DrawnTogether (3 page)

Six songs into the concert and Tessa forgot her sister and
brother-in-law stood beside her. Nothing compared to the raw sounds Crush
produced. Audio lust, she called it. Orgasms for her ears. She closed her eyes
and danced, caught up in the chorus of her favorite song.

“Come on. Time to visit the ladies’,” Peri shouted in
Tessa’s ear and grabbed her arm. “I hate having to go to the bathroom during
concerts. Too many people to push through.”

“After this song.” Tessa crooked her brow. Who thought about
going to the restroom during a perfectly fantastic concert? When the last
strains of
Northing Glow
ended, she trailed behind her sister, fully
ready to lose her in the crowd. She glanced at the bar and a flash of black
hair caught her eye.

“Who are you looking at?” Peri shoved in close, mashing
against Tessa and conking their heads. “Dammit. This is why I hate crowds.
Everyone pushes. Are you looking at someone in particular?”

“No.” Tess averted her gaze. The guy she wanted to see
couldn’t possibly be at the concert. He liked jock jams and rap. Tessa rubbed
the tender spot on the side of her head from the collision with her sister.
“Let’s go.”

Peri stepped into the relative silence of the bathroom and
rolled her shoulders. Tessa sidestepped Peri’s gymnastic display and headed to
the mirror. Waves of embarrassment washed over her anew.
I am not falling
for a stupid crush on someone who doesn’t care about me that way.
The
straps of the tunic displayed more of her skin than she wished to show and the
flow of the blouse accentuated her not-so-flat tummy. Bile rose in her throat.
Next time she’d get dressed without her sister’s fashion advice.

“I hear you’ve got yourself a pal at the school. Why didn’t
you tell me?” Peri touched up her gloss, tapping the little brush against her
bottom lip. “Afraid you’d introduce him to the family and he’d bolt?”

Tessa stared at her sister. Everything she’d yearned to be
stared right back at her. Blonde hair, perfect size-C boobs, chocolate-brown
eyes and an attention-grabbing hourglass figure.

“Tess?”

She closed her eyes and turned her back to the mirror.
“Peri.”

Peri stepped in front of Tessa, hands on her hips. “You
don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?”

“When you look at your reflection what do you see?”

Tessa rolled her eyes.

“You see everything you aren’t.” Peri grabbed her shoulders
and turned Tessa back to the mirror. “You’re so beautiful just the way you are.
Yeah, I’ve got blonde hair, but you’ve got such gorgeous, thick hair. Women
would kill to have their hair so naturally dark. And your eyes. I’d love to
have blue eyes. But no. I got Daddy’s brown eyes.”

“Okay. Whatever.”

“Wow, that sounded almost believable.” Peri rested her chin
on Tessa’s shoulder. “If your crush is any kind of real man, then he’s an idiot
if he passes you up. I doubt he will. But if he does, then there’s a whole room
of hunky men out there. Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a very beautiful
woman.”

“Are you getting paid for this?” She knew her sister way too
well. Peri loved a challenge and getting Tessa a date always ranked high on her
to-do list.

“Nope, just righting a wrong. I didn’t try to steal Dennis.
Sometimes I wish you two would’ve worked out, but he makes me happy. You need
to find your own happy.”

A couple of women strolled into the bathroom, preventing a
retort. Tessa stared at herself a moment longer and ran her fingers through her
straightened locks. The deep brown did catch the light well. Maybe the blouse
wasn’t so bad. She bit her bottom lip to suppress the smile. If Graig wasn’t
interested, fine. Plenty of other fine-looking men populated the crowd.

“That’s a smile any man would melt for.” Peri grabbed her
arm. “Come on. The music’s starting.”

Chin held high and shoulders straight, Tessa marched through
the crowd. The first strains of the next Crush song whirled around her and sent
shivers down her spine. What was the saying, “dance like no one was watching”?
So maybe four hundred people were watching…who cared? Tessa threw her hands in
the air and bobbed her head to the beat.

“That’s the ticket,” Peri shouted over the band.

Tessa shook her hips and sang along with the song. Her
troubles melted away as the throbbing bass took over. She closed her eyes and
moved to the music.

