“I’m glad you did. We need to move on this. Otherwise we might lose the house to other buyers.” He laughed. “Do you think we’re crazy?”
“No, I think we’re making a wise decision. We both are getting what we want in a house plus saving a bundle of money.” She heard kids in the background and wondered if her nephew was there. Zach mentioned that Aaron might go to Blake’s townhouse sometime. “It sounds noisy at your place. Is Aaron there?”
“We’re at McDonald’s. We go sometimes on Friday evening. Carter loves their play area. Why don’t you join us?”
“If I do, will you buy me a burger?”
“Sure. I’ll even throw in French fries with your order.”
“I’m grabbing my keys right now.”
* * *
Blake watched Sydney talk to Carter. He noticed his son laughing at something she said. What a relief that Sydney liked kids. Carter had definitely bonded with her fast. His own feelings had escalated for Sydney. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Oh, man, did she have to lean closer to Carter. The movement tightened her top across those lovely breasts. His body heated up just looking at her chest. Well, he assumed they were lovely. He hadn’t seen her naked but had hot dreams of her in his arms in bed.
Standing next to him, Sydney placed her hands on her hips. “Okay, did you eat some of my fries? You have a guilty look on your face.”
He shook his head. “I think maybe we should add something to our list of rules.”
She smiled before picking up a fry. “Hey, I was kidding. What’s mine is yours.”
“It’s not about food. I think we need a rule that you shouldn’t wear tight tops. I’m human after all, and I want to jump your bones.”
“Right here…in the McDonald’s play area.” She giggled. “I guess I could start wearing jackets and keep them buttoned over my tops which, by the way, are not too tight. Maybe you should have an eye examination. If I go with the jacket idea, though, we’ll have to keep the air-conditioning on if I get hot.”
He mumbled, “I have a feeling we’ll be running the air a lot.”
“I’m going to practice with Carter tomorrow after we meet with Karen. He wants me to help him with his swing. Is that okay with you?”
What was his son up to? They’d been working on his ball skills. “Sure, that’s fine. I’m surprised he wants to since I’ve been helping him all week.”
She shrugged. “I guess he wants personal attention from the coach.”
“I’d like special attention from such a pretty coach too.”
“I called my parents tonight and told them about us making an offer tomorrow.” She took a bite of her sandwich.
She didn’t seem upset so it must have gone well. He tried to make a good impression on Mr. and Mrs. Smith when he’d met them at the game. He was sure they’d rather Sydney bought the house herself. “What did they say?”
“They thought of a good reason for me to live with such a strong man.”
“What’s the reason?”
“Remember how I told you that I don’t have my last name above my column and I don’t give my address and phone number to people unless they are close friends. And I never mention where I live or anything personal in my column. I’m sure if someone really wants to learn more about me that they can, but I try to stay as private as possible.”
He nodded. “And your photo doesn’t look like you with the glasses.”
“I thought my fake glasses were a nice touch. My parents and Zach worry about me living alone in case my advice might cause a boyfriend or someone to get angry enough to come looking for me. Or some weirdo decides to stalk me. They think it’ll be safer with you and Carter next door.”
Well, that was interesting what her parents said. By living with him, Sydney might be safer from strange, angry men. A good thing they didn’t realize she might not be safe from him. He wanted her in the worst way, but knew promising a platonic living arrangement meant he couldn’t act on his horny thoughts. Even if he was falling in love with Sydney.
Falling in love…where did that thought come from?
She frowned. “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself. I’ve taken self-defense classes, but they still think I'm vulnerable.”
“Sorry. I’m not worried about that. I’m happy to protect you if necessary. I’m just surprised about your parents.”
“We don’t have the house yet. They might think we won’t get it.”
* * *
During the first week in the new duplex house, Sydney couldn’t get over how fast everything had gone after their initial offer. Taking her morning coffee out to the deck to enjoy the fresh air, she thought how it seemed unreal to actually be in the same house with Blake and Carter. Her life had changed suddenly from being a single woman in a tiny apartment to living now in a spacious place with two wonderful guys close by.
