Thigh High

by Amarinda Jones

  “Yeah, but luckily Dusty and Blue haven’t had sex in so long they’ll think it’s sheep dip they’re smelling.”

  Chapter Five

  Sweat was dripping from Maz as she jogged on the moving path of the treadmill. “I cannot believe I allowed you to talk me into this.” Her clothes were clinging to her, wet with perspiration, as she swiped her sweaty fringe from her eyes. One minute she had been saying no and the next she was moaning yes, oh god yes, anything. Maz squinted at Joe. “Are you looking at my ass?” She could feel it wobbling like jelly in her navy blue track pants.

  “Only in a professional way,” Joe responded with a grin.

  Thankfully she was already red in the face so her blush went unnoticed. “How long do I have to do this? I’m not built for running.” Her breasts were bouncing and her thighs were killing her, and all in all, Maz would have preferred to sit on an ants’ nest naked than run.

  “It’s fun to watch,” Joe move around and slowed down the pace of the treadmill with the push of a button. “It’s good cardio exercise.”

  “It’s frigging torture.” Maz was breathless and out of shape and yes, maybe it was good for her, but still she would have preferred to be anywhere else.

  “Stop whining and keeping breathing.”

  “I’m not whining and of course I’m bloody breathing. Why do people always say, ‘remember to breathe’? It’s not like I’m going to forget or refuse to, is it?”

  “You’re cute when you’re angry and sweaty.”

  “You’re cute when you’re in Sydney.”

  Joe clutched his heart in mock dramatics. “So wounded.” He pressed the button to decrease her pace further until Maz was walking. He handed her a water bottle.

  Maz look a long, unladylike slurp. “Bloody hell.”

  “Okay?”

  “Do I look okay?” She was a lather of sweat.

  “You always look great.”

  “I thought exercise was supposed to make you feel better.” Her legs were starting to wobble and she had a feeling she was going to trip ungracefully from the treadmill.

  Joe took her hand and helped her down. “You’ll like the next thing I have planned—no not sex, but now you mention it…”

  “I didn’t.” The last thing she felt like was sex. His hand clasping hers made her heart beat a little faster but then Joe had always had the ability to make the simplest touch intimate and exciting.

  “Later then.”

  Maz pulled her hand from his. “No, this has to be strictly business.” Even as she said the words Maz knew how crazy they were. It was madness to even allow him one second in her life as she knew when Joe left—and he would, for Amberwarra Falls would not be able to hold an adventurer such as himself—she would once more miss what might have been and be annoyed at herself for letting him in.

  “Okay.” Joe handed her a towel.

  “I mean it.” Maz mopped her face. Crap, I am so out of condition. Her upper left thigh was throbbing and she knew she had pulled a muscle. But there was no way she was going to admit any weakness to Joe.

  “I mean it too.” Joe took her hand once more, refusing to let go.

  “Oh shut up.” Maz found herself following him as he pulled her along. “Where are we going?”

  Joe pushed open a door and switched on the lights to a small room. “I am going to give you the chance to hit me.”

  Maz smiled. “Okay so this hasn’t been a complete waste of a day.”

  “You’re so cute.” Joe left her for a moment and found some boxing gloves.

  She held out her hands as directed and soon both fists were incased in red padded leather. “Kinky,” she murmured, her stomach clenching as Joe smiled at her. Oh what that man could to do her with the simplest, sweetest look.

  “And it gets even better.” Joe picked up two pads that covered his own hands. He explained how he wanted her to punch, jab and uppercut against the protective covering.

  Maz found that she enjoyed belting the hell of Joe. Not that she was actually doing any damage to him, nor did she want to. It was just so cathartic letting out the long-held anger she’d had toward him. Even though her thigh was beginning to ache viciously as she pummeled Joe, she didn’t want to stop. “I like this a lot.”

  Joe laughed at her words, delight shining in his eyes as he easily deflected her blows. “I thought you might. So tell me, why there is no man in your life. Maz? Been pining for me?”

