Under Pressure

by Cathryn Fox

  It was fucking awesome.

  I probably shouldn’t have acted on my urges. I fought hard and long not to, tried to bank my desires, but fuck, I couldn’t ignore the heat arcing between us for one more second. I tried. I really fucking did. The last thing I ever wanted to do was jeopardize our friendship. But holy hell, when she leaned into me, and I felt the need in her body reaching out to me, demanding attention, it snapped the last vestige of my control.

  Yeah, I played with her, made it into a game and told her we could have epic sex, fulfill her vacation requirements, among other things, and go back to normal when the weekend was done.

  No way in hell can we go back. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, I want more. In fact, I want it all. Except that douchebag Jared did a total number on her, and she’s off relationships. Not to mention I live two thousand miles away and I’m not the guy for her, can’t give her what she wants in life. Fuck, my family’s track record sucks, and I don’t want to promise things I obviously can’t give, which means I need to get my shit together right fucking now.

  I walk to the window, pull back the curtain, and look at the dark beach below, lit only by the moon and stars. The waves lapping against the sandy shore call out to me. Maybe a good hard swim will help clear my thoughts so I can figure out how I can give her the fun she’s seeking while on vacation and still walk away from this unscathed.

  I drop the curtain, wipe the moisture from my brow, and fiddle with the air conditioner. No wonder it’s so hot in the room—the damn thing isn’t working. I reach for my phone to text Reese, when it pings in my hand. I read her text.

  It’s a million degrees in my room.

  I respond with, Air conditioner is broke.

  I can’t freaking breathe.

  Is little Reesey Piecey melting?

  I’m dying.

  Okay, let’s get out of here, I suggest.

  Swim?

  I read the words, and from the corner of my eye, I see the ice bucket. A wicked, delicious idea forms. My thumbs fly over the screen. I know I should fucking put a stop to this. But how can I? This is Reese, and I want to make this vacation epic for her. She deserves that after douchebag Jared.

  Good idea. Come on over.

  I’ll change and be right there.

  I drop the phone, grab the bucket, and leave my door open for Reese. Following the sign for ice, I go to the second floor and fill the bucket. When I return to the room, I find Reese looking for me. I take a moment to just admire her from afar.

  Hunger consumes me, and my cock registers every delicious detail of the gorgeous woman before me.

  “Where the heck are you?” she’s asking.

  “Hey,” I whisper and she turns.

  “You scared me,” she says, giving a breathy, intimate laugh as her hand goes to her chest. “Where were you?” she asks, no awkwardness between us after this afternoon. For a bit there, I was seriously worried there would be. But there’s just warm familiarity, thanks to the incredible bond between us.

  I lift the bucket. “Ice.”

  “What for?” Her eyes narrow in confusion as she plants her hands on her hips. The movement lifts her cover-up and exposes her creamy thighs. “I thought we were going for a swim.”

  I shut the door, set the lock, and without missing a beat I begin. “See, the thing is, the ocean water is too warm to do the job.” I drop the bucket on the dresser, step up to her, and press my hand to her forehead. “In situations like this, we must get the body cooled down fast. Otherwise it could be lethal.” I tap her arms. “Lift.”

  Without hesitation, her hands go in the air, and I stifle my chuckle at how eager she is to play along, even though she has no idea what kind of game it is. The trust Reese has in me is a pretty big fucking deal, and I’d never do anything to break it.

  I grip the hem of her knit cover-up and pull it over her head. I exhale hard as I expose her body. I’ve seen her in a bathing suit a million times—heck I saw her naked just a few hours ago—but I could spend the rest of my life just staring at her, she’s so beautiful.

  I slide my hands down her arms, and little goose bumps form. “Your skin is very hot,” I say. “As an adventure guide, I watch for signs of heat stroke in our clients.”

  “Oh.” Lust moves into her eyes as they race over me, and her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink. My favorite color. “So, you’re trained for this kind of thing?”

  I step closer, tension bunching my muscles as I breathe in her scent. “Yeah.”

  “Tell me, how does an adventure guide cool people down when they find themselves in these dangerous kinds of situations?”

