A Friendly Flirtation (Friends First #3)

by Christine Warner

  Maybe she wasn’t supposed to have sex. Ever.

  Would Jared even want to try again? He’d made no mention of it, and she hadn’t felt right bringing it up. It would have come across a bit self-serving if she questioned him about when they could get together again for another wrestling match. Especially since he’d come out with the most damage on round one.

  She brushed her hands over her face and snort-laughed, folding her arms behind her head. Maybe next time he should wear some type of protective gear or they’d need to find a padded room.

  If there is a next time.

  Oh, there’ll be a next time. She sat up and wiped the back of her hand over her eyes.

  Maybe tomorrow, or actually later today, she’d make that trip to the department store like she’d promised herself and buy something smexy—as Colleen liked to say. Super smexy, that would have Jared pulsating with desire. He’d forget all about his stitches and the visit to the ER.

  She’d take the initiative. Not that she knew what she was doing, but she’d read enough to have some type of idea. After he’d gotten over that huge hurdle of forgetting about Nick, their attraction had gone ahead full force. She’d lost all sense of time and space as she had succumbed to the pleasures of his mouth, hands, and body.

  Shivers raced across her arms, then shot down her back. She hugged her middle.

  They just had to watch out for knees, banging heads, and coffee tables.

  Her snort-laugh filled the silence of her apartment and made her feel a lot better.

  Next time they’d take things slow. Let the tension build instead of climbing all over each other in haste. He’d been right. They’d gotten carried away.

  Chapter Nine

  Allison hesitated, her knuckles millimeters from Jared’s door before she dropped her arm to her side. She looked up at the stark white ceiling and went over her mental checklist for the millionth time.

  Sexy perfume—check. Super smexy dress that would hopefully tease Jared to distraction and make him beg for release—check. Sexier still bra and panties that’d push him over the edge and lead to a night of mad, passionate lovemaking—check, check.

  A giggle-snort escaped, and she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth as she looked from left to right. Not that anyone was in the hallway to see or hear. Jared’s condo was one of two that filled this floor.

  She shook her head to clear away any imaginary hair that might be in her face, thrust back her shoulders, glided her tongue over her freshly brushed teeth, and finally wiggled her hips as she smoothed her palms over the light jacket she’d put on to cover her cling-to-me-everywhere dress. Her knuckles barely hit the door before it swung open, and Jared stood before her. His automatic smile teetered, but he quickly covered his surprise.

  The nervous excitement swirling through her evaporated, and she lost her gung ho.

  “I’m sorry. I probably should’ve called, but I—”

  “No. You’re okay. I just thought you were someone else.”

  “Like your date?”

  He was dressed from head to toe in a tux. White starched shirt and blacker than black vest, jacket, and trousers. All topped off with a black bowtie that lay at his throat slightly askew and unclasped.

  “You look like a penguin,” she said. Her face heated. Had she really said that aloud?

  “A gentoo?” His eyebrow lifted ever so slightly. The look only made him sexier.

  Heck. He looked good. But then when didn’t he? He’d be that guy who looked good in whatever he threw on, or threw off.

  She shook her head. “Definitely an emperor penguin. You have the height.”

  He laughed, and the tiny bit of tension squeezing the air from her lungs vaporized.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He pulled her through the door, his warm hands sending frissons of heat up her arm, followed by goose bumps. “And there’s no date.”

  Her gaze swept the room. “But I must’ve interrupted something.” Thank God it wasn’t a date.

  “My guests just left.”

  She expected to see the remnants of a party, at least a few plates with hors d’oeuvres, a smattering of empty champagne bottles. Something party-like. Instead the only difference from yesterday was that the baby grand had been pushed nearer to the windows, and all the furniture—which had been sparse to begin with—sat up against the walls. The middle of the floor lay exposed, the wood gleaming.

  Her gaze landed on Jared, a frown creasing her brow. “First off, how’s the chin? Secondly, what’s going on?”

