Текст книги "Easy Love"

Автор книги: Kristen Proby

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 15 страниц)

I’m not going to last like this.

“Look at me,” she says softly.

“Bossy thing, aren’t you?” I say as my eyes find hers. She doesn’t reply. She simply lifts her legs higher on my hips and clamps down, hard, her pussy rippling as she comes in waves.

She doesn’t cry out. She just grips onto my arms and lifts her head off the bed, resting her forehead on my chest as she comes harder than I’ve ever felt her. I’m helpless to stop the orgasm that tears through me, also so damn strong, but quiet.

She lies back and smiles up at me, trying to catch her breath.

“That’s the best medicine ever.”

I grin. “You’ll never hear me complain.”

I brush loose tendrils of hair off her sweaty cheeks and kiss her forehead, her nose, and her lips. When I move to pull out, she holds me close. “Not yet.”

I’d move the earth for her right now if I could.

Her fingertips glide up and down my back, to my ass, then up again lazily. “I have to go to the office today,” she murmurs.

I frown. “I thought you were done.”

“I need to put together the last of my reports, then I need to pack.”

Her eyes are sad as she looks up at me, almost as though she’s silently begging me to ask her to stay. “When are you leaving?” I ask instead.

“Day after tomorrow.”

“I want to spend every minute with you.”

She smiles, then shakes her head.

“You don’t have to. We know this is finished, Eli. We can just cut it off.”

“No, I don’t want that.” I kiss her lips softly. “I want to spend every minute with you that you’re here. I’ll take you to the airport myself.”

“Why?”

I swallow hard and call myself a selfish fucking bastard, and a coward, when I say, “Because I’m not quite ready to say goodbye.”

“And if I am?” she asks. I pull up so I can clearly look her in the eye.

“Are you?”

She bites her lip, thinking about her response, and then finally shakes her head quickly. “No.”

“Okay then. When are we going to the office?”

“After you fuck me again.”

She grins naughtily and squeezes my ass, and just like that, I’m hard again.

“You know what those filthy words to do me.”

“No, what do they do?” she asks with wide, innocent eyes.

“This,” I whisper against her lips as I begin moving inside her again. “I’ll just keep reminding you until you figure it out.”

“Maybe I’ll stop using the dirty words.”

“Oh, I think we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

***

“Here.” I walk into Kate’s bedroom and hand her a glass of lemonade. She’s been working most of the afternoon, packing her things. Why I’m here watching, I have no idea. The only explanation I have is I’ve suddenly become a masochist.

Because this fucking hurts.

“Thanks.” She grins, kisses me quickly, then returns to neatly folding her sexier than fuck underwear and placing them in a suitcase.

“I haven’t seen these before.” I retrieve a pair of leopard print boy shorts from the bag and hold them up. “I like these. Put them on.”

“No.” She laughs and snatches them out of my hand, refolds, and returns them to the case, right after I pull a purple, lacy thong out.

“Wow. I haven’t seen this either.” It’s dangling from my index finger when she grabs it and glares at me as she folds and replaces it.

“Stop undoing everything I’m doing.”

“I just want to know why you’ve been withholding sexy underwear from me. You know how much I love it.”

“I haven’t been withholding it,” she laughs with a shake of the head, making her hair move about her shoulders.

My fingers itch to dive into that thick, soft hair.

So they do.

I comb my fingers through her hair and watch it fall back to her shoulders, then repeat the motion.

“I have a system,” she informs me primly. “And you’re messing it up.”

“I am?”

“Yes.”

She sighs and closes her eyes as my fingertips rub her scalp.

“That feels good.”

With her eyes closed, I retrieve a sexy red nightie from the suitcase.

“And who, exactly, were you planning to wear this for?”

She gasps and steals the scrap of lace from my hand.

“Seriously. Stop touching all of my underwear.”

“You don’t mind when I take it off of you, cher.”

“That’s different.” She sniffs, her nose in the air. “And I wasn’t planning on wearing it for anyone.”

“Wear it for me, before you go.” The request is quiet. Sincere. She watches my eyes solemnly as she sets it aside.

“I can do that.”

“You’re good at taking orders,” I comment with a grin. She narrows her eyes at me.

