“A speed dating event,” Connor said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.
Susan tossed her head. “You don’t have to go. Guys have an easier time meeting women to date,” she added. “But, I need all the help I can get. I want to find a man and settle down. I want to have children, and I’m running out of time.”
They stared at her, and she met their glances with one of quiet determination.
Maggie hadn’t realized Susan wanted children so bad. She risked a quick glance at Connor and found him studying her.
“I hope this maternal cluckiness isn’t catchy,” Julia said into the distinct uneasiness that had overtaken them after Susan’s outburst.
“I refuse to apologize,” Susan said, studying her fingernails. She tucked her hands on her lap and lifted her chin. “Besides, my mother is driving me nuts. My sisters are married. She’s convinced my ovaries will wither, and I’ll die an old spinster.”
“I hope you told her to butt out,” Julia said.
Susan issued a loud sigh. “She means well. And I do want to get married.”
“That doesn’t mean you should settle for second best,” Christina said. “Mr. Right doesn’t always come along straight away.”
“Look, I’m sorry. Forget I said anything.” Susan forced a smile.
“We don’t expect you to apologize,” Maggie said. “You can’t help how you feel.”
“The speed dating was a suggestion. I’m attending and thought it might be fun if we all went.”
Maggie felt bad for Susan. Wanting security and a child wasn’t so different from wanting to find a man to spank her. Deep down she wanted the same things as Susan—security with a man who loved her.
“I’ll go with you,” she said. “It sounds like fun.”
Connor looked as if he might argue, and Maggie glared at him.
“I’m in,” Julia said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “It will make a change from drinks at the pub.”
“Sign me up too,” Connor said.
“Really?” Maggie asked.
“Yeah, really. Susan is my friend and I want to support her.” Connor’s voice held a trace of defensiveness. “When is it?”
“Are you trying to weasel out of it?” Maggie asked in suspicion.
“No, it’s my mother’s birthday coming up. If it clashes with the speed dating, I’ll have to pass.”
It was the first Maggie had heard of his mother’s birthday. She blinked against a sudden surge of moisture to her eyes. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed to dispel the sensation. Despite reminding herself she and Connor were casual lovers, she couldn’t stop the possessive thoughts filling her mind. She wasn’t even looking for another lover. Connor had spoiled her, and every other man came up lacking in comparison.
But she wanted to do normal couple things. The sneaking around had lost its excitement.
“It’s next week. Thursday night at eight,” Susan said.
Christina checked her calendar. “Works for me.”
“My mother’s birthday is on Saturday,” Connor said.
“What about rugby practice?” Maggie asked.
“We have a bye this weekend.” Connor picked up his beer and took a sip. “There’s no training this week.”
Maggie crossed her legs. “I’m free.” She noticed Connor watched the move, his gaze lingering on the expanse of thigh displayed by her new skirt. Connor hadn’t been the only one paying attention. She received requests for dates from two of the lawyers at the firm next to them. Greg also continued to ask her out, despite her firm negative answers.
Maggie stood with a wince and covered a wide yawn with her hand. “I’m heading home. Someone decided I needed to change my workout. If anyone tells you to take up running to vary an exercise routine, sprint far and fast in the opposite direction. My thighs are killing me.”
Connor smirked. “Poor baby.”
The other women grinned.
“You wouldn’t catch me running,” Julia said.
“You don’t have to battle weight like I do. I think about a dark, moist and decadent chocolate brownie and weight sticks to my thighs and butt.” Maggie sniffed at their derisive laughter. “I’m off to soak in the bath.”
Connor stood. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Night,” Julia said, lifting her right hand in a casual wave. “Anyone for another drink? We could split a bottle of wine.”
“Sounds good,” Christina said. “I’ll buy. I’ve taken on two makeover clients this week. Retirement from Barker & Johnson is looking better every day.”
“Congratulations, Christina. I’ll see you at rugby tomorrow.” With a quick wave Maggie followed Connor from the crowded bar.
Outside, he took her arm, holding her against his side to combat the swirl of icy wind.
“Come home with me,” he said.
“I don’t know,” Maggie said, fighting temptation. “We have work tomorrow and I am sore after running.” She also wanted to check her blog for comments. So far, most of her visitors had said the same thing. She needed to talk to her partner. Easier said than done. The last thing she wanted was to scare away Connor. Besides, what happened if he met someone else and their friends with benefits deal ended? What would happen to her then?
“Doctor Connor to the rescue. I know just the thing to fix sore muscles.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to his SUV. Maggie fought her conscience for about two seconds before meekly allowing him to seat her in the passenger seat. She watched him as he jogged around the front of the vehicle. As usual, he was smiling, his dark looks making her heart clench with longing. She wished Susan hadn’t brought up babies. She’d love to have children. One day. A sigh escaped and she leaned her head back against the headrest, letting her eyes close. She hadn’t lied when she’d said her body throbbed in one big ache. This jogging lark was killing her. She needed her head read. How had she ever thought running was a good idea?
