“What’s wrong?”
Keegan’s not here.
“You’re beautiful.”
She blushed through her smile. “Thank you. And so are you.”
If anyone else had said that, he would’ve told them to fuck off. He would’ve figured they were yanking his chain.
Not Jules.
Damn it. She’d gotten under his skin and burrowed so deep, he was really afraid that if he lost her, he’d go off the deep end. Finally and irrevocably.
Wrapping his hands around her head, he held her steady for his kiss.
She didn’t try to get away. She moved closer until he felt the lace-covered mounds press his bare chest. Warm. Soft. His.
Slipping one hand down her back, he stroked along her skin, fingertips grazing the fine bones of her spine. She arched toward him, as if he’d hit a secret button. And when she let her lips trail from his lips and across his scars, he realized just how much he adored this woman.
And it wasn’t just because she could see beyond the scars. It was because she accepted everything about him.
Which had included Keegan.
Not now. Can’t think about that now.
His hands began to move again, lifting her out of the jeans he’d pushed off her hips already. He didn’t get to see if her underwear matched her bra because they went down with the jeans. Didn’t care. She was so damn pretty naked.
Finally, he brushed the bra straps off her shoulders and unsnapped it with one hand—it’d been a long time since he’d used that skill—then let it fall to the floor.
He gave himself a few seconds just to stare at her perfection until he couldn’t resist. He lifted his hands and cupped her breasts. As he began to knead the soft flesh, her head fell back, eyes closed. Her lips parted as if she were going to say something but the only sound that emerged was a breathy sigh.
He barely registered the fact that she’d finally gotten his jeans down his legs, his entire attention fixed on pleasuring her, getting her to make those soft sounds that drove him crazy.
But when she wrapped her fingers around his cock, his concentration fixed on himself.
“Fuck, Jules. Yes.”
His head fell back as she stepped even closer, her teeth fastening onto one sensitive nipple. Heat flamed through his body, racing to his cock and making it swell even more in her hands.
His eyes closed as he sank into sensation, soaking in everything about her. The feel of her fingers squeezing him, the light scent of her skin, the pinch of her teeth on his chest.
This. Yes.
He wanted this all the time. Wanted her to play with him until he couldn’t control his response.
With a groan, his head snapped up and he grabbed her hips. She responded with a slight gasp, as if he’d surprised her.
But when he lifted her off her feet, she immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist and held on.
She felt almost weightless in his arms and he began to tease the tip of his cock against the trimmed hair on her mound. Catching her mouth again with his, he kissed her, tongue sinking deep, until she was practically gasping.
Tearing her mouth away from his to suck in a deep breath, she looked straight at him.
“Erik.”
He knew what she wanted, heard it in the rough tone of her voice. In the soft pleading in her eyes.
It made him greedy for more, greedy for her longing for him.
“But you feel so damn good. I don’t want to stop.”
“I promise it will feel better if you come inside. Do it, Erik. I want you.”
His cockhead butted against her clit and her entire body shook in his arms. Moaning, she pressed harder against him and rubbed her mound on his cock.
“Damn, that feels amazing.”
He wasn’t sure he could hold on much longer but he didn’t want this to end too soon. If he could, he’d tie her to him and fuck her until they both passed out.
And when they woke, Keegan could—
Shit.
His eyes opened and he saw hers were closed, her face slack with passion.
For him.
Live in the moment.
It was a mantra his former rehab nurse had drilled into his head. He’d never really put much stock in it. Until now.
Lifting her higher, he let the tip of his penis finally brush against the lips of her pussy.
Immediately, she tried to angle herself onto him.
“Hang on, sweetheart. I’m not done playing.”
Moving his hips, he coated the head of his cock with the moisture from her pussy. She moaned quietly as he teased her and himself, only stopping when he felt his balls begin to draw up.
Then he started to lower her.
Arching forward, she took him in slowly. He felt her sheath close around the top, the lips of her pussy spreading around the shaft. The farther he pressed, the tighter she got until he wasn’t sure he could hold out any longer.
Jesus, his balls tightened and he felt the beginning of his orgasm already. He didn’t want to come yet. He wanted to fuck her until they couldn’t move and then he wanted to do it again.
If Keegan was here, we—
He shook the thought out of his head and focused every bit of his concentration on Jules.
She looked lost in the moment. Eyes closed, head tilted back so he felt the brush of her hair on his arms, lips parted.
Lifting her slightly, he watched her suck in a deep breath then release it on another moan as he brought her down hard, sinking his cock into her until he couldn’t go any farther.
He kept up the pace as long as he could. His heart thundered against his ribs, lungs working overtime to draw in much-needed air.
His cock jerked in anticipation and he moved a hand from her hip to her clit and played the little nub until he felt her pussy grip him like a vise.
As her body went taut, he brought her down one last time, sealed his mouth over hers, and kissed her while he pumped his release into her.
He continued to kiss her long after his orgasm had faded, unwilling to give her up in any way.