  Maz slammed her fist hard against the pad. “No. As if.” Sort of. Anyway, he didn’t need to know that. She hit out hard once more. “You know most women are capable of being without a man.”

  “Ah, got a vibrator then?” Joe ducked as she aimed at his face. “You’re going red in the cheeks. Embarrassed?”

  Like she could get a vibrator in Amberwarra or one sent through the post without everyone wanting to know what it was. “No, I’m just hot from boxing.”

  “Yeah, you are.”

  Maz hit him hard. She knew he was teasing her, making her want to lose control and she knew it was in her power to ignore him. But damn it I can’t.

  In one quick move Joe caught Maz to him and faked a dive, dropping to the ground with her in his arms.

  “We can’t do this here.” Maz could feel his cock already hard and insistent through the fabric of his sweatpants. She had actually been trying to avoid looking at his groin during training as in one quick glance she had seen the noticeable bulge. Or maybe we could. They had before.

  “Good point.” Joe rolled them so she was lying on top of him. “But you do want to do it.”

  “No, I never said that.” Lord, it’s hot in here. How can a woman concentrate?

  “Here’s the thing, Maz. I came back to Amberwarra Falls for you.” Joe’s hands moved down to her butt, making sure she stayed where she was.

  She froze. It was everything Maz wanted to hear but it was not something she could believe in. “No you didn’t, Joseph.” There was no way that could be possible. If Joe had really wanted her he would have come back years ago. Maz didn’t want to be wanted just because she was available.

  —

  Maz always made him smile. He loved the way she called him Joseph. It was normally when she was out of her depth and unsure of herself. “Yeah, I did, Marilyn. “I was an idiot to leave.” The feel of Maz against his body as she squirmed to free herself from his embrace was making his cock jump with excitement. The thing was he had no hold over her. Maz could easily break away but she didn’t. That in itself told Joe that he was not the only one craving this contact. “I have been keeping tabs on you and I know there has never been anyone else for you but me.”

  At first he could not believe someone as sexy as Maz had no lover but then on reflection he knew. She was the only one for him as he was for her. Yes, he had indulged in liaisons with other women but in the back of his mind there was always the girl back home. The one he would go back to because to do anything else would have been crazy.

  “Okay, so there have been no other men.” Maz bit her lower lip and looked at him in defiance. “So the town grapevine knows every damn thing about me. But it doesn’t mean I want you back in my life.” She struggled to free herself.

  She was so beautiful that for a moment Joe almost forgot to breathe. Joe took his hands from her body. “What does it mean to you, Maz?”

  “What about Cheryl?” She pushed up from him and stood.

  Joe knew that question had to come up. He had hurt Maz badly. He had no defense other than youth and stupidity. “I was idiot.”

  “Yeah, you were.”

  Before Joe could respond, Maz’s legs buckled and she started to fall. Joe sat up quickly and made a grab for her, catching her in his arms and cushioning her body with his. “What’s wrong?”

  “Thigh cramp,” Maz gritted out between clenched teeth.

  Joe got up and pulled her with him. “You should have told me you were in pain, you stubborn woman.” He wanted to shake her, instead picked her up in his ar
ms and carried her.

  “I didn’t want to be a wuss.”

  “You are obstinate.” Joe loved that about her. She did things for a reason and once her mind was settled she rarely changed it. However Joe planned on making a lot of changes in this lady’s life. He was going to become so indispensible to Maz that being without him would be impossible.

  “Hey, don’t pick on me, I’m in pain.” She wound her arms around his neck.

  “Let me kiss it better.” Holding Maz at any time was dangerous as he wanted to touch and taste and feel. His cock jerked at any contact with her. The problem was she was injured and sex was not an option—at the moment. Joe carried her over to the massage room and laid her on the table. He turned and kicked the door shut. Relieve the pain first then work on other tensions.

  “Only a kiss on the forehead,” Maz responded as she winced in pain.

