The Running Series Complete Collection: 3-Book Set plus Bonus Novella (143 page)

I hesitate and take a moment to enjoy the vision before me.  Evan is sitting in his leather chair, shirtless and blindfolded with an obvious bulge in his pants.  Unable to resist the temptation, I draw my fingernails across his chest, causing him to shiver from the sensation.  He reaches out for me, and I place his hands on my hips.  “Are you okay?” I ask.

“Very okay,” he affirms. 

“Then open up for me, Chief.”

He capitulates, and I lay a small chocolate-covered strawberry in his mouth, letting my fingers linger on his lips, coating them with just a hint of melted chocolate.  I can tell by his expression that he’s savoring the chocolaty taste.  Evan moans softly as his tongue darts out to taste the chocolate left behind.  I can feel the flush in my cheeks as I watch.

“That’s a chocolate-covered strawberry,” he pronounces.

“It is,” I agree, and my voice this time is lower, throaty.  “I suppose I have to take something off now.  See if you can guess.”  I stand to his left and unbutton my jeans.  Then I grab the zipper and slowly lower it, making sure he can hear as it rolls down.  I place an arm on his shoulder to steady myself as I remove each pant leg.  “Any thoughts?” I ask.

“Hmm, let’s see.”  Evan leans over and reaches out for me, moving first left, then right, until he finds me.  He runs an experimental hand across my hips and behind me, cupping my bare ass.  His hands roam until he finds the string of my thong and he gives it a little tug, bringing it snugly into the folds of my flesh.  I can’t help but let out a soft whimper as his hands roam over my exposed bottom, my skin hot under his touch.

I slip from his grasp and hurry into the kitchen to grab something crunchy. 

“Now I want you to think very carefully before you guess this time.”  I lean in close so that our bodies touch, whispering in his ear, “If you get this one right, I’ll take off my top.” 

“Oh, I think I like this game,” Evan growls.

“This is something salty,” I tell him as I place a seasoned bagel chip in his mouth.  He bites down and chews, trying to discern the exact taste and flavor.

“Well, it tastes like a potato chip, but it’s more firm and solid.  It feels like a pretzel, but the taste is wrong.”

“Do you give up?” I ask him.

“No way!”  He asks for another and I oblige.  This one is slightly larger.  He takes his time, highly motivated to come up with a correct answer.  When he smiles and flashes his dimples, I know he’s onto something.  “I think I know.  They’re your favorite snacks, bagel chips, aren’t they?”

“They are, you’re right.  And now for your reward.”  I take his hands and bring them to the buttons on my blouse.  One by one, he opens them until my shirt falls to the floor.  Evan glides his hands up, down, and across, exploring my bare skin. 

I can’t resist copping a feel of my own, running my hand up his thigh, my fingers moving over his tight jeans.

He raises his hands to remove the blindfold but I grab his wrists.

“No,” I order. “I'm not done playing with you yet.”

“And I wanna play with you too.” Evan's deep voice echoes into my ear and I shiver.

I can almost hear Evan whimper as I pull away and prepare what will likely be the final course.  I grab a glass of wine and a bowl of whipped cream and return to the leather chair.

“Ready?” I whisper, and Evan nods and opens his mouth.

He tastes the whipped cream at first, and then his eyes grow wide when he connects with the skin beneath the cream. Closing his mouth, he discovers that I have put it on my breast, and his lips close around my nipple.

“I think ... ” I pant, “that we both ... need to lose ... some clothes.” I arch my back into his mouths, pulling him closer.

Evan uses his teeth to nibble, biting gently. I whimper again, my fingers twisting in his hair. 

“Open your mouth.” Evan quickly obeys and this time I place my lips on his, slowly trickling sweet red wine from my mouth into his.  As he swallows, I follow with my tongue, licking the inside of his mouth and nipping on his lip.

