Inked in the Steel City Series (15 page)

In what seemed half a second he withdrew his touch and rounded the couch, settling close beside her again. Her heart skipped a beat as the cushion shifted beneath her in response to his weight, forcing her to lean against him – not that she didn’t want to. She rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her lips against his neck, kissing a trail from his lightly stubbled jaw to his collarbone. Meanwhile, butterflies erupted into flight inside her belly as he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper. Before she knew it her lips met empty air as he slid off the couch, dropping to his knees in front of her.

“Eric, I…” Nervousness struck her as he began to ease her jeans down over her hips.

He paused, the denim still caught firmly in his fists. “What?” His warm breath hit her belly, causing her nipples to shrink to aching points and the skin on her arms and the back of her neck to pebble.

She blinked, straining to meet his eyes in the darkness. She couldn’t – it was too absolute. Streetlight filtered in through the windows, but the new posters blocked much of it and none of it reached the alcove where the couch was situated. If she couldn’t see his brilliant eyes, then he surely couldn’t see much of her either. The knots of tension in her stomach eased a little. “Nothing.” When he tugged on her jeans again she arched her hips, allowing him to slide them down to her knees. Her flats fell to the floor one by one as he pulled her pants over her ankles.

The plush couch cushions felt sinfully soft against her thighs and bottom, and for a split second, all she could think about was that she was so wet that she’d soon dampen them. Eric increased her worry by peeling off her panties, pulling them down and over the lengths of her bare legs as smoothly as he had her jeans. Her folds were slick, her clit tingling. The couch cushions didn’t stand a chance, and the thought mortified her. This was her place of
work
, and if she sat naked below the waist on the couch much longer, it was going to be as wet as her.

Eric put a stop to her fretting by reaching around her hips to grasp the round curves of her ass and pull her to him, so that she was balanced on the edge of the couch, her pussy touching nothing but air that was warmed by his breath instead of the plush couch cushion. He put his hands between her thighs and flattened his palms against the insides, willing her to open them as he exerted a gentle pressure. She let them unfold, exposing herself to him and trembling when his breath hit her slick skin, streaming over her clit. A part of her consciousness was detached, as if she could hardly believe what was happening, while the rest of her sparked and hummed with anticipatory delight, reveling in every little sensation. When Eric pressed his mouth flush against her pussy, he demanded every bit of her attention, forcing awareness into every corner of her mind. He gripped her thighs firmly as she shook, shocked by the feel of his tongue against her clit.

He explored her slowly, working his tongue over the swollen nub and then reaching the folds below. He slipped the tip between them, pushing inside her. She couldn’t help the tremors that raced through her thighs as he penetrated her with his tongue, sparking an ache in her core so fierce that she shifted beneath his hands, forcing him a little deeper. Pleasure shot through her, causing her sex to tighten against his tongue as a searing heat spread through her body. When he withdrew she relaxed for half a moment before he applied his tongue to her clit, covering it with firm strokes.

The tension in her core mounted, leaving her slumped and gasping on the couch as he held her steady, his lips and tongue as hot and wet as the flesh he pressed them against. She reached down and settled her hands on his forearms, feeling the tension in his muscles as she squeezed, her nails digging into his skin. If it hurt he showed no sign, just licked her harder, his tongue sweeping over her inflamed flesh and his teeth denting it ever so slightly. That was what sent her over the edge. She gripped his arms harder than ever, gasping as the first wave of pleasure rolled over her. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own – it tried to writhe, but Eric held her firmly, stilling her legs and hips as he drove her to arch against the cushions, moaning.

A few moments later her climax was over, leaving her feeling boneless and lost in a haze of waning sensations. Eric’s touch anchored her, warm and real. His lips brushed the insides of her thighs as he pressed kisses against them, finally loosening his steady grip on her legs and smoothing his hands over her hips instead. When he climbed onto the couch next to her again, she realized that she was still gasping. Making a conscious effort to steady her breathing, she leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder as she struggled to piece her thoughts together so she could say something coherent. When he tucked his hand beneath her chin and tilted it upward so he could kiss her, she forgot about words altogether. Instead she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips, demanding entry. When he granted it to her she thrust her tongue past his teeth and deep into his mouth, deciding that this was as good a way to convey her feelings as any. He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned, pinning her against the back of the couch.

Her core tightened as one last weak wave of pleasure swept through it, prompted by the hardness that pressed against her bare belly, causing her shirt to ride up. Even through his jeans, she could feel every inch of his erection. He was harder than she’d ever known anyone to be. Sympathy lanced through the haze of her pleasure, pricking her consciousness. If he felt anything like she had before he’d released her, he had to be ready to explode with desire. She lowered a hand into his lap and gripped him, wrapping her fingers around his shaft as thoroughly as she could through the denim.

He groaned and flexed his hips, filling her hand. The blunt tip of his cock crossed her palm, sending a shiver of delight down her spine. She held his hardness in one hand and began to negotiate the button above the fly of his jeans with the other. She could do for him what he’d done for her. Her mouth watered at the thought, and she could hardly wait to feel the hard rod of his erection skin-to-skin. He felt thick and tempting. No, more than tempting – irresistible.

