Longing for Love (6 page)

Caressing her back, he worked his way down to firm buttocks while urging her legs apart with his knees.

“Hmm,” she muttered. “What’re you up to?”

“About nine inches.”

Tiffany laughed softly against his chest. “You ought to come with a warning label.”

“Is that so?” He nudged at her with the tip of his engorged erection.

Tiffany groaned. “I don’t know if I can do it again. I’m a little sore. It’s been a while for me.”

“We’ll take it slow,” he said, keeping up the persistent thrusting.

“That’s what you said last time.”

“Then you take charge.” He released his hold on her bottom. “You decide how fast or slow we go.”

“I
can’t
.”

His fingers journeyed between them to coax her. “Are you
sure
you can’t?” As much as it cost him, he stayed still, even though he ached with need for her.
 

Tiffany propped herself up with her hands on his chest.

When Blaine realized she was going to try, he smiled at the determination he saw on her face. He rewarded her by continuing to caress between her legs.
 

She straddled him and took him in slowly, so slowly that Blaine had to grit his teeth to keep from exploding too soon.
 

He looked down to where their bodies were connected, and quickly had to look away from the erotic sight of her spread legs, the thatch of dark hair at the juncture of her thighs and the working of her muscles as she eased herself down on him. Blaine moved his hands from her hips to her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers.

Tiffany tossed her head back as her tight channel gave way and admitted him. The brush of her private hair against his belly was one of the sexiest things he’d ever experienced. And then she moved her hips and took him straight to heaven.

“That’s it, baby.” He took hold of her hands. “Ride me.”

Her lips parted in an expression of amazement and concentration that tugged at his heart. She moved up and down, her wetness easing the way for both of them. Blaine stayed still and let her set the pace, and oh, what a pace it was! She’d gone from reluctant to enthusiastic in a matter of minutes. He rested his hands on her thighs, reveling in the smoothest skin he’d ever encountered. When he sensed her beginning to tire, he stopped her, sat up against the pile of pillows and raised his knees behind her, urging her to recline against his legs. He smoothed his hands up over her belly to cup her breasts before sending one hand back down to play with the pulsating bundle of nerves between her legs. Using his own legs, he guided her up and down in a more relaxed but no less satisfying movement.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Full. Very,
very
full.”

“Does it feel good, though?”

“Mmm, so good. I never knew…” He released her so she came back down on him swiftly.

“Knew what?”

Tiffany exhaled sharply from the impact. “That it could be like this.”

“I didn’t know, either.”

Her eyes widened with surprise at his admission.
 

“I suspected it might be this way with you.” He sat all the way up, arranged her legs around his waist and wrapped his arms around her. The new position put all their most important parts into close contact. Blaine ran his tongue over her lips and once again sent his fingers into the moistness between her legs, hoping to draw one more orgasm from her.

She kissed him deeply, her tongue rubbing against his, her breasts pressed tight to his chest. He felt the now-familiar signs of her impending climax in the quivering of her thighs and the tightening of her inner muscles. She tore her lips free and let go with a cry of completion that tripped his explosive finish.
 

Blaine was definitely spending the night.

Tiffany skipped into work the next day with far more energy than she should’ve had after the all-but-sleepless night with Blaine. They’d hardly said a word to each other, but who needed conversation when the sex was so amazing? For the first time since Jim left her, Tiffany felt hopeful about a future that didn’t include him. She was under no illusions it would include Blaine, either. Perhaps theirs would be a summer fling, a pleasurable interlude until they both moved on to more serious relationships.
 

Tiffany didn’t care if he never said more than “spread your legs” to her. The last thing she needed was another big entanglement after having just gotten free of Jim. Some mindless sex was the perfect way to repair her self-esteem and provide a distraction while she got the business launched.

Whistling as she worked, Tiffany put the OPEN flag outside and waved at a few passing motorists who beeped at her on their way by. Today she wore one of the flirty, romantic, low-cut summer sundresses she carried in the store. Because Blaine had kept her in bed until late morning, she’d had no choice but to leave her hair curly and unruly. He said he liked it that way, and who was she to argue with a hot guy who seemed to like her with wild hair, no makeup and who left her with a sore but pleasant ache between her legs.

The bells on the front door jingled, and Tiffany looked up to find her assistant Patty reporting for duty. Tiffany sure hoped business picked up soon so she could keep the earnest young woman on the payroll. As usual, Tiffany itched to get her hands on Patty’s stringy hair and dumpy clothes. The girl was a fashion disaster of the highest order, but she was also a hard worker.

“You’re awfully cheerful today,” Patty said.

“It’s a gorgeous day, and I get to come to my gorgeous little shop for work. What could be better than that?”

“Um, maybe a few customers?”

“Now, now, no pessimism allowed in this store. If we keep a positive attitude, good things will come our way.”

“Have you been reading self-help books again?”

“Maybe. There’s some really good advice in there. You might want to take a look yourself.”

“Myself doesn’t need any help, thank you very much.”

Tiffany tried to decide if she dared. “Your hair could use some help,” she blurted before she lost her nerve.

Patty ran a self-conscious hand over her mousy brown hair, and Tiffany immediately felt like a jerk for mentioning it. “What’s wrong with my hair?”

“Nothing. Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’d never want to hurt your feelings.”

“You can’t take it back now! What were you going to say?”

“It’s just that, with a little effort, you could be a knockout.”