  “Well,” I say, and slide my hand around her back to untie her bathing suit. It flutters to the floor, and her chest rises and falls as her breathing changes. “First thing I need to do is get them naked.”

  She arches a dubious brow. “No clothes at all?”

  “That’s right.”

  She toys with the band on her bikini. “Not even a little bathing suit?”

  “No clothes at all, Reese,” I say very seriously.

  “Okay.” She straightens at the sternness in my voice. “You’re the guide, so I trust you know what you’re doing.”

  I grip her bikini bottoms and sink to my knees as I drag them to her ankles. I tap her legs, and she kicks off her flip-flops and lets me remove the slip of material. “That’s better,” I say, my mouth inches from her pretty pussy. I blow slightly, and her clit swells.

  “But I…I don’t feel better,” she says, her voice a bit broken as I slide back up, trailing my hands over her curves.

  “We’re just getting started.” I grip her shoulders and turn her, and when I see her gorgeous back and her soft round ass, I nearly pant like a damn dog.

  “I think I’m actually getting hotter.” She bends forward slightly to press her ass against me.

  Yeah, me, too.

  “I know just how to break this kind of fever.” I put my mouth near her ear, and run my hands down her back until I’m cupping her sweet cheeks. I knead them for a second and then give her a little slap. She yelps, and I say, “Don’t move.”

  She quivers, and it fuels my hunger as I step away to grab the bucket. I place it on the nightstand beside us, then fish out a cube and pop it into my mouth. I’m so goddamn hot and worked up, it begins to melt quickly.

  I move back behind her and push her hair aside to expose the long column of her neck. “The best place to start the cooling process is right here,” I say, and clamp the cube between my teeth. I run it along her neck and a little “ooh” comes out of her mouth on a breathless whisper.

  The ice melts on her scalding body, and I trail my cold tongue over her trembling flesh and grab two more cubes.

  “Where is the next best place?” she asks with a new urgency in her voice that strokes my dick and makes it impossibly harder.

  “Let me show you.”

  I slide my hands around her and run the ice over her nipples. “Oh, my,” she whispers. “That’s so cold.”

  A rush of sexual energy hits so hard, my pulse kicks up a notch. “That’s the idea.” I slowly walk around her, and when I’m facing her, I circle her hard nipples. As the ice melts, water drips onto my bare feet. I keep rubbing until the cubes are nothing but small chips, then I toss them into my mouth and crunch on them. Reese wets her bottom lip, her eyes so full of playful lust that all I want to do is bury myself in her for the rest of the night.

  The rest of my life.

  She moves restlessly, going from one foot to the other as sexual tension crackles in the air. “I’m still not sure it’s helping, though.”

  “Then I’m going to have to take drastic measures.”

  “Drastic?” Eyes wide, she goes still, totally into this game. “Will that be dangerous?”

  I dip my head, my mouth close to hers. “Do you trust me?”

  “You know I do.”

  I give her a little nudge and set her into motion. She walks backward toward th
e bed, and when the backs of her legs hit, I push on her shoulder. She falls onto the mattress, and I stare down at her. The sight is picture perfect, and I can’t wait to put my mouth on her again.

  She writhes and I crack the window to let the ocean breeze circulate through the warm room.

  “Widen your legs,” I command. “I need to assess you before we go any farther.”

  She does as I ask, and my gaze goes to her pretty pink pussy, the dampness glistening in the lamplight. With my mouth salivating, I step up to her, run my hand up her thigh, and push a thick finger into her sweetness.

  “Oh, my,” she says. “Is this how you assess everyone?”

  “Not usually. But with the kind of heat you seem to be experiencing, I want to be thorough and check your temperature—external and internal—to see exactly what I’m dealing with.”

  “And?”

  “It’s not good, Reese.”

  “Oh, no.”

  I scrub my face and shake my head. “It’s worse than I thought.”

  “What can we do?”

  “I’m going to ice you down. Everywhere.”

  “What if that doesn’t work?” She blinks as she really gets into this. “I’m scared, Cole.”

