Aiden stopped walking and turned to her. His upper lip curved in an uncertain smile. “Right now?”
“Um…maybe now is a good time, you know, before we get to your place.”
“Sam, we don’t have to do anything. We can go watch TV or talk and just…play Xbox if you want. I don’t want you to think I asked you out just because of what you said at the Clinic.”
“I don’t.” Her answer came so quickly she was sure he sensed it was a lie. She had spent some time wondering if their date hadn’t been prompted by the fact that she’d more than likely convinced him she was a sure thing. “I…get that you just want someone you can hang out with and have fun. No drama. I think it’s good to establish that in the beginning so we both understand. If we continue to…see each other, we’re not dating in the traditional sense. And I’m fine with that, as long as you are.”
He nodded. “I am. I’m tired of getting to the point in a relationship where, in order to be honest with someone, I have to hurt her feelings. I’m not Mr. Right…for anybody.”
That remark caused a pang in Sam’s heart. Did this gorgeous, sexy, charming guy really believe that about himself? “Oh, come on. I can see why a lot of women would think you were, and want you to be, but they can’t all be wrong.”
He laughed and tugged her hand to get her to walk with him again. “When it comes down to it, I’m not into marriage, houses with picket fences, and one point two kids. It’s great for some people, and it’s not like my family doesn’t remind me all the time that those are the things that make the world go around, but…it’s not me. I’ve had to apologize for that to the last four women I’ve dated. A couple of them wanted me to go into counseling to find the deep dark secret to my aversion to commitment. They insisted I must have had a terrible childhood or come from a broken home or something not to want to get married and have kids. I couldn’t convince them that my parents have a great marriage; they’ve been happy together for thirty-three years. My sister is great, she’s happy, she loves the idea of getting married someday, and she’ll be thrilled to give them grandchildren—and she felt that way even after the guy she thought she was going to marry cheated on her and broke her heart. Whatever is in you, is in you. That’s what I believe. So there’s no dire psychological damage that makes me prefer to have a good friend I can fool around with now and then as opposed to a soul mate.”
Sam had soaked in his words and now had a very clear picture of what her relationship with Aiden would be like. As much as she identified more with his sister’s point of view, she harbored no delusions about changing him. If she continued on with Aiden, she would have no excuse to believe they’d end up marching down the aisle. He was strictly a diversion for a while, someone she’d have to give up when she figured out what she really wanted from a man, or the moment she started having deep feelings for him—whichever came first.
He pointed to one of the two-story apartment buildings down the street from the movie theater, and she realized she only had a few more minutes to make her decision. Was she going to thank Aiden for a nice evening and leave now, knowing she could never remain objective if they made love, or was she going to take Dr. Fraser’s advice and learn how to separate sex and love so she could enjoy this amazing man and have fun without losing her heart and soul?
A smart woman would have run for the hills.
Sam squeezed Aiden’s hand and picked up the pace. “Maybe we can play some Xbox afterward?”
*
The bout of nerves Aiden had fought off before the movie returned with a vengeance when he and Samantha reached his apartment. He attributed her shallow breathing to climbing two flights of stairs in her sexy sandals, but the moment he closed the door and flipped on the lights, she slipped into his arms, wrapped her warm hands around the back of his neck and kissed him.
Instinctively, his hands went to her waist, and he maneuvered her hips into line with his, then concentrated on the delicious pressure of her lips. He angled his head and dove in, running his tongue along her lower lip until she opened for him. He tasted mint and chocolate and willing woman, and his body responded instantly. This couldn’t be happening. Had he really found a woman who wanted nothing from him except mutual enjoyment?
How often had his sister told him it would never happen, that his adolescent view of relationships would only leave an endless string of broken hearts in his wake?
And what was he doing thinking about Bailey at a time like this?