Connor started the SUV and Maggie let herself drift.
“Wake up, babe. We’re at my apartment.”
“Sorry. I must have fallen asleep.” Self-consciously, she stretched and fumbled for the seatbelt. “I didn’t snore, did I?”
“Yeah, you did. The cutest little sound.”
“You’re making that up.”
“You’ll never know, will you?” Connor brushed the tip of her nose with his finger. “Come on. We’ll get you in the shower before you fall asleep again.”
Maggie climbed out the vehicle, grimacing and mumbling under her breath about running and people who should know better. “I wanted a bath. Don’t you have a bath?”
“I never said I had a bath,” Connor corrected. “I said I have something better. Come on, limpy-gimpy. Let’s get you inside.”
“If you think you’re gonna get lucky tonight, you’d better rethink your plans,” Maggie snapped. Damn, it hurt to walk. She would never jog again. Only stupid people ran. Fools and idiots.
“I’m not a complete moron.” Connor’s face darkened, and she glanced away, biting her bottom lip in consternation. Even her conscience was working against her, trying to do the right thing and push him away.
Without another word he led her into his apartment. His roommates weren’t home, although Maggie smelled curry spices and noticed a basketball and a sweatshirt tossed over the back of a chair. At least one of his roommates had been here recently.
Connor chucked his keys on the countertop and shunted her down the passage to the small bathroom. Reaching in, he flipped on the tap and waited until the water ran hot.
“Get in and warm up,” he said, leaving her alone.
Maggie shrugged out of her clothes, wincing and groaning when she lifted her legs to remove her pantyhose. Horrid things. Maybe she’d try stockings—some of those thigh-high ones that didn’t require a garter belt. Leaving her clothes on a heap in the floor, she pulled back the shower curtain and stepped inside. For long moments, she stood under the water, soaking in the heat.
With a sigh, she reached for the soap and cleansed her body, driving out the last of the chill caused by the winter winds that had swirled across the city of Auckland.
“All done?” Connor asked.
Maggie turned off the shower and stepped out, shivering when the cold air hit her wet skin.
“Feel better?”
“Not really.” Maggie wished she’d followed her instincts and gone home.
Connor approached her with a large blue towel and dried her briskly.
“I can do it,” she protested, trying to grab the towel.
“You can,” he said, resisting. “But I want to do it for you.”
Once he’d dried her, he led her to his bedroom. While she’d been in the shower, he’d closed the curtains and drawn back the blankets on the bed. Only one bedside lamp lit the room, shadows playing across walls when they entered.
“Lie face down on the bed,” he said, pulling the towel away from her body.
“Why?” A sharp note entered her voice as she grabbed for the towel. Fatigue weighed her down, and once again, she kicked herself for letting him bring her here.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I have massage oil to help with your sore muscles. I’ll rub it on for you. That’s all.”
“Oh. Okay,” she said, slivers of guilt nipping at her. She’d sounded bitchy. Way to go, Maggie. Drive him off. That will make you happy and appease your guilty conscience at the same time.
She stretched out on her back in the middle of the bed. “The fronts of my legs hurt. Could you do them first?” Thank goodness for the scanty light. Although he’d seen her naked, she felt vulnerable in an unclothed state. She snorted. And wasn’t that great? Imagine a woman who wanted her ass smacked and yet she didn’t want to show her boyfriend her naked butt. A few contradictions there, that was for sure.
To her relief, Connor smiled, unperturbed by her grumpiness.
He reached for a small glass bottle. “Your wish is my command.” Unscrewing the cap of the bottle, he poured some of the contents into his palm before setting it aside. He rubbed his palms together before joining her on the bed.
Lavender, sandalwood and an herby scent she couldn’t indentify filled the room.
“It might be a little cold at first,” he warned, straddling her legs.
She winced at his first touch, but the oil warmed as he rubbed it on her right thigh. His fingers glided over tense muscles, rubbing with increasing pressure, a combination of kneading and feathering strokes that felt good after the initial pain. He moved up and down her legs and Maggie relaxed, letting her eyes close to savor his magic touch.
“I need more oil,” he said, his voice husky.
“Okay.” He could do anything he liked if only he continued touching her with those gifted fingers.
The mattress shifted as he moved, depressing again when he returned. He massaged her calves and feet before moving up her legs again. She expected him to tell her to turn over but he massaged the rest of her body, moving slightly and parting her legs. His fingers stroked across her inner thighs and slipped closer to her labia, skimming near enough for the massage to take a distinct turning into sexual territory.
