by Lori Foster
“So then this—” he dragged his knuckles from the snap of her jeans, along the fly and beyond until finally he cupped her boldly with his palm “—is what you would be in charge of? You want to control our relationship, what we do and don’t do, where we do it…how we do it?”
She gulped, words escaping her. The man was every bit the scoundrel her sister accused him of being. Too blatant, too outrageous, too incredibly sure of himself and of his effect on her, probably on all women. She could feel his palm, so hot and firm against her, not moving, just holding her and making her nerve endings tingle in anticipation. And that tingling had become concentrated in one ultrasensitive spot.
“No? Did I misunderstand?” His gaze searched her face and she could see the humor in his dark eyes, the slight tilt of his sensual mouth. With his free hand, he took hers and kissed her fingers—then pressed her hand against his erection. He no longer smiled, and his expression seemed entirely too intent. “You want to control me like this, Josie?”
He felt huge and hard and alive. Instinctively she curled her fingers around him through the soft material of his khaki slacks.
“Women have been trying to control men since the beginning of time. This is the most tried-and-true method.”
Her fingers tightened in reaction to his harsh words. She felt the lurch, the straining of his penis into her palm, and heat pounded beneath her skin, curled and uncurled until she felt wound too tight, ready to explode.
In a voice low and gravelly, he asked, “Is that what you want, sweetheart?” His breath came fast and low. “Because in this instance, I have no objections. Just lead the way.”
Frozen, Josie could do no more than stare down at her hand where she held him. She licked her lips, trying to think of what to do, trying to remember her original intent in this awkward game.
“Josie?”
“I…” She shook her head, then carefully, slowly stroked him. His eyes closed as he groaned his encouragement. “I concede to your experience.”
The sound he made was half laugh, half moan.
“But I want to do everything there is to do.”
“Damn.” His fingers flexed, teasing her. “I want that, too. Sounds to me like we’re in agreement.”
She shook her head. “You called what we have a…a relationship. But that’s not what I’d consider it.”
His answering gaze was frighteningly direct. “No?”
She looked away. “I’d call it a…a fling. With no strings attached.” When he got tired of her and walked away, she wanted him to know it was with her blessing. She was out of her league with Nick, coasting on dangerous ground. It was too tempting not to play, but she was too prudent not to take precautions.
She drew an unsteady breath. “I want—need—to be free to come and go as I please. No ties at all.” He was the only person she’d ever felt tempted to do this with, but the same wasn’t true of him. He’d been with many women, and he’d be with many more. She’d be a fool to expect anything else. “I can’t agree to this exclusive stuff,” she said. “I need to know you won’t object if I decide to explore…elsewhere.”
“Oh, but I do object. In fact, I refuse.” His mouth smothered any comeback she might have made, not that she could think of any. The nature of his seduction suddenly became much more determined, almost ruthless. He lifted her off the counter and skimmed her shirt over her head.
“Nick…”
“I like hearing you say my name. Especially the way you say it.” Her bra straps slipped down her arms when he unhooked it, then clasped her nipple with his hot and hungry mouth, sucking hard.
Her knees locked and her entire body jerked in reaction. “Nick…”
He switched to the other breast while undoing her jeans, and he hurriedly pushed them down to her knees. “Tell me you want me, Josie.”
She made a sound of agreement, coherent words beyond her.
He dropped to one knee and kissed her through her panties—small, nipping kisses that had her gasping. Her legs went taut to support her, her fingers tangled in his dark silky hair. With a growl, he pulled her panties down and spread her with his thumbs, then treated her to the same delicious sucking he’d used on her nipple, only gentler, and with greater effect.
It was too much, but not quite enough, and she sobbed, pressing closer, her eyes squeezed shut. His tongue rasped and she arched her body, tight and still, then suddenly climaxed with blinding force when he slid one long finger deep inside her.
The sharp edge of the counter dug into her back as she started to slide down to the floor. She needed to sit, to lie down; her limbs trembled, her vision was still fuzzy. Nick caught her against him and pressed a damp kiss to her temple. “Damn, that was good, Josie.” His voice shook, low and sexy. “So damn good. For a virgin, you never cease to amaze me.”
“I’m not a virgin anymore.” The words sighed out of her, laced with her contentment.
His chuckle vibrated against her skin. “Ex-virgin, then.”
Limp, she let him hold her for a few seconds, until he gently turned her to face the counter. She didn’t understand what he was doing. Looking at him over her shoulder, she saw him smile. He took her hands and planted them wide on the countertop.
“Open your legs for me, Josie. As wide as your pants will allow.”
The rush of heat to her face almost made her dizzy. He was looking at her behind, his hands touching, exploring, exposing, urging her legs even wider. She struggled with her embarrassment and the restriction of her jeans.
He made an approving sound. “That’s nice. Now don’t move.” After laying his wallet out, he unsnapped his pants and shoved them down his hips. Josie stared at his erection, her pulse pounding. “You’ve seen me before, honey. But I don’t mind you looking. In fact, I like it.”
He clasped her hips and brushed the tip of his penis against her buttocks, dipping along her cleft. He held her tight and pressed his cheek against her shoulder. “I like it a lot. Too damn much.”