When her own climax finally wound down, she melted against him as he practically fell back onto the loveseat. The heat from their bodies kept them warm for several minutes.
They didn’t speak. Erik wasn’t sure he could get his brain to work coherently anyway.
But he’d have to make the effort soon enough.
He wanted to take her to his bed and keep her under him for the rest of the night. Then again, he didn’t want to assume she was staying.
When she finally started to stir against his chest, he made sure not to lock his arms around her. And he stilled when she lifted a hand to caress his scarred cheek.
Though the sensation wasn’t as sharp as if she were stroking unscarred skin, he still shuddered in reaction. For so long, no one had touched him. And if anyone had attempted to touch his scars, he would’ve flinched away, stalked off, or worse.
For years, he’d been a bastard to the people around him. He’d wallowed in self-pity and told himself he had the right.
Poor Erik. He used to be so handsome.
It’d taken this woman to make him see that the person inside was what he should be worried about.
And how did he tell her that without sounding like an ass?
“Erik?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“I’m thinking about how I can get you into my bed for the night. My furniture has been getting one hell of a workout lately.”
She laughed, as she was supposed to, but not for long. “I can’t stay tonight. I’m sorry. I work tomorrow and then…”
“You’re seeing Keegan tomorrow night.”
“Yes. I am.”
She stopped and he knew she wanted him to say something. He just didn’t have a clue what to say. If she’d said she was going out with any other man, he’d have blown a gasket.
“Does that bothe
r you?” she asked.
“No.” It honestly didn’t.
“Are you still not talking to each other?”
He stroked a hand along her hair. “You don’t have to worry about that. Keegan and I will work things out. We always do.”
“But you can’t do that if you don’t talk.”
He knew that. He just didn’t know what he could tell her that would ease the worry he heard in her voice. So he ignored it.
Sometimes ignorance really was bliss. And sometimes ignorance was just plain stupidity.
With a sigh, she dropped her hand from his cheek and let it rest on his shoulder. “It’s getting late. I should get home.”
And that was the last place he wanted her to be. If she were any other woman… if this had happened before the explosion, he’d have been more than happy to send her packing or simply carry her to his bed and make her forget she’d wanted to leave.
Selfish.
“If that’s what you want, Jules.”
He tried to keep the edge out of his voice because he wasn’t upset with her. Not in the least.
He was pissed off at himself.
*
When her alarm went off at 6:30 the next morning, Jules groaned and turned it off with a huff followed by a jaw-cracking yawn.
She hadn’t been able to fall asleep until close to two in the morning. All she could think about was Erik. She hadn’t wanted to leave him but she knew she couldn’t stay.
Not only did she have to work this morning but she couldn’t justify spending the night in Erik’s bed and, ten hours later, jumping Keegan’s bones.
Yes, sex with Erik had been seriously hot but she hadn’t planned to have sex with him.
Sex blurred her brain to everything else.
And she needed to be on her toes if she was going to figure out what she was going to do about this relationship. Or even if there was a relationship.
But first, she needed to get through the day.
Carol had a bridal shower booked, and she’d recruited Jules to help her with the cooking and waitressing. Typically, Jules did one or the other, but one of Carol’s regular waitresses was laid up with a sprained ankle.
Jules was the only one available on short notice. Most of the women Carol employed were mothers whose children played hockey or soccer or baseball or whatever sport was in season. When they had a day off, they weren’t ready to jump in and take someone else’s shift.
That almost always fell to Jules and the two other college girls Carol employed.
Usually she didn’t mind. Before, she could use the extra money.
Now that she didn’t have to worry about money… Well, she couldn’t leave Carol in the lurch.
And today’s event was going to be sheer torture.
The bride-to-be was a woman Jules had gone to school with. She’d belonged to the popular girls’ clique that had included that bitch, Allison Terre. Alli was sure to be at the party.
And if word had gotten around that Jules was seeing Keegan and Erik… Well, Jules could only hope to stay in the kitchen and prep trays.
By midmorning, she’d determined luck had deserted her completely.
One of the other waitresses had a cold, so she had to stay in the kitchen with Carol wearing a mask. Sure, it sucked to wear the mask but Jules wished she had one right about now.
Because no sooner had she started to make the rounds with a tray than Alli had walked into the room.
She hadn’t noticed Jules at first. She’d been too busy giving hugs and air kisses to the rest of the guests, all dressed with the express purpose of outdoing one another.
Your inner bitch is showing, Jules. Tone it down.
With a deep breath, she tried but knew it was going to be a losing battle.
Luckily there were more than enough guests for her to avoid Alli, the bride, and their friends.
The older women at the shower didn’t bother to look beyond the tray, as they talked about their latest trip to Europe or their Hawaiian cruise with those gorgeous and oh-so-helpful stewards whom they tipped so well for their service.
Eww. Jules had to work hard to erase those images from her head. Most of these women looked like they’d had a few too many trips to the Botox bar and the plastic surgeon. And then to think about them seducing younger men…
Just eww.
