Chapter Ten
Jack woke with an armful of warm woman pressing her backside into him. She felt right in his arms, and his body agreed. Without thinking about it, he did what felt natural. He slid her leg over his and entered her moist heat.
On their sides, he had no problem taking her. He squeezed her breasts, enthralled with the soft flesh. Still half asleep, afraid he was dreaming, he moved faster, wanting his pleasure before it could disappear.
She moaned and moved with him and dragged his hand from her breast to her clit.
Excited she wanted him as much as he wanted her, he rubbed her until she gave that breathy little cry that signaled she was reaching her peak.
As Ann came around him, he surged one last time and climaxed, filling his lover and wishing he could do it all over again right away. But after his heart stopped racing, he fell back into slumber, pleased to stay connected to her in more ways than one.
When Jack next woke, he was alone.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Ann entered the room holding a cup of steaming coffee. One she sipped from. Not his apparently. She wore a short pink robe that only reached mid-thigh and brought a rosy flush to her skin. Her hair lay in tangles and her blue eyes looked impossibly bright.
He yawned and sat up, gratified when her gaze slipped to his chest and she blushed. The sheets pooled around his waist, covering the part of him already up and offering her a hearty salute.
“Hey yourself.” He patted her empty spot next to him. “Come join me.” Enchanted by the fairy he desperately wanted to keep, he just stared at her. When she smiled at him with affection in her eyes, his heart dropped at her feet.
She sat next to him, and he took the coffee from her hand. After taking a sip of the super sweet stuff, he grimaced.
She laughed. “It’s my coffee, not yours.”
“Don’t you understand that what’s yours is mine?” He put the coffee on the night stand and tackled her to the bed. Looming over her, he licked his lips. “Part your robe. I’m hungry.”
She stared at him, her eyes wide, and undid her pink belt, letting the robe open. He leaned down and sucked her nipples until she writhed beneath him.
“If you’re hungry,” she said between gasps, “I was going to make breakfast… Oh.”
He’d found what he wanted.
Later, after he’d joined her in an explosive good morning, he smiled down at her. “Breakfast, huh? What did you have in mind? Can’t be better than what I just had.”
And it wasn’t.
He’d planned to take her out to eat, but now sitting at the kitchen table and watching her cook for him was just as good. The domesticity of the scene made him long for more tomorrows waking up next to the sexy redhead—though perhaps cooking classes were in order. “You burned the bacon.”
“Because you keep distracting me. Put that thing away.” She glared at the erection beneath his jeans.
He grimaced as he adjusted himself. “Damn it. It’s not my fault. It’s you.” And that amazing robe. When she shifted, he saw the swell of her breast and the curve of her ass. So fucking hot, his Ann.
“I can’t help being a sex object,” she said with a hint of sarcasm.
“Just like I can’t help if thinking about you gets me hard. I’m serious,” he added when she looked at him with disbelief.
He left his chair and hugged her from behind while she tried to scrape the burned bacon out of the pan. “Even though you can’t cook for squat, you are the sweetest thing.” I’m keeping you.
He felt her laughter. “You already had me. You don’t need to butter me up.”
“Butter. That’s what we need tonight.”
She put the bacon down and turned in his arms to face him. “You want more sex?”
“Honey, I have you for another twelve hours. You have to do whatever I want.” He grinned when she stepped back and looked down his body. “Yeah. I’m good for another few rounds at least.”
“Good lord. I don’t think I can handle you.”
“Sure you can. I’m easy.”
She sneered. “That’s what they say.”
He laughed, because Ann trying to sound mean was just…adorable.
“Come on. Let’s eat. I have plans for you.”
Plans that included a day spent at the amusement center in town. Among kids and grown-ups alike, they rode the go-carts, played miniature golf and even fit in two frames of bowling. It seemed only fair that he whipped her ass at the games, considering she fried his two remaining brain cells whenever she smiled. Ann had never been an athlete, but hell, when it came to bed sport, she clearly knew how to win him over.
He didn’t think she tried to be sexy. She simply was.
After they had messed around and had some lunch, he took her to the Fall Festival downtown. Life in Bend hadn’t changed much since he’d left. The town still had a festival almost every other weekend. But he enjoyed it, especially watching Ann savor a slice of pumpkin pie in a contest she’d entered. Man, she sure could put away her dessert.
Unfortunately, Riley and Maya were among the contest judges.
“I never win these things,” Ann complained while she wiped her chin.
He tried not to smile at the mess she was making.
“Riley’s always a judge at these contests, and if I win, she says it will make her appear partial.”
“Which is why I wonder why you keep trying,” Riley said from behind them. “Besides, you steal my best tricks.” She smiled at Ann, but her expression cooled considerably when she noticed him. “Jack.”
“Riley.” He nodded. Then Maya joined them and the Trio was complete. “Hey, Maya. I saw Dex a few days ago. He said to tell you he said hi.”
The woman scowled. Jack hated to admit it, but Ann and her friends could only be classified as dangerous to any man’s state of mind. Riley was gorgeous, no question. Maya, scary but no less sexy, made a man think of satin sheets. But Ann… She burned him up, because she was as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside.
