Sweetest Seduction KB Alan Val’s been Keith’s accountant for nearly a year. She dreams about his body pressed against hers, but there’s no need to let him in on that fact. The hunky photographer spends his days with beautiful models, there’s absolutely no way she can compete. Even if he has been throwing hints her way. She’s satisfied with her vibrator and her daydreams of her favorite client. Mostly. Keith is done trying to sweet-talk his accountant into going out with him. It’s Valentine’s Day, and knowing Val, she doesn’t have any plans beyond putting in a full day’s work. No more asking nicely, he’s just going to plan the day his way and pull her along until she gets with the program. He’s sure a proper date will help Val realize he’s just the man she needs. And a proper date includes lots of touching. And exploring. And toys of a battery-operated nature.
Ellora’s Cave Publishing
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Sweetest Seduction ISBN 9781419937101 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Sweetest Seduction Copyright © 2012 KB Alan Edited by Jillian Bell Cover design by Dar Albert Photography: OLJ Studio Electronic book Publication February 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
SWEETEST SEDUCTION KB Alan
Dedication For the folks at Ellora’s Cave, who have given me so much. I consider myself lucky to be counted an EC author. Thanks especially to Jillian for loving my work and helping to make it better. For my other EC family. Thank you for being so insane that I fit right in, and for being 100% supportive of my writing. Your encouragement has been a huge part in making all of this happen.
KB Alan
Chapter One “Happy V-Day, sweetheart!” “Hi, Mom.” Valerie rolled over in bed, eyes closed, holding the phone to her ear. Every year her mother called her on her birthday at the crack of dawn, otherwise known as seven-thirty, to remind her that she’d been born. “I went to church this morning and lit a candle for you.” “Great, Mom, thanks.” Sally Patrelli had been lighting candles for her daughter for many years and for many reasons. Val was pretty sure that today’s candle would involve her having reached such an advanced age without securing a husband. “What are you doing special today?” her mother asked. “Working.” This prompted a sigh. Sally was a master at mother’s sighs. “Yes, dear, but what are you doing after? It is Valentine’s Day, you know, and a Friday too. What could be better?” As if she could ever forget. As if her mother had ever let her forget once, in twentyeight years. “No plans, Mom. Maybe something will come up later in the day.” “Val, you’ve got to work to get what you want. You can’t just sit back and expect it to come to you.” An image of what Val wanted popped into her head. Long, muscular legs clad in faded blue jeans that hugged a tight ass. Bare, muscled chest with a small peppering of hair, framed by well-defined arms that led to wide shoulders. And on those shoulders. Oh man, oh man. Light-brown hair, hazel-green eyes with flecks of gold and the most kissable lips…
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“Val? Honey, did you fall back asleep? Shouldn’t you be up by now?” Her mother’s voice broke into her daydreams. Well, they weren’t really daydreams if he was real, were they? Sweet memories of the last time she’d seen Keith Robinson had her licking her lips until the interruption snapped her back to reality. “Yeah, Mom, I need to be getting up. I’ll see you Sunday, for dinner.” “All right, sweetheart. You know I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be with someone who knows how special you are. I love you, happy birthday.” “I know, Mom. Thanks, I love you too.” Hanging up, she considered whether it was too late to get back to sleep. She wasn’t a morning person, never had been. Finding a job that allowed her to work from home with flexible hours had been an ambition, not an accident. She never minded putting the hours in as long as she got to choose when and where. Being an accountant contracted with four small, local companies worked perfectly for her. Damn, she was too awake now to go back to sleep. The romance she was reading sat next to the phone but she wasn’t interested in a paperback hero right now. Thoughts of Keith always left her hot and bothered so she tried not to think about her sexiest client too often. Thinking led to dreams of what-if, which was a road she didn’t need to travel. The man was a fashion photographer. He spent hours each day studying the most beautiful women in the world, so when she met with him she had to remind herself constantly that his friendly flirtations were meaningless. He was a good guy, she knew he didn’t mean to hurt her, but the nicer he was to her the worse she felt. It hadn’t been so bad when he’d first hired her to keep his accounts. Polite and professional, he’d given her no reason not to take him on as a client. But she never felt as inadequate and lonely as she did when she left his presence. He was so attentive, so vibrant, that when she was with him she felt beautiful and funny. Once she left though, she came crashing down with the reminder that he was just a nice guy who didn’t understand that interacting with him was the closest she got to a relationship. 7
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God, she was so pathetic! Instead of picking up the book, she dragged herself out of bed and headed for a shower. It was the one thing she demanded of herself in order to work from home, besides putting in the forty hours a week. She had to take a shower before she was allowed her first cup of coffee. And since she couldn’t function without that first cup of coffee, it was her way of ensuring she didn’t spend all day, every day in her pajamas. She pulled off her shower cap and scrunched in some product, then wrapped her still-damp body in her comfiest robe before going to the automatic coffee machine in the kitchen and pouring that first blissful cup. A healthy dose of creamer later, she took a deep inhale that had her closing her eyes to enjoy the fabulous aroma before she took a sip. Welcome to twenty-eight, she thought ruefully. Then she ordered herself back into the bedroom to get dressed and face the day.
***** Keith took a deep breath and picked up the phone. His patience was at an end and he wasn’t waiting any longer. It was time to take action. His beautiful accountant had been ignoring his flirtations for long enough. If she’d told him she had a boyfriend or even just didn’t like him that way, he would have moved on, been satisfied being friends with her. Maybe. Well, okay, maybe not, but it didn’t matter, because she didn’t have a boyfriend and no matter how much she pretended they were just friends, he knew she was interested in him. They had an easy rapport most of the time. Especially when she forgot herself and relaxed. It was so frustrating. She would be coasting along, enjoying his company, and suddenly snap to some realization that put her on edge and nervous again. And she would run from him. Again. Drove him crazy. He’d tried getting to know her better as friends, but she seemed determined to keep everything work related. He’d asked her out but she’d practically run from him. No more. If he had to watch her one more day without being able to touch that gorgeous skin he was going to lose his mind. He’d spent too many hours trying to decide exactly 8
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what color her skin was. He figured her Italian last name explained the olive tint to the soft brown, but he’d never asked. Because he didn’t care. He just wanted to touch. And taste. He dialed the number he knew by heart, shaking his head in disgust at himself. How many times had he dragged her here unnecessarily so that he could see her? Well, he was going to do it one more time and if she escaped him again, he was giving up. The phone rang and she answered with a voice still a little rough from sleep. He suppressed a groan at the picture of her getting out of bed. A well-tossed bed from all the activity he wanted to indulge in with her, her long black curls framing her pixie face. Full lips that never failed to inspire him to… Concentrate, damn it, he needed to concentrate. “Val, it’s Keith. I hate to bother you but is there any way you can come over here this morning?” He intentionally left out any mention of her helping him in a workrelated capacity. If she wanted to assume that based on similar calls he’d made, well…that’s why assumptions could get you into trouble. She cleared her throat. “Today? Well, yeah, I guess I could do that.” “About eleven, if it’s convenient. Please?” He wasn’t opposed to a little bit of begging to get what he wanted. “Sure, all right. I’ll be there.” “Thanks, Val, you’re the best.” He hung up before his eagerness betrayed him. He had a few preparations to make.
***** Val prided herself on promptness, especially when meeting clients, but since Keith’s appointment was so last minute, she’d let herself dawdle a bit. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him, she always liked seeing him. Liked looking at him and talking to him, until she remembered that flirting was just his nature and he didn’t see her as anything special. 9
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Still, it was barely more than five minutes past the hour when she arrived on his doorstep. She’d worn jeans, as she usually did, and if she wore the new top that she thought fit her especially well, it was only because it was her birthday and she deserved to feel cute, not because she wanted to look good for a certain client. Right? Right. Keith opened the door holding a long-stemmed red rose, which seemed odd. He’d worked on a Valentine’s Day shoot a few months ago for the February issue of a popular magazine, so she couldn’t imagine what he might be working on today that required roses. His tight black jeans hugged him perfectly and his button-down shirt was hanging open, giving her a peek at the chest she’d frequently imagined kissing all over, using her tongue to trace the contours of muscle… Damn, she was doing it again. It wasn’t as if he was the only attractive man she knew, just the only one she couldn’t seem to be around without her brain shorting out. He held the rose out and she stared at it. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Valerie.” She blinked at him and he took a step closer to nudge the flower under her nose. Her hand came up automatically to wrap around the de-thorned stem. “Th-thank you.” “You’re welcome.” He gave her a big smile and stepped back, inviting her inside. She started the mantra she’d repeated to herself a hundred times in his presence. He’s just a nice guy who really likes women. All women. That does not mean he loves all women, just that he likes to make them feel special. Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized he was putting on shoes. Since he rarely wore them in his house, he had to be on his way out the door. What could he need help with that quickly that she couldn’t have accomplished over the phone? She ignored a pang of sadness and glanced over at his desk to see what he was working on. “You look beautiful. I like the top.” His warm-honey voice made it hard to remember that he was just a client. “Thanks.” She clutched the rose, feeling like an idiot. 10
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She managed not to sigh as he stood and began to button his shirt, covering himself. He was watching her, studying her with an intensity that made her nervous. He seemed…oddly different today, but she couldn’t put her finger on why. Once his shirt was buttoned most of the way, he ran his hands through his hair, messing it up more than combing it, but she didn’t tell him that. It was sexy this way, tousled as though he’d just gotten out of bed. After rolling around in it. For hours. Her thighs clenched. His lips twitched and she narrowed her eyes at him. What was he up to? “Come on,” he said, grabbing his keys and heading toward the door while she stood in place, holding the rose. “I thought you needed my help,” she said. “Nope, just your company.” He came over and put his hand on the small of her back, not pushing but urging her forward just the same. “Uh.” Getting her brain to work when he was touching her was always difficult and this time was no exception. What is he talking about? What does he want? She needed the security of their business relationship to keep from making a total fool of herself. Which was why she’d turned him down the couple of times he’d asked her to join him socially. For him, it would be fun to go see a movie with a friend. For her, it would be torture. “Keith…” she began but he already had her out the door and was turning around to lock up. “I have work to do.” “I can almost guarantee you have nothing that absolutely has to be done today. You don’t work that way. Right?” He turned, his face determined and a little bit anxious. What the hell is going on? “Well, no, but—” “No buts,” he interrupted, reaching down to grab her hand and pull her to his car. The warm contact shorted her brain again. She couldn’t think of what she should be telling him, could only debate between yanking her hand away in desperation or reveling in the connection her body wanted so badly.
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They reached the car before she could make a decision either way. He opened the passenger door and turned to her, and this time she could see the expectant hope in his face. “Come on, Val, take some time off, come with me. It will be fun, I promise. Please?” How in the world was she supposed to say no to that? She got into the car, letting him close the door behind her. She would go with him, try to enjoy herself and not get too caught up in wishing that there could be more between them. She’d take this opportunity to see if they could be real friends rather than just business associates. If she could give herself that much of him or if she would find out, once and for all, that she needed to put distance between them in order to save her heart.
