Her Perfect Man (8 page)

“Yeah, whatever.” Didn’t he get it? The less he knew, the better. If he really got to know her, she’d just disappoint him, like she did everyone else.

“You know, you never answered that question I asked the other night. In the car.”

“What question?” She eyed him suspiciously.

“You said you didn’t like your job. And I asked you what it was you’d really like to do.”

“Oh, that.” Her tone was dismissive, but her heart rate bumped and her palms grew damp.

“Come on. I’d really like to know. What’s your dream?”

What’s your dream?
No one had ever asked her that before. Sure, she had a dream. So what? For a knucklehead like her, it was as likely to come true as finding a unicorn. She’d never dared to tell anyone about it, afraid they’d laugh.

She took a deep breath and Charlie waited, his eyebrows lifted in anticipation. “Later.”

“Later?” He blinked in surprise.

“Yeah. After you answer
my
challenge.” She gave him an evil little smirk.

“Which is…”

“I want you to spend the night with me.”

Of course, they drove home separately, but when they had both parked their cars Kim took Charlie by the hand and led him up the stairs to her place.

“Kim.” He spoke just as she slipped her key in the lock. “What’s this really about?”

She stopped dead. “What do you mean?”

“Does this have anything to do with your ex-boyfriend?”

She could pretend not to know what Charlie meant, but what for? Seeing Adam tonight with his girl had knocked her for a loop. The way he looked at her. She wanted to be the focus of someone’s attention, too. If only for one night.

Before she could answer, Charlie spoke.

“Because I don’t like the idea of being anyone’s second best.”

Her forehead creased in confusion. “What?”

“I want you to know you’re here with
me
. Not that you’re pretending I’m him.”

“You’re
not
him.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him to show just how much she wanted
him
. He responded, but when she drew back, she saw the hesitancy in his eyes.

“I don’t usually do things this way,” he told her.

“Assbackward.”

Kim knew Charlie was right. They were rushing things.
She
was rushing them. There was always a part of her that knew better. Every time she dived headfirst into deep water without checking for crocodiles, part of Kim would shake her head and think
big mistake
. But the other part, the part that needed to feel good, needed someone’s arms around her, always won out. Even if she knew it wasn’t real, wasn’t love. For a little while, she’d feel less alone.

“Really?” She made her voice airy as she at last unlocked the door. “You mean you don’t usually sleep with a woman on the first date? You’re lucky I’m so easy, then.”

“Don’t.” His hand grasped her elbow and when she looked at him he was glowering. “Don’t call yourself that.”

“Whatever. Look, if you don’t want to be here—”

****

She was doing it again. Little Miss Hot and Cold. Drawing him close with one hand while her other pushed him away. How could someone with such a smart mouth and “I don’t give a shit” attitude be so insecure?

“Listen up.” Charlie said, injecting a firm note in his voice. “I do want to be here.” There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he used humor to defuse the situation. “Give me a break, all right?” He hitched his mouth into a lopsided grin. “I’m not used to being treated like a sex object.”

Kim grinned back, her stiff shoulders relaxing.

“Well, you are.” She opened the door and slipped her fingers behind his belt, pulling him inside. “Make the most of it.”

His arms went around her and pulled her close for a kiss. He loved the feel of her hands on his back, her hard tight nipples pressed to his front. Because of her height, he didn’t have to hunch awkwardly to kiss her soft lips. His tongue probed her mouth gently while hers tried to get him to play.

He knew what she was doing. Trying to use sex as a way to distance herself from him. Turn him into a sex object or fuck buddy or friend with benefits.

But they weren’t even friends yet. Because she was scared.

Scared if she let him too close, she’d get hurt.

She must have been hurt a lot in the past to have erected such a prickly exterior. Like a little hedgehog, she curled up defensively, showing her spikes to the world in order to protect her soft underside.

It would be a hell of a lot of work, Charlie knew, to win her trust. But he also realized that underneath the smartass veneer was a woman worth knowing. He only hoped he was up to the challenge.

Well, one part of him was
up
for sure. As Kim rubbed herself against him, his cock stirred restlessly. She felt it, too, while pressed close to him.

