Forward Pass Page 9

  If only she could do something about the bad case of nerves jittering through her system.

  It was just a damn dinner. A meal. In a public place. No expectations. Just enjoy the meal and she’d be fine. Whatever happened after, she’d deal with it then. If it turned out to be just one very great night, well, at least she’d have that. And if something else happened, then she’d have great memories to replay in her mind when it was all over.

  Joe was waiting in the living room, lounging on the couch, the evening sports report on the television. She took a moment to admire his muscular build in its well-tailored slacks and sports jacket, the crisp dress shirt, and the discreet tie. Shoes that probably cost more than her computer. An expensive razor cut tamed his thick hair.

  Wow. She drank him in while he wasn’t watching, branding the sight of him on her brain for future reference when this all blew away.

  Letting out a slow breath, she cleared her throat. “I’m ready.”

  “Great.” He turned off the television and unfolded himself from the couch.

  When he turned to her his grin faded, his eyes widened and Shay swore his jaw dropped. For a moment, she thought he’d swallow his tongue. He just stared at her, heat smoldering in the inky blackness of his eyes, a muscle twitching in his jaw.

  “Is something wrong?” she finally asked, slightly teasing. “Do I have something out of place?”

  He swallowed. “No, everything’s just—fine. Jesus, Shay. Where did you get that dress?”

  She was tempted to say Oh, this old thing? But she hated women who reacted that way to compliments.

  “It’s just your basic black dress,” she finally answered. “You didn’t tell me where we were going so I wasn’t sure what was appropriate.”

  He took two steps forward until he was directly in front of her and tilted up her face with the tip of one finger.

  “It should probably be outlawed. I’m not sure taking you out in public dressed like that is in my best interests. I’ll have to beat off the crowd with a big stick.”

  She laughed giddily. “Thanks for the compliment, but I think you’re exaggerating.”

  “You do? Well, how about this. We need to get out of here before I forget we’ve got dinner reservations and see how fast I can get you out of your sinful outfit.” He took her hand and tugged her toward the door. “Let’s go. I think I need a drink. Badly.”

  Shay forcibly tamped down the little thrill wiggling its way through her at his words, sending messages to every one of her erogenous zones. A drink. Yes, she could use one, too.

  Joe turned on the radio and soft music played as they negotiated evening traffic on the drive to the restaurant. Nothing, however, could dissipate the unexpected sexual tension crackling between them. His compliment bounced around in her head, scraping her nerves and threatening her self-control. Shay was so nervous she was tongue-tied, well aware she was about to get in over her head. Why, oh why, had she agreed to this? No way could she and Joe Reilly be just friends. When the fairy-tale evening was over, when his business was finished in San Antonio, she’d be lucky if she ever got a Christmas card from him. It was just the way he rolled, and she knew it.

  She wasn’t surprised when they pulled up to the door of Andover’s, a very pricey upscale restaurant on the city’s northwest side. Hank liked to take his dates there and twice they’d celebrated her birthday there when she’d been in town. A valet who didn’t look old enough to have a driver’s license opened the car door for her and held out his hand to help her out.

  “Welcome to Andover’s.”

  Joe nodded at him. “Thanks.”

  With his hand pressed against her back, Joe guided her inside. The restaurant was designed and decorated for intimate meals. The tables in the center weren’t too close together and booths with curved backs creating a sense of privacy lined the walls. Thick carpeting on the floor and upholstered walls muted the sounds in the room. Crystal chandeliers cast a soft light over everything, matched by the amber glow of the candles in each table. Joe gave his name to the hostess and urged Shay through the room as they were led to their booth.

  “May I take your drink orders?” A waiter materialized next to them.

  Joe looked at her. “Would you like to split a bottle of wine?”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “I didn’t peg you as a wine drinker.”

  One corner of his mouth quirked up. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”

  “We don’t know if we’re having beef or fish, though,” she pointed out.

  “Well, see, I’ve always been of the mind you should drink what you want with the meal, regardless.” He grinned, the dimple at the corner of his mouth flashing. “How about you? Ready to be adventurous?”

