“Happy Birthday!” Everyone raised their glass and shouted in unison, smiling at the grumbly birthday boy.

“I hate celebrating my birthday.” Shane flattened his mouth and stared everyone down before begrudgingly saying thank you, and drinking from his beer with everyone else.

“It’s because you’re getting to be an old man.” Jack joked and slapped Shane’s back in good fun. I couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes flicked to me, before jerking away and taking another long pull from his beer.

It had been two weeks since I'd stopped by his apartment. I hadn’t been back for a few reasons: one, because I’d been busy, and two, as much as I hated to admit it, I was nervous about being turned down again.

Also, I was really enjoying torturing him at the station when we were both there. Wearing lower-cut shirts and being sure to lean forward enough so he could get a glimpse of my lacy bra. If we ever crossed paths, I made sure to brush against him, a hand against his arm or his chest.

It seemed after that first week of torture he’d been called out of the station for work more and more. I liked to imagine it was because he couldn’t control himself with me. I liked to imagine that if he stayed in the same building, he’d drag me into a closet and finally give in to what we both wanted, yanking my pants down, and roughly fucking me in desperation against a wall. But in reality, I knew it was most likely a case.

One night, we ended up walking out together to our cars. I started mine and looked up to pull out to see him watching me. When he noticed me staring, he jerked his door open and left without another glance back. I smiled, imagining what would happen if he stayed. Maybe he’d have stormed over to my car and pulled me into the back seat to taste me, kiss me, take me. He wouldn’t say a word. Just make us both come and leave me an exhausted, satisfied, sweaty mess in the back seat.

We could be so creative in being together without anyone knowing. If only he’d give in already.

Well, Evie and Jolene would know since they already knew. Which meant Luella would eventually know too, but I refused to think about that. Especially with Jo currently giving me a subtle blow job motion as she pointed at Shane, who was talking to my brother. I laughed and itched the side of my head with a middle finger.

We had all gathered at the brand-spanking-new King’s to celebrate Shane’s birthday. The restaurant had opened last week, and Jameson stood proudly behind the bar with Evie doing her best to distract him with her cleavage. The whole gang was there, including Shane’s partner, Reese, and one of my brother’s employees, Clark, who kept showing up at events when he knew Jolene would be there. Interesting. I’d be sure to give her shit about that later.

Clark actually stared at her and turned to find me watching. I gave him a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. I see you, Clark, eyeing my best friend.

With a smirk and a shrug of his shoulders, he stepped close enough to me so that no one could hear.

“Your friend Jolene single?”

“Maybe.” I didn’t look up at him, just took another sip of my drink.

“Juliana. Come on, help a guy out.”

Shane just happened to turn and his eyes darkened when he noticed Clark’s hand on my shoulder. I decided to fuck with him a little.

Eyeing Clark, I arched my back and stuck out my chest. “Why? You gonna be good to her? Or are you just looking for a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am?”

He threw his head back and laughed, drawing my brother’s attention and causing Shane to take a step closer to me.

“Watch it, Clark. That’s my baby sister. You better keep your hands, eyes, and thoughts away from her.”

Clark stepped back with his hands raised.

“You’re such a cock-blocker, Jack.”

Jack glared at me, not at all impressed with my loud insult.

“Yeah, Jack,” Evie said, cutting in. “Let your sister live a little. She could probably have any man in this place. Except Jameson, of course.” She winked at me and gave a slight nod toward Shane. “Come on, Jules. Take your pick. Ask a guy to dance, and I guarantee he’ll say yes. And I’ll hold Jack’s cock-blocking ways back, or I’ll end up cock-blocking him tonight.” She smirked in my brother’s direction and threw her arm around Luella.

“Hmm.” Bringing my finger to my lips, I looked around the bar at all the men even though I knew who I was going to settle on. I turned my back on Shane before whipping around and meeting his glaring eyes. “Shane.” I loved the way his jaw ticked, holding back his frustration. “Dance with me?”

“Fuck no,” Jack said before Shane could answer. “Juliana, Shane doesn’t want to dance with my little sister.”

His words stung more than I wanted them to and I ground my teeth, letting my brother see my full frustration before turning back to Shane. He was trying to avoid my gaze by looking down to the floor, but kept glancing up at me anyway.

My bravado sunk to the floor along with my stomach. He was going to say no. Everyone stood around watching after Evie talked me up, and the man was going to turn me down. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe Shane didn’t want anything to do with his baby sister. Dropping my head, I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I needed to gather my emotions and stop the blush burning my cheeks.

