One-Click Buy: September Harlequin Blaze

by Jo Leigh

  They moved on to how the wet T-shirt photo had resulted in Sara’s putting on Drew’s shirt and wading into the ocean. Sara turned three shades of peach explaining how they got distracted in the water. At length.

  Afterward, Candy hugged her. “I’m so proud of you, girl.”

  “This isn’t like me at all,” Sara said.

  “That’s the point of being here-to be different,” Candy said.

  “Speaking of being different,” Ellie said. “It’s your turn. Tell us again about how you and Matt will never be a notch on my matchmaker’s belt.”

  “It’s actually quite sensible,” Candy started, breaking out in a sweat, hoping her friends would see the sense of the plan. “We just added sex to our, um, work deal. It’s a vacation affair that won’t change anything. In fact, right now I’m going to work up a marketing plan I promised to show him later.”

  “Hold it.” Ellie stared at her. “You and my brother made mad hot love last night and this morning you’re working?” She looked at Sara. “Is she channeling you now?”

  “It fits, don’t you see?” Candy continued. “What better way to prove to Matt that I can work as hard as I play?”

  Ellie and Sara looked at each other, not buying it one bit.

  She had to change the subject. “We told you our stories, El. What about you and Bill? How did you two make out?”

  “Exactly,” she said. “We did make out. On the Ferris wheel. It was so…sexy and…romantic…and…I don’t know…”

  “That’s all you did? Make out?”

  Ellie blushed, something Candy had never seen before-maybe Ellie’s goth makeup hid the color. “Uh-huh…that’s all.” She picked up a spoon and stirred her coffee for a moment. “And who knows what will happen tonight, after the shoot? We’re getting together.”

  Candy had never seen Ellie so breathless.

  “We want the full scoop later, don’t we, Sara?”

  “You’d better hurry up, El. You’re lagging the team,” Sara said. “We’ve both, um, gotten laid.” That expression was so not the ever-polite Sara that Candy laughed out loud. She looked from the sex-fresh Sara to the beaming Ellie. “I love seeing you two like this.” Despite whatever mess she’d gotten into with Matt, being here when her friends spread their sexual wings made the trip worth everything.

  Ellie went to get dressed for Sin on the Beach, Sara readied for her surf lesson with Drew-distracted momentarily by a call from her uncle-and Candy got busy on Matt’s computer.

  She sketched a draft plan, then called the office to fill in the blanks. She got the research department to send her the data showing that Ledger Lite’s market had maxed out, got verification that their payroll software customers would be a prime market, and found a programmer who thought he could adapt the interface from a math-education product to Ledger Lite Personal.

  She even had Freeda e-mail her a copy of the strategic plan so she could see where her product would fit. She found the document endless, complex and dull. Who wrote this shit?

  The managers, she realized. As a team leader, she’d be part of creating this damn thing every year. That would not be her favorite part of the job, for sure.

  Who could enjoy it? She’d get used to it, though. The managers probably sucked it up and did it. She’d just figure out a way to make it fun.

  That was what she brought to the table.

  A few minor irritations were nothing compared with the rewards of the promotion. She couldn’t wait to announce it at the family Thanksgiving dinner-when they went around the table and said what they were most grateful for.

  After that, no more paternal glances over her head or brotherly sighs behind her back. They’d see she was making progress, sticking with something, not floating aimlessly from job to job. For that moment of glory, she could handle a few meetings and some boring reports.

  When she logged into e-mail, she got a reminder beep from her calendar and saw that the women’s business association’s luncheon was tomorrow. It was their awards celebration. Now that was a crowd that would love Ledger Lite Personal.

  Which gave her a perfect idea-she’d go to the luncheon and bring Matt for a networking lesson. That would impress him with her networking savvy and her devotion to SyncUp. She stretched her arms up and rubbed her neck and back, tired from sitting so long.

  A woof made her look toward the screen door. Matt stood with Radar. “Enough work,” Matt said, coming inside, leaving Radar on the porch.

  “Not quite,” she said. “I have a great idea. There’s a business luncheon tomorrow and I want you to come with me and do some networking.”

  “We’re on vacation, Candy.” He came to stand behind her and nuzzle her neck. Goose bumps shot down her arm. The dog whined outside. “I had ten messages on my cell from work. Guess what I’m doing about that?”

  She turned to him for his answer.

  “Not a thing.”

  “Do you think that’s wise?”

  “I don’t care.” He leaned down to kiss her. “Forget work. Forget luncheons. I want you in bed.”

  His urgency sent hot fire zooming through her. “First, promise you’ll come to the lunch tomorrow.”

  “You drive a hard bargain.” He ran his thumbs across her nipples through her top, making her shiver.

  “Do you want to see what I’ve got so far?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he said, but he wasn’t talking about Ledger Lite’s marketing plan. He kissed down her neck, running his tongue across a tendon in a way that melted her to butter. “Show me what you’ve got.” He lifted her out of her chair.

  She loved it and wanted to dissolve into his arms, but she had to stick to her plan. Somehow. “I had a thought about building Paycheck Plus sales, too,” she said, knowing she’d never get him to look at the computer.

