He broke the kiss and she gasped for breath, heart pounding. His hand slowly slid from between her legs and another tremor of pleasure made her moan.
He wrapped his arms around her, burrowing into her neck. “Lauren,” he said gruffly.
She relaxed against him, his hand stroking her back. Finally she lifted her head and looked at him. His expression was intense. She kissed him again and spoke against his lips. “I want you.”
He groaned and framed her face with his hands. “Tell me exactly what you want from me.”
“I want you inside me,” she whispered.
He closed his eyes, whispering, “Yes,” like she’d answered his prayers. Then he wrapped his arms around her. “Hang on.”
She did, and then he was lifting her, walking to the bedroom. The cats leapt off the bed the moment they crossed the threshold and raced out of the room. Alex pulled back the covers and gently laid her down on the bed. He immediately reached under her dress and slid her panties down and off.
He sat next to her, smoothing his hands down her legs from upper thigh to ankles, bringing warm tingles everywhere he touched. “Take off your dress,” he said.
She lifted her hips, got the dress out from under her, sat up and took it off. She hadn’t worn a bra since the dress was lined and backless.
“You too,” she said. He was still fully dressed.
He kicked off his shoes and joined her, kissing her and rolling her under him. She gripped his shoulders, but then she lost her grip as he shifted lower, leaving stinging biting kisses down the column of her throat, making her gasp. And then he captured her breast, cupping it with one hand, lowering his head and suckling, her insides clenching in response. He released her breast slowly, letting his teeth scrape against her nipple, jolting her before giving the other breast the same treatment. He confused her body, tender and then rough, and she couldn’t anticipate. He shifted lower, continuing in his confusing way with his hands and mouth, making her jolt and gasp and sigh.
“Legs over my shoulders,” he said, shifting between her legs and dropping a kiss on her sex. She tensed, not sure if she was ready for that kind of hold. She’d be at his mercy. His fingers slid up and down her center, opening her to his view. And then he simply waited.
She closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and did what he asked. She was rewarded with a rough tongue and hungry mouth.
“Fuck!” she cried, bucking under him.
He growled, she felt every vibration against her sensitive center, and then he dove back in, hungry, greedy. Her back arched, hips lifted, and his shoulders pushed her open more. She panted, overwhelmed and completely out of control, keening with primal sounds she barely recognized as her own. Oh, God. She couldn’t catch her breath. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging, trying to pull him away. His fingers thrust inside her, momentarily distracting her from his relentless mouth. She dimly registered this was what passion felt like and then her mind shut down, her body moving to his rhythm, taking what he gave, hard jolts of pleasure, deep pressure, so good, so good, and then it hit, the orgasm ripping through her, making her body bow and her neck arch. Alex stayed with her, pushing her through a dark, pulsing pleasure that went on an on until she went limp.
She felt him shift away. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t even open her eyes. She heard the creak of the bed and then clothes hitting the floor. The rustle of a condom wrapper.
Then he was on top of her, his hand reaching down to guide himself inside. She expected a hard thrust, but he pushed in slowly, inch by inch, stretching her.
He shifted so his arms were braced on either side of her. His mouth grazed her ear. “You’re so tight.”
“It’s been a while,” she admitted. “I’m okay; you don’t have to go slow.” She gasped as he thrust fully inside her.
“Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered. “I don’t want to bang you into the headboard.”
Her eyes widened, but she did as he said. And then he fucked her fast and hard and deep and she just hung on, clutching his shoulders, feeling the muscles flexing with his powerful thrusts. She wished she could look into his eyes. His were closed, his head to the side of hers, his breath ragged and harsh by her ear. She craved that intimacy but was too far gone to explain it.
He whispered in her ear, “Tip your hips up for me. I wanna go deep.”
She thought he already was, but she did as he said, and the next thrust sent a shockwave of pleasure through her. He groaned and pumped faster and faster. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she raced to a climax that hit with a jolt; her body rocked with it, electric sensation radiating from her core, shooting through her limbs. Alex thrust deep with a low groan for his release, rocking into her, and then stilled.