With a groan, he pulled a condom out of his wallet and slipped it on. Fascinated, Josie concentrated on holding herself upright, despite the shaking in her knees, and watched him closely so she didn’t miss a thing.
But with his first, solid thrust into her body, she forgot about watching and closed her eyes against the too-intense pleasure of it.
“Ah. So wet and hot. You do want me, don’t you, sweetheart? Just me.”
She rested her cheek on the cool countertop and curled her fingers over the edge, steadying herself. Nick’s hand slid beneath her, then smoothed over her belly before dipping between her thighs.
“No…” She gasped, the pleasure too sharp after her recent orgasm, but he wouldn’t relent. He continued to touch her in delicate little brushes, taunting her, forcing her to accept the acute sensations until her hips began to move with him.
He groaned with pleasure. “That’s it. Relax, Josie. Trust me.” He moved with purpose now in smooth determined strokes that rocked her body to a tantalizing rhythm. His forearm protected her hip bones from hard contact with the counter while his fingertips continued to drive her closer to the edge. Suddenly he stilled, his body rock hard, his breathing suspended. Josie could feel the heat pouring off him, the expectation of release.
He wrapped around her, his chest to her back and he hugged her tight. His heart pounded frantically and she felt it inside herself, reverberating with her own wild heartbeat. “Josie,” he said on a whispered groan. And she knew he was coming, his thrusts more sporadic, deeper, and incredibly, she came with him, crying out her surprise.
Long minutes passed and neither of them moved. Josie was content. His body, his indescribable scent, surrounded her in gentle waves of pleasure. She could feel the calming of his heartbeat, his gentle, uneven breaths against her skin.
“Woman, you’re something else.”
She wondered how he could talk, even though his words had sounded weak and breathless. She relished his weight on her body, the soft kis
ses he pressed to her shoulders and nape and ear. He made a soft sound and said, “I could stay like this forever.”
Mustering her strength, she managed to whisper, “That’s because you’re not the one being squashed into the cold counter.”
He chuckled as he straightened and carefully stepped away. “Hey, you were the one in charge. You should have said something if you didn’t like it.”
Her sigh sounded entirely too much like satisfaction. “I liked it.”
“I know.”
She smiled at his teasing and forced herself to stand. “This is a downright ignominious position to find myself in.”
She heard him zipping his pants, but couldn’t quite find the courage to face him. Her fingers shook as she struggled with her panties, which seemed to be twisted around her knees.
“I think you look damn cute. And enticing.” He patted her bare bottom with his large hand, then assisted her in straightening her clothes. “Are you okay?”
That brought her gaze to his face. “I’m…fine.” She could feel the hot blush creeping up to her hairline. After all, she was still bare-breasted, and her hair was more down than up. She started to cross her arms over her chest, but hesitated when he covered them himself with his hot palms.
“I wish I had planned this better. But I only had the one condom with me.”
“Oh.” Her blushing face seemed to pulse, making her very aware of how obvious her embarrassment must be. He was so cavalier about it all, like making love in the kitchen was something he’d done dozens of times. And maybe it was, she admitted to herself, not liking the idea one bit.
Nick grinned, enjoying himself at her expense. “Of course, I could give you more pleasure, if that’s what you want. I’m stoic and brave and all those other manly things. And we did have an agreement. I’ll sacrifice my needs for yours if you’re still feeling greedy. If you’re in the mood for a little more fun.”
She didn’t quite know how to deal with him. He was all the things Susan claimed—arrogant and cocky, used to female adoration. She pulled away and slipped into her bra and T-shirt, then turned to the sink. As she ran water into the coffeepot, she could feel his gaze on her back, moving over her like a warm touch.
She drew a steadying breath and glanced back at him. “I think I can manage to be as stoic as you. But since you’re here, we might as well get a few things straight.”
His smile disappeared. “What things?”
“Our agreement, of course.”
Disbelief spread over his face. “Little witch.”
She ignored his muttered insult and measured out the coffee grains. Mustering her courage, she blurted, “Did you laugh at me after we made love on the boat?”
“As I remember, I was too busy trying to devise ways to keep from tripping myself up to find any humor in the situation.”
Josie considered that. “You know, now that I think about it, a lot of things make sense. The way you kept insisting I not call you by name, your hesitance to take me to your house. Your surprise that I was willing to go with you at all.”
“I thought you’d back down. Bob had repeated Susan’s description of you—and you didn’t look a damn thing like what I expected. It’s for certain you didn’t act the way I thought you would.”
Knowing Susan, it wasn’t difficult to imagine the picture she’d painted. “I thought you would be the way my sister described Bob. I expected you to run in the opposite direction when you saw what a wild woman I was.”
He came to stand directly in front of her, and his large hot hand settled on her hip, his long fingers spread to caress her bottom. “A million ideas went through my mind when I first saw you, and running wasn’t one of them.” He leaned down and kissed her, gently, teasing. “Are we done talking now? I can think of better things we could be doing.”
She faltered at his direct manner and provocative touch, but had the remaining wits to mention an irrefutable fact. “You said you were out of condoms.”
