Kitabı oku: «Talking About Sex...», sayfa 3

Jess didn’t let too many people know he could pick a lock in under five seconds. He’d learned that trick from his father, one of the few things his dad had taught him during his rare trips back to Globe. By the time Jess had hit puberty and wised up about his dad, Mel Harkins had stopped coming to see him.

That was just as well. Jess’s mom had never admitted that her ex-husband was a thief, but Jess had figured it out by himself when she wouldn’t let him keep the portable DVD player his dad had brought him. His mom had left that perfectly good piece of equipment at a bus stop because she’d said keeping it might get them in trouble.

Since his mom didn’t talk about his dad, Jess didn’t either. If anyone asked, Jess said his parents were divorced and his dad wasn’t around anymore. But Jess had vowed to be the exact opposite of his father—steady and true. Picking the lock on Katie’s apartment door made him feel uneasy, but he couldn’t figure out any other way to guarantee he’d have her attention.

AS KATIE UNLOCKED HER apartment door, she heard music and wondered if she’d left her CD player on. Then she stepped inside and her adrenaline level spiked. At least a dozen thick tapers threw flickering light over her living room.

And there, lounging on her sofa, was Jess. She’d been thinking about him so much that she wondered if she’d conjured him up.

“Hi,” he said softly.

That was the voice of a real man, no matter how much he looked like a fantasy. Jess Harkins, the guy who revved her up like no other, was actually sitting in her living room. Heart pounding, she backed up against the door. “How did you get in here?”

“Your mom gave me the address, and—”

“A key? If my mother gave you a key to my apartment, she and I need to have a serious discussion. I can imagine her telling you where I lived. I realize that she always liked you, but giving you a key goes way beyond—”

“She didn’t give me a key. I wouldn’t have asked for something like that, and I’m sure she wouldn’t have given me one either. That would have been way too weird.”

“And this isn’t? You somehow appearing in my apartment without a key?”

“My, uh, dad taught me how to pick locks when I was a little kid.”

“Cute.” She never would have pictured Jess doing something like that. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed a bottle of red wine and two crystal goblets sitting on her coffee table. “Did he also tell you that breaking and entering was illegal?”

“No, but I figured that out. I’m reasonably sure my dad was a thief. Probably still is.”

That tidbit knocked her back some. In high school Jess had claimed his dad was a loner and a drifter, but he’d never offered this particular factoid. She had a feeling he didn’t mention it very often, if at all. It wasn’t something to boast about.

But he’d told her now, as if finally willing to trust her with the news. She fought the warmth of his subtle flattery. She didn’t want to fall in with his plan—and there was obviously a plan. Candlelight and wine sent a definite message, and she was vulnerable to that message, too vulnerable for her own good. “I should call the cops.”

“Don’t.”

“I don’t know why I shouldn’t. You have no right to break into my apartment and light a bunch of candles.”

“That’s true.”

“Besides that, you have solid brass ones, buddy.” And solid muscles to go with them. Even in the soft light from the candles she could tell how perfectly he filled out his knit polo. His biceps stretched the ribbed cuffs of his shirtsleeves in a most satisfactory way. “For all you know, I could have brought a date back here tonight.”

“I didn’t think that was likely.”

“What, you can’t imagine me with a date?” In truth, she didn’t go out much. Lately it had seemed so pointless. She’d begun to wonder if her sexual drive was diminishing now that she could see thirty in the rearview mirror, but Jess had dynamited that particular theory last night.

“I’m sure you have dates, but I—”

“Damn straight. I have so many guys hanging around I was forced to order date-tracker software last week so I can keep them all straight. I could have been out with one of a number of men tonight, and wouldn’t that have been awkward—to come back home with someone and find you sitting here with all your candles lit, so to speak.”

A smile touched his mouth. “I suppose candles are a phallic symbol, too.”

“Those certainly are. Just look at them. They’re penis-size. They’re even flesh-colored!” And the subliminal message had been working on her ever since she’d laid eyes on them. She’d seen those fat tapers in a mall speciality store. They’d looked erotic at the time, and now, thrown into this Jess mess, they seemed blatantly sexual.

“The minute I saw them I knew you’d think that. That’s why I bought them.”

It occurred to her that he’d had to buy more than the candles, which wouldn’t fit in ordinary holders. He’d been forced to add three wrought-iron candelabra to hold the thick tapers. Then there was the wine. She couldn’t tell for sure but the label looked pricey. And those weren’t her goblets either.

“You went to a lot of trouble and expense,” she said.

