His body rumbles with silent laughter. “I have zero issues with that.” He presses a soft kiss to that sensitive spot just behind my ear, and a shiver works its way through me.
“Your touch does the most amazing things to me.” I lean my head around, stretching my neck to kiss him.
“Ditto, babe.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “And I haven’t even begun touching you in all the places I want to.” He kisses me deeply, his tongue sweeping against mine in languid strokes as I feel him hardening against my back. “You need another few minutes, or you’re ready to go again?” he asks, quirking a brow.
I turn around in his arms, grinning. “Do you really need to ask me that?”
He laughs as his fingers glide down my body before curling back inside me. My eyes close, and I sigh in contentment. “My body is yours to do with as you please,” I murmur, fully meaning every word.
“Buckle up, baby,” he says, flipping me over onto my back and hovering over me. “Because the night is only getting started.”
CHATPER 16
Ryan
We are both struggling to keep our eyes open the next afternoon as we drag our sleep-deprived bodies from the SUV in the parking lot at the gym. We’re surviving on minimal sleep, thanks to our marathon fucking session. I lost count of how many times I was inside her or how many orgasms I gave her last night. All I know is it was one of the best nights of my life.
She joked she was addicted to sex. I’m terrified I’m addicted to her.
Glancing around to ensure the camera is angled over the other side of the lot, I reel Summer into my arms, leaning down to kiss her.
Now I’ve given myself permission to give in to our chemistry, I can’t stop touching her. We held hands most of the journey from the apartment, and I couldn’t stop looking over at her. She looks tired but happy, and I imagine it’s how I look too. “I don’t know how I’ll get through the next nine hours without touching you,” I honestly admit, hugging her.
“I’m sure we can steal a few sneaky kisses,” she says, trailing her fingers along the downy hair at the base of my neck. Her touch ignites a fire in me every single time, and it’s like every part of my body is hot-wired to my cock.
“Do you walk around with a permanent boner?” she asks, feeling my growing erection prodding the flesh of her stomach.
“Only since you appeared on the scene,” I truthfully admit.
“That shouldn’t make me proud, but it does.” Her gratified grin does funny things to my insides, and I wonder how the fuck I’ll avoid catching feelings.
“You should be proud, baby.” I kiss her again. “It’s a real talent. I only have to glance at you and I’m rock hard.”
The gym is very busy for a Sunday, especially when I need to cover classes for one of our trainers who called in sick.
I’m back in my office, trying to grab a late lunch as I pore over last month’s accounts, when Summer slips into the room, quickly locking the door behind her. I arch a brow in a silent question, and she hurries toward me with a naughty glint in her eye.
Rounding my desk, she stands behind me. Her small hands land on my shoulders, and a moan emits from my mouth when she kneads my tense flesh. Her velvety lips brush the bare skin at the nape of my neck as she continues massaging me, and a shiver tiptoes up and down my spine.
“I thought you looked stressed,” she whispers in between peppering my neck with featherlight kisses. “But your shoulders are tied into knots, baby. You need to unwind,” she adds, digging her fingers into the corded muscle on my shoulders.
“You have something in mind?” I ask, my voice thick with lust.
“I do, but I only have a ten-minute break, so I’ll have to make this quick.” Before I can ask, she spins me around in my chair, drops to her knees on the floor, and yanks my shorts and boxers down my thighs, freeing my hardening cock. “Sit back and enjoy, babe,” she says before lowering her hot mouth over the head of my now throbbing dick. It’s clear from the confident way she fists my cock at the base as she slides her mouth down my aching length she knows what she’s doing.
I close my eyes as she works me over, taking me deep into her mouth and sucking me firmly. Her lips glide up and down my cock as she quickens the pace of her hand stroking my overheated flesh. A guttural moan rips from my throat when she gently grazes her teeth along my length, and precum leaks from my crown.
Suctioning her lips more firmly, she takes me all the way to the back of her throat as she picks up her pace, bobbing up and down, and a familiar tingle builds at the base of my spine. I open my eyes, reveling in the determination on her face as she sucks me off, and that’s all it takes to lose control.
