Tasting Candy (14 page)

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Blade laughed, but when he looked back at Candice and saw the guy touch her on the arm, he tensed. “Time to step up to the plate.”

“No fighting in my gym!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he growled. She might want to move on with her life, test out her newfound confidence, but he was determined to be right there beside her.

Within a few long strides, Blade was across the gym floor and wrapping a proprietary arm around Candice’s waist. She let out a startled squeak.

“Blade!”

“Hi, baby,” he whispered, “I missed you.”

He leaned down and placed a possessive kiss to her luscious lips for all to see. When he let Candy up for air, he noticed the pretty-boy in the muscle shirt had moved on. Smart guy. Blade dismissed him and concentrated on the more pressing problem. Candice and her role in his future.

He touched the tip of her nose and asked, “Have you been enjoying yourself?”

“What on earth are you doing here?”

He bent low and said, “I came to see Lacey, but I was more entertained by your flirting.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You were watching the entire time?”

He grabbed her hand and walked her to an unused aerobics room, then let her go long enough to pull her into his arms. His cock nestled between her legs, and his arousal flared to life.

“Blade, answer my question.”

He tamped down his urges and said, “Yes, I watched. You looked like you’d been doing it all your life.”

“Are you angry?”

“I’m not exactly thrilled about the guy ogling your chest, but I’m not angry at you for testing out your courage.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then make me understand, sweetheart.”

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“Can you let me go first?”

He grinned. “Nope. I like you in my arms.” He looked around for a place where they could be alone, then proceeded to drag her off to a back room. One with a door.

He knew the gym’s layout, and the room he took her to was an extra private workout room. It was seldom used. Blade kicked the door shut and locked them in, then lowered her to her feet. Blade pushed her up against the door. “Now, explain. And make it quick, because I want you again. I’ve wanted to fuck you the instant you sashayed out of my dirty office,” he said crudely.

“I love you.”

Well, hell, if that didn’t just throw a guy for a loop. It was exactly what he’d hoped to hear coming from her sweet lips, but didn’t think he would. Still, she’d never had the chance to play the field. He needed to be sure she wasn’t leaping too fast. “What about the pretty boy?”

“He doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

Her soft voice nearly did him in. Seemed that was all it took for his brain to head south and imagine her naked and spread out for his pleasure.

“You love me?” Blade asked, needing to hear it again, then realized she was practically bubbling with excitement. “So, that guy didn’t mean anything to you?” He was thankful it hadn’t been more. He would have died if it’d been more.

“We were just talking. That’s all, I swear. I felt confident at the construction site today. Those men surrounded me, but I knew you were there and you’d keep me safe. So, it wasn’t really a true test. I needed to know I could do it on my own. I needed that, Blade.”

With her arms and hands now free, she started caressing his chest, his abs, and Blade became pleasantly distracted.

“I just needed to be sure. To know I wasn’t bringing all my baggage into this relationship.” Candice reached down and cupped him through his jeans. He nearly stopped breathing. “I want us to start fresh, and I really, really want the past to stay buried.”

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She squeezed, and Blade groaned.

“I think I’ve actually accomplished that, because I do love you,” she said on a hoarse sigh as she went to her knees and began to unbuckle his belt.

He found his voice. “Whoa, baby.” She looked up at him with such innocence and curiosity that Blade’s heart did a flip. “I want to hear you say that again.”

He reached down and pulled her back to her feet, then yanked and tugged until her workout top was over her head and her beautiful breasts were bare. “Tell me you love me, sweetheart. Let me hear you say it.”

“I love you, Blade.”

Her breathless eagerness was music to his ears and a balm to his heart. He tugged at her shorts and panties, grappling and twisting them over her shoes, then tossed them aside. “Ever have sex in a public place before?”

“Of course not.”

She sounded scandalized, but excited. “Good,” he grunted, feeling strangely territorial. “Spread your legs for me.” She quickly obeyed. “No more testing, Candy girl.

