by Anna Paige
She jumped when I neared the area but didn’t shy away, her eyes full of challenge. “Yes.”
My dick jumped against the comforter, pulsing in delight. “Yes to what?”
“All of it,” she moaned.
“Hmm... I like that. Tell me, have you fantasized about me when you were with another man? Did you pretend he was me?”
“No.”
Oh well, can’t win them all.
“But only because I haven’t slept with anyone since I met you. I haven’t been with anyone in a really long time, actually.”
“How long is a long time?” I was doing the math in my head. I’d met her nearly a year ago...
“A few years.”
Shit. No pressure or anything. Then again...
“Me either, sweetheart. Not since before my divorce,” I admitted.
She looked at me in utter shock, probably the same way I was looking at her. She reached for me and I slid up her body, wishing like hell I’d undressed earlier so I could feel her skin against mine.
She cupped my jaw and kissed me softly. “Well, for what it’s worth, you don’t seem to have forgotten a thing. My legs are still shaking.” Her smile was so open and trusting, unguarded.
I knew it was a great honor to be the focus of it. “I’m just getting started.” I returned my attention to her mouth for a while before sitting up to remove my shirt.
She sat up with me and gave me a questioning look. “Can I?” Her gaze lingered on my torso before dipping lower.
I dropped my hands. “Yes, ma’am. Be my guest.”
She took her time undressing me, lifting my t-shirt slowly and trailing kisses over my skin as she revealed it inch by inch. When the shirt was finally off, she dropped it to the floor by the bed and reached for the button on my jeans.
I covered her hand with mine, stopping her. “I’m flattered that you’ve chosen me after all this time, but I can’t help wondering why.”
She averted her gaze until I reached out to pinch her thigh. She snapped her attention back to me before I could follow through. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Because you’re sweet. And safe. And gorgeous.” She blinked rapidly for a moment. “And because I’m tired of being scared of everything. I thought maybe I wouldn’t be scared with you.”
“And now that it’s happening, were you right? Do you feel safe with me, with this?”
The feisty glimmer was back in her eye. “Absolutely. Otherwise you’d never get away with bossing me around.”
“I’m not being bossy, sweetheart. I’m giving you what you need. If I tell you to do something, you’re only to do it if you’re okay with it. Never do anything you’re not into. Not for me. Not for anyone. Understand?”
She nodded.
“Good, now continue.”
She reached out and tugged open the button on my pants, sliding the zipper carefully down and letting her knuckles glide along my rigid cock through my exposed boxer briefs. There was a soft sigh from her as I moved off the bed to kick off my shoes and step out of them.
Before I could rejoin her on the bed she came over to sit on the edge, watching me for permission as she removed the boxers, dramatically bending as she slipped them down my legs. Her mouth was mere inches from my cock.
She met my eye and licked her lips suggestively but made no move to touch me. Tease.
I swept a lock of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “Something you want, sweetheart?”
The corners of her mouth turned up but she said nothing.
“Would you like me to fuck your mouth? Do you want me to press my cock through your lips and keep going until I’m all the way down your throat, precious?”
“God, yes.” Her voice was low and hungry.
“And what if I say no? What if I’m more interested in pounding into your hot pussy? Would you be disappointed?”
“No. You can fuck my mouth after,” she announced with a defiant look.
“So, you’re saying you want to suck me no matter what?”
“Yes.”
I reached down and took myself in hand, pressing the head against her full lips. “Let’s see how you like me fucking your mouth before and after I take that tight pussy.”
One long lick later, I couldn’t have made any more demands of her if my life depended on it.
Watching the sun play over her blonde hair, as her head bobbed up and down my cock, I wasn’t even sure of my own name.
Dear God, I never wanted this to end.
WE LAY BENEATH the covers some time later, each of us catching our breath and mentally replaying what had just occurred.
I was on my back, she was curled up beside me with one hand lazily circling through my chest hair. After a while, she broke the silence. “You were right. It’s nice not being treated like glass.”
“You sore?” I hadn’t held anything back, not even a little.
She giggled softly, her breath tickling my side. “Yes. I love it.” She sat up on her elbow, giving me a mock glare that didn’t hide her amusement. “And how is it that the guy who hasn’t had sex in over two years just so happened to have a condom in his wallet? Unexpired, no less.”
I tweaked her nipple playfully, making her squeal. “Brant. It was part of his ‘get a fucking life’ speech the other day. He tossed it onto my desk on the way out that afternoon, and I put it in my wallet before I left so the cleaning crew wouldn’t find it there. Guess it was a good thing I did, huh?”
She covered her breasts with her folded arms and snuggled in beside me. “It sure was. I haven’t had any need for those things since... forever. I mean, I’ve taken the pill since I was a teenager but that’s not really much help,” she chuckled. “Be sure to thank Brant next time you see him.”
“Yeah, I guess I owe him a beer.” I glanced down at the willowy body huddled in beside me and amended. “All things considered, maybe I should drag him to Haven and get him drunk on that pricey-ass brandy he favors. A beer just isn’t enough to cover it.”
