Rumor Has It (3 page)

“Are you saying you’d want more than just one night?”

“Don’t answer my question with a question. You know that makes me crazy.”

“I do know that.” He waited, trying to weigh his options.

“Answer the question.”

“If this were something you were thinking of for the purpose of making sure you could have an orgasm with a man, I would be willing to help you with that.”

“What if it took more than once?”

He couldn’t believe he was even having this conversation. There was nothing wrong with her, and he knew he could relieve her worry and be finished with this whole situation quickly.

“I’d be willing to go the distance more than one time but not for more than one night.” He loved watching her think…or in this case over think.

“I heard that you don’t like to be touched and you like to direct the action.” She moved her hands up around his neck and into his hair. “Do you not like it when I play with your hair? I never thought about it because you give me free rein without letting me know what’s okay. I’m sorry if you had a problem with me touching you.”

“You know I would have told you if I didn’t like it. I think it’s cute, and I do love to let you have your way, but I’m not a pushover—you know that.” Now she was being ridiculous.

“Cute! I don’t want to be cute. I want to be hot.”

She could be so easy to trigger, and that wasn’t his goal. He should have known that would get to her. “Okay…you’re hot. I thought you wanted a kiss.”

“I do, but I don’t want to lose what we have. Maybe I should have kept my curiosity to myself and keep the friend I have and not get greedy.”

Since the beginning of this conversation, he’d expected this. Even hoped it would happen. She was talking herself right out of this proposition. Too bad, because now he was interested.

“I like you greedy. Anyway, you can’t help it. You’re a greedy type of girl.” She smiled at him, looking like she knew he was teasing her, but he knew he’d better clarify things so this wouldn’t get messy. “You know I don’t do relationships.”

“I am aware. I don’t want anything you don’t want. I just heard a couple things about you and your…umm…success rates and wondered if you could help me with my problem.” She sat back and thought for a second. “Maybe I need to see a specialist.”

“I thought that was what you were doing when you asked for my help.” He watched her smile grow, pleased he could make her smile at a time like this.

“If you think you’d be able to do it, I can’t tell you how much I’d appreciate it. We’ll go back to the way we’ve always been, I promise.”

“It may not be as easy as you think. It may appear women fall for me on a regular basis, but they don’t truly know me. You…well, it may be harder for you to contain yourself.”

She picked up a pillow and swatted at him. He tried to block her blows to avoid being struck, but she seemed determined to hit him. He pulled it from her hands and set it back down on the couch. She looked so happy and mischievous he couldn’t help but enjoy her antics.

“I’ll be fine because I’ve seen you run through those women like Tic Tacs. It’s you who may have a problem.”

“Why would you think that?” He watched her coy glance at him through her lashes and couldn’t remember ever seeing her in this mode.

“I don’t think you’ve ever slept with anyone you actually knew or really liked. You may fall for me.”

Chapter Two

If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was playing with him. Ever since she broke up with Theo, she’d been a bit different. It could be the way she seemed to notice him with a touch more heat in her gaze. It was not the same but was hard to put a finger on what that new look was about. The way she viewed him was different…more thoughtful…something. She didn’t play games, and that was one of the things he liked about her.

She wasn’t moving from her perch on his lap. He wondered how far she was going to go with this plan. He placed his hand on her thigh and watched her follow it like it was going to do a magic trick. He made a path up her body and to her neck and waited until she peered at him. Her beautiful eyes appeared excited, and he felt something that hadn’t come over him in a long time. Anticipation.

He moved his hand into her hair and cupped her nape. He’d wanted to do that for such a long time, but he was afraid it would feel exactly like it did. Soft…silky… He wanted to put his face in it. He knew it smelled like vanilla and roses. He freakin’ loved that fragrance. Her hair was the color of the deep-red wine she favored, and it complimented her whiskey-colored eyes. She was intoxicating.

Her chest rose and fell as he slowly brought his hand down between her breasts. When he took a moment to look at her face and found she’d closed her eyes, his heart jumped. She was so trusting. There were times he didn’t think she should be, and now might have been one of them.

