“Ames...”
“Mmm.” He sped his rhythm, understanding her need without her having to articulate it—which was good, because she wasn’t able to.
On and on he tasted her, patiently, persistently. Her orgasm teased, peered shyly around a figurative corner at some distance, then came closer, finally rushing at her in a hot charge that made her fall back against the wall as heat and ecstasy took away her awareness of anything but Ames’s talented tongue and fingers.
She came down slowly, panting, her thighs trembling, her internal muscles still contracting sporadically, making her catch her breath with residual pleasure. “Oh, my goodness.”
“You okay?” Ames stood, smiling smugly. As if he needed to ask?
“I am forever altered...” She smiled shyly back, wondering if it would prove as true as it felt, though of course he’d take it as more of her nonsense. “For one thing, I’m not sure I’ll ever walk again.”
“Uh-oh. You better let me help you.” He pried her off the wall and escorted her gallantly out of the shower as her legs gradually steadied, his cock half-hard in reaction to her orgasm. Very hot when men enjoyed oral sex that much.
“On second thought, I’m miraculously unharmed.” She retrieved the towel and wrapped it around his broad shoulders, pulling him to her for a brief peck, wanting more of those deep, lingering kisses, but afraid to get that intense again so soon. Maybe she wouldn’t even bring up wedding plans until their next date, ha-ha. Certainly for the rest of tonight she’d stay away from anything more complicated than pure fun. “But I am starving.”
“I happen to have a slightly cooled Chinese meal for two ready and waiting.” He dragged the towel across his arms and started on his legs.
“What an amazing coincidence.” She grabbed her panties and stepped into them. “Let’s turn up the heat and eat in our underwear. Pretend it’s a beach picnic.”
Ames blinked at her. She loved when he got that flustered look on his face, like, What the hell is this woman’s problem? Then he always seemed to come around.
“Okay. But...Eva...”
“Yes...Ames...?”
He grinned briefly, pulling on navy boxer briefs. “At some point we need to talk about what happened here.”
“Oh, yes, we should do that right now.” She hooked her bra behind her, nodding earnestly. “See, you were in the shower, and I decided to join you, so I stepped in, got on my knees and took your beautiful erect—”
“Uh—not quite like that.” He led her out of the bathroom into the cooler air of his condo.
“We can talk on the beach while we’re eating.”
They should talk, absolutely. Eva would say, “As far as I’m concerned, this is just for fun,” and Ames would say, “That’s what I was thinking, too,” and then they’d agree to have a wild fling for the next three weeks, during which one or both of them would fall madly in love. Certainly Eva was well on her way already. At the end of three weeks their tryst would end beautifully and tragically because she’d have to go home to wait for Zac or her next affair, whichever came first.
She wasn’t sure if all that sounded as satisfying as it usually did.
While she got spoons, forks and plates for the food—and sneaked a couple of condoms from her purse into the bag with the fortune cookies, because the night was young and so were they—Ames cranked up the heat and took the beer out of the refrigerator again.
“We can eat in here.” He led the way into the living room. “No palm trees, but the beige carpet makes for good sand.”
“Perfect sand.” Eva followed him into the elegantly furnished room, done mostly in earth shades—olive couch, brown-and-ocher chairs, dark brick around the fireplace. It looked like a showroom, as though no one really lived here. Kind of like NYEspresso. Beautiful but cold.
“I have another idea.” Ames grabbed a remote and logged in to the internet to display on his flat-panel TV. “I bet we can find videos of beach waves on YouTube.”
While he searched, Eva looked around the room, imagining plants and posters, colorful rugs, art books... “Ames, I’ve decided your place needs something.”
He shot her a glance. “I’m afraid to ask.”
“No, no, nothing weird.” She pointed to a corner. “Right there. A gorilla statue and a hole of mini golf.”
“Um, yeah, I’ll get right on that.” He backed away from the set, watching expectantly. A video started, waves crashing onto a glorious sand beach, palm fronds fluttering in the wind.
