But she was already reaching for the hem of the T-shirt she’d just slipped on. A moment later, her breasts were exposed again, and this time he couldn’t seem to keep his hands to himself. He moved toward her, cupping her breasts at the same time she reached for the waistband of his boxers.
“We can talk later,” she murmured. She leaned up on her tiptoes, brushed her lips over his, and gave his ass a good squeeze.
He took one last stab at coming clean. “Sam, I need to tell you—”
“Later,” she repeated.
And then she shoved her tongue in his mouth and he promptly shut up.
Steam filled the tiled shower stall, making for a hot and sensual atmosphere for round two. Or was it round three? Four? Five? Sam had lost count of the number of times and the variety of sexual activities she and Riley had engaged in last night. She didn’t need a tally, though. The naughty memories were enough to last a lifetime.
Sweeping her gaze up and down Riley’s spectacular naked body, she fought the heat simmering in her belly and clenched her thighs together before she jumped the man. Droplets of water danced down his rippled abs and drizzled onto the erection jutting from his groin.
She licked her lips, suddenly feeling wanton and more than a little aroused.
His blue eyes flickered with amusement when he followed her gaze. “Look what you did. And before I’ve had my morning coffee, no less.”
She laughed, the sound coming out higher and more melodic thanks to the acoustics in the shower. She inched closer and slowly grasped his cock with one hand. Stroking it gently, she leaned up on her bare feet and kissed him square on the mouth.
He returned the kiss instantly, pushing his tongue between her lips and swirling it inside her mouth. The warm water slid over her back and teased her flushed skin. They stood there for a moment, tongues tangling, hands exploring, until she couldn’t stand the pressure between her legs any longer.
She promptly dropped to her knees, needing to taste him before he drove inside her and sent her toppling over that orgasmic cliff. Breathing in a cloud of steam, she circled his pulsating tip with her tongue.
Riley let out a groan then shifted over so he was leaning against the tiled wall.
She took his erection in her mouth, lightly scraping her teeth over his length. He groaned again, muttering, “You’re way too good at this.”
He shoved one hand into her hair and guided her along his dick, thrusting in and out of her mouth as his heavy, irregular breathing filled the shower stall. Using one hand to stroke his balls, she pumped his shaft with the other and sucked hard on his tip. She wanted to devour this man. She wanted to drive him as wild as he drove her, make him as crazy as he’d made her last night when he’d brought her over the edge time and time again. But Riley wouldn’t have it. With a strangled breath, he pulled out of her eager mouth and tugged her to her feet.
She moaned in protest, but suddenly he was kissing her again, and the feel of his hands rubbing and fondling every inch of her slippery body was too damn good to ignore.
“You’re built like a Playboy centerfold,” he murmured as he tweaked one of her nipples. “You should’ve gone into modeling.”
“I don’t like having my picture taken.”
“What if I was the one taking the pictures?”
“That I might consent to.” She fought a mischievous grin. “Do baseball players even know how to work a camera?”
“Very funny.”
“And would you even want to photograph me? Wouldn’t you rather chase me around the bases or something?”
“You’re a fucking comedian,” he said, but he was smiling.
He gripped her wet ass, repositioned her so that she faced the tiled wall, and played with her pussy from behind.
She pressed her palms on the wall and closed her eyes, whimpering when he inserted two fingers inside her. A rush of pleasure seared her nerve endings, making her wiggle against his erotic touch. He teased her for a few minutes, stroking her labia, circling her clit with his thumb, pushing his fingers in and out of her. And just when she got close, just when the orgasm danced up her spine and threatened to break the surface, he pulled his hand away and replaced his fingers with the tip of his cock.
He pushed into her, inch by torturous inch. Nibbling on her earlobe, he moved one hand to her breasts, fondling each perky mound, pinching each hardened nipple, all the while maintaining a leisurely pace. And then his entire length was finally inside her and a thrill jolted up her spine. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so damn complete.
Her inner muscles clamped over his cock, not wanting to let him go, but he didn’t seem to mind. “God, Sam, you’re so tight,” he murmured into her neck.
He started to move, slowly at first, then faster, and faster, driving into her in a hard, erratic pace that had her gasping for air. She felt herself getting close…so close…she squeezed her eyes shut, moaned…and then he pulled out.
A groan of disappointment rolled out of her throat.
Laughing, Riley turned her around and cupped her butt. “Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered softly.
She obeyed, locking her ankles against his firm ass while she twined her arms around his neck. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” she grumbled. “Switching the pace every five seconds so I can’t come.”
“Are you seriously complaining?” He pumped into her a couple of times, grinning.
She sighed as a wave of pleasure swelled in her womb. “I guess not,” she relented.
“Good,” he said, then captured her mouth and kissed her so deeply she lost all capability of speech.
Curling his fingers against her waist, he plunged in and out as the lukewarm water slid down their bodies, tickling her breasts in the most delicious way. God, she loved the feel of this man inside her. His strong hands caressing her wet skin. His warm lips rubbing against hers. It was too much, and yet not enough.