While sitting next to the new patio set she bought with Blake, she remembered how their first offer made was for five thousand less than the asking price. She’d told Blake, “It's too risky. Karen said that another couple plan to make an offer.”
She sipped her coffee, thinking how Blake had been right to try to get it for less. Although the owners hadn’t accepted the lower amount, they came back with a counter offer of two thousand off their listed price. They’d signed the contract quickly, giving each other a hug before the signatures were dry.
A whirlwind of activity occurred right after the house inspection went without a hitch. Her face felt hot and it wasn’t because of the steaming coffee. An embarrassing image of furniture shopping with Blake popped into her mind. He’d gone with her while she looked for a bed. With a big master bedroom, she decided to get a king size bed. The salesman had assumed they were married and told them to try out the mattress.
Big mistake. One minute they were behaving on the bed and the next, they were in each other’s arms, kissing passionately. They broke their embrace at the sounds of nearby voices. Her eyes opened wide to see an audience watching them. She couldn’t believe how she acted in a public place. One older man had said to his wife, “I’ll buy this exact mattress if I get that kind of attention from you.”
“I missed you on my run this morning.” Blake wiped his face with a small towel.
She grinned, looking up at Blake. “Sure, you did. You looked pretty happy when I said I’d stay here with Carter so you could run.”
“Okay, I do like getting it done the first thing in the morning. Next Saturday you can go first.” Blake tossed the towel on her table before sitting down. “I’m glad Carter likes the summer program at the Y. We’ll still have our weekdays to run together.”
She nodded. “That’s great we can.” Or was it a good thing for her to see Blake first thing in the morning? Stretching with him before their jog did things to her. He looked so sexy and cute in his shorts and shirt. Yeah, why did he have to wear that stupid muscle T-shirt?
“What time did you say they’re delivering the furniture?”
“Around noon. I can’t wait. We should eat together this evening to celebrate.”
“We should.” He playfully touched her knee. “At least you didn’t have to wait on your bed. How do you like sleeping on it?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Fine.” What a liar, she thought. I’d sleep better if you were with me.
* * *
Maybe eating in the dining room had been a bad idea, Sydney thought, while getting ready for bed. What a celebration. She felt tipsy after drinking lots of wine at dinner. Too bad their festive night had ended already. Hey, she might as well wear something pretty to bed. Opening her lingerie drawer, she pulled out her lace-trimmed satin slip. Very skimpy. She’d throw a robe over it in the morning. Blake would never see it when he came for his morning coffee. He liked her coffee because she had the grind and brew type of coffeepot.
She jumped at the sound of thunder. Glancing outside, she saw continuous lightning flashing in the sky. She took a deep breath. I can handle this. It�
��s just a little thunderstorm. More alcohol was needed to calm her nerves. So what she’d already had enough to drink. It wasn’t like she planned to drive anywhere. The stronger, the better. Whiskey would hit the spot but she knew they didn’t have any in the house. She wasn’t about to venture out to a store during a raging storm to get her favorite bottle of whiskey.
Once in the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and took out the bottle of red wine. After pouring a glass, she started walking toward the window to peek at the formidable sky. Before she got there, a loud clap of thunder startled her. Leaping away from the window, she dropped her glass. She moaned at the sound of glass breaking against the hardwood floor.
A second later, she yelled, “Ouch.” A piece of glass must be in her foot, she thought.
Could she limp to a chair without stepping on more glass? Why hadn’t she turned on more lights when entering the kitchen?
She heard a knock on the adjoining door. “Sydney, what happened? Are you okay,” Blake asked with concern in his voice.
“I dropped my glass when I heard the thunder. Now I have glass in my foot. I better use plastic glasses during thunderstorms.”
