The Best Friend (26 page)

She came in a surprising rush merely from the feelings he evoked by pulling on her breasts. She leaned her forehead down against his collar as the aftershocks, still surprisingly strong, shot off inside her like fireworks that didn’t explode with the main event.

She sucked in a deep breath as the silence of her condo finally cut through her blurry haze. Instantly, a deep sense of modesty and shyness filled her. She could feel the heat of a blush starting in her chest, which quickly rose towards her forehead. She came without doing one thing to make him feel good. She came from barely his touch. What was that? How could she have reacted that way? That much? It was almost ridiculous. He would probably think she hadn’t had sex in a decade, and simply needed a quick hand to get it.

But that wasn’t the case at all. She never came so easily. It usually took at least a bit of work from her partner. And a bit of time. And some effort. She usually didn’t behave like a live wire, simply waiting for a connection. She only came because of specifically doing it with
him
.

She tilted her head so her lips brushed over his neck. She could see all the planes of his face. Burying her face into his neck again, she mumbled. “I don’t know what that was. I never do that. I mean, I do that, but just not from…
this
.”

He smiled for the first time in about an hour and angled his face so he could see her. “This?”

“Nothing. You did almost nothing and you saw how I reacted to it.” She had to turn her face away, she was too embarrassed to see how he, no doubt, would smirk at her revelation.

Instead, his tone was quiet, and nearly soft as he replied, “If it’s any consolation, I felt the same way.”

She went still and peeked back up at him. “Really?”

“Really,” he smiled warmly. It was the first time she’d ever seen him smile like that. It was completely different than usual. It was soft and kind. And specifically for her. It was a secret, sweet, almost flirtatious smile. In a way he hadn’t looked at her ever. She was sure of that. It wasn’t about his missing arm. Or his history. Or her history. Or anything… except this special moment. That he could make her feel that way. Her reaction to him, and his to her. For once, his missing arm wasn’t inhibiting how he naturally reacted to her. His usual guard was down.

She needed for it to start again. There was no way she could end it so soon. She touched her lips on his warm neck and felt his pulse through them. He still sat nearly rigidly erect on the end of her couch. His spine was so straight and perfect, it was almost as if he fused it together to remain so. His arm still encircled her and his hand rested on the side of her waist.

She stood up suddenly, from straddling his knee. Nearly ripping her pants and black panties off, she dropped them to the floor before lifting her feet and kicking them away. She unhooked her bra and let it drop too, until she was totally naked.

His gaze started on her knees and rose inch-by-inch up her body. He wanted to take it all in slowly, drawing it out. She felt the urge to shift her weight from one foot to the other because it was so intense. The way he kept looking at her, with his dark brown eyes flashing like sparks could shoot out of them and burn her bare skin. His gaze was very long, staring at the light hairs of her sex, and over her stomach before they lingered on her breasts.

She had never been particularly shy with her body. She knew her long legs attracted some men, and were her best feature. Her butt was fine, if not a little too flat to be called fashionable. Her stomach wasn’t perfectly flat, and she was average in weight. She never claimed to be a model or a specimen of perfection. But she was usually attractive enough to the men she dated. And pleased most of them. There were never any comments about losing weight or suggestions to firm this part or another. But now suddenly, with Tony staring at her as if he intended to assess her fitness, she felt her confidence sinking. He was extremely thorough in his perusal, and there was not an inch of skin he seemed to miss. Starting from the stubborn cellulite that clung to the back of thighs, to her stomach that molded out, not in. She was not considered fat by any means, and wasn’t like most women, who assumed they were fat no matter what. She knew she was not overweight. But she also knew she was not as small or thin and trim as say, someone like Vickie. She had a few imperfections that were balanced by a few out of the ordinary features. Together, it made for a pleasant enough package.

She couldn’t take his intense, undivided focus on her. She dropped down and nearly crawled across him. This time she spanned his chest, with her head on his good shoulder and his arm under her, holding her.

“You don’t have to be quite so… much.”

“What?”

She gazed up at him. There was something different about him right then. His face was as intense, but not as harsh as usual. He wasn’t automatically frowning, and his eyes were alive and bright. Normally, they were dull or angry or dark.

