by Annie Dean
"Sean. Yes...” But it wasn't an answer so much as an acclamation. “Yes, there. Right there."
The wild response of her mouth, roving his chest and shoulders, shook whatever he was going to say right out of his head. Her teeth grazed his nipple and he cried out, shocked by the liquid heat sizzling through him. Sean couldn't think anymore, not even about pleasing her. Her pussy felt so hot and tight on his finger, and it had been so long—he couldn't imagine how it would feel around his cock, but he knew he didn't have the self-control to make it good for her, not this time.
"Harder. Pull harder."
And she did, squeezing as she fastened her lips on his nipple. Kaleidoscopic sensation cascaded through him, broken impressions of heat and urgency, but it was her pussy squirming on his thigh that drove him over. He arched and groaned, the hard pulse of his orgasm making him jerk beneath her, and her name sounded over and over in his mind, although he had no idea whether he spoke it.
Breathing loud and rough, Sean lay still, aware that he'd spattered her body and come too soon. His heartbeat felt too loud and he wanted to savor the feeling but he was afraid she was going to be disappointed, and so he didn't dare move, didn't dare speak. His finger still worked inside her of its own accord, and he could feel that she wasn't satisfied, discern it in her little convulsive movements against him.
But then she pushed up on his chest and slid a fingertip through the pearly fluid glistening on her hip. Brought to her lips, licked, and then leaned down to kiss him. He shouldn't have wanted that kiss, but he did, desperately, more than any he'd ever been given. Ravenous, he devoured her mouth, sucking at her lower lip and tasting echoes of himself on her tongue.
It was all right; she didn't mind. Relief sang in his veins, more powerful than any designer drug. She felt like freedom and necessity, wrapped up in one gorgeous package.
"My turn?” she asked with a husky little laugh, as he flipped her.
"All night.” Sean repeated his earlier words, as he palmed her legs wide.
In the moonlight, her pussy looked impossibly delicious. Full lips hid her inner folds, and when he parted them, they glistened with her juices. Before he tasted, Sean watched her face as he worked his thumbs back and forth in a delicate massage. Addie's head fell back and she clutched at the covers as her ass came up.
"That's ... oh, that's ... please, lick me."
Teasing her a little, he lowered his head, just a whisper away so that she could feel the heat of his breath as he spoke. “Lick what?
"My pussy. Suck me. I need it.” Her words came soft and broken, but she didn't need to beg.
God, she tasted fantastic, soft like two halves of a peach. He couldn't have quantified the flavor better than tangy-sweet, underscored with musk, but he had to have more, pressing his face into her flesh. His tongue worked up and down, exploring every crevice as she squirmed and moaned above him. He realized she wanted him on her clit, so he nuzzled upward, and he knew he'd found it with the tip of his tongue when she lurched up, both hands clutching at his head.
Her fingers knotted in his hair, almost as if she were trying to push him away, but the way she clamped her thighs against his skull made a lie of it. In truth, it was more of a push-pull friction as she rubbed her pussy against his open mouth. He responded with lips and tongue, just a hint of teeth scraping over her clit. Addie moaned, lifting all the way off the bed, and he felt some amazement at the way her body arched and locked. Her legs almost hurt him as she came, panting out his name in a tone that stirred his cock.
Though it had been a while, he remembered the finer points and pulled his head back. She would be sensitive now, and even though he wanted to keep licking her, he probably should let her rest. So he slid up and pulled her sweaty, shivering body into his arms. The night air felt cool against his skin, but he didn't want covers. He pressed a kiss into the damp hair at her temple.
"Christ,” she said and turned toward him, kissing blindly at his throat.
He grinned a little. God, she made him feel amazing. “Yeah. For my next trick, I turn water into wine."
"I hope not. I'm going to want a shower in a while, and you're invited.
She stirred enough to smile back, chin tilted so that he couldn't resist snatching a kiss, and she didn't recoil from her own taste. This woman is so fucking sexy. It didn't seem to matter to her that they were both sticky and smelled of sex. His arms tightened around her, and she snuggled, soft and yielding.
