by Jaci Burton
"How's your visit to San Francisco going, Grant?" Amelia asked.
"Good so far."
"We were discussing the guys' post-football futures when you came to the table," Mia said.
Amelia looked at Flynn. "Oh? And what's in your future?"
Flynn shrugged. "I'm thinking international spy."
Amelia laughed. "Yeah, because you blend in as such an everyday guy."
Flynn frowned. "Hey. I can be an everyday guy."
Amelia cocked her head to the side and gave his body a once-over. "No, you couldn't."
Grant laughed. "She's right. Those tattoos are a dead giveaway. Plus, your ugly face is too remarkable. People would easily remember you."
"Funny comment coming from you considering the two of us look so much alike."
"Oh, hell no. I'm much prettier."
Amelia looked at Mia. "Are they always like this?"
"Worse. And wait until Tucker and Barrett are along for the ride. You'll need tranquilizers."
Though she'd had some trepidation about the trip, Amelia was looking forward to Thanksgiving now. His parents had been to Ninety-Two's grand opening. But she'd been slammed that night and she'd never even met them. She was looking forward to meeting them at the ranch, even if she did feel a bit odd about spending the holiday with Flynn.
"Actually, we were talking about Flynn becoming a world-famous restaurateur after he retires from football," Mia said.
Amelia looked at Flynn, who frowned at his sister.
"That is not at all what we were discussing. You and Grant decided for me."
Amelia nodded. "I could definitely see that. You've done well here. And you do like to cook."
"He just likes to eat," Mia said with a smirk on her face. "I think the cooking thing sprang up from a sense of self-preservation. Maybe midnight hunger pangs or something. Probably after way too many beers. You found yourself on the sofa, strung out and unable to move because you were loaded, and you were bored and channel surfing. Then you landed on a cooking show and voila, your second career was born."
Flynn rolled his eyes. "Sure. That's exactly how it happened."
Amelia enjoyed watching him spar with his siblings. He was always so confident, so filled with quips. It was nice to see his brother and sister take him down a peg.
As an only child, she'd never had anyone to do battle with, so for her, this was new.
Her dinner arrived, and she'd noticed that Flynn, Mia and Grant had waited for her food to show up before they finished theirs. It had been unnecessary, but at least she didn't feel like she was eating alone now. They all ate and she got to sit back and enjoy more verbal sparring among the siblings.
Over dinner she learned that Grant was engaged to a fashion model. She'd heard of Katrina Korsova--who hadn't? What she didn't know was that Katrina had single-handedly raised her two younger siblings--now teenagers--from the time she was eighteen years old. What an admirable woman.
"Tucker is engaged as well," Mia said to her. "You'll love meeting Aubry, and Barrett's girlfriend, Harmony. And knowing how things are going, you'll get to hear all about the two weddings that are happening next year since that's all we ever talk about."
Amelia smiled. "I love hearing talk of wedding planning. I can't wait."
After dinner, Grant and Flynn had dessert. Amelia and Mia declined, and Amelia excused herself to get back to work. Flynn got up and followed her toward the kitchen.
He picked up her hand. "What are you doing after work tonight?"
"Collapsing in a heap of exhaustion, probably."
His lips curved. "That rough, huh?"
"Actually, not at all. The staff here is more than competent. It's been fine. What did you have in mind?"
"I thought maybe I could see you."
She couldn't help but react to the way his thumb brushed over the skin of her hand. Despite people filing past them, she wanted to be immune, but she couldn't. He had an effect on her and she had to come to grips with that.
"Sure. But wouldn't you rather go out with your brother and sister?"
"Grant's heading back down south, and Mia has some paperwork she wants to do. So why don't you invite me to your place?"
She couldn't resist smiling at the way he'd invited himself over. "Flynn, would you like to come to my place after I get off work tonight?"
"I'd love to. Why don't you text me when you leave and I'll meet you there?"
"I'll do that."
He looked around, then picked up her hand and kissed it.
