InBedWithMrPerfect (3 page)

Why did I wait so long to experience what Ann had to
offer? Just proves that youth was wasted on the young.

Ann broke their kiss and tried to twist out of his arms.
Worry filled her eyes.

“Where are you going? I’m not done kissing you yet.” He
pulled her closer. “Are you having regrets?”

She kissed his cheek. “I don’t regret anything we’ve done.”

“What put that sad look in your eyes then?” He palmed her
ass and pulled her hips to meet his hard-on.

“I’m afraid.” Her eyes shimmered with tears. “We might mess
up everything we’ve worked so hard to build.”

Joe nuzzled her neck and drank in her scent. How could he
tell her he wouldn’t screw this up this time without telling her he planned on
making this a permanent situation?

Blowing out a breath, he lied to her for the first time
ever. “You said it yourself. We’re going to be friends with benefits. Nothing
else in our relationship has changed.”

“I want you to know, if something goes wrong with us, I
would never enforce the fifty-fifty partnership clause in our business
contract. Mr. Perfect’s will always be yours.”

His chest constricted. The gym wouldn’t be worth having if
Ann wasn’t a part of it. He squelched the unease boiling in his gut. “What
happens between the sheets will not affect our partnership at the gym,” he
said.

“But Joe.”

God, she was killing him. Leaning his forehead to hers, he
took a moment to steady himself. “I will never forget what you’ve done for me
and what you continue to do for me.” He slid his arm out from under her side and
pushed up on his elbow, looking down at her. “I couldn’t have done any of it
without you.”

“You would have figured out a way.” She rolled on her back
and sighed.

Like hell he would have. He’d worked his ass off to save up
enough collateral and the banks still wouldn’t give him the time of day.

The absence of Ann’s softness chilled him to the bone. He
moved on top of her and pressed his face in her hair.

The scent of her wildflower shampoo filled his nose and his
dick stirred. Lifting his head, he grinned down at her. “I disagree.” Joe
leaned in and rubbed his nose against her. “Your crazy-smart brain, accounting
skills and unbreakable faith in me gave me the tools I needed to succeed.”

“But…”

“No buts. You believed in me and gave me a loan when no bank
would.” He interlaced his fingers with Ann’s and brought them over her head. “I
would never risk what we have for a quick tumble in bed.”

“Oh, Joe.” Her chest heaved, pushing her full breasts into
his chest.

“The one thing I know for sure is you will always be a part
of my life.” Joe moved his mouth down her neck and over her clavicle.

“I have to have you again.” He dipped his tongue between her
lush breasts and savored her.

“I can’t think when you’re touching me.”

“Good. You think too much.” He released her hands and cupped
her breast.

Her fingers dug into his shoulders. “You don’t think
enough.”

All he’d done for the better half of a decade was daydream
about Ann and how to be with her. Now that he’d had a taste he was not going
back.

“You’re killing me.” He nudged his knee between her legs.
“Let me inside.”

Dried leaves and dirt crunched under the tires of Ann’s
Prius. She maneuvered around a corner and drove into a clearing. Pulling into a
space next to a red Porsche, she took in the view in front of her. Purple,
white and yellow flowers clung to life in the field ahead. Ann loved New
Hampshire this time of year.

September was the perfect mix of summer and winter. The warm
days reminded her of sunbathing at the beach and the nights had that clean bite
of cold air telling her the frigid bitch of winter was on its way. She smiled
at the thought of cold weather and what it brought with it.

Every time it snowed, Joe would coerce her outside and they
would play like two kids having a snow day from school. There wasn’t much about
growing up in Florida she didn’t like. However, she’d sure missed out on snow
days.

“Let’s get going.” Joe grabbed his daypack, opened the car
door and got out.

“I’m coming.”

Little pangs of spent lust throbbed through her. Places in
her body she’d forgotten existed ached as she stood. In the past twelve hours,
Ann had worked more muscle groups than she’d worked in the last twelve months.

Moving around the car, Joe grinned. “I will never get tired
of hearing you say that.” He took her hand and tugged.

The man had a way of making her feel like she was the most
beautiful woman in the world. Rolling her eyes, she smiled up at him. “Get your
mind out of the bedroom.”

His green gaze sparkled and the thick black strands of his
hair bristled in the light breeze. She wrapped her arms around his neck and
leaned into him as her girly parts melted into a puddle of need. Joe had always
made her feel accepted and cared for, but knowing she put that heated look on
his face made her heart beat a little faster. Ann couldn’t remember ever being
this happy.

Lifting on her tiptoes, she kissed him as the wind swelled
around them. Ann twisted out of his embrace, knowing if she didn’t she would
pull Joe into the bunch of trees behind them and have her way with him.

“Let’s go.” She grabbed his arm and took a step.

“Race you.” Joe swatted her ass and jogged past her.

A zing of awareness shot through Ann and revved her libido.
She ran after him.

“I’ll give you a head start.” Joe slowed and turned, moving
backward.

“I don’t need a head start.” Her legs burned as she picked
up speed and tried to blow past him.

Joe scooped her up with one arm and started up the slope.

“Put me down.”

