Who Gets the Friends? (8 page)

Jessica chuckled and continued looking. She stopped and her eyebrows arched when she reached a section that contained photos of women in swimsuits, in a variety of beach poses. “These are your model shots?”

“Yeah. All of them trying for the next
Sports Illustrated
cover.”

“Did any of them make it?”

“If they did, word hasn’t gotten back here yet.”

She closed the album, then handed it to him. “Very nice. I’m glad you’re getting back into photography. It’s clearly something you like.”

“Thank you.” He leaned in, then planted a lingering kiss on her lips. “I’m glad you came over tonight.”

“Me, too.” She rested her arm around his shoulder. “I’d like to make something up to you.”

“What?”

Her eyes took on a murky glow accompanied by a sly smile. “What we started the other night.”

Tom laughed uneasily. “Look, Jessica, you don’t need to do that because you think you owe me something or that you have to apologize. I told you I understood.”

She traced her fingers along his jaw and peered into his eyes. “Who said it was just for your benefit? Maybe I want to.” She kissed him. “In fact, I had a really crazy idea.”

Tom’s pulse quickened. “Such as?”

“Such as something you offered once.”

His mind quickly recalled all of their previous conversations.
What did I offer her?
“You’ve got me.”

Jessica sat up, then pulled her sweater over her head, revealing the top of a red lace teddy with a white bow on the bosom. Tom’s eyes took in her firm cleavage encased in red lace.

“Didn’t someone offer to do some model shots of me?” she asked. “With or without clothes?”

Tom’s heart picked up a few beats. “Do you really want to?”

She answered by standing, then peeling off her jeans, revealing the rest of the teddy. He noted the red thong underneath, giving a teasing glimpse of her pubic hair.

“What do you think?” she asked. “Am I model-worthy?”

His eyes lustily scanned her from head to toe, then back up again. “Definitely.”

He got his digital camera from the other room, then positioned her next to the tree.

“Let’s start with something really corny. Rest your hand on one of the branches, then give me that mega-watt smile.”

Jessica struck a natural pose and smiled for him. “You’re right, this is corny.” She curled up under the tree, pinning her legs under her and flashing a coy smile. “Is this better?”

Tom snapped a couple of shots. “Much.”

His heart beat faster when she pulled the teddy down over her breasts.

“How about this?”

Tom pressed the shutter, then zoomed in for a close-up of her chest. She placed her hands on her firm breasts to push them up, then played with her nipples while teasingly running her tongue over her lips.

“You’re getting the idea,” he said.

She walked to him on her knees, then tugged on his belt. “This isn’t fair. If I’m going to model in my lingerie, so are you.”

Tom looked down as she unfastened his jeans, then pulled them over his thighs.
Is she
serious?
Her hand lingered on the bulge forming in his shorts.
She’s serious.

He took her hand and led her to the bedroom. Jessica pulled the teddy over her head, leaving her only in the matching thong. She reclined on the bed. Tom quickly stripped off his clothes, then focused the camera on her.

“Okay, let’s go for provocative. Show me your butt.”

Jessica got into the action by lying on her stomach and perching her firm ass in the air. Tom took several shots, zooming in to capture the thong bisecting her round cheeks.

“Like what you see?” she asked.

He pressed the shutter a few times. “Oh, yeah.”

“Then look at this.” She got to her knees to face him, hooked her thumbs in the elastic, then pulled the thong down part way, giving just a teasing hint of trimmed red pubic hair. Tom took several shots before she pulled it down the rest of the way, showing the full package. He felt his cock jerking to life between his legs.

Jessica gave a lusty chuckle. “You definitely like what you see.” She peeled off the thong, then leaned forward on her knees, shoving her ass into the air.

Tom took shots from different angles. His pulse picked up speed when Jessica slid her hand in between her legs and began running her middle finger along her wet slit, teasing it before slipping it inside.
Wow, she’s really getting into this.

After a few moments of playing with herself she sat upright and looked at his hard-on. She giggled, then held out her hand. “My turn.”

“Your turn for what?”