“Excuse us for a minute.” Riley latched onto Ann’s arm and dragged her away.
Jack turned and saw Anson and Dex approaching. Maya stood her ground next to him, her dark eyes glaring holes into Dex’s forehead.
“Hey, Maya.” Dex gave her a huge smile, one that seemed to push her buttons.
Anson didn’t quite stifle a grin. “Jack.”
“Anson.”
They both pretended not to notice Maya’s hostility, or the way she studied Dex from head to toe, taking in his obvious changes since high school.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Bend’s own Dexter Black.”
Dex didn’t even try not to look interested. “Damn, girl. You look good.”
“Really? ‘You look good’?” She snorted. “That’s the best you can do? You might be bigger than you used to be, but you’re still just as lame.” She turned on her heel and left.
Dex stared after her and sighed. “That is one fine ass.”
“Attached to one pissed off woman. She’d sooner punch you than date you, dumbass.” Anson cuffed his cousin in the back of the head.
“Oh, you’re one to talk. I saw Riley hotfooting it away. Guess your plan to annoy her into your bed isn’t working.”
Anson shoved Dex, and Dex shoved back. Jack would have stepped in except the bravado and trash talk amused him. Then they turned on him.
“So, Jack” Anson said. “You and Ann.”
Dex nodded. “They looked pretty chummy to me the other night at dinner.”
“I don’t kiss and tell. But then, I don’t have to.” Jack smiled.
“Asshole.” Anson sighed. “At least she’s nice. Riley is a huge pain in my ass.”
“You mean you’d like her to be,” Dex murmured.
“Shut it. Just because it’s obvious to the rest of the world how much you want inside Maya’s pants does not mean I’m mooning over Riley. I’m trying to be friendly while building a solid business. But the woman is colder than ice.”
“Uh huh.” Even Jack didn’t believe that one.
“I know, right? He thinks we’re stupid.” Dex laughed. “Cousin, if you’re not trying to win the woman over, why did you move your business right next door to hers? Why send her bouquets of flowers?”
“Really? Flowers?”
Anson flushed. “He’s talking shit.”
“Am I?”
“I need a drink.” Anson shoved his cousin once again and stalked away.
Dex smiled. “It’s fun watching him flounder. Everything’s always come a little too easy to him. But not Riley.”
“Don’t they hate each other?”
“She hates him for sure. Anson feels anything but for his chocolate goddess.”
Jack coughed. Not exactly a PC thing to say. “If she hears you call her that, she’ll kill you.”
“I used to call her that back in high school and she liked it. Remember? She made the best chocolate chip brownies ever.”
“Oh yeah.” Speaking of which, he wondered if she’d make some for him to take on a picnic with his redhead.
Riley returned with Ann, who was all smiles.
“My chocolate goddess.” Dex beamed at her.
Riley tried to be stern, but Jack saw a grin break through. “You big goofball. Aside from pissing off Maya, how are you?”
Dex swung Riley into a huge hug. “How is it you keep getting prettier? Your skin is flawless. Gorgeous. Look at the play of shadow over you. When can I shoot you?”
“Excuse me?” Ann arched a brow.
Jack slung an arm around her shoulders. “I’m assuming he means with a camera.”
“Huh? Of course.” Dex shook his head. “Academics. Am I right?”
Riley snickered. “Teachers in lurveee.”
Ann blushed.
Jack only smiled, and Riley’s eyes grew wider.
Dex glanced from him to Riley. “What?”
“Nothing. Look, I gotta go. I have to find Maya before she gets a gun and shoots you. As in, not with a camera.”
Dex sighed. “Still mad about the prom, huh? She swore she’d get even with me.”
“You know Maya. She holds a grudge.”
“Yeah, but she’s so pretty while being mad. I forgive her.”
Even Ann smiled at the charmer.
Jack didn’t like that. “Okay, we’re out of here.” He leaned down and whispered to her, “I have five more hours.”
“Geesh. Going to count down to the last second, eh?”
“You got it.”
Jack said his goodbyes before dragging Ann away with him.
“I wanted to hang with Riley.”
“Well, I want you all to myself. Unless you’d rather blow me right—”
She slapped a hand over his mouth.
“Jackson Samuel Bloom, watch your mouth.”
He laughed and licked her palm. She wiped her hand on his jacket, muttering under her breath. Then she grabbed him and yanked him with her to the car.
As he drove them back to her house, he wondered about something. “You don’t care if I drive, do you?”
“Why would I?” She seemed puzzled.
“Some women would see me driving as a statement of control.”
“You do have five more hours. Then…payback.” She smirked at him.
“So if there was no bet, just you and me hanging out, would you want to drive?”
“Would you care if I did?”
He thought about it. “No. You’re a good driver.”
She nodded. “There’s your answer. You’ve never been sexist or racist as long as I’ve known you. You’ve never treated Maya or Riley different, which is more than I can say for half the school. And you’ve never acted like having a smart girlfriend was a crime.”
“I love smart women.” One smart woman in particular.
“You always treated me with respect.” She frowned. “Well, almost always.”