If he didn’t do this for her, would she find someone else? He should let her. He’d wanted her for as long as they’d known each other. Although she’d started off as someone he wanted for the night, she’d grown into someone he liked to talk to…spend time with.

He could strangle Elaine for bothering Raina with her jealousy, but he couldn’t work up enough anger right now as he listened to her breath hitch and then quicken. She meant more to him than a quick lay, but it sounded like she’d attempted to think it through and maybe they could go back to how they were before.

“Is it that big of a hardship?” She must have taken his silence and the absence of a kiss as a sign of rejection. “You know what? Never mind.” She moved to get off his lap, and he eased her to her back on the couch, making sure he didn’t grind his granite-hard erection into her softness.

She squirmed under him, and he tried to hold back the groan that had been fighting to get out since he figured out where this conversation was headed.

“I think those are advanced techniques. Maybe we should do something simple.”

“I’m serious, Liam. Never mind.” She was focusing on a spot somewhere past his shoulder and appeared…maybe embarrassed? It would have to be that, because it would be impossible for her to think he wasn’t interested. He moved his gaze to her face and couldn’t remember a time he’d been so close to her. Her skin looked so soft. He had noticed that before right now. He caressed her cheek with his fingers because he’d always wanted to know if it was as soft as it appeared… It was.

“Have you changed your mind, or are you just pissed that I took so long to answer you?”

She didn’t answer, but the flush was spreading again and her eyes shimmered with…excitement, anger, frustration? He wasn’t sure, but he wanted to find out.

“If you want to retract your request, let me know. If not, I would be happy to help you.” He touched her face again just in case this whole thing never came to be. At least he could memorize how silky smooth her skin was.

“Do you plan to go over the rules?”

“Rules?” He was stroking her face from the space below her ear to the tip of her chin with his thumb and enjoying her supple, fragrant skin.

“The rules you have about your adventures.”

“Ha, well, it seems to me whoever talked to you told you all the rules. Why don’t you tell me what you think they are?”

“No sleepovers, no cuddling, no stalking, no crying when it’s over—” He stopped her by putting his fingers on her lips.

“I know I’ve never said any of that to anyone.”

“Maybe it was implied.”

“How about we just leave it at this? We’re friends, and friends help friends solve their problems.” He wanted to take away some of the anxiety he saw in her earnest gaze. “You have a problem, and you think I have the solution. How about we prove your theory wrong and prove me right and go back to the friendship we’ve maintained for a good while? How does that sound?”

She opened her mouth and licked his finger. He often found himself watching this particular opening, and with her drawing his attention there once again, he used the moment to study her lips and tongue. They were as full and pliant as he’d thought they would be. With them being so close to his mouth, he knew he wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t find out what her lips would feel like against his. This whole situation had him off-kilter and harder than stone. He drew his finger back slowly and fought to return his gaze to her eyes.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” He could almost see her calm down. “Tomorrow everything will be back to normal. Right?”

“Yes, sir.” Her breathy voice and her words made his body lurch, so he moved to lean over her, but he was no longer giving her full-body contact.

“So what do we have under these clothes?”

Just like that, her anxiety was back. He watched concern cover her face, and something in his chest pinched. That was unfamiliar, but he decided it was because she was someone he cared about and maybe this was a bit new for him.

“Maybe we should wait for another day.”

“There’s no time like the present.” He waited but got no response after a few minutes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” The words were right, but that didn’t mean she meant it.

“Did you want to stop this? It’s not too late to change your mind.”

“No, I still want to do this.” Her smile was small but determined. She brought his hand back to her blouse.

Unbuttoning her pink blouse gave him the feeling of unwrapping a present. He tried not to get overly excited about her modest white cotton bra and then moved on to her skirt. When he’d gotten that off, he turned to see the full package of what he was getting ready to receive.

He tried again to contain the moan that almost escaped when he looked at her lying on the large daybed spread out and vulnerable. She shouldn’t be so trusting, especially when he felt like a wolf wanting to taste any and all goodies from her basket. What. The. Hell. This shouldn’t be affecting him this much. Maybe some distance was in order.

