Fighting Love (Love to the Extreme)

by Niles, Abby

He rubbed deep again, pulling another appreciative moan from her. This time, she definitely did hear a growled, “Fuck,” under his breath.

  A raging ache formed between her legs at the graphic word as her nipples instantly hardened into tight peaks. A very naughty side reared up. Watching him closely, she deliberately moaned this time, making the sound more breathless…and sexual. All massaging stopped on her foot as his spine stiffened. Then he worked his head back and forth, rolled his shoulders, and continued kneading into her arch.

  He was trying to turn her on.

  And there wasn’t another man in sight. No one he needed to put on a fake show for. The same desire she’d seen in him this morning had been as ripe in that growled “Fuck” as it had been in his eyes earlier today. Desire for her.

  He did want her.

  She didn’t need any damn kiss to confirm that. Didn’t need a moment of jealousy that pushed him to take her into his arms. There was absolutely no doubt that all she had to do was give him the go-ahead and Tommy would ravish her body the way she had dreamed about.

  With the confirmation, emotions bombarded her from every direction. Fear, excitement…rampant uncertainty. But the one that stood out the most was how incredibly much she wanted this man. No matter what the consequences would be.

  And that terrified her more than anything.

  He switched to the other foot, giving that one the same treatment, coaxing more sounds from her—genuine sounds—as easily as he coaxed the tension from her muscles. And coaxed her to surrender to him and forget everything else.

  Didn’t he always say she didn’t play enough? That she needed to let go?

  Well, here was her big chance.

  No other man had ever made her body come alive the way Tommy did without even touching her. What if no other man ever did?

  She studied her best friend, the tremors now quaking his shoulders. And she knew he was fighting himself, struggling not to ravish her.

  No matter how hard either of them fought this attraction, and even if they succeeded, their relationship had changed forever.

  The only question was…would they still be together in the end? Or would they both spend forever apart…and alone?

  …

  She was fucking killing him.

  Tommy scrubbed pumice stone over the bottom of Julie’s foot. His cock was hard as steel and wedged at an awkward angle in his jeans. Highly uncomfortable. But other than standing and grabbing the front of his pants to reposition himself, thus bringing Julie’s focus to that very stiff part of him, he was just going to have to deal.

  He was almost done with the pedi, and then he was getting the ever-loving hell out of here.

  This had been a superbly dumb idea. Her first soft moan should have been a clue. Her second, a red flag waving in his face. He’d never wanted to be on top of a woman faster, or more urgently. Inhaling deeply, he finally lowered her foot into the water. “All right. You’re done. Get dressed and meet me in the living room.”

  Where he had another colossal mistake waiting.

  As he left, he didn’t look at her. Once he had the door closed, he reached down and rearranged his aching cock, groaning. God, he was so turned on. The little mewls she’d made from him touching her were some insanely dangerous shit. And he found himself teetering on the brink of blind lust—just from the noises she made. And he hadn’t even been doing anything erotic to her, just rubbing her damn feet.

  What the hell would happen when he started rubbing other places—his favorite places? What kind of noises would she make then? Could he make the soft moans louder? The languid moans more frantic? The contented moans more desperate? Lust shot through him at the mere thought of trying.

  Shit! He needed to calm down or he was going to do something he regretted. Fucking Julie Rogers was not an option. He refused to let the friendship he treasured with that woman be ruined by treating her like every other meaningless encounter he’d had.

  If he were going to be with her, it would be special. He would be slow and thorough…a true lover. He would not fuck her brains out and leave.

  Not, not, not.

  Calmed by the inner pep talk, he went to his room to change into a pair of black silk pajama bottoms, needing to get out the restrictive jeans or he risked permanent damage. As tempted as he was to go shirtless, that was begging for disaster, so he tossed on a black wife-beater, then went back into the kitchen. When she walked into the living room wearing one of his oversized amateur MMA shirts from years ago, his gut twisted. There was something massively arousing about her wearing his shirt, and as far as he was concerned, that could be all she wore for the rest of her life and he’d never tire of seeing it.

