by Jill Shalvis
And wondered why that, in turn, softened him, just a little, when he didn’t want to be softened. “So you’re saying that you’re not quite as smooth as you like everyone to think?”
“Oh, sure. Make me repeat it,” Eddie sighed. “Please. Whatever you think of me, just don’t tell her.”
The man was completely, one-hundred percent serious. Even…earnest. Reilly shifted uncomfortably at the compassion that blindsided him. “I’d promise, but it’s too late, Romeo. She’s downstairs.”
Eddie picked up his shirt and quickly shoved his arms in it.
Reilly sighed and tossed him his pants. “Hurry. Because… Dad?”
At the unaccustomed name, Eddie went still. Swallowed hard. “Yeah?”
“I won’t tell her.”
Reilly staggered back a step when Eddie hugged him hard, and then lifted his hands to hug his father back.
CHAPTER 16
THE NIGHT WAS DARK and warm. There was no moon and being Los Angeles, the stars weren’t that bright either, but there was just something about a summer night in Southern California that couldn’t be beat.
Tessa put her hand on Reilly’s when he turned off the engine of his car. They were parked in front of her apartment building and it was very late.
They’d had to stay for the police and then had started to help Eddie clean up his mess, at least until Cheri had softly ordered them to go.
When they’d left, Cheri had been helping Eddie, the two of them quiet. Not an uncomfortable quiet, but the silence of two people comfortable together.
They’d had a lot of time to get that comfortable, Tessa thought, looking at Reilly. Thirty-something years. And she could tell by the warm way the two of them had been looking at each other that maybe things were about to get even more comfortable tonight.
She hoped the same for her.
She didn’t know what had happened between Reilly and Eddie in Eddie’s bedroom, but whatever it had been, it had put Reilly in a quiet, pensive mood. “You okay?” she asked and squeezed his hand. “And I’m not looking for an ‘I’m fine’ here.”
“But I am fine.”
She had to laugh. He was such a guy. “Okay then.”
Reilly looked at her and said, “How about this? When I’m not fine, I’ll tell you.”
That would have to do. Besides, he did look fine. He looked mighty fine. He looked she-wanted-to-see-him-naked fine.
She had no idea what had turned her into such a sexual creature lately, but knew he was a big part of it. She also knew he probably didn’t want to hear that.
He walked her to her door, which she took as a good sign. Her last date had hardly slowed down the car enough for her to jump out.
She hadn’t left any lights on and the porch was pitch-dark. She reached for his hand to show him the way, then unlocked and opened her door. Pushing it open she reached for the lights just inside and flipped them on. Then she turned on the living room lights and also her kitchen overhead, which illuminated her entire place in one fell swoop.
When she looked at him, he was shaking his head. He came close and cupped her face, a small smile curving his lips. “I’m not afraid of the dark,” he said.
“What are you afraid of?” she whispered.
He was silent for a long moment. Then he replied, “Besides enclosed spaces and failing? Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Well…maybe you. Maybe I’m afraid of you.”
“I’m not that scary,” she said, putting her hands over his. “I’m just a woman.”
“Just a woman.” He let out a rough laugh and put his forehead to hers. His hands went to her hips and squeezed before gliding up and down her back.
“I am.” It was hard to think past the brush of his fingers. Tessa skimmed her hands up and over his shoulders, which she never got tired of touching because they were broad and hard with muscle. Then she slid her fingers into his hair, which was short and soft and, as usual, pretty much standing up on end. “I’m certainly not as scary as, say…working in the CIA.”
He bent his head and put his face to her throat, letting out a breath that brought goose bumps to her skin. “You sure about that?”
She pressed closer and felt his body begin to react.
Her body was far ahead of him. “Pretty sure. At least I won’t ever betray you and lock you in a trunk.” She could smell his skin, feel the rumble of his voice and pressed even closer. “I’m not going to hurt you, Reilly, ever.”
