Kicking the boxers away, he strode over to the bed, climbed on and sidled right up to Sally. “Everything okay?” he said.
Her gaze was still raking his body, drinking him in, and it seemed to take her a considerable amount of effort to shift her eyes to meet his. “Um, yes,” she finally said, pushing a hand through her hair. “Yes. More than all right.” A wash of color had spread across her cheeks, and Matthew bit back a grin.
“Good. Because that was your last chance to back out.” Cupping her cheek, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. Sally’s mouth opened almost immediately and Matthew’s tongue quickly slipped inside. Finding hers, he deepened the kiss, enjoying the way she responded to him. She was eager, skilled and sexy, and he figured her nakedness was way overdue.
Breaking the kiss, he grinned as she gave a mewl of protest. “Remember what I said?”
Frowning, she shook her head.
“Oh I think you do, sweetheart. But in the interests of moving things along, I’ll remind you. I said that once I was naked it was your turn.”
A look of understanding crossed her face and she smiled. “Yes, you did. Wanna give me a hand with that?”
“I can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more.” He grabbed the hem of her top and tugged it over her head, throwing it carelessly across the room. Leaning in, he began to caress each inch of exposed skin, first with his hands then his mouth. Placing wet kisses over her chest, throat and shoulders, he reached around and popped open her bra, sliding the straps down her arms. Moving away for just long enough to discard the garment, he started to tease her breasts.
Pulling her nipple into his mouth, he suckled at it while he kept the other one busy with his fingers. Teasing and tormenting, he licked, nibbled and sucked at each of her stiff nubs in turn until the sounds she made became utterly unintelligible. Only then did he push her back onto the pillows and remove her socks, jeans and skimpy thong.
Once she was naked, he returned the favor she’d paid him, raking his gaze up and down her supine form, his cock growing harder by the second. When his eyes finally met hers, he let out an animalistic growl. “Christ, you’re gorgeous. I have to taste you.”
Eager to act on the thought he’d had earlier about making her scream, he scooted hurriedly between her thighs, hooking her legs over his shoulders, and dove in. Her musky, feminine scent assaulted his powerful sense of smell. Letting out another growl, he pressed his face into her vulva and began devouring her, hungrily licking up her juices before dancing his tongue between her folds and over the tight nub at their apex, ensuring she produced more tart liquid. Fuck, but she tasted good. Addictive, almost.
Zeroing in on what made her groan and wriggle the most, Matthew tantalized Sally’s body, pushing her ever closer to the scream he so desperately wanted to hear. For him, pleasuring a woman was heady, supremely erotic, and turned him on just as much as taking his pleasure. And when he was in bed with a woman such as Sally, so comfortable in her own skin and with no embarrassment when it came to sex, his satisfaction was ramped up hugely.
Her legs tightened around his head, and he knew she was close. The sounds she made had increased in volume and pitch and her pussy was saturated. He could scarcely wait to fuck her—but it wouldn’t be long. He’d make her come, then sheath himself and get inside her as her walls continued to spasm. Perfection.
Taking her distended nub into his mouth, he sucked it at, increasing the pressure steadily until she came apart beneath him. She jerked and moaned, then finally, stiffened. As soon as he was sure she was beyond the point of no return, Matthew stopped what he was doing, grabbed the condom and carefully put it on. Checking it was secure, he gripped the base of his shaft and guided it inside Sally’s clenching cunt.
Immediately a hiss of air was yanked from his lips. God, she was tight. Tight, wet and willing. Even in the throes of her climax she reached for him, pulling him down on top of her. Wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his, she encouraged him to go deeper, pushing in inch by inch until his balls were squashed against her body.
With a guttural moan, she gripped the back of his neck and yanked his face down toward hers, and their tongues tangled as their bodies joined.
After a couple of seconds, Matthew began to move his hips, working to get into a rhythm, thrusting his tongue between Sally’s lips as his cock stroked her internal walls. She felt so good that he knew it’d take all his concentration not to come too soon. As long as she came again first, he’d be happy.