  As he’d been sifting through her drawer earlier and found it, male satisfaction had gripped him, and he wondered how many nights she’d slept in it, and if she thought of him every time she put it on. After that, his search for the perfect outfit had been over. He had to have her in it…see her in it.

  The hem reached mid-thigh, making him think of the bright pink satin panties he’d chosen to go with it. Going through her underwear drawer had been an eye-opening experience. He’d never considered what she wore under her clothes, but the drawer full of colorful lace, satin, and silk had both shocked and pleased him. Picking out the one he wanted her to wear, to know she it on right now, was so damn hot. Everything about that woman made him hot.

  It was like his body had stored up twenty-three years of lust and was bombarding him with it all at the same time.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked to distract himself.

  “Fantastic. That bath worked out the rest of the soreness.”

  “To be on the safe side, lie down on the couch, and I’ll rub more ointment on your back.”

  He was surprised when she didn’t argue. When she pretty much flopped belly-first onto the couch without hesitation, he knew she wasn’t lying about feeling better. After he raised her top, he exhaled slowly at the smooth skin he’d give anything to place his lips against right now. Instead, he squirted a liberal amount of the medicated gel into his palm, then rubbed it onto her lower back. His gaze kept drifting down to the swell of her ass.

  Oh, God, he needed to touch her there. Had to touch her there.

  Being just a little bad wouldn’t hurt.

  Right?

  Slipping his hand under the waistband of her PJ bottoms, he massaged low onto one round cheek, biting back a groan as the flesh filled his palm perfectly, as he’d known it would. One day he had to have his hands on both of these luscious cheeks while she rode him.

  Realizing his mind was going into dangerous territory, and fast, he jerked his hand out. “Okay, you’re good.”

  She rolled over onto her back, and he helped her sit so she was propped against the arms of the couch.

  “That okay?” he asked.

  “I told you, I’m feeling fine.”

  “Can I sit with you?”

  When she nodded, he lifted her legs and slid in beside her, pulled her thighs across his lap, then slung his arms across the back of the sofa. It was intimate. A couple’s position.

  He liked it.

  Picking up a strand of her hair, he ran it absently through his fingers, enjoying the scent of the lavender bath oil lingering on her skin. “The night is yours. What would you like to do?”

  When a moment passed and she hadn’t said anything, he glanced up from the lock of dark hair and met her eyes. A wallop hit him hard in the chest and he couldn’t drag his gaze away. He hadn’t wanted to kiss her tonight, had just wanted to spend time with her, pamper her, make her feel special—let her know his intentions, get used to seeing him this way. Prove to himself he was capable of taking pleasure from simply holding a woman instead of from how many times he’d made her come.

  But this was the moment—he felt it to his very core.

  Their faces were inches apart. Tension crackled in the air. As he gave in, leaning toward her to close the distance, he knew this kiss wou
ld be different from any he’d ever given in the past. Gently pressing his lips to hers, he kept the kiss soft and coaxing, sweet and lingering, as their lips became acquainted. Needing more, he shifted his body toward hers and angled his head as he cupped her face between his hands.

  The silkiness of her mouth was intoxicating, keeping him coming back for more. He yearned to take her mouth the way he wanted to take her body—hard and fast and screamingly thorough—but he forced himself to keep it slow and easy. When he flicked his tongue across the seam of her lips and she parted for him, he delved inside and discovered the sweet, addicting taste of Julie.

  And all rational thought fled.

  Raking one hand into her hair, he knotted his fingers at her nape and tugged her head back as he shifted onto his knees. He moved his body between her legs, grunting his approval against her lips when she spread them without coaxing. As he devoured her mouth, his hand tightening farther in her hair, holding her immobile, his to do with as he pleased. He loved that fucking thought. Encouraged by her mewls of pleasure, he shifted closer, pressing her into the couch cushions. His cock stood proudly forward against the silk of his bottoms, making contact with her belly.