He pushed the intrusive thoughts aside and concentrated on Samantha. She fit him perfectly, probably because her sandals brought her close to his height. They’d need to sit or lie down to be more comfortable once she took them off. Reluctantly, he broke their breathless kiss and met her gaze. Her pupils had become wide black pools surrounded by thin rings of sky blue. Her lips were plump from the kiss, and her chest rose and fell quickly with her anxious breaths. “Let’s go sit on the couch…”
She obeyed wordlessly, leading him to the living room where he thanked God he’d straightened up a little before he’d left. He’d tamed the usual mess by shoving a lot of stuff into the cabinets beneath the TV. That meant the video game idea would be a problem since getting to the Xbox meant liberating the pile of junk he’d stuffed into…wait, why was he thinking about that now?
He sat on the couch and pulled her down into his lap. “I have to ask one more time. You’re sure about this? Nothing is set in stone. We can wait until next time…or…”
She curled herself down and kissed him, demanding but not desperate. She wanted him…but the pressure of her lips, the angle of her body across his, even the leisurely way her fingers explored beneath the collar of his shirt told him she wasn’t trying to prove anything. “You want honesty, Aiden? Here’s honesty.” Sam hiked the skirt of her dress up around her thighs and straddled him, though she held herself above his belt buckle, not settling down on his growing erection just yet. She stared into his eyes, her lips glistening from his kiss, her cheeks flushed. “You’ve been coming to the Clinic for two years with Barkley…hey, where is Barkley anyway?”
“Huh?” Barkley? Oh. My dog. “He’s out with my sister and her boyfriend. I asked them to dog sit tonight because…I didn’t know if we’d end up here or somewhere else or…”
“Oh. Okay…where was I?” She rose up, arching her back a bit, her hands on his shoulders. The move gave him a perfect view of her cleavage. When she settled back down, she was inches away from discovering just how turned on he was, but she still held herself slightly above his lap. “You’ve been bringing Barkley to the clinic for years, and the moment I first saw you, I wanted you. I’ve daydreamed about you…a lot. I’m used to dating guys who say everything a woman wants to hear and then take it all back when they realize I actually believed they meant it. I’ve been one of those girls whose feelings are hurt by the truth. So, I’m done with that. You’re hot. I want to spend time with you. Going to the movies, taking walks, playing tennis, playing Xbox, I don’t care. Having sex? Sure. You told me right up front not to expect more. So I won’t. I’m here, I’m horny. If you are too…what’s the holdup?”
Aiden’s pulse hammered in places he didn’t know his pulse could hammer. He wrapped his hands around Samantha’s waist and brought her hips down so she was sitting on him rather than hovering above. Her eyes widened, then so did her grin. Message received. “There’s no holdup…except…let’s go to the bedroom. If we’re doing this for fun…let’s do it right.”
She bit her lower lip, then kissed him quickly before climbing off his lap. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Five
As they entered Aiden’s bedroom, Sam fought to calm the tremor in her belly. She made the decision to put her swirling thoughts aside and concentrate on the physical. This was no time to analyze her own confusing motives for doing this, no time to question if she really could take Dr. Fraser’s advice to heart and have a relationship that was about nothing more than friendship and mutual pleasure. It sounded
like such a sane idea when she’d read about it, something women of this century were certainly entitled to do.
Aiden’s fingers trailed along her bare arm, reminding her that once again, she was thinking instead of feeling. She concentrated on shutting her mind down once and for all and turned to face him. She melted into his arms and kissed him, not urgently, not as any kind of sexual command, but just because kissing was fun and he was damn good at it.
The pressure of his arms around her lulled her, and before long, she stopped thinking. Instinctively, she led him to his bed, and they settled on the dark blue comforter, her on her back and him resting on his side propped up on one elbow.
“Whatever happens is up to you…” he said, trailing one finger along the top of her dress.
She shivered as goose bumps rose along her chest and her arms. “I know. We can take it slow or fast…”
He flicked one of the straps of her dress off her shoulder. “I’d like to start out slow, but…” He paused for an appreciative sigh as he eyed her smooth skin. “I have a feeling things might speed up.”
