by Laura Benson
As we turned onto the road where my hotel was, I told him, “I have a small table in the room, we can eat there rather than dealing with crowds in the restaurant,” I mentioned.
Matthew took his eyes off the road, giving me a look that I couldn’t interpret, though I felt that familiar heat in my cheeks. I kept my eyes straight ahead as I realized what I was asking of him. But there was no way he could be thinking what I thought he was thinking. Bringing him up to my room for dinner was innocent enough, considering we didn’t really get along. Though the thoughts running through my head lately were anything but innocent. In fact, my thoughts were turning positively pornographic, and I needed to clench my thighs and dig fingernails into my palms to bring myself back. I knew absolutely that I could not think this way about Matthew. He was Joey’s best friend. My ex-boyfriend’s best friend to be matter of fact! However, trying to control these urges or impulses, or whatever I wanted to call them was becoming more and more difficult, the longer I was in the same space as him.
As a seventeen-year-old, he was annoying and mean to my fifteen-year-old self. Eight years later, he was suddenly sexy as fuck and absolutely dripping with desire. I shook my head to remove those thoughts, the ones where my tongue was licking down his chest, toward his belly button and further below, till I met with his…
No! Get a fucking hold of yourself!
“Are you coming, or are you going to stay in here drooling?” he joked as his brows were raised into his hairline.
“Huh?” My attention snapped to him, and I realized he’d already parked the car in the hotel lot and had my door open. I closed my eyes, turning toward him as he leaned over me. It became so suffocating, and I could feel the heat across my cheeks and dampness in places that were surprising me. Damn it! Could I really be that attracted to this utter prick? Grabbing my bag, I quickly exited the car, slamming the door a bit harder than I meant to.
“I think the hotel restaurant is the best option after all,” I said, rushing ahead of him.
“Oh, no, Charlie.” He chuckled, a bit too amused with my earlier declaration of eating in my room. “Dinner in your room that way we can go over publicity stuff without being interrupted.”
No. Shit. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. This was not a good idea. I was literally this close to ripping his clothes off and doing very wanton things to him. I cursed the shakiness in my voice as I urged, “I just think that maybe we should talk about that stuff tomorrow.”
“Nope.” He shook his head, grinning at my discomfort as he pulled on my arm and led me into the lobby of the hotel.
Could he tell? Could he read my thoughts? Fuck, this was so embarrassing. I should’ve known damn well that he wouldn’t let it go.
The ride to my room in the elevator was fraught with tension. It didn’t help that the elevator was crowded, and Matthew was stuck to me like a fucking glue stick. Because he was a good head taller than me, with the closeness, it almost looked as if we were wrapped in each other’s arms, and my head fit snuggly into his shoulder. I tried to take calming breaths, to control my already out of control body. If I turned even one inch to look up at him, our lips would be so fucking close, I could slip and my mouth would find his. Yeah, like that would be a bad thing! Jesus, Charlie, stop. It. Right. Now!
When the elevator dinged alerting us that we finally made it to my floor, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Being stuck with Matthew in such a tight proximity was not good for my health or my sexual well-being. I was tuned so tight it felt like I would explode if he touched me.
I opened all the curtains in the room, flooding the space with moonlight before I turned on the lamps on the desk and nightstands. I indicated a chair that Matthew could take, but he sat down on the bed in the middle of the room. Twitching my lips, I looked around for the remote to turn the TV on. I set it to local music channel, then found the room service menu and tossed it to Matthew.
“Order anything you want,” I said to him. Of course, it was on the label’s dime, so I imagined he’d order the most expensive meal. I told him I was in the mood for a simple cheeseburger and fries. Matthew surprised me when he got the exact same thing. We also ordered a couple of beers.
“So,” I pulled up Joey’s schedule as we waited on room service. “We have the radio show Friday morning, then we have to get Joey over to the Hollywood Bowl for sound check.” I looked at my iPad and back up at Matthew. “We’d be better off hiring a car to shuttle him back and forth, don’t you think?”
