by Ashlyn Chase
Dear Sexy Lexie
condo weren’t soundproof. She forced a pillow over her mouth just in time to drown out her loudest shriek.
Ripples of blissful pleasure passed through her from her hair follicles to her toenails. They collapsed together, panting and gasping, as if they had just climbed Mount Rainier.
“Lexie…” Tyler lay on top of her, breathing heavily. He turned his head to the side and kissed her temple. “I love you.”
Lexie, stunned, wasn’t sure if she had heard him right. She let her mind instant replay the words. He had said it. Was she ready to say it to him?
“Oh, Tyler, let’s not complicate it now. I want to fall asleep with you inside me. I don’t want to think.”
“Don’t think. I just want you to know. I couldn’t help it, Lexie. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened but I fell.”
35
Ashlyn Chase
Chapter Four
“Wanda, this isn’t a good time,” Lexie whispered.
“Oh, do you have company?”
“Yes.” Why did her nosy neighbor need to come over now? “A guy.” And why was she telling her anything?
“That’s fantastic! But why are you whispering?”
“He’s in the shower.”
“Is it the good-looking cop I saw last weekend?”
Lexie rolled her eyes. Crap. Why hadn’t she realized Wanda would notice him? Of course she would. Well, might as well let the rest of the cat out of the bag.
“Please don’t tell anyone that I’m seeing him, okay?”
“Why? You’d rather they think you called the cops?”
“Look, I have my reasons. Just don’t, okay?”
Wanda shrugged. “Sure, who would I tell anyway?”
Lexie didn’t answer since she didn’t want to give her any ideas.
“So you’re going to sneak around, as if…hey, he isn’t married, is he?”
“No!” Jesus, she had to tell her something or her mind would go on inventing things. Maybe a little of the truth would satisfy her. “Look he’s younger than me and I don’t want any tongues wagging because of it.”
“Really? I didn’t notice. But I didn’t get a good look at him—yet.”
“Well, my readers might.”
“Aren’t you being a teensy bit paranoid? I mean, no offense or anything but it seems like you’re exaggerating your fame a little bit.”
36
Dear Sexy Lexie
“Maybe. Maybe not. As part of my editor’s campaign to get me serialized, I had to pose for promotional advertising. A friend in Kansas City called and said she saw my face on the news…on a frickin’ billboard!”
“You’re kidding me!”
“No. I figured she might have made a mistake but when I asked my editor, she said it was true—and they’ve plastered my photo on busses too!”
“And that made the national news?”
“The story wasn’t about me. I just happened to be on the billboard in the background.”
“Well, that’s not so bad.”
“It’s bad enough.”
“Lexie, Lexie, Lexie… If I had a handsome guy in my shower, younger or not, I’d be happy as hell. So what if you’re spotted with a younger man? Big deal. He could be a younger brother, or a nephew.”
“Not if he has his hands all over me.”
“So tell him you don’t believe in public displays of affection.”
“That might work…provided I can keep my hands off him.”
Wanda laughed. “Look, as problems go this ranks right up there with too much money. Haven’t you been moaning about no straight men in this city?”
“Yeah. For months.”
“So isn’t this a blessing?”
“Not necessarily. He wants to take me to Monterey and I can’t go.”
“But you love Monterey.”
“I know,” she wailed. “But too many San Franciscans go there for the weekend.”
“Well, at least think about it. You should get out of the house and enjoy life with your gorgeous boy-toy.”
37
Ashlyn Chase
Lexie sighed. That’s what he is isn’t he?
Tyler strolled into the living room wearing nothing but a towel. Wanda gasped.
Lexie’s breath caught in her throat. His broad shoulders and impressive chest tapered nicely to his trim waist. His dark hair had been towel dried and was slightly mussed. God, he was gorgeous.
“Well, Wanda, I have to go. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to…?”
“Yup. Bye, now.” As soon as she slammed the door, Lexie sidled up next to Tyler and loosened the towel around his waist.
* * * * *
Amused by the game Lexie wanted to play, Tyler had agreed. Now there was no telling how big a mistake he was about to make. Trust and self-preservation warred within him. But for some reason, that made letting Lexie handcuff him to her fourposter bed even hotter. What if she’s a psycho or axe murderer? Did her husband really die of cancer? He told himself he was being ridiculous. That Lexie would no sooner hurt him than she’d get rid of those prized red stilettos.
“So should we have a safe word or something?” she asked.
He laughed. “Only if you want one. I’m sure you’ll free me if I ask you to.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll find the key.” She glanced playfully over her shoulder. “I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.”
“Very funny. There’s one in my pocket.” As she clicked the second cuff into place, he had to ask. “Have you ever used handcuffs this way before?”
She waggled her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Seriously.”
38
Dear Sexy Lexie
She laughed. “Not really. I got a pair as a gag gift from one of my girlfriends at my bridal shower eons ago. She said they were for keeping my husband where I could find him or some such nonsense.”
“Well, you certainly have me where you want me.”
She straddled him and leaned over so they were practically nose to nose. “Oh, yeah.”