She brushed the hair from his eyes and brought his face down to hers for another kiss. “That’s fine with me. We have plenty of time to try whatever we want to try.”
His lips blazed a path from her mouth to her collarbone, and she arched for him and reveled in the play of his muscles beneath his T-shirt. In a bold move, she reached for the hem of his shirt and helped him drag it over his head. His well-defined pectorals filled her hands, and a thrill ran through her body. He was perfect, taut and smooth. His dark pink nipples were oval-shaped, not thin or pointy like some guys’. She traced the lines of his abs down to his belt buckle, which she pulled open slowly. If the rest of him was as gorgeous as his chest, she’d just die.
With a little help from him, she got his jeans off, but he stopped her from removing his briefs. “Now you,” he said, flicking the other dress strap down.
Sam giggled and let him help her shimmy out of her dress. She kicked off her sandals and guided his warm hands behind her to the clasp of her strapless bra.
He drew in a breath as he tossed the satin garment aside. “Hmmmm…I need to taste…”
Sam threw her head back and let out a groan when he took one nipple into his mouth. This was better than she’d imagined, sweeter. The ache in her core intensified as Aiden helped her lie back on the pillows and explored her willing body. Dr. Fraser had the right idea. This was heaven…pure heaven.
“You’re very…good at this…” She gasped between words as he slid his hands into her panties. In a second she was completely naked, and so was he, and yes, he was perfect all over. Sam’s whole body tingled when he knelt above her.
“I’ve been told I do good work. My motto is ‘Satisfaction guaranteed.’”
“Or?”
He raised a dark brow. “Or what?”
“If I’m not satisfied?”
“I’ve never had that happen, but I suppose I could offer to do it over and over again until I get the job done right.”
“Then the job’s yours.” She bit her lower lip in anticipation. Somehow she’d pictured this differently—she’d imagined no conversation, just wild tearing of clothes, breathless whispers of sensual commands, and finally a desperate, sweaty climax. This was…easy and natural and… She held out her arms to him, but he hesitated, then reached for the nightstand from which he produced a condom packet.
“The right tools for the job,” he said as he opened the familiar foil.
“I’m on the pill too, just so you know,” she offered before reaching out again. This time, he lowered himself into her arms and settled between her thighs. The pressure of his body on hers set her thoughts on fire. That breathless daydream took over, and as she took him in, she lost herself in the fantasy she’d entertained since the first time she ever saw him.
“Mmm, you feel so good,” Aiden whispered in her ear as he began to move. He certainly hadn’t been lying about doing good work. In moments, Sam was adrift in the pleasure of his expert rhythm. She wrapped herself around him and followed his lead, letting him guide her speed and her movements until she neared the edge of orgasm.
He stopped just short of tipping her over the precipice and looked into her eyes. “We’re going to be good together, you and me…” He kissed her then, and in a second, she was coming, sweetly, achingly. He followed moments later, a masculine sigh sending a shiver down her shuddering body.
“Oh, yes.” She had to agree. This was going to be very, very good.
*
Dressed in his T-shirt and her sexy pink panties, Samantha was a goddess. Aiden had trouble taking his eyes off her while he attempted to locate the TV remote, hours later when they finally decided they’d worn out the bed.
She had curled up in the corner of his couch, her bare feet tucked under her, a bright red apple in her hand. The juicy crunch of her first bite had his cock reacting to the thought of sweet juice coating her luscious lips. Focus, Cole. Get your mind in the game.
How had he gotten so lucky to have stumbled upon the perfect woman for him? Not only was she exquisite in bed, and adorable, but she’d jumped at his suggestion to watch a late-night horror flick. Now all he had to do was find the remote. If he didn’t, he’d have to default to dragging her back into the bedroom…which was not a bad idea, but he needed to prove that he wanted more than just sex from her.
She crunched on the apple again, and his concentration zipped out the widow. “Hmm, this is really good.”