She hugged him with her arms and legs, feeling all kinds of soft and tender toward him. He chose her after denying himself for so long. That meant something.
Finally, long moments later, he withdrew, collapsing to the bed beside her, lying on his back. He was smiling. She smiled too, scooting closer and rolling to her side to wrap an arm around him.
He shifted to cup the back of her neck and kissed her soundly. “That was amazing.” He flopped back on the mattress.
A little voice in her head nudged her, now what? She stared at him lying there, eyes closed, sated. She craved some words, a little tenderness after the intensity of, well, everything. “How’s dating me so far?” she asked playfully.
He chuckled low and deep. “Fantastic.”
“I’ve never had multiple orgasms before,” she informed him.
He groaned and kissed her again. “You’re killing me. I wish I could stay. It’s been too long and I’ve got a lot stored up.”
She sighed. “I wish you could stay too.”
He shifted to check the radio alarm clock on her nightstand. “Shit. I gotta go.”
Disappointment washed through her, even though she knew he had a valid reason. “Sure,” she said softly.
He kissed her again. “Angel.”
He got up and headed to the bathroom, probably to take care of the condom.
She shivered and pulled the blankets up to her chin.
He returned and quickly dressed. “Maybe you could stop by tonight. I’ll text you as soon as Viv’s asleep. You have the key.”
“Like a booty call?”
“Come on, don’t be like that.” He sat on the side of the bed and put his shoes on. “We had a good time.”
A good time. That was all it was. She’d mistaken heat for tenderness.
He leaned over and kissed her. “Stop by, okay?”
She felt wrung out, well used, not well loved. “I’m going to sleep.” Her voice came out small.
He gave her a long look. “Okay. Sleep well. I know I will.”
He left and she flopped back on the bed, arms spread wide. She couldn’t work up a good mad, though some part of her wished she could. She still felt too good, sparkling, tingling along every nerve ending. At least they did have a spark, even if they hadn’t gotten close enough for soul recognition. Some part of her still hoped they would.
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning Lauren decided to go for a long bike ride, destination Ludbury House. That was the mansion in Clover Park where Hailey worked as a wedding planner. Or if she wasn’t there, she’d go to Hailey’s apartment a few blocks away. Either way, Lauren needed to talk to her ally in the Make Love Bloom (TM) plan and call it off. She didn’t want to be in love with Alex, but she was leaning that way even knowing the risk to her heart. Maybe Hailey could help give her some clarity.
She pulled her bike off the rack, mounted it, and was immediately reminded of all her late night activities with Alex. Damn, she was sore. It had been a good eight months since she’d had sex and Alex was more than she was used to in every way. She smiled to herself. He was her unicorn, the sweet alpha she’d been secretly hoping for and never finding. Most of the men she’d been with were sweet. Not timid, but not alpha eith
er. And definitely not large. She got off the bike and locked it on the rack.
A brisk walk would be good. It took her a half hour, and by the time she got to Ludbury House, she was hot, tired, and cranky. It started bugging her to be unsure about Alex. She’d found what she was looking for yet felt strangely unsatisfied. She stopped on the front sidewalk to admire Ludbury House—a sprawling two-and-a-half-story white clapboard mansion with white columns and a gorgeous wraparound porch. Even as many times as she’d passed by the mansion, it still gave her a wistful sigh, imagining her own wedding here.
She opened the heavy wooden front door and found Hailey in the back ballroom, sitting at a small table with a couple in one of her wedding planner appointments.
Hailey promised to meet her at Garner’s for a quick break in an hour. So here Lauren was at Garner’s. She headed for the empty bar, where Josh was slicing limes, and took a seat. It was nearly eleven on a Sunday. The only other people here were eating brunch in the dining area.