She wrapped her arms tighter around him, burying her head in the crook of his neck as he thrust into her hot channel, each long, hard stroke intensifying the pleasure building inside her. Finally, it became unbearable, her muscles so tight she couldn’t take it, her pussy aching with the need for release.
She let herself go, and the orgasm rocked her body like a tidal wave crashing into shore. She cried out, her vision nothing more than a red haze and shards of white-hot light. She surrendered to every drop of pleasure consuming her body, moaning when he clasped her hips and quickened his thrusts.
“Oh God,” he choked out, his hot breath fanning against her neck, the words lost in the steam enveloping them like a warm blanket.
She felt his cock throb inside her, and her moan became a growl of frustration when he pulled out, muttered “no condom,” and jerked himself to release. His semen slid down her belly as he groaned and bit her neck.
Perfection.
It was the only word she could come up with to describe what had just happened between them, the only word that did justice to the way she felt when she was with him. They’d been friends for two years, but being with him, really being with him, was a million times better than exchanging some jokes and talking over beers. Now that she knew what she’d been missing, she didn’t think she could ever go back to the way things were.
You’re leaving town, a little voice reminded her.
Biting her lower lip, she moved back under the spray, letting the water soak her hair and face. Damn it. She’d been so distracted by Riley’s raw sex appeal, she’d forgotten about her plans. The day after tomorrow she’d be on a train to New York, where she planned on forgetting all the years of her life she’d put into the Diamond, where she planned on starting over.
But could she really forget about this? About him?
“You okay?” His husky voice broke through the sound of streaming water.
She shivered when he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck.
Was she okay? Not by a long shot. But she couldn’t voice what was
on her mind just yet, not when she wasn’t exactly sure what her thoughts actually meant. Was she reconsidering the move? Would Riley even want her to stay? She didn’t want to think about any of that now, didn’t want answers to questions she wasn’t ready to ask herself, or him.
So instead she lied and said, “I’m great.”
Chapter Four
Although she would’ve loved to spend all day and night in bed with Riley, Sam had made plans for a tequila night with the girls and she didn’t have the heart to cancel, especially seeing as she desperately needed someone to talk to. She’d gone to high school with Jane and Callie, and though their lives had taken them in different directions, the three had kept in close touch.
They made an odd trio—Callie the kindergarten teacher, Jane the pediatrician and Sam the—former—bar owner. Callie and Jane had both married their high school sweethearts, while Sam was still single, but no matter how different their lives and professions, they were as close as they’d been back in the ninth grade, when they’d gossiped in the cafeteria and done their homework together.
The first thing she did after they’d sat down and taken a few shots was tell her friends about Riley.
Dr. Jane Pierce got the biggest kick out of the news. “Oh God,” she exclaimed as she poured some more tequila into their shot glasses. “Remember when I used to drag you to White Sox games to ogle all the players?”
“No, what I remember is the time you convinced the janitor to let you into the locker room, where you ended up walking in on the coach all lathered up,” Sam shot back.
Jane burst out laughing. “He almost had me arrested.”
“He should’ve.”
“I’m surprised Brad still married you after that sexual harassment phase of yours.”
Callie Howard heaved a big sigh. “I’m jealous, Sam. Sounds like you had some pretty crazy sex.”
“Doesn’t your husband give you crazy sex anymore?” Jane asked, handing one of the shot glasses to Callie.
“I wish. Dan is too busy working.” She grinned. “So I bought myself a vibrator for my birthday.”
The three of them lifted their glasses. Sam grimaced as the fiery liquid slid down her throat. She quickly shoved half a lemon in her mouth and sucked on it.
“Did you suck Riley Scott like that?” Jane teased, and then laughed again.
“You have a dirty mind,” she grumbled.
Callie tossed aside her lemon and shot her a questioning glance. “So, be honest. How big is his…you know?”
“Oh, his butt? It’s an appropriate size,” she said glibly.
“Very funny. You know exactly what I mean.”
She wagged her finger. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
As the alcohol slithered through her blood, her brain began to buzz. Her skin felt flushed, a sign that the three shots she’d just slugged back, on an empty stomach no less, were beginning to do their thing. No more tequila for her, she decided when the room started to spin a little. Riley had promised to show up tonight, claiming he really needed to talk to her. She wasn’t sure if that was code for “I want to fuck you again,” but either way she didn’t want to be piss-drunk when he arrived.
Besides, she got the feeling that he did have something on his mind. It was the same sense she’d gotten last night when she’d practically seduced him, only now it made her wary. In the two years she’d known him, she’d never seen Riley Scott act anything remotely close to serious, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear whatever confession he had to make. She suspected it had something to do with his playboy status, but she really wasn’t too worried about it. She’d known precisely what she was getting into when she’d hopped into the sack with him, and hearing about the parade of women he’d been with before her appealed about as much as shaving her head.
Right now, she was more concerned with the unfamiliar emotions swirling around in her belly, which had nothing to do with the tequila and everything to do with Riley. For two years she’d tried to view him as nothing more than a friend, but now that they’d been intimate, she couldn’t seem to revert to that prior mindset. The sex was so damn incredible. How could she possibly think of him platonically anymore?