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Chapter Two It had been close, Keith thought as he climbed into the driver’s seat, but he’d done it. She’d been seconds away from bolting, but now it was too late. He’d considered taking her somewhere locally but decided that farther was better. That decision was proving to be wise. The drive would give him a chance to talk to her, to try to find out what was keeping her from him. The radio came on when he started the car and he turned it to a station that played a wide variety of music, but kept the volume low. “Do you need to be back by a certain time? Do you have any plans for today, other than work?” he asked, even though he didn’t really want to. “Um, no. Just work.” She was staring straight ahead despite the fact they hadn’t gone anywhere and her view consisted only of his garage door. “How come you’re not going out for Valentine’s Day?” he asked, pleased but curious. He constantly worried that some lucky bastard would snatch her up before he had a chance to show her how good they could be together. “Well, I guess because no one asked.” She turned and looked out the side window as he backed out of the driveway. “I find that hard to believe.” She just shrugged, still not looking at him. “When’s the last time you went out on a date?” “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She didn’t sound angry, but embarrassed. She reached up and set the rose on the dashboard, causing his gut to clench. “I thought that at the very least we were friends,” he said softly. “Yeah, well, friends don’t always get to know everything.”
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“I guess not.” He got on the 10 freeway but she didn’t even ask where they were going. He let the silence build for a time, hoping she would break it. Finally he reached over and picked up her hand in his. She flinched but he held on and she didn’t retreat. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her close her eyes, take a deep breath and rest her head back against the seat. Amazed, he could see the fight wash right out of her. The small hand in his gave a tiny squeeze and he returned the gesture, a silly grin on his face. Maybe she would give the day a chance, after all. They made good time while most people were busy at work and he exited the freeway in Alhambra and headed north. It was a beautiful day, cool but clear. He loved Southern California and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “Where did you grow up?” he asked. Valerie startled at the question, turning her head without lifting it from the headrest. “Seattle, but we moved here when I was ten.” “Ah, actual weather. I love it when it rains here, but only because it’s not too often.” “You grew up here?” “Yep. I was a surfer dude, can’t you tell?” She laughed. “Were you really? You don’t act like what I think of as a surfer dude.” “The movies,” he laughed, shaking his head. “There are all kinds of surfer dudes. You took up riding when you moved down here?” Months ago he’d done a shoot that involved Arabian horses in action. When Valerie had come to his office the following week she’d stood entranced before his photos in a way she never had with his usual fashion model subjects. He’d done a spectacular job of catching the dancing horses, if he did say so himself. Prying from her the fact that she’d ridden throughout high school but not since, he’d invited her to go back to the university with him and watch one of the public shows. He’d even offered to see if he could get a private tour, but she’d turned him down flat and left quickly. Taking her
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there had been his first idea for today’s date, but he’d changed his mind. He didn’t want to remind her that she’d said no to the idea once already. “Yes. My mom wanted me in some kind of after-school program and that was the only one I was interested in.” “How long did you stay with it?” “Until graduation. I decided it was more important to work that summer, to start contributing to the household. She did pretty well as an administrative assistant but she gave up a lot of things so that she could give me riding lessons. And she was insistent that I not have to work my freshman year in college, so I told her I wanted to get work experience that summer. And I did. Want to, I mean. I was ready to become an adult and to me that was part of it.” “But you missed it. You’ve got time now, how come you don’t ride?” “When’s the last time you went surfing?” He laughed. “Excellent point. Hungry?” “A little.” “Me too.” He pulled into an In-N-Out Burger and got in line for the drive-thru. The look she gave him showed she was not impressed. “You don’t like In-N-Out?” “I do, but there are a few of them quite a bit closer to home.” “I’d rather eat here than where we’re going. They don’t have milkshakes there.” She shook her head and ordered a regular hamburger when they reached the speaker. He ordered a Double-Double, Animal Style for himself and turned to her. “What kind of shake do you want, chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?” “I don’t need a milkshake.” He shook his head and ordered a chocolate and a vanilla.
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“Nobody needs a milkshake,” he answered as they inched their way to the next window. “Wait, I take that back. Sometimes I need a milkshake. Right now I just want one. I think you do need one though.” She looked down at herself and gave him the look again. “Clearly not.” Scowling, Keith paid and moved forward to the pick-up window. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” “Exactly what it sounds like and what I already said. I don’t need a milkshake.” Handing over the money, he accepted the shakes in return and put them both in the car’s cup holders. The burgers came next and he handed the cardboard box to Valerie. After thanking the server, he drove off. “I know you like vanilla creamer in your coffee, so you can have that one. I’ll take the chocolate.” He took it and sucked hard, knowing it would be a bit thick to get through the straw until it had melted a bit. He debated pushing the issue, then decided what the hell. “Are you implying that you’re overweight?” “I could lose ten pounds, but no.” She glared at him as he was about to interrupt. “I don’t want to be stick-thin like the models you see. But if I drink milkshakes, believe me, I’ll be going too far in the other direction.” “First, I work with them. I’m not entirely sure that’s what you meant by ‘see’, so I thought I’d point that out. Second, one milkshake today, to put you in a sweet mood, is not going to make you fat. Besides, we’re going to be doing a lot of walking, so you’ll be working it off, I assure you.” “You’re being a bossy ass today.” He looked over in time to see her bite her lip at that. Pleased that she’d relaxed enough to be in friend mode, rather than professional mode, he suppressed a smile. “Whatever, drink your shake.” He took a certain amount of pleasure from the fact that though she grumbled a bit, she sat back and ate her burger and yes, drank her milkshake. Was it wrong that he was
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getting as turned-on as he was frustrated? Careful that she couldn’t see him do it, he rolled his eyes. Apparently everything about her turned him on, even when she was being ridiculous.
Valerie debated between being irritated or charmed. It seemed a weird decision to need to make, but apparently her life had become weird, so there you go. She’d been pissed at him for dragging her off without asking, pissed when he asked her why she wasn’t dating. Finally she’d had a revelation, coming to understand what he wanted from her. Sex. It was so obvious. He was taking their relationship to a new level. They would have sex and then things would go back to normal. For him. For her, sex had always been an emotional activity. She knew people, both men and women, who saw it as an entertaining pastime until they met the right person and emotions got involved. For her, sex without the buildup of trust and emotional commitment had never been possible. Sometimes she wished things were different, but it hadn’t worked out that way. She’d been repeating the Keith mantra, He’s just a nice guy who really likes women. All women. That does not mean he loves all women, just that he likes to make them feel special, when it had suddenly occurred to her that maybe this time she should just go with it. She already had the emotions, feelings for Keith that were inappropriate for their business relationship. If she gave in, let herself enjoy his seduction of her, let herself enjoy what she hoped would be great sex, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad when it ended. After all, it was already painful that she was so attracted to him and couldn’t have him. This way they could have the day, and night she assumed, and then she could put it behind her. She’d have to stop being his accountant, because she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to face him again. But at least she’d have some good memories to work with until she met someone else who inspired those feelings in her. Who inspired those damn daydreams. And hopefully, someone who felt the same in return.
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It wouldn’t occur to him that this would be the end of their business relationship, but too fucking bad. Maybe she should warn him. No, if he was determined to take this step without consulting her, then he would have to endure the consequences. It was about time that he suffered a bit too, she thought as she finished her burger. She already knew of several businesses that could use her services but he’d have to go through the hassle of finding a new accountant. A minor hassle, granted, but she’d take what she could get. Stuffing their trash into the takeout box, she sucked up the last of her delicious shake. Who was she kidding? She’d probably line up alternative accountants for him to interview. She was such a sucker. “Have you ever been here?” he asked, pulling up to a parking gate. The sign read Huntington Library. “It’s one of my favorite places.” He held out his hand for the trash and dumped it through his window and into a can as they drove past. “No, what is it?” “Some railroad guy named Huntington used to own it. He got a lot of art and he built a lot of spectacular gardens. Now it’s open to the public—part museum, part gardens. Over one hundred acres, I believe. You could spend all day doing one or the other. We can do a mix.” He parked and got out of the car, coming around to her side and waiting while she tucked the rose under the seat so it would be out of the sun. “Come on, you’ll love it.” His smile as he took her hand and pulled her toward the buildings was infectious. “All right, all right, I’m coming.” She let him pay her admission without complaint. He seemed to know where he was going, heading into the building on their right. Art was something that she enjoyed but not something she sought out. Sometimes the photos he took mesmerized her, especially the ones without unreal-looking models. But faced with the brilliance on display here, she could only stand in awe. They saw paintings she recognized from
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books and illustrated manuscripts that were gorgeous. They saw a Gutenberg Bible from the 1400s and sculptures that defied description. Keith told her what he knew but never came across as condescending or annoying. His excitement was adorable and more than once she found herself watching him instead of the art. It was similar to the way he was when he’d occasionally show her some of his work, but much more open, more free. She found that their tastes varied on some things, matched perfectly on others. It surprised her when he gave as much attention to an antique chair as he had to an oil painting, pointing out the workmanship, the hand carving with an enthusiasm that was fascinating. And he touched her. Grabbing her hand to pull her to a particular piece, leaning over her shoulder to study something she’d stopped to examine. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t touched her before, but the situation gave him a lot more opportunities, and he took them all as far as she could figure. It confirmed her suspicion that he planned to make things physical between them. Which worked out well, since every brush of his fingers brought a tingle to her skin and made her want more. About the time her feet grew tired, he grabbed her hand and walked them out to a huge lawn, finding a quiet spot under a beautiful weeping willow and urging her to lie down with him and enjoy the sunshine. “This is gorgeous,” she admitted, though her eyes had closed to better appreciate the February sun kissing her skin from between the swaying branches. Parks weren’t exactly rare in Los Angeles, but her remembering to visit and enjoy them definitely was. “We’ve only just started. We can leave the other buildings for another time but we should check out at least a few of the gardens. There’s a Japanese garden, a Chinese Garden, a Desert Garden and a Palm Garden. Lots more.” She heard him shift so she slit her eyes open enough to see him without turning her head. They’d been lying next to each other on their backs but he’d rolled to his side, facing her, propped up on one elbow. She opened her eyes all the way and looked at him. 19
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Her heart sped up at the heat in his eyes. Apparently he was ready to move this seduction forward. There was no keeping the hard swallow from betraying her nervousness, but he already knew she needed encouragement. She watched his eyes but caught the slow movement of his hand reaching toward her.
