by Cat Johnson
Her eyes opened wide. “Physically.” The word slipped out, soft but definitely audible.
“Yeah. Physically.” He looked relieved she’d supplied the word for him.
Now that the cat was out of the bag, what the hell. She might as well go for it.
“Are you saying you’re…interested?” Annie swallowed hard and waited for the answer.
He let out his breath in a short burst of air. “Oh God, yes.”
Luke took his hat off. He worked the rim in his hands, spinning it round and round. He kind of looked like a little boy waiting for permission to do something. This was so not how she pictured this night going. Talking about sex was…strange. Like they were negotiating contracts.
It must be the gentleman in Luke that had him checking with her before he made a move. The few men she’d dated back home in the off-season hadn’t been like this. Actually, as she thought about them—fumbling to kiss her goodnight, slobbering on her whether she turned her cheek to avoid their lips or not—the negotiations she was currently in with Luke were far preferable. Especially if they led to the outcome she wanted. Him in her bed.
As long as they were talking things out first, she might as well get all her anxieties out on the table. He’d already alleviated one fear—it was pretty obvious he hadn’t been sleeping around since his breakup, or he’d be better at this. That helped her insecurities. At least she wouldn’t be competing against some twenty-year-old he’d been with last night, or last week, or whatever. But there was still one more thing weighing on her mind.
“We need to make a deal.”
His hat stopped slowly rotating in his grasp. “What’s that?”
“Whatever happens between us now, or even afterwards, won’t affect our professional relationship.” Now that she thought about it that was a lot to ask of both of them. Sex changed things. Hell, just this little talk would change things between them, whether they did it or not. She glanced up at him. “Do you think we’ll be able to do that?”
He nodded solemnly. “I do.”
She wasn’t so sure, but she wanted this man too much to worry about it any further. With the knowledge that she would very likely regret this when she was able to think again, she nodded. “Okay, then.”
His brows rose. “So that means…”
“It means you might want to put down that hat and take off those boots.” She smiled at his reaction.
“Yes, ma’am.” His excitement was nearly tangible as he tossed his hat onto the dresser and then turned back to her. “As soon as I do one other thing first.”
“What?” Was there a quaver in her voice as Luke’s head dipped lower toward hers?
“This.” That one word was spoken just shy of her lips, then Luke was kissing her.
She couldn’t say he kissed her breathless because she was having trouble breathing to begin with. All Annie knew was it was too good and over much too soon.
He pulled back with a smile and headed for the nearest chair where he sat and pulled off one boot, then the other.
Annie’s hands paused on her belt buckle. There was one more thing she had to say. “Luke.”
“Yeah?” He was standing now, his hands on his own buckle when he stopped. Then his gaze met hers. A wary expression squelched the former gleeful one as he waited for her to finish what she had to say.
“It’s been kind of a while for me.” Why she felt the need to apologize for that, she didn’t know. Maybe because he’d been with the same girl for so long and they were probably so familiar with each other their sex was phenomenal after all those years. And sex with a new person could be awkward, at best. At least that’s what Annie had found in her limited experience. Maybe she wanted to warn him not to expect much.
He looked relieved. “That’s what you’re worried about?”
She nodded, still fidgeting with her belt but not actually taking it off.
A smile spread across his face. He was an impressively handsome man. The erection showing through the denim of his jeans was pretty impressive too. Annie had to admit she’d given that part of him quite a bit of thought lately.
She yanked her gaze upward as he moved closer, until he stood directly in front of her again. He placed his hands on her belt, pushing her still-fidgeting fingers out of the way.
“Don’t worry, Annie. I promise to be gentle.” His formerly sweet smile turned devilish. For perhaps the first time, she saw beneath his polite exterior and down deeper, to the raw need within the man in front of her.
His blue gaze focused on her eyes as he dipped his head lower, halting just out of reach of her lips. Maybe it was she who closed the small distance to complete the kiss. Annie couldn’t be sure. Her eyes drifted closed and all rational thought fled the moment they connected again.
A groan rumbled through him as he claimed her mouth. Luke’s fingers slid beneath her hair, his hands so large he cradled the back of her head as his thumbs stroked her jaw. His touch burned a trail across every inch of skin he made contact with.
Angling his head, he took their kiss deeper, plunging his tongue against hers, giving her what she craved. Annie couldn’t control the moan that escaped as her need for more of him became nearly feral. Pressed to him from lips to thighs as she was, Annie clearly felt the outline of Luke’s length, hard and ready. She threw all propriety out the window. Sliding her leg between his, she moved even closer, rubbing against the part of him she’d only dreamt of. She wanted him. Now. To hell with tomorrow.
He had said he’d be gentle, not that Annie wanted gentle in her frenzy to experience every inch of this man—and there were many, many mind-bogglingly wonderful inches of him to cover. Luke seemed as unable to control himself as she was, and he sure as hell didn’t take things slow like she’d assumed he would when this night started. He made short work of removing her clothing, stripping her and only breaking contact with her lips when absolutely necessary.
He flung her clothing onto the chair, all of it until she stood bare and self-conscious before him.
