The Engagement Game

by Talia Hunter

  When she looked into Jake’s eyes, Carin’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break through her chest. She lifted one hand to run it down the highlighted line of his cheekbone, then caressed the hard angle of his chin, his stubble rough against her tender hands.

  How many women had fallen in love with his gorgeous face? Hundreds? But Jake had never been in love, had he? Jake had never let anyone really touch him.

  She swallowed. They were on the edge of dangerous territory. One false step and everything could go horribly wrong.

  “Carin,” he said softly. But it wasn’t the start of a question, or a statement. It was just her name on his lips, as though he wanted to hear himself say it. Maybe he wasn’t sure how it would sound now, or how the word might taste. She totally got that, because she felt like everything she thought she knew had changed. The world had shifted, and Jake, her best friend, wasn’t who he’d been just a couple of days ago.

  “Jake,” she said, exploring the word. Feeling how it had changed for her. The sound was new and different. Both exciting and familiar. Arousing. And sort of terrifying.

  He bent his mouth to hers and kissed the name from her lips. She put her hands on the back of his neck and felt his hands on the small of her back, moving under her T-shirt to stroke her bare skin. His lips moved to her throat, kissing down to the neckline of her shirt. His mouth lit fires under her skin, making her tremble with the force of her need. Then he moved back to pull her T-shirt up over her head.

  “You too,” she said, wanting to see his stomach and chest and run his hands over his muscles. She tugged his T-shirt up impatiently, feeling so greedy to touch him she could hardly stand it.

  Jake tugged off his shirt, then they eased down together into the lean-to part of their shelter. Their bed of leaves rustled with every movement. She could smell its fresh forest scent mixed with faint wafts of smoke from their campfire.

  He moved so he was over her, pushing her into their bed while he kissed her. She put her legs around his hips, angling herself so she could feel his length on her. So she could rub herself against him. As she pushed her sex along his length, he stilled. His mouth was against hers, open, but unmoving. He gave a little groan, his breath catching.

  The sound told her how turned on he was, how much he wanted her. It made the ache of her own need so strong it was unbearable. She reached for the catch on his shorts, wanting to tear them off. To take him in her hand and guide him inside her.

  “Wait,” he said, catching her hand. He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

  She craned her neck to look, then smiled. “Condoms. Good thinking. You bought the whole box with you?”

  “I was a boy scout, remember?” He nuzzled her ear and his warm breath sent a million exquisite shivers skittering over her skin.

  She snorted softly. “You were a boy scout for a week and never went back.”

  “You can learn a lot in a week. Day one, condom carrying. Day two, bra deconstruction theory.” He pushed one hand underneath her and snapped her bra undone. As he drew it off, he nuzzled her neck. Then his mouth went to her nipple and his tongue danced over it.

  She arched into his mouth, loving the way he made her feel. “And day three?” she managed.

  “Mmm. Day three.” He kissed down her belly. “That was a very good day. Let me show you what I learned on day three.” He unsnapped the button on her shorts and pushed them down her hips, then kissed the hollow of her belly before his mouth moved down.

  He parted her with his fingers, then his tongue stroked over her. She gasped, threading her fingers into his hair while he tasted her.

  God, that tongue of his had serious skills. She moaned and arched her back, spreading her legs wider for him. But she was too turned on. Too hungry for him. If he kept licking her like that… oh yes, like that… she was going to explode. They had all night, so why rush it?

  “Wait,” she gasped. When he lifted his head, she squirmed down so she could kiss his hard stomach while she got rid of his shorts. “I haven’t showed you what I learned in the…” She was about to say Girl Guides, but changed her mind. Her parents had pushed her into a hundred different clubs, wanting her supervised — and out of their hair — every minute of the day. But the Girl Guides hadn’t been one of them. “In the swim team,” she said instead. She’d liked the swim team because she’d ignored the fact she’d been supposed to swim endless, boring lengths, and just enjoyed herself by seeing how long she could stay underwater. All that practice at holding her breath must have done some good, surely?

