Hard Love

by Joanne Schwehm

  The waiter returned with our drinks. “I don’t think so. Well, maybe.” She studied me for a moment. Her bottom lip rolled between her teeth. She was nervous, which was one emotion I didn’t want her to have when she was around me.

  “You can ask me anything, you know that, right?”

  After a quick nod and another sip of her drink she exhaled. “I’m thinking of branching out in menswear. Not that I don’t know about that market, or that I don’t have male clients, but I mean gearing my upcoming advertising toward them. I just don’t have the analytics done yet. Do you shop for yourself?”

  “I do, but Jan also will pick something up for me if I need it.” She nodded with a slight look of defeat on her face. “That being said, if I had someone doing it for me, I wouldn’t cry over not going to a store.”

  Margo let out the sweetest laugh. “You in a store must be a sight to see. Do you even look at price tags?”

  In an over-exaggerated move, I brought my hand to my chest. “There are price tags?”

  She crumpled her napkin and threw it at me. “You’re a jerk.”

  “Speaking of jerks, I talked to your brother today.”

  Her eyebrows shot up, mouth turned into the shape of an O, and she stared at me. Then, as if she realized who we were talking about, she quirked her lips to the side. “What did he do now?”

  If I could have let out a sigh of relief, I would have, but I still needed to tell her. In my defense, going to the gala—let alone with a woman I had no interest in—wasn’t my idea. The only reason I didn’t ask Margo to go with me was because I forgot, and I only planned on being there for an hour or so.

  “There’s a charity gala tomorrow that I need to attend. Your brother was supposed to go as well, but as you know, he’s out of town.” She wordlessly bobbed her head in acknowledgment. “Well, he had intended on escorting someone, and since he’s not going, he asked me to take her.” I rushed the last part as if the words were on fire coming out of my mouth. “I couldn’t very well tell him that I was dating his sister, and he said he would owe me one.”

  “Okay.” She picked up her cocktail and sipped it through the tiny black stirrer that doubled as a straw. “That’s it?”

  Wait. What? “Yes, that’s it.” The back of my neck heated up at the thought that she didn’t think anything of this. If the tables were turned, I would have demanded to go as well. “You know I’d rather be there with you, but Jan just reminded me I needed to attend, and shortly thereafter your brother called.”

  “No worries.” Her face lit up. “I thought you were going to tell me he knocked someone up or something.”

  “So, you’re okay with this?”

  “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be? We never said we were exclusive.”

  The fuck we’re not. Images of Margo with other men filled my head. Their lips on the same skin mine had been on. Their hands touching places mine had—yeah, no. Wait, was she seeing other people? I raked my hand through my hair. “You’re wrong, we discussed it at Geoffrey’s.” Maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough. But I sure as hell was going to now. “Are you dating other guys? Because you’re the only woman I’m seeing.”

  Her face flamed red then paled. “No.”

  “Do you want to?” If I could have taken a moment to get on my knees and pray that she’d say “no,” I would have.

  “Noah, you know I’m not dating anyone, but I really don’t think you want the stress of a relationship.”

  Why in the hell wasn’t this bothering her? And what made her think I didn’t want a relationship? Usually the jealous type was a complete turn off and irritated me, but her unemotional reaction was worse . . . way worse. Maybe if it was anyone else but Margo, it wouldn’t bother me, but it did. A lot.

  “Let’s go.” I stood, took her hand, dropped a fifty on the table, and walked with her out of the bar.

  “Where are we going?” Her heels clicked behind me on the wood floor. Maybe I was walking faster than normal, but I needed out of there. “Noah?”

  “My bed. That’s where we’re going.”

  Of all the nights to get a cab driver who obeyed traffic laws. My body hummed with anticipation of wanting to be buried balls deep in Margo, stake my claim, and never make her say the word “casual” again.

  Once we arrived at my place, I couldn’t get her in my apartment fast enough. As soon as we crossed the threshold and the door closed behind us, I had her pinned against it.