“Hey, Lauren, you’re here early,” Josh said with a charming smile. She studied him for a moment. His dark brown hair was shaggy, his jaw sported a couple days’ growth, and his gray T-shirt stretched tight across a broad chest and shoulders. He was a bit of a badass despite the charming smiles. She wondered if this was what Alex looked like before Viv. Add in some piercings and she was sure she would’ve been too intimidated to ever flirt with Alex. She was like the opposite of a badass. She was a goodass. Wait, that sounded weird—
“You okay?” Josh asked, sliding the sliced limes into a plastic bin. He met her eyes and waited.
She focused on his chest because his old-soul eyes full of pain unsettled her.
“You want something to drink?” Josh asked.
She met his dark brown eyes, the buried pain there squeezing her heart. She wanted to hug him. “Just water, thanks.”
“Coming right up.”
She stared at the bar top, having a weird out-of-body experience, mixing the two brothers with their similar pain and similar looks. It was Alex she needed to confront and comfort, not Josh. She couldn’t even imagine kissing Josh. He would probably grin after like he’d been teasing all along. No, he only teased Hailey like that. What was she going to do about Alex? Was he thinking of her? Did he care about her? Or was he just hoping for more time in the sheets? Why did she sleep with him so quickly? She should’ve waited until she knew where she stood. It wasn’t like he’d tried to seduce her last night. That had been all her, inviting him in, hovering her hand near his head.
No way around it—she was a seductress.
She dropped her head in her hands and a glass of ice water appeared in front of her.
“You want me to get Mad for you?” Josh asked, gesturing over to the dining area, where Mad was waitressing. That was his younger sister, a friend of Lauren’s, but not the first she’d confide in, given A) Alex was her big brother, so Lauren couldn’t share the intimate details and, even if she could, B) Mad was abrasive and blunt. The morning after required someone gentle and understanding. Carrie immediately came to mind, though the way Carrie had been so gung ho for forbidden romance and all that jazz lately, her judgment was questionable.
She straightened and sipped the ice water. “No, I’m okay. I’m supposed to meet Hailey here in an hour.”
“You want something to eat?” Josh asked.
She could definitely eat. She suddenly craved red meat. “I’ll take a burger and fries. Thanks.”
“You got it,” he said and punched in the order on a computer.
Feeling a lot better, she decided to lay the groundwork for Hailey and Josh peace. “Josh, can I tell you a secret about Hailey?”
He leaned across the bar. “I’m all ears.”
“If you focus on outsweeting her—”
“Outsweet?”
“Yes, if you’re extra sweet, sweeter than even Hailey could think of being, you’d bring her to her knees.”
He straightened, a devilish gleam in his eyes. Then he frowned. “That won’t work. I was extra nice to her like you said, gave her a free drink—”
“And she reciprocated that niceness.”
“She paid me back double the price, thumbing her nose at me.” He scowled. “It’s like she won’t let me buy her a damn drink. Sorry, but I don’t think I can be much nicer or sweet, whatever you want to call it, than that.”
“You could, I don’t know, offer to buy her a book. She loves books.”
He arched a brow. “What kind of book?”
“Maybe you could talk to her about her favorites, see if there’s a new one coming out by an author she likes, or maybe find a first edition of a classic.”
He shook his head. “I dunno. Being nice and sweet and all might work for some guys, but I’m bored out of my skull. I think I gotta razz her a little more. Keep things interesting.”
It was like they enjoyed fighting. How was she ever going to get them close enough to recognize the obvious spark? Then she thought of her spark with Alex and deflated. A spark didn’t always lead to soul recognition. Sometimes it just led to confusion and aching uncertainty.
She sighed. “If you’re sure that’s the way to go.”
“She likes it or she wouldn’t keep coming back for more,” Josh said. “As a matter of fact, I think she finds the nice me boring.” He shrugged. “Who could blame her?”
She sipped her water. “I would like it.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.”
“How’s Alex treating you?”
Heat crept up her neck. “Nice.”