“Ah.” His face still buried in her neck, he nodded and took a soft bite out of her flesh that made her knees wobble. “A promise that you can’t possibly keep.”
She tightened her fingers on his hair and lifted his head to look into his light-blue eyes that liked to hide behind a sheet of ice. “You don’t like promises?”
At her back, his fingers slid beneath the material of her blouse. “I don’t trust promises.”
She knew he had a good reason to feel that way and her heart squeezed. “Well, how’s this for one you can trust?” Unbelievably touched by this man and unbelievably turned-on, she wrapped him in her arms. He really was her man in black, still her superhero with the surprisingly soft center, her everything. She put her mouth to his ear and let out a slow breath, gratified to feel his arms tighten around her. “I promise to drive you wild tonight.”
Another harsh laugh. “That’s an easy one,” he said. “You’re doing it right now.”
“Really?”
“Why so surprised?” he asked, arching his hips into hers. “Can’t you tell?”
“Mmm-hmm.” She kicked the door closed behind them and pressed her breasts to his chest. Oh, yes, she could feel his body’s reaction and she arched into him even more, eliciting a low groan from deep in his throat. “How very interesting,” she whispered.
“What?”
“You like me. You really like me.”
Another groaning laugh. His fingers sank in her hair and he lightly tugged her head back, his eyes glittering into hers. “What are you trying to do, Tess?”
“If you don’t know, then we have a problem.”
“Tess.”
“Is it so wrong to give in to this heat between us tonight?” she wondered. “Is it?”
“Not if you mean it, that we’re only giving in for tonight.”
“I mean it,” she confirmed. She would have liked to negotiate for more, but Reilly was who he was, and she had no desire to change him; she just wanted him to let her in. For tonight. She’d deal with the rest later. Leaning in she rimmed his ear with her tongue, then bit gently on the lobe.
Again his arms tightened on her and he sucked in a harsh breath. His heart beat heavily against her breasts and beneath her hands, she felt his hard, hot muscles tensing. “Did you figure it out yet, Reilly?”
“You’re trying to seduce me.”
“Is it working?”
He looked into her eyes for a long, heated beat. “Oh, yeah. It’s working.”
“Good.” She had to remind herself that he wasn’t her warm, compassionate beta man. He was dark and edgy and dangerous, not to mention unpredictable and not a safe bet for a soul mate.
But he tasted good and she wanted him and for tonight, for right this minute, it would be enough. She’d make it so. “Kiss me, Reilly.”
“You took the thought right out of my head.” Then his mouth opened on hers and he slipped his tongue inside to languidly slide against hers. She didn’t fall to a boneless heap at his feet, but oh, she wanted to. Her fingers curled into his shirt and she held on for dear life as he delved deeper into her mouth.
It wasn’t enough and she tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head when he lifted his arms. When it went sailing across the room, she busied herself kissing all the broad, sleek flesh she’d exposed.
He let out a shuddering breath and pulled her blouse free from her skirt so he could stroke her bare ribs. His thumbs swirled over her belly button, delving a little lower to toy with the waistband of
her skirt, even dipping beneath it to skim over her new purple panties. “Bedroom,” he murmured thickly, and bent his knees a little to scoop her up in his arms.
“Wait.”
He went utterly still and stared down into her face. “Wait?”
His entire body was taut with careful restraint and she could have hugged him—except she already was. “It’s just that I was seducing you, and you’ve…sort of taken over. I want to do it, Reilly.”
“You…want to do it?”
“Yes. So could you set me down? Please?” she added when he hesitated.
He set her down. “I took over,” he repeated, sounding baffled.
“You do that a lot, actually.” She took a deep breath because he was once again without a shirt and looked really…yummy. Not only did he look yummy, he looked hot and bothered and frustrated. She loved that look on him.
“Tess,” he said, running a finger over her shoulder, then following that up with a kiss to the spot.
