by Lila Monroe
“A regular visitor at the local arcade, were you?” I tease.
“You could say that. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I own an original Nintendo system. It still works! My only regret is that I haven’t been able to track down one of my favorite games from when I was a kid. This super special version of Star Fox—you hardly ever see it for sale, and when you do it costs and arm and a leg.”
“I see. I didn’t realize I was dealing with an expert.”
“Oh, yeah.” She flips her hair back over her shoulders and shoots me a grin. “And last time I checked, I hadn’t lost my edge, either.”
“Hmm. That sounds like a challenge.”
She shrugs. “If you want to take it as one, you can. Try me. I’ll even let you pick which game.”
I point to the machine in the back corner. “How’s Tetris for you?”
She claps her hands. “You are going to regret that choice, my friend.”
I really don’t care, as long as she keeps smiling like that.
“Let’s get down to it, then.”
In less than a minute, I can see I would have been regretting my choice, if I’d wanted to win. McKenna flicks and spins the controls on her side of the console, whirling the shapes into perfect configurations. The stack on her side of the screen keeps shrinking. I’m not half bad, but nothing compared to her. We stand close together in front of the game, her elbow brushing against mine. The warmth of her body runs all down my side. I might have been playing better if the smell of her wasn’t filling my nose. Lilac? Lily? I don’t know what it is, but it makes me want to bury my face in her hair.
And then other parts of her.
McKenna gulps some wine and lets out a whoop as she clears another five rows in one go. I groan as my stack inches even closer to the top. “I should have known better, shouldn’t I? Matching pieces together perfectly—that’s exactly your wheelhouse.”
“You’d better believe it.” She leans forward, her gaze intent on the screen. “And now I destroy you …”
She sends several more blocks tumbling down in quick succession. In a blink, my side of the screen hits the limit. GAME OVER flashes at me. McKenna pumps her fist, laughing. “The champion still reigns!”
I don’t know if it’s her laugh or her closeness or her smell—maybe it’s all three. But my self-control disintegrates. Before I can even think about it, I’m tracing my fingers up her jaw and pulling her lips to mine.
I half-expect her to pull away. I have an apology already on my tongue. But McKenna kisses me back, and suddenly I’ve got much better uses for my tongue. I tease over hers, and a little moan escapes her. She grasps my shoulder, bringing her body flush against me.
Fuck. She feels so good.
My hands glide down her sides, caressing her breasts, her hips. Her fingers tangle in my hair. Their graze sends sparks over my scalp. I tip her against the console, kissing her again, leaning in for a better angle. She wrenches my shirt from my slacks to explore the skin underneath. Her touch sets my skin on fire.
It felt just like this the other night. Just as hot, just as headlong.
Just as off limits.
That thought penetrates the haze of lust in my head.
I manage to draw back an inch. McKenna blinks up at me. Her expression is dazed but that’s not enough.
“Are you sure?” I say. My voice comes out ragged. I can’t believe I’m putting the brakes on, but I have to be sure. I’ve been getting so many mixed signals, I don’t know what’s true, and for all the incredible chemistry between us, I don’t want her regretting one moment of this.
McKenna looks up at me, and I can see her mind working overtime. Then, suddenly, the indecision clears. She smiles, confident and so damn sexy.
“I want you,” she tells me, and fuck it, that’s all the permission I need.
20
McKenna
It’s possible this is a bad idea. I’ll fully own that. I’ll also say I don’t give a shit. Not right now, not with Jack’s mouth pressed against mine and his hands searing over my body.
We’re past the point of wanting now. I need him, or I’m going to go insane. If hooking up makes things complicated afterward, I don’t even care.
It’ll be worth the ride.
Jack kisses me deeper. Then he picks me up and swings me onto the top of his arcade’s pinball machine. We accidentally set off a ball. I giggle at the ping of it hitting the bumpers. The sound turns into a gasp as Jack’s hand closes over my breast. He brushes his thumb over my nipple, making it pebble-hard in an instant. A shiver of pleasure rushes through me. He kisses me again, hard but more thoroughly. Taking his time.