The orgasm rips through me without warning, and I shoot hot spurts of semen into her mouth before I’ve had time to even consider withdrawing. Summer stays with me, swallowing every drop of cum, and when she peers up at me with glassy eyes, glistening lips, and a satisfied, happy smile on her face, cracks splinter in the shell encasing my heart.
Tucking my cock back into my shorts, I pull her up into my lap and kiss her slowly, tasting myself on her lips as she kisses me back with the same longing. Very quickly, the kiss transforms, and we’re devouring one another, our hands wandering as an intense need takes over. My cock thickens, and I need to be inside her. “How many minutes do you have left?” I ask, trailing a line of kisses down her neck.
“About four,” she pants.
“I can make that work,” I say, lifting her by the hips and spreading her, belly down, over my desk. “Are you on the pill?” I ask, yanking the yoga pants and her thong down her slim legs.
“I am, and I’m clean. I haven’t slept with anyone but you.”
The dormant Neanderthal gene in my DNA loves to hear that, and my cock needs no further incentive. “I’m clean too,” I supply, driving into her in one quick move. I fuck her hard and fast over my desk, slamming in and out of her as I pull her ass back a little so I can slide my hand around her body and play with her clit. I up the ante, rubbing her tight bud quickly to match the thrusts of my cock, until we’re both climaxing in record time.
I grab tissues from my desk drawer and clean her up before helping her fix her clothes. Smoothing her hair back into her ponytail, I slowly pull her into my arms for a hug. The feel of her slim body against mine brings all my protective instincts to the surface, and I hold her tightly as I press light kisses into her hair.
My heart expands, and I’m feeling things I haven’t felt in a long time.
I know I’m in serious trouble with this girl, but I can’t stop now.
I don’t want to stop.
She already means so much to me.
“I better head back out before someone notices,” she says into my chest, and I reluctantly let her go.
“Thanks, baby.” I peck her lips tenderly. “I’m definitely less stressed now,” I add with a smug wink.
“Glad to be of service,” she teases, squeezing the cheeks of my ass before sliding out from our embrace. “But I better get back. My boss is a real stickler for timekeeping, and he can be a bit of a prick when he wants to be.”
I quirk a brow as my lips fight a smile. “Is that right?” I smack her ass as she turns around to walk toward the door. “Better not delay so.” My eyes stay glued to her shapely form as she sashays toward the door, pivoting at the last second to blow me a kiss.
I’m still grinning five hours later as I exit my office en route to the lobby although the sight of that idiot Sean leaning over the front desk, mooning at Summer, instantly wipes the errant grin from my face. “We’re closed,” I snap.
Straightening up, he frowns at me. “I was just going.” He turns to Summer. “You know how to reach me if you change your mind.”
“Goodnight, Sean,” she says, smiling sympathetically as she powers off the computer.
Sean narrows his eyes at me on his way out the door. A rush of relief floods through me with his departure.
“You don’t need to ey
eball him like you want to murder him with your bare hands,” Summer says, coming up alongside me and threading her fingers in mine. “I set him straight. He knows I’m not interested in any more dates.”
“Good.” I let go of her hand to activate the alarm, trying to shake my jealousy free. When the building is secured, I grab hold of her hand again, leading her out to the parking lot.
“I know how important trust and loyalty is to you, Ryan,” she quietly admits while we walk. “And I would never promise you exclusivity and then sneak around with other guys behind your back. That’s not who I am.”
I slam to a halt, turning to face her. I gently cup her face. “I appreciate you reconfirming that, but I already know that, and I trust you.” Truth. I know Summer isn’t the type to say one thing and mean another. She’s an open book, and I trust her to tell me when she wants our arrangement to end. A sharp pain stabs me in the chest at the thought of this finishing, but I ignore it, already feeling hugely conflicted over this girl.