  “The swim team?” he repeated. “What could you learn in the—?”

  She took him into her mouth, and the rest of whatever he’d been going to say was cut off by a very satisfying groan. His balls were rock hard, and his length jerked as she sucked him down as far as she could. Leaves crunched in his fists as he fought against the pleasure and his breathing grew quick.

  She licked and sucked him until he curled his fingers in her hair. “That’s too… Oh, shit. Skeeter, don’t—”

  She stopped then, not wanting him to come too soon, and wriggled back up to kiss him. His mouth was eager for her, his hands roaming over her breasts and waist. He rolled away from her for a moment, and she was about to protest until she realized he was putting the condom on. Then he rolled back and pulled her on top of him, so she was straddling his hips.

  “I want to watch you.” His voice was husky. “You have no idea how lovely you are in the firelight.”

  “You too,” she said, running her hand down the hard, muscled ridges of his stomach. And it was true. The firelight picked out the bones in his cheeks and made his skin glow. He was always gorgeous, but in the dancing light he looked like an Adonis. And the best part was the way he was gazing at her, admiration in his eyes. More than admiration. Devotion. Passion. Longing. His mask was gone and the naked emotions she could see in his face made her heart expand. And the way his hands caressed her breasts and ran down her belly told her how much she was turning him on. His touch made her feel flawless.

  She reached for his hard length and positioned it so she could push slowly down onto him. But before she sunk down, she hesitated, staring into his eyes.

  This was it. She wanted this badly. Wanted him. But once she did this, there’d be no taking it back. The friendship that had meant everything to her for twenty-odd years would become something else.

  Carin kept her gaze locked with his as she dropped her hips, feeling him push into her. His hands ran from her thighs to her waist, gripping tight. She sank down forever, not sure if she could take him all, and gasping when he filled her. He was so deep inside her it was almost too much. Almost. Until the pleasure of it coursed through her, and she had to drop her head back and close her eyes to stop herself crying out.

  When she opened them again, he’d tilted up so he could watch her rise up and slide back down. His half-lidded gaze was hungry as he watched his hard length going in and out of her. She dropped her hands behind her, to his thighs, and leaned back on them so she could watch too. And so he could see her better. Under his gaze she felt beautiful. Perfect. He made her feel like she did when she was telling a story, in the rapt moments when her audience’s eyes were wide and they were too entranced even to breathe. His expression gave her everything she craved, and if she could freeze time and stay right here, with him looking at her like that forever, she’d never need anything else.

  He put his hands around her hips, lifting her higher so he slid almost all the way out, then pushing her down so he plunged all the way in. Oh God. That didn’t just look incredibly hot, it felt amazing. When he let go of her hips to stroke her belly, she continued with the long, hard strokes. Her pleasure was building with every lift and drop. And when his fingers moved down to caress between her legs, she couldn’t hold back. Her muscles clenched as an orgasm shuddered through her.

  She gripped his chest, sinking her fingers into his muscles. He arched into her as he came to, his
hands tight around her hips again, holding her onto him.

  They rode out the sensations together, staring into each other’s eyes. The blood pounded through her body, a relentless rhythm. She heard it in her ears, his name over and over.

  It was Jake making her feel this way. Jake’s eyes on her. His hands stroking her. His expression was raw. Finally exposed. And the tenderness she found there filled her up as much as his body had.

  When the pleasure ebbed enough that she eased down onto the leaves beside him, his heartbeat sounded so loud, it was as though it beat for both of them. His arms circled her, holding her tight. She was safe. Warm. Loved.

  22

  In the darkness of the night, with the fire all but out, Jake felt Carin shiver under his touch. He’d waited too many long years to possess her. Once hadn’t been enough. Twice had barely taken the edge off his desire. Now he needed her again.

