Pleasure at Midnight ; His Pick for Passion Read online

  “And...and what? Tonight you did Kelly a favor and checked on me. Then bailed me out after I was jilted. Again,” she mumbled under her breath.

  Will pushed the hair behind her ear. The blunt tips of his fingers brushed her cheek. Electric sparks flew across her skin. Her nipples tightened.

  “And just like before,” he said softly, “I think any guy who stands you up is a fool.”

  She waited for the smile. The spark of amusement that would let her know he was trying to make her feel better. None of that was there. He looked dead serious, and that made her breathing hitch.

  Dark eyes dropped to her lips. Erin pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. His pupils dilated before his gaze lifted to hers. Passion swirled in the obsidian depths. He leaned forward ever so slightly.

  Erin cleared her throat and backed up. She looked around the restaurant for the waiter. “Man, it’s getting late. I think they’re ready to close. We should probably get ready to go.”

  He opened his mouth as if to argue, then nodded. Will offered to pay, but Erin insisted since he’d done more than enough by taking her to see Slam!.

  They were quiet on the car ride back to her apartment. Only an occasional comment on the cold weather and Will confirming he’d fly back to Jacksonville on Sunday. Everything was normal and abnormal. A hum of awareness simmered between them. A subtle shift she wanted to pretend wasn’t there.

  Was she being a fool, or had Will been about to kiss her? Not a sweet, innocent, hey-we’re-friends kiss. But a steal-your-breath, make-your-body-yearn, soul-stirring kiss. She’d gotten the same feeling that night he’d taken her to the military ball. When he’d hugged her a second too long and squeezed her a smidge too tight. When he looked as if he really saw her. As if she weren’t just Kelly’s best friend who hung around all the time or some random woman he was trying to seduce.

  Will insisted on walking her back to her door. She turned and faced him before going inside.

  “Well, thanks for a fun night, Will,” she said. “I really had a great time.”

  Will placed a hand on the doorjamb next to her. He was close enough for her savor the scent of his cologne and see the remnants of what she hadn’t wanted to label as desire in his eyes. “Maybe we can hang out the next time I’m in Chicago.”

  “Maybe.” He kept watching her. His eyes intent and serious. Her stomach fluttered in a way it never had when Jared stood close. She held out her hand. “Good night.”

  He looked at her hand, and the corner of his lip tilted up. “I can’t get a hug?”

  Her heart somersaulted. She’d hugged Will before. Every Christmas when he came home, and she attended their family Christmas party. He went around the room and hugged everyone there. Then there were the quick one-armed hugs he’d given her when they briefly crossed paths while she was with Kelly. There was no reason this hug should be different.

  “Sure,” she said in a fluttery voice.

  She opened her arms and leaned in her upper body for what Kelly would call a “church hug”—just shoulder contact, no full-body touching. Will’s arm wrapped around her waist; the other pressed into her back. His hand glided up her spine until his fingers bracketed the base of her neck.

  “What are you doing?” she asked. Her hands gripped his strong arms.

  “Hugging you.” His voice was a sexy whisper. His head lowered. His lips stopped right before they touched hers.

  Erin’s heart hammered. The tips of her breasts tightened against the planes of his chest. Excitement simmered in her veins. The heat in his eyes could have melted iron.

  “Kissing you?”

  She could pull back now, and he’d let her go. He’d say goodbye, walk away and never bring up what happened again. Will was a ladies’ man, but he wasn’t a jerk. If she didn’t want his kiss he’d accept that.

  She knew what she wanted. It wasn’t due to the fun of the night, the look in his eye or two glasses of wine. The soft plea in his voice when he’d asked. The smallest hint that he was just as eager for their lips to touch as she was. That’s what busted her defenses. Erin lifted on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

  Chapter 3

  Will pressed Erin’s back against the door to her apartment. She was soft, and warm, and tasted like wine. She smelled delicious, like strawberries and vanilla. Her curves cushioned his body and made him want to snuggle into her and never get up.

