She slid one thin strap down her arm and paused, realizing how low it dipped, how the straps held her arm at her side. Not trapping her really, she could end this at any time. If she could think of a reason why she’d want to.
“You stopped. Why? Don’t you want me to see? To touch? Kiss?”
With a moan she released the other strap, the lace of the chemise tight against her puckered nipples.
“It’s still covering too much, lift them out for me, show me.”
Inside, liquid heat cocooned her in a dreamy haze. She couldn’t help but oblige his request. He wanted to watch her, touch her, be with her right now. Though with the distance he could more easily find pleasure elsewhere. His ragged breath and careful attention showed this is where he wanted to be.
“I love to look at you. I can’t get enough. So beautiful, sculpted. Like a goddess to be worshiped. How do they feel? Can you tell me?”
Cradling her breasts in her hands, she thought about the sensation, recalling how different it felt when he did the same thing in the tub. “They’re full, heavy. The air conditioner is on and I don’t think they like the cold.”
“They’re beaded like ripe raspberries. But I don’t think it’s from the cold. I think it’s because you are so very hot.”
“I am.” He’d cast the erotic spell, but the power felt like it was shifting, as if the magic was theirs to share. Need pulsed through her. She liked when he told her what to do and wondered if he’d like the same thing. “Touch me, Logan.”
“Oh, yes,” he hissed. “Touch yourself for me. Pass your thumbs around the dark area surrounding your nipples. But don’t touch them.”
“No?”
“Not yet. That feels good, doesn’t it? Your breasts are so sensitive. And sweet. Can I taste them?”
“Please.” She panted, squirming on the bed.
“Lick your fingers. Make them slick. Rub it over the very tip of your nipple. Faster. Faster. Just like my tongue. You taste so good.
“Now roll them between your thumb and finger. And pull just a little bit at the tip.” His shuddering groan matched hers. “Harder. They are so tight and firm. That means you like this.”
She relaxed back on the pillows, enjoying everything. “I do. I like everything you show me.”
“Oh, baby, I’m so glad. I want to show you more. But first you have to show me more.”
“What do you want to see?” She pulled aside the blankets, knowing what he wanted, but needing to hear him ask, beg for it.
“Lift your nightgown for me. Slow now, I want to watch the lace inch up your thighs. Lift up a little, pull it all the way up to your hips.”
With the top down under her breasts and the bottom lifted to her hips, only her stomach was covered. Why did he have to be all the way across the country now? Because no matter how good this was, she doubted it would be good enough.
“Relax your thighs and let your knees drop open. Show me where you melt, where you are sweeter than even your skin, your mouth. Where you want my mouth to be.”
She whimpered in frustration, the cool evening air reminding her how wet and ready he made her.
“Put your hands flat on the inside of your thighs for me. Pull them open, make room for me.”
She hissed and cupped her mound, blocking it from the draft.
“I can feel you growing damp around me, heating at my touch. Let me taste you. Open up for me. Let me trace the slick folds with my tongue. Show me where you want me to lick you.”
Holding herself open with one hand, she explored with the other. Why hadn’t she thought to do this before? It felt good, wicked, and a little sad that the tip of his tongue knew her better than her own fingers.
“Can you find your clit? It’s almost as hard as your nipples, but be gentle with it. Draw your finger around it in circles, but don’t touch it.”
Was he crazy? How could she not? “I want you to touch it.”
“Oh, I will. I’ll flatten my tongue on it and hold it there until you squirm, showing me its pulsing rhythm. And then I’ll lap at it until you can barely breathe.”
The strangled sound of her breath sounded foreign as she mimicked his words as best she could. Not that it mattered. There was no turning back now.
“Faster and faster as you writhe beneath me, taking more and more of you into my mouth. Until you come undone, fisting your hands in my hair and pressing into me because you can’t get enough. And I can’t get enough.”
He kept talking, but she couldn’t hear, abandoning herself to her pleasure. Her head rolled back on the pillows, heart pounding, mouth going dry as her satisfaction came out in soft pants. His name on each breath.
“You almost took me with you on that one.” His dark, sinister laugh pulled her back to reality.
“Did I?” Her own laugh sounded wicked, foreign to her ears. Two could play at this game. And they should both get a turn, after all.
“Yeah, give me a minute here so I don’t explode all over your perfectly made bed.”
She sat back up, but didn’t fix her clothing. She wanted to feel reckless and lusty, wanted him to see her that way too. Wanted to catch him while she still had an edge.
“Then now wouldn’t be a good time for me to straddle your lap, lean down so my breasts grazed your chest.”
His intense, feverish growl cheered her on.
“Or for me to unbutton your jeans, pull the zipper down slowly, making sure my knuckle presses against the fabric the whole time.”
Her breath caught when she heard his zipper release tooth by tooth. The power she held made her giddy.
She clucked her tongue. “Logan, you are so naughty.” She emphasized every breathy word.
“What?”
“You made me take off my underwear, and now here you are, caged in yours. Should I leave you there? Would that teach you a lesson?”
“A lesson not to play games with you. You give good phone sex, Breeze.”