Evan takes my mouth with searing possession, tasting me with slow, deep licks. His passion and hunger explode across my senses and I whimper, my hands tangling in his hair.  His answering groan vibrates through me, tightening my nipples and sending goose bumps racing across my skin.  “Playtime is over,” he pronounces, removing the blindfold and tossing it to the side.

He stands up with me in his arms, my body responding instantly to everywhere he touches me. I am on fire as his fingers travel around to unsnap my bra.  He turns and places me back on the chair.  I sit back and watch as he anxiously tears the jeans off his body and stands before me wearing nothing but a pair of boxers that barely hide his throbbing erection. 

“You lied to me,” he warns.  “I was promised a seven-course meal, and you only delivered six.  I’m entitled to another course.  And I have to warn you, I’m starving.”

Grinning devilishly at me, he drops to his knees in front of me.  He pushes my thighs apart and then all I can feel is his mouth on me. 

I whimper as his tongue licks inside me and out. By the time his fingers join in, I am panting, barely able to stand the assault on my body. My hips jerk as he sucks at my core, his tongue circling, his fingers sliding inside me. I lose control of my breathing, my heart pounding in my ears.

My hands glide through his hair, tightening, urging him closer as he masterfully spurs on my climax, licking and finger-fucking me into a frenzy.

“Evan,” I moan when he withdraws his fingers. I was so close. So close!

And then he begins thrusting them back inside, in and out, in and out, his tongue working its magic.

“Evan!” I explode against him as he wrings every inch of that orgasm out of me. My body shudders with more spasms.

I sit there panting, staring in dazed wonder until Evan appears above me again. He doesn’t say a word, but he leans down and kisses me, letting me taste myself as he flicks his tongue against mine. 

“Open your eyes.”

My gaze finds his and he’s smiling gently at me, brushing stray strands of hair off my temples.

“Are you okay?”

I kiss his lips softly. “I’m okay.” 

“Good, because I’m not done.”  He lifts me effortlessly into his arms and cradles me against his chest as he carries me to the couch.   I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek and breathe him in.

“God, you’re strong.” I run my hands through his hair, loving that he can carry me so effortlessly. 

He lays me gently on my back along the couch, kneeling between my thighs, and covers me with his large body. I wrap my legs around his hips, and he settles against me, his long, hardness nestled at my entrance. 

“I love you,” he whispers, just as softly, and sinks into me, slowly, until he’s completely buried in me. He’s holding my head in his palms, his elbows braced on the couch under my shoulders, his face less than an inch from my own. 

I cup his face in my hands as he starts to move inside me, gently, in long, smooth strokes. Holding my head firmly, he lowers his lips to mine and makes love to me, completely connecting his body to mine, until in a slow-building crescendo, we both let go and come apart in each other’s arms. 

And as we regain our senses, I hear him whisper, “Forever.”

Seal the Deal

I
wake up Saturday morning in a sour mood.  The last few days have been Heaven-sent, but this will be the day from Hell.  Today is D-Day – David Day.  In just a few hours, I will arrive in Indianapolis for the last game of the regular season, along with many of the other wives and girlfriends.  I’m sure they have lots of great ideas for how we can spend our time waiting for the game, but unfortunately I already have other plans. 

Evan drives us to the airport together.  My carry-on sits on my lap and I hold it tightly, as if my life depends upon it.  Tucked carefully inside are exactly one hundred hundred-dollar bills.  I hope and pray that I can get through security without alerting anyone to my stash.  I have no idea how I would explain to Evan why I was carrying that kind of money with me.

After parking in the garage, we walk the short distance to the airport entrance.  Having no bags to check, we walk straight to passenger screening.  I hold my breath as I place my bag on the conveyor belt and watch it make its way toward the scanner.  We pass through the metal detector without a problem.  I slip my shoes back on, all the while keeping a watchful eye on my bag as it emerges from the X-ray machine.  There are no alarms, and no armed guards come rushing to interrogate me.  No one noticed a thing. 

