HOT AND BOTHERED

by Jo Leigh

  Well, maybe not. If Lee wanted a second helping, he'd manage. Although, it was going to take him a while to recover enough to speak, let alone perform again.

  "You have some nerve," Lee said.

  He lifted his head an inch so he could see her face. It was too much effort, and he fell back to the pillow. "Why's that?"

  "Because you never told me."

  "Told you what?"

  "That you could win gold medals in the bedroom triple crown."

  He smiled "Yeah, I should have mentioned it. Sorry."

  She pinched him on the side, and he had just enough energy to yelp.

  "You kept some secrets yourself, missy."

  "Oh, yeah?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "Never. I told you over and over that I was the hottest thing since sliced bread. You never paid attention."

  "You liar. You never said any such thing."

  "I know, but it sounded good, didn't it?"

  "It's true, you know. You are the hottest thing since sliced bread."

  She found his hand and squeezed his fingers. "Speaking of bread…"

  "Hungry?"

  "Ravenous."

  "But doesn't that mean one of us has to move?"

  "Unless you have a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich hidden in your pillow."

  "Damn, I didn't bring that pillow."

  "Then yes, it means one of us has to move."

  He sighed. "I guess I'm the one, huh?"

  "Oh, you're so perceptive. I just love that about you."

  He grinned. Rolled over. Looked at her all naked and shiny, right there next to him. He could still smell her, and the scent intoxicated him. Made him stir, which was quite unbelievable, as he'd been almost sure he'd never have the use of that particular organ again.

  "There's fruit and chocolate in my floral suitcase," she said.

  "That's not what I'm hungry for."

  Her eyes widened. "You're kidding."

  He sighed. "Only slightly. But after we eat…"

  "Oh, goody," she said. "You know how I feel about dessert."

  As he listened to her rich laugh, the silliness of their conversation ebbed, and in its place a deep sense of calm settled in his chest. "This was good," he said.

  "I know," she said, as suddenly serious as he.

  "I didn't expect it would be like this."

  "Me, neither."

  "What do you suppose it means?"

  "I'm not certain," she said, catching his gaze and holding it steady. "But I think it means that we're supposed to do this every damn chance we get."

  "Really?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "Oh, goody," he said. "You know how I feel about f—"

  "Trevor!"

  Her laughter followed him all the way into the bathroom.

  * * *

  Chapter 9

  « ^ »

  As Lee stared at the bathroom door, her grin faded. She was in trouble. Big trouble.

  Of all the possible outcomes of making love to Trevor, this was one she'd never considered. She'd imagined it terrible. Okay. Fun. Awkward. Interesting. But she hadn't imagined it would be the most powerful, earthshaking, intense experience of her life. And she had never imagined herself feeling this way afterward.

  Trevor was her friend. That hadn't changed. He loved her the way friends do. He'd stop a bullet for her, he'd tell her if she had spinach in her teeth, but he wasn't going to declare his undying devotion and ask her to be his wife. She didn't want him to, for heaven's sake. At least she'd always thought she didn't want him to.

  She got up and slipped her nightgown on, wishing he'd hurry so she could wash. She needed something to do that would ground her back in reality. Give her a proverbial slap in the face. All her nonsense thoughts would disappear in the light of day. They had to.

  But what if they didn't?

  It wouldn't be fair. The whole idea of sex with Trevor was to uncomplicate her life. Not add new dimensions of angst and self-torture. More than that, much more than that, it wasn't supposed to put the basic relationship in danger.

  "All yours."

  She spun around at Trevor's voice. He walked toward her, naked and clean and smiling so warmly it took her breath away. The urge to touch him was so strong, her hand went out to him without her permission.

  He took her hand, turned it over and kissed her palm. The resultant frisson spread through her whole body, giving her goose bumps, erect nipples and a wave of warmth between her legs. She glanced down to see that he'd been affected, too. With only that briefest of kisses, that simple touch of his lips to her palm, he began to harden.

  "Still hungry?" he asked.