"Mmm,” Sean said and closed his eyes.
He'd never known perfect was a feeling until this moment.
Chapter Fourteen
"How do you feel about Ding-Dongs?” Addie levered up on an elbow and peered down into his face.
Sean cracked one eye open and stared like he thought she was crazy. “Huh?"
They'd been asleep up until maybe five minutes ago when she tried to roll over and found their skin practically glued together. Her stomach sealed the deal by growling. She wanted a shower and something chocolate, in that order.
God, she felt fantastic. Nothing like a killer orgasm from top-notch oral action, but few men knew what to do with their mouths. He'd been perfect, though. Absolutely delicious—and how long had it been since a man lost control that way because of her? It had been like an echo of seventeen, fooling around sweaty in the backseat of a car, all raw eagerness and spiked hormonal lust.
"Ding-Dongs. Round, chocolate, cream filled."
"Oh.” He blinked as if it were an unaccountably complex question, and she knew purely feminine satisfaction at having left him so dazed.
Baby, I haven't even gotten warmed up yet.
Technically, she didn't need more than this encounter. She could likely shut him up with this indiscretion if and when he found out about her online business venture, but it had become a lot more than that. She didn't know how in the hell she would juggle the two undoubted conflicts of interest, but currently her life contained very little pleasure and she intended to wring this affair for every last drop.
He was still thinking about snack cakes. “I guess they probably wouldn't be on my top ten list of things I want right now."
"But I'm hungry.” Addie reached over and smacked his ass. “Put on your boxers. We're going to take a shower and then we're raiding the kitchen."
"Hey!” But he was already climbing out of bed, reaching for his underwear.
She grinned a little, thinking, yeah, this one's definitely trainable.
Feeling ridiculously energized, she bounced off the mattress and wriggled into his shirt, almost as good as having his hands on her. Her nipples stiffened against the well-worn cotton as she pulled her panties back on. This was just a coffee break, so to speak, and she didn't intend to let him rest until she got his lovely cock inside her.
The house was quiet as they tiptoed along the hallway to the first floor bathroom. Addie could only hope as she started the water that her dad hadn't installed anything in here that would explode at a bad time. Overhead, the soft light highlighted the stubble on Sean's jaw. He looked ruffled, sleepy-eyed and highly edible.
She ran a fingertip down his sternum and tugged gently at the elastic of his boxers. “Let's get wet."
"We already did,” he said. “That's why we need the shower."
"Mmm.” Addie arched and pulled his shirt over her head in one slinky movement. She gauged his approval with a quick, flirty glance over one shoulder as she stepped into the shower and kicked her panties off at the same time.
"You're really good at getting naked.” He followed her into the shower, which wasn't really made for two but with some scrambling and creative use of curtain, they wedged themselves in. “Should that worry me?"
"That depends, are you nervous of naked women?"
She yelped as the water turned too hot, and they both reached for the faucet handle, bumping heads hard enough that she saw stars. The plumbing was temperamental to say the least; she could thank Lem for that. In trying to perfect the Flow-Meister, he'd mad
e so many adjustments that it was wonder the pipes still worked at all.
"I should be,” he muttered, rubbing at his head.
The water felt good, though, warm and comfortable as it steamed up the bathroom. She found a bar of handmade honey oatmeal soap and lathered her palms, washing him with a brisk possessiveness that would've bothered her if she didn't enjoy touching him so much. Sean stopped testing his forehead with his fingertips and sort of melted as she scrubbed his back.
He was strong, solidly made and thick. She could believe he'd done manual labor at some point, although his hands belied his claim that he still did it. His calluses were old, softened with time. Whatever he did now, he used his mind more than his muscles. She worked her palms in circles, surprising a moan out of him.
"You like that?"
He mumbled an assent as she poured some green apple shampoo onto his scalp. “Now I smell like you, though. Just think how confused my cock's going to be."
