Friendly Temptation (3 page)

Several choices were hiding in the back. Making an executive decision, he grabbed one and took it into the living room with him. Half the bottle was gone before he’d even made it to her couch.

Movement at the mouth of the hallway snagged his attention. He’d stretched his legs across her new teak coffee table and, under her questioning gaze, casually crossed them at the ankles and grinned. In truth he was feeling nowhere near casual, especially when she stepped out of the shadows and into the brightness of the living room.

Kat had changed into pajama bottoms and a spaghetti-strap camisole. No way was there room in there for a bra. Her nipples pushed against the thin fabric, beckoning to him. Swallowing, he squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head.

“Honey, I think it might be time to call it a night.”

“Why Dom? It’s only a little after nine.” She wandered closer, taut breasts jiggling ever so slightly.

His hands fisted on either side of him, jaw clenching. It’s either a test or she’s trying to kill him. No other explanation made sense.

“I was hoping you could give me a hand. The placement is a little awkward to reach and clean thoroughly. Maybe you could rub a little of that ointment on too?” Her sultry tone was stoking the fire already burning beneath his waist. “Don’t you need to clean yours?”

Actually he did. The gauze was sticking to his skin uncomfortably. Heart pounding, he tilted his head up and eyed her carefully. “What are you doing Kat?”

“What are you talking about?” The corner of her mouth twitched.

Dom put down his bottle and launched himself off the couch. Stopping several inches away from her, he waved a hand between the two of them. “This.”

He
knew
but he didn’t
know
and that’s what was driving him crazy. He needed confirmation.

“Just requesting help from a friend.” Her words were soft.

His breathing echoed in his ears as his voice rasped. “Just help from a friend?”

A flush spread upwards from her chest and reddened her face. “Maybe more than a friend.” With a genuine smile, she pivoted and walked down the hall.

He stared in amazement before following…at a safe distance.

Chapter Two

Kat entered the bathroom and turned on the sink tap to regulate the temperature, smiling as Dom’s cologne and very essence enveloped her from behind. She’d purposely left the bandage on. With one hand, she pulled her hair up in a ponytail. “Want to help me out?”

“Of course.” His voice was gruffer than usual.

Sucking in a breath, she held it while his fingers glided over the back of her shoulder and gently peeled the tape and gauze away. Gooseflesh broke across her skin, despite the heat rising within. She peeked sideways, mesmerized as he lathered up his big hands before they were against her tender flesh once more. The tiny sting she experienced was nothing compared to the flood of desire pooling at the juncture of her thighs.

A tickling of stubble brushed just behind her ear when he leaned forward. “How’s that?” His fingers continued to caress as warm water cascaded down the back of her shoulder soaking the fabric of her camisole.

“Feels nice.”

“Good to hear.”

More warm water trickled down her flesh before he pressed a clean towel against the tattoo, gently blotting it dry.

“What about yours?” Her words sounded husky to her.

“I can take care of it.”

Oh no. He wasn’t going to get away with that
. Kat twirled to face him, biting her lip, the skin of her face warmer than usual.

“Really, honey…” The words died on his lips and she suppressed a giggle.

“It’s only fair.” She caught the bottom hem of his shirt and peeled it upward, keeping her eyes on his. Her fingers brushed against his hard muscles, lingering when they twitched in response.

Taking over, he pulled the t-shirt over his head, tossing it past her shoulder where it landed in the hall somewhere.

“That’s better.” She grazed his chest with her nails, making short work of his bandage with nimble fingers. Delving in the warm, sudsy water, she gently sluiced away all the dried blood peppered over his Ankh. Water flowed down his chest, over his rippled belly and soaked into the waistband of his jeans. The large bulge pushing against the zipper of his Levis caused a smile to tug at the corner of her mouth. With effort, she dragged her gaze from his groin back to his face to find his jaw pulsing in tension.

Pulling another towel from the rack, she dried his chest with gentle pats around the new ink, smoothing the terrycloth down his torso, his muscles tensing beneath her touch.

Like a snake striking, he caught her face in his hands, his eyes burning into hers. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” It came out in hard pants, bringing hard thrusts to mind and a tremble ran through her.

