Briefly Yours, page 5
Still on her knees, she came around the front. “Briefs are the trickiest. I have to make sure there’s no extra room…in the rear. Or the front…”
“For crying out loud,” he groaned. He rubbed the back of his neck. “What are you trying to do to me?”
“Is there enough room in the…um…” She cleared her throat. “In the crotch?”
“Not with you on your knees in front of me,” he said quickly.
“What do you…” Her eyes widened when she got a look at him. She gulped. “You’re…”
“Hard? Yeah, well, being around you does that to me,” he said dryly. “In case you hadn’t noticed.”
Was he serious? Were her panties turning him on? She stroked her lower lip with the tip of her tongue. “Not sure I can get a proper assessment of the amount of room… under these…er…conditions…” she murmured.
He dropped to his knees and faced her. “Well, I can think of one way to solve this condition…I mean, I wouldn’t want you to get an inaccurate representation or anything…”
“It’s very important I get it right,” she murmured in agreement.
Justin softly ran one finger down her cheek. “Definitely.”
Her heart started pounding. “Do you really like these?” she asked shyly, looking down at her underwear.
“Are you kidding? They leave a lot to the imagination. And right now, mine’s running rampant.”
She looked up at him and grinned. “So…you have a thing for my underwear?”
He rubbed the pad of his thumb against her dimple. “I have a thing for you.” His dark, shining eyes never left hers when he moved closer to her. “That night I kissed you…I thought you might have noticed.”
She brought her mouth to his and kissed him. He kissed her back, taking her face in his hands. She let the kiss wash over her and melted against him. He pressed his mouth against hers in an open-mouthed caress, giving her just enough to make her want more. She slid down underneath him on the floor, his muscled chest pressing against her when he settled himself on top of her.
With a little sigh, she nuzzled her face against his neck. He’d be a lot easier to resist if he didn’t smell so good, she thought, taking in the scent of him…warm and musky…a total turn-on. She kissed the sculpted edge of his chin, the faintest hint of stubble under her lips.
When his mouth met hers again, one hand caressing the outside of her thigh, she realized he had no intention of stopping, and neither did she.
Ava swallowed the lump in her throat when he planted kisses down her belly. Guess when he said they were going to do it earlier today, he meant it.
She missed the feel of his mouth on her when the kisses stopped and he looked up at her.
She ran her tongue over her lips, searching for something to say, but for once, she was at a loss for words.
He lifted her chin with his thumb and brought her gaze up to his.
The mischievous look in his eyes, the little smile on his face was too much to resist. Oh, dear.
His eyes intent on her, he slid one strap of her bra down with his hand, his hand sliding over her shoulder.
She gulped, then slid out from under him and stood up. “Okay, well, if we’re going to do this, we’ll need some protection.” She paced in front of him. “I know you suggested I stock up at the Pleasure Palace…but I didn’t think I’d need to…”
He watched her move in front of him, his elbow supporting his weight. “I’ve got it covered.” He laughed. “Pun, uh…intended.”
“And, uh, uh…” She frowned. “What else do we need?” She rubbed her chin, trying to think, but it was getting harder and harder for her brain to work. She looked down to find him watching her with an expression somewhere between amusement and confusion in his eyes. He probably thought she was nuts. “We’ll need to get prepared, and I think…”
“Ava.” He cut her off, laughter in his voice when he stood up. “I’ll take care of everything if you go in the bedroom with me.”
The impatient look in his eyes told her he wanted her, and for once, she needed to quit analyzing everything to death. No one ever looked at her like that before, and never in her wildest dreams did she think anyone would. She kept babbling, but feeling a little impatient herself, she followed him down the hall.
“Uh, nice, um…paint color,” she noted, examining the walls of his apartment. “My mom has a room that’s this exact same color, and I really think it’s important to get a color that you…that you, um…like…don’t you think?”
Without answering her ridiculous question, he reached in the nightstand and tossed a box of condoms on top of it.
Guess I’ll shut up now.
In the dark bedroom, she could still make out the writing on the box. “Her Pleasure?” she murmured.
“I aim to please,” he replied, grinning. But from the look in his eyes, and the hot, pressing kiss he gave her after he said it, she knew the joking around was over for a while.
In the dim light, she watched the firm muscles of his back when he pulled back the sheets and climbed into the bed. He reached for her, urging her to join him. When she slid in beside him, he put his arms around her protectively and kissed her, then rolled over until she lay beneath him.
He slipped the other strap of her bra down, unhooked it and took it off in record time. His warm mouth pressed against her bare shoulder. The cool air in the room washed over the hot, moist kiss he left there, making her shiver.
“Since we’re both almost naked,” she noted, staring down at her barely clothed self, “there’s no turning back now, right?” Why did she babble incessantly when she got nervous?
He pulled away for a second and looked at her. “You changed your mind?”
She watched him, her chest heaving up and down, and licked her lips. She shook her head. “No.” And then she gave him the hottest kiss, one she didn’t think she knew how to give anyone, her mouth finding his. His tongue sank into her mouth and she welcomed it, sliding her tongue against his and pulling him closer.
