But he’d controlled himself just in time, had told her instead how much he had missed her, and tried like hell to maintain his composure after that. And in the six days since his near miss, Finn hadn’t permitted himself to examine his feelings for Delilah in more depth, scared shitless that he would indeed discover that he was crazy about her, head over heels in love, and most likely hopelessly, too. Because he knew without having to ask that she didn’t return his feelings - at least not yet - that while she enjoyed his company and especially enjoyed having sex with him, love didn’t factor into her side of the equation. They would both be much better off, therefore, if he kept his feelings for her - whatever they actually were - to himself for the foreseeable future, and concentrated instead on the intense chemistry that they most definitely did share.
Delilah stirred sleepily, stretching her arms above her head and yawning like a small, soft kitten. She blinked, gazing up at him with half-shut eyes, and then smiled lazily.
“Hey,” she murmured, her hand reaching up to cup his stubbled cheek. “How long have you been staring down at me that way?”
Finn captured her hand and pressed a kiss to the palm. “Not long. I didn’t want to wake you up, knew how exhausted you were.”
Her smile deepened. “So instead you watched me sleep. Not sure if that’s romantic or borderline creepy.”
He tugged playfully at the top of the duvet. “It was actually pretty damned gentlemanly of me, considering that what I really wanted to do was pull off these covers and see if that flimsy excuse of a nightgown you put on last night was as sheer as I remembered. But since I’ve never pretended to be a gentleman before, I say what the hell.”
Delilah shrieked as he yanked the duvet down below her waist in one swift motion, and then gasped as his hands immediately cupped both of her breasts.
“Yup,” he grinned, his thumb brushing over a nipple. “Just like I remembered - short, sheer, and sexy as fuck. Babe, I’m not even sure why you bothered wearing something like this, given that you might as well be naked right now. So why don’t we take this pretty little scrap of lace off before it accidentally gets torn or something?”
She didn’t resist as he gathered up the short hem of the nightgown and carefully pulled it off over her head. Finn gazed down at her nude body appreciatively, then shook his head as if in a daze.
“Christ,” he swore softly. “You are so damned fine, Delilah. You might be a tiny little thing, but you’ve sure got curves in all the right places, babe. Like these pretty tits.”
“Mmm.”
She expelled a long sigh of pleasure as he pushed one of her breasts up high enough to meet his tongue. He sucked on the nipple, then gave it a gentle love bite, before repeating his actions on the other breast.
“You have a magic tongue, you know,” she murmured in a husky voice as he flicked his tongue over each distended nipple. “The things you can do with it should be illegal.”
He grinned up at her wickedly as he began to kiss his way down her abdomen. “Probably still is in some countries. Stay still now, okay? Let me use my magic tongue on every part of your gorgeous body.”
She wriggled slightly beneath his touch, as though in protest of his instructions, but then nodded and let him proceed with his slow, deliberate seduction.
Because their lovemaking was usually frantic and wild and burning hot, it wasn’t often that he had the opportunity to linger over her like this, and Finn planned to savor every moment of such a privilege. With each brush of his lips against her soft skin, he inhaled deeply of her scent - a combination of the slightly spicy perfume she favored, the vanilla scented body wash she always used, and her own personal essence. It made for a heady mixture, one that a man could very easily become addicted to.
He stroked along the gentle curve of her hip as his lips teased her navel, smiling mischievously when she protested that he was tickling her. But her protests faded away quickly when he spread her thighs apart determinedly, his hands holding her in place as he rimmed the opening to her body with this tongue.
“Finn,” she hissed, her lower body trying in vain to lift off the bed in reaction.
But he was too strong for her, keeping her immobile as his head delved between her legs, and then proceeded to demonstrate exactly how skilled he was with his tongue.
Delilah alternated between panting, whimpering, and crying out his name as he continued to pleasure her using every trick and technique he’d ever learned about oral sex over the decades. He pushed his forefinger and middle finger deep inside of her tight vaginal channel, making sure to press the tips of his fingers against that elusive little G spot, a touch he knew would drive her wild. At the same time he flicked the tip of his tongue over and around the reddened nub of her clit, persisting with the twin stimulations until he felt the familiar tightening of her vaginal walls clench around his fingers.
He coaxed two more orgasms from her in this manner before his own body started to scream for release. He reared up onto his knees to retrieve a condom from his nightstand, his hands trembling a little as he rolled it on, and then gazed tenderly down at his woman. That soft, fragrant skin was flushed pink all over, and the insides of her thighs were shimmery with saliva and her own female juices. Her breasts bore traces of whisker burn, while her nipples were red and swollen. Her plump lips were parted as she breathed unevenly, her long hair falling in tangled curls across the pillows.
She struggled to open her eyes as she stared up at him, then ran a hand up his bare chest to his shoulder. “Finn. Let me - ”
Finn captured her hand and shook his head, already knowing what she was going to demand. “Not this time, no. I know you like being in control, like being on top. But I want to be in control this time, need to be in control. So stop being such a bossy little thing for once and just surrender. Let me take care of you, baby, okay?”