Sally’s grip on his neck and legs grew tighter and her mouth worked faster. It seemed she’d ridden the wave of her first climax and her hormones were driving her to reach for the next.
Matthew was more than happy to give it to her. Shifting position slightly, he ensured that with every thrust of his hips his pubic bone rolled against her clit. A squeal and a sharp nip of his bottom lip indicated that he was getting it right. Very right. The slight pain injected a burst of adrenaline into his bloodstream and encouraged him to fuck her faster.
Recalling his promise to himself not to go too crazy, Matthew showed some restraint but picked up his pace to the limit of what he suspected a human man could achieve. Hard, fast, he shunted into her, stroking her clit with every thrust. On and on he went, growing closer to his own inevitable climax and just hoping hers came first.
Fortunately it did. The frantic fucking caught up with them both, but Sally was the first to come. Her fingernails dug tightly into his shoulders, sending zings of lust bolting through his body and tipping him over the edge milliseconds after her.
Bucking and thrusting together, their respective yells and expletives filled the room as they were overtaken by pleasure. Matthew felt dizzy as Sally’s cunt gripped at his shaft, milking it dry, eking out his bliss for several more precious seconds. Soon, too soon, it was over. He pressed a kiss to her damp forehead before rolling off her for long enough to wrap the condom up in a tissue and toss it into the bin by the door.
Then he eagerly rejoined her on the mattress, pulling her into his arms and wondering how long before they’d both be ready to go again.
Chapter Nineteen
By the time his brother walked in the door, Isaac had worked himself into quite the foul mood. He’d been scouring the damn village to find out who might be trying to set them up, and he’d found out that rather than helping him, Matthew had been picking up a random woman in the pub and taking her home. The only saving grace was that she was not a villager—Isaac had never seen her before. But it didn’t matter. As far as Isaac was concerned, his brother had stabbed him in the back twice with one stupid action, and he was furious. Especially since the chances were it was one of Matthew’s admirers who was the villain of the piece.
“Hello, brother,” Matthew said, beaming as he strode into the living room, where Isaac had been sitting in silence for nigh on two hours.
Isaac didn’t trust himself to reply right away. His brother even had a spring in his step, for fuck’s sake! Pulling in a deep breath, he finally replied, “Good, was she?”
Matthew stopped in his tracks, his face falling. “Sorry?”
“You heard me, brother. I asked if she was good. Worth it. You know, all that jazz.”
Dropping into the chair opposite his brother, Matthew groaned. “Christ, I’m sorry, Isaac. You don’t need to tell me what I’ve done. Trust me, I fucking know.”
“You’d have known that all along, and yet you still did it. While I was out trying to find out who’s screwing us over. Who is she?”
“Don’t worry, she’s just a tourist. Sort of. She’s staying in one of the cottages for the week.”
With a burst of anger he hadn’t known he was capable of, Isaac sprang out of the chair. “And that makes it okay, does it?”
Running a hand through his hair and letting out a heavy sigh, his brother replied, “Of course it doesn’t. Look, I can’t say anything other than I’m sorry. It just kind of happened—and I can’t take it back now, c
an I?”
Isaac snorted. “Cock took control of your brain, did it? I can’t believe you, Matthew. Christ, after everything we’ve been through, after all your little talks with me about Nathaniel, about not shitting where we eat… You’re a fucking hypocrite, you know that? It’s one rule for you, is it, and another for me? You’re allowed to start fucking around in the village, but if I so much as speak to Nathaniel, you lecture me?”
“No, of course not. It’s…well, it’s different, isn’t it?”
“Is it?”
“Yes. Nathaniel lives here permanently and it’s more than just a physical thing with you two. Sally will be gone by the end of the week and it’s just a bit of fun. No strings, no divulging of secrets, no nothing.”
