by Jo Leigh
She kept saying, “Oh, God.” He wanted to hear his own name, but it would do for now. She’d cry out his name later, when he was driving her wild with more than his mouth. He knew it was narcissistic of him, but he didn’t care. Listening to her gasps and moans made his cock pulse and his heart race.
He indulged himself for a few more minutes, and then he helped her move up the bed. They really should have pushed off the covers before they lay down, but he kicked and pushed at the sheets until he had a clear canvas.
Next to him, looking so sweet and pretty, Natalie giggled. He wasn’t sure what she was laughing at when she looked at him, but he didn’t want her to stop. Evidently, his expression got even funnier, because she laughed harder. So hard, she put her hands up to cover her face, while the rest of her—her breasts, in particular—jiggled along. A blush stained her neck and continued its path almost all the way to her collarbone, and it was impossible not to laugh with her.
He finally managed to say, “What’s so funny?” but the words were garbled and somewhere in the middle of talking and laughing, he snorted. That set her off again, and she turned to her side, her back to him. She’d get it under control, only to burst out laughing a few seconds later.
Finally, the fit came stuttering to an end, with him spooned around her, holding her warm against his chest, listening to her smooth, even breaths in the pool of pale light from her bedside lamp.
“Can you talk yet?”
She inhaled loudly. “I think so.”
“So what was so hilarious?”
Her sigh lasted until she’d turned around to face him. “I’m not even sure. I think it was mostly embarrassment, to be honest.”
“Embarrassment? Why?”
“The covers. I hadn’t realized you were going to kick them off the bed.”
He pushed himself up on his elbow. “I should have asked. I had no idea it would make you uncom—”
“Stop,” she said, holding him back before he could sit all the way up. “It’s fine. I’m not used to it, that’s all. Sometimes I laugh when I’m nervous.”
“Natalie.” He slipped down so they were eye level again and he cupped her cheek. “I can have those covers back up in two seconds.”
“No, it’s fine. Really. You’ve already seen me naked. I want to be comfortable this way. With you.”
“Does it help that I think you look fantastic?” he asked as he sneaked his leg between hers, his arm around her waist. “That I want to touch you everywhere?”
“Yes, it does,” she said, using her free hand to brush his arm from elbow to shoulder. “Looking at you helps a lot, too. Your eyes are mostly blue tonight. I love how they change.”
“I imagine you won’t see much but pupil soon.” He shifted his hips forward, letting her feel how quickly his erection was rallying.
“Oh!” She reached down between them and gripped his cock. “I think I can help with that.”
He moaned at the contact as her small hand slid from the base to crown. The way she touched him was exactly how he liked it. Firm enough to feel, but not without some room to grow. Her hips were moving, too, and he doubted she realized it. Soft pumps forward to match her pace. It was enough to drive a man crazy, and dammit, he didn’t want to pop before she’d come at least once.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he stilled her hand and eased his way clear. She whimpered, and he kissed her. “Don’t worry, we’re just getting started.”
He slipped away from her, off the bed. In two shakes, he had the sheet lifted so that she could grab it whenever she wanted, and tossed his condoms on the bedside table nearest him. Then he was on the bed again, gentling Natalie to her back as he covered her, careful to put his weight on his elbows and knees. “I’ve got too many things I want all at once,” he said. “But the one that won’t let me alone is to give you so much pleasure you can’t remember your name.”
“Wow. That’s a really good goal. How can I help?”
He grinned. “Follow my lead,” he said. “But don’t be afraid to improvise.”
* * *
NATALIE WAS PRETTY sure she wasn’t going to make it through the night. She was trembling on the verge of her second orgasm, and with every thrust of his cock, his fingers found a new way to tease her clit until she was almost, almost there, and then he’d move them away as he pulled out.
His back was against her padded headboard, and she was basically sitting on his lap with her back to his chest. It was a position she’d never dreamed of, and she felt like some kind of exotic instrument that he was playing.
His strength was as much of a turn-on as his hands and his cock. He helped raise her hips up and down, which was a good thing, because on her own she would have been an uncoordinated mess. It was like something from a movie, from her wildest fantasies. He was lavishing her neck with kisses and licks and nibbles as his talented fingers made her gasp and beg. All the while, that big, hot erection was filling her over and over.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered, the heat of his breath tickling her ear. “I could do this all night.”
She reached for him over her shoulder, placing her palm on the back of his moist neck. “Oh, God, Max. Please. Let me.”
“Soon,” he whispered. His teeth scraped the long tendon of her neck, making her shiver and whine. “Come on. You can do this. One more time. Up now, up.”
She squeezed her inner muscles tightly around his crown, holding her breath, certain she couldn’t make it last.
“That’s it. Right there.” He lowered her slowly as his index finger found the spot, the pressure, the perfect speed.
“Oh, God,” she said, her head lolling back as the rest of her muscles tightened. One more second and she’d be there...
