Unfolding Desires Read online

  Finally, she let me off the phone. I tossed it down on the bed before flopping down face first on the mattress. My neck hurt from cradling the phone, my ear was ringing from her voice, and I didn’t want to answer another question for a millennia. Even though I had to shower and still had more stuff around the house to get done, I drifted off to sleep. I was in the glorious in-between state, not quite awake and not quite asleep, when my phone rang. I groaned and rolled over, and answered it without opening my eyes.

  “I’m not, nor will I ever, describe his penis to you. If you ask me again, I’m going to officially unfriend you,” I grumbled into the phone.

  David’s smooth chuckle filled the line. “I’m glad you didn’t, love. I’d think that’d break the exclusivity you’ve been so adamant about. Though, I wonder if filling another woman’s thoughts would break it. What do you think?”

  “You can fill their minds, but not their beds.”

  “I like the way your mind works.”

  I laughed. “I was expecting you to be Harper. I finally told her what was going on and she grilled me for two hours. She wanted to know everything, and I do mean everything.”

  “So we’re allowed to share with our friends now?”

  “Don’t be stupid, David.”

  “I’m far from stupid. I’m not like . . . What was his name? George?” David laughed as I cringed. Even though he couldn’t see me, he knew my reaction every time he teased me about George. I had no idea why or how I spilled my guts about the awful blind date, but I did. David didn’t let me live it down.

  “No, you’re nothing like George.” I rolled onto my side. Now that he was on the phone, I could stay on for hours.

  “Since you’ve been on the phone most of today, I’ll cut to the chase. I wanted to see if you were interested in coming over a little earlier tonight. I’ll make dinner, we can watch a movie, and hang out for a while.”

  “That sounds like an amazing idea.”

  “I thought so. It’ll be good to catch up with you.”

  “What time would you like me to come over?” My voice was soft. I liked the idea of hanging out with him, spending time with him outside of bed.

  “Whenever you want.” I heard shuffling on his end before it went quiet. “It’s almost four. What about in an hour?”

  My heart skipped a beat and then sped up. “That sounds great.”

  “See you then, love.” He hung up and I held the phone to my chest. It wasn’t love I felt for David, at least not yet. But slowly, very slowly, I was falling for him. The walls around me were shaking and crumbling piece by piece.

  Even though it scared me, I could feel myself letting go.

  I PULLED INTO David’s driveway and turned my car off. My heart raced and my hands trembled. Why did this feel like such a big deal? This felt like more. We weren’t meeting to hook up and then go our separate ways. We were getting together to hang out. As nervous as I felt, I also felt sure. It felt right.

  I climbed out of my car and straightened my skirt, then strode toward his front door. I knocked, though I didn’t have to wait long for him to answer. He quickly pulled me inside and closed the door, then pressed me up against it, kissing me hard. I was breathless as he pulled away.

  “Hi, love.” His voice was soft and his eyes swept my face as though committing me to memory. Or maybe he was refreshing his memory. It didn’t matter, I just wanted him to keep looking at me that way.

  “Hey.” My voice came out breathy and he smirked, clearly liking that he got to me already.

  “Dinner is almost ready. Come in and grab a glass of wine.” He kissed my cheek and helped me slide my jacket off, then hung it on the coat rack behind me. He ran his hand down my arm before he linked our fingers together and gave my hand a squeeze. He led me into the kitchen and held my hand while he got a wine glass out of a cabinet, then squeezed my hand again and smiled at me before grabbing the bottle of wine and opening it. After he poured me a glass, he handed it to me and leaned back against the counter.

  I took a slow sip, keeping my eyes locked on him. “You picked a good wine.”

  “Thank you.” He smiled.

  The aroma coming from the oven was mouthwatering. “What are you making?”

  “Nothing fancy. Just a roast.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Just a roast? That smells like a delicious roast.”

  “I hope you eat lamb.”

  “A lamb roast? You’re going all English on me.”

  He chuckled. “I spent the majority of my life in England. I wanted some comfort food of a different variety, not the southern kind.”

  “I can’t wait to try it.”

  “It’s my grandmother’s recipe, so if you don’t like it, take it up with her.” He smirked at me before turning back to the stove and stirring a pot.

  “I’ll make sure to get her number and make a formal complaint.”

  “You do that. I’d love to hear that conversation.” He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and walked back to me. “What have you done this week? It feels like forever since I’ve seen you.”