  “Hmmm?” He seemed to struggle to focus.

  “We need to boost word-of-mouth with a wow moment.”

  “Okay…” He stopped kissing her, but his mouth was dangerously close.

  “The software is so great, so easy to use, that users take it for granted,” she said, gaining enthusiasm as she spoke. “It needs a whiz-bang hook for users to buzz about.”

  “Sure,” he said, running his hands down her arms, reaching around to grasp her bottom.

  “That’s the incredible thing. It has a whiz-bang hook. Gina told me about a tickler alarm that no one uses because it’s buried in the manual.”

  “Yeah?” He stopped moving his fingers.

  “When they find it, people love it. It’s a little complex, but if we set up a podcast for key contacts and show them the steps, they’ll talk it up for us.” Noticing his dreamy expression, she stopped. “Are you even listening?”

  “Sure. I’m listening…and watching your lips…and kissing you.” He kissed her, slow and steady. “And thinking about making love to you. Multitasking.” He pulled her close and pressed himself against her, stoking the heat building inside her.

  “You’re catching on,” she breathed, kissing him back. She’d accomplished enough to take a break, right? “So what do you think of my idea about the podcast?”

  “It’s great. All your ideas are great,” he murmured.

  “I have another one,” she said, breaking away long enough to lock the door for privacy, though Ellie and Sara would be out for hours. The dog, meanwhile, had given up on them.

  Returning to where Matt stood, Candy sat on the sofa and pulled him close, running her palm along his erection through his trunks.

  Matt took a rough breath.

  She slid his suit down to his ankles and grasped his cock.

  “Like I said,” Matt breathed, “I like all your ideas.”

  She gave him a long, slow lick before closing her lips around the head of his cock, taking him deep into her mouth.

  “Ah, Candy.” The reverent whisper turned her on. He was warm and tasted of
salt and man and she loved the way he put his hands to her face as she worked over him.

  She relaxed her throat and sucked him deeper until he groaned in pleasurable agony.

  He stroked her hair, while she sucked and tugged, cupping his balls in one hand, using her other to grip his shaft low and tight.

  In a few moments, he stilled, ready to come. She gave a last pull, her lips tight, her fingers squeezing low, inviting him to spurt into her mouth.

  She swallowed his warm fluid, then looked up at him.

  His face was so full of feeling, she was startled. It was more than pleasure. It was connection, closeness, a new intimacy that she realized she felt, too.

  Matt helped her up and into his arms and he kissed her softly, holding her close, telling her with his arms and lips how much she meant to him.

  Together, they unfolded the couch to reveal the bed, then stripped each other until they lay face-to-face. Matt ran a hand down the side of her body, then found where she ached and stroked her until she was moaning and sliding against his fingers.

  He entered her then and her body stretched to take him in, eager for each thrust and slide. Together they climbed toward the peak, each stroke bringing them closer and closer. She never wanted this to be over.

  Her orgasm pushed through her in a hot, hard wave. Matt surged into her, her name on his lips. She collapsed against him, feeling his heart pound against her chest.

  This was so nice. Heaven.

  But even heaven got old, right?

  After they recovered, Matt suggested they go for a swim.

  “I’ll get my suit,” she said, pushing out of the bed to bend over her suitcase.

  Matt stood behind her, looking on. “Wear the white one,” he said, cupping her backside possessively, running his tongue along her ear. “It looks good against your skin. And those strings make you easy to get to.” He ran his fingers down her slit, making her feel faint.

  Somehow, they both managed to put their suits on and head out. They found Radar on the beach, as if he was waiting for them, and played with him for a while, enjoying the breeze, the waves, the seagulls’ calls, the warm sun.

  Then they swam, beyond nearly everyone. Candy felt so strong, she thought she could swim to the next beach town. They stopped at the reef where they’d stood that first night. Matt dived down.

  She felt a tug on both sides of her suit bottom, then it was gone, and Matt rose with it in his teeth.

  “Matt!” She looked around, hoping no one could see.

  He took it out of his mouth. “You’re safe. I checked.” Then he found her with his fingers. “Mmm. How’s that?”

  “Lovely,” she said, practically losing feeling in her legs.

  “No shrieking, now, or a lifeguard might try to save you.”

  “I don’t want to be saved,” she said. “Ever.” Pleasure built in waves like the ocean that passed by them, lifting, then setting them down again together.

  When her climax hit, Candy put her mouth on Matt’s shoulder to muffle her cry and clung to him, wrapping her legs around his body, so happy to be with him like this.

  “That was nice,” he said, kissing her, cuddling her close. “How about some sun?” They returned to shore and found a sheltered area too rocky for swimmers, where they spread their big, blue-striped towels between protective boulders.

  Matt fished the sunscreen from her bag and massaged the warm liquid into her back and legs.

  When it was her turn, she worked the cream into his back and, when he turned over, his chest and thighs, aware that his erection was mere inches from her fingers.

  So tempting.

  Checking to be sure no one could see them, she slid her fingers into his trunks and stroked him.

  He turned lowered eyes her way. “You’ll get us arrested,” he said lazily.

