With the throbbing between my thighs, and the way every part of me wanted every part of him, there was no way I could refuse, nothing in my brain telling me it was a bad idea, that I should abort mission.
Instead, I closed the gap between us and pressed my lips against his.
And with that, the hesitation between us disappeared.
Hunter’s mouth was hungry on mine, more delicious than the sweetest, most sinful fruit from a tree. He kissed me with urgency, like he’d never get the chance to again and this was the moment he’d take with him his whole life. I could feel his soul in that kiss, his passion, and his desire. Desire for me.
His hand went to my hair, taking out the clip that held it together before spearing his fingers through the loose strands. I moaned into his mouth, my hands gripping his sides under his shirt and pulling him closer. The way his tongue moved against mine was so wickedly erotic that I knew, if I let him, his tongue between my legs would be something I’d never forget.
He lifted me onto the counter, spreading my legs and positioning himself between them. As he kissed me, his hands rose from my ankles up over my knees. I’d worn a dress today, a flowing one that slid up easy, just as it was doing now…
Hands, warm and rough, grasped the outside of my thighs, and he tore his lips away from mine to rasp, “Tell me this is what you want.”
His thumb was massaging slow circles on my skin, his hands inching under my skirt. If I truly didn’t want things to go further, this was the time to say it. But there was no way I could stop now. No way in hell I wanted to.
I leaned forward to capture his mouth again, but he pulled away.
“Tell me,” he said.
“I want this,” I heard myself say, threading my fingers through his hair. “I want you.” Pulling his lips back to mine, I kissed him in a way that proved I meant every word. I wrapped my legs around his waist and drew him closer, and his hands went under my dress to my ass, squeezing me tight against him.
His body was rock hard against my needy core, and I ached for friction, from his fingers, his mouth, his cock…
As if he’d read my mind, he lifted me off the counter, legs still wrapped around him, and carried me to the first piece of furniture we came to—my oversized lounge chair. He set me down gently, and with one last kiss, he dropped down to his knees, sliding my legs up onto his shoulders. His eyes were fervent, filled with lust, and he licked his lips as he pushed my skirt up around my hips and slipped my panties off.
Oh God. It wasn’t nerves I felt then, but the most intense yearning I’d ever felt in my life. If he didn’t put his mouth on me then, I’d probably die. I watched him lower his head and lick a path between my thighs. Even with just that brief teasing touch the pleasure was indescribable, and my whole body shivered. The seconds that passed until his lips were on me again were agony, but then his tongue rubbed over my swollen clit, sucking it gently into his mouth.
“Oh my God,” I breathed, needing more. My hand came up to grasp his head while the other white-knuckled the arm of the chair. He didn’t need any more urging before devouring me, his tongue dipping inside, and then out to flick my clit before diving in again.
His eyes were twinkling with devilry as he watched me fall apart underneath his mouth. I’d never thought it was hot before to have a guy look at you while they went down on you, but there was nowhere else I wanted his eyes to be. It made the connection flame hotter, more passionate, made me want so much more than his tongue on me and in me.
My body tensed as the rush of an impending orgasm reached its full crescendo before bursting in wave after wave of release. His mouth rode me through it, hungrily sucking every last drop from me. His fingers massaged my legs resting on his shoulders before I dropped them down to the ground. Though my body was thoroughly sated, I craved the feel of him against me.
Sliding off the chair, I sat in his lap with my legs on either side of him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “More,” I whispered, before tilting my head to the side and tasting myself on his lips. His arms enveloped me, crushing me to him as his tongue tangled with mine.
Hunter and his magic fucking tongue. If you could capture it and sell it, it’d be worth a fortune.
His cock was hard underneath me, and I circled my hips. A tortured groan escaped him, and then—
The shrill blast of my cell phone ringing and vibrating on the table beside us had me jumping.
“Ignore it,” I said, kissing up the side of Hunter’s neck.
“Ryleigh.”
“It’ll stop.” I bit his lobe.
He pulled away, his eyes on the phone screen.
Cameron.
It was like being doused with a bucket of ice water. Cameron was calling. Cameron, the guy I was supposedly interested in and who was roommates and best friends with the guy I was currently straddling. Without panties.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck fuck fuck.
I scrambled off his lap and stared at the phone. Hunter didn’t move.
“You should answer it,” he said finally.
But I couldn’t. How could I answer a call from him after what we’d just…what he’d just…
What did I just do?
The ringing stopped. We looked at each other in silence, but I couldn’t read his face. He’d wanted me to answer it? Or was he just saying that to see what I’d do?
With the sexual tension in the room having evaporated the second my phone went off, cold reality slapped us in the face.
What did this mean? Would we be a thing now? Was it just an “oops”? Would he tell Cameron? Would he quit working on renovations and leave me in a lurch?
I couldn’t stop the panic from setting in, even though I didn’t regret what had just happened.
Wait…I didn’t regret it?
I searched for the pangs I knew would be coming, but I felt nothing. In fact, it had all felt so right. The only guilt stemmed from the person on the other end of that line, and that was what had me more confused than anything.
My cell went off again with Cameron’s number prominently displayed. When I looked back at Hunter, he seemed resigned, and he stood up.
