CHAPTER 11
Maggie ate until she was stuffed. Then she watched Shane finish off her food after he cleaned his own plate. The guy still had the appetite of a teenager. She wondered what other appetites had remained from adolescence. Judging by how hard his dick was last night, he could probably go awhile, regardless of what he’d said about embarrassing himself. Every time she looked at his hands, all she could think about was how they had been inside her and she came all over them. As a blush crept across her skin she started to question everything Shane did.
Was their trip to the parade part of his seduction routine? What about lunch? She began to think they couldn’t be just friends hanging out, not until they actually had sex. Then she’d put it to bed, so to speak.
Crap. Every thought she had seemed to have a sexual meaning.
“Ready?”
She almost answered, Not yet, but she was getting there thinking about last night. She nodded.
Shane stood and went to the register to pay. Over his shoulder he called, “Are you coming?”
Crap. She needed to stop this. He was talking to her like a regular person. “Uh, yeah.” She pulled his jacket back on and inhaled slowly, smelling him surrounding her. It must’ve been a work jacket he’d given her, because she could smell a hint of sawdust. Which made her think of Shane working in his apartment without a shirt, and . . .
Christ. He better hurry up and finish doing things his way. She’d had her first real, non-self-induced orgasm last night, and she hadn’t been able to think about much else since.
He held the restaurant door open for her. The wind was cold and the meager sun they’d seen during the parade now hid behind some ominous-looking clouds. “Is it supposed to rain? Or, God forbid, snow?”
“It’s too warm for snow, but maybe some freezing rain.” He opened the truck door for her. “I don’t think you’ll melt.”
“Ha-ha.” As he ran around the truck, she buckled in. “For your information, I like rainy days. They’re perfect for curling up in bed with a hot cup of tea and a good book.”
He started the engine with a smile. “Sweetheart, if that’s the best you can come up with for a rainy day, you need some help.”
“In my defense, I haven’t had a boyfriend in a long time. My book boyfriends are great company. In fact, in a lot of ways, they’re perfect.”
“They’re imaginary.”
“But real in my head. They’re smart and funny.”
“That’s the author of the book.”
She sighed. “They never do annoying things like pee on the toilet seat.”
“Hey, now,” he said, raising a hand. “My mom raised me right. I lift the seat and always put it down. Even in my own damn apartment where I live alone.”
“Your sisters trained you well.” She smiled. “Book boyfriends are also never needy, but they’re there for me whenever I want them.”
“But they can’t bring you a cup of coffee in the morning either.”
The reminder of Shane doing just that brought a rush of lust through her. “True.”
“And since they’re only paper and ink, they don’t have hands and fingers and tongues to play with your body.”
“But—”
His hand shot up again. “Don’t even try to tell me that flying solo is just as good. I think I proved you wrong last night.”
She couldn’t stop the smile. Of course he was right on that count. But more than remembering how hot last night was, she was having a great time talking with him. Most guys would never put up with such a silly conversation. It was one of the many reasons she loved Shane. He always put up with her silliness.
A few blocks from the bar, it started to rain. Then it started to pour. It was a weird mix of rain and slush splatting against the windshield. He pulled up behind the bar and said, “Get out. I’ll park and meet you upstairs.”
She waved him off. “I won’t melt. Park the truck. I can walk in.”
“Get out of the truck.”
“I’m fine.” She had no idea why she wanted to argue this point. “I don’t need special treatment.”
And maybe that was the crux of it. Was he treating her differently because of last night? Because they planned to sleep together? The deal was, they would stay the same.
The muscle in his jaw twitched as he threw the truck back into drive and pulled away from the building. For a Saturday afternoon, there were a lot of cars on the street, so it took a while for him to find a spot.
After he parked, he got out and waited on her side. He looked really pissed. The rain hadn’t let up and the cold mush slashed against her skin. Maybe this was not the time to take a stand with Shane.
He locked up as she took off at a slow jog. She wanted to run, but the pavement was slippery. More than once, she skidded and almost lost her balance. By the time they climbed the stairs to their apartments, her hair was plastered to her head and Shane still looked pissed off.
He let them in the hallway and she tugged his sleeve. “Come on, I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
“Make it coffee.”
“Fine.”
As she unlocked her apartment door, he asked, “What was that about?”
“What?”
“Don’t play stupid.”
“When you pulled up and told me to get out, it was such a gentlemanly thing to do.”
“And?”
“And I had this awful feeling you were doing it only because of last night.”
“What? Now you’re sounding stupid.” He took off his jacket and hung it over the back of a chair.
She did the same. “Don’t call me stupid.”
“Then don’t talk like it. Dropping you off so you could stay dry is something I would do for anyone. Even before last night, I definitely would’ve done it for you. It’s courtesy.”
She knew he was right, but she was so afraid of things changing. Instead of saying anything else, she went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel to dry her hair. Although her shirt had been dry beneath his jacket, her hair now dripped and left wet spots all over.