“Oh, Ames.” She came up next to him and hung on to his shoulder, watching. “How sweet of you to bring me all the way to Maui when you barely know me!”
“I’m that kind of guy.” He puffed himself up, looking magnificent instead of comical as he intended, chest sexily sprinkled with hair, legs solid, and one hot pair of royal-blue boxer briefs generously outlining his very nice package.
“You know—” Eva helped him push the couch back so they’d have plenty of “sand” for their beach picnic, and spread out a bedspread he retrieved from a closet for the food and plates “—I’ve been thinking about NYEspresso. It needs something, too.”
“Gorilla mini golf?”
“Not necessarily. Though that’s always a good look.” She knelt beside him and helped herself to a plate of fragrant food and a good mound of rice. “I spent yesterday touring other indie coffee shops in about a five-block radius. There are so many like NYEspresso, you know? Chic, elegant. I feel like it needs a little...loosening. A shot of California, maybe. I’d like to see what would happen if I added some fun, gave people a break from the New Yorkness of New York.”
Ames shook his head pityingly. “Only people from California think New Yorkers need a break from New York.”
“I’m betting they do.” She shook her fork threateningly at him, wanting to put down her plate and straddle his fabulous muscular thighs, but the food was too good to put off any longer.
“So what are you thinking of doing?”
“Not sure yet.” She traded her plate for a sip of beer. “Obviously nothing that would be a permanent change and nothing Chris would hate. But I thought a little experiment wouldn’t be terrible.”
“Like...”
She waved her beer through the air. “More color. Plants, even fake ones. Something to soften the sharp edges, make people feel like they’re walking into a different world, if not a tropical zone then at least a temperate one. Especially now, when fall is reminding everyone that winter’s coming.”
“Hey, I know! How about one of those thunderstorm soundtracks? Every thirty seconds it can sprinkle rain on everyone!”
“So, I’m curious.” Eva gazed at him, thoughtfully deadpan. “How did you ever get to be respected in the business community?”
He cracked up. “Because I’m so damn charming.”
“You are.” She let her face relax into a smile. “At least I think so.”
“Yeah?” He put down his plate, set his beer on the coffee table behind him. “So...what are we doing here, Eva?”
“We’re eat—”
“Don’t say we’re eating Chinese food.”
“Ugh. I’m predictable already.” Eva set down her plate, too, still clutching her beer so it wouldn’t tip, though it also felt comforting to have something in her hands. “I think the question is not what are we doing, but what do we want to be doing?”
“Fair enough.” He grinned, lacing his fingers behind his head. “You first.”
“Oh, thanks.” She rolled her eyes, stalling her answer with a swig of beer. Nothing too emotional, nothing involving the word relationship unless it was clear she was kidding. “Okay. What I want to be doing is...you.”
“Ah.”
“I’m leaving in a month. More like three weeks now. I don’t think we can make it to the altar by that time, so I’m happy just taking some time to enjoy each other.” She managed a careless shrug, shocked at how tough it was to talk about this with him. “If that’s what you want,
too.”
“I’m...” He put his fork down, stared at his plate. “I guess I was thinking more just tonight, Eva.”
“Oh.” She contained her disappointment. She counted on the next three weeks to make this man fall head over heels in love with her, which he’d already started to do even if he didn’t know it yet. “Well, okay.”
“I’m sorry, I just...don’t want to get in any d—”
Eva’s hopes rose. Deeper? Maybe he had started to recognize his feelings for her. Not a great sign that he was fighting them, but she wouldn’t have to consider this a final defeat. “I understand, Ames. Truly. We’re consenting adults. Pouncing on you in your shower doesn’t mean you owe me more than what I asked for, which was exactly that. Tonight.”
She waited, fingers figuratively crossed. If he looked at all disappointed she had a chance.
