Rude Awakening

by Veronica Chadwick

  When she brought out the plates he was standing in her living room holding her photo album and she nearly dropped the food.

  “Wow, Jaimee, this picture of you is amazing.”

  Huh? She was much heavier in every single picture in that album. Ah, that’s it. He was probably referring to how much weight she had lost. “Yeah, I guess I have lost some weight.”

  “What?” He looked up and frowned as she set the plates on the table. “No, no, come here.”

  She crossed the open space to glance at the picture he was pointing to. It was a picture of her in college, a while after she’d started dating Brent. She and a group of her friends had been goofing off at the lake and Sarah, her best friend, had snapped that picture of her. Her hair was blowing in the breeze off the lake and she genuinely looked happy. She was larger then. She blamed that on late-night cram sessions with friends and a whole lot of munchies. Even so, there was something incredibly attractive about her that she’d never noticed before.

  “There’s so much in your eyes here, in your expression. You look as though you believe you can rule the world… Jaimee, you’re breathtaking.” His voice was soft but deep and sincere.

  He was right. Not that breathtaking was a word she would have used to describe herself, but she was pretty, and back then she did feel like she could do anything she wanted. When did she give up that strength, that drive, that raw, in-your-face self-confidence? When had she stopped being herself, and when had she started again? The answer bloomed in her mind like a dark cloud and quickly she pushed it away. Maybe the weight loss was the result of her “waking up” again, rather than the other way around.

  “I guess it is a good picture. Not sure I’d use that word…”

  “Oh yeah, use that word. Breathtaking.” Lucas lifted his eyes and met her gaze.

  “Well, thank you.”

  As adolescent as it may be, Jaimee was giddy, ridiculously pleased that he described her as “breathtaking” then. She was even larger in that picture than she was now. Did he find her “breathtaking” now? Didn’t he say he found her appealing? Lucas was watching her as though he knew what she was thinking. Quickly, she turned away, hoping he didn’t notice the heat crawling up her neck to flush her cheeks or the goofy smile she couldn’t seem to suppress. A little too cheerfully she announced that the food was getting cold. Thank God he didn’t push it. He slid the photo album back into the space on the shelf and followed her to the table.

  “Nice house,” he said appreciatively, scanning the long space that made up the living room and dining room as he sat down across from her.

  “It’s small.” Jaimee shrugged. “But I don’t need a lot of space.”

  “It’s cozy, I love your furniture.”

  She chuckled and nodded. “Me too.” The overstuffed, butter-soft leather sofa and the matching wide chair had been an extravagant purchase, but there was nothing like curling up in her little living room with a hot cup of coffee and a good book on a rainy day. It had been worth every penny she’d spent. “The set was a self-indulgence I couldn’t resist.”

  All through dinner Jaimee had a hard time not watching his mouth. Small talk with Lucas didn’t seem that small at all. Jaimee found herself smiling, leaning forward, even laughing occasionally. Conversation was surprisingly comfortable and enjoyable in spite of the naughty thoughts that kept materializing in her mind.

  His white button-up shirt was open at the throat and she had the irrational urge to taste him there, breathe in his scent. Her fingertips tingled, she wanted so much just to reach out and touch his bare forearm. Just to see if the tanned skin was as warm and smooth as it looked, the muscle underneath as hard. Clearing her throat, she sat up and pushed away from the table, picking up the plates as she stood. “Time to get to work.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled.

  The deep rumble sent tingles running over her. And, oh man, when he smiled… Heat spread through her and her heartbeat kicked up a notch. God, she was pathetic.

  She shook her head and gave him a crooked smile. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll just get this cleaned up real quick and be right there.”

  She put the food she didn’t finish in a plastic container and put it in the fridge for dinner tomorrow night and scraped the plates. She stacked the dishes in the dishwasher as she tried fervently to replace the warm arousal from her mind and body with cool.

  “Mmm, now that’s a damn nice view.”

  Jaimee stood so quickly she nearly lost her balance. Lucas grinned at her, a big toothy grin as he dumped the melting ice from their glasses into the sink and leaned across her to set the glasses on the top rack of the dishwasher.

