DearAnnie (2 page)

He rolled her over then unzipped her skirt and yanked it
off. Then he massaged her back, her shoulders, and smoothed aside her hair to
get at her neck. He climbed on top of her and fitted his hard-on along the
crack of her ass. Rocking over her, he kissed her skin and touched her
everywhere.

He fisted his hands in her hair, yanking the strands taut as
he bit at her shoulders and licked a line down her backbone. Finally, he
removed his pants. She looked over her shoulder at his nakedness and what a
sight he was.

His cock was long and thick, the head like a perfect plum.
She licked her lips at the thought of tasting it but before she could make a
move toward it, he was on top of her again, this time sitting on her backside.

He kneaded her upper arms, bending to kiss her every few
moments.

“You’re spoiling me, you know.” She sighed with
satisfaction.

He leaned down and spoke next to her ear. “And I’d like to
keep spoiling you. What do you think?”

She froze. What did that mean? Maybe he just meant today,
perhaps tonight and tomorrow at most. “Um, that sounds good.”

“Glad to hear that.” With that, he turned her over, took her
face in his hands and kissed her. Then he reached for the condom he’d set on
the night table and tore open the packet. Carefully, he rolled it over his
shaft.

Suzanne propped herself on her elbows and studied his
perfection. Dear Annie definitely approved. But something inside her grew sad
at the notion of him being merely for the day.

No, she wouldn’t go there. Entanglements weren’t what she
was about. She licked her lips as Alan pushed her legs apart with his knee. He
settled there and she breathed in the strong scent of soap mixed with his
cologne. He slid over her, back and forth, pressing his cock against her sex,
building her desire to a frenzied peak.

She needed him inside her. “Please, Alan.” She lifted her
hips, encouraged him closer. He nodded down at her then entered her one
delicious inch at a time. Her intimate confines stretched to accommodate him.

She automatically tightened around him as he started
stroking. A sweet ache grew inside her as her pleasure rose. Erotic friction
heated her up and drew her closer to another peak.

Alan’s eyes grew glassy. She yearned to watch his orgasm
unfold. But he held on to his control, no doubt waiting for her. He thrust
deeper and she could feel the tension in his every stroke. His body shook with
restraint that rolled off him in waves.

He shut his eyes and moaned. The muscles in his neck corded
and his skin grew red and sweaty. As her climax neared, she dug her nails into
his back and waited a moment before the bliss washed over her. She screamed
with delight as she fell over the edge into ecstasy.

Alan finally allowed himself to let go. He clenched his
teeth but didn’t hold back a deep, primal groan. He stroked a few more times,
spilling everything inside her, giving it all to her. She held him tightly,
knowing this time was all they had. Other people might be perfectly content to
try out relationships, but she was destined to fall into a painful, troubled
one and she refused to risk it. She’d have to be content with sex and
thankfully this was pretty awesome sex.

Alan lay flat on his back, still breathing hard. “Wow.”

She headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Sometimes guys
took advantage of her absence to leave, which suited her fine. The quicker they
disappeared, the less opportunity she had to form any sort of silly,
sentimental bond to them. But she had to admit, she might be a little
disappointed if she came out and found Alan gone.

She turned on the water then stepped inside.

“What, you don’t believe in any post-coital cuddle time?”

She wiped the water out of her eyes and found him standing
next to her in the shower. Despite herself, she grinned. “Cuddling is for
lovers. We’re more…”

He took the soap and rubbed it over his chest and shoulders.
Then he turned her around so she faced away from him and he started washing her
back, massaging and kneading with slick, wet hands. “What?”

She moaned at the relaxing sensations. “I don’t know…fuck
buddies, one-timers.”

He stopped what he was doing and spun her toward him. He
wasn’t smiling anymore. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

She shrugged. “Let’s not make this more than it is.” The
hurt in his eyes gave her pause.

“Does that mean you’re not willing to make this a beginning?
I was hoping it would be the start of something special, rather than an end.”
He took her hand. “I like you, Suzanne. I’d love to get to know you better.”

She tore her gaze away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lead
you on. I’m just not interested in a relationship.”

He exhaled loudly. “Oh. Are you involved with someone?”

“No, it’s nothing like that.” She rinsed off then stepped
out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She wished Alan would leave.
A man like him was too tempting. If she wasn’t careful, she might start liking
him too much.

The shower shut off and seconds later Alan wrapped his damp
arms around her. “Would you at least give me the rest of the week to try to win
you over?”

When she didn’t answer, he went on. “It’ll take my friend a
few days to work on your old laptop. Give me until then, please?”

“How about I agree to reevaluate tomorrow? If things are
still good between us in twenty-four hours, I’ll agree to another day with you,
if you want to spend the time with me, that is.”

“So you have me on a daily plan, is that it?”