He didn’t respond. Instead he simply gazed at her with those brown eyes that had the power to melt the steel barriers she was frantically trying to build around her heart.

She took a deep breath. Cheryl had advised her to take control of the sexual dynamics, to get into bad-girl mode, but Cheryl had no idea how potent Jess could be. Katie was afraid that if she let herself surrender to this campaign even slightly, she’d be swallowed by a wave of sensuality that would rob her of all power.

No, she couldn’t allow herself to be tempted by this man. “I’m afraid all that trouble was for nothing, though. I’ll have to ask you to leave, Jess.”

He stood, and for a minute she thought he might actually walk out the door. She would be relieved if he did that. Of course she would. As she’d told Cheryl, he was too hot to handle. She’d get burned.

But instead of leaving, he came around the coffee table until he was only about three feet away. Candlelight played over the strong planes of his face, and his powerful chest heaved. The years had been good to Jess, maybe because he had a job that required him to be active. His body was fit and tanned.

Thirteen years ago she’d only imagined what sex would be like with him. Now she had more experience to feed her active imagination. It didn’t take much effort to picture getting naked with Jess. She grew moist and pliant as she thought about it. The trick was to stop thinking about it. Immediately.

Yet that was easier said than done. She’d never rejected a man as gorgeous as this. She didn’t want to do it now, but it was for her own good. She had to be strong. “I mean it,” she said. “I don’t want to play whatever game you’re playing.”

He gave her another long look. When he spoke, his voice had a husky quality that spoke volumes about his state of mind. “Are you going to make me beg?”

As his words sank in, hot desire slid through her veins. Maybe she’d miscalculated. Maybe her own needs had blinded her to the force of his sex drive and they were more alike in their desires than she’d thought. It was a fascinating theory.

Did she dare test it? Could Cheryl be right, after all, that Katie had the ability to make him grovel? Now that would be sweet.

In the end, the chance to put him at her mercy was too irresistible to pass up. “Yes.” Her heart beat wildly at the prospect. “I do believe I’m going to make you beg.”

4

JESS SWALLOWED A SMILE of triumph, not wanting to push his luck. He didn’t care how or why Katie was letting him stay, just so he got to. Just so he finally put an end to thirteen years of longing and frustration. The thought of making love to her nearly had him moaning out loud, but he swallowed that, too.

“Shall we have some of that wine you brought?” she asked.

“Great idea.” He walked back to the coffee table and picked up the bottle.

Earlier he’d uncorked it and closed it again with a silver stopper that he planned to give her along with the crystal goblets. Maybe it was ostentatious, but he needed her to realize he was no longer that poor kid who’d worked long hours at Home Depot after school to help his mom financially and buy gas and tires for his old Ford.

“While you’re pouring the wine, I’ll change into something more comfortable.”

He almost dropped the bottle. He’d never dreamed she’d be this cooperative. “Uh, sure. That would be terrific.” Wow. This was turning out to be the best move he’d ever made. Breaking and entering had its advantages, after all.

After she left, he poured wine in both goblets and sat on her sofa wondering what more comfortable meant to her. Ads for Victoria’s Secret swam through his fevered brain and he shoved his hand into his pocket to make sure the condoms were still in there.

If he didn’t want to get an erection while he was waiting for her, he’d better concentrate on something neutral, like furniture. Earlier he’d prowled around her apartment and discovered a Southwestern theme throughout, with old pots and Native artifacts scattered everywhere.

Her coffee table and end tables were trimmed with saguaro cactus ribs, and she’d hung several small Navajo rugs on the walls. The turquoise sofa he was sitting on was the single spot of color in a room dominated by earth tones.

He wasn’t particularly surprised. Her parents’ house looked like this, and she’d told him how much she liked being immersed in Southwestern culture. He could relate. Now that he was able to afford the trappings, so did he.

But he still couldn’t understand why she’d fought so hard to keep KRZE’s adobe house from falling to the wrecking ball. Personally he couldn’t see the point. By the time KRZE had finished modifying the place for its purposes, the place had lost whatever historic value it once might have had.

There were plenty of other structures like it, even a few with actual historic significance. He could think of several that would be ideal for KRZE’s new location and weren’t in danger of being bulldozed any time soon.

Maybe in the course of getting close to her—very close—he’d learn what made her such a passionate opponent of his project. It wasn’t the main motivation for his decision to break into her apartment. His hormones were mostly in charge on that one. But as a side benefit, it wasn’t bad.

