Three Shifters for Sarah (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (9 page)

They had stopped by a late-night market on their way home. Sarah had done some badly needed shopping for her bare cupboard, and TJ bought the ingredients to make the poultice. Now she took the two plastic bags out of TJ’s arms and headed around the counter to her kitchen area to put things away.

“Actually I do like your apartment,” he told her. “I love anywhere I can be alone with you for a little spell right about now.”

Sarah had bought them a rather cheap bottle of wine. TJ had argued with her and insisted he should pay for everything. In the end Sarah had won the argument and the rest of the evening was going to be her treat.

“Sit down and make yourself at home.” Sarah opened the wine bottle. She felt weak in the knees again, and her hands had a slight tremor as she poured the California red.

TJ standing in the middle of her apartment was the weirdest sight in the world and one she never thought she would live to see. Certainly when she had met up with him after work, she had never planned on letting him come back here with her. But it had been so long since she’d had a date and this one had been especially nice. She just didn’t want it to end.

TJ was seated on her couch. She handed him his glass and sat across from him on a comfortable old chair she had salvaged from a rummage sale in the Bronx. She took a swallow of her wine and regarded him across the small space between chair and couch. He was so handsome, and she had been so irresponsible to bring him back home with her.

There wasn’t going to be any shared future for the two of them. She hoped she had already made that perfectly clear to him earlier and was not leading him on now. But at twenty-eight Sarah was starting to wonder if she would share a real future with anyone, and the thought of indulging herself with TJ as an overnight guest had never been more appealing. Opportunities with men like TJ didn’t come along every day, and she was willing to risk a little morning-after second-guessing for a continuation of their night together.

“I’m going to make that poultice I promised you.” TJ hopped up off the couch and went to her kitchen to put together the ingredients. She watched him rummaging around in her kitchen. A couple pots and pans banged together as he opened a cabinet to take down a box of salt. “You know I think my hotel is a pretty piece down the road from your apartment.”

“Don’t worry about that, TJ.” She wanted to tell him he was spending the night, but didn’t quite want to go there just yet.

“I’m not worried about a thing except getting that mark off your shoulder.” He sat on the back of her chair and began unfurling a cloth bandage he had made wet under her faucet. “May I?” he asked as his fingers went under the shoulder of her blouse and he got ready to take it down enough to reveal the troublesome mark.

“Be my guest.”

He made her shoulder bare, and his fingers were massaging her skin. “This is going to sting a little when I put it on.”

She tensed, waiting for the inevitable burn of the poultice. TJ hesitated, and she looked over her shoulder at him.

“Are you sure you want to get rid of this?” he asked her.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well I was just thinking if you ever do decide to become our mate, Ryan will have to mark you all over again. Maybe it would be better to just leave it and let you think for a while.”

Sarah sighed and put her face in her hands. Perhaps inviting him back here to her place had been misleading to the young cowboy after all. She had to be a straight shooter with him because that’s what he had been with her.

“TJ, I don’t ever want to be your mate.”

“Okay.” He gave her a nod and seemed to accept her terms. When he pressed the wet bandage against her skin, he was gentle and there was only a small sting which didn’t feel bad at all with TJ’s sure hands touching her.

“That actually feels good.” She looked down at her shoulder and watched his hands work their miracle on her skin. “How long will I have to keep this on for?”

“Give it twenty-four hours. When you take it off, the mark should be gone.”

Finished, he taped some gauze over the offending area and left it in place to heal her. With great care he brought the shoulder of her blouse back up and set it to rights over the tape.

“How about some more wine?” TJ refilled her glass and took his seat back on the couch across from her.

“What hotel are you staying at?” Sarah cleared her throat and decided to make small talk.

“The Plaza.”

“The Plaza? We were right by your hotel tonight when we took our walk after dinner. Now you’re another forty-dollar cab ride away. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Would you have thought I was trying to get you up in my room if I had?”

Sarah thought about it a moment. “Well maybe.” She had to agree with him. She probably would have.

“Sometimes a man needs to know when to keep his mouth shut.”

“You’re a gentleman, TJ.” Sarah’s heart swelled in her chest at the feeling this shape-shifting cowboy inspired in her, and she wondered if she could have casual sex with him and not feel more, dangerous things she should not feel for a man she could never have a future with. But it was too late to back out now. Her raging hormones demanded action. “Do you want to spend the night with me?”

A devilish but all-too-gorgeous smile lit TJ’s features. “Where’s your bed?”

“You’re sitting on it.” Sarah laughed. “The couch makes out into a bed.”

“Now that’s the best offer I’ve had in just about forever.”

* * * *

TJ had been hurt when Sarah told him she would not ever be his mate. It was the second time that night she had told him no to the mating proposition, but this time he almost believed her. But in a pinch he was good at masking his feelings, and he sloughed it off with a smile.

He wanted to have Sarah that night, felt the need down to the core of his being, and he was pretty sure she felt the same way. Whatever direction their relationship might take in the morning, they were going to have tonight.

TJ removed the cushions and pillows from the couch and went back to try and figure out how to turn it into a bed. He pulled and prodded, but the damn thing wouldn’t budge.

Sarah laughed. “Here let me.” She took over for him and quickly got the mattress pulled out on its springs.

“Damn if that thing ain’t more complicated than lassoing a bronco.”

He didn’t give her time to respond. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her to him. Now was the time for that kiss he had wanted earlier, but this one was long and hard and wet. She parted her lips for him, and his tongue dove inside to taste her splendors. The velvet lining of her inner mouth proved to be heaven, and he prolonged the kiss until they were both gasping for air at its conclusion.