“I should probably go,” he said quietly.
“You don’t have to,” I told him, getting to my feet.
He ran his hand over his face and then through his hair. “Yeah, I do.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and hesitated before shaking whatever thought he’d had out of his head. Nodding at the phone, he said, “You should probably answer that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
And then he left, leaving me standing there in my empty apartment with nothing but a ringing phone and the taste of him on my lips.
AFTER A SLEEPLESS night with no idea how to deal with the events of yesterday, I’d called Quinn to talk me off a ledge. Or up the winding incline of Runyon Canyon at six a.m., as it were.
“Oh my God, Ry,” Quinn said when I’d finished filling her in on the details. She stopped abruptly, and when I looked over my shoulder, she was gaping at me.
With a sigh, I headed back down the dirt path, the dust kicking up behind me.
“Don’t look at me like that. You’re supposed to be the nonjudgmental, non-condoning one. That’s why I called you.”
Quinn pulled her long black ponytail tighter and let her hands drop to her hips. “I’m not judging or condoning, it’s just…well, this is you.”
“I know. I’m a horrible person.”
“You are not a horrible person,” she said, linking her arm through mine as we trudged up the godforsaken hill again. Have I mentioned I hate working out? I especially hate hiking. This should tell you how desperate I was feeling.
“What do I do? Pretend like nothing happened?” I asked.
“First of all, it’s not like you’re cheating on this Cameron guy. You’ve been on, what, one date?”
“Technically, but two if you count the reunion.”
“And you’ve never slept with the guy.”
“I’ve never even
kissed him.”
“What?” Quinn stopped again. “Why are we even discussing this whole guilt thing right now?
“Because I like Cameron. I’ve always liked Cameron. I’ve wanted him since I was fifteen.”
She began to drag me up the hill again, which probably looked ridiculous given how damn tiny she was. “Well, you may like him, but your body is saying you like like this other guy.”
“I’m sure my body would like like Cameron too if given a chance.”
“Just because you’ve crushed on him since before you knew what sex was doesn’t mean you have to still harbor those feelings.”
“Oh, but Quinn, he’s perfect. So, so perfect. Six four, the most gorgeous clear blue eyes you’ve ever seen, a body that could throw you up against the wall—”
“What good’s all that if he doesn’t use it?”
“—he’s polite, he opens doors, he has a job he’s passionate about—”
Quinn gave an exaggerated yawn.
“—and he’s blond. Hello, I love blond guys.”
“Okay, so this guy is so perfect. Tell me about Hunter.”
“He’s…” My mind couldn’t stop thinking about the salacious look in his eyes as he knelt between my thighs and the way his hands roamed my body. “Hunter is… He’s good with his hands,” I finally said.
A snort escaped her. “I bet he is. What else?”
“He’s the complete opposite of Cameron. Dark hair, dark eyes, tan, not quite as tall, but super ripped from his job. That is what I meant by good with his hands, by the way. Just that he can maneuver a piece of wood.”
“Ooh la la, I bet he can.”
“I wouldn’t know that. It didn’t go that far. Just—”
“A little pussy nibble, got it.”
“Exactly. Hmm,” I said. “Pussy nibble…that’s a good name for a future shake.”
“Make sure it’s pink,” she said with a wink.
“With lots of cherries.”
A smirk crossed Quinn’s lips. “I’m guessing from the smile on your face it was pretty damn good.”
“It was amazing,” I said, groaning. “The man’s tongue is a gift from the gods.”
“High fucking five on that.” She slapped my raised hand.
We rounded another bend, and when I saw how much farther we had left to go I stopped and clutched my side. “I think I left my hip back there. We should turn around.”
“It’s worth it at the top. Come on, this is the easy side.”
“It’s never worth it, and easy my ass.”
“Easy ass. You said it, not me. Maybe that should be your mantra,” she said, oblivious to the group of guys passing us downhill that were blatantly checking her out.
“I could put it on an apron.”
“‘Get Licked’ seems like enough of an invitation to me.”
I wiped the sweat off my brow and looked to my left to see a grey-haired woman with several decades on me speed-walking. She smiled as she passed, and I shot a death glare at Quinn’s back. “Remind me to push you off once we reach the top. You healthy people are on crack.”
“I’d never be able to eat at your shop if I didn’t do this. You’re an enabler. I don’t know how you’re not eight hundred pounds.”
“It’s called walking around in four-inch heels all day every day.”
“No, that’s called suicidal.”
“Blah blah blah. You’re supposed to be helping me.” I moved aside as some crazy yapping dogs off the leash ran past. “Okay, there’s something else I need to mention.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “Why do I get the feeling you’re about to drop a bomb?”
“After Hunter left, I answered Cameron’s call. He’ll be home on Friday.”
“And?”
“And he wants to go out that night. Like on a double date.”
“No. No, please don’t tell me he means with—”
“Hunter. Yeah.”
Quinn’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Pardon my French, but why the fuck?”
“They’re best friends, and he’s been gone for a while. He said it was important for Hunter to get out of the house, go on a date, something something something.”