Butterflies. She had butterflies in her stomach. Ridiculous, but they were there anyway. Damn the man.
"See you later, Amelia."
He turned and walked back to the table. Amelia heaved in a sigh and headed into the kitchen.
EIGHTEEN
Flynn hung out at a bar and played some pool with Grant and Mia until he got Amelia's text.
"Gotta go," he said.
Grant frowned. "We're in the middle of a game."
Flynn hung up his cue. "I've got other plans."
"In other words," Mia said, "he's going out with Amelia and she's prettier than you."
"How can that be?" Grant asked. "No one's prettier than me."
Flynn shook his head. "Good night, you two."
He left the bar and stopped by his house to pick up a bottle of wine, then drove to Amelia's house and rang the bell. When she answered the door, she was on the phone, so she motioned for him to come inside. He followed, shutting the door behind him.
She'd already changed into black yoga pants that hugged her ass in the best possible way. She was wearing a white tank top that pressed to her breasts and, damn, she looked hot.
She led him into the kitchen. When she saw the bottle of wine, she reached into a drawer and pulled out the opener, handing it to him, then pointed to an upper cabinet. He figured that's where the glasses were.
He opened the bottle and poured the wine into the glasses.
"Sorry," she said as she laid her phone on the kitchen counter. "My friend Laura just got off work so she wanted to chat."
"I need to meet your friend Laura."
"You'd like her. She'd like you. She's married and lives down the street with her husband."
He handed her a glass. She took a long swallow of wine.
"This is your friend from college?"
"Yes."
"We should do a double date."
Amelia arched a brow. "Is that what we're doing? Dating?"
"Aren't we?"
"I don't know. I thought we were just having sex."
"And I thought we were dating."
"Hmm." She took another swallow of wine and didn't answer, which made him frown.
He went over to her and took the wineglass out of her hand and set it on the counter. He drew her against him. "If I hadn't made it clear before, or if in any way you're confused about what's going on between us, Amelia, I like you. I want to see you, outside the bedroom. On dates. In public. With or without other people."
She wound her arms around his neck. "Does that mean you don't want to see me in the bedroom?"
"Oh, I definitely want to see you in the bedroom. Or outside the bedroom. In the living room. In the hallway." He looked around her. "Or how about on the back porch?"
She feigned a gasp. "Mr. Cassidy. Are you suggesting we have sex in a public place?"
"I don't think the thought of it shocks you as much as you'd like me to think."
"And now I'm even more scandalized. Just what kind of girl do you think I am?"
"My kind of girl."
Her lips curved. Damn, he liked when she smiled. And when she teased him. And okay, when she breathed. He liked everything about her.
"Come on, grab your wine and show me your porch."
She picked up her glass and led the way. "Is 'porch' some kind of sexual euphemism?"
He laughed. "Not that I'm aware of, but we can make it one if it turns you on."
She chose a spot on the
small couch and he sat next to her. The porch had windows, but it wasn't heated out there. Still, it wasn't all that bad. He picked up her legs and placed them over his, then grabbed the blanket that was lying over the back of the sofa and draped it over her legs.
"I'm not cold," she said.
"Does that mean you're hot?"
She cast him one sexy look. "Isn't that your call?"
He ran his hand over her thigh. "If it is, you know my answer."
She scooted onto his lap, straddling him. "We're not going to drink our wine, are we?"
He smoothed his hand down her back, then let his hand rest over her butt. His cock was getting hard and all he could think about was touching her and kissing her. "No."
He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her. She fit her body against his and leaned into him. He groaned as he breathed her in and felt her melting against him.
He moved his mouth from hers and kissed his way down her neck, his lips feeling the fast rhythm of her pulse. He licked along that pulse point, and she tilted her head back.
"More of that," she said, her voice a throaty whisper.
