She was having the sexual experience of a lifetime and letting any inhibitions she harbored go. Words that she might never have uttered before didn’t seem so inhibiting anymore. “I think I’d have to agree on the incredible thing. This,” she reached around to press him tightly to her, “is incredible.”
The rhythm of his strokes increased slightly as he suckled the hollow of her neck. Tara pressed her ass against his abdomen, rocking with him. “And you have the most amazing ass I’ve ever seen. ” He emphasized his point by splaying a hand across her waist, holding her firmly to him and moving his other to cup her backside.
“My ass, huh? That’s it? Just my ass?” she wiggled against him, meeting his thrusts.
“Well, there are other things, like this…” he said as he reached under her and slid his fingers between the folds of her pussy, massaging the wet flesh as he stroked into her with his cock.
Tara’s hand covered his, following the path his fingers made. Exploring with him was new and exciting. Her clit throbbed as he fingered it, and Tara sighed. “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced anything quite like this, August.” She arched against him as the low hum of orgasm began to vibrate through her. Her muscles clenched him tightly and he groaned as he kept his pace steady.
“Slow down, Tara, you’re already sore. But, if you keep this up, I’m going to have a hard time holding back.”
She couldn’t slow down if she wanted to and she didn’t want to. As his cock filled her, she rode it with slow fierceness. Her world narrowed to the glide of his hard shaft and his hands taking her to heights she’d never reached. “I can’t slow down, so shut up and make me come.”
August chuckled, the rumble of his chest against her back making her nipples tighten almost painfully. “I think I can manage that,” he ground out as he began to move his fingers more rapidly and his hips crashed with hers.
His hot breath grazed her shoulders as he tensed behind her. Tara felt it too, the tug of orgasm, from the tips of her toes as it began to sweep over her. Beginning as a tingle and raging to a molten hot fire, assaulting her pussy, racing through her until she couldn’t hold a scream back. It tore out of her throat and echoed in the quiet of the room.
August came too, with a grunt and a twist of his hips, his teeth grazing her shoulder as he drove into her one final time.
Tara couldn’t catch her breath, and gasped as August fought for his own.
Pulling out of her, he turned her around, hauling her across his chest. He kissed the top of her head. “Damn, woman, ” he muttered.
She rested her head against the bulge of his pec and giggled.
August cupped her jaw, raising it so her eyes met his. “Can’t we just stay here today? ”
“No, we can’t and you know it. If I don’t hurry, I won’t have time to shower, so let me go, you Neanderthal.”
He went to kiss her lips, but she ducked him.
“Morning breath, ” she muttered.
“Gimme a kiss or I’m not letting you up.”
She pecked the corner of his mouth. “Now let me up.”
“Nope, I want a real kiss.”
Tara twisted her head to look at the clock. “August Guthrie let me up now! I’m going to be late.”
“Kiss me and I will.”
Tara laughed and pressed her lips to his, lingering for a moment longer than she should. Oh, those lips, firm and pliant, the y did wicked things to her body. His tongue slithered into her mouth, hot and hungry.
“You’re right,” he said against her lips. “You do have morning breath. ”
She cackled, “Get off of me, you brute.”
He let her go and she slid out of the bed, not even thinking about the fact she was completely naked in front of him. August followed behind her. “You gonna invite me to take a shower with you?” His eyes twinkled with amusement.
“I am not. What will happen if I do that?” She tugged at his cock, still cloaked in the condom. “We’ll end up latching onto each other all soapy and slick and then we won’t be able to keep our hands off of one another and you know what happens next.” His cock twitched in her hand, it obviously knew what happened next.
“I promise to be good. “ He held up his hands in the air. “I won’t even offer to wash your back.”
Tara giggled again. She was doing that a lot lately. “Well then, Mr. Guthrie,” she said over her shoulder, “I suppose if you promise to keep your hands to yourself you can shower with me. But, you better not ask to borrow my shower gel.”
He followed her into the bathroom, picking up the purple bottle of gel and sniffed it. “I think you can take me on my word that I don’t want to smell ‘raspberry morning fresh’.”