Josh tapped the bar. “Good. He needs you too much to be anything but. You’re amazing with Viv. You should’ve seen him before you arrived on the scene. Total wreck.”
She shook her head, smiling. “I’m just experienced with kids,” she said modestly.
“She talks about you all the time. Says thuper in a lot of sentences.”
“I told her to call me Super L.” Instead of mommy, she added silently.
“Ah, and she shortened it to super. I’m so grateful to you. We all are.”
“Thanks. Glad to help.” She couldn’t manage a smile, so she took a long drink of water.
Josh went on. “Alex is like a new man. Saw him early this morning, he brought Viv in for pancakes, and he was just beaming happy. He says it’s all because of you.”
She choked on her water and coughed furiously.
Josh waited until she calmed down before saying, “He’s sleeping better; Viv’s sleeping better. Just one molar to go, and he’s in the clear.”
“Until the next phase,” she said with a small cough. “Three is the year of defiance.”
“Hopefully you’ll be around to give him a little advice now and then.”
“Sure.” Hopefully, maybe, if, if, if.
Josh left and returned a short time later with her early lunch. She dug in; everything tasted so good. After lunch, she stopped to chat with Mad on her break, and returned to the bar to find Hailey sitting there with a tall glass of pink lemonade. Hailey was in a super cute white off-the-shoulder dress with a layered flounce trimmed in crochet appliqué with a layered skirt. The waist cinched in between the two flouncy layers, emphasizing her narrow waist. Lauren had to admit Hailey still looked the part of a beauty queen. She hadn’t gotten a good look at her outfit earlier when Hailey was sitting with her clients, binders stacked all around her.
“Look what Josh made me!” Hailey exclaimed with a big beaming smile. “It’s a Hailey special. Strawberry blonde like my hair.” She lifted a lock of her long hair.
Lauren caught Josh’s eye and he winked. “Awesome,” she said.
Hailey slurped some lemonade before saying, “So are you ready for another Make Love Bloom date?”
Josh rolled his eyes and headed back toward the kitchen.
“I’m paying you triple for this!” Hailey called.
Josh turned, scowled, and waved a dismissive hand, grumbling under his breath, befor
e continuing into the kitchen.
“So?” Hailey asked brightly.
“I think I’m done with Make Love Bloom (TM), though I thank you very much for your help.”
Hailey grinned. “Are you with Alex now? I saw the spark between you two.”
“We went out last night.”
Hailey elbowed her. “Yeah, and?”
“And it was good.”
Hailey nodded, slurped more lemonade, and pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Brain freeze. Ow, ow, ow.” She glared at the kitchen door. “I bet that was Josh’s real motive in giving me ice-cold lemonade on a hot day.”
Lauren shook her head. These two were impossible. “So I guess I’m done with online dating and all that. I want to see where things go with Alex.”
“Aww, Lauren, you found your unicorn, didn’t you?” She pressed her hand to her forehead, wincing.
“Yes and no.” She blew out a breath. “I’m not sure he’s quite where I’m at.”
“This is no problem at all. You found your unicorn, just keep going.”
Lauren gritted her teeth. Hailey made it all sound so simple, but what real experience did she have? As far as she knew, Hailey hadn’t had any serious relationships.
The devil made her do it. She saw Josh walking through the kitchen door, heading their way, so she whispered to Hailey, “Josh said any woman who was extra sweet to him would bring him to his knees. He told me that in strict confidence. It’s his Achilles’ heel.” That might’ve been taking it too far, but Hailey gobbled it up.
Hailey’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yup.”
Josh was behind the bar now, still a distance away.
Luckily, Hailey’s whispers always carried like a shout of exultation. “What I wouldn’t give to bring Josh to his knees!”
Josh ambled over to them, dark intent in every step, his eyes locked on Hailey. He stopped in front of Hailey, slapped his palms on the bar and got in her face. “You’re the one that’s going to be on your knees, princess.”
Formal Arrangement Page 16