His eyes flicked back and forth between hers, appearing to wait for a sign.

Physical attraction aside
,
do I really know what I’m doing?
She stared into his handsomely etched face for just a moment longer before leaning forward to press her lips to his.

The first kiss was sweet, tender as she moved her mouth with his, smiling against him when one of his hands sifted into her hair to keep her anchored and the other traced down her side to settle at her hip. She pulled back to catch his eyes with hers. His face was slack with amazement and gave her the courage she needed.

Kat grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him down to her once more. When she softly probed with her tongue, a little moan escaped and he shuddered, taking over, jousting with her, his mouth demanding and hungry. Happy to relinquish control, warmth shot straight south as he crushed her to him. The steel of his erection pressed against her and evoked her sweet juices to flow.

His hand smoothed over her hip and around the swell of her ass, gently caressing one cheek before shifting to run his fingers just inside the waistband. “Christ, you’re not wearing panties!” He choked and she giggled.

“Fewer barriers.”

“Dear God.”

She tilted her head back, giving access to his firm lips to peruse her throat and chest. He placed an open-mouthed kiss against one breast, circling the nipple with his tongue before nibbling and sucking through the thin cotton. Dom grunted in annoyance, then peeled her cami up and over and tossed it aside. She sunk her fingers into his hair and a moan rattled from her lips when his teeth scraped one hard pebble. His tongue and mouth ran furrows of scalding heat back up her chest and throat to connect with her lips once more, deeply, wetly. Fire burned beneath the surface of her flesh as the ache between her thighs urged her to push more firmly against him. But it wasn’t enough.

His strong fingers explored down the front of her pajama bottoms and she bit back a gasp when they brushed against her curls and stroked along her silky channel.

“You’re so wet honey.” His words came out in gusts against the corner of her mouth.

All she could manage was a breathy “Uh-huh,” her body beginning to give up its secrets to him.

With a calloused thumb, he pressed against her clit and the resulting gasp and thrust had him chuckling. The vibration of that wonderful sound drove straight to her heart and core. His thumb remained to play with her button, one finger circling her opening. She squeaked then sighed as he penetrated her and mewed in disappointment when he withdrew. “That wasn’t…very…nice…” Her breathy pants nearly drowned out her own fragmented complaint.

His grin was triumphant and she would have smacked him if his fingers hadn’t slid back between her nether lips with bolder more intense strokes to catapult her gasps to a guttural scream of pleasure. She trembled within his embrace, slowly regaining her senses.

“All right there?” He pressed a kiss to her temple then her lips.

“More…than…okay.” Her answer was a low murmur against his mouth, her breath intermingling with his.

Kat whimpered again when he removed his hand but his lips remained anchored with hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he easily lifted her in one deft movement and transported them to her bedroom.

Heart thundering, Dom edged them toward the bed and continued to follow her lips with his. Long submerged passion began breaking free, making him desperate to claim every single part of her. He allowed her feet to touch the plush carpeting but kept her locked firmly against him. Her skin was salty sweet and he left her mouth to nibble down the slender column of her throat, wanting to taste more of her.

He smiled when she took over, her hands breezing over his shoulders, down his ribs and working at the fly of his jeans. His cock swelled even more as her fingers skimmed against it. She feathered her lips across his cheek and ran her tongue against his throat before grazing it down his chest. Dom forgot to breathe when she scraped her teeth against his nipple before continuing her descent down his body, sinking before him. Her tongue circled his navel.

She was so damned close
.
The anticipation of those full lips wrapped around his hard length was killing him. He closed his eyes for a second, but opened them as she unzipped his jeans and his cock sprang from its denim prison. A long moan escaped her lips before her sparkling eyes met his. Ever so slowly, she licked the base, from just above his balls, to the tip and planted a kiss, never looking away from him.

There was no air in his lungs. At all. He could only stare down as his best friend twirled her tongue around the head of his cock and struggle not to thrust into her sweet mouth when she gently began to suck. Kat deep-throated him several times before he finally pulled some air in. A long shaky moan reverberated through his chest when her fingers wrapped around his thick rod to pump the length, freeing her lips to continue to tease the tip.