  And she was ready. More than ready. She wriggled under him, wrapping her legs around him as though to pull him into her again. He stilled her with a kiss.

  “Slowly,” he murmured, stroking her cheek. Her skin was incredibly soft. It was so dark he couldn’t see her, but touching her was enough to drive him crazy.

  She ran her fingernails down his back. “What if I don’t want to go slowly?”

  “Then I’ll have to make you.” He kissed her neck, cupping her breast with one hand and inching his tongue back down toward it.

  “But, I—” She broke off when he flicked her nipple with his tongue.

  He loved how responsive she was, every part of her body reacting to his touch. And he especially loved how wet she was. How her body moved into his hand when he stroked between her legs. When she spread her thighs wider, he couldn’t help but move between them.

  So, he wasn’t being as slow as he’d intended. Who could blame him when she was so eager for him? She lifted her legs to enclose his hips, to tug him closer to where she wanted him. And with her movement, he couldn’t hold himself back. On his elbows over her, with her long hair fisted in both hands, he pushed all the way into her.

  She rose her hips to meet him, to help him drive into her. They’d already made love enough times that his thrusts shouldn’t be this urgent. But he wasn’t just making love to her, he was claiming her.

  She was his.

  He was as deep inside her as he could go and still he wanted more. He needed to be this close to her as she climaxed again. To hear her pant his name as she came.

  With their mouths so close their lips grazed, he drove her over the edge as though he was riding a runaway horse over a cliff. She breathed his name, just as he’d longed for her to do. And when she fell, he went with her. They plunged together into an ecstasy of sensation, and after all those years of wanting her, it was a long, long way down.

  Afterward, they slept.

  Jake didn’t wake again until the fresh light of dawn was peeking in. Carin’s head was in the crook of his arm and her warm body was molded to his.

  He couldn’t count the number of mornings he’d imagined waking up with her. Whenever he’d opened his eyes to see another woman’s face, it had always been with a sense of disappointment. He’d spent years trying to get over Carin and when that didn’t happen, he’d set out on a mission to replace her. To find someone who could make him forget her. But no matter how hard he’d tried to capture that spark with someone else, he’d never been able to.

  And now she was here, next to him. Her breathing deep, her hair messy, falling over her face so only a few freckles peeked through. Beautiful. Unbelievably sexy. And too peaceful to wake, even though parts of his body urged him to do just that.

  Anyway, watching her sleep gave him a chance to catch his breath. To think things through and figure out if there was any way they could make this craziness work. Last night when she’d talked about being anxious, his gut had clenched with the sudden surety that he would hurt her. It was inevitable. He hadn’t even told her he was moving to the Northern Territory, for fuck’s sake.

  In that moment, he was so disgusted with himself he could hardly stand it. Because even knowing he’d end up hurting her, he was still going to claim her. He wasn’t strong enough to deny himself, even to keep her safe.

  Carin’s eyelids fluttered open. She blinked at him, rolling over a little to brush her fringe back from her eyes. The movement brushed her hip against his erection, making it even more insistent. “Good morning,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?”

  “Early.”

  “Mmm.” She nuzzled into his shoulder, her body warm and enticing. “So we have plenty of time?”

  He ran his hands over her curves, his desire for her too strong not to give in to. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

  “Well, let me see.” She pretended to ponder it, while her hip pressed harder against his length. “Yes, I think I can feel something. Perhaps I’d better check it more closely, just to be sure.”

  He eased his hand between her legs where she was already wet, and stroked her until she moaned. He loved the way she responded to him. Everything about her turned him on.

  He reached for the pack of condoms and grimaced. “The rate we’re using them, we’ll run out soon.”

  “Then let’s make the most of what we have.”

  This time they made love slowly enough that he could convince himself they could make it last forever. Every caress lingered. Every kiss was long and achingly deep. But as badly as Jake never wanted it to end, their pleasure grew too intense to hold back.

