I'll Be There For You (Canyon Creek, Co. Book 5)

by Lori Ryan

  She groaned and laughed “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Without answering, he lowered himself again, settling in just right to give him full access as he pushed her thighs apart.

  “Out here, at the top of the stairs? Jake,” but even as she protested, she rocked into him, taking what she needed.

  He devoured her, his tongue working over her as his hands caressed her ass.

  She trembled under his touch, her unintelligible words ringing through the hallway as she came hard against his mouth. She bucked, trying to move away but he held her to him, riding out her orgasm until she went limp.

  He came up to stretch out beside her, his elbow bent, head resting in his upturned palm as he stared down at her. He would have thought the landing of a staircase would be uncomfortable, but he’d forgotten all about comfort with the distraction of Lina there.

  Her dark hair covered her face and she lay completely still, arms extended above her as her chest heaved.

  He ran his finger across her forehead, moving away the dark strands covering her face and smiled. Her eyes were closed but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

  “You okay?” he asked, his fingertips trailing over her shoulder and down her arm.

  “Mmm, hmm,” she said, her eyes still closed, her smile growing wider.

  He laughed. “Are you awake in there?”

  “Barely,” she said, grinning.

  “Was that okay?”

  She opened one eye. “Are you serious?”

  He shrugged.

  “You put me in a sexual coma, Jake Sumner.” She held up one leg and wiggled her foot, giggling. “I still have my shoes on,” she said.

  He groaned.

  She raised up and stared at him. “What?”

  Nothing. He couldn’t tell her that he wanted to bury himself deep inside her right this very minute. He didn’t even have a condom.

  She brought her hand between them, her palm pressed against his chest as she pushed him onto his back.

  Oh, God. If she touched him there he was going to—

  Before he could stop her, her palm was pressed against his erection, her hand moving up and down.

  He grabbed her wrist, stopping her movement.

  Her forehead creased as she stared up at him. “What?”

  “I’m going to come in my pants in about two seconds if you keep doing that.”

  She smirked. “Isn’t that kind of the idea?”

  He laughed. The woman had a point.

  Slowly he released her hand, sitting back to let her have her way with him, giving up control for the first time in a long time.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Jake removed his hand from hers and she pressed her palm against a very impressive erection, rubbing her palm up and down the outside of his jeans.

  She pressed against him, moving slowly, her palm warming from the friction as he groaned and rocked into her hand.

  Her eyes traveled the length of his body and until she reached his face.

  His strong jaw was clenched as if in pain, his head thrown back. She watched the long column of his throat, wanting to lick it when he swallowed hard.

  His eyes flew open and he stared at her. “What?” he said.

  She threw her leg over his hips, forgetting that she was naked from the waist down until his gaze traveled to where they were pressed together.

  Before he could say anything, or she could wuss out, Lina worked the buttons of his shirt and spread it open, running her hands across his taut abdomen and chest. She enjoyed the feel of the muscles flexing beneath her touch.

  Slowly she leaned down, her lips brushing against one nipple, her tongue circling around the peak.

  “Shit,” he moaned at her touch.

  She sucked in a breath as his hard length pressed against her, sparking a fire that burned deep inside. She worked her lips up his chest, licking and sucking against the soft skin as she travelled the length of him. Her lips moved higher, her tongue finding first his throat, then the outer shell of his ear, licking and sucking, making him shudder. She caressed and teased, dropping small kisses along his jaw until finally, finally, she moved toward his lips.

  Jake’s hands gripped her hair as he brought her face to his, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss that sent sparks of pleasure barreling down her spine, pooling between her legs. His hips rocked against her again, the heavy ache of pleasure pushing her closer to the edge.

  Unable to stop herself, she worked against his erection, her mouth and tongue dancing with his as she raced for release.

  “Take it, Lina,” he moaned in her mouth.

  She threw her head back. “Jake, oh, God,” she called out as another orgasm swept through her, this one harder than the last.

  Coming down from her lust-filled high, she registered the urgency in his body, the tension as he held her. He was close.

  She moved down his body, quickly unbuttoning his jeans, yanking down the zipper.

  “Careful,” he said with a chuckle.

  Her mouth watered. Even as she trembled with the aftershocks of her own orgasm, she took him into her mouth. Sucking and laving against his hardened shaft, her tongue wrapped around the impressive length of him. His moans of pleasure urged her on as she widened her mouth to take all of him.

  Jake pulsed in her mouth and his tight grip on her hair let her know he was close. She slipped her hands into the opening of his jeans, cupping his balls and massaging them gently.

  His hips bucked against her mouth, pushing farther inside as he came. He roared, his body stiffening, hands tightening.

  The power Lina felt in that moment was overwhelming. She’d unraveled this man in mere seconds, making him explode with desire, all with her mouth. She smiled as she slowly pulled away, sitting back on her knees to stare down at Jake.

  His chest heaved hard, one arm covered his eyes, the other clutching her hip. “Lina, I’m sorry.”

  She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and leaned down, resting her chest against his. She pulled back his arm. “Why?” she asked.

