Just One Fake Date: A Contemporary Romance (Flatiron Five Fitness Book 1)

by Deborah Cooke

  “White cotton is all good,” he said, revealing that he was also a fan of the basics. “It’s what’s inside that counts.” She caught her breath when he peeled off his undershirt. Down to his briefs, he braced himself over her, reaching behind her back to unhook her bra.

  She caught her breath and eyed him, apparently uncertain.

  Ty couldn’t see why. She was beautiful. Smoothly curved, her nipples dark and beaded, her skin as fair and delicate as he expected. He ran a fingertip across her collarbone and the hollow of her throat. It was a sight that he found exquisitely feminine, and he bent to touch his lips there with admiration. “Beautiful,” he breathed, meaning every syllable, and felt her heart skip.

  But she was a little bit tense and that changed everything. The tattoo he’d glimpsed covered her left arm from wrist to shoulder but he didn’t care about her ink, not right now. He lowered her to the bed, following her down until they were skin to skin. Their gazes locked again and her lips parted at the weight of him, then she arched her back slightly and smiled. She seemed to be bracing herself for what came next and not enjoying it anymore.

  There was only the ambient light from the city illuminating the room, but it was more than enough. Shannyn’s hair was tousled but there was a wariness in her eyes. That she hesitated even a bit in this moment made Ty want to know more about the guy who’d broken her heart.

  It made him want to fix her uncertainty.

  To eliminate it.

  Ty bent and took her nipple in his mouth, sliding the tip of his tongue across it as if they had all the time in the world. Shannyn caught her breath, but he persisted, coaxing that peak to harden. When he touched his teeth to it gently, she melted, giving a little sigh as she arched her back. She gripped his shoulders, her nails digging slightly into his skin as she surrendered to his touch. Ty felt her tremble, but took his time, lavishing that nipple with attention.

  “Hurry,” she whispered.

  “Not a chance,” he murmured against her skin. He flicked his tongue across that nipple so that she gasped. “The best things are meant to be savored.”

  She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his chest, touching his nipples.

  “Not yet,” he said, taking her nipple in his mouth slowly again.

  “But...”

  “Just enjoy.”

  She exhaled and there was humor in her next words. “You are determined to make me scream.”

  “I’ve taken it as a personal challenge,” he murmured as he lifted his head. Her eyes were sparkling a little more and she was smiling. Progress. He bent to take the other nipple in his mouth, capturing the first between his finger and thumb. She moaned, tipping her head back and sliding her hands back to his shoulders.

  “You’re evil,” she whispered, a wonderful little catch in her voice.

  “I’m thorough,” he replied, then concentrated on that nipple. “Attention to detail is the best plan for success that I know.” He didn’t know how he was going to last, but he was going to do his best to send Shannyn to the moon.

  He considered it key to keeping their deal.

  Shannyn had been sure it would be fast and fierce. She’d thought she’d be taken in a hurry, then be sent on her way. She knew she would have enjoyed it all the same. Sometimes fast was good. Sometimes a lack of conversation was good. Sometimes it was enough for the guy to be hot. Her need for Tyler was urgent. She would have done it on the desk or even in the elevator, and not just in the name of living in the moment.

  It was partly his fault. The way he kissed, as if she was the last woman in the world, as if she had to be overwhelmed by desire for him to continue, had been seductive. She’d never been courted with a kiss, not like that—she’d wanted to both linger in that kiss forever and get to the part where he was inside her ASAP. That was all new. It had been exciting to pretty much tear off each other’s clothes, to share that need for immediate satisfaction. It had been raw and hungry. Passionate. Hot.

  And then he’d stopped.

  No, Tyler had slowed his seduction beyond any expectation. He was taking an eternity with her nipples, ensuring that they were tight and hard, and that she was wetter than she’d ever been before. He was fixed on his task, teasing and tormenting her, making her wait for it. She had the feeling that he might take hours in foreplay.

  His control was impressive and a little daunting.

  As well as unexpected.

