Abbi gasped. His long, loose tee had been hiding something real special. Stunned, she stared up at him. He was that aroused? And angry?
Suddenly so was she.
“Does this?” she snapped back, squeezing her hand so she cupped his balls tightly.
Breath hissed between his teeth and he jerked his hips, pulling out of her reach. “You need some work on understanding men’s signals.” He glared at her. “I’m interested. In you. I’m not a horndog, happy to bed anything that breathes.”
She swallowed. “Sorry.”
His eyes narrowed. “How sorry?”
“I—”
“Have it wrong.” He stepped forward and towered over her. “I kissed you last night because I wanted you. All of you. I still want all of you. But last night wasn’t the right time or place and you deserve better than the super-quick, semipublic screw we were headed for.”
“Oh?” She couldn’t have gotten much better than that almost-public orgasm he’d given her.
“Some jerk did a number on you. Made you believe you weren’t sexy?”
She held the paper cup in both hands—warming her chilly fingers. “So I’ve been told.” Many times. And she’d proven it again last night.
Joe’s eyes narrowed. “And that’s why you’re building the app. Why you’re so interested in the veracity of the info it’s going to contain.” He studied her for a moment longer, his frown huge. But then he turned away with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Abbi. We can’t do this. I don’t have the time or the need for a relationship.”
Her jaw dropped. “Who said I wanted a relationship?”
“What?” He turned back quickly. “It’s really only about getting the home run?”
He looked like he didn’t believe her. But like he wanted to.
“It’s about learning how to play the game properly.” Abbi waved a hand in a vaguely apologetic gesture. “It’s about learning the skills to break out of Little League and go for the majors.”
He ran his hand through his hair, a rueful quirk to his lips. “Abbi—”
“You’ve done what you came to do. You’ve apologized, you can go now. I—”
“Need me.” He stepped right up close to her again. Smiling this time.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yeah, you do.” He put his finger under her chin. “I think you do. You really want to learn some skills? That’s all you want?”
She stared up at him, still clutching the cup close. Lifted her shoulders in a shrug that so wasn’t careless.
“So you’re studying all those articles and listening to the audiobooks.” His wicked grin appeared as he considered her attempts. “But theory isn’t the same as practice. Don’t all good little computer geeks test things in development before going live with them?”
She hesitated, mulling his words. “Maybe. Are you offering to help me test things?”
“If you like.” He stepped a little closer. “And I think you’d like.”
Yeah, he so knew she was hot for him—she’d come in less than a minute last night—no doubt he thought she’d never say no. And he was right. But she might delay the yes for two seconds. After all, hadn’t he told her not to make it too easy for a guy?
“Nadia’s helping me,” she answered coolly.
“Does Nadia actually do men?”
Oh, he’d figured that, had he? “She’s perfect. She understands what women want, how they work, and that sometimes they don’t get all they should. She reckons everyone, male or female, should enjoy sex.”
He curled an arm around her waist. “That’s all well and good. But to really understand the male psyche, you need to talk to a man.”
Just talk to a man? “Are you offering to be my man-cyclopedia?”
“You once tutored me. Let me return the favor.” He suddenly looked happier than if he’d won some basketball championship by forty points. “You can be my protégé.”
“You want to be some kind of Svengali figure for me?”
“As in control you? Direct your sexuality?” He swept his big hand down her spine and pulled her hips closer against his aroused heat, rendering her grip on the cup—and her thought processes—precarious. “Sweetheart, don’t tempt me more than you already are.”
She gaped, then remembered herself and snapped her jaw shut. “Let me get this straight. You’re going to tutor me? Teach me how to be a sex goddess?”
She shouldn’t be excited about the thought of being his sexual student. But she so was.
“I thought we were going for vixen.” He drew in a breath. “But we can shoot for sex goddess, sure. Why not?”
Why was he pushing this? Was he feeling bad about last night? Was it a pity thing? Some random act of kindness for the geek girl?
“You want help,” he said quietly.
Yeah, she did. She never wanted to be accused of being boring in the bedroom again.
His hand slid up to the nape of her neck. His big palm cupped it and he tugged so she had to tilt her head back, exposing her mouth to his.
“Let me help you out.” His breath warmed her lips.
“Is that what you call this—‘helping’ me?”
His hand on her butt pushed, yanking her so close his erection dug almost painfully against her stomach. “It’s a win-win deal.”
“Win-win?”
“You know I want you.”
Yeah, maybe she did. And she couldn’t say no. She didn’t want to. It was only going to be a lesson—probably only the one—so why would she be so stupid to deny herself the experience?
“What, exactly, are you going to teach me?” She ached to know.
He looked thoughtful. “How to flirt? How to read the signs. Sensuality.”
“But you said I needed a practical component, not just theory. So is sex going to be part of this course curriculum?” She really needed confirmation on that.
He stared down at her, his jaw rigidly defined, like he was clenching his teeth. “You’ve had sex before, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “My last relationship lasted almost a year.” He didn’t need to know it had been her only relationship.
His face tightened. “Almost a year of bad sex?”
