The Total Package (24 page)

“If you call time-out, I’m going to face-mask you.” She giggled when they came up for air. She pulled the skully off his head and tossed it on the counter.

“You should be way more concerned about holding.” He took her hand and led her purposefully through the house to the staircase. He graciously bowed, allowing her to go first. Then he playfully spanked her all the way up the stairs in an effort to get her moving faster, with her squealing, “Excessive celebration!” When they reached the top and after one more opened-mouth kiss, he scooped her up into his brawny arms, eager to get to the really fun part, which included watching her face as she came undone.

He effortlessly carried her down the hallway, past three empty bedrooms and into his own before setting her down. He drew her into his arms again and took several steps backward to get them closer to the bed, with each step giving her another kiss, his lips sliding soft and warm over hers. They stopped at the foot of the bed and he wove his hands into her hair, tilting her head up to look into his eyes.

“I’ve waited so long for this,” he breathed, his mouth sweeping along her jawline. “A lifetime.”

She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt in the effort to bring him closer. “Me too. It’s always been you.”

They separated long enough for him to unbutton her blouse, which he accomplished with little deft flicks of his fingers. He peeled it off her shoulders, bunching up the material as he did so, until it reached her wrists and pinned her elbows to her sides. Feathery kisses that started at her throat moved leisurely down to the tops of her breasts, which were heaving within her bra. He took a minute to nuzzle her until he felt her begin to pull against the restraint with fervent frenzy. He released her and she pulled her arms free of her shirt while he quickly removed his own. Together they reached for his pants and with his hand over hers they undid his buckle and pulled his belt free of its loops and tossed it aside. She reached for him and unbuttoned his jeans and he grabbed her hands again to stay her, pulling them up to place them on his chest. He let them go, and she wrapped them around his neck as he whispered, “Not so fast this time, gorgeous. I want to get it right.”

He slowly finishing disrobing her, so gentle with his touch this time; the difference in it brought tears to her eyes. He was unhurried, savoring every caress and inch after inch of her already feverish skin until she was bare. Then he lifted her, and as she wrapped her now-naked limbs around him, he sat down on the edge of the bed, settling her on his lap. He looked into her eyes like he was recommitting them to memory. He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. She broke the stare with a blink, then took his hand and kissed the tip of every finger, deliberately, to satisfy his call for them to pace themselves.

He held up his hand and she did the same until their palms met. He slowly closed his fingers, webbing them into hers. Then he pulled her to him again, and the light smattering of chest hair created exquisite friction against her already taut nipples. She couldn’t hold back the moan or the involuntary wiggle-like grinding of her sex against his still denim-covered prominent and increasing bulge. He groaned at the sensation and each of their hands tightened while holding the other’s.

He lifted her again and deposited her on the bed, then quickly ran into his bathroom to retrieve a condom. He returned with a corner of the condom wrapper between his teeth, unzipped his pants, and finished removing them. He was better than she ever remembered. From the top of his head to the soles of his feet was pure excellence. He was toned and ripped and magnificent.

“Wait,” she squeaked.

He halted, dropped the condom into his hand, and his face instantly fell. She had changed her mind. His heart pounded in his ears.

“I want to look at you,” she said in full appreciation, and suddenly he regretted insisting they take their time. He could feel himself throbbing while he indulged her with several flexing poses. He heard her exaggerated sigh and joined her on the bed.

“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed in her ear, and his lips nipped at her neck.

She had called him beautiful once, a long time ago, and through the buzz of her arousal, she recalled it. She lost all equilibrium, stuck between the past and present. But this time the roles were reversed. He was the one in complete control and she was the one wishing they could turn back the clock. But the words he spoke sounded as heartfelt as when she had said them, as was the look.

“Please,” Dani whispered feverishly.

“Please, what?” Tyson leaned on an elbow and looked down upon her as his fingers began a sensual tracing in the cavern between her breasts. Back and forth he stroked and coaxed. “Tell me what you want, Dani.”

I want you to love me. I want you to not hate me for the secret I’m keeping from you.

“Touch me, Tyson,” she murmured, blinking away building tears, “everywhere.”

Even the way he fondled her was perfection. His hand cupped her breast with the same execution and precision as he gave his game, only there was no rush to let anything go. When he did release them, it was to move down her belly. By the time he reached her pulsating core, she was sure her skin was sizzling. He shifted and bent her knees, settling between her legs, and he spread them farther apart.

His scruff teased the inside of her thighs. That alone was enough to send her back arching. And then he kissed her, dead center. His tongue repeatedly brushed over the bud that stood guard to the entrance of her soul and she was soon dripping with nectar. She could hear his words of encouragement to give in and let go. It was too much, emotionally as well as physically, and she couldn’t stop the surge of passion and love from building until she cried out his name repeatedly and squirmed in rhythm with him. He held fast onto her legs as she convulsed against his mouth. He felt her finally go limp and he kissed his way back up her now-glistening body. He left her momentarily. In a daze, she heard the ripping of foil and through dilated eyes watched him roll the condom over his solid erection, barely able to lift now-languid arms to beckon him back. All her words were nothing more than breathless pants and mews.

“I hate to sound selfish, but I wanna see if I can make you do that again,” he said huskily as he took her back into his warm embrace. She weakly placed her arms around his neck and pulled him to her kiss as he sheathed himself to his hilt inside her.