“I’m no one’s submissive.”

“Indeed,” I agree, and run a finger down her cheek. “But I like that if I make a request, you’re eager to comply.”

“Why do I do that?” she asks with a frown. “Is that what got me into trouble with my ex-husband? I was too easy?”

“You didn’t get into trouble with your ex-husband,” I say, and take her face in my hands, making her look at me. “He was an asshole who didn’t know a good thing when he had it. He doesn’t know how to treat a woman, Kate. And wanting to please people you love isn’t a bad thing, when it’s done sincerely.”

“Thanks,” she whispers.

“So, you’ll wear the sexier than fuck nightie?” I ask with a grin, lightening the mood again.

“We’ll see,” she says with a wink. “I don’t want you to think I’m a sure thing.”

“Oh, sugar, that ship has sailed.” I laugh and pull her in for a hug, delighted with her. “You make me laugh.”

“Do I make you want to pack things?” she asks, making my heart still at the reminder of her leaving. “Because I need to finish this and you’re distracting me.”

“You make me want to undress you,” I reply, but she backs out of my reach.

“Oh, no.” She points a finger at me and glares.

“You don’t scare me.”

“No hanky-panky. This has to get done.”

“Hanky-panky?” I ask with a laugh. “What, exactly, is hanky-panky?”

She giggles and backs further away. “You know what it is. I have to get this done, Eli. I don’t have time for shenanigans.”

“Oh, there will be shenanigans, cher.” I slowly saunter toward her. She’s run toward the balcony, caging herself in. “Admit it. You like the shenanigans.”

“No. I don’t.” She giggles.

God, I love her giggle.

“You also like it when I get you naked.”

“Stop it.” Now she stands firm, her hands on her hips, as though she’s a teacher and I’m an unruly student. “I’m serious, Eli. I have work to do.”

I grin. “So do I.”

Chapter Nineteen

Kate

“I never did ask you what happened with Asher.” I’m chatting on the phone with Lila. “I was too busy looking like a blow fish.”

“A lot happened with Asher,” she says.

“Was there sex?” I ask, and throw the last of my things in my carry-on bag.

“Oh, indeed, friend. There was lots of sex.”

“Was it good sex?” I grin and flop on the couch, wishing Lila was still here, rather than back in Denver.

“Maybe the best sex that has ever been had on this planet. Every time.”

“Every time?”

“Every. Time.”

“So, was there the exchange of phone numbers?”

There’s a pause, and I sit up straight, stare at my phone, then, “Seriously? Lila!”

“I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“Who said anything about a relationship? Just call him up now and again have the best sex on the planet.”

“Impossible,” Eli says as he walks through the door. “We have the best sex on the planet.”

I laugh and hold up my hand, signaling that I just need one more minute.

“He lives in Seattle, Kate,” Lila says with a sigh. “I never go to Seattle.”

“Maybe he goes to Denver,” I suggest.

“I’m not going to be in Denver much longer either.”

“You’re not? Why?”

“Because, while I was in New Orleans, I had that interview with Tulane University, and I have a new job beginning this fall.”

“Shut the front door!” I exclaim, and jump to my feet, dancing around the living room. “I’m so excited for you!”

“Thank you. So, I have enough to keep me occupied for now.”

“It’s not like being occupied by the best sex on the planet is a hardship,” I remind her dryly.

“Seattle, Kate.”

“Fine.” I sigh. “I guess it doesn’t matter anyway, since you didn’t get his number.”

“When do you come home?”

“Tomorrow.” I bite my lip and glance back at Eli, who’s sipping a bottle of water and leaning against the countertop, watching me. “I get in around noon.”

“Want me to pick you up?”

“Sure.”

“Okay, send me your itinerary. I’ll see you tomorrow. Go enjoy your sexy business man. Have the second best sex on the planet.”

“You’re sick,” I reply with a laugh. “Bye.”

“How is Lila?” Eli asks and joins me in the living room.

“Good. She got the job at Tulane.” I grin and stand on my tip-toes, so I can kiss him. He still has to bend down to meet my lips.

“Good for her.” He cups my neck in his hands and takes the kiss deeper, in that way he does that makes my toes curl and my fingertips tingle.