He looked like he didn’t believe her. Truthfully it had been more like half a year of not much sex. And she didn’t have much basis for comparison to know how bad it had been. She’d figured lots of women didn’t have orgasms during penetrative sex—Nadia had confirmed that. Though she’d also said more women should.
But Joe was a playboy with way more experience than her.
As intimidating as it was, this was her chance to learn some moves and grow her confidence. But she had to be careful—put some kind of protection in place.
She hesitated. But in the end, she just wanted the full-out fucking she’d been thinking about since last night. In fact, she wanted more.
“Back in high school I gave you six lessons,” she said, going for broke. “That’s all I’ll take from you.”
He didn’t have time for any kind of relationship, and this way she’d retain control of how this was going to play out. A time frame would limit the emotional impact, right? She could keep this as nothing more than an information- and experience-gathering exercise. And it would be more than once.
He stared at her for a long moment—his expression edgy. Then he nodded. “That’s fair. That’s a good idea.”
“They’re launching my app at the magazine’s third anniversary party a week from Friday. I’ll need the testing to be complete by then. Six lessons in less than a fortnight. Can you deliver?” She slipped easily into IT boss mode.
“Of course.”
“Starting now.” She was wet already, and that was only from standing pressed against him for a few minutes.
“Ever the eager, diligent student.” His teasing smile flashed, softening the harsh hunger in his eyes. “That chocolate having an effect, huh?”
“Chocolate is no substitute for sex.” And she’d only
had a couple sips. The effect was all from Joe. To have the guy she’d felt the first stirrings of lust for finally be hard against her? Total turn-on.
He chuckled again. But his emerald eyes glinted with something harder.
“All right then.” He palmed her butt, massaging her against him. “Kiss me.”
Heat balled in her lower belly. “Now?”
“You’re the one who’s so keen on first base.” His gaze lowered, focusing on her mouth. His voice lowered too. “And there’s nothing sexier than red, puffy lips—and knowing I’m the one who made them that swollen and sensitive.”
Oh my.
He lifted his gaze back to hers. “Give me a taste of what might come later. A flash that’s going to leave me wanting.”
Oh hell. How was she to manage that? Her mind blanked. Where were all the data she’d accrued? He was such a tease.
Tease.
She had the answer.
She untangled herself from his encircling arms and held the steaming cup out of harm’s way as she studied that mouth of his—full, slightly parted, and begging to be nibbled on. And she already knew how wickedly he could work his tongue. Her own lips parted and she rose on tiptoe, pressed ever so slightly closer.
But at the last second she pulled back. And then looked up at him.
He was standing like a rock—waiting. Watching.
She smiled at him, but before he could open his mouth and say anything, she reached up and did it again. A flyby of lips. An almost-kiss. A withdrawal at the last second.
A tease.
She watched him, saw the gleam in his eye. He knew she was about to do it again, so what was he going to do about it?
Anticipation swelling, she rose onto tiptoe to bring her lips to within kissing distance of his one more time. Only he put his hand to the back of her head and held her there—all stretched up on tiptoe.
“Are you playing chicken with me?” he asked so very softly. Lethally.
She froze, a whisper away. The warmth of his breath skittered over her sensitive lips.
“Because I’m no chicken,” he warned. “Are you?”
Not this second. This second she wanted to kiss him.
“Stop toying, Abbi. Kiss me.”
Now that wasn’t a playful request. That was a blunt demand that promised retribution if it wasn’t obeyed.
Excitement poured through her veins, obliterating all thought.
She tossed the paper cup over her shoulder, barely hearing the splash as the remaining hot chocolate hit the ground. She flattened her hands on his broad chest, then reached up, straining high to press her body against his—big breasts to flat chest, stomach to steel abs, soft mound to hard cock. She looped her arms around his neck, liking the way it made her nipples rub against his tee. She lifted her chin and brushed her lips over his again.
His hand tangled in her hair, holding it right by the roots so she couldn’t turn her head to the left or the right. His other hand slammed right around the curve of her butt. He lifted her higher and ground her against him. He was a wall of heat and strength.
His lips came down hard, and his tongue swept into her mouth and stroked first shallowly, then deeply, moving in lush, claiming circles. He explored ruthlessly, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. Not that she cared.
He was so overwhelming. He nipped, then sucked on her lip. His actions were strong, powerful, and hard.
She melted against him, glad of the physical support he gave her. It was all she could do to stay upright. She was so hot, so wet. She ached to be naked beneath him while he thrust in and out of her. She moaned as the full force of her hunger hit. All the frustration and pent-up excitement from the night before slammed into her. She tightened her grip, hauling herself higher up his body, wriggling to get closer still.
But he lifted his mouth. “How’s that systems upgrade going?”
“Um…” Systems upgrade? She struggled to switch her brain back to functioning. “I’m done for the day.”
“Then come with me.”
Yes, please. “I just need to make sure the office is secure.”
“I’ll wait here.” He lowered her and pushed her away. “Be quick.”
Dazed, Abbi bent and grabbed the paper cup from the pavement. She scrunched it as she took it inside the building and dropped it into the trash. Then she ran.