Someone behind her bumped her and she jerked her eyes open.
So much for getting into the feeling. When she turned around to see who’d
touched her, the breath ripped from her chest.
Graig.
He stared down at
her, his blue eyes gleaming from the lights on the stage. The shadows
accentuated the dark scruff on his cheeks.

“Dance with me?” He offered his hand and grinned. The dimple
on his cheek deepened.

Give in or give him a shove? What the hell…she’d only live
once. Might as well give him a shot. She twined their fingers and swayed to the
music. His touch, like lightning and silk all in one, rocked her to her core.
Her pussy quivered and her skin tingled. The music. Had to be. Guys didn’t fall
for girls like her. They pretended to then jumped ship.

The song segued into a ballad, rich with a throaty guitar solo.
The crowd coupled off around them. Tessa offered him a wobbly smile then
released his hand.

Instead of allowing her to slink away from him, he snagged
her in his arms and held her in front of him. His breath tickled on her skin.
He sang the words of the song to her in perfect harmony with the vocalist.

Her brain screamed to put distance between them, but her
heart begged to dive right in. She gripped his forearm and rested her head
against his shoulder. The bulge in his jeans slid between her ass cheeks. His
warmth radiated to her.

“I can’t go on feeling like this. Not telling you,” Graig
sang. He stroked her forearm with the tips of his fingers. “I’m on fire for
you.”

When the lead singer Joey Chase sang those words, she
believed him. The same words coming from Graig? Hell, she wanted to jump on him
right there in the crowd. Cream slickened her panties and she licked her lips.
She’d spent too much time using her vibrator. Being in Graig’s embrace affected
her to the core.

“Tessa?” Graig turned her around in his arms. Fire flickered
in his eyes and his lips parted. He threaded one hand behind her head and held
her tight then nipped her bottom lip.

She moaned and gripped the front of his shirt. All the times
she’d fantasized about his kiss, all the times she wondered what he’d taste
like…nothing compared to the real deal. His whiskers abraded her cheeks. His
tongue slid across her mouth, prompting her to open to him. When she did, he
tugged her closer. The heat from his cock matched the fever spreading across
her skin. She slid her hands down his sides to his hips then around to his ass.
The man’s ass had been made for grabbing. Enough for a handful, but not too
much.

She lost herself in his taste—cola, mint and sin. He’d be
the death of her.
Hello, death.

Graig broke the connection, but held her tight in his arms.
His puffed breath feathered over her cheeks. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long
time.”

“You have?” she blurted.

“Ever since I visited VCH the first time.”

“Oh.” What a nugget of information to drop on a girl. Her
knees buckled and she swayed on her feet.

Graig tucked her into the curve of his arm and rested his
cheek on the top of her head. The music continued to play, but she heard none
of it. She continued turning his words over in her mind. If he liked her, then
he’d want to date. If they dated, he deserved to know about her fetish—well,
the whole truth about it anyway. If he hung around, then wonderful. If
not…she’d live.

When the house lights came up and filled the room with
color, Tessa disengaged from Graig. “I came with Peri and Dennis.” Go figure,
her sister and brother-in-law had disappeared, no doubt long before the concert
ended. “And they left me here.” She massaged her forehead with the tips of her
fingers. “Dammit.”

“I don’t know. Maybe it was a sign. We’ve danced around each
other for so long.” He grasped her wrist. “I’m glad. I’ve wanted to see the
sexy woman underneath those long sleeves and skirts. To see if she is the same
carefree woman who made my nights unforgettable.”

Her eyes widened and her cheeks burned. She’d only danced
for one man—one man she knew about. Him. “I hoped you saw me.” The words
tumbled out faster than she could keep them at bay. She knew damn well he’d
watched her.

“You’re hard to ignore.” He touched her cheek, tucking a
lock of her hair behind her ear. “Live a little. With me. Show me more of that
sexy woman you keep buttoned up all day. Dance for me and let me watch you.”

Ah, he liked the fetish. “Lila is out of the picture?”’

“For me she is.” He kissed her again. “I won’t lie. She
dumped me, but hasn’t let go. Doesn’t matter. I’m not interested in her. I want
you.”

Instead of contemplating what she wanted to do, she nodded
once. “Okay.”

“Okay?” He dipped his head to look her in the eye. “Okay
what?”

“Take me home.”