Tyler had never been on this end of things. He was used to being in control and this feeling of helplessness wasn’t exactly comfortable. But he’d told Lexie he’d try anything once.
“Now that you’re at my mercy, Tyler Black, I’m going to have my wicked way with you. I can tease you for as long as I like and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
The threatening sound of that made him want to tell her to take off the handcuffs then and there but the twinkle in her eye said she had nothing but pleasure planned for him.
“I’m stark naked and you’re wearing your robe. Now is that fair?”
She drew a finger down his chest and he shivered. “All’s fair in love and sex, Tyler. I’ll lose it when I’ve sucked you blind.”
He groaned.
Lexie leaned over his nipple and kissed the tiny nub. She laved it with her tongue and when she applied suction, he almost arched off the bed. Damn that felt good.
When she had finished with that side, she tongued her way over to the other one and did the same thing. He moaned in delight.
“You like that, do you?”
“Yeah. A lot.” He hadn’t expected his voice to sound so raspy. She dragged her fingernails over his abdomen as she crawled backward on her knees. She maintained eye contact until she reached for his cock. 39
Ashlyn Chase
“Such a beautiful instrument. I could play it all day.” She leaned over his erection and ran her tongue up and down the shaft, wetting it thoroughly.
“This must be what they mean by making beautiful music together.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Lexie took almost his full length into her mouth and applied hard suction. When she dragged her mouth back to the tip slowly, he moaned.
“Was that too much?” she asked.
“Oh, no. It was perfect.”
He didn�
��t have to ask her to repeat the action. She made the move on her own, several times. She had him squirming by the time she shifted to his balls. She flicked her tongue across the vein that divided the scrotum, then she licked figure eights around them. It sent tremors up his spine.
“Lexie…”
“No rushing me, remember?”
“If you want anything hard inside you, it might be a good idea to stop what you’re doing. Soon.”
She chuckled, rose up onto her knees and straddled him. She grabbed a rubber from under his pillow, ripped it open and rolled it on. At last she unbelted her robe and let it fall behind her.
“Oh, Lexie. You’re so beautiful. I wish I could draw or paint—Oh…”
She sank down onto his erection. The sudden warmth and tight channel that enveloped him rendered him speechless.
She rested her hands against his shoulders and stared into his eyes as she rose and descended on his cock in a slow, sensuous rhythm. If he wasn’t completely wrong, the look in her eyes bespoke love.
He wanted to take her in his arms so badly. Wanted to whisper his love for her and kiss her. He wanted to rub and squeeze her perfect breasts. Wanted to suck them and make her quiver.
40
Dear Sexy Lexie
As it turned out, quivering wasn’t a problem. She retrieved something else from under the pillow—a vibrator. It buzzed and she rubbed it against her clit. She must have had it set on high because as soon as it touched her sensitive flesh, she jolted and moaned.
The vibration reached his cock and added another sensation to his desperately engorged erection. She increased her rhythm and before he knew it, she was bouncing up and down on his cock with her head thrown back. God, he wanted to come. Even though she was doing the work, he was starting to sweat.
He wanted to wait until she climaxed before he did. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait much longer. She cried out her release and familiar spasms squeezed his cock. With that, he let go and rode the waves of his orgasm all the way to the very last aftershock.
She turned off the vibrator and collapsed on top of him. They took in deep breaths and panted in unison.
“That was fantastic!” she finally exclaimed.
He chuckled. “Yes it was.”
“I hope you don’t mind that I invited BOB to our lovemaking.”
“You mean your ‘battery operated boyfriend’? Or is someone else waiting in the closet?”
“Nope, I meant my vibrator.”
“You’re more adventurous than I’m used to but I don’t mind at all. You can invite any toys you want to join us. Like I said…” He glanced up at his wrists. “I’ll try anything once. Now, why don’t you take these off? Maybe later we’ll try putting the shoe on the other foot, as they say?”
“You mean the cuffs on the other wrist?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
41
Ashlyn Chase
* * * * *
A few hours later, after more vigorous fucking, Lexie was cuddled in Tyler’s arms.
“Would you mind if we don’t go to Monterey? I’d rather spend the weekend right here, starving to death in bed with you.”
He laughed. “You’re my kind of woman, Lexie. But we spent all morning in bed and I’m not crazy about starving to death. How about if I cook for you? Do you like Mexican food?”
“Sure but I don’t have any of the ingredients.”
“I can make a grocery run and pick up what I need.” He propped himself up on his elbow. Or we can go to my place. How does that sound?”
“My place is fine. I’ll give you some cash.” She rolled out of bed to get her purse. She hadn’t taken two steps before he clamped down on her arm.
“I’ll get it. I may not make as much money as you do but don’t think for a minute that I’m going to let you pay for our dates.”
Lexie opened her mouth to protest. She wanted to say something like, “just because I’m female doesn’t mean we can’t share expenses” but one look at his face and she clammed up.
His jaw was set and those twinkling blue eyes of his weren’t laughing anymore. Wow. It looks like I need to be careful of his male pride. Maybe she’d ask him about it later but now definitely wasn’t the time.