  He hadn’t planned to kiss her. Hadn’t planned to flirt with her, but he hadn’t expected to have so much fun with her, either. To laugh and joke with her while they reminisced about old times. To have her look at him with the fire of passion in her beautiful eyes.

  He pulled away from her addictive mouth and ran light kisses over the soft skin of her jaw. “Can I come in?”

  God, was that him? He sounded needy and almost desperate. The pulsing of the blood in his veins along with the swelling of desire between his legs had him feeling desperate. He wanted to get closer to her. Kiss her more. Touch her.

  “I don’t know...” Her hands clutched his sides. When his lips grazed her neck, her head fell back.

  “For coffee.” He ran a hand up, then down, her back and lower to caress the softness of her ass.

  He kissed her again and her body trembled. He knew he was waging an unfair war, but damn if he could help himself. He was obsessed with kissing her. Her lips were plump and pillow-soft. Her delectable scent made him want to lick every single part of her. Discover if her breasts were just as sweet.

  This time when he pulled back her mouth followed his as if she couldn’t bear to let him break the kiss. Her eyes opened and were glazed with desire.

  “Just coffee,” she said in a husky, passion-laden voice.

  His heart jumped. He forced himself not to grin like he’d won the finals. “Thank you.”

  She slowly turned and pulled the key out of her purse. He couldn’t help himself. He had to touch her. His hand rested on her small waist. He pushed her thick hair aside and kissed her neck as she unlocked her door.

  “Will!” she said with a shocked giggle.

  He grinned and kissed her neck again. This time letting the tip of his tongue dart out against her skin. “What?”

  Her door opened, and she moved out of his arms. Immediately he missed holding her. He closed the door and locked it, then followed her into the kitchen. She went straight to the coffee maker and pulled one of the individual coffee pods from a chrome rack next to the machine.

  “I’ve got Sumatra, breakfast blend and chocolate-raspberry,” she said, twirling the rack. Her voice thick and trembling.

  Just looking at her made him want to pull her back into his arms. Her hair fell in a thick curtain to right below her shoulders. The sexy dress she wore cinched in her waist and highlighted her hourglass figure. Her calves looked sculpted from the finest stone, the muscles taut from the high-heeled shoes.

  Will strode up behind her and placed his hands on her hips. “You are so damn sexy.”

  “You’re just saying that because we kissed.” Her voice trembled a little. He heard the doubt in her tone. She didn’t believe him.

  “I’m saying that because it’s true.”

  “You never called me sexy before.” She pulled one of the chocolate-raspberry coffee pods out of the rack and lifted the top of the coffee machine.

  “That doesn’t mean I haven’t thought it before.”

  She scoffed and put the coffee in the machine. Will pushed her hair aside and kissed her neck again. Her body had tensed. He wanted her soft and warm again.

  “I first noticed how sexy you are that day you beat me in basketball back in high school. You wore those tiny purple shorts and that damn racerback yellow top. That was also the first time I realized basketball shorts could drive a man wild.” He ran one hand around to rest on her belly and gently pulled her against him. “That’s when I fi
rst noticed your curves. Another time was when you were helping Kelly study for some test. Your hair was pulled up in this messy ponytail, you had a pencil stuck in it, and you kept biting your thumb whenever you were trying to concentrate. I couldn’t stop looking at your mouth. All of the things I imagined your mouth doing to my body made me hard as a rock.” He brushed his hand over her lower lip. They parted, and her breathing stuttered. “I won’t even talk about the night of the military ball. That short, dark blue dress with the halter top. You know I wanted to kiss you at the end of the night. Don’t you?”

  She sucked in a breath, then nodded. Will smiled and kissed her shoulder. Her body was soft again. She leaned back into him.

  “Last summer was the most recent time,” he continued. The memories flowing like water spilled from a cup. “His birthday party. You made my dad laugh. He doesn’t laugh much since Mom died, but whatever you said brought tears of joy to his eyes. Your eyes sparked with intelligence and compassion. I thought you were beautiful. I still think you’re beautiful.”