He swept his hand along the long column of her neck, then moved down between her breasts as he kissed her collarbone. He tilted her back so she rested on his arm, then lifted her tank top, exposing her stomach. He palmed her warm skin, raising the shirt over her breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra, which suited him just fine. One less piece of clothing in his way. He brushed his fingers over her nipples, watching them harden.
"You are so damn beautiful," he said as he lifted her so he could put his mouth over one of the buds. When he sucked, she moaned, and the sound of her voice shot right to his cock. He rocked against her, letting her know what she did to him.
He slid his hand inside her pants. She was hot, wet, and as he dipped his fingers inside her underwear, she arched against him.
"Yes, touch me."
It would be a lot easier to do that if she didn't have pants on. "How do you feel about being naked out here?"
She shifted, sitting up. "How do you feel about turning off the light in the kitchen?"
"I'll be right back." He got up and went into the kitchen. When he came back, Amelia was standing in the middle of the porch. It was midnight dark out there now, but he could still see her. She pulled off her tank top, then shimmied out of her pants and underwear.
"You next," she said.
He shucked his clothes in a hurry, then grabbed the blanket from the sofa and tossed it on the floor. He knelt on it and spread her legs so he could put his mouth on her.
She gasped and laid her hand on his head while he spread his tongue around her clit. Her tart flavor was the best aphrodisiac, filling his senses with a desire to make her come on his tongue.
She was hot and wet and lifted up against him. He flicked his tongue around her, giving her what she needed to get there. He loved the feel of her muscles tensing, the way she gave herself over to him as he flattened his tongue against her clit.
And when she came, her body trembled and she whimpered in such a damn delicious way it was all he could do not to stand up and drive his cock inside of her just so he could feel the quakes of her orgasm. But this was for her and he wanted her to ride the wave of her climax all the way through.
Finally, he stood and Amelia moved into him, putting her mouth on his and sliding her tongue inside to wrap around his in a deep, passionate kiss that made his balls draw up tight with need. He tugged her close and rocked his cock between her legs, sliding against the wetness there.
She finally pulled back, pressing her hands against his chest. "Sit."
He parked it on the sofa, and Amelia came over and leaned down to him. She reached over on the table next to the sofa and picked up a condom packet.
He arched a brow. "Just happened to have one of those sitting on the porch?"
"I never reveal the whereabouts of my secret condom stash."
He grinned, then took the packet from her, tore it open and slid it on. "How do you want it?"
She grinned back. "Inside me. But how about this way?"
She straddled his thighs and slid down over his cock, leaning back enough so he could watch his cock disappear within her. There was nothing hotter than seeing the two of them connected, to feel himself buried deep inside of her. When she was fully seated on top of him, he grasped her hips and drew her forward so he could take a nipple into his mouth. The bud was soft and he flicked his tongue over it before sucking it.
She hissed and raked her nails across his shoulders. "Oh, yes. Suck it, Flynn. Harder."
The edge in her voice made his balls quiver. He could spill inside of her right now just feeling the way she moved against him and the taste of her soft nipple inside his mouth.
He released her nipple, grasped her hands and held on while she rode him, taking in the view of her body as she undulated against him. She was a beautiful goddess, in control of both of them as she rocked him to oblivion. And when she spasmed around his cock, tilted her head back and lost control with her orgasm, he thrust into her with his climax, spilling inside of her with his own release.
It was a damn good feeling, a euphoria he didn't want to let go of.
Amelia clasped on to him and lay her head on his shoulder, breathing deeply as she recovered. He wrapped his arms around her and let them both settle.
"We could just stay like this all night," she murmured against him.
"We could, but it might get a little cold. And eventually there'd be sunrise."
She lifted her head. "True. Let's go get in my bed."
She lifted off of him. He dashed into her bathroom to get rid of the condom. When he came out, Amelia was propped up on the bed, beautifully naked and holding her glass of wine. She motioned with her head over to the nightstand.
"Yours is over there."
He came toward the bed. "Huh. I thought mine was right there." He motioned to her.
