A KISS FOR A KISS

by Hunting, Helena

  He looks up at me, eyes dark and hooded with lust, the right side of his mouth turning up with a smirk. “There’s always time for kitty snacks.”

  I laugh at how cheesy he is, and then groan as he turns his head and parts his lips, biting the skin on my inner thigh, and then sucking. Not hard, but with the promise of what’s to come.

  He doesn’t go for the kill. Not right away. And as much as I just want him to lick me, I always appreciate the teasing. He nibbles and kisses and then finally, finally, I feel the warm wet of his tongue as it strokes up my center.

  “Oh, yes, please.” I turn my head and bite my knuckle to keep the moans from bubbling up, especially when he lets out a low, feral groan and latches onto my most sensitive skin, sucking fiercely.

  My toes curl and my eyes roll up. I stop biting my knuckle, half-worried I’m going to break the skin. I prop myself up on my elbow, not wanting to miss out on the visual glory that is this gorgeous man with his head between my legs. This act, so intimate and vulgar at the same time, is something Jake thoroughly enjoys and is extremely skilled at. Lucky, lucky me.

  I reach down and slide my fingers into his hair, gripping at the crown, rolling my hips in time with the strokes of his tongue. His gaze shifts up, those blue eyes meeting mine from under his long lashes. I drag my tongue along my bottom lip to wet it, my mouth dry from all the gasping.

  “You’re going to make me come if you keep it up,” I rasp.

  “That’s the fucking point, babe.” He grins, dark and primal, then resumes stroking me with his tongue, faster, harder, alternating between suction, licking and teeth until a wave of pleasure rolls through my body, stealing my breath and turning the world into a burst of stars followed by darkness.

  I fall back onto the mattress, sinking into the bliss of release. When the pulsing slows, Jake moves back up my body and settles between my legs, hips pressing into mine, his thick erection sliding over my still-sensitive skin. He kisses me, and I taste myself on his lips and his tongue.

  “Thank you for that.”

  “Your orgasms are my favorite sound.” He pushes up on one arm, his face inches from mine. “I want you to ride me.”

  There’s nothing better than being in the driver’s seat when it comes to sex. “I want me to ride you, too.”

  He grins, then flips over on his back, pulling me on top of him. I settle over his erection and roll my hips in slow circles, teasing like he did to me.

  His gaze shifts to the chair where all of our clothes are, and his eyes fall shut for a moment before they refocus on me. “Fuck. The condoms are in my bedroom.”

  “We can go without this time.” I suppose that’s the one benefit of this early menopause BS. “If you’re okay with that. Or I can go down—” It won’t be great for my makeup, but I’m not about to leave him like this.

  “We can go without,” he agrees.

  He’s the only person I’m sleeping with, and while it hasn’t been a conversation, I don’t think he’s had much time for a social life outside of the wedding and me.

  I nod and take his erection in my fist, giving it a couple of slow strokes before I rise up and position myself over the head. And then I sink down, slowly, taking him inside inch by inch, until my ass rests on his thighs.

  His eyes flutter closed. “Oh fuck, yes.” He grips my thighs, nostrils flaring, every single muscle in his body tightening. “Just stay like that. Don’t move,” he grinds out.

  I stay put, but I squeeze from the inside.

  He cracks a lid and gives me a disapproving look.

  I grin. “I’m not moving.”

  “You’re flexing.”

  “It’s not the same as moving. You have ten seconds to get yourself under control, Jake, and then I’m going to ride you, like you asked me to.”

  A carnal smile turns up the corners of his mouth. “I love it when you give me attitude in bed.”

  “Do you now?” I plant my palms on his pecs and lean down, my hair brushing over his chest.

  “You already know the answer to that.” His hand smooths up my back and under my hair.

  “Mm. Are you ready?”

  I don’t wait for his reply. Instead, I roll my hips. His jaw clenches and he tips his chin up, groaning low in his throat. And I do exactly as he asks; I ride him with slow hip rolls and long, deep strokes. I send my Pilates and yoga instructor a mental thank you for pushing me every single week. I need to buy her a gift when I get back to Tennessee. A present for keeping me limber and forcing me to do those freaking Kegel exercises.

