NEXT TO ME (A Love Happens Novel Book 1)

by Watters, Jodi

  “Jesus, Ali. You’re gonna make me lose it,” he said, on a choked groan, his molten eyes darting to hers before he looked back down, his thrusts slowing. Unsure, she moved her hand away, but he reached out and put it back. “No. Touch yourself for me. Show me how much you like this.”

  His thrusts were measured, deep but steady as he watched her, the intense look on his face closer to the Sam she knew, the Sam she’d tried not to love. Ali did as he asked, wanting nothing more than to please him. Time stood still when he reached down and added his own fingers to hers, and she lost herself in the all consuming pleasure that only this man could give her. Just as the wonderful ripple of pleasure coursed through her center, his body went taut and he thrust hard, his groan nearly silent as he emptied himself into her.

  Only then did he lean into her, allowing her touch as she wrapped herself around his still shuddering body. His head was down, his forehead resting on her shoulder, and Ali slowly massaged the line of his spine, grateful to have him back in her arms.

  “God, I missed you, Sam. So much. More than you’ll ever know.” Running her hands through his damp hair, she dipped her chin to place a soft kiss on his temple. “I wanted to call you every day. Every minute, really.”

  He didn’t move, but the anger in his voice was unmistakable. “Then why didn’t you?”

  She hesitated, wondering how much truth he was really ready for. “Because I’m getting too attached to you. This powerful thing happening between us isn’t what I expected. And I don’t want to need you like I do.”

  It was a quiet confession. Her first one.

  He lifted his head, resting his mouth close to hers as he spoke. “Loose lips, Ali? That’s a rare fucking thing when it comes to you. Guess I should’ve been pouring entire bottles of wine into you this whole time, huh? Or just invited your best friend Grady over sooner.”

  Ignoring the insulting jab because she had no defense, Ali took advantage of his closeness and placed a hand against the back of his neck, licking along his bottom lip before kissing him slowly.

  He didn’t kiss her back. He hadn’t kissed her at all tonight. He hadn’t kissed her in days.

  Making an impatient sound, she opened her eyes to find his silver gaze fixed on her, the afterglow gone. His expression was one of a stranger’s and her heart began to crack.

  She traced a finger tenderly over the arch of his brow and smiled sadly. “No matter what happens, I want you to know...” Ali fought the emotion she knew he would reject. “I’m glad I met you, Sam. The time we spent together is about the only thing in my life that I don’t regret.”

  Something flashed in his eyes, something she’d never seen before and didn’t recognize. It looked a lot like hurt, but before she could question him, he blinked and it was gone.

  Wrapping an arm around her waist, he hastily lifted her off the counter and set her on wobbly feet, his voice all business when he took a step back and said, “The floor, the sofa or the bed. You decide. I’m not done with you yet.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “I don’t like it when he touches you.” Sam’s blunt statement penetrated the sexual haze surrounding them and echoed off her bedroom walls. It was the first sentence he’d uttered since ordering her to pick a horizontal surface an hour ago.

  Momentarily confused, her hand stilled on the back of his head. “He, who?” Danny?

  “Grady.” He grumbled the name impatiently against her inner thigh and Ali had to laugh. He’d just used his mouth on her, slowly building her up and bringing her to an amazingly strong orgasm, and he was thinking about Grady?

  “It’s not funny,” he said, trailing hot, wet kisses up her body. “And I don’t like it.”

  She stretched, purring her sexual contentment. “He’s harmless.”

  Sam snorted, kissing the tip of her breast before looking up. “He’d like you to think that.”

  “Mmm, let’s talk about what I like instead.” She hooked her legs around his ass, feeling his hardness against her. “I like it when you kiss me. And I like it when you’re inside me.”

  She pulled his hot mouth to her own and, after what seemed like months instead of only days, Sam finally kissed her back. It was a sinful and sexy mating of their mouths, and Ali felt herself catch fire again, loving his taste. Never wanting to go a single day without it again. She pushed on his chest and Sam, surprisingly obedient, rolled to his back, taking her with him as he did so.

