He cleared his throat, still as ever.
Then he nodded.
---
They were both playing with fire, he knew it.
He knew it, but he couldn’t damn stop himself.
Sam stayed silent as she slowly, ever so slowly leaned up to him, taking his hand and placing it on top of her thigh – a respectable distance, yes, but high enough that he was afraid of moving it and get burned. Their first kiss in her condo was warm and slow, as polite as you can in this so-called game of pretend.
Their second kiss involved tongue, because he couldn’t resist tasting her. She tasted of coffee and pure Rena, and he let their kiss go longer than it should have, unable to stop his hands from caressing her arms, her elbows, her neck, her face. Her breathe hitched as he softly bit her ear, not stopping one bit as he let his mouth trail down to her shoulder.
Their third kiss was one of no inhibitions, as she panted against him that they were already making out, and would Jack really not be convinced by this?
A keening moan came out of her lips as he let his hands touch her skin above the skirt, sliding her shirt up.
Breathing uneven, he told her that no, they needed to convince him more and perhaps you could come closer and get more comfortable –
Then she asked him to remove her shirt.
----
Sam wasn’t removing her shirt, and she didn’t wait for him to. In one move, she removed it and tossed it on the floor, seconds before he gripped her and slid her against his lap until she straddled him.
“Rena.”
His glasses were askew, and his curls were an awful mess, but she couldn’t bring herself to care as she removed said glasses, cupping his face and kissing him, kissing him slow and fast and slow. Beautiful eyes. It didn’t help matters that he responded with such passion, his mouth doing things to her system that no one has ever done before.
Her strap slid down and he licked her shoulder, those long fingers grabbing hold of her hair and pushing her down—
He was hard. He was hard as steel beneath her hiked skirt, and unbidden, she moved her hips in a slow, slow rub.
Sam groaned. “Stop, Rena. Stop—”
She couldn’t stop, because his hands were on her bra-clad breasts and it was glorious.
“Stop—”
Faster and faster she ground against his pants, her bra going lower and lower as his thumbs delighted in them, as his blue eyes glazed over in lust, as mouth stopped forming the words that she didn’t want to hear.
“Holy shit.”
Alex stood in the open front door, her hand on the knob and her eyes wide with horror.
Sam came in his pants.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
On Monday, Sam sent Rena flowers and apologized for the disaster of an encounter last Saturday.
On Tuesday, Alex pestered Sam in the office with an apology of her own for just barging in like that – then a demand on why he hadn’t visited Rena at all.
On Wednesday, Sam cancelled all his events (to Logan’s distress) and went home to play video games all day.
On Thursday, Tammy had to drag him out of bed so he could actually attend the radio guesting they’d booked, or else she was gonna go crazy from all Logan’s talk about losing money and might end up kicking someone’s ass.
On Friday, Rena wondered if barging into Sam’s house and undressing in front of him would be called desperation. She understood he was embarrassed, but really, why would he be embarrassed when he had her moaning like that?
Also, she missed him.
---
Rena was still trying to convince herself not to go with her stupid idea of actually going to Sam’s place when there was a knock on her condo, and there stood Sam, more red poppies in his hand and a nervous apology on his lips—
She kissed those lips before he could finish.
He stayed the night and they ate in, capping it off with a bottle of wine and lots of make out sessions – real ones this time. They agreed to take it slow, because it was new and exciting and they had something special between them (despite it starting with some foolish pretend).
Rena never got to finish getting the dishes done, because he was suddenly on her and telling her he couldn’t keep his promise, because he wanted to show her other promises.
“What promise?” she asked in between kisses.
“I promise to make up to you tonight. And every other night you want.”
His second promise was enough to make her forget any dishes even existed.
---
Rena had a fantastic body, all those long tanned legs and perky breasts, but it was her unbridled passion as he thrust in and out of her that had him almost losing control. Her mouth, which had been on his cock earlier and making him cross-eyed, was now open and moaning his name over and over again.
He kept his promise and made her come first (twice) before he burst inside her.
---
It was the night of their famous video game’s sales tally party, and Sam had disappeared somewhere. Alex, along with Nick, was very busy trying to find him and went to the last available room in the event hall, hearing voices inside and ready to give a lecture on the importance of punctuality and not leaving me alone and giving me stage fright when Nick stopped her hand from turning the knob.
“Don’t,” he said.
“What—”
“Shhh. Listen.”
They stayed silent, until the voices became clear and Alex turned very, very red.
“Sam—oh, Saaam—”
“Rena, Rena—”
“Don’t stop, don’t stop – harder, Saaaam—”
Nick chuckled and said perhaps they should be doing the same thing, too.
Alex smacked him on the arm, but didn’t exactly protest.
---
Sam was driving faster inside her, and Rena was trying her best to stifle her gasps as he fixed those blue eyes at her intensely, fogging her mind.
