What Are Friends For? (3 page)

She wondered if seeing her in the suit would make him look at her as a desirable woman and not just a friend.

Erin didn’t know if she even wanted Luke to look at her that way. She treasured their friendship. It was great to get a man’s perspective on things, even something so simple as what to buy her father for his birthday or Christmas. Luke had kept her from making mistakes many times. She didn’t want to lose that special closeness they shared.

She needed advice on men and Luke was the perfect man to help her. It wasn’t as if she planned to ask him for anything permanent. It would simply be sex. That’s all. She knew he’d be honest with her. If she did something in bed to completely turn him off, she needed to know so she’d never do it again. Luke would be her teacher, just like in school.

Now all she had to do was get him to agree to her idea.

Chapter Three

Luke went through his mental to-do list. Fresh towels in the pool house—check. Steak marinating in the refrigerator—check. Potatoes scrubbed and wrapped in aluminum foil, ready for the grill—check. Sliced yellow squash, zucchini, carrots and onion also wrapped in foil, ready for the grill—check. Bottle of merlot on the counter to be opened later—check. Two slices of his mom’s carrot cake for dessert—check.

Unable to think of anything else, Luke went outside to the pool area. It was almost four, so Erin should be here at any time. She said she got off at two today, but he knew his friend. Since the travel agency where she worked was located inside a mall, she usually shopped a bit whenever she worked on Saturday. Sometimes he’d meet her for a late lunch and a movie, if he wasn’t scheduled to work. Owning a heating and air conditioning business meant someone had to be on call twenty-four hours a day, especially in the middle of the hot Texas summer. Luckily he had this weekend off, so could spend the rest of the evening with Erin.

Grabbing a beer from the refrigerator in the pool house, Luke wandered over to one of the chaise lounges in the shade of a large oak tree and stretched out on it. He had the pool area built so it was half in shade, half in sun, depending on the time of day. He had to sacrifice a few oak trees on the property, but decided it had been worth it to have an area he enjoyed so much.

He hadn’t wanted a plain, rectangular pool, so opted for one shaped like a cloud. Small waterfalls flowed over large rocks at the deep end. Huge flowering plants along with tall oak and willow trees gave the area a tropical garden feel. The perfect place to relax, he spent as much time as possible here, either reading, napping, or working on his laptop.

With his house sitting in the middle of three acres, he didn’t have to worry about neighbors bothering him. Plus the seven-foot wooden fence gave him plenty of privacy. When alone, he didn’t bother with a swimsuit.

He took a long pull from the beer as he thought about all the time spent out here by the pool. His family visited often, as did Erin. She loved to swim and came over one day almost every weekend during the summer. Seeing her in that gold one-piece suit she wore always made his hormones stand up and take notice.

His conversation with Erin this morning ran through his mind. She surprised him with her question about whether or not he found her sexually attractive. Of course he found her attractive and very sexy, yet he’d meant it when he said her friendship was more important to him than having sex with her. Sex was easy. Friendship wasn’t.

A combination of the two would be perfect. Erin wasn’t the only one who had parents still deeply in love. Even after thirty-two years of marriage, his parents had date night twice a month. Sometimes it was nothing more than going out for pizza, but they made sure to spend quality time together away from kids, grandkids and friends.

He knew exactly how Erin felt with wanting to share her life with someone. He felt the same way. He’d definitely enjoyed his single life, but now he wanted more. Turning thirty had made him think of the future—a future he wanted to spend with the love of his life.

He wished she’d cooperate and let him find her.

“
Woohoo
!”

Luke smiled at Erin’s usual greeting. “Back here!”

She came through the wooden gate into the backyard, carrying what Luke called her pool tote. Embroidered with a colorful image of palm trees and the beach, it held her swimsuit, sunscreen, a pair of shorts, a tank top, flip flops and a gold visor to match her swimsuit. It probably had other girly things in it that didn’t make sense to a man but a woman had to have with her.

Smiling broadly, she gave him a friendly wave. “Hi!”

“Hi. I was beginning to think you stood me up.”

“Nope. Just did a little shopping.”

“Why does that not surprise me?”

She sat on the side of the lounge next to him. “I had to get the wine.” She removed a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from her tote. “How’s this?”

“Great. I have a bottle of merlot too, so you can pick which one you want.”

“Deal.”

“Did you buy anything else?”

Erin nodded. “I decided I needed a new swimsuit.”

“I like the gold one.”

“Why?”

Bobbing his eyebrows, he playfully leered at her breasts. “It shows off your tits.”

Luke ducked when she swung the tote at him. “You’re such a man!”

“I certainly hope so.”

“You can give me your honest opinion after I change.”

“Even if I don’t like it?”

“
Especially
if you don’t like it.”

“Okay.”

He watched her walk toward the pool house, admiring the gentle sway of her hips in her dress. Her breasts weren’t the only thing he liked to see when she wore her swimsuit. Although average in height, her legs seemed to go on forever. She had a small birthmark behind her left knee. He’d often fantasized about running his tongue over it.

Just because she was his friend didn’t mean he never had sexual fantasies about her. Or erotic dreams.

She shut the louvered door to the pool house and closed the mini blinds so he couldn’t see her. Damn it. “I stocked the fridge in there with wine coolers for you.”

“Thanks. I’ll get one after I change. Do you want another beer?”

“I’m good for now. When do you want to eat?”

“Not for a while. Let’s swim first. I need to cool off.”

She opened the door and walked out of the pool house. Luke froze with his beer raised halfway to his mouth. Cooling off would not be an option for him, not with Erin wearing that tiny green bikini. The three little triangles barely covered her nipples and pussy. Her apple-sized breasts bulged around the sides of the cups, ready to fall into a man’s hands. Or mouth.

