Just for Fun (14 page)

“Hi, guys, can I play?” she asked, kicking off her heels.

The men turned as one. “Um, sure,” one of them said. He glanced over her shoulder at Doug. “You can take my turn.”

“Dooley, you want my spot?” another asked.

“Yeah,” he called.

She stubbornly didn’t turn to see what he was doing. Instead she concentrated on studying the current bowler. She vaguely remembered the bowling birthday party she’d been to when she was eight or so. That had been a long time ago. She’d seen people bowling in movies and on TV but had never considered whether she’d be able to do it herself.

“You’re gonna need these.” Doug handed her a pair of shoes and then set two balls up on the return. “Guys, I ordered some fresh nachos and some beer, so help yourselves,” he told the two who were giving up their spots.

Morgan slipped the shoes on and stood. “Here goes.”

Doug chuckled. “You’ve got to wait your turn.”

“Oh.” She plopped back down on the chair. “When do I go?”

“You’re taking Charlie’s spot,” he said, pointing at the score screen over their heads. “He goes third.” He finished tying his shoes and straightened. “But I’m taking Dave’s spot, so I’m up next.”

She watched him chat with the other guys, pick up his ball and study the pins.

“You’ve got to be better than Charlie.”

Morgan turned to find another man take the seat next to her. She thought this was Roger. He leaned back and smiled, watching Doug knock over all but one of the pins.

“I don’t know about that,” she said.

“We’ve been bowling together for thirteen years and he hasn’t gotten one lick better,” Roger said.

Morgan smiled. “You’ve worked together at the Britton that whole time?”

“Yep. Met the first day and he fit right in.”

“You’ve worked at the Britton a long time,” she said, remembering what Doug had told her when he introduced the group in the suite. “That’s impressive.”

Roger lifted a shoulder. “If you treat people right, they stick around.”

She glanced at Doug. Was that true in all things? If she treated Doug right, would he stick around even after Sunday?

Morgan straightened. Did she want him to stick around? She let the idea settle in her mind and realized that yeah, she wouldn’t mind seeing more of him.

When the hell had that happened? When he was eating chips and subs in their room? When he was giving her an orgasm over the phone? When he showed up at dinner with her boss with jeans and tennis shoes on?

Still, it was there. That I’m-not-quite-ready-for-this-to-be-over feeling.

Okay, so she had to treat him right to get him to stick.

Something in her gut said it would take more than great sex.

“So Britton’s treated you right?” she asked Roger.

He nodded. “Definitely.”

“In what way?”

“Appreciation goes both ways,” he said. “When my wife got sick and I needed time off, Britton gave me the time without question. Told me to take as long as I needed, that my job would still be there. Whenever I do something nice for the hotel, you know go above and beyond, they tell me good job and thank me.”

She pondered that. It was great business practice and she liked to think she did those same things in her hotel. If employees were responsible for someone having a great stay or for having a guest return to their hotel, she rewarded them, and if a loyal employee needed something, she did what she could to help them out.

Again her eyes went to Doug. Appreciation, huh?

She watched Doug laugh at something one of the other men said. She felt the warmth in her stomach that was becoming familiar when he was around. He was so at ease around everyone. His laugh, that sincere I’m-enjoying-myself laugh, was the same laugh Jonathan had gotten from him at dinner as they talked about their European travels.

And it hit her—she liked Doug. She was inexplicably drawn to how he could be comfortable bowling with some regular guys and sitting at the table with a hotel mogul all in the same night.

Or maybe it wasn’t so inexplicable.

He reminded her of her dad.

She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before this.

Her dad was just like Doug. He liked everyone, took things in stride, was all about the fun and not taking anything too seriously. She loved him dearly. Even though he drove her bananas.