  “Yeah, right. I’ll hold out for something better.” He went to the table and looked down at her. Even hot and flushed and sweaty, Maz was the most beautiful woman he had ever held in his arms and he wanted more with her. Joe ran his hands up her legs to her waistband. That she shivered under his touch delighted him. It was a true, real reaction that could not be faked or hidden.

  “Hey!” Maz clutched at the fabric Joe started to pull down.

  “I want to massage your thigh.” Then make love to you until all you can say is, “Yes Joe, anything you want.” He smiled at that thought.

  “So do it.” Her hands covered his.

  “It’s better to massage without your track pants on.” He lifted his hands up and hers followed. “Come on, I’ve seen you naked before. It’s burned on my memory.” It would be damn hard to massage and not want more but Joe was a professional.

  “What are you scared of?”

  —

  Was he kidding? Maz was more in love with this man than she ever planned to be and being naked with him, even for medicinal reasons, was a really bad thing to do.

  “Everything.” Maz blurted the word out without thinking.

  “Really? I would never hurt you.”

  The soft look in his eyes underscored that. The problem was she would hurt herself. Maz winced at the pain in her thigh. It was silly to act so wary over something like this. “Just a massage, okay?” Even as the words tumbled out of her mouth, Maz knew there was never a “just anything” situation with them.

  “Whatever makes you feel better.” Joe’s hands made short worked of stripping off her track pants. “White granny panties.” He smiled and ran a lazy finger over her mound.

  Maz clutched the sides of the table. “I wasn’t expecting you to…well you know.”

  “I do know.” Joe’s fingers trailed to her thigh and began a gentle massage on the sore, stiff flesh.

  Maz felt the muscle loosening up. His hands felt amazing but then there was no surprised in that. Any time Joe touched her she felt good. She jumped as his hands moved to her other thigh. “The other one is fine.”

  “I wouldn’t want it to tense up as well.”

  When he leaned down and kissed the skin of her thigh, Maz choked. “J-Joe?” His lips were so soft yet hungry as they covered her flesh in sucking wet kisses. “O-oh boy,” she stammered, her hands moving down to thread her fingers through his hair. There were so many reasons to stop Joe and yet none of them were valid enough to give the command. When his tongue slid into the crevice where her skin met white cotton, Maz’s legs opened without hesitation.

  Joe’s head lifted and his eyes met hers. “I’m hungry.”

  Maz’s breath came out short and sharp. She knew what Joe wanted. Her need matched his. “So eat.” She lifted her hips and allowed the white cotton to be peeled down her thighs. When his tongue touched her clit, Maz bit her lip to stop herself from crying out loud at the exquisite sensation that gripped her body. She was on fire with need and the tongue that lapped at her pink inner folds was exactly what she needed. Her stomach clenched and her thighs widened to give Joe more access. If anyone walked in right now, Maz would not have given a damn.

  “Delicious,” he murmured between placing wet open-mouth kisses on the fleshy lips of her vagina.

  When his tongue slid inside, nothing on the planet could have stopped the cry that tore from her mouth. Maz panted weakly and pushed her pussy into his face. “Joe, I need—”

  “What?” He looked up eyes bright with lust, his fingers pushing inside her body.

  While that felt excellent, Maz needed more. “I need cock.”

  Joe smiled. “I don’t have a condom on me.”

  “God damn it.” The words came out hard and loud.

  “Do you really need me?”

  “Fuck, yes I do.” The pressure of his fingers was nice but not enough.

  “How badly?”

  “Real bad.” Maz ground her pussy against his hand.

  “Marry me.”

  “What?” Maz arched up at his words. “Are you kidding me?” Joe leaned down and kissed her clit, his fingers still pumping away inside. “Oh lord, I am going to explode.” As if by magic, both his mouth and his fingers left her body before she did. “What? Why? No!”

  “Marry me, Marilyn, and I’ll be delighted to help you explode.”

  “This is blackmail.”

  “Yep.” Joe made no effort to deny it.

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you and I want you forever and I believe you’re too damn stubborn to accept an on the knee proposal so I thought I’d get you in a weak moment.”

  And he certainly had. Maz was on fire with need. “Bastard.” She was trapped by desire.