Patty’s blue eyes widened. Tiffany was itching to get some shadow on those lackluster lids. Under her deft hand, those eyes would dazzle. “You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“I don’t know anything about hair or makeup or clothes. My mother died when I was really young. It was just me and my dad, so I never learned that stuff. My friends were all like me.”

Tiffany slipped an arm around the younger woman’s slim shoulders. “You wanna be a knockout?”

“Would that get me a boyfriend?” Patty’s wistful tone tugged at Tiffany’s heart. “I’ve never had one, and I’ve always wanted one.”

“How about this: if I make you over and you don’t get a boyfriend out of it, I’ll work weekends for a month.”

“And if I do get a boyfriend?”

“You get weekend duty.”

Patty thought about that for about ten seconds before she extended her hand to Tiffany. “Deal.”

“Step into my office.”

Since they had no customers that morning, Tiffany put her year of cosmetology school to good use in the shop’s back room. First, she cut six inches off Patty’s hair and then added in layers and bangs that framed her cute face. Keeping Patty’s back to the mirror, Tiffany next applied a subtle but effective layer of makeup that totally changed the younger woman’s appearance. It made her look older and more sophisticated. No one would ever look at her now and think dumpy or boring. Pleased with her handiwork, Tiffany instructed her assistant to stay put while she rummaged through the racks out front for the dress she wanted to try on Patty.

Taking it to the back room, she directed Patty into the changing room with orders to keep her eyes closed so she could get the full effect all at once. Tiffany waited anxiously for her to emerge. A minute later, Patty drew the curtain aside and stepped out. Her shoulders were hunched, and her fingers clutched the skirt. Their next lesson would be about body language and projecting confidence.

“Stand up straight,” Tiffany said, making a full circle around the other woman. “Well, glory be! You have breasts!”

Patty blushed from her chin to the roots of her hair. “So?”

“That bra is all wrong. I’ve got just the thing. Wait right there.” She returned a minute later with one of the best push-up bras money could buy. “Thirty-four C, right?”

Patty glanced at her, astounded. “How did you know that?”

“Since breasts are gonna be my business, I figured I’d better study up.”

“How does one study for such a thing?”

“You’d be surprised,” Tiffany said, nudging her back into the changing room. “Don’t look in those mirrors.”

“I won’t.” This time when she emerged, Tiffany could see right away that she’d been spot-on with the bra. It made all the difference, and, judging from the cleavage she was now displaying, Patty would have more boyfriends than she could handle.
 

“Almost perfect,” Tiffany said.

“What’s wrong? What does it need now?”

Tiffany released the top two buttons on the dress to show off more of Patty’s ample breasts. “Now it’s perfect.”

“Can I look yet?”

“You sure can.”

Patty spun around and let out a shriek when she got her first view of Tiffany’s handiwork. “Oh!
Oh my God!
Is that really me?” She ran her hands over her hair and face, as if she were touching a stranger. Then she turned and hurled herself into Tiffany’s arms. “I don’t know what you did, but you’re some kind of magician or something.”

Laughing, Tiffany returned her hug. “I took your own natural assets and made the most of them. You have a gorgeous face, gorgeous eyes and gorgeous breasts. Time to show them all off.”

Patty released her and spun around for a second look. “No one will believe this is really me.”

“It’s still you, just a new-and-improved version.”

“I’ll definitely get a boyfriend now!”

“I have no doubt.”

“Thank you, Tiffany.” Patty’s eyes were shiny with tears. “This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“It was my pleasure.” And it had helped to kill a too-quiet morning in the store, Tiffany thought but didn’t say.

The bells on the front door jingled, and the two women exchanged glances. A customer?
 

Tiffany smoothed her hair and went out front to find Blaine skimming his fingers over one of the lace teddies. Watching his fingers move and remembering what he’d done to her with them made her entire body hot with longing. He looked up, their eyes met, and Tiffany’s mouth went dry from the heat that blazed between them.

She cleared her throat. “Patty,” she said. “Take a break. Take a nice long break.”

After Patty scooted out the front door, Tiffany took a calming breath and turned to Blaine. “What brings you in here?”

Silk spilled through his fingers as he examined a floral robe. Why was it that everything this guy did screamed
sex
? Or maybe that was the effect he had on her. She could only hope he didn’t have the same overwhelming effect on every woman he encountered.
 

Since he wasn’t working until later, he wore brown leather flip-flops and cargo shorts with a white T-shirt that offset his deep tan. It was official: he was equally sexy out of uniform.

“I was curious.” He gave each item of clothing he looked at the same undivided attention he’d given her the night before. “And, if I’m not too late, I’d love to be your first customer.”

“Unfortunately, you’re not too late.”

His eyes took a long perusing journey from her face to her breasts where he lingered. “Business will pick up.”

Her nipples tightened, and she turned away from him. “I hope you’re right.” She refolded a stack of camisoles, just to have something to do with her hands. “Is there something in particular I can show you?” she asked, glancing at him.

His grin was nothing short of predatory.

“Anything
in the store
, that is.”

“I have this friend,” he said. “About your height and size. I’d like to get something for her. Something
special
.”

Playing along, Tiffany said, “Is she a new friend or an old friend?”

“Newish.”

“So you don’t want anything too racy.”

“On the contrary. The racier the better.”

Is it hot in here or is it me?
Tiffany sifted through the racks until she found the lacy black bustier with matching thong panties that were among her favorite items in the store. Pink satin ribbons ran through the ensemble, which was sheer in all the most important places. “I’m somewhat partial to this myself, but your friend may have different taste.”