Tara stood in front of the mirror and began to brush the tangled mess of her hair. August took the brush from her and stroked her long curls. The sight of his bronzed body, thick and muscled, behind her lighter one, made her legs weak. She felt small and vulnerable in the shelter of his wide chest.
Small, vulnerable … and naked.
Oh, God, she was naked. This was a new experience. Even the few sexual encounters she’d had, she’s never let anyone see her completely nude. Tara Douglas and naked had a long, sorry history together. Tara gripped the edge of the sink to keep from yanking a towel off the rack to cover herself.
By some miracle, he didn’t know about what happened twelve years ago between her and Kelsey, so there was no reason to behave as if she didn’t do this naked gig all the time.
Well, not all the time because that would just be slutty. A confident appearance in front of August might be a better way to go about this. Sorta like she did this occasionally, just enough to warrant ease with her body. God, she was such a fraud…
Tara’s pulse raced as she thought about August finding out about her and Kelsey and their little run-in at Evanston. Followed shortly by those damn tingles only he had the power to evoke, thus making her forget Kelsey. Tara’s nipples tightened as he brushed strand after strand. “We need to get in the shower and you need to get the heck outta here. Won’t your roommate wonder where you were last night?”
He laid the brush on the sink and circled her waist with his arms. “Yeah, yeah., I know—the rules, August!” he mimicked her. “Gordon was sound asleep when I left after I changed from my date.”
Tara turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry. I know I talk about the rules all the time and that stupid contract, but I’ve never, ever done anything this—this sneaky, you know? I try not to make a habit out of being deceitful.” Tara hid her face in his shoulder. Hah! She really hoped that whoever was making her room in hell right now would take into consideration that she’d never meant for any of this to happen with August.
“Let’s look at this logically. If you pretend to forfeit a competition and anyone finds out about us, not only will you be sued, but you’ll have to leave the island and they won’t let you come back, then we can’t see each other for almost three weeks. If you stay, and you win the elimination rounds, we can still see each other, as completely unethical and totally wrong as that is. I’ll understand completely if you want to go because it would be the right thing to do. I’m just not sure forfeiting a competition is the way to do it honestly. Honestly leaving would mean you’d play the game like a champ and if you’re picked by the jury and Kelsey, you’d just turn her down when it came time to propose.”
And now, Tara Douglas, meet your conscience… Tara felt like she was dragging August into this deception with her, when her intent had only been to one-up Kelsey. This was growing far too complicated for a novice-revenge-seeker like herself.
She nipped his earlobe and forgot about the nagging little problem Kelsey presented. “So what’s it going to be, stud? Stay here with me and we schtupp our brains out, or,” she paused for effect and cocked her head, “you can be a big, fat wimp and chicken out, which would also mean we might both be sued if you leave, because you know they like to stir up trouble after the fact and the schtupp
ing part of this deal is over.”
“So, you’ll let me come boink you if I keep competing?”
It was always about the boink, wasn’t it?
Tara burst out laughing. “It’s totally against the rules and completely unethical, but, yeah, you can have hut visitation. As long as you promise to be careful,” she warned.
Careful was an understatement.
* * *
Piercing screams filled the air as Tara made her way to the makeup trailer. She threw open the door to find Kelsey waving her arms wildly and screaming at the makeup people. “Look at my face! Oh, my God, I can’t go on national television like this!” Kelsey slapped the hands that tried to help her and screeched, “Get the hell away from me, you idiots! Can’t you see I need a doctor?”
Tara came up behind Ms. Mary who was in the opposite chair, waiting for her turn. Her knitting needles clacked furiously. “What happened?” she whispered to Mary.
“She has a rash. ”
“What? What kind of a rash? ”
“I dunno, but it’s pretty ugly and red, wouldn’t you agree?”
On closer inspection, Tara noted the angry red blotches over Kelsey’s cheekbones and forehead.
Oh, yuk.
Oooh, this wasn’t pretty. “Did she have an allergic reaction to something? ”
Mary shr ugged her shoulders and yawned. “She must have eaten something that didn’t agree with her.”
