Tangled Web Series Box Set

by Jade C. Jamison

  And, if she wasn’t mistaken, his feelings toward her were similar. After all, he kept coming back for more, and she doubted anyone else had ever left him like she had the night before, at least not since he’d become famous. She’d done it because she wanted him to know he couldn’t just treat her like trash simply because he was the big, bad rock star and she was a lowly teacher.

  But she didn’t get that vibe from him.

  She hoped she was right.

  And the analytical thoughts left her head as Riley unbuttoned the top of her dress, exposing the light blue lacy bra underneath. In a series of short, quick motions, he had the sleeves off her shoulders and her bra undone, pulled down just enough to expose her breasts. He grasped them both with his greedy hands and licked the nipple of one until it turned hard and pebbly, then drew it in his mouth, causing Erin to gasp and dig her nails into his back. Her heart started pounding against her chest as her breath turned ragged.

  No more wasting time. She undid his belt with the big silver skull buckle on front, but she didn’t plan to waste time pulling the belt off. Instead, she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pulling them down just a little, just enough. Then she pulled his underwear down too and took his titanium-hard cock in her small hands and squeezed it as though he were a tube of toothpaste. He let out a hot breath on the skin between her breasts and pulled up her skirt, pulling on her tiny lacy panties so hard they ripped.

  She gasped and then giggled and he looked at her. There was an amused glimmer in his eyes, but overpowering that was a ravenous look. God, he was going to eat her. And she was delighted. She brought her hand up to her mouth and licked the palm, then grabbed his cock again and massaged it. She held it like a microphone, except she was swirling her thumb over the eye. God, he was ready. He was already oozing, and she kept rubbing him with her thumb. His eyes rolled back in his head and he pulled the wallet out of his back pocket. He opened it and yanked a condom out, then dropped the wallet and it swung by the chain hanging from one of his belt buckles. He was struggling with opening the wrapper, and Erin knew it was because her fingers were distracting the shit out of him. She started kissing his neck, just to add to the whole fun, frenzied moment.

  He was clenching his jaw as he brought the condom down to his dick, and he tried to be gentle as he pulled her hand away. Her voice was raspy when she asked, “Do you want my help?”

  “Jesus…I don’t think I can handle any more help.”

  She giggled again until he buried her mouth with his, his tongue dancing with hers. He slid his hands under her arms and lifted her up against the door, then slid her down right on his cock, her legs wrapped around his hips. She let out a moan. “Oh, God, Riley. Oh, God!”

  She could barely hear him when he said, “You like that?” He was breathless, getting a workout between pumping her full of himself and holding her up as though she were a little rag doll.

  “Yeah…” She sounded as out of breath as he did. Another moan ushered from her lips. “You feel fuckin’ incredible.”

  “Oh, Jesus…keep talking like that.”

  Her breath was growing shallow as she got close. She was hardly able to ask, “Like…what?”

  “Keep cursing. God, that’s fucking sexy as hell.”

  And then she couldn’t concentrate. She was close and she wanted to arouse him more but she’d never had a guy ask her to talk dirty to him, especially in the heat of the moment. Her mind struggled with what to say, and she was afraid that whatever she said now would sound stupid and contrived…silly even.

  But then she remembered a Spawn song off their second album, one called “Tempted.” It was one of the filthiest songs she’d ever heard, and she remembered how sexy Riley’s voice had sounded in it. His voice had been low and breathy and she remembered more than once feeling aroused just hearing it. How would he feel hearing his words on her tongue, delivered in much the same manner he’d done?

