“A sympathy . . . Is that what you think this is? I got news for you, buster, I don’t feel sorry for you, and why should I? At thirty-two you own your own business, you’re highly respected by those who work with you, have two very loyal best friends, you’re smart, good-looking, have probably had way more woman than I should ever think about, and you’re one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. Sympathy has nothing to do with this. This is a purge.”
He slid his hands down her thighs and back up, under her dress this time to play with the soft skin. “So what’s the game plan, do me once and you won’t want me anymore?” A smile tugged at his mouth, but he fought to let it out.
“Pretty much. You know, scratch the itch. Satisfy the curiosity.” Her hands clenched fistfuls of his hair, pulling his head slightly back.
“One night and then back to friends.”
“Exactly. We can’t get involved. If we did and our relationship went south, could you imagine what it would be like? Jason is your best friend, more of a brother, and Cherry is my sister in everything but blood and name. We can’t put them in that sort of position. It’s not fair to them or to us.”
He ran his fingertips under the edge of her silky panties. Not for one minute did he believe she’d be out of his system after one night. Maybe a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand nights together, but even then he doubted it. A small voice told him she didn’t have faith he was cut for the long haul or that he could remain with one woman. She still saw him as the playboy.
“I’ll accept your challenge, on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“When you realize I’m not out of your system after tonight, and you will, you give me a chance. No more pretend boyfriend. No hiding from your family and our friends. Actual dates, and we don’t worry about Cherry and Jason. They’re big kids, they can handle us being together, and their relationship has nothing to do with us. Deal?”
Of all the egotistical, cocky bastards she could have fallen for, she had to pick him. David thought he knew her inside and out—well, here was another lesson for him. She never backed down from a challenge. Looking him dead in the eye, she told him so. “Game on, Farber.”
She couldn’t get more out; the predatory look in his eyes stopped her dead in her tracks. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea, because she feared deep down that one time with David wouldn’t be a purging, it would be the beginning of an addiction. Their mouths met somewhere in the middle. His arms pulled her close as she let him take the lead and explore her mouth. He tasted like spicy tomato sauce and smelled like musky male.
“I want you, Tawny,” he murmured against her neck. “Once will never be enough with a woman like you.”
His words sent a surge of power coursing through her veins. What woman doesn’t want to hear she turns on a man she’s attracted to? It gave her a heady feeling of control, a small assurance that she could handle making love to David without losing her heart. But that was the problem. Making love: It wasn’t something that happened between casual friends, it meant so much more. It meant her heart was involved. And any intelligent person knew there was no control where the heart was concerned.
“Are you going back on our deal before we even begin?” she asked.
“Stating facts. I’ve wanted you for months, and this isn’t sex between pals,” he said in a husky voice.
His hands slid around to cup her ass, kneading the muscles while his mouth claimed hers, kissing her senseless. Fine with her, she didn’t want to think anymore. She was tired of her thoughts anyway, tired of letting the Doubt Monster rule her life. Scooting closer on his lap, she came in direct contact with proof of how much he actually wanted her. Which was good, because she wanted him too, wanted to feel his skin on hers, wanted to feel his mouth on her, wanted to go up in flames with this man.
She tugged at his shirt, pulling it up and over his head, and reveled at the sight before her. Golden skin sprinkled with fine, blond hairs. Sculpted muscles begged for her to run her fingers over them. Before she could, David pulled her head down and slid his mouth over hers, slipping his tongue between her teeth, and began a duel. His rigid erection pressed against her core and she pressed back. Every muscle inside her clenched and released, leaving her damp and ready.
They had on too many clothes. Reaching down, Tawny pulled at his button only to find David’s hand on hers.
“Darling, slow down. We’ve got all night.”
“I don’t want to go slow, I want you now,” she panted. Slow meant her brain could think, and rationalize, and talk her out of this crazy idea.
He shifted forward, the rough friction of his jeans dragging against the silk of her panties sent exquisite tingles through her body.
“Let’s at least take it to the bedroom.”
“Why not right here?” she pleaded.
“I want the bed and more room. If I’ve only got one night with you, then I’m going to make full use of it and explore every inch of every curve.” As he explained his plan, his hands ran up her sides, sliding her dress up with them until she lifted her arms and he pulled the sundress over her head and tossed it across the room. “My God, you’re beautiful.”
“No, I’m not. My hips are too full, my butt’s too big, and my boobs are already starting to sag.” She went to cross her arms over her breasts and David caught her hands, lacing their fingers together.
“You’re beautiful. Trust me, real men love curves. We dream of curves. And these babies remind me of fresh peaches, ready to be picked—” He swooped down and ran his tongue around her nipple before sucking it into his mouth. “And taste as sweet.”
He released her hands and stood up while holding her by her butt. In a couple of long strides he had her in the bedroom and gently let her down next to the bed. David cupped her face in his hands as if she were a china doll, slanted his mouth across hers, and dove in. He tasted and explored, he bit and sucked her lower lip only to go back to exploring her mouth. Slowly he worked his way down her throat as she threw her head back. Small, tender nips as he made his way to her breasts.
