by Marie Harte
He glared down at her, and her smile widened. She didn’t know why the sight of him in a foul mood should amuse her, but it did.
“Erin.” He just waited.
“Oh. Would you like to come in?” She stepped back so he wouldn’t run her over.
“Shut the door. I have some things to say to you.”
She sighed. Great. First a lecture from her parents, then one from Smith. She shut the door behind him. “Are you hungry?” He wore a pair of jeans and a short-sleeved navy-blue polo with a logo on it. Vets on the Go! His work shirt? “Did you just come from a job?” God, look at those massive arms.
“Yes and yes.”
She grabbed him a cookie from the tray. “I baked you some molasses cookies.”
He blinked at it, and his frown disappeared. “Huh?”
“For being so nice and taking me out to Ringo’s Bar on Thursday. These are for you.” She motioned to the plastic container on the counter.
He shoved half the cookie she’d handed him into his mouth and groaned. “Fuck, this is good.”
She colored at his word choice but basked in his praise.
He tucked the rest of the cookie in his mouth and chewed with concentration. She handed him another one, and he took it without having to be asked.
“Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“No. I just got home.” He chewed with ferocity, his glare returning.
“Would you like me to make you something to eat?”
“What are you making?” He swore. “No, damn it. I came over here to talk.”
She refused to make this awkward. Thursday night had been a monumental step for Erin into becoming the independent woman she wanted to be. “What did you want to talk about?” She smiled, deliberately throwing a hint of innocence into her voice.
Smith’s gaze dropped to her mouth. His lids lowered, and she remembered how sexy he’d looked after she’d kissed him. Aroused so easily by the man, her nipples grew hard, and she hoped he didn’t notice.
“Oh, no. No, you are not distracting me.” He stalked her until he had her backed against the wall. “What the hell was the other night about?”
“Excuse me?”
His eyes widened. “Are you gonna try to tell me you were so drunk you don’t remember grinding all over me on my couch?”
“What? No, not at all. I kissed you. It felt good. You were lovely.”
He blinked, and she had the odd notion she’d thrown him for a loop. How delightful.
“I—you—” He blew out a breath. “You used me.”
She cocked her head. “In what way?” His green eyes looked so dark, so deep. “Wow, you have pretty eyes.”
“You said that already,” he snapped. “At Ringo’s, when you were drunk, you—”
“I was never drunk. A little buzzed maybe, but that wore off at the beginning of the movie.”
“A-ha. So you do remember kissing me.”
“Yes.” She was confused. “Am I not supposed to remember you?’
“No. I mean yes. I just… Why the hell did you kiss me? You came hard, Erin.” He stared down into her eyes. “And I wasn’t ready for you.”
“I don’t understand. Ready for me?”
He startled her by lifting her off her feet, holding her against him and the wall, his face so close she could count individual eyelashes. “You aren’t drinking now.”
“No. I made cookies.” Drily, she added, “I like to be sober when working around a hot stove.”
“Good. Then there’s no excuse for me not to do this.” He leaned in for a kiss, one that was so light, so soft, he seduced her into a shivery mess in seconds. A hand came up to cup her breast, and the feel of his palm against her nipple shot her libido into overdrive.
“That’s it,” he crooned and kissed his way to her ear. He whispered, “If you ask me nicely, I’ll show you how good it feels when I take charge. Would you like that, baby?”
Not sure what to say when her body refused to stop reaching for his, she braced her hands on his shoulders to get some space. But that meant looking into eyes that seduced her into a quivering yes. She nodded, caught in the spell of his mean grin.
Sexy, independent Erin wanted to see what a man could do for her that she couldn’t. At least, that was what Erin tried telling herself. Because honestly, he’d stolen her ability to reason the moment he’d become so domineering.
Smith kissed her, his tongue invading, his hand more insistent over her breast. He tugged and pulled on her nipple, making her writhe in his grip. He wrapped her legs around his waist, and she happily complied, finding that happy place where his body rubbed hers at the perfect spot.
