***
BRIAN
Her body was exquisite, beautiful. The light illuminated her curvy figure perfectly, and the flawless span of her skin had me wanting to lick every part of her. The way she writhed under my hold had my cock ready to burst.
My tongue teased her sensitive nub, and I tightened my grip on her thighs, knowing she was close. As many times as we’d been together, I’d memorized her movements, knew when she was about to come. Losing patience, I slipped my finger in as my tongue moved with sensual purpose. I need to be in her. Soon.
Then, with one more flick against her sensitive clit, she came undone, screaming my name so loud her body shivered in ecstasy. Then I withdrew myself and reached for the box of condoms on the counter, thankful I’d remembered we’d ran out.
I slipped it over my length as she came down from her high, her breathing still erratic. I didn’t even wait for her to come back to reality before I swept her up.
She hooked her arms and legs around me as I carried her, our lips crashing together.
“I want you again,” she said breathlessly.
“Good, because I’m far from done with you.”
This girl was insatiable and, if anything, I was ready to give her what she needed, and be here to satisfy her every desire.
She pressed herself against me. I didn’t even make it to the bedroom as I crushed her within my embrace, pushed her against the wall, and entered her.
I bit her lip as I slowly moved in and out of her. The slapping of skin echoed through her apartment as our tongues danced against each other.
“Move to the couch,” she begged, gripping my hair tighter, pulling at the ends like she wanted to rip it out by its roots.
I wheeled around, obeying her command and, when I dropped to the couch, we lost connection. She moved from beneath me, pushed me back to a sitting position, and then she straddled me, riding my length hard like she’d promised earlier in the grocery store.
My mouth circled around one of her breasts, sucking and teasing her nipples as she bounced up and down my length.
When her movements became erratic, my lips lost contact with her body, letting my head fall back. “Shit.” That familiar sensation rose up, intensifying, starting from the base of my shaft.
Gripping her by the waist, I controlled her movements. I lifted my head and saw the stark blue eyes of the hottest woman alive. As hard as it was, I refused to come before she did.
I felt the contractions beginning in her core, which relieved me, because I didn’t know how much longer I could hold off. She let out a loud moan as she moved faster, wrapping her arms around me, and burying her head into my neck as she shivered, her orgasm taking control and taking me with her.
The pleasure was pure and explosive. We held onto each other as our panting subsided then I swept her hair to the side and kissed a searing path down her neck and shoulders.
I trailed my fingers down her delicate back and cuddled with her, feeling whole having her in my arms. Somewhere deep inside me, I knew we were breaking the rules. And before I realized what I was doing, I almost broke the biggest rule of them all. It was on the tip of my tongue, those three little words which would reveal how I felt about her.
When I was in this woman’s vicinity, all logic flew out the door. I knew what I needed to get done for tomorrow’s meeting, yet when I was with her, nothing else mattered except being with her. She completed me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed, until she’d flown into my life. Now I didn’t know what I’d do without her in it.
I whispered softly into her neck. “Kendy, I . . .” But I couldn’t say it. It would freak her out.
I thought I’d been here before—in love. But I knew I hadn’t, because an undeniable connection drew me to this woman like nothing I’d ever experienced, and this time, I couldn’t fathom walking away. Either way, I knew this was where I was with this girl. She was what I wanted.
***
KENDY
Still in my post-orgasmic state, I lay back on the couch as my body relaxed and turned into Jell-O. Everything was absolutely perfect. Brian was absolutely perfect. And not only did we have hot, skin-slapping sex, I still had his hot cocoa to look forward to.
I was in absolute heaven, resting against him, when he almost dropped the bomb of all bombs. I knew what he was about to say. The emotion was written all over his face, and it was something I was not ready for. Something that we had decided could not happen.
“I . . . I,” he whispered, causing me to still in his arms.
I stopped breathing. Stopped moving. Just stopped.
As crazy as it seemed, even though we’d talked on and on about what we were to each other—of what we weren’t, rather—and although I continually gushed about James, a part of me would want to say it back if he did.
Over these last few weeks, I’d realized I’d never felt such emotion toward another guy since . . . since Cole.
Cole . . . Cole . . . Cole.
The moment his name resurfaced, I froze.
I knew more than anyone that love could lie, make you think you felt something when you didn’t. I clenched my jaw as nausea settled in my stomach.
Standing up, I avoided Brian’s gaze. This was exactly why I couldn’t fall for him. Love was scary; love could be wrong. Love was blind. One minute, it elevated you to an unbelievable high, and the next, it could crush you to the ground, leaving you broken. Most of all, love was uncontrollable, and that was one thing I promised I wouldn’t relinquish—control.
I kissed his cheek and headed to the bathroom. “That was amazing, lover boy,” I teased, thanking the heavens that those words hadn’t slipped out.
***
BRIAN
I stared at her retreating, naked form then went to the garbage and disposed of the condom.
Ah, fuck.
I can’t believe I almost did that. But I couldn’t help how I felt, and a huge part of me wanted to throw open that bathroom door and tell her, make her believe me. Because then she’d know. She’d know that I was utterly in love with her.
But I knew my calmer side needed to chill out and give her some time.
I decided I would continue to break every damn rule in her book from this day forward until she was my girl. I had almost broken the most important rule. It was only a matter of time before she heard it.
One thing was certain—I was not going down without a fight.
FIFTEEN
KENDY
I stared at the red numbers on my digital clock and gripped the pillow tighter to my chest. Brian had texted and called, but I hadn’t returned either. He most likely wanted to tell me goodnight or that he’d gotten home okay. Nothing too personal, but I couldn’t get past the ‘almost’ that’d happened tonight. I didn’t know what I was going to do with him or with our relationship.
As juvenile as it sounded, I needed my mama, but if I called her, she’d be on the first flight from O’Hare International Airport.
Instead, I picked up my phone, my fingers hovering over a different name on the screen. I knew she’d be sleeping, but I needed to talk to someone right now.
“Kendy?” Beth asked, her voice groggy. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, even though I knew she knew everything was not okay. I wouldn’t be calling her in the wee hours of the morning if everything was okay.
“Kendy!” she said louder, making me jump. “What’s the matter?”
Kent’s voice boomed in the background, trying to calm her down.
The last time I had called her in a panic was to tell her that our Nana had died, so I made sure to have a relaxed voice this time.
“Relax, Beth. No one’s dead. I’m pregnant,” I said, trying to break my own mood.
She didn’t say anything, but I pictured her jaw on the floor. “Is it Brian’s?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.