by Allison West
"About an hour. I just have to head straight north."
"I'll make a few calls in the morning and find out how the roads are," Alec offered. He knew enough people that would let him know if the conditions were safe for Becca to be out on the road. He wasn't keen on the fact her wipers wouldn't be fixed right away either. He considered offering to drive her, but they barely knew each other and she'd still need a ride back to his place and then home. He'd think of something before Christmas morning, which was only a few hours away.
"Thanks." She stared down at her bottle of beer, taking another swig before picking at the label.
"Do you want to play a game?" he asked.
"What kind of game?" She quirked an eyebrow, glancing up at him.
"How about I've never and if it's something you've done, you drink to it?" He stood up and headed for the kitchen to grab two more beers.
Chapter 2
Becca wasn't born yesterday. She'd heard of the game, but she'd never had the opportunity to play it either. Was it a good idea? She wasn't sure.
"Come on, it'll be fun."
"For you maybe," she said and laughed. What else was she going to do? At least if they were playing a game together, she was distracted from the reminder that her fingers were cold. Holding the bottle of beer didn't help. She placed the cold bottle on the table and nodded. What did she have to lose?
"You can go first, if you want?"
"Fine," she said and nodded. "How many questions are we doing?"
"One at a time but twenty total."
He'd apparently already thought this through or played I've never far too many times in the past.
"I'll go first. I've never kissed a girl." She reached for the beer and took a swig, staring at Alec as he did the same.
"Really?" he asked, probably wanting all the juicy details.
Becca nodded. "Yeah at a party in college." She didn't further elaborate.
His eyes narrowed and his lips quirked upwards. "I've never kissed a guy."
She snorted under her breath and took a swig. "You don't want to drink?" She hadn't intended to sound as though she were teasing him, but he'd chosen something to make her drink instead of him. Fine. Two could play at that game.
"I've never sung in the shower," Becca said. She had a terrible singing voice and she knew without a doubt belting her vocals in the shower wouldn't help her or anyone else.
"Me either," Alec said, laughing as he stared at her. "Okay. Let's see. I've never had sex on a first date."
Laughing, they both reached for their beers, taking a swig.
"Do tell," Alec said, clearly surprised that she drank to that.
Becca shook her head. Her cheeks felt warm and her inhibitions had eased. Smiling, she stared deep into his brown eyes. They matched the dark color of his hair. "I don't kiss and tell."
"Fine. Fine. I've never been spanked."
Laughing, she took a swig of beer.
"Really? Was it recent?" Alec asked, leaning forward.
Becca's eyes widened. "Hell no!" Had he lost his mind? "When I was a kid. I did shit all the time to get me into trouble. It was either get my nose shoved in a corner or get spanked."
"With a mouth like that, I'm not surprised," Alec said.
"You're telling me you've never been spanked?" she asked, finding it difficult to believe his parents never disciplined him.
"I prefer to do the spanking," he said, his eyes locked on hers.
The room felt as though it had just gotten ten degrees warmer. Flushed, Becca fanned herself. "Your turn."
"No, it's your turn," Alec said, reminding her. "I just did the one about spanking."
"Right. Right." How had he clouded her mind already? She reached for the beer, keeping it in her grip. The cold bottle would hopefully cool her down. When had it gotten so damned hot? "I've never had sex in a public place."
Alec took a swig of his beer. Her eyes burned into him.
"Where? When?" she asked. Wanting the details that he probably wouldn't give to her.
"I don't kiss and tell," he said, smugly.
Sure enough, this game was heated, but not dishing out all the dirty secrets either wanted to know. She needed to turn things up fast!
"I will give you a hint," he said, offering her a glimpse or maybe he just enjoyed teasing her. "It was in a dark but very crowded place."
Becca rolled her eyes. He described just about everywhere at night. "Your turn."
"I've never gone to a stranger's door and asked for help."