  Having him exactly where she wanted, she traced his tattoo with her fingernail. “And you know what else I like? I like you, Sam Gleeson.” Leaning down, she kissed him tenderly. “I like you a whole lot.”

  “Just like?” he replied against her mouth, a teasing glint in his eyes.

  “I said a whole lot.” Ali’s laugh turned to a moan when she felt him shift his hips and reach down, his erection probing her entrance.

  “I like you, too, Ali-cat. A whole lot.” Running his fingers along her folds, Sam tested her readiness and Ali barely heard his whispered, “Probably more than that.”

  Done waiting, she sat up and slowly lowered herself down, taking him deeply inside.

  His eyes narrowed on her breasts, his head dropping back on the pillow. “Fuck, you feel good. Every goddamn time, you feel so good.”

  His rough words warmed her heart and stroked her desire, the edge of anger he’d had earlier fading completely as Ali quickly found a rapid, magical rhythm. But the fast, pounding pace she craved was tempered when Sam placed his big hands on her waist, slowing her to a steady, measured tempo that he controlled with the composed lift of his hips. She moaned and he grinned wickedly, knowing it was a pleasurable torture for Ali to be in the power position, yet not be in charge of the speed.

  In the end it didn’t matter, because a few hours later, when Sam nuzzled a sleepy Ali from behind and pulled her up to her hands and knees, he took her at a frenzied pace that was exactly what she craved from him.

  ***

  Ali slowly woke to the full, late morning sun shining brightly through her windows, the drapes still drawn open from yesterday. She laid there, barely covered by the thin sheet and freezing her ass off in the cold air conditioning, trying to find the motivation to move her aching muscles. And she quickly realized three things. First, there was a dog sitting on the floor next to her side of the bed, as evidenced by the pungent smell of puppy breath near her face, and he hadn’t been there last night. Second, it was going to be colder than a witch’s tit—as her Daddy would say—in Buffalo today, thanks to the low sound of the flat screen TV, tuned to The Weather Channel and currently listing the forecasts for cities she wouldn’t be within a thousand miles of today. And the third, and most promising observation, was the sound of her shower running, no doubt spraying sheets of hot, soapy water down an even hotter body.

  And that alone was reason enough for her get out of bed, her sore body protesting only slightly. She grinned as she stretched her arms out, remembering how much enjoyment her night time workout had provided.

  “How did you get here, Pete?” Reaching down, she gave the happy dog a quick pat. “Your master was up and at it early today, huh?”

  She had fallen asleep after their second round last night, her body spread across Sam’s, the sound of his steady heartbeat and feel of his fingers rubbing her back lulling her into a light doze. When he woke her later in the night, his mouth trailing soft, sensual kisses up the back of her legs, she let him have his way with her until they both dropped to the bed, Ali falling into a sexually induced coma. Sam, on the other hand, must have been up for awhile, based not only on Pete’s presence in her bedroom, but also the sweaty t-shirt and running shorts dropped on the travertine floor near the walk in shower. Where Sam had found the energy to go jogging this morning was beyond her, especially after the calories he’d worked off during the night.

  His tanned back was turned, dark head under the spray as Ali stepped into the large, tumbled stone shower, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.<
br />
  “It’s nice to wake up to a handsome man in my shower,” she paused, kissing along the blade of his shoulder, “but save some hot water for me. You’ve got the AC set to subzero and it’s freezing in this house.”

  Sam stiffened but she didn’t notice. She was too busy running her fingers over his rigid stomach and lower, against the soft, downy hair low on his abdomen. Without responding, he reached out and adjusted the faucet, and Ali felt the spray of water go from lukewarm to steaming hot. His physical reaction to her massaging hands was immediate, and she slowly stroked him, not losing her grip as he turned to face her.

  He didn’t touch her, his expression guarded and his voice rough. “You’re trying to distract me and it won’t work.”

  The Sam from last night, the distant one seeking answers, was back.

  “I’m not distracting you,” she smiled, lightly squeezing him, wanting to make a point and lighten his mood at the same time. “You’re distracting me with all your naked and wet glory.”