  She exhaled slowly. “Sure. Why not? A white, semidry.”

  Joe made the selection, the waiter reappeared with the wine and a cooler, they did the tasting thing, and at Joe’s nod the man filled their glasses. Then Joe lifted his glass and touched it to hers.

  “To a very special evening.”

  At the unexpected heat that flared in his eyes for a moment, Shay forgot to breathe. She had a feeling the night was going to end with both of them naked. Now that she was on the verge of having her dreams fulfilled, she didn’t know if the realization tempted her or scared the hell out of her. Then he lifted his glass to his lips, and she did the same. The smooth wine with a tiny bite to it slid down her throat and eased the jangling of her nerves. Shay set her glass down carefully, determined to keep her anticipation under control. She’d made the decision to go for it and now it seemed her body was trying to speed up the process. She wanted to savor every bit of this evening, from start to finish. If she had one worry, it was that Joe might not find her as hot in bed as the other women he’d been with. No sense worrying about it now. It was what it was.

  “Shay?” Joe sounded amused. “Special evening? That work for you?”

  Yes. Okay. She’d make it a nice evening and enjoy the hell out of it, knowing it meant absolutely nothing. They could go back to irritating each other and she’d at least have one nice memory.

  “Sorry.” She smiled. “Yes. To a special evening. And thank you very much for inviting me.”

  “Is it an outrageous idea for you to think I actually am enjoying myself?” He grinned. “Or I would if you weren’t quite so uptight. This is just a nice dinner between friends. Relax, okay?”

  She exhaled slowly. “Okay. Friends.” Hopefully with benefits.

  “Joe Montana couldn’t make it tonight,” he joked. “He asked me to take his place. I hope I’m an acceptable substitute.”

  “More than acceptable.” His teasing eased her tension. “I guess he’s home with his wife and four kids.” She took a sip of water. “So tell me more about your show on Fox Sports.” There. His job was safe ground. “Like I said, I do watch it.” She paused and then teased, “Now and then.”

  He laughed, the sound a low, sexy rumble. “I’m flattered. Okay, what would you like to know?”

  From then, the conversation flowed smoothly, the atmosphere between them easing. The food was excellent and they ate slowly. But Shay was still on the alert, her tummy tightening when Joe’s hand brushed against her, her breath hitching when he gave her one of those devouring looks. She was proud of herself for keeping it together despite her reaction. The wine helped a lot, she had to admit. As the evening wore on one thing became abundantly clear to her. Full-out sex with Joe Reilly would give her a permanent addiction, but she wanted it with a craving that had built steadily over the years. If he walked away, she’d find the strength to deal with it. She wasn’t going to miss out on the one thing she’d wanted all her life because she had no guarantees. She’d settled for poor substitutes for too long. Now she wanted the real thing.

  * * * *

  Joe had no idea how he managed to keep it together during dinner. As he stared at the woman across from him, a million wicked possibilities chased through his mind. She was so mout
hwatering, so tempting, he was glad the tablecloth covered his dick. She didn’t need to see it standing at painful attention. At least a dozen times during the meal he wanted to say to hell with it, get the check, pull her out of there, and take her home to ravish her. He forced himself to drag his gaze away from the upper swell of her breasts above the low neckline of the dress and the way they moved with each breath she took. Just watching her chew her food so daintily, seeing the flex of muscles in her throat as she swallowed her wine, was enough to drive him nuts.

  But the worst was the chocolate cake. They’d decided to share the Decadent Delight, a moist cake with creamy frosting. Every time she ran her tongue over her bottom lip to lick away the crumbs or a dollop of frosting, he wanted to pull her across the table and thrust his tongue into her mouth. He wanted her to taste him. To share her flavor with him. To bury himself in this woman who could tempt Satan.

  And smart. He always thought she had a smart mouth but her brain and her wit were just as much a turn-on as her physical traits. The other night, when he’d tasted lips as sweet as sin and had his hand inside a pussy that could make grown men weep, his mind and his body sent him a huge message: this woman was the real deal and he wanted her.