His face was priceless. At first surprised, a touch of relief, but then, ooh, the way he stared pensively and slightly crankily at his food—was that male ego a bit dented by her easy acceptance of his limits?
She hoped so. Even if tonight was all they had, at least he wasn’t throwing her off without another thought.
She got up on her knees and waddled over to him, put her beer on the table alongside his. “So tell me, Ames.”
“Huh?” He looked as if she’d interrupted some pretty deep soul-searching.
Excellent.
“Does our one-night stand include the rest of tonight, or is what we accomplished already in the shower the extent of our shared physical activity?” She put her hands on her hips, fluttered her eyelashes sweetly, pretending his answer didn’t concern her one way or another, though she was pretty sure she knew what it would be.
“Hmm.” He got to his knees, too, finger comically tapping on his chin. “Let me think about that for a while—okay, I’m done.”
He pounced, rolling her back onto the bedspread covering the floor.
“Ames!” She squealed in a delighted protest. “You’re lying on my Chinese food.”
“You’re lying on my sand. It will get all up in your bikini.”
“You know, you’re right.” She frowned down at her body. “I think I should take it off, don’t you?”
“Please let me help you.”
“You are so thoughtful.” She looped her arms around his neck and lifted her hips so he could slide off her panties.
Even though he’d already seen her naked, the way he studied her emerging skin and female parts as if he were unwrapping the most remarkable gift he’d ever gotten—well, a girl could get used to that type of reverence. She sure would like to.
Keep it light... “Everything still there?”
“Everything is perfect.” He ran his hand over her stomach, down between her legs, a light caress that made her shiver.
“Except one thing.” She stared pointedly at the appetizing bulge in his boxer briefs. “You are still wearing your suit.”
“You’re right, I am.” He rolled onto his side, frowning. “Any idea what to do? I’ve got nothing.”
“Doesn’t look that way to me.” She reached for his waistband. “However, if you cooperate, I think I can help you.”
“Thanks, Eva.” His smile faded as her fingers slid under and closed around his erection; his breath caught. “Oh, man. I love the way you touch me.”
She loved making him feel good like this. His face was so dear to her already, she could scarcely believe how briefly they’d known each other. But that was how she rolled, not dipping her toe in to test waters, not stepping in gradually to adjust to the stream, but throwing herself in, body and soul. If that meant she got hurt more than most people, okay, she’d take it. But she’d never be accused of hiding from life and all it could offer.
“On your knees, boy,” she whispered.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She rested her breasts against his warm, hard chest, rubbed them back and forth, enjoying the stimulation as she eased his boxer briefs down, circling his tight, beautiful buttocks lightly with her fingers. “Off with the underwear.”
He obeyed. She watched him, enjoying the play of his thigh muscles, the careless way he flung the briefs aside and came back to her.
“Fortune cookie?” She grabbed up the bag and offered it, trying to look nonchalant.
“What, now?”
“When better?”
He shrugged, reached in and held up a condom in disbelief. “What restaurant did you order from?”
Eva giggled. “Best in town. Full service.”
“Apparently.” He put the packet on the ground next to them. “I have some we could have used, Eva, but thanks for coming tonight all prepared for my coming tonight.”
“I look forward to your coming tonight.” Still on her knees, she swayed forward until their bodies were touching again. “And you’re welcome.”
His eyes darkened, his arms closed around her. “You’ll be coming tonight, too. That okay with you?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Good.” He kissed her leisurely, his fingers roaming around her back and down to circle her bottom, then up, around, down, up again.... His hands were warm, possessive, and felt so wonderful on her body she wanted to purr.
“Nice,” he murmured. “You feel very nice.”
“You, too.” She leaned back to draw her hands across his chest, loving the smooth dip and swell of his pectorals, the round muscles of his shoulders, the smooth sweep of his back.
His fingers made an oval up and around her hip bones, then descended toward her sex, stroking and exploring while he kissed her.