Just as I was about to lift my head, a phony smile firmly in place to laugh it off, his deep voice reached across the space between us, saving me.

“Sure, Mini MacCabe. I’ll dance with you.”

“Don’t you dare.” Jack pointed a finger at him. He was friendly, completely unaware that Shane would actually want me, let alone have already had me.

“I’ll treat her nice, Jackie-boy,” Shane said, goading Jack. His hand dropped to the top of my head, like a pat before sliding down between my shoulder blades and stepping up behind me, facing Jack, who looked more annoyed and bored at Shane’s antics than serious.

Shane would never touch me in a serious way in front of Jack, but I couldn’t deny the thrill I felt even when his hand warmed my skin. I couldn’t deny the image of him touching me in a way that claimed me. In a way that let everyone know I was his. Instead, it was all a joke. Silly banter between two friends.

Shane guided me to the dance floor and I threw a smile over my shoulder at Jack, just to piss him off. Evie, Lu, and Jo cat-called as we walked away. When we hit the edge of the floor, I stepped in close and rested my hands on his neck, my back to Jack.

“You’re a pretty brave man for one who doesn’t want to get caught.”

“Nah, I just like to heckle Jack. Give him shit.”

“Well, it seems to be working.” I looked over my shoulder to find Jack glaring at us and Lu and Evie laughing beside him. I stepped closer and let my hands drag down Shane’s chest, amping up Jack’s irritation.

Shane played along and dropped his big palms low on my back, encroaching on my ass. I wanted to grind on him right there, but he wasn’t going too far with Jack and held some distance between us. Even so, the feel of him touching me in public was more intoxicating than I could have imagined.

It’d been a long time since Shane had wrapped me in his arms in public. Ever since Jamaica where we were forced to dance together as the wedding party. He’d stared down at me, letting his eyes graze my chest, exposed by my low-cut bridesmaid dress. I’d asked him if he liked what he saw, and he’d grunted and told me he could appreciate any pair of tits.

It had been a brush off, saying mine were no special than anyone else’s, however, when I’d let my hips push into his, I’d felt how much he’d appreciated my small curves. It had been that moment that I’d decided to sneak into his room and seduce him, and that I wouldn’t leave Jamaica without at least trying.

The song picked up the beat and I eliminated the distance between us, putting on a show. Shane tried to hold me steady, but took advantage of the torture I was delivering to Jack and playing along a little bit. I’d twirl around Shane, letting my hands glide across his chest, and shimmy close to him, moving my hips against him. I could hear Lu and Evie cheering from the tables off to the side.

The real treat was Shane’s laugh. He laughed through it all and it was beautiful. Shane smiled on occasion, but he rarely laughed. I couldn’t help but join him and we became two loons laughing on the dance floor. My heart felt so much joy that I thought it would explode.

When a slow song came on, he stopped his antics and just held me close, letting the song fill our silence. Jack had waved us off, thinking all of our exaggerated touches were innocent and just to fuck with him. He was only half right. But standing in the loop of Shane’s arms, I had to fight laying my head on his chest and letting my affection for him show.

“Thank you for dancing with me.”

“It’s not too much of a hardship, Mini MacCabe.”

“I know. But I also know you don’t want to give Jack any reason to suspect you’ve defiled me.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed when I let my hips drift closer to his. Now was my moment to push again and every part of me screamed to make it happen.

“Shane, I know you want this as much as me. And I was serious when I said no one has to know.”

“I don’t do relationships or commitment. I’m not the man to make promises.”

“I’m not asking you to. I’m a woman going after something that makes her feel good. Just sex.”

He looked over my head, scanning the crowd as if it would have the answers for the right thing to say. Finally, his gaze landed back on mine, and in it, I saw the crack in his resolve. He was going to give in.

“I’m thirty-eight now. Thirteen years older than you.”

I tipped my head back to stare up at him. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He paused and his eyebrows pinched together. “You’re too young to waste time with someone as old as me.”

“The way I see it, you’ve got thirteen more years of experience and things to show me.”

His eyes heated to a warm blue. “I do have a lot I want to show you.” His words rumbled in his chest, vibrating against my breasts pressed tightly to him, hardening my nipples.

Victory surged through my veins, my heart pumping faster in excitement. All the memories of the ways he felt inside me and against me poured over my body like lava.

“Why don’t you come by my place tonight and teach me something new?”

He hesitated. “Your roommate?” He said it like it was all the reason to never step foot in my apartment.

“I’m a big girl, Shane. I can have sleepovers. And she won’t care. She won’t tell anyone.”

“And if Jack stops by?”

