Curvaceous Heart (11 page)

Slick heat covered her inner thighs.

His lips parted an inch above hers yet he didn’t move.

She
screamed,
the pressure too much to bear yet she had no choice, even as it rippled free about his cock, binding them, shattering them, destroying and recreating them in one ear-piercing scream they both gave life to.

Chapter Eleven

Alan smiled and held the sleeping woman close. They’d all but collapsed after their shared release and now she snuggled against him and slept peacefully.

Would it be best if he let her sleep through the night?

That part he couldn’t be sure about. They both had work the following morning, and she didn’t have any clean clothes here. He’d have to either wake her up shortly, or risk disturbing her by reaching out for the alarm clock and setting that for an early jolt first thing in the morning.

He didn’t have to make the decision immediately though.

Tomorrow there would be enough to worry about.
The
blogger
ring, the men and women behind the leaks, not to mention the Bill that had caused so much trouble for Sue.
It didn’t matter that she had apparently been able to deal the man a hell of a
blow,
he didn’t like the idea of anyone picking on her like that.

It just wasn’t the type of situation he was willing to let her struggle through alone.

He frowned slightly at the thoughts running through his head. How could he be thinking that way? This was one day, one dinner, and a turn in the sack, yet he felt something towards her that was closer to…possession?

No, not that, not quite.
Something deeper, more important and potentially far more dangerous.

Alan closed his eyes and rested back against the pillows. Comfortable, odd that. He’d never slept with someone through the night, or even for a couple of hours.
Strange how at peace he felt holding her like this.

He replayed their night in the back of his mind, every delicious detail. She’d taken control, then stepped back, nervous and uncertain of herself. Had she never taken that role before?

What if he showed her how?

Hope flickered into being.

If she wanted this, needed it the way he did, then he could show her what she would have to learn. It was taking a huge risk, but she was worth it.

* * * * *

Alan blinked and stared at the ceiling in the darkness. Something leaned against him.
No, not something.
Someone.
A warm, soft someone who cuddled against him.

Sue.

Good, she was still here.

Shit, I fell asleep.
God.
What time is it?

He tried to wriggle away from Sue enough so he could take a look at the clock.
Two.
Damnit
, no matter how much he wanted to spend the rest of the night with her, she didn’t have any clothes here.

“Sue.” He whispered against the side of her neck. “Sue, wake up love.”

She mumbled and cuddled in a little further. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up, but he was running out of options.

“Sue, you have to wake up, we’ve got to get you home.”

She shook her head a little and blinked. Long strands of hair caught in her eyelashes for a moment before she brushed them aside. “What?”

“Sue, I’m sorry, but it’s gone two.”

“Shit.” She sat up quickly, reaching for the sheets to pull them about her breasts.

“Please, don’t hide from me.” He caught the edge of the sheet but didn’t pull it down. Even in the darkness he could see her, the outline of her face and the deep shadows across her skin caressing her every move.

“I’m just embarrassed. I had no plans for this to happen between us.
For the night to end up this way.”

His heart sank to the pit of his stomach.

“Oh, you’re regretting what happened tonight. I’m sorry…”

Wonderful.
He’d finally found a woman he could enjoy the time with and she wasn’t happy with him.

“No, it’s not that. I just don’t want you thinking that I’m the sort of woman that jumps into bed with any man that comes along. I’m just not like that.” She rolled out of bed, taking the sheet with her. “I’m not a slut.”

“I never implied you were, Sue.”

“What else could you be thinking about me after the way I acted? I can’t even say it was the drink, I only had the one glass of wine -- no, two, there was that second one with the meal.” She looked around the room. “Shit, my clothes are -- oh God, my stockings are ruined.”

“I’ll buy you some new ones.” He slipped out of bed and reached for his robe. This was not how he had planned on the night ending. He had to do something to smooth things over for her.
Damnit
, the last thing he thought her to be was a slut. She was a good woman, strong, beautiful, courageous, and everything he had ever wanted in a woman.

“No, you don’t need to do that.”