  “Make no mistake, Margo. I want you.” Her eyes sparkled. Not giving her time to answer, I speared my fingers in her hair, pulled her toward me, and crushed my mouth to hers, swallowing all her moans and sighs. Yeah, fuck this casual bullshit. Our tongues pushed and twirled together.

  Her hands didn’t waste time. Before I knew it, my jacket was lying at my feet and my shirt unbuttoned. To my delight, with one tug of a string, her dress separated, exposing a white lace bra and matching panties.

  “Jesus Christ, Margo.” The curves of her body felt like heaven under my hands. I took a step back and watched her nipples harden under the thin fabric. With my index finger, I slid the cup of her bra under her full breast, exposing the round bud I needed to taste, lick and nibble on, and I did . . . with reverence.

  “Noah, I need . . .”

  “I know. Me, too. Be patient with me for a minute.” I knew I started this frenzy, but now that I had her where I wanted her, my pace slowed. She needed to be savored . . . and not in haste.

  I lowered to my knees, eye level with her pussy. I leaned forward and kissed her. She pushed her hips forward, the lace tickling my tongue as I licked her through the fabric.

  Just a bit of applied pressure with my thumbs on the inside of her thighs and she spread her legs for me. “You smell delicious . . . and taste better.” I ran my tongue around her pussy and stopped to nip her clit. Her hand went to my head, holding me there. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

  She let out a sigh that sounded something like, “Oh, God.” Or maybe it was, “Oh, Noah.” Either one worked for me. I yanked down her thong and cast it aside. She was bare except for the thin strip of hair—the perfect guide, if it had been shaped like an arrow, it couldn’t have been sexier. After helping her step out of them, I licked her leg from her ankle up to her wet heat, where I continued to savor her.

  “I could eat you all day.” I spread her lips with my fingers, giving my tongue the access it craved. I plunged it into her. Her head gently knocked on the door. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

  Margo tugged at my hair, and my dick twitched, wanting out of the confines of my pants. We needed to move this to the bedroom. In a swift move, I stood. She sighed. When I looked at her, the eyes that sparkled just a few minutes ago were now dark with desire.

  I picked her up, causing those legs I loved to wrap around my waist. Her hands pulled my shirt out of my pants as I carried her to my bedroom.

  “Your body is perfect.” She licked my now bare shoulder. “I want you inside me.”

  Fuck. With a whoosh and a tug, my belt was undone and the sight of her removing her bra and dress was my complete undoing. I reached into my nightstand to grab a condom.

  Margo licked her lips when I ripped the foil packet open with my teeth. Just as I was about to roll it on, her hand stopped mine.

  “Let me.” She went to her knees and rolled the rubber down my hard-as-a rock shaft. “Every part of you is perfection.” I thought I was going to finish before we started. Then she kissed the tip. Fuck.

  A man could only take so much. In one move, I had her on her back, legs spread, and my cock teasing her entrance. Before I slid in, my finger plunged inside of her. First one, then two. When I added a third and twisted a bit, her hips lifted off the bed.

  Wetness coated my fingers. “Taste.” Her eyes went wide, but she opened her mouth. I put one in her mouth, and she sucked it off as if she was sucking my dick, something we still needed to do. And after the way her tongue swirled and cheeks hollowed with my index finger in her
mouth, I was sure when she blew me she’d also blow my mind. “Like the way you taste?” She nodded, and my balls tightened at her admission.

  “You’re sexy as fuck, did you know that?” With a pop, she released my finger and I slid the other two, still coated with her wetness, in my mouth. “Delicious.”

  I couldn’t wait much longer, so I didn’t. In one fluid thrust, I was inside of her. We rolled our hips in unison as if we’d done this a dozen times before rather than just once. Our bodies knew what the other needed. I’d roll my hips; she’d meet my thrusts. It was the perfect dance—and we were perfect partners.

  Her fingernails scraped down my back just as my mouth found her tits. First one side, then the other. It was when we kissed that I knew I was close—and so was she. I could taste her on her tongue; she could taste herself on mine. It was an intoxicating, overwhelming moment. Our breaths mingled, her body pulsed, and I came . . . hard.