“Yeah? You know what else I want to be good at?”
“If I try and imagine, I’ll explode.”
“Oh, not yet. You don’t want to be selfish, waste something like that when we can share it. Not until you’re inside of me.”
“Who are you?”
“I am what you made me.”
“And a secret only I know.”
“Do you like that? Knowing my secrets?” She winced, not wanting to break the mood by thinking. Wanting to make him as crazy as he made her. “Do you want to lie on the bed, or sit on the edge?”
“Hmm?”
“I could kneel in front of you, or lie next to you on the bed.”
“Lie down so I can see you.”
“I will. And you’ll lose the jeans.”
“You’re the boss.”
“I am. That’s why you’re going to leave the briefs on. I’ll slide my hands down the back, and squeeze your ass before sliding them over. It is so hard, promising. Mmm.” She gave herself a mental shake. This was for him, not her. “And then I’ll slide my hands to the front, pulling out the waist band and letting it down, never touching you as I slide them off your legs and drop them to the floor.
“What is it you want me to do first? Do you want me to run my hand over your cock, or my lips?”
The strangled groan was all the answer she needed.
“Can you feel it, my breath hot against your cock? I won’t tease you the way you do me. I’ll take you in my hand. God, you are so soft and hard at the same time. And look, a little drop is peeking out the tip. Like it wants me to drop my head, my hair falling on your thighs as I stick out my tongue for a taste.”
“Okay, enough.” His ragged whisper swirled a new heat within her.
“Really? You don’t want me to lick my lips and slide them around you? Run my tongue around that little ridge where you showed me to flick—”
“Stop.” He was begging now. She could feel it.
“What if I don’t? What if I suck you deep into my mouth, as far as I can, wra
pping my hand around the base of you so you feel the pressure everywhere?”
“You want to know what I’d do?”
“Yes, please.” She didn’t care who was begging now.
“You think I’d grab your head, pump into you until I scream your name, but I won’t. No that would be too easy, and besides, it’s not what you really want.”
“It’s not?”
“No. Lay down, flat on your back.”
Combinations whorled through her mind, tingling with fear. This is only a game, only a fantasy, she reminded herself.
“You see, Breeze? Look at how wet you are. Slide your fingers down and feel it. You’re dripping you’re so slick.”
How did he know? Her fingers glided over her engorged skin, swollen with wanting. He couldn’t see, couldn’t know she was playing with herself, again.
“You want me.”
“I’m not the one so hard and thick, I’m twitching.” She licked her lips, trying to will enough blood to her head to think of something to do next.
“I can see you too. Open for me, waiting as I hover over you. I trace your folds and hold myself, right there, waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” Her fingers stood at the ready, waiting for his word.
“Waiting for you to beg.”
A wicked laugh escaped them both. “I don’t need to beg. You want me.”
“God help me, I do. I want to slide into you, fast and hard, take your breath away. I want to plunge into you so deep I set the rhythm of your breathing, the beating of your heart.”
She saw it, felt it, did it. Spurred on by how his voice grew more strained with every word.
“Faster and harder, racing to see who can make the other come first. I’m going to win. Reach between us and put my thumb on your clit.”
“I’ll wrap my legs around you, pull you deeper.” The pressure of her own hand short-circuited her mind. Her legs began to shake, her belly quiver, her world darken, and a warm calm rushed through her from her center out.
“That answers that question.” Logan had the nerve to laugh.
“There was a question?” She rolled to her side, taking a deep breath and reconfiguring her chemise.
“I wondered how I was going to handle not being with you until Saturday. This takes the edge off, a little. Maybe if we do it again.”
“I don’t think so.” Coming to her senses, a cocktail of guilt and anxiety, exhilaration and fear clenched her stomach.
“Too tired? It is late there, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, and I have to be up early.” She bit her lip, wondering what he must think of her. Some kind of wanton tease. And now that he knew, would he still be as sweet, gentle?
“Breeze? I don’t like keeping us a secret.”
“You promised you wouldn’t tell.” Her jaw trembled and she stood, pacing to the window, pulling down her chemise to cover as much of her body as possible. “You promised.”
“I know I did. And I won’t tell. It just feels wrong, keeping this from my family.”
“Do you tell them about everyone you date?”
“We’re not just dating anymore.”
“We’re not?” Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest and jump out the fifth-floor window. She needed to know, but wasn’t sure she wanted to. “Where do you see this going, Logan?”
“I don’t know, but I want to find out. And once you’re home—”
“Once I’m home back-to-school is rolling, my departments have been neglected for almost a month. If this project goes well I’m liable to get promoted, and as soon as all that gets ironed out, the holiday season starts.”
“What are you saying?” His deep sigh echoed through the line.
“I don’t want to broadcast things, in case you can’t handle my career and there is nothing to tell after the project is over.” She sank into the armchair and stared out the window. Her view was of the brick wall of the next building. No escaping her mistakes. The fewer people who knew about them the better.
“You don’t have to protect yourself from me. We don’t stand a chance if you rebuild the walls every time I turn my back. When the project is over, we’ll decide where to go from there.”