  When she finally came, Carin’s cries were so loud, he thought everyone on the beach would be able to hear them. But who cared? They were supposed to be engaged, so loud sex would only make their act more believable.

  Afterward, it took a long time for the glow to fade. She lay in his arms, breathing so deeply he thought she must have gone back to sleep. But soon another busy day would start and once they had mics on, they wouldn’t be able to talk.

  “There’s something I have to tell you,” he murmured softly, brushing the hair away from her face.

  “Hmm?” She sounded sleepily content. Dammit, this wasn’t the best time to talk. But if not now, then when?

  “You saw the plans for the big development I’m planning in the Northern Territory. But I don’t think you know that I need to move there to be onsite for the build.”

  Her body stiffened and she lifted her head to stare at him. “When?”

  “As soon as the consents come through. Probably only a week or two after we get back.”

  “How long will you be gone?”

  “Two years.”

  Her eyes widened and she lifted herself up further, propping herself up on one elbow. “Two years? Seriously? And you’re definitely going?”

  “It’s that, or start laying off staff.”

  “But what if…” She swallowed. “What if this is really something? Between us, I mean. And then you leave for two years?”

  “I know.” He let out his breath. “But I have to go. With the market dropping, business will only get tougher. It’ll pick up again eventually and we’ll be busy again, but it’s not going to happen soon enough.” He ran his hand down her bare back, trying to soothe her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. But it’s better if you and I take things slowly.”

  “Two years? That’s not slow, it’s stopped.” She pushed away from him, sitting up on their mattress of leaves. “Was that always the plan, to go away for that long? Or are you running because of this.” She indicated them both with one hand, motioning between their naked bodies. “Are you taking off because that’s what you do? Shut yourself off when anyone gets too close?”

  The shaky edge to her tone made him sit up too. “Don’t get upset, Skeeter.”

  “Oh God.” She scrambled out of their lean-to and pulled her T-shirt on. Her voice was rising. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re pulling away. Whatever this was, it’s over, right? And I only managed to last as long as any of the hundreds
of other women you’ve dated. Or is ‘dated’ too kind a word? Should I say all the women you’ve fucked.”

  She spat the curse word at him, even as he rose, stark naked, and grabbed her. Stiffening, she tried to jerk away, but he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her into his chest. The early-morning sun was shining into their enclosed courtyard, and he was acutely aware that they were only hidden by a few clothes hung messily over a wooden frame. The film crew could be right outside.

  He made his tone calm, and spoke quietly. “Let’s keep our voices down.”

  “Stop it.” She pushed him away, red spots appearing on her cheeks. “Don’t you shut down and turn off. I hate the way you do that. Can’t you see it only makes things worse?”

  “I’m not…” He stopped. She was right. He was so used to hiding his feelings from her that he didn’t know another way to be with her. “Okay. I won’t shut myself off. We’ll figure this out.”

  “Will we? Or are you already looking for a way out of this?”

  He hesitated, measuring the right way to reassure her. To buy some time, he tugged his T-shirt and shorts off the wall and pulled them on. They smelled of smoke from the fire, but at least he couldn’t see anyone through the hole their absence left in their privacy screen. Hopefully the camera crew weren’t out there yet.

  “Truth is, I’ve been planning this building project for months.” He put both hands on her upper arms, making her look into his eyes. “I should have told you what it would mean earlier, but I’m not running from us, or from whatever our relationship turns out to be. It’s just bad timing, that’s all. Nothing more than that.”

  “But two years?” She gave a bitter laugh. “I’ve been hoping this might work out, but it’s not going to get a chance to, is it?”

  “How many years have we been friends?” He ran his hands down her bare arms. “Two years isn’t long. And on the positive side, it gives us some breathing space to figure out what happens next.”

  She fixed him with a glare. “Is there a ‘next’? It’s about now that you’d usually shut the door in a woman’s face, isn’t it? Even better if they try a cute trick like programming a ringtone into your phone, so you know which calls to ignore?”