Learning Curves (4 page)

But what the hell did she mean when she said the loss was his?

After a quick stop at his office to sign some papers, he hopped into his car and drove across town to her condo. He parked and then went up the stoop to ring the bell. A second passed, then two. Where the hell was she? Jesus, if she was backing out… He pounded again, and this time the door yawned open. Heat charged straight to his cock when he found her standing there in her sexy blue dress, her long dark hair piled into a tight bun on top of her head. Sweet Jesus. He was the luckiest fucking guy in the world.

She stepped back, her heel catching on the turned up corner of her doormat.

“Whoa.” He hurried into the entranceway, reached out and grabbed her, pulling her against him. “You okay?” he asked, splaying his hand over the small of her back.

“Yeah.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “I keep meaning to replace that carpet.” She extricated herself from his arm. “Thank you,” she said.

“No problem. I wouldn’t be much of a man if I let you fall.”

“You’d still be all man, just not a heroic one,” she teased. “And thank you for earlier, with Matthew, too. I never did get the chance to say that.”

The sound of the other man’s name on her lips brought Linc’s molars together with a snap. He wasn’t a particularly possessive man, but the knowledge that he’d had his hands on her body pissed him off. That he’d intentionally embarrassed and hurt her was unacceptable. “The man is an asshole.”

She grinned. “Did you see his face when you kissed me?” She put her hand over her mouth and stifled a chuckle. Linc grinned at the wickedness she was displaying. Damned if he didn’t like her even more.

“Yeah, he was so shocked he forgot to check himself out in the mirror.”

She shook her head, a few strands of hair slipping from that sexy bun. “Oh, he did. You just missed it.”

Linc laughed then angled his head, his gaze moving over her face. “You want to tell me what that was all about anyway?”

She crinkled her nose and looked at his chest. “Not really.”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Did you break his heart or something?”

She laughed, but it was laced with pain…and something else, something he couldn’t quite identify. “He’s the one who broke up with me, actually,” she admitted quietly.

“Really?” Shit. Why did that bother him so much?

“Yeah.”

The turmoil behind that one word haunted him. His anger rose sure and swift, and brought out his protective side. “He hurt you, didn’t he?”

She stiffened and wrapped her arms around herself, a defensive move. Okay, so he’d clearly hit a sore spot. Did she still love the guy? He sure as fuck hoped not. For the last year it damn near killed him seeing her with him. He wanted nothing more than to drag her away and show her how a real woman should be treated. But he wasn’t an asshole who horned in on another man’s girl, no matter how much of a douchebag the guy was.

“Linc, about this weekend.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was either stalling, or choosing her words carefully. “I know this is about sex, and I’m afraid…”

“Afraid what?”

“I’m afraid that you’re going to be disappointed.” She waved her hand over her body. “Look at me. I’m not the kind of girl you normally go out with.”

No, she wasn’t, but there was more going on here. She wasn’t telling him something, and his gut said it had to do with that asshole Matthew. He cupped her chin and tipped it until their gazes met.

“What did he do to you?” he asked directly, fighting back his anger. If that guy had so much as touched a hair on her head the wrong way, he’d kill him.

She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Nothing…he didn’t do anything.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me.” He could be patient, when he wanted to be.

“Look, it’s nothing. He just said I was…boring.”

“Boring how?”

“In the…”

“Answer me.”

“In the bedroom,” she blurted out. Her cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink.

His heart jumped. Fuck. He should leave right now and go punch the bastard in the throat. But he wouldn’t, because she needed him here with her, and that was more important.

“He said I couldn’t please him,” she mumbled under her breath.

He cupped her elbow and pulled her to him as the tumblers began falling into place. Before they went any further, he needed to set her straight. No fucking way would she be boring in the bedroom. He’d known from the first time that he met her. Sensed that she was so much more than she appeared. Obviously Matthew had no idea what a woman like Lauren needed. But he sure as hell did. Go ahead, call him cocky. An arrogant son of a bitch. But one simple fact remained. He had what it took to make her moan—no, scream his name.
His
name.

“And could he please you?”