  Jake is no passive recipient to pleasure. He lifts and lowers me, driving his hips up to meet every single thrust. One hand leaves my waist and his thumb brushes over the base of his shaft, gathering wetness. He rubs tight circles over my clit, pressing firmly as I sink down and rock over him, the head of his erection hitting that spot inside, sending me over the edge. Again.

  I’m in the middle of an orgasm, unable to control my body anymore. Jake reaches up and pulls me down, then flips me over so I’m under him. His expression is fierce, lips curling up as he pumps his hips, fast and hard. The world is hazy and soft around the edges, but I manage to keep my eyes open and fixed on his stunning face as every muscle in his body locks up and he groans through his release.

  He collapses on top of me, sweaty and breathing heavily. My heart pounds in my chest and I relax into the mattress, sated.

  Best distraction ever.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  That Was Great Until it Wasn’t

  Jake

  EVERYTHING FEELS HEIGHTENED today. Emotions, sensations, the need to just be inside Hanna. Maybe because yesterday all we managed was a quickie in the bathroom before my house was filled with people and wedding preparations.

  Whatever the reason, with all emotions come a certain level of clarity. Feelings that have been lurking at the periphery seem more real tonight.

  Needless to say, my post-orgasm high is a welcome release.

  Hanna, who’s currently half under me because all I’ve managed to do is roll to the side and trap her leg under mine, glances at the clock on the nightstand. “How long have we been gone?”

  Shit. My high pops like a balloon. “I don’t know, but it’s definitely been a while. We should probably head back before someone notices we’re missing.” I can’t believe I’ve disappeared from my own daughter’s wedding reception to have sex. Although, to be fair, that wasn’t my plan when I followed Hanna into the house.

  And yet, here I am. But I can’t find it in me to regret my actions. Not even a little. We both needed this. And Hanna needed a break from the dump truck of reality she’s had to contend with today.

  Hanna slides out from under my leg and rolls gracefully off the bed, hopping to her feet. She nabs her lacy business from the floor and her dress from the chair and heads for the bathroom.

  I tuck an arm behind my head. “You getting all shy on me now?”

  She laughs. “Hardly. I need to clean up and get dressed. I’m a little messy.” She winks and disappears inside the bathroom, the door closing with a quiet click.

  I get up and get dressed as well. I’m in the process of putting my tie back on when Hanna comes out of the bathroom, looking exactly like she did before I got her out of the dress—apart from the flushed cheeks, anyway.

  “Here. Let me help you with that.” She steps in and takes over tying my tie. Not that she needs to. I’ve done it nearly every day for the past two decades. But it’s nice to have someone want to help if for no other reason than it’s an excuse for closeness. She tightens it and rests her hands on my chest. “Thank you.”

  “No thanks necessary. We both needed that.” I adjust her necklace so it sits in the hollow of her throat.

  “I should have jumped you this morning when I had the chance.” She smooths the lapels on my shirt, then drops her forehead against my chest. “This was probably really stupid, wasn’t it?”

  I wrap my arms around her. “Why do you say that?” />
  “Why couldn’t you be shitty in bed? Or have an abnormally small penis?”

  “Why would you want me to be either of those things?” I’m trying to get a read on where this is coming from and what her mood is, so I go for light. “Also, this means you think I’m phenomenal in bed, right?”

  She laughs. “I love that not being shitty is automatically equated with being awesome in your man-brain.”

  “You come every time.” That’s just me stating facts.

  She gives me the same duh look Queenie does, usually when she’s referring to something that has to do with technology I don’t understand. I’m in that weird middle-ground generation who sort of gets technology, but also sort of doesn’t. I have a smart TV and half the time I have to look up how to use it. Or I give up and read the paper instead.

  “You’re right, I do.” She pats my chest reassuringly. “You’re an excellent lover, Jake. It’s hard not to lose my head with you.”

  “Well, we’re two peas in a pod then, aren’t we? Otherwise, we wouldn’t be locked in here right now.” I tip her chin up and drop a kiss on her perfectly tempting lips.