Addie laughed as she rinsed him. “Like my scent alone makes you hard."
At that he opened his eyes, the water cascading from his dark curls contrasting oddly with his expression. “You think it doesn't?"
It felt about a hundred degrees in here, and she couldn't get her breath. “I..."
"Talk too much,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss her with such thoroughness that she felt a little lightheaded when he pulled back.
She licked her lips, hands coming up automatically to test her nipples. Yep, he puckered them and curled her toes with just that fabulous mouth. Addie whimpered, remembering how good his lips felt on her pussy. She retained just enough presence of mind to know he was enjoying her reaction as he started to wash her, lingering on her breasts and butt. Though she couldn't have said for sure, she thought sure he soaped up her ass like five times. Not that she was complaining.
Her gaze dropped to his cock. “Had enough of a break, huh?"
He smiled, then leaned down to nip her lower lip. “I had enough of a break by the time I got done eating that pretty pussy of yours. But I thought you looked tired."
That surprised an almost-snort of laughter out of her. “That'll be the day."
"Is that a challenge?” His hands skimmed to her hips, and the look in his eyes said he'd like to fuck her against the shower wall between the shampoo caddy and the soap on a rope.
Addie wasn't opposed to the idea, except that the water started turning cold and she was hungry. “Maybe,” she answered, pressing a palm between them. “But right now, I want something to eat.” She grinned. “And if you suggest I start a high protein diet, you can go back to your own bed by yourself."
Wide-eyed, he reached beyond her to shut off the spray, the picture of wounded innocence. “Do I look like I could be so crass?"
She flashed him a sassy smile as she stepped out of the shower onto the fuzzy blue rug. “All men can under the right circumstances. Didn't you know baby boys play with their penises even in the womb?"
Sean laughed as she handed him a towel. “It's boring in there. No cable."
"Is that right?” She made a face at him. “I can imagine the look on your mama's face, if you recommend she have a dish installed."
Drying off, he appeared to consider for a moment and Addie stopped midway through wrapping the towel around her body, just admiring the slow roll of muscles in his shoulders. “My mama would clobber me."
"I bet I'd like her.” The moment the words came out, she wished she hadn't spoken them.
Wishing for more contravened so many rules of the casual fling that she couldn't name them all, but the regret washing over her wasn't because she'd overstepped. No, she just felt sorry for the circumstances. She'd never meet his family, never be more than a stray smile maybe, somewhere down the road. Most likely, she wouldn't even be that when he discovered how she'd played him.
"She'd probably like you too,” he said eventually.
But the mood lay broken all around them, shards of might-have-been that required careful footwork so they didn't leave the bathroom bleeding. Addie tucked her towel around her breasts and stepped into the hallway, shivering at the rush of night air. Suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore.
She turned toward her room instead of the kitchen and found Manu standing with his arms folded over his bare chest. Though it was dark, she could make out the thunderous scowl. Sean followed close behind and bumped her forward a step, naked but for the white terrycloth around his waist.
"Addie, I need to talk to you.” Manu never sounded like that, so coldly furious.
"What's up?” Hard to pretend she didn't feel awkward, but she infused her tone with casual concern somehow.
"I know everything,” her brother in law bit out. “I've been answering the phone for you. I felt bad that you do almost everything around here. Addie, how could you? I know it was bad, but surely there were other options. Don't you care how many people you're hurting?"
Oh Christ. How can I salvage this? She wanted to be mad. Over and over, she'd made it crystal clear that nobody but her should answer the second line. If I'm not home, let it go to voice mail was practically embroidered on wall hangings and throw pillows. And she realized she was angry, not because he'd answered the phone, because he was judging her.
Her voice sounded hard even to her own ears. “You were happy enough to drift, as long as I kept the bills paid. You didn't give a shit, as long you were free to wallow in grief and let me worry about the hard stuff. You think I didn't want to sit and cry too? Well, I never had time for that. I was too busy trying to keep us together and nobody helped me. Nobody ever helps me. So don't blow up all self-righteous on me now. I did what I had to do, and what they don't know doesn't hurt them."
