Insatiable (19 page)

Great time to have her compulsion to stay on top of her phone calls and e-mails thrown back in her face. It wasn‟t
want to
so much as she felt compelled to answer.

Just in case. What if she missed something important?

“I hate being a Scout,” she muttered, leaning up to snatch the receiver in midring. Having to always answer the phone, workout first thing, and never hit the Snooze button really cut down on a girl‟s fun. “Yes?”

“Rachel?” The feminine voice on the other end of the line screamed Southern belle, though the woman in question hadn‟t lived in Georgia since she was a teenager. “That you, honey?”

And so extinguished the thrum of arousal heating her blood. She nearly flushed at once again getting caught naked with Shawn, then remembered her sister‟s proclamation that their “little fling” had already been thoroughly dissected.

Besides, she was twenty-eight years old. Long past the age of acceptability for blushing over someone knowing she‟d enjoyed pleasures of the flesh. Despite whose flesh it was she‟d enjoyed.

Rachel took a calming breath. “Hi, Mrs. Griffin. How‟re you?”

From beside her—or underneath her, really, since she was using Shawn as a rather long, hard throw pillow—came a low curse.

“I‟m fine, sweetheart. I‟ve been expecting a call from you. Have you been having a fabulous time?”

Out with the passion, in with the guilt. She might as well be home after all.

“It‟s been…an experience.” A grin crossed her lips as she glanced at Shawn. “I‟ve seen things I‟ve never seen before, that‟s for sure.”

Even peeved, he smiled. As she‟d intended.

“That‟s wonderful, sweet pea. I do hope the reason you haven‟t called isn‟t the same reason Shawn has refused to answer his father‟s calls.”

She supposed she could deal with knowing everyone who counted knew she and Shawn had done the horizontal tango. But being the cause of a family rift?

Nope, that she wasn‟t having. “I‟ve just been busy. I wasn‟t aware he wasn‟t answering calls,” she added, soundly elbowing the subject of their conversation.

Shawn pushed her elbow off his chest. “I don‟t want to talk to her.”

“Is that him? I called you because his hotel confirmed he was no longer a guest, so we wondered if he‟d cut his vacation short.”

“He‟s, uh,”—
be brave, Rachel
—“staying here now. In my hotel.”

“Oh, is that so?” Elaina Griffin couldn‟t have sounded more delighted. “So that‟s why you‟re been so…busy.”

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She didn‟t blush this time. Mainly because she was too involved in her push-and-shove contest with Shawn. “We‟ve been seeing the sights, actually.” Her breath left her in a rush as he angled lower to slide his tongue up her bare thigh. “Stop that,” she commanded, earning a laugh from both him and his mother.

If she hadn‟t been halfway drunk, she‟d probably be stammering by now. As it was, she knew she‟d be mortified in the morning.

“Sorry. Anyway, he‟s right here,”—she ignored Shawn‟s vehement head shaking—“if you‟d like to talk to him.”

“That would be lovely, dear. I‟m sorry to interrupt your evening, especially so late. But when we didn‟t hear from him, we worried.”

“I understand.”

“Rachel? One more thing.”

“Yes.”

“You know we love you like a daughter.”

Sensing trouble, Shawn made a grab for her wrist. “Rachel, give me the phone.”

“I know. I feel the same.” She laughed feebly, climbing off the bed before Shawn injured himself with his crazed lunges. “Well, you know what I mean.”

“Yes. We‟re thrilled, honey. That‟s all. We‟ve just wanted this for so long that perhaps Dillon got ahead of himself. No one‟s expecting a wedding right away.

Besides, we‟d need until at least spring to book the club.”

Without another word, Rachel handed the phone to Shawn.

* * *

Man, it just got better and better. First his father had kamikazed his early efforts, now his mother had zoomed in for the kill shot. For two people who claimed they wanted him with Rachel, they sure as hell had no clue how useless their “help”

was.

“I have more bubbly.” Shawn shook the bottle he‟d just ordered from room service.

Not that getting her liquored up was his preferred method of dealing with pesky, interfering relatives, but at the moment, he‟d do just about anything to put the dusky glow back in her cheeks.