Corey James had gotten his high school sweetheart pregnant and had happily abandoned plans for college to play house. He’d gone to work for some local farmers who had taken good care of the young couple with the cute baby girl. While it lasted. Corey got easily bored and changed jobs every few years, trying his hand at everything from bartending to contracting until finally settling in, of all things, daycare. When her mom, Mindy, went to nursing school and worked odd hours at the hospital, Corey was a stay-at-home dad who took care of both Morgan and Maddie—who’d shown up just a year later—along with a few other kids in the neighborhood for some extra money.

Being only seventeen years older than his daughters, he’d been more like a big brother or buddy than a dad. They played, they made messes, they got silly.

Like Doug said he did with his nieces. Morgan felt a little flip in the vicinity of her heart. Dammit. Why would that be attractive to her? She was a business woman. She had plans. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d sat on the floor for any reason.

Maybe that was the appeal right there.

She could be like her mom and then maybe she’d need someone like her dad.

It had been up to Mindy to provide the stability and the money. Not only did she work as a nurse but she sold Mary Kay on the side and dabbled in other part-time jobs, saving everything she could. They lived on a shoestring budget so Mindy could put every extra dime in the bank. Initially it was because she never knew when he’d get bored or frustrated and quit a job. He’d gone into business with his brother once and a friend another time. Both required a large investment they never came close to recouping. Even after he stayed home, he was spontaneous enough to go out and spend large amounts on things that were difficult to return.

He’d put an above-ground swimming pool in behind their house one weekend when Mindy was working a double shift. By the time she got home and saw the surprise, it had been secured and filled with water. Another time, he’d brought two dogs home and the girls were already attached by the time Mindy got home. Then there had been the car he’d bought from a guy in the parking lot at the golf course. He didn’t know the guy and never saw him again. Of course, the car had been a lemon and cost a fortune in repairs.

So, Morgan had thought she wanted a stable guy who could make a good living and was careful with finances.

But watching Doug now, she couldn’t help but think about how much fun her dad was, how much she loved him, and how important it was to laugh and have a good time too.

Plus, trusting Doug wasn’t an issue. She didn’t need to trust him. She didn’t have to worry about his drive and goals conflicting with hers like Todd’s seemed to. As for him bringing a pool home without asking, well, she just wouldn’t give him a debit card.

She could easily be the Mindy in their situation. She made good money, had some fantastic investments and a healthy savings account. Plus her job had a lot of fantastic perks like private jets and fancy hotel suites.

Why couldn’t she keep Doug around? She wouldn’t be depending on him for financial security. Knowing that up front would make it all a lot easier than her mom had ever had it.

And it would be fun.

Even Mindy would admit, with a laugh and a shake of her head, that Corey James was the most fun she’d ever had.

Besides, Doug was the one who’d said they were playing
Pretty Woman
. She knew Richard Gere had wanted to keep seeing Julia Roberts after their week was over. She couldn’t remember the details of how it had played out, but they’d ended up together. She was pretty sure.

As Doug turned his grin on her directly she couldn’t help but think this was the first time she’d had a conversation even remotely about the Britton Hotels without her thoughts being consumed by her work.

Doug did that to her. He made her care about something else.

That should probably concern her. She’d brought him on this trip to ensure that she could concentrate fully on her job and not get into trouble with Todd and she was possibly in more trouble with him.

But it could work.

“Thanks for the insight, Roger.”

“No problem. If you have any other questions about the Britton or anything just let me know.”

She grinned at him, feeling lighter now. “I will.”

He chuckled and gave her a wink as she got to her feet.

“Your turn, Sugar,” Doug said.

“How many turns do I need to take?” she asked, taking her ball from him, letting her hands slide over his.

“Four.”

She stepped up to the line as she’d seen everyone else do, pulled her hand back, then stepped and rolled the ball as hard as she could.

It was the worst shot in the history of bowling. Still, all the guys behind her cheered and applauded as she turned away from her ball rolling…slowly…down the left gutter.

Doug was grinning at her when she came back to the ball return. “You even look good bowling badly.”

“Thank you. I guess,” she said. “So three more turns like that, huh?”