  “Chin is fine, and what’s going on? Well, it’s one of my secrets.” He sighed, rubbing his chin gingerly as he avoided the stitches.

  That wiggly feeling invaded her stomach. “Are you about to tell me that besides dancing pecs you like to wax your floors in a tux in front of company? And if so, are you available for hire?” She bit her lip to hide her smile. Not that she had wood floors, but maybe he’d clean her tub. In a tux, or without.

  When he laughed, she did, too. But at the same time she could see the discomfort in the way he rolled his shoulders.

  “Do you promise not to laugh?”

  “As someone who knows what it feels like to be laughed at, I’d never do that to you.”

  He licked his lips and glanced down at his shiny black shoes before meeting her gaze with a boyish look of mischief. “And you’ll keep my secret?”

  She nodded and jammed her hand into her jacket pocket, rolling the tinfoil ball between her fingers. They were sharing another secret, and according to the color creeping up from his neckline, this one would be a doozy. The closeness between them only ignited her attraction and anticipation.

  He walked across the room and flipped a switch on the stereo. The light tinkling of piano music filled the room, and she turned on her heel, following the music as it pinged off one wall, then another, and another. He stood in front of her.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “I do.” She had no idea where this was going, but she wanted to find out.

  Without another word, he helped her out of her jacket and tossed it on a nearby chair. His eyes raked over her slowly, and the way his throat worked as he swallowed gave her confidence a boost.

  “You look beyond stunning.”

  “Thank you.” She licked her lips slowly, savoring the way his eyes followed. He held out his hand, and she placed her palm in his.

  With gentle force—or maybe it was more authoritative—he yanked her up tight to his front. They melded together, and he spun her around easily in his arms, and then stopped as the music changed tempo. Now they swayed lazily to the soft beat as his gaze smoldered. She relaxed, her backbone turning to mush as she conformed to his will.

  Her body lit on fire, and every inch of her flesh that connected with him came to life with anticipation. He rested his face against the side of her head as they swung around the floor. His breath warmed the shell of her ear. “One of the main reasons I bought this condo was because of this room.”

  “Because you’re a closet dancer?”

  His chuckle melted her heart. He really did have a boyish quality at times.

  “You could say that.”

  Before she could speak again, his arms tightened around her. The rhythm of his hard chest matched hers as their breaths rose in tempo with the music and they floated across the dance floor in tiny circles.

  When he loosened his grip, she looked down at his feet, and he lifted her chin. “Don’t watch my feet, watch my eyes.”

  Her body throbbed from the tone of his voice. “Isn’t that a line from Dirty Dancing?” she whispered.

  He shrugged, his smile filling his eyes. “We’ll save the dirty for later.”

  “Promises, promises.” Even to her own ears her voice sounded breathless.

  He steered her across the floor with such speed and grace, she couldn’t believe she hadn’t tripped over her own feet. Of course, if she had, he held her so close and tight, she’d never have fallen.
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  When the music ended, he dipped her low and pressed his mouth to her throat, nipping the base of her neck where her pulse throbbed.

  “I’m breathless. In more ways than one.” She licked her lips, reveling in the sensation of his strong arms supporting her as he lifted her to a standing position once again.

  Another song thrummed through the air, starting out soft and slow and then pounding out a quick tempo. Instead of torturing her—because at this point she’d been lucky to get through the slow dance—he pulled her toward the couch, and they sat.

  “If you want to do a solo dance, I won’t object.”

  The left side of his mouth lifted.

  She brushed her hand down her lap. “Never mind. I’d probably have a coronary.”

  His mouth parted into a full-blown, sexy smile. “Maybe I’ll dance for you later.”

  “Or maybe your pecs will?” she teased.

  “You never know, but for now I want to tell you my secret.”

  “Spill.”

  He held up one finger. “Give me a second. I’m still trying to get my mind off images of dancing for you.”

  She laughed, the sound husky and rich. “That makes two of us.”

