to touch her?
“So tense. So busy thinking,” he chided. “You really need to relax.”
“Touching me like…that…here isn’t going to help me relax.” She didn’t do this. Didn’t get turned on in a heartbeat. Didn’t want all kinds of wicked without any thought to what might happen later.
“Sure it is.”
Even with the limited room she’d given him to move, he hit her groove with his middle finger and pressed his thumb on her clit. Yeah, even blinded by clothing, the man knew his way around the female form. She shivered as a tremor of pleasure racked her. She looked up and was caught again. Watching her intently, that half smile twisting his lips, he ever so cleverly stroked his fingers. Need jackknifed through her. She felt nothing but the raw desire to open up and allow him in as far as he could go.
He was a man-mountain. Taller than anyone else she’d ever met. And she wanted to hang on and wrap her legs around him. Instead, she curled her fingers into tight, needy fists. This so couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be about to—
“You’re damn hot,” he whispered, his fingers rubbing faster against her as she rocked her hips in time to meet his rough hand.
Oh, she was. Burning up.
She rested her head back against the door as he stroked her. Speechless, and breathless, she ached for more of his touches.
This was crazy. But still it wasn’t enough.
Feverish, she closed her eyes and rocked her hips on his fast-flicking hand. Damn, why wasn’t she naked? Why wasn’t he inside her already?
; More. More. She needed more of his infuriating, delicious teasing.
“Look at me.”
She gazed up at him but her vision was glazed over with passion. He was here, all big and strong and touching her—pushing her…
“Stop thinking and let go, Abbi,” he commanded. “Ride it. Ride me.”
He rubbed harder, tipping her over the edge.
O. M. Fucking. G.
She gasped, her concentration turning inward as her body contracted on the waves of ecstasy. But even as she climaxed, she was astounded. She all but squealed with the pleasure and surprise.
So easy. So good.
“Look at that,” he murmured with all the laconic touch of a cliché cowboy. “Sometimes you can hit a home run without touching first base.”
Chapter Five
A little innuendo goes a long way…
Home run? Abbi drew in a stunned breath. She needed more. So much more. She needed the big bat. She needed him naked and thrusting.
She might only have the one chance at this. Ever. And if she didn’t go for it, she’d regret it. “Trying to nail a home run without touching first base? Surely that means it doesn’t count?” She breathed out. “Wouldn’t it be cheating?”
His burning expression turned into something else. But she didn’t have a chance to try to analyze it. He grabbed her waist, pulling her up onto her tiptoes as he bent and crashed his mouth down hard on hers.
First. Fucking. Base.
This was no soft brush of the lips, no tentative teasing first touch. This was hot, demanding. Hard.
She gasped. He instantly took advantage, running his tongue between her parted lips, forcing them farther apart. His tongue swirled into her mouth, licking her inside. Making her want him to work that magic elsewhere.
He lifted her higher and stepped closer, pushing her harder against door with a slight thud, crushing the air from her lungs.
Who was she kidding? She’d stopped breathing minutes ago when he’d looked at her like that. He lifted his head and looked at her again.
The veneer gone, all that remained was lust.
Lust was good.
He let go of her waist and gripped her hands, stopping her from curling them around his neck. Instead he held them out to the side, pinning her to the door and pressing against her. The wood was cold and hard on the backs of her hands. Joe was hot but even harder. His erection dug into her belly.
Taming His Tutor (Entangled Brazen) Page 4