“Not thirsty.”

He set the bottle on the vanity and dropped down on the wide lip of the hot tub. But when he touched her hair, she didn‟t even lift her head.

“We‟re fooling ourselves, Shawn. This whole trip‟s been an exercise in self-delusion.”

100

Cari Quinn

Fuck it
. “I was wrong. Let‟s have sex. Now.”

Her head rose. With relief, he saw her eyes were clear and dry. “Huh?”

“We communicate pretty well naked, so I‟m thinking that‟s what we should stick to.” He extended his hand to her, wondering if she understood how much effort such a seemingly lighthearted gesture required. Especially when the possibility of getting slapped away was very real. “Nothing else matters right now.”

“It does matter.” She curled her fingers around his in a fist she brought to her cheek. “Every time I think I can handle this, something happens. Sure, we can keep deflecting and dodging, but we have to go home soon.” Her expelled breath rippled over his skin. “Shawn, I love you. You know that.”

His heart clenched until he put her words in perspective.
As a friend, Griffin.

As a goddamned friend
. “I do.”

“I also know you‟ve convinced yourself that the love you feel for me is—”

“Stop right there. Just stop. There‟s no convincing involved. Do you honestly believe I like feeling laid open like this? But it doesn‟t matter, because every time I look at you, it grows. Every damn time.”

Shawn tipped her face up with his free hand, holding her chin steady so he could gaze directly into her eyes. “You feel something for me. I know it scares you to death. I get that. But I‟m not going to pretend to be on the fence about this. We belong together.” When she sputtered, he released her and motioned for her to give him enough room to get in the tub behind her.

“Sorry, not in the mood anymore,” she said, making him laugh.

“Another illusion crushed.” He tugged her back against his chest once he‟d settled behind her, stroking his hands down her bare arms as if to warm them. “I meant what I said about leaving town, Rachel. If that‟s what it will take for you to give us a fair shot, then I‟ll start making the arrangements.”

She bristled under his touch, but she didn‟t bolt to her feet. Amazing, considering. “I‟m a grown woman. If I want to leave town, I can make my own damn arrangements.”

“You say you want to live your own life, without anyone‟s interference. Well, here‟s your opportunity. Aren‟t you always saying you‟re tired of California? We can go anywhere. Miami. San Antonio. Paris. Rome. Pick your poison.”

“Why would you even suggest such a thing? You have a job, a home, a life.

You‟re happy.” When he laughed, long and low, she shifted to look at him, eyes narrowed. “If you‟re not, you never let on.”

“I‟m an excellent compartmentalist. As are you. Which is why we‟ve been able to distract ourselves from reality all these years by spending our nights yelling at the Raiders and griping about each other‟s lovers.”

“I never griped about your lovers.” She made a face. “Out loud.”

“Sometimes your thoughts are loud enough, Cooper.”

She angled her head. “And this reality we‟re ignoring is what?”

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“Your feelings for me aren‟t shallow, and they aren‟t only about friendship. If they were, you wouldn‟t have run after me this morning like you thought you‟d die if you didn‟t catch me.”

“That‟s a total exaggeration,” she muttered, turning her face away.

“No, it‟s not.” Shawn took hold of her chin so she had no choice but to look at him again. “They can‟t make us do anything we don‟t want to, Rach.”

“Your mother said we‟d have to have a spring wedding. They need that much time to book the club.”

He couldn‟t contain his laughter. After a moment, neither could she.

She looked up at him, her eyes as huge as sinkholes he would‟ve happily drowned in, and his heart gave its typical leap. “I really like having sex with you. I mean,
really
.”

His lips twitched. “Feeling‟s mutual.”

“I don‟t think I can give it up either.” Closing her eyes, she laid her head against his shoulder. Her voice reeked of fatigue, the kind that let him know she‟d have no need to count dancing sheep tonight. “That‟s a problem.”

He leaned down to brush a kiss over her hair. “Not from where I‟m sitting.”

She relaxed in his arms, her breathing slow and even. When he was sure she was asleep, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to bed.