She wanted to melt again.
“You wanted to run the show here,” he said. “Are you going to do that soon? Like maybe now?” he added hopefully when she just stood there absorbing his touch.
“Yes,” she said, laughing, then swallowed her smile, straightened and got serious. “Pick me up.”
His lips twitched. “Like I already had?”
“Yes.”
Looking amused on top of hot and bothered now, he scooped her up against his chest and looked down at her, her big, alpha guy awaiting her instructions.
She flung her arms around his neck. “Couch,” she commanded, ignoring his soft laugh, which turned into a groan when she bit his throat.
“I’m going to bite you back,” he growled and tossed her on the couch.
She hadn’t bounced once when his mouth found hers, hot and hungry while he unbuttoned her blouse, unhooked her bra and spread them away from her all in one movement. Before she caught her breath, a big, warm palm slid up the inside of her bare leg to touch her through her panties.
His gaze met hers as she arched into his hand. Pushing her skirt up to her waist, he slipped off her panties, then settled himself between her thighs, leaning in to kiss her again.
A little undone, she slapped a hand to his bare chest.
He let out a breath. “Not again. Too fast?”
“No. Fast is fine. It’s just that you’re doing that take-over thing again.”
He let out a disbelieving laugh. “I’m at the good part and you want to discuss my take-over tendencies? Now?”
She smiled because he looked so…bewildered. “Yes.”
With a long-suffering sigh, he came up on his knees and lifted his hands in surrender. “Okay. Go ahead. You take over.”
“Lose the pants.”
“Gladly.” He wrenched himself away from her and got off the couch. The rasp of his zipper seemed extraordinarily loud. Looking down at her, he slowly stripped off his shoes, socks, pants and underwear and stepped free, holding something he’d taken from his pocket.
A condom.
And then just stood there, larger-than-life in her small living room, the contours of his hard body revealed by the lights she’d turned on earlier.
Definitely larger than life, all of him. She could have just looked at him forever, but he shifted restlessly and gave her a look that seared.
“You’re so beautiful, Reilly.”
He moved toward her with sexual intent blazing from his eyes, but when he reached the couch, he paused, fists clenched at his sides. “What now?”
He was trying to let her be in charge, trying, but not quite succeeding, and emotion swamped her. “Come here,” she whispered and when she opened her arms, he settled himself back between her legs. He felt so good, so warm and strong. She wanted him, all of him, and she dug her fingers into his tight bottom, trying to push him in.
He laughed softly. “Where’s the verbal instructions?”
“Hurry.”
“Now there’s a good one.” His hands tightened on her. She felt his mouth on her breasts, her belly, her thighs…and then in between. “Like this?” he murmured.
She let out a sort of strangled squeak that sounded horrifyingly needy. But she was horrifyingly needy. Her muscles were shaking, her everything was shaking and it wasn’t anything like the short, vaguely pleasurable experience she’d expected, but more—so much, much more.
“Tess?” He kissed the inside of her thigh before lifting his head. “What’s next?”
“Um…” She couldn’t remember what she’d planned.
With a knowing smile, he dipped his head and licked her like a lollipop. She arched right into his mouth.
“Oh, wait,” he said. “You didn’t say to do that.”
As if she was in charge at the moment. Ha! She’d never been in charge. But now he was looking at her, waiting, his eyes blazing. “More?” he asked politely.
“Yes.” Her fingers tightened fiercely in his hair. “In fact, if you stop, I might kill you.”
“Well, then.” And he bent his head again and sucked her exquisitely sensitive little center right into his mouth.
She exploded on impact, saw fireworks, heard the explosion, felt the tremors, everything. When she could breathe again, Reilly was still between her legs, ready to sink into her, but she managed to slap a hand to his hard chest. “Wait.”
His face was a mask of pleasured pain. “Again?” His voice sounded a bit strangled. He had a hand wrapped around his erection, holding himself poised at the juncture between her thighs and didn’t look predisposed to play anymore.