“Jack never comes over.” I raised an eyebrow, waiting for his next rebuttal. “Come on, Shane. There’s no good reason not to.”

He looked down at me with a playful smirk. “I can’t promise to be quiet, Mini MacCabe. I want to do a lot of loud things with you, and I sure as hell know you can’t be quiet.”

I smiled, knowing I was winning him over. “I’ll give her earplugs or headphones.”

He stared down at my lips and I dragged my tongue across them, slowly to torture him.

“Fuck, I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“Alright, Shane,” Jack called from the table at the edge of the dance floor, breaking the moment. “You’re real fucking funny. Now come over here and have another drink with me.”

I smirked at Shane before I backed away and we walked to the table. When we got there, I caught Jack’s eye before I turned to Shane, blowing him a kiss. “Thanks for the dance.”

Then I twirled away and walked toward the bar where Evie greeted me with a high-five.

“You are playing with fire,” Luella said. “I think I saw some real sparks there.”

I just shrugged and grabbed the drink I’d ordered.

“So, ummm,” Luella started, voice lowered. “Are you and Shane together?”

I laughed at her conspiratorial whisper. “No.”

“You know I don’t have a problem if you are. I just need to prepare myself for when Jack finds out.” She made an explosion sound, spreading her hands wide.

“You don’t need to worry about your husband, Lu.”

“I’m sure you can find ways to calm him down,” Evie said, sliding her hand up and down her tall glass, bobbing her eyebrows.

“Ew. I don’t need to know what you and Jack do,” I said, cringing.

“Oh, we do lots of things, Jules,” Jack interrupted behind me. “You want to pretend to molest my best friend in front of me, I think there’s some payback that needs to happen.”

I pretended to gag as he pulled Lu into his arms and kissed her long and hard.

Shane joined our group and leaned on the bar next to me, shaking his head at my brother. Just seeing his strong forearm on the wood counter, the way his hands splayed out as he waited for another beer, sent a jolt of excitement down my stomach to my core. I couldn’t wait to feel those fingers stroking my skin again.

Glancing at the clock, I saw we had at least another hour before people would start piling out. It was going to be the longest hour of torture, knowing I had to wait for what the night would hold, and I didn’t want to suffer alone. Reaching for a napkin on the other side of Shane, I made sure my breasts pressed into him arm, enjoying the way the muscles tensed under me. When I pulled back, I met his eyes alit with fire.

“Sorry, I just needed a napkin real quick,” I said with doe-eyed innocence.

“Careful.”

I just smirked at his warning.

When he got his drink, he turned his body to face the rest of the group on the other side of me. An overly drunk patron pushed in front of me to get to the bar, shoving me back. I was irritated until, I found myself pressed close to Shane’s front.

With everyone focused on a story Reese was sharing, I slipped my arm behind me, dragging my hand down until, I felt Shane’s dick under my palm. He grunted and jerked, but the bar area was cramped and he had nowhere to pull back. I squeezed and rubbed, loving the way he slowly grew in my hand.

“Juliana,” he growled behind me.

The drunk patron finally moved out of the way, giving me room to move. With one last stroke, I took a step forward, and grabbed my drink, needing the cool liquid to chill the heat trying to consume my body.

“Shane, we’re going to play a round of darts,” Reese called, motioning for Shane to follow them to the back.

“Um . . . Just a minute. Let me finish my beer.”

I chuckled, knowing why he needed a minute. Couldn’t walk away with a bulge tenting his pants. The guys moved to the back, and Shane took a full minute to down the rest of his drink. Before leaving, he turned to me.

“You’re going to pay for that later, little girl.”

“God, I hope so.”

He ground his jaw and left to play darts. I spent the rest of the night dancing with the girls, imagining the best ways the night was going to go. All the positions, all the touching, everything.

When the party came to the end, thankfully everyone left at once, so it wasn’t obvious when Shane and I walked out the door together. I wanted to follow him to his car and maybe give him road head, but that would have raised some red flags. Plus, I had to explain to Jolene that Shane was coming over.

“You may need to wear some headphones tonight,” I said from the front seat of her car as she pulled out of the lot.

“Why?” She glanced over at me, looking confused.

“Shane is coming over.”

“Aw, yeah! Get it girl!” She threw one hand up and let out a loud, “Ow-Ow!”

I laughed. “Stop.”

She shrugged. “Can’t promise I won’t listen in.”

“Ew.”

“I’m just kidding . . . Kind of.”

When we parked the car, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, making sure none of my makeup was running, before meeting Shane at the elevators. He stood quietly as we rose, only giving a stiff smile to Jo.

