by Susan Cairns
After pulling back into the parking lot, Reid takes the spot next to my car and cuts the engine of the Jeep. He says nothing and neither do I. It’s almost as if he’s hesitating about what to do next, so I give him some help. I lean over the center console and kiss the underside of his jaw, just behind his neatly trimmed beard. As I pull back, I smile shyly at him, wondering if I made the right move or if I pushed things further than he expected to go tonight. I want him to be as brazen as he was earlier, and I’m hoping the post-meeting high will help expedite things.
He gives me a small smile but doesn’t grab my face like I imagined he would. Now I’m embarrassed. Maybe I read too much into things earlier. Maybe it was just a spur of the moment thing to take my mind off the fact that I was pissed the fuck off. Maybe he thought about it all day and realized that I’m way too young for him. I lower my face, practically tucking it into my right arm so it’s as far away from Reid as I can make it in the not-so-big cab of his Jeep.
Nothing, no touching, no sound, no movement at all, and it’s starting to piss me off again. Maybe that’s what it is! Maybe he’s only attracted to me when I’m on fire and two-seconds away from slapping the shit out of him, my job be damned. It’s beyond irritating, how he makes my confidence disappear at the drop of a dime. Right now I’m just happy that the sun has almost disappeared so he can’t see the damage he’s doing to my ego.
As I’m about to reach for the door handle and say fuck it, Reid grabs my chin and tips my face toward him. He looks back and forth between my eyes for a few seconds before finally lowering his lips to mine. The kiss is soft, slow, and sweet, nothing like I’d thought would happen. His touch is so tentative, it’s as if he’s testing the waters for the first time.
He pulls away a fraction of an inch, then breathes the words, “I can’t…”
I freeze. What the fuck can’t he do? He started this, and I’ll be damned if I let him walk away and leave me with all of these feelings and shit swimming around in my head and my heart.
But then his lips are on mine again, going back to the same slow, closed-mouth kisses. I can’t shake the words though. My whole body is tense. The only thing moving are my lips as his press against them.
Needing to know what he meant, I grab hold of his wrist, the one still holding my chin. Placing a little pressure, I get him to pull back again, but only a breath away. “Reid…”
He comes back in, kissing me with a little more force.
“Wait,” I manage to get in, and he pulls back.
With a beaming smile and the barely-there twilight illuminating his features, he looks at me with all the tenderness in the world. “I can’t believe you want me.”
Holy hell! I blow out a sigh of relief then grab his face, pulling it back to mine. I’m not as gentle as Reid though. I don’t test the waters. I open my mouth and run my tongue across his lips, demanding entry. I need to taste everything that statement has to offer. Before I can make the move and push my tongue into his mouth, his is thrusting into mine. It feels as though the heat in the car went up ten degrees in seconds.
The hand he has resting on the center console is snaking it’s way around my back, pulling me as close as I can get with the barrier between us. His fingers gripping my chin are now dancing down the side of my neck, followed by his lips, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He nips at the sweet spot just below my ear, then gives a little tug on my lobe.
I like where this is going, but if I don’t stop it and make my offer now, we’re going to end up screwing in the backseat of his car like two teenagers.
“Reid…” I say, tipping my heard to the right, as the breathlessness of my voice surprises me. I’m not sure I’ve ever been as turned on as I am right now.
“Yes?” he asks between licks and sucks.
“Come home with me,” I state, instead of asking, not wanting to get the wrong answer from him.
Reid pulls back, his hands going to each side of my neck, making it so I have to look him directly in the eyes. “Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t,” I say, tossing some sass into my answer. It’s the one thing I could always count on to make me sound confident even when I’m scared to death of being rejected. “Why, aren’t you sure?”
“Are you crazy? There’s nothing I want more. I’ve been thinking about getting you naked and below me since the minute I saw you.”