“But I want to, Sue. Just as I want to see you again. I’ll get your clothes for you.” He fastened the robe about his waist and turned back to look at her. “Sue, are you crying?”

“Please, I just want to go home.” She stood there, in the middle of his bedroom, shaking violently. The sheet wrapped about her body, her fingers clutching it tightly. “I think I should get home, Barb will be worried about me and -- and I don’t want to be a bother to you. I can call a cab.”

Hell, what had they done to her? The men she had been with, the ones in her life prior to tonight, had they treated her like a piece of dirt?
A body to fuck then walk
out on?

“I’m not like them, I told you that last night. I won’t just walk out on you, Sue.” He walked back into the main room and picked up her clothing. “I’ll take you home, but I want to see you again.
After work.
Somewhere for coffee, or where you feel safe. But I do want to see you again, more than
tonight,
more than just one brush-off or after-date meet up. I want to see you as often as you feel comfortable. And if we don’t have sex again for weeks, even months, I’ll accept that. Shit, if you never feel comfortable having sex with me again I’ll understand and agree. I won’t like it but I’ll not push you.”

Right, I won’t push -- much. I’m human, for pity’s sake
.

She looked so vulnerable standing there. “I want to believe you.”

“Then at least give me a chance. I didn’t hurt you tonight, did I?” He handed off the clothes back to Sue and turned his back to give her a little privacy. “In fact, I’m pretty sure that I went out of my way to give you control.”

“I know. I guess I’m just a little worried.”

He smiled at the sound of the sheet being dropped to the floor. “Well, I’m guessing that more than a few dates have turned a little sour.”

“Too many to count.”

“Yet, you trusted me last night.”

“Maybe that was a mistake.”

“Maybe it wasn’t.” He didn’t turn around, not even when he heard her zipping the dress back up. “There’s only one way to find out. Besides, we do need to see each other again, even if it’s only to find the ones behind that
blogger
ring. I don’t think you want to let them get away with it.”

For a moment she didn’t reply. But when she did there was a calm acceptance in her voice that hadn’t been there before. “You’re right. I don’t want them to get away with it.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” He tried to keep the desperation from his voice. He had to keep his word, if she wanted to leave, to have nothing more to do with him sexually, he had to accept that.

“Take me home and we’ll meet tonight. Not a dinner date though, coffee. The Starbucks just down the road from your office. A nice, safe, public place.”

Well, it wasn’t a complete brush-off. It would give him a chance to work a few things out in his mind, and maybe discover a way to help regain her trust.
“Sounds good to me.
So will you let me drive you home?”

Chapter Twelve

“What time did you get in last night?” Barb stared up at her from the kitchen table. “I know it was gone one as that’s about the time I crawled into bed. I presumed everything was all right or you’d have called, but I have to admit I was a bit worried about you.”

“I’m sorry, it was pretty late. Things didn’t go exactly the way I planned,” Sue admitted and settled down in the spare chair. “I’m not sure what got into me though.”

“Well from the looks of your hair, I’d say a good man.”

Heat flushed across her face instantly. “Barb!”

“Well, I’m right, aren’t I?” Her friend grinned. “Come on, tell me what happened. Is he good? I mean scream-all-night-and-into-the-morning good?”

“I can’t believe you expect me to go into details.” Sue rubbed the sleep from her eyes, or rather a mix of that and gummy stuff that always appeared when she didn’t get enough sleep.

“No, I don’t. But you can’t blame me for teasing you. You obviously enjoyed his company and that says a lot. But something doesn’t add up; you look as though you’ve been crying half the night.”

“For an hour at least.”
Sleep had come reluctantly once Alan had walked her to the door and made sure she was safe. It hadn’t mattered just how tired she was, or how good her body felt, not even the kiss -- a brief, soft, sensual kiss good night -- had managed to ease her mood. Instead she’d lain on the bed, staring at the ceiling, going over all the mistakes she’d made that night.

Had she made any mistakes? Or was it just her imagination?

He’d enjoyed it, she had,
he
wanted to see her again. So just why had she spent the rest of the night staring at the paintwork?