Justin finally drew his mouth away, planting wet kisses over her throat, exploring her down lower, until his mouth closed over one breast. She let out a little moan and leaned her head back, washed in sensation as his tongue kissed, teased and tormented her. He drew one nipple into his mouth and suckled until she ached between her thighs. She was too turned on to resist when he moved to do the same thing to her other breast.
She didn’t protest when his warm hand slid inside the granny underwear, his finger teasing, stroking, then slipping inside her, making her wetter.
“Are you nervous?” Justin murmured, his breath warm against her ear, and she shivered.
She shifted her hips. “Yeah, I…haven’t…done this for a while.”
She felt his muscles tense against her and he made a promise, his mouth against hers. “I’ll be gentle.”
She grasped the muscles of his back. What were those muscles called? She couldn’t think with his hands caressing her everywhere he could reach. All she could do was shudder with pleasure.
“What do you say we lose these?” Justin asked, pulling her panties off before she could answer. She shimmied her hips while he slid them down her legs and tossed them off the bed.
Carried away with the need to feel all of him, she reached down and roughly dragged the briefs off of him.
“Careful. Don’t want to rip your mock-up and ruin your life’s work,” he murmured, his mouth so close, his lips grazed hers. “Not that I’m complaining about…”
“I’ll make a new one,” she interrupted, her hands stroking the muscles of his behind. She caressed his stomach, and felt his breath draw in when she moved her hand lower, anxious to touch him. But before she got the chance, he pulled away and reached for the box of condoms.
He sheathed himself, and then settled himself against her again.
She felt him enter her just the slightest bit and gasped with the pleasure of it. He moved slowly before sinking in a little further, giving her a chance to absorb every detail of him, to feel the smooth muscles of his shoulders, the feel of his stubble underneath her fingers, the incredible way he felt inside her. Then he sank inside her to the hilt and she thought she may have bit his shoulder to keep from crying out. With a little moan she raised her hips, silently asking him to move, to ease the ache he’d created. He stayed still, driving her crazy with frustration.
“Justin,” she moaned softly.
Instead of answering, he leaned down and kissed her. But when his tongue pressed her lips open and sank inside her mouth, it was more than either of them could stand. She writhed against him, and he pulled out, thrusting back into her with a groan.
When he moved inside her again, Ava drew one leg up and across the back of his thigh, drawing him deeper. He moved back and forth, increasing his pace a little each time until she ached with desire, her body craving more and more, reaching for something just out of her reach.
Her open mouth pressed against his neck, and she cried out when she climaxed. She thought she heard Justin groan with pleasure as he moved within her; he fell against her, gradually slowing his movements, until his breathing slowed along with hers.
He rolled onto his side, taking her with him. As if exhausted from his efforts, his eyes hazed over. He leaned in and kissed her.
Her hands caressed his back, noting that a thin sheen of sweat covered his skin. She gave his shoulders a final once-over with hands she couldn’t seem to keep to herself. They roamed over the firm muscles, taking enough memory of him with her to last her…as long as she needed. And that could be a very long time.
“Be right back,” he murmured.
She watched his gorgeous naked body when he climbed out of the bed. Did I just have sex with Mr. Barrett? Her face flushed even more.
This wasn’t supposed to be happening. She certainly didn’t have road-to-nowhere flings with the office hottie. Or any hottie, for that matter. Neither of her boyfriends had been hot. Nor would she classify the sex as hot. She’d had clean before…and she’d definitely had awkward. Polite…she’d had that, too. But absolutely not hot.
She watched the bathroom door, waiting for Justin to come back. If she could catch her breath she might be able to laugh.
Tonight…definitely hot.
When Justin climbed back into bed, he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers. He grinned, brushing a loose, damp strand of hair behind her ear.
“Well,” he drawled out, drawing her thigh up over his hip. “You ready for another round?”
Her head fell back against the pillow and all she could do was laugh.
Justin woke up with big plans for Ava and him. First he’d draw her close as he could, then he’d hitch her leg up over his hip, and next he’d run his hands all over that sexy body of hers until they were both ready for a repeat of last night.
He’d thought one night with her would be enough, or at least ease the intense ache in the pit of his stomach…and lower. He was pretty sure he’d dreamed about her last night, and now that he was awake, he wanted her over and over this morning. But he knew he’d have to pull out all the stops in his book of tricks to convince Ms. Workaholic to call in sick and spend the day in bed with him. Maybe he’d bribe her with being her requisite model in exchange for some…favors. One modeling session for every time she…
Her flushed face came to mind, along with her beautiful mouth swollen from his kisses, and he remembered how hot she’d felt in his arms last night. He’d lost himself in her sweet, incredible body, and couldn’t wait to touch her again. He rolled over, ready to put his arms around her, but his hand landed flat on the cold sheet. He opened his eyes to find the other side of the bed empty.
“Ava?” he called out. “You here?”
No answer. No water running. No sounds from the kitchen. He hung his head off the side of the bed to discover that her clothes no longer lay strewn on the floor.
He got up and padded around an apartment that had never felt unbearably lonely. Sure did now.
He scratched the back of his head. Ava, a one night stand? Didn’t like the sound of it. One night hadn’t cut it.