  I didn’t stop moving, not until I was sure she was fully sated. Her legs wrapped around my waist; she tightened around my dick, throbbing, trembling, and coming apart around me. She said my name. It wasn’t a scream, or very loud; it was Margo—a woman who blew my mind by saying my name after the best fucking sex I ever had.

  Chapter 13

  I’d waited so long for him to want me.

  “Just you.”

  My ears still hummed, thanks to the intense thrill that ran through my body. I’d never experienced such an intense orgasm before. It seemed that Noah was right when he said no woman ever faked it with him. The thought of how many he’d given to other women flew in my head, but just as quick as it entered, I let it fly out.

  “Margo, did you hear me?”

  “Yes.” An accomplished grin grew across his handsome face. “I meant to say, I heard you.”

  He pulled out of me, and my body practically whimpered at the loss. Once he tossed out the condom, he climbed back on the bed, holding me. Lying on our sides, face to face, we stared at each other. The way his eyes bore into mine did odd things to my senses. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was obvious to him.

  Noah Winston was known for his bachelor ways; how could I expect that would all change because of me? It was simple—I couldn’t. As much as I could see myself falling for him . . . scratch that. As much as I knew I had fallen for him, I wasn’t ready to let him know. You’d think he’d feel it when we were together, but all indications pointed to him being clueless.

  Just as he opened his mouth to say something, his phone rang. He groaned and let it go to voicemail. But the caller was persistent, because it immediately rang again. He rolled out of bed and grabbed his phone. My heart stopped when he flipped the phone in my direction so I could see my brother’s name on the screen.

  “Do you know what time it is?” Noah’s stern voice caught me off guard, but not Adam. No, I could hear him chuckling through the receiver. Then all I heard was Noah’s side of the conversation. “Yes, I told you I would.” He looked at me. “No, you don’t need to worry about that.” Then he smirked. “Because I’m seeing someone, and you’re lucky she’s cool with me bailing your ass out. Her name?” His lips twisted into a sinister smirk. I frantically shook my head and pleaded with him with wide eyes. “Sally, her name is Sally.”

  I exhaled and mouthed, “Thank you.” But he wasn’t done. “Of course, she’s hot.” Another smile. “Would you like her?” He paused and shot me a sexy as sin wink. Tiny beads of sweat pebbled on the back of my neck. “No, I think you’d love her, but she’s here right now, and you’re interrupting.” Holy shit! I pulled the sheet up to cover my face, as if my brother could see me. “I know; you owe me one. I’ll talk to you later. And the next time you call, remember you’re in a different time zone.” I peeked out from under the sheet to find Noah stifling a laugh. “Okay, I’ll tell her. Bye.”

  He tossed the phone on his nightstand and crawled into bed as if nothing had happened. “Excuse me, you’ll tell her what?”

  “Oh, he wants to meet you when he comes home in a few days.” Noah started laughing, but my heart fell to the pit of my stomach.

  “Great.” Then it hit me. “He’s coming home in a few days?”

  Noah’s lips quirked up at the tips. “I hope he likes you.” He released a hearty chuckle, but that was the furthest reaction in my mind.

  Noah was still asleep when my internal alarm went off. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but then again, it was only five in the morning. I took a moment to admire him in the moonlight shining through the slats of his blinds. He truly was a handsome man. How I ended up with him was beyond my comprehension.

  Using very slow movements, I lifted the plush white comforter and slid out of bed. The soft rug next to the bed was a welcome discovery beneath my bare feet. I hadn’t taken the time to look around when I got here last night; I was a bit too preoccupied to notice anything.

  Like Gretel, I followed the path of my clothes, picking each article up one at a time before I made my way to his bathroom. My hand skimmed the wall until I found the light switch. Noah’s scent engulfed me as I shut the door and waited for my pupils to adjust before I opened my eyes. His bathroom was pristine. A shiny black marble vanity matched the tile on the floor. Even the brushed chrome faucet was spotless. I was afraid to touch anything.

