Coming Apart at the Seams

by Jenna Sutton

  At first she had wondered if she should accept such an expensive present, but ultimately she’d decided to say “thank you” instead of “no thank you.” She didn’t know whether he bought jewelry for anyone else, but she figured she probably deserved it more than those other women, who cared only about the size of his penis or his bank account.

  At least she loved Nick.

  “Jesus, Teagan,” Marshall said, laughing incredulously and shaking his head. “That necklace is easily worth seventy grand, probably more. It’s not something a man gives to a friend. It’s something he gives to his girlfriend or his wife. Or his lover.”

  She blinked at his vehemence. He was almost frothing at the mouth he was so upset.

  “You’re either lying to me or you’re lying to yourself when you say that you and Nick are just friends,” he continued fiercely. “Which is it?”

  She stared into his dark eyes, uncertain how to answer him. She was in love with Nick, but as far as Nick was concerned, they were “just friends.”

  A sharp knock sounded at the front door, and both of them looked toward the sound. Scowling, Marshall stalked toward it, and she hurried after him. He flung open the door, his tall body filling the opening. Teagan peeked around him to see who was on the other side, gasping when she saw Nick.

  Nick’s eyes narrowed on Marshall, and his lips thinned when he saw her behind him. Edging Marshall out of the way, she moved in front of him.

  She didn’t know what to do. Should she step out in the hall to talk to Nick? Invite him in? Ask Marshall to leave?

  Before she could make a decision, Nick stepped forward, almost steamrolling over her and Marshall. They were forced to shuffle backward into the foyer until they reached the living area.

  She stood between Nick and Marshall, who glared at each other over her head. She felt like peanut butter between two slices of bread, so she stepped back and gestured toward Marshall.

  “Marshall, this is Nick Priest. Nick, this is Marshall Brants. I’ve mentioned you to each other.”

  Nick must have left his suit jacket and tie in his SUV because he was dressed only in his light gray dress shirt, charcoal suit pants, and leather dress shoes. The expensive cotton shirt clung to his arms and chest, outlining his musculature, and the dark trousers emphasized his height.

  Marshall, meanwhile, was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved plaid shirt. He was a good-sized guy, but Nick seemed so much larger and far more physically imposing.

  Marshall slowly extended his right hand to Nick, but instead of accepting it, Nick put his hands on his hips and stared down at Marshall’s hand as if it were covered in oozing sores. He met Marshall’s gaze, tilting his head toward the door.

  “Leave,” Nick demanded, his voice low and menacing. “Now.”

  Marshall dropped his hand with a sound of disgust. “That’s what I thought,” he said before beckoning Teagan toward him. “Walk me out.”

  She hurried to comply, trailing after him as he strode down the hall. He pulled open the door and turned to face her. He hesitated for a moment, looking over her head. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Nick at the end of the hall, watching them with his arms crossed over his chest.

  Marshall leaned closer and put his lips against her ear. “If Nick is just your friend, I’m the fucking Easter Bunny. He wants you. The only question is whether you want him. Do you?”

  Teagan hesitated. She hadn’t been fair to Marshall by dating him while she was in love with Nick, and she knew she’d behaved badly. He shook his head when she didn’t answer him.

  “Goddamn it,” he said, running his hand through his dark hair. “Let me know when you figure it out.” He turned to walk down the hall, but he only took a few steps before looking over his shoulder. “I don’t want to wait, but I will. You’re worth it,” he muttered before striding off.

  She slowly closed the door, leaning her forehead against the smooth wood. This was all Nick’s fault. If not for him, she’d be in love with Marshall and one step closer to happily ever after.

  Making her way back to the living room, she stopped in front of Nick. His hands were in his front pockets, his gaze focused on her face.

  “Why are you here?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

  He didn’t answer, nor did he move a muscle or change his facial expression.

  “I’m pretty sure we said good night,” she added. “Or at least it was implied when I slammed the car door.”

  His eyes narrowed, and it took her a moment to realize he was angry. Really angry.

  Nick was a fairly easygoing guy, and she’d never seen him anything more than slightly annoyed. She wondered if he was angry because he was jealous.

  Was Marshall right? Was it possible Nick actually felt more than friendship for her? And if he did, what was she going to do about it?

  “Why were you so rude to Marshall? I can’t believe you refused to even shake his hand. What’s your problem?”

  Clenching his jaw, he pulled his hands from his pockets and planted them on his hips. He rolled his lips inward as if he was trying to prevent himself from letting loose with a bunch of curse words.

  “I told you he’s a nice guy. You just lost a big fan.”

  He snorted rudely, and she stepped closer, poking him in the chest with her forefinger. He didn’t move an inch, so she pushed him with the palm of her hand.

  “There was no reason to be a jerk!” She pushed him again, a little harder. “You’re such an ass!”

  He sucked in a deep breath and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up against his chest. She searched his eyes, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

  “Are you jealous, Nick?”

  “No,” he answered immediately, letting go of her wrist and stepping away from her.

  “I think you are.”

  He laughed, but she thought it sounded forced. He backed up a couple more steps, and she followed. She was done being his friend.