Pursing his lips, Isaac considered what to say next. There were so many things he wanted to say, they were all crowding behind his teeth, eager to get out. Huffing out a breath, he finally decided on “It’s still not the point, though, is it? We haven’t fucked around in this village for years because we decided it was too dangerous. I thought that was the whole point of your ‘friends’ in Sheffield and Manchester and your occasional nights out on the town. To get your rocks off without endangering us in any way.”
“It was. It is. But I’m not endangering us with Sally. She doesn’t know anything and I’m not going to tell her anything.”
“So I can start screwing holidaymakers, then? Is that how it is now? Don’t suppose she’s brought a hot gay friend with her, has she? Do you think you could introduce us? Then we can both have some no strings fun for the week, can’t we?”
Matthew sighed again. “No, she’s here by herself. No gay friend, hot or otherwise. Now can we please drop this conversation? You’ve said your bit and I’ve said mine. We could go around in circles forever and a fucking day.”
“Really? That’s your answer?”
“Yes,” Matthew snapped. “It is. Because there’s no point continuing, repeating ourselves. And don’t we have something more important to worry about?”
“What could possibly be more important than you getting a shag?”
“Did you find anything out or not? I didn’t, unfortunately.” He blabbered on regardless of his brother’s rage, probably hoping it would burn itself out. “We thought the dogs had picked up a scent but they just did a big loop and came back to the beginning.”
Isaac’s shoulders sagged, some of the fight seeping out of him. His brother was right, sort of. Not about what he’d done, of course, but about them going around in circles with the argument. They’d have to agree to disagree. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d done that over the centuries. “That’s a shame, because I don’t have anything either. I thought I did but I don’t.”
Matthew frowned. “What do you mean, you thought you did?”
“I sat here and thought for a while about who it could be. I tried to think whether we’d made ourselves any enemies over the years. This whole thing just feels like revenge to me. And I’m sorry, but I couldn’t think of anyone that I’ve pissed off enough for them to do this. I wondered if it was someone from the pub, perhaps a piss-head you’d thrown out at some point, but it didn’t fit. It wasn’t enough to force someone to exact this kind of revenge against us. Finally I figured it could be someone you’ve, uh, spurned at some point. You know, one of your many admirers.”
“Seriously? You think this comes down to me?”
“No, not in that way. It’s not your fault. You know what they say, ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. Anyway, I was going to search online here for stuff about the women in question, then I realized I’d be better placed out there, actually talking to them. You know, so I could read their body language and stuff. I ruled out anyone too old or too weak to do that to a sheep, then headed out. Obviously loads of women were out of the village at work, so I just made a start on those who work here. I got as far as the village shop and Amy when I thought I’d hit the nail on the head.”
All the color drained out of Matthew’s face. “Shit, seriously? Amy?”
“I said thought. I don’t think it’s her. I just did for a minute. She was acting weird when I was talking to her and I got the wrong idea. It turned out she’d miscounted some of the stock in the shop and was trying to fix it before her dad noticed. I was just leaving when I saw you mooching up the village, not a care in the world, with a cute brunette not far behind. It didn’t take a genius to work out what was happening, especially since I was heading home too and I heard you talking when she got to the cottage.”
“Christ.” Matthew paused. “So do you still think it might be a woman I’ve upset somehow? How do you know it’s not a man you’ve pissed off?”
Isaac shot his brother a dirty look. “Really? Pray tell me, brother, exactly how many men have come on to me since…well, ever?”
Matthew didn’t reply.
“Yes, exactly. You could count the number on no fingers. Now do you have a sensible suggestion or are we still fucking clueless here?”
“We’re still clueless, mate, sorry.”
“Right, well in that case I’m going out for a run. I need to get rid of some of this energy, because I’m still sorely tempted to punch you in the face.”
“Okay, fair enough. See you later. What do you want for dinner?” Matthew smiled hopefully, clearly hoping the way to Isaac’s forgiveness was through his stomach.
Isaac replied dryly, “Something that takes ages. Both because I want to torture you and because I won’t be back for quite a while. I need a good, hard run.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later then.” Matthew stood and brushed past his brother, heading for the kitchen.