She sat up. Somehow she managed to reverse their positions, pushing him down on his back. Leaning over him, she decided he was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen. And he was all hers.
At least for tonight.
She kissed his chest, his belly and then, just as he had, she lay between his legs. “Hold still,” she said. “I want to try…” And again, just as he had, she licked him.
At the guttural sound that escaped him, she looked up. “Problem?” she asked.
“Hell, yes.” His jaw was granite, as was the rest of him. “I haven’t…” He swore. “It’s…been a while.”
Her entire heart softened. “I know.”
“Do you? Because one more touch from you and it’s going to be over.”
“Then we’ll start again.”
He let out a laughing groan that broke off in another groan when she took him into her mouth and suddenly, he was no longer laughing. When she swirled her tongue over the tip of him, he swore, then reached up and grabbed her, flipping her onto her back. He put on the condom, took her hands in his, stretched them up over her head and insinuated himself between her legs.
“Reilly—”
He covered her mouth with his and plunged inside her. “Sorry,” he said, looking anything but, and pulled back only to thrust in again. And then again.
He’d taken over, driven by passion, passion for her, and it was the most thrilling experience of her life, making a man like Reilly want her so badly that he’d given himself completely over to her.
“Wrap your legs around me,” he directed. “Yeah, like that—Tess…”
The way he said her name, the look on his face as he bent close to kiss her again, a hot, hard, demanding kiss that mimicked what the rest of his body was doing, all combined, taking her out of herself and when he whispered her name, she started shuddering again. In her arms, his muscles went taut, and he buried his face in her throat as he found his own release, which only extended hers, taking her to a place she’d never been. Taking them both.
* * *
IT’D BEEN A HELL of a long time since someone had knocked Reilly so completely for a loop, but Tessa had done it, she’d really done it.
At some point, they’d gone from the couch to the floor, though he’d rolled onto his back so he wouldn’t suffocate her. He was still panting for breath, but he felt something else besides breathless. He felt a sharp ti
ghtness in his chest and he realized it had been there ever since she’d shown up in Eddie’s house that night they’d been held up.
Maybe the funny tightness was stress. But whatever it was, he sure as hell didn’t want to examine it too closely. Instead, he concentrated on drawing air into his lungs. No sooner than his heart had come down to anything close to resembling normal, Tessa’s head popped into view.
With her hands all over him, she grinned. “That was fun.”
“Fun,” he concurred, nodding. Fun. “You nearly killed me.”
“Really? I’m sorry.”
He studied her flushed cheeks, her glowing eyes, that I’m-quite-tickled-with-myself smile and had to laugh. “Yeah. You look real sorry.”
“I am. Especially if I wore you out, because I was hoping…” Leaning in, she whispered what she was hoping.
It made him hard again.
“But if you’re too tired…” She curled into his body, her hands still all over him. With a sigh, she set her head on his chest. “It’s okay, if you are. We can just lie here.”
Too tired? Not likely.
“I just want to be with you,” she whispered and, head on his chest, let out a soft, happy sigh. “Just for tonight, Reilly. Isn’t this nice?” She ran her fingers down his arm, his chest and belly. Over and over again, that soft, light touch.
He didn’t have to look into her eyes to see she was giving him everything she had. That was the kind of woman she was. She had no idea how to hold back and even if she did, he doubted she’d ever even try. It made his heart ache, physically ache.
“Does this feel good?” she whispered.
He was completely hard again and knew she could see that he was. “Yes.”
“You make me feel good, too, Reilly, just by being here. You can make me feel good by just looking at me.”
He had no idea what to say to that, but she didn’t seem to need a response. Slowly, her fingers stroked him and he let her. Her touch felt so good, so beyond what he’d expected or even wanted.
“Reilly?” She was breathless now and when he lifted his head, he saw her looking at his body and its reaction to her.