You passed with flying colors. No need to beat a dead horse. Understand?”

“Yes, Blade. Just…please, I need you!”

He lowered himself to the floor, then reached around her to smooth both palms over the firm globes of her ass. Without warning, Blade wiggled his index finger between and stroked her pucker.

“Blade!”

“Shh, be quiet unless you want everyone to hear you,” he ground out as he slid his finger up and down her slick folds. “Do you like that, baby?”

“God, yes,” she responded softly, then added, “but if you don’t get on with it, I’m going to show you a few of the moves your sister has taught me.”

“Sounds intriguing,” Blade murmured as he parted her and licked obediently. His tongue probed in and out, fucking her, eating at her, driving her wild and making him crazy with desire. He lifted one hand and covered her mouth as she began to buck against

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his face, moaning uncontrollably. Suddenly, Candice let herself go as she came long and hard, her scream of completion muffled against his palm.

She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever set eyes on.

He stood and quickly undid his belt and jeans. Taking himself in hand, Blade knelt slightly, accommodating for his height, then slid into her wet heat. “Christ, I love you, Candice Warner, so damn much.”

“Oh, yes, Blade, I love you, too!”

Blade grasped her around the waist and lifted her. “Wrap those sexy legs around me, sweetheart.”

Candice did as instructed, then rode him hard and fast. He leaned down and suckled her nipple, nipping and tugging, frantic to take all of her at once. She started to tighten and quiver around his cock, milking him with her inner muscles. It drove Blade over the edge.

He smothered his own moans against her throat. As his body spun out of control, he realized she was right there with him, holding him tight and flying over that precipice safely tucked in his arms.

They stayed like that for a moment longer, breathing heavily, loving each other until there was a tentative knock on the door.

“What!” Blade yelled.

“Either you two are attempting to beat the door down, or something very naughty is going on,” Lacey said in a wicked voice.

“Get lost,” Blake growled. He kissed Candice on her shoulder, her collarbone and finally her neck. She whimpered.

“Blade?” Lacey again, interrupting them for the second time.

“Go away, Lacey!” he barked.

“Everyone out here can hear you two. The doors aren’t soundproof, you big lug!”

She giggled as only a little sister can, then moved on.

“Shit,” he muttered, then another thought occurred. One more pressing than hollow doors.

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“Candy?”

“Hmm?” she answered sleepily.

“You know, you could be pregnant. The pill isn’t always enough, baby,” he said gently. Candice looked away, and he tugged her chin back to him, forcing her to face reality. “Candy?”

“I-I wouldn’t mind, Blade.” She said it so quietly, Blade had to strain to hear. His heart nearly soared to the heavens.

“I was really hoping you’d say that.” He kissed her firmly, thrusting his tongue between her lips, making her tremble and sigh.

To Blade’s way of thinking, life didn’t get any better than being loved by the woman of your dreams.

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About the Author

To learn more about Anne Rainey, please visit
http://www.annerainey.com. Send an

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Look for these titles by Anne Rainey

Now Available:

Haley’s Cabin

Touching Lace

Coming Soon:

Burn

Taking friendship to a whole new level…

Touching Lace

© 2008 Anne Rainey

Lacey Vaughn is tired of being dumped on by men. It’s clear she needs help in the ways of seduction. Over cappuccinos, Lacey shares her worries with pal Nick Stone.

Being the good friend that he is, Nick offers to give Lacey a few pointers in the ways of sexual pleasure. From his first touch, Lacey forgets all about lessons. Now all she wants is more of his luscious body and skillful touches.

Nick’s craved Lacey for months. He’s done watching her waste herself on losers. It’s time she saw him as more than the dreaded
good friend
. He’ll do nearly anything to have the little spitfire all for himself.

But in order to get Lacey past her insecurities, Nick will have to put it all on the line—including his heart—and pray he doesn’t lose her forever.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Touching Lace: Lacey was yanked from her dream world and brought back to the world of the living with the ringing of her phone.