  His eyes fluttered open and he studied her for several heartbeats before he raised his hands and pushed back her hair, tugging her down for a mind-numbing kiss.

  When she finally pulled back, she was breathless, and he was going hard again.

  “Look what you do to me.” He smiled.

  “I believe you started it, chasing me up the stairs like a caveman.”

  “I didn’t hear you complaining,” he said, toying with a piece of her long hair. “I love your hair.”

  “Really?” She was surprised. Jake had always seemed like a straight-laced kind of guy. She wouldn’t think he’d be the kind of guy to like blue-tipped hair.

  “Really.” He smiled.

  Her heart raced and she found herself feeling surprisingly shy.

  He laughed, the vibrations rocking through her body. “Who knew Lina Bianchi could blush.”

  Lina felt something in her chest tighten.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  She shook her head, unwilling to disclose how much this moment meant to her.

  “I’m sorry about that,” he said, staring at the piece of hair wrapped around his finger.

  She narrowed her eyes. “About what?”

  “About…not lasting long.”

  She rubbed a thumb along his cheekbone. “Sometimes a girl likes to know she drives her man wild.”

  Her man? She hadn’t meant to say that.

  His fingers threaded through her hair, massaging her scalp. “You definitely drive me crazy.” He pulled her down and kissed her silly, again.

  His mouth moved to her neck, his breath skimming across her skin. “You’re so soft,” he said, “and you smell like heaven.”

  No one had ever spoken to her with such kind, adoring words, especially after sex.

  She ground her hips against him.

  “Lina,” he groaned against her ear. “I don’t have a condom.”r />
  She pulled back and stared down at him, biting back a laugh.

  He looked…nervous for the first time since she’d known him. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t mean to insinuate that we were going to have sex.”

  Her eyes darted back and forth between his. “You didn’t?”

  “I mean, I…”

  She laughed. Jake Sumner, political strategist and chief of staff for an up and coming major political figure was nervous. Because of her.

  He lifted up onto his elbows. “You’re laughing. Not really what a guy likes to hear when he’s talking about having sex with his girl.”

  His girl?

  “I mean, a girl, a woman, not that you’re—”

  Lina’s head fell back and she roared with laughter but it quickly died when she felt his fingers dip into her strapless bra, pulling it down, exposing her breasts.

  Jake’s lips covered her nipple, his mouth sucking, tongue swirling, and just like that she felt her body giving in. God, what this man did to her.

  “Jake,” she moaned. “We should get off the floor. And maybe stop now before …”

  He pulled away and stared up at her, a small smirk on his face. “Before what?”

  When she finally caught her breath, she looked down at him. “I have condoms,” she said quietly.

  He grabbed her and lifted her off the floor. “Well, thank fuck for that. I thought I was going to have to make a run to TJ’s Grocery.”

  She laughed as he pulled her into her room and all but tossed her down on the bed. She couldn’t stop the cheeky smile she gave him. “I didn’t say I was going to give you any.”

  “That’s okay,” he said, “your mouth worked pretty good.”

  She laughed as he came down over the top of her.

  “So did yours.” She smiled, meaning every word. Having Jake’s mouth and tongue on her had been erotic as hell. She knew her roommates weren’t coming home soon, but still, the exposure of that moment had added to the thrill of it. And she loved it.

  “I really want to be inside you, Lina,” he growled.

  Lina studied his face. His gaze held hers, his eyes sincere and honest, voice sounding more than a little desperate. “I want you inside me too,” she whispered.

  “Are you going to share your condoms with me then?” He smiled.

  She swung her leg over the edge of the bed and stood, completely forgetting that she still had her heels on. She bent to grab a robe from her side chair.

  “That’s the sexiest damned thing I’ve ever seen,” Jake said, sitting up on one arm as he stared her up and down.

  Lina blushed from head to toe when she realized she was nude from the waist down, except for the shoes. Well, she still had on her bra but one breast was fully exposed. She’d never been shy, ever. Growing up in a house filled with Italian woman, she couldn’t afford to be. But something about being with Jake made her feel vulnerable.

  She scooped up the robe and righted her bra, throwing the silk around herself and cinching the belt tight.

  “That wasn’t nice,” he said, sagging back into the bed.

  Her eyes traveled the length of his body, her gaze lingering where he was still on display and nearly fully erect again. She cleared her throat, shaking her head. “What wasn’t nice?”

  He slipped his hands behind his head, not seeming to care about his nakedness. “Covering up that gorgeous body.”

  She propped a hand on her hip. “You said you wanted condoms.”

  “I definitely do.” His grin grew wider. “Can’t you tell?”

  She spun on her heels, then realized the shoes needed to go. She reached down to remove them but Jake interrupted her.

  “Leave them on,” his deep voice commanded, making all her good parts ache with desire.

  Before she could turn and gawk at what she was sure would be a full erection, she raced out of the room and down the stairs. What was wrong with her? Why was Jake making her so nervous?

  Trying to shake off the thoughts, she made her way to the kitchen and reached into the cabinet above the refrigerator, feeling around for the box she knew would be there.

