Slowly, he smirked—dimple as sexy as ever. “Why, Miss D’Angelo, you aren’t wearing any panties.”
She couldn’t hold a single thought. She had never been this aroused in her life. The way he touched her body and the things he said in that husky voice—His palm opened and flattened over her sex. Heat.
“Tyson,” she whispered as his thumb parted her folds. “We…” She gasped as he grazed a particularly sensitive spot. “We have to stop.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want?”
His finger played at her opening without entering her, making her completely aware of how wet she was, leaving her breathless and dizzy. Good God, how long had it been since someone touched her there? And never before like this. Her body trembled almost violently. She feared she’d shatter if he didn’t stop or finish this in the next second.
Confused and frightened by all the unfamiliar feelings racing through her, she shook her head. “I can’t give you what you want.”
“You don’t have to give me anything, kitten.” His finger slid inside and her whole body coiled so tight she thought she’d break. Her head fell back as she cried out.
“Let me pleasure you, Kat. I want nothing in return. Trust me. It wouldn’t be right for me to leave with you so aroused. I promise this is as far as we go.”
His finger pressed farther inside, touching some hidden corner of her soul. Her spine curved and her back lifted. Reflexively, her knees drew up and pressed against his hips as she shivered.
She couldn’t think. He explored her in a way no one ever had. His other hand tightened over her hip. A wave of security shot through her at his gentle guidance. It was stupid to let something so simple make her feel cherished, but it did. He tightly held her as he moved his digit in and out and added another finger. Her body tightened around him another notch.
“You’re so tight.”
She opened her eyes, but found no trace of sarcasm or disappointment in his expression. Kat hadn’t been with a man in…well, ever. Last time she’d done anything she was a kid fooling around with an equally inexperienced boy. Still, she may not have had a lot of practice, but she did have a baby.
“Relax,” he reassured, tightening his grip on her hip. “You’re just as you should be.”
The hand holding her hip relaxed. Fingers trailed up her belly, over her twisted bra, and around the swell of her breast. Leaning over her, he pressed his lips to her neck and continued to move his fingers in and out in a slow, easy slide.
Her channel stretched to accept him. Her arousal spread as he awakened parts of her that she’d forgotten. The rhythm increased in time to her rapid breathing.
It was as if he were filling her with bolts of energy with each stroke of his hand. Pressure built. Her knees worked over his hips. His tongue licked at her ear as her toes pointed. She felt as if she were going to burst, but didn’t know how. Fear and excitement for the unknown wildly churned in her belly. She’d never recover if she embarrassed herself.
The little elegance she managed was gone. Her body jerked as his thumb pressed down at the top of her sex. Reaching for some sort of anchor, she gripped his shoulders, fisting the soft material of his shirt, pulling him closer. Her back arched as her shoulders pressed into the counter. Was this normal? His mouth latched on to the exposed flesh of her neck, her taste buds memorizing his unique flavor. Never in her life had she imagined anything could be so frighteningly wonderful.
His thumb rubbed against her clit. Hot, delicious friction built and he whispered, “Come for me, kitten.” And as if on cue, her body shuddered from the inside out, unable to contain the built-up tension a moment longer.
Her toes pointed as her muscles locked and her back bowed. She vaguely registered one soft clop followed by another as her high heels dropped to the kitchen floor. He moved his fingers faster as she pressed her sex into his hand, riding out every extraordinary wave of pleasure. Her arms shook as she squeezed her eyes closed and cried out in a breathy whisper. “Tyson…”
He captured her moans with a kiss as her body quaked from the aftershocks of what could only have been her first true orgasm.
The first full breath she pulled shook her to her core. The pressure of building tears had her blinking and choking back a lump in her throat.
Don’t cry. Do not cry.
She didn’t want him to know that was the first time she had ever done that. Her face turned as a tear discreetly slid to her temple. She needed to save all this emotional crap for later when she was alone. As casually as she could manage, her trembling hand swept the hair out of her eyes and brushed away the trail of tears before he noticed.