But she figured it was better than listening to the women her own age talking about their careers and the men they were dating and how huge the bride’s solitaire was.
A little better anyway.
But of course her luck had to run out sometime.
Alli caught her just as she was about to escape back to the kitchen with her partially empty tray.
“Hello, Julianne. We’ve been seeing each other a lot more lately than I think we did in high school.”
Alli laughed as if she found that hilarious but Jules knew it was a dig.
Jules just nodded and smiled and tried to keep walking, but Alli put her hand on her arm. Jules didn’t feel threatened. Alli wasn’t digging her fingers into her skin but the command was there all the same.
Jules stopped and forced a pleasant smile. “How are you, Alli?”
“Oh, I’m just fine.” The other woman’s icy blue eyes flashed up and down Jules for a second. “I understand you’ve got a new man in your life.” She paused. “Or is it two?”
Jules bit her tongue to stop her immediate urge to tell the woman to take a flying leap into a volcano.
Instead, she smiled. “Would you like a cucumber sandwich? I’m about to take the tray back to the kitchen for more.”
Still holding her gaze, Alli smiled, her expression turning downright mean, and Jules knew the other woman was about to go in for the kill.
“Riley and Malone are big fish for such a small…pond. I’d love to hear all about how you met them. Rumor has it there’s an interesting story there.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Jules saw two of Alli’s friends approaching. Shit. She was about to be surrounded. Like sharks, they must smell blood in the water.
“Sorry, Alli, there’s really nothing to tell. And I am working today, so—”
“So is it true, Julianne?” asked Ginger Macintyre, another former classmate of Jules and Alli’s. “Are you dating Erik Riley?”
“I’d just like to know how you can stand looking at Erik’s face all night and not want to run,” the third woman chimed in.
Jules felt every muscle in her body tense and her eyes narrowed down to slits.
Deep breath. No punching the guests. Even if they deserve it.
Jules didn’t know the woman but if she hung around with Alli and Ginger, she probably didn’t want to.
“I mean, it’s such a shame,” the bitch continued. “That accident was so totally tragic, I understand why he’s not been able to find a woman who’ll put up with that.”
“At least, not one he hasn’t paid for.”
Alli threw that zinger in and, while the other women smirked at each other, Alli kept her eyes on Jules.
A flush burned Jules’s cheeks as Alli’s smile turned hard. But Alli couldn’t possibly know that flush was all about anger and not embarrassment.
Jules wanted to pop the bitch in her smug little smile.
And then she wanted to tell Alli and her friends all about the hot, steamy, sweaty sex she had with both men. How they treated her like someone special and not like a toy they’d bought.
“You know, I dated Erik right after he and Keegan moved here,” Ginger said. “And I’m not so sure there’s not something going on between them. If you know what I mean.”
Ginger lifted her eyebrows at Jules, as if they were sharing secrets.
Jules wondered how high the bail would be if she took her serving tray and bashed the women’s heads with it.
While Ginger and the other woman started to giggle like teenagers, Alli kept her unnerving gaze on Jules.
“Or maybe their tastes are a little more…unconventional
.”
Even though Jules had braced herself for someone finding out about her relationship with Erik and Keegan, she hadn’t actually thought about what would happen if anyone openly confronted her about it.
Silence seemed the best course of action, but Jules had never been one to back away from a fight. Or know when to hold her tongue, apparently.
Letting her own mouth curve in a knowing smile, Jules leaned closer to Alli, like she was going to share a secret.
Alli’s gaze narrowed but the other women moved in with mocking smiles.
“Would you like to hear about how wonderful they are in bed? Because I could go on for hours. And so can they, actually. Or do you want to know about how they wiped out the mountain of debt my mother and I were drowning under because of her breast cancer?”
Ginger’s mouth dropped open with each word Jules said. Her friend’s eyes were so wide, Jules swore it had to hurt. But Alli… Alli was putting two and two together and coming up with…well, probably the right answer.
“I guess the rumor mill got it right this time.” Alli practically spit the words through clenched teeth. “Good for you, Julianne.”
“Yes, they are good for me, Alli. They’re both very, very good.”
Without another word, she spun on her heel and headed back to the kitchen.
That bitch. That miserable fucking bitch.
She wanted to go back out there and light into Alli again. Wanted to rip her hair out and have a straight-up cat fight.
But as mad as she was at Alli for putting her in that position, she was just as pissed off at herself for opening her mouth and stooping to Alli’s level.
By the time she’d set her tray on the counter where they’d placed the appetizer warming pans, Jules swore she had smoke coming out of her ears.
Jesus, how stupid could she be? The party had barely started. Jules would have to face those women for the next three hours. And knowing Alli, she’d probably told more people and they would tell their friends until everyone out there knew Jules had slept with two men who had then cleared her debt.
She’d thought life had gotten bad when she’d had an affair with a married man. That the nasty glances and the whispering she’d endured at the functions she’d worked were bad.
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