He spoke in a low rumble against her lips. “I also said there were other things we could do, other ways for me to pleasure you without needing protection.” His eyes met hers, bright and hot. “Right now, I’m more than willing to show you all of them. Tasting you, touching you, is incredibly sweet. Giving you pleasure gives me pleasure. And I love the way you moan, the way your belly tightens and your nipples—”
A soft moan escaped before she managed to turn her face away. “Nick.”
With a huge, regretful sigh, he looped his arms around her and held her loosely. “All right, what were you saying?”
She gave him a disgruntled frown. “I don’t remember.”
“Oh, yeah. You thought I was Bob. And he probably would have been horrified to see you. Horrified and frightened half to death.”
“That’s what I figured.”
“He’s hung up on your sister, you know.”
Having Nick so close made it difficult to carry on the casual conversation. But he seemed to have no problem with it, so she forged ahead; they really did need to get things straightened out. “He’s the one who sent Susan the chocolates?”
“Yup.”
“And he’s probably the one who told her he didn’t approve of my job.”
“That’d be Bob. But I doubt he really cares one way or the other what you do. He’s just willing to say anything to agree with Susan.”
“Susan likes him, too. She was so pleased with his gift. When it arrived, she was all but jumping up and down.”
Nick touched her hair, winding one long curl around his finger. “And what did you do?”
She wasn’t about to tell him how hurt and betrayed she’d felt. That wouldn’t have been in keeping with her new image. “I wasn’t sure what to do, except that I knew I couldn’t see you again.”
“Hmm.” He kissed her quickly and stepped away. “Finish the coffee and let’s go sit in the other room. I don’t trust these tiny kitchen chairs you have. I’m afraid they might collapse under me.”
Josie eyed the delicate chairs and silently agreed.
It took an entire pot of coffee and a lot of explaining before they sorted out the whole confusing mess. By the end of the explanations, Nick had Josie mostly in his lap on the short love seat and he’d removed the pins from her hair so that he could play with it. In one way or another, he touched her constantly, his hands busy, his mouth hungry.
“I want to see you tomorrow, Josie. Will you go to the movies with me?”
She shook her head. As soon as she’d left Susan’s shop, she’d accepted an invitation from one of her clients. She could have cancelled if she’d wanted to, but with everything she’d just learned, including his deception and her volatile reaction to him, she didn’t trust herself to be with him again so soon. He was playing games while she was falling hard. She needed time to think, to regroup. “I already made other plans, Nick.”
Through narrowed eyes, he studied her face a long moment, his gaze probing, then looked down at her clasped hands. “What about Monday?”
She shrugged helplessly. “I can’t. Mondays are late nights for me.”
He seemed disgruntled by her answer. Josie had the feeling few women ever turned him down. She almost relented; seeing the disappointment in his sensual gaze made her feel the same. But she had a responsibility to her patients, and as tempting as he was, her responsibilities took precedence over her newfound pleasure.
“How late?”
“It depends on who needs what done. But I can’t rush my visits. For many of my clients, I’m the only company they get on a regular basis.”
He sighed, obviously frustrated but willing to concede. He cupped her cheek and stared down at her. “You’re pretty incredible. Do you know that?”
“It’s not so much. I enjoy their company, and they enjoy mine.”
“Does it involve much traveling?”
“Some. A lot of the people I work with now or worked with in the past live in this complex, which is one reason I bought here
. It’s easier to keep an eye on things.”
“You know, I did wonder about that. I had all these old folks staring me down, looking at me like I was an interloper. I didn’t understand it at first.”
“Young people in the complex are always a curiosity. I’m surprised Mrs. Wiley didn’t come out and question you.”
“She didn’t need to. I went to her to find out which condo you lived in.” He pulled the rolled catalog from his back pocket. “She gave me this and I promised to try to come up with some kind of inexpensive advertising promotion for her.”
Josie stared down blankly at the Golden Goodies catalog, which had fallen open to show pictures of various-size candles and love-inspired board games. She couldn’t quite manage to pull her fascinated gaze away, even though she’d seen the thing dozens of times. The difference now, of course, was that she wondered if Nick would enjoy playing any of the inventive games, winning prizes that varied from kisses to “winner’s choice.” She had a feeling she knew what his choice would be.
Josie cleared her throat. “A supplier gives her the catalogs and fills the orders, then the selling is up to her. And she’s pretty good at it. But I suppose she does need a wider audience than the complex allows.”
Nick turned the page, perusing the items for sale. He looked surprised. “Why, that old fraud. This stuff isn’t X-rated. The way she carried on, I thought she was selling something really hot.”
Tilting her head, Josie asked, “Like what?”
He opened his mouth, then faltered. “Never mind.”
She smiled. “For most older folks, scented lotions and feather boas are pretty risqué. They love Mrs. Wiley’s parties. It makes them feel young again, and daring.”
“Have you ever been to one?”
Without looking at him, Josie flipped to another page, studying the variety of handheld fans and flavored lipsticks. “Once or twice.” She cleared her throat. “There was a party here the night we met. I think I mentioned it—remember? That was one of Mrs. Wiley’s.”
“Ah. So that’s the reason you didn’t want to come back here.”