by Linda Verji
Shit. He ran his palm over his face as he struggled to reign in his rampant libido. He was supposed to be consoling her, not having lecherous thoughts about her luscious body. Taking a moment to compose himself, he gulped in some calming breath before following her.
He found her in the guestroom waiting for him. They worked in silence spreading the bed. When they were done, she climbed beneath the grey covers.
“Good night,” he said.
Flicking off the lights, he opened the door, but her husky voice stopped him before he could leave. “Don’t go.”
Reggie stood at the doorway trying to process her words. Did she want him to sleep in the bed with her? If he did, they’d be crossing the unsaid but understood ‘no-touch’ boundary they’d always had. Considering how much he was lusting over her, it was a bad idea, a really bad idea.
But then she broke his resistance with a soft plea, “Please, Reggie.”
That was it for him.
He closed the door and in the darkness made his way to the bed. The mattress dipped as he slipped underneath the covers with her. Erica shifted closer, buried her nose in his neck and threw an arm around his torso. Her indefinable flowery scent wafted between them, arousing Reggie’s senses. It didn’t help that her breast was pressed right up against the side of his body. In response his shaft thickened with desire. Shit.
“Thank you.” Her soft breath whispered over his skin.
“You’re welcome.” His arm snaked around her waist as he shifted in aroused discomfort. It would be hell sleeping in the same bed as her, but if that’s what she needed – that’s what he’d do.
Erica woke up in the middle of the night to find herself lying on top of a hard, unquestionably male body and with someone’s very large hands gripping her ass.
Quin.
She curled into him, purring as she settled over his length. His dick lengthened and swelled beneath her. She shifted her lower body in response, grinding over its hard length. He groaned, a guttural rumble that reverberated in his chest and vibrated against hers, as his hands firmed over her ass. They molded and caressed her flesh.
“Ah,” she whimpered, her fingers digging into the firm muscled of his arms as he guided her to grind harder on his full length. With each upward and downward stroke, his tool grazed her aching clit. It stirred her senses and made her ache for him even more. She turned her head in search of his mouth. When she found him, she nibbled on his lower lip, begging entry. He conceded and his lips took hers masterfully.
The first meet of their tongues was intoxicating. He tasted different; of sleep, of masculinity, of something unique. The strength of his hands on her ass intensified with each streak of their tongues against each other, and her pussy moistened in response. She dragged her nipples against the hard planes of his chest and pressed her core harder against his cock.
His one hand slipped from her ass to slide smoothly between her legs. The moment he touched her clit over the fabric of her panties, sensations assailed her. Electric stings of desire zinged across her body, setting it aflame. Erica parted her legs further to give him more room to rub. When that wasn’t enough she rose to her knees. Straddling his thighs, she swayed to the sweet motion of his fingers inside her. His mouth swallowed her every moan even as he rubbed harder, faster.
She needed more.
She soothed her hand lower down his body, past his muscular chest to rest it on his stomach. His breath hitched as she traced the seam of his pants then slipped her hand underneath the soft cotton.
He was hard, hot and long.
He jerked upwards when she curved her palm completed around him. His body tensed as if waiting to see what she would do. His mouth hardened over hers the moment she started massaging his rod and his lips devoured her in frantic need with every stroke of her hand.
He pushed aside the gusset of her panties. Pleasure as he spread her wetness around her throbbing flesh. Desire as he pinched then soothed the sensitive nub. Lust as his finger licked its way downwards then pushed in.
Erica responded in kind. She drew a moan from him when she teased the spongy head. Another one when she spread the fluid dancing at his tip around his length with practiced strokes. A strangled grunt when she played with his balls, rolling them in her palm. He fingered her in unison to her stroking of his length and their tongues mimicked the actions of their hands.
The heat soared and consumed her body.
She couldn’t handle it anymore. Desperately, she shoved his pants lower down his body and guided his cock towards her pussy. A whimper tore out of her throat when she rubbed the head of him on her sensitive nub. They both groaned when she stroked him around and across her valley. He let her play with him, his hands molding her ass roughly as she coated his cock with her wetness.
Teased beyond reasonable thought, she guided him towards her cavern. She bore down and her pussy opened up to receive him…
He stiffened and the hands on her ass lifted her none-too-gently off him.
“No.”
That wasn’t Quin’s voice. Startled she went still and her eyes flew open. Shadowy darkness met her. Though she couldn’t quite make out the person staring back at her, she was one hundred percent sure he wasn’t Quin.
Quin was white.
“Not like this.” The stranger’s strangled voice cut into the darkness, startling Erica into action.
She scrambled away from him and landed in a puddle of limbs on the floor. The bedside lamp flickered on, bathing the room in soft orange light and illuminating the man seated atop the bed.
“Reggie?”
CHAPTER 3
Reggie?
What the hell?
Shock and panic warring inside her, Erica stumbled to her feet, her gaze remained trained on Reggie who was tucking his still hard dick back into his sweatpants. The concern was palpable in his eyes as he asked, “Are you okay?”
Of course she wasn’t. They’d just been about to…oh God.
