Steamy: A Romance Anthology That Sizzles

by Johnson, Cat

  I put one hand on each side of Laney’s surprised face when she turns to me, letting my thumbs stroke her cheeks. “I figured I couldn’t come to any of the openings, but every time I was in New York I bought a new one. I’d walk through those galleries so damn proud of you, Laney. It killed me to know I couldn’t have you, but I was happy to have made sure I wasn’t standing in the way of your dreams.”

  Laney stares up at me, her eyes filling with tears again. When they start to spill over, I wipe them away, the rough pads of my thumbs sliding along the softness of her cheeks, until that isn’t enough, until I know what I’m going to do next, our stupid deal be damned.

  And so I make my move to kiss Laney King like I have the right to, like I never let her go. Like I’m never giving her up again.

  But she beats me to it.

  9

  Laney

  I ache for Matt Sullivan. I can disguise it for a second or two, but when he looks into my eyes with that mix of want and confusion, I take matters into my own hands. Or lips, as it were, because I don’t waste one more second not kissing him. And the tenderness of that first kiss? It wipes everything that’s happened between that summer twenty-five years ago and this moment right now clean away.

  But things don’t stay sweet for long. They never have when it comes to me and this man in close proximity. I fist the cotton of his T-shirt as he pulls me flush against him. I open to him and the contented sound he makes has me shamelessly deepening the kiss, pushing my hands under that shirt, touching a body I once knew so intimately but that now seems new.

  We’re both greedy, mouths and hands searching like we’ve been starving for each other. And maybe we have been. All these years apart and I’m right back here guiding his shirt up and over his head like we’re eighteen again, sneaking around stealing any time we can get.

  “Laney.” His growl in my ear has goosebumps breaking out all over my body. His hands find my ass and pull me even closer. I can feel his erection between us and I can’t help but grind a little against him. He groans.

  I pull back to yank my tank top over my head, not even caring that the bra I’ve got on underneath has seen better days. It doesn’t last two seconds on my body anyway before Matt has it off, sliding it down my arms to meet my shirt on the floor. His mouth is on me in a flash, the whiskers of his beard unexpectedly soft against my skin. I throw my head back as he laves first one breast and then the other. When he takes a nipple between his teeth, I feel a jolt of electricity that goes straight to my clit.

  “Missed you, baby,” he says against my chest and my heart cracks right open. I close my eyes, trying unsuccessfully to keep my stubborn feelings for this man at bay.

  “Should we stop? God, Laney, I don’t want to stop.” Matt’s mouth moves to my collarbone, along the length of my neck.

  “Don’t stop.” It’s more dare than offer, and maybe a reckless one at that, but right now all I want to think about is how good this feels. How much I’m hoping to get Matty out of those jeans.

  He doesn’t waste time discussing it, just keeps kissing me as he walks me toward the couch against the far wall of the office. When the backs of my knees hit it I nearly fall over, but Matt’s strong hands are there to catch me, to guide me down. He makes short work of my jeans and panties in one tug.

  His eyes rake over me and I arch my back a bit. I might not be the girl I was before, but I know I’m still more than worthy of a man’s attention. Matt’s tongue darts out, licking his lower lip.

  “Get those pants off and get over here.” I reach for him but he doesn’t come, instead sinking to his knees in front of me. He cradles my face in his hands, kissing me slowly, gently, taking his time before he starts his way down my body, his lips dragging along my skin. I close my eyes and try to stay still but between the warmth of his mouth and the friction of his beard, I can’t keep from squirming.

  “Stay still, Laney,” he cautions and I see the taunt in his blue eyes when he lifts them to meet mine. He grazes my hip bone with his teeth. “Never could resist this right here.”

