Chapter Five

 

Jesus. Where was his famed silver tongue? The one that charmed countless women right out of their panties? The only one he wanted was standing within the curve of his arms, staring at him, a look of horror slowly overtaking her pretty face.

With a massive effort, he manned up and a bark of laughter escaped him. He yanked Alys tight, her little, curvy body fitting neatly against his chest as he buried his face in her hair. Initially stiff, she slowly relaxed and he reveled in the press of her breasts against him, his cock at full stand even as his heart swelled to overshadow that physical reaction.

“Baby, you picked the damndest time and place,” he murmured, stroking one hand down her back, letting it rest just above the curve of her stellar ass.

They were in public and she was so circumspect. If she knew how she’d flashed a few of them with her clamber out of his truck… Even now he itched to plant a fist in the face of the asshole next to him who’d ogled her. Little, pink panties…

“I just thought you should know,” she mumbled.

“You tell me anytime. Anytime at all. ’Cause I’m gonna tell you—and everyone else on a regular basis. Starting with you. I love you, Alys Marie Standish. Maybe not since I was a teenager because that would be twisted, but for some time now.”

Tipping her head back, she peered at him. “So it’s not just … lust?”

“Oh, it’s lust, too,” he whispered, aware of additional people lining up at the stand. “But far more than that. And I know the difference.”

“I’m sure you do.”

He chuckled at her snippy response. “Does this mean you can overlook my checkered past?”

“It doesn’t seem to matter much.”

He shoved the truck door closed and led her to a handy picnic table, grabbing a napkin to dust off the seat. “You wait here and I’ll bring us food.”

With a smile, she said, “Will you put your coat down over a puddle for me, too?”

“Maybe not my leather jacket.”

“Get me my favorite,” she ordered, obviously hiding a smile. Yup, even his leather jacket if the occasion presented itself.

He somehow kept an eye on her while in line and ordering the platters, unable to believe his luck. If he looked away, she might vanish, a figment of his desperate imagination. Or change her mind and hightail it.

Juggling the drinks and plates, he made his way to her—and didn’t that sound fine. Made his way to her. He wanted to do that, over and over and over again. Alys jumped up to help, efficiently distributing the food and they sat to eat.

Over the crusty, cinnamon dessert, he asked, “Not that I want to jinx anything, but what happened?”

She sipped her soda and patted her lips with a napkin, her face set in serious lines. “I thought we could maintain the status quo, that I could see you when you came over and stuff. You had an active social life, and that kept me from letting my feelings surface much. But then you changed things up when you asked me out. It got awkward. And you stayed away.”

He didn’t want to be anything other than honest with her, the same gift she’d afforded him. “I hated the guys you invited to poker night.”

She blinked. “You did?”

“If I had to analyze it, I think I saw you as Jeff’s little sister and no way could I change that regard. I looked forward to seeing you weekly, maybe got my fix.” He reached for her hand, toying with her fingers and she folded them into his hold. “But then you started having your dates attend and it pissed me right off. It took me a while, being a guy, but I finally came to terms with the fact I saw you as far more than my best friend’s little sister.”

“Jeff told me you asked his permission to date me.” Her bottom lip pouted a bit and he wanted to suck it into his mouth, bite it a little.

“I did. I thought he’d kick my ass and he considered it. I saw it on his face. But he got past it and so I asked you. And you cut me off at the knees. Big time.”

“You aren’t used to that.”

“Hey. I’ve been turned down. First time it mattered.”

“Oh.” Her face lit up.

He had to say it. “I’m sorry about Eleanor. But one thing came out of it.”

She bent an evil stare on him. His Alys was a sweet, big-hearted person, but she obviously had a tiny, mean side too. “And what’s that?”

“You were jealous and it gave me hope. I decided to give it another try. As many as it took.”

“I won’t deny it,” she admitted. “It’s like something out of a book.”

“Or maybe what books are made of.” He squeezed her hand, the nails painted in pale pink—matching her panties—with sparkles on the baby fingernails. He adored them. “Did me taking you to lunch at a taco stand bring about your terrific announcement?”

“Sort of.”

“Okay.” He watched her smile and regardless of the public place, leaned across the table and tasted it. Her lips melted against his and it was all he could do not to drag her off and have his way with her. Someplace close by.

When he pulled back, her eyes were a bit hazy, and she touched her tongue to her upper lip. Jesus.

On an exhale that lifted her amazing rack, she said, “You were going to let me eat in your truck.”

“What?”

“You’ve been showing me how you feel for a while. You haven’t been dating,” she raised a brow.

“Not at all. Not even in Canada.”

“And you’ve been giving me those looks. It took me a while to interpret them.”

His chest felt impossibly tight. It had taken so much to get here.

“And then your truck.”

He got it. He hadn’t even given it a thought, choosing the place his girl liked to eat, letting her eat in his prize and joy—a no-brainer. And with her attention to detail, experienced or not… She got it. “I love you.”

“I know.”

“We’ll let Jeff and Andrea get married first.”

Her eyes popped wide, their tawny depths startled. “Married?”

“We’ve known one another all our lives. We love one another. I say we should set a date.” Jeez, maybe he’d jumped the gun.

“But what if we aren’t compatible? You know. In bed.”

“You have a doubt?”

“I have nothing to base it on.”

A line of sweat broke out down his back. She was killing him. “Will you take my word for it? That we’ll be compatible?”

