The Rules (13 page)

“Lemme see.” Gavin swiped backward to get to chapter one and read the first few paragraphs. “You’re right, this is good. Caught my attention right away,” he murmured, eyes glued to the screen.

Terri watched his profile—the faux hawk haircut, the downcast eyes, the barely-there stubble on his jaw. She felt rather relaxed with him. “We can start over if you want.”

“But you’ve already read this part.” His eyes shot to hers.

“It’s okay. I’m only a few chapters in.”

“Are you sure?” He frowned.

Rich. Handsome. Considerate. Gavin Johnson wasn’t so spoiled after all.

“I’m sure,” she replied.

He pulled her closer. “You comfortable?” His fingers played with the shell of her ear.

“Yes. You?” Heat seeped into her limbs, but not the heat of desire. The heat of comfort, relaxation, and contentment.

“Yeah.” Their eyes lingered on each other. “More comfortable than I’ve been in a while.”

His fingers delved into her hair and the tips massaged her scalp, and a random, crazy thought entered her head. She never wanted him to stop touching her. Temporary panic seized her heart, forcing it to thump a fierce beat against her ribs.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do tonight?” she asked quietly.

“I said it is, didn’t I?”

“Yes you did, smart ass.”

“Perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard one.”

She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow and he bit the corner of her neck in retaliation.

Leaning away, she shoved his face. “Behave.”

He grinned, a smile so bright it stole her breath. Terri quickly looked away and stared down at the electronic device in her hand, mildly worried about the state of her emotions. She couldn’t afford to get emotional.

“You mind reading out loud?” Gavin asked.

“No.”

Taking a few seconds to regroup, Terri emptied her mind of hope and joy and accepted the moment for what it was—an isolated incident. A segment of time that may or may not be repeated.

“The building loomed overhead, casting long shadows across the street. The sound of a gun popped off down the alley and broke the morning silence…”

Resting against Gavin’s side, she read chapter after chapter, and he listened. Once he got up to get a drink of water, but he told her to keep reading. Every now and again they discussed the events in the book, whether or not the characters were making mistakes, and tried to guess the resolution to the story.

Men didn’t look at Terri and see art and culture, and she didn’t have a lot of girlfriends. Except for Alannah, women didn’t like having her around because they viewed her as a threat.

So to spend this time with Gavin, chilling at home and reading, was simultaneously relaxing and worrisome. She could easily lose her heart to him, and based on experience, losing her heart to a man was a very bad idea that resulted in foolish mistakes and agonizingly painful consequences.

Three weeks had flown by in a glorious haze of lovemaking, late night talks, and teasing conversation.

“You promised to be good,” Terri said as Gavin’s hand found its way between her legs.

The tight-fitting shorts presented the bottom curve of her butt and he couldn’t resist touching every time she wore them. The cotton shorts were so tiny initially he mistook them for a pair of panties. She only wore them in the apartment, and only for him.

“You know I can’t be good with you lying on top of me like this.”

He squeezed one thigh. “Open your legs.”

She remained still, playfully refusing to budge.

“I said, open your legs.” Lifting his knees, Gavin forced her legs apart. One hand slid down the curve of her bottom and nestled in the gap between her thighs. Gently, he rubbed until she moaned his name, so indecently wet that moisture soaked the shorts. His hand sought and found her breast under the camisole top and squeezed, dragging his thumb across her nipple. The additional stimulation left her gasping and grinding against him.

He started breathing hard and let out a shaky laugh. “You’re gonna make me come in my pants.”

Terri ignored his comment, rubbing against his hand until he twisted her onto her back. Panting, she arched her body against his busy hands and then came hard, her hands fisted behind his neck.

Gavin panted hot breaths beside her ear and fumbled for a condom. Abruptly, he yanked off her shorts and turned her onto her stomach. With her face in the pillow, she lifted her hips into the slide of his finger between her legs. She gasped at the slow caress, her body aching for a repeat of orgasmic bliss.

“You’re so wet,” he said in a hoarse voice behind her. She heard the zipper, and then he pried her legs open and penetrated her from behind. After two pumps, he groaned, his hands curling into fists beside her head. “I could stay up in you all damn day.”

The rough denim of his jeans scraped her inner thigh as the strength of his thrusts pushed her into the soft mattress. They came fast, climaxing simultaneously, and Gavin released into the condom with a trembling groan before slumping across her back.

With a soft curse, he kissed the heart tattoo on her shoulder blade and then let out a short laugh. Terri did, too, an exhausted, breathless, tired laugh.

“Quiet evening at home, you said?” she teased.

“We were pretty quiet, don’t you think?” He kissed the back of her neck.

She wiggled from under him and he rolled onto his back.

“Where are you going?” he asked when she slid off the bed.

“I gotta go pee. You were pushing all up on my bladder.” She dragged the camisole top over her head, brazenly unfettering her breasts and letting them swing free in all their lushness.

“You love blowing up my head up, don’t you? Hurry back.”

“I’ll take this.” Terri slid off the condom and Gavin groaned as his penis jumped.

“You’re gonna be the death of me.”

“But you’ll die happy,” she quipped, before sauntering off. Naked and comfortable in her own skin.

He rented hotel suites with bathrooms bigger than her entire apartment, yet the efficiency appealed to him. Or maybe it was the company. They usually slept here instead of his place, which crawled with party-goers all hours of the day and night—something he used to enjoy, but now found to be a nuisance.

