Almost in Love (11 page)

Kate interrupted her unhappy memories when she exclaimed, “Mom bugs me all the time! She wants me to spend the summer studying ahead of time for grad school. Isn’t it enough I did a double major in math and physics in three years? I’ve been taking college classes since high school. Don’t I deserve a break?”

Amber’s head spun, thinking about cramming all those equations into such a short time. “Of course you do.”

“I’ve only got the summer, and then it’s grad school here I come.”

Kate wheeled her suitcase into Amber’s room.

“Uh, Kate. You’ve got the sofa.”

“Oh.” She wheeled her suitcase back to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. “So what’s on the agenda tonight?”

Amber flopped down on the sofa next to her. “I just got home from a long day. I had work, then play rehearsal. I just want to crash.”

“Great! I’ll crash too.”

They sat side by side on the sofa. “Kate?”

“Yes.”

“Next time can you call?”

“I emailed you yesterday. Don’t you check your email?”

“Oh, yeah. I guess I haven’t checked it in a couple of days.”

Kate shook her head.

“How long are you staying?” Amber asked.

“The whole summer,” Kate said.

“The whole—now wait a minute.” The doorbell rang. Amber headed to the door and said over her shoulder, “We need to talk about this.”

She peeked through the peephole. Bare. This was the never-ending night. It was nearly ten o’clock. Just put her out of her misery. A long sleep to end this day.

She opened the door. “Hi, Bare.”

“Hey, wench. Just wanted to make sure—”

“Who is this?” Kate asked, appearing at Amber’s side.

“This is Bare.” She turned to her sister, who had the strangest look of awe on her face. “This is my sister, Kate.”

“I know you,” Kate said, pointing at him. “I read about you in
The Journal of Computing Science and Society
. You’re Giggle Snap. I mean, Barry Furnukle.”

Bare grinned. “Oh, well. Yeah, that’s me.”

“You’re brilliant,” Kate breathed. “The compression algorithm you developed for sound recordings was groundbreaking.”

Bare smiled and shuffled his feet. “Thank you. It was nothing. There’s much better on the market now.”

“I’m Kate,” she said, holding out her hand.

He shook it. “Yes. Nice to meet you, Kate.”

Kate pulled the rubber band out of her hair and shook her hair loose. “You want to come in for a drink?”

Amber stared at her sister. Really? Now she was interested in a man? She’d been starting to wonder if her sister was into women.

“Actually I came by just to k—” Bare shook his head with a smile. “I just wanted to talk to your sister.”

“Come on,” Kate coaxed, hand on her hip. “One drink. I’ll tell you the latest in operations research for databases in apps like yours.”

“I am working on a birding app that’s database dependent,” Bare said.

Kate pushed up her glasses. “Excellent!”

Amber stifled a groan as they settled in the living room with glasses of iced tea. Kate waxed on enthusiastically to Bare’s eager ears, both of them completely forgetting about the drinks. After an hour of computing and higher mathematics talk that went way over Amber’s head, she slipped away and went to bed.

A few moments later, the door creaked open.

“Amber?” Bare called.

“What?” she mumbled.

“I’m going to kiss you goodnight.”

“Don’t.”

He’d kissed enough women tonight, and then he’d kissed up to her sister.

“Come on, wench. Ouch!” The bed shook. He must’ve bumped into it.

She bit back a laugh. “Don’t call me wench.”

“Give us a kiss, me love.”

She threw the covers over her head. “I’m not your love.”

He yanked the covers down. “I say you are.”

His hands found her hair, then her cheek, and he turned her toward him. His lips came down over hers, soft and gentle. She relaxed into it, forgetting about her worshipful sister and the worshipful Major-General’s daughters.

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Good night, Amber.”

“Night.”

He kissed her forehead. “I hope one day to say good morning.”

“Don’t push it.”

“Where’s me buried treasure?” He felt all over the bed, then all over her, his hands patting over the covers, making her giggle; then he slid into the bed with her.

She shoved at his chest, trying not to laugh. “Your treasure’s not here.”