He filled her completely as she came, and it was as if her whole body was coming, from her toes to her eyebrows. She cried out and spasmed so hard she thought she might shatter into a million pieces. Nothing like this had ever happened to her and all she could think of was how was she going to give him up?
* * *
UNDERNEATH THE SHEET, Max had folded Natalie in his arms, their deep breaths almost synchronized. Part of him was still reeling after that last go-round. He’d always considered himself an adventurous lover, but she’d brought him to new heights.
Damn, just thinking about how he’d felt so much of her made his exhausted cock twitch. With her in his lap, molded against him, every moan had echoed in his own chest, every quiver and shift. He’d never realized how tight a woman could become in the moments before orgasm.
Hell, he’d come so hard he thought his head might explode.
There was no denying their chemistry together. No wonder he hadn’t been able to let her go. It was different with Natalie. None of his ex-girlfriends had fit so well. Some had been amazing in bed, and great to talk to. Then there’d been Celia. They’d taken to each other in law school and started hanging out. She’d been so bright and so funny. But they’d never connected sexually.
Natalie hit every note. Almost.
And damned if that almost wasn’t an insurmountable obstacle. No one would want to put up with his schedule once he started working again, not even if love were part of the package.
Boy, his hormones must’ve been doing a real number on him for him to be thinking about that at all. The only thing that counted now was that this arrangement worked for both of them. He’d talk to her in the morning. Ask her straight out if she would consider a friends-with-benefits situation. He’d hate it if she didn’t want to sleep with him again, and he’d be deeply disappointed if she didn’t want to be friends. But he’d deal. After all, his trading card was still out there, and, certainly, one-night stands were less complicated.
“Max?”
He’d thought she was sleeping. “Yeah?”
�
�I have to get up.”
“Oh, no. That would be a real shame.”
“I know. But I do.”
“Anything I can help you with?”
“Don’t think that’s possible,” she said, her voice husky with sleep.
“Oh. That kind of getting up.”
She kissed his chest. Just a brush of her lips where he’d only felt her breath. It made him want to lock his arms around her and keep her there, close and safe. Instead, he rolled onto his back, freeing her, and brought up the covers to ward off the sudden chill.
He followed her progression from the bed as she made her way down the hall. Then he forced himself up, several of his muscles reminding him that he wasn’t seventeen anymore. Or even twenty-five. The sex had been worth it, though.
He replaced the covers and set her robe back on top of the bed. Then he carried both trays and all the takeout containers to the kitchen, and put the ones that weren’t empty in her fridge.
“Max?”
She must have returned to the bedroom. “I’ll be right there.” Before he left, he poured them each a glass of water.
“You prince,” she said as he put one glass on her side of the bed. “You even took away the food.”
“You sound shocked.”
She had the covers up to her chest. Her bed head had been somewhat tamed, and he wished like hell his refractory period wasn’t an issue, because he wanted her again. Now.
“I am,” she said. “Although I shouldn’t be. See what happens when you use the past to predict the future?”
He climbed under the covers and moved over until they were pressed together, his front to her side. “So what you’re saying is, you thought I’d be like all the other guys you’ve been out with?”
“Precisely.”
“Well, don’t give me a pass yet. I’m still trying to impress you.”
“You mean, at some point you’ll stop?”
He looked at her, at her clever smile and her bedroom eyes. “I’d like to say no. But I confess, I probably will.”
She turned until they were eye to eye. Close. “That’s okay. It was very nice of you. Thoughtful.”
He smiled and couldn’t resist touching her face, the skin so soft and smooth. “I’m really glad I came over today.”
“Me, too. It’s been a great day.”
His hand stilled and he moved back, taking a hold of the edge of the covers. “I should...go. I’m assuming that’s what you’d prefer—”
“No, it’s fine.”
He threw the blankets back. “I don’t want to put you in that position.”
She leaned over and held on to his arm. “You can stay if you want to. I’d like it. But only if you want to.”
The look she gave him seemed completely sincere. He was good at reading people, Natalie more than most. “I want to.”
Her smile did more to convince him than anything she could have said. He did need to talk with her, ask her the hard questions, but not tonight.
12
NATALIE WOKE TO the sound of Max snoring. It was a snuffle more than a freight train. That she found it endearing was worrisome. But then, everything about waking up to Max was worrisome.
Especially the fact that he made her so very happy.
He was strikingly handsome in repose. She’d thought it was his eyes that made his face, but she’d been wrong. They were gorgeous and unique, but his beauty came from his elegant bone structure. She’d toyed with the idea that this infatuation of hers was because of his looks, but rejected the notion quickly. The first thing that came to mind when she thought of Max was his smile, not because it was arresting but because it was so genuine. Because it made her joyful.
The last thing she remembered was snuggling against him, cradled in his arms. Sometime during the night they’d drifted apart, but not far. Her hand was on his arm. His knee pressed against her thigh. If she hadn’t been afraid of waking him, she’d have stroked him, the dark hair soft on his muscled skin. He wasn’t overly hairy. She’d rate him a five out of ten on a scale of hairiness. His hair was dark and it led to a defined treasure trail, which was a weird appellation, she thought, probably coined by a man.