  Done.

  “You know what Marshall told me?”

  Nick’s eyebrows shot up, and she placed her fingers on her necklace, stroking the diamonds. “He told me a man doesn’t buy a necklace like this for a friend. He buys it for a lover.” She paused to provide some emphasis to her next statement. “Or someone he wants to be his lover.”

  His eyes widened before his gaze fell to her hand. She trailed her fingers from the necklace to her cleavage, closely watching his face for any reaction. He swallowed before jerking his eyes away from her chest. She wasn’t sure if that response was enough to justify throwing herself at him.

  “Is Marshall right? Do you want to be my lover?”

  Nick stared at her, his face unreadable. She took a deep breath, and his delicious scent flooded her senses. She wanted him so badly, enough to risk everything.

  His rejection. Her pride.

  Their friendship.

  “Do you want to be my lover?” she repeated as she stepped close enough to feel the heat of his body against hers.

  Reaching out, she hooked her fingers in the waistband of his pants right above his belt buckle and pulled him to her. He resisted for a second before shuddering and closing his eyes. He inched forward, and she knew.

  She knew.

  “Do you want to be my lover?” she repeated huskily, noting the erection visible behind his zipper.

  While he stood unmoving, she unbuckled his belt and popped the button on his pants before pulling the tails of his dress shirt from them. He was breathing in deep gusts, and she slowly undid the buttons on his dress shirt until it fell open to show his snowy white undershirt.

  She stroked her hands over his cotton-covered stomach before pulling his undershirt from his pants. Delving under it, she lightly ran her fingernails through the silky hair sprinkled across his abs, and he quivered under her touch.

&n
bsp; He opened his eyes to meet her gaze, and finally—finally—she recognized the glint she’d seen there for months now: desire.

  Grasping his right hand, she pressed it against her breasts. His long fingers clenched in the silky material of her dress as if he wanted to tear it from her body.

  “Do you want to be my lover?” she asked one last time.

  She waited for him to answer, squeezing her thighs together to ease the ache of arousal that had been building for far too long. Before the night was over, Nick was going to soothe that ache, hopefully more than once.

  “You do,” she said, answering her own question when he remained stubbornly silent. “Now kiss me and put us both out of our misery.”

  Chapter 19

  Kiss me.

  Teagan’s demand echoed in his ears. He’d been fantasizing about kissing her for months, but he wasn’t going to put his mouth on her. Any part of her.

  He wasn’t going to ruin their friendship. He wasn’t.

  Nick stared at his fingers. They were clenched in the green fabric covering her breasts, just inches away from her cleavage. He forced himself to let go of her dress, dropping his hand and lifting his eyes to her face.

  She tilted her head as she met his gaze, placing her hands on his chest and rubbing lightly. The warmth of her palms heated him through his undershirt, and he trembled with the desire to feel her hands all over him.

  Shaking his head, he stepped away from her. He had to leave. Immediately.

  Her hand shot out to grab his waistband, stopping his progress. She sighed, clearly exasperated with him. Before he could take a breath, she unzipped his pants just enough to ease her hand inside his boxer briefs. She gripped his cock, and he moaned at the pressure from her smooth fingers, his vision blurring from the pleasure.

  “You lied to me. This,” she said, squeezing his cock, “is for me. It’s not just biology.”

  Of course it’s for you. I get hard anytime you’re near.

  “It’s mine,” she continued, stroking his shaft, “and I want it.”

  Her hand was relentless, stroking and squeezing, and he felt a twinge deep in his balls. Placing his hand over hers, he stilled her torturous touch.

  “I want you,” she said huskily. “I have for a long time.”

  Her words stunned him. He’d truly had no idea she wanted him, and that knowledge sent desire surging through his body, eroding his good sense like a tsunami obliterating everything in its path.

  “Are you going to give me what I want, Nick?” she asked, licking her rosy lips.

  He was so turned on he couldn’t form a single word. And even if he’d been able to, he didn’t know if that word would be yes or no.

  She rubbed her thumb over the tip of his cock, and he gasped. Blood roared in his ears, but he could still hear her.

  “I want you on top of me, around me, inside me.”

  Closing his eyes, he groaned at the images her words created in his mind. She laughed softly, and he raised his lids when she took his hand in hers. She led him down the hallway to her bedroom, and he followed docilely, like a dog on a leash.

  She’d left the two bedside lamps on, and they bathed the entire room in a golden glow. Lavender linens and puffy pillows covered her queen-sized bed, and she backed him against it, lightly pushing his chest until he sat heavily on the side.

  She nudged his knee, and he widened his legs so she could step between his thighs. The position put her face almost even with his, and she leaned forward, placing her mouth against his. He clenched his hands in the silky material covering the down comforter to keep from reaching for her.

  “Give me what I want,” she whispered, her soft, full lips caressing his. She opened her mouth, slowly running the tip of her tongue across his bottom lip before sucking lightly on it. And that was all it took.

  He lost it.

  Gripping her waist, he pulled her against him, toppling them backward onto the bed. He rolled her under him, settling his lower body between her legs before shoving his fingers into her hair and slanting his mouth over hers.

