by Terri Pray
For a moment she didn’t reply. But when she did there was a calm acceptance in her voice that hadn’t been there before. “You’re right. I don’t want them to get away with it.”
“Then what do you want me to do?” He tried to keep the desperation from his voice. He had to keep his word, if she wanted to leave, to have nothing more to do with him sexually, he had to accept that.
“Take me home and we’ll meet tonight. Not a dinner date though, coffee. The Starbucks just down the road from your office. A nice, safe, public place.”
Well, it wasn’t a complete brush-off. It would give him a chance to work a few things out in his mind, and maybe discover a way to help regain her trust. “Sounds good to me. So will you let me drive you home?”
Chapter Twelve
“What time did you get in last night?” Barb stared up at her from the kitchen table. “I know it was gone one as that’s about the time I crawled into bed. I presumed everything was all right or you’d have called, but I have to admit I was a bit worried about you.”
“I’m sorry, it was pretty late. Things didn’t go exactly the way I planned,” Sue admitted and settled down in the spare chair. “I’m not sure what got into me though.”
“Well from the looks of your hair, I’d say a good man.”
Heat flushed across her face instantly. “Barb!”
“Well, I’m right, aren’t I?” Her friend grinned. “Come on, tell me what happened. Is he good? I mean scream-all-night-and-into-the-morning good?”
“I can’t believe you expect me to go into details.” Sue rubbed the sleep from her eyes, or rather a mix of that and gummy stuff that always appeared when she didn’t get enough sleep.
“No, I don’t. But you can’t blame me for teasing you. You obviously enjoyed his company and that says a lot. But something doesn’t add up; you look as though you’ve been crying half the night.”
“For an hour at least.” Sleep had come reluctantly once Alan had walked her to the door and made sure she was safe. It hadn’t mattered just how tired she was, or how good her body felt, not even the kiss -- a brief, soft, sensual kiss good night -- had managed to ease her mood. Instead she’d lain on the bed, staring at the ceiling, going over all the mistakes she’d made that night.
Had she made any mistakes? Or was it just her imagination?
He’d enjoyed it, she had, he wanted to see her again. So just why had she spent the rest of the night staring at the paintwork?
“Spill What’s the problem -- oh shit, he didn’t dump you did he? I’ll kill him!”
“No, it’s not that. I just -- I don’t think I can risk seeing him again on my own. I made such a terrible mistake and I don’t want to repeat it. He wants to meet up after work tonight; can you go with me?”
Meet him and maybe eat him?
Sue almost choked at the deliciously evil thoughts her mind was all too ready to supply.
“Slow down. What sort of mistake?” Barb pushed up from the small table long enough to fill a fresh mug of coffee and place it in front of Sue. “Is he a jerk? Did he take what he wanted and then leave you waiting? Don’t tell me he’s one of those men who rolls over and starts to snore without thinking about you? Fuck. I wouldn’t have put him down as that type.”
“No, he’s a good man, at least from what I’ve seen. If I’d have told him to stop at any point he’d have ended it and not made me feel horrible for changing my mind.” How many men were like that? Not many, from what she’d seen so far. Most grabbed what they could and ran for the door.
“Okay, is he on the make, after money?”
“No, he’s wealthy; the whole son-of-the-boss thing isn’t just a work place advantage. He’s got a nice home, decent clothes, good taste in food.” The bed, the couch, the crackling fireplace, she could have stayed there forever.
“Does he have bad breath?”
“No, of course not!”
“Then just what’s the problem?”
“I am. Shit. I jumped right into bed with him.”
Barb frowned, opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, shook her head, and then laughed. “Is that all you’re worried about?”
“Well, he’s going to think that I’m easy.”
“Sue, I’d have jumped into bed with him. I’d still think about it given half the chance, but he’s not interested in me. Even if I was the type to go behind a friend’s back, he’d turn me down.” Barb set her mug down on the table and rubbed her temples. “I know you’re afraid, but after last night you shouldn’t be. There’s nothing wrong in finding someone attractive and going for it with them. You enjoyed it, he did from the look on your face, so what’s wrong with being human and admitting that it was fun?”
Sue shifted in her seat and dropped her gaze to the coffee. “I don’t know. I just -- well, I guess I thought he’d be disgusted when he realized what we did and when he asked to see me again I was shocked.”
Shocked -- that was putting it mildly.
“When are you going to accept that you’re beautiful? Couldn’t you see it in his eyes last night?”
Sue sucked in her bottom lip and chewed on it. He had looked at her as if she were something special. Those small touches to her fingers through dinner, the heated looks, the way he had escorted her out through the restaurant as if he were the luckiest man on the planet. Yet a part of her still didn’t want to believe it had all happened.
“So you think I’m being stupid?”
“I think you’re letting your fears get the better of you.”
Fears. Such small things yet they wanted to rule her life. “What if he’s like David? I don’t think I could take that again.”
“How will you know if he’s a better man if you don’t take the risk? You made the first step, and second, last night.”