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Chapter Three One of Keith’s fingers found her jeans-covered leg and traced along the side seam from her waist to her knee. His gaze flicked down and hers did as well so they both watched as the finger trailed up over her kneecap until it was even with the center of her leg before making the return journey. He pressed hard enough that she could feel a tingling sensation through the heavy pants as that single digit moved up her thigh. He pressed harder as he came to the front pocket so she could feel him pass over the crease between thigh and groin. Such a simple thing, she could barely feel his touch, but her leg ached, wanting to feel him more directly. She sucked in a breath as his finger pushed the hem of her shirt up and made its way to her waistband before finally making light contact with her hungry flesh. She held her breath, waiting to see what he would do, but he remained motionless, the finger just touching her bare stomach. “Val.” His voice was husky and she brought her gaze up to meet his. He was watching her, waiting until he had her attention before he unfurled the rest of his fingers and splayed them across her waist. Then he began the slow journey south again, only this time he used his whole hand. His thumb brushed dangerously close to her zipper, then curved to the inside of her thigh as it followed his strong fingers. When he reached her knee he didn’t rest, just changed the angle of his hand so that his palm ran along the inseam of her jeans this time. Unable to look away, she watched his eyes as her pussy clenched in anticipation. She was wet for him and he’d barely touched her, just one hand on one thigh. In public. The thought sent a shot of panic through her as his thumb reached the juncture of her legs and moved up her zipper until his palm cupped her. She looked around but they were alone. “Trust me,” he murmured. “I won’t let anything hurt you.” 21
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His words brought her gaze back to his face. He looked so sure, so confident. What is he doing here, with me? She gave herself a mental slap. It didn’t matter why he was doing this. She was going to enjoy it while she could and remember it for a long time afterward. Her legs fell open a bit to give him better access, without a direct command from her brain. She didn’t care, was happy to let her body have its way. He growled his approval and leaned down to kiss her. He tasted like chocolate shake. He tasted like sex and freedom from insecurities. He tasted delicious. She gave herself to the kiss fully, letting her thoughts drift as far away as possible so she could concentrate solely on the sensations he brought out in her. His tongue teased hers, inviting her to play. She took him up on it, exploring him as she’d wanted to for so long. He pulled back before she was ready and she whimpered, unable to stop herself. “Shh,” he whispered, resting his head back on his hand again. “You’re okay, just lie still for a minute.” She was confused only for a second before she heard the voices. A small group of people crossed the lawn near where they lay, but they wouldn’t be able to see past his body to where his hand still cupped her. Instead, he took the opportunity to caress her other thigh with his long fingers before giving her a sharp squeeze with his whole hand. She ground herself against the seam and nearly came but he pulled away. Her gaze flew to his face, afraid she would see annoyance, but he was breathing hard too, his eyes showing only intense pleasure at her reactions. He leaned back down but didn’t come to her mouth. Instead, his lips found her ear, tracing it with the tip of his tongue. “Are you wet?” “Yes,” she said with a shudder. “You’re so beautiful.” His hand squeezed again, but only briefly. “Please,” she said, ignoring his words, concentrating on his hand.
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“Not yet,” he whispered into her ear and pulled his hand away. “We’ve got gardens to see.” He stood up and looked down at her. She just lay there, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re not being very nice.” He grinned at that and reached down, offering her a hand. Reluctantly she took it, letting him pull her to her feet in one smooth move.
Keith had to remind himself he was in this for the long haul. He absolutely could not ruin things by taking her on a public lawn, no matter how delicious she looked or how prettily she asked. Her gorgeous brown eyes were shooting sparks at him and he couldn’t remember the last time he was so turned-on. A quick glance to make sure nobody was watching him and he made a necessary adjustment to his jeans. Damn, he felt as if he was being strangled. His own fault, of course, and completely worth it, but…damn. Val’s lips twitched and they looked at each other for a second before bursting into laughter. They walked through the Rose Garden and he pointed out a rosebud the color of her lips before stealing a kiss. They enjoyed the Japanese Garden then made their way back via the Subtropical Garden and the Shakespeare Garden where he attempted to recite a sonnet in her honor but failed miserably, causing the sweetest laugh he’d ever heard from her. They held hands and their bodies bumped along together naturally. When they found themselves alone in the Bonsai Court, he took the opportunity to kiss her again before more visitors interrupted them. “Tired?” he asked as they headed back to the parking lot. “Only my feet. I’m not used to walking so much.” He put his arm around her and she leaned into him. “Don’t worry. No walking necessary for dinner.”
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She looked at him as he opened the car door for her. “We’re going…out for dinner?” Part of him wanted to take her home instead, which she clearly expected. But he wasn’t ready for that. He wanted her thinking of him as more than just a sex buddy. Because this day was absolutely not about a quick roll in the sack. He’d wanted her for months and was determined to have her, but he had much more than one night in mind. Showing her he could be a good date was a start. Ending it with hot sex was still part of the plan of course, but he figured the night was still young. They had the weekend ahead of them if things went according to his plans. He headed north to catch the freeway going east. They needed to get back to Los Angeles, to the other side of Griffith Park, before five. “Well, did you like it?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the overwhelming urge to touch her some more. He was worried that once started, he wouldn’t be able to stop. “It was beautiful. Can you even imagine having all that space? I wonder how much art they had when the house was actually a home.” Her palms rubbed up and down her thighs and he hoped she was missing their contact as much as he was. Ah hell, he was a man, damn it, he could control himself. He reached over and offered his hand, a grin escaping when she took it immediately. Well, that was interesting. The desire was still there, strong and only growing stronger, but somehow holding her hand made it a little bit easier, not harder, to control. Or rather, something was harder but he was trying not to think about that. She squirmed in her seat and he wondered what she was thinking. A quick glance at him had her blushing so he figured her thoughts had turned as naughty as his. Hell, it was time for another distraction because he sure wasn’t moving his hand. “I’ve never been on a horse in my entire life,” he said.
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“Uh, okay,” she said, looking at him with a questioning smile. “I’ve never been surfing.” “You don’t say that as though it’s something you’d like to rectify.” “No, not particularly.” She laughed. “Although I do love the ocean, I prefer to enjoy it from a balcony, the sand or a ship.” “Oh yeah, I love the ocean. Wouldn’t it be great to have a place overlooking the beach?” “Not so easy to find these days, for less than a small fortune.” The off-ramp he wanted was close, so he let her hand go to maneuver through the lanes. She left hers on his leg, opening it up to rest against his thigh. Her thumb began a light caress and he wanted to sing hallelujah but he managed to resist as he took the exit. As the car climbed up into the Hollywood Hills, he crossed his arm over hers to rest his hand on her leg instead of his. Her breath hitched in and her fingers clenched, just for a moment. “What, um. What would you like to do that you’ve never tried?” Valerie asked him. “Hmm. I would like to travel more. I’ve gone lots of places on shoots, but I’d like to travel on my own agenda, to take more time before and after a shoot to explore the areas.” She nodded. “I’d like to travel. Europe, Africa, Australia. Hell, I’ve hardly seen any of the U.S., either. I promised my mom we’d drive to the Grand Canyon this year.” “You and your mom are close?” “Yeah. She can be frustrating at times, of course, but she’s great.” The smile in her voice told him more than the words. He pulled his hand back to the steering wheel as they passed through some gates, and wheeled the car into a parking space on the right. “And,” he said dramatically, “I’d like to try that horseback riding thing.”
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Her mouth was open and her brows drawn in confusion. “We’re going horseback riding for dinner?” “I should probably leave you hanging in suspense, but I’ll tell you. They have a group ride every Friday that takes you over the hills at sunset. You stop at the bottom of the hill at Griffith Park and have dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then you ride back.” “I’ve never heard of that.” “We’re early, let’s walk over to those trees for a bit.” Out of the car, he made his way around to her side in time to watch her bend over and retrieve her purse from the floor. Giving in to instinct and desire, he put both hands on her taut ass and slid them up and around to her hips. He heard her sharp intake of breath but she gave no other reaction, just stood slowly upright, her purse dangling from her hand. He let his hands slip under her shirt to feel bare, smooth skin. It took a great deal of willpower not to move higher up, but they were still in the parking lot, damn it. He was not going to abuse her trust by causing her embarrassment. Reluctantly, he dropped his hands. “There are sweatshirts in the trunk we need to get. If you want, you can put your purse in there. I can put your ID in my pocket.” His voice was hoarse and when she turned around her face was flushed. She gave a small nod and he led the way to the back of the car. He took a San Diego Chargers sweatshirt out of the trunk and handed it to her, pulling a Los Angeles Dodgers one out for himself. The football sweatshirt was his favorite and a bit worn, but should be plenty warm, and he wanted to see her wearing it. Hell, he wanted to see her wearing it and nothing else but that would have to wait for later.
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“It will get cold once the sun goes down,” he said, tying the pullover around his waist while she removed her ID and credit card from her purse and handed them to him. He moved to put them into his wallet and glanced down at her license. Holy shit.
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Chapter Four “Today is your birthday,” Keith said dumbly. “Yeah.” Val was tying the sweatshirt around her waist and didn’t even look up. “We’ve just spent all day together and you never even mentioned it.” She looked up at him in surprise. “It didn’t come up.” He gaped at her. When she went back to arranging herself he forced his mind to start working again. He put his wallet away and turned back to the trunk, using his body to block her view of the small bullet vibe and remote he’d left in there. Clearly he needed to pull out the big guns to get this woman’s attention. “Oh, let me get a scrunchie.” She nudged him out of the way, ignoring his confused look, and leaned back in to rummage through her purse. Pulling out a hairband, she slipped it onto her wrist. He noticed that but only barely as his attention was focused on her ass again, until she stood up looking happy. When they were set, he closed the trunk and led her into the small area of trees. He wanted a little distance from the parking lot for what he had planned, and found a nice wide tree that he led her behind. From where he stood he couldn’t see the cars and figured they couldn’t be seen either. “Are you having fun?” he asked, leaning his back against the tree and pulling her gently into his arms. “You know I am,” she answered, sounding slightly put out but resting easily against him. She put her head on his shoulder and he laid his cheek against her soft hair. “I don’t know why you’re doing this.”
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Her murmur was so quiet he almost didn’t hear her. He wanted to yell, shake some sense into her. How could it not be obvious? He wanted her and he knew she wanted him. What could be simpler? “I’ve liked you for a long time. You’re the one who’s been pretending not to understand my hints for more.” “You spend all day with beautiful models and I’m supposed to believe you want to spend your free time with me?” Frustration beat at him but he took a deep breath and hoped his voice was calm. Talking wasn’t going to convince her though, so he sent his hands moving while he answered her question. “I spend all day with models. Some of them are nice, many of them are not. All of them are working and wrapped up in that, not me.” One hand cupped her ass, the other moved up to her nape to tickle the delicate skin underneath her long hair. She shivered against him and he smiled. Communicating with his hands was much easier than talking, but he would try both if that’s what she wanted. “I’m focused on work when I’m with you,” she pointed out. “You’re focused on me. Maybe I’m selfish. Does it matter? I don’t want to spend time away from work with them. I want to spend it with you.” His hand on her ass dipped between her thighs. He pressed the seam of her jeans into her cleft and she gasped. One of her hands was resting on his chest, over his heart. She began to move, sliding it up his shoulder, tracing a line up his neck, then moving her fingers into his hair. Her thighs clenched around his invading hand and he couldn’t hold back a small groan. She tried not to react, he could tell. But her fingers betrayed her, nails digging in through his shirt. Oh yeah, she was right there with him. “Kiss me,” he whispered, his hands too occupied to lift her face to his.