* * *

Rachel was whole and safe, lying beside him in the dark, the sheets he‟d covered her with twisted around her waist. But she wasn‟t okay, and her next cry proved it.

Her body arched, giving him a shadowy glimpse of creamy breasts and dark, tight nipples. She‟d always suffered from nightmares, but he‟d be willing to bet this dream didn‟t involve things that went bump in the night.

Well, not exactly.

He rubbed the heel of his hand over his heart. What should he do? Wake her, probably. That was the kind, considerate, best-friendly thing to do.

Her lips fell open on a moan, and his cock hardened. Too late for that. Now he was her lover, and he needed to know what she was dreaming about. And who.

But even in sleep, she didn‟t cough up answers easily. She writhed in the sheets, her wild movements inciting him until he had to push the sheets down to give his growing erection room. Her hair was spread wildly over the pillows, a wash of black against white, and every time her hips came off the mattress, her nails clawed the bed.

102

Cari Quinn

After a while, her thrashing stopped entirely. He relaxed into the pillows, his grip on his cock loosening. Obviously the show was over for the night.

But a few minutes later, her breathing changed again, becoming shallow gasps that frayed the last of his shredded control. Her hands came up to clutch her breasts, her fingers toying with her swollen nipples so desperately he wondered if she‟d actually make herself come that way. When her hands skimmed down her damp torso, his own ragged groan burst free.

As he fought to tug the sheet down her hips, she moaned, “Shawn,” and the burn in his blood turned to an inferno.

He‟d told her no sex, and he‟d meant it. Mostly. Right now, she couldn‟t even consent to anything. If he didn‟t wake her, he‟d be violating her trust. Even if she‟d given in to wanting him when she was awake, this was a whole new ballgame.

“Shawn,” she said, his name an entreaty. Her hand crept across the sheets as if she were reaching for him.

If he had a line, she‟d just crossed it.

Half-mad to have her, he spread her thighs, the scent of her arousal more than he could stand. He told himself he was just soothing the ache. Just easing her obvious distress. And he hoped to God she‟d take it as that and not see the act as him pressing his advantage yet again.

At the first stroke of his tongue along her wet seam, she bowed up, her hands fisting in his hair. She held him against her as he sucked her throbbing clit between his teeth, drawing hard until her cries escalated to something between a growl and a scream. Her flavor filled his mouth, but it wasn‟t enough. He had to have more.

Again and again, he drove his fingers into her pussy as she panted his name.

She came violently, flooding his tongue as her heels beat uselessly against the bed. He gave her two more shuddering orgasms with his mouth and fingers before he finally drew his lips up her belly, only to find his sweaty night goddess had already sunk back into sleep. Wearing a smile.

He pressed his cheek between her breasts, his breathing still ragged. He was shaken, an addict no better after his fix. Worse, now he felt guilty. Maybe he should have let her sleep it off. If he‟d done anything to fracture the fragile trust between them—

A while later, she made a muffled noise and cupped his cheek. He‟d yet to lift his head from her chest. God, he was probably crushing her.

“I‟m too heavy,” he said, starting to draw away. But she pulled him back again.

“Never. Stay.” Her mouth curved in a faint smile. “Right where you are.”

Closing his eyes, he settled against her. They‟d discuss it tomorrow. Tonight he‟d focus on the miracle of her heartbeat under his ear.

* * *

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When her alarm buzzed at four thirty, Rachel silenced it with a single pound of her fist. The last tendrils of sleep wrapped around her, as warm and cozy as the strong arm draped possessively over her waist.

Shawn
. With a contented sigh, her eyes fluttered closed.

Her body felt lax and loose, as if she‟d been thoroughly satisfied. Which she had been, in a way, though dream sex didn‟t really count. No matter how passionate.

Blurry images rolled through her mind, and her nipples stiffened insistently.

The familiar ache between her legs caused her to press her thighs together, but it wasn‟t enough to subdue the sensation. Suddenly she imagined Shawn‟s tongue stroking her quaking flesh, and her eyes shot open.