Evan escorts me to the only restaurant in the airport, Sam Adams Brew Pub.  Brianna is there too.  Anthony has already dropped her off and boarded the team’s plane.  After a quick kiss, Evan is off too.  In less than an hour, Jocelyn should be here.  Then she, Brianna, and I will board our flight to Indiana. 

Our flight is a quick one, only slightly longer than two hours.  The boys have a driver waiting for us when we land who drives us directly to our hotel.  We’re staying at the same hotel as the team, we just can’t stay on the same floor with them.  I text Evan to let him know we’ve arrived.  I won’t be able to see him until after the game tomorrow, so he tells me to have fun with the girls and to be safe.

After we check in and find our rooms, Brianna calls me on my cellphone.  “Jette, get ready.  Jocelyn and I are picking you up in ten minutes and we’re heading downstairs for a hot stone massage.”

This may be my only opportunity to slip away, so I have to think fast.  “I’m going to pass this time.  Go without me.  I have a terrible headache and I just want to put my head down for a little while.  I’ll meet you downstairs for dinner.”

She’s not going to give up so easily.  “You know, a good massage is the best way to get rid of a headache.  Maybe a Swedish deep tissue massage?”

“Maybe next time,” I tell her, and thankfully she drops it.  We make plans to meet at six o’clock for dinner at the hotel restaurant.  That gives me a few hours to make the hand-off.

Before calling David, I have to come up with a plan.  The girls are downstairs in the spa.  They will most likely head to the bar for a drink before dinner.  The last thing I need is for them to spot me as I leave the hotel, or run into me as I’m returning – or worse yet, for Evan to see me sneaking off.  The meeting will have to be here, someplace where we won’t be seen.

The hotel has small boutique, a fitness center, a restaurant, and a spa.  The fitness center is attached to the spa, so that’s out.  The restaurant is a public place, but I think the chance of running into someone there is exceptionally high, so it’s not worth the risk. 

That leaves exactly three choices.  First is the boutique.  I could make the hand-off quietly and discreetly and make a quick escape.  I would be taking a chance that we might be seen, but it’s a very slight risk.

Another option would be to leave the envelope at the reception desk and trust that he’ll leave me the memory card.  It’s the easiest and safest choice by far, but that’s a gamble I’m hesitant to make.

The third choice is to invite David up to my room.  It would give me a chance to talk to him face to face and try to end this once and for all.  It’s private, and the chance of us being spotted is negligible. 

Given the three choices, I have to decide what my main goal is.  Is my goal to satisfy David’s demands and hope he goes away, or to establish limits and end this once and for all?

I look around the suite Evan reserved for me.  It’s furnished with a spacious sitting area completely separate from the bedroom, outfitted with a small table, chairs, a couch, and a mini bar.  This would make a good meeting place.  I know it’s not the choice Auggie, Adam, or Derek would have me make, but it’s my life and I need to end this ridiculousness now.  My decision is made.

Before I can change my mind, I send David a text to let him know I’m here and I only have a short time to meet with him.  Almost immediately, my phone rings in my hand.  It’s David.

“Hey, Kitten.  I was just thinking about you.”  He has such a smug tone to his voice, it makes me shake with anger and contempt for this man I once thought I loved.

“Listen, David, I’m not your kitten.  I’m not anyone’s kitten.  I don’t have time for your stupid mind games.  Drop the arrogance and try not to piss me off.  Got it?”

“Well, considering the reason for this call, I don’t see how we can avoid pissing each other off.  But your point is well taken.”  He’s right, of course.  Regardless of his attitude, he’s going to piss me off.  “Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty.  I have something you want.  You have something I want.  Let’s make each other happy and get on with our lives.”

“Nothing would make me happier,” I concede.  “Here’s how this is going to work.  You’re going to stop whatever you’re doing and meet me here at my hotel.  I don’t have a lot of time.”

“I like that you’re excited to see me,” he teases.  “We have all weekend.  Why the rush?”

“Listen, I flew out here with the other team wives.  I’m meeting them for dinner at exactly six o’clock.  I want you out of here before then.”