  I nearly shoot off the sofa when Matt’s tongue licks up my center. He chuckles, the warmth of his breath teasing me. Two big hands reach under my ass to tug me closer, pressing his face tight against me while his tongue does things that leave me gasping. I thread my fingers through his auburn curls and grind against his mouth. I don’t even try to be quiet as my orgasm rips through me, shouting loud enough for half the population of Mint Springs to know more interesting things than horticulture are going on tonight at Sullivan’s.

  I’m still trying to come back down to Earth as Matt shucks off his jeans and slides up my body until we’re face-to-face. He curses under his breath.

  “What?” I search his worried face.

  “I don’t have a condom.” He squeezes his eyes shut. “I don’t usually need them here at work, obviously.”

  “I’m on the pill.” I press my forehead to his. “If you trust me then we’re fine.”

  “You’re the person I trust most in this world, Laney. Always.”

  I’m still reeling from that when he lays me down and slides into me, filling me so completely that I gasp. When he starts to move, it’s with slow deep strokes that have me groaning, arching up to meet him. He takes his time relearning my body, sliding a hand down the length of me, gripping my hip for a bit before moving lower and letting his long fingers find my clit. I wrap my legs around his hips while he makes slow circles with the hand trapped between us. I latch my lips onto his neck and feel my body start to wind tight again.

  “I’m close. God, Laney,” Matt rasps in my ear.

  I want to slow time, have this moment with Matty last because I know all too well how the real world’s going to come crashing in soon. I close my eyes, urge him on, pretend there’s only this moment and my insatiable need for him. Give myself over to the feeling of his skin slick against mine and let myself have a few minutes of what could have been.

  I wrap my arms around him and pull him tight, digging my fingers into the hard muscles of his back. There’s no way I can keep the wave of my orgasm from crashing over us, threatening to prove once again that I’m no match for this attraction, this connection that hasn’t lessened despite decades apart. My entire body shakes with the evidence of what he does to me. He tenses, his body going tight, his release mixing with mine until I can’t tell where Matt ends and I begin. His breath is hot against my neck, my own breathing impossible to slow. I shiver despite the overwhelming warmth coursing through my limbs.

  I’ve just made things extremely complicated with Matty Sullivan.

  10

  Matt

  “Why did we give this up again?” I ask the crown of Laney’s head as she lays spread out on top of me. This couch doesn’t have room for us to move apart and I’m not complaining. Not at all.

  “Because we were know-it-all teenagers who thought trying to keep this would mean dragging each other down, remember? We were getting out of here no matter what but we were so different—the artsy girl and the super jock. And our dreams seemed so incompatible, impossible to overcome.” Laney runs her fingers through the hair on my chest, tangling them in the curls.

  “And maybe it would’ve been, but now… Now it seems so naïve, in a way. Like two kids had any idea what would work and what wouldn’t.” I keep my eyes trained on the ceiling.

  “But it did work.” Laney lifts her head to look at me. “You got what you wanted and I did too. Well, what I thought I wanted. I got to paint. Went to New York and had a little success. You had a professional baseball career, Matty. People dream of that—you dreamed of that!” She gives my chest a swat. “You can’t regret choosing that over the possibility of us.”

  “I know that was the dream, Laney, but it wasn’t as simple as that. It ruined my marriage—the travel, the pressure. It nearly ruined my relationship with my son. I wasn’t ever going to be one of the big names, you know? But I never stopped trying. Even when I was home I wasn’t
really there. That’s why this made sense. Moving here. Slowing down a little. I love baseball, but there are more important things. I help coach the high school team; I get Trey all summer. I would never have imagined this being what I want, but it’s perfect. Well, nearly.”

  She tilts her head and all that silky hair slides over her shoulder and onto my chest. “Nearly?”

  “Now that you’re here I can see something’s been missing.”

  “You can’t know this is going to work now, either.” Laney shakes her head.

  “But I’m willing to try. What are the odds we’d both end up here now? That seems like an opportunity to me.” I should try to disguise some of the hope in my voice, but why bother? I lost Laney once before because I thought I knew better, thought I could move on.

  “I’d call that coincidence.”