  “I thought you were going to the living room.” It was difficult to keep a clear head while he was making flirty comments. He was so close she could feel the heat from his body. Everything in her wanted to lean into him.

  “And leave you with all the work? Nah.” His voice was low, softer, his eyes seemed darker.

  “You brought dinner, no problem…really.” He wasn’t backing up at all. Though it seemed like every cell in her body screamed in protest, she chose to back off. She had to do something. Stepping aside, she moved away before she did something stupid like beg him to do her right there on the kitchen floor.

  “My pleasure.” His lips tilted into a knowing smile. “And now everything’s put up and cleaned up. Let’s go tackle that work.”

  How about you tackle me? Nuh uh. She didn’t really think that did she? Good Lord. She’d become a completely wanton hussy.

  “Well all right then.” She put her hands on her hips. “Let’s get at it.”

  By nine there were only a few papers left to grade. Lucas had been a huge help and Jaimee found herself genuinely enjoying his company. Thankfully, the sensual tension had lessened to a more comfortable level as they settled into the task at hand and chatted as they scanned the papers. Lucas made occasional comments that had Jaimee laughing more than once.

  “Uh…by any chance are Corbin and Seth buds?”

  “Huh?” Jaimee looked up from the paper she was scanning. “Oh, yeah they are. Partners in crime more like.”

  Lucas grinned and nodded. “Looks like they’ve been doing their homework together, too.”

  Jaimee growled. “Let me see.” She didn’t bother to hide her exasperated sigh as she reached for the papers. The boys had done a half-assed job of trying to hide the fact that they both copied the same work. Work that was obviously not theirs in the first place. Lucas’s low chuckle caused her to scowl. “This is not funny. These two are the bane of my existence. You have no idea.”

  “Oh I have a pretty good idea. No doubt they’re troublemakers. It wasn’t them, I just thought your reaction was cute.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I am not cute.”

  “You are.” It was a stone solid statement that dared opposition.

  She lifted her chin as she paper-clipped the papers together and set them aside. Before she could say a word Lucas continued in that same quiet but hard “don’t challenge me” tone.

  “Jaimee, I told you I’m attracted to you. I think I’ve made it clear that I’m interested in more than just a casual friendship. Yet you seem hell bent on keeping me at arm’s length and that’s okay…for now. But if I tell you I think you’re cute, or beautiful, or sexy as hell, don’t piss me off by contradicting me.”

  Torn between being shocked, irritated and a little bit turned on by his arrogance, Jaimee blinked at him like a dimwit. Licking her lips, she took a deep breath and tried to choose her words carefully. “Look, if you don’t wish your opinions of me, or anything else for that matter to be contradicted, maybe you should keep them to yourself.”

  His sly smiled had her breaking out in warm goose bumps, her tummy doing flips.

  “Just to clarify, I have no problem with your calling my opinions about anything other than you into question.” Lucas took another paper from those left to grade. “And…I could keep my th
oughts about you to myself. But then I suppose I’d have to be more…demonstrative.”

  Again she narrowed her eyes at him. “Look, Lucas, I don’t know why someone like you would be attracted to someone like me but…whatever.” She waved her hand in frustration. “The thing is, I lost my husband just eight months ago and I’m not ready to get involved with anyone.” A reasonable explanation, so why did it feel like a lie?

  “You mean not with me,” he said, holding her gaze.

  “Not with you,” she agreed reluctantly. He scared the hell out of her but she wasn’t going to admit that. There was so much in his dark eyes. That was just it; he was too much for her, much more than she could handle. But then she could and did handle Brent, quite easily in fact. Hadn’t she hated that very thing about their relationship?

  His lips curved into an easy, sexy smile as if he could read her mind. “Whatever you say.”

  Why did she feel like that statement of surrender was anything but? Instead it held a promise…or a threat. Either way, it sent a sensation of eager anticipation sizzling along her spine.

