The Plan

by Tawdra Kandle

  “Lift up so I can get these off. I want you naked and writhing under me.” She said it with so much anticipation that I couldn’t move fast enough to get the damned pants off me, tossing away the boxers at the same time.

  Once they were gone, she didn’t waste any time, and I lifted up a silent prayer of thanks for that fact. She held my erection at the base with one hand, fisting the other around me and moving it up and down with the perfect amount of pressure. I closed my eyes and breathed out, concentrating on holding myself in check. So intent was my focus that when her lips closed over the head of my cock, it took me utterly by surprise.

  I’d had my share of blow jobs in my life. Hell, I’d had my share and probably ten other guys’ shares, too. But mostly I’d found the women who gave them either weren’t really into it, only doing it because they thought it’d give them some kind of leverage with me, or because someone had convinced them that real women had to give head during every sexual encounter. Both reasons left me cold and a little bored.

  But Emmy was completely different. She looked at me like I was the dessert she’d been denying herself for way too long. And when she sucked me further into her hot, tight mouth, her hum of pleasure vibrated throughout my body, making me jerk involuntarily and thrust myself further in.

  To her credit, she didn’t gag or lose her rhythm. Her tongue swirled around my shaft, and her teeth scraped just enough to tantalize. When she sucked in her cheeks and pulled up, almost but not quite releasing me, I felt the familiar tingle that warned I was about to lose control.

  “Emmy . . . baby. God, that feels incredible, but I’m close. I don’t want to come in your mouth. Not this time. I want to be inside you, feel you coming with me.”

  She didn’t answer, but she lifted her mouth from my cock, laying her head on my stomach and looking up at me. “Are you sure? We can do that next time. We have all night.” That pink tinge returned to her face. “I mean, I do. Not that I expect—you can, of course, but don’t feel like you have to.”

  “Emmy.” I rubbed her cheek with the backs of my fingers. “Stop. You’re not pressuring me. I plan to spend the night making you come. I just want the first time I come to be both of us, together. With me buried deep inside you, looking into your eyes and you staring up at me. I want to see you fall apart, with my name on your lips and your skin with that beautiful blush that spreads down, across your throat and to the tops of your tits.”

  Her mouth curved into a smile. “I think I can get behind that kind of thinking.” She turned her face against me, touching her lips to my stomach and then working her way back up to my chest and then to my chin. I rolled both of us over so that I leaned over her again, lowering my head to capture one rosy nipple in my mouth.

  Her fingers caressed the back of my neck, playing with the short hair there, pressing me closer to her. I slid to lavish the same attention on her other breast, leaving my fingers to tease the peak my lips had left behind before I walked them down, down lower. Delving into her core, I pressed my thumb to her clit.

  “Cooper, please . . .” It was nearly a moan.

  “Please what?” I murmured into her ear. “Tell me, Emmy. What do you want?”

  “You, inside me. Now, like right fucking now.”

  I grinned. Emmy Carter had a dirty mouth during sex. Who’d have guessed it? “Do you like it hard, Emmy? Hard and fast? Or soft and slow?”

  She gasped, arching against my hand as I plunged two fingers into her slippery channel. “I don’t care right now, as long as your cock is inside me.” She ended on an almost-sob, and I knew she was close to losing control. I wanted to be deep inside her when that happened.

  “Okay, baby. Do you have a condom here?”

  She groaned and swore. “Fuck! No, I don’t have anything. It’s been—there’s been no one—damn it, no. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s all right, I’ve got one in my wallet. I just thought if you had one closer—hold on a minute.” It almost killed me to stop touching her as I dropped from the bed to the floor and fumbled for my jeans. First, of course, I found Emmy’s and didn’t realize it until the back pocket was empty. When I finally got my hands on my wallet, they were nearly shaking. I managed to pinch out the rubber, rip open the wrapper and roll it on, all while climbing back up onto the mattress.

  “Are you ready, Em?” I settled between her legs, my dick straining toward her.