One by one her muscles unlocked as her body calmed. Tyson tenderly withdrew his fingers. Turning her chin, he softly kissed her and brushed his knuckle over her cheek. When she finally opened her eyes he was looking at her in a way she didn’t understand—as if she were precious.
She felt him pull away before he actually moved—sensed him—and then his arm slipped out from beneath her and he took a step back.
Dazed, she waited on the counter, disheveled, and spread out like a pagan sacrifice as she tried to understand what was happening. He looked at her with drowsy, lustful eyes, eyes that told her he wanted her, yet he was making his escape. She had no idea what to say or do.
He took another step, leaving a chill in his absence. Every muscle vibrated with tension. She folded her arms over herself, completely aware of her imperfect nakedness as the sexual haze faded and he backed closer to the door. Memories of Jeremy backing out of her life appeared uninvited.
Before she could find her words, he smiled and said, “Happy Easter, Kat. Sleep well.”
Regret crept inside her like a snake through her veins. Her body jerked and she clumsily pulled herself up to a seated position. She couldn’t cover herself fast enough.
Used. That’s what she was. “You’re leaving?”
He stilled as if her objection had caught him off guard. She’d caught herself off guard. No need to drag out the inevitable.
“Did you expect me to stay?” he quietly asked with a genuine look of curiosity in his expression.
“Well, no, but…” She shouldn’t have said anything. She should have just let him go. That’s what guys did, right? They left. Her vision blurred and she rolled her eyes as a throaty, humorless laugh bubbled past her throat. Perfect.
“Kat, if you want me to stay…”
She quickly swiped a hand over her eyes. “No. You should go.”
“I didn’t want—” He suddenly glared at her. “Are you crying?”
“No,” she quickly lied, dashing away all traces of her tears. “I’m fine. You can go.”
With trembling hands, she fumbled to right her clothing. He stepped close, but came up short when she jerked her chin and gave him a withering look. She didn’t need him coming any closer and confusing her again.
“Kat…I thought we were just having fun. I thought you were enjoying yourself. I never meant to get you upset.”
Her body twisted and she dropped her feet to the floor. Her legs nearly went out from under her, but he was there, steadying her, surrounding her once more. She jerked her elbow out of his hands. She couldn’t bear his touch at the moment. Keeping her back to him, she pushed her skirt back down to her knees.
“Here,” he quietly said, handing her the green sweater.
She took it and protectively folded it over her crossed arms as she turned to face him.
“Kat, this is crazy. I was only leaving—”
“Because you wanted to go,” she finished for him.
His eyes narrowed. “Because I know you don’t want me to stay.”
She was acting like a petulant child and she wasn’t even sure why. Nothing made sense. Her body was sluggish yet pulsing with energy. Her brain was fuzzy. Tyson had just made her feel incredible, but her feelings were extremely hurt at the same time. She was vulnerable and unsure if she wanted him to leave so she could cry or hold h
er while she did. Either way, the tears were coming.
Blanking her expression like a frost freezes a garden, she retrieved the last of her dignity and smoothly said, “You don’t know the first thing about what I want.”
His head jerked back and he scoffed. “Do you?”
Well, he had her there. Molars clamped tight, she scowled at him. It wasn’t fair that he looked so in control of his emotions while she was falling apart. With every passing second she was more confused, more embarrassed, and resentful that she had no experience with such matters.
“Just go, Tyson.”
“No,” he said irritably, pinning her with a glare. “We’re gonna talk about this.”
Great. Now he’s angry. Could you botch this up anymore? “There’s really no need,” she said with false calmness. She collected their wine glasses and dumped them in the sink. When she turned, Tyson was staring at her with a blank expression.
“What?” If he didn’t leave soon she’d break and he could not see that. Nobody wanted to see that.
