Friends With Benefits (9 page)

He couldn’t get her close enough, wanted to be inside her, wanted to not just taste her but devour her. He panted as he lifted his mouth and tilted his head for a deeper angle and kissed her again with all the pent-up frustration he’d felt over the last few weeks.

He pushed the tiny straps of her dress off her shoulders with his fingertips, laid a soft lingering kiss there and breathed in the scent of her.

“God, you smell good,” he whispered. “What is that?”

“Ylang-ylang.” Her fingers dug into his shoulders.

What? Never mind. His hands slid lower, over the silky black fabric covering her breasts, and the soft flesh filled his hands with such perfection all the air rushed out of his lungs.

She moaned, breasts swelling into his hands, and her intense response made him ache to have her. He gently, slowly, pushed the fabric aside, baring her breasts, and his heart stopped as he looked down at her. God, she was beautiful.

He was so hard it hurt, so overcome with the incredible reality of holding her in his arms, touching her like this, he almost came. He buried his face against her, gulping for air, whole body tense.

Her arms slid around him and held him tightly against her while they both struggled to breath.

“This is insane,” Kerri gasped. He inhaled deeply against her skin, drawing in her delicious scent.

“I know.” Eyes closed, he focused on breathing and control. His body vibrated with blistering need and excitement. She trembled against him, and his fingers tightened on her breasts. Stiff little nipples rubbed against his palms and fire burned in his belly, heat sizzled over his skin.

“I’m not taking the blame for this one,” he finally said in a strangled voice. “You want this too.”

“No.”

He drew back, anger rising in him again.

“Yes, you do. Admit it, Kerri. I can feel you respond to me.”

She gazed back at him, her brows drawn down, lips trembling.

“Tell me,” he ground out.

“Yes.” Her eyes fell closed. “Okay, yes, dammit! I want you too. It’s crazy but I can’t help it.”

Thank Christ.

“Then there’s no problem,” he murmured, lowering his face to her hair. He kissed the silky strands, rubbed his face against them and inhaled again, loving the spicy floral scent of her hair.

“Yes, there is a problem.” Her voice wobbled. “There’s a freaking huge problem. What about our friendship?”

“I’m feeling very friendly right now,” he assured her, face still buried in her hair, hands still stroking her soft lushness.

“Oh God, I can’t believe this is happening.”

His hands stilled. He wanted to push the dress all the way off her body and feel her skin, see her. But he didn’t want to go too far, too fast. He didn’t want to be the bad guy here. Again. He lifted his head and very carefully drew the little straps of her dress back onto her shoulders.

She stood there in his arms, teeth sunk into her swollen bottom lip, eyes huge and smoky blue. She looked so incredibly sexy it took every ounce of restraint he possessed to lean away from her.

“I guess we should talk.” Talking about feelings was not his favorite thing to
do—especially with a raging hard-on—but seemed necessary.

Kerri appeared to be having some trouble breathing, her high, round breasts rising and falling quickly, enticingly, under her dress.

“I guess so,” she whispered. “But not here.”

“Okay.” He waited.

“My place. After the party.”

“How’d you get here?”

“I got a ride with Sela and Doug.”

“I’ll drive you home, then.”

She nodded, still staring up at him with unfocused, dilated eyes. He smoothed her dress over her waist and hips, stepped back and picked up her shoes. He handed them to her, walked with her out of the room. At the door, they paused and she held his arm while she lifted one foot to put on her shoe, then the other. Then, smoothing her hair back, she sucked in a deep breath and they returned to the party.

Kerri’s mind buzzed, a churning jumble of confusion. She pasted a smile on as she talked to her guests, said good night to those who were leaving. When the last person had left, she and Sela gave each other a weary high-five.

“Awesome party, Sela,” she told her sister. “You did a great job.”

“Thanks. You made quite an impression tonight. All my customers were asking about you. I think you can expect some new clients.”

“Oh. Wow. That’s great.” Sela was complimenting her? Holy crap.

Then Kerri remembered Mitch was waiting for her, and she couldn’t get out of there fast enough. “I’ll talk to you more tomorrow.”

Mitch waited for her at the front door and put his arm on the small of her back as they walked to his vehicle. Warmth radiated from his fingers through her body.