  Chapter Six

  He’d listened to her toss and turn in bed, sigh in frustration until finally she’d fallen asleep. Lucas found himself wishing she would masturbate just so he could hear her moan and sigh with pleasure. Like Jaimee, Lucas had taken a shower as well, but he imagined his had been much cooler than hers. Not that a cold shower helped redirect his blood flow northward any.

  Spending time with Jaimee had been nice, really nice. It was wicked of him, but he really liked it when he caught her off guard and annoyed her. The way her cheeks went all rosy and the glitter in those incredible eyes of hers heated his blood. He got lost in her wide, blue, unguarded gaze as she became engrossed in whatever it was they talked about. And God, watching her mouth move… Nearly everything about her aroused him.

  It was when she looked as though her heart was caught in a vise that he wanted to pull her into his arms and melt the pain away. Give her something to feel good about, something solid she could hold on to. When her expression was stricken, her eyes bleak pools of fathomless blue, she made him feel something other than searing lust. That’s what scared him.

  He had just begun to doze in his desk chair when Jaimee’s phone rang. The chair nearly flipped over then he scrambled to switch headphones, pulling his hair in the process. “Damn it to hell,” he swore, adjusting them.

  “…hard and fast. Sweaty, bone-melting sex.”

  Lucas could tell from the caller’s sultry voice it was Maxine. Already she had his undivided attention.

  “Shut up, Max.” Jaimee sighed. “Is this why you woke me up in the middle of the night? To tell me you’ve decided I need sex?”

  “Well you do. You know you do.” Lucas could hear the smile in Max’s voice. “Sorry I woke you up.”

  “S’okay,” Jaimee murmured, her voice soft and husky from sleep. Lucas heard her shift in bed and he squeezed his eyes shut in hopes of ridding himself of the images that flashed through his brain. “You’re home early. Did you have a good night?”

  “Yeah, oh man, I have to tell you what happened.” Max was wide-awake evidently.

  “What?”

  “Nick showed up with one of those little butterflies,” Max said. “You know the clit stimulators.”

  “You mean like a toy? As in vibrator?” Lucas heard Jaimee shift in her bed, her voice rose slightly in surprise.

  “Yeah, and it was remote controlled.” Max laughed. “He told me to go put it on before we left and he kept the remote so he could make me come whenever he wanted.”

  Lucas lifted a brow. Not a bad idea, not bad at all.

  “Oh my God. Did you do it?” Jaimee gasped.

  “Hell yeah I did it. Then we went to dinner. I got off at least three times at the restaurant.”

  “In public,” Jaimee squeaked.

  “Uh huh.”

  There was a pause. “How’d you keep from making noise?”

  Every cell of Lucas’s body was at attention.

  “That was the hard part. I bit down on the napkin one time.” Max laughed.

  “Wow. Three times?”

  “Yeah at the restaurant. Then when we got back here. Girl, I lost count. Mmm the man has a magic tongue.”

  “Oh my gosh. Seriously? You know I’ve heard of that happening but I didn’t know you could really do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Have multiples.”

  “Orgasms? Oh yeah, sure you can have multiple orgasms.”

  “Wow. Well, I’m just a one shot kinda girl I guess.” Jaimee sighed, the longing evident in her voice. Damn. No woman was a “one shot kinda girl” if her man knew what he was doing.

  “But I don’t think I’d want him to waste time licking around down there anyway.” She laughed and Lucas forgot to breathe. Licking around…? Was the man totally inept?

  “Well maybe Brent didn’t know how to do it right,” Max said.

  Silence. Or…did he go down on her at all?

  “Uh, Brent did go down on you right?” Lucas stilled, waited for Jaimee’s answer.

  Silence.

  “Jaimee?”

  Jaimee drew a deep breath. “No, Brent didn’t like oral sex.”

  Oh hell no! How many times since he’d been on this case had he thought of tasting Jaimee’s sweet dew, imagined feeling her throbbing flesh hot on his tongue… Lucas grimaced and shifted in his chair in an attempt to relieve the discomfort of his restricted swelling erection.

  “Shut up! Are you serious?” Max asked.

  “Uh huh, but it was okay. It is kinda messy. Well for him anyway, know what I mean? No big deal, I didn’t miss it,” Jaimee said softly.

