BANKS Maya - Undenied (Samhain).txt (7 page)

She spasmed around his cock, felt a sudden rush of wetness, and still her nerves twitched and screamed as the orgasm went on and on.

She felt his lips press to her forehead before he plunged deep and stiffened around her, his muscles bulging, his body straining to get as far into her as he could.

“Yes, oh God, yes,” he said hoarsely.

He convulsed against her body, thrusting once, twice and finally a third time before he stilled. His legs trembled, his arms shook, his chest heaved as he gasped for breath into her hair.

Slowly, she took her hand away, no longer able to bear to touch her hypersensitive clit. Her arms snuck around him, and he lowered himself carefully to her body as she urged him to do. She held him tight, burrowing her face into his neck.

They trembled against each other in the aftermath. She stroked his back, enjoying the feel of his skin, of the muscles, the dips and ridges of his hard contours.

Finally, she felt him slide from her pussy, and he rolled to the side of the bed to discard the condom. When he turned back to her, she moved against him.

“Get up for just a minute, baby. Let me pull back the covers.”

She stood on shaky legs as he arranged the bedding and then he motioned for her to return. She crawled into bed, cuddling against his warm body as he pulled the blankets over them both.

They lay facing each other, their soft breathing the only sound in the room. He rubbed her back, his palms comforting, soothing.

A sigh of contentment welled deep within her chest and whispered across her lips, her body relaxing with the flow of it.

“You sound awfully contented.” His chest rumbled as he spoke, vibrating against her ear.

“I am,” she said. Then she smiled, a mischievous streak rising fast. “That was incredible. Just think of what we missed out on all those years ago.”

“That was extremely uncharitable of you to bring up,” he grumbled.

She chuckled softly against his chest. There was another comfortable silence between them and then he put a finger under her chin and tilted her head upward so she looked him in the eye.

“I don’t even know where you live. If I’ll see you again.”

She kept her expression even, not wanting to betray any hint of reaction. “Do you want to see me again?”

His brow furrowed a moment and he seemed to grapple with his answer. Finally he took a deep breath. “Yeah, I like the idea of seeing you again.”

Some of her tension eased, though why it should matter if he wanted to see her again was beyond her. She didn’t come to town scoping for a relationship.

“I live in Houston,” she said simply.

His eyes widened in surprise. “That’s not far.”

“Hour and a half,” she replied.

He moved his arm up, propping his elbow on the bed and resting his head in his hand. “How did you end up there? I always wondered why you left. I mean after we… After we had sex, you disappeared.”

She laughed. “You make it sound so calculated and sordid. My dad got a job transfer and so we moved to Tennessee. When I was in college, he transferred to Houston. I finished college then moved there to be close

to them. He’s retired now, and they’ve moved down to Galveston, but I still see them often.”

“So what do you do in Houston?” he asked.

“I’m a real estate agent. I actually got a degree in nursing but after six months of the hospital scene, I realized there was no way I could make a career out of sick, needy people. A friend of mine owned her own real estate agency so I got my realtor’s license and went to work with her. After a year, I decided to strike out on my own. I started small, but my agency is the fourth largest in Houston now.”

His eyebrows rose. “I’m impressed,” he said. He laid his hand over her hip, bunching the sheet between his fingers. “That’s a hell of an accomplishment.”

She smiled, enjoying his touch. “I think so. Or I like to think so. It took a lot of hard work, but the effort’s finally paid off.”

She rose up on her elbow as well so she was on eye level with him. The sheet fell from her chest, and she reached to pull it back up. His hand stayed her motion. He grazed her nipple with the back of his hand then cupped the soft mound in his palm.

She tried to speak, cleared her throat and tried again. “What about you? Did you always want to be a cop?”

His fingers continued stroking her nipples, plucking the tips until they were taut and puckered.

“No. I wanted to play football like Jake Turner and Ray Hatcher. We all got scholarships to A&M but I messed up my shoulder my freshman year. Got a degree in criminal justice instead, and when I graduated I came home, got a job with the city. I’ve been there ever since.”

“Any regrets?” she asked softly as she arched more fully into his hand.