His words boil my blood and make my heart race. “Follow me then, and you’ll get exactly what you’ve wanted since day one.” I pull out of his grip as I pop the passenger door open and slide out. Before closing the door, I look at him from under my lashes, my lips pursed, hoping like hell I look sexy.
It seems to do the trick, because by the time the door closes behind me, he’s cranked the engine and, from the sound of it, put the car into gear. Fast as I can, I fumble through my purse for my keys, forgetting that I can open my door by pushing the button on the handle. I’m honestly lucky I could walk the three steps it took me to get to my car without falling into a puddle of mush. Finally slipping behind my wheel, I push on the brake while pressing the start button, bringing my car to life. But before I can put it in gear, I have to get my shit together.
“Holy shit, this is it,” I say to the empty cabin, needing to vocalize my excited nervousness. “Casey, I swear to god, this better be the best one hundred dollars I’ve ever spent!”
Pulling out of my spot, I make sure Reid’s following me. As I move through the lot, he’s right behind me, not bothering to come to a complete stop before pulling out onto the road. Four turns, two right and two left, and several minutes later, I stop my car in front of my garage door. The lights from Reid’s Jeep illuminate the darkness around my house. The silhouette of Reid’s body casts a shadow, blocking out the glare from the side view mirror, until they flash indicating he locked the doors.
As I’m turning off the car, my door opens and Reid’s hand is reaching in to take mine. It’s a little weird for me, but so sweet. Usually my dates, or conquests or whatever you want to call them, start at Fran’s with a little making out, then move to my front yard or porch steps, and finally into my house. I’ve honestly never made it any farther than the couch, which is fine with me, but I like that Reid is taking his time, using his manners and giving me an experience I’ve never had.
After unbuckling myself, I take Reid’s hand and let him help me out of the car. He steps back, giving me enough space to slip out, then he presses his body against mine, pinning me against the back door, with his hands at my hips. He leans in as though he’s going to kiss me but bypasses my lips, going right to my neck. While he laves and kisses my exposed skin, his beard tickles the upper part of my chest.
His hands slowly make their way down the outsides of my legs to the hem of my pencil skirt. I know what he’s about to do and I also know what’s about to happen when he tries. So instead of letting him go further, I wiggle my arms out from in between us and place them on his.
“Hey,” I say, stopping him.
“Hmm?” he asks, his voice vibrating against my neck.
“Let’s go in,” I suggest without bringing attention to the fact that my skirt is way too tight for him to get it up to where he can do what he’s aiming to do.
But Reid doesn’t stop and slides the fabric up my thighs until it gets stuck.
“Hey,” I try again putting, some pressure on the backs of his hands.
This time he pulls back, putting a few inches between our bodies, and searches my face, probably checking to see if I’m putting the brakes on our night. I give him a sly smirk then put my hand on his chest and give him a little shove.
“I don’t need my neighbors getting a free show or calling the cops on us for being indecent,” I say, using my sass to let him know I’m still all in.
“We wouldn’t want that now, would we?” Reid bends, putting his shoulder in my stomach, then lifts me over his back.
I’m not going to lie, it gives me with a great view
of his tight ass, but this isn’t really how I want to be carried into my house. “Hey, you ass! Put me down. I need to get my things out of the car.”
“Where are they?” he asks ducking to see in the still-open driver’s door.
“On the passenger seat,” I answer, knowing he’ll never be able to reach my purse with me over his shoulder.
“All right.” He slams my door then rounds the front of the car and opens the other. He flips around so my face is almost in line with the seat. “Grab your purse and dig out your keys for me.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Do I sound like I’m fucking kidding you?” he asks, enunciating each word. I hear the humor in his voice though; he’s totally enjoying this little game.
Well, I’d hate to tell you, Mr. Mariano, but payback’s a bitch.
“You’re insane! I’m upside down. How the hell am I supposed to get my keys out?”
“Give it to me,” he demands, loosening his grip and making it feel as if he’s going to drop me.