  “Not if you’re quiet,” she said.

  “I’ll do my best.” His face tightened with the pleasure of what she was doing to him.

  She rubbed him in earnest, leaning over him to hide her movements. His eyes glittered with pleasure and he watched her as she slid her fingers up and down, over and over, feeling him tighten and tense. When he reached climax, she shifted the towel to catch his release.

  “That was great,” he said, pulling her onto his body.

  “Can you believe we’re doing this?” She rested her chin on a fist on his chest, watching his face. The sun warmed her back, the rhythmic crash of the waves soothed her. Distant shouts and laughter were delicious punctuation to the moment.

  “It seems like a dream.” He ran his fingers through her hair.

  “I know. Unreal.”

  “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

  “You mean had sex on the beach?” She grinned.

  “That either,” he said. “I’ve never been so caught up with anyone.”

  Not with Jane? But she wouldn’t ask, didn’t want to remember the other woman in his life or what she might think about their vacation fling.

  “How about you?” Matt asked. “Have there been any serious guys in your life?” He ran his fingers along her cheek.

  “Serious ones? Never.” She joked away the question, but she could feel Matt wanted a real answer.

  “You know what I mean. Boyfriends.”

  “On a short-term basis, sure. Nothing too major.” She thought about the one time she’d been hurt. “Except there was one guy in college. Brad. We had a thing for a couple of years. We ended up friends though.”

  “What happened?”

  “We were on and off a lot, and eventually…You know how it goes.”

  “No, I don’t. How did it go?”

  “He wanted to get married and I…didn’t.” Not exactly. It had been late in their senior year and they’d agreed to take another break from each other. Three weeks later, Brad was engaged to a business major he’d had classes with.

  Candy had been surprisingly hurt. She hadn’t wanted marriage, but if she’d known he did, she’d have at least moved in with him. They were alike-both with wild streaks-and they’d had a lot of fun together. In the end, she’d swallowed her pride and actually asked him, Why not me?

  Brad had been mystified, almost laughed. You don’t want that, he’d said. Marriage isn’t you.

  He was more or less right, but it hurt that he hadn’t considered her marriage material, had simply written her off. It made her feel limited by her reputation, trapped by it.

  Years later, she’d decided the problem was that she was spoiled. She wanted it all-even if it didn’t suit her.

  “That happens,” Matt said, reading something in her face. Did she look hurt? God she hoped she was over that. “For it to work, you have to want the same thing, have compatible goals. Once you get past the heat and settle into a routine, I mean.”

  “Why would you want to get past the heat?” she said. “And who wants routine? Talk about killing the joy.”

  “There’s joy in the familiar,” he said. “What’s life, if not the day-to-day moments?”

  “But that’s boring. You have to shake things up, keep each other guessing.”

  “I’m not surprised you’d say that. You remind me of a girlfriend I had.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yeah. She liked to shake things up, too. As a matter of fact, she was into roller coasters.”

  “I can relate.”

  “You would have liked her,” he mused.

  “What happened?”

  “She shook things up.” He gave a wry smile. “She warned me, though. She called it emotional ADD. Of course, I thought I could fix her. I couldn’t.”

  “You were young.”

  “Yeah.” He gave a soft laugh. “So, you think you’ll ever settle down?” He asked as though it would be a long shot, which gave her that locked-in feeling, that sense she was trapped by what other people thought about her.


  “Sure. Why not? When the time is right.”

  “And the guy. He’d have to be the right guy-someone into Silly String and karaoke and the limbo. Someone who’ll keep you guessing.”

  “You got it,” she said, knowing that proved how wrong they were for each other, not that it mattered. That wasn’t even on the table. She rolled off him and braced herself with her elbows.

  He did the same, so they were lying side by side, looking out to sea.

  “Speaking of shaking things up,” he said slowly, staring at something in the sky. He pointed toward a bright spot of color. “I know what we’re doing next.”

  She realized it was a parasail. Two people dangled there, miles high, dots with legs against the blue sky, the boat far, far below. Candy’s heart lurched and she felt the swirling vertigo she got whenever she found herself on a balcony.

  “You want us to parasail?” she asked, her mouth dry.

  “Have you done it before? I never have.”

  “No, no. I haven’t. Um, not yet.” She swallowed over a suddenly tight throat, not wanting to admit her fear.

  “Then it’s perfect. Something new we can do together.” He got to his feet and reached for her hand. He seemed excited he’d found a way to shake things up.

  He had no idea.

  She pushed past the quiver in her stomach, the constriction in her chest, how dizzy she felt and said, “I can’t wait.”

  Maybe it wouldn’t be as scary as it looked.

  MATT PAID THE SPEEDBOAT owner for a tandem parasail ride and before long they were putting on yellow life jackets while the boat zoomed out into the ocean. He grinned at Candy, delighted he’d found some thrill she’d not yet had. Then he noticed her fingers were shaking as she clicked the clasps.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I just can’t get this.” She fumbled the bottom latch, so he clicked it into place for her. Her smile was tentative and her face pale.

  “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

  “I guess lunch didn’t sit well in my stomach.”