  She'd forgotten about the food in her turmoil. The desire to eat had fled, replaced by a hunger to hold him close, to touch him everywhere, to feel that explosion of pleasure once more. But she couldn't. Not after the last time. Not after the feelings that had hit her like a one-two punch.

  Trevor touched the small of her back and drew her to him. She tried to avoid his gaze, but he lifted her chin with his finger so she would have to look in his eyes. "You okay?"

  She nodded.

  "Really?"

  She nodded again. "I'm just not sure I'm ready for another go-round."

  He kissed her cheek, then her lips, then her nose. "We can wait," he said. "It won't be easy, but I can be patient."

  She smiled, loving the feathery kisses on her eyelids, her forehead, then back to her lips. When his hand ran down her back, stroking her gently, pressing her against his hard flesh, she knew it was hopeless. She was a goner, a slave to her desire.

  She flicked his lips with her tongue, and the debate ended. Trevor swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down tenderly, then climbed in next to her.

  She sighed, surrendering to the moment. She'd worry later.

  * * *

  Trevor woke up the next morning so hungry, it redefined the term. He could eat a horse. Hell, he could eat a whole herd. But he'd settle for waffles. Lots of them. With eggs. Maybe a couple of strips of bacon. Coffee. Juice. He moaned, but cut it short when he saw that Lee was still sleeping.

  God, she looked beautiful. Her hair a glorious mess on the pillow, her eyelashes resting on her pale cheeks. He turned away, careful not to look at the rest of her. He didn't want to wake her, because if he did, he'd have to make love again, and frankly, he needed fuel. He'd been wrung out and left to dry, totally wasted, and he felt pretty damn proud. Four times. It had to be a record. At least for a guy his age. He should call the Guinness people on Monday. At the very least, he should notify the Post.

  Grinning, he slipped out of bed and gathered his clothes together. He managed to get to the bathroom and shut the door without looking at her even once.

  He turned on the tub faucet, adjusted the temperature, then went to shave and brush his teeth. Jeez, he looked like hell. He didn't care. He felt too good to worry about a little thing like that.

  Who would have thought? He squeezed a dollop of toothpaste on his brush and went at it vigorously, all the while staring at his face, wondering what he'd done to deserve all this.

  Lee had been right. He'd been a fool to doubt her. It was the most perfect arrangement in the world. No fuss, no muss. Just plain fantastic sex with someone he was nuts about, without all the expectations, guilt, promises or disappointments. He could see the next few years in front of him, and he liked what he saw. No more singles' bars. No more blind dates. No more complications.

  He had to hand it to her. Her idea had been inspired.

  He finished brushing his teeth, rinsed, then got out his razor and shaving cream. One check on the tub told him he didn't have to rush, so he leisurely lathered up his stubble and took particular care shaving. Toward the end there, his five-o'clock shadow had turned into a next-morning beard, and he didn't want to scratch Lee when he kissed her.

  Which he planned to do quite frequently.

  The thought made him grin, and he nicked his chin. After
a rousing curse, he finished the job, tacked a tiny piece of toilet paper on the cut, then turned to his bath.

  The tub had filled nicely, with warm steam rising in whirls that fogged the mirror and windows. He stepped in, sighing as he lowered himself into the water.

  Things couldn't have been more perfect. Except for perhaps breakfast on a tray, and Lee sitting opposite him.

  He closed his eyes, and her image formed. Gasping for breath, shuddering with her climax. Then the picture changed and he saw her sleeping—calm, beautiful, vulnerable.

  The memories of how he used to fantasize about her swirled around his head in concert with the steam. After they'd met, he'd done that a lot. Awake or asleep, Lee had filled his dreams. Even after he realized that they were going to be friends, and not lovers. Eventually, he'd banished the wicked thoughts. They were too dangerous, and too depressing. But every once in a while, he'd awaken hard, and he'd know she'd been there as he slept.

  As exciting as his imagination had made those dream encounters, they all paled in comparison to the real deal. He'd never been more aroused. He hadn't known he could be that aroused. No other woman had ever affected him this way.