Tara really should take a look at it. She was a chemist. She had some limited knowledge about allergic reactions due to her perfume making, what types of chemicals caused them, but her focus hadn’t been on medicine, so it was fuzzy at best.
And then again, she was no doctor. They had one on the set. It was just a rash, for heaven’s sake.
Guilt overruled her satisfaction over how truly awful Kelsey looked. Sighing in exasperation, Tara tapped Kelsey on the shoulder. “Let me take a look, Kelsey. Maybe I can help.”
Kelsey sneered at her, “I don’t think so, Tina. What could an idiot on a jury do to help this?” She pointed at her face.
Tina? Well, well… Kelsey really might not know who she was. Damn her selfabsorbed, cellulite-riddled ass!
Tara laid her hand on Kelsey’s shoulder and gripped it tightly, swinging her makeup chair around to face her. “I’m not just a juror, I’m a chemist. You know, Kelsey, like ‘I don’t just play a juror on TV’?”
Tara heard Ms. Mary snicker over her shoulder and she turned, shooting her a warning look to pipe down. Mary stuck her tongue out at her in rebellion and crossed her eyes.
Kelsey shoved Tara out of the way. “Get away from me! I don’t want anyone to touch me, especially some stupid jury member!”
Kelsey began shoving her way past the makeup people and out of the trailer, yelling obscenities the entire way. Tara struggled to maintain her composure and not burst into gales of laughter. Whatever brought that rash on it was God-awful. Bet those men wouldn’t be drooling all over the scabs on her face.
God, Kelsey was such a bitch, she deserved a rash. She had men lining up for her and she couldn’t even appreciate the fact that a bunch of hunks were vying for her. Nothing was ever enough for Kelsey.
“Hey, Ella?” Tara called to the back of the head makeup artist who was on her way out the trailer door and shaking her head. “Are you okay? ”
“Oh, sure, but thanks for asking. You don’t think Kelsey is the first diva we’ve had on this show, do you? Girls like her are a dime a dozen. They think the world should only continue to rotate if they give us the head’s up.”
She gave Ella a sympathetic smile. No one knew better the affect a tirade of Kelsey’s could have on a soul better than Tara. “If you only knew how well I understand that, Ella. Maybe you can go and take a nap in a hammock under the nearest palm tree.”
Ella gave her a wave over her shoulder. “I think I just might. See ya later.”
“You know, Tara my girl, ” Mary said. “You’re a patient lady. I’d have slapped that bitch Kelsey senseless if I were you. ”
Well, it wasn’t like she didn’t want to … but it wouldn’t be proper jury foreman etiquette, now would it? She had to continue to appear sympathetic to Kelsey. “It’s okay, Mary. She’s cranky is all. Who wouldn’t be with that mess all over their face? And between you and me, you’re right,” Tara whispered, “she is a bitch sometimes, but I’m going to chalk it up to the stressful environment. C’mon, let’s go ogle men. ” Offering Ms. Mary her arm, Tara helped her down the steps of the makeup trailer and off to the pool.
As a result of Kelsey’s mishap, shooting was delayed for two hours. Two hours she and August could have spent with one another, she pondered as she settled into a lounge chair by the pool. Diana and Andy were huddled in a corner, having a rather intense conversation about deodorant jingles. Gianni opted to take his leave and make a monitored phone call home. Walter was at the beach body surfing and Ms. Mary snored softly beside her, napping.
Tara smoothed suntan lotion over her arms and tried to relax, wondering what August was doing right now. Kelsey’s rash was going to take a couple of days to heal, but the producers decided to forge ahead anyway. Time was of the essence and they could shoot around Kelsey. She was off now, getting some kind of cream to ease the itching.
Tara picked at her plate of fruit and cheese absently when Henry Abernathy came buzzing by. “Hey Tara, have you seen August?”
Why would Henry ask her that? Did he know? Oh, crap. And why was he looking for August? Tara tugged at her bikini and faked a yawn of indifference. “No, I haven’t. We’ve just been hanging out here while Kelsey gets her rash cleared up. I mean, the jurors and I have been hanging around the pool. ” Absolutely no contestants. None. See Henry? I would never touch a contestant . Tara squirmed under Henry’s gaze.
