Monroe, Marla - Hot and Bothered (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

Karen wiped her eyes again. “Look at my mom. She wasn’t exactly mother material, and we’re a lot alike.”

Karen’s mom had neglected her kids to the point that, as the oldest, Karen had to be the mom most of the time. She was the one who cooked and cleaned and made sure they all got to school each day. Karen’s mom was too busy having fun with her string of lovers to be sure the kids had clean clothes and something to eat.

“You’re nothing like your mom, Karen.” Savanna knew she had finally gotten to the heart of the matter. “You took care of you and your brother and sister when you were only a child yourself. You’ll take good care of your kids, too.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I know you,” she said.

Savanna walked around the desk and squatted next to where Karen sat. “Honey, you are going to be the best mom there is. You remember what you missed as a child, and you will make damn sure your kids have all your love and attention.”

“I just don’t think I’m ready yet. I know I’m not twenty-one anymore, but I’m not ready to settle down with Ben.” Karen bumped her head against the top of the desk. “What am I going to do? I don’t want to lose him. I’m going to lose him, Savanna.”

“You have to make that decision yourself. If you don’t think you’re ready to settle down, then you’re not ready. Talk to Ben. Explain how you feel.”

“I’ve tried. He doesn’t understand,” Karen said. “Besides, how is he going to feel about this?” She threw her hand out, indicating her office affair.

“I don’t know. You have to talk to him, though. You can’t let things go on like this. You’re not happy, and neither is he.” Savanna felt her heart breaking for her friend. All along, she thought Karen had the perfect relationship. Now, she realized she didn’t know anything about her friend.

“Come on. Let’s go get some coffee. You can tell me what has been going on.”

Karen nodded her head and grabbed her purse off the floor by the desk. She stood up and swiped at the tears trying to escape her eyes. Savanna followed her out of the office and down to the parking garage.

“You can ride with me, and afterward, I’ll drop you off to pick up your car. Okay?” Savanna asked.

“Sure, that’s fine.”

They sat in the back of the coffee shop and drank strong Brazilian coffee and ate cheese Danish. Karen talked about how much she cared about Ben and how good he had been to her. Then she talked about how he wanted to make things permanent and start a family. It scared her. She didn’t think she was ready for permanent. Savanna let her talk herself out until there was nothing but the sound of their sipping coffee and the murmur of other customers around them.

“Karen. What do you want to do? I mean, really and truly, what do you want?” Savanna asked.

“I want Ben, but I don’t want to get married yet. I want to keep everything the same like it has been this last year. It’s been perfect until now.”

“Then go home and tell Ben how you feel. All of it. Not just that you don’t want to settle down right now. Explain how you feel about him and that you aren’t ready for a permanent relationship yet.”

“I’ll lose him,” Karen began.

“Maybe. Maybe not. You have to be honest with him, though. Otherwise, you’re leading him on and hurting him with how you’ve been acting lately. If he had flirted and danced with every woman that looked at him, you would have stomped his nuts, and you know it.”

“What am I going to do if he leaves me?” Karen asked.

“You always have me, Karen. We’ll always be friends.”

Chapter Four

Dustin huffed out a breath and began another round against the punching bag. Sweat clung to his body and dripped off the tip of his nose as he pounded over and over again into the bag. Why had he left like he did?
Because you are an idiot, Dustin. That’s why.

Yeah, an idiot and a coward, he thought. Watching her climax while riding him had done something inside him. Having her squeeze her nipples, using his fingers while she did, almost set him off, as well. What was it about her that rocked him so hard? Yeah, she looked like a goddess in those tight jeans and baby blue blouse, but it wasn’t how pretty she was or even the weight of all that hair against his skin. No, it was something more.

His shoulders ached from the constant pounding on the bag. He used one hand to still the bag and the other to pull the towel from around his neck and pat his face dry. Salty sweat blinded him for a minute until he blinked it away. Another fifteen minutes of cardio, and he would hit the showers. The sounds from the others in the gym surrounded him as he did a fifteen-minute run on the treadmill. None of it drowned out his thoughts concerning Savanna.

He hadn’t slept after he left her apartment. Instead, he’d taken a nice cool shower, hoping to calm down the fire raging inside him to go back and fuck her again. Twice hadn’t been enough. Hell, he doubted he could get enough of her in one night. It would take weeks of burying himself inside that sweet flesh to even begin to get her out of his system. With the way he had left her, though, she probably wouldn’t give him the time of day. Didn’t mean he couldn’t try. He had her number. He’d memorized it off her phone bill lying on the island in the kitchen. Maybe he’d ask her out for dinner one night.

After showering, Dustin left the gym and found himself circling her apartment building. After the third time around the outside, he pulled into the parking lot and stopped the bike. Maybe he should apologize. Let her know he wasn’t really a complete asshole. It’s nearly three, she should be up by now, he thought.

Dustin dismounted from the bike and walked up to her apartment door. He knocked. When there was no answer, he knocked again. He checked her parking place according to the numbers on the ground and found her spot to be empty. Well, that settled that. He couldn’t apologize if she wasn’t around. He would call her later and invite her out to dinner.