Her head jerked back. “What?”

“Sex is a two-way street, Lauren.”

A long moment of silence then, “No, he couldn’t. But that’s my fault because I can’t…” Her words fell off, and she lowered her eyes again, a pink stain of embarrassment all over her face.

“Orgasm?” he said, finishing her sentence.

A noise crawled out of her throat, and she covered her flushed face with her hands. “I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this.”

Something inside him softened. She was embarrassed, afraid to put herself out there again, worried the experience would be disappointing for them both, and he’d humiliate her for it. Yeah, he really was going to punch that douche the next time they crossed paths.

“I do,” he whispered, cupping the back of her head and brushing his thumb along her nape.

She blinked up at him. “You do?”

“Yeah, and I’m sorry for being such a jerk. I never should have forced you into this. It’s just that I want you, Lauren. I want you so fucking much. You’re all I can seem to think about.”

“You do?” She blinked dark lashes over even darker eyes, bewilderment all over her face. “I am?”

Christ, did she not know how gorgeous she was?

Need whipped through him, his cock in agony as it pressed hard against his zipper. “Yeah. I close my eyes at night, and all I can see is you.” He paused and looked at her clothes, his gaze a slow, leisurely caress of her body. “You, dressed like this.” As much as he wanted to strip her naked and fuck her here and now, this changed everything. He briefly pinched his eyes shut and glanced upward. “You drive me crazy, in a good way, but I’m sure you never would have come home with me if I’d simply asked. You snarl whenever I come into a room.”

She whacked him, and he felt it all the way to his cock. “I do not snarl.”

His eyebrow cocked upward because she wasn’t being honest.

“More like a sneer.” She smiled. “And, well, maybe I misjudged you.”

“Probably not,” he said, laughing. He had a reputation, but one thing he’d never done was let a woman walk away from sex unfulfilled or feeling bad about herself.

He scrubbed his hand over his chin, his thoughts racing. No way could he leave her here like this, thinking there was something wrong with her. There wasn’t. And he damn well wanted to prove it.

“How about this. You give me this weekend. Let me show you how good sex can be, and that there is nothing wrong with
you
. Let me give you an orgasm, or ten.”

Her eyes widened, and the needy little ripple trickling through her body reverberated through him. “But I can’t—”

“I can.”

“Linc…”

He held his hands up, palms out. “Your call. No pressure. But I’m offering you two full days of sex. Let me learn your body, and when you’re comfortable enough, we can experiment. Anything you want.”

Half-lidded eyes met his. She swallowed. “Anything?”

“Anything,” he said softly. “And everything.”

She went quiet for a long time, and he waited, letting her mull it over. Had he scared her off? A car sped by on the street, and the sound seemed to pull her back. He brushed his knuckles over her warm cheek. “What do you say, Lauren? How about we go somewhere quiet, no distractions. Let me make you come.”

Please say yes
.

“Yes.”

Thank fuck.

“Did you pack a bag?”

She nodded. “It’s right here.” She turned and grabbed a tote bag. Good. That meant there was a part of her that wanted this as much as he did.

He leaned against the doorjamb. “Do you like key lime pie?”

Her brow furrowed. “Yeah, why?”

“I know this great place in the Keys that serves the best pie.”

“The Keys? That’s a three-and-a-half hour drive.”

“I wouldn’t dream of driving.” He took her bag from her. “That would mean less time in bed with you. The sooner we get there, the faster we can get started.”

“Oh.” She exhaled a fluttery breath.

“I have a place on the beach,” he explained. His oceanfront home was his sanctuary, a place he’d never wanted to share with anyone. Until now. “No interruptions. The perfect spot for you to let go, do whatever we want.”

The moan that caught in her throat was all the answer he needed. He guided her to his car and took off to the airport. She was quiet, staring out the window and every now and then shooting him a quick look. He parked and guided her to the counter of his favorite charter, and a few minutes later they were climbing into a Cessna 182.

Lauren twisted her hands on her lap as the pilot prepared the plane. “You’re not afraid of flying are you?” he asked.

“No, I just can’t believe I’m on my way to the Keys for pie.”