“It sounds awful when you put it like that. I just can’t
commit to more than a day at a time.”

“I’ll take what I can get. Not like you’re giving me any
other choice. But do this for me. Make it two days at a time, then…reevaluate,
okay?”

She softened against him. How could she refuse when he felt
so strong and sexy and comforting? “Okay.”

He grinned as he held her at arm’s length. “Good. Now, back
to bed with you. I told you I wasn’t through with you yet.”

She started toward the bedroom, letting a giggle slip out
when he gave her ass a hard slap. Why not indulge in a little more fun time.
Her feel-good batteries needed charging. But as soon as she got back her
computer, she’d have to put an end to their time together.

Chapter Two

Suzanne slipped out of bed three days later and headed to
the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Although spending yet another glorious day
making love, watching movies, cooking and eating with Alan, she had to pay
attention to real life.

Real life meant rewriting the column Alan’s techie friend
had yet been able to rescue, earning money to pay the rent as well as send her
mom and sisters some cash.

She startled when Alan came up behind her and wrapped her in
his arms. He smelled like her soap and her shampoo and it turned her on that he
did. He sneaked his hands inside her robe and cupped her breasts. “Good
morning, beautiful.”

She twisted out of his grasp. “Nope. I need coffee and then
I have to get to work on my column. It’s due later today and I hate taking my
deadlines down to the wire.”

He held up his palms in surrender then backed against the
counter. “What kind of column do you write?”

She filled the reservoir of the coffeemaker with water then
found a filter and set it in place. “I’m Dear Annie. I give sex advice.”

He bellowed a laugh. “I knew I’d found a gem in you. I love
it.”

She measured out grounds, scooped them into the machine then
turned it on. “That doesn’t scare you off, hmm?”

“It takes a lot more than that.”

The direction of the conversation was making her skin itch.
“So don’t you have a job? Or are you a millionaire playboy?”

“I wish. I teach biology at Northern Virginia Community
College and this week is spring break. What amazing luck, huh? I think we were
meant to bump into each other.”

His smile was so warm and genuine she had to turn away. But
he scooped her into his arms. “Why do I get the feeling I’m not winning this battle?”

She centered a hand on his chest and gave him a gentle push.
“It’s not a war. And it’s not going to continue past this week. I told you that
from the start.”

He clasped her shoulders. “I know what you said. It’s the
why that I don’t understand.”

He’d told her about his big happy family, his two brothers
and twin sisters. How could he relate to her abusive, dysfunctional mess of a
family? He wouldn’t get her aversion to anything more than sexual liaisons
because he hadn’t lived through the nightmare she and her sisters had. “You
wouldn’t get it, Alan.”

“Try me.”

But before she could reply, her cell rang. She grabbed it
from the kitchen counter and immediately answered when she saw Wendy’s name on
the display. “Hey, what’s up?”

But she couldn’t understand a word her youngest sister said
through her sobs.

“Honey, what is it?”

“Paul…cheating…” She sniffled and wailed into the phone.

Suzanne collapsed into a kitchen chair and listened to the
teenager’s breakup story.

Alan got her a cup of coffee and fixed it how she liked with
extra cream and four spoonsful of sugar. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that
he was getting to witness part of the mess that was her family. If he were
smart, he’d take the opportunity to run.

Alan settled into the sofa and pretended to read a magazine
he’d found on an end table. Suzanne seemed so patient with her sister, assuring
her everything would be okay, her cheating boyfriend didn’t deserve her. Only a
minute of two after she got off the phone with Wendy, another sister, Laura,
called.

He surmised from the conversation that Laura was a college
student who couldn’t graduate until she passed a speech class. But apparently,
Laura found the idea of speaking in front a group akin to facing a firing
squad.

Suzanne’s warmth and reassurance touched him. Before ending
the conversation, she promised Laura she’d make the girl’s next tuition payment
before the end of the month.

When Suzanne dragged into the living room, he wanted to hug
her, tell her what a wonderful job she’d done consoling her sisters, how
impressed he was at she was handling all she had on her plate. But he sensed
his best move was to keep quiet, let her talk only if it was her idea.

Without uttering a word, she sat on his lap and laid her
head on his shoulder.

He rubbed her lower back. After several minutes of cuddling,
she got up and set her hands on her waist. “Enough of my pity party. I need to
get to work.” When he made no move to go anywhere, she lifted an eyebrow. “Do
you think you can check on my old computer? It’d save me some time if I could
get back the columns I saved on my—” Her phone interrupted.

She rolled her eyes. “Excuse me.” She hurried to the kitchen
to answer. “Hey, Diana.”

Could it be yet another family member?

“Oh, honey, that’s wonderful. Congratulations…absolutely, it
sounds like a terrific opportunity… No, of course you can’t. We’ll move you
this weekend…it’s no problem at all.”