  He slid his finger down the side of her cheek, clearing his throat. “Let me start at the beginning. Like I said a minute ago, I bought this place because of this room. I belong to a ballroom dance club, and we meet here two Saturdays a month. We also compete from time to time around the state.”

  Her jaw relaxed, and her lips parted slightly. She thanked her lucky stars that her mouth didn’t fall open and her eyes didn’t bug out. To say she was surprised would be an understatement. She stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. She had no idea what his secret was, but she’d never have guessed ballroom dancing. “How’d you manage to keep that secret? You mean Nick doesn’t know?”

  He opened his mouth, shaking his head at the same time, but so many questions burst through her mind she didn’t give him time to answer.

  “Where do you compete? Can you do the same dances they do on Dancing with the Stars? How long have you been doing—?”

  He covered her mouth with his. A light kiss that sent fireworks shooting through her blood. Jared would always be sexy, but for some reason the fact he danced added another layer of sensuality to him. She liked learning new things about him. Liked it even more that although he was confident, he wasn’t so sure about revealing this part of himself. It gave him more appeal, because he had some of her own issues. He really did understand.

  She peeked up at him with surprise when he sat back and put his finger over her lips.

  “Can you give me a second to answer?”

  “Or you could just kiss me again,” she teased.

  “That’s a very generous offer. I thought you wanted to hear my story, though.”

  She nodded, afraid to open her mouth in case she shot more questions at him, or begged him to kiss her again already. With one hand she pretended to zip her lips closed, and he grinned, rewarding her with a quick, warm kiss.

  “My mom wanted us boys to be well-rounded. She signed us up for so many classes and lessons I’ve lost count. Some stuck and some didn’t. There were cooking lessons, swimming lessons, piano lessons, painting, and dance. Just to name a few.”

  “And dance stuck?” she asked in awe, forgetting her vow of silence. “I’ve always wanted to learn to dance. I watch Dancing with the Stars every week.”

  “You just did dance. And if you hadn’t done it before I’d have never known.”

  “I think I was too stunned to be nervous. I just followed your lead.” She dried her palms on the lap of her dress. “Not to mention it felt amazing to be in your arms. You dance beautifully. Why do you keep this a secret?”

  “Roth hated every minute of dance, so I played along. As a kid it was nice to commiserate. The more time that went by, the harder it was to say anything.”

  She grinned. “I get you.”

  “But truthfully, I loved the freedom of dancing. Ballroom especially. It helped me through a tough time as a kid. When I was dancing, and the music surrounded me, I could forget all the stresses from home. My parents’ crazy marriage—the fighting, then the silent treatments—the way my father had no time for either Roth or me because he focused all his attention on Omar…” He rubbed the side of his neck so hard he left red marks that took a few seconds to vanish.

  She took his hand and squeezed his fingers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Funny how she assumed Jared’s life had been sunshine and rainbows. He might not have had confidence issues, might not have been shy, but from the brief glimpse he’d given her, his home life hadn’t been as golden as she’d pictured. “Your family wasn’t very close?”

  But—now that she thought back—she already kind of knew the answer from little things Nick had said over the years. And why else would someone spend holidays and vacations with the Hall family when they had a family of their own? The idea poked at her brain that she’d never taken the time to realize that.

  Frown lines marred his brow. “I’ve always been close with my mother and older brother Roth. Until recently, Omar wasn’t in our life. My parents weren’t together much, and Roth and I traveled with my mother. Omar stayed behind while my dad groomed him to be his mini-me.” He made an attempt to laugh off his words, but the painful sound hurt Allison’s heart.

  “I thought both your brothers were visiting recently…”

  “We’ve come a long way. Omar and I mended our relationship right away. As soon as he reached out, I was more than happy to have him in my life. He’d always wanted us to be brothers but didn’t know how to go about getting us there.” His lips thinned and then turned into a stiff smile. “Roth and Omar had a little bit of a rougher time, but it’s all working out now.”