“I walked in on your parents,” Mitch told her as they drove to her place. “They were getting busy in your office.”

“Huh?” Her mind twirled with thoughts of Mitch’s hands on her breasts and his mouth on hers, her body tingled, and she had no clue what he was talking about.

He grinned. “They were kissing. Pretty hot too, for an old couple. I walked in on them, but luckily they didn’t see me.”

“Oh lord.”

He laughed. “Hey, it’s a good thing. Your parents are amazing. I can’t believe they’re still doing that after forty years.”

“Yeah. I guess.” Mitch was right, it was better that than the alternative.

That only diverted her temporarily, however, from the kiss she and Mitch had shared. Excitement clutched at her stomach and her head spun as they drove to her place. What on earth was happening here? This was so crazy.

“I don’t want to talk,” she breathed, moving toward him.

“Oh, thank Christ.” He scooped her up and carried her down the hall.

Once in her bedroom, he let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor. She stepped out of her shoes, wound her arms around his neck and kissed him.

His mouth was firm at first, then opened for her and he kissed her back, open-mouthed, deeply, wetly. His hands came to her waist, and then they were all over each other, going at each other with long, desperate kisses.

She tugged on his tie until it came loose then went to work on the buttons of his shirt. Heat radiated off him, his shirt damp and warm beneath her hands. She bent and pressed her open mouth to his chest as she bared it.

She’d seen his chest before, of course. Many times. And in fact, she’d admired it. Smooth, broad muscles tapered down to his six pack abs. But now…she was seeing it in a whole new way, now she got to touch it, kiss it, inhale it, as she pressed her mouth there.

He drew in a sharp, audible breath as she kissed and licked her way lower, hands tugging his shirt out of his pants. She undid the buckle of his belt, loosened it and opened the fastener at top of the zipper. His hands covered hers and stopped her.

She glanced up at him, biting her lip. “What? Is this…weird?”

“Weird? No, I definitely wouldn’t say weird.”

“I just mean because we’ve known each other so long…”

He smiled, his eyes so hot they scorched her. “Not weird at all,” he said softly. “I just want to slow down a little.”

She smiled back. His palms skimmed over her shoulders, sending hot shivers through her, and he pushed the straps of her dress down over her arms, further and further until the bodice of the dress dropped to her waist. Breasts bared, nipples tight and tingling, she watched his face as he looked at her, and so badly wanted him to like what he saw. And then…she knew he did, as his eyes darkened, his jaw tightened and his hands came up to gently cup her breasts.

“God, Kerri, you’re gorgeous,” he said hoarsely. A small moan escaped her.

His palms rubbed over her nipples, and she shuddered under his touch, pleasure cascading over her. Her lower tummy was a hot ache of desire, warm liquid need pulsing between her legs, and her inner muscles clenched hard with yearning.

He kissed her again, a slow meeting of their mouths, and his tongue brushed her bottom lip as the kiss ended. Heat trickled through her. She drew back and their eyes met again. Eyelids heavy, her eyes drifted shut as she leaned into him for another kiss. She needed more, more of him—his mouth, his tongue, his touch. He licked her again, licked into her mouth, and she opened wider for him, sucked on him.

Her dress crumpled around her waist and she pushed the sides of his shirt apart, then wound her arms around his neck and pressed her aching breasts against his hard chest, skin to scorching skin. His arms tightened around her and the kiss grew hotter. Frantic whimpers of pleasure and panting breaths filled the quiet room.

He gently stroked up her bare back, took her face in his hands and held her while he lifted his mouth from hers, changed the angle, then took her mouth again in a searing kiss. God, they were both going to go up in flames. His fingers burned her face, his shoulders and neck almost feverish to her touch.

He leaned his forehead on hers, panting for breath. “Jesus,” he gasped. She put her hands over his, still on her face, and they stood like that for long, throbbing moments. Her heart raced with a frantic beat and every nerve ending jumped and quivered with urgent need.

He clicked on the lamp beside the bed and she met his eyes as she shimmied her dress over her hips and let it fall to the floor in a small black puddle of silk. Lacy black tanga panties fluttered over her hips and cheeks, barely covering anything.

