by Chanta Rand
Diego yelled. “Well, if you hate Mom, hate yourself because you came from her!”
Charly choked on her feelings of inadequacy. She turned away, not sure how to respond to her children. How had they come to this point? If she’d told her mother she hated her, she would have been picking up her teeth off the floor. Charly’s parenting style was different from her parents’. She stood, taking a moment to gather her composure. She would talk to Joi later—after they’d both calmed down.
She walked past Diego, who was staring intently at her. “Don’t tell me, you hate me too?”
He shook his head. “No. I love you. Enough to give you the same advice Aunt Shontal gave me. Make sure your boyfriend wraps up that pickle.”
Charly gasped. “Dane is not my boyfriend! And we’re not…” She blew out a deep breath. “It’s none of your business, boy. You just get into those books and pass Statistics.”
In typical teenager fashion, he shrugged and walked away. A river of embarrassment ran through her. Her son thinking about her having sex was like her thinking about her son having sex. Yuck! She and Dane had to be more careful next time.
Next time?
Yes, there would be a next time. She wanted Dane and there was no denying it. Right now, more than anything, she needed the comfort that being in his arms would bring. She sure as hell deserved it.
Chapter 8
Dane wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. Fall in Houston hadn’t given a reprieve from the heat and humidity. He stood on the side of the track at the stadium along with two other coaches as they clocked Zo’s attempt at the mile. Much better. The boy must have been practicing. As Zo trotted past, Dane gave him the thumbs-up sign. Zo flashed a smile and Dane had to laugh. The boy was a charmer. Sponsors loved good-looking kids with talent. Male or female didn’t matter. As long as they were marketable. Charly’s daughter should run track. If the way she tore out of the house yesterday was any indication, she might be a star in her own right.
Dane frowned, feeling renewed remorse over what happened yesterday. If he had to do it all over again, he would still protect Charly. But maybe he might have handled it differently. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was a hothead. Now, not only did he have her feelings to worry about; he had to consider her kids’ reactions. And Diego catching them lip-locked didn’t help either. Jeez, this is why he never bothered to date. Too much drama.
He ended practice early, giving his athletes a chance to get out of the draining heat. He always made sure they drank plenty of water. A defensive back passed out several years ago and never woke up. The school had to do some fancy footwork to dance around a lawsuit. He was not on staff then, but the event hung like a black shadow over every practice.
He headed toward his office, leaving the less senior coaches on the track. He had some work to finish up. As he walked, he noticed some of the guys talking to the pretty girls who lined the fence each day, hungrily watching the future talent that might possibly go pro. His eyes landed on Alonzo, jogging to the far side of one fence near the parking lot. Dane watched as Zo talked to a chubby stranger standing on the other side of the fences. He racked his brain trying to think of where he’d seen the guy before. A sinister-looking dude with a goatee, he was too old to be a student and too fat to be an athlete. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of Dane’s belly. Something else was going on. He watched as the two males shook hands. Hmm…he’d be sure to ask Zo about it later.
Back in the cool athletics building, his secretary, Jenny Lin, sat at her desk. She was a sweet Asian woman with exotic eyes and a sleek, black bob. Jenny was worth her weight in gold. She was a sports fanatic who handled all of the administrative tasks for him. When she wasn’t at work, she and her husband were putting all of their energy into their twelve-year-old son who had Cerebral Palsy. “I’m headed out,” he told her. “You can split for the day if you want.”
She was already grabbing her purse. “Great. I’ve got some errands to run. And by the way, you have a visitor in your office.”
“Aw shit. Another parent?” Last semester, he had a problem with an overprotective stepdad. The dude wanted more playing time for his kid. Dane wasn’t averse to listening to parents’ concerns, but when they were loud-talking and cursing, he wasn’t gonna stand for it. He almost had to have campus security remove the jerk from his office.
Jenny shook her head. “No. She said she was a coach. When I asked her what school she was with, she said the School of Hard Knocks.” Jenny laughed. “That joke alone got her full access to your office.”