“Agh, hold on!” I try to flip my purse so it doesn’t spill all over the ground, but he doesn’t put his arm back. “I meant to me, hold on to me!”
“Are you afraid I’ll drop you?” he teases with a chuckles, but his grip around the back of my thighs gets tighter.
“Maybe,” I tease back. I shouldn’t have though, because he loosens his hold again. “I’m joking! You won’t drop me, just hold me tighter.”
Reid smacks my ass, hard, and laughs as he makes his way to the front steps of my house. He stops when he reaches the door. I think he’s waiting for me to hand him the keys, but he grips my ass and slides me over his shoulder, right down the front of his ripped body.
My stomach, then chest, slowly rub against every bump and bulge hiding beneath his shirt like a present waiting for me to unwrap. When my toes hit the floor, Reid pushes me into the door and brings his mouth down on mine. Kissing me slowly, he makes a promise of what’s to come when we’re inside.
His hand runs up my side then over the top of my arm until he reaches my hand, where the keys are pressed between my palm and his shoulder. He slips them from my grip without breaking the contact between our mouths. Fumbling around behind me as he continues tangling his tongue with mine, he finds the lock and slips the key in notch by notch. When I hear the lock click open, I take a step up on the frame, knowing when he pushes the door open, I’ll fall backward.
The sound of our kissing doesn’t mask the latch on the old door sliding open as Reid turns the handle, pushing me farther into the door. As it opens, he must be pulling on the handle because he’s able to keep the same amount of pressure between us as we step into the dark house.
When the door hits the wall, Reid lets go of the handle, moving his hand to my hip and gripping it tightly. At this point, I need more. We’re inside and it’s time to lose the clothes. I’ve been thinking about what’s under his suit since the first day I saw him, and now it’s time to find out.
Giving a little shove to his shoulders, I break the contact between our lips. When the outside light hits Reid’s eyes, I see lust shining back at me. He looks as if he’s drunk, but I know he only had one drink, before dinner, with me.
“Lights,” I say, pushing him back a little more so I can reach the switch on the other side of the open door.
“Better?” he asks with an amused smirk.
“Much. Now lose the coat.”
Reid backs away, slipping his suit coat down his arms then tossing it over the back of my couch. I watch diligently as his hand goes to the knot of his tie, pulling it side to side to loosen it enough to lift over his head. I wiggle my eyebrows at him, encouraging him to continue, but Reid seems to have other plans. He steps toward me, his hands reaching for my sides. Just before he makes contact, I sidestep him, stopping so I’m facing the still-open door.
Getting the hint, Reid kicks it shut, then he takes another step toward me, but I put my hand up to stop him. He gives me another sexy, promising smirk, lowering one eyebrow, then stops his advance as he crosses his arms, accentuating the muscles below them and in his arms.
When I’m sure he’s not going to make a move toward me, I raise my hands to the button in the middle of my blazer and slip it through the hole. Letting the fabric go slack, I shrug the jacket off and let it fall to the floor. I run both hands down to my waist then twist so I can unhook my skirt then slide the zipper down. If I was wearing something looser, the fabric would just fall and pool at my feel, but my pencil skirts are like a second skin, so it stays put until I sway my hips back and forth. Hooking my thumbs in the waistband of my skirt, I shimmy it down, letting it fall around my ankles. I step back with one foot then fling my skirt toward Reid with the other.
With a chuckle, he catches the fabric after it hits him in the chest. “Do I get to keep what I catch?”
“You want my skirt?”
“I want to cut slits up the side of this thing for easier access.”
“Would you prefer if I wore A-line skirts?”
“Are they looser than this?”
“Yes.” I bite my lower lip while lowering my lids, giving Reid a seductive look.
“Then I won’t object. Anything that would make it easier to get to the part of you I’ve been dreaming to touch.”
“Dreaming, huh? I guess your dreams are about to come true then.”
“They will if you get your sexy ass over here.”
“Not so fast, big boy. You lost the tie, I lost the skirt; it’s your turn.”