  “But you love me, yeah, you do.” Joe trailed his fingers lightly up and down her thigh. “Hot? Needy? ‘Want some relief? Just say yes to my proposal and I’m happy to oblige.”

  Maz sat up and squeezed her legs together. “No. Now leave me alone.” She could use her own fingers almost as well as he could use his.

  “It’s not the same, Maz.”

  He was right. Touching herself after Joe was most definitely second best. “You cannot be serious.”

  “Deadly so.”

  “I would suck at marriage.” It was never an option she had ever seriously contemplated after the Cheryl episode.

  Joe smiled. “Sucking is good in marriage,” he teased her.

  Maz closed her legs a little tighter. “Be rational.”

  “This is the most rational thing I have ever done in my life. Marry me.”

  “For sex?” Was he that desperate? Was she? Maybe.

  “Yes, but also love and companionship.”

  “Oh jeez.” Should she agree to marriage to relieve an ache? In a crazed moment like this it seemed doable. “If I agree, no one can know.” Maz figured by then Joe would have moved on and no longer be in town.

  “It’s a small town. They’ll find out.”

  “Yeah, but let them find out when it suits us.” Or not at all. She was betting on the latter option.

  Joe’s grin widened at her words. “So you’ll marry me?”

  “Well, as it stands I’m not going to get your cock any other way am I?” desperation was a bitch.

  “Nope.”

  “Did I mention you’re a bastard?” Maz looked at the obvious bulge between his legs. Need was a two-way street. She had some leverage.

  “Yep.”

  “Okay fine, yes, whatever.”

  “Excellent decision.” Joe reached into his pocket and pulled out a strip of condoms. “Unzip me.”

  Maz pulled a face of mutiny. She wanted to say no. He’d tricked her. “Manipulation is not attractive.”

  Joe unzipped his own fly. His cock sprang out. “Do you want me?”

  “Do you want me?” Maz returned the question. She watched as the pounds per square inch going into the condom fascinated her.

  “Oh hell, yes.” He snapped the last piece of rubber in place.

  “Damn you.” Maz scooted around so her legs were on either side of his hips.

 
; “Yeah, I’m incorrigible.” His cock slid into her body in one smooth stroke.

  Maz closed her eyes and enjoyed the heady thrill of him filling her up once more. “Joe?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m not marrying you.”

  “Oh yeah, you are.” He started thrusting determinedly inside her.

  “In a pig’s ear I will and there’s nothing you can do about it as you need me just as much as I need you right now.” Her eyes locked with his and they shared a smile.

  “Correct. You’re a smart woman.”

  Maz tightened her legs around his waist and lifted her mouth to his. “Shut up and kiss me.” They remained locked like that and stayed that way long after their mutual release.

  Chapter Six

  “There’s a bet on in town,” Merlene said to Maz as they folded napkins that they kept for the simple bar snacks they served.

  “Oh yeah? What’s Wazza betting on now? The proverbial two flies crawling up the wall?” Maz was amused. William “Wazza” Brown would run a book on anything. “He‘s as dodgy as a two-bob watch.” All his bets were fixed so no one but Wazza really came out ahead. Yet, the locals always took on his odds because betting was an Aussie way of life.

  “The bet is on you and Joe and when you’re getting married.”

  Well, of course it was. There were probably half a dozen women knitting baby clothes as they did when any two single people in Amberwarra Falls even glanced sideways at each other. “I am not marrying Joe.” That silly moment in the gym had been just that.

  “You’re having sex with him,” Merlene pointed out.

  Maz sighed. “Jeez Louise, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to marry him. What is wrong with this town?”

  “Nothing worth watching on television.”

  Maz knew there was no point fighting it. “What are the odds?”

  “Six to one Joe came back to town for you and not the gym, and four to two that you’ll get married.” Merlene rattled the figures off. “And sixty to one you’re not having sex with him. I took those odds.” Merlene tapped her nose in a knowing way. “Insider knowledge and all.”

  “What will Auntie Beryl think?”