When she reemerged from the building less than five minutes later, he was exactly where she’d left him. Only he looked a little steamed and sweaty again. She raised her brows at him.
“I ran up and down the street to work off some energy.”
He didn’t want to conserve it for her?
He laughed, obviously reading her expression. “Trust me, Abbi. I’ll see you sated.”
Oh. My.
Chapter Seven
“Remember there’s a fine line between him thinking you’re mysterious, and just not interested—”
Joe held Abbi’s hand tightly as he walked her to his home. The urge to keep her near was uncontrollable. He’d come here to apologize and walk away. So how had he managed to end up offering to teach her seduction? To be a sex goddess?
Fuck.
He’d never met a woman so unaware of her sizzling sensuality. And Abbi’s was sizzling. She really didn’t get that she didn’t need to unleash any inner vixen. She already was a vixen. Those curves? That mouth? Those eyes? Hell, nothing had ever felt as good as last night, when her body had quivered and broken apart in his hold.
But she didn’t believe it.
Well, he’d happily spend some time helping her understand how hot she was. How hot she’d always been. He’d felt a searing spike of jealousy when she mentioned her ex-boyfriend. It was worse than when he’d watched her look at that jerk at the baseball game last night. And still he wondered why she really wanted to release her inner vixen—was there some guy out there she wanted? Did she want the ex back?
His muscles bunched as his blood began to boil.
Not good, Fuller. Bad form.
Joe wasn’t the jealous type. Never got possessive.
Take it or leave it. Easy.
He glanced at his watch and frowned. “You don’t have other plans for today?”
“Nothing I can’t adjust.”
Good. Every single one of his muscles flexed in anticipation. Within two minutes of her kissing him, he’d been ready to break into her building and fuck her on the lobby floor.
She had no idea what she could do to a guy.
He was going to teach her. He had six lessons. Already his mind was spinning ahead, dreaming up situations and scenarios in which he could tease her, how he could encourage her to ask for what she wanted, the things he could show her how to do…
Rein it in. He nearly groaned.
Because though this was what she’d asked for, for some reason he had this crazy noble angel whispering in his ear—to give her the space to be sure this was what she wanted. Because it still niggled. Had quiet, shy, good-girl Abbi really changed all that much? Or was it that he’d never really known her?
This first lesson was going to have to be slow. All about anticipation and pleasure. Her pleasure. He’d prove to her that her body had been designed to perfection and that first up, all she had to do was enjoy it. He already knew she’d be a generous, willing lover, and he’d help her realize it in the coming lessons. He just had to survive this first.
…
Abbi’s arousal increased with every step she took. It was insane that just his proximity could do this to her. That and the knowledge that in a few minutes she was going to let him do whatever he wanted. Instruct her. Teach her. Take her.
She could hardly wait.
“Almost there.” His voice sounded husky.
The last few minutes they’d been walking in silence—the occasional squeeze of his fingers around hers the only communication.
Now Abbi heard the thumping, fast-BPM music as they rounded the corner. There was a chorus of “Hey Joe,”
and she wanted to hide.
His hand gripped hers all the more tightly. Curiosity got the better of her anyway and she walked in.
His gym was a converted warehouse—a giant brick building. She’d had no idea it was so close to her own apartment. But she’d only been back in San Francisco for a couple of months and had spent most of that time getting her head around her new job more than the neighborhood.
“It’s amazing. You converted this?” She stared around the massive space.
Sure, it was a gym, but it had this kind of industrial chic about it. The exposed beams and brickwork were awesome and she looked at the cool little café right at the front with interest. But Joe kept her walking. Past the sleek but stylish reception desk, she could see a giant open-plan room with weights and equipment around it. There was a class going on now—a tribe of about ten guys and a couple of girls, powering their way through some scary-looking circuit while an instructor bellowed support and instructions. Abbi stared for a second at their ultra-honed bodies and then forced herself to look further. To the far side of them, a lap pool gleamed.
It was a gorgeous pool. Not huge, but large enough for three lanes of swimmers. Two of the lanes were currently occupied with swimmers going end to end to end and back again. At the back wall, steam rose from a square spa. Abbi’s skin tingled. She did like a spa.
“Come on.” Joe tugged on her hand, making her walk again.
The stairs were wooden and had steel banisters. On the second floor she glanced in the windows of the rooms they walked past.
“For the yoga and dance classes,” he explained.
Again, all the wood was beautiful. “You take the dance classes?”
He laughed. “I can if necessary, but I’m more the outdoor training guy. Back downstairs with the weights, then we go running to the park.”
“It’s an amazing place.” Functional, yes, but lovely and cleverly laid out. “It’s like an entertainment venue,” she observed.
“Why shouldn’t exercise be entertaining?” Joe turned to her and winked. “If it’s fun, people have a good time, they’re more likely to come back, right?”
“I work out,” she teased, feeling more confident now that they’d struck their bargain. “The app reminds me to. Five sessions of ten reps a day.”
Taming His Tutor (Entangled Brazen) Page 6