“Have you thought about what we discussed last night?” he called out.

“You’re back on that again? It’s the worst idea you’ve ever had. Seriously,” Terri called back.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. You’ll love it.” Gavin folded his arms behind his head, enjoying himself. He always enjoyed himself with Terri.

Lounging around on Saturday morning had become his new favorite pastime. Who knew he could get such satisfaction from spending so much time with the same person—eating with her, sleeping wrapped around her, and then waking up and making sweet love in the morning. He’d been so accustomed to going, going, going, he never paused long enough to enjoy a slower pace, but now he saw what he’d been missing.

Yeah, he could get used to this.

“Please, you’re only saying that because you’re the giver and I’m the taker,” Terri said.

She appeared in the doorway, still naked. And this was another reason he was enjoying himself. Terri walked around naked, draped in more confidence than most women did fully clothed. And he loved it, because he was the lucky recipient of all that beautiful brown skin on display. She was so damn sexy—with heavy breasts capped by chocolate areolas, bow-shaped hips, thick thighs, and an ass he hadn’t been able to convince her to let him penetrate. But he was working on it, hence their current conversation.

“I think the reason you’re hesitant is because you had a bad experience. Some men go too hard and too fast. We’ll take it slow and easy. You’ll love it.”

“Just because I’m a little freaky doesn’t mean I’ll let you stick your dick anywhere you want.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Come here.”

She walked over to the bed, feigning reluctance, and sat down.

“It’ll be the best orgasm you’ve ever had,” Gavin said.

“I already have the best orgasms I’ve ever had,” she said. “Get it through that thick skull of yours. I’m not doing it.”

“I don’t understand. What does that even mean?” Gavin asked.

She laughed. “It means exactly what I told you when we started this conversation yesterday. I don’t do anal.”

Gavin scratched his head. “Sorry, I’m really confused. What language are you speaking?”

Terri ran her tongue between her teeth and lip. She leaned forward and cupped a hand around his ear. “This. Is. English. I. Don’t. Do. Anal.” She sat up.

“With an ass like that?” Gavin sat up and shook his head. “We’re gonna have to change that. That ass was made for fucking.”

Terri rolled her eyes and popped up from the bed.

“Where are you going now?” Selfishly, he wanted her close at all times.

“I’ll be right back.” She pushed aside the ivory curtain and left him in the bedroom. She came back almost right away and stood in the doorway. “If anal is so great, why don’t you try it?”

“Er, that’s not the way this works, baby.”

Terri strolled toward the bed and pulled a cucumber from behind her back. “You sure you don’t want to try it and prove to me how enjoyable it will be?” She slid her fingers along the length of the fruit.

“It’s all about your enjoyment, not mine.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” The tip of one slender finger traced the length. “What was it you said to me? ‘A little lubricant will fix you right up. You’ll barely feel a thing.’ Wasn’t it something like that?”

“I might have possibly said something like that,” Gavin admitted, getting disturbingly turned on by her fingers caressing the green fruit.

One of her eyebrows shot toward the ceiling. She used her eyebrows a lot. To challenge him, to express sarcasm or disbelief. “That’s exactly what you said. So why don’t you turn over on your stomach and I’ll test your theory.”

“I have a better idea.”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s test it on you.”

Her eyes widened, and she only made it as far as the coffee table before he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her from the floor.

She screamed. “No! I was just playing.”

“I got you now.” He yanked away the cucumber and wrestled her to the bed, face down, bottom up. “Let’s see if it fits.” He placed the cucumber at the crease of her ass. “What do you have to say for yourself now? Not so cocky anymore, are we?”

She wiggled to get up, but he held her down. “Gavin, quit.”

“I think you really want it.”

“
No
.”

“You sure? I promise you’ll like it. It’s smaller than me, but it’ll be a good way to prep you,” he said wickedly, pressing the fruit a little between her butt cheeks.

“I said, no!” she shrieked, raw panic in her voice.

Gavin stopped right away. “I was just kidding, baby.”

“Stop. Get up.
Get up
.”

He lifted off of her. She was shaking. Gavin tossed aside the cucumber. “Hey, I was just kidding, okay?”

She stood up and away from him and folded her arms over her mid-section.

“It’s not funny,” she said.

“I’m sorry. I took it too far.” He held up his hands and remained seated so as not to crowd her or make her feel intimidated.

Terri frowned at the floor, and Gavin had the distinct impression that this wasn’t really about him—but about something else. Perhaps someone else, who had hurt her.

“Hey.” He extended his hand and she stared at it. She didn’t move, but he didn’t drop his hand. He held it out until she took it and he pulled her onto his lap.

“I’m sorry,” he said to her neck. “Forgive me?”

She dipped her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t have started the game. I just got...weird, that’s all.”

“I would never do anything you didn’t want me to. I hope you know that.”

“I do.”

He tilted her chin up. “Do you?”

She nodded.

“And I would never hurt you, Terri.
Never
. That’s not my style.”

“I know.” She offered him a trembling smile. “You’re not one of those freaky crazy rich men.”

“I’m freaky, not crazy.” He grinned.

She laughed, and he dragged a finger down her soft cheek.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked. Anger burned in his belly at the thought of someone hurting her.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she looked down. “Not today. Maybe another time,” she said huskily.

Beneath the sensual bravado she exuded, he often sensed a vulnerability, but never more than now. As if her behavior was simply a cover. In some ways, she reminded him of himself.

“Okay.” He pulled her close. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”