Matthew, still on the bed, leaned back on strong forearms. I swallowed my growing desire as he leaned all the way back, tucking his arms behind his head. “Yeah, sure,” he said. Was this his way of teasing me?
“Matthew?” I said shakily.
“Yes, Charlie?” he breathed tiredly.
“What are you doing?” I asked tentatively.
“I’m resting before the food gets here.” His eyes were closed, arms still behind his head. “Your bed is extremely comfortable.”
I stood off to the side, watching his chest rise and fall with deep, calming breaths. He wasn’t completely on the bed. His legs were hanging off the end, feet firmly on the floor. I knew right then I had to get out of the room with him lying on my bed. I needed something to stop my buzzing body.
“I’m going to take a shower before the food arrives. Make yourself at home,” I said sarcastically.
He waved a hand at me. “Mhmm…”
I rushed into the bathroom, trying to calm my damn nerves. Watching him on the bed—on my bed—was getting to be too much for my oversexed body. I took my time washing myself, slowly going over my sensitive parts. Knowing that Matthew was behind the door on my bed caused thoughts to race through my head. I wasn’t sure what I was doing anymore. Joey was with Clara, and God knew what those two would get themselves into. I was here, horny and pissed off that I was finding myself sexually attracted to the one person I never wanted to give the time of day to.
Once I got out of the shower, I realized that I didn’t bring a change of clothes in the bathroom with me. “Shit!” I swore softly. I said a silent prayer that Matthew had dozed off and I could quickly grab capris and a tank. Taking a deep cleansing breath, I wrapped the towel tighter around my body and exited the bathroom.
Of course, Matthew was sitting up on the bed, not dozing off. Damn, damn, damn. I swallowed hard at the look he threw me—pure, unadulterated lust. He casually swept his eyes down to my naked feet, up my calves, to my thighs, to where the towel skimmed just below my ass, and I was speechless, couldn’t move from the trajectory beam of heat he was shooting at me. I held the towel tight against my chest as he slowly, predatorily got up and walked over and behind me.
He continued his slow perusal of me as he walked around me. The hunger in his look was heart-stopping. Slowly, very slowly, he reached out his hand and touched my shoulder with the lightest of touches that I closed my eyes and gasped. His fingers continued their soft trail up my neck, over my shoulder blades, to the other side of my neck. Goose pimples covered my skin as I allowed him to touch me. I needed to say something to him, I really wanted to stop his soft touches. But that deep, dark part of me couldn’t move or say a word. With my eyes closed and teeth biting lower lip, I gave in to him.
He leaned down and blew onto my neck, not saying anything, just lifting my hair and pushing it off to the side. I could feel my pulse throbbing in my neck in time with the throbbing between my legs. With both hands, he lightly rubbed my shoulders, then up and down my neck, causing me to whimper. I could feel my nipples strain against the terry cloth towel, making it feel a bit uncomfortable. I pulled the towel tight against my body, my hand fisting the knot at the front of me.
Matthew leaned down behind me, rubbing his nose along my neck, up to my ear, and over to my cheek. “You smell incredible,” he said gruffly.
I found myself swaying back into him. He continued his ministrations with his hands and his nose. Once he stood in front of me, his hand softly
against the back of my neck, he tilted my head up a bit. “I want to kiss you, Charlie,” he said softly and oh so, erotically.
I couldn’t talk. I was too caught in his thrall. He slowly inched his face toward mine. I’d been thinking of this moment. This exact moment. I kept my eyes closed, waiting for his lips to touch mine. Ever so slight and soft, he brushed his lips across mine. It was a butterfly touch, but there was so much in that softness that I gasped, “Matthew,” and he took it as invitation to crash into my mouth. Any thought that was going through my mind was tossed out the window. This was pure, unadulterated bliss.
The softness was gone, and pure hunger overtook him. He pulled me close, continuing to kiss me like I’d never been kissed before. I whimpered, groaned, and finally gave in to him, pushing close to him. Our tongues tangled against each other, causing the both of us to groan. His hands trailed down my backside, cupping my naked ass under the towel that was only being held up by the force of our two bodies pressed together.