Graig breathed a sigh of relief. First objective met. He’d
kissed her and blown his mind at the same time. Holy hell. Her tiny whimpers
cut through to his heart and melted his defenses. Not that he’d give her much
resistance. The moment he’d walked into the school imprinted on his mind. She
stood in the office amidst the controlled chaos of office workers, students and
other staff. She smiled at him and asked his name. Her eyes sparkled and he
wanted to get to know the sweet woman welcoming him to his new job.

Now she wanted to go home with him. He curled his fingers
under her chin then kissed her again. Just like the first time, she managed to
turn his senses inside out. His cock pushed against the seam in his boxers and
his balls ached. She slid her hands into his back pockets and squeezed. He
loved when she grabbed his butt. Not a timid girl, afraid to touch him. No, she
went for what she wanted.

He’d never get enough of her.

Graig broke the kiss first. “You blow my mind.”

“I try.” She shrugged. “Take me home?”

“Yes.” He kept one arm around her and led her through the
building to the parking lot. When they reached his dented, hunter-green Nissan,
she giggled.

“Are we going to screw around in the backseat of your car
first?”

“Nope.” He escorted her to the passenger side of the car
then opened the door for her. “Sex in a car has its merits, but I don’t want
to.”

“Oh.” She sank down onto the seat.

“I’d rather make love to you on my bed. Or yours.” He waited
for her to tuck her legs into the passenger compartment then closed the door.
He hurried around the trunk then slid onto the driver’s seat. “More room to
play and explore.”

“I see.”

“You do?” He engaged the engine then zipped out of the lot.
The faster they got to the apartment building, the faster he’d be able to taste
her all over.

“I need to feed Mr. Black. He gets cranky if he’s left alone
without food,” Tessa said once they reached the apartments.

“If I didn’t know you so well, I’d think you named your
pussy.” He pulled into the apartment parking lot then stopped in his assigned
spot. “I apologize. Some girls name their parts.” Goddamn it, he needed to shut
his mouth before he said something else completely asinine.

“Mr. Black is protective of me.” She climbed out of his car
faster than he could round the hood to open the door for her. Tessa put her
hand on his chest. “For the record, I’ve never named my girl parts.” She
stepped away from him, putting distance between them.

Shit, shit, shit.
Graig groaned, pressed the fob to
lock his car then jogged after her. “Tessa. I’m sorry. I owe you both an
apology and you a night of hot sex to make up for my lack of tact.”

Tessa ignored him as they rode up to her floor of the
apartment building. When they reached her apartment door, she stuffed her keys
in the lock. Before she opened the door, she faced him. “Here’s the deal.” She
folded her arms. “I like you. You’re funny. Sweet. You make me laugh and
brighten my day when things get rough. I’m not sure us having sex will be a
good thing. We’re great friends. More might be too much.”

“You and I making love will be a very good thing.” He
smoothed the lock of hair behind her ear again. “Promise I’ll make it worth
your while.”

“But we work in the same building. I can live down what I’ve
done, dancing nude in my window. That’s all on me. If you and I have a
relationship, then things at the school will get tough. I’m not sure I want to
go down that road.”

Great. Good enough for a flirt, for sex, but not for
anything else. He suppressed a groan. What the hell? He hadn’t been looking for
long-term either. But he wanted her. He opened her door, tugged the keys from
the lock then walked her backward into the apartment. Before she could protest,
he nudged the door shut with his foot then pinned her between his body and the
wall. “Tessa, I dream about you. Imagine you dancing in my room, for me. I very
much want to go down this road. I don’t want the fantasy. I want you.”

He caged her face in his hands and kissed her, tasting her
sweetness and craving her even more. He nipped her lips, her cheeks and chin,
loving the feel of her silky skin under his mouth. Based on her words, he
expected her to fight him, to push him away. Tessa slid her hands up his chest
and gripped his shirt. She moaned into his mouth and ground her pussy on the
bulge in his jeans. Hell yes. They fit together in so many ways.

Graig kept her in his arms, turned her around and urged her
backward toward the couch. Tessa tumbled longways onto the sofa and grinned.
Her lips parted and a beautiful blush spread across her cheeks. She reached for
him, pulling him atop her. He braced his knees on either side of her legs then
leaned over her. The more he kissed her, the more he wanted to explore her. He
slid his hands under her tunic, gliding his fingers over her belly. Tessa
gasped, sucking her belly in.