  Shannyn had expected her pleasure to be incidental, not to be cultivated. But it hadn’t worked out that way at all.

  Maybe he wasn’t the asshole she’d accused him of being.

  But then, she’d suspected that all along.

  Just enjoy. His growl of a command had sent shivers through her. She’d felt the words as much as she’d heard them, but it had been impossible to argue with him. Shannyn couldn’t remember the last time she’d done that. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had been determined to give her pleasure. But Tyler wasn’t taking no for an answer. His powerful hands swept over her body and the heat of admiration in his expression was enough to make her heart stop.

  Or race. She was more than ready for him, but he wasn’t going to hurry. She would scream if he slid the barest edge of his teeth across her nipple again, then he did and she managed to hold back.

  “You like that,” he whispered, his breath fanning her skin.

  “Who wouldn’t?” she managed to reply. Again, she tried to touch his nipples and give as good as she got, but Tyler was sliding down the length of her. He moved with deliberation, his hands caressing her breasts as his mouth moved to her navel. He trailed kisses over her skin, a burning path of sensation that melted her bones. Shannyn halfway thought she’d die of pleasure before he was done and she couldn’t think of a better way to go.

  That was before his hands bracketed her waist, which made her feel delicate and treasured. His thumbs traced circles over her hips, then his mouth slid even lower.

  She would die if he did that.

  “You don’t have to,” she protested.

  “I want to.”

  “No guy really wants to,” Shannyn argued, and felt Tyler lift his head. She looked down to find him watching her, his shoulders in silhouette, his eyes gleaming.

  “What kind of losers have you been with?” he murmured, but didn’t seem to expect an answer. He was beside her in one smooth move, catching her chin in his hand, his gaze boring into hers. “I love it,” he said with such conviction that her breath caught. “There’s nothing sexier than feeling a woman get closer and closer, then driving her right over the edge. Nothing.” He nodded slightly and his voice was husky when he continued. “Feeling that little bead get harder is going to drive me crazy.”

  “But...”

  His hand swept over her, his fingers slipping between her thighs. He caressed her until she writhed, pinching her just a little so that she gasped.

  “This way’s fine,” she whispered.

  “That way’s better,” he argued. “Don’t tell me you don’t like it.”

  “I don’t like when my partner feels obligated to do it.”

  “I don’t. I want to.”

  “But...”

  Ty kissed Shannyn to silence, the caress of his fingers making her desperate for more. She moaned when he slid two fingers inside her, but he was relentless. When he lifted his head, her breath was coming quickly and her heart was thundering. He watched her intently as he lifted his hand and licked his own fingertips. “It’s clean and sweet, like nectar in a flower.” His voice dropped lower and she felt his erection against her hip. She couldn’t look away from the conviction in his gaze. “Your nectar. Your honey.” He smiled a little, the dangerous smile that made her blood simmer. “I promise to make it worth your while to indulge me.”

  “You’re not the one being indulged.”

  “Oh, yes, I am.”

  Shannyn swallowed. “Is the scream part of it?”

  “The louder and the longer the better,” Tyl
er growled, then kissed the corner of her mouth. He whispered in her ear. “And going down on you is the very best way to make you shout.”

  Shannyn couldn’t argue with that.

  His fingers slid between her thighs again, caressing her as he ran kisses all around her mouth. By the time his mouth closed over hers, sweetly and slowly, she was dying for more. Shannyn kissed him back, recognizing that his slow pace made her feel cherished. His kiss was persuasive and thorough, making her wonder what it would be like to be with him once he knew what she liked best. He’d blow her mind, almost certainly, given that she was unable to resist him already.

  He made a sound of satisfaction that was almost primal, then moved lower again. This time, Shannyn didn’t protest. She felt his breath on her belly, his hands around her waist, his tongue in her navel. Then he eased even lower, his tongue flicking across her clitoris exactly the way he’d teased her nipples. If he used his teeth, that gentle graze would make her scream. Shannyn surrendered to the pleasure he was determined to give and spread her legs wide, inviting him closer.

  Of course, Tyler didn’t hesitate.