“We might need to practice a bit first.”

His pants had a stranglehold on his dick. Once again, it didn’t interpret semantics. “I can do that.”

“Maybe today?”

Right the fuck now. “I can check my schedule.” He had her levered up from the bench, hustling her back to the truck, his mind jumping ahead to the state of his apartment. Had he picked up his clothes? Were his sheets clean?

He decided it didn’t matter. He’d distract her.

She swung into the passenger seat, this time with the palm of his hand on the swell of her ass. The touch sent a riff of electricity clear up his arm. She scooted over, lifting the console and buckling into the middle seat. He didn’t even care that all the carefully ordered contents nestled within the console would be all mixed up, upside down and sideways.

“I’ve never ridden beside my … boyfriend before.” Her smile made him fly around the front of the vehicle and vault into the driver’s seat.

He fumbled with the seatbelt and relished her proximity, heralded by her scent. He remembered to be a gentleman. “Where to?”

“Your place?”

“Done.” He wheeled out of the lot, holding himself under control as the heated weight of her little hand seared his thigh. Just a couple inches higher and to the right, baby. What was wrong with him? Asked and answered. In love and in lust.

Once at his apartment, she paced the small space, questing about like a kitten while he surreptitiously kicked yesterday’s clothes into the closet before she retreated to sit on the couch. He plunked down beside her and wrapped her up, unable to wait any longer, even as he reminded himself to pay attention to her cues.

Dropping his mouth over hers, he softened her lips until she opened to him, allowing him entry, and he explored her depths, tasting her fully. When they parted for air, her eyes were dilated and her breath came in little pants. He traced the fine line of her jaw with a finger.

“Okay?”

“Yes.” She worked her hands into his hair and drew him close, pressing kisses over his lips and feathering them over his cheeks. He nearly shook at her gentleness and curiosity. Her trust.

Kissing her back, he coasted his way down her throat, tasting her skin, a hint of that spice tickling his senses. He halted at the top button of her blouse, lifting his head to peer at her, and he drank in the sight. Her eyes closed, thick lashes drifting over her cheeks as she gave over to the pleasure he offered.

With one hand, he popped a couple of buttons at her cleavage, the swell he uncovered making his belly tighten. He’d seen her in bathing suits, modest ones and slightly risqué ones over the years but the pale pink, lacy bra he revealed, the one putting her curves on display, was the most intriguing piece of clothing ever.

He spent some time nuzzling the tops of each breast, feeling her begin to lift into his touch, her nipples tight, darker pink nubs against the fabric. And her scent… He released a groan, helpless against it and she flinched.

“You’re so damn beautiful. So soft.”

She pressed against him and he popped the front clasp, all that abundant flesh bursting free of confinement. He reverently weighed first one, and then the other, testing her tolerance for pressure on her sweet nipples as he sucked and drew them between his teeth.

With tiny whimpers and moans, she telegraphed her need and he paid attention to her pleasure as he’d never done in the past, drawing on his experience while feeling like it was the first time.

Working a hand under her tight skirt took some doing, his work-roughened hands meeting the soft, silky skin of her inner thighs. Alys tensed and he calmed her with sweet words that leaped to his tongue from someplace he never envisioned he possessed.

“Relax and open for me, sweetheart. I won’t hurt you. You tell me to stop anytime.”

But she didn’t, arching into his hand and allowing him access. His fingertips met the soft stuff of her panties, damp to the touch, and he eased a finger beneath the material. Hot, wet woman greeted him, and he traced her seam.

There were so many things he wanted to do to her, with her, but they were flying along a supersonic speed and he reined himself in. This was about her, no matter what. He ferreted out the tiny nub at the top of her sex and teased it, rubbing gently and with alternating flicks, gauging her rising passion.

Carefully inserting a finger between her folds, he plumbed her tight opening and swiveled his thumb to work that throbbing bundle of nerves he’d just abandoned. She abruptly stiffened and shuddered, clenching around his finger and keening a soft cry.

He petted her, bringing her down, letting her revel in her climax. Her face was pink, brow damp, her eyes tightly closed. Satisfaction filled him, despite his own, unrequited need and he thanked his lucky stars Alys had fallen for him.

“You okay?”

“Um hmmm.” She stretched a bit as he pulled his hand away and straightened her skirt. The bra and shirt he left alone, feasting his eyes on that flesh.

He thought she might be shy, but not his Alys. He knew her and was aware she’d continue to surprise him, part of her allure. She sat up as he gave her space and she reached out to cautiously touch the obvious bulge in his pants.

“Can I help with this?”

“Not today.”

“Oh.” She drew back and stared at him.

He hurried to explain. “I’d like to wait until I don’t lose it at first blush. I’m too worked up. I’d rather enjoy your … ministrations.”

“How long do I have to wait for you to gain control?”

Little wench. He laughed, not buying her innocent act. “Quit teasing. This is serious stuff.”

Immediately, she lost the arch look and gave him a little pat. “Okay.”

He admired the disheveled look, knowing he was responsible. “We should go out for dinner. Catch up on all the dates I’d like to take you on.”

“Are we telling Jeff and Andrea?”

“Not right away. I can’t stand the thought of all that smugness.”

“We’ll surprise them at the wedding.”

He made up his mind to have her ring chosen by then. Or before. Or maybe she’d want to choose it herself. He’d think on that, knowing her preferences and soon to learn her sexual ones.