Then he moved, his hands gliding across her hips, her waist. Taking his time he worked up her body. Although disappointed in the direction of his massage, she wasn’t about to tell him to stop when it felt so good. Already her sore muscles were a dim memory. Maggie released her stress, enjoying the rich tang of the massage oil and Connor’s steady breathing as he worked.
He stopped to get more oil and worked it into her breasts. He circled them, working closer and closer to her nipples. With a finger and thumb, he stroked them, tugging in a manner that sent a bungee cord of pleasure to her pussy.
“Does that feel good?”
“Superb,” she purred.
Gradually, he released the pleasure and worked upward, stroking her shoulders and rubbing in the oil until she turned limp and pleasure skimmed her body along with his touch.
“Turn over for me, Maggie.”
Her eyes flew open.
“May as well do the job properly, babe.”
She turned over, grinning into the pillows, despite a sliver of unease. Maybe Connor would get lucky tonight. Need pulsed through her. Although her muscles felt loose and limber, other parts of her grew decidedly tense. When he straddled her body again, the heavy weight of his erection pressed against her lower back. Her grin widened. Looked as if they’d both enjoy themselves tonight.
Connor started with her shoulders, nimble fingers rubbing, stroking and feathering her flesh until her mind wandered in blissful relaxation. He moved down her body, his talented hands working closer to her butt in all its naked glory. What would he do if she asked him to give her a swat or two?
Her breath caught, arousal unfurling inside as her imagination took flight. She chewed her bottom lip, trying not to tense and undo his good work.
Connor stroked her shoulders, letting his thumbs press into her muscles, his fingers glide over smooth flesh. He enjoyed touching her like this—having the freedom to handle her without restraint or worrying about anyone else noticing.
His hands drifted downward, easing his strokes as he skimmed her lower back to work her upper glutes. Her backside was curvy. Rounded. Uncharitable people might call it plump, but he loved Maggie’s appearance. He pressed his fingers into the muscles, his mind drifting to spanking. Maybe he could give her an experimental swat or two at the end of the massage.
The last time he’d given her a swat had made for great sex. Hot sex. But no matter how much he rationalized spanking in his mind, told himself it was something she wanted, he hesitated. He couldn’t reconcile pain and sex—good sex—together.
Yeah, he’d read Maggie’s blog posts, he’d done a little research on the Internet. Hell, he’d even swallowed his embarrassment and talked to his mother and Frank. It might have been easier if he’d sucked up his discomfiture and talked to Maggie about spanking, but he couldn’t tell her he knew about the blog when Julia had sworn him to secrecy.
And, as far as he knew, Maggie hadn’t experienced spanking in person. Thinking about doing and doing it were two different things. What would happen if he spanked her and she hated it? What would happen if their relationship changed because of the spanking?
Mind in turmoil, he continued the massage on automatic pilot. He skipped down to her thighs and calves, paying close attention to the muscles used most in running.
“You’re fantastic at that,” she mumbled.
“I excel at a lot of things.”
“Like what?”
“Is that doubt I hear in your voice?” he asked. “Because I’m telling the truth. I have lots of hidden talents.”
“Tell me.”
Connor laughed. “Where’s the fun in that?” He ran his fingers up the back of one thigh, his hand coming to rest on her butt. “You need to discover them on your own.”
“You’re blowing smoke.”
“But I’m good at massage. I have you purring like a kitten.”
“That’s true,” she murmured. “You have magic fingers.”
“And I make you hot.” She set him on fire. Connor tried to ignore his rising urgency, but the tight jeans were crowding his cock.
“Also true.”
Satisfaction filled him at her admission. He wanted her to need him, as much as he needed her. For the first time in years, he hadn’t looked at another woman or become uneasy in a relationship. He didn’t want out. “I told you this would work between us.”
“It does, but I don’t like keeping secrets.”
“We could tell the others—”
“No.” Maggie’s raised voice echoed with finality. “I don’t want them to look at us differently or speculate about when we’ll breakup. I don’t want to explain our arrangement.”
Connor frowned. “Are you ashamed of being with me?”
“No, of course not.” Maggie turned to meet his gaze. “I enjoy being with you.”
Connor gave a swift nod, although her reply didn’t reassure him. “Turn back onto your stomach. I’ll finish your other leg.”
She followed his instructions, placing her face in her arms and relaxing. Spending time with Maggie was what he wanted, but it was a minefield trying to keep everything straight. He hated the dishonesty. Tangled bloody webs and juggling balls. Connor snorted and feathered strokes across her hamstrings, working his way back to her glutes.
“Finished,” he said, staring at her backside. Do it. Give her a quick swat. It’s what she wants. Before he could think a second longer, he lifted his hand and gave her a half-hearted slap across her buttocks. “All done.” He stared, trying to measure her reaction. Pity he couldn’t see her face. “How do you feel?”
“Good.”
“My massage skills must be lacking if it was only good.”