Isaac heard the opening and closing of cupboards and a series of muttered curses. Shaking his head, he went upstairs to put his running gear on and grab his iPod. He and his brother had had a few fights of late, but nothing like this. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so pissed off with Matthew. Possibly never.
A few minutes later he left the house without saying goodbye. The slam of the door would let Matthew know he’d gone. Right now that was all he deserved. Except the punch in the face he still so desperately wanted to dole out. Slotting his earphones into place, he selected his favorite playlist for running and started it going, shoving the iPod into the zip-up pocket of his top.
Fucking two-faced, hypocritical bastard, Isaac thought as he started pounding the pavement. Unbelievable! Suddenly it’s okay for him to go and screw some chick across the road but I’m still supposed to take my feelings for Nathaniel and push them as far into the back of my mind as possible. And certainly not act on them. Even though it’s about far more than just sex. For me, anyway. I’ve no idea what he thinks because I haven’t spoken to him in fucking ages. Because of my damn brother.
After a couple of minutes Isaac realized he was just coming up to the turning for Nathaniel’s street. He’d intended to carry straight on along the Grindleford road, but something made him take a sharp right. Passing the higgledy-piggledy houses and cottages, Isaac arrived at Nathaniel’s and slowed to a walking pace, then headed up the path and knocked on the front door, yanking his earphones out with his other hand. Only then did he wonder what the fuck he was going to say to the other man, if he was even in. It was still early—he was probably still at work…
The door swung open. Nathaniel stood there, looking as mouthwateringly gorgeous as ever. Isaac didn’t speak—couldn’t.
“Er, hi, Isaac. Are you all right? How’s your brother?” His tone sounded genuinely concerned, and Isaac realized he probably looked a bit mental, still fuming and red-faced from both the argument and the start of his run.
“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks.” He paused. “What do you mean, how’s my brother?”
“His wrist?”
Isaac’s blank look obviously told Nathaniel everything he needed to know. “He cut it pretty badly on my mower blades earlier. I sent him to find you, to get you to check it out, clean it up and give him a t
etanus shot. He wouldn’t let me look at it or help him.”
Of course he wouldn’t, Nathaniel. It was probably healed up by the time he left your house. Shrugging, Isaac said, “Nope, I haven’t seen him. He hasn’t tried to contact me either. He must have gone straight to the surgery. They’ve probably fixed him up.”
“Ah, yes. Probably. I hope he’s okay.”
“I’m sure he is.”
“So, um, is there anything I can help you with?”
“Huh? What?”
“I’m assuming there’s a reason you were out on a run and decided to stop by my house.”
“Oh!” Isaac let out an inane laugh that probably did nothing to help the mental vibe he was giving off. “Yeah, sorry. I just, uh, came to see how you’re getting on with the house. We haven’t spoken in a while, so I thought I’d stop by and see.”
Christ, really? That’s the best you could come up with? Isaac wanted to kick himself. If you ever had a chance with this guy, you’ve really fucked it up now. He probably thinks you’re a damn head case.
“Oh right. Yeah, I’m getting on good, thanks. You want to come check it out?”
“Uh, yeah, okay.” He couldn’t very well say no, really, not with the excuse he’d made for being there.
“Come on in then. Can I get you a drink?” Nathaniel ushered Isaac into the house and closed the door behind him.
“Hey, I’m not disturbing you, am I? I can leave.”
“No, not at all.” Nathaniel placed a hand on Isaac’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’m supposed to be working from home today but I’ve got it all under control. Just don’t let my boss know that, all right? He might decide he doesn’t need me anymore.” He smiled but Isaac didn’t return it. Nor did he respond. His mind and body were too taken up with the emotions and sensations whizzing through him.
The other man’s simple touch on his shoulder seemed to have sent him into meltdown. Intense heat and longing flowed through him and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch Nathaniel. To kiss him.
Pack of Lies Page 15