Her eyes darkened in a brief display of temper before she let her head fall back against the pillows, nodding in consent. “Okay,” she whispered, sliding her arms up over his chest to clasp around his neck.
It was all the encouragement Finn needed to slide inside her body with one smooth stroke. He forced himself to remain perfectly still, even though the sweat was already dripping from his brow, and he was so hard he had to bite down on his lip to keep from crying out in near-pain. But he knew it wasn’t always easy for her when he took her this way, knew that he was buried to the hilt inside her tight passage, and he would cut off a limb before causing her a moment’s pain, intentionally or not.
“Everything okay, baby?” he asked in concern.
In response Delilah locked her legs around his hips before pulling his head down to meet her kiss. He groaned loudly beneath her lips, kissing her with long, slow swoops of his tongue, then hissing when she bit down on his bottom lip.
It was all the encouragement he needed to begin moving in her, his buttocks flexing with each thrust of his hips. The moans and gasps she made as he gradually picked up the pace, his strokes becoming deeper and harder, spurred him on, driving him to the very brink of losing all control. He was the one to use his teeth this time, sucking the tender skin on the side of her neck hard enough to leave a mark. Her heels dug into his ass, and he winced a little as she raked her nails up and down his back. He should have known, he thought with a brief chuckle, that his bossy little spitfire would never completely give up all control.
But then he quickly reached the point where any sort of thought was impossible, because all there was now was feeling - feeling that rippled through every nerve and muscle and vein of his body, feeling that coalesced into a pleasure so overwhelmingly intense that it was the only thing that mattered. His eyes were tightly shut, his face buried against her throat as he continued to fuck her like a man possessed - something he had begun to fear had actually happened, that she was in fact a living, breathing she-devil who had succeeded in taking him over body and soul. And even though he had insisted on being in charge this tim
e, in the end he was still the one who surrendered.
The bed shook as he came, the headboard banging insistently against the wall, but he was too far gone to realize that the pounding he heard wasn’t simply the blood rushing to his head. It felt like the longest orgasm of his life, his cock continuing to ejaculate long after he should have been empty. He collapsed to the mattress weakly when he was finally spent, though his semi-erect cock remained inside of her body.
Delilah’s fingers played delicately over his scalp and neck. “Are you going to make it?” she quizzed humorously.
Finn tried to lift his head off the pillow, but gave up as his muscles refused to cooperate. “Not so sure about that, actually,” he croaked. “You might have to give me mouth to mouth resuscitation.”
She laughed softly. “You know, as often as you joke about that, maybe we should consider taking an actual Red Cross class one of these days.”
He grinned up at her lasciviously. “Sounds good to me. You know, in addition to the mouth to mouth stuff, I think they also show you how to do chest compressions. As long as I can practice on you, I’d be game.”
Delilah trailed her fingers down his back, rubbing them over the gouges she’d left with her nails. “I’m pretty sure they have you practice on dummies.”
“Oh. Well, in that case, forget it. Besides, I’m starting to get the feeling back in my legs, so I think I’ll survive.” He turned his head just far enough to press a kiss on her lips. “You didn’t come,” he murmured with a frown.
“Seriously, Finn?” she asked in disbelief. “What did you call those three - count them, three - orgasms I had a little while ago? And what do you think I am anyway - some sort of sex robot who orgasms at the touch of a button? Believe it or not, it’s not all that normal for a woman to achieve multiple orgasms within a few minutes. In fact, a lot of women don’t often get one orgasm a day. Trust me, I am very, very satisfied right now. Okay?”
“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. “Because I’ll just make sure you come the next time. Give me a few minutes to recover and I’ll be good to go.”
Delilah looked at him incredulously. “Ready for another round already? What about breakfast?” She sniffed the air discreetly. “Not to mention a shower.”
“Round two can be in the shower,” Finn announced cheerfully. “Two birds with one stone, that sort of thing. Don’t forget,” he added, “that you were too wiped out last night for sex. And while I was totally sympathetic and tried to act the part of considerate lover, then you had to go and put that sexy nightgown on. I almost had to take a cold shower just so I could fall asleep instead of jumping your bones.”
“Ooh, poor baby,” she clucked playfully, patting him on the cheek. “I’m surprised you survived the night.” Then, turning serious, she kissed his cheek. “Thanks, though. For being so considerate. Not just last night, but a little while ago, too. That was - beautiful, Finn. Simply beautiful. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt as - well, adored as I just did. And I know I like to be in control a lot, that’s just who I am, I suppose. But you’re right. It felt good to surrender, to let you take charge. Maybe we’ll have to do that more often.”
He was touched by the sweetness of her voice, the honesty of her words. “Anytime, babe,” he murmured, pressing a light, exquisitely tender kiss to her lips.
“But probably not today,” she declared. “I want to be on top next time.”
Finn’s chest rumbled with laughter. “Of course you do.”
***
“Relax, would you? We’re only having brunch with my sister, for God’s sake, and not facing a firing squad. You look like you’re about to faint.”
Finn grimaced. “I think I’d take my chances with the firing squad right about now. She’s going to hate my guts, isn’t she? And at first sight no less.”