She walked into the apartment and grabbed her headphones off the coffee table, making a big show of holding them up as she walked backward toward her room. “I’m going to be in my room all night. With my music up waaaay loud. Won’t be able to hear a thing.”

She gave me a quick wink and a gun before rounding the corner, followed by the slam of her door.

I looked back at Shane, who looked about as comfortable as a mouse trapped in the cage with a snake. “It’s, uh, been a while since I’ve had to deal with a roommate. Probably since my twenties.”

His comments about my age didn’t usually bother me, but sometimes they stood out in a way that screamed how young I was. I couldn’t help but imagine him seeing me like a child, and it pushed a button for me.

Pushing the feeling aside, I took a deep breath and remembered the excitement from before, determined to make him forget anyone but me. We were finally doing this and I was taking full advantage.

Grabbing his large hands in mine, I walked him to my room. He glanced around quickly, always observant. However, after locking the door, I walked around him, letting my nails drag across his chest and his attention focused only on me. Reaching up, I brushed his jacket off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor with a thud.

Slowly, I dropped to my knees kissing everything on my way down, letting my teeth drag along the growing thickness under his jeans before I scooted back and sat on the edge of the bed. Resting my hands on the mattress behind me, I arched my back, showcasing my breasts, and spread my legs.

He looked me up and down, his nostrils flaring in excitement. I watched his hand stroke himself through his pants, and I had to squeeze my core against the heat building there.

“You ever watch, little girl?”

My eyes flicked to him, widening at the possibilities of what he meant. “Like, porn?”

He chuckled at my suggestion. “No. Ever watched a man stroke himself until he came as he stared at your body? Ever watch yourself being taken?”

My mouth lacked all moisture and I swallowed hard, shaking my head.

His small chuckle and smirk excited me and scared me. What was he going to have me do?

He began unbuckling his belt, my eyes glued to the action. “Get naked, Juliana. Then slide back against the headboard.”

Nodding my head, I began to strip, fumbling like a fool because my eyes were glued to each patch of newly exposed skin as he stripped before me. The way his abs and chest rippled as he pulled his shirt off. The way his thighs flexed when he toed off his shoes. All of it like my own personal strip show.

By the time I fumbled with the clasp on my bra he stood before me completely nude, proud. I slid my lace thong down my thighs and scooted back as instructed. He crawled up the bed, dragging his hands up from my ankles, past my knees, and down my inner thighs, spreading me wide. A hum rumbled in his chest as he stared at me and his hands gripped tightly against my thighs, pushing them further apart, exposing every part of me to his gaze.

Then he took my hand and moved it to my core. “Show me how you pleasure yourself. Show me how you played with yourself thinking of our night in Jamaica. Because I know you did. Let me watch you. And you watch me.”

My cheeks burned, but with excitement. I wanted to be a brave woman for him, bold in my actions. Confident. I rolled my fingers around my clit, pulling wetness from my core up to glide across the bundle of nerves. My eyes wanted to fall shut and focus on the pleasure, but he told me to watch him and I didn’t want to miss a second.

“First, I need some lube.”

I was about to turn to reach in my bedside drawer when two thick fingers pushed in to me, curling on their way out. Then three, repeating the same motion. He would pull out and grip his cock, massaging my wetness along his length before going back for more.

His bicep bulged, stroking slowly from root to tip. His grip was harder than I would have ever tried and I became intrigued with the way the head of his cock would expand between his grip at the end of each stroke. I loved watching his lids get heavier and his eyes darken. He stared at every part of my body, but kept coming back to my exposed cunt. It squeezed in emptiness every time his fingers left me. His breathing picked up in pace along with his hand.

My hips undulated, getting closer and closer to release. I didn’t want to come yet, so I made wider circles around my clit, making it last.

He started to groan and I was ready to watch the long white ropey cum shoot all over me, but his other hand came up and he squeezed his balls in one palm as the other created a tight circle around his cock.

“What are you doing?” I breathed the question, unable to speak past my panting breaths.

“I’m gonna fuck you, Mini MacCabe. But first I’m going to make you come. A few times.”

“But I want to watch you come on me.”

“Fuck,” he growled the words. “I promise I will be sure to come on you later. But first I need to eat you out.”

He dropped forward and wedged his shoulders between my thighs. I wanted to be upset for missing the show, but it was impossible when he’d pushed three fingers inside me and began flicking my clit frantically with his tongue. This wasn’t a long drawn out orgasm, this was a freight train barreling down on me at record speed.