At the moment she was thankful she’d chosen her pretty panties. Not that it mattered, as they were at that very moment sliding down her legs with David’s help. He pressed kisses down her center as he made his way south. A word here or there, but she couldn’t make them out.
“What did you say?” she asked.
“You smell like tropical fruit.”
“And you have on too many clothes.” She reached down, grabbed a belt loop on his jeans, and pulled him up. Quickly she undid the button before spinning him around and then pushing him back onto the bed. Awed, she took in the sight before her. All male, golden skin, sexy as hell lying half-dressed on her bed. She knelt in front of him and worked the jeans down over his muscular legs only to come up short when she ran into his boots. “Oops, guess I forgot something in my haste.”
Together they laughed as she pulled and tugged the heavy shoes. At last, she whipped the jeans off and caught her breath as she saw David for the first time. “You’re drop-dead gorgeous,” she said huskily. She wanted to explore, as he had before, learning his taste, his smell, his sensitive spots.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
“Are you ticklish?”
“I’ll never tell.”
She ran her fingernail along the bottom of his foot, watching for any signs of sensitivity. “I guess I’ll have to find out for myself.”
Working her way up his calves to his thighs, he watched her; not once did he flinch until she hit the outer hip. “Aha,” she cried out. “You are ticklish.”
“Woman, do you have any idea what you’re doing to me with your exploration? Every time you move, your hair brushes over me. Come here.” He leaned forward, pulled her on top of him, and drew her in for a deep kiss.
He took his time making love to her mouth as his hands caressed and explored her body. By the time they broke apart for air, she was ready to explode. �
�David, now. Inside me. I can’t take it any longer.”
“I’m not done worshiping your body. Lie back. Relax. Enjoy letting someone else take charge for a change.”
As his words sank in, she realized she had been trying to run the show and she was tired, damn tired of worrying about the next step and keeping things on a schedule. But letting David take charge was scary. She’d have no way to stop him from making love to her, no way to make sure it was just sex between friends. It was a risk, one she desperately feared would be the first step to losing her heart to this man.
David rolled her over onto her back and his mouth took up the exploration where his hands had left off. Within minutes he had her body on fire. The guy knew her, knew where to touch her, how to touch her as if they’d danced this dance a thousand times before. He got her. Understood her wants, needs, and fears.
Dios. Time to tread with caution or she’d fall madly, deeply in love with David Farber. A man who lived by the seat of his pants and looked for the next best party while bouncing from one pretty blond bombshell to the next. And where would that leave Tawny?
Heartbroken.
“You’re thinking too hard again. Let it go, push everything out of your mind and focus on the sensations as they swamp your body. Enjoy the moment.”
“Oh, trust me. I am enjoying it, I just want you to hurry up and enter me. Fill me up, David.”
“Damn, you’re impatient.”
He ignored her request, instead focused on her and that most sensitive bud. He made love to her with his mouth until she could hardly catch her breath. Only then did he roll off, grab a foil packet from his jeans, and slip the condom on. He held himself poised over the top of her, the tip of his shaft nudging her entrance. “Tell me what you want, Tawny. Tell me you want me, you want this,” he demanded through clenched teeth.
She let out a frustrated breath. “I want you. Now.” She ground out the words, doing everything she could not to wrap her legs around his waist and pull him into her. “Make me scream, David.”
Finally. Finally he stopped playing around and plunged into her, sinking his smooth, rock-hard shaft into her depths. The deeper he went, the closer she came. He took his time, changing the pace, the rhythm to find her sweet spot. She appreciated his attention to detail. Really she did; after all, she was a very detail-oriented person, but come on. There was a time and place for everything, and right now, right in this place, details be damned. Focus on the big picture. Relief, satisfaction, tingly explosions throughout the body. Oh yeah, go big. That’s the ticket.
“David, are you trying to drive me berserk or what? Because if you don’t stop teasing me, I’m going to be forced to take matters into my own hands.”
“Really? Show me.”
Tawny wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in closer. She left a small gap between their bodies, which she slid her hand through. David’s eyes widened as he registered what she was doing. Before he could react, her hand slid farther down until she stroked him. A soft whistle from David sucking in air between his clenched teeth made her smile. See how he liked the tables turned on him.
“Baby, you keep that up and I’m going to come before you’re ready.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve been ready since you walked in the door.” She released him as he muttered an oath about impatient, demanding women and ran her fingernails across his tight butt muscles.
David shifted his weight to one arm and with the other reached down and rubbed his calloused thumb on the soft spot below her clit. One second Tawny stood at the edge of the vista and the next she plummeted down, spiraling out of control. David collapsed on top of her a few seconds later, both breathing as if they had climbed Mount Everest.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
“For what?” she asked between gulps of air.
“I didn’t make you scream. Guess we’ll have to try again.”