Not that she knew what she thought of him. Something inside her chest squeezed every time she remembered how it felt to be in his arms or how warm his lips were whenever they touched hers. She wished she could figure out what that something was, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know right now. Whatever she was feeling for Riley…well, it scared her. Just a little.
Fine, a lot.
“I’m going to miss you,” Jane burst out, reaching across the booth and squeezing Sam’s hand. “Who’ll join Callie and me for tequila night when you’re gone?”
She pushed her glass away. “The new owner maybe?”
“Do you know who it is?” Callie asked curiously.
“I’m meeting with my financial advisor tomorrow to sign some papers. I’ll find out who the buyer is then.”
“I can’t believe you’re losing this place,” Callie said with a sigh, gesturing around the cramped bar.
A pang of regret tugged at her gut as she swept her gaze over the cluttered tables and little booths. The chrome counter her bartender Greg stood behind. The pool table and dart boards in the corner. The Diamond had been her entire life since her parents had died, and the thought of no longer owing it brought a wave of bitterness. She’d invested every dime she had into this bar and now all those dimes were gone. She feared she might have to file for bankruptcy sometime in the near future, but she was trying not to think about that. She’d be moving in with her sister Alice the day after tomorrow, and she desperately hoped she’d be able to climb out of her financial hole.
“Sammy?”
She lifted her head and found her friends eyeing her with concern. Waving a hand, she said, “Of course I’ll miss it. But maybe it’s time for me to start a new chapter in my life.”
“What about Riley Scott?” Callie teased.
“What about him?”
“How does he fit into your new life?”
She hesitated then said, “He doesn’t.”
Jane hooted. “Spoken like a true slut.”
Sam released a pent-up breath, wondering why the thought of Riley not being in her life bothered her this much. “I’m not the slut. He is.”
“Ahem.”
The three women turned their heads just as Riley approached in a pair of blue jeans and an ab-hugging red shirt.
Sam’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. God, he looked gorgeous. Those smoky blue eyes, messy brown hair, sleek muscled body. He was the epitome of eye candy.
“Did you just call me a slut?” he asked, flashing them a charming smile.
Jane smiled back, but Callie just stared at his crotch. Sam knew she was studying it thoroughly and trying to determine the size of his package.
Sam, of course, had experienced all eight inches of him, and her clit swelled just thinking about it.
“You shouldn’t eavesdrop,” she returned. “You might not like what you hear.”
“I always like what I hear.” He winked. “Especially when it comes from you, sweetheart.”
“You don’t need to sweet-talk me. I already slept with you.”
He chuckled, and then frowned when he noticed the dozen shot glasses littering the tabletop. “You’re drunk,” he stated.
“Yessiree, I am.”
“So are we,” Jane said, pointing to herself and Callie with a big grin.
Riley sighed. “Women and tequila never mix.”
“What exactly are you doing here?” Sam asked. She lifted her hair off her neck and fanned herself with one hand. Was it just her, or was it seriously hot in here? Had to be the alcohol. Or the man. Probably the man.
“I came to talk to you about something.” He looked uncomfortable, most likely because Callie continued to ogle his groin.
“As you can see, I’m busy.”
“No,
she’s not.” Jane shot to her feet, pulling Callie up with her.
“What about girls’ night?” Sam asked.
“It’s two in the morning. I’m thinking we call it a successful night and go to bed.” At the word bed, Jane raised a brow at Riley.
“And maybe my husband will actually have sex with me tonight,” Callie added before Jane dragged her away.
Giggling, her friends left the bar. After the door closed behind them, one of the waitresses locked up and flipped the open sign so it read closed. The Diamond closed at two a.m. on Sundays, and as Riley helped her out of the booth, the waitstaff and bartenders began tidying up for the night.
“You’re stumbling,” Riley commented with a sigh, holding her arm to steady her.
“I’m so not stumbling.”
“Yeah, you are. Slurring too.” He shot her an endearing grin. “I must say, you’re a lousy drunk.”
“Am not.” She craned her head up to look at him. His rugged features suddenly looked hazy to her eyes. Maybe she shouldn’t have stood up just yet. “You came here to talk or have sex?”
“Talk, Ms. One-Track-Mind, but I think it’ll have to wait. You’re obviously in no condition to pay attention.” He gave her ass a little pinch. “So sex it is.”
He started leading her toward the back corridor, but she tugged on his arm and stopped him. “Uh-uh. I want to stay down here.”
He lowered his voice. “And screw me in front of your entire staff?”
Waving a dismissive hand, she pushed him aside and sank back into the booth. “They’ll be gone soon.”
Her entire body was wracked with impatience and arousal as she waited for her employees to finish wiping down each table and take care of the nightly duties. Riley didn’t sit down, just stood over her, looking intrigued. She was drunk, yeah, but not drunk enough that she couldn’t see the golden opportunity in front of her. Or more specifically, across the room. She’d pictured this moment so many times she couldn’t possibly pass it up now.
“The safe’s all locked up,” Greg said, approaching the booth. “The deposit’s in there, ready to be dropped at the bank tomorrow morning.”