A thousand nights might be a start.
4
Sitting at her desk early the next morning, Ava’s attempts to focus on the Cupid’s Beau line failed miserably. After an hour, she gave up trying to get any serious work done. Last night had started her creative juices flowing in an entirely new area, and she allowed herself to draw whatever she liked. The result: a sleek pair of black panties with a bra to match. She penciled in the finishing touches and grinned to herself, turning it to take a look from another angle. Did I draw that? She shrugged, adding a hint of black lace at the waistband. Not too bad, if I do say so myself.
Much sexier than her usual fare, but then again, the most clever, focused woman in the world couldn’t design a conservative pair of women’s undergarments after last night’s ministrations.
She stared out the window with a huge, goofy grin on her face, unable to get Justin out of her mind. His warm hands all over her. Their bodies entangled, his irresistible mouth on hers.
She’d once heard that good looking guys could get away with lying there in bed and let the woman do all the work…not true with Mr. Barrett. From the flush covering his cheeks, the glazed look in his eyes, the exhausted way his body lay beside hers…the effort he’d gone to, to make sure he’d satisfied her, not to mention the patient way he’d held himself back until she’d…she sighed. Not true at all.
She’d managed to fall asleep after he’d made love to her the second time. Too exhausted to hold back her desire, she’d relaxed beneath him while he moved over her, and when she’d climaxed again, she’d clenched her eyes tight, cried out, and wondered if a person could die from pleasure.
After few hours of sleep, she’d woken up to find morning light creeping through the bedroom window. With Justin sound asleep in the bed beside her, she’d gathered up her clothes, dressed, and slunk out of his apartment.
She reminded herself not to read anything into it. Last night was a one-time deal, and the thought made her give out a pathetic little sigh. I knew what I was getting into right from the start. Besides, I asked to go over there, not the other way around.
Her mooning came to an abrupt halt when Leslie marched into the office, every blond strand of her short, trendy haircut in place. “Parker, I need to borrow a black charcoal stencil.” Her plucked-to-perfection eyebrows shot up to her hairline when she saw the sexy drawing on the desk. “Don’t tell me you’ve giving up your Conservo line.” She batted her eyelashes in feign shock. “You don’t honestly expect the rich grannies of the world to have to go naked, do you?”
Ava gritted her teeth. “The Conservo line is alive and well.”
Leslie crossed her arms over her chest and gave Ava a patronizing look. “Have we given up on Cupid’s Beau already?”
In your dreams, Leslie. “Not a chance,” Ava replied, casually outlining the hip on the design in front of her. “In fact, it’s going great. The mannequin you left in here helped me work out the finishing touches.”
Leslie strolled around the office, sticking her nose into everything she could find. With a sniff, she perused Ava’s bookshelf next to the desk. “Thought you might need some help. Figured it’s been a long time since you’ve seen a guy naked.” Leslie coughed under her breath. “If ever.”
Ava forced a smile, and then reached up to make sure her French twist was still in place. “Anything else you need?”
Leslie looked down at the sketch on her desk and frowned. “Those aren’t half bad.” She held up one manicured nail and examined it. “But I think you should stick to what you do best. After all, not everyone has a talent for…ahem…sexual conservatism.”
Ava mustered up half a smile in return for the backhanded compliment. “Thanks for the advice.”
A knock on the door made them both turn. Adrenaline coursed through Ava’s body at the sight of Justin, and from the way her heart raced, she knew her crush had gotten worse. Did she really think a few hours of rolling around in bed with him would get rid of it?
She knew he couldn’t have gotten more than a couple of hours of sleep, and still, his eyes looked brighter than ever, as if announcing to the world he was ready for whatever mischief he could get into that day.
Panic shot through her. Would he act like last night never happened? Big girl or not, could she handle that?
He cleared his throat, stood up straight, and adjusted the jacket of his dark blue Armani suit, a serious expression taking over when he saw Leslie. “Good morning.”
Leslie straightened her shoulders, and a seductive look appeared in her cool blue eyes. “Mr. Barrett.”
Leave it to Leslie to flirt. Ava knew Miss Party Girl had already gone through enough guys in her twenty-eight years for ten women. Couldn’t she leave this one for someone else?
“Just the man I want to see. There are some things I need to go over with you,” Leslie purred, slinking up to him. “How about lunch?”
“I’m not available for lunch. But if you’d like to leave your card with my assistant, I can have her set up a time with you when my schedule opens up,” Justin replied.
Leslie gave him a sexy smile. “Great.” She refused to tear her gaze from him, or move.
A long, awkward pause ensued, and then Justin cleared his throat again. “I have some important business to discuss with Ms. Parker, so if you’ll excuse us...”
A confident smile spread across Leslie’s face. “I’ll just…set up that meeting, then.” She strolled off toward the door.
“Wait.” Ava stood up and headed for the door, handing her the black stencil she’d requested. “You forgot this.”
“Thanks,” Leslie said, her eyes glued to Justin when she took it out of Ava’s hand.
Justin shut the door behind her, and his shoulders slumped with relief. He turned to Ava. “Thought she’d never leave.”