“Spill
What’s
the problem -- oh shit, he didn’t dump you did he? I’ll kill him!”

“No, it’s not that. I just -- I don’t think I can risk seeing him again on my own. I made such a terrible mistake and I don’t want to repeat it. He wants to meet up after work tonight; can you go with me?”

Meet him and maybe eat him?

Sue almost choked at the deliciously evil thoughts her mind was all too ready to supply.

“Slow down. What sort of mistake?” Barb pushed up from the small table long enough to fill a fresh mug of coffee and place it in front of Sue. “Is he a jerk? Did he take what he wanted and then leave you waiting? Don’t tell me he’s one of those men who rolls over and starts to snore without thinking about you? Fuck. I wouldn’t have put him down as that type.”

“No, he’s a good man, at least from what I’ve seen. If I’d have told him to stop at any point he’d have ended it and not made me feel horrible for changing my mind.” How many men were like that? Not many, from what she’d seen so far. Most grabbed what they could and ran for the door.

“Okay, is he on the make, after money?”

“No, he’s wealthy; the whole son-of-the-boss thing isn’t just a work place advantage. He’s got
a nice
home, decent clothes, good taste in food.” The bed, the couch, the crackling fireplace, she could have stayed there forever.

“Does he have bad breath?”

“No, of course not!”

“Then just what’s the problem?”

“I am. Shit. I jumped right into bed with him.”

Barb frowned, opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, shook her head, and then laughed. “Is that all you’re worried about?”

“Well, he’s going to think that I’m easy.”

“Sue, I’d have jumped into bed with him. I’d still think about it given half the chance, but he’s not interested in me. Even if I was the type to go behind a friend’s back, he’d turn me down.” Barb set her mug down on the table and rubbed her temples. “I know you’re afraid, but after last night you shouldn’t be. There’s nothing wrong in finding someone attractive and going for it with them. You enjoyed it, he did from the look on your face, so what’s wrong with being human and admitting that it was fun?”

Sue shifted in her seat and dropped her gaze to the coffee. “I don’t know. I just -- well, I guess I thought he’d be disgusted when he realized what we did and when he asked to see me again I was shocked.”

Shocked -- that was putting it mildly.

“When are you going to accept that you’re beautiful? Couldn’t you see it in his eyes last night?”

Sue sucked in her bottom lip and chewed on it. He had looked at her as if she were something special. Those small touches to her fingers through dinner, the heated looks, the way he had escorted her out through the restaurant as if he were the luckiest man on the planet. Yet a part of her still didn’t want to believe it had all happened.

“So you think I’m being stupid?”

“I think you’re letting your fears get the better of you.”

Fears.
Such small things yet they wanted to rule her life. “What if he’s like David? I don’t think I could take that again.”

“How will you know if he’s a better man if you don’t take the risk? You made the first step, and second, last night.”

Second, third, and maybe fourth. They hadn’t exactly kept things meek and mild last night. She took a small sip of the drink, cupping the mug back and forth between her hands.

Had he really called her Ma’am?

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just…well…maybe I didn’t make a mistake after all.”

“Only one real way to find out, isn’t there?”

“Yes, I know.” There was no escaping that. It didn’t make sense. She’d never been the type to just jump into bed with someone. And never on a first date, yet with him, with Alan,
it
felt right. “I could give him a call. See if he wants to make that a lunch meeting.”

“Or you could wait until after work and get a few things done. Make sure this isn’t something you’re doing just to try and fit in with the world. I’m not saying that you did anything wrong. Quite the opposite in fact, but if you rush things, change dates around, then you’ll start questioning yourself.”

“Huh? Sorry, I’m not quite sure I understand.” Maybe she just hadn’t had enough sleep.
Or not enough caffeine.

“If you change when you’re meeting him, rush off to spend time with him, you’ll then wonder if you’re doing it because you want to, or because it feels like the thing you’re supposed to do. I don’t know if that makes sense to you.” Barb rested her head on her hands and let her hair fall over her face.
“
Gawd
.
I need some more coffee in my system before I start handing out advice first thing in the morning.”