Manu flinched, but when he spoke, his voice was level again. Neutral. “Nobody ever helps because you don't let them, Addie. You don't ask. You don't tell anyone what you need. You treat people like children and take the whole burden on yourself, always. How is anyone to blame but you?” She sucked in a sharp breath, but he went on as if she hadn't made a sound. “But I always thought you were a good woman, a strong one. I wouldn't have believed this of you if someone had told me. He's a married man, Addie."
She set her jaw, face burning, and too conscious of Sean standing silent at her back. “It's my business, Manu. Not yours."
"Tell me you didn't know.” The big man practically wrung his hands.
God, how she wanted to, but while she could tell lies for a living, she couldn't, not to Manu. On some level, she registered the way he was coming back to life, rejoining the human race. She just wished it didn't hurt so much. “I knew,” she said quietly, feeling sick to her stomach. Heart-sore. “It just doesn't make any difference."
She'd never seen him so angry. “After what Eddie put you through, how could you do it to someone else? You're as bad as Bette Boudreaux."
Addie inhaled sharply, but she took the hit. It didn't matter. Unless one believed the end justified the means, there was just no mitigating what she'd done. She felt more than saw Sean surge forward, like he wanted to defend her.
"I met that lady, and I take the comparison very poorly,” he said through gritted teeth. “I think maybe you want to take that back. Right now."
Manu clenched his hands at his side, his eyes narrowing on an opponent he could actually fight. “We treated you like family. I drank with you, and you're fucking my sister. I ought to kill you."
"Like she said, she knew the score, and I didn't do it all by myself,” Sean answered in an exaggerated drawl.
Almost like he intended to taunt.
It worked too. Manu lunged, shoving Sean back and knocking over a side table with a pretty piece of native pottery. It crashed louder than she wanted, and Addie got between them, infuriated beyond belief. This just couldn't get any worse.
She couldn't even try to explain things with Sean standing right here and he wasn't likely to go away meekly. They were both so big, and she couldn't keep herself in the middle for long. Case in point, Man
u grabbed for her and lifted her away. They were going to kill each other.
I ought to let them. Except they'll tear up the place and that costs money.
Muttering a curse, Addie twisted in his hold as Sean slugged him in retaliation for the shove. “Stop. Stop it. This is my house and I won't have the two of you—
The sound of a weapon being cocked made them freeze. “Technically,” Lem's tone was mild, “this is my house. And I'd like to know what the blue fuck is going on."
Chapter Fifteen
It's a hell of a thing, Sean reflected, to face your lover's father, stark naked.
My kingdom for a fig leaf.
At some point during the scuffle, his towel had fallen off, but with moonlight glinting on the barrel of a gun currently trained on him, he didn't think he should bend to get it. But he hadn't nearly gotten satisfaction for what Manu said. The look in her eyes felt like a punch straight to his heart, so wounded, but not striking back. He couldn't let that go, even if she could.
If nobody else would fight for her, he would, dammit. He still wanted to.
For the longest time, nobody said anything and then Addie volunteered, “It's nothing, Dad. Just a minor disagreement over my personal life, that's all."
"Didn't sound minor to me,” Lem answered. “Sounded like burglars. The fact that you're all half-naked...” His gaze went to Sean. “Or all naked—doesn't add credibility to your story, I'm afraid."
Manu rubbed his jaw, still glaring. “Addie is..."
"It's none of his business...” she interrupted.
Underneath the other two, Sean mumbled, “I'm really sorry, sir."
"You.” Lem pointed. “Pick up your towel, son, and then tell me what this is about. You two shut up."
As he bent to retrieve his modesty—his dignity was long gone—Sean felt vaguely surprised. He wouldn't have guessed Lem had this much decisiveness in him, which just went to prove some people shone in stressful situations. At least it's dark.
Humiliation would've killed him if anyone had turned on the hall light.
But how did you tell a man you liked rolling around naked with his daughter?