He opened the unlocked door and entered the kitchen. While flipping a light switch, he said, “When I played golf with Zach, he mentioned how thunderstorms weren’t your favorite thing.”
“Watch out for the glass on the floor.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be careful.”
She forgot the pain for a moment while noticing Blake only wore boxers. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“You didn’t,” he said, lifting her. “I got up to close a window in the great room and heard your voice.”
With her arms around his neck, he carried her to a chair. After he carefully put her down, she put a hand on his chest. “I guess I’m a bit heavy for you. You’re breathing hard.”
He stared at her slip. “My breathing isn’t the only thing hard. Do you always sleep in that thing?”
“I guess I could take it off.”
“You just had to say that.” He squatted. “I better get the glass out.”
She stared at his muscular legs before his bulge caught her attention. Blake wasn’t kidding. He was hard. She gulped. “I’m sorry I broke your glass.”
With her foot cradled in his hand, he removed the glass and examined it. “Are you drunk? You bought the set of wine glasses.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I did. I could be a bit drunk.”
“I better clean your foot and wrap it. It’s bleeding, but doesn’t look like a deep cut.”
While he worked on her injury, she asked, “Do you think we should check on Carter?”
“I did before I headed to close the window. He was fast asleep. He usually sleeps through storms.”
Ten minutes later, Sydney drank a glass of wine while Blake finished sweeping the glass. After putting the glass in the trash can, he said, “Now, the floor’s clean and I’ll carry you to bed.”
“It’s okay. I can walk. But I’d like a kiss first.” I need Blake to kiss me, she thought. Feeling all this desire for him is hard.
“How about more than a kiss? I think you should join me in my bed. I’ll keep you from thinking about the storm.”
Sydney exhaled a deep breath. “How will you accomplish that?”
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to make an exception to the platonic relationship tonight.”
“Give me a moment here.” Who was she kidding? No way was she going to return to bed alone. “I want to be with you too. Forgetting about our rules tonight works for me.”
“I’ve wanted you from the first. You’re so beautiful.” He scooped her into his arms.
“I’ve wanted you too.” With her arms wrapped around his neck, she gave him a long kiss. Was this really happening to her? After all their discussions about not having a sexual relationship, now they were going to make love.
“If it wasn’t for Carter, I don’t think I’d make it to my bedroom. I’d pull this slip off you in the hallway,” he whispered in a gruff voice.
She giggled. “It’s like we’re in a movie and you’re the strong hero carrying his woman off to bed.”
“Well, this hero is about to explode.” He clutched her tightly. “You can’t imagine what you do to me.”
“Now I know you’re strong enough to carry me over the threshold someday.” Shit, why had she said that? She must be drunk.
“Are you proposing to me?”
“Nope. I don’t propose to guys.”
Chapter Six
“How's Carter,” she asked Blake.
He shut the bedroom door. “He's fast asleep.”
Lightning illuminated him as he pulled off the boxers. Her blood rushed hot while warmth pooled between her legs at the sight of his magnificent naked body. Her gaze followed his broad chest, down his trim waist to the evidence of his arousal. Her mouth grew dry. Her breasts tightened as she longed for his touch.
After Blake climbed into bed, his fingers trailed along her curves. Down her bare arm, over her hip until he reached the hem of her slip. He slowly pulled the tiny piece of satin over her head. His intense gaze fell to her breasts, and her nipples peaked. She brought her lips to his, kissing him with a deep hunger and feeling his body shudder with desire.
Abandoning her mouth, he planted slow, tantalizing kisses down her neck.
Sydney sucked in her breath as he tenderly caressed each breast. Pleasure sliced through her senses as he suckled one pink-tipped breast, stroking the other with one hand, as he explored the valley between her thighs with his other fingers. Her body tingled with yearning, her insides flushing with more heat than the hottest day of summer. Shivers of deep ecstasy drove her crazy.