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She lifted up to him, her eyes glazed, and he leaned down to meet her. He wanted to tease her, to lick and nip, but it was too much, he needed more than that now. Instead he devoured her, thrust his tongue in hard and fast. Her other arm came around his neck and both hands pulled him closer to her, a move he heartily approved of. One of her legs lifted to hook over his hip but he stopped her without releasing her mouth. She moaned in denial but he used his free hand to unbutton her jeans and she stilled. Except for her tongue, which matched his thrust for thrust, swirling and tasting him as if she couldn’t get enough. He forced his concentration to divide between the sweet perfection of her mouth and the need to get into her jeans. The button came free and he eased the zipper down then slipped his fingers inside the jeans and under her panties. Her hips arched up to allow him better access and he tore his mouth from hers to stare into her eyes. They were both breathing hard and he was sure he looked as dazed as she did. “You’re wet.” “Your fault.” He grinned and slid one finger into her sex to move the cream around and around. She dropped her forehead to his chest. The jeans were open enough now for him to get his whole hand inside. He pulled the hand out and she startled, but he soothed her with nonsense words and returned quickly, this time with the bullet in hand. The metal was warm from being held and it took her a second to realize it wasn’t just his fingers caressing her clit. Her head popped back up and she would have taken a step back but his arm had gone back around her waist. “I bought this for you. I’ve been fantasizing about giving it to you.” Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he moved the object through her wetness until it was liberally coated then set it against her opening. “I wanted to give you this ride, hoped you’d enjoy it, but I didn’t want to feel jealous of the horse, since I won’t be able to wrap my arms around you. It’s going to take a few hours and I had to talk myself into coming here instead of dragging you back 30
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to my place and showing you what I think you should be riding.” He pushed gently, feeling her tense then relax around the vibrator. More cream crept from her body as he slowly pushed the bullet all the way inside. “This way we can still enjoy the ride but I’ll feel like part of you is focused on me. On the pleasure I want to give you. I want you feeling my touch, even when I can’t get my hands on you.” “You…you bought this for me?” she asked, watching him. “Val, I’ve been wanting you for so long. When I saw this,” he showed her the remote control, “it about drove me crazy thinking of the ways we could play with it.” He kissed her again. “Together.” She started to give him a small nod, but then frowned again. “It, um, might scare the horse.” “It’s pretty quiet. Let me show you.” He held up the remote and turned the dial. The buzzing sound was very faint as she jerked against him. He pulled his hand out and closed her jeans back up before pulling away. “See, no sound.” Putting his hand between her legs, he added, “Put your hand under mine. I don’t think the vibration will go through the saddle and blanket and stuff. The horse won’t have a clue.” The sight of her small hand against his as he cupped her made him groan. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers. “We could do this another time, you know. The riding thing. Go back to my place and…” Her hand over his tightened. “I want to try this. I want you touching me, right out in the open, when nobody can see.” “Fuck.” A quick squeeze was all he allowed himself before he pulled away and turned off the remote. Leaning back against the tree, he pulled her close. She leaned against him again, legs between his thighs, head tucked under his chin.
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“You know,” he said, “I’m glad you ignored those first few times I asked you out.” “Really,” she drawled skeptically. “But not the last few times?” “Smart-ass. No, the first few times, you were right. I probably would have done exactly what you expected, wined you and dined you until you let me fuck you. Then been happy to go back to the way things had been.” “It doesn’t always work that way,” she said, her voice tight. He hugged her close. “I know. I guess, well, I’ve never been friends with a woman I was really attracted to. And the more we got to know each other, the more attracted I was, but we probably never would have gotten to that point if we’d slept together early on.” “What makes you think we’re past that point now?” She said it so quietly he wanted to pretend he hadn’t heard it, but the lurch in his stomach assured him he had. “Because I’ve decided we have. And I’ll work hard to make sure we have. This is good, Val. We’re good. Don’t throw that away because you’re scared.” He pushed her away gently so that he could see her face. “Don’t pull away before I’ve even had a chance to prove it to you.” He moved both hands up to cup her chin and slowly lowered his lips to hers. This time he was able to rein himself in and show her he could do sweet. He licked her lower lip then pulled it gently between his teeth. When she moved forward for more, he nipped the corner of her mouth then nuzzled his nose into the sweet spot below her ear before taking her lobe into his mouth and sucking hard. The tension melted back out of her and she softened against him. Reluctantly he broke away, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before she could tempt him to more. “We need to get going.” He led her back to the parking lot and then up to the check-in window.
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Valerie let Keith lead her to the small building. He’d distracted her from the bullet between her legs until they’d started walking again. The small device was pretty unobtrusive actually, it was more her saturated panties against the jeans that grabbed her attention. Was she totally insane, letting this happen? She’d determined to let this day be what it was, assuming it would lead to the end of her relationship with Keith, but this was a little more intense than she’d imagined. She couldn’t believe he’d said what he had, admitted she’d been right about him, but only earlier on in their relationship. And those kisses. That first kiss had been amazing. How could she not go where it was leading her? Where he was leading her? Then there was the vibrator. She’d never played with toys with a partner before, though she’d had plenty of fantasies involving Keith and her vibrator. Walking up to the window knowing that he could turn it on at any time and nobody else would know was an amazing turn-on. All of her previous experiences were a lot tamer than just one afternoon with Keith—letting him touch her under the tree, finger-fuck her just yards from the parking lot just now. Though she didn’t trust him with her heart, she had no trouble, apparently, in trusting him with her body. They signed in, giving their information including their riding expertise, and were given the names of the horses they were to ride, then listened to the rules. While they waited for their horses, she had a look around. It was a nice place, with about fifteen other people waiting to go on the group ride. She’d never done something like this, had always assumed she would hate a nose-to-tail trail ride compared to being able to go at her own pace and choose her own direction, but now she was excited. It was amazing that he’d thought of this for her. Suddenly she realized she’d managed to forget about the toy waiting inside her. But she hadn’t forgotten about the man standing at her side. He was looking around, taking it in, but his hand never left her body, whether it was resting on her hip, caressing her shoulder or laced with her own hand.
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She felt bad that she hadn’t told him it was her birthday, but what was she supposed to have done? Announced it when he dragged her from his house and into his car? Or maybe while they were lying on the grass at Huntington Library and he was making her insides melt. She only knew his birthday because she helped him fill out his taxes. And she’d gotten him a card last year, damn it. If he’d wanted to know when she was born, that would have been a fine time to ask. But they were sure getting to know each other now. And she couldn’t deny that they had become friends before today, no matter how much she’d pretended otherwise. The proof was in the date, because she’d never had a first date like this before. Certainly she’d never let a man touch her like that on a first date, let alone the toy… A man approached with a beautiful chestnut gelding. “Who’s riding Garth?” “That’s me.” She stepped forward and reached out to run her hand along the sleek neck. “He’s beautiful.” Garth leaned into her caress then snorted and tossed his head. She quickly gathered her hair into a ponytail then got settled while another hand brought a slightly smaller horse out for Keith. Biting her lip to keep from smiling at Keith’s expression, which had gone from cocky to unsure in the space of a heartbeat, she realized he hadn’t quite thought this part through. It was possible he’d never been this close to a horse before. The pictures he’d taken of the Arabians hadn’t been very up close, she remembered. He listened carefully to everything the man told him, then glanced up at her. She gave him an encouraging smile. With help from the handler, he managed to get up without looking too silly. The horse he’d been given was clearly meant for beginners and likely would trail along with the others regardless of what Keith did or didn’t do. Eventually all the guests were on their horses and the guides set off. Val gave Garth a small cluck with her tongue, angling so that her movement would encourage Keith’s mount forward also. Keith grabbed tight to the pommel as the horse walked. “Don’t pull her reins tight,” she murmured to him. He glanced at her but then unclenched his fist and let the reins slack a little. 34
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“There you go, you’ll be fine. What’s her name?” “Honey.” He sounded curt but she didn’t take it personally. “I promise, Keith, she’ll go where Garth goes. You don’t need to do anything but stay upright.” He took a deep breath then nodded, forcing some of the tension from his body. They moved at an easy pace and he relaxed slowly. Finally he looked at her with a grin. “Sorry. I didn’t realize they were quite so big.” She laughed. “No problem. Thank you for doing this. It’s a lovely idea.” The hills were greener then she would have guessed, probably because it was February and they’d had a relatively wet winter. The trail led up into the hills and the sun was going down in front of them in a blaze of pink and gold. “I should have brought a camera,” Keith said, looking around. She laughed. “You would have had to let go of the saddle.” He gave her a quelling look. “You could have taken the pictures. Besides, I intended to have something else in my hand.” Her pussy spasmed and reminded her of the bullet waiting inside. They moved into single file as they headed up the hills at an easy pace. She watched his body move, his muscles bunching and releasing. Yum. He dared a quick look back and she grinned at him. “This was a good idea. Thanks.” “You’re welcome. Should we try surfing next?” he asked hopefully. “Hell, no!” The group slowed down at the top of a hill and came to a stop. They looked out over the Valley as the sun set, city lights winking on ahead of them. It was a beautiful view, one she’d rarely seen.
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After a quiet moment, they started forward again, heading down the other side of the hills, riding mostly in silence as they enjoyed the view, chatting with the guide and other riders occasionally. They arrived at the restaurant and lined up before dismounting. She hopped off quickly then went to help Keith. He made it down without hurting himself or the horse and seemed pleased. The group dispersed with instructions to return in an hour. She and Keith went to wash their hands and met up at a table for two. A waiter arrived quickly to take their orders for margaritas and burritos. “When’s the last time you went on a date?” she asked, then grimaced. Why torture herself? He cocked his head in thought. “Two months ago. My friend’s wife set me up on a blind date and I couldn’t say no.” “You didn’t like her?” “Eh. She was okay, I guess, but I was a bit hung up on my accountant at the time, couldn’t give her the attention she deserved.” She rolled her eyes at him and he gave her his exasperated look in return. “Why is this so hard for you to believe?” “Because, you’re a good-looking man who spends all day with good-looking women. You can’t tell me you work with them, send them out the door, then think of me.” “Okay, I won’t tell you that. I’ll tell you I’m thinking of you even before I send them out the door. Especially lately. Shit, you come in all sweet and happy, that beautiful smile on your face, what do you expect from me?” She stared at him. Was he for real? Surely by now he’d figured out that she wasn’t going to say no to him tonight. The waiter arrived with their drinks and guacamole and they both let the subject drop.