“From the way you’ve described him, it doesn’t sound like the guy needs help in that department.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“But you’re going? Come on, move your ass. We’re almost there.” She reached for my arm and didn’t let go this time.
“Ugh.” At this point, I was ready to crawl the rest of the way. I brushed away the sweaty strands of hair that had somehow come loose and forced my feet to keep going. “Well, I couldn’t say no.”
“Yes, you could’ve. You want to see Cameron.”
“Yeah.”
“And Hunter.”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Tell me what to do.”
When we made it to the top, Quinn faced me and grabbed my shoulders, giving me her best serious face. “Dump Cameron and let him find a cute Barbie to play with. Fuck Hunter until his job is over.”
“Quiiiiiiiiin,” I said, pushing her away as she laughed.
“Hey, that’s me telling you what to do. But you don’t want that. You just want a sounding board. So in that case I say play it cool until Friday and see how date night goes. Then you’ll have a pretty clear answer.”
“It’s gonna be a clusterfuck, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Probably so,” she said, climbing up to stand on top of the lone bench overlooking Los Angeles before grabbing my hand to pull me up. “And no offense, but I can’t wait to hear all the details.”
WHEN HOURS PASSED and there was no sign of Hunter, I did what any woman would do—I tracked him down.
No, not in a creepy stalker way, I mean he was only next door. But the silence was deafening, and I had to make sure we were…good.
He was outside the store, clipboard in hand, and checking things off as his team carried supplies inside. When he glanced up at where I hesitated on the sidewalk, a small smile curved his lips, though I couldn’t see his eyes through his sunglasses.
“Mornin’,” he said.
“No ‘sunshine’ to go along with that?” I teased.
“Nah, I’d call you something different today.”
“Oh yeah? And what would that be?”
His grin grew wider, but he shook his head, looking back down at the pad in his hands and making a notation. “Hey, T,” he called out. “Can you make sure Noel has the updated blueprint tacked to the wall?”
“On it,” a man with a buzzcut said, slapping him on the back.
“Thanks.” Hunter looked back at me and pushed his sunglasses on top of his head. And just like that, I remembered why I’d kissed him yesterday and why I’d let him kiss me back—in several hidden places. He was just so fucking gorgeous. His eyes seemed darker today, though no less potent, and I longed to run my fingers through his hair again.
“Was there something you needed from me?” he asked.
Yes. Yes, there was. But it was nothing I should be asking for.
“I just…hadn’t seen you today and I…um,” I stammered. God, just spit it out. “Well, I just wanted to make sure everything is…good. With you.”
He squinted in the bright sun and his hand came up to shield his face as he studied me for what felt like minutes. Then he dropped his hand and said, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. We’re good.”
Relief swept through me. “Great. Um. Happy to hear it.”
“And you?”
“Fine here too.”
“You sure?” His brow furrowed. “You looked like you were hobbling a bit.”
“Hobbling? Oh. I went hiking this morning. Remind me never to do that again.”
“Not a fan of the great outdoors?”
“Not a fan of exercise in general, no.”
“Noted,” he said.
I kicked at a pebble with the toe of my wedge and tried to find something else to say. I knew what I wante
d to talk about, but I wasn’t sure how the hell I was supposed to bring that up. Being at a loss for words wasn’t something I was used to, and I had a feeling it was the same for him.
Yeah, this was not awkward at all.
“So,” I said.
“So.”
I wanted to know if he’d agreed to Friday, but I didn’t have to ask. I could see it in his eyes. And the look I found there made me want to call the whole thing off.
“Hunter—”
He cleared his throat and looked down at his clipboard. “The first round of furniture orders will be here in two weeks, and I’ll make sure we’re in good enough shape to start moving things in. We’ll just need to touch base on the timeline once Mitch gives me firm dates on when you can expect the rest of your shipment.”
“I just want to say—”
“I’ve got to run out for an appointment in just a few minutes, so if you need anything, let T know,” he said, nodding to the man he’d spoken to earlier.
“Oh. Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yep.” He stuck the pen over his ear and looked past me. “Well, I should probably get back to it.”
“Right. Yeah, okay.” I moved aside so he could make his way into the store. As he passed, I wanted to reach out and grab his shirt, pull him back to me. But of course I didn’t do that.
“Wait—Hunter?”
He stopped and then turned around. I found myself opening and closing my mouth several times, nothing wanting to come out. As if he sensed what I was trying to get out, he walked toward me, closing the gap between us.
“No regrets, okay, Ryleigh?” he said. “None.”
CAMERON DIDN’T REALIZE he was making a massively bad decision when he’d organized a double date with all of us. He wanted his best friend and his…well, whatever I was, to celebrate his work success, and what could we do, say no?
But there was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, one I knew would only grow once I was in the same room with Hunter. It had to have been a mistake, what had happened between the two of us, one brought on by some kind of twisted case of lust. Why my body was betraying my mind, I had no idea, but now that Cameron was back, I was determined to put the past few weeks out of my head and start fresh. Even though technically we weren’t exclusive, I still felt guilty, no matter what Quinn said. Hell, I couldn’t even bring myself to tell Shayne and Paige, so that had to mean something.
Licked (L.A. Liaisons Book 1) Page 10