Oliver hadn’t been body conscious. Maybe because of the apron he wore every day at work. Maybe because he was too caught up in his fantasy sports teams to spend any time on his grooming. He didn’t cut his hair until it got in his eyes, and then he went to the cheapest place he could find. His clothes were haphazard at best, and as for manscaping? That’d be the day.
Personal care said so much about the man. It made her think about what kind of a man she wanted to end up with. Max surprised her with his overt lack of vanity. Oliver had been far too content smelling of kosher dills. Reflections like this about real men, not movie stars, were as foreign to her as multiple orgasms had been before Max. But it was all good information. Information she filed under the heading Things for Which I Will No Longer Settle.
As much as she’d loved school, from kindergarten through graduating with her master’s degree, this was by far the most exhilarating course she’d ever undertaken. The final would be brutal, though. Finding the man who would follow Max would be difficult.
Max snuffled, and his snuffle turned into a snort, followed quickly by a stretch. It dislodged her hand and his knee, but watching him squirm and wriggle was a treat. When he saw her, he smiled, then yawned, then smiled again. “How long have you been up?”
His scratchy voice would go into the archives to be replayed in the future when she was feeling stressed-out. “Not long. Haven’t even brushed my teeth.”
He didn’t move in for a kiss, which was polite, although she wouldn’t have minded. “You can go ahead and do that,” he said. “I’ll—”
“I have an unopened spare toothbrush. Minty-fresh breath for all. That’s my motto.”
He ran his hand down her back all the way to the edge of her butt, where he grabbed a handful. “I don’t have to be anywhere at all today. No one’s going to call. No one wants a meeting. And I’m in the mood for sex and deli.”
“In that order?”
“Preferably.”
She smiled. “You’ll need to unhand me. Then I’ll not only brush my teeth, I’ll make coffee. Really, really good coffee that we can have before or after.”
“How about before and after?”
“Done,” she said, as she slipped out of bed and into her kimono. Much as she didn’t want to rain on their parade, she had to go to work later. He’d obviously forgotten and she didn’t have the heart to bring it up. She hated the thought herself.
After brushing her teeth, she grabbed a quick shower. She set out fresh towels for Max and called out, “Your turn,” from the hallway, then went to the kitchen.
It was hard to believe how much she was looking forward to having more sex. This was unprecedented in her life. Sex before was like a corner-market cup of coffee in a disposable cup. Max was Kenya Kirinyaga Karimikui Peaberry, made in a French press and served at the perfect temperature.
She didn’t have that particular blend on hand, but what she had was made to order by a local roaster, ideal for her equipment.
The pipes told her that he’d decided to shower, and she got out her glass canister of whole beans and measured out enough for two big mugs. The mugs were favorites of hers, from a local art fair. She even had fresh cream and natural sugar, which she put out in their own special ceramic set. It wasn’t quite serving tea to the queen, but it made her feel good, and her coffee was a personal indulgence that made her days better. Very much like Max himself.
He walked into the kitchen without a stitch on. She grinned at his hair, which was damp and sticking out all over the place. “This isn’t the first time you’ve talked about how good your coffee is,” he said, walking up beh
ind her and slipping his arms around her waist. “You’ve set the bar awfully high.”
“I know it’s indulgent. I pay a premium for the beans, but a great cup o’ joe can make or break my morning.”
“I can’t wait,” he said, bumping her butt with his burgeoning erection. “And I’m also looking forward to the coffee.”
She turned in his arms and kissed him deeply as he groped her underneath her kimono. She considered skipping coffee for the bedroom, but no. She wanted this, not just to show off her amazing barista skills but because they hadn’t slept all that long and she needed the caffeine. “I’ve got a terry-cloth robe, if you’d be more comfortable,” she said.
“It’s a little chilly, but I’m fine as long as I’m sharing your body heat.”
Having no problem with that scenario, she got on with it. Boiling the exceptionally fine water, grinding, measuring and then pouring. A quick stir, and then kissing for three whole minutes.
Having him standing there buck naked was like getting a free pass to the best ride at Disneyland. Her hands traveled up and down and around and under him. What she liked best was the near squeak he made when she cupped his balls. Also, the fact that as it got harder, his penis sneaked between the flaps of her kimono all on its own.
The ding of the timer came too soon, but she didn’t mind leaving him gasping behind her. Soon enough, they’d be alert and ready to do all manner of things.
She poured them each a mugful and he put a spoon of sugar in his. Then she waited, as if he were opening a birthday present. Of course he was going to say it was delicious anyway, but she knew his expression would tell the truth.
His eyebrows rose and his eyes filled with delight at the first sip. Ridiculously, she felt a huge rush of pride. It certainly didn’t take much to make her day. A shared interest in films, especially old ones. Expertise in the sexual arts. An appreciation of good coffee...but mostly, she loved that he was honest at his core.