  There was an uneasy tension filling the room, as though we didn’t know how to operate in this new environment. We were good at taking each other’s clothes off and talking in moans, but we struggled now. Or maybe it was just me. David didn’t seem to be having much trouble at all as he moved around the kitchen. I didn’t know how to navigate this new reality. It’d been so long since I talked to a man about anything. It made me feel vulnerable and I hated it.

  “I’ve been showing houses. A couple closed on a house this week. Other than working and relaxing at home, not much.”

  His eyes came up to mine. “No dancing? Drinking? Going to clubs?”

  “I don’t really feel a need for that anymore.”

  He gasped, his eyes widened, and he put his hands over his heart in mock shock. “Are you saying that I’ve been leaving you fulfilled? You’ve had no desire to go out and find a new man toy?”

  I set down my wine glass and pulled him toward me, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You’ve left me very fulfilled and entertained. Well, other than this past week.”

  His hands came down and rested on my hips. They felt good there, like they belonged. “I’m glad to hear it, though I guess I have to make up for denying you my electric presence.” I started to laugh, but his lips came down and captured mine. Instead of the usual fever that swirled throughout me when our lips met, I felt a calmness and a passion that was unsettling and wonderful.

  Again with the contradictions.

  He pulled away from me, though I kept my eyes closed. I wanted to relish the feel of his body against mine and the taste of his lips that lingered on mine. His finger traced down the side of my face slowly and I pressed my cheek into his hand. “You have a lot of making up to do,” I murmured.

  “I’ll work on that after dinner and the movie.”

  “Good.” I gazed up at him and his thumb stroked my skin.

  He stared into my eyes, his face a mask of intensity. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Roxie, but I feel turned inside out.” I smiled. I liked the way that sounded. It wasn’t declarations of love, nor did I want any, but it felt good. I liked knowing he thought about me as much as I thought about him.

  The oven beeped and put an end to our intimate moment. He pulled away and got the roast out of the oven, then turned off all the burners. “I thought we could eat in the living room and watch a movie,” he said, his back still to me.

  “What would you like help with?”

  “Grab the plates out of the cabinet.” He reached into a drawer and pulled out silverware. As we moved around the kitchen, preparing our plates, it felt unbelievably normal and good.

  Once we were settled on the couch, he turned the TV on and pressed play on the DVD player. “I had everything ready to go before you got here. I picked The Fast and The Furious, I hope you don’t mind.” He looked at me, as if unsure how I’d react.

  “The
sixth?”

  “Yeah, I’m behind. I want to be prepared before the new movie comes out.”

  I smiled. I wouldn’t object to watching hot men drive fast cars while enjoying a meal with my own hot guy. As the movie started, I took a bite of the lamb and moaned at how delicious it was. “You can cook, too.”

  He smirked. “I can cook some things. Just don’t ask me to make fish and chips.”

  “Ah, so the British doesn’t run too deep.” We both laughed, then continued eating and watching the movie. Even though I usually didn’t like these kinds of movies, I was sucked in. David took the plates and set them on his coffee table, then pulled me into his side, wrapping his arm around me. I smiled against his chest, liking the intimacy and how good it felt to just be in this moment with him. There were no expectations, nothing but two people enjoying each other’s company.

  Unfortunately, the delicious food and the dim lights waged a war on me and I found myself drifting off before too long. I shifted downward so my head was resting in David’s lap. He brushed his fingers through my hair, which relaxed me further until I lost the battle and fell asleep.

  I AWOKE AS David shifted on the couch, stood, then scooped me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me to his bedroom. He lay me on the bed, then kneeled on the floor, undoing the button on my skirt and sliding it down my legs. I was groggy and still partially asleep, but I shifted to help him undress me.

  He slipped away and came back with a shirt, then helped me put it on. I crawled up the bed and rested my head against the pillow, watching him between long blinks. Lifting his arms behind his head, he pulled his shirt up and off, then dropped his pants to the floor with a jangle of his belt buckle. He got into bed and tucked the blankets around us.

  “I can go home,” I offered belatedly.

  “You’re tired, love. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you. Sleep.” He pulled me into his arms and I rested my head against his chest. His arms wrapped around me and I smiled, loving the comfort and safety I felt in his arms.

  Before long, I was asleep again.