They were inside the tiny storage room of the event hall and being silent was necessary.
Squished between a chair and a table where he had placed her, Sam stopped thrusting for a few seconds to change their angle, drawing her closer to him and letting her feel subtle muscles beneath his lanky frame. Then he sank in, and every plunge inside now touched her g-spot over and over. She gripped his shoulders and put her mouth on his neck as his hand tweaked her nipple, as he plunged so powerfully—
She stifled her scream as she came in his arms.
---
The event was successful, with their sales tally going over their expected target. Every reporter in the hall noted the siblings’ happy grins, particularly Sam’s very satisfied expression.
He was obviously very happy about the results.
Rena stayed by his side the whole night and tried not to laugh.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The large golden tree stood in the middle of the grassy fields, its bright red fruits glinting in the sunlight.
She was standing in the middle of these grassy fields, where a riot of colorful, exotic blooms sprang to life and danced every time she passed them by – step after step after step, until she stood a mere inches away from the prize. At this distance, the fruits appeared almost alive themselves – like heady treasures waiting to be picked, glittering to perfection. It was a very symbolic thing, perfectly in line with the clue found in the last map she’d procured.
Red gems as bright as your heart; beating in time right from the start.
She approached it carefully – already wary of this land’s devious tricks and the last time she was ambushed in the cave. Perhaps there was a snake, slithering in the trees. Or a tiger, hiding silently in all that greenery.
Or a monster, hunting down its prey, waiting for the most opportune moment.
She’d been lucky once, saved by a mysterious potion unlike any other. She didn’t think luck would happen twice anytime soon, especially in a world this dangerous.
There wer
e a total of thirteen fruits in waiting, all the same size except for two – one was slightly bigger than the rest, perhaps a tad bit brighter; the second was significantly smaller, albeit still as red as the others, with a slightly rough surface at the bottom. There was decision to be made again, and she needed to be careful.
Does she choose the most beautiful one? The diamond in the rough? Or any of the normal ones?
She stayed still for a minute or two, thinking it over with utmost care. Then, as resolution filled her face, she opened her palm and reached out her hand higher, higher…
---
“Do you have any underwear on?”
The voice brought Alessandra Thompson out of her reverie, making her blink and her fingers freeze on the keyboard. She’d forgotten her boyfriend, Nick, was in her head – or rather, on her earpiece, as he’d grown quiet during this stage and joined her not as a player, but as a watcher.
It was a new concept that her brother Sam had developed for their video game – and a brilliant one at that, as it allowed non-players to observe and absorb the world real-time while the actual players went through their quests. This was her second time trying out this scene, and her second time unable to make a choice.
And of course, there was Nick, trying to distract her every little step of the way.
“Marino, stop talking about my underwear and concentrate on what we’re doing.”
His voice turned husky. “I can’t concentrate when all I can think about is your possible lack of underwear and the many, many things I can do about it.”
She smiled despite herself. Nick had this way of turning on the charm until all you thought about was him, and you ended up having sensual dreams about it. Sadly, they couldn’t make that dream a reality right now, what’s with him being away in Omaha for a news assignment and unable to get back until tomorrow night.
Biting her lip, she turned on her flirty tone. “I promise not to wear one tomorrow when you arrive.”
From the other line, there was a very male groan.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow. My cock’s hard and aching to be inside you.”
His statement had her heart beating wildly, and slightly aroused – something he was always capable of doing, it seemed. However, she tried to reign in her control and take hold of the situation, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to finish her game review for her brother.
“I was thinking of advising Sam to change the sunshiny thing to a winter setting – you know, to make the atmosphere more serene. Perhaps more eerie. What do you think?”
There was a shuffling sound on the other line, followed by bedsprings creaking. Then, noises, some kind of rhythmic motion.
“If – that’s what – you think – is best—”
The rhythmic motions continued, and it took Alex a few seconds to really hear Nick’s breathless whisper, and the slickness of something, some friction—
“Are you –?” she asked, her voice hitching.
“I’m jacking off, Alessandra. And – thinking – it’s your mouth sucking me off.”
His crudeness shocked her, her cheeks turning beet red.
“Nick—”
“Yes – say my name. Keep talking—”
Her panties were dampening.
“This is so wrong, Nick.”
There was another groan on the other side. “It feels right – Alex – touch yourself.”
She didn’t, but she was so aroused that she almost did. Her fingers were waging a war against her thigh, already trailing up her shorts – but his low, gratuitous grunt told her it was already late, as she imagined his hardness spitting out its seed, his body shuddering in the delicious aftermath.
Pleased and disappointed at the same time, Alex trailed her hands back on the keyboard, listening in silence as he shuffled in bed.
“I wish you were here,” he said at last.
“I wish so, too,” she reciprocated.
“Tomorrow, Alex. Tomorrow, we won’t have to wait anymore. I will fuck you raw.”