The man can seriously kiss.

“What would you like to do this afternoon?” he asks.

“I want to take one more walk through the Quarter. It’s so pretty this afternoon.”

“Grab your hat,” he instructs me, making me grin.

“Yes, sir.”

“Don’t sass me.”

“No, sir.”

He swats my butt. “Smart ass.”

“Yes, sir.” I tug my hat onto my head, grab my purse, and Eli leads me down the steps to the sidewalk.

“Which way?”

“I get to choose?”

“Of course.” I stop on the sidewalk and take him in, standing so tall, his dark hair moving in the summer breeze, his sunglasses hiding his whiskey eyes. He has a little dark scruff on his face, and his lips are tipped in a half-smile, as if he finds me amusing. His body is perfectly comfortable in a white button-down and jeans, and despite having had him mere hours ago, I want to climb him.

“Cher?”

“Oh, what?” I shake my head and look up into his face.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Oh. Let’s start in here.” I lead the way into the amazing botanical shop beneath my flat. “I love the way it smells in here.”

“After you.” He holds the door for me, then follows me in, hanging back as I wander through the racks and tables of lotions, soaps, oils, and extracts. I saunter through, smelling the potions.

“Hi there,” a woman with long, thick dark hair and bright, happy blue eyes says from the checkout counter. “Can I help you find anything?”

“No,” I reply with a grin. “I’ve been staying upstairs, and I’ve wanted to stop in to look around. The smells that drift upstairs are delicious. I stopped in briefly one day to buy shampoo, which I love, but I didn’t have time to browse.”

“Well, I’m Mallory, the owner, and just let me know if I can answer any questions.”

I nod and smile, and before I’m done, I’ve gathered more shampoo and conditioner, cucumber lotion for my eyes, lip balm, and an eye-pillow full of lavender.

Mallory rings me up and Eli pays before I can pull my wallet out of my purse, earning a glare from me.

“You’re not paying for anything when you’re with me, Kate.”

“Thank you. That was fun,” I say with a smile, as we step out onto the sidewalk. “I should have gone in there before. I love girlie stuff.”

“Well, you are a girl, so I guess that fits,” Eli says with a laugh, and takes the bag of goodies out of my hand.

“You’re quite chivalrous, you know.”

“Mama raised me right,” he replies. Damn that accent gets me every time. Especially when he was in my hospital room, whispering in my ear.

You made a man who’s incapable of love fall in love with you.

He thought I was asleep, but I heard him.

Not that it changes anything. I’m still leaving tomorrow, and I refuse to be the one to tell him that I love him when I’m not full of medication.

Because, what if I was wrong? What if I was hallucinating?

How embarrassing would that be?

He takes my hand, kisses the back of it, and leads me down the sidewalk, toward Jackson Square, toward the sound of music and people and the smell of beignets.

I’m going to miss this.

I’m going to miss him.

I glance up, and for just a moment, the words are on the tip of my tongue.

“What is it, cher?”

“I just—” I take a deep breath and chicken out. “I’m going to miss this place.”

He smiles softly and kisses my cheek, but doesn’t say anything in return, and I swallow my disappointment and decide to simply enjoy our last day together.

***

“Another lemon drop?” Joe the waiter asks, as he delivers our Brussels sprouts.

“No,” Eli answers for me, giving me a stern look. “I’d like to actually have a coherent conversation with you this evening.”

“Come on,” I reply with a laugh. “I’m fun when I’m drunk.”

“You are fun,” he agrees and spears a sprout with his fork, then holds it up to my lips. “But since this is my last night with you, let’s keep it semi-sober.”

“Deal.” I chew the delicious vegetable and sit back in my seat, enjoying the courtyard of Café Amalie. “This place is so beautiful. I love the pretty lights in the trees. Isn’t it pretty?”

“Yes,” he replies, but when I look over at him, he’s not looking at the trees. He’s looking at me.

“Charmer,” I whisper, and take the last sip of my drink.

“You look beautiful in this dress.” He takes my hand in his and kisses my knuckles, sending electricity up my arm.

“Thank you.”