And here came Katie wearing something filmy and black. He was such a sucker for black, especially on a blonde like Katie. The outfit consisted of billowy harem pants that rode low on her hips and gave him a view of a black thong underneath, plus a low-cut black bra and a wispy jacket that might as well not have been there for all it covered up.

He began to sweat. As much as he wanted her, sitting here casually sipping wine would be torture. But then, maybe that was the idea. She had said she’d make him beg. He was ready to start with the begging ASAP.

Choosing a spot on the opposite end of the sofa, she settled into the plump turquoise cushions.

He picked up both wine goblets and reached over to hand her one. “Here’s to renewing old acquaintances.”

She raised her glass in his direction. “To settling old scores.”

He blinked. Maybe she wasn’t going to be as cooperative as he thought. “You’re still upset about that prom-night thing, aren’t you?”

She eyed him over the rim of her wineglass as she drank. Then she lowered her goblet. “I chose you to be my first. I was curious and excited and eager…but you didn’t wanna. How do you suppose that made me feel?”

“Not good, but I had my reasons. I didn’t—”

“Reasons you weren’t able to share with a heartbroken girl, unfortunately. You’ll be happy to know I found another candidate, though.”

Now there was an unwelcome conversational thread. “I’d rather not hear about it, if you don’t mind.” He moved a little closer to her. Talking about her other lovers wouldn’t help get this seduction under way.

“I’m sure you don’t want to hear about it.” She took another swallow of her wine. “But I think I need to talk about it.”

“Why?”

“You’re the only person in the world I ever thought of telling, and here you are, sitting in my living room. Of course, you don’t have to stay and listen. You could always leave.” She lifted her eyebrows.

“I’m not leaving.” If she wanted him to suffer a little, he’d suffer. The payoff would be more than worth it.

“It was during my freshman year at the U of A. He was a jock, a basically nice guy but sort of clumsy. Still, he got the job done, and presto, I was officially a nonvirgin. You see, I wanted sexual knowledge.” She paused. “I would rather have gained that knowledge with you,” she added softly.

“Damn it, Katie, I know that! But I didn’t want it to happen in the back of a car. You deserved more.”

“So what do you think of an upstairs bedroom in a frat house with a party going on down below?”

Jess closed his eyes as if that would block out the image of Katie with some idiot college kid who didn’t know what a treasure he had. Closing his eyes only seemed to make the picture more vivid, so he opened them again. “Obviously I screwed up and I’m sorry. I should have found a way to pay for a nice hotel.”

“Were you a virgin, too?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I was. Clueless and scared I wouldn’t make it good for you.”

She cradled her goblet in both hands. “I’m assuming you’re not a virgin anymore.”

“No.” He thought of his first time, which hadn’t been particularly memorable either. Since then, he’d taken several women to bed and each time he’d tried to convince himself he was falling in love. It had never happened.

“I’m glad you’re not a virgin. I wouldn’t want to shock you.”

He grew uneasy. After all, she did have that radio talk show. Last night she’d seemed like the woman he remembered, soft and eager for his kiss. But tonight she’d morphed into someone more experienced and sure of herself. She’d become Billboard Katie.

For all he knew, in the past thirteen years she’d turned into a wild thing who’d had more lovers than he’d had. Once upon a time they’d been equally green, equally ignorant of the nuances. Since then, she might have outstripped him.

“Changed your mind, Jess?” Her blue eyes issued a challenge.

He looked at her in that filmy black number and knew he’d never be able to live with himself if he walked away from this chance. He’d be a damned coward if he allowed himself to be intimidated and left now. “No, I haven’t changed my mind.”

“I’m glad.” She finished her wine and held out her glass for more. “Because I’m looking forward to this.”

His hand was unsteady, but he managed to pour her wine without spilling any on her turquoise sofa. “So am I.” He resisted the urge to top off his own glass. He could use the Dutch courage, but more wine might dull his senses. Dulled senses wouldn’t serve him well in the hours ahead. He had to stay sharp.

“So how did you happen to hear my show last night?”

He wasn’t about to confess that he listened to her show almost every night. “I was out. I had the car radio on.”

“Driving around by yourself?”

“Uh, no. I had a date.”

She put down her wine. “Please tell me you didn’t have a date waiting out in the car when you came to the station. If you did, then I don’t know you at all, and this night is so over.”

“I didn’t have a date in the car. I drove her home before I came down to KRZE.”

“Is she…someone special?”

“No.” He took comfort in the way she’d asked that. She didn’t want him to have a steady girlfriend any more than he wanted her to have a steady boyfriend. Once they got past the stage where she felt the need to hiss at him every so often, they would be fine. Once he could hold her in his arms, they would be even better.