He had the most perfect way of touching her, delicately at first, then a firmer tease, then backing off again. Her desire rose, waned, rose, waned, two steps forward, one back, three forward, one back, four, five, then she was way hot wanting him.
“Ames,” she whispered. “I’m so ready, I’m about to scream.”
“I like that about you.” He picked up the condom.
Eva knew exactly how things should go from there. Not intimately, not face-to-face, where the emotion would have an opportunity to grow. If she wanted more nights with him, she’d have to play Scheherazade and leave him wanting more, not less. Sex would be its own reward, erotic and fun.
She lowered herself to her side and slid her bottom leg between his, raised her upper leg and wrapped it around his waist. “Ever tried this?”
“I’m about to.” Ames grabbed the leg folded around him to give her support, and pushed gently inside her, both of them moaning in pleasure at the penetration.
“Mmm.” He felt fabulous, full and long, filling and stretching her, going deep and deeper still. Eva loved the angle, loved the feel of his thigh muscles working as he pushed in and out.
She drew her hands up her stomach, over her breasts, stroking them, rolling her nipples between her fingers.
His breath hissed in. He slowed his pace. “If you keep doing that I’m going to come before you do.”
“Is that so terrible?” She smiled up at him.
“Ladies first.”
“Hmm. You know, I don’t really feel like a proper lady right now.” She slid her hand down between her legs, circling with a finger, loving the double stimulation of the cock inside her and the direct touch on her clit.
“Eva.” He gripped her knee hard, pushing desperately. She held his hot gaze as she touched herself, the warmth growing, her orgasm approaching.
“Ames.” She pushed back against him, rubbing harder, her breath hitching. “I’m going to come.”
His face contorted, his movements grew jerky, spasmodic. He thrust hard, backed off, thrust again.
Eva closed her eyes and cried out as the climax swept her, heard Ames groaning, then felt his release pulsing between her legs.
So beautiful. So wonderful. So perfect between them.
If after this, tonight was still the only night Ames wanted with her, then he wasn’t the man for her after all.
But she had a feeling she’d
just bought herself a pretty fabulous three weeks, to do all this again and maybe a whole lot more.
6
CHRIS STOOD IN her sister’s bedroom, windows wide open—wide open in mid-October!—catching the soft flow of a Pacific breeze. She was getting ready for her date tonight with Gus, back home after his...surfer thing. He hadn’t exactly called it a date, just asked if she wanted to “hang out,” but the chemistry between them was so blazing and out of control, he couldn’t have meant anything else.
She was giddy—she couldn’t help it. This kind of crazy lust at first sight was what Eva did, not her. Sensible, cautious Chris always carefully weighed pros and cons before she moved forward. Hired to work the register at Fine Grind, she’d moved up, learning the business until the owners made noises about selling and she’d stepped in. Even then, there had been meetings, business plans and a thorough investigation of the pros and cons. Eva, looking for a house on the Central Coast, had stumbled over a run-down tourist shop near bankruptcy and snatched it up. Untried location, entirely new business. Chris never had sex on the first date, never gave in to impulse buys and always refused the second piece of cake. When she was little, for fan clubs and birthday parties, she’d draw up extensive plans and organizational charts. Eva lived most of her life on impulse.
The strange thing? Both approaches had brought the twin sisters to pretty much the same place. Both were owners of shops that were doing well but could do better. Both had survived a string of relationships that hadn’t worked out—Chris’s started slower and lasted longer, but the end result was the same.
So maybe the method didn’t matter in the big picture of success.
Or maybe she was trying hard to justify wanting to jump Gus’s bones before he even opened his mouth tonight.
The day had taken forever. Few customers had come in. She’d had a lot of time to think about Slow Pour. The location was great, but...she wondered about the store itself, which seemed so much like other shops in the area. She couldn’t help thinking about trying a few changes. Decluttering the space, focusing on fewer items for sale. Trading some of the laid-back central California vibe for a more trendy-chic energy. Maybe people would respond to something a little different?
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