“No.” He grabbed her wrist, wrapping his fingers around it and pulling it from his lap.

“What – why?” She tried to search his eyes, but couldn’t make out enough to glean any hint as to why he’d stopped her.

“I’m not asking you to do anything for me.”

“I want to.” She tried to pull her wrist out of his grasp, but he maintained a firm but gentle hold.

“Not tonight.” He let go of her wrist, bending to pick up her jeans and panties from the floor. “Here, I’ll help you put these back on.”

“Eric…”

He lifted one of her ankles into his lap and slipped her panties over it. Inadvertently, she brushed his erection with the side of her foot. It was hard and throbbing. It had to be taking all of his willpower for him not to let her release it from his jeans and give him a taste of the same pleasure he’d granted her.

Soon he had her back in her panties and was holding her jeans. “It’s late. I know you don’t like leaving Jess at home by herself at night. I’ll lock up the shop and walk you to your car.”

As a last ditch effort, she pressed her palms against the sides of his face and pulled him into a beseeching kiss. He returned it, but only for a moment, and then he was back to business, sliding her jeans over her ankles. She stiffened when he got them over her knees, his knuckles brushing the top of her right thigh. She felt the telltale moment of numbness, and her stomach lurched, threatening to overturn in a moment of alarm.

Eric said nothing, just paused for a moment and then pulled her jeans all the way up. She’d helped him by raising her hips, suddenly eager to be covered. He was silent, but she knew that he’d noticed. Maybe it was stupid that she cared, considering the fact that he was bound to notice sooner or later – sooner, in light of what they’d just done. But she couldn’t help the unease that settled over her as she imagined the next time he undressed her, without the cover of darkness.

“Come on.” Eric took her hand and helped her to rise. “It’s past midnight.”

She waited for him to lock up and walked close beside him as they headed toward the parking garage, enjoying the feel of his arm around her waist and the pleasurable afterglow that had settled over her body in the wake of the incredible climax he’d brought her to. All she could think about was the next time they’d be alone together, and though she looked forward to it – in fact, she was trying to plan a time as they walked – she couldn’t help the thread of doubt that wove its way through her thoughts, making her wonder what his reaction would be when he stripped off her clothing again and saw what he’d only felt tonight.

****

Mina smiled at the little slip of paper stuck to her apartment door. Tucking it into her purse, she turned to leave again instead of going inside. She’d just arrived home from work and had planned on relaxing for a little while before heading to the high school to pick Jess up from her art club meeting, but this would be even better. She could swing by the post office and have Jess’s homecoming dress in hand when she picked her up. She’d be thrilled.

Things went smoothly at the post office, and before she knew it, it was five-thirty and she was pulling up in front of the high school. Jess was waiting for her around the side entrance near the art studio, as usual. She sat in her chair, bundled against the chill in her favorite fuchsia pea coat, flashing a smile in Mina’s direction. Mina hurried to help her into the car and deposited her wheelchair in the trunk, eager to share the news. “Guess what arrived today?”

Jess peered over her shoulder and into the back seat, where the large protective cardboard box took up most of the space. “Is that my dress?”

Mina nodded.

Jess beamed. “I can’t wait to try it on! Patty got her dress last week and she’s been showing me pictures of it every day. I told her…” Jess launched into an account of her friends’ dress-buying experiences, using her fingers to draw tally marks on the foggy window as she counted who’d bought their dresses already and who was waiting until the last minute.

Ten short minutes later, they were home. Mina walked behind Jess, hugging the large box against her chest. Imagining seeing Jess in the gown, she was almost as excited as Jess herself. She could just imagine Jess’s smile when she saw herself in the exact same dress the model in the catalogue had worn – the one she’d wanted above all others. A warm glow of satisfaction enveloped Mina. She’d done it. She’d managed to get Jess the dress she wanted, and she was going to love it. Wheelchair or not, she wouldn’t be left out – just like her girlfriends, she’d have a beautiful dress and a date to the dance.

Mina struggled to maintain her hold on the box as she stood in front of her apartment door, fishing in her pocket for her keys.

“Here, let me hold that for you.” A voice came seemingly out of nowhere, and Mina felt the awkwardly-shaped box being lifted out of her arms.

“Oh, Blake, thanks.” She smiled at the boy; their neighbor from two doors down, as she shook a cramp out of her hand and turned her key in the lock. He was a cute kid with sandy hair and big brown eyes, a year or so older than Jess. They went to the same high school, though as far as Mina knew, they didn’t have any classes together.

“No problem.” He beamed back at her, and Mina pushed the apartment door open, feeling amused and slightly embarrassed. Blake was sweet and helpful – just last week, he’d helped her carry her groceries into her apartment. Mina suspected that he had a crush on her.

“See you later, Blake.” She waited for Jess to cross the threshold before stepping inside herself.

“Don’t you want your box?” Blake asked, staring down at the package.

Mina smiled and took it from him. “Definitely. Thanks. It’s Jess’s homecoming dress.”

“Great.” He waved a goofy goodbye to her and Jess before Mina eased the door shut, smiling at him before turning to Jess.

“All right. You ready to try this thing on?”