  Only one way to find out. The only thing she’d have to remember would be to change the word girl to boy. “You’re so hot, boy,/ Have no fear of hell./ Can you feel me?/ More to me than I could tell./ I taste your flames,/ You burn, fucking consume me,/ Taste me, eat me up, I’ll never get enough.” The song continued in her head, “Tempted and couldn’t say no…”

  He growled then, clenching his jaw, and she could tell he liked it. She tilted her pelvis forward as one of his hands slid down, cupping her ass. He followed it with the other, and she figured it was so he could focus all his attention there. And that was all it took for her. Her moans collapsed into something near a scream, but she gasped, gritting her teeth as her legs clamped around his hips, pulling him in as far as he would go, his relentless pounding fueling the waves of her orgasm. “God, Riley…” she gasped, spent, but she kept her legs wrapped around his thighs, unwilling to let him go until he released too.

  And he did. She heard another low growl forming in his throat but he slowed down. He was still driving hard but she knew he was experiencing climax too. His teeth were clenched, his eyes held shut. He slowed down more, finally stopping but still holding her up. She realized she’d had her fingernails embedded in his shoulders, and she hoped she hadn’t hurt him.

  His breathing slowed and he started chuckling. When he continued, Erin asked, “What?”

  “God…I think you’re the first woman to ever use my own words against me.”

  She started laughing. “Well, you kind of put me on the spot. I’m not a girl who’s good at talking dirty, so I tried to think of the dirtiest, sexiest thing I could.”

  He held his forehead to hers. God, the look in his eyes was intense. His eyes were dark then, and Erin breathed in deeply. He smelled so good and felt so purely masculine, so strong at that moment, and she never wanted to forget this one perfect second in time. He said, “Really? You thought that was sexy?”

  She smiled. “Hell, yeah. My God, what you did with your voice in that song…gave me shivers.”

  “Really? I thought that was just a guy thing…liking songs like that.”

  “You mean you never heard a girl tell you she totally loved that song?”

  “I don’t talk about my music much with other women.”

  She shrugged her shoulders as he lowered her to the floor. Her neck felt a little sore having been slammed into the door more than once but she felt fantastic. He pulled the condom off, then pulled his underwear and pants up and leaned over, picking up the lacy blue panties and handing them to her. They were shredded. He winced. “Guess I owe you a pair, right?”

  She screwed up a corner of her mouth. She handed them back to him. “I guess you can have them. I don’t think they’ll stay on anymore.”

  “Seriously?” He grinned, looking more like one of her students at that moment than the worldly Riley Schultz. He stuffed them in his pocket and then pulled her close. “C’mon. I know this is a small bed, but let’s lie down for a while.”

  She looked up at him. “What if your mom comes back?”

  “What if she does? Nothing to see now.” She smiled as he led her to the little twin bed. “Just an innocent little snuggle with my girl.”

  She was glad they were walking toward the bed and she wasn’t looking at him, because what he said shocked her. His girl? When the hell had that happened? More importantly, did he mean it?

  No, Erin told herself. It was the after-sex endorphins talking. She’d had guys declare their love for her after a good romp, only to take it back later. You could never believe what a guy said in the heat of the moment or in the afterglow.

  What he said the next day was the truth.

  But that was okay, because she felt good too. She gladly took the place next to him on the bed that he offered and rested her head on his chest after buttoning her dress back up. They only had a few more days together, but she was going to make the most of them, starting now.

  Chapter Nineteen

  RILEY WAS BASKING in a calm, satisfied aura, holding Erin around the shoulders, her head resting on
his chest. He didn’t know the last time he’d felt like this.

  He almost sat upright, realizing that the answer was either never or so long ago he couldn’t even remember. If ever, it would have been in high school. He didn’t know the last time he’d trusted a woman enough to just throw his heart on the chopping block and dare her to stab it.

  But he had this time, though. He was glad she hadn’t said anything, but wow. How fucking stupid was that? Calling her his girl? He should’ve just gotten on his knee and started gushing Shakespeare or Elizabeth Barrett Browning. He almost laughed, thinking she might have actually liked that, considering she was an English teacher.