“No.” He hoisted her over his shoulder and picked up his
pace.

“You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Oh, please. I have barbells that weigh more than you do.”

“Damn it, Joe, put me down.” She fisted her palms and beat
them into his ass. Pain blasted up her arm. “Ouch. Is anything on you not hard
as a rock?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you stick your hands down my pants
and find out?”

“Very funny.” She arched, lifted his shirt and bit his side.
“Oh, I just found something soft.”

“Hey!”

“What?” She wrapped her arms around his hips. “You wanted me
to find something soft and I did.” Ann wiggled her butt and slid up a little.
“I think you need to work on that.”

“I’ll get right on it.” Joe hooked his arms over her legs
and stepped over a tree stump on the trail.

Her head bounced against his back. “Let’s see. Is there is
anyplace else you should work on?”

“Don’t start something you’re not willing to finish.” He
slapped her ass again.

Sensual pain radiated over her skin and centered in her
core. “Who says I’m not willing?”

“Well, in that case.” Joe stopped and slid her from his
shoulder.

A thrill raced over Ann as her breasts skimmed down his
chest. She tugged at the collar of her oversized sweater. “Is it getting hot
out here?”

“I’m about to burn up.”

Ann gazed over the landscape. The huge tree painted the
horizon in a wash of red, yellow, green and brown. A tiny zip of anticipation
pricked up her spine.
“Let’s go behind those trees and see how hot we can get.”

“Good idea.” He interlaced his fingers with hers and leaned
down, nuzzling her cheek.

“Joe. Is that you?”

Like a wolf scenting a mate, Joe’s head whipped up. “Holy
shit.”

“What?” Ann spun out of his arms and her world crashed down
around her. It didn’t matter she’d never met the woman jogging up to them in
all her beautiful sculpted-body perfection. Every photo Joe had of himself though
his teenage years featured the beauty who was now a Victoria’s Secret model.

How could she have been so stupid? Ann tugged her sweater
over her plus-sized hips.

What was she thinking, letting herself believe she was good
enough for Joe?

Stepping back, Ann watched the one that got away jump into
his arms.

“I thought that was you. How have you been?”

The other woman fit just right against him. He smiled as she
rubbed her huge boobs over his chest. “It’s good to see you, Brooke.”

“Oh, it’s so good to see you,” the bitch said and pressed
her famously pouty lips over his.

Ann’s heart galloped against her ribcage and a herd of
bucking broncos reared up in her stomach. All her insecurities swelled and
crested inside her. Swallowing back tears, she backed up.

Memories of that night so long ago clawed their way through
her mind. She remembered how her stomach flip-flopped when he asked her to go
to the party with him and her chest still ached like it did when he waved the
UNH head cheerleader over and offered her a drink. She was still that
twenty-year-old girl standing in the doorway of the old fraternity house,
watching Joe walk back to the dorms with a Playboy bunny wannabe all over
again.

The other woman slithered down his body. He cleared his
throat and shoved his hands into his jean pockets. “What are you doing back in
town?”

Brooke’s finger traced little circles over his chest. “It’s
my grandmother’s ninetieth birthday and we’re having a big party for her later
today.” Her million-dollar face brightened. “You should come. My grandmother
would get such a kick out of seeing you.

Joe’s hand clamped over Brooke’s and he gazed over at Ann.
“Let me introduce you to my gir—”

Stepping forward, Ann shot out her hand. “Hi, I’m Joe’s
roommate, Ann,” she said, interrupting Joe.

Brooke looked down her button nose. Her dainty fingers
briefly clasped Ann’s outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said, dropping
Ann’s hand like she had the plague.

“Nice to meet you too.” Ann’s pulse pounded in her ears and
the trees around her started to spin. The other woman gazed at her watch and
turned her back on Ann.

“Joe, I’m going to be in town a few days and would love to
catch up.” Brooke kissed Joe on the cheek and walked down the trail.

They watched Miss Perfect sashay away. Heat flooded Ann’s
face. She sucked in clean-scented air and stalked up the path. “God, I’m so
stupid.”

Sticks and leaves cracked behind her. “What?” Joe’s arm
snaked around her waist.

She pushed him away. “Don’t touch me.”

The vein in his forehead pulsed. “What’s wrong?”

Seriously?
Rage burned in her chest. “What’s wrong?”
She let the fury consume her. “You have some nerve. You know that?”

“What are you talking about?”

She threw up her arms. “Oh, leave me alone.” Ann turned and
stomped over the slight rise and dips on the trail.

Part of Ann knew she shouldn’t be mad at him. He didn’t know
Brooke was in town. She sighed and hiked up the path.

For twenty minutes, Joe walked behind Ann. He needed that
time to think. He’d wondered what it would be like to see the flesh-and-blood
Brooke again. After all, she was his first love. When Brooke had left without
telling him, she’d ripped his eighteen year-old heart out of his chest.

Joe had thought seeing her again would bring back a flood of
mixed emotions, but all he could think about when she jumped into his arms was
how much better Ann fit against him.

“You know.” Ann swirled around, fury staining her cheeks.

God, she’s perfect.
The need to hold her almost
dropped him to his knees as love for Ann poured through him.