Toweling her hair, she tried to explain. “I’m sorry. As much as I really want to follow through on our agreement to have sex, I can’t afford to have things change between us. You’re my best friend.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Mags. Except to the kitchen for the coffee you promised.”
“I said I’d make it.”
“Yeah, but we both know your coffee sucks.”
After her shower, Shane met her at the bathroom door with a cup of tea. She turned toward the living room, but he laid a hand on her shoulder.
“I thought you wanted to read in bed.”
“Are you leaving?”
“No. Unless you want me to.”
“Let’s go watch some TV then.” On the way to the couch, she picked up her book. She sat in the corner, setting her cup on the table, and tossed the remote to Shane.
It was all very homey. She sat and read while he watched some sports crap that held zero interest for her. At some point, she must’ve dozed off, because Shane was tapping her leg.
“Must be a boring book,” he said with a smile.
“Nope. Just a cozy day.”
Shane’s hand rubbed her calf. “Are you well rested now?”
She stretched as far as she could, her muscles pulling tight. An uneasy feeling crept through her. When was the last time she’d slept anywhere other than in her bed behind a locked door? “Yep. Did you nap?”
“Nope. You’re cute when you sleep.”
“You sat here watching me?” She chuckled. “Creeper.”
“I thought about waking you up.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Like this,” he said against her lips.
She placed her hands on his face and stared into his eyes. “You make me feel safe.”
“That’s good.”
“No, I mean, really.” She still couldn’t tell him about her need to be behind a locked door for sleeping. Her lips brushed his.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s go to the bedroom.” He waited for her response.
She nodded. This felt right. She’d made a good choice in asking Shane. He always made her feel safe and secure. This afternoon was proof.
He pulled back and stood, holding out a hand. When her palm met his, she was reminded of how he’d touched her last night. Her heart swelled with comfort and her blood began to race. If last night was any indication of how good it could be, she was in for one hell of a ride.
Shane led her to the bedroom, and she quietly closed and locked the door. Meager light came through the window, so he turned on the bedside lamp. “I need to see you. To know you’re okay.”
She almost smiled. “I said I wouldn’t lie.”
“But you would try to push through even if it wasn’t working for you. You’d try to pretend you weren’t freaking out even if it meant tearing yourself apart.”
She nodded. He was right. She wanted this so much she would let it happen no matter what. But Shane wouldn’t let it be bad for her. He’d stop and make her feel better.
He pulled her close with his arm around her waist. His other hand guided her at the base of her skull as he leaned in to kiss her. The warm, cozy feeling fled her body and was replaced by the rush of desire. She wanted more of what she’d experienced last night, and she wasn’t ashamed to admit it to herself.
She tugged at Shane’s shirt, and her fingers brushed across his skin. His hard-on pressed against her middle. She rubbed her body along his, causing a hiss to escape his lips.
“I want to get you naked,” he whispered.
“So do it.” Images of Shane tearing at her clothes doubled her desire.
He eased away from her. “After what happened yesterday, maybe it would be better if you did it yourself.”
As if she needed the reminder of her meltdown. But she wouldn’t let a memory ruin this. He was right; she’d been able to get down to her underwear without issue yesterday. She pulled her sweatshirt over her head and he groaned when he saw her bare chest. No bra to worry about tonight.
“You could’ve warned me.”
“But I like surprises.” She shoved her pants off and stood before him naked.
He whipped off his shirt and dropped his pants, leaving everything in a pile at his feet. He smirked and kissed her collarbone. Before going any further, he looked up in question. She nodded. She didn’t want anything to be off limits with him. Not tonight. Or ever.
Crap. There was only tonight. Succeed or fail, this was it. She closed her eyes against the sensation of his mouth on her nipple. Her hand gripped his shoulder, feeling the strong muscle bunch underneath his smooth skin as he moved. After giving both of her breasts ample attention, which left her nipples hard points, he kissed lower.
Warm, wet kisses trailed down her ribs, across her belly button, then down her hip to her thigh. Anticipation sent shivers through her. She didn’t know what to expect, and in some ways the not knowing was worse. But still good.
He stood and guided her backward until her knees hit the bed. She flopped back thinking he was going to follow. Instead, he grabbed her hips and pulled her to the edge of the mattress. He knelt in front of her and used his hands to spread her legs. Propping up on her elbows, she stared at him.
He looked up, met her gaze, and when she didn’t protest, he lowered his head. Running his tongue along her slit, he moved slowly, methodically. She stayed on her elbows and watched. There was something completely erotic about watching him go down on her. She was nervous but excited. She had vague memories of how good this could be.
Shane moaned, and with his gaze still on her, one of his eyebrows arched. The simple act loosened her nerves. She mimicked the move in challenge. If he wanted a moan, he’d have to work for it. Using his fingers, he spread her lips and swirled his tongue around her clit. Her breath caught, but she didn’t lose eye contact.
He flicked her with the tip of his tongue and her hips jumped, but her eyes remained steady. She had no idea what game they were playing, but it was exciting. His hands massaged their way up her thighs. He pulled his mouth away for a brief moment and shot her a cocky grin.