She liked to tell people Reggie was like her brother. After all, she considered Kendra the sister she’d never had. But he wasn’t… at least she didn’t feel like he was. Several times she’d caught herself checking him out and having fantasies that were not brotherly but she’d buried whatever illicit feelings there were beneath her love for Quin. Hers and Reggie’s interactions had remained above board – until now that is.
And she’d been the one to start it.
Her hand flew to her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it.”
“It’s okay. No harm, no foul.” His smile strained, he swung his legs to the foot of the bed and stood. “I’ll just go sleep in my room.”
Erica stepped aside to keep from touching him and sparking the already latent heat between them. His dick was still thickly outlined against the crotch of his navy sweatpants, a sign that despite his indifferent expression he was just as turned on as she was.
He stopped at the door, his gaze taking a slow tour down her body lingering over her swollen breasts and the tops of her thighs. In a thick voice he said, “Good night, Erica,” and left.
He was wrong. There was harm. Her whole body hummed, still craving Reggie’s touch. Her lips still ached to be against his. Her nipples were swollen and aching for his touch. Her pussy throbbed with need for him. If he was electricity, she was a live wire on the verge of bursting into flames because of him.
How had she ended up in the same bed with him?
The memories came crushing in like a dam whose floodgates had opened. Her mind shuffled around the images of Quin and Brooklyn, laying out the pictures of their betrayal. The recollection was enough to dilute the residual desire thrumming in her veins and send a fresh stab of pain through her.
She walked to the bed and sat on the edge. Taking deep breaths, she reminded herself that Quin wasn’t worth any more of her tears. She was strong enough to survive this. However, despite her best attempts, tears slipped from her eyes as the pain of his betrayal consumed her.
Why?
Why would he cheat on her? She’d thought they were so happy. What about the nightly calls, the I love yous, the I miss yous? For Pete’s sake he’d proposed to her. How could he hurt her like this? Her tears rolled down her cheeks in earnest, as the reality of what had happened set in. Erica crawled beneath the covers, curling into a tight ball of pain as her mind continued to toss around the past weeks with Quin. Her pain battled with reason trying to figure out the reasons that would’ve made Quin cheat on her – and with one of her friends too.
Was it something she’d done? Something she’d said. Was it because she wasn’t home as much as he wanted? Strippers and Heels was smack in the middle of an expansion and had been taking a good portion of her time. Was it because she wasn’t as slender as Brooklyn was? He was always asking her to lose some weight. Maybe it was because of her temper. She did have a short fuse. Was it because…
No. Anger took over where pain left off. This wasn’t her fault.
He was the one who’d cheated. Quin wasn’t the first boyfriend to cheat on her. The one before him had done the same, so had the one before that one. She’d thought that Quin was no different from them and given him a real run for his money. However, he’d been convincing and inch by inch, she’d fallen into his web. She should’ve listened to her instincts. Men were incapable of faithfulness
That however didn’t mean that Quin was going to go scot free.
Erica tore the covers away from her face, swiping a palm over her cheeks as she sat up. With her gaze, she searched the room for her phone, determined to call him and find out why the hell he’d done this. It was only when she came up empty that she remembered that she’d dropped it along with everything else when she’d rushed out of the apartment.
Her psyche conjured an image of Brooklyn trailing her and trying to apologize… apologize? Just the thought of that thing she’d once called a friend was enough to make Erica want to throw up.
Apologize? After everything Erica had done for her, Brooklyn had betrayed her. She should’ve done more than punch her. She should’ve killed her.
How had she not spotted the subterfuge between the two? Erica wracked her brain trying to pinpoint any odd going ons that should’ve clued her in but nothing came to mind. She’d never suspected a thing. Did that mean that theirs was just a spur of the moment thing or that they were good at hiding? Did it even make a difference? Unable to go to sleep, Erica sat with her back against the headboard mulling over the twisted knot that her life had just tangled itself into.
Even before his phone alarm rang at five a.m., Reggie was awake. He was surprised he’d even managed the two hours of fitful sleep after what had happened with Erica. She’d crowded his thoughts; her sweet taste as they’d kissed, her body grinding against his, her tight pussy clasping his finger…
He pushed aside the covers, went to the bathroom to take care of his hygiene and changed into his running clothes. Shadows shrouded the hallway and there was no sound from the guest room. Assuming that Erica was still asleep, he locked the front door behind him before taking to the eerily quiet streets. Even the acceleration of his heart, the burning of his thighs and the rhythmic sound of his footfalls, as he pounded along the tarmac road, couldn’t quiet his errant thoughts. They circled over, savored and circled on the sensuous memory of her stroking his dick and the heat of her as she’d bore down on him.
He still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t made love to her. For two whole years he’d wanted this woman and right when she’d been about to give him what he’d been craving, he’d stopped her. Even in throes of desire some part of his brain had been working overtime and guilt-tripping him. Erica would resent him if he took advantage of her while she was down. So he’d stopped her. But it’d been damn hard.
An hour later he wound up his run. The moment he pushed open the front door, the enticing scent of frying eggs welcomed him. His stomach responded with a pleased rumble and as if they had a mind of their own, his feet led the way to the kitchen.