“Don’t hide from me, babe.” He moved her shirt out of the
way, exposing her stomach and the lower swell of her breasts within her lacy
bra. Tessa gripped his shirt and met him kiss for kiss.

“So pretty.” Graig nuzzled his way from her neck to her
stomach. He guided one hand under her waistband and popped the button. He
inched off the couch then tugged her jeans down her legs. The sight made his
mouth water. The scent of her arousal, musky and flowery, wafted around him.
Her cream-soaked panties pressed to her pussy. He breathed her in, suppressing
the groan.

Graig whipped his shirt up over his head then tossed the
garment out of sight. He eased her legs apart and licked his way up her leg to
her inner thigh. He stopped short of her pussy then switched to her other leg.

Beneath him, Tessa writhed. She threaded her fingers through
his hair. “Make love to me.”

“You bet,” he replied then eased her panties to the side,
exposing her glittering labia. “Nice and wet for me. So sexy.” He spread her
cunt with one hand, giving himself better access to her sweetness. She arched
her back and rocked into his mouth. He’d never get enough of her. Her groans
turned his senses inside out. He moved her shirt up out of the way and palmed
her breast.

Graig slipped one finger into her cunt and pumped, meeting
her thrust for thrust. When she tugged his hair, he delved his tongue farther
into her. He added another finger and spread her open.

“God.” She whimpered and rocked her body. A fine sheen of
perspiration glittered on her skin. Her nipples beaded beneath her bra. He
tweaked her nipple, pinching and caressing her heated flesh. At the same time,
he sucked hard on her clit.

Tessa groaned and trembled. She clamped down on his left
hand’s fingers and panted. Her juices slickened his way and coated his hand.
When she cried out his name, she pushed him out of her body. More cream slid
from her cunt.

A squirter? “Hot damn,” he murmured. “That is so sexy. Every
time?”

“Most of the time.” She nodded. “Can be messy.”

He loved seeing her come apart on his hand. Loved when she
embraced her uniqueness. Besides, she tasted like sin and he wanted another
helping of her.

Tessa sagged against the couch cushions. She let go of his
hair and touched his cheek. “Sorry.”

“For what?” Graig stretched out beside her on the couch.
“That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.” He wiped his chin then sucked on
the fingers he’d used on her. “Tastes so sweet.”

Graig ground his cock against her bare thigh. After watching
her climax, he couldn’t wait to sink into her pussy, balls-deep. He stood and
shucked everything below the waist then picked the condom up from his wallet.
Tessa watched him from under heavy-lidded eyes and took the rubber from his
hands. She sheathed his aching cock once he was back on top of her then guided
him into her relaxed body.

“Oh fuck.” From his head to his toes, he shivered. One
sexual encounter couldn’t mean much, but if love at first fuck could
happen—he’d believe it. He moved his hips, slowly and deliberately to touch
every inch of her. Part of him wished to ditch the condom. The rest of him knew
the truth—keep her safe. Her tight heat redirected his thoughts. Tingles
bounced around his chest, and his balls ached. He braced himself on his hands
and knees and stared into her eyes as he pushed into her. The green flecks
sparkled in her blue eyes and for a moment, he saw straight to her soul.

Tessa grabbed his ass, spurring him on. She arched beneath
him and her lips parted.

“So good.” Graig clenched his teeth and pistoned his hips.
His legs trembled and his heart pounded. He’d never be able to last. “Fuck,” he
panted and emptied his cum deep in the condom.

Graig gasped for breath and collapsed on her. He arranged
his arms and legs enough not to squish her. “We need to do that again.”

“Yeah?” She trailed her fingers over his temple. “I’m that
addicting?”

“I want to make love to you a couple hundred times. You’ll
wear me out, woman, and I accept the challenge.” He pulled out of her and
settled back on his side. “I still want to see you dance.”

“Then stay with me tonight,” she murmured.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Oh boy, had she asked. She’d opened the biggest can of worms
out there. Tessa patted his arm. “Come with me.” She stood, once he moved off
the sofa then led him to her bedroom. Her legs still wobbled from the session
on the couch. Her heart thrummed and she worked her hardest to keep her
excitement in check. They’d made love in her living room. She hadn’t invited a
man to her bedroom in a long time.