There were still several hours left in the day, so he decided to get a head start on work and drove over to his office uptown. He owned Liguori Consolidated Industries. He spent part of his time sitting behind a desk dealing with the day-to-day operations. The other part of his time he spent on the road, either on his bike or one of the trucks. He liked to keep in touch with how the business was being handled from the bottom up. Dustin was just as comfortable in a suit as he was in jeans and a T-shirt.

Today, he focused on a portfolio and prospectus for several stocks he was considering investing in. He wanted to read over them and form some questions for his team before he made up his mind. It didn’t take long for thoughts of Savanna to intrude on his business thoughts. He imagined her there in his office, laid out on his desk like a feast prepared just for him. Her long legs spread wide from corner to corner. He could see her beautiful breasts aching for his hands to tend them. Her nipples would be dark and distended, waiting for his mouth to tease them.

His cock stirred, and he had to adjust himself to be comfortable in the chair. Just thinking about her naked on his desk got him so hot and bothered he figured it would only take a couple of strokes for him to come. No, he would bring her at least twice before he sank his cock so deep inside her she couldn’t breathe. Damn, he wanted her right now. He wanted to taste her sweet juices and run his fingers up and down her lips where the dew gathered for his tongue. He wanted to feel her ass tucked nice and snug against his cock while they slept.

Dustin shook his head as if he could shake thoughts of her out of his mind. He needed to concentrate on business. He could fantasize about Savanna all he wanted to in the shower or in bed, but right now, he had a company to run. With one last adjustment to his jeans, Dustin settled down to go over the paperwork once again and put thoughts of a certain redhead out of his mind.

* * * *

Thursday night, Savanna sat at home alone and worried about her friend. Karen and Ben were splitting up, and though Savanna had offered Karen her spare bedroom, the other woman wanted her own place. She had helped her move her things into an apartment down the road from where Karen worked. She had briefly talked with Ben earlier that night but didn’t know what to say to him. He was hurting, though he didn’t show it. She had no idea what had been said between them but knew it had to have been tough. Karen wasn’t talking about it at all.

She sat the book she had been trying to read aside and curled her legs up beneath her on the couch. She leaned her head back and thought about Dustin. His long black hair and dark eyes gave him a mysterious look. His muscular shoulders and equally toned abdomen made her feel safe. She could easily get hooked on the sex. He was by far the best lover she had ever had. But, he wasn’t relationship material. He obviously didn’t work a steady job and flitted from one to the other based on how he felt. Still, there wasn’t anything wrong with
seeing
him on occasion
if
he was at the club when she was and if he actually asked her.

“Right.” Savanna gave a short laugh. “He’s already moved on to the next easy lay.”

A knock at the door startled her. She put a hand over her heart and then unwound her legs from the couch to see who it was. Maybe Karen had decided she wanted to spend the night after all. Without checking the peephole, Savanna unlocked the locks and swung the door open. Dustin stood on the other side of the doorway. He smiled at her.

“Um, Dustin. I didn’t expect it to be you.”

“You didn’t look before you opened the door? That’s not safe.” He frowned at her.

“I thought it might be Karen.” She shrugged away his concern and stepped back. “Come on in.”

“Are you expecting her?” he asked.

“No, um, just thought it might be her. Can I get you something to drink?”

Dustin shook his head. “No, I came by to apologize for leaving without saying anything the other morning. I figured you needed your rest, and you might not have been comfortable that we spent the night together. So, I left.”

“I was a little miffed, but I figured you were doing us both a favor with no morning-after issues.” Savanna closed the door behind them as he stepped inside.

“I also wanted to ask if you would have dinner with me tomorrow night. Say about seven?”

“Um, I…” Savanna hesitated. No, he wasn’t relationship material, but she was all for a repeat of the other night. “Sure, that would be nice. I’d love to.”

“Good, I’ll pick you up about ten till. Wear something bike-friendly,” he said with a smile.

“I think I can handle that.” She took a step backward when he took one forward.

“Good. I look forward to tomorrow night then.” He leaned in toward her.

Savanna leaned back and found herself backed against the hall wall. He propped his hand on the wall beside her head. The other one he used to tilt her chin upward for his kiss. He covered her mouth with his and kissed her with so much passion she couldn’t help but open to him. His tongue thrust inside to joust with hers. He slanted his mouth over hers and ate at it. He sucked her lower lip in and nibbled it. Then he brushed soft kisses over the corner of her mouth up to her eyes. She felt her hands go to his chest and smooth over the lines of his T-shirt. When he began nibbling along her jaw, she ran her hands up and around his neck. He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and nipped at it. She tugged on his hair, trying to get him to stop. It felt too damn good.

“Fuck. I want you again.” Dustin pulled back just enough to whisper into her ear.

“It’s probably not a good idea,” Savanna said.

“No, it isn’t.” He lowered his mouth to the side of her neck and sucked until she moaned. Then he lathed the spot with his tongue.

Savanna couldn’t stop her hands from unbuttoning his jeans and tugging at the zipper. He stopped his exploration of her shoulders with his hands to help her unzip it. She pulled on the jeans until they were down enough she could slip her hand inside of them and cup him. He wasn’t wearing underwear. Hard male flesh met her hand, and she lifted him out. Her hands encircled him, squeezing him until he groaned and grabbed her by the hips to lift her against him. She felt his hot flesh against the cooler skin of her inner thighs just below her shorts.