She kissed my chest and laughed. “I agree.”
I wanted to assure her that I would keep a supply handy for next time, which was totally unnecessary since this was a spur of the moment thing that wasn’t destined to be repeated.
Right?
Talia nuzzled her head into my chest, sighing sleepily. I lifted my hand to her hip, skimming her flesh with my fingertips, content to lay there in silence and too tired to entertain the thought of moving. It had been quite a workout.
Workouts are supposed to be repeated often for best results, aren’t they?
The battle raged on in my mind between what I knew I should do and what I desperately wanted. After a while, I gave in and let sleep overtake me, anything to quell the warring in my head.
My last thought was that this round had ended in a draw.
I AWAKENED TO the sound of Talia’s voice, soft and distant as she spoke to someone on the phone. She’d slipped out of the room, pulling the door almost shut, probably to allow me to rest undisturbed.
I stretched my arms up over my head and let out a yawn. I hadn’t slept in the middle of the day in... shit... had I ever? I tossed aside the thin sheet covering me and set about dressing. I couldn’t quite hear what Talia was saying but I was sure she was speaking to Ali. They’d planned to talk after lunch and a glance at the clock told me that was long past due.
My stomach growled in agreement as I pulled my shirt over my head and exited the room.
I had nearly made it to the kitchen, only a few paces away from the archway that opened into the living room, when Talia’s words stopped me.
“No, Ali, I’m not interested in Spencer. I told you, he checked on me like you asked and left. He was doing you a favor and being the Boy Scout I always knew him to be. No big deal. And I shouldn’t have to remind you how I feel about dating. I don’t want it. Don’t need it. And I’m not changing my mind. Not for him or anyone else. I prefer being on my own.” She blew out a breath, her footfalls indicatin
g that she was pacing by the window. “Now, when are you coming back for a weekend? I need a girls’ night out.”
I stood there for a second, trying to decide whether I was relieved or insulted.
I’d just given her the ride of her life and she was talking like I was barely a blip on her radar. I didn’t expect her to run off and brag about our afternoon together, but somehow I expected more than this. I was kind of pissed, now that I thought about it. I’d thought it was some great compliment that she’d wanted me after so many years of celibacy. Now I was thinking I was just a means to an end.
I should have been thankful that she didn’t want more, given that I had a similar position on dating, but the part of me waging war against my better judgment was still screaming that I’d fallen ass-backward into something with promise.
Fucking optimistic streak. I’d hoped it had died out with my affection for Ivey. Now it was back and wreaking havoc. Hope is a dangerous fucking thing and I didn’t want any part of it.
We’d fucked. It was amazing but it was over. Time to put the memory in my spank bank and get the hell out of Dodge.
I strolled out into the living room, not caring if I was interrupting. Talia spun to look at me, placing a finger to her lips to shush any comment I might have made.
Lucky for her, I had nothing much to say.
I grabbed my jacket off the coat rack and pulled it on.
Then I turned and flashed her the Boy Scout salute and walked the fuck out.
Wednesday
THE NEXT TIME I saw Clay McGavran, I was going to stomp his ass.
I looked in the mirror with a sour expression as the tailor took measurements and pinned the sub-par fabric of my new tux. After Clay had mangled my fucking Versace, he set up this appointment and assured me that he’d replace the expensive tux he ruined after the wedding.
I’d only agreed to this because I sort of had it coming but Clay always took shit too far.
“Now, don’t forget to leave room for his... area. We don’t want him looking like a country singer in that thing and I’m still holding out hope that he’ll make me a great-grandma someday,” Gran announced sweetly, as if there was nothing in the world wrong with her being concerned about my crotch area.
I wasn’t going to kick Clay’s ass... I was gonna crush his nuts.
“Gran, not to be a stickler for detail, but Clay is the one who you should be looking to for a fresh generation of babies. I’m technically not your grandson.”
She walked over and grasped the material at my thighs, tugging to see how much room I had.
Someone fucking shoot me, please.
“Oh shut up, Spencer. You’re still one of my babies, blood be damned.”
Tug, tug.
Why the hell didn’t they serve alcohol in this place? Bridal shops served champagne and shit, why not tux shops? Fucking double standard.
“Clay tells me you don’t have a date for the wedding reception. Would you like me to set you up with someone? I’m afraid if you show up alone they’ll end up bumping you to the kiddie table. All the adult tables seat an even number of people.” She stepped back and watched over the tailor’s shoulder, pursing her mouth as if displeased with the job he was doing.
“I’m sure I won’t be the only single person there, Gran,” I scoffed irritably. “And if I am, they can seat me at the bar. I’ll be perfectly content there.” Hell, I wished I was there already.
The bell above the door jangled, saving me from the scathing response I knew was coming.
Finally, I caught a damn break.
The tailor called out toward the front of the store. “Be right with you.”
It was ten a.m. on a Wednesday, what I suspected was a low traffic time for the establishment. Usually, fittings were done by appointment.
“Actually, I’m looking for Spencer Erickson. Is he here?”