“Fuck, Charlie,” Matthew growled as he continued to massage my ass.
I pushed my hips into his, feeling his erection growing bigger in his jeans. My fingers made way to his hair as I tried to pull him even closer. I knew at that moment that any relationship Matthew and I had previously had just became something different, and we were entering very rocky terrain.
And yet I couldn’t stop it. I was helpless, not a thought in my brain, other than what I wanted to do to him and vice versa. I couldn’t get enough of his lips, his mouth, and his hands. I didn’t want him to stop, and I was ready to push him back onto my bed and give myself to him.
His kiss caused ripples along my body, and I shuddered violent as he softly bit my bottom lip. “What will I find under this towel, Charlie?” he asked huskily.
I could only answer with a whimper. My lustful thoughts and the softness of his voice I could only push myself closer to him.
His fingers slid from my ass over to my belly. Pushing aside the towel, his fingers walked down toward my core. “How wet will I find you?” he whispered into my ear, nibbling on it at the same time. I grabbed his hair tighter, pushing my head into his neck as he slowly went lower to feel the surprise he was expecting. His fingers found my swollen clit, and when he rubbed it, I leaned in, lightly biting his shoulder. Fuck, he was driving me crazy with his finger.
I bit my lip, knowing that his cool fingers were just inches from my very wet core. Matthew pulled back and looked at me. His hooded eyes were filled with desire and want. I knew there was something I should be asking him, but in that moment in time, my brain was mush, and I just wanted to feel. I looked at him expectantly, and with the barest of nods, he pushed his fingers inside of me, causing me to moan in pleasure.
“So, so wet for me, Charlie. So beautiful.” He kept his lips on my neck, lightly nipping and sucking.
I was on stimulating overload. If he continued pumping his fingers inside of me, I would come. I lifted my right leg to give him better access as he went deeper than I could’ve possibly imagined. His fingers felt at home inside of me.
I groaned, whimpered, begged, and sighed all in one erotic whoosh. “Don’t stop, Matthew. Please…”
“Never, Charlie,” he panted, so softly that I couldn’t help myself when I pulled his mouth to mine and kissed him like I’d never kissed anyone before. His kiss spoke to me. All the feelings and pent-up lust came out and overtook me. Even with Joey I never felt the connection I was feeling with Matthew. I wanted him. Oh, God, did I want Matthew. I could admit that now. It would definitely complicate things, but Jesus Christ all I could think about was him. Right or wrong, it felt too good to stop.
Matthew continued pumping his fingers, but he raised the stakes when he introduced his thumb to my clit. Within minutes, I was soaring across the galaxy, trying to keep my knees from buckling under me.
I swiped my hand against his swollen cock, as he groaned in my ear. “I want you, Charlie.”
I pulled back to look at him when the banging on the door completely destroyed moment. My body was flushed scarlet from his touch, and I was extremely wired. If he touched me one more time, I’d explode in a million pieces. Biting my lip, I turned my head toward the banging. “Room service,” I said dumbly.
Matthew stood there, frustration flooding his face. His body looked strung tight, and it looked like he was about to hit the room service waiter. He rearranged himself in his pants and took a deep breath. “Get dressed and I’ll get the food,” he said thickly.
I nodded, grabbing what I needed and closing myself into the bathroom once again.
I stood in front of the mirror, looking at my flushed body. The tips of my nipples were pink and swollen. My face was overheated with lust. Lips were swollen with fantastic kisses. And my mind whirred in too many different directions.
The alarm droned loudly in my ear as sunlight poured into my room. I sat up suddenly, wiping my hands down my face as I started to remember what exactly had taken place last night. My body still tingled from every touch Matthew placed on me. My lips felt plump from the harried kisses we shared. Although I woke up alone, my body was still buzzing. Now the reality of what happened was starting to hit me, and I felt like I’d done something completely wicked.
Just thinking of Matthew made my nipples perk up and my bottom half thrum with unabashed want. Taking the pillow, I covered my face and groaned into it. How was I supposed to face him today? How was I supposed to go on like nothing happened, when in actuality I’d wanted to rip his clothes off? Most importantly, how was I supposed to keep this feeling a secret from Joey?