Dane grinned as his heart kicked into overdrive. Charly. “Thanks Jenny.”
“Need anything before I go?”
“Yeah. The secret formula to clone myself.”
“Coach, if I had that, I’d be living in the South of France–not spending my time working in the athletics office.”
When Dane walked down the hall to his office, he stopped outside the open door to admire the view. Charly was standing with her back to him, reading some papers on a bulletin board. The navy pin striped skirt she wore was molded to her curves, interrupted only by a split up the back. Calves shaped by high stilettos beckoned him. Her green shirt was made of one of those girly fabrics like silk or satin. He wondered what it would feel like to stroke her nipples through the smooth material.
He shut the door behind him and locked it. When she turned around, he drank in the sight of her. Damn, she looked good. His long strides ate up the distance between them. He wrapped her in his arms and crushed her lips to his. His tongue swept in and took possession of her mouth, pulling and suckling, hungry for more of her. Her muffled whimpers against his mouth turned him on. Her hands wandered up the thick muscles of his back, pulling her closer to him. He grinded his pelvis against hers, shocked by how much he wanted her.
Finally, he dragged his lips from hers. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I never meant–”
“Shhh.” she placed a delicate finger on his lips. “I don’t want words right now. I need you.”
“Okay, let’s go somewhere private.” As he said the words, envisioning her writhing beneath him, his cock surged with blood. “My house isn’t far from here.”
“I can’t wait,” she purred. “I want you to fuck me right now, right here. She fondled his dick through the soft material of his warm-ups. His rock-hard erection bucked against her palm.
He hiked the hem of her skirt up and dipped a finger beneath the edge of her panties. When he slipped a finger inside her, she gasped with pleasure. He pulled his hand out and licked her creamy essence from his fingers. Her dark eyes danced with desire at the gesture.
“Damn, Charly. You’ve been wet and ready waiting for me?”
“Mmm hmm. Let’s skip the appetizer, baby. I’m warmed up.”
He bent her forward over his desk, and then simultaneously pushed her skirt up and yanked his warm-ups down. The soft globes of her ass jutted out, tantalizing him. He rubbed his dick against the cleft of her ass. He was already struggling to keep his control, anticipating another explosive orgasm. It had been two months since he’d had Charly in any compromising position. The fact that they were about to fuck in his office where anyone could overhear them didn’t slow him down. Nothing was stopping him from claiming this prize.
Nothing except protection.
“Shit! I don’t have a condom.” His mind searched frantically to remember if he had one stored in his glove compartment–which was over a mile away in the nearest parking garage. He hadn’t had sex with anyone since the week he’d spent in the Maldives with Charly. He hadn’t thought to carry a condom since then.
“My purse,” Charly moaned. “Middle compartment.”
His head whipped around so fast, Linda Blair would be proud. He spotted Charly’s black handbag on a nearby chair. The fact that she came prepared aroused him even more. Within seconds, he was sheathed and ready, poised against her entrance. He dug into the soft flesh of her hips, and entered her from behi
nd with several quick thrusts.
Dane grunted as Charly’s flat palms pushed papers across the desktop. The harder he pumped, the louder she moaned. His ears filled with the sound of his balls slapping against the smooth slopes of her ass. He reached forward and fondled her clit with his middle finger. Charly went wild, jerking against him, and spreading her legs wider.
“You like that, baby?”
“Yes!” she screamed.
She slid back and forth against him, pulling his dick with the tight walls of her pussy. It was divine torture. “You feel so good,” he ground out. “I’ve missed you, Charly. I’ve missed this.”
“Now, it’s all yours.”
He rubbed the delicate bud of her clitoris until he felt her tense up and cream against his fingers. He reveled in the feel of the warm, sticky mess. He came barely seconds after her, consumed by the overpowering heat spiraling through his body. He was amazed at the metamorphosis his body went through whenever he made love to Charly. He felt like a new man. Powerful. Worthy. He realized he didn’t need the Maldives to be in paradise. Paradise was right here between Charly’s legs.