  But she was no more his girl than he was her guy. They both knew it was a temporary thing, that they’d both return to their own respective lives come Monday morning. A self-respecting high school teacher wouldn’t even consider a bad boy rock star like Riley. Oh, sure, he was fun for a good time, but for a serious relationship? He already knew that wasn’t going to happen. She was living out a fantasy, that he was pretty sure of, especially after seeing her in that hot getup yesterday.

  But he was okay with that. He knew he’d look back on this time in his life fondly, because anymore, moments like these were rare. That she’d spend any time with him was good enough.

  And did the girl have balls. No woman had ever done to him what she’d done yesterday, cuffing him, bringing him to the brink, and then leaving him. He could laugh about it now. Hell, had he not been so worked up and teetering on the edge yesterday, he might have even laughed then. And she’d felt guilty about it too.

  He’d been unconsciously rubbing her arm in a slow up-and-down motion. Her breathing was steady and quiet now. He didn’t think she was asleep, but he kept his voice low when he said, “By the way, I forgive you now.”

  She moved her head a little and started running her finger on his chest. He heard her chuckle. “Good. I couldn’t have that hanging over me forever.”

  She lifted his dog tags and started examining them. Well, Jesus, there would go any possible good opinion she might have already formed of him. “Now, before you go and think, ‘God, Riley Schultz is such an egotistical, self-centered asshole,’ bear in mind I had those made when I was young and…arrogant.”

  “As opposed to older and arrogant?”

  “Ha ha,” he said, faking a laugh. “But they’re my lucky dog tags now, and they mean a lot more than just a kid’s self-serving notion.”

  “Yeah, yeah…I know. I know they’re your lucky charm. I read that somewhere.” They were nothing fancy. They were silver-toned and heavy. They weren’t the cheapie little things kids would buy for fun. But they were plain metal, stamped in simple font, hanging on a ball chain. He couldn’t remember where he’d had them made, it had been so long ago, but they’d stood the beatings they’d taken over the years. One of them said Schultz, Riley K. on one line and then there was a space, but just below it were the words, Vocals, Spawn. Then Erin looked at the other tag he’d warned her about. The top line again had his name but the second line said Metal God Extraordinaire.

  She giggled and moved her head, looking at him, resting her chin on her hand. “Now why on earth do you think I’d think you were an arrogant asshole?”

  God, she looked beautiful. A thin wisp of hair was hanging down over her eye, so he brushed it aside with his hand. He smiled at her but had no words. Nothing he said would capture the moment anyway. He wanted to hold her closer, to gush at her about how lovely and special she was, but he’d scare her off for sure.

  And what the fuck anyway? He was a goddamned rock star and he had no business acting like a love-starved puppy. Shit.

  But it was there, and there was no denying it. All he could do would be to hide it. And he was good at that shit.

  He said, “So you don’t think so?”

  Erin smiled back. “Hmmm. I have no idea. Don’t all guys refer to themselves as gods?”

  Riley smirked. “Only the ones who really are.” Erin rolled her eyes and rested her head back on his chest. “Are you sleepy?”

  “I don’t know. Why?”

  “God, I am. But…”

  She turned her head again. “But what?”

  “What’s your favorite restaurant here in Winchester?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “I was thinkin’ I could doze for a few minutes and then we could go grab a bite to eat. So, are you hungry?”

  She rested her head on his chest again. “I don’t know. Maybe.” Her fingers started dancing on his chest again. “Why don’t you sleep for a little while and I’ll wake you up when I’m hungry.”

  Goddamn, that was tempting. Sleep was pressing in on him…his eyes, his muscles, and it would be so easy to just let go.

  He did too, but then she was whispering his name and he started waking back up. He didn’t know how long it had been, but his bedroom was mostly shadows. She was whispering in his ear, saying his name, telling him to wake up. He would have been startled but she was gentle and quiet. “How long have I been out?”

  “I don’t know. An hour maybe?”

  “You didn’t need to let me sleep that long.”

  “You seemed to need it.”