Summer sleeps in my bedroom the next couple nights, but she’s forced to return to her own room when her brother and Miley return from their London vacation, leaving me feeling lonely in my empty bed at night. She has a busy college schedule, and now that Miley is back, she’s only working three short shifts a week, so we see little of one another in the weeks that pass.
On nights when Austin stays at Miley’s, she’s a firm fixture in my bed although we don’t get much sleep. I can’t keep my hands off her, and she’s an eager student, readily agreeing to experiment with different positions and angles and excitedly embracing the sex toys I introduce her to.
For the first time in a long time, I’m having fun, enjoying life, and feeling happy. It’s also forced me to assess how I’ve been living my life up to this point, and I can’t deny how lonely and depressing my previous existence was.
I’m not the only one to notice the change.
“When are you going to tell me who she is?” Austin asks one morning, as we’re eating breakfast together in the kitchen. Thankfully, Summer has already left for class and Miley stayed with a friend last night, so it’s just the two of us alone with this awkward conversation.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I turn my back to him as I refill my coffee, trying to keep my burgeoning panic at bay.
“C’mon, man. You can’t fool me. Even if I hadn’t heard the sounds coming from your room the other night, I’d still know there’s a woman on the scene because I can’t remember when I last saw you this happy.”
Fuck. I suspected Austin might have heard something when he turned up unexpectedly the other night. He’d had an argument with Miley in the middle of the night and had stormed back to the apartment. Summer had been energetically riding me at the time, and neither of us had been quiet. As soon as we’d heard him, Summer had fled to the en suite to hide, only creeping back into her room once the coast sounded clear. It was a close call and a timely reminder we need to be more circumspect.
Case in point.
“It’s nothing serious.” I casually shrug, hating how much those words make me feel like a liar. “Just a bit of fun.”
“But it’s the same woman?”
I could lie. I probably should. But it doesn’t feel right to, so I merely nod.
Austin slaps me on the back. “Knew it. You’re falling for her.”
Panic jumps up and bites me, and I rear back. “I’m not,” I bark. “It’s just sex, and it won’t ever be anything more, so drop it.”
He holds up his palms. “Woah. Relax there, buddy. I won’t mention it again.” His eyes dart sideways, and his face lights up. “Oh, hey, Sum. I thought you’d already left.”
“I had,” she says, her voice sounding a little choked, and I mentally curse under my breath. I risk a quick glance at her, spotting the hurt she’s not fast enough to hide, and I know she overheard our conversation. “But I realized I forgot one of my books a couple blocks away and turned around.” She hurries past us. “Don’t mind me. Continue your conversation.”
Austin watches her scurry away with a frown on his face. “Does she seem upset to you?”
“No,” I lie.
“I’ll ask Miley to check in with her later. Find out if something’s up,” he mumbles, looking distracted as he rinses our plates in the sink.
“I’ll grab my stuff and meet you downstairs at the car,” I say, needing to get rid of him so I can talk to her.
I enter Summer’s room without knocking, closing the door behind me as quietly as I can. She looks up from where she’s sitting on the side of her bed, wearing every emotion on her face.
“Hey.” I kneel in front of her. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, but it wasn’t as brutal as it sounded. I said what he needed to hear.”
Tossing her long wavy hair over her shoulders, she bites down on her lower lip, peering at me with earnest eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for. We agreed it was friends with benefits, so you spoke no word of a lie.”
I take her hands in mine. “But?”
Her chest heaves as she stares at me. “It hurt hearing it spelled out like that,” she honestly admits.
“Do you want to end this?” I whisper, silently praying her answer is no.
“No!” she blurts. “I don’t want it to end, but I’m afraid I’m growing attached to you.”
I’m already there.
I think it, but I don’t say it. I’ve only known this girl a few months, only been sleeping with her for the past few weeks, and I’m already way too attached. But she doesn’t need to know that. Whether or not I’ve caught feelings doesn’t change the situation. I should let her go, but I need to work myself up to that.
“Are you sure you don’t want to call it quits?” I ask again even as I’m cursing myself for pushing an agenda I don’t support.