********
I’m such a slut. But I’m a happy slut.
Charly lounged, her naked body entwined with the stark white sheets on the hotel bed. Slivers of sunlight peeped through the room’s drapes, creating a pattern on Dane’s bronzed skin as he lie on his stomach next her.
They were acting like two kids sneaking around. They couldn’t go to her house. Her kids would be home. She’d already called Shontal to pick them up, making a lame excuse about being stuck at work. They couldn’t go to Dane’s house either. He was having it painted. He said he didn’t want the fumes to overwhelm her. The two had driven to this nearby hotel, their bodies still humming for more of each other, but knowing they couldn’t continue to fornicate in his office. Before she could insert the room key, Dane was all over her again. They made love twice before spooning in the oversized bed and watching the sunset from their window.
“You should fire your decorator,” she told him. “Whoever is painting your place messed up a perfectly good opportunity for me.”
“You? I’m the one who’s out one hundred and forty-nine dollars for the room.”
She giggled. “I’ll give you some coochie coupons to make up for it.”
He kissed the slopes of her shoulders. “Now, that I can handle anytime.”
“And when the paint is dry, let me take a look at your décor. I can work magic with my decorating skills.”
He nibbled her collarbone. “I’m sure you can work your magic on anything, Charly.”
“It didn’t work on Cruz.”
“Cruz is an idiot. But his loss is my gain.” He gathered her in his arms. Charly was long past her season of regret with Cruz. She’d moved on, and Dane was right: It was Cruz’s loss. She was crazy to have mentioned her ex-husband when she had a fabulous guy like Dane in her bed. “How did he get involved with drugs anyway?” Dane asked.
“It happened a few years after we’d been married. We had a beautiful life. Two beautiful children. He’d just started a new job in sales. Then, one day he went to a company happy hour. Some of the guys invited him out afterward. Somebody pulled out some heroine. He tried it and was hooked from that moment on.”
“What the hell would possess him to do that?”
She shrugged, suddenly cold, despite being enveloped in Dane’s warm embrace. “New kid on the block. He was eager to be accepted, I guess.”
“That’s not eagerness. That’s weakness.”
“Yeah, I thought so too. I tried to work with him, especially for the kids’ sake. But he couldn’t let it go. Refused to go to rehab. Lost his job. Disappeared for days at a time. Once, I came home and everything in our living room was gone. He’d sold our furniture for drugs. I had to kick him out. I couldn’t let our kids live like that–never knowing if their dad was coming home alive or in a body bag. I think they resent me for it now.”
He stroked her arm, his long fingers comforting her. “It must have been hardest on you. It takes a strong woman to do what you did.”
She buried her face against his sculpted chest. “I try. But sometimes, I need someone to lean on.”
He tipped her chin, forcing her to look into his stunning green eyes. “I can’t make the pain go away, but I can ease it for a while.”
“Can you see why I wanted to keep my life a secret? When I’m with you, I forget all about the ugly parts. I don’t have to be a responsible mom or a strong woman. I can just be me with all of my vulnerabilities.”
The smoldering look he gave her turned her insides to mush. She never felt more wanted than when she was with Dane. “You can be my woman, Charly. I want you just the way you are.” He pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste and texture of his tongue as it probed her mouth. The man was an amazing kisser, setting her on fire with just one nibble. She arched her back as his hands found her breasts. His rough palms slid over her hardened nipples. He pinched the hard peaks, sending a jolt of excitement through her. Her eyes flickered open to find his heated gaze glowing with a not-so-subtle invitation. “Again?” she asked incredulously. “You’re like an animal.”
“I am when I’m with you.”
Dane rolled over onto his back, carrying her with him so that she was positioned on top. He was insatiable when it came to Charly. No matter how much he sampled her, he wanted more. After months without seeing her, he was like a thirsty man in the desert. She lowered her head and flicked her tongue against the flat nipples of his chest. He sucked his breath in. “Damn, baby, you keep that up, I won’t be able to make it all the way through round three.”