He pressed a finger into her and began thrusting. She bit her lip. He winked and put his mouth back on her. Her clit became the center of his attention and she lost focus. A second finger joined the first, and as he moved them inside her, his tongue was relentless.
First, her head lolled back. Then her arms weakened. She didn’t care if Shane won their battle. If this was losing, it was one hell of a way to go. Her mind blanked out with the pleasure. She felt the tension coiling and building. She raised her foot and sought the edge of the bed for balance, but it kept slipping.
She finally braced her heel against Shane’s shoulder and held his head in place with her hand. Her hips bucked, but he didn’t let up. Her nerves tingled throughout her entire body and her mind saw nothing but white. Her muscles trembled and she thought she was done. This was the most she could normally hope for in an orgasm.
But then Shane did something with his hands and his tongue, and damn, she had no idea what it was, but her whole body was gone, floating, and all she could say was, “Oh, God, Shane” over and over.
She had no idea how long she lay there with Shane touching her everywhere. She came down from the high of her orgasm, but she wasn’t done. Her body craved more. She opened her eyes and found him staring at her. “That was amazing.”
“I’m glad.”
She tugged his arm. “But I want you. Inside me.”
He didn’t move, but continued to gently caress her with his fingertips.
“Preferably now, Shane.”
He shifted away from her toward the head of the bed. “I think you should be on top.”
Not that she minded being on top, but she wasn’t all that sure of herself, and part of her really liked him taking control.
“If you’re on top, you can stop the second something doesn’t feel right. There’s no way for you to feel trapped.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything. Her body craved his touch and longed for him to be inside her. But she wished she could tell him he didn’t make her feel trapped. She turned and saw his hard-on curving up on his belly. She crawled toward him and he groaned.
On her path up the bed, she ran her tongue over his balls and up the length of his dick. His hands fisted in the blanket. She took him in her mouth and swirled her tongue over the head. His hips jerked. Part of her wanted to make him come like this, but she was selfish. She wanted all of him for her.
She reached over and grabbed a condom from the nightstand where he’d tossed one earlier. She opened the package, but he took it from her and rolled it on. On her knees, she moved forward and grabbed his dick. Moving it along her wet slit, she bumped her clit and realized how turned on she was. She could’ve just done that a couple more times and come again.
Shane hissed and she smiled before doing it again. As much as she wanted to prolong that sweet torture, she wanted him inside her more. She placed the head at her entrance and eased down.
It hurt. She hadn’t expected that. It didn’t hurt a lot, so she pressed down a little farther. Shane held her hip with one hand, his fingers making indentations in her flesh. He licked the thumb of his other hand, reached between them, and began massaging her clit again.
She dropped her chin to her chest as he created small circles that rippled pleasure through her. Her hands braced on his chest and she felt his hips raise. He entered her slowly, taking his time. She stretched from within until she was gloriously full.
She sat still for a minute and enjoyed the sensation. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Shane.
“You okay?” he whispered.
Not sure if she could form words, she nodded. His thumb pressed against her clit, and she needed to move. She rose a little and dropped back down, her muscles slightly burning with the movement, but it felt so damn good. Shane moved both hands to her hips, and she expe
cted him to drive into her, but he just held on. Every movement was hers. Every thrust. Every grind. Every wiggle.
She picked up the pace, unsure if she could come again but needing to know he would. She stayed close to his body and slid back and forth, riding the length of him. She grabbed his hands and moved them to her chest. He took direction well. He kneaded her breasts and lightly pinched her nipples.
She was getting close again, but she couldn’t read Shane. She had no idea how close he was. Leaning down, which knocked his arms away from her, she kissed him hard.
“God, I’m close, Shane.”
“So let go.”
She shook her head. “Come with me. I don’t know. . . .” Her thoughts blurred. After a slow inhale. “I don’t know if I can again.”
“You want to?”
She slapped his chest. “God, yes.”
With a hand on her cheek, he kissed her. “Touch yourself. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Their eyes locked again, like they had earlier. He continued to kiss her and while his tongue was in her mouth, she snaked a hand between them and rubbed her clit. Stars spiked behind her eyes. Shane thrust into her hard and fast. She felt his hips lifting off the bed, but he held on to her. This time when she came, she had no words. Air froze in her lungs.
But a moment later, Shane stiffened beneath her and he stopped kissing her. His dick pulsed inside her and she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. The racing thump comforted her as she caught her breath.
They were wet and sticky and panting, but she had no desire to move. She’d discovered perfection.
Shane’s hand smoothed over her back, his rough palm slightly scratchy. “Still okay?” His voice was quiet, and he sounded like he was still out of breath.
“Yeah.” She followed with a nod and slid away from his body.
He kept his hand on his dick, holding the condom in place as he stood to get rid of it. She watched him walk out her bedroom door and close it behind him. A sudden spike of panic struck her again.
No. I will not let this happen. This was good. Nothing is going to take this from me. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought of Shane. He would be back in a minute. The fear subsided.
Hold Me Close Page 15