I screamed out my release and my whole body clenched around him, my thighs trembling from the effort of being spread. When I’d finally finished coming, I begged for Shane to stop as he continued to lap at my clit. He kissed his way up my body and slipped his tongue into my mouth, making me taste myself, before rolling to the side of me.

“Aren’t you going to come?”

He laughed at my question. “Oh, I will Mini MacCabe. We aren’t close to done yet.”

My body didn’t know how to feel about that as my pussy spasmed again and my legs still trembled from the strain.

But my heart beat hard and pumped heat through my veins. Yeah, I was ready for round two.

Shane got up, pulling me out of bed with him and supported me when my legs almost crumpled. He held me close as he led me to the corner of my bed and he sat. I stood lamely, waiting for instructions. When he pulled me to sit on his lap, I was met with our naked bodies reflected in the full-length mirror in front of me. My initial urge was to cover myself, but Shane held my arms down at my sides and leaned me back against him, my head falling against his shoulder.

“Do you know what I thought of when you sent me those pictures of you standing in front of this mirror in that sinful lingerie?” he asked against my ear.

I shook my head back and forth on his shoulder. “No.”

He dragged his fingers down my thighs and gripped the inside of my knees. “I imagined bending you over and fucking you from behind in front of it, watching your tits bounce each time I shoved myself inside you.”

“Do it,” I whimpered.

“I will. But not yet.” He shoved my knees apart to the outside of his spread legs, exposing me. His right hand moved up to my core and began slowly circling my opening. I clenched from being sensitive from my last orgasm. “First, I’m going to have you see what I see when I finger this tight little cunt. I’m going to let you watch the way your pert breasts heave on each heavy breath when you’re on the verge of coming. The way your nipples pebble in excitement and make me want to bite them.”

I moaned when he pushed two fingers inside me. Slowly, he dragged them back out and leisurely pushed back in.

“Look at you, Juliana. Look.”

I tipped my head up and watched his long fingers disappear inside me. I watched the way they reappeared wetter than before when he pulled out. The way they rose to circle my clit before falling back down to push inside again. No rush, just enjoying the feel of my body inside and out.

“So fucking wet. Getting wetter when you stopped to watch. Do you like it? Does it make this little pussy ache with need, ache for a thick cock to fuck it when you get to see how beautiful it is taking my fingers?”

Beyond words, I could only moan. I was incapable of more than emitting groans gasps to express my pleasure.

He pulled out and lifted his hand to pinch at my nipples. He adjusted himself and his cock rose hard between my legs.

“Do you want to see the way this pretty pussy—my pretty pussy—stretches when I enter you? When I put myself inside your body?”

“Yes. Shane. Please.”

He produced a condom like magic and slowly slid it on, like he was in no hurry, while my body shook with the urge to feel him inside me. To see it.

He lifted me and gripped his cock to line up with my opening. The tip just rested inside, barely, and he used both hands to hold my waist so he could control the speed at which he entered me.

I wanted to slam down over and over again, ride him like my own personal fuck toy. But he held me steady as inch by inch of him disappeared inside my vagina.

“Look at the way it stretches, accommodating me. Look at the way my dick comes out covered in your cum, your pussy so wet, so desperate for more.”

He lowered me down a little harder the next time, groaning as he settled inside me. His pace grew faster and I watched him, watched us. My eyes frantic to take it all in. The way he looked pushing in and out of me, the desire burning across his face as he watched me, the way my tits bounced as he fucked me harder.

As we lost our rhythm and my orgasm began burning inside of me all over again, he wrapped an arm around my waist and stood, toppling us to the ground. I fell on all fours and he situated himself inside again, done with all pretense of going slow.

He gripped both my hips and pounded into me like an animal. One hand slid up my back into my hair and pulled, lifting me off my hands and into him.

“Look at those prefect breasts bounce with each thrust. Look at the way you make me lose control. Look at the way that perfect pussy takes me in.”

I did. I took it all in and when he pinched my nipple and shoved in deep, coming inside me, I came. It poured over me in endless waves, his groans of pleasure the only thing keeping me in touch with reality.

He gently released me to the ground, but still thrust slowly a few more times until he had to pull out and remove the condom. He didn’t even bother getting up to dispose of it, just tied it up and dropped it to the side, probably ruining something. I didn’t care. He lay beside me and pulled me into his arms right there on the floor of my bedroom in front of my mirror.

I’d never be able to look in the mirror again the same way.

“Told you I was going to fuck you in the mirror.”

He kissed my shoulder and somewhere in the ten minutes we tried to regain our strength, we fell asleep. I woke to him lifting me off the floor and putting me on my bed, where we started all over again.