  She gasped into his mouth as she slid her palms around his waist to grip his ass, drawing him closer into her. The feel of his cock flattening onto her stomach made him groan with desire.

  He wanted her under him. Now.

  Blind with need, he ripped his mouth from hers and shifted backward. Grasping her behind the calves, he dragged her down until she was flat on her back, hair fanned out around her face. Lips swollen from his kisses. Desire for him burning in her eyes. Breathtaking.

  As he positioned her gorgeous thighs on either side of his hips, he scooted closer on his knees, easing her legs wider apart. But not enough for him. Nowhere near enough.

  He growled his disapproval. “I want you open, like this.” Pulling her knees up and out, he moved forward until his pelvis was pressed right against her center.

  Her gasped “Yes!” drove him wild. He pushed her thighs wider still, showing her what he wanted—her completely revealed to him. Nothing hidden. The pink satin–covered mound beneath him made his mouth water. “Yeah. Like that. I want to see. Everything.”

  He rubbed his palms up and down the insides of her thighs. Her lips parted on a moan as she arched up. Watching her respond to him shoved him into oblivion.

  “You like that? What about this?”

  He slid his rigid cock against the place he wanted so badly to invade, grinding his teeth at the friction. When she shuddered and moved helplessly against him, he could almost feel himself pounding into her. He wanted it. Her. He ground harder against her, right into that blissful valley between her legs. Fuck. Yes.

  Running his hand up her stomach, he engulfed one breast in his palm, pinching the erect nipple between his fingers. She cried out, loudly this time.

  The sound snapped him out of his sexual stupor.

  He froze, staring down at her, horrified at what he’d done.

  She blinked up at him. “W-Why did you stop?”

  He jerked up off the couch, backing away.

  Damn! Damn, damn, damn.

  “Tommy. What’s wrong?”

  He was treating her like all the rest. Damn it! He didn’t know how to make love. He didn’t know how to love at all. All he knew how to do was fuck.

  Forget the leaving her afterward fear. They would never get to that point. He’d make damn sure of it. Julie deserved better than him.

  She deserved a man who truly knew how to love her.

  Chapter 10

  The next morning, Julie cracked open her bedroom door and sneaked into the living room, trying not to wake Tommy. She’d gone ahead and taken a sick day.

  She and Tommy needed to have a long talk, and she wasn’t giving him the chance to escape her.

  After his freak-out last night, he had locked himself in his bedroom, leaving her to go back to hers, where she’d proceeded to lay awake mulling over what had happened between them, wavering dangerously between hurt and puzzlement.

  Wondering why he’d looked so horrified before he’d run off.

  He’d been totally into what was happening, of that she was certain. Heck, he’d been more than into it. The man who’d tugged her on her back then compelled her legs apart when she hadn’t parted them wide enough for him had been overwrought with lust. Tense lines had grooved his face as he’d rubbed himself against her over and over. And his cock—how big and hard could a man get? The thought of it thrusting inside her made her shiver with wicked desire.

  Just the small sample of him she’d had last night convinced her that sex with Tommy would be dirty-good, raw, and totally exposed. And it would be like nothing she’d ever experienced before.

  Dear God, she had never been more turned on in her life. She’d almost found release from the sheer intensity of him.

  That thrilled her as much as it frightened her.

  The fear was coming from a place of self-preservation. She’d already lost her heart to the man, but what if she lost her body, too? She may not have found anyone to replace Tommy in her heart, but she did have physical needs she succumbed to from time to time. And her encounters had been…satisfying. At least she’d thought they’d been.

  Funny, until last night, she had always believed she’d had pretty good sex. Apparently not. Tommy had made her realize how very wrong she was, and he’d only just begun to demonstrate what he was capable of. Once she’d had him inside her, she had no doubt her definition of good sex would be permanently altered, and anything else would pale in comparison.