She turned so he saw her back.
Holy shit.
A tiny piece of green fabric divided her perfect ass cheeks. Luke almost swallowed his tongue. He’d never seen a woman look sexier.

His cock liked Erin’s appearance too. It gave a happy twitch inside his swimsuit.

“What do you think?” she asked, facing him again.

Luke had to clear his throat before he could speak. “Nice.”

Disappointment covered her face. “
Nice
? That’s all?”

Hell, no, that wasn’t all. She looked like a goddess, a siren, every man’s sexual fantasy. She looked like a woman he wanted to drag to his bed and ravish the rest of the night.

He’d always been honest with Erin. He wouldn’t stop now. “You look amazing.”

Pleasure replaced the disappointment on her face. She smiled. “Really?”

“Really.”

She glanced down at her body. “I have tan lines from my one-piece. I guess I’ll have to spend some time in the sun to even everything out.”

He’d noticed the lighter ivory of her ass cheeks bumping up against the tan part. His first thought had been how much he’d enjoy running his tongue along that line. “No time like the present to start.”

“You’re right. But I want to swim first.” She ran toward the deep end of the pool. “Race you!”

She dove into the water before Luke had a chance to react to her challenge. He quickly set down his beer bottle and followed her. Erin was a good swimmer, but he was a stronger one. He caught up to her and passed her in the shallow end.

“Cheater!” she yelled.

Grinning to himself, Luke turned and headed back with Erin about half a length behind him. He didn’t check on her progress again until he swam another two full laps. Holding onto the side of the pool, he searched for Erin. She hoisted herself out of the pool and collapsed on her back next to the waterfalls.

Luke slowly swam to where she lay. Lifting himself out of the water, he stretched out on his back beside her. “I won.”

“You always do.”

He enjoyed watching the fast rise and fall of her breasts as she gasped for breath. “So why do you keep racing me?”

“Because I keep hoping someday I’ll beat you.” She turned her head toward him. “It’s a competition thing.”

“Really? I never would’ve guessed.”

She scowled at him. “If you had any manners, you’d let me win.”

“Where would the challenge be if I let you win?”

The scowl faded from her face. “Sometimes a gal doesn’t want a challenge. Sometimes she wants a sure thing.”

Luke had the feeling they were no longer talking about racing in the pool. He rose to his elbow so he could see her better. The sun’s position put them in the trees’ shadow. A sudden breeze blew over them. Her nipples puckered inside her top. With a flick of his thumb, he could move that tiny triangle and tug her nipple into his mouth.

In the four years he’d known Erin, he’d never had as many sexual thoughts of her as he’d had today. It terrified him to think of letting his hormones overrule his common sense and fucking up their friendship.

He stood and reached out a hand to her. “C’mon. It’s time for a snack.”

* * * * *

Erin had seen the interest in Luke’s eyes, had seen the way he stared at her breasts. His sudden desire for something to eat didn’t make sense.

She let him help her to her feet. He threw one arm over her shoulders the way he always did, kissed her temple the way he always did. Everything he did was typically Luke. Yet she sensed something different, something…deeper. Or perhaps she wanted to sense something deeper between them. It would make it a lot easier for her plan to work if he looked at her as a woman and not simply a friend.

He guided her to the pool house, where he handed her a wine cooler and container of salsa from the refrigerator. After grabbing another beer for himself, he picked up a package of tortilla chips and led the way to the table for four next to a willow tree.

Erin sat to his right while he opened the chips and salsa. “What, no cookies?”

“Gotta have something salty with beer and wine coolers.” He scooped up a generous amount of salsa on the chip and popped it into his mouth. “Oh, yeah. Hits the spot.”

She chuckled. She’d never known anyone who enjoyed food as much as Luke. No one would be able to tell by looking at his amazing body how much he could put away at a meal. He burned off the calories at his job and with swimming. “Don’t eat too many of those chips or you won’t have room for steak.”

He gave her a look that clearly said she had to be kidding as he dipped another chip. “When have you known me not to eat?”

“Never.” She slowly chewed her chip and swallowed. “And I hate you just a bit because of it.”

“Why?”

“Because you never gain weight. It’s completely unfair.”

Luke looked at her breasts. “You have no reason to complain about any part of your body, Erin.”

His gaze lingered on her breasts, long enough that Erin’s nipples tightened in her bikini and her clit began to gently throb. Trying to appear unaffected by his intense stare, she dipped another chip in the salsa and ate it.

“What’s with the new swimsuit?” he asked after sipping his beer.

Erin shrugged. “I told you, I decided it was time for something new.”

“Why one so skimpy? Hell, you might as well be naked as to wear that little bitty thing.”

His comment gave her the perfect opening. “Would you rather I was naked, Luke?”

Eyes downcast, he set his bottle on the table. “You’re a gorgeous, sexy woman, Erin. I’m a man who thinks about sex at least twenty-three hours a day. So yeah, if I had the chance to see you naked, I’d take it.” He turned his head toward her, spearing her with his blue gaze. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to search for that chance. I don’t want to do anything to fuck up our friendship.”

“Why do you think it might get fucked up if we take our friendship to the next level?” She reached over and laid her hand on his arm. The muscles bunched beneath her palm. “I care about you, Luke. You know that.”

“I care about you too, which is why I wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt you.”

“You think having sex with me would hurt me?”

“Physically, no. Emotionally is another matter.”

She glanced at her hand on his arm. Even with her summer tan, his skin was so much darker than hers. “I’m willing to take the chance.”