“That’s a relief,” she said. “I don’t want to poach on another woman’s territory.”

“I wouldn’t want to poach on another guy’s territory either.” He wanted confirmation of what he suspected—that she wasn’t serious about anyone.

“Oh, don’t worry. You won’t be poaching.”

He could take that two ways. Either he had clear sailing…or she’d keep him moored at the dock. He’d go with the clear-sailing image. “Okay. Good.” He edged closer to her. “You know what? You’re too far away.”

“Hold your position, Harkins.”

He frowned. “What?”

“Stay where you are. It’s been thirteen years, and I want us to have a chance to get to know each other before we start with the physical stuff.”

That totally bewildered him. “Like what? You want to go out to dinner first?”

“I’ve had dinner, thanks. I think we should sit and talk.”

“Well, okay, but at the station last night you seemed ready to—”

“Old tapes playing in my head is all. I’m conditioned from our high school make-out sessions to go up in flames the minute you kiss me, so I reacted that way last night, like Pavlov’s dogs. But we’re starting fresh, like you said. We never did much talking back then.”

He remembered how they’d steamed up the windows with heavy breathing, not conversation. “No, we didn’t.” And he wished she’d save herself some work and continue with that earlier conditioning instead of trying to reprogram herself. Going up in flames when he kissed her sounded A-okay to him.

“So let’s talk,” she said.

“About what?”

“I’m curious to find out how much you know about sex.”

He gulped. “I’m not sure what you mean by that. Besides, I’m more a man of action than words.” Sweat began to trickle down his spine. He might be in way over his head with the new version of Katie Peterson. “If you’re asking me to list techniques, I’d rather show you than try to describe them.”

“Maybe it would help if I asked a few questions. For example, what’s your favorite way to make a woman come?”

His chest tightened. He had a feeling she was going somewhere with this, but he couldn’t figure out where, and that put him at a big disadvantage. He struggled to breathe normally. “Depends on the woman,” he said.

She nodded. “Good answer. You don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach to female orgasms. I like that.”

“I hope you would…like that.” Maybe she was putting him through some kind of test.

“Mmm.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip. “I do like to come. Sadly a girl can’t always count on a man to take the time she needs, though.”

“I would.” He was getting hard, which might be what she’d had in mind when she’d suggested this conversation. “You’ll have all the time you want. We can take it slow or we can take it fast. Whatever feels good.” And he’d like to get started. Now.

“Are you in favor of oral sex?”

“Yes.” He was in favor of it immediately. If she’d let him settle his head between her thighs in the next five minutes, he’d put an end to this conversation and replace it with her satisfied moaning. “I have an idea. Let’s move the discussion to your bedroom.”

“Not yet. First I need to convince myself that I’m going to have a climax with you.”

“Trust me, you will. As many as you can stand. I’ll be happy to take care of that.” He didn’t know if she could achieve multiple orgasms, but he’d give it his all. And his all was currently feeling very restricted inside his briefs. He had on far too many clothes. So did Katie.

“I like a sure thing.” She put her empty wineglass on the coffee table.

His pulse rate jumped another notch. Maybe she was ready to head in the direction he wanted at last. He set his glass on the table, too. “I’ll make you come or die trying.”

“That sounds a little extreme.” She turned and reached for one of the candles stuck into the candelabra behind her. “I wouldn’t want to put that much pressure on you.”

“I’d welcome the pressure.” He glanced at her holding the lighted candle. “If you want candlelight in the bedroom, you might want to bring the whole thing. Those are a specialty size. They won’t fit just anywhere.”

“I know.” She blew gently on the wick. The flame fanned out sideways and went out. “I know exactly where it would fit.”

A possibility skittered through his brain. But she wouldn’t really do that. Would she?

“These candles really do have an interesting shape.” She turned the candle over and examined the blunt end.

Jess stared at her. She seemed to be almost caressing the thing, as if—no, surely not.

Then, looking straight at him, she slid the blunt end of the candle into her mouth.

His entire groin ached as she sucked on the candle. “Okay, I deserve that. I bought them.” His voice cracked. “And in case you can’t tell, you’re getting to me.”

She took the candle, shiny and wet, out of her mouth. “That was for my benefit, not yours.”

“I don’t—” He caught his breath as she leaned back against the cushions and opened her thighs. He’d missed a significant detail of the harem pants. They weren’t stitched at the crotch.