  “Don’t be scared. You know I’m going to take really good care of you.” I grab a cube, climb onto the bed, and slide between her legs. “Open really wide for me now.” She stretches her legs open and her sweet pussy lips spread. Fuck, that’s so pretty. I nod toward the headboard. “Hold on to those slats tight, and no matter what, don’t let go.”

  Beginning at her ankle, I run the ice up her leg, and she quivers beneath me. I come close to her sex but never touch. Instead I go to the other leg, and she grumbles as I tease her. When the cube melts, I grab another and toss it into my mouth. I follow the wet path on her leg, but this time, bury my face between her thighs. Her hips lift when I center the cube on her scalding-hot clit, and it practically sizzles as I bathe it in ice.

  “Oh, yes,” she cries out, moving against my mouth. “I think it’s helping,” she adds, impatience in her voice. Christ, I love how she reacts to me, how desperate she is for so much more.

  I stick my hand in the bucket to cool my fingers, then slide one inside her. “Cole,” she murmurs, and I must admit, hearing my name roll off her lips when my fingers are inside her is a total fucking turn-on. “That feels so good.”

  I lick and nibble and fuck her with my finger until she’s gyrating beneath me. When the ice melts, I reach for more and drag it over her sex, probing her opening. Her entire body is quaking, and my dick is so hard I’m about to explode. I push another finger inside and she tightens around me as I swirl through her slick heat. Fuck, that’s so good. I bring her higher and higher but never take her over. No, I want to be inside her when she comes. I want to feel her squeeze my cock, and have her hot juices drip over my balls.

  I take in the perspiration beading on her forehead. “You’re burning up. I’m going to let off some more steam before you reach the boiling point.”

  “How?” she pants.

  “I have no choice but to put my cock in you.”

  She nods quickly, her eyes alive with anticipation. “If you think that will work.”

  “I’m certain of it.” I pull my fingers from her sex and remove my clothes quickly, then snatch a condom from my nightstand and reposition myself between her legs.

  She whimpers. “I want you to do whatever is necessary to cool me down, Cole.”

  I roll the condom on and watch her breasts move as she writhes. Damn, I want my mouth on them. I look at her hands, her knuckles white as she holds the headboard slats.

  “Let go.” She does as I ask and I tug on her hand until she’s seated. I slide in behind her, and press my back to the headboard. “Come here.” She turns and straddles me, and I draw one hard bud into my mouth as I guide her onto my stiff cock. As her muscles close around me, I bite down on her nipple, and she convulses.

  I grip her rib cage, sweep my thumbs over her breasts, and her hands go to my hair. She runs her fingers through it as I lift her, up and down, up and down, until my heart is hammering so hard I think it might break a fucking rib.

  I slam into her, and when she moans, I close my eyes and lose myself in her sweetness. Her heat spreads through my body and takes me right there, so fucking fast, but I don’t want to come just yet. I continue to power into her, and her breasts jiggle against my chest as I draw her mouth to mine for a hungry kiss.

  Her hands go to my shoulders, sweep across my skin, and my blood rushes faster. I love the way she touches me. Fuck, I never want to be touched by anyone but her ever again.

  “Cole,” she says, her body trembling from head to toe. “I’m…I’m…”

  Her hot release drips down my cock. My balls pull up into my body and I know I’m a goner. “Reese,” I murmur and cup the back of her head as I press my mouth against her neck. “That’s it. Come all over my cock. Let me feel you.”

  She trembles and breaks around me and I hold her and absorb her tremors as she lets go. Before she completely finishes, I roll my hips so my pelvis brushes against her clit. She gives a little gasp and clenches even harder as I prolong her pleasure.

  “Yesss,” she hisses, and I grab her hips and hold her down on me as she shudders in surrender. Her deeply satisfied eyes meet mine and my heart misses a beat. I put that look on her face. Me. My chest swells with smug satisfaction.

  “I love making you come,” I say and brush her hair from her shoulders as sweat breaks out on my body. “I love seeing the look on your face as you let go for me.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, pressure builds between my legs and comes to a peak. Her muscles tighten around my cock and I settle my mouth on her.

  “Fuck, Reese,” I say between hot, hungry kisses. I pull her against my body and climax high inside her. Air rips from my lungs as my cock pulses and throbs with the hot flow of release. I let loose a low growl of sexual satisfaction, and it mingles with the soft erotic sounds rising in her throat. Christ almighty, sex with her gets better every single time.