She looked at him and he watched her intently as she shed her dress, his eyes warm with appreciation. A thrill zapped through her that she pleased him.

He stripped his shirt off his shoulders, tossed it aside, and the sight of his naked torso forced all the air out of her lungs. God, he was beautiful. He toed out of his dress shoes, then unzipped his pants with an efficient tug, and shed socks along with the pants. He stood there in snug black boxer briefs barely containing his massive erection and Kerri studied him with admiration.

Now this was Mitch as she’d never seen him. He was a gorgeous guy, but she’d never given the size of his package much thought before. Now…wow. Her mouth actually watered. She wanted to see all of him. She wanted to taste him.

She crossed the short distance between them to stroke her hands down his smooth chest and abdomen, his lean hips, the bones square and strong under her hands. She tipped her head back to look at him.

“Are you sure, Kerri?” he asked softly. “I don’t want you to be mad at me for pushing you into doing something you don’t want to.”

“I’m sure.” She met his eyes. Their gazes held, the air thick and hot and heavy around them, and she swallowed. “I am
so
sure. If we don’t do this, I’m going to die.”

“God, me too.” He picked her up and deposited her on the bed. He came down beside her, his heavy weight tipping the mattress so she rolled into him. She flung one leg over his hip, arched her pelvis into him, only thin layers of cotton and lace between them. She grabbed the thick muscles of his upper arm with one hand, slid the other under him, so she could get closer.

But even as he took her mouth again, he pushed her away, onto her back on the mattress. He left her mouth and nibbled his way down her neck to her shoulder, then lower. Her breasts lifted, full and tight, in anticipation of his touch. He kissed her clavicle, the top of one breast, and then the other.

She moaned in helpless excitement, and when he finally licked one nipple, sweet hot pleasure rushed through her. He slowly licked again with a hot, velvet tongue and she whimpered. Then his mouth closed over her and it was exquisite, astonishingly beautiful. When he sucked and tugged on her sensitive flesh, her eyes rolled back in her head, pulls of ecstasy shooting from nipple to womb.

“You taste so sweet,” he muttered. “Such pretty breasts.”

Again, she arched against him, hips lifting, pleading, inviting, as he sucked and pulled on her tender nipples. He cupped her breasts, lifting her nipples to his mouth, one, then the other, and she thought she might die from the pleasure. Her head rolled back and forth on the mattress, mindless with rapture.

He pressed his mouth between her breasts, then lower across her tummy, sending more shivers of delight through her.

“Tell me again what that fragrance is.” His nose rested below her belly button and he inhaled deeply.

“Ylang-ylang. It’s the flower of the…um…cananga tree.” She could barely speak as his mouth slid lower. “In Indonesia, ylang-ylang flowers are spread on the bed of newlywed couples. It’s…” He pressed a kiss onto her hip bone just above the black lace. “It’s an…” He hooked his fingers into the panties and tugged them down. “…an aphrodisiac. Oh!” She lifted her hips and he whisked her panties over her legs and off.

Hot, hard hands pushed her thighs apart as he moved over her.

“God, I want to taste you,” he muttered, voice thick, and her tummy flip-flopped at his words. Her thighs quivered and she ached there, knew she was wet for him.

His fingers parted her folds and stroked through and yes, she was wet, so wet.

For a moment she couldn’t believe this was happening. This was
Mitch
touching her like this, so intimately, so arousingly. She should be uncomfortable, embarrassed…but all she was was unbearably excited. She let herself go, breathing a sigh of relief at finally giving in to the sexual tension she could now admit had been building between her and Mitch for weeks. She floated on a cloud of erotic sensation as he licked her, kissed her swollen folds, then found her clit and sucked softly.

She cried out, fisted her hands in the duvet they were still laying atop, head twisting from side to side as pleasure built and spiraled inside her.

“Oh, that’s so good.”

He found the exact spot she needed him to stroke and he pressed his tongue and lips expertly against her as he took her higher, flying, exploding in a shower of glitter and brilliant light, exquisite pleasure tearing through her in a blinding orgasm.