  Yeah he knew what she meant and it made him nuts thinking about her wet and ready. And the truth, Lucas feared, was that Jaimee missed a whole hell of a lot more than oral sex.

  “So, did you do Brent?”

  Yeah, did the bastard make you suck him? Lucas ignored the irrationality of his anger. He recalled the image of her sucking on the little popsicle that afternoon and had to unzip for relief. Did she ever dream about sucking him?

  “No. I wanted to. I mean, I offered several times. He thought oral sex was gross…uh, unnatural,” Jaimee replied softly.

  Lucas nearly fell out of his chair. “It’s official. The man was a moron,” he mumbled.

  “…but you know what? I’ve been having these dreams of my new neighbor, you know…”

  “Lucas?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Hot sex dreams?”

  “Uh huh.”

  She was killing him. His cock was so hard it ached. The thought of her dreaming about him drove him wild. He could just imagine tasting her honey, the sweet softness of her pussy. Holy shit.

  “Oooh! Tell!”

  “Uh uh!” She chuckled. “Guess what? Max, you’re gonna flip. He brought me dinner tonight and helped me grade papers.”

  “Yeah!? Please, tell me somethin’ good! Tell me you did not send that man away without gettin’ yourself a taste.”

  “Ugh! No! We just ate dinner and talked and graded papers.”

  “Are you serious?” Maxine made a sound that was distinctly disappointed. “Damn, girl, I keep telling you you’re gonna have to get you some of that!”

  Jaimee just laughed. Soon, Lucas vowed, very fucking soon or he was going to go insane.

  Max paused for a moment. “Jaimee?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You have had an orgasm right?”

  “Sure, yeah, I have.” Jaimee sounded a bit defensive.

  “But you’ve never had multiple orgasms?”

  “Well…” Jaimee paused. Lucas held his breath. “There was this one time when Brent and I did it in the afternoon then again later that night. I had two that day. That doesn’t count though, does it?”

  “No, I mean during one session,” Max clarified.

  “No, I guess not. But I almost always achieved…orgasm every time we
had sex,” Jaimee hurriedly explained. “Sometimes just from him sucking my nipples.”

  Those beautiful breasts with those juicy nipples and so sensitive too, perfect. Lucas groaned out loud.

  “Wow,” Max said. “You’re easy.”

  “Yeah.” Jaimee laughed. “I used to tell Brent that he was lucky I was so easy, he didn’t have to work so hard.”

  And she never had multiple orgasms. The asshole had no idea.

  “So when you got off from him sucking your nipples then you climaxed again when he fucked you right?”

  “No, Max.” Her irritation didn’t stop Maxine though.

  “Damn. So when he was inside you and rubbing your clit you still couldn’t…”

  “No, no, no, and he never touched my clit.” Jaimee yawned.

  Dear God. The man was gay. There was no other explanation; he had to be gay. Lucas shook his head.

  “Shut. UP!”

  Jaimee sighed. “I didn’t want him to anyway, Max, it’s really sensitive. Like I said, I could get where I was going without it.”

  “Yeah, but sometimes you just gotta take the scenic route.”

  He chuckled at that. True, so very true.

  “But seriously, it would kinda hurt. Especially after.”

  “Nuh uh! It may seem that way but it’s a good pain. You’re supposed to work with that ultra-sensitive ache, not back off of it.”

  Lucas nodded in agreement. He could hear Jaimee shift uncomfortably in her bed. Maxine was right, there was a raging passion locked away deep inside Jaimee and she desperately needed release from that bondage.

  “Wow, so you’ve never had multiples, not even when you masturbate?” Maxine kept pushing. It was hard to believe that a tough woman like Jaimee would tolerate lukewarm affection from the man she lived with, loved, for seven years. Shit, seven years. Were there lovers before Turner? If there were, they were just as pathetic as Turner. It was more than clear to Lucas that Jaimee didn’t know her own body or her own desires.

  “No,” Jaimee snapped. “Why are you so interested anyway?”

  “I’m sorry. I just never knew things were so…” Max paused, then continued with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you”