“Your dinners,” Joe announces, as he places our entrées before us. Dinner is delicious and filling, and when Eli suggests that we take a longer walking route back to his place, I readily agree.

I need to work off some of this food.

“Oh, look at this gallery,” I breathe, and stop at a window with canvasses full of black trees and colorful leaves and backgrounds. They look almost…weepy. “I love this one with the yellows, golds, and oranges.” I point to the one that has caught my eye. “It reminds me of Denver in the fall.”

“Hmm,” Eli murmurs and kisses my cheek before leading me further up the block. We stop several more times to admire window displays, walking slowly, hand-in-hand, laughing and talking.

Enjoying.

Did I ever honestly think this man was intimidating? Cold? Distant? It’s amazing to me the difference in him from when I first walked into his office to that same man walking next to me tonight.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” he asks quietly, his accent thicker, perfect for this lazy, easy moment.

“Nothing.”

“Now, that’s a lie,” he replies with a soft smile. “I can hear your wheels turning.”

“I was thinking about you.” I squeeze his hand a little tighter, and then bring it up to nuzzle it with my cheek. “And that I’ll miss you when I leave.”

He grows quiet for a moment, not responding at all, and then he surprises me.

“I’ve enjoyed every moment with you, Mary Katherine O’Shaughnessy,” he says, making me smile at the way he says my last name with his accent. “You are a special woman.”

We’re standing in front of his townhouse now. Based on his last statements, I’m wondering if he’s not saying goodbye.

“Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“No, cher, I’m not cutting our night short.” He leads me inside, up to the bedroom. “I just wanted to make sure I told you how much I’ve enjoyed you, in case I don’t have enough blood supply to my brain later and I forget.”

“Definitely charming,” I laugh. Eli’s phone rings, making him frown. He checks the display, dismisses the call, and sets his phone aside.

“I do believe I’d like to pamper you a bit this evening,” he says, as he slowly saunters toward me.

“How so?” I ask, feeling a bit breathless at the look in his eyes, the way his body moves so effortlessly, his muscles bunching and moving beneath his smooth skin.

He’s simply delicious.

“Well, I’ll begin by slowly taking this dress off of you,” he whispers. He’s pressed against me now, his arms around me as he lowers the zipper on my back, pushes the black fabric off my shoulders, and watches it fall to my ankles. “You pulled the leopard print back out,” he says with a cocked brow.

“You seemed to like it.” I swallow at the hot look in his eyes as they lazily roam up and down my body.

“I didn’t realize there was a matching bra.”

“Of course there’s a matching bra,” I reply dryly. “There’s always a matching bra.”

“I do love your taste in underwear,” he says, just before he hooks his fingers in the straps on my shoulders and tugs them aside, then lays his lips on my skin, kissing me gently all the way to the ball of my shoulder. He pays the same attention to the other side, just as his phone rings again.

“You should answer it,” I whisper in his ear, then kiss him, just below his earlobe, on that soft skin that feels so good on my lips.

“No.”

“It could be important.”

He shakes his head and unhooks my bra in the back; his fingertips drag over my skin as he pulls it down my arms, then lets it fall. I tug his shirt out of his pants, then slide my hands up his stomach, over his smooth, warm skin.

God, I love touching him.

“This is supposed to be about you,” he whispers against my collarbone.

“It is,” I reply softly. “Touching you makes me happy.”

He pauses, and then kisses me, right over my heart.

Tell him! My mind screams. Tell him you love him and you don’t want to leave!

“Eli.”

His phone rings again, and we both moan in frustration, but he ignores it.

“Eli, you really should answer it.”

“Fuck no,” he replies stubbornly. “Whoever it is can fuck off.”

I slide my hands down the back of his pants and grip onto his very firm, very fine butt.

“I like your butt,” I whisper, making him laugh.

“I’m glad you do,” he says.

“I think you’re wearing too many clothes,” I say, just as my own phone rings. Our eyes meet and wait, and sure enough, as soon as mine stops, his starts. “Seriously. Answer. Something is wrong.”

He swears and stalks over to his phone. “What.” He frowns as he listens. “Are you sure?” He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, then scrubs his hand over his mouth in agitation. “Fine. I said fine, Beau. I’ll be there in twenty.”