  She opened to let him in, and he moaned in relief. He felt like a man who’d just had his first sip of water after wandering through the desert for days.

  He’d wondered how she would taste for months and months, and now he knew. She was deliciously sweet, better than any dessert he’d ever had, and he licked deeply into her mouth. Her tongue slid against his, and he sucked on it before feeding her several deep kisses.

  He needed to come up for air, but he didn’t want to give up her mouth. She gasped, and he pulled back to stare into her eyes. They were so dark they were almost navy, and he traced one of her dark eyebrows with his thumb.

  “That was a pretty amazing first kiss.” Her luscious lips turned up at the corners. “But I sure had to wait a long time to get it.”

  Because he couldn’t help himself, he lowered his head and covered her mouth again. He couldn’t get enough of her, and he nipped her lower lip before running his tongue over the small bite. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, savoring the glide of it against his lips, and played with her mouth for several minutes.

  She pulled back from his kiss, gasping for air, and he followed her lips until she giggled against his mouth. Moving her hands to his shoulders, she pushed his dress shirt down his arms.

  “Off,” she demanded.

  He knew this was a mistake . . . that he should stop now before he made things even worse. But instead, he levered himself into a kneeling position to shrug off his dress shirt. He threw it on the floor before pulling his undershirt over his head and tossing it behind him.

  She looked up at him, her cheeks pink and her eyes hazy. Running her gaze from his face to his chest, she let out a breathy little sigh that raised the fine hairs on his body. She trailed her fingers lightly across his stomach before making a second trip with her fingernails, causing him to break out in goose bumps.

  “Oh, you’re so much better than my fantasies,” she said, her voice almost reverent. “And my fantasies were pretty incredible.”

  She exhaled loudly as she traced his lower abdominal muscles, and the movement drew his attention to her breasts. Since she was on her back, they were barely contained by her dress, and his mouth tingled at the thought of being able to touch and taste them.

  Inside his head, the voice of reason had grown fainter. It was barely a whisper now: You can still salvage the situation, it told him. But you have to stop now. You can’t go any further.

  She brought her cobalt-blue gaze to his face. “Do you know what I wished for tonight when the chef brought out my slice of birthday cake? When I blew out the candle, I wished the night would end with us in bed together and you deep inside me.”

  He sucked in a breath. He’d wished for the same thing, hundreds of times, if not thousands.

  Grasping the waistband of his underwear, she pulled him down to cover her. Her breasts flattened under his bare chest, the silky fabric of her dress cool against his hot skin. She licked her lips, her mouth just inches from his, and he stopped thinking about what he shouldn’t do and started thinking about all the things he was going to do once she was naked.

  “I bought this dress for you, Nick. I wanted to look good. I wanted you to notice me. To want me.”

  He noticed everything about her: the way she scrunched her nose when she tried not to laugh, the way she rubbed her right eyebrow when she was tired, and the way she tapped her lips when she was nervous.

  She had no idea how much he wanted her. And it wasn’t because of her damn dress, either. But it definitely looked good. And it would look even better on the floor.

  Accepting the inevitable, he slipped his hand inside the bodice of her dress and delved inside her bra, cupping her breast in his hand. It was warm and firm, and her hard, velvety nipple poked his palm. He shaped her breast gently, and she s
ighed softly.

  While he continued to caress her breast, he nuzzled the tender skin behind her ear, pulling in a deep breath scented with her perfume and her own unique fragrance. He sucked lightly on her skin before trailing his tongue down the side of her neck. She arched it to give him access, and he nipped her smooth white skin.

  Suddenly, she pushed against his chest. “Stop.”

  He closed his eyes briefly, torn between crushing disappointment and overwhelming relief. Thank God one of them had enough sense to stop this runaway train before it derailed and plunged into a ravine. He rolled off her, falling to his side, and she launched herself off the bed as if it were on fire.

  Teagan spun to face him, but to his surprise, she reached toward her side and pulled down a zipper he hadn’t even noticed. He propped himself up on his elbow, his eyes locked on her luscious body.

  She shimmied out of that gorgeous green dress, bending down to step out of it. The movement pushed her breasts together, creating some magnificent cleavage, and he promised himself that before the night was over, he was going to run his tongue up and down that valley.

  She rose, and he took in her va-va-voom body with its big breasts, small waist, and ample hips. Saliva pooled in his mouth, and he had to wipe his lips to keep from drooling. She was everything he’d imagined, but more. So much more.

  He could see her creamy skin peeking through her black lace bra, and her tiny matching panties and a black garter belt highlighted her pussy. The thigh-high stockings he’d seen earlier covered her shapely legs, and he wondered if she was going to give him a show and remove them or if he’d get to pull them off.

  She turned to drape her dress over the chair in the corner, and he couldn’t hold back a moan when he saw the globes of her ass and the tiny strip of black lace between them. He’d love to slide his cock down that sweet crevice before pushing into her pussy from behind.

  He wondered if she liked that position or if she preferred another. He was willing to do it whatever way she wanted as long as she let him inside her.