Her whole world rocked as she murmured, “Oh, Blake.”
Wetness seeped through her panties, but she didn't care. She loved feeling this mind-blowing sexual awareness, but shock flew through her. She'd never gotten aroused this quickly before. Slowly, he slid her panties off and began sensual little kisses all the way to her navel. When his finger slid into her, every nerve in her body quivered with tension. Even though Blake drove her to the edge of insanity, she didn't want him to stop stroking her—ever. Her pulsating center ached for him to an immeasurable high. She groaned with his continued fondling.
Finally, she pushed him back against the pillows and slid her hand over him. Her thumb circled his glistening tip.
He gasped, “Oh, baby.”
She'd go crazy if she had to wait one second longer for him to quench her desire. “I ache so much for you, Blake. I need you,” she cried impatiently.
“I want you too.” He plunged deep inside her in one swift motion.
Sydney trembled as she took him into her. Her desire raged like the storm outside. She wanted all of him, his strength, and his male power. Her whole body tingled with lust and she wanted to scream with joy.
He gave an uninhibited cry of satisfaction as she shuddered in their explosive climax. Sydney gripped his sweaty body so hard she thought her fingers might leave imprints on his hard, smooth flesh. Still high from their extraordinary sex, every inch of her throbbed against his muscular body. To be fulfilled, she ached for Blake to satisfy her needs again. She squirmed, wanting to be rid of the empty feeling already taking over her soul.
Sydney said, “I hope you don't mind, but I can't leave your bed right now.”
“And here I was planning on kicking you out.”
She sat up and stuck her tongue out at him. He gave her a devilish grin.
“You're such a lousy liar,” she said.
“I want you to stay. We just need to make sure you aren't here when Carter wakes up.” He grinned. “I have to warn you, though; you might not get much sleep. I want to give you pleasure all night.”
She was amazed at the ecstasy she felt. The enjoyment he'd given her was pure and explosive. She never wanted it to stop. She smothered his lips with a demanding mastery. “Oh Blake, I want you inside me again
.”
He touched her hair, her face, and her breasts.
She laughed a little. “Is there any other place you'd like to touch? Like a bit lower.”
“Hey, woman, I was going there next.” After he gave her a deep kiss, his voice turned husky. “I've imagined you naked so many times. I've been going through hell each night. It's been difficult to sleep with knowing you were just on the other side of the house in your bed.”
“I have you beat. I pictured you naked in bed when Karen showed us the master bedroom.”
She quivered when he traced his index finger from her navel to the dark hair between her thighs. His finger lingered there, playing with the strands before slipping into her swollen opening. She gasped and gripped his shoulder hard while he stroked her inside, his fingers plunging deeper and deeper with each thrust. A wave of passion flooded her and spasms shook her body. The force of her feelings gave her the high she wanted. This time her swift climax didn't surprise her.
“I can't wait. Now, Blake.”
He withdrew his fingers and covered her body with his. After he entered her quickly, her body tightened around his shaft. A soft gasp escaped her as waves of ecstasy throbbed through her. Another sweet, intense orgasm completed her as Blake released himself inside her.
* * *
“Daddy, why is Sydney in bed with you? Is she going to live on our side now?”
She opened her eyes and saw Carter, wearing his Ironman pajamas, next to Blake. Oh no! She meant to leave Blake’s bed before Carter woke.
Blake pushed himself to a sitting position. “Sydney’s not brave like you. She’s afraid of storms. Isn’t that silly?” Blake said.
Carter looked unsure about the reason she was in bed with his parent. “Did she get hot? She looks naked.”
“I’m not naked. But I did get hot.” Just not the kind of hot Carter meant, she thought, pulling the sheet up higher against her body. Okay, she was completely nude but he didn’t need to know that. “I’m wearing bottoms and a strapless camisole. I cut my foot and your dad took care of it. I guess I fell asleep in here.”
“How did you cut it?” Carter asked.
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