After I dropped the bottles in the glass bin, I moved to the coffee machine and proceeded to get the coffee ready, wondering what Robert’s next move would be.
His hands seized my shoulders, and he silently turned me around ’til we were facing each other. He held me firmly as he began kissing me.
It was a hard kiss. A jealous kiss. A passionate kiss.
There was hurt and resentment, but mostly love. I melted and sank into the embrace. Into the passion. His hands slid up and cupped my face. His tongue slipped inside my mouth for a long, slow, juicy kiss. He sucked my tongue the way he usually sucked my clitoris—gently, firmly, relentlessly.
I went crazy. Crazy with need. His thumb skimmed the corner of my mouth before rubbing across my lips as he whispered his love for me. When he kissed my neck, I shuddered, clinging to him. He lifted my skirt and slid a finger under the little slip of cloth covering my wet, throbbing pussy.
I licked my lower lip, and Robert groaned.
“Do that again,” he muttered as he slipped one finger into my hot channel.
Oh, God.
I thrust against his hand as I fisted his long, silky hair. When his wet finger circled my clit, I let out a loud moan, pulling his hair a little tighter. I bit his chin. Kissed it to soothe. Bit it again.
He stroked me faster, harder, and I dropped my forehead onto his shoulder. He held me tighter as his fingers plunged deep inside me, his thumb pressing my clit as he reached my G-spot.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!” I cried, ’til the last shudder left my body. “Oh, God.”
That was unbelievable.
When I lifted my head, Robert smiled tenderly at me. I kissed him lovingly, and strong passion assaulted me. I panicked and stopped kissing him. He considered me with a deep and intense frown, but said nothing.
I stroked his bearded face. “Your turn.”
His fingers circled my wrist, and he kissed my palm. “Let’s have some coffee first.”
Oh, right, coffee! I had completely forgotten about it. Small wonder, considering I’d just been seduced in a most amazing way.
Chapter 3
It was a sell-out house. The Knicks were playing the Utah Jazz. It was going to be a good game. I glanced at Jack, and a rush of lust flooded me. He was so incredibly handsome, I could hardly keep my hands off him. He flashed a wide grin at me, and I stopped breathing. His short, thick, brown hair was combed back, showing a tall forehead and straight eyebrows. His green eyes were confident, flirtatious, beautiful. A fashionable stubble accented that statement of independence I’m so partial to.
My gaze dropped to his mouth, and I drooled at the thought of those perfect, full lips kissing mine. When he pulled the sleeves of his light-blue sweater up his tanned, hairy arms, I almost whimpered with the need to touch him. Jesus, when was this game going to be over?
I looked at the clock. End of the first quarter. My heart sank. Damn, there was still a lifetime before we could be alone. And the bad news was that the Knicks were down by three points. Not a good start to the evening.
I had met Jack three years earlier when I was looking for an apartment. My friend, Nicole, said she knew a realtor I might like to meet. I asked her if he was any good—meaning at his job—and her answer still amuses me to this day.
“I’m not sure, but when you see him, I don’t think it’ll matter one bit.”
And she wasn’t kidding. It didn’t matter at all, but in the end, he did find me an apartment.
The Knicks ended the second quarter losing by ten points.
Oh, come on, Knicks, don’t ruin my evening!
Jack and I didn’t become instant lovers. We circled each other for about three weeks, during which period we had about twelve dates. When we finally fell into bed, we almost killed each other. It was the most earth-moving experience in my life, and I hadn’t been able to walk too steady in his presence ever since. It always amazes me how starstruck I become when I’m with him.
Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a three-pointer for the Knicks with 32.5 seconds remaining. The crowd went berserk. Jack jumped to his feet, and when he sat down again, he leaned over, smooched my lips, and squeezed my knee. He was getting all charged up, and I hoped the Knicks didn’t lose their momentum.