With effort, he fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her up to meld his mouth with hers. “I’d like to be inside you when I come sweetheart,” he growled, pressed against her lips.

Her response was a needy whimper and she clasped him fiercely as they moved in perfect step to the foot of the bed. Tracing her flushed face with his lips, he glided them down her throat, teased the divot at the base and arrived at one breast to press an open—mouthed, heated kiss to her firm flesh. His tongue flicked the hard nipple and his heart leapt when she gasped and moaned.

The passionate medley brought a blaze of reality to the situation. This was really happening. He and Kat were making love and it brought tears to his eyes. Dom blinked them back as her other perfect breast beckoning him to suck and worship. Her slender fingers sifted through his hair when his thumbs curled in the waistband of her pajama bottoms and delicately pulled them down her legs. He gazed up at her from his crouched position and took her in hand to steady her as she stepped out of the material pooled at her feet. Her scent swirled around him and he breathed the musk deep into his lungs before pushing to his feet.

He folded her form to him, shuddering at the balance of her softness with his hard edges. Dominic breezed his lips across her cheek, pausing next to the hollow below her ear. “Did I ever tell you that I love your freckles?”

“Nuh-uh,” Kat breathed.

“It’s my mission to kiss each and every one.”

“You’ve got your work cut out for you.” Her voice peaked with a gasp when he gently nipped her earlobe.

“I’m up to the task.”

“I can…tell.”

Chuckling, he brought his mouth back to hers for a moment before bending to push his boxers and jeans down his hips, pausing only to pull a condom from his wallet. They fell to the bed in a tangle of arms and legs, her giggles filling the room. Her triangular warmth pressed to his cock and he angled her into the comforter, aching to feel her slick muscles contracting around him.

She gasped in pain and he pulled away, fear of hurting her cooling his passion. “Kat? Did I do something…?”

Katherine smiled up at him and he sucked in a quick breath at the sheer honesty of it. “I’m okay. The tattoo…it’s just…tender.”

Dom returned the smile and pressed his mouth to her lower lip, giving it a playful suckle. “Maybe a change of venue would be a bit more comfortable.” He flipped her around so he could lie beneath her, loving the little squeak of surprise but cutting it off with a deep kiss. “If you take the driver’s seat, sweetheart, there’ll be less pressure on your back.”

She opened her mouth to the caress of his tongue before sliding her lips across his jaw to his ear. “I do like being in control.” Her voice was so raw and teasing that if he’d been a younger man, he would have come…and that would have been
that
. He prayed a silent
thanks
for maturity.

Kat’s eyes shimmered as she plucked the foil encased condom from between his suddenly lax fingers. Her eyes never left his, tearing the packet open with deep pink nails, before tossing the wrapper aside and rolling the condom up his shaft in tantalizing tease. He shuddered at her tender touch when she playfully pushed him back onto the bed.

His breaths were low and fast, fists clenching and unclenching in his battle to allow her to stay in control. He watched her approach with feline grace as she rested her knees on either side of his hips and leaned forward, breath hot and steamy on his face. He gazed up through the tunnel of her hair at her smile before she fused her lips with his, delving her tongue deeply into his mouth while lowering herself onto his cock. He groaned when her welcome heat encased him but remained still, allowing her muscles to adjust.

Had she ever allowed herself to imagine they’d come to this point? Maybe in the haze of night and dawn when Kat awakened from the sweetest of dreams, naked and open to her true feelings. She’d been afraid to do so in the harsh light of day but now all those fears seemed so silly, trivial. He was the perfect fit for her body and her heart.

When she rose up and thrust down on him, his irises eclipsed into the darkness of intense arousal. And she was the one responsible for it. The power of it made her giddy. Kat’s lips lingered against his forehead, cheek and mouth as she rode him, rocking slowly, teasing. But Dominic wasn’t a man to remain passive. As anticipated, his powerful hands caught her by the hips pulling her down against his body, with more fervor, more demand. His pubic bone hit her clit and a trembling cry fluttered from between her lips. Dom sat up, his burning mouth caressing her chest, and he continued to piston her upon his cock. Kat clung to him, her hands in his damp hair, pressing her dripping channel down in time with his encouragement as ardent heat pulsed through her loins.