Eric was standing by the cooker, holding a skillet as eggs sizzled in a pan atop the burner. Fresh juice rested in the blender while sliced bread sat on a plate by the counter. Despite Reggie’s hunger, his eyes only briefly lingered over the food before latching onto her.
She’d tamed her midnight-black hair into a high bun that left the long column of her neck exposed. It was obvious she’d laundered her dress because it was no longer plastered to her body but even then there was no hiding the woman underneath. The green fabric skimmed her back, cinched at her small waist and flared out at her hips whispering of the perfection beneath it. No doubt, Reggie was in severe lust with Erica.
But it wasn’t just that.
He had a lot to thank Erica for. He was the main provider in his family and catered for both his aunt and his younger sister, Ailea’s needs. Unwilling to add to that burden, Kendra had hidden how hard a time she was having finding a job after college. She’d fed him some cockamamie story about working for a start-up. He’d assumed she was telling the truth considering the apartment she, Erica and Brooklyn shared.
The only reason he’d even discovered that Erica had supported his sister for a full year was a slip from the tongue from Nico. By that time Kendra had already found a position as a claim’s adjuster in an insurance firm and didn’t need his help. Erica had never mentioned it but her looking out for his sister like that had cinched the deal for Reggie. Her generosity moved his feelings from an appreciation of her physical attributes into real interest.
However, he’d been forced to watch from afar. As clear as it was that Erica was a generous, caring woman, it was also clear that she was in love with Quinton Morrow. To say Reggie had envied the man would be an understatement. What’d Erica seen in Quin? Obviously the man was stupid if he could let a woman like her go.
“Morning, Erica,” Reggie called her attention. Startled she let go of the pan and it dropped to the linoleum with a ringing clang almost hitting her feet. Instantly he was at her side picking the pan from the floor.
“You scared me,” she gasped, her palm fluttering over her chest.
“Sorry.” Reggie set the pan back on the burner. With three long strides, he grabbed the long broom from behind the door so he could clean up the eggs sprinkled across the floor.
“Le’me.” Erica reached for the broom, her palm closing over the back of his hand. The shot of electric awareness was immediate as was the nervousness that sprung to her eyes. As if burned by touching him, she let go and stepped away from him.
“Sorry.”
Aware that her edginess was a product of what’d happened last night and eager to just get the talk over and done with, Reggie met her eyes. “What happened last night doesn’t change our relationship.”
Erica’s gaze dropped. “It was my fault. I shouldn’t have-”
“It wasn’t your fault,” he cut in before she could apologize again. He wasn’t sorry about what had happened last night; just sorry that they couldn’t continue. “We were both asleep, shit happened. It changes nothing.”
She lifted her eyes, watching him with an unsettling silence, as if assessing the validity of his words. He offered a silent sigh of relief when she didn’t pursue the subject further. Instead she asked, “How was your run?”
“The usual.”
“Speaking of…” She wrinkled her nose and then teased, “How many showers does this apartment have?”
“Oh, below the belt, Miss Young.” He narrowed his eyes and shook his head in mock anger. “Below the belt.”
“I’m just saying.” With a soft smile, she reached for the broom. “Go shower. I’ll have breakfast ready by the time you’re done.”
By the time he exited his room, she’d set the table.
“You clean up good,” Erica complimented as her eyes ran appreciatively over his grey suit and light blue shirt.
Reggie’s ego preened as he took his seat. “Thank you.”
Inane conversation accompanied their
breakfast. She broke it when she said, “Thank you for taking care of me last night.”
“You’re welcome.” He shrugged. “You’d do the same for me.”
She was silent for a moment before asking, “Do you think you can drop me off at home before you go to work? It’s just that I don’t have any money on me.”
“Sure but you can stay longer,” Reggie said. “Kendra isn’t coming back until tomorrow.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need some time alone anyway. To think about…”
She didn’t finish the sentence but Quin’s name hang in the air between them. He wanted to convince her it wasn’t a good idea for her to leave but he knew that his motives weren’t entirely selfless. If he wanted her to stay, it was because he liked having her around him and in his house. Reluctantly he nodded his acceptance of her decision.
Once they were done with breakfast, he helped her clear the dishes from the table. She’d just set the plates in the sink when she stiffened. “I left my keys in his house.”
Anxiety played on her face at the realization of her dilemma and eager to ease it, Reggie said, “Why don’t we pass there before heading to your place? I’ll get them for you and you can stay in the car.”
“But you’ll be late for work,” she protested.
He glanced at the large watch on his wrist. “I’ve got some extra time.”
“Are you sure?” Her worried eyes met his.
“I’m sure,” he reassured. “Don’t worry about it. I got you.”
He’d be cutting it close but what was the other option? To let Erica deal with this on her own?
That wasn’t happening.
CHAPTER 4
Erica rubbed her palm repeatedly with her thumb as they turned the corner that led to Quin’s place. She was nervous as hell – and angry. Oh, so angry. The long wait in morning traffic had exacerbated her irritation. Even the thought that Reggie was late for work because of her was not enough to calm her. If it wasn’t for that bastard Quin, she wouldn’t have to beg for rides or inconveniencing other people.