  What was worse? Winding up alone and remaining ignorant of absolutely amazing sex, so that mediocre sex would still be good enough? Or winding up alone, knowing how mind-blowing sex could be…and never finding it again?

  Jeez, talk about a crap choice.

  As much as she would love to think of her and Tommy having something more than they’d always had, it was hard to envision it actually happening. She’d spent so long seeing their relationship for what it really was, not how she wanted it to be, that she wasn’t blinded by the romantic notion that just because this unexpected mutual attraction had blossomed, they’d find a happily-ever-after.

  She wished it would be that easy. But she’d seen too much, experienced too much with the man to be so naive. They lived two very different lives, and she really couldn’t see him being happy settling down. Maybe he’d prove her wrong…but it was hard to overlook the glaring evidence of the past fifteen years since he started dating.

  Sighing, she fed the dogs, then made herself a bowl of oatmeal and eased down on the couch to eat. A few minutes later, she heard the click of Tommy’s door opening, then the pad of his feet on the hardwood. Her stomach fluttered in both excitement and anxiety. How was he going to act toward her now? She would just die if he looked at her with disdain.

  When he stepped into the living room, he froze, and she saw him swallow. Not the best reaction, but at least he didn’t do an about-face and go back to his room.

  “Morning,” she said.

  “Morning,” he mumbled, then hurried toward the kitchen.

  She let out a frustrated breath. “Tommy?”

  He stopped but didn’t turn to look at her, and her frustration grew. She didn’t know how to handle this Tommy—how to talk to him, or even begin to. It was like she was dealing with an entirely different man than the one she’d known most of her life.

  And she was, wasn’t she? The man in the room with her now wasn’t her friend. He was a stranger, and she hated the distance between them.

  “I think we should talk,” she said.

  A long moment of silence followed before he asked, “Are you feeling better?”

  “Why?” she hedged.

  “Thought I’d look at a couple of rentals today. My insurance check arrived. Think it’s time to move on.”

  Okay. Wow.

  So now he was in a rush to move ou
t? “Y-You’re not going to stay home with me?”

  “Looks like you’re moving around fine.” He still wasn’t looking at her.

  Without another word, he disappeared into the kitchen.

  Julie chewed on her lip. Maybe she should just let him go. Obviously he was still freaked out about last night and wasn’t looking to repeat it. Maybe if he moved out and they got back to their normal routines, their friendship could come out of this unscathed. But as she listened to him rummage through the refrigerator, she realized she wasn’t ready for him to go. Not yet. She still had too many questions left unanswered, and she needed him here to get those answers.

  Unfortunately, he seemed hell-bent on getting out of the house today. How could she get him to stay?

  An idea formed, one so manipulative it made her feel totally guilty for even thinking it. She never stooped to such tactics. But he wasn’t going to stay willingly.

  Feeling like a heel, but backed into a corner, she waited until she heard his footsteps approach the living room again, then she started to stand. Making it halfway up, she let out a pained, “Oh!” and grabbed her lower back.

  A crash sounded behind her, then Tommy was at her side, his hands on her arms. As he helped her sit back down, he crouched by her knees, his worried gaze scanning over her. “Are you okay? Shit. Did I hurt you last night?”

  Only my feelings…

  The concern pinching his face made guilt slam hard into her, but she shook her head. “Things didn’t get far enough to hurt,” she said drily. She didn’t have to feign a grimace when he ignored her pointed remark. “No, I just tried to do too much this morning. Help me put my feet up before you go.”

  Eyes jerking up to hers, he stared at her like she was nuts. “I’m not going anywhere now.”

  “Tommy. It was only a little pinch. I’m okay. I just tried to get up too fast. Please don’t let me stop you from—”

  “I said I’m not going anywhere. Let me grab the back ointment and some meds. I’ll be right back.”

  As he left the room, she couldn’t stop a small smile. She didn’t normally get that devious, but for a novice, she’d handled that one perfectly. And she’d gotten exactly what she wanted. Tommy was staying. Even better, he seemed to be somewhat back to his old self.