Luke, who had always acted the perfect gentleman, was in total control of her now. Apparently a man could hold doors open for a lady in public, and be a sexual animal in private. That theory was proven when Luke hoisted her naked body up against him and carried her to the bed. He dropped her onto the mattress where she lay quivering with need and missing his touch immediately as he stood next to the bed. It was worth letting go of her hold on him though, because while Annie watched, her most secret fantasy came true as Luke stripped just for her.
Chapter Four
He was shaking. Luke had first realized that when he’d had to work on undoing the clasp to his buckle. The same one he’d had no trouble unfastening for the past ten years had eluded him tonight. Now, when he stood next to the mattress that contained a waiting Annie, he was having trouble unbuttoning his shirt. The trembling in his fingers reminded him he was reacting to the naked woman on the bed in front of him like he was an untried schoolboy. He was tempted to yank the two sides of the damn shirt apart and let the buttons fly rather than face the fact he was nervous.
It was crazy. He’d been having sex for more than half his life, yet tonight he was trembling like a leaf.
Finally, he conquered the buttons and wrestled the shirt down his arms, letting it slip to the floor. Annie’s gaze roamed his body. She took in the bullhorn tattoo on his arm muscle, then his bared chest, then traveled all the way down his abdomen to where his jeans obscured the rest of him. Luckily she couldn’t see the quivering inside his belly. She’d definitely seen his arousal though. Her focus stayed pinpointed there before she pulled her attention away. He smiled when she glanced up and saw he’d caught her looking. Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink and told him he was not alone in this.
They knew each other, yeah, but for work, when they both had clothes on and there were people around. Not like this. That was okay. They’d learn each other, together. That realization helped steady his fingers as he undid his jeans an
d pushed them down his legs. Drawing in a deep breath, he shoved his underwear down too. His more than ready erection sprung up, pointing the way to Annie as if Luke needed a reminder of where he wanted to be.
From the bed, Annie watched his boxer briefs drop. Luke saw her breath quicken as her chest rose and fell. His gaze zeroed in on the tempting rose-tinted peaks of her breast. He took a step forward then paused. The condoms he’d bought—just in case—out of the machine in the men’s room were in the pocket of his jeans. He hesitated. Should he take them out now or wait?
While he debated Annie raised her eyes and sent him a look so filled with need it sent a thrill right through him. He grabbed the jeans off the floor and searched the pocket for the packages he’d hidden deep down so they wouldn’t fall out while he was in the restaurant.
He swallowed hard, knowing he couldn’t hide what was in his hand, yet not sure she was ready for what his fist full of latex implied. “Um. I bought these tonight. Not that I was assuming we’d do anything, but you know, just in case. I mean we don’t have to use them…um, of course we’ll use them if we do that, but we don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”
Luke let out a big breath of frustration. That hadn’t come out as smoothly as he’d anticipated.
“How many did you bring?”
“Two.” His chest felt tight. Could a man pass out from nerves?
“I guess we’ll just have to make do with two then.” Annie smiled and that was all the encouragement he needed.
He threw the packets on the bed and kneeled on the edge of the mattress. She scooted backward to make room for him. It was a big king-sized mattress and he intended to use all of it.
He spread her thighs and lowered his head. He heard her sharp intake of breath as he kissed the inside of one knee, then the other. Working his way up her leg, he kissed and nibbled until he reached the summit. There he glanced up and found Annie watching him through heavily lidded eyes. Her mouth was slightly open as she took quick shallow breaths. He was getting to her and he hadn’t even reached his destination yet. Luke liked that idea.
Just the tip of his tongue touched the spot where her inner thigh joined her body, but she jumped like she’d been shocked. He smiled at her reaction and slid his hands up the same path his mouth had taken. With fingers that were far steadier than before, he spread her wide. He was breathing pretty quickly himself with anticipation. She’d said it had been a while for her. Him too. Luckily sex was more like riding a bike and not like riding a bull, which required practice. A few months off from sex might—hell, would—increase the anticipation. His skills in bed should still all be here even without him using them since the breakup. He showed Annie a bit of those skills now.
He pierced her with his tongue and she gasped. Encouraged, he ran his teeth over her most sensitive spot then soothed her with a breath of air. But it was when he began to draw her clit into his mouth that Annie’s hips rose off the bed. The harder the suction, the more she reacted until her hands were tangled in his hair as she held him tightly against her.
There was nothing Luke found hotter than making a woman come. If he knew anything at all about women and this particular subject, it was that Annie was close now. Not letting up with his mouth, he slid one finger inside her. Her muscles clamped down on him and he slid in a second, all while working her clit harder and faster.
She was holding herself back from crying out. He could tell that when he raised his gaze and found her biting her lip so hard he wouldn’t be surprised if she drew blood. But she couldn’t stop her body’s reaction. He’d work on getting her to stop holding back vocally later. For now, driving her over the edge was Luke’s sole goal, and she was nearly there.