They went into the fourth quarter only five points behind. The cheering was deafening. During the quarter, the Knicks started to close the gap, and they ended the game with a five-point victory.
There was madness at the Garden. Jack was delirious, exchanging high fives with the guys from his office sitting next to him. Drinks were mentioned, but I didn’t catch Jack’s answer.
When he turned to me, he was still beaming. “Ready?”
You bet! “Where to?”
He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Straight home once I lose these guys.”
Oh, man!
* * * *
Jack’s apartment was spacious, bright, and tastefully decorated in a modern, trendy style that suited him to a T. I’d only seen it this last year, as before that, he always stayed at my place. Evidently, I had finally earned his full trust.
“Do you want a drink?”
After the two G&Ts I had at 40/40 Club? Hardly, or tomorrow my hangover would be monumental. “Just water, please.”
Jack lifted an eyebrow. After all the Heinekens he’d had, I was tempted to suggest he should do the same so we could get on with the business that brought us here tonight. Sex. But I said nothing, and he shrugged and headed for the fridge.
I took the opportunity to check my makeup. I walked into a really fabulous black-and-white bathroom, right out of Freshome. I leaned over one of the two basins and stared straight into my eyes.
What am I doing here?
I jumped back, startled by my own thoughts. What was that? Where did those words come from?
Jealous?
Jealous, me? No way. Jack’s interest in the model who was introduced to us at the bar by one of his coworkers did not make me jealous.
No?
No! If anything, it turned me off. It did. Strange, in a way. It had always been okay to share him with other women, both in and out of bed. So why was it different tonight?
Perhaps I’m not as into him as I used to be?
That couldn’t be true. I loved having sex with Jack.
I gasped. Robert! Fucking Robert and his declaration of love was driving me crazy. He was making me doubt a motto that was so certain and true before. He was shaking the foundations of my lifestyle, causing doubt where there was certainty.
I won’t let him.
He could take his love and his future plans and his plane tickets and…and…give them to someone who cared.
I leaned forward into the mirror. My makeup was not smudged, my hair, though a little mussed, still looked great, but my dark-brown eyes shimmered with annoyance. I breathed deeply and winked at the Zeta Jones look-alike staring back at me. Time to forget those strange thoughts and have some fun. I walked out of the bathroom.
Jack stood by the window, gazing out into the night, beer bottle in hand. He turned as I approached and flashed a smile that lit up his whole face and made me weak in the knees. Why was I so turned-on by him? Was it his charisma? His personality? His body? Damn if I knew what made him so special!
I cocked my head and let my long, silky hair fall to one side. “So,” I said.
“So, what are you in the mood for?” he asked, an amused smile slightly lifting the corner of his gorgeous mouth, his eyes playful and cocky.
He wasn’t talking menu options, or at least not the kind a person gets in a restaurant. Why did he have to be so cocksure? So handsome? So freaking hot? I was usually a sucker for his badass act, though tonight his assertiveness gritted on me. I was getting my period, and it made me a little edgy. I wanted his confidence, but craved vulnerability. I blamed my reaction on hormones.
I shrugged. “What are the options?”
He wrapped his arms around me, the cold bottle against my back contrasting
with the heat engulfing me. He nibbled on my lower lip, then on the upper one. I closed my eyes and let myself be seduced by an expert mouth that kissed mine with all the finesse of an experienced lover.
Robert’s passionate, love-inspired kisses flashed through my mind, startling me.
What the heck?
Why did I have to think of Robert now? Talk about a joy-killer.
“I’ve actually prepared a little surprise for us tonight,” Jack said.
What was he talking about? His secrecy chafed my nerves. I was really not in the mood for surprises tonight, but I humored him.
“Yeah, what’s that?” I asked, my tone sounding a little off to my own ears.
He didn’t seem to notice. Too centered on his own thoughts, he teased, “You’ll soon see.” He glanced at his watch just as the doorbell rang, and then moved to answer it.