  I mean for it to be chaste, but after a few seconds we tip our heads and allow it to deepen. I stop before I get too excited and leaving the bedroom will be a problem.

  Hanna glances at the clock again. “We should head back to the reception before we’re missed.”

  “Smart plan.” I’m halfway out the door when I remember I don’t have my suit jacket. I grab it and shrug into it.

  “Oh! Your hair. Let me fix it.” Hanna stops me so she can run her fingers through it, and I settle a hand on her hip.

  A shadow darkens the hallway. I drop my hand from Hanna’s waist and she stops fixing my hair, stepping back until she bumps against the wall.

  We both glance at the suit-wearing figure taking up most of the hallway. I sigh with relief when I realize it’s not King. But that relief is short-lived.

  Bishop Winslow’s gaze shifts between Hanna and me. His brow furrows and his lips turn down. “Well, isn’t this cozy.” He crosses his arms.

  “It’s not what you think,” Hanna blurts, which only makes it worse, and makes it seem like it’s exactly what he thinks.

  Hanna has been very clear that she doesn’t want Kingston, or anyone else, to know what’s been going on between us. She hasn’t wanted to add any layers to that already challenging dynamic. And she also didn’t want us to distract from the wedding festivities. I understand her reasons, even if I haven’t felt quite the same way.

  He arches a brow, and his gaze moves from Hanna, whose face has gone a telling shade of red, to me. “So I didn’t catch the two of you leaving a bedroom, making sure you don’t look at all conspicuous after you’ve been missing from your kids’ wedding reception for the past hour?”

  He holds up a hand before either of us can speak, which is probably good because Hanna seems likely to dig our hole deeper and I’m not sure how bad she is at lying. Although, she did keep the fact she’s King’s mother under wraps for nearly three decades. “Don’t say anything else. The less I know, the better, because I sure as fuck don’t want to lie to my best friend. But if you want to keep people from talking, I would not show up out there together.” And with that, he disappears down the hall, shaking his head as he goes.

  “Do you think he’ll say something to Ryan?” Hanna’s eyes are wide.

  “No. And it’s not like he actually saw anything. He’s jumping to conclusions right now.”

  “No, he isn’t.”

  “He doesn’t know that, though. You head back out; I’ll be there in a few minutes. I’ll see if I can catch him and talk to him.”

  “Okay.” She doesn’t wait for me to placate her further, just turns and walks briskly down the hall.

  I go the other way, hoping I can stop Bishop before he has a chance to talk to anyone else.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Yours Until the Weekend Is Over

  Hanna

  THE REST OF the night is a blur. I spend it in a state of mild anxiety and arousal. Thankfully, it seems as though no one apart from Bishop noticed our extended absence from the reception. It’s nearly two in the morning before all the guests have left.

  Queenie and Ryan are headed to a hotel, and they’re leaving for their honeymoon in Hawaii first thing in the morning. My parents took my brother, Gerald, back to Ryan’s place two hours ago. He started doing shots at ten, and by eleven he was doing the worm on the dance floor. By midnight, he was passed out on a plate of sandwiches.

  The cleanup crew isn’t expected until noon tomorrow, so at least we’ll be able to sleep in. I’ve basically spent the rest of the night avoiding Jake, worried that I’ll do or say something incriminating. I wait until the last guests leave before I let myself get within touching distance.

  “You okay?” he asks, taking a sip from his glass. He was drinking scotch earlier but seems to have switched to water.

  “I’m fine. Did you get a chance to talk to Bishop?”

  “He won’t say anything to Ryan. I told him nothing was going on.”

  “Do you think he believed you?”

  Jake shrugs. “It’s not like he caught us doing anything.” He sets his glass onto the counter. “Besides, we’re adults. We don’t have to answer to Bishop, or anyone. What we do behind closed doors is no one’s business but ours.” He said the same thing before, when we first gave in to the chemistry we share.

  And he’s right. But I really don’t want Ryan to find out, and this confirms what I already know—that as much fun as we’re having, we’re going to have to stop.

  He takes a step closer. “Are you worried?”

  I bite my nail, my gaze roaming over his face and down his dress shirt-covered torso. He lost his suit jacket a while ago and his tie hangs loose.