ONCE ALL THEIR PENT-UP DESIRE
was finally sated, Dani fell asleep cradled in his arms. A few hours later, long after the sun had set, she awoke to the sound of snoring. At first she believed she was having just another one of her recurring daydreams. His deep heavy breathing nearly lulled her back to sleep. But then he rolled over, taking her with him, an arm still wrapped around her, and her eyes flew open wide.

She was in bed with Tyson. Not in some sleazy motel, but his bed. And this time, by the way he still held her tight, neither one of them was making an escape. Her dreams and reality had finally merged, and she was still reeling (although maybe that was thanks to her first, well several, orgasms that had nothing to do with batteries). Now Dani fully understood what all the fuss was about. The only man she’d ever been with had been well worth the wait. Dani untangled herself and leaned on an elbow to watch him as he slept.

He was absolute perfection, even in the half-dark. Better than the untamed college boy ever was, because now he had so much life experience. She couldn’t decide if he really looked better with his eyes opened or closed. In sleep, he appeared adorably innocent, but she was well aware of the royal blue glimmer safely tucked away behind his eyelids. Even the way he snored was endearing. His lips were slightly parted and she fought back the urge to lean over and kiss them, for fear of waking him and breaking the spell. She wasn’t done admiring him, free of having to worry that he might catch her. She didn’t think she would ever get enough. But once he joined her in the waking world, she would once again be faced with what she had done.

This hadn’t been about mindless sex or making up for lost time. Not for him. It had been about pleasure and connection and caring. It showed in every stroke of his hand and brush of his lips. By the time he was done she knew the true meaning of making love. She felt an overwhelming wave of guilt and remorse wash over her. She thought she had done everything right, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. It wasn’t like she lived a separate life. After he had tossed her to the curb and she began to raise Brendon without him, she’d been justified in keeping him away. During most of her pregnancy she hadn’t even been able to find him. She had thought about trying to at first. But he had fallen off the grid entirely. She remembered waiting with bated breath for the news of his demise, certain that he would eventually self-destruct. But she could tell in a glance once he returned that he had broken free of the vices she’d held against him, no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise. Not even a shadow of the man she had been with that night remained. And she’d been afforded every opportunity to do the right thing.

Who was she kidding? From the moment she heard his name at homecoming she had begun to weave her web of deceit. It disgusted her with just how well she had adapted to it, persuaded by people around her who had no problem lying.
Do what you have to when clawing your way to the top—
that had been the mantra of many of those who, much like herself, were determined to succeed. She had assuaged her conscience by believing that’s what was necessary to get ahead, until she got reacquainted with the gentleman who had done it through honesty, generosity, and hard work, after having hit rock bottom no less.

As Tyson actively pursued her and began to piece it all together, Dani had no choice but to keep digging the hole deeper. And now, when she should be savoring the ultimate happy ending, she would lose it all. If she didn’t act quickly, Brendon would soon be old enough to understand that she had robbed him as well. That thought was more than she could bear.

Tyson began to stir, his arm blindly reaching out for her. She scooted over and cuddled up next to him, not wanting him to wake fully and see the tears in her eyes. His arm wrapped around her again and he exhaled.

“Bella,” he murmured drowsily, his hand drifting down to settle on her bottom, giving it a pat. She wondered fleetingly if he was dreaming he had scored a touchdown.

If she was going to stop the lies she would have to start with herself. That college nickname had never slipped from his lips except for once, when he confronted her with the knowledge that he knew who she was. He never used it again, respecting her wish to be called Dani, the name she had switched to as part of her grand plan.

The hand on her behind began wandering gently, up and down her back at first. She watched in captivation as the blanket that covered them began to slowly rise just below his waist. She reached beneath the blanket and tentatively stroked, then wrapped her hand around him. He groaned and shuddered and throbbed from inside her closed fingers, filling her hand with the lusty mixture of silk and steel. He pulled her up to meet his sleepy kiss and she released him to bring her own arms around his neck, now clinging to him in both passion and desperation, silently praying the night would never end, before the need overtook her.

Adding to the long list of bad decisions, she returned to the scene of the crime and her original sin. She made uninhibited and unprotected love with a very groggy Tyson Palmer.

CHAPTER 18

THE NEXT TIME
Dani woke up, she was alone. The sun was up and it was the makings of what would be the fourth consecutive day of unseasonably warm weather for winter. The temperatures had been in the eighties all week, and this day looked like it wasn’t going to be an exception. It was already bright, also one of the things she liked best about her time in Austin. Back at home, February was usually nothing but snowy, dreary, or cold, often all three. But she’d better get used to it, because she would soon be heading back, this time to stay.

Dani sat up in bed, all her mixed feelings rising once again to the surface. She took a minute to scold herself. She’d made a mistake, okay, lots of them. That was going to end today. She owed it to Brendon and Tyson and her family. But mostly she owed it to herself. At first she was going to wait until after one last game day. It would be unfair to come clean and distract him with such an explosive revelation when he was getting ready to play the biggest game of his career. But if she was taking anything away from what she learned from Marcus, it was that nobody deserved to live in chaos. What Tyson had taught her was that whatever followed after she came clean, she could handle it as long as she took it one day at a time and walked a path of truth and honor.

Of course that sounded easy without having to look into Tyson’s beautiful blue eyes as she did it.

“Doesn’t matter,” she chided herself again. “Your dishonesty ends today.”