“I think all the guys would agree to let you have twice that many. Your dress pulls up real nice on the back of your thighs when you throw the ball.”

She tugged the back of her dress down and smiled. “Oops.” She leaned in. “There are lots of great things to do without panties on, but I’m not sure bowling is one of them.”

Heat flared between them and she watched him swallow hard. “Good point.” He took her ball back and turned toward the table where nachos and beer were being consumed at a startling rate. “Charlie! Dave! You’re up again!”

He gave Roger her ball and took her hand.

“Everything okay?” Roger called.

“Great,” she called back. “Completely great.”

They didn’t talk as they hurried down the sidewalks and across the streets on the way back to the Britton. As they passed the concierge stand Doug said, “Mike, send our stuff up later. Much later. Like tomorrow morning.”

Mike gave him a salute. “You got it.”

They didn’t stop until they stepped into the elevator and the doors swished shut.

“Doug, I just want to say that I appreciate you com—”

Then his mouth was on hers and his big hand settled on her hip and started gathering the skirt of her dress up until his skin touched hers. He sighed, as if he’d been waiting to do that for days.

She gasped as he stroked up and down the outside of her bare thigh, then around to cup her butt, bringing her closer. He lifted her leg so her knee was at his hip and his other hand slid between them, his fingers running up the back of her other leg and then between her legs.

“You’re so hot. So wet,” he groaned as his finger slid partway into her.

“Yes,” she gasped.

His tongue was as hot and insistent as his hand was as he stroked into her mouth and into her hot folds at the same time. She ground closer to his hand and he added a second finger, filling her, stretching her and making waves of lust wash over her.

She was gripping his shoulders, trying to get closer, practically trying to climb on top of him when the elevator dinged, signaling they’d arrived on their floor. Thank God only one of the other suites was being used and it was by the musician who was out at this time of night. Had he been getting on the elevator just then he would have gotten an eyeful.

“You have thirty seconds to get naked and spread out on that bed,” Doug growled.

He wasn’t kidding. When she pulled back to look at him, he wore the most serious expression she had yet to see from him. His fingers slid from her body and she shuddered at the sense of hunger left behind.

“I
will
do you right here in the hallway,” he said in a low voice. “But I was serious about wanting to suck on your clit until you beg me.”

Her knees went weak and she could only nod.

“On the bed, Sugar. Naked and spread out. You have fifteen seconds.”

Chapter Five

She wanted to ask
or what?
but her body was throbbing and she wanted him to make her beg as promised.

She shed her dress the moment the door opened and she was on the bed ten seconds later.

Doug came toward her, his eyes roaming over her greedily. “I didn’t think it was possible to get even harder, but I just did.”

Morgan smiled. It wasn’t flowery and romantic but it was the gritty real stuff Doug made so damned sexy. There were no practiced words, nothing to infer—he just laid it all out there.

She leaned back onto her elbows and pulled one leg up, while the other dangled over the end of the bed. “I’ve never begged for anything.”

He half growled, half groaned and tossed his shirt to the side, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. But that was as far as he went.

“Hey, I want—”

He dropped to his knees at the end of the bed and took her hips in his hands. “I know what you want,” he told her, pulling her butt to the end of the bed, “and I’ll give it all to you. Over and over again.”

Then he leaned in so she had to spread her legs.

This was promising.

He just looked at her for a long time, completely brazen in his study. Finally, he looked up at her with a half grin. “This is for spilling grape soda on the carpet.” He leaned in and licked.

She thought she was going to faint.

One touch, one lick, and she would have agreed to dye the entire suite purple.

Then he said, “This is for inviting the guys up here without asking you.” He licked again, but this time added a little suck on her labia.

She threw her head back and concentrated on breathing.

“This is for the noise complaint.” He sucked again, then slid his mouth up to her clit. And sucked harder.

“This is for showing up tonight at dinner with your boss, uninvited.” He slid two fingers into her as he sucked her clit into his mouth, rolling his tongue around it.