“Do I pass inspection, Sergeant?”

He stared down at her, but after a long moment, his lips stretched back as a smile, young, boyish, and nearly charming, brightened his usually lined, unhappy face. He turned his head, and once more, his gaze glided over her body until his eyes landed on hers. “Well… I guess you passed.”

She tapped his shoulder with her knuckle in a fake, light hit. “You are so not funny. Although, I guess we knew that already. Tell me, until this moment, when was the last time you smiled?”

His dry tone and expression went blank as he countered, “Tell me, when’s the last time anyone got you off properly?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Did you just say that?”

“Didn’t you just do that?” he countered.

Her eyebrows lowered as she tried to figure out why Tony was acting so weird. So different. So… almost likable. She hesitated and finally asked, “Are you… teasing me?”

He smirked and the laugh shook his chest. “I am. I’m teasing you.”

Even his tone was different. It was… well,
tender
, for lack of a better word. He was gazing at her, his eyes bright and kind as he smiled down at her cradled in his arm. The soft, ethereal-like lighting transformed him. She lifted a hand from the back of his neck and touched his beard. Her fingertips stroked his hair, kind of brushing it downward in rhythmic motions. “So all it takes is stripping naked for you to be nicer?”

“Well, it certainly won’t make me mad.”

“Everything makes you mad,” she said softly, her tone more serious than a moment before. “Especially at me.”

He lifted one corner of his mouth and shook his head slightly, as if in regret. “I know. It’s just hard to face someone like you; particularly when you look the way I do.”

“Someone like me? How am I?” She frowned at the odd statement. What was it about her that so set him off?

His eyebrows lowered and he tilted his neck backwards. “Perfect.” His tone was crisp and sure, and sounded almost annoyed that he had to say it. As if she should have just known that… when it was truly the last thing she ever knew with him.

Her breath released from her lungs in a shocked, surprised exhale. “You think that of
me
?”

“I don’t think. I know.”

“Will—”

“I don’t want to talk about Will.” He was instantly sharp-toned and frowning.

She nearly had to choke on her frustration. “’Will’ as in, will you stay the night here? I was going to ask you to stay, not call you my ex-husband while I am lying naked across you. Unless, that was somehow lost on you.”

His lips twitched and she could see the start of a dimple indenting his cheek. He was amused by her disdain. “It’s not lost. Nor unappreciated.”

She kicked her feet and started to sit up, feeling annoyed now. He tightened his hand on her stomach. How the hell he managed to hold her back, one-handedly, while most of his arm was under her, was a mystery. But his damn grip was like a steel trap, clamping its jaws around her middle.  “I’ll stay.”

She lay back, letting his words calm her. “And you’ll be nice?”

“If you’ll stay naked.”

She smiled. “I won’t stay naked. So you have to be at all times, even when I’m not naked.”

He finally smiled his response. “Why would you put any clothes back on?

“Because I don’t intend to spend Christmas buck ass naked.”

His face dimmed. “We’re spending Christmas together.”

She tilted her head and said simply, “I hope so.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay, you’ll be nice to me even when I’m not naked? Or okay, you’ll spend Christmas with me?”

“Both.”

“Wow. I’m like a double winner. Who knew nudity was my weapon of choice with you? All the doctors, talking, and therapy in the world can’t breach your defenses like a glimpse of naked tits, huh?”

His chest again shook. Twice? She made him laugh twice in one evening.

“Only yours. I’ve waited a long time to see them.”

She tugged on his neck until he leaned his face closer so she could kiss him. She wiggled around, and instantly, his body came alive even more than it was under her. Their conversation was lost as their kissing progressed. Minutes passed. Twenty minutes passed. They made out like teenagers. Their mouths, tongues, and breaths all mingled together in hot, moist air and wet saliva. She could stay right there forever. Right there, sprawled across his body, as his mouth did things to hers she forgot that kissing could do.