  It embarrassed him to admit how many women he’d fucked in his life, a sexual history that no longer made him proud. But he didn’t remember a single one of them who was as warm and hot and responsive as Shay Beckham. He hadn’t had nearly enough of her. Not even close.

  He wanted to bang his head on the table. He was making this too complicated. Just test the waters, he told himself. See what she liked or didn’t like. He had to do this very carefully, though.

  No missteps with this one, Joseph. First you have to get her into bed, stupid. Then you can take it from there.

  “You’re staring again.”

  Shay’s voice broke into his steamy thoughts.

  “What?” He blinked. “Oh, just making sure you don’t get more than your share of the dessert.” As if to emphasize, he scooped up the last large bite and stuffed it in his mouth, then made a show of licking his lips.

  Shay burst out laughing, a musical sound like bells tinkling in the wind. “Of course you got more than your share. Don’t you always?”

  Her words were like ice cubes bouncing on him. “Okay, I might have at one time. It embarrasses me to admit it. Please believe me when I tell you I’m not that person anymore and haven’t been for a long time. Somehow I’m going to make you believe it.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, then picked up her wineglass and drained the last of the liquid. “If you so say.” Then she smiled again. “But if we ever do this again, I get the last piece of dessert.”

  “Agreed.” He definitely planned to do this again, even if she didn’t know it yet.

  Again he used his hand at the small of her back to guide her through the restaurant to the front door. He could feel the heat of her body through the soft fabric of her dress. The tips of his fingers just grazed the curve of her ass, a part of her body he wanted to explore in great detail. He’d fastened one button on his sports jacket before sliding out of their booth, using it to camouflage the erection that only seemed to swell more as the evening progressed.

  He tipped the valet who brought his car around and took another opportunity to touch Shay as he helped her into the passenger seat. He had to drag his eyes away from her legs as she swung them gracefully into the well beneath the dashboard. He just hoped his tongue wasn’t dragging on the ground.

  “Thank you for dinner.” Shay finally broke the silence in the car. “I enjoyed it. A lot.”

  “It was my pleasure. I’d like to do it again.” And a whole lot more.

  When she didn’t say anything more he turned on the radio to fill the silence. Hoping he wasn’t pushing his luck, he reached over and closed his hand over one of hers. At first, she tensed beneath his touch. Then, as if at some point she’d made some decision, she relaxed, turned her hand over, and laced her fingers with his. Joe’s heart rate stuttered like it had when he was a teenager out with a hot cheerleader. He’d better get himself under control pretty soon.

  At the house, he took the keys from her hand, unlocked the front door, and moved with her into the small foyer. Shay had left a lamp on in the living room and it cast a fuzzy halo of light into the darkness, just enough for him to see her face when he turned her and pulled her into his arms. He should probably ask her if this was okay, only he was afraid if he did she’d say no and that would be that.

  Instead he cupped a cheek with his hand, bent his head, and touched his lips gently against her. Her entire body tensed, rigid as a cement column, and he waited to see if she objected. Pushed at him. Moved away. He hardly dared to breathe, wondering what her decision would be. Then, as if someone pulled a ripcord, the tension eased. She just stood there, soft against him, the touch of their mouths barely a kiss. Emboldened, he slid the end of his tongue across the seam of her lips, tracing the line and swirling the corners. Pleasure shot through him when she opened her mouth, tentatively at first, as if making up her mind. Then the hesitation disappeared and she met his tongue with her own, dueling and dancing with it. Her arms slid beneath his sport jacket, slipped along his spine to his shoulder blade and pressed into him as he deepened the kiss.

  He banded his other arm around her, the tiny space between their bodies disappearing, her breasts soft against the wall of his chest, her nipples like hard tips digging into him. With their lips still fused together, he licked every inch of the inside of her mouth with his tongue as if he’d never get enough of her taste. He could feel the soft roundness of her mound where his cock branded itself against her. He wanted her every way he could take her—in his bed, on the couch, bent over a chair with her sweet ass tempting him. He wanted nothing more than to tear off their clothes, thrust inside her, and fuck both of them blind.

