by Mari Carr
Ailis turned her face away first, crying uncle. “Please. Take off your clothes.”
He grinned as he rose from the bed. Rather than peel off his own clothing, he grasped her hands and pulled her up as well. Tugging her shirt over her head, he bent his, running his lips over her bare shoulder as he unclasped her bra.
Ailis didn’t seek to cover herself as he pulled the scrap of lace away, then stepped back to get a better look. He’d never fully appreciated just how big an idiot his former best friend was until this moment, when he saw Ailis without her shirt on.
“Jesus, A.”
Her cheeks flushed. She hated the way she blushed, but he loved it. It was actually a turn-on, especially when the color crept down her chest.
“Your turn,” she said, reaching to take his shirt off. He beat her there, adding his shirt to hers on the floor. Then he gave her some time to look. She’d seen him bare chested before. Summers were hot. They’d gone swimming together a handful of times, and he’d spent the better part of one muggy afternoon in August changing the sparkplugs in her car, sans shirt.
She stepped closer to run her hands over his shoulders. The touch wasn’t enough. He needed skin to skin. He grasped her hips and pulled her toward him until her breasts were pressed against him. Hunter kissed her again.
Neither of them broke apart, even as they started shedding their pants. Hers hit the floor a second before his. Ailis wasted no time exploring with her hands, gripping his bare ass.
His erect cock rubbed against her stomach and things shifted into fast-forward.
“Gotta have you,” he murmured against her lips.
“Now,” she breathed against his mouth.
They moved together as one unit, connected, as they resumed their places on the bed. Her legs parted. She was ready, but he wasn’t going to move them to that level so quickly.
He ran his tongue along her neck and down to her breasts, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth. He recalled how hard she pinched her own nipple on New Year’s Eve. The memory prodded him to use his teeth, nipping the tight nub until she gasped.
Her heated response sent his brain straight to kinky land. “You have no idea all the things I want to do to you, Ailis. If you did, I think you’d run.”
She smiled. “Or I’d tell you to hurry up and do them. You said I get extra credit for kinky.”
“Fuck me,” he muttered.
“Hunter,” she said.
“Yeah?”
“Hurry up.”
He didn’t respond to her taunt. Much. Instead, he shifted lower and nipped at her clit.
Her hips jerked, but he anticipated the response, ready for her. He pressed her against the mattress and he continued to drive her insane with his mouth on her pussy.
Her hands found their way to his hair, gripping and pulling until his scalp burned. He wanted more. Hunter drove his tongue inside her and she came apart.
Her head thrashed back and forth as she cried out. He was vaguely aware that he should probably warn her to be a bit quieter, but he wasn’t about to stop to issue the advice.
He lifted his head as her orgasm waned. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed. She’d never looked lovelier.
Hunter crawled over her once more and kissed her.
“More,” she whispered after several minutes.
He reached over the edge of the bed for his pants, digging a condom out of his wallet. She helped him sheathe himself, then he pressed the head of his cock just inside her.
Ordinarily, once he got to this point, he got down to business. This time, he paused to look at her. He understood just how important this moment was. And as he looked into her blue eyes, he knew she did too.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t blind to the fear he saw there too.
“Don’t be scared,” he whispered.
She started to deny feeling that way. She misunderstood.
He kissed the words away.
Then he clarified. “Of us.”
Ailis didn’t bother to deny those fears existed. Mr. Collins had been right. Hunter would have to drag her out, prod her along until she figured out the same thing he just had.
They’d both dodged a bullet a year ago.
Hunter kissed her again. And then, because he couldn’t resist her a second longer, he pushed inside, one quick, hard thrust that had them both gasping for air, groaning at how good it felt.
He held himself up on his elbows, kissing her yet again.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.
She smiled, her incredulous expression telling him she believed it was the sex talking. So be it. As far as he was concerned, he had a lifetime to convince her.
He withdrew until just the head of his cock remained inside, then he thrust back in. Ailis wrapped her legs around his waist, tilting her hips so he could slide in even deeper.
He started to move faster, harder, reciting multiplication tables in his head, hoping he could draw this out. Make it last.
She scored his back with her nails, arching against him. She was close too. He reached lower to touch her clit, stroking it, determined to bring her with him.
Within seconds, she was there, her body gyrating beneath his.
“So good,” she said, her voice more breath than tone. “So good. God, Hunter.”
Damn if Ailis wasn’t good for his ego.
“Ailis,” he said, his own climax imminent. “Jesus.”
Both of them came at almost the exact same time, and their words fell away. Her body clenched, tightening around his dick. He came hard, closing his eyes, feeling his heart beat in unison with each spurt of come filling the condom. The rubbers were going away soon. He didn’t want anything between them. Nothing.
She was his.
Ailis Adams was his.
Chapter Eight
Hunter looked across the table as Ailis took a sip of wine and wondered what the hell he’d done to deserve so much happiness. It was Valentine’s Day, and he’d just advanced to the third round of February Stars, coming in third tonight after Rory and Robbie. Of course, his win hadn’t been quite as challenging as it might have been if Leah hadn’t been a no-show. Regardless of that, he couldn’t quite believe he was still in the game.