As he walked to the door, I got a strong premonition I wasn’t going to like his surprise.
Jack’s strong and joyful voice was followed by a soft female giggle. He came back into the room, his hand on a woman’s shoulder as he walked by her side toward me. I recognized the floozy and was taken aback by her presence. When had they arranged to meet? Why hadn’t he said anything to me before?
They stopped in front of me, and Jack flashed his smile. “Amanda, you remember Taylor from earlier, don’t you?”
The rat.
I smiled back. “How could I forget?”
Jack sensed something was off because his eyes narrowed slightly and his smile faltered a bit.
“Well, that’s good,” he said, recovering quickly. “Taylor has shown an interest in improving our acquaintance,” he explained. “And I thought there was no better time than tonight.”
“Indeed,” I said, going along with the farce, though I was already withdrawing from the scene.
I absolutely didn’t want to know this woman tonight or any other night, and certainly not in the way Jack had in mind. I didn’t want a threesome. I didn’t want sex with a stranger. I didn’t even want sex with him.
I want Robert.
Oh, God, I was in love with him!
“Are you okay? Do you want a glass of water? Here, sit down. You look like you’re going to faint.”
I shook my head, but when I opened my mouth, no words came out.
“What is it?” Jack asked, concerned.
I blinked a couple of times. I’d never imagined myself in love with Robert. But I was, and probably had been for some time, in love with Robert.
“I’m fine,” I managed, forcing lightheartedness into my voice.
“Yeah?” Jack said, hopeful. “Great!”
Although he didn’t say it, I guessed what was going through his mind, but there was no way we were having sex tonight—or any other night in the future. We were done. All I wanted was to go home and lie in my bed and think of Robert. No, not to think of him, I wanted to see him.
I jumped up. “I’m going home.”
Surprise and annoyance flickered in Jack’s eyes, but he only said, “I’ll call a cab.”
“That will be good, thanks.”
I didn’t care that I was leaving so abruptly. I was elated. Ecstatic! I was in love, and I needed to tell Robert.
Tonight!
Jack walked me down to the cab. He made small talk and acted his usual way, no different from countless other nights in the past. Yet everything was different. When he said he’d call me about the weekend, I told him I’d be away.
“Are you okay?” he asked as the cab pulled in front of his building.
“Yes. Why?”
“You suddenly went quiet.”
“I’m tired.” I didn’t want to explain. I didn’t want to share the news with him. Not here. Not now. I’d tell him later. Next week.
I kissed his cheek and got into the cab. “Goodbye,” I said as he closed the door.
Epilogue
What was happening to me? Joy was exploding in my chest. I wanted to dance and sing, and…and…and be with the man I loved. Robert! I had to tell him. I had to share the news with him. Tonight! I couldn’t wait another minute, or even a second. I had to look at his face as I told him I loved him.
Tonight! Yes, yes, yes, tonight!
I leaned back and smiled in a dreamy kind of way.
What if he’s not there?
I sat up straight. Where would he be at this hour?
Well, you’re not home, so why should he be?
A tightness constricted in my chest, totally unfamiliar to me until now. Oh, God, I didn’t like that uncertainty. Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to surprise him in the middle of the night. That was something only a desperate person would do.
I’m desperate.
Desperate to share my love with him. It would be all right. He was going to be there, and he was going to be thrilled to see me. It would be all right.
As the cab approached Robert’s house, I started to get nervous, insecure, scared. This was a big step. What was I thinking? This wasn’t the Amanda Salt I knew. What had happened to all my convictions? What had happened to “I don’t do romance. I’m a hedonist. I seek pleasure above all things?” What had happened to my belief that I wasn’t born with the gene of emotional intimacy? What had happened to “I don’t do love or monogamous relationships?” Married to one man? Scary! Sex only with him for the rest of my life? Unimaginable! Live happily ever after? Absurd!