“Damn it,” she muttered as she reached over and nearly shouted, “Hello?”

“Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, did we?”

“Nick?” she squeaked. Her face flushed deep with the thought of where her mind had been all night long. She still vibrated and pulsed with heat. She hadn’t had a wet dream like that since her teenage years. Not even then were they so vivid and perfect.

“Yeah. Did you sleep well, baby?”

“Like a rock.” Well, what could she say? That she’d just let him have her body as if she was a sex slave and he the almighty sheik?

“Really? Because you sound…agitated.”

“Yep, really.” She lied with alacrity then sat up and got out of bed. Sliding her feet into her fuzzy happy face slippers, she headed toward the kitchen and coffee. “Was there

something you wanted at—” she looked at the clock on her microwave, “—seven thirty in the morning?”

“I dreamed about you last night, Lace.”

That stopped her in her tracks. Could he be serious? “Uh, what sort of dream?”

She heard him chuckle. “Let me put it this way. You weren’t exactly sitting in a rocker knitting, if you know what I mean.”

Her body liquefied at his words. Well, crap. Like she didn’t know what he was talking about. Her insides had twisted with lust all night long. “You said you’d give me time to think about this.”

“You had all night.”

“I was sleeping all night.”

“I was, too, with you, moaning and quivering and coming all around my cock. I didn’t want to wake up from that.”

“Oh.” He laughed again, making her snap at him in turn. “What time are we working out? I’ve got a lunch date, so it’ll have to be either before or after that.”

“With who?”

Nick’s laughter had ceased. Now he sounded downright furious. What was that about?

“No one you know,” she said mysteriously, intent on finding out more about this new side to her best friend. Nick the predatory male, the sexy lover, was a foreign notion to her.

“Is it a man? Because I thought we agreed to be exclusive.”

Oh my, the man had a rather intriguing jealous streak. Interesting. Pulling out the glass pot, Lacey began rinsing it and decided to put Nick out of his misery. Even if he had dragged her away from the best erotic dream of her life.

“I haven’t agreed to anything yet. But, no, it’s not a man. Just Patty and Mary. So, don’t go all caveman.”

“Little witch,” he snarled, but his voice did calm, she noticed. “How about four o’clock we meet at the gym? We’ll work out together and you can give me your answer then.”

“Yeah, that works for me, I guess.” Then something strange stirred in her belly as Lacey wondered what Nick had planned for the day. “What are you up to today?”

“I’m going to the office for a bit. There’s a big client I’ve been finessing and I want to take one last look at my sales pitch before Monday comes around. After that, I plan to annoy your brother for a while. Why?”

She heard him take a sip of something, probably coffee. Their mutual love for the dark brew was always something they had had in common. Then his words registered. He was meeting with her brother? Today? For some inexplicable reason the idea gave her a start.

“You’re going to see Merrick?”

“Uh, I was considering it. Is there a problem?”

Lacey wondered if there was a problem. He and Merrick were good friends and had been for quite awhile. Guys talked, didn’t they? Would Nick tell Merrick about the new twist in his relationship with her?

Then, as if reading her thoughts, Nick made a tsking sound. “I don’t kiss and tell, baby, you know better.”

She did know better and she was a rotten friend for even thinking he would. “Yeah, sorry. But Nick?”

“Yeah?”

“What if things get all muddled? I’m really scared,” she admitted in an uncharacteristic show of uneasiness.

“I know you are, but I won’t let it get muddled. You only need to trust me, baby.

Everything will work out fine. You need a boost of confidence in the bedroom and I’m going to give it to you. Simple as that, right?”

Lacey tucked a filter into the basket. “I don’t know. I still need to think about this.”

“You always think everything through so thoroughly,” Nick reflected with a hint of an indulgent smile in his voice. “I can still remember the time you decided to cut your hair. It was always annoying the hell out of you and getting in the way of your workouts.