Second, third, and maybe fourth. They hadn’t exactly kept things meek and mild last night. She took a small sip of the drink, cupping the mug back and forth between her hands.
Had he really called her Ma’am?
“What are you thinking about?”
“Just…well…maybe I didn’t make a mistake after all.”
“Only one real way to find out, isn’t there?”
“Yes, I know.” There was no escaping that. It didn’t make sense. She’d never been the type to just jump into bed with someone. And never on a first date, yet with him, with Alan, it felt right. “I could give him a call. See if he wants to make that a lunch meeting.”
“Or you could wait until after work and get a few things done. Make sure this isn’t something you’re doing just to try and fit in with the world. I’m not saying that you did anything wrong. Quite the opposite in fact, but if you rush things, change dates around, then you’ll start questioning yourself.”
“Huh? Sorry, I’m not quite sure I understand.” Maybe she just hadn’t had enough sleep. Or not enough caffeine.
“If you change when you’re meeting him, rush off to spend time with him, you’ll then wonder if you’re doing it because you want to, or because it feels like the thing you’re supposed to do. I don’t know if that makes sense to you.” Barb rested her head on her hands and let her hair fall over her face. “Gawd. I need some more coffee in my system before I start handing out advice first thing in the morning.”
“You need to get some food in you, coffee, and hit the shower. Shit, so do I. We’re going to be late at this rate, and the last thing either of us need is a black mark on our files.” Taking yesterday morning off had been difficult enough. Still, they’d pulled it off and the risk had been worth it.
Alan had been worth it.
“You’re getting that dreamy look on your face again.” Barb reached for the sugar and added a little more to the cup. “Go take your shower; I need some more caffeine before I even think about stepping into one.”
Sue tried not to laugh, but stood up and rolled out her shoulders. Every inch of her skin felt alive, tingling in places she had long since forgotten. “Fine, I’ll take
the shower first and you try and get out of the zombie state, or at least to the point where you can stand up under the shower without falling asleep.”
“Bitch.” Barb laughed.
“Yes, I think I am and I love being one.” Still laughing, more to herself than anything else, Sue hurried out of the kitchen.
Please, Ma’am.
Yes, he’d said it, teased her with the thought of being a dominant, and by God she’d enjoyed it. What would it be like if she took it a step further? And where would she go to learn what to do? There had to be books out there, places she could research. She had a computer so there was always the Net, but what if he didn’t want her like that?
A long, hot shower. Just what she needed before she went to work, though a part of her didn’t want to wash his scent from her body.
Hot water pelted against her skin minutes later; the large shower stall had been one of the reasons they had agreed to rent the place. Too many homes these days came with tiny bathrooms, or miniscule showers, and even if she hadn’t been a larger woman the idea of taking a shower in a coffin-sized area would have been less than appealing.
Sue leaned back against the tile-covered wall, closing her eyes as she turned the showerhead on her face. Who needed a facial with a good massage setting like that?
What was Alan doing now?
Would he be on the way to work, or already in his office? Did he go for a run first thing in the morning? He looked like the type of man that worked out when he had the chance. He’d certainly felt that way.
She smiled, shaking her head softly before she ducked her head under the water, wetting it down before working the shampoo into her hair.
Heat rippled through her inner walls as the needlelike caress of the water teased her body.
Turned on by the shower?
No, that wasn’t possible, was it?
Her nipples ached, tightening into taut, small buds that begged to be touched.
Not fair, she didn’t have time to do anything about it. Not with work, with Barb needing the shower once she’d finished off. Shit, what was she supposed to do now?
Live with it?
She squirmed, her thighs pressed tightly together as she reached for the soap and tried to focus on cleaning off. She could almost feel his touch again, across her breasts, over her stomach, small light nips around her nipples.
Sue groaned, building up the lather on her hand before she shifted a little to wash between her thighs only to pull back her hand in shock. Hot. She’d never felt so warm there before. It would have been so very easy to slide her finger between her lower lips and tease her…
Fuck, she was running out of time, and no matter how horny she now felt she wasn’t about to get them both into trouble.
* * * * *
She was late.
Alan checked his watch for the third time in the last ten minutes.
What was keeping her? She’d agreed to meet him and she’d called him at the office only a few hours earlier to confirm she’d meet him for coffee just as they’d planned, so where was she?
Maybe she’d changed her mind at the last minute? She had sounded tired when they’d spoken. Had her night, once he had escorted her home, been as disturbed as his had been?
Every time he had tried to sleep he’d been disturbed by dreams of her changing on him. Going from the woman he had seen enjoying her first taste of dominating another human being, into one who laughed and mocked him for his desires.
No, she wasn’t like that.
Alan closed his eyes and tried to relax. Years of his father trying to push him into dates with women he wanted nothing to do with. For the most part he’d been able to avoid them, or tell his dad no, and repeat the no until he actually took notice. Or did so for a short time, at least.
Now he had a chance with a woman he felt something real towards.
Love? Perhaps, but it was too soon to say that. Far too soon, if he mentioned it to Sue then she’d back away slowly and look for the hidden cameras. It didn’t matter how real the feelings were towards her, it just wasn’t the right time to tell her.