“I don’t understand you. I didn’t want to rush things. I figured…”
She tried to think how Jade would act in a similar situation. “Look, Tyson, don’t make it more complicated than it is. You came over. Things got out of hand. We fooled around.” I had my first orgasm. “And now you’re leaving. No biggie.” She was such a terrible liar.
“I don’t want to leave with you angry.”
“I’m not angry.” Maybe just a little.
“Then upset,” he amended.
She negligently shrugged a shoulder. “I’m fine.”
His eyes narrowed. Emotions swelled inside her, beating at her like waves on a jetty during a full moon. Leave. Leave. Leave. She forced herself to breathe calmly and keep her expression blank.
He hesitated. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”
“Positive.” She remained perfectly still waiting for him to go.
He let out a slow breath and rubbed his palm over the back of his neck. This would be a lot easier if he wasn’t so damn pretty.
“Okay,” he said in a reluctant voice. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Not if I can avoid it.
He nodded, a perplexed look clouding his dark eyes.
She held her breath until the door clicked shut behind him. The moment he was gone her face crumpled faster than a pricked balloon as she gave into her tears.
The next morning Kat woke up like she’d been run over by a train. Muscles she didn’t even know she had were sore. She looked at the clock and jolted upright. 9:45.
Scrambling out from under the covers she nearly busted her ass as her leg got tangled in the sheet. Her panic only receded for a split second when she remembered it was a holiday and she didn’t have work. She sighed then gasped.
Mia!
She bolted out of her room. “Please be sleeping.” Her legs had apparently been replaced with aching Jell-O. She dashed down the hall and peeked in Mia’s room. Her heart plummeted when she saw the empty bed.
“Mia?” she shouted.
“Momma?” Mia called, calm as could be.
Rounding the corner to the living room, she let out a relieved sigh. Mia sat, in her pajamas, on the floor, watching cartoons with a brown bunny on her lap and a smile on her face.
“Morning, Momma. Can I have some milk?”
Kat shut her eyes and caught her breath. “How long have you been up?”
“You were sleeping so I turned on the TV. Look!” She held up the bunny Tyson brought last night. “The Easter Bunny came back and left me more toys!”
That made her grin. “Oh no, sweetie, that’s from Tyson. He dropped it off for you after you went to bed last night.”
“Tyson was here?” She looked rather disappointed that she’d missed him.
“Yes. Only for a few minutes,” she lied. “What do you say we get you some breakfast? What do you want to eat?”
“Cookies.”
“No cookies for breakfast. How about scrambled eggs?”
“‘Kay.”
Kat turned and there was a knock on the door. She hated waking up this late. Panic attacks and visitors were best when saved for the afternoon.
Mia jumped up and looked out the window. She winced as her daughter screeched, “Kiki!”
Why did she have such a hangover after only one glass of wine? Opening the door, grateful it wasn’t anyone else catching her looking so rough, she let Jade into the house.
“Good morning!” Jade cheerfully placed a box of munchkins and two coffees on the counter and tousled Mia’s hair. She looked at Kat and frowned. “Oh, you look like shit.”
“Quarter,” Mia said to Jade.
“Oh, sorry, Mia. How about some doughnuts instead?”
“Doughnuts!” Mia cheered, the sound piercing Kat’s brain.
Jade handed her the box. “Here you go, kiddo. Why don’t you take them in the living room so Mommy and I can talk?”
Kat filled a sippy-cup with milk and walked it to the living room.
“Look, Kiki,” Mia called, holding up her new bunny. “Isn’t he pretty? Tyson got him for me. I named him Oscar.”
Jade arched a blond eyebrow at Kat. “Oh, that’s a nice name. Okay, you and Oscar have some doughnuts and watch cartoons while Mommy and I have our coffee in the kitchen. Okay?”
“’Kay, Kiki.”
Jade opened her mouth to say something as they turned into the kitchen, but Kat held up a hand to stop her barrage of questions. “Wait. I haven’t even peed yet. Let me go to the bathroom before the inquisition begins.”
When she returned from the bathroom she grabbed her coffee and sat across from Jade with a huff.