She crawled over to him. “My turn to take your picture. Surely you’ve posed before, haven’t you?”

“Not for a long time.” He handed her the camera, then reclined on the bed, resting against the headboard with his hands behind his head.

Jessica took a series of shots of him from different angles, then zoomed in on his cock, standing at attention between his legs.

“Mmm, I like that.”

She set the camera on the bed, then straddled his midsection, placing her palms on his chest. “I really got turned on posing for you.”

“So did I.”

She gave a wicked chuckle. “I could tell.” She lay across his torso, then kissed him hungrily.

Tom ran his fingers through her hair, then down her back to her ass, fondling it. Jessica ground her pelvis against him while kissing him more intensely. After a few minutes she sat up, retrieved the camera, then handed it to him.

“Why don’t you shoot me sucking your cock?”

His eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”

She answered by grabbing his hard-on and tickling the tip with her tongue. Tom focused on her and took pictures of her loving his cock, running her tongue up and down the length of his shaft before taking him into her hot, wet mouth. When he was imbedded part way, she looked directly into the lens and winked.

He set the camera aside and closed his eyes, losing himself in the feeling of what she was doing to him. He opened his eyes when he felt Jessica’s thighs resting on either side of his head. She lay across him, nestling her pussy on his mouth while continuing to suck him. Tom parted her lips with his fingers and began eating her, devouring her wetness with his tongue and mouth, sliding his tongue in and out of her. Jessica stroked him a little harder and sucked him with more energy while moaning softly. Tom sucked her clit between his lips and massaged it with his tongue. Her clit was hard. Jessica’s moan of pleasure was muffled by his cock in her mouth as she came, rewarding him with her cum.

Jessica dismounted, lay on the bed beside him, then pulled Tom on top of her. She panted when she pulled her legs up toward her torso, opening wide for him. Tom quickly unrolled a condom onto his cock, then pressed into her with one long hard push that made her gasp. He propped himself up on his hands above her and made love to her in a steady, unrushed rhythm.

“Damn, Tom, you’re good.”

“So are you. You’re so tight.”

He looked down at his hard cock moving in and out of her. Her lips engulfed his head and she tightened around him. Tom closed his eyes and enjoyed their closeness. Jessica’s intimate scent wafted to his nose, increasing his arousal as she moved against him, urging him on. He thrust his hips harder and faster when he felt his climax brewing, and groaned as he swelled inside her.

He stayed in position, but kept moving slower, enjoying the afterglow of satisfying sex.
This really was making love, not just having sex. Feeling something special for Jessica just makes it better.

“Jessica, you’re fantastic,” he panted. “So hot and wet.”

She purred. “So are you. What a tongue!”

He lowered himself and planted wet kisses along her cheek and neck. Jessica wrapped her legs around his, then pulled his lips to hers, driving her tongue into his mouth.

“You’re an animal,” she whispered.

Tom wrapped his arms around her, then rolled onto his back, keeping them locked as one. Jessica rested her palms on his chest and sat up, looking down at him. Even in the darkness her eyes emitted the soft glow of satisfaction.

“So we’re friends again?” she teased.

Tom tweaked her firm nipples. “We never stopped.”

Tom slid into bed, handed Jessica her glass of wine, then pulled the covers over them. She curled up next to him and sighed.

“This is nice. Too bad you don’t have a fireplace. I really like cuddling in front of a fire.”

“So do I.”

She took a sip. “So you survived Thanksgiving with your family?”

“Barely. You were right about well-intentioned but misplaced sympathy.” He shook his head. “When I got home my face was tired from maintaining a perpetual smile.”

Jessica laughed. “I know what you mean. I went to Cincinnati after work and had to do the same thing. And how many times do you think I had someone hug me and say
You
poor thing!
?”

“I don’t want to think about it.”

She took another drink, then cradled her glass. “But that’s all in the past. What’s your favorite thing to do around the holidays?”

Tom thought for a moment. “I like to go downtown and look at the old Christmas window display from Rike’s department store. You know, the one they rescued and restored a few years ago, depicting Santa’s toy shop?”