He seemed to consider the question for a minute. “No,” he said finally. “I love my job. I’m surrounded by my best friends. It’s a good life.”

She smiled and rubbed her hand over his goatee. “You make it sound so simple.”

He grinned. “I’m just a country boy at heart. Don’t need anything more complicated. Beer, good friends and football. Can’t ask for anything better than that.”

“You left good sex out of there,” she pointed out.

His hand left her breast and he trailed a finger down the line of her jaw. “Oh yes, definitely good sex.” He cocked his head to the side and leaned in to kiss her. “In fact, I need a lot more of good sex. A whole lot more.”

“Mmmm. That can be arranged,” she murmured against his mouth. “I hope you brought more than one condom.”

He chuckled. “I damn near bought out the store.”

“Ambitious, were we?”

“Just hopeful,” he said, lightly kissing her again.

* * *

Payton yawned and opened bleary eyes. Wes was wrapped tight around her body and she craned her neck looking for the bedside clock. When she saw the time, she shook Wes’s shoulder.

He stirred and snuggled tighter against her. She smiled and nudged him again. “You’re going to be late for work if you don’t get up,” she murmured close to his ear.

His eyes flew open. “What time is it?” he asked.

“After six.”

“Shit.”

He palmed her cheek and kissed her before scooting out of bed. “I’ve got to get going.”

She reclined in the bed, pulling the covers up under her arms.

“When are you going back to Houston?” he asked as he thrust one leg into his jeans.

“I’m leaving around noon,” she said softly.

He paused, staring at her for a long second. She couldn’t decipher the odd expression on his face, sort of a mixture between confusion and disappointment.

“Is this where you promise to call and we say goodbye?” she cracked.

“Or you could call me,” he suggested.

“Hmm, how about we trade numbers and then it’s on both of us.”

“Deal.”

He strode over to the desk where the phone and a tablet of paper sat. He came back over and shoved the pad and a pen at her.

She took the pen and scribbled her number down and handed both back to him. “That’s my cell number. It’s the easiest way to reach me.”

He tore off the top piece of paper then scrawled his number on the second sheet before offering the paper back to her. He bent and gave her a hard kiss. Then he turned and finished dressing.

When he was done, he gave her one more long reluctant look. Then he walked to the door and opened it. On his way out, he paused and turned back to her. “Payton, I…” He shook his head and walked out, letting the door close behind him.

Chapter Seven

He was sure she’d call on Monday. When that didn’t happen, he convinced himself she was playing it coy and she’d definitely call on Tuesday. Wednesday morning, he irritably decided she was playing it cool but she’d call that night. Of that he was sure.

Thursday night he was genuinely baffled. Wes paced his living room like a caged lion. If she had any intention of them getting together this weekend, she would have called by now. Thursday was the D-day for making weekend plans. How the hell was she supposed to know what his work schedule was?

Or maybe she had no intention of seeing him again. Maybe he’d scratched an itch for her and that was it.

He picked up his phone and called Gracie before he could think better of it. She’d offer some insight into the situation, and then maybe he could figure out where the hell he stood with Payton.

After he explained his annoyance, she had the audacity to laugh in his ear. He held the phone away, counted to ten and waited for her to stop howling.

“Are you finished yet?” he demanded.

She wheezed and coughed. “Sorry, but damn I always knew this was going to be funny when it happened. I just had no idea how hilarious it was going to be.”

“What the fuck are you babbling about? When what happened?”

“When the mighty Wes fell hard for a woman,” she said before dissolving into laughter again.

“Damn it, Gracie, you’re so not funny, and I swear if Luke is sitting there next to you and you just blabbed that shit where he could hear, I’m going to wring your pretty neck.”

She died laughing again, and he seriously contemplated hanging up. And he would have but she seemed to sense he was not very happy and quickly sobered.

“Okay, so what did you want from me?” she asked.

He sighed and counted to ten again. “I merely want a woman’s perspective on why the fuck she hasn’t called me.”

“Maybe she wants you to make the next move, Wes. A woman will only do so much chasing before she decides it’s time to see how much interest is reciprocated.”