  Erin quickly spun and faced him. Her eyes serious, her lower lip between her teeth. She watched him for several seconds and shook her head.

  “Are you playing with me? Please don’t play with me. We’ve known each other too long.”

  He cupped her face in his hands. “I’m serious.”

  “This will change everything. Do you really want to chance that?”

  Right now. At this very moment. He didn’t want anything else except to taste her lips again. How things changed could wait until tomorrow. He meant every word he’d said. Had looked and wondered what it would be like between him and Erin on more than one occasion. This was no game to him. No test to see if she was attracted to him.

  “Yes. I do.” He lowered his head and kissed her deeply.

  * * *

  Erin was tumbling down a rabbit hole she’d never escape from, but she couldn’t seem to make herself care. Will’s kisses were incredible. Soft and sweet one second. Deep and demanding the next. Like a thief he snatched her breath, and like an experienced criminal he made her crave her body’s reaction.

  With one swift movement, he lifted her and placed her on the counter. Erin wrapped her legs around his waist. Their mouths never leaving each other. The brush of his beard increasing her arousal. His strong hands stroked up and down her thighs. Squeezing and massaging them with expert fingertips. His hips pushed forward. The thick ridge of his erection rubbed against her core until she was soaking wet.

  He reached behind her and slowly lowered the zipper on the back of the dress. She didn’t want slow. Slow gave her too much time to think about what she was doing. That this was Will kissing her. Will turning her blood into steam with his expert touches. Impatiently, Erin pulled her arms out of the sleeves and let the dress bunch at her waist. She shoved his coat off and onto the floor. Her hands worked at the buttons of his shirt. Will jerked the shirt off and tossed it aside as if he was just as impatient as she. The undershirt beneath was gone next.

  His chest was a masterpiece of muscles and tightly coiled hair. Her fingers played in the rough strands. The tips of her fingers ran light circles over his flat nipples. Will shivered. His hands tightened on her thighs. She grinned, enjoying how responsive he was to her touch.

  His answering smile told her she’d pay for teasing him in the most decadent way. Then his face became serious. He looked at her and she feared he would see everything she’d tried not to acknowledge about her feelings for him. Her eyes lowered to his mouth. Her lips parted, and she leaned forward. Will’s fingers buried in her hair. He tilted her head and kissed her harder. His tongue caressing and claiming her as if they were old lovers reuniting. His other hand reached behind her and effortlessly unfastened her bra. She slid the bra to the floor. The hairs on his chest tickled her sensitive nipples. She rubbed her chest against his. Reveling in the decadent feeling.

  Will pushed her back. Her hands spread against the counter and her chest thrust forward. Then he had one breast cupped in his hands and his lips closed over the tip. Pleasure exploded like a ton of C-4, setting her body on fire. Her gasps and whimpers echoed in the otherwise silent kitchen. Will’s soft, satisfied moans accompanied them. Long fingers gently squeezed and toyed with the tip of her other breast. Erin groaned and threw her head back. When his hand left her breast, she barely got out her sob of complaint before it slipped beneath the hem of her bunched-up skirt. His exploring fingers hesitated for a second at the waistband of her underwear.

  He lifted his head. Heavy-lidded eyes filled with desire devoured her. “No turning back?”

  She shook her head. Was he kidding? A marauding army couldn’t pull her out of his arms right now. Not when she’d melt into a puddle and evaporate into nothing if he didn’t keep kissing her. “No turning back.”

  He tugged on her underwear. Erin lifted her hips, and he ripped them from her body and tossed them over his shoulder. Then his fingers were there, parting her slick folds and teasing the most sensitive nub on her body with nimble fingers. Her body twitched and tightened. Heat flooded her veins like a flamethrower.