We’ve got all night, after all.
That thought provokes a whole surge of desire. But I don’t want to wait. I want to feel him, all of him, now. We started this almost three weeks ago, really. My patience is all used up.
I fumble with a couple of the buttons on his shirt. Then, with a noise of frustration, I just tug it open. Jack eases back just long enough to pull the shirt over his head. He tosses it aside and descends on me again. His mouth plunders mine. His fingers find the zipper on the back of my dress and tug it down.
The air down here is cool, but his touch is as hot as a brand. As if he’s marking me as his.
He yanks the dress and my bra down in one motion. His palms massage my bare breasts, deepening the pressure when I moan. I arch into him, my legs splaying. The hard length of his cock presses against me through our clothes. Oh, God, yes.
Jacks lowers his head to catch one of my nipples between his teeth. I moan again, letting my head fall back. His tongue works over that sensitive tip until I’m writhing. My fingers dig into his naked shoulders, urging him on.
His hand snakes down between us and cups my sex through my panties. I groan and buck into his grasp. “That’s right,” he murmurs against my skin. “Feel it, baby. I want to watch you explode. Face to face this time.”
He moves to my other breast, sucking that nipple into his mouth. His fingers tease over my pussy while his thumb rubs my clit with practiced strokes. My breath is turning into pants. I can’t do much more than hold on to him now, rocking against him, lost in the waves of bliss.
Jack shoves my panties aside to touch me skin to skin. He raises his head to kiss me. My breasts press against his bare chest, and even that rough contact is heaven. Though not as heavenly as what’s happening between my legs. I arch back, wanting more, and he slides two fingers right inside me. A cry breaks from my lips. Jack kisses it away, pumping his hand faster.
“Tell me how much you want this,” he demands sexily.
“So much. So fucking much.” My voice breaks. “Don’t you dare stop.”
His thumb flicks over my clit in just the right way. A surge of pleasure shoots through me, and just like that, I’m coming apart against his hand. He holds me close as my body shakes, his gaze fixed on my face.
“Gorgeous,” he says as I ease down from that blissful high. “So fucking gorgeous. You have no idea.”
“I have a few ideas,” I say, with a wobbly breath. “I think it’s your turn.”
I slide off the pinball machine and nudge him backwards toward the stairs. I kick my dress the rest of the way off as we go. Jack’s eyes roam over my body as if he can’t get enough of me.
I want to see all of him. I trace my hand down his chest to the bulge in the front of his slacks. His eyes roll back as I grip his cock through the fabric. I’d had some intention of getting him up to a bed, but I can’t wait that long. I push him against the wall and kneel. He lets out a shaky exhale as I yank down his slacks and boxers. His cock juts out, so thick I have to take a minute just to admire it. I tease my fingers over the smooth skin. Jack groans again.
“You’re killing me.”
“Oh, we’re just getting started.” I grip him firmly and lick. His shudder of breath tells me I’m right on target. I slick my tongue around him. The salty muskiness of him fills my mouth. No other
man has ever tasted this good.
I suck him down until he hits the back of my throat, and pull back again. Jack’s hips pump toward me. His hand rests on my head, fingers curling into my hair. His breath is coming in erratic pants now as I find my rhythm, until he pulls me to my feet again.
“That feels fucking amazing,” he says, panting. “But I don’t want this ending here.”
He tugs me up and spins us around at the same time, pinning me against the wall. Every inch of his skin is pressed against me. He kisses me, almost frantic in his urgency. I rub against him, lost in the moment.
“I want you inside me,” I murmur. “Now.”
We stumble toward the stairs, but we don’t make it that far before tumbling to the ground, hungry for each other. “Wait,” he starts to say, but I shush him.
“It’s OK,” I tell him, never so glad in my life that I got a birth control implant. “I’m protected.”