I would call Robert tomorrow and tell him I wasn’t his woman. He could still find someone else to take to Paris on Friday and forget about me. And I could forget about him.
The thought of Robert taking another woman with him made me want to cry. The thought of him loving someone else. That made absolutely no sense whatsoever. What was wrong with me? I had the perfect life. Why mess it up with thoughts of love and happily ever after?
I’m in love with him!
God help me, it was true, and there was no going back. I loved him, and I was not letting him take anybody else to Paris but me. He was mine!
“We’re here.”
What? Already?
“Right.” I paid the cabdriver and walked toward the front of the building.
I can’t just barge in. What if he’s with someone?
Why would he be with someone? He loves me.
Right!
I walked another two steps and stopped. Perhaps I’d better call him first. Just in case…he was sleeping.
Right, right, good idea.
I speed-dialed him from my cell phone. One, two, three rings…that was it. He was sleeping, I was hanging up. I was going home. That was where I should have gone to begin with anyway. It was a stupid idea to arrive unexpected at his place in the middle of the night.
“Hello?”
Oh, oh, oh, what do I say now?
“Robert?”
“Amanda? What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” This phone call was so out of character for me, it was no wonder he thought something bad had happened. “Nothing is wrong. Not really.”
“Not really?” There was puzzlement in his voice.
Before I changed my mind, I quickly announced, “I’m downstairs.”
There was a brief hesitation, and I held my breath.
“I’ll be right down.”
Relief. Joy. Excitement. Anxiety. All these emotions and others I couldn’t quite identify swirled through my mind, but when Robert opened the door and our eyes locked, all my doubts and fears disappeared, and I was left with nothing other than love and joy.
* * * *
“So you came here tonight to tell me you want to go to Paris,” Robert said, glee in his beautiful gray eyes and a little smile at the corner of his sexy mouth.
We were sitting on his couch. Well, Robert was sitting on the couch; I was mostly on his lap. We’d been talking for the past hour. And kissing. But mostly talking. I didn’t know love could be so good. I was wide awake, and Dr. Seuss’ quote—“When you are in love you can’t fall asleep because reality
is finally better than your dreams”—never rang so true.
“And that I love you,” I said, still a little shy to voice out loud my love for him.
“And that you love me,” Robert said as he smiled lovingly, his hand sliding under my top. “And was there any other reason for your visit tonight?” he asked, stroking my midriff.
I loved his touch. I loved it even better when his hand moved up and palmed my perky breast. “Mmm…that feels good.”
“Does it?” he asked, amusement coloring his words. He rolled my nipple with two fingers, and my eyes fluttered as I savored his touch.
“What about this?” he murmured in my ear, and I wrapped one arm around his neck, pressing hard against him. He chuckled.
“Well, if you like that then you’re going to love this,” he rasped, undoing the top button of my jeans. His hand slid inside my pants and grabbed my ass as he found my mouth. We kissed long and hard, as if we’d been deprived for months and might not kiss again for some time.
Oh, yes, I like that very much.
And Robert liked it, too. His cock was thickening against my hip as heat spread like wildfire through my veins. My tight jeans rubbed at my crotch, and I shuddered with excitement.
“And you’re going to love this even more.” He tumbled me onto the couch.
I couldn’t help but giggle with the giddy lightness of being in a state of happiness I’d never experienced before.
He undressed me—first the boots, then the jeans and sweater, and finally my underwear. “You know, you’re undoubtedly the most beautiful woman I know.”
I gasped at his feral expression as tremors raced through my body to join at my core. Robert’s predatory eyes when he parted my thighs excited me. I thought of a caveman, of dominance. I thought of a hunter.
Robert was very much the hunter tonight. And I his prey—a willing prey. I wanted to be caught and be eaten by him. The thought of his mouth eating my pussy made me shudder. I licked my lips and drew a breath. There’d be carnage; it couldn’t be helped. We were so hot for each other.
Triple Pleasure Page 3