Talia.
What the hell was she doing here?
I’d been stewing about how we left things for the last three days, pissed off that I’d let one weekend with her derail my entire way of thinking. I was angry. I was disappointed. I was stupid.
And I was so fucking happy to hear her voice.
“Back here!” Gran called out, looking at me with her brow cocked suspiciously.
Talia strolled in holding two coffees and wearing a long, dark sweater over colorful leggings. Her knee-high boots managed to make her slender legs look like they went on for days.
Definitely thankful for the extra room in the crotch. And for the fact that the tailor was now pinning the cuffs and was safely out of the danger zone.
She smiled fondly at Gran, embracing her in a quick hug. “So good to see you, Mrs. Bennett.”
“Call her Gran.”
“Call me Gran.”
Gran and I spoke in unison, making Talia and the tailor at my feet chuckle.
“Okay, Gran. It’s nice to see you again. You’re looking well. Still making the rounds on the karaoke circuit?”
Gran waved a hand absently. “Oh yes, but it’s getting boring. These places are bars and they won’t let me sing anything with explicit lyrics. Radio edit versions only” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Pisses me off. Twice I’ve walked in on people screwing in the john, but heaven forbid I sing a song with the word fuck in it.”
The tailor looked up at me with wide eyes and I shrugged. There was no explaining Gran and no use in apologizing. She’d just do something outrageous again in a minute anyway. Why waste the breath?
Talia laughed and met my eye, approaching me for the first time. “Morning, Spence. You’re looking penguin-esque. How they hanging?”
The tailor dropped his head and shook with laughter. These women would be the damn death of me.
“I’m doing okay. Better than my Versace, so...”
She handed me a cup and nodded.
Gran watched us for a minute and I swear she knew. I could tell by the look on her face. Her mouth opened to speak, eyes narrowing and darting between us when her phone started ringing in her purse. Her new ringtone was Breaking Benjamin’s ‘Until the End.’ The guitar solo echoed through the room as she dug through her massive bag. She plucked it from the depths and excused herself to take the call.
Once she was gone, I sighed in relief and took a long sip of my coffee.
Holy shit! Wasn’t expecting that.
I was on the verge of choking when Talia announced, “It’s Irish. Extremely Irish. When Ali told me what Clay had in store for you today, I thought you might need a little something.”
After I got over my initial surprise, I realized it actually tasted pretty good. I sipped again and nodded. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. I owed you one. You sat through a meeting with Eileen, nothing Gran can dish out is worse than that.”
So it was obligation that brought her here. Figured. “You mean to tell me you drove nearly two hours to bring me coffee because I put up with Ali’s socialite mother for you? You didn’t owe me anything, Talia.” I tried to keep the edge out of my voice but the anger I’d been nursing the past few days was resurfacing.
“I did owe you. I still do. I owe you an explanation.”
I took a long swallow of the coffee, burning my throat. “No need. It doesn’t matter now. It was what it was and now it’s over. No explanation necessary.”
“Stop being an ass and just listen.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, trying not to let her feisty side quell my anger. “I’m either an ass or a Boy Scout. Which is it?”
She tilted her head to the side and watched me. “You didn’t think I meant any of that, did you?”
I shrugged noncommittally but said nothing. My expression was even and disinterested.
She asked the tailor to give us a moment and he scurried out. He probably felt a storm brewing. I knew I did.
Once he was gone, she threw her hands up. “What should I have said, huh? If I told her you’d stayed both nights, I would have had to tell her about
the concussion, which was out of the question. Even if I’d somehow omitted the injury, she still would have known we’d slept together. She’s not stupid, Spencer, and I wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about it. Because I was still processing what happened, not because I regretted it or whatever the hell it is you’re thinking. Shit, I was trying to rush her off the phone so I could crawl back in bed beside you.”
I stepped off the dressing stool I’d been standing on and walked over to her. “I’m not sure what I thought. Something about the way you played it off to Ali seemed cold.”
She placed her palm flat on my chest. “If I’d said anything else, she would have heard in my voice just how much I wanted you, how attracted I am to you. I’m just not ready to answer questions about us, that’s all. We haven’t even talked about what happened.”
I glanced toward the front of the store. “You might have to answer questions soon, I’m afraid. Gran is like a bloodhound and I’m pretty sure she smells something.”
Talia frowned and followed my gaze. “How would she know?”
“From the way I looked at you when you walked in here. I couldn’t help it,” I told her, grasping her hips and pulling her into me. “You look good enough to eat.”
She gave me a withering look. “If you’d stayed the other day instead of storming off, I was planning on mounting that gorgeous face as soon as I got off the phone. Now that scenario is somewhere in missed opportunity land.” I groaned at the mental image, causing her to smile. She lifted a hand to my beard, stroking it thoughtfully before tugging the longer hairs at my chin. “Don’t you ever walk out on me like that again. If you have a problem, speak up, because you can bet your ass I would.” She looked away and her eyes clouded. “It hurt me when you left like that.”
I kissed her forehead, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. It won’t happen again.”