  Cam always practiced safe sex and since he was the man whore of the house, he purchased condoms in bulk. Thankfully, he kept a stash in the kitchen as well as his own bedroom. He said he wanted Dak and her to be prepared, “just in case.” She was finally thankful to be having her “just in case” moment.

  Instead of opening the box and grabbing a few, she tucked the entire container under her arm and raced up the stairs toward her bedroom. Anxious much? She laughed to herself.

  As she made her way through the door, her heel caught on a piece of clothing she’d tossed aside earlier when trying to decide what to wear tonight. She stumbled and caught herself but the box flew from her hand, flinging what looked to be like a case full of condoms across her bedroom.

  Jake grabbed for her, steadying her with a hand to her arm before she could fall.

  The laugh that came from deep in his chest was sexy as hell as he stared at the mass of condoms. “Well, this looks like a good start.”

  “It’s not what it looks like,” she said, desperation in her voice.

  “What does it look like?” he said, bending to gather up the condoms.

  She took a moment to appreciate the view. Jake had removed the rest of his clothing and was fully naked. His delectable ass was in a league of its own, round and firm and—

  “Lina,” he called over his shoulder.

  “Oh, sorry,” she shook her head, “what?”

  He chuckled, holding the box. “I said, what does ‘globo box’ mean?”

  Lina laughed. Once when Cam’s parents were visiting from Texas, his mother was going to make a Mexican feast for them all. She’d been rummaging through the kitchen, looking for spices. Unfortunately she’d found Cam’s stash of condoms. It was the one and only time Lina had actually seen Cam blush.

  “Globo means balloon in Spanish,” she said.

  “Okay,” he said, spinning a condom package around in his fingers.

  “One time, Cam’s mother found a box of condoms in the kitchen when she was visiting,” she said.

  “Oh, this sounds like a story I have to hear,” Jake said, tossing all but one of the condoms into the box, then slipping back into bed. “Why does he have a box of condoms in the kitchen?”

  “It’s a common area we can all access, for times like these.”

  “Ah,” he nodded, “‘just in case times.’ Good call. Remind me to thank him.”

  “Anyway, his mother told him to label things better next time. Apparently, she loves labels.”

  “And so he named it the balloon box?”

  “She labeled it for him. Globo might mean balloon in the literal sense, but it’s slang for condom in Spanish.”

  Jake snorted. “That’s hysterical. The condom box. He should have called it the ‘Just In Case’ case.”

  Lina laughed. “That’s good, I’ll have to tell him.”

  Jake sat the box of condoms on her nightstand. “Come here,” he said in a low voice, all humor gone.

  Lina let out a slow breath but didn’t move.

  He pushed up in the bed. “What?”

  The sheet and comforter pooled around his waist and she took a moment to enjoy the view of his well-defined chest and abs. She wondered when he found time to work out.

  “Lina,” he said, more of a question this time.

  Her mind was racing with thoughts and she didn’t know where to start. “This can’t go anywhere between us,” she blurted out. “I mean, beyond sex.”

  He raised a brow but a smile tipped the corners of his lips. “So you’re saying I can’t fall in love with you?”

  She snorted. Like that was going to happen. “I mean…”

  “I get it, Lina. I live in California. I have a daughter, for Christ’s sake.” He chuckled, saying the words as if still not believing it. “Come here,” he said, holding out a hand.

 
“Can I take these off?” she pointed to her shoes.

  He laughed and she found she was becoming addicted to the sound. Something told her Jake Sumner didn’t laugh much. “Sure. But save them for later.”

  There was going to be a later? She smiled at the thought. Toeing off the shoes, she walked toward him, taking his hand. “You want to wear them later?”

  He yanked her down on top of him.

  She squealed in surprise. “Jake.”

  Again, a laughter reverberated in his chest, only this time his movement vibrated against her abdomen, causing things lower to coil tight, like a spring wound too tight. His erection pressed against her thigh and desire flooded her body, causing her nipples to harden.

  “Neither one of us wants permanent, is that what you’re saying?” he said.

  She pressed up on her hands to stare down at him. She wanted permanent. Some day. Just not with him.

  “Yeah, I see it in your face,” he said. “Not permanent with me.”

  She opened her mouth to explain but he pressed a finger to her lips.

  “No explanations, no excuses. Just sex. Does that sound good?”

  She nodded. “That sounds really good.” She ground her hips into his.

  He growled and again she loved the power she had over him.

  “Let’s take this off of you and get to the good stuff, then.” His fingers traced along her collar bone as he parted her robe, sending the silk down her arms. His eyes moved to her breasts where she’d covered herself again with her strapless bra. “Well,” he paused, his fingers skimming across the lace, “this will never do.”

  With no warning, his arm snaked around her waist, holding her tight while he flipped her onto her back with ease. She wasn’t a small girl but somehow Jake made her feel delicate.

  His fingers quickly went to the belt of her robe and he untied it slowly. Too slowly for her liking. She wiggled underneath him.

  “Easy, tiger,” he said, finally parting the silk and staring down at the juncture between her legs.

  She was bared to him, in more ways than one.

  His gaze heated with lust as his long lashes lifted and his eyes met hers. “You’re gorgeous.”