That right there was what brought me back to Earth.
With another groan of frustration into the pillow, I lay back on the bed. Running my hands through my already tousled hair, I contemplated my day. Without my iPad nearby, I was trying to remember if I could just work from the hotel and avoid seeing Matthew altogether.
Probably not.
I sighed, bringing my hands to my face and rubbing the sleep from eyes. Dinner was tense after everything that happened, and he’d invariably left soon after. As he got to the door, he took one grave look at me that froze me in my spot. Then he shook his head and was gone.
As I finally stood up to stretch my sore muscles, I played back that look over and over again, wondering if he regretted what had happened. Maybe it was just the stress of everything that made us do what we did.
Taking a brisk shower, I shoved my hair into a ponytail, leaving it slick and wet. I dressed casually in loose, flowy pants and a peasant top. It was comfortable, hobo-chic, and perfect. My final decision was that I would go into the office, but I would not let what happened between me and Matthew upset the balance of things. So with a deep breath, I quickly made my way out of the hotel.
Debbi was in her usual spot and greeted me with a kind smile since she was on the phone. I walked through the double doors, quickly heading back to the break room for coffee, thanking my lucky stars that a fresh pot looked to have just been made. I prepared my coffee to my liking and was about to head back to my office when Matthew entered.
I could feel the air being sucked out of the room as he stood stock still in the doorway. He was wearing jeans and a Henley-type sweater in a slate blue, causing his eyes to look like an azure sky. My cheeks were instantly warm, and desire formed in my gut. Neither one of us moved, but the stare down was never-ending. Just thinking of his fingers, and looking down at his long, sturdy digits nearly caused me to lose my balance. If I wasn’t in the employee break room, I’d run to him and do things that were considered illegal in most states.
While lost in my sensual thoughts Matthew stood in front of me and grabbed hold of me before I could fall backward against the counter. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his chest. I inhaled deeply, smelling his usual sexy scent. It was warm and woodsy and a bit spicy, exactly what Matthew was. I was nervous and feeling incredibly shy which was not me at all. When I was finally able to pull my head up and ca
tch his gaze, his eyes darkened to a near black, and the longing I saw was spellbinding and overwhelming. That he had these myriad of emotions for me was hard to understand. It wasn’t yearning that shone from his eyes, but something else that I wasn’t sure I wanted to touch upon. I wanted to give him a smile, but all I could manage was to fumble with my coffee and bite my lip.
However, he had other ideas in his head as he angled his head down to kiss me again. I turned my head as he caught the corner of my mouth instead. As much as I wanted to kiss him and tear aforementioned clothes off, we needed to be professional.
“We shouldn’t,” I mentioned nervously, falsely. His touches caused me to war with my feelings. Feelings that were conflicted.
“I know,” Matthew replied equally quiet, yet not stopping.
Gulping, I considered all my options. I could walk away, or I could stay here, and we could continue to stare at each other like two people who had not a care in the world. But we both knew better.
“It wouldn’t be fair to Joey…” My voice trailed away as Matthew’s eyes narrowed. I was trying to be nonchalant, but my heart was racing, and my palms were clammy. I didn’t believe anything I just said. My mind knew I was using Joey as an excuse, yet, my heart didn’t know what to think. These feelings for Matthew were so far beyond what I’d expected, I wasn’t even sure what I was thinking anymore. His soft touches along with his sensual kisses brought me to my knees and what I wanted to do on my knees was far from pure.
Matthew took a few steps closer to me so he was standing behind me. “If I recall, Joey cheated on you,” Matthew whispered, irritated, into my ear. His closeness caused more goose pimples to coat my body. “You’re not dating anyone. You’re free to be with whomever you want. No?” His hands skimmed my shoulders.
I shook my head no, this was Joey. I turned back to look at the perplexed look on Matthew’s face.
“I want you, Charlie,” he said thickly while putting his hands on my shoulders. The look in his eyes was one of want and hope.