“Oh, no. Not this time,” he whispered and sucked at her throat.
She tangled her fingers in his hair, lost to his touch, so needy it hurt.
He slowly lowered her to her feet and knelt before her.
“What are you doing?” she rasped, stroking his soft hair.
“Getting you ready,” he whispered as he removed her shoes then parted her jeans. He tugged then down and off and shoved his face against her underwear.
His hot breath seared her, and she moaned, pulling his head closer.
He chuckled, then tugged her underwear to the side and slid a finger through the wet heat there.
Shocked, she could only stand there and feel.
“Fuck. You’re so wet.” He looked up, catching her blush. “And tasty, I’ll bet. Let’s see.” He wouldn’t remove her panties though, the material pulled to the side as he shoved his face close and licked her. Right there, lapping her up like a hungry tiger.
She froze, her body locked up tight as desire rushed past her defenses.
He groaned and licked, shoved his tongue deeper, inside her, then replaced it with his finger as he nibbled at her clit.
“Smith, oh, yes.” She was so close, ready to come, standing against the wall, while Smith licked her to orgasm.
But he stopped and stood. “Oh hell no. Not this time.” He watched her as he unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them and his underwear down, exposing a huge erection. “Slide those panties off.”
She stared at him, enrapt, and did as he ordered. When he gripped himself and started pumping that large cock, she couldn’t look away.
“Yeah, you got me so hard the other night I came in my pants. Not very comfortable. Not very nice, Erin,” he said, his expression fierce. He continued to jerk off while he stared at her, and she found it the naughtiest, dirtiest thing. “I like that pussy. All nice and trimmed. And wet. So wet.” He licked his lips, his hand moving faster. “Touch yourself. Let’s see who can come first.”
She had never done this before, not in front of anyone. Smith was like a sorcerer, weaving a spell she couldn’t resist. She tentatively put her hand between her legs, and his gaze leapt to her nimble fingers.
“Yeah, that’s it. Get yourself off.” He knelt again, so she couldn’t see him. “Now part your lips for me. That’s a girl.”
She did, and he put his mouth there, sucking her into a mighty climax that had her crying out his name.
Dazed and lost in the throbbing pleasure, she was barely aware of when he stood and drew closer, taking her hand to wrap it around his dick. He put his hand over hers as he kissed her, the desperate duel of lips and tongue in time to the hard pulls of his shaft.
And then he groaned and kissed her hard, and she felt wet warmth over her hand and against her skin. He pulled his mouth away and swore while he made her finish him.
She finally glanced down as he started to soften in her hand, and she saw his seed over their entwined hands. “Spread your legs for me,” he said, his voice low.
She did, still entranced by the warm flesh in her hands. He shocked her by inserting a finger between her swollen folds, the intrusion enough to revive her desire. He pulled his finger out and sucked it clean. “You taste good, Erin.” He kissed her, and she tasted herself on his lips. “Don’t you think?”
Then he took her ha
nd from him and raised her fingers to her mouth. “What do I taste like?”
She met his dare and licked a drop of his seed from her finger, pleased when his gaze darkened. “You taste good too,” she whispered, trapped in a confusing and powerful emotion she couldn’t quite name. Gratitude? Affection? Or was it just intense lust?
He let out a loud breath and stepped back. Grabbing a paper towel, he wet it to clean himself. Then he righted his clothes while she watched, still half naked. His gaze softened as he stared at her. Smith grabbed another towel and dampened it, then returned to clean her hands and gently between her legs. He had her step into her panties and jeans, then zipped them up.
He grabbed the container of cookies from the counter and approached once more. With a devilish grin, he put a finger under her chin and closed her gaping mouth before giving her a quick kiss. “Thanks for the cookies, neighbor.”
The arrogant giant left. Pretty as you please.
Now what did she do about that?
* * *
Smith returned home, tossed the cookies on the coffee table, and collapsed full-out onto the couch. Motherfucking night and day, what the hell had he just done?