  I run my hand down his tie and wrap the silky fabric around my hand. “I trust you when you say he won’t tell Ryan.”

  “He won’t. And anything he has to say would be based on conjecture, not fact.” He wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me into him. I tip my head up and he tips his down, his lips brushing over mine. “I want to take you to bed again, make you forget about all your worries.”

  “I want that, too.”

  _______________

  I CANNOT BELIEVE how sore I am. Everywhere. Jake and I spent the rest of the weekend having marathon sex all over his house.

  Even when my ex-husband Gordon and I were happy and totally in love, I still can’t remember a time where we spent an entire weekend—minus a few hours spent with my parents and my brother—having nonstop sex.

  I feel like I’ve done six back-to-back Pilates workouts. There’s a very good chance I’ve lost five pounds this weekend.

  Jake sets a plate of bacon, eggs, and homemade hash browns onto the table and takes the seat catty-corner to me.

  “How are you feeling about going home?” he asks.

  “Eh, going to work on Monday morning is pretty weak in comparison to a wedding and a weekend of hot sex.”

  He grins. “You are definitely fun in bed.”

  “So are you.” His sexual appetite is voracious, his prowess unmatched. “I can’t even fathom what your stamina must have been like two decades ago.”

  His grin drops and he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. “What does that mean?”

  I cover my mouth and laugh, then set my fork down and push my chair back. He glares at me, clearly unimpressed with my comment. I imagine being over forty and feeling like one’s virility is in question could easily sour a mood.

  I shimmy my way onto his lap. I’m fairly tall, and I have hips, and curves, but Jake somehow manages to make me feel petite with his broad shoulders and defined muscles. His eyes are narrowed, and his jaw is set. The only time I’ve seen Jake lose his cool is when his players aren’t performing the way they’re capable of—namely starting fights on the ice instead of staying focused on the game. It’s pretty sexy. And I find
irritated, unimpressed Jake is rather appealing.

  “Look at how angry you are.”

  “I’m not angry.” He stares at me through dark, hooded eyes.

  “Hmm.” I trace the shell of his ear. “I had to take Tylenol this morning because my entire body aches. And do you know why that is?”

  He cocks a brow and his gaze heats. “Because you had me turn you into a human pretzel last night?”

  “Well, yes.” I can feel my cheeks heat at the memory. I don’t know what got into me last night—other than I haven’t been that ramped up…in…well…I guess the last time we spent a weekend together. “But also because you’re an animal between the sheets. Which is a compliment, by the way. I’m not sure if I should be jealous or feel sorry for the women you dated in your twenties.”

  “There weren’t a lot of opportunities for dating during that decade of my life.”

  “Mm.” I run my fingers through his hair. “So making up for missed opportunities then?”

  He shrugs and grins. “Or maybe you bring out my wild side.” He laces our fingers together. “What do you think the chances are of you coming out this way for another visit in the next few weeks?”

  This is the conversation I’ve been avoiding. The one I can’t put off any longer. And probably the reason I was so voracious this weekend, knowing that it was going to be the last time. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Jake.”

  He drops his head, eyes on our twined fingers. “I think another weekend with you in my bed is a great idea.”

  I settle my palm against his cheek and wait until his gaze lifts to mine again. “I like you, Jake.” Maybe a little too much. “And this chemistry has been so much fun to explore. But the wedding night was a close call. And I know we’re adults and we can do whatever we want, but our kids are married now, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to keep doing this.” My chest aches as disappointment settles behind his eyes. “Ryan and I have finally gotten to a good place again in our relationship, and I can’t jeopardize that. And I can’t lie to him, which is exactly what I’ve been doing and what I’d have to keep doing if I started flying out here to see you. I can’t come to Seattle and not spend time with Ryan, and more than that, I don’t want to hide things from him. He’s had secrets kept from him his entire life, and I don’t want to do that to him again. I can’t. My life is in Tennessee, and yours is here. I think we need to stop before it gets more complicated than it already is.” And based on the way my heart clenches, I know this is exactly the right thing to do. I’m getting too attached, and someone is going to get hurt if we keep going the way we are.