“Okay.” She gave him a peck on the lips. “Hurry back.”
“I will—after I change into some clean clothes. Unless you want to come with me?”
“Oh, you want me to go with you? Now?”
“Yeah, why not? You’re not agoraphobic or anything, are you?”
She laughed. “Of course not.”
“So what is it with you and not leaving the house?”
42
Dear Sexy Lexie
She shrugged. “I guess it’s another age difference thing. You’re still young enough to want to run all over town doing this and doing that. I’m content to stay home and putter, or watch TV.”
His brows knit. “You’re kidding. I know my parents are like that but you’re too young to be a couch potato. Come on. Come with me.”
“Some other time. I just…well, I’d like to shower and change too. Why don’t I wait for you here?”
He looked at her askance. “Okay. Do you know you’ll like whatever I’m planning to make?”
“No but I’ll try anything. If I don’t like it, I’ll eat you instead.”
“Mmm. Maybe I can screw up the recipe.”
43
Ashlyn Chase
Chapter Five
About an hour later, Tyler rapped out Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits on Lexie’s door. He stared at her in amazement, then stepped inside, smiling. She had put on some serene Latin music to set the mood.
Apparently she had been thinking along those lines when she dressed too. She wore a beautiful, white peasant blouse with blue and yellow embroidery over a long, gauzy, red skirt that flared. It went well with her red stilettos. Her hair was done up in a bun. Brightly painted sticks stabbed through it and held the dark, curly mass off her neck. The large gold hoop earrings completed the look of a Mexican beauty. Damn, she’s incredible. Tyler stood to the side as she sauntered past him, grinning. She carried his paper bag through the living room and paused at the dining area. The table had been set with colorful napkins, a tablecloth and three tall candles—red, orange and yellow.
“Beautiful table,” he said.
“No. You’re beautiful,” Lexie said and chuckled.
“I can’t believe you dressed up and we’re not even going out.” He gave her an appreciative kiss on the lips, walked into the kitchen and opened the paper bag on the counter.
She followed him and pulled two bottles from the fridge. “I thought we could have a wine tasting?”
“Sure.”
She set them on the counter and glanced up, looking for wineglasses. Tyler grabbed her around the waist, pulled her close and kissed her deeply. When he let her lips leave his, he held her and murmured into her hair. “I’d rather taste you, though.”
44
Dear Sexy Lexie
Her hands strayed to his shoulders and pushed on him gently. He released her from his grasp but only for the moment. “Why won’t you let me take you out? Are you ashamed of me?”
“Of course not!”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Stepping back, she smiled. “Let’s wait on this conversation, even if you don’t need a glass of wine, I certainly do.”
Tyler grasped the bottle and the corkscrew and drew the cork from the sealed bottle. He poured the white wine into two crystal glasses. Lexie sipped as he unloaded the paper bag. She had set two stoneware plates circled with bright red, yellow and orange stripes on the counter.
“Does your microwave work?”
“Yeah, are you microwaving for me?”
He chuckled. “Very funny. I put together burritos at home and just need to reheat them.”
“Sounds good.”
He placed the container in the microwave and hit the timed setting f
or two minutes.
“Look, I’m not ashamed of you. At all!” she insisted, “But I have to present a certain image—professional, hardworking—even workaholic-like. Especially if I want to get nationally syndicated. I’ve been dying for this.” Lexie picked up both glasses of wine and headed for the dining area.
When she returned, he strolled over to her and took her in his arms. “I can’t believe you have to hole up and make it look like you do nothing but work, work, work to be taken seriously. Everyone deserves some time off to go out and kick up their heels a little bit.”
“I know. I’m not saying this is the way it will always be.”
45
Ashlyn Chase
He kissed her until the microwave buzzer interrupted them. He sighed. “Why don’t you go into the dining room? I’ll be right there.”
Alone in the kitchen, he scooped two burritos onto their plates and carried them to the table. “Since you won’t let me take you out, let’s take advantage of these candles, turn down the lights and imagine that we’re at a café, at sunset, in Acapulco.”
“Mmm, that sounds very romantic,” she said.
He lit the candles while Lexie dimmed the lights, then Tyler sat next to her and shared his real wish.
“Lexie, there’s something you should know. I’ve grown over the past year or so. There are things I need. I need a real relationship with a real woman. I’m through with empty-headed, shallow girls. I want—no, I need—to be with someone I can respect, admire and really connect with. I want to be open about that and let people know that I’m not interested in meeting any more flight attendants or models. I want to show you my favorite places, take you to dinner, hold your hand and walk down the street with you.
Lexie cleared her throat. “Whoa. Slow down, cowboy.”
“Why?”
She peeked over her wineglass at him and smiled. “That’s sweet, It’s just not really a good idea to go public until and unless we have to.”
“Fine.” He frowned. “I don’t want to mess up the ambiance but let’s sit on the couch while our food cools. Give me a chance to say something important.”
He rose and held his hand out to her. She took it and let him lead her to the sofa. She settled in next to him. “Okay, what do you want to say?”