He put his hands over hers and gave a reassuring squeeze. “And sex. Really good sex,” he said.

He widened his legs, and as his thigh pressed against hers, his cock thickened. He looked at her, caught the way she quivered under his touch. Damn, if they had a bit more privacy, he’d spend the next thirty minutes initiating her into the mile-high club. Though, in this size of a plane, that wouldn’t be easy. He would have brought the Gulfstream, but it had seemed a waste for such a short trip. Still, his mind wouldn’t let go of taking her right here and now and creating their own kind of turbulence.

“What?” she asked.

“What do you mean what?”

“You have that look on your face again.”

He cocked a brow, amused at the way Lauren was narrowing her eyes at him. “I have a look?”

“Yeah, it’s the same one you gave me at the stadium, a mix between the big bad wolf and the woodsman who wants to save me.”

He laughed out loud. “Go with the wolf, Lauren.”

Her chest rose and fell erratically when she squeaked out, “It’s dangerous to stop and talk to the wolf, you know.”

He winked. “Even more dangerous to go home with him.” He brushed his thumb over her thigh, pretty goddamn sure that once he had a taste of her flesh, nothing else would do.

As she exhaled a shuddering breath, he shifted closer, enjoying her scent as they cruised through the sky. An hour and a half later after landing, renting a car, and stopping to pick up a pizza and key lime pie for dessert, he pulled into the driveway of his beachfront home.

“Linc, this is beautiful.” She walked to the front of the vehicle to wait for him.

Pizza and pie in hand, he grabbed her bag from the backseat, tossed it over his shoulder then captured her hand to lead her inside. Eyes wide, Lauren glanced around then walked to the huge window overlooking the ocean. “Is this a rental?”

“No, it’s mine.” He stepped up beside her and opened the door leading to the deck. “But I don’t get here often enough.”

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “Work. Commitments. You know how it is.”

She nodded. Most of the time she was the first in and the last to leave. “That I do,” she said. “I have this thing about unfinished business.”

He winked. “So I heard. I know all about all work and no play.”

She put one hand on her hip. “Well, you’re far from dull, and according to the rag mags, Miami’s most eligible bachelor does a lot of playing.”

He stepped closer until their bodies were touching, and just like that, his cock hardened. “Lies.”

She laughed and turned to face him. “Don’t worry, I’m not judging.” She waved her hand around the room. “Who you bring here is none of my business.”

“I’ve never brought a woman here before,” he admitted.
Why the hell am I telling her that?

Her eyes narrowed. “Then why did you bring me?”

Good question. If this was his sanctuary, why had he?

Chapter Three

Instead of answering her question he asked one of his own. “Hungry?”

She rubbed her stomach, taking in his wolfish look. Good God, what had she gotten herself into? Damned if she couldn’t wait to find out. “Starved.”

“I know I said we were having sushi, so I hope you’re okay with pizza. Most women I know don’t do carbs, but it was fast and easy, and well, there are other things I’m anxious to get to.”

Awareness sunk low in her body. She cleared her throat and tried for casual. “No worries, carbs are my pastime.”

“Yeah?”

“For sure. Who needs a puppy when you can get unconditional love from sugar and starches.”

He laughed. “Next time we’ll have sushi.”

Next time? Wasn’t this a one-shot deal?

He found her hand and led her to the kitchen. Linc pulled the slices from the box, and with nervous anticipation building inside her she stared at his big hands, anxious and tense to have them on her body. Linc moved close, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. God, she was so aware of him, his every move, his every touch. She stole a quick glance at him, taking in his strong profile. When and how would he make his move? Would he pounce like a predator stalking prey, or would he take his time, each move slow, careful, and calculated? Which one did she want more?

“Hey,” he whispered.

“Yeah.”

“You nervous?”

She glanced at her pizza, and was about to say no.

“No lies, okay? Everything in the open this weekend.”

The truth was she wanted to use this as a learning experience. Faking it wasn’t going to get her anywhere. “A little bit.”

“Don’t be, okay. I’m going to walk you through everything, and trust me, you’re going to enjoy it.”