Kerri still trembled moments later as Mitch moved up beside her on the bed. Her eyes were closed as he leaned over and kissed her mouth, and she barely kissed him back. Her shaking hands came up to clutch his biceps and her mouth opened then closed.

He marveled at her responsiveness, her incredible sensitivity, how hard she’d come in his mouth. Masculine pride, along with awe, appreciation and gratification at his incredible good fortune of having her—finally—swelled inside him.

Since the day he’d kissed her after helping her move to her new studio, she’d been in his thoughts and fantasies constantly. It had driven him crazy as he fought against the feelings he was having for her, wild with wanting her, infuriated that he could even think such things. His erotic dreams, full of images of kissing her, touching her, tasting her, turned into sweaty, gut-twisting nightmares of her with all those other guys she’d been dating.

“Are you okay?” He smoothed her hair off her face. She turned her head into his hand and kissed his palm and his hand stilled there. His heart lurched to a stop in his chest. Jesus. He was done.

“No,” she murmured. “I think I’m unconscious.”

He smiled, then frowned. He needed his wallet. He rolled off her and onto the floor, dragged his wrinkled pants over and fumbled in the pocket until he found what he needed.

When he returned to her she looked at him questioningly and he held up the little package.

“Oh.” She gave a small smile. He ripped it open and rolled the condom onto his throbbing cock, fumbling a bit in his high excitement.

He tried to swallow through an obstruction in his throat, his face hot. He moved between her legs, nudged her thighs apart with his knee, held his weight off her on his elbows, and paused.

“Yes,” she whispered. Her hands came up to clutch his body, slid down his sides to his hips and pulled him forward. She took him in one hand and stroked him, pulling down. He swelled uncontrollably, painfully. She shifted her hips and raised her knees, directing the head of his penis into her soft, wet heat.

He nudged into the warm, wet velvet of her sex. Tight and hot around his cock, she squeezed him inside her, pulling him in with her muscles. Jesus! How did she do that? The sensations were incredibly erotic, pleasure slamming from his groin to his toes, making him feel weak yet powerful, hard yet soft.

“All the way,” she urged him, tipping her hips even more, hands on his ass, pulling him into her. “I want you inside me. All of you.”

Her words inflamed him, scorched away his self-control, and he thrust into her hard, filling her all the way, the head of his shaft pressing against her womb and she shuddered beneath him, still urging him on with hands and inner muscles and whimpered pleas.

They came together as if they had wanted this, waited for this, forever. It felt right. It felt perfect.

He paused a moment, struggling for breath and control, his balls tight. He looked down at her and she opened her eyes at that exact moment. Satisfaction and pleasure darkened her blue eyes and her gaze caught his and trapped it. The moment seemed to freeze in time.

The pressure at the base of his spine exploded. He drew out and thrust in, again and again, lost, frantic, his urgent hunger for her desperately seeking satiety. Her eyes fell closed again, and he hid his face in her fragrant neck as he buried himself in her again and again, feeling the bite of her nails on his shoulders as she clutched him.

Pleasure roared through him and he poured himself into her, hot, reckless, groaning against her neck as he pulsed through an intense orgasm.

When the draining shudders ended, he carefully lowered himself onto her, taking some weight on his elbows so as not to crush her. Her hands moved over his back, damp with sweat. “God, Kerri,” was all he could say. She’d blown his fucking mind.

“Mmmm.”

They lay together, silent but for rasping breaths and pounding hearts. Then he turned his face to her neck and pressed a kiss to the soft skin there, breathing in her warm scent.

He rolled to his back, taking her with him, wanting to stay inside her. He was still semi-hard despite the heart-stopping orgasm he had just experienced. Christ, he felt like he’d been run over by a truck, yet he wanted more.

Kerri snuggled against him, her face on his chest, and he tightened his arms around her. A moment later her breathing slowed and, lifting his head, he could see she was asleep. He smiled wryly. Girls weren’t supposed to fall asleep after sex.

He stroked her hair, enjoying the feel of her body against his, her smooth legs twined with his, her silky hair, her warm breath on his chest. Oh man. Why had they waited so long?

He let out a long slow breath, his gut clenching in realization of what they’d done. Not that he regretted it. God, that had been the best sex of his life.

But now what was going to happen to them?