“Mmm…” She sighed appreciatively. Her eyelids flickered and drooped to half-mast as she fumbled with his belt buckle. “You’re such a straight arrow.

You go to work every morning, pay your bills on time, eat all your veggies. Mr. Rock-solid dependable.” She unzipped him, and he hissed as her hand gripped his dick through his boxer briefs.

“Wow. Talk about rock solid.” She bit her lower lip.

“Don’t you ever want to just say
fuck it
and be really, really bad?” She gave him a rub and his cock leapt toward her.

“You think I can’t be?” Another challenge. Part of him knew this was another way of distancing herself, by playing the bad girl to the hilt. But another part of him, the
rock solid
part, wanted to prove just how bad he could be, given provocation.

Her lower lip glistened, so plump and juicy that he had to take a bite. He nipped her, making her squeak, and at the same time slid his hands up to grasp her breasts. He flicked her hard nipples with his thumbs. She sucked in a breath and her eyes flew wide.

“You’re a real bad girl, aren’t you?” he growled.

Two could play this game.

“Uh-huh.” She trembled as he pinched her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. “I’m gonna show you just how bad, baby.”

“Oh, yeah?” If sex was the only way she’d let him close, then so be it. It was a doorway. Maybe having access to her body would give him a chance to get closer to the real woman.

Assbackward.
Not his preferred style, but Kim was a tough nut to crack.

“Well, this is how I deal with bad girls.” Taking a chance, he released her left breast and gave her a smack on the ass.

Kim’s mouth dropped open in shock. Her gaze met his. “Whoa.” Then her lips curved in a grin. “Mr.

Keller, you’re
kinky
.”

“Let me show you just how much, baby.”

Purposely echoing her words, he backed her down the hall toward her bedroom.

****

They shed their clothing on the way, dropping them like flower petals on the floor. Her blouse, his shirt, her skirt. By the time they reached her bedroom doorway, Charlie had unfastened Kim’s bra. When her breasts sprang free, he stopped to admire them. He whisked his fingers across her dark nipples, tugged them gently, then finally bent to suck first one, then the other.

Kim drew breath in a hiss of delight as fire streaked from her nipples straight to her pussy. Her fingertips pressed into his shoulders as each flick of his tongue sent another flash through her, turning her soft and melty. Her legs trembled and her clit pulsed in rhythm with the suction of his mouth.

“Hurry,” she murmured, too impatient for him.

“Hurry.” She’d meant to do the seducing, but everything turned backwards now. She was the eager one, hungry for him, while he kept control.

She grabbed Charlie, turned him around and shoved him backwards onto her bed. He laughed, but Kim found nothing funny. On fire, she was so needy that her eyes stung with tears. As he sat up to remove his shoes, she jerked open her bedside drawer and grabbed a condom from the box she kept there.

He still had his pants on. He was too slow. Why did he take so long?

Kim skinned out of her panties and again shoved him so he lay back on the bed.

He laughed again. “Take it easy,” he said as he jounced against the pillows.

“No.” She wouldn’t take it easy. She wanted it hard and fast. She pulled his pants and briefs down to his knees, too impatient too pull them off all the way. She sighed as at last his rigid cock bobbed free.

She grasped it, loving its heat and hardness. He stiffened, drawing in a quick breath as she ran her thumb around the velvety ridge of his cockhead, and Kim smiled. He wasn’t laughing now.

But she craved more, much more. Every inch of her skin tingled, every cell in her body ached with need. She tore the packet open, crawled over him, rolled the condom down his shaft. Straddling his hips, she rubbed her wet, needy folds against his latex-sheathed hardness, and lightning crackled through her. But even that was not enough.

Her thighs quivered as she lifted herself above him, biting her lip. His hands held her hips, steadying her, ready to slowly lower her onto him.

Though she’d wanted to torture and tease him like a wicked seductress, Kim couldn’t wait. She plunged onto his ready cock, gasping at the sudden fullness.

Too full, too quickly, but she didn’t care.

This time he hissed as she rose and fell jerkily on top of him, galloping toward climax. “Kim, wait.

Slow down.”

No. No slowing down. No taking it easy. She watched the flush rise on his cheeks, saw his lips plump and his eyes narrow with arousal. He tried to hold back, to wait for her. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted him to lose control. Kim rocked, grinding her pussy against him and like a match to tinder, he went off.