Her mouth turned dry at the images that filled her head. Resisting one more time, she teasingly scolded him and told him she needed to go. “So I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You will definitely see me tomorrow, Alessandra. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Nick.” She hesitated. Then… “I lov—”
The line went off before she could finish.
Foolish.
What was wrong with her, all that sudden urge to voice out too many feelings when he hadn’t even said it yet?
I love you.
It was too early. They were together for only nine months, after all, and in the modern world that was basically still casual dating.
When things turn serious, I will say it, she vowed.
For now, she was going to keep it secret and enjoy what they had for what it was – a fun companionship with sex. Lots and lots of sex.
Alex stared at her wall clock, and saw that it was past midnight. Crap.
She needed to get to work early tomorrow.
With a sigh, she turned off her mind on thoughts of Nick and went back to her game.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Alex hated her alarm clock.
She hated it so much, she wondered if it hated her back by not ringing at its designated time for three consecutive days now. At the moment, it didn’t matter if they hated each other, because said device was already on the floor, a result of her panic and hurried movements mixing as she rushed around her apartment room in a flurry. She probably took the fastest shower of her life before changing into the first available clothing in her closet, then grabbing her purse and practically running for the door.
She was so late, it was a wonder her phone didn’t start ringing and her boss start reprimanding her.
Her boss, aka her business partner – aka her brother.
But then again, Sam Thompson was so busy with his life – ahem, affair – lately that he probably never noticed anything around him at all, what’s with that goofy lovesick grin taking over his face the entire time.
Which meant his substitute was the one she was going to have to deal with.
Her expression turned sour just at the thought.
It wasn’t until she was almost on her way to Starbucks to get a quick order of venti Americano that Alex remembered the meeting they were supposed to have – thirty minutes ago.
“Darn. Darn!”
The startled café cashier stared at her as she ran out the door with no coffee in hand.
Five minutes and plenty of hyperventilating later, she was already inside the building where Sam rented out space for their little crew. The stairs was another five minutes of hyperventilating before Alex reached her destination and slammed the door open, her breathing very loud. Their secretary, Lucy Adams, took one look at her before motioning at their meeting room, signaling her to hurry up. Then her eyes widened, as if she just discovered something and frantically motioned Alex back – which Alex ignored, because she was already flying for the room.
“Alex, wait—”
The meeting room slammed open, and Alex chirped a very good morning to all in attendance. There were only two people in the room, actually (Sam obviously not present), and not a single one of them greeted her back.
Jack Malone, the famous action star she’d met just a few months ago, raised a brow at the door-slamming and the greeting. Then those sexy hazel eyes fixed at her chest in what could only be called admiration.
Logan West, the other occupant of the room – aka Sam’s substitute – was also staring at her chest, but his was an expression of very tight disapproval.
Frowning, Alex glanced down – and was greeted with the sight of her white blouse unbuttoned at the top, the peeks of her sheer bra and lots of cleavage showing. Squeaking, she quickly buttoned it up and tried not to look embarrassed – a trick that Nick had helped her with once they started going out. Pretending nothing happened at all, she turned her bright smile back at their client, ignoring L
ogan for a while. Jack only grinned wider, standing up and giving her a very great view of broad shoulders and lean muscles everywhere.
Yum.
“I’m very sorry I’m late, Mr. Malone, but it’s a pleasure to meet you nonetheless.”
There was a breathy tone to her voice, one that had Logan frowning deeper. Pretending further that he didn’t exist, she continued to sing her praises at Jack and treated him like they were the best of friends.
It wasn’t until she brought up the subject of his upcoming movie project and their video game role in it that Jack finally sighed, a regretful note in his voice.
“Your partner here drives a hard bargain, I’m afraid.”
Alex opened her mouth to speak up, but Logan was suddenly standing up and interrupting her. “As I should, Mr. Malone,” he said coolly. “Perhaps you can come back when you’ve got a better proposal.”
And Jack Malone was dismissed, just like that. He was ushered out the door before Alex could get another word in edgewise, and it was only when the door was closed properly that silence permitted the air.
Lucy stared at the two in part anticipation, part worry, her pen pausing from its busy scribblings on her notepad.
It was Alex who spoke first.
“You rejected his major offer? Are you kidding me?”
“You’re late,” Logan intoned, going back to his desk and ignoring her question.
“You rejected the offer of a major star? Are you insane?”
“You’re late. I’m docking your pay.”
Alex heard Lucy muttering an oh boy at her side, but ignored it as her temper simmered.
“We’re talking about rejecting a multi-million deal here and all you can think about is docking my pay?”
The words had Logan rising up from his desk and stalking towards her with long, purposeful strides. She had a moment to take in his shiny loafers, shirt tucked in his tight slacks and perfectly-placed tie before he was suddenly in her face, expression calm and professional.
Best Friends To Lovers Romance Series: Complete Series Boxed Set Romance Page 23