She felt those feelings building up again. Things that should not have been swirling in her insides so soon, so easily, and over almost nothing. With so little foreplay. It was ridiculous. She shifted around until she was again straddled over him. She scooted back enough to finish the job she started earlier. He shifted around off the couch to let her move his trousers down before struggling with his boxers; but finally, managed to get them enough out of the way.

She wrapped her hand around him. He groaned and shut his eyes as her fingers made contact. He stopped moving, and his breath came in sharp, ragged gasps. She moved her hand along him, pulling, stroking, and petting. Her skin felt nearly burned by the intense heat radiating off him.

“My wallet,” he mumbled suddenly. His head leaned back on the couch and his perfect posture vanished as he seemed lost to her ministrations. The feelings it ignited inside her were too strong and unexpected to ignore.

“What?” she asked, puzzled by his request.

“There’s a condom in my wallet.”

“Oh.” She nearly blushed to the roots of her hair. Like a forgetful, turned-on teen, she’d almost given it no thought. She searched his pants until she found the wallet buried inside them. Quickly flipping through it until she found her prize, she pulled it out.

He watched her with his head tilted up as she started to hand it to him. He shook his head and gestured to indicate she should put it on.

That seemed more intimate than touching him. She leaned over and put her mouth on him first. His entire body stiffened and he nearly jerked off the couch. She sucked the tip of him and his head finally flopped back as she slid him inside her mouth. His hand fisted in her hair, which he spread over his lap. She could not believe what they were doing already. Now. Tonight. She didn’t plan any of this, let alone, to be kneeling in front of him, completely naked, with her mouth semi-swallowing his penis. Her breasts kept brushing against his legs as she moved up and down on him. They became so sensitized, she had to groan in response. There was nothing he did that failed to turn her on and nearly set her off.

“For God’s sake, put the condom on me, Gretchen.” His voice sounded strangled. It barely pierced through her senses. She slid her mouth off him and he nearly sprang out of it, he was so hard and ready. Her fingers shook as she worked the packet open. She couldn’t manage to open it and finally had to use her teeth to rip it before quickly sheathing it over him.

She spread her knees and settled herself on either side of his trunk, with her body hovering over him. Grabbing onto his shoulders for balance, he gazed up at her, but she couldn’t hold his stare. He seemed so intent on watching her. She shut her eyes, falling into complete bliss as she slowly slid herself onto him with perfect ease. She was there. Finally. Tony was inside her.

They nearly groaned in perfect unison. She started moving on him, using her knees as support to push her hips up and down, slowly at first, but increasing in momentum until she was nearly bouncing on him. Her breasts jiggled right in his face until his mouth caught one and she cried out. He was deep inside her and his mouth was on her hardened nipple. He thrust his hips again anchored her waist over and over, while she floated off into Neverland, and with a final groan, he joined her.

Chapter Sixteen

“Tony?” she whispered. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and her body was pressed against the front of him. The house was strangely quiet after the frantic, erotic noise of just a few moments ago. Now, yet again, they were back to weird.

“What?” he barely mumbled back, sounding half asleep.

“Can we go into the bedroom?”

  He pulled his head back and dropped his hand from her waist. “Yeah.” His tone was husky.

She slowly extracted her limbs from where they were wrapped around him. She really wished she’d thought the whole thing through a bit more. First off, maybe not in her living room with bright, happy lights flickering all around her, and being buck naked while he was half dressed. Perhaps on a bed, in the dark; maybe then, she wouldn’t have felt quite so weird.

Rising to her feet, there was nothing else to do, but allow her naked body to be scrutinized by him. His eyes stayed on her and she could feel him watching her when she leaned down as politely as she could to retrieve her shirt and slip it over her head. She turned away to end the excruciating self-consciousness and clicked the tree and mantel Christmas lights off, plunging the room into mostly darkness. A faint glow from far off streetlights made it shadowy as she hurried into her bedroom since her bare ass hung out from under her shirt. She dug around in her dresser for a decent, silky soft, pink negligee. Somehow, the moment didn’t call for lingerie. Maybe it was because Tony was the most intense man she ever dealt with intimately, and she was a little unsure about where they stood now. It was so hot between them, they didn’t need to ever bother with seductive attire or any other props.