  Closing his eyes briefly, he reached down and stilled her hand. “I’m serious, Ali. I’m not playing around with you anymore.”

  His sharp words offended her. Made what they had sound superficial. “I’m not playing either, Sam.”

  “No, you’re just hiding shit from me, right?”

  She should’ve known this was coming. “So, what then? You want to have this conversation right here?” She glanced down at their touching hands, hers still gripping his erection. “You want me to tell you my whole screwed up life story while we’re naked and you have a hard-on?”

  Jesus, she’d never said that term out loud in her life. Her mama would wash her mouth out with soap if she knew.

  He took a step into her, crowding her against the stone wall as he took her mouth in a punishing kiss, nipping at her when she stroked him again. “What’s it gonna take, Ali? What more do I need to do? I ask you questions that you don’t answer. At least not truthfully, anyway. And then I find out some really interesting facts that you haven’t bothered to mention to me. From fucking Grady, of all people.” His eyes were bright with suspicion, droplets of water on his thick, dark lashes. “Trust me, Ali. Tell me who you are. Stop all this bullshit and start talking.”

  “I do trust you, Sam, that’s how this thing got started. And what it’s really about. But it isn’t pretty. It’s ugly and embarrassing, and it’s probably going to ruin everything.” She could feel their newly formed bond begin to unravel. “I’ll tell you, okay? Just promise that you won’t hate me when I do.”

  He tilted his head in exasperation. “I’m not gonna hate you, Ali.”

  While she hoped with all her heart that he meant it, she knew it wasn’t going to matter in the long run. She had duped him. Any way you shook it, it was deception plain and simple, and the childhood rhyme about wicked webs ran through her mind, taunting her. It was so true, it was laughable.

  “I could never hate you, babe. Only the opposite.” He repeated the words against her mouth, reading her mind. “And unless you’re packing a condom in a very naughty place, we need to break this party up and clothe ourselves before it’s too late.”

  She smiled. And then cringed. “Um... no. And ouch, by the way.”

  “Why don’t you run your cute, little ass out to the nightstand and grab one, then?”

  Stroking him with a firm pressure, she snaked her tongue out, licking a droplet of water as it trailed down his throat. “Nope. Way too cold out there. We don’t need one, anyway.”

  He snorted. “How do you figure that? Because I’m about two seconds away from doing something really fucking stupid just so I can come inside you again.”

  His erection throbbed in her hand and his point was obvious when he hooked an arm under her thigh and lifted, opening her up to him. The sound of running water muffled her whimpers when he slid his fingers through her, finding her shamefully wet and ready.

  It felt so unbelievably good, these wonderful things he could do to her with his hands, but she had other plans. “No condom means we just make other arrangements, right?”

  His head came up, eyes lit with interest. “Such as?”

  “Well, option number one,” she squeezed him ever so slightly, then boldly circled the sensitive head of his erection in the cupped palm of her hand, “would be right here.”

  His brow raised and he lifted his chin in acknowledgment, but didn’t speak. Hoping he was waiting to see what other appealing options she might offer him, Ali grinned and bit the corner of her lower lip. His gaze zeroed in on it and she thought she heard him groan.

  After another firm stroke on his erection so he wouldn’t mistake her meaning, she took his hand and guided it to her navel. “Or here, if you’d like.”

  Then, slowly sliding his hand up her wet stomach to the valley between her breasts, she grinned and shrugged, as if she didn’t care one way or the other. “Or maybe here?”

  Loving the little game she’d thought of on the spot, Ali dragged his hand slowly up to her mouth, kicking it up a notch. Biting the fleshy pad of his index finger, she sucked strongly on the tip. “Or how about right here?”

  His pulse beat rapidly in his neck, but he’d stayed silent as he watched her offer him the various areas of her body to find his release, his erection hardening even more when his eyes narrowed hotly on her mouth.

  Ali’s smile was wicked as she dropped to her knees. “And the gentleman chooses door number four.”

  ***

  “Your turn, now.” Sam’s breath was choppy, his chest heaving slightly as he pulled her up to her feet and slid his hand down her stomach.