  “You can call it whatever you want if it means you’ll give this another shot. You’re here for a bit. Let’s take this time while we have it. Put down some roots, Laney. Grow some tomatoes. Try again with me.”

  Laney bites her lip and looks away. She stiffens. “I should go.”

  I keep my hands where they are. She’s not getting to run out of here without giving me an answer. “What’s holding us back, Laney? Our old deal’s done. We chased those dreams. Now we can start working on some new ones together.”

  “Matty… My mother’s going to get worse. And you have a business and a kid to think of. I can’t saddle you with my problems. I’m not going to be chasing new dreams here for a while.” She runs her hands over my cheeks. “That’s not fair to you.”

  “You know what’s not fair? Not giving this a shot. We aren’t kids anymore, Laney. I can handle a little disappointment. We can.” I force her to look me in the eye. “If you don’t want to then tell me that, but don’t say no out of fear.”

  “Of course I want to, Matty, but—”

  “Come on, then.” I set her on her feet. “How much longer do you have the nurse’s aide tonight?”

  “A bit, why?” Laney stands naked in front of me and I have a hard time remembering why I want us to get dressed and leave this room.

  “Because we’re going to the diner to get something to eat.” I pull my T-shirt back over my head.

  “To Ham & Eggs? Right now?” Laney catches her jeans as I toss them to her.

  “Yes, right now.” I’m not giving her a chance to change her mind. “I’m going to walk in there holding your hand like I always wanted to. Let people know Laney King’s decided to go public with Matt Sullivan. Everybody in town should know before we even order. See? Dreams comin’ true already.”

  Epilogue

  Laney

  Three Years Later

  “Laney!”

  “Back here!” I tilt my head from side-to-side, working some of the kinks out. These giant canvases require some contortion. Luckily, now in my new studio I have room to paint even these big suckers. I stand and stretch out my back, moving far enough away from the painting to get a different perspective.

  “I like this one. The purple really pops.” Matt comes up behind me and his hands immediately come to my shoulders. His thumbs dig deep into the stiff muscles there.

  “You think? Not too muted? It’s technically a petunia, but…”

  “But also not a petunia. I get it. How long have you been in here?” He kisses the back of my neck and I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of his whiskers there.

  “No idea.” This little she-shed behind Sullivan’s is my favorite place. It has the perfect amount of light and I lose all track of time once I’m here.

  “Well, it’s about time to head home so I’d say you’ve been in here long enough. Ten minutes? Will that give you a chance to pack up?”

  “Perfect.” Which is exactly what this moment right now is so I turn around and make it impossibly better, lifting my face and pressing my lips to his.

  “What’s that for?” Matt smiles down at me. “’Cause I’ll try to keep doing it.”

  “For everything. And nothing. Just because.” There’s a lot of that, lately. Wanting to kiss Matt just because I can. “And for making it so easy.”

  “Easy?” Matt tilts his head back and laughs. “What part of this has been easy?”

  Dealing with my mother’s care and the realization that I couldn’t continue to do it at home was difficult. But Matt’s been helping me to deal with losing my mother right before my eyes, keeping me sane. Every year he’s been bringing in a bumper crop of Sassy’s tomatoes. I’ve been trying to be the best stepmother I can to Trey, who’s unbelievably sweet, but still a teenage boy, after all. Still, I wouldn’t trade it. This move to Mint Springs was the right choice and all the evidence I need is the way Matty’s looking at me right now.

  “The part that counts.” I nip at his bottom lip.

  “That’s the only part that matters.”

  About the Author

  Jessie Harper writes steamy, contemporary romance with a slightly Southern flavor. Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, she has lived all over the world—from Europe to Asia. She currently resides in Park City, Utah with her husband, three children, and more rescue animals than she ever intended. She appreciates a nice glass of whiskey, homegrown tomatoes, and well-delivered sarcasm. She hopes to never have to “bless your heart.”

  https://jessieharper.com

  The Wild One

  Tawdra Kandle

  The hookup wasn’t planned. What he wants from me next is an even bigger surprise.