And that wasn’t even the best part about his life at the moment. The best part was nibbling at the crusty bread the waitress had just brought them, grinning at him, still riding the same high he was over tonight’s results.
It seemed crazy, but lately his confidence stemmed less from his belief in his own abilities and more from her belief in him. Then he realized his dreams had changed. He still wanted the career in music, but not as a solo act. From this point on, he wanted to be part of a team. An Ailis and Hunter team.
He’d spent the night with her after last week’s show, Ailis curled around him like a soft, warm kitten. Unfortunately, by morning, she’d erected the walls and started pulling out all the old excuses again, telling him he needed to concentrate on the competition, insisting that they put the sex stuff on hold until March. She’d held firm to her resolve, rebuffing his advances at every turn.
After the show tonight, he told her in no uncertain terms that they were going out to dinner to celebrate the win and the holiday. What she didn’t know yet was that after dinner, she was coming home with him. At this point, he didn’t care if he had to kidnap her to get her there.
Her phone pinged and she glanced at the screen, frowning as she read the text.
“Problem?”
“I don’t know. Les said he finally got in touch with Leah. She said someone stole her dog, threatened to kill it if she showed up tonight. Apparently, the threat felt serious enough that she stayed away.”
“Jesus. Who would do something like that?”
Ailis shrugged. “If Victor was still competing, I would have said him, but…” She paused. Hunter knew where her thoughts had gone, because his had traveled there, too.
“Someone messed with his earpiece.”
Ailis leaned back in her chair, concerned. “You’re in the show because the top competitor was shoved down a flight of stairs.”
Hunter ran a hand through his hair. By now, he would have gotten a haircut, but Ailis was convinced this shaggy look was only adding to his sex appeal. “You don’t really think all of this is connected, do you? I mean, the guy falling down the stairs was a mugging. And there’s a chance Victor just got a faulty earpiece.”
“And Leah?”
He sighed. He didn’t have a good reason for what had happened to her. Leah was emotionally fragile; all the competitors were aware of that. But she was talented and she deserved to have her shot. “Threatening her dog was a dirty move on someone’s part. Les suspect anyone?”
“His text just says she missed because she was afraid someone would kill the dog. I’m sure he’s going to start taking a closer look at everyone who’s still involved in the competition. The performers and their managers.”
“So we’re suspects?”
She shook her head. “No. If it is all connected, the mugging happened before you got involved in the competition.”
“Which leaves Rory, Robbie and Wes. And their agents.”
Ailis rested her chin on her hand. “I don’t think it’s Rory, and Robbie doesn’t seem the type—too meek. I don’t know much about Wes.”
“Luckily, it’s not our mystery to solve. We have more important things to think about.”
Ailis nodded, but seemed less inclined to discuss the current state of their personal relationship. It was obvious Ailis thought time was going to solve her problem before she’d have to make any decisions. In her mind, if—actually, she always said when—he won the contest, his career would take off and he would be gone. For some reason, she insisted that was going to be an end, not a beginning. Which he didn’t agree with.
Of course, on the other hand, they never discussed what would happen if he lost and life continued as normal. He wondered if she was more afraid of that possibility than his chance at stardom. She had an excuse to push him away if his career took off, pretending she preferred a life that didn’t include the wheels on the bus going round and round. If things stayed the same, with him here in Baltimore, where did she see them going then?
He considered asking her, but before he opened his mouth, she launched into what was becoming her standard after-show debriefing. She discussed everything he did right, then listed several things they needed to work on before next week’s show. Hunter tried to listen, but he was finding it hard to concentrate. Ailis was wearing a short black skirt and a red V-neck sweater that revealed just enough cleavage to send uncomfortable amounts of blood to his cock.
“So next week, when you— Hunter?”
His gaze flew from her breasts to her face. “Yeah?”
“What did I just say?”
He didn’t have a clue, and his silence made that all too apparent.
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Did you hear anything I said?”
Hunter shook his head.
Ailis blew out an exasperated breath. “We only have a week to fix this stuff, Hunter. Now is not the time to lose focus.”
Ever since his audition, he’d followed Ailis’s lead, handed her the reins because when it came to molding his image and his performance, there was no denying she had the knowledge and experience to take him where he needed to go.
However, tonight, he was grabbing the control, showing her that everything wasn’t always going to be on her terms.
He leaned forward, reaching across the table to take her hand. “Go to the bathroom, take off your panties, and bring them back to me.”
Ailis fell silent for every bit of thirty seconds before she managed to choke out the word, “What?”
“You heard me. We’re taking the night off from preparing for the contest.”
“But—”
“We’re also putting the excuses away. We can pick that fight back up again tomorrow. Tonight, you’re earning your extra credit in kinky. You’re wearing stockings and garters because you knew I would notice. I did. You want this as much as I do, so let’s not pretend or lie to each other.”