  “Cole,” she murmurs as I pulse inside her hot pussy, and her trembling hands tug at me like she can’t get me close enough. I pant and try to catch my breath as our bodies mold together as one. I hold her so tight, crush her to me so hard, I’m sure she can’t breathe, but I can’t let go.

  Won’t let go.

  A sound catches in her throat, and I reluctantly loosen my hold so I can see her. Her eyes are shut and her mouth is pressed tight. My heart jumps into my throat as panic zings through me. I want to give her what she wants, but I pray to fucking God it doesn’t fuck over everything between us.

  Chapter Five

  Reese

  Sunlight pours in through the open curtains, and I lay there completely naked in Cole’s bed, enjoying the early morning sea breeze through the cracked window. My God, what would the girls think if they ever found out I was having sex with my best friend. I know a few of them have hit on Cole over the years, have tried to get him exactly where I have him right now, but he always turned them down. I was never sure why, but I’m kind of glad that he did.

  I shift to my side and look at the sleeping man beside me. My breath catches as lust punches into my stomach. Honest to God, he’s so handsome, yet so boyish-looking in his sleep that it’s all I can do not to touch him, to snuggle in close and hope for a repeat of last night. It’s not the first time we’ve slept in the same bed. Heck, when we were younger, he used to sneak in through my bedroom window whenever it stormed just to hold me. But last night is definitely the first time we had sex in one.

  Not wanting to wake him, I shift on the mattress carefully, and muscles I haven’t used in a long time ache. But it’s a good ache, a great reminder of all the naughty things I’ve been doing with Cole. I can’t believe how thorough he is in bed, what an amazing lover he is. It’s like he is so attuned with my body he knows just how I like to be touched, what I need to push me over the edge. I
could so get used to being with Cole like this.

  As I think about that, my bliss disappears. No way does Cole want to move past a sexual relationship. He told me, when we return home, things go back to normal. He has total commitment issues. Heck, he doesn’t have sex with the same person more than once. Then again, we’ve had sex a few times already. But he’s just allowing me to play out a fantasy, fulfill the requirements of my dossier. Epic sex. That’s all this is. My best friend, who’s always been there for me, is just once again stepping in to help me out.

  I tiptoe to the bathroom and turn on the shower. Even though I don’t want to wash his warm scent from my body, after our passionate night of sex, I need to get cleaned up and ready for today’s adventure. Spending a lazy day in bed with him sounds much better than a five-hour drive to go on a wildlife tour, however. But my sponsor paid a lot for this vacation, and it wouldn’t be fair to let it go to waste.

  I open the sliding glass door and climb into the large tiled area. The hot spray feels glorious against my chafed skin, compliments of the scruff on Cole’s chin. I tilt my head back and close my eyes. I stand like that for a long time and try not to think about what it will be like for Cole and me when we leave here. I hear a noise and my lids flutter open to find the shower door cracked and a naked Cole watching me. I gasp as our gazes collide.

  “How long have you been standing there,” I ask, my breath a little harder to capture as I take in his ripped body.

  “Long enough.” Eyes ablaze with heat and hunger, he looks down, and I follow his gaze to his cock.

  I take in the long, hard length of him, and my body responds with a quiver. “Oh,” is all I can manage to get out as the air around us charges with sexual energy.

  “Yeah, oh.” He grins. “Can we join you?”

  “You think there’s enough room for the two of you in here,” I tease.

  “I think so.”

  “If not, we’ll have to a find a way to deflate little Cole.”

  He laughs. “Little Cole?”

  If I knew what was good for me, I’d put an end to this weekend right now, get out while the getting was good. But I don’t have the strength to deny myself what I really want, even though it goes against my best interest, so I crook my finger, and Cole climbs in. He slides big hands around my body, and I sag against him, his chest to my back, where I feel his strong heartbeat pound into my shoulder blade. I move against him, unable to get close enough as my breasts grow hot and achy. Why does it always feel so good to be in his arms? Why did I feel so lost when he left New York?