“Aye, but ’tis.” He pulled her up against him, so they were both on their sides, chest to chest. She wore a tank top with pajama shorts, and he felt deliciously warm through the thin fabric. She snuggled closer. His hand cupped the back of her head, and he kissed her again. This time was a hard, claiming kiss, his tongue thrusting inside, his leg wedging between hers. Then he was kissing along her jawline, down her neck, while his hands roamed up and down her body, never lingering at any of her good spots, just an allover stroking that left her fully awake, fully aroused, and wanting more.

“Amber?” Kate knocked on her door. “I forgot my toothbrush. Do you have an extra one?”

Bare nuzzled along her collarbone while his hand worked its way up her shirt, caressing her breast.

“Yes,” she gasped as his finger rasped over the sensitive tip. “Take it. There’s extra.”

“Is Barry sleeping over tonight?” Kate asked through the door. “I forgot my pajamas too. Is he going to see me without my pants?”

Bare laughed into her neck. Amber stifled a laugh.

Kate went on. “It’s okay if he does. But…can I borrow a few things? My underwear’s plain white and
mumble, mumble
…”

Amber didn’t catch the rest of that sentence. Kate was probably looking down at herself and talking, but seriously, was she supposed to share Bare
and
her underwear with her sister?

“I’m not spending the night,” Bare called.

They heard Kate move on.

“I think she wants me,” he said.

She shoved him out of bed. “Everyone wants you.”

He leaned back over her, hands on either side of her shoulders. “Does that mean you too?”

“You’re going to get a big head.”

“You’ll keep me humble.” His lips brushed hers. She tangled her hand in his hair, keeping him there for more. He obliged, kissing her long and hard until they heard Kate’s footsteps stop right outside the door again on her way back from the bathroom.

“Soon, love,” he whispered.

“You wish,” she said, because she didn’t want him to leave yet, even with her sister hovering nearby.

Kate’s footsteps moved on to the living room.

He pressed a finger to her lower lip. “I know.”

She took his finger into her mouth and sucked.

He groaned. “Vixen.”

She released his finger and smiled.

“You’re pushing me control, wench.”

“Night, Bare.” She rolled onto her side away from him, wondering if he would slide in next to her again or just go. His hand cupped her bottom, slid lower still, and pressed into her heat. She gasped.

His voice was a throaty growl. “Night, Amber.”

He released her and left. She tossed and turned after that, wishing Bare was there to ease the ache or that she hadn’t teased, because she needed now in a way she hadn’t needed before. Sleep was a long way off.

Amber was watching backstage on Monday night, script in hand, while Mabel and the Major-General’s daughters sang their song when boisterous voices and the sound of something clashing together carried through from the hallway. She went to the stage door and poked her head out. Bare and Zac were having a sword fight with wooden swords in the hallway.

“Really?” she asked. “Do you have to do that here?”

“Don’t interrupt when men are crossing swords,” Zac said, slamming his sword into Bare’s.

Bare parried and grinned at her. “We were told to stay nearby in case we’re needed.”

“I’ll call you,” she said. “Go fight like big boys in the cafeteria.”

Zac turned and held his sword out from his crotch. “Excuse me, we are men.”

Bare gave her his lopsided smile. He raised his sword high in the air. “Yes, men.”

Amber shook her head and returned to the backstage area. The sound of swordplay quieted.

A short while later, Edith stopped by. “We need Zac on stage. Could you fetch him? Then if you have a minute, help me out by the storage closet with costumes.”

“Sure, no problem.”

Amber went to the cafeteria, where Zac was sitting on top of a cafeteria table talking to Bare. She watched as Zac kept touching Bare’s arm while Bare good-naturedly chatted away. Did Bare even realize Zac was into him?

“Zac,” she called. “They need you on stage.”

Zac jumped up and turned to Bare. “Until we cross swords again, my good man.”

Bare inclined his head, and Zac left.

Bare crossed to her. “Hello, me buxom beauty.”

She snort-laughed. “Okay, you’re really pushing it with the buxom. I am not buxom.”

His eyes dropped to her chest and looked back in her eyes. “Hello, me beauty.”

She smacked his chest.

“Ow!” He rubbed his chest.

“Now you’re insulting me.”

“How is that insulting? You’re the one that said you’re not buxom. I thought I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

He looked so genuinely perplexed that she forgave him. She kissed his chest where she’d smacked him. “Sorry I smacked your chest.”