  Shannyn felt the tide rise immediately, and heard herself moan as he coaxed it higher, then lifted his head. She gasped in outrage and he chuckled. “I’ll make you wait for it,” he threatened.

  “You are evil,” she managed to whisper, hearing the strain in her own voice.

  He just laughed and started over again. He teased her deliberately and she knew he was going to make her work for it. He built her up, then backed away, bringing her to a simmer, then stopping, over and over again. Shannyn was helpless against the pleasure he was determined to give. All she could do was grip his shoulders and enjoy the ride. It took a lifetime, an exquisite eternity of burning and yearning, a dawning conviction that she might not survive, a desperate need to let him go on and on.

  Just when she thought she couldn’t bear it any longer, he gently slid his tooth across her. His timing was more perfect than she could have believed possible.

  And Shannyn did scream, but Tyler didn’t relent. He held onto her and kept teasing her, driving her nearly insane with a release that wouldn’t stop. She kicked, she raged, she clutched at his shoulders and she roared.

  She was left trembling and trying to catch her breath.

  “Point to you,” she managed to say.

  Tyler was wiping his mouth on his discarded undershirt. “Worth the wait?”

  “You know it was.”

  His grin flashed in the shadows, making him look more young and reckless than he did in his suit. Then he was beside her, his hand in her hair and his eyes glowing with admiration. “Again?” he murmured, kissing her shoulder.

  “I’m not sure I’d survive.”

  “We could find out.”

  “No, I want to ride you now.”

  He stretched beyond her to the nightstand, angling over her as he reached into the drawer for a condom.

  There was a reminder. He did this all the time. Just like in college.

  She wasn’t special.

  It was a performance. A really good one, but she shouldn’t put a romantic gloss on it.

  It was a transaction and she’d set the terms.

  Shannyn plucked the package out of his hand and pushed him to his back, intent upon returning the pleasure. “This time, you’ll lie back and enjoy.”

  “I can hardly wait.”

  “Oh, I’ll make you wait,” she threatened as she smoothed the condom over him. He was hard and big, impressive in every way. She caressed him, stroking him so that he swelled beneath her touch. “I know a bit about being evil myself.”

  “I’ll bet you do.” There was a delicious strain in his voice, and Shannyn realized she was looking forward to shattering his control.

  “Worried?”

  His eyes gleamed and that confident smile made her blood hum. “Not one bit. I’m at your mercy.”

  Shannyn straddled him, savoring the moment, and eased down over him. Tyler’s hands landed on her hips, surrounding her, gripping her gently, but he let her set the pace. She watched, fascinated, as she took him inside her and he gritted his teeth. He arched his head back, his eyes closed, and she saw his pulse throbbing in his throat.

  But he let her be in command.

  She was going to make him shout. They’d only be together this once, and she was going to make it an interval to remember. She moved slowly, teasing him by pulling back a little, then taking a bit more of him. She could use his own strategy against him. She felt like a goddess when he groaned and his throat worked. His fingers flexed and she could see the tendons in his neck, but he relaxed his grip again and let her torment him with pleasure. Shannyn rolled her hips, took him completely and Tyler caught his breath, his eyes flying open. She then rose above him, taunting him with a view. His hands gripped her waist more tightly but he didn’t pull her down.

  He watched her, his gaze intent, his body so taut that he quivered.

  Even in the shadows, he was magnificent. She hadn’t been joking when she’d said he was like a sculpture. She thought of Michelangelo’s David, the idealized male, all strength and perfect proportion. She remembered how she’d wanted to run her hands over the marble when she’d visited Florence. She ran her hands over Tyler, flattening her hand over the feel of his heartbeat, amazed that he wanted her so much.

  She remembered the women he’d chosen in college, how similar they were to each other. They’d been tall and lithe, smooth and elegant. Usually blondes. The short and curvy ones like her had never made the cut.

  It was incredible to be with him now, but Shannyn didn’t kid herself that there would ever be more than this. They had a deal.

  And she was glad.