“No,” assured Delilah, patting his arm. “Desi isn’t like that. She’ll give you at least ten minutes before she decides if she can’t stand you or not. Now, come on, would you? And remember what I told you - just be yourself, Finn. Don’t try to impress her - because very few people ever succeed in doing so - and hold off on the dirty jokes for now. Desi doesn’t always have a very good sense of humor. Ah, there she is!”
She tugged a reluctant, and uncharacteristically nervous, Finn through the crowded, bustling restaurant to where her sister was already seated at their table. Delilah had suggested Zazie for brunch, knowing that it was a place Finn had already dined at and liked, and also because she had a real weakness for their stuffed French toast and cream cheese coffee cake. She was hoping to persuade Finn to order a side of the coffee cake so she could steal a few bites, knowing that she’d feel like too much of a glutton to order both that and the French toast.
“You look really nice this morning,” she whispered to him encouragingly as they drew closer to where Desiree sat. “Not that you don’t look equally yummy without any clothes at all, but this outfit is perfect. And you picked it out all by yourself.”
He squeezed her hand, keeping it clasped firmly in his. “I’m learning fast. Between you and Max giving me fashion advice, I could pursue a new career as a male model.”
Delilah shook her head. “No way. Oh, not that you couldn’t pull something like that off, of course. It’s just that I don’t want any other women mooning over your photos. Speaking of which, how long has it been now since you graced the cover of any tabloids?”
Finn dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Months. I plan on staying out of the limelight for the foreseeable future, too. Unless, of course, you’re by my side. You’re sure you can come to that party in L.A. with me next month?”
“Yeah.” She bit her tongue, not wanting to admit how much she dreaded the thought of attending some splashy, celebrity-filled event with him. “The meeting with Bloomingdale’s takes place the week before the party, so I’ll be ready to relax and unwind a little by then. Here we are.”
Desiree stood as they approached, and Delilah was grateful to note that her sister’s face wasn’t already fixed in a scowl. Or that her eyes weren’t spitting fire as they quickly but thoroughly sized Finn up. With smug satisfaction, Delilah noted the surprised look on Desi’s face as she took in Finn’s appearance - the neatly trimmed hair, clean shaven face, and classy outfit of light gray slacks, short-sleeved black polo shirt, and black suede loafers. He looked no different than any of the other trendily dressed males present this morning, except that Finn was a whole lot hotter and better looking, and attracted all sorts of attention, from both males and females. There had been any number of occasions when he’d been recognized by fans in restaurants or other locales, and been approached for an autograph or photo. Each and every time Finn had been more than gracious, and he’d happily hammed it up for the camera. Delilah had quickly realized that he adored such attention, loved being in the public eye, and that realization had made her more than an little uneasy, since she was the direct opposite.
Both Max and her new attorney Grayson Ford had cautioned her, however, that her preference to remain out of the limelight could change drastically if the deal with Bloomingdale’s went through.
“You’ll most likely be expected to do some press for them,” Gray had advised. “Your photo and bio on their website, for starters, but also public appearances at some of their stores. Not to mention attending fashion shows and receptions or other events. But I’m sure they’ll lay out all of their requirements during the negotiation process. Provided, of course, that it gets that far.”
She’d had half a thought about backing out of the whole thing at that point, but had pushed aside her silly, rather selfish fears for the good of her company. After all, she’d reasoned, she now had close to fifty employees who depended on her, and if this deal with Bloomingdale’s went through, the company would stand to profit handsomely. She would also be able to hire additional staff, and even expand their office space since the upper floor in their building had recently been vacated.
&nb
sp; All of that, however, would be dealt with soon enough, and for now she was only focused on enjoying brunch at one of her favorite restaurants with two of her very favorite people. Oh, and making sure her sister didn’t terrorize Finn over his eggs Benedict.
Delilah gave her sister a quick hug, pleased to note that Desi had also taken some pains with her appearance this morning. Since it was a warm, sunny spring morning, Desi had chosen a floaty, floral printed cotton dress, teamed with a cropped denim jacket and cute cream ballet flats. She’d even applied some makeup, and was wearing a set of gold bangle bracelets that had belonged to their mother. Smirking to herself, Delilah guessed that her older sister had wanted to make a good impression on Finn, even though Desiree still considered him to be a pig when it came to his relationships with women.
“You look so pretty,” Delilah told her sister, lightly fingering the fabric of the floral dress. “I told you this color and style suited you. And I have a couple of dresses very similar to this in our new summer line that I think you’d like.”
Desiree shrugged. “We’ll see. I don’t have all that many occasions to wear something like this, you know.”
She paused to gaze expectantly at Finn, who was doing his damndest not to betray just how nervous he was about this meeting.
“Desi, this is Finn McManus. My, um, boyfriend, I guess you should call him. And Finn, this is my big sister Desiree. I’m so glad that the two of you could finally meet,” chirped Delilah, determined to keep things lighthearted.
Finn grinned somewhat goofily, extending his hand. “It’s great to meet you, Desi,” he replied enthusiastically. “Delilah has told me a lot about you, including all of the triathlons you’ve done. In fact, that’s sort of inspired me to take up mountain biking again.”
The Player Gets Coached Page 23