She paused and looked up at him. “Don’t you mean round four? Don’t tell me you forgot about seducing me in your office.”
“I could never in a million years forget that.”
She licked his nipples again, making her way past his six pack to the trail of hair leading to his erection. He held his breath. Charly’s lips had the power to bring him to his knees. Good thing he wasn’t standing. The first time she’d given him head in the Maldives, his knees nearly buckled! Now, she was making her way past the patch of hair surrounding his dick. His erection bucked in anticipation.
“Let’s taste each other,” she purred.
He watched as she turned backwards, putting her pretty ass in his face. The smooth slopes of her buttocks jiggled in the air as she moved into position.
He licked his lips. Sixty-Nine? He hadn’t done this since high school.
Charly got on her hands and knees, her pussy poised above his lips. He tucked a pillow behind his head to elevate his mouth. She grasped his penis in her hand and began the slow, steady licking that set all his nerve endings on fire. He reciprocated by dragging his tongue along her clit in long, languid strokes. She moved her hips back and forth making it easier for him to bring her pleasure. He had to admit, it was hard as hell to focus with her lips wrapped around his cock. The combination of her hand pumping the hard flesh and her mouth bathing him in warmth, started a spark inside him that threatened to erupt into a five-alarm fire.
She took the length of him into her mouth, toying with him, sliding her mouth up and down his long shaft, and then nibbling on the head. Nibble. Suck. Nibble. Suck. Sheer ecstasy. As her head bobbed, her mouth created an erotic suction. Her fingers lovingly fondled his balls. With each lick, he flew closer to the edge of orgasm. Charly’s body tensed, and he could tell she was on the edge as well. He sucked her clit just the way she liked it, pulling with gentle, pulsating motions. He spread the sensitive lips apart with this thumb and forefinger, granting better access to the swollen nub.
They licked and sucked each other until they both erupted. Charly came first, simultaneously jacking him off while lifting her lips for a moment to scream out her pleasure. A white-hot heat shot through him, and Dane spilled the sticky remnants of his orgasm over Charly’s hand as she continued to p
ump him–draining him of every last ounce. Afterward, she grabbed a couple of Kleenex’s from the box on the night stand.
He wiped off, shaking his head in amazement. They’d been separated for months, and not only had they taken up where they’d left off, the sex was even more powerful. He felt as though Charly had turned him inside out and stroked every one of his nerve endings. Instead of getting used to her lovemaking, he was developing more intense feelings. What started out as a good time in the Maldives had morphed into an undeniable attraction. He didn’t want to be without her.
The pleasure of their love-making was slightly overshadowed by the lie he’d told her earlier. His house was not being renovated. He just couldn’t bring himself to take her home yet. The home he’d shared with Nichole. For chrissakes he still had pictures of his dead wife on the fireplace mantle. He couldn’t let Charly see that. He wasn’t ready to explain it yet. It had been ten years. He should have taken those pictures down years ago.
What are you waiting for fool? You have to man up. Tell her about Nichole.
He shrugged his conscience away. There was no way in hell he was going to bring up another woman after he’d just made love to Charly for the fourth time.
Tell her.
I will.
Later. Eventually.
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. In a few hours she would leave to go back home. For now, she was his.
Chapter 9
Over the next few weeks, Charly and Dane were inseparable. Charly found herself putting her clients off so she had more time to divide between her children and her lover. The two of them found moments to steal away and enjoy each other’s company. They went on dates to the zoo, the museum, and sometimes, during the middle of the day, they took in a baseball game at Minute Maid Park.
Charly loved every minute she spent with Dane. She was falling hard for him. It wasn’t just the sex. Yes, the man could put it down in the bedroom, launching her body into an erotic orbit, making her scream his name. But she genuinely enjoyed spending time with him. He was funny, passionate about sports, and most importantly, he treated her like a queen. Even in the midst of a crowded restaurant, he focused so hard on what she was saying, he made her feel like she was the only woman in the room.