“Is that how we’re going to play this?” Reid goes for the top button of his shirt then moves to the next until his shirt is lying open. The ridges of his abs look more edible than they do when his shirt is pulled tight against them.
“One for one. The person with the most clothes in the end wins.”
“Considering you have three more things to take off, I’m thinking you’re going to be the winner, or do socks count as one?” he asks, pulling his shirt tails from his pants.
“If they count as one, then it’ll be a tie.”
“Then we both win. Either way, I think we’re both going to be winners. Now lose the shirt,” he demands as he slides his own shirt down his arms.
Following directions, I reach for the hem of my camisole and slowly drag it up my body and over my head, giving him an added show. Instead of throwing it at Reid, I let the fabric fall to the floor next to me. Rather than waiting on Reid to lose another piece of clothing, I turn away from him, giving him an uninhibited view of my thong-covered ass, then reach up to unclasp my bra. When it falls free, I grab the cups and hold it to my body, then I peek over my shoulder to see Reid’s reaction.
“Your turn,” I croak when I see his hand down his pants, stroking his thickening cock.
Without a word, Reid uses his free hand to nudge the waist of his pants over his hips, letting them fall down his legs. He steps on the backs of his shoes and pries them from his feet, kicking them off to the side. Then he takes slow steps toward me. Each time he moves forward, so do I, until I make it to the end of the couch. I lean against the arm, sliding my bare ass along the soft suede microfiber, stopping when I reach the middle.
Reid is still on the move, taking slow, calculated steps. He rounds the side of the couch and stands right in front of me. With his free hand, he traces the line of my collarbone to the bottom of my throat. The sensation makes goose bumps break out on my skin, and I drop my head back, giving him the go-ahead to continue up the column of my neck.
“You’re gorgeous.” He runs his hand down the center of my chest, skimming the side of my oversensitive breasts.
Lifting my head, I look directly into his eyes and see everything I’ve ever wanted to see when I looked into a man’s eyes. I see lust, admiration, pride, and fire. In this moment, I know Reid is the person I’ve been waiting to meet. He’s exactly why I haven’t been able to make a connection with anyone else.
I hook my right arm around his neck a
nd bring his lips down to mine. Like he did in the car, I start out slow, kissing him with all of the promises I intend on keeping, teasing his lips until he opens his mouth and lets me in. I pull him closer, trapping the hand still in his boxers between us. My left hand covers his, moving in time with the pace of our kiss.
Reid leans over, pushing me back on the couch and following me down. I reach the point where I can’t keep my heeled feet on the floor, so I wrap them around his back. From this position, I can’t keep my hand over his, so I pull it out and reach above my head, arching my back and pressing my erect nipples against his bare chest.
Slowing his exploration of my mouth, Reid pulls back, taking my lower lip between his teeth and biting. A shot of pain radiates through the sensitive skin, but it feels so good with the pleasure of his cock rubbing against my lace-covered clit.
Reid releases me, standing to his full height, and pulls his hand from his boxers. I watch as he slides the elastic waistband down his legs, letting go when it breaks free. He then grabs the string sides of my thong, pulling the fabric until it gets stuck under my butt. Using my hands, I push on the couch cushion, lifting enough for him to slide the material free.
Reid steps back, still pulling my thong down and bringing my legs together. He places my calves on his right shoulder so he can finally remove the scrap of fabric, slipping it over my black heels. After flinging it in the direction of his pants, Reid slowly runs his hands up then down my calves before he kisses along the soft skin of my leg to my knee. He lifts my left leg and places it on his right shoulder, leaving my right leg on his left.
I’m on full display, and I don’t have one inkling of desire to cover myself. His eyes appraise my body, starting at my eyes then moving down to where we’re nearly connected. He rubs the outsides of my thighs then steps in closer, bringing his hard cock against my wet slit, rubbing my clit and sending shock waves of pleasure through my body. It feels so good, I can’t help when my eyes roll back.