She laughed. "I meant the wine."
He picked up the glass and climbed onto the bed next to her, then took a swallow of wine before setting it down on the nightstand. He turned to her.
"Tell me about your ex."
She shot him a raised brow. "That's your idea of after-sex small talk?"
He shrugged. "We're dating now. We should get to know each other better. And I want to know about your life before you came here."
Amelia took a sip of wine. Then another. Flynn could tell talking about her ex was something she didn't enjoy, that it made her uncomfortable. He hadn't meant to make her uncomfortable, but he was being honest when he told her he wanted to know her better. And her ex was part of her past--obviously a big part of her past. He wanted insight into what made her leave Portland and come here.
When she took yet another sip of wine and still hadn't answered him, he decided maybe he should get the conversation started. "You moved from Seattle to Portland for him."
"Yes. Frank--that's my ex--received a really wonderful job offer. We had been dating for a year when we got engaged. We got married eight months later and a month before the wedding Frank got a job offer in Portland he couldn't refuse. So after the wedding we moved there. Actually, he moved before the wedding since he had to start his new position right away. I joined him after the wedding."
"That's kind of stressful on a new marriage."
"It was fine. I was fine with it. We were in love and it seemed like a new adventure. I found a job at a wonderful restaurant and climbed up the chain of command there. I was happy. We were happy--for a while."
He toyed with a lock of her hair. "So what happened?"
"I don't honestly know what changed. I can't pinpoint when it happened or why. Maybe it was the stress of his job. Frank was in a tech job and it was very challenging for him, so he depended on me a lot. His family was in Seattle, so I was all he had and, honestly, my situation was similar. My dad is gone and my mother and I are estranged, so I liked having Frank in my life, someone to count on. Both of us real
ly loved being just the two of us, you know?"
Flynn nodded.
"But after a while, he began to lean on me a little too much. He'd text me all the time asking what I was doing, who I was with. He'd want to review my calendar with me. He worked long hours, which gave me a lot of free time. I was okay with that because I supported his job. I got to know the people I worked with and when he worked late, I'd go out with those friends.
"He . . . I guess he grew jealous that I developed a life that didn't include him."
Flynn frowned. He didn't like the direction this was going. "Surely he couldn't expect you to spend all your time with him, especially if he worked long hours."
She circled her finger over the rim of her wineglass. "Actually, he did. He wanted me home when I wasn't at work. And he wanted me to account for every minute of my time when I wasn't at work. He wanted me to text him when I left the house to go out with friends. He wanted to know who I was with. After a while, he didn't want me to even see my friends in social situations that didn't include him."
"That's ridiculous."
She nodded. "I thought so, too. It got to the point where I felt like he was smothering me, that he didn't trust me. Actually, he didn't trust me. And there was no reason not to trust me. I loved him.
"But his insecurities got the best of him and he went off the deep end. He told me I had to stop seeing my friends altogether and I told him he was being ridiculous and jealous and petty. That's when everything went haywire for us. And that's when he accused me of having an affair with my boss."
Flynn blinked. "Jesus. You can't be serious."
Amelia dragged in a deep breath and sighed. "Yes. It was, of course, completely unfounded. Craig, my boss, was married to a lovely woman and had two amazing little boys and he was utterly devoted to his family. Craig and I got along very well and I enjoyed working for him. I had a wonderful job at the restaurant. I loved all my friends there. And Frank made my life a living hell. He'd show up at the restaurant and get a table just to watch me. He'd tell me he had to keep an eye on me to make sure I behaved. "
"Christ, Amelia. That borders on stalking. He was stalking his own wife."
She nodded. "I know. I tried to convince him there was nothing going on between Craig and me. I think the stress of his job finally got to him. Or something. I don't know. I suggested we go to counseling but he refused. I even offered to get a job at another restaurant, thinking maybe there was something I'd done that gave him the wrong impression. But he said me working somewhere else would be ideal and would be easier for Craig and me to see each other."