He pressed up with his fingertips and found her G-spot. It didn’t take long after that. He felt her body pulsing inside and she let out a small cry. His only regret was not being buried deep inside her at the time, but they did have two condoms and all night to make that happen. For now what he could experience was incredible. Feeling her writhe beneath him. Having her body squeeze his fingers in a grip so tight it made movement difficult. Causing her to finally let go enough to cry out, even if it was more like a soft whimper than the all out scream of pleasure he would have loved to hear ripped from her lips.
She was still panting for air when her muscle spasms finally slowed after he didn’t know how long. But Luke wasn’t done with her yet. She said it had been awhile, so he figured they had a lot of catching up to do. He kept at her, relentless with his hands and mouth until her muscles gripped him hard again. He felt her body stiffen, coiling before it released again. He lost all sense of time as he continued to pump into her with his fingers and work her with his mouth. As long as Annie kept coming, Luke would be happy to keep going.
Finally, she twisted beneath him, pulling away. He didn’t let up until she used both hands to grab his face.
“Too sensitive,” she gasped. Her face was flushed and her eyes bright.
“Okay.” Luke wiped his mouth and smiled. He’d done this to her. Given her the look of a woman well pleased. Maybe, after he’d buried himself in her, he’d let her rest for a little bit, then they’d do it again. He’d please Annie for as long and as often as she’d let him.
She drew in a deep shaky breath. “Wow.”
He laughed shakily. “Yeah. Wow.”
And they’d only just begun. Annie may be reeling from release, but Luke was still tightly wound and ready to break. There were many other things in his repertoire he still had yet to reveal. They’d get to them all, he hoped. For now, he simply needed to sink inside her.
Luke crawled up the bed, and Annie, until he was lying face-to-face with her. He stayed braced on his elbows so he didn’t crush her. Her breathing seemed labored already without his weight on her. Meanwhile, he couldn’t seem to wipe the self-satisfied grin off his face no matter how hard he tried. He truly was feeling like a teenage boy about to get lucky. Thirty-two-year-old men weren’t supposed to feel like this, were they?
Certain parts of him were truly happy to be here, particularly the part that was currently nestled in the warmth between Annie’s thighs. Just the thought of how close to heaven he was had his cock jumping. She must have felt it move, because a smile crossed her tempting mouth.
Luke moved up another inch so he could drop a kiss on those lips. The action had him pressing closer against her, so near her wet heat he could feel it, warming, tempting. So close that one tilt of his hips would have him inside.
There was no way to keep the kiss light and quick. Not in the mood he was in. Not with this incredible woman who reacted to his every touch. What he’d intended to be just a peck before he sheathed himself, turned into much more. Before Luke knew it, she was crushed beneath his body, the same way her lips were crushed beneath his.
Annie’s legs wrapped around his back, clamping him in place. Not that he had any intention of going anywhere. His tongue slid into her mouth the way he wanted to into her body.
He slipped his hands beneath her and had to fight the urge to plunge inside. Angled the way they were, he was already precariously close to where he shouldn’t be without protection. It was too good. Too close.
When her hands moved to grip his bare ass cheeks, pulling him into her, he nearly gave in and let her do it. Luke didn’t know where he summoned the willpower to break the kiss and lock his arms so he was braced above her, far enough from the temptation to be able to think. “Condom.”
She nodded and finally released her grip on him. Good thing, because another minute of rolling around in that bed with Annie and he would have said to hell with the consequences.
His fingers were shaking again as he rolled the latex down over his erection, but this time it felt more like anticipation than nerves. Then he was back braced over Annie again. Her blue eyes were wide and waiting. Her lips parted and inviting.
Luke lowered his head and claimed those lips, and this time he managed to keep control. He slid his tong
ue inside the warm recesses of her mouth at the same time he slid inside her. She gasped beneath his lips. The sound made him realize he needed to see her as he loved her.
After breaking the kiss, he stared down into her eyes. He slid out of her body and then slowly pushed back inside, all the while watching her react to every stroke. Her expression—need and desire for him—had him increasing the speed. When he put his hands beneath her and lifted her hips off the bed, he reached new depths that had her eyes closing. He stroked deeper, harder. Annie drew in a hissing breath and Luke felt her body grip his.
The same muscles and movements that made him a winning bull rider translated pretty damn well in bed, and he drew on all his expertise now, angling his hips to hit Annie in just the right spot. He felt her body respond to the motion.
He gritted out a “yes” and moved faster until Annie’s soft cries came faster. “Yes, Annie. Come.”
She bore down upon him, and he felt the rhythmic convulsing of her muscles grip him just as he lost control himself. He came with a shout, holding deep inside her so he could enjoy every last pulse of her body around his.
Panting heavily, he didn’t want to move. Hell, he could barely talk. He doubted walking would be possible for at least a few more minutes. Good thing neither one of them had to go anywhere anytime soon. At least he truly hoped he wouldn’t be going anywhere, because Luke could happily spend the rest of the night pressed against Annie’s warm body. He realized she was being very quiet except for her rapid breathing.
He rose on one elbow so he could see her face. “You okay?”
Annie nodded. “Yeah. I’m more than okay.”
Luke smiled and stroked her face. “Good.”
After all, there was still one more condom left, should the need arise. He truly hoped it did. In fact, Luke felt something rising again already…
“Well, well, well. Good morning, Luke.”