Henry smirked. “I think it may be awhile longer before Kelsey can shoot. The rash seems to be spreading.”
Tara gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry to hear that. Please tell Kelsey I hope she feels better soon. ”
Henry wiggled his fingers at her and said, “Will do. Gotta go find August.”
Tara sat back in her chair and breathed again.
August, August, August… Tara shivered. He was so incredibly sexy in a rough, brash way. She fought a war of excitement and fear in her head. He harped on her for reminding him that they were inviting trouble, but that was nothing short of the truth. Lawsuits and litigation flashed before her closed eyes.
Your Honor, I just couldn’t help myself. He’s just so … sexy. It isn’t often a girl meets a guy who can do things to her body that no man has done before. Would you deny me the rapture of orgasmic bliss just because we were playing a stupid game on national television?
Somehow, she doubted that that particular argument would go over well. Yet, at moments she didn’t give a hoot. She was having the sexual enlightenment of the millennium. It pissed her off that Kelsey was even remo tely keeping her from enjoying it to the degree one should enjoy a good boinking. Kelsey seemed to haunt her wherever she went, even if she didn’t know that she was doing it this time.
But Kelsey knew what she was doing her senior year…
Yes, she’d known what she was doing and she’d made a laughingstock out of Tara. August must remember that. The entire school laughed for days over it. Damn, she should have brought her yearbook with her, then she could read up on August.
“Tara?” George the cameraman called her from across the pool. “You’re due for an ‘Impressions Session’.” He tapped his watch impatiently.
Glancing at her watch, she realized that she was due for her ‘Impressions Session’. Tara gave George the thumbs up. “I’ll be right there, George.”
As foreman of the jury, she would sit in a sequestered room and give the overall “impressions” the jury was getting on Kelsey and the contestants to a camera. The videotape would be aired later in the competition, keeping the viewing audience apprised of which contestant was in the le
ad and who was on their way out. Each contestant made one too. She wondered when August would do his, or if he already had.
It probably wouldn’t be good if she shared her newly found feelings about August. She could just picture their reaction when she told them she thought he was hot and she knew that for a fact because she’d sampled his wares. Just trying to be sure he’s fit for Kelsey’s consumption, fellow jurors.
Um, that wouldn’t be a good idea.
Tara sighed and rose to go meet the staff member who would take her to the videotape booth, shading Ms. Mary with the umbrella on her way.
Passing the contestants pool, she caught sight of August, off to the right, sitting with Aaron. Her heart skipped a beat at his red bathing suit. Their eyes met when he looked up and he gave her a quick wink.
Fighting off the thrill that shot up her spine, she continued on to the tiki bar, where she was whisked away for her taping.
Settling into the booth, Tara scanned the list of questions as she prepared to turn the video recorder on. How do you feel about your role in choosing a husband for Kelsey Little? Who do you think the jury finds best suited to her? Which contestant is your personal favorite? Who do you think Kelsey likes so far?
Kelsey, Kelsey Kelsey … yark.
The small room was soundproof and darkly paneled. A small stool was provided for her to sit on, facing the camera. Tara smoothed her hair and sat up straight, clicking the recorder on.
“Um, well, let’s see. I feel very confident that the jury will come to a satisfactory choice for Kelsey. Although, I have to admit, it’s pretty scary when you’re choosing a husband for someone. I mean, I haven’t even chosen one for myself and now I’m responsible for someone else’s. It certainly has its pressures. I mean, how can you ever be sure of your own feelings, let alone someone else’s? Marriage is a big step and if we don’t make the right choice, then Kelsey will join the statistics of divorce and I’d hate to see that happen. Divorce is ugly and…”
Tara caught herself mid-babble and reminded herself to shut up already. Less is more.
Tara cracked her knuckles and continued. “We like all of the contestants, it’s not a matter of like or dislike. It’s the matter of who’s best suited to Kelsey. For right now, we’ve focused our attention on narrowing the field of contestants.”
Whose Bride Is She Anyway Page 17