Moving to her side, he took in the whole pretty picture. She looked naughty and shy. The perfect combination.

He raked his gaze over her trim body, and he craved a cold shower before he started because he was way too hot. Despite what she’d heard, there hadn’t been all that many women, and it had been a while since the last one.

“If you want to—”

She was starting to get nervous, and he didn’t want that, but it wasn’t his desire to blow through this. A chance with Raina was something he hadn’t known he’d craved as much as he did, but now that he was being offered her on a platter served up like his favorite treat, he was engaged more than he’d thought he’d be.

“Shh… Your body is beautiful. I’m trying to catch my breath.”

“They never said you were a flatterer.” She smiled, and he knew she was trying to lighten the moment, but he didn’t want to bring anyone else into what they were doing. At least for tonight, it was about the two of them.

“This is between you and me. Let’s not talk about anyone else.”

“All right.”

He’d never been so happy she had this ridiculous daybed for a couch. He lay on his side with his head propped on his hand so he could go as slow as a situation like this warranted.

Her bra snapped open in the front, and he left it open, but it didn’t reveal any of the lusciousness it covered. His teasing aroused them both. He enjoyed watching the lust-filled expressions crossing her face as her soft, shallow breaths encouraged his slow pace. Gliding his fingers down her breastbone until he reached her stomach, stopping right at the elastic of her panties to stroke and tease this sensitive spot.

“Liam?”

He looked up from the spot his eyes had locked on and turned to this friend who had been with him through so much. He wasn’t good at sharing his whole life story, but Raina was a person whom he could sit quietly with, whose opinion he valued, and who made him feel good. Did he really want to risk ruining their friendship? That question had been running through his mind since this sexy adventure was released from her mouth, and he still didn’t have an answer.

“Please don’t stop.”

And just like that, he had his answer—he’d do what she wanted. She’d never been one to ask for much, and for that he was happy. He’d give her whatever she wanted…to a point. He wouldn’t risk his heart in a relationship. He just didn’t have it in him.

“Tell me exactly what you think you have a problem with.” He was trying to get himself back into the game and stop worrying. Now he was turning into Raina.

“I can only come alone. Do you think it’s not going to work?”

“Oh, it’s going to work. I’m just trying to figure out how many ways I can fit into one evening.”

“Always the cocky one.” Her smirk reminded him that she was the person he’d shared so much with and kicked up his competitive spirit.

“Just your luck.” He brought his hand up and revealed her right breast.

“What a pretty pink nipple. Will it taste as good as it looks?” He didn’t wait for her response this time and leaned over to taste the tantalizing morsel he’d uncovered. “It tastes as sweet as I thought it would.”

She gasped and put her hands in his hair, pulling him against her breast. He drew the turgid berry deeper into his mouth and was rewarded with her soft moan. He’d never figured her for a woman who liked to tug hair when she was excited. Now he knew this was going to get interesting.

“You like that?” he murmured between licks and nibbles. She didn’t answer, and he craved the sound of her voice. He’d probably never tell her how much he loved her voice and that listening to her always upped the vibration in the room.

He licked around the deep pink center without touching the spot she kept guiding his head to reach. The teasing wouldn’t stop until she answered. He hoped she knew him enough to figure that out.

“Bite me,” she panted.

What?
His sexy little homebody liked to play a bit rough. That was going into his mental file. He nipped at her quickly, and her breath stuttered.

“Just like that,” she said as she continued to run her fingers through his hair, stopping only to grip a patch and use it as a handle to keep him where she wanted him.

“Like this?” He drew her nipple into his mouth and increased the suction as a reward but then released it to kiss and nip at her again. Her hips were gyrating, and he could tell that she’d welcome some attention to her pussy, but he didn’t want it to end, and he enjoyed how sensitive she was to his every touch. What were the jokers she was with before doing? Or, more importantly, what hadn’t they been doing? Her body was so responsive.