So much for not getting involved with the crazy sexy neighbor. After that baffling sexcapade Thursday night that hadn’t been enough, he’d intended to keep his distance. Girl-Next-Door-Pretty would not get his panties in a knot. No way. He’d been seduced by better and had come out unscathed.
He’d been too busy to see her again anyway, with one guy out and a double-booked job over the weekend since Cash had been manning the phones to cover their admin guy. But though Smith had done his best to forget the incident with Erin, he woke up hard and angry, and only jerking off in the shower seemed to help. Or jerking off before bed. Or during the day if he had a break.
Fuck. He hadn’t been this horny since his teenage years. Somehow Erin had wormed her way into his brain with her innocent-as-fuck touching and kissing and grinding. And the worst thing? She hadn’t come after him for more. Hadn’t tried to seduce him into dating or buying her stuff. Or even helping her with anything. What the hell?
So, he’d decided to get even. To get in her loop the way she seemed stuck in his.
And boy, had that backfired.
Now he knew what she tasted like. How she looked when she came standing up. His dick started to spike again, and he swore the thing had a mind of its own. He wanted inside that hot beauty next door. So much that he considered offering her a thanks with more pleasure than she could stand.
He might not be so experienced when it came to dating and relationships, but he knew what to do in bed. Or on a couch. Or against a wall.
He grinned at that. With any luck she’d be as confused as he was about their nonexistent relationship and come on over to discuss it. Then he’d offer her some no-strings-attached orgasms.
He groaned, remembering how good she’d tasted, how sleek and pretty she was between her legs.
Yeah. He’d set the bait. Now he had only to sit back and wait for the siren next door to take it.
But damned if the woman would do things the easy way.
By Wednesday afternoon, Smith had had enough. For once he had a day off, so at ten in the morning, he pounded on Erin’s door.
No one answered.
He left and stomped down the hall to knock at Tilly’s.
She answered in a huff. “What?”
“Is Erin here?”
Tilly blinked. “Erin? She lives right next to you, dumbass.”
Smith gritted his teeth. “I know that. I want to talk to her, but she’s not home. I thought she might be here taking care of you, Mrs. McMouth.”
Tilly laughed. “Ah, to be young and stupid again. Come on in, numbnuts. I have cookies.”
Since he’d given himself a stomachache by eating all of his molasses cookies Monday evening while waiting for Erin to come over, he had no problem eating more of Tilly’s. Erin had apparently made her some kind of lemon bar, and Smith devoured three of them before Tilly smacked his hands and hid them away.
“Jesus, boy. When’s the last time you ate?”
“Last night. I don’t know.” Agitated, his appetite either nonexistent or off the charts, and fretting about stupid shit, Smith had been at odds to explain his disturbing fascination with Erin. She was just a woman, after all. A nice young woman from Kansas who was new to town. He hadn’t thought she had a treacherous bone in her body. Now he wasn’t so sure. “Tilly, what do you know about Erin?”
Tilly would tell him the truth. They had an honest relationship built on trust and hating people. They liked each other, would never admit it, and mostly loathed everyone else.
“What do you want to know?”
“Quit playing dumb. Is she dating a bunch of guys or what? Was Cody her only boyfriend?” Because the woman being a player would make so much more sense than that Smith had fallen for a woman too innocent to know she was driving him insane.
“’Fraid she is what she looks like, Smith. Erin’s a nice girl, too nice, if you ask me.” She paused, her eyes narrowed, no doubt waiting for an obnoxious comment. He waited her out, and she huffed in disappointment before adding, “Her family’s all in Kansas, I think. Except for a sister in New Jersey. Or Pennsylvania. Some place in the northeast. Erin came out here for that idiot boyfriend who was cheating on her. She’s all alone here but for me and you.” Tilly gave a pregnant pause. “So I introduced her to my nephew, Rupert. He’s showing her the town, if you know what I mean.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and Smith saw red.
Then common sense prevailed. Tilly was nearly eighty. Her nephew had to be in his fifties or sixties. He shook his head. “Oh, I know what you mean.”