“Thank fuck,” Jack groans. He spreads my thighs wider, hard against me. His hand teases my clit again, and I moan out loud. Then he’s sliding into the wet hot center of me.
I gasp. God, he’s so big. Big and hard and perfect, filling every inch of me. He smooths my hair back from my face to look into my eyes. I smile at him and arch toward him.
“Don’t stop. Oh fuck. I’m so close already.”
He chuckles. His voice is ragged. “You and me both, darling. We’ll just have to make up for it next time.”
My giddy rush at the idea of a next time is swept away by a surge of pleasure. He rocks into me, plunging even deeper. I cry out, pinned to the floor. All I can feel is him, over me and inside me. And the fresh wave of ecstasy growing inside me. It sweeps through me with every thrust, carrying me higher and higher.
My hands stroke over his body. A sheen of sweat has formed on his firm muscles. He picks up the pace. His breath floods my neck where he’s arched over me. “So good, McKenna. You’re so bloody good.”
His cock slams against the magic spot inside me, and I cry out. “There. Right there. Oh, God.” He hits it again, and again, and I explode. My vision fades away into black and sparkles. Fireworks. He’s made me see fucking fireworks.
Jack grunts as I clench around him. His thrusts turn erratic. He pumps into me a few more times and then comes with a groan, shuddering into me.
Damn, that was good.
I’m not sure how long we stay sprawled in bed, both still buck naked, soaking up each other’s heat. Two orgasms and a gorgeous man against me is enough to make me kind of hazy. But somewhere in there, my stomach rumbles. I nuzzle Jack’s shoulder and peek at him through half-lowered eyelashes.
“You brought back the leftovers from dinner, didn’t you?”
He chuckles. “What, are you hungry again?”
“I’m pretty much always hungry for food that good,” I say. “Especially after sex that good.”
“Hmm. Note to self: Always keep the fridge well-stocked when McKenna’s around.” He winks at me and gets up, tugging on some briefs before heading downstairs. After a moment, I grab his shirt and follow.
Jack is in the kitchen, rummaging in the fridge. He sets the takeout cartons on the counter and retrieves two forks. I hop onto one of the stools and dig in. Even cold, the food is delicious.
“Are you going to at least let me warm it up first?” Jack asks.
“I suppose I can wait a few minutes.” My skin is starting to cool now that I’m not pressed up against him anymore. I shiver. “Maybe I’d better grab something to warm me up in the meantime.”
“Stay right there. I can take care of you.”
He pops the plate into the microwave and lopes into the next room. A moment later, he returns with a couple of bathrobes. “I always have extras in the guest rooms.”
I let him help me into the robe. The almost slippery smoothness of the fabric combined with the heat of his hands makes me shiver in a totally different way. He pauses to rub my shoulders. I lean into his massaging thumbs. “Yep. Definitely taken care of.” The microwave beeps. “But still hungry.”
Jack laughs. “I do like a woman who isn’t afraid to say what she wants.” He sets the hot plate of leftover pasta on the counter between us and gets out a couple of forks. “I hope you don’t mind sharing.”
“As long as you don’t mind me stealing some of your leftovers tomorrow.”
“I’ll be counting on it.”
We dig in, and I sigh in satisfaction. Great sex and carbs? This guy is just about perfect.
Jack looks amused at my soundtrack. “Sorry,” I apologize. “Think of it as a compliment to your taste in restaurants.”
He grins. “It’s a compliment in other ways as well. Because I know how much more noise you were making half an hour ago.”
My face flushes, but it’s hard to be really embarrassed. He should know how much I enjoyed that encounter. “Well worth the wait,” I say.
“Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Well, considering we did have such a long wait …” He reaches out and trails his finger down my bare arm. My heartbeat skips at the contact. “We’ve got some catching up to do, don’t we?”
“How much?” I tease back.
He shrugs, his grin widening. “You’re the numbers person. I just go by what feels right. And right now what would feel right is …”
He slides off the stool and pulls me into a kiss. I melt into him, my legs splaying around his waist. Kissing me harder, he grips my thighs and lifts me off the stool.