She lifted the bottle to her lips. "Very funny." She took a swig, letting the liquid course down her throat. It felt good. Pretty soon the bottle would be empty and she'd want a third. At least she wasn't going anywhere tonight. "Okay. My turn. I've never hired a prostitute."
Neither of them took a sip. He shook his head. "Me either. I've never been in a domestic discipline relationship." He took a swig, staring at her with eyes that shined and grew a shade darker.
"I don't even know what that is, so I'm guessing I've never done it," Becca said. She watched as he sipped his beer, curious if he'd elaborate.
"It's when the man is the head of household and makes the decisions. Sometimes it involves spanking when his girlfriend or wife is naughty."
"It sounds a bit 1950's, don't you think?" How could he participate in something so archaic? It pushed back everything that women had done to achieve equal status.
He ran his hands over his thighs. Were his palms sweaty? "It's not for everyone," he said. "Only for consenting adults, but it does make the sex better and the relationship stronger."
"We'll have to agree to disagree on that one." Becca couldn't see how any woman would let a man tell her what to do. Maybe if she had been forced back in time, but this was reality and what he suggested sounded like some fetish fantasy.
* * *
He'd have to find a way to convince Becca that domestic discipline wasn't what she envisioned, with a housewife in the kitchen and the husband coming home from work expecting his meal to be on the table. Not that he didn't fantasize about a woman knowing her way around the kitchen in nothing on but an apron, but he was realistic too. Obviously it wasn't something she was comfortable with and the idea would have to grow on her, because he did like her. He found himself attracted to her, drawn to her, unlike most women he dated. He'd been in relationships, but he'd never felt the spark like he had when he first met her. There was something about her that he found captivating.
"Your turn," he said, keeping the game going. It was a good way to break the ice, get to know her without prying too intimately. The questions themselves seemed far more personal than he expected her to ask. He still couldn't push the image of her kissing another woman out of his head.
"I've never used bondage or handcuffs," she said and then took a swig of her beer.
Alec grinned and took a drink as well. At least she was into a little kink, that was a good sign. He wondered what else she enjoyed doing in the bedroom. "I've used both," he confessed.
Becca nodded. "I've only used handcuffs. I dated a cop, a very long time ago."
He grimaced. "So you used the real cuffs. I bet that hurt." He tried prying the story from her, wanting all the juicy details that she'd give him.
Becca glanced down at the beer in her hands. "Yeah, it left a mark." Her voice grew distant and Alec suspected that hadn't been the only scar this previous boyfriend had given her. He just hoped the others weren't physical.
He stood up, closing the gap between them as he took a seat beside her on the sofa. "No one should ever hurt a woman," Alec said.
She patted his arm. "It's fine. All in the past now." It seemed she didn't want to talk about it any further and so he let the subject drop. She glanced at her watch and faked a yawn. "It's getting late."
It wasn't that late seeing as how the clock had just reached quarter after nine. She probably felt tired from the cold though, and he wasn't going to keep her up if she wanted to be left alone. "Let m
e change the sheets in the guest room," Alec said and stood up. He walked down the hall and up the stairs, finding fresh linens in the closet.
"Thank you," Becca said, calling up after him.
He had definitely felt as though there was an attraction between them. Alec was certain that he wasn't imagining the situation. It may have been a few months since he'd been involved, spending more time at work and looking after his patients, but he was ready to start dating again. Of course he didn't even know where she was from or if he'd see her again after tomorrow. The doubt tugged at his stomach and as he finished making the bed, he headed down the staircase.
"There's fresh sheets upstairs and clean towels in the bathroom for when you want to shower. Let me put your clothes in the dryer. The washing machine should be just about done."
She didn't say anything, chewing her bottom lip raw as he glanced briefly at her when he walked from the hall to the laundry room shuffling clothes from the washing machine into the dryer.
Her footsteps were soft against the floor. "Thanks for letting me stay here tonight."