He clicks off and turns to me with regret and anger written all over his face.

“You have to go.”

“I’ll be back in an hour.”

I laugh and shake my head, then cross to him and simply wrap my arms around him and hug him tight. “It’s okay, Eli.”

“I swear, I’ll be back in an hour. Two tops.” He braces his hands on my shoulders and sets me away from him. “Take a hot bath, drink a glass of wine, relax. I’ll come back and we’ll pick this back up.”

“Okay.” I grin and kiss his chin, then his lips. “I’ll go back over to my place and finish up a few things, so I don’t have to do them in the morning. It’ll buy me ten more minutes of sleep.”

“I’ll come get you when I get back,” he promises, kisses me once more, hard and long, then tucks his shirt back in, grabs his keys and wallet, and rushes out. I take my time pulling my dress back on, not bothering with the bra, and walk over to my own flat.

Once I’ve finished gathering the last few things for tomorrow morning, sure that I’m ready for my flight, I take a hot shower, shave my legs, again, because really, you can never have legs that are too smooth, and decide to wear the pretty red nightie that Eli admired the other day.

He did ask nicely, after all.

I check the time on my phone, frowning when I realize he’s been gone for over an hour. Should I go to bed and let him wake me up when he gets back?

It’s getting late, and I have an early flight. I try his phone, to let him know that I’ll be asleep, but I just get his voice mail.

“Hey, just wanted to let you know that I’m going to sleep for a while. Come on in and wake me up when you get home. See you soon.”

I lie down, and the next thing I know, my phone is ringing.

“’Lo?”

“It’s Eli. I’m sorry, Kate.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s after two. I’m not going to make it back tonight. I got hung up here. I’ll have to send someone to take you to the airport in the morning.”

Um. Wait. What?

“Okay.”

“I’m so sorry, Kate. I have to go. Please take care of yourself. Thanks for everything. Take care and safe travels.”

And with that, he’s gone.

“Thanks?” I ask the empty room. “Take care and safe travels?”

I sit and blink into the blackness. Did that really just happen, or did I dream it? I check my phone, and sure enough. It was real.

He’s not coming back.

I stare at my phone as it goes black and feel my eyes well. He’s just my friend. This shouldn’t upset me at all. So I don’t get to have sex with him one more time. So I don’t get to feel the weight of him on top of me, or his lips on my skin. So I don’t get to hear that sexy accent of his as he whispers in my ear because he’s so darn turned on he can’t help himself.

So I don’t get to feel his hands on my back as he holds me, or see the special way he smiles at me when he thinks I’m being particularly adorable or ridiculous.

So what?

It’s a clean break. Like ripping off the Band-Aid quickly. It’s probably for the best.

And hurts worse than any slap in the face.

I thought I’d at least get to say goodbye in person.

I lie back and can’t stop the tears that flood my eyes, and that only pisses me off more. I refuse to waste one more tear on a man. Any man. Especially a man who doesn’t love me and says goodbye with safe travels.

No more tears.

Not one.

I roll onto my belly and bury my face in the pillow, crying angrily. Why did I let myself fall in love with him? Haven’t I learned anything?

***

“Hey, superstar,” Declan says, when I open the door for him and turn to gather my luggage.

“Good morning. Thanks for picking me up.”

“No problem. Eli said he—”

“I don’t care what Eli said,” I interrupt, and then scowl. “That sounded really bitchy.”

“Kind of.” He helps me gather my bags.

“The moving people will come get the rest later today or tomorrow.”

Declan nods and follows me down the steps. I glance to my left, and also coming down Eli’s steps is Gabby’s friend, Cindy.

She glances over at us, smiles and waves, and then walks to her car, climbs in, and leaves.

Are you fucking kidding me?

“She’s a little slut,” Declan mutters, as he loads my bags into the back of his car.

“So is your brother,” I reply. “That is what he got hung up with last night?”

“Hey,” Dec holds his hands up in surrender. “I honestly don’t know. I was simply asked to come take you to the airport.” He winces and offers me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Whatever,” I reply and get in the passenger side. “It was over anyway.”

“Was it?”

“It sure as heck is now.”