by Cindy Kirk
“You’re so wet.” He nuzzled her breast as his fingers continued to work their magic.
In and out. In and out. The pressure began to build.
When his mouth closed over her breast and he began to suckle, Anna could no longer hold it in.
She cried out and arched back as a climax ripped through her, riding wave after wave of pleasure. He kept his fingers inside her until she shuddered.
Then he pulled back, gently pulling her dress down from where it was bunched around her waist to cover her thighs. Even though her bra was not in ready reach, she lifted the top of her dress over her breasts with shaking hands.
“I don’t know what just happened there.” Her voice shook. “But you definitely jumped into the ‘great’ range.”
He chuckled and she felt some of the embarrassed tension leave her. While she’d just had the ride of her life, it had all been for her pleasure. Surely this situation fell under “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Anna closed her hand around the bulge in his jeans and felt his erection jump. “Can I reciprocate?”
His eyes met hers.
“I want to,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I really do.”
“Let me take a rain check,” he said, kissing her firmly one last time. “It’s late.”
There’d been intimacy in the darkness, as if no one in the world existed but the two of them. But when he retrieved her panties, which had been slung over the edge of the truck bed, reality returned. Anna was forced to admit she’d lost control.
There wasn’t much conversation as she adjusted her clothes and pulled on her panties. Her hands shook and she fumbled with her zipper. Tripp stepped close, zipping her up with well-practiced ease, stopping only to press a kiss against the back of her neck.
Even after they were back in the cab of the truck and headed home, Anna’s engine still raced. Sex, she realized, could be addictive.
“It was lucky I didn’t date much in high school,” Anna said with a strained laugh as Tripp flicked on the headlights and started down the road.
He cast a curious sideways glance.
“I think I’d have had trouble keeping my panties on.”
“The situation got out of hand tonight,” he muttered. “I let it get out of hand.”
For a second she didn’t understand what he was saying. Then she realized he feared he’d overstepped. “I liked every bit of what you did.”
His lips pressed together. “This was supposed to be a simple make-out session.”
She lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug, feeling remarkably mellow. “It didn’t get that far out of hand. We stayed on second base.”
Tripp raked a hand through his hair. “We can’t do this again.”
She gave a throaty chuckle. “Now you sound like a parent.”
“I’m serious, Anna.”
“If you don’t want to do it again, we won’t,” she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Now you’re talking sense.”
“But it’s too bad.” She gave him a Madonna-like smile. “I was ready to steal third base.”
Chapter Thirteen
Anna climbed the steps of the church to the sound of the opening hymn. She didn’t always attend, but Betsy had left a message last night informing her that today Nate would be wearing the little sailor outfit she’d given him.
She stopped in the back of the church and looked for Betsy and Ryan but didn’t see them. The only empty seats she could see from where she stood were in the very back row, the one usually reserved for parents with little ones.
Then, Hailey Randall turned and motioned her forward. Anna smiled and hurried down the aisle as the congregation stowed their hymnals and began to sit.
She’d thought Hailey was alone. A tall couple in the seats behind the girl had blocked her view of Tripp’s parents...and of Tripp.
His eyes widened when she slid into the pew next to his sister.
Tripp’s mother smiled, her eyes lighting at the sight of Anna. “Hailey,” she said to her daughter in a low tone, “move over so Anna can sit next to Tripp.”
“Not necess—” Anna began, but stopped when she realized it wasn’t going to make a difference.
Thankfully, the seat exchange didn’t take long and she was soon ensconced between Tripp’s father and the man who’d taken her to the moon and back last night.
“Hi,” she whispered, heat coloring her cheeks.
Tripp smiled easily, but she saw the worry in his eyes. She wished they were alone and she could reassure him that even in the light of day, nothing had changed. She still didn’t regret what had happened last night. And there had been an extra benefit. Although she’d recently been struggling with insomnia, last night she’d slept like a baby.
Perhaps she should tell her family-practice doc to prescribe orgasms for his insomniac patients. The thought of saying that to old Dr. Powell brought a smile to her lips.
“What’s so funny?” Tripp whispered.
“I’ll tell you later,” she said and refocused on the Bible readings.
By the time the minister stood up to deliver the sermon, Anna realized that sitting next to Tripp had been a mistake. Not a little mistake. A big one.
Her body recognized him as last night’s purveyor of pleasure. And it wanted to play some more. The pressure of his thigh against her legs sent fire shooting through her limbs. The intoxicating scent of his cologne brought back memories of his lips nuzzling her breast.
Without warning an ache began between her legs and her breasts strained against the front of her shirtdress, yearning for his touch.
“Stop it,” she muttered.
“Did you say something?” Tripp leaned closer and the clean, fresh scent of him washed over her.
She inhaled deeply, which made her body shudder with pent-up need. Who knew the smell of soap had aphrodisiac properties?
“Anna?” Tripp whispered.