  1

  “Didn’t I tell you that the Road Block is amazing after dark?” My friend Maureen leaned back in her chair, grinning at me.

  I raised my beer bottle to clink against hers. “You did. And it is.” I glanced around the huge space, taking in the bar, the dance floor, and the throngs of people gathered around tables. “This place has got a totally different vibe at night than it does during the day.”

  “Right? I’m so glad you could make it tonight.” Maureen drank deep and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I know evenings are tough for you. If I had to get up at four every morning to bake, I’d be in bed at sunset.”

  “Hey, it’s a living.” I shrugged. “And I love what I do. But you’re right. My hours mean my social life is practically non-existent. If we hadn’t made it in time for the first set, I’m not sure I could have hung in until eleven to catch the second one.”

  “I get it. I don’t mind having an early night. I’m opening the clinic tomorrow, so I’ll appreciate the extra sleep.”

  I nodded. “So, who’s playing? Someone local?”

  Maureen shrugged. “No, some country singer. Apparently, he’s pretty popular. You know Mason—he always manages to book rising stars, but this guy hit it big with a single last month. The buzz is that he’d committed to play here before his song went to number one.”

  I sniffed. “Ugh. Country music. I can’t stand all that twang and whining.”

  “Kiki.” Maureen rolled her eyes. “Come on. There’s plenty of good country music. Look at Elvis.”

  “Hey.” I pointed at her. “Don’t mess about Elvis. He might’ve started out country, but he ended up the king of rock n’ roll.”

  “Okay, okay.” She held up her hands in mock surrender. “All hail the king.”

  “Damn right.” I drained my beer and stood up. “I’m heading to the bathroom. Be right back.”

  “I’ll try to behave.” She gave me sassy eyes, and I laughed as I wove between bodies, making my way to the back of the restaurant. I was about to go into the women’s room when the door swung open. A tall blonde woman emerged, hesitating when she saw me.

  “I wouldn’t go in there just now.” She made a face. “You can’t get to the stalls, anyway. Some chick’s having a meltdown, and all her little chicklet friends are in there. It’s nothing but tears, sobs, and recriminations.”

  I heaved a sigh. “Great. Thanks for the warning.” Once she’d walked away, I peeked into the bathroom to see for mys
elf what was going on. It was as she’d said: a bunch of barely legal girls filled the space. One of them was crying.

  I felt sorry for her. But the part of me that badly needed to pee wanted to kick them all the hell out.

  “Shit,” I muttered. Turning around, I leaned against the wall, wondering how long I’d have to wait. Then I saw the men’s room across the corridor.

  No one was around. I was pretty sure I could get in, do what I needed to do, and get out without causing a fuss.

  Well, why not?

  I glanced around. No one was paying any attention to me, so I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The urinals were my immediate concern, but no one stood there, which meant I was home free, providing the stalls weren’t occupied. Bending down, I looked for feet.

  Nothing. With a word of thanks to the goddess of full bladders muttered under my breath, I hustled into a stall, locked the door and got down to business.

  I was nearly finished when I heard the ominous swish of the door. My heart began to pound, and I held my breath, hoping that whoever had just come in would use the urinal, wash his hands and exit without glancing down to see my feet.

  But this was where my luck ran out.

  I watched a pair of sneakers, topped off by frayed hems of jeans, step into my line of sight. I froze, pressing my lips together, deciding I knew how a cornered rabbit must feel when the coyote is about to discover her.

  “Now, I don’t stand in judgement of anyone, or which bathroom he or she chooses to use.” The voice was deep, with a hint of amusement in it. “And I don’t much care if a man needs to wear heels every now and then. Not my deal, but hey, you do you. But you should know that not everyone is going to be as, uh, open-minded as me. We’re in Georgia, after all.”