  Maybe it was because he'd suppressed his desire for so long. Or maybe it was because of the arrangement they'd made. Who knows, maybe it was just because they fit. Comfortable, easy, with no strings attached. Whatever the reason, he didn't care. As long as she would have him, he'd be happy. Tired, but happy.

  He sighed again, the sound itself relaxing his shoulders. For the first time in a long, long time, he felt utterly, completely content.

  * * *

  Lee pulled her seat belt on and waited for Trevor to get in the car. It was time to go back, to leave this magic place, and all the little miracles that had occurred over the weekend. Real life loomed, only a few hours away. She didn't want to go.

  It had been a perfect weekend. They hadn't gone out much. Mainly for meals, and once for a walk in the moonlight. Mostly, they'd made love. Oh, how they'd made love.

  Trevor climbed in and shut his door, and the sound snapped her back to the problem at hand. What was she going to do now? The light of day had come twice, and it hadn't chased her worries away. If she'd thought she was in trouble on Friday night, it was nothing compared to Sunday afternoon.

  Somehow, despite her best intentions, her heart had gotten involved. Trevor had been the most perfect lover she'd ever had. Not only was he inventive and passionate, but he'd been considerate, funny, intuitive. It had finally occurred to her this morning, just after he'd brought her coffee while she soaked in the tub, that he was the man of her dreams. He fit the checklist exactly. All the things she'd been looking for, but had never found.

  It made sense. He was the best friend she'd ever had. Once she'd discovered he was such a compatible lover, the package was complete. Except for one tiny detail: the whole thing was completely out of the question.

  She didn't want to love him that way. He didn't want to love her that way. All she'd wanted to do was add sex. So why in hell was she thinking about romance?

  "You okay?"

  She smiled and nodded at Trevor as he started the car.

  "You sure? I've been watching. You look like something's wrong."

  "You mean besides the fact that we're going back to the real world?"

  He grinned, although she could only see his profile as he focused on pulling out of the driveway. She'd debated telling him about her quandary, but in the end, she'd decided not to. He didn't need to know she was this insane. That her rational mind had gone five seconds after he'd kissed her. When she got home, she'd talk to Katy about it.

  "So what's up for you this week?"

  "Not much." She had to think for a minute to remember her schedule. It felt like they'd been on the moon, not just to Connecticut. "I've got a couple of client lunches. And I promised Susan I'd go with her to get a dress for the wedding."

  "Oh, man, I forgot about that. It's next Saturday, isn't it?"

  She nodded. "Yep. Black tie."

  "What about a present?"

  "Don't worry. You're covered. We put Susan in charge, and she got everything. She'll give you a bill."

  "Thank heaven for Susan."

  "I'm just surprised she's going to this wedding at all," Lee said as she watched the beautiful scenery whoosh past. "She used to date David."

  "When?"

  "In college."

  "No, she didn't."

  Lee smiled. "Yes, she did."

  "Where was I?"

  "It was brief. Torrid. It didn't end well."

  "That's not terribly surprising," he said. "Poor Susan. I wish she had someone."

  "Not yet," Lee said. "It's too soon. She has to recover from Larry first."

  Trevor looked at her, then back at the road. "You don't think it would be good for her to meet some nice guy?"

  "Sure it would. But that's not who she'd meet. She'd end up with another Larrylike substance."

  "How do you know?"

  "Because that's her pattern. We all do that. Get involved with the same kind of person over and over, until we finally break the chain. I mean, look at you."

  "What about me?"

  "Every one of the women you've been semiserious about has been the same type."

  "And what type is that?"

  "Attractive in an icy kind of way. Intelligent. Selfish. Easily bored. And they all have a fatal flaw."

  "Is that so?"

  "Yes, that's so."

  "What about you?"

  "I'm not immune. I always pick guys who are emotionally unavailable. Who can't commit. At least they can't commit to me."

  "Lucky you came up with this brilliant idea, eh?"