He didn’t want to talk about the past. “Now, today, do you feel good being with me?”
“Yeah, I guess.” She looked out the window as she asked, “You like being with me, don’t you?”
“Yes. And not just for the sex. That’s amazing, don’t get me wrong, but I like you a lot, Ann.” He decided to push. “I’d like us to keep seeing each other. After the bet.”
“Seeing each other.”
“You know. Dating. Boyfriend-girlfriend. Being exclusive.”
“Oh.”
They drove the next few minutes in silence. He was dying to know what she thought about his idea.
Once inside, she turned to him. “What do I get out of it?”
“Excuse me?” He hung up their coats, straightening out the sleeves so the jackets were even, then noticed her surprised expression. “What?”
“Nothing.” But he saw the smile she tried to hide.
“What? Spit it out, Weaver.”
She grinned. “I just think it’s cute that you’re a neat freak.”
“Oh.” He glanced at the closet, and she laughed. Having her in a good mood, he took advantage. “So you and me. Us.” She stopped laughing and backed away as he advanced. Finally, she took him seriously. “What do you think?”
She stopped moving when she backed into the wall. He stood over her, feeling like a conquering hero and loving it. He freely admitted he got off on being in command, but only because he knew she was as strong as he was, and she let him take charge. He needed that trust from her. Maybe, once he felt sure of her feelings, they could revisit the past and clear the air. But right now he needed a hold on the woman.
He hated to keep resorting to sex, but it seemed to work. She softened after he pleasured her.
Jack put a hand around her neck. Gently, but he kept her right where he wanted her. Judging from the increase in her breathing and dilation of her pupils, she liked his hand right where it was.
“You and me, Ann.”
He used his other hand to unbutton her blouse. He slipped his hand inside and past her bra to tease her nipples.
“You’re cheating,” she moaned.
He loved that she knew he intended to manipulate her with sex yet couldn’t help herself. “I’ll do anything to get you.” And keep you. “Come on, Ann. What could it hurt?” As soon as he said the words, he knew he’d made a mistake. Her eyes darkened with memory.
He didn’t want her lingering on their past mistakes. He wanted her looking toward a better future. So he pinched her nipple and kissed her. His hand on her neck remained, but he didn’t tighten it. Restraining her served to heighten her desire. And before he knew it, the minx had opened his jeans and had her hands on him.
“Ann. Fuck.”
“If I say yes, what does that mean?” She stroked him, rubbing her thumb over his cockhead.
He widened his stance, mentally begging her to cup his balls, to drop to her knees and suck him off. That was an image he wanted to commit to memory.
“I—ah—it means… You… God, Ann.” He moaned and started humping her hand. “You and me, angel. Just us. No one else.”
“No cheating,” she clarified. “I’d have to trust you.”
“And I’d have to trust you,” he added and nearly came when she squeezed him.
“I’ll think about it. That’s the best I can do right now.”
“I’ll prove it to you. We can make it work.” His heart lightened with hope while his cock hardened with lust. “Now on your knees.” He checked his watch, barely able to focus. “I have four hours and twenty-six minutes left to boss you around.” Though right now he wasn’t sure who was bossing whom.
She dropped to her knees, pulled his pants and underwear down, then drew his thick shaft to her lips. She stared up at him as her tongue darted out to lick his slit.
“Shit. Ann. Oh God.”
She smiled and watched him watching her. Then she took the crown of his cock between her lips and sucked. “Hmm.” She bobbed over him, and their gazes locked.
He wondered what she saw as she sent him spiraling in pleasure. It didn’t take him long before he reached his end. He shouted her name and clutched her head as he spent, and she swallowed him down.
“Best. Girlfriend. Ever,” he said between breaths.
She grinned and licked him up, then rose to her feet. “That was sixty seconds well spent.”
He might have been more upset about the jibe if he could get his brain to function.
She laughed. “I swear your eyes nearly rolled up in your head. You have a sexy O-face.”
“Shut up.”
“Oh, he’s blushing,” she teased. “Seriously. I bet you could make real money in amateur home movies. You know what I’m talking about. Quit your day job and show some skin for sin.” She wiggled her brows.
“Ann Weaver.” He feigned shock as he tucked himself back into his pants. “I can’t believe you even know what P-O-R-N is!”
Her own cheeks burned red, and he laughed. “You should see your own O-face. I’m game. Let’s film it.”
“No way. Uh-uh. I’m a teacher.”
“With a sexy-as-hell body and the ability to make me come in less than a minute. I’m a teacher too, but I can admit to liking sex.”
“Liking it is just fine. Filming it? No.”
He pulled her in for a hug and a kiss. “I was kidding, Ms. Stick-in-the-Mud.”
“Stick in the—”
“Four hours and eighteen minutes to go,” he said checking his watch. Then he smacked her ass. “Now go get naked and spread out on the bed. We’re far from done, wench.”
“That’s Ms. Weaver to you.”
“Oh, the naughty schoolboy and his teacher. Good one. That’s what we’ll do next.”
Ann pretended shock, but the pretty red staining her cheeks showed she was more than interested.
Oh yeah. He had it bad for teacher. Real bad.