  He started to sit up and she kissed him on the cheek. She sat up on the edge of the bed, and then he noticed she’d cleaned up a little while he’d slept. Her dress had been in shambles, her hair mussed, but now she was smooth and put together. “So, did you decide where we’re gonna eat?”

  “No. Do you have any preferences? Also…bear in mind all of Winchester is fully aware you’re here. Do you want to be tackled wherever we go?”

  Goddammit, that sucked, but she was right. He’d wanted to take her out, show her a good time, but how fun would it be if their table was constantly surrounded by freaks? “Okay…how about takeout? Anything acceptable that way?”

  “The Japanese restaurant has pretty good food.”

  “And…since my parents are going to be home later, how would you feel about eating at your place…just you and me?”

  She smiled. He could barely see her since the sun was going down, making his room darker, but he could see the positive look on her face. “Sounds nice.”

  “Oh, wait…forgot about the friend staying at your place. Will we be bothering her?”

  Erin blushed. “Uh…well…that wasn’t exactly true. It was just a guise to…”

  Riley felt a wave of realization wash over him. “Ah…to get me to a hotel.”

  She looked ashamed. “Yeah.”

  He nodded and shook his head. All was forgiven, but he was surprised at the amount of planning she’d put into it. He got up and turned on the light across the room. Then he walked over to his open suitcase on the chair and fished out a new t-shirt. He picked his cell phone up off the dresser and handed it to Erin. “Do you want to call in something while I wash my face and comb my hair and shit?”

  “I have no idea what kind of Japanese food you like.”

  “Surprise me.”

  “Sushi?”

  “Oh, uh…you like sushi?” She wrinkled her nose. God…he was learning they had more things in common than he might have initially thought. “I don’t either. So pick me anything other than sushi, and I’m sure I’ll love it.” He opened the door and walked to the bathroom.

  He ran cool water in the sink and splashed it on his face. Then he put toothpaste on his toothbrush and while he was cleaning his teeth, he heard her on the phone. God, he was falling hard. He was acting like a schoolgirl. What the fuck? But he didn’t know how to stop it and didn’t think he wanted to. He just wished he knew how she felt, but he was afraid to ask.

  When he was done, he ran his fingers through his hair. He was pretty sure he had some old baseball caps in his closet. If he put one on, at least he could probably get away with going in for takeout without being noticed. Erin looked too good to be seen with the likes of him anyway, so she might not want to go in with him, but he hoped she’d understand w
hy he was going to try to be as disguised as possible. After all, she was the one who’d pointed it out in the first place.

  He went back to the bedroom just as Erin was finishing up the call. “All done,” she said.

  He opened a box on his top shelf. There was a black cap that said WHS Bulldogs. Good enough. Identified him as a citizen, not a visitor. “Would it bother you if I wore this?” He put it on his head and turned around.

  “No. Why would it?”

  He shrugged and walked over to her. She handed him his phone and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Maybe it wouldn’t last, but he was gonna have as much fun as possible with this girl for the rest of his stay.

  Chapter Twenty

  RILEY HAD BEEN telling funny stories about mishaps in the recording studio the whole way to the Japanese restaurant. Erin told him he was going to have to drive if he didn’t stop, because she was bound to have an accident, she was laughing so hard. She guessed she hadn’t given him nearly enough credit before. She herself had been guilty of raising him up to Metal God status. Of course, Riley had a sense of humor and was fun. She just hadn’t thought of him as entirely human, and that was her fault.

  So she relaxed (and even managed to forget the fact that she wasn’t wearing panties under her dress) and promised herself she’d appreciate him more while he was here. But the problem with appreciating him was that she was going to find herself caring for him more and more. And that couldn’t happen.

  When they got to her apartment, Riley pulled her coffee table out to the center of the living room. “We should eat in traditional Japanese fashion, don’t you think? On the floor.”

  So she nodded and went to the kitchen to get plates. He helped her put the food on plates. She was getting glasses out of the cabinet and said, “Oh…your soda’s still in the fridge.”