“I’m fine,” Anna managed to sputter, keeping her eyes focused straight ahead. Having this type of reaction in a house of worship, well, it didn’t get much worse.
I’m probably going to hell, she thought. She had to get her mind off Tripp and onto something else.
When listening to the sermon didn’t work, she began counting sheep. One, two, three... She’d reached three hundred and sixty-five by the time the minister finished and they rose for the next hymn.
Then Tripp held out the hymnal and his hand brushed hers. The memories started up all over again. The touch of his hand on her breast, the way his fingers had moved in...
No, she absolutely would not go there.
She took the church bulletin and fanned herself, singing the words to the hymn with extra gusto.
Normally the fifty-minute service zoomed by. But today it dragged. By the time it concluded, Anna felt as though she’d swum through shark-infested waters and barely made it out alive.
“Anna,” Tripp’s dad said with a welcoming smile, “I’m so glad you could join us this morning. Tripp didn’t tell us you were coming.”
“I, uh, wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it,” she said, which was the truth. She was thankful she didn’t have to add another lie to her list of sins.
“Are you going out for breakfast with your group of friends?” Kathy asked.
Anna slanted a sideways glance at Tripp. “I, uh, think so. Ryan and Betsy brought the baby and—”
Before she could ramble any more, Tripp stepped in. “We’re headed over to The Coffeepot right now.”
A look of relief crossed his mother’s face. All Anna could figure was that she’d picked up on the tension between them and misunderstood. “Well, we won’t keep you. Stop out at the house today if you get the chance. We’d love to see you.�
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“Mom,” Tripp pointed out, “we just had dinner with you Friday night.”
“I know,” his mom said, looking straight at Anna, “but we loved seeing you.”
“I enjoy visiting with you, too,” Anna said.
As they walked down the aisle of the church and out into the bright sunshine, Tripp placed his hand against the small of Anna’s back.
She inhaled sharply.
He let his hand fall to his side, but as they headed to their vehicles, he pulled her aside, a look of concern in his eyes. “Is everything okay?”
Other than I’m about to self-combust? She smiled. “Everything is fine.”
“I don’t think it is,” he persisted. The look of dogged determination on his face told her he wouldn’t let up until she spilled her guts. “You flinch each time I touch you. Why?”
“It’s not what you think.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
“You unearthed a simmering volcano.”
Tripp’s brows pulled together in confusion. “I did—”
He stopped and she saw the instant he realized what she’d just said. For a second, a pleased look filled his eyes before disappearing. “I got you all hot and bothered.”
“The minister was talking and all I could think about was what you could do with those lips.” She lowered her voice. “And fingers.”
That gorgeous—and talented—mouth quirked upward in a boyish grin. “You liked it, huh?”
“You were—”
“If you say ‘good,’ I’m going to have to kiss you.”
She laughed aloud, causing several people walking by to turn and smile. “You were magnificent. I tried to tell you last night. I don’t think you heard me.”
His eyes grew serious. “I stand by what I said. I think it’s best for both of us if we, uh, don’t indulge again.”
“With you.”
“What did you say?”
“You think it’s best that I don’t indulge again with you.”
“Who else would there be? We’re dating.”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“We’re exclusive.” His blue eyes bored into hers, challenging her to disagree.
“You’re right. For the next few weeks that’s true,” she acknowledged. “But after that...”
“After that, what?” He took a step closer, a belligerent look in his eye.
“We’ll be free to do whatever we want.” She smiled and brushed a strand of hair back from her face, a gesture that seemed oddly sensual. “With each other. Or with whomever we choose.”
* * *
Tripp found himself more disturbed by her words than he let on. Was Anna really saying that she planned to sleep around once they broke up?
Of course, they wouldn’t really be breaking up because they’d never been together in the first place.
It sure felt as if you were with her last night.
He pulled into a parking space not far from The Coffeepot and slammed his door with extra force. To top it off, she’d refused to ride to the café with him.
After dropping her bombshell, she’d offered up some lame excuse about needing to run to the grocery store after breakfast. He snorted.
Could the day get any worse?
“Randall, I didn’t expect to see you here this morning. I thought you’d be in church.”
Tripp turned to find Winn Ferris stepping onto the sidewalk from the curb. Yep, he decided, the day not only could get worse, it just had.
“Church just got out.” Tripp saw the red of Anna’s dress disappearing into the popular downtown café. He picked up his pace.
“Are you having breakfast at The Coffeepot?” Winn said with an easy smile. “I’m headed there myself.”
“Yes.” Tripp clipped the word. “Actually I’m meeting some friends and I’m late. If you’ll excuse me—”
“Well, look at this,” Nick Delacourt said, approaching from the opposite direction with his wife, Lexi.
Tripp wasn’t sure if Nick meant seeing Winn or seeing the two of them together. He didn’t care to find out. He increased his pace, wanting to make sure he got a seat next to Anna.
“Are you meeting anyone for breakfast?” Lexi asked Winn.