  She rubbed his leg. “I’m glad. Family is so important. And having a sibling you’re close to is amazing. I love Nick, even though he can get a bit overprotective at times.”

  “He loves you.”

  “I think when Mom died, he tried to take on the role of parent because Dad was out of it for so long. Gramps tried to step in, too, but he had enough on his plate with my dad.” Even now the pain in her dad’s eyes when he talked about Allison’s mom twisted her heart into a pretzel. After all these years he still loved her. Probably always would. Her father had become the role model of love for her. She wanted that all-consuming, lifelong love with someone. Of course, through the years she’d encouraged him to date, and he had from time to time, but nothing had developed.

  “Enough about dance and family. Let’s talk about that dress.”

  Allison stood and held out her hand. “Dance with me. Slow. Easy.” She swayed to the music in her head, her hips moving back and forth as she peeked at him from beneath her lashes. Her nerves eased at the way his eyes feasted on her from north to south and back again. She might not be experienced, but even she couldn’t mistake the look of desire in his smoldering eyes.

  “Are you trying to make me pop my zipper?” he asked.

  She couldn’t stop her eyes from straying to his trousers as she grinned. The obvious effects of her words and little dance sent her pulse pounding. He pulled her into his arms, and she lost all ability to think as they moved slower than two leaves on a windless day. The only music the rhythm of their breathing.

  Heat swirled around them as they pressed into each other, their feet never leaving the floor. Not much of a dance, but she didn’t care. Mesmerized by eyes, touch, smell, and body, everything in the world stopped when his lips pressed into hers.

  “I want you to teach me how to please you.” Her breathy voice sounded foreign to her own ears.

  “You already know.” One of his hands skimmed down her side and cradled her hip.

  She rose on her tiptoes, walking her fingers up his chest to pull him down and claim his lips, careful to avoid his chin. His groan fueled her fire, and she pressed closer—if that was even possible.

 
; “Did you come here to seduce me?” He kissed the lobe of her ear, and flames shot through her veins.

  “Is it working? Because I have no clue what I’m doing.”

  His chest rumbled against hers and a shiver skated down her backbone. “You’re doing everything right. I’m the one who’s nervous.”

  “You?” Her voice cracked.

  He nodded, grazing her cheek with his knuckles, sending another ripple of awareness through her. His touch alone excited her. She’d fall to pieces when they made love. Flesh upon flesh. From head to toe. She had no doubt it’d happen, now it was only a matter of when, not if. Her body wanted to get right to the action, but her mind wanted to relish every moment and make it last.

  “I have a lot to live up to. Your first time has to be perfect. Something to be remembered.”

  “I have a feeling you won’t disappoint.”

  “I feel the same about you.” His sexy voice resonated through her.

  He had her right there. Not only with the timbre of his voice—so deep, sexy, and strong—but with his words. Those six words sent her confidence to new heights. She’d do anything he wanted. Whenever he wanted. However he wanted. Their feet came unglued as he led them into a sexy dance. Not really a dance, more of a press-into-me-everywhere move that required a few foot maneuvers to get closer. Heat circled around them; his hands slid down her back and settled into the small curve above her rear. They pressed in to her as he groaned from deep within his throat before smoothing over the flare of her hips and then back down to cup her butt. Her body became a live wire wherever he touched, and a few places he didn’t.

  His fingers found the zipper running the length of her spine, and he slid it down gently. The cool air kissed her skin and then was quickly warmed by his palms. His lips found her earlobe, and his ragged breaths sent a shot of promise mixed with impatience straight through her as he brushed the straps of her dress down her shoulders, past her breasts, and over her hips. She wiggled slightly until the material slid down her legs and pooled at her feet. For a second he held her at arm’s length, devouring her with his darkened eyes, before taking her hand to walk toward what she hoped was the bedroom. A blanket of self-consciousness overwhelmed her as his gaze continued to rake over her, but the urge to cover herself didn’t compare to the need to have him continue to touch every inch of her body with his eyes—as he did now—then his hands.