  “God in heaven, so ready.” Emmy grabbed my ass and urged me forward, but I didn’t need the invitation. I found her entrance and thrust into her body in one long, hard movement.

  For the space of several heartbeats, neither of us moved. Emmy was whispering something low, but I was just still, in rapt awareness. Her hands roamed up my back, a light touch that gave me goosebumps. I ground against her, and she caught her breath.

  “Yes, do that again.” Her eyes closed and her forehead knit together, as though she was trying to find something she’d lost. When I repeated that same move, everything smoothed out and she bit down on her lip.

  “No, baby, don’t try to be quiet.” I bent my head to capture her lips, swiping my tongue into her mouth and consuming her breath. “Give it to me. Give it all to me.”

  “I was wrong, I do care. Not slow, not now. Fast, and hard. Fuck me, Cooper. Hold me down and use me. I want to come around your cock, and I want you to eat me alive—”

  Whatever she was going to say next was lost when I fastened my lips onto hers again at the same time that I plunged into her, hard and fast. I didn’t stop, and God, it felt good. It felt like I was flying, lifting up above the earth, and I’d never felt like this. My balls tightened, and I knew I was close to the edge.

  “I’m about to come. Emmy, are you close?”

  She wrapped her legs around me, her heels digging into my ass, spurring me on, bucking her hips to meet my thrusts. She didn’t answer in words, but I felt the beginning of her climax when her inner walls began to tighten around me. It was all I needed: with one last hard plunge, an obscene wave of pleasure took me under, almost drowning me in its wake. I came hard and long, my gaze on Emmy’s wide hazel eyes, watching her ride the same inescapable current.

  When I could breath again, I shifted to the side, so as not to crush her. Emmy laid one hand on my arm, rubbing up and down as though to assure herself I was real. And here.

  “So, how does high school Emmy feel now?” I brushed a strand of hair out of her face, catching the smile that curled her lips.

  “That Emmy is thinking she should’ve held out for you all those years ago. Should’ve waited and tried harder to get you to notice her. Because damn, she never had anything like that.”

  I chuckled. “And how about grown-up Emmy? How’s she feeling?” It was crazy to need this kind of assurance, I knew, but it mattered. She mattered. This might be just a one-time deal, but it was still Emmy, and I wanted tonight to be incredible for her.

  “Grown-up Emmy is in full agreement with her former self. She thinks she’s been missing something all these years, too.” She paused a minute before adding, “And she also thinks she needs to invest in condoms for her nightstand drawer.”

  “Sorry about that. I should’ve thought beforehand, but I kind of got caught up.” I picked up her hand, lifting the knuckles to my lips.

  “No, not your fault. Most women probably are better prepared, but most women probably have a need to be better prepared.” She bit the side of her lip again, and her cheeks went pink, as though she’d said more than she’d planned.

  “If you’re trying to tell me you don’t usually bring men home from the bar, Emmy, don’t. I don’t think that. We live in a very small town, and if you were regularly luring unsuspecting males into your bed on weekends, word would get around. I know you respect Jude and your job too much to do that.”

  Emmy lifted her shoulder in a half-shrug. “I hope that’s why I don’t do it, but the truth might be that bringing a guy home could cost me too much time and energy, neither of which I have in abunda
nce. It’s just plain too much trouble.”

  “Then why did you say yes to me?” I twined our fingers together and rested our joined hands on my chest, just above my heart.

  She blew out a long sigh. “I told you, I had that crush. And then . . . I don’t know. I guess maybe because you asked. And you’re Cooper. I know you. Maybe, too . . . I’ve been lonely. I always say I don’t have time to feel alone, but sometimes you just want a human connection, you know? I love my kids, and my parents would do anything for me. I have friends. But sometimes you just want someone to see you. To really care, and pay attention. You’re always like that, Coop. You have the gift of listening, and making the other person feel like she’s the most important girl in the world. I guess I needed that tonight.”