“Make yourself at home.” She opened the door to her most
sacred space then scooted out of the way. She smoothed her shirt into place
then hurried back into the living room. There she locked her apartment door
then scooped their clothing into her arms. Never let it be said she was a slob.

“Black? Mr. Black? Where are you?” She patted her thigh to
call the cat then strolled back into the bedroom. Instead of the cat trotting
beside her, he lay sprawled on the bed beside Graig, who had already snuggled
under the covers. She stopped short in the doorway. Both looked so comfortable,
so right where they belonged.

Graig flipped the blankets back and patted the mattress. “He
invited me.”

“He does that when he likes someone.” She tossed the clothes
onto the floor then slid into bed beside Graig. “Usually he hates people, but
when he finds someone he loves, he’ll love you forever.”

“How about you?” Graig inched closer to her. “I’m hoping
you’re not second-guessing what we did. I don’t. Not a bit.” He propped himself
up on his arm and rested his head on his hand. The cat strolled up between them
and curled up.

“He’s also really good at interrupting.” Tessa stroked Mr.
Black’s fur. “Graig, I’m scared. We do have a good friendship. You know more
about me than most, but we’ve gone to a place we probably can’t return from.”

“I’m okay with it.” He reached over the cat and stroked her
arm. “I’ve wanted to make a move for so long.”

Mr. Black lifted his head, sniffed then stood and strode off
the bed.

“What’d I do?” Graig grinned.

“He’s finicky.” The answer worked for the moment. What had
Graig done? Smashed the walls around her heart and made her feel something
other than platonic feelings. She opened her palm on his chest. His heart beat
under her hand and fires burned in his eyes. Maybe it wasn’t love—not yet, but
she wanted another night with him.

Graig bridged the gap between them. Breasts-to-chest and
mons-to-groin. He tangled their legs and smoothed a lock of her hair between
his fingers. “You look like you’re a million miles away. Either I’m shit in the
sack or something is bothering you. Talk to me. I’m still the same guy who will
listen as long as you want me to.”

She sighed. “I don’t want this to end. Whatever this is
between us. It’s hot, sexy and easy. You get me. I don’t want to lose that.”

“You won’t.” He slid his arm under her head and cuddled her
to his chest. “I’m yours, babe. All yours.” He kissed the top of her head. “Not
going anywhere.”

“Are we going to tell the students? Or keep it quiet? Peri
and Den probably guessed.” She scraped her fingernail over his nipple.

“I’m not worried about telling anyone. Far as I see, we do
our own thing. If people find out, they find out.” He rolled her onto his chest
and stared into her eyes. “You’re the one who matters. If you’re happy, then
I’m better than good. I forgot to tell you, but I pulled the paperwork for my
transfer. I’m not going anywhere. I’m all yours.”

Totally hers? Crazy. Tessa sat up, whipped her tunic over
her head, unhooked her bra, and then tossed the garments onto the floor. She
finger-combed her hair. “Make love to me.”

“Anytime.” Graig palmed her breasts, pinching her nipples
through the soft fabric of her bra.

She situated his cock to thrum against her clit and wriggled
on his lap.

“Babe, you’re beautiful.”

“You’ve mentioned that.” She sighed and licked her lips. The
man seared her to the bone and the raw desire in his eyes fascinated her. No
one looked at her with such intensity. She tipped her head back. She loved
breast play—the rougher, the better. Clips, pinches, one day she wanted to try
a piercing. One day. When he plucked her nipples, the twinge of pain blossomed
into a fresh rush of pleasure.

“You like that?” His short question rocked her to her core.

“Very much so.”

“Sexy as hell.” Graig sat up with her still nestled over his
cock. “Want to be inside you. Got any condoms?”

“Nightstand. Second drawer.” She wrapped her arms around his
neck and rested her forehead on his. “Don’t like to be caught off guard.”

“I love a prepared woman. So fucking hot.” He turned enough
to fumble through her nightstand for the box of rubbers. Tessa unwound from him
and nudged him to the bed. She leaned forward enough to grab one of the
condoms. At the same time, her position granted him access to her breasts. He
sucked on one of her nipples, scraping his teeth over her sensitive skin. The
moan bubbled in her throat and she ground her hips. She crinkled the foil
packet in her hand.