“We agreed we wouldn’t see other people and you all but let
that woman suck your tonsils out of your mouth.”

Giving in to his need to touch Ann, he gripped her upper
arms. “She kissed me.” Joe gave her a little shake. “Why would I want her when
I have you?”

“Oh, come on, Joe. Look at me.” She pulled free from his
grasp.

He paced in a small circle.
Why can’t she see how
beautiful she is?
“I can’t keep my eyes off you.”

“Oh, shut up.” She turned and started back up the slight
hill. Her foot caught on a tree root and she stumbled, landing hard on her
butt. “Crap.” Ann leaned over and lifted her pant leg. “Just great.” She flexed
her foot and winced.

His heart beat double time. Joe kneeled next to her and
looked at her ankle. “Son of a bitch.” He cupped her foot and lifted. The
swollen flesh heated in his hand. They needed to control the swelling. “Can you
stand?”

Breath hissed through her teeth. “Give me a minute.”

“It’s starting to swell. We need to get some ice on it.”

“That’s nice. If you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of
the fucking woods and there’s no ice around,” she snapped.

“Let’s get you over to the lake.” Joe stood and stepped
around her. “You can soak your ankle for awhile and then we’ll get you back to
the car.”

“I can get back to the car on my own, thank you very much,”
she said bending her legs and pushing herself to her knees.

“Let me help you.”

“I don’t need your help.”

Deflecting her blows, Joe risked life and limb and kissed
her cheek. “Oh, shut up.”

“Fuck you.” She slapped at his chest.

He leaned back on his haunches. “Anytime.”

Tears shimmered her eyes. “This is all your fault, you
know.”

“I know.” He scooped Ann into his arm and stood. “You can
yell at me all you want later but now let’s get you to the lake.”

“I want to yell at you now.”

Joe adjusted Ann’s body against his chest and stepped over a
small boulder off the path. “Okay, if that will make you happy.” Her heat
soaked into him. Joe loved how she felt against him. Her body seemed to mold
into his, filling him with an overwhelming sense of completion.

“You took the fun out of it,” she mumbled.

* * * * *

Ice-cold water lapped at her ankle. “It’s cold.”

“Good. It will take the swelling down.” Joe sat next to her
on the dock and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry I pissed you
off.”

She didn’t know how to tell him her heart would shatter if
she lost him. “No I’m sorry. I overreacted.”

“If you of your exes kissed you like Brooke kissed me, I
think I we would be disposing of a body right now.”

Emotions she wasn’t ready to admit to swelled inside her.
She shivered and unclenched her fist, letting her hand rest on his thigh. “I’m
sorry anyway.”

The tight muscles under her palm bunched. Joe turned his
head into her cheek. “I want you.”

Her heart jumped in her chest. Tilting her head, she took
his mouth with hers. White-hot heat stabbed through her. She’d spent the last
decade looking for a guy like Joe. She should have known nothing compared to
the original. For as long as she lived, Ann knew she’d never find someone who
made her feel the way Joe did.

Cool hands brushed under her sweater and moved upwards. Her
nipples hardened in anticipation of his touch.

“I can’t keep my hands off you.” His palms cupped her
breasts.

She moaned and leaned into him. Her nerve endings danced and
her panties dampened. She loved Joe and couldn’t change that. The only thing
for her to do now was let her body’s needs be fulfilled. As long as she didn’t
let her heart fill with the love she felt for him while they had sex, she would
be okay.

Sliding her hands under his shirt, she turned into his
chest. “Take off your shirt.”

“Why?”

“I need something to distract me from the pain in my leg.”

“Anything I can do to help.” Joe lifted his shirt over his
head and tossed it behind them.

Closing her eyes, she leaned into his chest. As fine strands
of hair brushed her face, Ann inhaled his sexy scent and bit down lightly into
his pec.

His fingers dug into her hips. “What about your ankle?”

When she was this close to him nothing hurt. “Fuck my
ankle.”

“Are you sure?”

Running her hands over his chest, she smiled. “Yes.”

Well-honed muscles punched and rippled as he tugged Ann back
from the edge of the dock. Her mouth watered, wanting to taste him. She leaned
in and laved at a pebbled nipple. His musky flavor filled her senses.

Longing pooled between her legs. She licked along the ridges
and valleys of his torso, exploring every inch of him. Ann got lost in him.

“Fuck, that feels good,” Joe moaned.

Fresh yearning washed over her, hot and needy. Her whole
body was on fire for him. Nibbling at the skin along his navel, she bore down
on Joe’s knee. Ann wiggled her hips to relieve some of the burning pressure in
her clit. His hard hand came down on her ass, driving her pussy against his
knees.

Fiery lust filled her belly as Ann bit down on the sensitive
skin above Joe’s belt. His hand came down on her butt again, harder this time.
“God. Yes.” Everything in her danced with excitement. She laid her head against
his jean-covered hard-on and lifted her hips in search of the stinging heat
that felt so good against her ass.

“You’re so fucking sexy right now.” Joe ground his knee
harder against her crotch as his hand came down hard against her sensitized
skin.