  I understood, more than she could she know. I drew her closer to me, so that her head lay on my chest, her face close to our linked hands. “Thank you for saying yes, Em. I needed that connection tonight, too. I know what you mean about feeling alone. I hope that even after tonight, if you need to feel that again, you’ll come to me.” I smoothed back her hair, running my fingers through its thick length. “When I look at you, Emmaline Graham Carter, I see a beautiful woman who’s been strong for a very long time. Who’s made it on her own against some pretty fucking incredible odds, but who hasn’t let those things make her hard. I see a good friend, a soft heart and a wicked sense of humor.” Pressing my lips just above her ear, I added, “And I see a woman who’s passionate. Sexy. Brave. You own it, Em. That’s a huge turn-on, that confidence.”

  She laughed, shaking against me. “Oh, Cooper. That part’s just bravado. If you really knew . . .” She trailed off, and I knew without looking that she was probably blushing again.

  “If I really knew what?” I held her closer, tracing tiny circles on her upper arm with my forefinger.

  She took a deep breath. “You’re only the second man I’ve ever been with. Had sex with.”

  I frowned, trying to make sense of what she’d said. “The second—you mean just—”

  Emmy nodded, her hair tickling my chest. “Yup. That’s right. Eddy and you. Pathetic, isn’t it?”

  “No, it’s not—wait, you didn’t have another boyfriend in high school?”

  “Just Eddy. We started dating when we were sophomores.”

  “And since he left?”

  She shook her head again. “No one. At first I was too busy, too worried all the time. And then by the time I could sort of breathe again, men weren’t exactly knocking down my door. Not when I have three kids.”

  I was in awe. “How long has Eddy been gone?”

  Her voice was muffled against my chest. “Just over three years.”

  “Christ Jesus, Em.” I tried not to sound shocked, but damn. “Wow. How do you do it? I can’t imagine living that long without sex.”

  She giggled. “I’m a woman. I have needs, yes, but they fall somewhere behind kids, keeping food on the table and not losing my house. So . . . yeah. I take care of myself when I can. When I’m not falling asleep. Otherwise, I just hope nothing gets too rusty before I get the chance to use it again.”

  I tipped her chin up until she met my eyes. “Emmy, I have to tell you three things. First, those needs are important. Second, nothing, not one part of you, was rusty. Third . . .” I rolled over until she was beneath me again, caged by my arms. “I’m making it my personal mission to make up for all your lost time tonight. So I hope you don’t have any plans for tomorrow until it’s time for you to go to work, because you’re going to need a long nap to make up for missed sleep.”

  Her eyes got big, and her smile was bright. “Who am I to get in the way of a mission?”

  ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I’d learned when Eddy hit the skids, as my mother put it, was that single moms don’t get a day of rest. There is no such thing as a day off. No holidays, no girls’ nights out. I was on the clock twenty-four/seven.

  So when I started working at the Tide and my parents suggested that it would just be easier for them to take the kids all weekend long, rather than traipse back and forth from my house to theirs, I decided to say yes fast. I also decided that I’d never set an alarm for Saturday mornings. Instead, I let the sun wake me and got up when I was ready. It was my only real indulgence.

  On that Saturday morning, I smiled when I felt the warmth of sunlight hit my face and begin to rouse me. I must’ve slept really well last night. I can’t remember when I’ve felt so relaxed.

  I stretched out one arm and froze when it hit a solid form. A solid masculine form. A solid naked masculine form.

  As images from the night before flooded my mind¸ I burrowed into my pillow. Cooper. I’d slept with Cooper. Shit, I did a hell of a lot more than sleep with him.

  Cooper had more than accomplished his mission to help me make up for the last three years. I’d lost count of how many times I’d come, against his mouth, against his hand, with his cock pounding deep into me . . . even thinking of it now gave me a little throb between my legs. I sighed and turned my head, not able to resist sneaking a peak at him.

  His back was toward me, and I lay for a few minutes, just taking in the sight of his muscles and tanned skin. He had both arms wrapped around his pillow, as though he were afraid I’d try to take it from him. Holding back from running my fingers over his roped shoulders and forearms was killing me. There was definitely something about a man’s arms . . . I liked a nice tight ass, and a broad chest made me melt, but powerful arms tempted me to just lick them up and down.