“It’s organic. They taste better.”
“I guess you’re a big health nut. I don’t think there was any junk food at all in your fridge.”
Fortunately, he found the remote. He turned the TV on and adjusted the volume. “I try to teach fitness along with martial arts, so I have to set a good example. But I do indulge. Popcorn is my downfall…and cheese fries. Don’t tell my students.”
“Ohh, cheese fries.” She crunched the apple again. She was going to drive him wild with desire. Fighting off the urge to jump on her, he settled on the couch, grabbed her wrist, and pulled the half-eaten apple toward him. He took a bite.
“You’re making me hungry,” he said after he swallowed.
She wiggled across the cushion and curled up against his side, her warm curves complementing his angles perfectly.
“Here, we can share this.” She took another bite and offered him the rest of the apple. A pressure in his chest made his next breath difficult. With her hair mussed, and her eyes sleepy, she embodied his erotic dreams. This was just too good to be true.
“You finish it. You may need your strength for later.” He winked, and she blushed.
“Oh? You mean there’s an encore performance after the movie?”
“I wouldn’t call it an encore, I’d call it a sequel.”
Chapter Six
Sam would have happily stayed the night in Aiden’s apartment, but sometime after their second trip to his bedroom, her brain started working again, and she remembered this arrangement wasn’t the beginning of a long-term love affair. They were friends who’d shared a fantastic night, but she had to get home and get her head on straight.
Aiden walked her back to her car, kissed her until her knees practically buckled and asked when he could see her again. Dr. Fraser’s words played in her mind. Resist the natural instinct to spend every waking minute together. That becomes a full-time relationship, which isn’t what you’re after. Based on that quote, she just told Aiden to call her if he wanted to go out. She drove home, wishing her phone would ring, but it didn’t and that was fine. In fact, it was good. Now she had some time to process what had happened and psych herself out of wondering how life would be if they ended up falling in love. That wasn’t going to happen. Not if she could help it, anyway.
* * * *
Aiden shoved his phone into his jeans pocket and, for the hundredth time, dismissed the urge to call Samantha. Friday night had been fantastic, outstanding. Memories of it
totally consumed him for the rest of the weekend, but more than once he’d had to stop himself from calling her. He’d given in Saturday afternoon, telling her he just wanted to make sure she was okay and had gotten home safely. Their short conversation had left him wanting and slightly agitated. She hadn’t asked him what he was doing or invited him over, and since then he’d asked himself a million times if maybe she hadn’t had as good a time as she’d claimed.
“I saw that, you know,” Bailey said as she emerged from her kitchen and stepped onto her tiny balcony with a tray of iced tea and sliced fruit. Matt Kelso, her boyfriend, jumped up to help her set the tray on the picnic table.
“Saw what?” Aiden grabbed an iced tea and shrugged, eyeing Matt with a sidelong glance.
“You keep checking your phone. I’m sure it will ring if she calls you.”
“Who?” Aiden played innocent. He hadn’t told his sister about Samantha because he knew how she would react. She’d been on his case for years to settle down and stop breaking hearts. His insistence that he didn’t want to hurt anyone fell on deaf ears, and she lectured him far more often even than their parents had when he was growing up.
She sat on the floor of the balcony, and Barkley climbed into her lap. The dog nuzzled her hand, and she rubbed his ears, then leaned back on her hands and stared up at Aiden. “You’ve got another girl on the hook, don’t you?”
“She’s not on any hook.”
“Oh, so there is a girl?” Matt jumped on the bandwagon. He was a cool guy, great for Bailey who deserved some happiness after her last boyfriend cheated on her with every woman within spitting distance. Matt and Bailey had been seeing each other just about six weeks now, but it was clear to everyone they had a strong connection and a great relationship. It was the kind of thing Aiden would have wanted, if he'd wanted something serious.
Spring River Valley: The Spring Collection (Boxed Set) Page 19