  Then, I looked in the mirror and my squinting eyes widened at the sight of my terrifying reflection. My hair looked like a bird’s nest. It wasn’t just messy, it looked like a flock of crazed birds attacked it in the middle of the night. Knowing I slept well, I attributed it to his hands tangling in it when we had sex last night. Thick black lines circled my eyes. Shit. Thankful that Noah was still asleep, I hurriedly washed my face and ran my fingers through my hair the best I could.

  Once I was dressed and looked quasi-presentable, I did the rest of my morning business, including using my index finger and a dab of his toothpaste to freshen my cotton mouth. Of all the mornings to look as though I’d been through a war, it had to be when the most gorgeous man was in the adjoining room.

  A gentle knock on the door startled me. “Margo?”

  His baritone voice made my heart race. A woman could get used to that being the first thing she heard in the morning. Deep down, I wondered how many had, but I pushed that thought out of my mind.

  “Just a second, I’ll be right out.” With one more glance in the mirror and one more attempt to smooth my curls, I straightened my spine and opened the door.

  “Well, good morning, beautiful.” Me? He was the beautiful one, and I almost said that, but before I could utter one word, he leaned in and kissed me on the lips. His bare chest and black boxer briefs were definitely a sight to see.

  “Do you want to shower? Then, I can take you to your place.”

  His large bathroom four times the size of the one in my apartment suddenly felt tiny. “No, thank you. I’m going to call a cab. I need to get to the office.”

  “Just wait for me, please. I won’t be long. It isn’t even six yet. You can shower with me if you’d like to save time.” His devilish grin had me considering it, but I declined.

  “Thank you, but I have a busy day.” Fine, I lied, but if I were to get naked with him again, his theory of saving time would be just the opposite. Would I love to run my hands all over his wet body? Yes, of course. Would I want him to touch me as warm water pulsated around us? What woman wouldn’t? But I couldn’t. My brain was in overdrive. Between the exclusive dating comment, the great sex, and my brother calling, thoughts swirled around in my head like a tornado. I needed to sort everything out and decide what was best for me.

  “Please just let me drive you. I can shower at the office or come back here. I don’t want you taking a cab.”

  I looked up at his kind yet forceful eyes. If I were to look at them any longer, I would have given into anything he suggested. “Thank you, but really, it’s fine.” I rolled up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  In a flash, I was back in his bedroom, cl
early decorated for a man. There was a giant bed with a gray fabric headboard and gray accent pillows were scattered on the floor right next to an empty condom wrapper. As soon as I walked out and toward the small table, which held my purse, Noah was at my side talking on his phone. I heard my address and then him thanking someone.

  “Daniel has a cab waiting for you.”

  “Daniel?”

  “Yes, the doorman.” His hand brushed my hair from my face. “I’ll be thinking of you today.”

  I nodded. Tonight was the night he’d be going out with that other woman. And even though it was a favor for my brother, I was consumed with irrational jealousy. This was the part I hated about being in a committed relationship. It always felt that someone was lurking in the shadows to take my happiness away. I buried that thought, grinned tightly, and said, “Have fun at the gala.”

  His lips turned downward. “You know I’d rather be going with you or not at all, right?”

  I gave him the best smile I could. “I should go, thanks again for a great night.”

  Work was dull and I was distracted. Once again, my messages were few and far between. If I didn’t get more business, I’d need to take out a loan to stay afloat. I sent some emails to clients, stores, and a few small boutiques announcing I was branching out into menswear. Sadly, most thought I already did that. I sighed because in a way they were right, but I never pushed this hard for customers before.

  Word of mouth was what my business was built on. Well, that and reputation. The few clients I had were fantastic, but I needed more than just a few. My phone rang, and when I saw Haley’s name, I couldn’t wait to answer.

  “Hi.”

  “My girlfriend!” Her voice boomed through the phone so loud, it forced me to move it a few inches from my ear.

  “Guess what?”

  “You’re drunk?”

  She laughed. “No, it’s not even noon. I’m just having a great day. Seth is away for a couple of days; how do you feel about a girls’ weekend? Do you have plans with Noah?”