Chapter Twelve
David awoke with Tawny snuggled up against him, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder and her legs intertwined with his. She was snoring. Not deep, house-rattling bear snores, but cute little snuffles. He hadn’t planned on staying the night, not even when they’d made it to the bedroom. Not because he had a policy against such a thing. Generally he found it easier to leave before the morning sun peeked over the horizon. It cut down on expectations. The one time he’d made the mistake of staying all night, the woman, correction, the black widow known as Mandi dug her claws in deep. By the time breakfast was over—a cup of coffee and cereal—she’d already picked out where to hold the ceremony, the honeymoon spot, and their kids’ names.
Tawny shifted in her sleep, which caused her thigh to land across his morning wood. Her lush boobs were right within stroking distance. Maybe this sleeping-over thing wasn’t such a bad thing after all? Waking with Tawny in his arms was comfortable. There were a few more words that followed, but when he really thought about it, he felt comfortable, like he was where he should be and with the right person.
How long would it last? Mandi had been his longest running relationship, mostly because he couldn’t pry her claws out of his back or wallet. All the others, and yeah, he’d admit the list ran on far longer than it should, had been a few weeks at best. Not really love-’em-and-leave-’em so much as love-’em-and-leave-’em-wanting-more. Kind of like a good TV show or book series where they ended it while you still liked the characters and story, before you got sick of the plot and wanted them all killed off.
Tawny wasn’t like the rest, but he wasn’t sure he could see it playing out any different. At first, it’d be great. Hot and heavy, sex every night. Talking, laughing, enjoying each other’s company. Then the sex would start to fizzle, dropping off to every couple of days. They’d notice the little things the other did that drove them crazy, and small arguments would start and morph into giant fights. Sex would cease to exist. He’d end up sleeping on the couch and eventually end up in some flea-trap, no-name motel.
Just like his dad.
They’d hate each other in the end.
Just like his parents.
Their best friends would be the Thanksgiving wishbone with him on one end and Tawny on the other, both pulling until Jase and Cherry broke. He couldn’t do it to them. Couldn’t do it to Tawny. He hated to admit it, but she was right. They never should have slept together.
“You done figuring out the solutions to the world’s problems?” Her voice was husky and sent the blood pumping through his veins. She rolled over, taking the sheet with her and promptly tucking it under her arms.
“What? No. Thinking about work.”
“You sure?” She rolled to her side, propping herself up on her elbow. “I can hear your brain clicking away and I think it went into overdrive. David, you don’t have to worry. I’m not expecting you to get down on bended knee or to go ask my dad for his blessing. Remember? I’m the one who said this was just us scratching an itch. So relax, we’re two adults enjoying each other.”
He rolled over to face her. He didn’t want her itch scratched. He wanted her craving him as he craved her. He wanted to feel her silky skin slide across his. Wanted to taste her in the morning, wanted to hear her cry out his name as she came for him.
“How’s the itch this morning?” he asked.
“Now that you ask, there is this tingling—”
His phone rang. He’d have ignored it except it was Jase’s ringtone, and if he was calling this early, it had to be something important. He hit the speaker button. “ ’Sup, Cupid?”
“Where the hell are you? You were supposed to meet me thirty minutes ago to work on the bathroom at the B-and-B. I checked your apartment and when I saw the truck gone, figured you headed out early. Considering I’m standing alone in the middle of the jobsite . . .”
“Shit! Look, hang tight. I’ll be there in fifteen.” Dave was already out of bed and looking around for his pants.
“Yeah? You better have coffee and a doughnut for me, as I skipped ou
t on more than just my morning meal for you.”
“Tell me about it,” he muttered. At Jason’s “what,” David shifted gears, pulled on his boots, and grabbed his tee. “Never mind, you want chocolate or maple?” He strode out of Tawny’s bedroom without a backward glance. He reached the front door and realized what he’d done. Quickly he turned around and headed back into the bedroom.
“Forget something, sailor?”
“No, just . . .”
She placed a finger across his lips. “Dave, shh. No expectations, no strings. Kiss me and go.”
He did as instructed and wondered how he’d survive the day between his ADD and Tawny Torres as a constant distraction.
She was so screwed. Once with Dave—okay, one night, as they’d gone multiple rounds throughout said night—would not be enough. She was hooked. A David Farber junkie already jonesing for the next session of lovin’.
A quick glance at the clock told her she still had another thirty minutes before the alarm went off. She should go back to sleep. Damn David Farber. He had to go and ask about her itch, which in turn got her blood pumping and her hormones primed, and now she was too wired to sleep. Normally if she had extra time in the morning she’d pop in on Cherry and share a cup of coffee and catch up on the family gossip. Not happening today for two reasons, Tawny thought. First, if Cherry had free time, she was most likely cramming for a test or working on homework, and second, she wasn’t in the mood to talk about what happened between her and David last night.
Chances were Jason would figure it out after seeing David and then Jason would share the news with Cherry anyway. Sooner or later, Tawny would have to talk about it with her best friend. They’d never kept secrets from each other, and she didn’t plan to start now. Maybe delay the news a few days, enough that she had time to mull it over in her own head and see how it fit. Right now it was shiny and oh so attractive.
Boyfriend for Hire Page 15