“Do you?” she whispers, and I detect the fear in her gaze.
I slowly shake my head. “While I don’t enjoy all the sneaking around, I enjoy spending time with you, and this is the most fun I’ve had in ages. I’m not ready to end it yet.”
A relieved sigh slips from her gorgeous lips. “Me either.” She leans forward, resting her head on my shoulder, and I pull her down into my lap, cradling her against my chest.
“Good, because I want to take you out on a date,” I blurt before I’ve had time to properly engage my brain.
Her eyes shimmer with excitement when she lifts her head to look at me. “I’d love that.”
I kiss her quickly, my stomach churning unpleasantly as I wonder what the hell I’m doing.
My head and my heart are at war over this girl, and I’ve no clue who the victor will be.
CHAPTER 17
Summer
I can see Ryan from up here on the stage, and he is not a happy camper. I forgot that the director said we were rehearsing the kissing scene today. Otherwise, I would’ve met Ryan at the restaurant instead of agreeing he’d pick me up at the theater. I could tell he wasn’t pleased when he heard they had cast me as Juliet against Sean’s Romeo, but he articulated zero concerns. Why would he? It’s not like we’re boyfriend and girlfriend or that we have a right to demand anything of one another.
But it’s obvious Ryan doesn’t like it.
That shouldn’t make me happy.
But it does.
I’m hoping Sean doesn’t notice Ryan’s scowl and put things together, because he’s been pretty relentless in his attempts to convince me to go out on a second date with him, and I think he’s smelling a rat. He’s determined. I’ll give him that. And very persuasive when he wants to be, but I’ve been persistent in declining his various offers.
I couldn’t tell him I was seeing someone when I initially turned him down because that’s not technically true.
I’m just sleeping with Ryan.
We’re not dating.
Although, increasingly, the lines are becoming blurred. The fact he’s seated in the auditorium, waiting for me, further proves that.
/>
I was surprised when Ryan suggested a date, but I didn’t hesitate to agree because I adore spending time with him, and I get as much out of our conversations as I do the amazing sex.
The longer this goes on, the more attached I become, and I can’t deny I’m feeling something for him. I should probably cut him loose, but I can’t make myself do it. And even though I feel guilty as hell because I’m sneaking around behind my brother’s and my best friend’s backs, I can’t deny how much of a thrill it is to be conducting a secret, illicit affair with someone as incredible as Ryan.
“Want to grab something to eat?” Sean asks when the director calls it a night.
“I already have plans, but thanks for asking.”
I hate the dejected look on his face. Hate I’m responsible for it. I’d love to propose we head out another time, as friends only, but I know he’d read more into it, and I don’t want to mislead him.
“You’ll never say yes, will you?” he asks, resignation clear in his tone.
“Not at the moment. I’m sorry, Sean. And it’s like I said. You’re great. This is nothing to do with you. It’s all about me and where I’m at right now.”
“The pathetic thing is I believe that,” he says, shuffling awkwardly on his feet.
“It’s not pathetic. It is the truth.”
“I don’t understand. We had a great first date, and you were into a second one. I don’t get what changed overnight?” He runs a hand along the back of his neck, imploring me with his eyes.
“I just changed my mind.” I grip the strap of my bag, praying he lets things go after this. I’ve started dreading rehearsals because I know he’ll corner me at the end.
“I wish you hadn’t, but I won’t push it anymore. If you ever change your mind, let me know. I’d take you out in a heartbeat.”
I lean up and kiss his cheek. “You’re the best. And it’s fun acting with you. I think it’ll be easier for both of us if we just agree to be friends.”
Ryan is waiting outside the theater when I exit after everyone has gone. “Hey.” Butterflies scatter in my tummy as I look up at his handsome face. His piercing blue eyes penetrate mine as he lifts his hand, brushing his fingers across my cheek, leaving a trail of fiery tingles in his wake.
No Feelings Involved: A Brother's Best Friend Standalone Romance Page 14