“So, you’re saying she wants me to call her.”

“Could be. Or maybe she’s just busy. Or, perish the thought, maybe you were just great sex and she doesn’t want a relationship.”

“Well, fuck, Gracie, I don’t want to get married. Who said anything about a relationship?”

She laughed again. “I can hear the panic in your voice. Chill out and call her. You obviously want to see her again, right? Is it going to kill you to make the first move this time?”

“So I should go to her and not make her come to me.”

“Well, if I was her, I wouldn’t keep chasing after you. I’d bait the trap and wait for you to come to me.”

“You women are evil. Evellle.”

Gracie snorted. “And you men are just stupid. Get off the phone and call her.”

Wes grinned. “I love you, Gracie girl.”

She chuckled. “Love you too, knucklehead.”

He hung up and stared at his phone gripped tight in his hand. Then he fished his wallet out of his pocket with the other hand. He pulled out the piece of paper she’d written her cell phone number on and punched it in.

After three rings, her husky voice filtered over the line.

“Hello?”

“Hey Payton, it’s Wes.”

“Oh, hi, how are you?”

He hated these awkward, stilted conversations. He didn’t want to fuck around with pleasantries all goddamn night.

“I want to see you this weekend.”

There was a long pause. “I’d love to but I don’t think I can make it over. I have an open house on Sunday.”

“Actually I was thinking about coming to Houston.” Where the hell had that come from? He was impressed with how smoothly that improvisation had come off. “I’m off Saturday,” he continued. “We could have dinner Friday night and spend Saturday together if you’re interested.”

Another small pause. “I’m interested.”

He had to physically restrain himself from pumping his fist and muttering, “Yeah.”

“Okay, so I’ll call you when I get into Houston Friday evening. I can swing by and get you.”

“That sounds great. I’ll look forward to seeing you then.”

They said their goodbyes and Wes hung up, exhilarated over the idea of seeing her the next night. A perplexed feeling fell over him. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Was Gracie right? Was he falling for Payton?

He shook his head. It was just sex. Great sex, mind you, but just sex all the same. It wasn’t every day you got to go back and correct past mistakes, and his first encounter with Payton had certainly constituted one of his bigger fuck ups.

Now he had to find a hotel room in Houston. Oh, and he’d have to get back with Gracie for some advice. He wanted Friday night to be special. A night Payton wouldn’t forget. A night like she’d deserved twelve years ago. He wanted to do it right this time.

* * *

Wes hit the 610 loop on the tail end of rush hour traffic and was gratified that the line of cars moved at a steady pace. Beside him in the cab sat four sacks of shit Gracie had been all too happy to foist on him. Damn woman must have shopped for hours for all the shit, but when she’d outlined her idea, he had to admit, it rocked. Well, at least in theory.

He found himself looking forward to seeing Payton again. At first, he’d focused on the promise of great sex, but in reality what had stayed on his mind was the time he’d spent lying in bed, after the great sex, Payton curled in his arms, the time they’d spent talking.

The thought made him vaguely uncomfortable. He knew he shouldn’t admit to liking cuddle time and pillow talk. For God’s sake, that was shit all his married buddies got into.

Yeah, he wanted tonight to be perfect, but it just meant he was a considerate guy. It didn’t mean he was going to start wearing a pussy label on his forehead.

As he neared his exit, he popped open his cell phone and dialed Payton’s number.

“Hey,” he said when she answered the phone. “You ready?”

A sigh echoed over the line. “Yeah, I’ll be ready.”

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m fine. Just tired. Long day.”

His brain went into overdrive. She did sound tired. A thought hit him, and he mentally applauded his genius. “Hey, I have an idea. Can you give me an hour?”

There was a long pause. “Uh, okay. What’s up?”

He chuckled at her obvious confusion. “Give me an hour and I’ll come pick you up. It’s a surprise.”

He hung up the phone and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he navigated to the hotel he’d made a reservation at. He’d need to hurry, but he was confident he could pull it off.

The original plan had been for them to eat out, but her fatigue gave him the perfect excuse to implement his mad seduction scheme.