So when would be?
After they made love again? If she let him near her any time soon?
His cock thickened at the thought of her naked body lying next to him in the bed. Her eyes closed, those thick lashes caressing the curves of her cheeks. So innocent. And yet hungry. Oh God, she’d been hungry for his touches.
His thighs ached and he shifted in the chair. It would have been so very easy to just reach into his pants and wrap his hand around his cock. If he hadn’t been in the middle of a very public place, that is.
“Alan?”
He sat up quickly, opening his eyes only to see Sue standing on the other side of the table. Just as well that he had the table between them, this way she wouldn’t see the growing tent in his pants.
“Did you fall asleep?”
“No, sorry, I was just going over a few things from work.” He wasn’t exactly lying, he had met her at work and they’d certainly put a great deal of effort into pleasing each other. “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it after all.”
“I’d have called you, left a message at the office if plans had changed.” Sue gave a quick look at the empty chair. “Did you want me to sit down?”
“This works just fine. After all, I want you to be comfortable.” Naked, sprawled out on his bed with his cock buried between her thighs, that’s what he really wanted. “And I don’t think you’re ready for being in a more private place with me again, not yet at least.”
It didn’t stop him from wanting that, needing it. Her body, his, the two blended together.
She eased down into the chair, a slight smile settling into place. “You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”
“Now that’s something I haven’t heard in a long time.” Amazing? Why, because he’d treated her as a human being? A wonderful, deliciously sensual human being?
“Not sure why, but then again since meeting you I’ve learned that there are a lot of men out there who don’t treat women with the greatest of respect. So, why did you want to see me again today? Like this, I mean?”
“I wanted you to know you were safe with me. That I didn’t just want to see you only for -- well, for sex.” That sounded awkward, even to him. Wonderful, she’d think he’d turned into wonder dork. Where had his ability to form a coherent sentence vanished to?
A soft laugh drew his attention back to Sue’s eyes. “I’m sorry, that just sounded so weird coming from you. Of course I know I’m safe. If I wasn’t you wouldn’t have wanted to meet me again at all. And what’s wrong with meeting someone for just sex every now and then?”
His heart skipped a beat as his cock throbbed into life. “Now that’s something I wasn’t expecting to hear from you either. Not that I’m complaining.”
“I didn’t think you would.” She rested her elbows on the table, cupping her chin in her hand. Long strands of hair half fell over her face, veiling it for a moment until she swept it back from her eyes. “Not that I’m suggesting we should head for somewhere more private.”
Not yet at least, but there was something in the way she smiled at him. A glimpse of a mischief, hunger, or something else that he didn’t quite recognize… Whatever it was, it looked good on her. A light flickered in her eyes. She smiled, but it wasn’t the soft, playful smile or friendly welcome he was used to seeing on a woman. One corner of her mouth twitched upwards, a dimple half forming in her cheek as she peered at him through her lashes.
Coy.
What he wouldn’t have given for the chance to show her just what that look did to him.
“And what if I asked you to come home with me again, Sue?”
“I thought you wanted to give me some time?” Her voice was soft, tempting as she leaned forward a little more on the table. “I have a lot to think about, after what happened, what we did -- there are some things I’m not certain about.”
“I know, sorry. Ju
st that I…” His palms felt sweaty. What was happening to him? He wasn’t like this around women normally.
“Just what?”
Just I want to pull you over the table, say screw the world, and lick every luscious part of your body until you scream my name.
“I find you attractive; sorry about that.” He blushed. For the first time since leaving high school, he actually blushed.
Her gaze narrowed, the tiny lines around her eyes crinkling. Another woman might have hidden them, taken the time and wasted the money with plastic surgery, but not Sue. She was real, she accepted who she was, every small fault, every touch of age, her soft, comforting body that opened up so readily for him.
Some would have called her obese; they were wrong. She was healthy, strong, and at peace with herself. Even if she wanted to spend some time in a gym it wouldn’t change the core of who she was, just tighten her up in places.
His cock surged against the pressure of his pants, the thickening erection far more than he had been expecting to cope with.
“Nothing to be sorry about. Actually, it’s kind of nice.” Sue reached out across the table, heat coloring her cheeks. The confidence slipped away, just as it had the night before, and for a moment he saw it again. That soft vulnerability that called to him. Would it have been so wrong to move around the table and wrap his arms about her?
How could she be vulnerable and strong all at the same time? He wanted to protect her, and yet kneel at her feet. Damn, talk about being mixed up.
“So what now? Do we have that coffee and get to know each other a little better, or do you head for home and leave me to it?”
Sue’s brow crinkled into a slight frown. “I thought you wanted more information about the blogger ring?”
“I do, but I also know you’re not willing to risk your friends, which I can understand.” Sooner or later it would come out, though. There’d be no other choice, Sue had to know that. “I think I can track him down myself. I’ve got our Internet security people looking into it, but without a court order the owners of the blogger site don’t have to do anything to help us. At most they’ll shut down the sites if we report them for violating the terms of services.”