After she hung up, she returned to the living room and gave
him a sheepish grin. “You wouldn’t consider letting me borrow your pickup for
the weekend, would you? I know it’s a huge thing to ask and we hardly know each
other at all, but I’ll give you my car in the meanwhile. You see, my sister got
this great job. In New York. She starts on Monday. She has a friend she can move
in with but she’s got to be there in a few days.”

He couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “How do you talk so fast
without even breathing? And did you really just say you think we hardly know
each other?” He shook his head and grinned but if she really thought that, his
feelings were a little bruised. “I know you really well.” He took her hand and
wound her into his embrace. “I know where you’re ticklish—the smile lines under
your adorable bottom, the backs of your knees and that sweet spot behind your
right ear.” He nuzzled her neck and delighted at her pleasured shudder.

“I know how to make you come with my fingers, my tongue and
my cock.”

She bit her lower lip and he nearly came unglued.

“I know that you love it when I scrape my teeth over your
nipples and that you enjoy giving me head almost as much as I love receiving
it.
Almost.
”

Her peaches-and-cream complexion reddened.

“But I’m not letting you take my truck.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you just said—”

He cut her off with a kiss. “Moving someone is a big job.
I’ll help.” When she started to shake her head, he grasped her arms. “I’m big
and strong and I won’t take no for an answer.”

He felt all the tension slip out of her. “Really?” she
asked.

“Really.”

“That doesn’t mean I’ll agree to prolong things between us,
you know.”

“We’ll see.”

Suzanne was obviously the sort of person who helped her
family until she had no more to give. The least he could do was to pitch in.
And buy himself more time with her in the bargain.

* * * * *

Suzanne woke in time to see the
Welcome to Virginia
sign. She’d never been much of a car sleeper, but leaning against Alan combined
with two solid days of moving furniture and boxes had wiped her out. Not to
mention sixteen total hours of drive time. She’d crashed the moment they’d hit
the highway on their return trip.

“The way you snore is so cute.” Alan adjusted his
sunglasses. Damn, but he looked hot in them.

She rubbed her eyes. “I don’t snore.”

He snickered. “Oh. Okay. Must have been my imagination.”

“I rarely sleep very deeply. I learned at an early age that
I might have to get up and go hide with my sisters at a moment’s notice.” She
straightened, unsettled both by the memory and the fact she’d shared it with a
man.

“What were you hiding from?”

“Our father.” She swallowed back a bitter taste. “I was the
oldest. If I hadn’t protected them, there’s no telling what he might have
done.”

“He was abusive?”

She didn’t answer. It wasn’t something she normally—or
ever—spoke about.

“And you’re still taking care of them. Says a lot about the
kind of person you are.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

She was growing way too attached to him. Lord, she could
fall for the man and that was the worst thing in the world. “Alan, I really
appreciate all you did for me this weekend. But…well, I think we should cool
it. Nothing against you, but like I told you, I’m not into relationships.”

“I gather that. And if you telling me wasn’t proof enough,
I’ve sampled your columns. They paint quite a picture or a woman who’s
terrified of actual feelings.”

“You’ve read my columns?” She glanced across the seat at him
but saw no malice in his expression. “I’m sorry, Alan. That’s just how I roll.”

He set a hand on her thigh and erotic energy zinged her just
like the very first time they’d touched almost a week before. “I’m asking you
to give me a chance.”

Her chest tightened. She’d never felt so comfortable with a
man, nor had she ever had such amazing sex. Each time was exponentially better
than the last. God, she wanted to keep him around, to open her heart to him,
but something inside her lodged a protest. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” She folded her
arms.

“I understand how you’d be gun shy after growing up
witnessing abuse, but, baby, I’m all about elevating you on the highest
pedestal, giving you the best I have to offer.” His voice broke. “I’d never
hurt you. All I’m asking for more time.”

He pulled off the road, shut off the engine then faced her.
“I’ve seen you give and give and give to your family. It’s high time you snag a
little happiness for yourself. Take a chance on me, Suz. Please.”

She wiped away tears. “We’re all screwed up. Diana’s like
me. She won’t let a guy close. She stays so focused on her advertising career
that there’s no room left for a man. Laura’s so painfully shy, I’m afraid
she’ll never so much as get a date. And Wendy’s still in high school, but she’s
so desperate for male attention that she falls head over heels for any boy who
pays her any attention at all.”

He laid a hand on her thigh. “I can’t begin to know what
advice to give your sisters, but I want you to open yourself to having me
around for a while, as long as you’ll let me. I come with a
double-your-money-back guarantee.”

His smile loosened a few of the tight knots inside her. She
sucked in a breath for courage. “I’ll try. A week at a time, no more. I’ll
reevaluate every Sunday. No promises.”

“No promises.”