  She turned to the window so he couldn't see her face. The second she'd said those words, she'd gotten it. What she'd done. How could she be so stupid? Of all the men in the whole world, there wasn't anyone more unavailable than Trevor. He absolutely, positively, would never get married. He'd told her that a hundred times, and proved it with every woman he'd been with.

  It was ridiculous to think they could… It didn't even bear repeating. She'd been a romantic fool, but she felt better now. Clearer. Of course she didn't love Trevor. Not love love. It had been that room. The fire. The novelty.

  "Where are you?"

  She turned back to face him. "I'm here," she said. "Very much here."

  "I'm glad," he said. "You know, I almost backed out of this."

  "Really?"

  He nodded. "Up until the last minute, I wasn't sure I wanted to go through with it." He found her hand and squeezed it. "But I'm damn glad I did."

  "Are you?"

  He gave her a puzzled look. "Of course. Aren't you?"

  "Sure, sure. It was a fantastic weekend. I'm just thinking…"

  "That's dangerous."

  "About how it's going to work back in the city."

  "Ah," he said. "I have some ideas about that."

  "Do tell."

  "Okay," he said. "First, I think we need to have the ground rules in place."

  "Oh?"

  "Yeah. For instance, spending the night is optional."

  "Uh-huh."

  "We don't have to do it every time we see each other. Although, I can't imagine not wanting to."

  "Thank you."

  "And if anything gets wiggy, we talk about it. Right away."

  "Wiggy?"

  "Yeah. Uncomfortable. Say, you meet Mr. Right tomorrow. You tell me tomorrow night."

  "Or if you meet the woman of your dreams?"

  "I have," he said, smiling happily. "You're everything I've ever wanted. Beautiful. Funny. Great in the sack. And you don't want to live together, or God forbid, get married. What else could a man ask for?"

  "Right," she agreed, even though her chest constricted until she could barely catch her breath. "Absolutely right."

  * * *

  Trevor pulled up in front of Lee's building, and turned off the car. He hated to wake her. She looked
so peaceful, resting her head on his jacket, propped up against the window. Poor kid. She was exhausted. Not surprising since they'd had so much exercise and so little sleep. And yet, he wasn't ready for it to end. He wanted her.

  This was highly unusual. There had been other weekends with other women, and they had all ended with him so anxious to get home that he had to work at being pleasant.

  Not this time. It was just so damn comfortable with Lee. He didn't have to ask about her family, and she certainly knew about his. All the chitchat that comes with getting to know someone had already been dispensed with, so they were free to talk about the good stuff. Or not talk at all.

  Maybe this is what it was like for Katy and Ben. Not having much experience with happy couples, Trevor couldn't be sure. His parents changed spouses like some people traded in cars. Two years seemed to be the magic number, although his mother had been with what's-his-name for three and a half. A record. But that had ended, too. Just like all the others.

  He'd stopped going to the weddings after a while. It had seemed so pointless. What he couldn't figure out was why they got married at all. It would be so much cleaner if they just lived together. But each time, his mother swore it was the last time. That she'd finally found true love. His father wasn't that sentimental. As he got older, the wives kept getting younger. Eventually, Trevor supposed, he'd be marrying a fetus.

  Not once, not even when his parents had been married to each other, had he felt they had the kind of comfortable, easy relationship he had with Lee. It occurred to him that neither of his parents had liked their mates very much.

  He felt lucky to have found Lee. And glad that he'd taken the time to get to know her as well as he had. That they'd become friends. And damn glad they'd become lovers.

  "Are we home?"

  "Yeah. Just got here."

  Lee sat up, blinked the sleep away and patted her hair down. "I'm sorry. I didn't know I was going to do that."

  "No sweat," he said, unbuckling his seat belt. "I'm glad you got some rest."

  "You must be exhausted."

  "No, actually. I feel pretty good."

  She undid her own seat belt and got out of the car. He watched her stretch, lifting her arms high in the air, which raised her sweater so that he caught a glimpse of her tummy. The leggings she wore fit her body snugly enough for him to see all her curves. He wanted her.