Anticipation

by Sarah Mayberry

  “Guess we’d better head home,” Eddie said.

  “Yeah, I guess we should.”

  Chapter Twenty

  They’d had to go straight to work thanks to thick traffic on the way into Melbourne, which meant that not only did Blue not have a chance to change clothes, she couldn’t grab her make-up kit in order to cover the whisker rash on her neck, either. Thank God she’d gone to the trouble of rinsing out her underwear last night, or she’d feel totally disgusting.

  “I was just about to call you guys,” Raf said as they entered the staff room. He looked relieved “I take it the traffic was bad?”

  He was at the sink, peeling an orange, while Steffi and Yuri were drinking coffee on the couch.

  “It sucked big hairy ones,” Eddie said, tossing his suit jacket over the back of one of the chairs.

  Raf’s gaze narrowed as he took in the crumbs clinging to the front of Eddie’s trousers.

  “Please tell me you didn’t eat in my car.”

  “Okay. We didn’t eat in your car,” Eddie said blandly.

  It was obvious he was lying, and Raf shook his head.

  “I’m getting the Bentley detailed, and you’re paying.”

  “I’m going to go set up,” Blue said.

  “I’ve got a bottle of hairspray in my bag if you need to do your hair,” Steffi said.

  Blue ran a hand over her head. “Thanks. That’s probably a good idea.”

  “I’ll grab it for you.” Steffi jumped up and grabbed her bag, rummaging around until she found a travel sized bottle of hair spray.

  “Thanks,” Blue said.

  “You can borrow my make-up kit, too, if you like,” Steffi offered.

  “Bless you,” Blue said, accepting both gratefully.

  She slipped into the Ladies and spent five minutes making herself look halfway decent before heading back into the fray.

  Naturally, the first person she bumped into in the hallway was Eddie. His gaze flicked from her face to the shadowy V of her décolletage and she knew without a doubt that he was thinking about the way he’d teased her breasts last night. The thought that they were lovers now, that she would have his mouth on her breasts again soon, made her whole body flush with expectant heat. For a moment they eyed one another, trapped by their mutual lust.

  Then she remembered where they were — any second now, Renarto or Corey or Steffi could find them like this, and the privacy she’d insisted on preserving would be gone.

  Averting her gaze, she hurried past him. She was going to have to get a grip on her response to him if their arrangement was going to pass undetected by their colleagues, something that was very important to her. She didn’t want an audience watching their every move. She definitely didn’t want her colleagues pity or sympathy or well-meaning advice when things eventually imploded between her and Eddie. The very thought made her toes curl in her boots.

  She had a full day, with one large five hour session followed by a couple of shorter sessions in the afternoon. Lack of sleep was catching up with her by the time she downed tools just after five, and she paused in the middle of cleaning up her workroom to stretch out her neck and shoulders.

  “You look like you need a good night’s sleep,” Eddie said from the doorway.

  “Yeah, well.” They both knew why she hadn’t had much sleep last night.

  He entered the room, an intent look in his eye.

  “We have a deal,” she reminded him as he stalked toward her, alarm and desire streaking through her in equal measure.

  “I remember — no one knows, one day a week, no staying the night.”

  Just when she thought she was going to have to find some self-control and push him away, he lay a hand on her shoulder and encouraged her to turn around. Realizing he was simply offering her a neck massage, she went willingly, letting her head fall forward as he dug his thumbs into her too-tight muscles.

  “Oh, sweet Lord, that’s good,” she murmured.

  She felt Eddie’s breath on the back of her neck, then the warm press of his lips on her nape.

  “I love it when your voice goes all low and lazy like that,” he said near her ear.

  Heat bloomed between her thighs and she felt her nipples harden inside her bra.

  “Eddie,” she said, even though she wanted to back up a half step and press her butt against his groin.

  “You said one day a week. I’m still within my twenty-four hour limit,” Eddie said.

  She was about to call bullshit when he slid a hand onto her breast. The feel of his hand on her body was so necessary, so essential she was hard put not to turn in his arms and throw him to the ground.

  “Anyone could walk in,” she said as he plucked at her nipple through the thin cotton of her shirt.

  “I could shut the door and lock it,” he said. “Or you could invite me up to your apartment when I drive you home.”

  He popped a button free on her shirt, slipping his hand inside first her shirt, then the lacy cup of her bra. She sighed shakily, loving what he was doing to her. Eddie moved closer behind her, his hips pressing hard against her backside as he slid his free hand between her legs. For a long moment she closed her eyes and got lost in the feel of his fingers on her nipple and the needful pressure he was exerting on her clit through her pants.

  She started to imagine what might happen if he shut the door then quickly caught herself. She had to stick to the limits she’d set herself.

  “Come back to my place,” she said.

  He released her and stepped away.

  “How long before you’ll be ready to leave?” he asked.

  She turned to face him, her gaze dropping to the crotch of his suit pants where his arousal was more than evident.

  “Not long,” she said.

  Suddenly all she could think about was taking him in her mouth again. She licked her lips. She could almost taste him.