He glanced over his shoulder, smiling weakly. "It's Christmas Eve. I wasn't going to let you sleep outside in the snow."
"Lucky for me you were home," she said, staring at him, tilting her head slightly to the side. Her eyes were heavy, glassy from exhaustion.
"Don't let me keep you up. Your clothes are in the dryer," he said, turning the machine on. "It'll be ready when you get up in the morning. Once the roads are clear, I'll drive you to your vehicle." There was no way he would have Becca walk to her car in the snow again.
"Thank you."
"Of course." He shut off the laundry room light and led Becca up the stairs to the guest bedroom, showing her where she'd be sleeping. "If you need anything at all, come and find me. My room is just down the hall." He said, pointing at his bedroom door. "I'm going to be up for a while watching TV. I'll keep it down though."
"It's fine. It won't bother me." She headed into the bedroom and quietly shut the door behind her.
Alec turned and headed down the stairs into the living room. He flipped on a movie, nowhere near tired. Heading into the kitchen, he grabbed the hot air popper and heated up a snack. He hoped the sound wouldn't keep Becca up. Part of him wanted to spend more time with her, but he also didn't want to disturb her either.
Taking the bowl of popcorn to the sofa, he took a seat and relaxed, stretching out as he put on a science fiction adventure that had already started. Halfway through the movie he pulled the clothes out of the dryer and placed everything on the chair that he'd sat on earlier. He spread out on the sofa, the empty bowl long since abandoned on the floor.
Her footsteps startled him.
"Alec?"
He glanced back, watching as she rubbed at her sleep filled eyes.
"Is the television too loud?" He hoped he hadn't woken her up.
"No. It's fine. I just, I can't sleep." He sat up, making room for her to join him on the sofa.
A moment later she collapsed against the cushions, stretching out, not bothering to ask if he minded her resting her legs over his lap. For the record, he was absolutely fine with it. Her eyes closed and he wondered if she'd been sleep walking. Had she realized she'd even come out here at all? She seemed to be asleep once again or at least in some vague state unaware of her surroundings.
He carefully reached for the remote, turning the volume down in an attempt not to startle her awake.
"It's okay," she said, half under her breath.
It seemed she hadn't fallen back to sleep like he'd first thought. He patted her leg. "What can I do to help you relax?" he asked. "Do you like massages?"
A smile graced her face. "What girl doesn't?"
He'd never known a woman to turn down his massages, but he also usually knew them for more than a few hours. "Come on, let's head back to bed and I'll give you a nice back massage. It'll help you fall asleep."
"Are you sure?"
Alec grinned. "Of course." He was happy to run his hands against her creamy skin. It would at the very least provide him with fantasy material for the next few weeks.
Becca climbed off him and stood, swaying slightly on her feet.
With haste Alec stood, his hand coming around to her waist to steady her footing. Though her eyes had opened, it didn't seem as though they were properly processing information. "Do you need me to carry you up the stairs and into bed?"
She laughed under her breath. "No. I'll be fine." She took a few tentative steps and then as she approached the stairs she gripped the handrail for support.
Alec followed behind her, getting a nice look at her ass. Too bad she was wearing his sweats that were too big and gave no real indication of her true curves.
At the top of the stairs, she headed right, into the guest bedroom. "Why don't you take off the tee shirt and lay down on your stomach? I'll grab some lotion that will help you relax."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I promise to be a gentleman." That's all he'd been so far, there was nothing that was going to change that tonight.
Becca hesitated only for a moment before she nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Just give me a minute. Knock before you come in, okay?" She closed the door behind him and Alec headed into the bathroom.
Digging under the sink, he found a bottle of lotion that he had intended to give his girlfriend at the time as a gift. It was too bad she broke up with him two days before Christmas. Instead, it sat for three years under the counter, sealed and preserved. He removed the lid and peeled back the aluminum safety seal, tossing it into the trash. Carrying it back toward the guest room, he knocked on the door. "Are you decent?"