  “No,” she said, stopping him. “This was just for you. I need to take a real shower now.”

  “Ali.” He was far too considerate a lover to leave her hanging. “Yes.”

  She shook her head gently. “Last night was the best. It was wonderful. And it was a lot.”

  A deep furrow creased his brow and his gaze tracked down her body, as if he might see something. “Did I hurt you?”

  He had put her through her paces and she was sore, without a doubt. But she wasn’t physically hurt. This was about far more than that.

  “No, not at all,” she assured him, running a hand across his damp forehead. “I just wanted this to be about you, Sam.”

  When he leaned down to kiss her, it was gentle and full of gratitude. Ali’s breath hitched and she kissed him back, letting all the love she had in her heart for this amazing man spill out. This was what she wanted him to remember about her. Because soon the warmth in his gaze, that caring and almost loving way he had of looking at her, would be all but gone, replaced by hurt and disgust. It was only a matter of minutes now before Sam would go from caring about her, to all out hating her. He thought she was being dramatic when she’d asked him not to, but in her mind his rejection was already a given. After all, she was a liar. A schemer. Ali just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t easily forget her.

  She sent a silent prayer to the heavens that he would always remember these last, incredible moments of their time together, and know deep down that no matter the circumstances of their meeting or the ugliness of their parting, Ali Ross really did—and forever would—love Sam Gleeson.

  She pulled back from the kiss slowly, their lips clinging together briefly. Returning his sweet smile, she slapped his tight ass. The time had come. “I’ll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes, okay?”

  “Nope,” he gave a quick shake of his head, “I don’t want to let you go.”

  I don’t want to let you go, either. Never, ever.

  The tears almost came then, but instead she ran her finger down his stubbled cheek and pointed to her dripping wet hair, knowing she probably looked like a complete wreck. “I need to do something about this.” At his skeptical look, she added, “I’ll meet you on the sofa in twenty. I’m gonna talk and you’re gonna listen. I promise.”

  They released each other reluctantly, as if they both knew what they had together was hangin
g in the balance. What she had to say, and what Sam so badly needed to hear, was a turning point in their relationship. Ali watched him walk out of the bathroom, the towel he’d wrapped around his waist starkly white against his tanned skin, and she stuck her head under the hot spray of the dual shower heads, wishing her raspberry-vanilla scented body wash could cleanse her conscience, as well.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The doorbell rang just as Ali’s bare foot hit the bottom stair and the odd sound surprised her. Nobody ever rang her doorbell. The only visitors she ever had—Sam and Pete—always came to the back. And Grady would know better than to show his face so soon after Sam’s territorial attitude last night.

  “Oh, thank fucking God. I need sustenance.” Sam patted the front pocket of his worn jeans as he walked past her, heading toward the front door. “Hey, grab my wallet, will you? I think I’m short on the tip.”

  “Who orders pizza at eleven in the morning?” Ali replied over her shoulder, noticing Pete staring longingly through the glass of the back door as she grabbed her handbag from the counter instead. Her voice was teasing as she walked toward the door, searching the bottom of the bag for a few loose bills. “And you need me for everything, don’t you?”

  “Hello, Alexandra.”

  Ali’s head snapped up, her heart slamming hard against her chest. Her entire world came to a sudden, skidding stop. There was no movement. No sound. No time. Even her breath stopped as she stared at the sight before her.

  Danny. Standing on her front porch, looking every inch the suave, corporate lawyer in his navy, pinstripe suit and red silk power tie.

  She opened her mouth, but nothing happened and with barely a second’s hesitation, she clutched the bag tightly to her chest and took two quick steps backward, looking behind her for an exit route. The instinct to flee was automatic and ingrained. Her gaze snagged on Sam as she turned and his eyes stopped her in her tracks. His expression was alert as he looked from her to Danny, and back again, and the slight tilt to his head told Ali he’d seen her initial reaction to run. Her head began to spin and her stomach pitched, a low grade buzzing ringing in her ears. She had to tell herself to breathe.