She smiled. “Yeah, I always liked that, too. I like driving through neighborhoods and seeing the light displays. Some people really put a lot of time into those things. What about going to one of the malls?”

Tom took a long swallow. “Only during the week. You won’t catch me there on a weekend.”

“Me either.” She paused. “What would you like to find under the tree this year?”

He turned her face to his, then kissed her. “What was under it earlier this evening.”

She gave a seductive chuckle. “Kind of hard to wrap.”

“Yeah, but it’d be fun unwrapping it.”

She laughed. “You’re a nut!”

Tom’s laughter subsided. “What would you like Santa to bring you?”

She peered into his eyes and lightly stroked his cheek. “Someone like you.”

Jessica entered her apartment the following evening and noticed that she had a little extra spring in her step. She’d had a silly smile all day, one that had her co-workers wondering what she had been up to. The only one who had the faintest clue was Peggy, who needled her about it.

She tossed her coat on the sofa, then looked through her mail. She had received a couple of Christmas cards. Her smile faded when she saw the return address on one of them.
Brad’s parents. Damn! I didn’t expect to get a card from them.
She opened it and read the holiday greeting, followed by the words “I know this is a difficult time for you, as it is for us. Let’s get together over the holidays.”

She dropped the card on the table and tried to get her emotions under control.
Come on, keep it together. You wanted to move on. You can’t do that if every little thing gets to you.

She was startled by the ringing telephone.

“Hi, Jessica, it’s Tom. How are you?”

She smiled. “I’m pretty good. You?”

“Great, actually. I wanted to thank you again for coming over last night.”

“You’re welcome. I had fun.”

“So did I. Your pics turned out great, by the way.”

She laughed. “I’m trusting you that those won’t show up on some website.”

“Not a chance. Private stock.” He paused. “But I have to tell you that was fun, too.”

She sat on the sofa. “See what happens when you combine two things you like to do? In case I didn’t tell, you’re very good at both of them.”

“Thank you, and so are you.”

She sighed. “I thought about that all day. It made everyone wonder what I was smiling about.”

“Funny, but I got the same reaction at work.” He paused. “In fact, just thinking about it now is producing a reaction.”

She grinned. “You mean I’m not the only one getting hot?”

“No, you’re not. Maybe I need to take a cold shower.”

“I’d like to join you.”

“Wouldn’t be cold very long.”

Jessica giggled. “We should change the subject. I’ve been thinking about something you said last night. Are you busy every night this week?”

“Not every night. What did you have in mind?”

“Why don’t we go downtown and look at the window displays like we talked about? I haven’t done that in years.”

“That sounds like fun. On Thursday evenings they have live music on Courthouse Square. What time would you like me to pick you up?”

“Why don’t I pick you up?”

“I love a woman who takes charge. How about seven?”

“I’ll come by for you then. Have a good couple of days, Tom.”

Jessica hung up but couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.

* * * *

Tom was getting a refill of coffee when he was approached by Karly.

“Hey, Marathon Man,” she teased. “You got away from me at the party. Hope it wasn’t something I said.”

He smiled.
Not that you’d remember after a couple dozen Jello shots
. “No, and thanks for inviting me. I had a great time.”

She gave an impish grin. “Funny, that’s the same thing Rashida said. I didn’t see much of her that night, either.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.” She ran her fingertip along his cheek. “I haven’t seen you around the gym.”

“I’ve been kinda busy, getting my place in order. You know how it is when you move into someplace new.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

“Okay.”

He watched her sway down the hall.
What did I say before about her avoiding me after I told her I was a free agent?

Tom proceeded down the hall toward his office but stopped when he reached Doug’s lair. He sat in one of the chairs, then propped his feet on the edge of the desk.

“What’s up?” Doug asked.

“Just taking a coffee break. Those year-end reports are making me cross-eyed.” He sipped his coffee. “I just had the strangest conversation with Karly with a
k.
”

“About what?”

“She was teasing me about that party she invited me to a couple of weeks ago.”