“This time, let’s see if we can make it to the bedroom.”
I giggle. I pretty much never giggle, but Jack is the kind of guy who brings that out in a woman. “I’ll take that challenge. And if we miss again, we can always keep trying.”
Jack’s voice dips low and husky. “Oh, I have every intention of ‘trying’ all night long.”
He carries me toward the stairs, his lips traveling down my neck, and I can’t think of a single more perfect sensation.
21
McKenna
I’ve got a spring in my step as I head out of my apartment Monday morning. Tessa is just coming out of hers as I lock the door. She pauses, her lips curling upward.
“Are you humming?”
“I, er—” I might have been without even realizing it. My nerves are buzzing with so much happy energy I wouldn’t be surprised if some slipped out.
“Uh-huh.” She folds her arms over her chest, still smiling. “I take it you had a good weekend.”
“You could say that.” My cheeks have warmed. I’m not sure whether Jack and I officially “caught up” on lost time, but by the time we left his vacation house, I’d lost track of my orgasms anyway. I guess that says enough on its own.
“I definitely need to hear all about this,” Tessa insists. “Sometime when we’re not both headed to work. Girls’ night out later this week?”
“Absolutely,” I say. “I’ll text you and Jill.”
I stop to check my mailbox in the lobby. Barb ambles by, takes one look at me, and beams.
“Oh, my dear. You’ve found someone—and someone very satisfying, I can tell.” She waggles a knowing finger at me.
I glance down at myself, blushing darker. Is it that obvious? Do I have the imprint of multiple orgasms burned into my body somewhere?
My landlady pats my arm. “Don’t be shy. It’s a good thing. I’ve been on this earth long enough to know the look. You hold onto that one, you hear?”
“I’ll do my best,” I say, and hightail it out of there before she says anything I’ll find even more embarrassing.
Apparently my good mood isn’t so blatant that strangers on the street stop to congratulate me on getting some. But when I breeze into the office, Warren’s eyebrows immediately leap up. Riley smirks, but she doesn’t say anything.
Good. It’s awkward enough sleeping with a guy who’s sort of my boss without discussing that fact with my own employees.
“All right,” I say, clapping my h
ands. “Let’s get down to business.”
“You seem awfully happy today,” Riley says. Okay, maybe I’m not getting off that easy after all.
“What’s there not to be happy about? It’s a gorgeous fall day, we’ve just had a long weekend, and Perfect Match is funded.”
“Yeah, but it was funded last week too, and you didn’t seem quite this … shiny.”
I give her a look. “Maybe it just took a little while for the reality to sink in. All the papers are signed. I know for sure now we’re good to go. We’re going to make this amazing. So what are we waiting for?” I turn to Warren. “How are those recruitment numbers coming along?”
“Slow, but we haven’t started the big push yet. You want us up to another ten thousand, right?”
“To start, yes. And keep going through the error reports to make sure the interface is absolutely perfect. We don’t want anyone to be able to complain they had trouble using the app.” I plop down on the sofa next to Riley. “Let me see those social media campaigns you had ready to go. I think we should start at least a few today.”
“I was just waiting for the word go!” Riley says. She pulls up the info and graphics on her tablet. “This is the one that did the best in preliminary testing. And this image got a huge response, I just need to tweak the targeting a little more.” She grins at me. “I took your advice and nabbed one of the stars from downstairs for a little modeling.”
The bare-chested hunk on the screen is definitely stunning. I guess it says something about how far gone I am that I don’t feel even a twinge of attraction. All my senses are totally keyed to Jack, Jack, Jack.
Well, there are worse fates.
I all but bound into my closet of an office. There’s so much we can do that I hadn’t been sure would ever be possible. I could even hire someone new who’s more specialized in the areas the three of us don’t cover on our own. Or an additional programmer to help out Warren.
Wait, why or? I could do both! We’ve got a million bucks worth of breathing room now.