His eyes squeezed shut, and his hands dug into the soft flesh of her hips as he came. There might even be bruises tomorrow, but Kim didn’t care. A swell of triumph rushed through her. Mr.

Dependable had lost himself in the moment.

She kissed him and tumbled off, falling beside him on the bed.

A few moments later, he sighed and turned toward her. “Well, what was that about?”

“Huh?” Her smug smile undermined her innocent tone of voice.

“You didn’t let me slow down. It all happened too fast.”

“Oh, you’re blaming me?” she teased.

“Yes.” He bit her shoulder playfully. “Why do I get the feeling that’s exactly how you wanted it?”

Why indeed?
“You should be telling me you couldn’t hold back ‘cause I’m just so hot.” She patted his thigh. “What can I say? I have that effect on men.”

“Hmm. I’m lucky you’re not kicking me out of bed for my poor performance.” They lay side by side, her back to his front.

“Plenty of time for that,” she replied airily.

“Time enough for me to redeem myself, I hope.”

His fingers drifted down her arm, giving her goose bumps.

“I’m not complaining.” She shivered as his fingers made a detour and whisked across her hip.

“I am.” He nuzzled the tender spot where her neck met her shoulder, and his hot breath sent a tingle right through her, all the way down to her toes. “My manly pride’s at stake. I can’t leave a woman unsatisfied.”

And suddenly she recognized how truly unsatisfied
she was. She hadn’t cared a few moments ago, still flushed with pride that she’d made him lose control. But now Kim chafed with unfulfilled need. She hadn’t climaxed yet and she wanted to come.

She tried rolling over to face him, but Charlie held her still with his hand on her hip. “Stay there.

Just like that.” She chuckled as his fingers walked across her tummy. They then made a sharp turn, combing through the crisp curls at the vee of her thighs.

“Ahh…” She shifted so he had better access.

He touched lower, brushing her clit, circling.

“Like this?” he murmured, his lips at her ear. “Is that good?”

“Yeah.” She bit her lower lip, squeezed her eyes shut. “More.”

He played with her, his middle finger dipping into the mouth of her wet pussy. Her muscles clenched on him, wanting him deeper, but he withdrew, teasing her without mercy.

He nipped that juncture of neck and shoulder, and Kim squeaked. Opening her legs wider, she took his caressing hand and placed it exactly where she wanted it, teasing her clit. “Right there, okay?”

“Oh, it’s like that, huh?”

“Yeah. Just like that.” She bumped her pelvis against his hand. “Come on.”

The ache became a burn, growing hotter and hotter, her throbbing clit the center. As he teased and tickled and twirled, her teeth sank into her bottom lip, but that small pain meant nothing compared to the flames licking her. That peak was so close, so tantalizing as she reached for it. Just a little farther.

“Right there,” she moaned, pressing her hand hard against Charlie’s as his finger brushed her clit one more time. Her body curled against his as she came, the contractions pulsing through her in hot waves. Just as they subsided, another wave splashed over her when he thrust two fingers inside her. “Ah, yes.” When it ended, she slumped onto her back, as boneless as a jellyfish. She lifted her leaden eyelids to find Charlie gazing down at her, a small smile on his lips. Smug? Yeah, a little smug, but she didn’t blame him. After all, he’d just delivered her one hell of an orgasm.

“Good?” he asked.

“Duh,” she answered, settling back on the pillows. “Quit asking stupid questions and give a girl a kiss.”

Kim peered into her refrigerator and frowned.

Several bouts of sex made her hungry and thirsty, but the fridge held nothing much to tempt her.

When had she last been to the supermarket?

A large hand whacked her on the butt, and she immediately straightened up. “Hey.” She glared at Charlie, who smirked.

“You liked it before.” He waggled his eyebrows.

She snorted. “A little goes a long way. Just don’t be thinking I’m one of those submissive girlies.” She took a glass from the cupboard and turned on the faucet. “Want some water?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She handed him the water and took a glass for herself. They drank silently. Kim noted with some disappointment that Charlie had put his pants on. She wore only her short robe, which she hadn’t even bothered tying closed.