As was her standard practice, Ailis went quiet as she measured his words and considered her response. When she finally did reply, her answer blew him away. “Okay. No pretending. No lying.”
That was all she said before she excused herself to the ladies’ room.
Hunter used the time alone at the table mentally preparing a list of everything he wanted to introduce Ailis to. There was very little the two of them hadn’t discussed over the past year as their friendship grew, but sex was one subject that she’d remained fairly quiet about. The few comments she’d made painted enough of a picture for him to know that her sexual experiences were extremely limited and very vanilla, but two times in bed with her had proven there was nothing plain about her desires.
When she returned, Ailis walked over to his chair and held her closed hand out. He opened his, accepting the panties she gave him before she returned to her own seat. Hunter slipped them into his pocket, his hand lingering there to touch the silk.
“Your panties give you away. You’re wet,” he murmured.
“It’s been a long week,” she replied sardonically.
He chuckled. “Too damn long. And it’s your fault. Which means I’m going to have to punish you.”
Her cheeks flamed the deepest red he’d ever seen and her eyes were heavy with desire. “Punish?” she whispered.
“When we get back to my place, I’m going to take you over my knee, pull up that skirt and spank you.”
She bit her lower lip nervously. “Seriously?”
His smile grew. Tonight was going to be a lot of fun. “Oh yeah. And once those sexy ass cheeks of yours match the color on your face right now, I’m going to fuck you to your first orgasm with my fingers.”
“First orgasm?”
Hunter hated the distance between them. He rose and stepped behind her chair. “Stand up for a minute.”
She did so, watching as he pulled her chair next to his, then moved her silverware and wine. They were dining late because of the show, so the restaurant wasn’t as crowded as it probably had been earlier. They had a table by the window, so he decided to turn her facing the street outside with him, their backs to the room.
Once they reclaimed their seats, he wrapped his arm around the top of her chair, toying with a tendril of her hair that had fallen loose from her sexy up-do.
“Are you on the Pill?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“I’ve never taken a woman without a condom. Not once. Not even Rhonda. Birth control made her sick.”
“I know. College roommates, remember?”
He leaned closer, kissing the shell of his ear before whispering his desire. “I don’t want anything between us. I want to come inside you.”
She shivered, her eyes drifting closed for just a moment. Then she turned her face to his, giving him a quick kiss. “I want that too.”
“Is there anything else you want?”
Ailis leaned closer to him, nestled beneath his arm. “I want to give you a blowjob.”
He ran his fingertips along her cheek. “We’ll pencil that in after your first orgasm.”
She giggled. “I’m getting seriously turned on by your scheduling skills.”
“After the blowjob, I’m going down on you. Going to tease that tiny little clit of yours until you’re begging me to fuck you.”
“I’ve never had a conversation like this in my life.”
He shook his head in amazement. Paul really was a jackass. “Get used to it. And remind me to introduce you to phone sex. You’ll love it.”
“I love everything you do.”
As far as compliments went, Hunter figured that was the best one he’d ever gotten in his life. “Ditto, mouse. You blow me away. Every goddamn day.”
She started to shake her head, to dismiss his praise. He cupped her cheek to stop he
r. “I mean it. You’re smart and beautiful. You’re the most observant person I’ve ever met. And the nicest. I can’t quite figure out why you hang out with an oaf like me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. You’re the coolest guy I know. Meanwhile, I’m a big nerd.”
“Ailis?”
“Yeah?
“Let me tell you about the third orgasm.”
“The third? Did I have the second one already?”
He nodded. “Yep. I’m going down on you, remember?”
She sucked in a deep breath. “How could I forget that?”
“For the third one, we’re going to move into my bedroom.”
“We weren’t in the bedroom yet?”
He chuckled. “There’s no way we’ll make it to the bedroom until those first couple of orgasms are out of the way. You’re lucky I’m not bending you over my knee right here.”
Her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Maybe not at this table. But I could easily drag you back to the bathroom, lock the door, bend you over the sink and…” He let his words drift away, let her fill in the blanks.
“I’ve never had sex in public,” she admitted.
“But you want to.”
She didn’t respond. She didn’t have to. Her hungry expression told him that was exactly what she wanted.
“Ailis. You have two choices right now. Number one, we act out that restroom fantasy, or two, I pay the bill and we head back to my place to start working on those four orgasms I’ve promised you.”
“Four?” she whispered.
“You’re going to have three and four while I’m buried deep inside you in bed. We’ll schedule in a fifth tomorrow morning when we wake up.”
Her words came halting, her tone breathless. “Check. Home. God, hurry.”
Hunter waved for the waitress, saying they’d decided not to order dinner because Ailis wasn’t feeling well. Her flushed cheeks helped sell the lie. She really did look feverish. He paid for their drinks and the two of them stood to go.
As they were leaving, Hunter was surprised to spot Paul and Rhonda sitting at a nearby table. He’d been so focused on Ailis, he hadn’t seen them. Given Ailis’s softly muttered “damn,” it was clear she hadn’t seen them either.