  I swallowed a sigh and gave myself a stern if silent lecture about playing it cool on the morning after a hookup. I needed to be breezy. Yes, that was the right word. Not unfriendly, not cool; Cooper should know how much I appreciated and enjoyed last night, but I had to convey this without sounding clingy or pathetically grateful. I wasn’t that kid anymore who wanted to faint whenever Cooper Davis was near, and I had to act like a grownup.

  My first challenge as a breezy grownup was to get out of bed without letting him see me naked. I knew it was silly, since he’d seen all of me and then some last night, but it’d been mostly dark, and moonlight was definitely a friend to the over-thirty woman. This morning my bedroom was flooded with bright and unadulterated sunlight, a harsh glare that wasn’t going to do me any favors. If I moved stealthily—and right now, before he was awake—I could get to my closet. I tried to remember if I’d left anything in there I could toss on fast, since most of my shorts and T-shirts were in the dresser on the other side of the room. The side of the room Cooper was facing now with his sleeping eyes. The side of the room that also held the door, which led to the bathroom, where my robe was hanging on a hook.

  It was a dilemma, and one I wasn’t certain how to tackle. I might be able to slide off the bed without waking him up, but I was pretty sure the only things in my closet were shoes and dresses. Greeting Cooper dressed in the long pink monstrosity I’d worn in my cousin Lydia’s wedding five years ago might be worse than letting him see me naked in the daylight.

  “Are you staring at me?” His voice, muffled by the pillow, made me jump. “It feels like you are. And that’s a little creepy, being watched while I sleep.”

  “I’m not staring at you.” Well, I wasn’t. Not at this moment, anyway. “I’m staring at the door.”

  “Oh, well, that makes more sense. Why’re you staring at the door? Are you expecting someone?”

  I gave his leg a half-hearted kick. “No.” I paused before I decided to come clean. After last night, I really didn’t have any secrets. “I was trying to figure out if I could get to my robe without waking you up.”

  “And where is your robe?”

  “Hanging in the bathroom.”

  “And why do you need it, exactly?”

  “Because I’m naked.”

  “And that’s a problem . . . why?”

  I smiled, warm gladness filling me. I liked that he didn’t view my nudity as a problem but rather as something to enjoy. I still didn’t want h
im to see me without clothes in the light of day, but it was sweet that he wanted that.

  “Because I’m not comfortable with you seeing me naked. In the daytime. I mean, it’s so bright.”

  “Uh-huh.” He rolled over, the sheets rippling around his body like water sluicing around a dolphin. Settling to face me, he opened one eye. “Em, you know, sometimes people are naked in the daytime. Sometimes they even have sex in the day. Novel concept, huh? Ever hear of afternoon delight?”

  “It’s not afternoon, and yes, you dweeb, I know people are naked and screwing during the day. But that doesn’t change how I feel.” I drew in a long breath. “What you said about my body last night was wonderful, Coop. But I’m not a nubile nineteen-year old. I don’t want you to watch my ass while I prance around the room.”

  “Oh, you’re going to prance? Well, hell. That does change things.” Cooper shifted to his back, rolling the pillow into a bolster as he sat up and leaned against the headboard. “This I’m definitely going to watch.” The top of the sheet just barely came to his hips, and it did nothing to disguise his morning wood.

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Come on, Cooper. Be a sport. Close your eyes or cover them, whatever, while I run out and put on my robe.”

  He rubbed at the side of his neck. “What’ll you do to reward me if I say yes?”

  I tilted my head. “What do you want?”

  A slow smile spread over his lips. “I want you to straddle my lap, right now, and ride me.”

  Oh. My. God. Desire tingled down my spine, ending in my core. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, aware of Cooper’s watchful gaze. “If I do that, it’ll defeat the purpose. You’ll see me naked anyway. So why would I reward you by giving you something you’re supposed to be not doing in order to get the prize?”

  His forehead wrinkled. “Huh? Did you even understand what you just said?”