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Chapter Five It was full dark when they left, and cold. Grateful for the warm sweatshirt, Val put it on and tried not to feel silly hugging herself in something she knew he’d worn many times. They mounted up and began the journey back. She chatted with the guide, learning more about the weekly ride and the stable in general. When another couple rode up to ask questions, Keith put a hand out to hold Val back a bit. They maneuvered to the side and let the others pass them by. Nervous, sure she knew why he wanted the privacy, she felt her sex get wet again. Sure enough, as soon as they were last in the pack, the bullet inside her gave a sudden buzz. It only lasted for a second and she turned wide eyes to Keith. “You okay?” She thought about telling him no, knew he’d respect her choice. That made it easier to nod, all the encouragement he needed to turn the device on again. Even though she was ready for it, she jolted again. The horses plodded forward, unaware of the drama unfolding. Her breathing picked up and she licked her lips, liking the way his eyes darted down to watch her tongue. She did it again deliberately and he grinned. All the way back he played with the settings, watching her reactions closely. Occasionally he’d turn it off completely and she’d convince herself that it was for the best, that she didn’t want any more until they were alone and he could do something to give her the release she was beginning to crave. Then he’d turn it back on, select a new setting, and she’d be catapulted back to the edge, but never over. “Please, Keith.” It came out a low moan and she hoped nobody else heard her. “Soon, sweetheart. I promise.” They could see the stables now and he turned it off again. She almost wept in frustration, vowing to turn the tables on him before the night was through. 37
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Somehow she managed to thank their guide, make sure that Keith gave a tip and get back to the car, though it was mostly a blur. She collapsed into her seat and moved her hands to her sex. “Hey, now,” Keith said, grabbing her hand with his. She narrowed her eyes at him, sure she heard laughter in his voice, though his face was serious. “We’ll be home soon. Then I’ll take care of it, I promise.” A car door opened a couple of spaces over, reminding her that being in a vehicle didn’t mean she couldn’t be seen. Damn. Keith started the car and she leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, trying to calm down. And jolted again when the bullet started up. Her eyes flew open and her hands tried to do…something, but Keith’s large palm cupped her, not letting her press against him. “Oh, baby, you are so fucking hot. I want to watch that look on your face all night long.” He changed the setting, not letting her get used to one rhythm. She ground her head against the headrest, lifting her hips, but his hand moved with her, giving no resistance. “Damn it, Keith. Please.” “No, not when I can’t watch,” he said, but he gave her a squeeze that was almost enough. In desperation, she reached over to him, sliding her hand over his thigh until she found the hard bulge in his jeans. “Shit! Val, you’re going to make me get in an accident. I promise, that’s not going to help you get off.” “When did you get so mean?” she asked, petulant.
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He took his hand from her and grabbed first one of her wrists, then the other, resting both against her thigh. He’d had to let go of the remote though, so at least she was assured of the same setting. Now, if she could just… Letting go of the steering wheel long enough to grab the remote, he turned it off. Again. Oh, she was so going to have to kill him. “Okay, maybe that worked too well. Sorry.” He didn’t sound very sorry and she gave him her best murderous glare as he exited the freeway, heading back to his house. It absolutely was not fair to get her this worked up when she couldn’t do anything about it. Do anything about him. She wanted to touch him, taste him, feel him. She wanted his hands on her, not some damn vibrator. Again he let her go, but this time he moved his hand up to cup her neck, massaging her tight shoulders as he drove a little faster than he probably should. Gradually she relaxed again, almost dozing with the feel of his hand warm on her neck and the music soft in the background. She reminded herself to enjoy the night, to take what she could get and be ready to live off the memories for a long time. She didn’t doubt for a second that it would take a while to get over him, to be able to move on to someone else. More than one drunken night with her best friend had been spent analyzing why she didn’t get attracted to guys more often. Or why they weren’t attracted to her. They’d never found an answer, only headaches the next morning. Now her friend was married and they rarely had girls’ night out anymore. The last time, she hadn’t even mentioned her growing attraction to her favorite client. Part of her was excited, looking forward to the night ahead, but the other part was already looking to the future without her semi-regular dose of Keith. Would it be worth it? To trade the many days of pleasant platonic contact for one night of passion? She hoped so, because there was little choice in the matter now. Oh, she could still say no, she had no doubt about that. But she’d spend the rest of her life kicking herself in the ass, that much was also clear. 39
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The car came to a stop and she opened her eyes, not even having realized they’d closed. She was glad he’d kept his hand off the remote—she might have had to kill him if he’d buzzed her again. He seemed to have figured that out on his own though, which gave a good indication of his ability to pay attention. This time when he got out of the car, she waited, letting him come around to open the door for her. She’d never actually done that before, had no idea why she did now. Maybe because she was suddenly too tired to figure out how to behave, how to act. She was going to stop worrying about what he was trying to do, what he was thinking and planning, and how she should be reacting. She was going to be herself, and if he wasn’t okay with that, so be it. He reached down and she accepted his hand, letting him pull her up out of the car. Her thighs ached, though how much was from the riding and how much was from the vibrator she didn’t even bother to guess. She followed him into the house, standing where he placed her while he locked the door and turned on a light. He came back to her and put his hands on her shoulders, watching her closely. “You okay, baby?” “Sure.” “Why so quiet all of a sudden?” “I don’t know, just ready, I guess. Trying not to think too far ahead.” One of his hands came up to her cheek, his thumb brushing her lips. “I don’t see anything wrong with thinking ahead. Except right now I can hardly think past this minute.” “What are you thinking, this minute?” Her words were barely a whisper as her lips brushed his thumb. “I’m thinking how much I want to taste you again. I’m wondering how wet you are. I want to feel every inch of your body under my hands.”
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“So why are we still standing here?” “Because I can’t stop staring at you. You’re so beautiful.” The awe in his voice confused her. She didn’t believe him, but she didn’t think he was lying to her either. Perhaps right now, in this minute, he did find her beautiful. It was good enough for her. He didn’t move though. Maybe it was time for her to make some moves. She may not have a lot of experience, but right now she felt powerful. She brought one hand up to rest on his heart, gauge his reaction. Her other hand went to his arousal, thick and firm behind his jeans. He drew in a sharp breath and she smiled around his thumb. He eased it between her lips and she sucked it in, hard. Heat flared in his eyes as she gripped him with her fingers while biting gently with her teeth. “Oh, fuck, baby. Tell me you’re ready.” “I don’t know, Keith. Ready for what?” she teased, her hand gliding up and down his length before reaching up to undo the button. “Uh.” He pulled his thumb back and bent at the waist, putting his shoulder into her stomach and lifting. Shocked, she gave a small shriek as he carried her into the bedroom. She slapped his ass but he just grunted and tossed her onto the bed. Bouncing, she braced her hands on the mattress and looked at him. He was breathing hard, his hands tearing his jeans open and sliding them down. Where was the cool, sexy flirt from this morning? The incontrol hard-ass from the afternoon? He yanked his sweatshirt over his head while kicking off his shoes. The buttons on his shirt came undone a lot faster than they’d been closed up this morning and she licked her lips at the sight of that hard chest again. He shoved his boxers off and she stared at his long, hard cock, jutting out at her, begging for her attention. She swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth as he came closer. His hands turned their attention to her, starting with her shoes. She let him take them off before scooting back out of his reach. His low growl gave her goose bumps. She rose to her knees at the head of the bed as he stood at the foot, face hard with 41
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desire. She pulled the sweatshirt off then paused with her hands on the hem of her shirt, waiting for his response. He didn’t disappoint. “Take it off,” he said, putting one knee on the end of the bed.
Val’s mouth quirked into a small smile at his words, but instead of doing as he’d said, she slowly pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. He tensed, ready to move forward but she drew the shirt up her body, baring herself an inch at a time before finally bringing it over her head. “The bra,” he said, shifting to bring his other leg up. She cupped her breasts as they watched each other, kneeling on opposite ends of the bed. Instead of moving her hands around to the back to work the clasp, she slid them down her rib cage and rested them at the button to her jeans. He was fascinated by the combination of nervous eyes and seductive intent. Forcing himself not to leap at her, he swallowed hard and let her drive him crazy. As long as he could do the same, he thought, letting his wicked grin be all the warning she got. In his hand was the remote he’d palmed from his jeans, which he was sure she hadn’t seen. He thumbed the dial and she gasped.
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Chapter Six Now that they were in a quiet room Keith could just make out the buzzing sound coming from inside her. Her breathing picked up, her breasts rising and falling in an invitation he found hard to resist. Her eyes closed for a minute as her whole body, other than those sharp breaths, froze around the sensations. He waited, wanting her to finish what she started, wanting her to seduce him, even as he drove her up. Her eyes opened and she glanced down to where he slowly stroked himself. Determination lit her eyes and she resumed movement. The button popped open and she peeled the sides back enough to reveal her dark-blue panties. One slim hand moved in, cupping herself inside the jeans, pressing up into the vibrator. Her head fell back with a moan and he moved forward before catching himself. “The bra,” he said again, hoping he didn’t sound too harsh. She gave another one of those pleased smirks and moved to push her jeans down off her hips instead. He changed the speed on the remote and moved another step forward. The buzzing sound increased as her jeans went down. Rolling his thumb over the head of his cock to capture the moisture there, he reached out and brought it to her sweet lips. Her eyes rounded in surprise and she gave a little gasp, but then darted her tongue out to lick him. They both groaned and she moved a little closer and sucked his thumb into her mouth. He set the remote down within reach and slid his hand up her leg, over her hip and around to her back to work on the bra clasp. She took over the task of handling his erection and he paused as she squeezed him. They both moved a step closer, a handspan apart now. Pulling his thumb out slowly, her teeth grazing him as she let him go, he moved in for a kiss.