She grinned at him. “What do you want with the girl, anyway?”
“Never mind. I’ll talk to her when I see her again.”
“That’s if she doesn’t see you and run the other way.” She slapped her leg and laughed. And laughed some more at his sour expression.
“Whatever.” He left Tilly in a great mood and spent his morning lifting weights to work out his aggression. Then a run in the cool October air helped clear his mind. After he returned home and showered, he cleaned his apartment, not a fan of dust or clutter. Enough time had passed that Erin should have returned. He made himself lunch and waited around, just in case she decided to come over.
Minutes passed.
He knocked on her door again. Nothing. Fuming, he returned to his apartment, then paused. It wasn’t exactly protocol, but he had her cell phone number from the contact sheet at work. After a quick hassle dealing with Finley, a wacky ex-Navy guy obsessed with magic, he managed to secure Erin’s number.
The question then became, did he have the stones to use it?
Chapter Six
Erin knew she’d done the right thing accepting Tilly’s offer to show her around town, even if it had come from Tilly’s oddball nephew, Rupert. Sixty years young, Rupert had a perpetual spark in his big brown eyes and a devilish grin. He had a lewd sense of humor that had turned her face red more than once. And his aged Oldsmobile could only be called a monstrosity, but she did feel safe in it. The man drove slower than a sloth.
Her silver fox companion had parked near a playground in Queen Anne, a nicer area in Seattle just south of Greenwood, where she currently resided. The northern part of Queen Anne Avenue boasted amazing shops, and she and Rupert did their share of window shopping. Though he walked with a cane and slight limp, his impairment hadn’t slowed him down much.
He told her his favorite places to eat, pointed out a few idiots and numbskulls to steer clear of (he had a beef with a pet supply store owner for some reason he refused to elaborate about,) and treated her to lunch at 5 Spot, an American eatery that made the best Val Verde Scramble. She’d ordered breakfast in the afternoon while Rupert had gobbled down sweet potato pancakes.
As they sat drinking coffee to wash down brunch, she tried again to pay for their food.
“No
nsense.” Rupert slurped his coffee. “You’re new to town. It’s my treat.” He leaned closer and winked. “Besides, I’m hoping rumors will circulate that I’m dining with a beautiful younger woman. Make my girl, Willie, jealous. It’s good for her to know I’m still quite a catch.”
“But you are. Handsome, charming, and you know everything about everyone.” She smiled, enjoying herself.
He nodded. “I’ve lived in Queen Anne going on fifty years. The town has changed a lot, but it’s still home.”
He called it a town. She thought of it as just one nicer area in a grand city. “Is this your favorite neighborhood in Seattle?”
“I’m biased, but yes. Green Lake is nice. Magnolia too. The Downtown area is pretty busy. Have you been to Pike Place Market yet? You know, the farmer’s market? Where they throw the fish around? It’s right on the water.”
“Not yet. It’s on my to-do list.”
“I’d take you down there, but I promised Willie I’d help with a new cat we found.”
“Oh?”
He nodded. “Willie started a hometown rescue for strays over a year ago. We’ve been taking them in, fostering them, then helping the animals find places to live. I don’t suppose you want a cat or dog?” Before she could remind him she’d just moved into her apartment, he shook his head. “Ah, never mind. Aunt Tilly has a no pets policy. Too bad. You look like a dog person.”
“My mom has a dog. Vanilla. He’s a mutt with a lot of border collie in him. A sweetie and a great guard dog.” The thought of her Vanilla gave her a touch of homesickness. “I miss him.” She surprised herself.
“Pets bring out the best in us. And the worst, sometimes.” He sounded sad. “But you know, we’re not here to talk about animals. What brings you to Seattle, Erin?”
So Tilly hadn’t mentioned Cody, apparently. “I came because of a man.” She shook her head and confided, “It didn’t work out. The problem is, everyone back home told me he was no good. I spent a lot of money and time to get to here. Now if I go back, they’ll all know they were right.”