  “All right,” he said.

  For a moment she wasn’t sure what he was saying yes to — her thoughts or her words. Then she blinked and some of the haze of arousal receded and she could think again.

  “I’ll meet you at the car,” she said.

  He nodded and turned to go. She caught him before he exited, tugging his shirt free from his trousers so that his erection was disguised.

  “So you don’t scare any children,” she said.

  His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Don’t be long.”

  His words echoed in her head as she finished cleaning her work space. She dumped her gear in the autoclave, then grabbed her jacket from the staff room. Eddie had the Ferrari running, the engine a low, animal growl as she exited the building. He watched her as she walked to the passenger side, then leaned across and pushed the door open for her. Neither of them said a word as he drove out of the parking lot.

  Blue stared out the car window during the short drive, frightened by how turned on she was. She’d had him less than ten hours ago, and they’d had sex multiple times now. The newness, the specialness of it should have worn off. At least a little.

  But it hadn’t. If anything, she wanted him more. She had pictures in her head now, sense memories. She knew what she could do to him, and what he could do to her, and she wanted it. She wanted it all.

  “Come on,” Eddie said as they stopped in front of her apartment, and she followed him upstairs.

  She didn’t object when he used his key to let himself in. She was too busy reaching for his belt buckle and pushing him against the wall as she slipped her hand inside his trousers. He was incredibly hard, and she squeezed her thighs together as she imagined how good he would feel inside her.

  But that was for later.

  Sinking to her knees, she yanked his trousers and boxer briefs down and pulled him into her mouth. His palm found the back of her head as she began to work him avidly with hand and mouth.

  She loved doing this to him, loved feeling his leg muscles tremble as his climax approached. Just when she was sure he was going to come, he clenc
hed his hand in her hair and pulled away from her.

  “Are you kidding?” she asked, sitting back on her heels to look up at him. Pissed that he’d stolen her moment of triumph.

  “Get your clothes off,” he said, his voice gravel-rough with need.

  She started to object…then she looked at his big, beautifully hard cock and decided that she could fight that battle another day. She whipped her top over her head, then stood so she could shed her pants. Eddie scooped her up, carrying her into the kitchen. He’d barely parked her ass on the table before he was inside her.

  “I thought about doing this to you all day,” he said. “Every…fucking…second.”

  He leaned down to draw a nipple into his mouth at the same time that he found her clit with his thumb. She locked her ankles together behind his back as he stroked her inside and out.

  “Yes, God, yes. Eddie.”

  She came hard, nails biting into the backs of his arms, her body shuddering with the force of her climax. He followed her seconds later, the muscles of his belly and chest hard as iron as he rode the wave of his own pleasure.

  Eddie dropped his head onto her shoulder afterward, his arms wrapping warmly around her. She turned her cheek to his chest and listened to the thundering of his heart, marveling that every time they did this she felt supremely close to him but also terrifyingly far away.

  She wanted this with him so much — loved the way he made her feel — but she was scared to death of the other things it made her want, how weak it made her.

  “What are you thinking about?” Eddie said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I can hear your brain whirring.”

  “What are you thinking about?” she countered.

  “That I never want to move,” he said without hesitation. “That I’d stay like this forever if I could.”

  Her heart gave a painful lurch and she tensed, pushing away from him.

  “You don’t have to do that with me,” she said, sliding off the counter.

  “Do what?” He was frowning, his newly cut fringe flopping across his forehead.

  “You don’t have to fancy it up with sweet talk. I don’t need word bouquets. I just want your cock.”

  Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “What about my mouth? You seemed pretty interested in that last night.”

  “Okay, your cock and your mouth. But you don’t need to dress any of this up. Not for me.”

  Eddie considered her for a long beat, then he turned and headed for the front hallway.

  “If that’s what you want.”

  It was her turn to frown. That was the second time he’d said that to her today, the first time being when she’d laid down the law regarding their friends-with-benefits arrangement.

  “What do you want?” she asked, following him into the front hallway. She’d been so busy covering her own ass, it had never occurred to her to ask him before.

  He was buckling his belt, but he glanced at her when she entered the small space.

  “I just told you,” he said.

  She frowned, not understanding what he was talking about. Then she remembered his line about not wanting to move and staying entangled with her forever.

  She pressed her lips together. “Right.”

  Probably he thought he was being charming, saying those kinds of things. Probably it worked with his other women.

  Turning on her heel, she walked to her bedroom to collect her robe. Eddie had finished dressing when she returned, and they considered each other for a long moment.

  “If we’re going to do this your way, I’m going to need you at my place first thing next Saturday,” Eddie said. “Don’t bother dressing nice, because we won’t be going anywhere.”

  There was a dark, wicked promise in his eyes, and her body responded predictably, getting wet and tight in anticipation of something that was a full week away.

  Stupid body.

  “Okay,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ll be there.”

  She knew a challenge when she heard one.

  Eddie palmed his car keys. “Don’t be late, or I’ll come looking for you.”