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She waited for him, not moving closer, letting him find her lips with his. He paid her back by teasing, moving his lips over hers without joining them. When she finally leaned forward to press into him, he let her. Her tongue met his and he sucked it in, hard. Had anything ever tasted as sweet as his Val? He moved his hand between them, cupping it over hers, finding her panties drenched. He laced his fingers through hers and brought them both up so that they could slip inside the satin. Their joined fingers slid through her wetness, then back up to play with her clit. He used both of their fingers to circle and press until her hips were moving unconsciously, then he slowly tugged the vibe, still turned on, from her body. Her muscles clenched, holding it inside, until she moaned and released it. “The bra,” he said again and this time she listened while he turned the vibe off and tossed it and the remote away. She pulled her fingers free of his, trailing them up his bare chest. He barely caressed her clit as she finally pulled the straps down her arms and removed the bra from between them. “The jeans.” His hands came up between them to cup the small handful of her breasts. “So beautiful,” he whispered. Her nipples stood out, dark puckers begging for his attention. Leaning in, he took a tip in his mouth, sucking it between teeth and tongue. Her moan was the sweetest sound. She gave up trying to shove her jeans down and moved her hands to his back. He pressed into the feel of her caress, opening his mouth to take more of her. More, he needed more. After so long, his fantasies were becoming reality but the reality was already a thousand times better than his dreams. He picked her up and laid her down on the bed. She held him to her and he wanted to roar in triumph. Letting go of her despite her clutching hands and soft moans, he pulled her jeans off and moved back to cover her. They both sighed as his body pressed onto hers. She dragged his head down to hers for another kiss, her breasts pressing eagerly into his chest. She tasted so good, but there was so much more of her he needed to experience. He nibbled his way along her jaw, over to her ear, sucking the lobe into his teeth. She
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arched up into him and he smiled. A gentle bite had her crying out. Releasing her with a lick, he moved back down, exploring her neck, then lower. He wanted more of her breasts and they were waiting for him. “Please,” she said when he kissed his way around one breast while pinching the other’s nipple with his fingers. “Keith,” she moaned when he switched, soothing the pinched nipple with the warmth of his mouth while massaging the other mound. He was enjoying himself so much it took a minute to register the fact she was pushing at him. Worried, he pulled back to see her face, saw the frustration, but had to fight not to smile. It was definitely the right kind of frustration. He let her shoves push him over and she glowed with triumph as she landed on top of him. Oh man, he was toast. No way was he letting her get away from him. Her hands started at his shoulders and smoothed their way down to his nipples. He grasped her hips to hold on to something as she leaned down and licked her way up his chest to his neck before sitting up again to look down on him. She was a goddess rising above him, the power of the moment filling her with a strength and confidence that he rarely saw in her. It was damn sexy and he decided it would be his job to make her feel that way more often, even if it did mean indulging in fantastic sex until she got the clue. Some things were worth working for, after all. “Valerie, I need you.” He watched his words wash over her, through her, as powerful as his touch. Her thighs tightened around him and he felt her cream on his abdomen. Desperate, he reached over to the nightstand, trying not to dislodge her but needing a condom now. She opened her eyes and smiled, reaching over him to open the drawer herself. He heard the crinkle as she found the condom and came back to kneel over him at her full height. He took the opportunity to scoot back and up so that his shoulders were leaning against the headboard. She opened the package and gave him the condom, watching avidly as he rolled it down. “Cross your legs behind me.” 45
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He held her hips while she adjusted then slowly lowered her down. She held him steady and they came together as though they were meant to be this way. Their gazes locked and held as they sat unmoving. Sweat slid down her back and her thighs trembled at the effort of holding still. She was afraid to move. It felt so good, so perfect right where she was, she didn’t want to ruin it. But she needed more, needed him, needed… Ahh. He moved for her, hips pumping up while his hands brought her down even closer. She braced her hands against the headboard, presenting her breasts to his lips. He took the offer, licking between them and around them while he continued to pump into her. This was so good, so right. Nothing, no one, had ever been this right. It scared her but she didn’t have the time or the concentration to figure out why. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to stop. She gasped when he gave her a tiny bite, then ground against him in a circle. He growled into her flesh. Realizing she had much more leverage than he did, she began to move on her own. He released her hips and moved back to torment her breasts. “So good.” She didn’t mean to say it out loud, couldn’t stop herself. She clenched her inner muscles as hard as she could and his whole body jerked beneath her. “Val, sweet, sweet, Val. I can’t get enough of you,” he murmured, pulling back from her. She leaned down to kiss him. She was already getting addicted to his kisses. How was she going to do without? She pushed the thought away, increasing her pace, needing more. His tongue dueled with hers, his hard length stabbed into her. “Keith…” She was so close. Was he there? She ground into him, her clit hard against his pelvis, his cock hitting all the right places, and she shattered. Her mouth fell from his as her body swayed, his hands going back to her hips to hold her tightly to him while he gave one last thrust up before coming with a long groan. Her vision grayed as she collapsed against him, stupidly thrilled when his arms came around her, pulling her even closer.
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She had no idea how long they sat like that. He moved to pull out and she whined, too tired to be embarrassed over the sound. He pressed gentle kisses to her temple and made soothing sounds, rolling her to her back and pulling a blanket up over her. She should probably get up, get dressed, get out before things got weird. Probably… The bed dipped as he returned and it was so easy, so natural to move into his arms when he lay down beside her. Had she ever felt so comfortable lying in bed with a man? Naked? She thought maybe she should remember why it usually made her nervous but was too tired. His hand caressed her back and instead of being annoying and keeping her awake, it, and his heartbeat under her ear, soothed her into sleep.
***** Keith woke up feeling good—very, very good, except for the fact that his thighs were sore. And his ass. But that was unimportant considering he had a warm Valerie draped over half his body. Her cheek rested on his chest, her soft breath teasing his skin. He did something he’d been wanting to do for months. Taking the end of one long, pencil-thin curl of hair, he pulled. And pulled. When it was fully straight, he released it, smiling widely as it bounced back into place. A glance at the clock told him it was earlier then he’d like, but he was worried that Val would run, given half a chance. He figured he had two options. Disentangle himself enough to go turn on the coffeemaker, which he hadn’t set up the night before, or wake her up with morning sex. Since he didn’t figure he could get out of the bed without waking her, it wasn’t too difficult to make the decision. Of course, he couldn’t do much from this position either, so he would have to move her, regardless. He didn’t let that little detail sway him, now that the choice was made. Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled so that she was on her back, his body covering hers. She made a couple of soft noises, deep in her throat, but then settled down, back into sleep. He propped up onto his elbows so that he could watch her,
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gently pulling on another curl. She really was beautiful, he didn’t know why she thought otherwise, though he couldn’t be sorry for it. Constantly surrounded by beautiful women, he knew full well that while plenty of them were perfectly nice, too many were vain and irritating. Hell, even the nice ones were necessarily preoccupied with their looks. He found it annoying even as he made his living from it. Shaking off the thought, he brushed Val’s hair from her forehead. Her face, with barely a hint of old makeup, was lovely. He wouldn’t mind waking up to that every morning. The thought of grabbing his camera made him pause but that would probably be pushing things. Besides, he had other uses for his hands right now. He scooted down, brushing her shoulders with his lips. She stirred ever so slightly and he waited. When she was still again, he reminded himself to explore her body later, right now he wanted to taste her. Her legs were only slightly parted so he lifted one carefully and moved his shoulders between her soft thighs. A deep inhale satisfied a part of him he had no idea had been in need. He parted her with his fingers and gave her one long swipe with his tongue. Her thighs clenched around his shoulders but he didn’t think she was awake yet. Another long lick, then he circled her clit with the point of his tongue, wondering where he’d put the vibrator last night. He’d never played with toys while having sex but the possibilities were intriguing. They’d have plenty of time to experiment. It would be fun to go shopping with her. Awake now, her hands reached out to fist into his hair. He sucked her clit and rolled his eyes up to watch her head thrash back and forth. That look, he seriously loved putting that look of mindless bliss on her face. He wanted the responsibility of seeing that she wore that look at least once a day. “Keith…” she moaned. To busy exploring to answer, he sent his tongue over every inch of her pussy. Her legs shook when he fucked into her as far as he could. “Keith.” It was a gasp this time. 48
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“Hmmm?” he vibrated. And she came, just like that. He moved down to lick her up, get every last drop of her, thrusting his tongue deep again while her muscles clenched and released. Finally, when she lay still, he rose up and collapsed next to her. They lay like that for a minute before she turned to face him, a look of desperate hope on her face. “Coffee?” she croaked. He couldn’t help it. He laughed. Then he dragged himself out of bed, pulled on a pair of boxers and headed for the kitchen.
Valerie was trying to make her brain work but was too relaxed from Keith’s attentions. She should be panicking right now, jumping out of bed to put her clothes on before he returned so that she could grab the coffee and run. But she had no desire to do that. Her thighs were sore from horseback riding for the first time in ten years, the rest of her sore from activities she hadn’t indulged in, well…not as long as ten years, but still. Plus, she really should be helping the poor man with that raging hard-on she’d seen as he went to get the coffee started. Damn, he’d woken her up with a fantastic orgasm and then gone to get her coffee without saying a word or getting anything for himself. She was definitely going to have to reward his kindness. The tiniest hint of the best smell in the world drifted into the room and gave her the energy to sit up. She spotted Keith’s shirt on the floor at the foot of the bed next to her jeans. She didn’t see her underwear. Pulling on his shirt, she buttoned it up most of the way, feeling half sexy and half clichéd as she headed down the hall. When he heard her coming and turned, the look on his face reminded her that clichés exist for a reason. “Morning,” she said. He just nodded, his eyes glued to the line of his shirt across her upper thighs. Amused, she fingered the hem. “You were just playing down there, it hasn’t changed any just because I’ve covered it up a bit.”
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“I don’t know. I might have to investigate to find out for sure.” Absurdly pleased, she walked up to him, resting her head on his shoulder as she watched the coffee drip. Almost done and she knew for a fact that he had excellent taste in coffee, though she’d never expected to enjoy it first thing in the morning. Doubt tried to creep in but she pushed it away. Best just to enjoy the moment. Once it was over and she was back home she could have her freak-out. “I’m glad you’re here, in case I didn’t make that clear,” Keith said as if he could read her thoughts. “Keith…” She wasn’t sure what to say.
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Chapter Seven “Val, why are you trying to make this so difficult? You had fun yesterday, right? This could be a really good thing. Why are you overthinking it?” His aggravated sigh irritated her and she lifted her head. The annoyance on his face was too much. He thought it was so damn easy, didn’t he? Figured he was ready to bring sex into their friendship and she should just get with the program. Well, that was just bullshit. “Most people consider thinking a good thing, you know. Thinking things through, planning them out. Maybe asking another person’s opinion rather than tricking them into going out all day and night when they should be working.” She stepped back, putting more space between them, wishing she was wearing more now, wishing he was wearing more. “Oh, excuse me if my carefully planned out date was an inconvenience to you.” “Maybe it wouldn’t have been if you had asked, instead of just assuming that I had nothing better to do for the entire freaking day!” she shouted. “I did ask,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “You ignored me. Or pretended I wasn’t asking you out. Or pretended I didn’t mean it. Or pretended—” “Oh, shut up!” Turning on her heel, she stormed back into the bedroom, furiously blinking back tears. She found her top, bra and panties on the side of the bed and pulled on the underwear. Her jeans were at the foot next to his and she yanked them on. She balled the rest up. Screw him, she was keeping his damn shirt. He was waiting for her in the hallway. “I knew it. I knew that you were going to run this morning.”