  Slow. Take it slow. Don’t screw it up.

  When neither of them could breathe, he lifted his mouth from hers and slid his lips across the satiny skin of her cheek, down the slender column of her neck, and back up to the soft spot behind her ear. He nibbled at the delicious lobe of her ear, his balls tightening at the sigh that escaped her lips. As slowly as he could manage, he eased one hand up her rib cage until one warm breast was nestled in his palm. Unable to stop himself, he squeezed the nipple between thumb and forefinger and waited to see if she’d object.

  She surprised him when she licked the tender spot beneath his jaw and tugged at his jacket with both hands.

  “I think I need to point something out to you.” The words came out on a soft whisper of breath. “If we’re taking this any further, you have too many clothes on.”

  “You, too.” He dipped his head toward her.

  He should have waited to turn on the music. Create a mood. Maybe see if there was any wine in the house. No, no more wine. He didn’t want either of them drunk for this. Been there, done that too many times in the past. Instead, he shrugged out of his jacket, draped it over one arm, and guided her out of the little foyer and down the hall toward the room he was using. He wouldn’t presume to take this to her bedroom, her space. Maybe next time, and God, he sure hoped there was a next time.

  When she stopped at the threshold of the bedroom, he was sure she was about to turn and run. Instead, she curled one of her hands into his and let him lead her inside. He tossed his jacket onto a chair and turned her to face him.

  “Let me undress you. I’ve been dreaming about this body every night.”

  “O-okay.”

  He caught the hesitancy in her voice. Was she inexperienced or just nervous about him?

  “I promise it will be good.” He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Better than good. Just leave everything to me.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “And I promise you won’t hate yourself in the morning. Or ever. Trust me.”

  When she didn’t say anything else, he pressed his mouth to hers, deepening the kiss and at the same time gliding the
zipper down the back of the dress. Still with his mouth fused to hers, he slipped the dress off her shoulders and down her body, letting it pool at her feet. Now he took a moment to look at her and nearly choked on his tongue at the sight of her in a black lace bra and matching tiny panties, tied with bows at the hip. She was petite, just as she’d always been, but now with nicely rounded breasts and a graceful curve of hip. He wanted to lay her down and lick every inch of her, and maybe he’d do just that.

  He reached for the clasp on her bra but she gave him a tiny smile, batted his hand away, and took care of it herself. With her breasts free, he couldn’t help himself. He had to reach out and palm them, testing their weight and brushing his thumbs over the dusky-rose nipples. She shivered at his touch.

  “Cold?” he asked.

  “No.” She ran her tongue over her lower lip in the way guaranteed to drive him nuts.

  “Don’t worry if you are. I’ll warm you up.”

  More with the tongue. Jesus!

  “I hope so.” Then she pulled the ribbons holding the panties in place, freeing them, and she widened her stance, letting them fall to the floor.

  Now she was completely naked except for those fuck-me high heels. The hair covering her mound was a shade darker blond than on her head but looked just as soft and silky. He reached out a finger to touch it and discovered it felt even better than it looked. Before he could stop himself, he ran the tip of his finger into her slit, touching her clit and feeling the moisture waiting there for him.

  “Aren’t you going to take off your clothes, too?” she asked. Heat danced in her eyes.

  “If I do, I’m liable to embarrass myself.”

  Her laugh was a soft musical sound. “I think I should get a look, too, don’t you?”

  His gaze still glued to her naked body, he unbuttoned his shirt, yanked it off, and tossed it on top of his jacket. Slacks next, the zipper on his fly sounding abnormally loud in the room. He slid them down carefully with his boxer briefs, taking care not to injure his very swollen cock as it sprang free and pointed toward Shay’s pussy like a homing device. Her eyes widened and a small grin curved her lips.