Chapter 3
Of course she wasn't decent! She was topless in the guest bedroom of Alec's house. She tried to ignore the fact he was a stranger, though the weird tension had already vanished between them. At least mostly.
She placed the shirt beside her and lay down, stretching out on the bed. Her breasts pushed into the comforter, hiding herself from him.
"Yes. Come in."
The handle turned and she kept herself pressed to the bed. "What'd you find for lotion?" she asked, curious how manly the scent would be.
"I think you'll like it. It's peaches and cream."
Becca laughed. "When did you buy that? Or maybe I should ask why you have such a girly scent?"
"It was a gift that never got sent out," he said.
She didn't press further. "Okay." Her hands stretched beneath the pillow, as she rested her head. "So no family nearby?" He hadn't spoken of holiday plans and seeing as how he was alone on Christmas Eve, she felt bad for him.
"My parents passed away a few years ago."
"What about siblings or cousins?" Becca asked.
He climbed onto the mattress, sitting beside her, as he opened the bottle of lotion and spread a small amount on his hands, rubbing his palms together. "I'm an only child."
"Cousins?"
Alec shook his head. "None in Michigan or any of the neighboring states."
"Well, that sucks." Being alone for the holidays was the worst feeling. She'd done it last year when her brother and his family had traveled to Paris for Christmas. It sucked for her. Though in all honesty, the worst part had been hearing all about their trip, seeing their pictures, and knowing she'd had such a shitty day. Now it seemed pale in comparison to this year, but it was looking up for her.
"You sound like you're speaking from experience?"
Becca smiled. "Already you can read me. That can't be good." She hissed as his cold hands grazed her back.
"Sorry. I tried to warm up the lotion as best as I could." The more his hands caressed her back in long strokes, the warmer her skin grew under his touch.
She sighed, feeling content as her body relaxed beneath him. "I'm surprised you're not trying to cop a feel." Her eyes shut, grateful that he knew how to give a decent massage and even more so that he'd offered and wanted to do that for her.
Alec laughed. "W
ould you prefer if I did?"
"No." She smiled into the pillow. "I'm just surprised. Are you gay?" She knew it wasn't an appropriate question to ask, yet she still felt compelled to make sure that she wasn't completely out of her mind imagining the sparks between them. He'd been kind to her and generous letting her stay, but that wasn't just it. There was something about him that made her want to throw him against the wall and fuck him. The only problem was that her inhibitions weren't down enough to warrant such behavior. She needed more than beer to make that happen.
"Definitely not gay," he said and laughed. "Why? Do I come across that I like guys?"
Becca shook her head. "No. Definitely not, I just, you're too good to be true." She buried her face in the pillow. "Maybe you'll just kill me in my sleep."
"What's that?" Alec asked.
"Nothing," she said, turning her head so that he could hear her words instead of her mumble.
"Good. I probably should have asked you this before I offered you a massage. You're not seeing anyone, are you?"
"Why should that matter?" Becca asked. No, she wasn't dating anyone but just because he was running his hands over her bare back didn't mean she was going to sleep with him. In fact, even though she wanted to sleep with him, she wasn't sure it was going to happen. It seemed less and less likely with each passing minute.
"I just don't want that cop showing up at my door, pressing his gun into my head making threats. Or any other boyfriends you might have."
"I'm not seeing anyone," Becca said.
He gently brushed her blonde hair to the side of her neck. He leaned down and she could feel his breath tease her bare skin. He blew a soft puff of air over the warm skin that he caressed. Her nipples hardened against the mattress and she felt wetness seep between her thighs. Whether he intended to or not, he was definitely arousing her. "Good. I just want to make sure I'm not stepping over the line. If you're uncomfortable with anything I do. Say the word."
It took Becca a minute to answer him. Forming a coherent thought became difficult. "Okay." She had no intention of stopping him. Not with the way he made her feel.