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“Oh really. Because you know me so well, huh? Well guess what? I didn’t know what you were going to do, or what you wanted, because despite what you said about hinting for dates, you haven’t told me anything.” “What the hell are you saying? We talked all day yesterday, I told you what I wanted.” “Yeah, you told me you wanted me. Sex. Great, you had it, so what’s your problem?” “I wanted you! You! Not just sex.” “Bullshit, you didn’t say anything like that. You said I looked beautiful, which is a crock of shit when compared to all your models—” “Oh, great! There you go again with the fucking models.” He threw his hands up in the air. She didn’t know if he was blocking the path to the door on purpose or not but she was beyond pissed now. “Get out of my way, I want to leave.” “Yeah, how are you going to do that? Your purse is in my trunk.” Her eyes went wide and she’d swear her blood started to boil. She opened her mouth but couldn’t figure out which curse to let fly first. She was considering alphabetical order when Keith shook his head, shoulders slumping. He tunneled his fingers through his hair and her heart gave an uncomfortable lurch, a shiver of ice cooling through her. She tried to stay mad, wanted to stay mad to help keep the tears away, at least until she was out of the house. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” Keith said. “If you really want to leave, I’ll go get your purse.” “You haven’t given me any reason to stay. You haven’t even given me coffee.” He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and his eyes. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just…don’t want this to end.” 52
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Her own anger washed out of her, leaving a cold emptiness. Her throat tightened but she forced it to work. “This is me, Keith. I’m insecure. I don’t date. I don’t know how to handle it. I tried to keep you away from that, but you wouldn’t let me.” “You’re worth it to me. I want to learn these things about you, convince you that you don’t have to be insecure around me because I’m…well, I’m already half in love with you.” “I…uh…I…” She was frozen. Unable to move, unable to think or process or speak or… “Uh.” His tense face transformed with a flash into a grin. “I’m sorry I ambushed you with the date. I just…I knew, or I thought…I was so sure we would be great together, I figured once I had you out there, you would see it too.” He sighed again and she wanted to comfort him, but was still frozen. “Hey, did I ever tell you that my mother was an actress?” he asked. It was startling enough to let her move again. “Um, no, you didn’t.” He nodded, his face serious. “I don’t talk about her much. Would you stay for a minute? Listen? If I give you coffee? I promise not to do anything but tell you a little bit about her.” “I could use the coffee,” she said with a wry smile. “And I could sit down for a few minutes.” She narrowed her eyes at him, forced all softness from her voice. “After you get my purse.” He winced. “Yeah, yeah, of course.” Without bothering to put on shoes, he grabbed his keys and opened the door, returning only a minute later with her purse held out like a peace offering. She accepted it, then set it down on the side table he laid his keys on. “Coffee,” she reminded him emphatically. His obvious relief went a long way to banishing the last of her anger. Anger she couldn’t quite remember the purpose of.
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Leading the way back into the kitchen, he pulled out a chair for her. She sank into it while he went to pour them both coffee. He fixed hers exactly the way she liked it and she forced herself to admit they had been more than business associates for some time. She didn’t spend even close to the same amount of time with her other clients as she did with him. Frequently he called her over for silly little things that she could fix in a minute but stayed for an hour. She’d only charged him for the brief time they’d actually worked, not even bothering to add in commute time since she lived so close. It wasn’t something she’d really thought about before, happy to spend the time with him. Clearly she’d been deluding herself, using their business relationship as an excuse to be his friend without the pressure of being a good friend in return. He sat down across the corner from her and she wrapped her hands around the cup he put in front of her. “So, my mom was a not very well known but slightly successful actress. Her whole life was about being in Hollywood, being in the movies. She cared very little about her home, her child. My father was a director but he ended up not being successful enough for her and she ditched him early on.” He took a careful sip from his mug. “I guess I need you to understand that to me, it’s very, very important that a woman I spend any time with not be more wrapped up in her career, in herself, than in her family.” He looked up, his brows furrowed. “It’s different of course, if she doesn’t have a family. I’m not saying she shouldn’t put herself…well, that she shouldn’t be…” Val put her hand on his arm. “It’s okay, I understand. There’s a big difference between putting yourself first and putting yourself first, second, third and fourth.” He relaxed and slid his hand down to twine his fingers with hers. “Yeah, that’s about right. And I don’t mean to imply that all the women I meet in my line of work are like that, but there’s frequently an uncomfortable resemblance, enough that I’m just rarely even attracted to them. It might not be fair, but there you go.” “What about your dad?” 54
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Sadness crossed his face but then he smiled. “He was a good guy, but totally besotted with Mom, even after she left him. I lived with him on and off until I was eight, when he died.” “Oh, Keith, I’m so sorry. What happened?” “Cancer. It was very fast. I think he was probably sick for quite a while before he finally went to the doctor. Then he called my mom, asked her to come get me and was gone three weeks later. He left me the money to get my start in photography. It would have taken me a lot longer to become successful if I’d had to support myself as well as build up the business, those first couple of years.” “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I really can’t even imagine losing my mom.” “It sucked but it was a long time ago. My mom died a few years ago, basically from cirrhosis.” “She was an alcoholic?” “Yes, but in a quiet way. Like I said, she wasn’t really interested in raising a child, so she didn’t bother me much, we just happened to live in the same house for a while. I left when I was sixteen. Sometimes I only saw her once or twice a year, even though we lived fairly close.” “Wow.” Valerie’s heart ached for the little boy he must have been and the strong man he’d become. “My father left my mother for a younger woman,” she blurted out before her brain could quite catch up to her mouth. She slapped a hand over her mouth in horror. His brows furrowed. “Was it a secret or something?” She put her hand down and smiled sheepishly. “No, nothing like that, it’s just something I don’t talk about. Ever. Besides, we were talking about you.” “Why don’t you talk about it?” “I guess because it hurt my mother for so long every time she had to hear about him or talk about him, we just got in the habit of never mentioning him.”
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“How often do you talk to him, see him?” he asked, his hand tightening around hers. “Well, never. He left.” She probably shouldn’t have been as fascinated by the play of emotions across his face as she was. Anger, compassion, anger and something she thought might be exasperation meant just for her. Anger. “So, he didn’t just leave your mom. He left his family. He was a…” “Putz is the word we eventually settled on, though that’s likely because I was ten at the time.” “And that’s when you left Seattle?” “Right. We decided we wanted a whole new start. Mom totally left the decision up to me, said if I’d rather stay with the school and friends I was comfortable with, she was happy to do that. We came down here for a visit and I decided it was a good place to start over and pretend we’d never been a family of three.” “Did he ever say why he left?” She rolled her eyes. “Such a cliché, I’m almost embarrassed to say it, but he left her,” she paused when he squeezed her hand, “us, rather, for his skinny, young secretary.” “Ah ha.” She glared. “Don’t you ah ha me like that.” His look said “give me a break” but he didn’t open his mouth. Her shoulders, which she hadn’t even realized she’d tightened, dropped. His free hand came up behind her hair to rub gently at her neck and she relaxed even further. “All right, fine. I’m sure that’s partly where my bias against beautiful skeletons comes from. My mom was never what you would call thin. But damn it, he knew that! She didn’t change on him, she was maybe a little skinnier before she had me, but not much. What the hell is wrong with him?” 56
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Keith scooted his chair in closer and hugged her to him. “I’m sorry. Some men are scum. Hell, some women are scum too. It’s the way of the world, I guess.” With a sigh, she leaned into him. “Did you ever try getting in touch with him?” “No. Not interested.” She took a drink of her coffee. “Not even curious?” he asked. “He’s not worthy of my curiosity or interest.” “You’re right.” He kissed her forehead. After a minute of quiet he took her chin in his hand and turned her to face him again. “You know, I’ve never once dated someone I met on a shoot.” Shocked, she sat back. “That’s just so…surreal. I mean, an attractive guy, gorgeous women, it’s hard to believe. But,” she stopped him when he would have spoken, “I do believe you.” Nodding, he relaxed. “I was also going to say that you’re a gorgeous woman too.” Unable to help herself, she rolled her eyes. “Passably attractive, I’ll buy. But I’ve got plenty of hang-ups that make up for it, I’m sure.” “Why do you say that? You’re a great catch. Beautiful,” he said forcibly. “Smart, funny, you have a good job and a nice condo. You don’t rely on men to do everything for you, but you’re not frighteningly independent either.” “Was that supposed to be a compliment?” she asked. He laughed. “Yes, sorry. But come on, don’t you think you’re being a bit ridiculous about this looks thing? It’s kind of insulting that you seem to think I’d only date women who make money with their looks.” Well, when he put it that way. She tried to hang on to the security blanket, but felt him pulling it away despite her efforts. The image made her realize she was acting like a two-year-old. “Okay, fine. I guess when we first met I was very attracted to you.” She glared at his grin. “And I didn’t want to get hurt, so I told myself you’d never date 57
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someone like me when you were surrounded by women like that. As long as I believed that, it was fine that you didn’t want me. Good, even, because I wouldn’t want a guy like that anyway. It…sort of became circular, I guess.” He frowned. “I don’t remember it taking very long for me to express some interest in you.” She took a drink before answering, trying to figure out the best way to explain. “That just made it more important to really dig in, hold on to the idea so I wouldn’t give in and get hurt. Don’t forget, you admitted yourself that you weren’t exactly thinking relationship back then. Anyway, I used that idea, and the mantra, to keep myself from falling for you so that I could continue to work with you and remain sane.” “The mantra?” Oops. She squirmed, then forced her body to be still, waving only her hand as if she was brushing the question away. “Never mind.” He’s just a nice guy who really likes women. All women. That does not mean he loves all women, just that he likes to make them feel special. She repeated the words in her head and realized she had comforted herself with them only at the beginning of their date, had gone the rest of the day without thinking about it. That seemed…important. “Anyway, it was about saving myself from getting too attached to you. Don’t expect it to make perfect sense. That’s sort of the point. I was just…protecting us both from a…from what I thought was a bad idea.” “Why do you think you’re not good girlfriend material?” “What, this conversation isn’t proof enough? It is what it is.” “Well, whatever it is, I like it. I like you. A lot. And I want to go on another date. Or two, or ten. Will you do that? Will you give me another chance? I promise I’ll try not to screw it up again.” “Oh, Keith, you didn’t screw it up. It was a wonderful date. The best date I’ve ever been on. Hell, it was two dates, the two best dates I’ve ever been on.”
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“Well, I was afraid you wouldn’t put out on the first date.” She spit her coffee out as she laughed and laughed, not stopping until he scooped her up and took her back into the bedroom. The slow buildup of the night before, the surprise awakening of the morning, neither left her prepared for the carnal onslaught that began the moment he tossed her onto the bed. Her laughter died and her eyes went wide as he ripped the buttons off the shirt she wore in his haste to get her naked. Her heartbeat doubled at the hunger she saw on his face. Hunger for her. His finger teased her sex for only a few seconds before he pushed it into her. But she already needed more. “Don’t make me wait,” she gasped. He added another finger, leaned down to reach her breasts, gave her a tiny nip. She raked her fingers across his back. “Now, damn it!” When he pulled away from her she nearly snapped, but he lunged for the drawer he’d pulled a condom from the previous night. She almost snatched it from him, but figured he’d be faster. “Hurry.” She squeezed her breasts and he froze, his gaze glued to her hands. Not the effect she’d wanted. “Keith!” It sounded uncomfortably like a shriek, but got the job done. In seconds he had the condom on and was over her, sliding into her as their mouths came together. She braced her heels against the mattress, lifted up to meet his thrusts. It took them a few beats to gain their rhythm, but when they did, she tore her mouth free and shouted. His hands burrowed into her hair and he cursed into her ear as he came, hard, his hips freezing their movement. She grasped tight around him and lost herself in release. Her legs dropped to the bed and Keith managed to shift slightly to the side before collapsing on top of her. Well, she thought as her sweat-slicked skin began to cool. Maybe she was going to need to consider sticking around a while, after all.