“No.” Winn gave a little laugh. “I just got tired of my own cooking and decided to check out this place.”
“You’re welcome to join us,” Nick offered. “We have a large table toward the back. Who comes varies from week to week.”
“I’d like that.” Winn cast a pointed glance at Tripp, as if reminding him that he should have been the one to offer the invitation. “It’ll be my chance to get to know everyone a little better.”
Great, Tripp thought, just great. The day was getting better by the second.
The only good point was when he reached the table, Anna smiled at him and patted the chair next to where she was sitting. “I saved you a seat.”
Feeling oddly triumphant, Tripp pulled the chair back. He hoped Winn would take the empty seat at the far end of the table. But of course, he chose the one next to Mitzi Sanchez, right across the table from Anna.
“I haven’t seen you in a while,” Tripp said to Mitzi.
Mitzi was an orthopedic surgeon who’d moved to Jackson Hole after residency. Some had linked her with Benedict Campbell, another physician in her group, but their relationship—if you could even call it that—had been tumultuous from the beginning.
Mitzi’s lips lifted in a wry smile and Tripp realized for not the first time that she was a beautiful woman. With her blue eyes and brownish-red hair, she looked more Irish than Argentinean. Even though Tripp liked her personally, for some reason he’d never been attracted to her. “You’d think with the ski season over we wouldn’t be as busy. But car accidents and trampolines have kept the surgery schedules full.”
“Is Ben here with you?”
Mitzi rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why everyone keeps asking me about him. We’re colleagues. Sometimes we’re even friends. But we’re certainly not joined at the hip.”
“On that positive note—” Winn smiled broadly and held out his hand to her “—I’m Winn Ferris and I’m not joined to anyone’s hip either.”
Tripp expelled a breath of relief, then turned to Anna, who looked positively lovely in bright red. The only thing he didn’t like about her dress was it didn’t show much skin. On second thought, with Winn at the table, that was a good thing.
“Thanks for saving me a seat,” he said in a low tone.
She gave him a wink. “That’s what girlfriends do.”
“Were you and Tripp at the movies last night?” Kate asked. Kate was a pediatrician in town and married to Joel Dennes, a prominent builder of high-end homes. “Joel and I had a date night and he swore he saw you and Tripp come in.”
Tripp glanced at Joel, a warning in his gaze. “We were there.”
If Joel had seen anything...unusual, he’d best keep it to himself.
But the builder simply smiled benignly and took a sip of coffee.
“I absolutely loved the movie.” Kate shifted her gaze to Anna. “Tell me honestly, didn’t you feel like crying when they broke up?”
“I’m not much of a crier,” Anna admitted. “But I love it when good acting makes you feel such intense emotions.”
Good save, Tripp thought to himself. Anna hadn’t really said she’d watched the scene, but somehow she’d managed to answer Kate’s question. He was glad no one had asked him anything about the movie because he’d been otherwise occupied.
When the older waitress with garish orange lipstick approached the table and began taking orders, Anna leaned toward Tripp.
“I hope everything is okay with Betsy and the baby.” Her brows were furrowe
d with worry. “She’d told me she and Ryan would be in church, but I didn’t see them.”
Impulsively he reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m sure they’re fine. Perhaps they just decided to sleep in.”
“Oh, my goodness, it’s Betsy and Ryan,” Lexi called out.
Anna turned, her eyes lighting with pleasure. “And baby Nathan.”
“We can make more room at the table.” Nick started to rise to his feet.
“Don’t bother.” Ryan waved him down. “We can stay for only a second. We don’t want the baby out around many people when he’s so small.”
“I wanted to show everyone how cute he looks in the outfit Anna gave him.” Betsy held out the baby boy, dressed in a blue-and-white sailor suit, to her friend.
Anna took him in her arms with well-practiced ease. “He’s adorable, Bets. And the sailor hat is so cute on him.”
“You should take a picture of him wearing it,” Tripp said in a low tone to Ryan. “You can show it to his rodeo buddies when he’s sixteen and they come over to the house.”
“Betsy loves it on him,” he said, looking surprisingly serious. “That’s what matters.”
“She’s got you whipped, boy,” Tripp teased.
“Guilty,” Ryan said with an easy smile. He lowered his voice. “Seriously, I’ve never been happier. I can’t believe it took me so long to see Betsy was the woman for me.”
The waitress gave up on taking orders for the moment as the women congregated around Betsy and the baby.
Ryan and Tripp took a step back.
“I hear you and Anna are...involved.”
Tripp wondered if Anna had told Betsy the truth about their relationship yet. And if so, what had Betsy told Ryan?
“I’m happy to see you two together,” Ryan continued, not waiting for Tripp to respond. “I thought you’d be perfect for each other for a long time.”
A long time? Tripp had been with Gayle for years. Was his friend intimating...?
“Anna wasn’t even on my radar when I was married,” Tripp said abruptly.