  He exited, and she looked at her hastily abandoned clothes scattered across the floor. A shiver raced down her spine when she realized how quickly, how easily she’d conceded to his every demand.

  Stooping, she began to set her world to rights.

  It was a close run thing, but Eddie made it through the week. He stood under a lot of cold showers and went for a lot of long runs, but he made it. When Blue arrived on his doorstep on Saturday morning, he wasted no time hauling her over the threshold and hustling her into his bedroom.

  The fact that she came willingly and practically tore his clothes from his body went a long way toward assuring him that he wasn’t the only one regretting the stupid ground rules she’d laid down. It didn’t stop him from being determined to honor them, though.

  Blue didn’t respond to pushing. If he insisted on scrapping the one night rule, he didn’t doubt for a second that she’d use it as an excuse to pull the plug on their entire arrangement. No, Blue was the only one who could change or break the rules. Until then, he was bound and determined to give her what she thought she wanted, because he was bound and determined to get what he wanted: Blue.

  That didn’t mean he was above rigging things in his own favor.

  On the first Saturday, he made love to her three times, the third time so thoroughly that both of them could barely move afterward. Blue was still dozing, her cheeks flushed from a climax that had left half-moon nail impressions in his back when he nudged her and tilted his head toward the clock.

  “What?” she asked, her eyes heavy-lidded with contentment.

  “It’s nearly midnight. I’m happy for you to stay the night, but I know you have a thing about it.”

  Blue frowned. Then she pushed her hair off her forehead and sat up.

  “I should go,” she said.

  He didn’t say a word, even though he wanted to point out how freaking ridiculous it was for her to go when neither of them wanted her to.

  After a long pause, she threw back the covers and slipped out of bed. When she was finished dressing, he pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and escorted her to the front door.

  “Drive safe,” he said.

  She nodded, turning to go, but he blocked her exit with a leg across the doorway and pulled her into his arms for a goodnight kiss. She melted against him, and only the thought of his end goal made him break the kiss.

  “See you on Monday,” he said.

  She blinked a few times, looking so out of sorts and short changed he almost laughed.

  It wasn’t really funny. If they were doing this his way, they’d still be in bed, and she would be in his arms. They’d stay that way till morning, then he’d take her somewhere nice for breakfast before maybe hitting the beach or doing something else lazy and relaxing together.

  Together being the operative word in all of the above.

  But Blue didn’t want together. Or so she said.

  He played dirty at work, too, recruiting Renarto and Raf to shoot hoops with him in the parking lot at lunch time and then making a point of dropping into the staff room with his shirt off to grab water to cool down.

  He put in a lot of effort to stay in shape and he knew Blue was susceptible to his body because she’d told him so more than once when they were in bed together. So he worked it. He braced himself against the sink and flexed the hell out of his arms and shoulders while he “casually” drank a glass of water. He watched Blue out of the corners of his eyes as he wiped his belly and chest down with his gym towel. And he crowded her in the hallway when she happened to be there at the end of one session, brushing against her breasts “accidentally” in passing.

  She broke on the Thursday, hauling him into a workroom and kicking the door shut.

  “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” she said, hands on her hips as she confronted him.

  “Whoa. What’s going on?�
�� he said.

  “I’m not an idiot, Eddie. I know when I’m being played.”

  “I’m not playing with you,” he said.

  He wasn’t, he was in deadly earnest. More serious than he’d ever been in his life before.

  “What do you call this sudden obsession with running around with your shirt off, then?”

  “It’s summer. It’s hot outside.”

  She advanced on him, the better to jab him in the chest with her index finger.

  “Stop trying to change the rules,” she said.

  He held his hands out to the side. “I haven’t said a word about the rules.”

  She glared at him, and for a moment he thought he was genuinely in danger of copping a punch to the face.

  “But if you want to change the rules, I’m happy to talk about it,” he offered hastily.

  “Shut up, asshole,” she said, then she fisted her hand in the front of his T-shirt and dragged him close for a kiss.

  He had her up on the tattoo chair, her mini-skirt around her hips in no seconds flat. Conscious of the fact that they were at work, neither of them made a sound as he unzipped his jeans and pushed inside her. When she came, Blue pressed her face into his shoulder and bit him through his T-shirt, the pain spurring him on toward his own climax.

  Afterward, he helped her tug down her skirt and straighten her bra.

  “This doesn’t mean anything,” she said on the way out the door. “The rules still apply.”

  He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. Blue could fight against him all she liked, but she couldn’t fight her own desire.

  He gave her a minute to make her escape, then headed upstairs. Raf glanced at him as he entered the office, his gaze narrowing briefly as he took in Eddie’s goofy smile and rumpled clothes.

  “I take it the campaign’s going well?” Raf asked.

  “So far, so good.” He’d filled his brother and Maggie in on his new strategy after he and Blue had returned from Albury, well aware that they were both worried and invested in what was going on.

  “How long do you think you can do this?” Raf asked.

  “As long as it takes,” Eddie said confidently.

  “Well…good.” Raf turned back to his paperwork.