He wrapped his hand in her hair. “You can smack me in a few more places if you’re gonna kiss them after.”

“You do not want that,” she said cheekily.

He leaned down, brushing his lips over hers. “Maybe I do.” He nipped her bottom lip. “Maybe I’ll return the favor.” He smacked her bottom, and she tipped forward into him.

“Fresh,” she said, but she was smiling.

His arm wrapped around her waist. “Amber,” he growled before his mouth crashed down over hers. She threw her arms around him, running her fingers through the silky hair at the nape of his neck. His hand gripped her hair, the other tucked firmly over her ass. The kiss went on and on, hot and heavy, and she roamed her hands everywhere she could reach, up to his cheek with its pirate stubble, under his soft T-shirt, over his jeans and that firm ass. He was moving her now, kissing her and backing her up behind the vending machines, pressing her back into the wall, out of sight of the cafeteria doors.

And then his hands roamed everywhere as he kissed her, under her tunic and over the thin cotton of her leggings, drawing a moan from her, then he was lifting her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, and sweet glory, they fit. The throbbing between her legs intensified as his erection pushed against her through the leggings.

The cafeteria door opened, and they froze.

“Amber?” a voice called.

It was Edith. She’d forgotten she was supposed to help her out with the costumes. She looked at Bare, eyes wide, and he shook his head. He wasn’t putting her down. She was afraid Edith was going to walk all the way in and catch her in this position.

She wiggled, and Bare pressed harder into her, sending a jolt of sensation through her core. His eyes burned into hers, and she barely breathed.

They heard footsteps, and then the door opened and closed again. She let out a breath. “That was a close one. I have to go. I was supposed to help her.”

He eased off her and let her slide slowly down his front. “I could use some help too.”

“What kind of—”

They both glanced down to where his jeans were bulging.

“Oh,” she said.

“Yeah.”

She gave him a small impish smile. “Sorry.”

She started to walk away, but he grabbed her and pulled her back flush against his body. “I’m not.”

He kissed her again, and the rush of sensation made her forget why in the world she was trying to leave. His tongue thrust in her mouth, and she responded with needy mewls asking for more. Her hands smoothed over his chest, feeling the hard planes. His hands were everywhere at once, overwhelming her, making her want to climb back up his body and wrap her legs around him again. Suddenly she found herself set a foot away from him.

“Why did you stop?” she asked. Her lips still tingled, her body still ached.

He closed his eyes. “You make me want. Too much. You’d better go.”

“Aren’t you going to look at me?”

“Amber, please. This isn’t where I want our first time.”

She bit her lip. His eyes were still closed. Did he actually think she wanted to sleep with him here? Then it hit her, what he’d said before about pushing his control, he was trying to control himself. He wanted her that much.

With that heady knowledge lodged deep in her heart, she turned on her heel and headed for the door. She stopped and looked over her shoulder. He’d turned away from her.

“I’m shaking my booty,” she called.

“You mean my booty,” he answered.

A hot rush ran through her. She headed resolutely out the door, her lips curved into a small smile.

~ ~ ~

Barry headed to the restroom to splash cold water on his face before returning to the stage. He’d been this close to taking Amber right there in the cafeteria. He’d never felt anything like that overwhelming urge to drive into her. Geez, he had to slow things down. Had to be satisfied with a few kisses. He was going to scare her off. Or, worse, push her too hard, too fast. He had a whole week of rehearsal to get through before he’d have her to himself again. She’d agreed to go out with him on Saturday to a matinee and dinner before rehearsal. Dating first, then sex, he reminded himself. That was the order of things.

He returned to the stage in time to rehearse with the pirates, Frederic, and the Major-General’s daughters. He glanced backstage as the music began. Amber wasn’t there. Must be off helping Edith. It was better that way. He didn’t want the entire cast to see him busting his pants because he was in such a sorry state of hard-core lust.

Jasmine was working with him and the pirates, having them dance with the Major-General’s daughters, spinning them around, holding hands and tugging them along, moving in circles around them. He was distracted, his mind on Amber, so when Lauren pinched his ass on one go-round, he yelped in surprise.