Now he understood her diabolical plan, one that was sure to drive him out of his mind. And he’d been the genius who’d introduced candles into the equation. He had no one to blame but himself. He swallowed. “Katie, please…”

“Relax, Jess. Relax and enjoy the show.”

TWO GLASSES OF WINE HELPED, but Katie still couldn’t believe she was doing this. Some alter ego seemed to be whispering in her ear, urging her to be a very bad girl, bad enough to have Jess completely in her power, as Cheryl had suggested. From his expression, she was almost there.

In the process, she was arousing herself beyond belief. She’d never tried anything this daring with a man. “I’m not the little virgin you remember, Jess.”

“No.” His voice was a hoarse croak, and he clenched the sofa with both hands. “So I’m supposed to just…sit here?”

“That’s the idea. Unless you want to leave.”

Slowly he shook his head.

“Then let’s get this party started.” Her black thong was soaked as she pulled it aside. She’d begun planning this while she was changing clothes. Her harem outfit, bought in a moment of craziness more than a year ago, had never been on her body until now. Yet it was perfect for what she had in mind.

Using one of the candles he’d brought seemed like the perfect touch. He’d wanted her to think of them as sexual symbols, so could she be blamed for imagining the possibilities?

“Katie…I wish you’d let me…”

“I’m letting you watch.” She barely recognized her own voice. It had turned sultry, the kind of voice that belonged to a woman who was teasing herself with the blunt end of a penis-size candle.

He groaned.

“Consider this a tutorial.” Her breathing quickened. “Pay attention.” She held his gaze as she pushed the smooth wax taper deeper. “You might learn something.” She was learning that being a bad girl was more exciting than she’d ever dreamed. One slide of the candle and she was ready to come.

“All right.” His tone was strained. “Now I’m begging.”

Her words came out in a breathy rush. “For what?” She stroked slowly with the candle, wanting to prolong the moment when she had Jess completely enslaved.

“Don’t make yourself come like that.” His dark eyes glowed with an unholy fire. “Let me touch you…please.” He made a move toward her.

“No. Stay there.”

“I want to satisfy you, damn it!”

Her thighs started to quiver. “But this is guaranteed satisfaction.”

“So am I!”

“I don’t know that.” She jiggled the candle faster.

His breath grew tortured. “I do! Katie…God…Katie.”

“I’m going to come, Jess.” She moaned as the spasms started. “And it’s good…so very…good….” Clutching the candle in both hands, she shuddered and slumped back against the sofa cushions.

Through half-closed eyes she gazed at him. He was a wreck. Her tender, caring side felt sorry for him and wanted to invite him back to her bedroom for the fun and games he’d hoped would happen.

But she needed to remember that he’d broken into her apartment expecting to seduce her. The wine and candlelight had been part of a carefully constructed plan. With the old Katie, it would have worked beautifully.

Instead she wanted to change the dynamics, and inviting him to her bedroom this soon would destroy all the progress she’d achieved so far. A bad girl wouldn’t make things that easy for him. A bad girl would expect him to wait a little longer.

She took a calming breath and laid the candle on the coffee table.

Jess glanced at it before refocusing his gaze on her. “Now what?” he asked quietly.

“We make a date for tomorrow night.”

Disbelief flashed in his eyes. “You’re sending me home?”

“It’s been a lot of years, Jess. I think we need time to get reacquainted, don’t you?”

“Like this? With me watching you masturbate? What kind of ridiculous idea is—”

“You don’t have to come back tomorrow night if you’d rather not.”

A muscle worked in his jaw. “Maybe I won’t.”

“Suit yourself. But if you decide to, make it about six. I’ll have some snacks for us. Maybe something…interesting.”

“I’d expect cucumbers and bananas, at this rate.” His gaze burned with frustration.

“I’m sure I can think of something more creative than that.”

“No doubt you can. But you’d better know now that I plan to take part in whatever you dream up. Sex isn’t a spectator sport, you know.”

“You don’t think so?” Her research for the talk show was really coming in handy. “Don’t you ever use mirrors?”

“I—no.”

“You should try it sometime. Mirrors give a whole new dimension to the action.” She didn’t know that from firsthand experience, but she had no trouble imagining it.

He studied her, his jaw tight. “I don’t know what to make of you, Katie. I thought we could just have sex.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“I can see that.”

Maybe now was the time to dangle a carrot in front of Jess’s nose. “In any case, if you decide to show up tomorrow night, I’ll make you a promise.”

“What’s that?” He looked wary.

She smiled. “You won’t be just a spectator.”