  Her legs spread farther. Reaching between them, Erin hastily yanked his pants open. No longer thinking and just going with instinct. Her hands dived into his underwear and eagerly clasped around his length. Will’s shudder echoed through her. He was the perfect size. Thick and long enough to make her core sing in anticipation. She stroked him and licked her lips. He kissed her with less control than before and gently bit her bottom lip.

  “Please tell me you have a condom,” she moaned.

  “Back pocket,” he ground out. He sounded just as desperate as she felt.

  He reached into his pocket. Pulled out the protection and was covered and pushing deep into her in record time. They both cried out as he filled her. Deep, hard and oh so perfect. Erin grabbed his solid shoulder with one hand and supported her weight with the other. Will held on to her hips with a desperate grip and made her call out his name right there on her kitchen counter with long, hard strokes.

  They came together quick and fast. Years of curiosity, anticipation and mutual desire erupting in an orgasm that made everything in her shake. Shatter. Succumb.

  Before their breathing returned to normal, he gently lifted her off the counter. His lips brushed across her ear. “Bedroom?”

  She pointed a limp hand in the direction of the bedroom. Will carried her inside and to the bed. Gently, he pulled back the covers and lay with her. Their breathing slowly calmed. She dozed off but woke a short time later to his hands on her body.

  This time he moved slowly and more deliberately. He covered every inch of her body with kisses and brought tears to her eyes with pleasure so intense she didn’t think she could take it. Will settled between her legs and whispered in her ear. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of the taste of you.” Then he sank deep into her and brought her to another orgasm that scattered her thoughts to the edges of the universe.

  She fell asleep again, and when she woke up an hour later with him beside her, regret and uncertainty crept around the edges of her mind. As if he sensed she was about to freak out, Will came to her. He wrapped her in his strong arms and kissed her until she clung to him.

  “No turning back, remember,” he whispered into her ear. Then worked her up into such a frenzy that she shoved him onto his back and took control. Losing herself in the sensual feel of him until she collapsed spent, again onto his chest.

  Every time she swore she was done, that her body couldn’t possibly take any more pleasure, he proved her wrong. With kisses, touches and caresses he made her lose all inhibitions. And in between he covertly captured pieces of her heart as they talked quietly about her job, his hope to coach one day and all the times they’d wondered over the years what being with each other would be like.

  When he finally let her drift into a deep sleep near 6:00 a.m., she had a smile
on her face. She was wrapped in Will’s arms. The last place in the world she’d ever expected to be when she’d woken up the previous morning.

  “I never thought I could be this happy,” she murmured into his chest before she fell asleep.

  And she was happy. Until she woke up late in the morning and the only sign of Will was a note on her nightstand.

  Had an emergency. I had to leave early. Last night was cool. TTYL.

  -W.

  Chapter 4

  Erin wished the entire night was just a bad dream. She went over every second in her head searching for signs she might have missed that Will was playing her for a fool. He had looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world. Something special had happened when they kissed.

  Hadn’t it?

  He could have really had an emergency. One that prevented him from waking her to explain before he’d left. Not sneaked out because he was ashamed, regretful or disgusted by what happened.

  She made coffee; the K-Cup she’d put in the machine the night before sat unused, and she tried not to think about the reason she never made the coffe.

  Hard to not think of that when her body was still deliciously sore. She’d showered and put on pajamas, but she wasn’t in the mood to leave her apartment. She wouldn’t call him, either. Demand to know why he left. Ask pitifully when...if he would be back.

  She picked up her phone and called Kelly. Will mentioned an emergency, which meant Kelly should have information.

  Kelly answered after four rings. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “You didn’t have to send Will to check on me,” Erin said. Hey, I spent the night being turned out by your brother didn’t seem like a good greeting.

  “Sorry. I couldn’t help it. You seemed nervous,” Kelly said, not sounding the least bit apologetic.

  “I wasn’t nervous. We were just hanging out.” She had been very nervous and excited about going out with Jared. Now she could barely picture his face. Damn, Will and his magic stick!