“I want you to promise me something.”

“If I can.”

“No hickeys.”

TJ smiled and let his hands roam down her curves. The warmth of her body held in his arms was the best feeling on earth. The mint smell of her breath as it blew against his cheek sent electricity down to his cock, and an erection started to bulge in his jeans.

“I’ve got to warn you my bed isn’t very comfortable.” Sarah seemed flustered. “This is the first time I’ve ever shared this particular bed with anyone.”

TJ arched his brow. It’s not that he didn’t believe her. But she was so pretty, smart, and fun to be with. She was clearly available. He knew up here in the city both men and women moved fast when it came to sexual hookups. He wondered how she could have been alone for even a short while.

“You mean you haven’t had a boyfriend?” He tried to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

“There was a man two years ago, but I didn’t live in this apartment then.” Again she seemed disconcerted. “Last week with Ryan broke a two-year sexual drought for me.”

“Really?”

“Don’t sound so surprised, cowboy. I’m not usually into one-night stands.”

“It’s been six months for me, and I thought I had it bad.”

Sarah laughed, and her smile was so honest and winning that he couldn’t help but pull her back to him for another ravaging kiss on her lips, and this time he extended that kiss across her cheeks, around the line of her jaw and down her neck. Her skin tasted like cream and was so soft and pliant he knew he would never get enough of touching it.

They sat down on the edge of the mattress, and she helped him to remove his shirt while he lifted his arms high over his head and she pulled it off. He reached behind him into his back pocket, and at his coaxing, a load of foil packets popped out onto the mattress between them.

“I wanted you to know I came prepared.”

“We don’t have to use those if you don’t want to, TJ. I’m on the Pill.”

He brought her back in for a hug and a renewed round of kissing. Her body, still fully clothed, felt warm and alive next to his naked chest.

“Would it make you feel better if we did use them?”

She thought about his proposition for a moment, and her face wrinkled in the most charming way at her consternation. “Actually it would. Thanks, TJ.”

Then she noticed the clutter of condoms spread out on top of her mattress, and her eyes went wide in surprise.

“How many did you bring anyway?”

“We’ve got a dozen there. But I noticed an all-night drug store down the street from your place. If twelve isn’t enough I reckon I’ll go down there and fetch us some more.”

A delightfully naughty smile creased Sarah’s face. “Twelve times?” she asked in disbelief. “In one night?”

TJ returned her smile, and he knew their thoughts were both on the same mischievous and playful wavelength.

“I don’t know whether to throw you out or take you down to the courthouse and marry you,” Sarah deadpanned.

“I would much prefer the latter,” he whispered into her ear.

She became serious for a moment and pushed back from him. “TJ, you do understand that tonight is just tonight and not a promise of anything more to come?”

“I understand there aren’t any guarantees in life.” Both their voices had become hushed as they spoke. “But right now I just want to fuck you, lady.”

Sarah closed her eyes and gave him a kiss. “I want you to fuck me, cowboy.”

Sarah could appreciate the sculpted figure of a well-built man as well as the next woman. In front of her TJ had stripped down to his white cotton briefs. His erection tented the thin fabric and though not exposed to her just yet, the clearly defined outline appeared larger than any she had seen in her past.

TJ walked on his knees behind her on top of the lumpy old mattress to help her get undressed. The two of them together in that bed were going to be a tight fit. The springs creaked under TJ’s weight, and Sarah didn’t really think it had been built to hold two. But she thought it would be an interesting night to discover just how snugly the two of them fit together under her single damask comforter.

Each part of her body laid bare by his unwavering hands he covered in soft kisses, using his tongue to tease and delight her skin, a hint of his warm breath sending jolts of pleasure down her spine.

Sarah closed her eyes and slowly inhaled as she lay back and enjoyed TJ’s attention. He divested her of her clothes down to her panties. She’d worn those clothes all day since seven that morning when she had dressed for work and wished there had been time for a shower first. TJ’s body smelled so nice and fresh. She thought she could still scent some soap on him from his morning wash and didn’t know how he did it. He probably never sweated, and she wished she could say the same.

TJ rolled over onto his back and hiked up his knees and brought the briefs off down his legs. Sarah covered the spreading grin on her face with her palm. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He caught her staring and gave her a look, but she couldn’t help it, she was mesmerized by his size.

“TJ, you’re…”

“What?”

Not wanting to embarrass him or herself she kept her comment to herself. Instead she sat up on the mattress, hooked her thumbs through the waist of her panties, and slipped them off.

Giving him a look, she hoped she imparted to him her need to have his mouth back on her body, any part of her body. He seemed to get the message, and in a second they were kissing and touching once again. He was gentle as his tongue met hers between their mouths, and his fingers were lazy in their exploration down her body. She rested her palms against his chest and felt the heat of his body and unyielding strength of his muscles.

Just for a minute he pulled away from her, tore open one of the rubber pouches still lying helter-skelter across her bed and sheathed himself. Her eyes strayed down to the outside of the violated package and she noticed the writing on the outside said “Extra Large.” She only hoped that was large enough.

She let him take care of the chore and waited, thinking it better if the man dressed that particular part of his anatomy. Then he was finished, and she welcomed him back into her arms.

She kissed across his face and felt the stubble of his beard tickle her tongue. As she became more adventurous her hands roamed south. The hot fire radiating against her belly now couldn’t be denied as his swollen cock rested against her. Grazing it with her fingers, she elicited a moan from him and took the meat in her palm and began stroking.