She rolled over, a broad grin on her face. “One problem. Your massage skills are clearly superior, but I don’t feel relaxed.” She ran her tongue across the sweep of her bottom lip. “I feel…” She paused again, teasing lighting her eyes. “…incredibly horny.”
Horny? Hell, worked for him. Connor climbed off the bed and shrugged out of his shirt. He unfastened the button on his jeans and slid down the zipper. The low whine sounded loud in the quiet room. He pushed his jeans and boxer-briefs down over his hips and grabbed a condom.
“Let me put it on for you.”
Connor shrugged and handed it over. He watched her while she ripped open the foil packet.
“Come here.” She patted the bed beside her. “Lie down.”
“Are you seducing me, Ms. Drummond?”
Maggie let out an unfeminine snort. “Look at the state of you. You’re easy.”
“I wasn’t the one who admitted they were horny.”
“True.” She fumbled as she rolled the condom onto his erection. The tiny flash of uncertainty and nerves charmed him. Made him relax. “It’s your fault.”
He placed his hands under his head and watched her, enjoying the sway of her breasts.
“You know you’ve turned me into a breast-man,” he said. “I used to think I was a leg-man. I was wrong. Your tits do it for me.”
“Ah, thanks, I think.” With the condom rolled onto his cock, she hesitated. “Stop staring at me.”
“Why? It was a compliment. I find you very attractive. Sexy.”
“Here’s the thing. Most women dislike their bodies or there are things they want to change. I try to like my body. I really do. It’s just that it’s not always easy. Some men take pleasure in tearing a woman down, telling her she’s too fat or needs to exercise more.”
“I’m not one of those men.”
“You’re not. Even when you dragged me off to the gym or when you suggested running, you never made me feel as if I required improvement. You acted as a friend.”
Friend. Wow, that stung. “I always feel better after a workout. I thought you would too.” Connor studied her expression and jumped to a conclusion. “Did Greg tell you to lose weight?” His voice emerged in a low growl.
“Once or twice.”
“You did a good thing when you told him to take a hike.”
Maggie nodded. “I think so, but I don’t want to talk about him when we’re both naked.”
“And alone,” he added.
“Exactly.”
“Babe, I’m all yours. Do whatever you want.”
“I…” Confusion flooded her face and she chewed on her bottom lip again. That must hurt after a while. He grinned inside, guessing her problem. Yes, she touched him when they made love but normally he gave her orders or took charge. His offer had surprised her.
“Go on. It’s your chance to discover what I like.”
Her gaze darted to his cock and he laughed.
“Good start, babe.”
A cheeky grin bloomed and he stared, smitten by attraction. Lust. Need.
Damn, he wanted her.
“Where should I touch you first?” Maggie leaned over him and kissed his neck, his chest. Her mouth was hot and wet on his skin, her eyes heavy-lidded when she stared at him. She clambered over his body, lifted up and pushed down, taking his shaft inside her. Heat. Hot pressure. Slowly, she worked him into her pussy, siren-like with her hair swinging around her shoulders, her cheeks faintly pink and the sway of her breasts.
“Damn it, woman. Are you trying to kill me? Move faster.”
“This was your idea,” she countered, continuing at the same slow pace.
“Two can play at that game.”
Rising again, she tossed her head. “I don’t play games.”
She didn’t—a fact he appreciated.
Maggie paused. “I’ve never been able to come like this. What am I doing wrong?”
“I can touch you or you could touch yourself.” Why the hell couldn’t she ask him about spanking like that? Straight out. He’d never laugh or treat her like an idiot. “We’ll experiment until we get it right.”
Intense concentration marred the smoothness of her brow. She rose and fell getting into a rhythm.
“Try changing the angle,” he suggested, hoping like hell he could hold off long enough for her to experiment.
She twisted and squirmed and slipped the fingers of one hand between her legs. Her head fell back and soft, needy sounds emerged. She’d never looked more beautiful.
He reached up and stroked one breast, using more pressure when his fingers trailed over the tip. “Feel good?”
“Yes,” she said, going quicker, her eyes fluttering shut.
Connor watched the play of emotions over her face. If she thought he intended to let her go easily, she could think again. Now that he’d made love to her, spent time with her, he was more convinced than ever that they had a future. He moved with her, knowing she was close now. Releasing control, he allowed the heat and pressure to rampage through him as they slid together with exquisite friction. He pinched one distended nipple, flexed his hips.
Without warning she cried out, convulsing around his cock. She stilled and the clawing tension burst inside him. His cock jerked with explosive contractions, blistering waves of pleasure and satisfaction converging in him. He tugged her into his arms and held her, luxuriating in the aftershocks and the soft woman in his arms. His curvy woman.
Somehow he had to show Maggie her heart was safe with him. He’d hold her secrets close and nurture her dreams. All she needed to do was trust him.