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Epilogue “Happy V-Day, Sweetheart.” “Hi, Mom.” “I went to church this morning and lit a candle for you.” “Great, Mom, thanks.” “I lit one for Keith too.” “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear it.” “Well, let me tell him then.” Valerie’s eyes blinked open. Yes, her mother knew she was living with Keith, but still. “Uh.” “Give him the phone, Val.” She rolled her head and looked at Keith, sleepily eyeing her distress with amusement. “She wants to talk to you,” she said and nearly laughed when his amusement turned to fear. Biting her lip, she handed the phone to him. He glared at her but put it to his ear. “Hello, Mrs. Patrelli.” Abandoning her lover to his fate, she got out of bed, slipping on one of his buttondown shirts but fastening only the middle button. She walked down the hallway, breathing in the wonderful aroma drifting in from the automatic coffeemaker, the low rumble of his voice behind her sending shivers down her spine. She flipped the light on as she entered the kitchen, scrunching her eyes up to keep out most of the brightness. Retrieving two mugs from the cupboard, she turned toward 60
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the pot. Her hands spasmed around the mugs and she almost dropped them. Sitting on top of the chrome appliance was a small, black, velvet box. Her heart leapt to her throat, choking her. Her eyes were wide open now, taking in as much light as possible to be sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing. Her gaze darted to the hallway and there he stood, watching her, the phone down at his side. His smile was the sweet one that she loved best, the one that told her she was beautiful every day. Stepping forward, he reached down and relieved her of the two mugs. When she still didn’t move, he picked up the small box and held it out to her. Still frozen, afraid that any movement on her part would result in her waking up from this dream, she only stared at him. Keith tilted the lid back on the box and sank down to one knee. “Valerie, I love you, for all time. Will you marry me?” He reached forward, taking her left hand in his. It broke her from her trance and she fell to her knees in front of him. “Keith, Keith, Keith.” She was crying, eyes darting between the gorgeous diamond ring and the amazing man who held it. “That sounds nice, but not as nice as ‘yes’ would.” “Yes, oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes!” She was shouting by the last yes. He laughed and took the ring out of the box, fitting it onto her trembling hand. They admired it for a minute before he picked up the discarded mugs and filled them with coffee. When he had hers prepared the way she liked he handed it to her with a smile. But he didn’t let it go when she reached for the mug. “Drink up, then I want to see how the ring looks on you,” he said, his voice going husky as he released the coffee. Frowning over the rim as she took a drink, she held her left hand out so they could both see the stunning solitaire.
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“No.” He shook his head. “I want to see how it looks when it’s the only thing you’re wearing.” “That can be arranged.” She took another drink then kissed him. When his hands came up to pull her in closer, she resisted and broke the kiss. “Why don’t you give me a few minutes?” she asked, trailing her hand across his chest as she moved past. “A few is about all I’ll be able to manage.” Smiling, she walked down the hall, blowing him a kiss over her shoulder before closing the bedroom door between them. Once the door was closed, she hurried to the bed, taking one last drink before leaving the mug on the bedside table. She pulled the sheets and blankets up and smoothed them into place, then piled all the pillows against the headboard, grabbing the decorative ones that had been banished to the side chair before going to bed the previous night. She made an attractive mound and plumped them into shape, climbed up onto the bed and reached over to the far side to turn the lamp on low. The shirt came off quickly and she tossed it onto the chair. Okay, she was ready. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them she looked down at her hand. It was only a symbol of course, but it certainly was a beautiful one. Turning carefully so as not to disturb the pillows or muss the bedcovers, she lay back against the soft mound. She bent her knees and set her feet wide apart. Luckily the bedroom door opened up facing the bed, so Keith would have a perfect view as he entered. One last deep breath and she was ready. The fingers of her right hand moved in to tease one of her nipples as she trailed her left hand down her body, tickling softly until she reached her mound. Her intent had already gotten her excited so her fingers found moisture. A leisurely twirl through her opening was all she needed to bring that cream to her clit. Her whole body melted as she slowly circled the wet finger around and around, teasing the bundle of nerves. Footsteps approaching the door had a fresh wave of cream sliding from her. She moved her fingers back down to cup herself, pressing the heel of her hand hard on her clit, gasping just as the door opened.
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Keith heard Val gasp as he opened the door. The vision before him nearly sent him to his knees. She reclined on the bed, her legs spread wide, her left hand cupping her pussy with the sparkling ring pointed straight at him. It was the only thing she wore, other than a sultry smile that reminded him how lucky he was. Her dense curls framed the face he loved, the face he wanted to wake up to every morning for the rest of his life. “Stunning. You are absolutely stunning.” He took a step into the room, watching as her fingers dipped inside, her hips rising slightly to meet her hand. “What do you think? Does the ring look good there?” she asked. “Oh yeah, it looks fucking phenomenal there.” She trailed her fingers up to play with her clit, rubbing it gently. His mouth watered for a taste. “How about here? Still good?” He had to swallow before he could speak. “Yeah, baby, it looks gorgeous there too.” He took a couple of steps closer to the bed as her hand again moved, leaving a slight trail of moisture as she made her way over her stomach and up to her breasts. Her left hand joined her right, squeezing her breasts then tweaking her nipples. “Here?” “Oh yeah.” “You know what I think?” she asked, releasing her breasts and sitting up straight. “What, Val?” he asked as he took another step closer, bringing him to the foot of the bed. Val got onto her hands and knees and crawled toward him, her breasts swaying as she came right up to him and sat back on her heels. Her left hand reached out to grab hold of his throbbing cock. “Yes, just as I thought. It looks best right here.” 63
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They both looked down to watch her hand wrap around his cock, which jumped beneath her fingers. “Aaahhh,” was the only response he was capable of making. She pushed him back slightly and stood, then turned him around, her hand never letting go of her prize. “Sit.” He sat. The goddess before him dropped to her knees and enveloped the head of his cock in one quick move. He held on to the bedspread to keep from grabbing her head and fucking her mouth like a demon. Her tongue explored as if she’d never been there before, seeking out every vein and ridge and giving them all her full attention. “Please, Val. Ple—ahhh. Oh yeah, so good.” He moaned as she moved slowly downward before taking a long pause to suck in hard enough to hollow her cheeks. Unable to stop himself he bucked, sending more of his length into her eager mouth. She hummed and the vibrations nearly undid him. Damn, he had to hold on, didn’t want this to end. Her hand on his cock, wearing his ring, squeezed in rhythm with her mouth. Her other hand slid down to tease his balls, which drew tight. “Okay, okay, enough. I want to be inside you, please, Val.” The wet heat of her mouth, her hands clenching against his thighs, it was too much. Her soft hair brushed against his balls as she moved down his shaft, taking him as far back as she could. The hand cupping his balls tickled then rolled, caressed then released in a dance that matched her mouth and served to drive him over the edge. Her teeth scraped him lightly and he came, her mouth again closing tight around him to catch every drop. He lay back for a second, eyes closed, brain dead. Her hands rubbed up and down on his thighs, waiting patiently for him to recover. She turned her hand over and scraped him lightly with the diamond. The small scratch served to get his blood
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pumping again. Gathering himself, he sat up, reached down and hauled her up onto him. He fell back and rolled over then slid off the bed.
Before Val had a chance to realize what had happened, they’d switched places and his head was between her legs. He picked up her ankles and rested her feet on the edge of the mattress. His tongue found the juice coating her thighs and he licked his way up one leg and then the other, ending with a nip at the top. He met her eyes as he screwed one finger deep inside her. There was such heat in his eyes that she thought she might burn up from the pleasure of it. Another finger joined the first and he hooked them to that rough spot that catapulted her to the edge. Her muscles clenched around his fingers and he leaned back in to suck her clit into his mouth. “Keith, I want you inside me.” He laughed around her clit then pulled back and looked up at her. “Your fault, you drained me dry. Besides, you taste so good.” He blew across the wet bundle of nerves then pulled it between his thumb and forefinger just as he worked a third finger inside her. She came with a gasp but it wasn’t enough, instead of a release the sensations were still building. Sitting up, she put her hands into his hair and yanked. His head came up with a yelp and he looked at her in surprise. “Inside. Now. Please.” “Fuck, Val.” He stood up and kissed her hard, his fingers still inside her, pumping in time with his tongue. He tasted of her juices and the morning’s coffee. They dueled for a minute before she remembered she’d been after something else. She gave another yank on his hair but he just grunted. One hand let go of his hair and she found his nipple and gave it a sharp tweak.
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His mouth came up on a gasp and she used her feet to shove her body back up the bed, leaving his mouth hanging over her pussy, which was still stuffed full of his fingers. “Thanks,” he said and buried his head back between her legs. She moaned. That hadn’t worked out quite right, but ohhhh. It was hard to remember what her plan had been. The fingers inside her were working furiously and his lips were clamped firmly around her clit. She bent her knees again, pressing hard into the mattress to lift herself into his touch. His free hand was braced against the bed so she used her own to pull on her neglected nipples. Close, she was so close now but this time would be huge, she could feel it, an immense wave ready to crash. Her eyes closed and her head thrashed. And then he stopped. Her eyes popped open and she looked at him. “You are so beautiful.” “You are so dead if you don’t get that fine ass up here this instant.” His grin was huge as her pussy tried to hold his fingers inside even as her arms opened up, begging him to join her. Swinging his leg over, he straddled her and moved up her body, kissing a line up her stomach before reaching the valley between her breasts, his once again hard cock nestling into its place between her thighs. She pushed her breasts together and he took both nipples into his mouth at the same time, his hands coming up to entwine their fingers. In harmony now, they met for a kiss as he lowered himself between her thighs. She wrapped her legs around him and they watched each other as he slowly pushed in, one long caress until he was fully seated. It was what she’d needed and she erupted around him. His eyes stayed steady on her and when she started to come down he began to move, in and out, harder and harder until she was clutching him again, moaning, one continuous plea until he covered her mouth with his and came, long and hard. His
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hand slid down her body to her clit and she squeezed tight around him as he pressed hard on that perfect spot and she came, again, finally. He rolled to his back beside her, harsh breathing the only sound in the room for a long time as they lay still, exhausted. When Val could think again she turned her head to look at her lover, her fiancé. “So, how did the ring look?” she asked. He turned to meet her eyes. “Not bad, I think we should keep it.” They both laughed weakly. He sat up against the pillows and pulled her into his lap, her favorite place. This last year had been the best year of her life and now she knew it was only the beginning. “Forever?” she asked. “Forever,” he promised, hugging her tightly to him. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Val. Happy Birthday.”
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About the Author KB Alan lives the single life in Southern California. She acknowledges that she should probably turn off the computer and leave the house once in a while in order to find her own happily ever after, but for now she’s content to delude herself with the theory that Mr. Right is bound to come knocking on her door through no real effort on her own. Please refrain from pointing out the many flaws in this system. Other comments, however, are happily received through her email or website.
KB welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by KB Alan Alpha Turned Bound by Sunlight Keeping Claire Perfect Formation
Print books by KB Alan Perfect Formation
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