“Okay, spill,” Jade said.
“Tyson came over again.”
Jade sat up and quickly clapped her hands together. “I knew it!”
“Shh!” she hissed, peeking around the corner at Mia.
“I knew it,” her best friend repeated in a hissed whisper.
“It’s not good.” Kat shook her head, pinching back the lid of her coffee.
“Says you. I’ll be the judge of that. Tell me everything.”
Scrubbing her hands over her face, she groaned. “He came over with the bunny and a bottle of wine and we hooked up.”
“Okay, I’m pretty sure your definition of hooking up and mine are totally different. Explain.”
“We made out.”
“And…” Jade waved her hand in a circular motion.
“And he saw my boobs,” Kat grudgingly admitted.
Jade slapped her thigh. “Look at that! My girl’s all grown-up! Anything else?”
She pressed her lips together, examining the chipped polish on her toes. Jade’s gaze bore into her as a flush burned from the back of her neck to her cheeks. She struggled to make the next confession. She didn’t have to tell Jade any of this, but she needed her friend’s advice. Who else would she ask?
Looking around nervously, she whispered, “He used his fingers…” She motioned to her thighs and Jade slapped her on the knee again, several times, in dramatic excitement.
“Ouch.”
“Sorry. I’m just excited for you.”
“Well hit me again and you’re gonna be unconscious,” she delivered the empty threat while soothing her stinging thigh. “Jade, it was the first time I ever…”
“Oh. My. God.”
“I know. And to top it all off, I have the world’s worst hangover.”
“Honey, you don’t have a hangover, you have an orgasm-over.” Jade laughed. “I can’t believe it. What’re you going to do?”
She sat back in her chair, protectively wrapping her arms around her stomach as she pursed her lips and shook her head. “I don’t know.” She sighed. “Part of me wants to see where things go, but another part of me is terrified of letting things go too far. Jade, he made me feel things—” she looked at her best friend, tears suddenly clouding her eyes.
Jade leaned over a
nd laid a hand on her knee. “I know, sweetie, it’s scary and new. But it’s not the end of the world. You’ll get a handle on it. Just take things slow and go at a pace you’re comfortable with. If he can’t accept that then forget him.”
“I don’t know if I’m comfortable with any of this. I mean he’s my neighbor, and there’s Mia to consider. I think it’d be better if I put some distance between us.”
“Do you think Tyson would be okay with that?”
Kat snorted. “Well, he’s going to have to be.”
“I think you should think about it before you make up your mind. There’s no rush. I mean, I get that you want to keep everything nice and controlled in your neat, little bubble. And I understand you don’t want to confuse Mia, but as far as she’s concerned, you and Tyson are friends. Plus, Kat, the guy is like unbelievably hot. I mean, come on….”
She rubbed her hands over her forehead and growled. “I don’t know. Every time I think of a reason to…whatever you call it…I think of three reasons not to.”
“Well, you need to see what happens. And, sweetie, the ‘whatever you call it’ is called sex. You’re an adult now. You need to learn how to use adult words. Now, tell me about this Dawson guy your mother’s trying to marry you off to.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh, that’s a whole other issue I don’t want to deal with. He’s okay, I guess. Nice enough, likes kids, capable of asking questions, and not conceited enough to only talk about himself.”
“What does he look like? Is he old?”
“Older than me, but no, not old. When I first saw him he reminded me of Jude Law.”
“Really? Wow, you’re batting a thousand. We should go to Vegas.”
“You do that, but you’ll have to go without me. My life’s a little busy right now.”
Kat laughed as she stood to throw her coffee cup in the trash and move the wine glasses from last night back into the cabinet. “By the way, Tyson’s thirty-six.”
“No way.”
“Way. And apparently, I make him feel like he’s robbing the cradle.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re both adults and you have a child for God’s sake. Besides, it isn’t like he looks a day older than twenty-eight. It isn’t right for a man to be that pretty.”