  She saw the glimmer of his eyes as he surveyed her, then those lips curved in a smile that warned her. “How about I make you shout again?” he asked in a sultry voice.

  “Impossible,” Shannyn said, even though she wasn’t sure. “It’s too soon for a second time.”

  “New challenge,” he purred, sliding his hand so that his fingers were against her clitoris. He moved his hand and Shannyn rocked atop him, her breath catching again.

  “You’re wicked.”

  “No, I’m nice. Ask anyone.” Then his brows rose and his voice deepened. “Except you, of course.”

  It didn’t sound as if that bothered him particularly. Shannyn couldn’t think straight, not with his fingers moving the way they were and him inside her.

  “The best things come in threes.” Tyler continued in a low growl. Shannyn looked down to find him smiling at her. He lifted a brow. “Do you?”

  She laughed, surprised into it. “You’re confident. Smug, even.”

  “I’m feeling persuasive.”

  Shannyn might have argued but felt him pinch her just a little bit, exactly the way he’d pinched her nipples, and she knew he was going to win this challenge, too.

  And she’d have no complaints at all.

  All these years, he’d been doing it wrong.

  Ty was spooned behind Shannyn’s back, wide awake as she dozed. He’d always dated or hooked up with women who liked him or found him attractive, but this interlude with Shannyn had blown all his convictions out of the water. He couldn’t remember when a first time with anyone had been this amazing—but she despised him.

  He rolled to his back, unable to even imagine how good it might have been if Shannyn actually liked him. He wanted to find out more than he’d ever wanted anything before.

  Was it because he’d felt compelled to lift his game?

  Was it because he’d wanted to prove himself to her?

  Was it because he had no idea what she’d do next?

  Ty sat up and studied her in the shadows as he wondered. It was getting darker, but he didn’t want to get up, much less turn on a light. She was on her side with her back to him, which meant he could see the tattoo across the back of her shoulders. Seven circles. He looked more closely and realized they were phases of
the moon, with the full moon in the middle, right over her spine. Why? What did it mean? He doubted she would tell him, even if he asked. He had the impression that her secrets had secrets, that she wasn’t confessing to more than she had to, and that she didn’t really care what he thought of her.

  And that was interesting.

  Shannyn even questioned whether Ty was nice—which everyone in his life took for granted. He wished he could be as indifferent to her opinion as she seemed to be to his, but he desperately wanted to change her mind about him.

  She could keep her other opinions. That was the one that burned.

  They’d made a deal for a simple exchange—which already didn’t feel very simple at all.

  Ty had to believe that Shannyn hadn’t planned to fall asleep in his bed, but he was glad she had. It gave him a few minutes to think, to try to prepare for whatever she might do next. He preferred to have a plan. What would she do when she woke up? He had a feeling she’d bolt and wasn’t ready for that yet.

  Why not? They had a deal. Ty had been good with the terms.

  Except that now he wanted more.

  And that changed everything.

  Shannyn had become a mystery he wanted to solve.

  And really, if they were going to make their date to Katelyn’s wedding seem plausible, they had to know more about each other. They needed some history, ideally documented on their phones. There was the bridal shower in a week and a half, and it would be best if Shannyn was there.

  Ty needed to have a solid plan to present to her when she woke up. He was pretty sure that Shannyn would disagree, and that he’d have only one chance to convince her. He had to prepare his argument.

  He eased away from her and reached for the duvet, taking one last look at her. She looked delicate to him again, and he knew that any defensive barriers were down as she slept.

  With her hair cut so short, he could see the curve of her nape. The sight reminded him of the day she’d sat in front of him in class. Her hair had been long then, wavy, but she’d had it up in a ponytail that day. He remembered being tempted to touch her, to find out if her skin was as soft as it looked. He’d felt as if something secret and special was revealed to him, but now the whole world could see her neck any time. He ran a fingertip gently down her spine from her hairline and Shannyn murmured in her sleep, rubbing against his hand like a kitten. He smiled and touched his lips to her shoulder, but she pulled away with a frown and a brush of her hand.