“Okay.” She bit her lip, brushing away the tear dripping down her cheek. No point in arguing. It was only a matter of time until he lost interest anyway.
Chapter Eleven
Logan understood why Breeze felt the need to keep their relationship under wraps. But a wide gulf separated understanding her reasoning and agreeing with it.
Watching the way she’d changed, opening up and having fun, made him realize he had something to learn from her too. When he’d interviewed last week for a promotion, he’d felt as if he were channeling her loyalty and determination. He was sure the job was a lock because of it.
She never left his thoughts, making him reevaluate how he’d answered her question. He knew where he wanted this to go. He’d like to wake up with her every day. Fall asleep beside her every night. A month ago the concept of living with someone would have frightened him, but now he saw it as the only solution. He’d even had the fish guy move his fish around and make the living-room tank freshwater for her fish.
Dedicating his life to fun suddenly seemed immature and hollow now that he knew he could feel more. There were emotions deeper than pleasure worth exploring. He’d liked his casual life before, but now it struck him as lonely. He’d set out to teach her to enjoy herself, but she’d shown him the world he was missing out on. The quiet side of life where he could share himself with someone who looked out for him.
He wanted her to work for Nitrous because he knew it would mean she’d have more time for him, but he knew it wasn’t his decision. And if he could do something to help her get the promotion she deserved at Mendelssohn’s, he would. Which was why he arrived in Michigan early enough to make a surprise visit at the store hosting the best-set and training session.
Judy Lawson, the vice-president of stores, latched onto him immediately, regaling facts and figures he had to remind himself she didn’t know he knew. No one who didn’t speak with Breeze twice a day could. When he’d arrived, Breeze held her reaction in check. And he struggled to be as in control of his responses as she was.
“She’s great, don’t you think?” Judy asked. She stood next to him at the back of the crowd of managers listening to Breeze deliver the Kicks spiel.
“She’s done an amazing job getting Mendelssohn’s ready for the roll out. Two weeks ago I was ready to pull the plug, but now I’m glad we found a solution.”
“You’ve kept a very close eye on her. Trying to tempt her away?”
“If she’s happy here, we can’t offer her enough to leave. Besides, my interest is for the Kicks brand. I took some risks debuting the line with US soccer instead of global football. And it’s my best friend’s debut as a spokesperson. I have a lot riding on the success of this launch.”
“We’d love to help with the brand anyway we can. Breeze could even be a liaison if you’d like.”
He forced a smile, not liking the way Judy volunteered Breeze without consulting her. “I’ll pass the information along. But in talking with Breeze and Nancy, I got the impression Breeze was slated for a store manager position.”
Judy raised one shoulder in a shrug and turned back to the crowd. “She’s done an amazing job with this, but most of our managers have a bit more experience. Special projects like this get her there.”
Yes, but it didn’t help her goal of being the youngest store manager.
“After this she’ll be back on our new stores team, but we can make sure she’s available for any other projects with Nitrous.”
“Does that mean she’ll be managing a new store?”
“No, just helping with training and launches throughout the country.”
He quirked an eyebrow, following Judy’s gaze back to Breeze. Did she know? Was that why she wasn’t pushing him on their future? Because with her traveling that much, there w
asn’t much chance of one.
After the best-set walk through, he followed Breeze to the training room and closed the door behind them. She had kept a calculated distance all morning, and he needed to know what was going on.
“It’s inappropriate for the door to be closed.” She didn’t look at him as she spoke, just busied herself with her training materials.
“You want them to hear what I have to say?”
“I don’t want for you to say anything they shouldn’t hear.”
He stepped closer, near enough to breathe in the grapefruit scent she wore. “You know, ignoring me is more obvious than anything.”
“If Judy Lawson thinks I’m sleeping with you, I’ll be fired on the spot.”
“Then stop acting like I have the plague and act naturally.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about. You look at me like, well, like you shouldn’t.”
He shook his head. “That’s a natural reaction. Two of the managers were checking you out during the walk through. No matter how I look at you, which I’ve been very careful of, it’ll seem normal.”
Breeze huffed out a short breath. “I have a lunch meeting with Judy and then two more store tours. I didn’t expect you until tonight.”
“I couldn’t wait.”
“Well, you have to. Judy is friends with my grandmother, so if she suspects, I’ll get the lecture of the century from my grandmother. If she can prove something, I’ll get fired.”
“And which are you more afraid of?” He got the hint of a smile he’d been aiming for.
“Can you just meet me at the hotel?”
“You’re brushing me off?”
“I’m working. For you.”
“You don’t work for me.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ll do some shopping and meet you at the hotel.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Hurry.”
Stretching his neck from side to side, Logan scanned the hotel lobby, mentally going over the bag of gifts he’d picked up at a bookstore for Breeze. He’d shopped for a while, then driven to the hotel. When he arrived, he learned the hotel was completely booked for a writers convention. He couldn’t get a suite, so her room would have to suffice. But since the room was in Breeze’s name, he couldn’t even check in early.
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