  David

  I WOKE TO Roxie wrapped in my arms. We hadn’t moved much throughout the night, other than her burrowing closer into my side. Her arm lay across my waist and her leg was draped over mine. I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of her body against mine. I felt a mixture of contentment and arousal. I fought the urge to shift or wake her. As soon as she awoke, she’d erect the barrier between us, and I didn’t want that to happen.

  I’d never had anyone spend the night before, and I sure as hell didn’t spend time with women when it didn’t involve sex. Of course, Roxie was the exception. Something about her pulled me in and made me want more. More of her time, her body, her mind, her.

  I could tell that the way we were growing closer made Roxie slightly uncomfortable. The little comments she made or the way she kept herself closed off were clues enough. She didn’t seem to be fighting it as hard as she did before, though. For her to come over to dinner and hang out with me without sex was mind blowing.

  Maybe I was growing on her.

  Part of me liked the challenge, seeing how much I could get to her. I wanted to push her boundaries and her limits to see what would happen. For weeks, she pushed back, letting me know that we would never be more than shag mates, but last night things shifted. They became more whether she wanted to admit it or not. I was impressed that she didn’t run as soon as I pulled her into my arms. I was clueless as to why I wanted her to stay the night, why I wanted her to just be with me, but I did. I felt as though I won the battle, but I still had a far way to go in the war.

  She shifted and hummed as she woke up. Her eyes blinked opened and met mine.

  “I guess I didn’t give you much space last night,” she said. She didn’t move away. In fact, her arm tightened around me.

  “I didn’t need space, love. I did need a few less blankets, though. You kept me plenty warm.” She chuckled. That was the trick with Roxie. Instead of keeping things serious, I needed to pepper my comments with jokes and laughter.

  “I’m glad I did a better job than the blankets.” She moved her hand down until she ran it over the growing bulge in my boxers. “I liked waking up next to you.” She looked up at me with hooded eyes as she smiled mischievously. She was pretending not to be touching me, but it was all I could think about, the slow stroke of her hand, meant to tease.

  “Be careful, I might get the impression you like me for more than just a shag.” I smiled, though I’d taken the joke too far. She rolled off the bed and padded across the room, slipping into the bathroom. I rubbed my palms into my eyes and sighed in frustration.

  Dealing with Roxie was like luring out a scared cat. My moves had to be calculated and deliberate. I couldn’t move too quickly because she’d retreat back into herself and I’d lose all the ground I’d made.

  I wondered why I played this game with her, the cat and mouse. I couldn’t seem to stop myself, though. I liked the push and pull, not knowing what would be too much or too little.

  Mostly, I just wanted her.

  Yet again, she had me tied up in knots. I wondered if I tied her in as many knots as she tied me.

  The toilet flushed and the water in the sink splashed on. Now was as good a time as any to make a move. I climbed out of bed and crossed the room to the bathroom. Inside, she was brushing her teeth and she looked into the mirror at me. I didn’t acknowledge her, just went over to the shower and turned it on to heat up.

  “Would you like to get a shower with me, love?” I asked, my back still to her.

  As I hoped, she came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. “I’d love one.”

  I turned and whipped the shirt off her, then made quick work of her panties and bra. Her clothes were in a pile on the floor and she pushed my boxers off my hips. She opened the shower door and led me inside.

  The water was hot and the glass walls steamed as she moved under the spray. She tilted her head back, water sluicing over her hair and skin. When she was satisfied that her hair was thoroughly wet, she lowered her chin and fixed her gaze on me. She poured shampoo in her hand, rubbed it in her hair. She kept her eyes on me, and it was damn arousing. My body reacted to her as the suds coated her hair and crept down over her breasts.

  She rinsed her hair before applying conditioner. It wasn’t until she lathered up a washcloth and started washing her body that I realized I’d been standing there, mesmerized by her every movement. My eyes followed her hands as she skated the washcloth over her body, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. She made a show of rinsing her body, her hands moving sensuously across her skin. She looked up at me with hooded eyes as she sank to her knees.

  Before I could think, her lips wrapped around me and my head hit the tile wall. The things she did with her lips and tongue were sinful, but I never wanted her to stop. The water cascaded over her, and I slid my fingers into her wet, slick hair. The conditioner made it even more slippery than it was, and, somehow, that turned me on even more. Her eyes met my gaze as she worked me over, and I fought for control. She took me to the edge while denying me the release that danced down my spine. For long moments, or maybe seconds, she teased me.

  Until finally, finally, she brought me over the edge as I twisted my fingers in her hair. My eyes closed and I rested my head back against the shower wall. I heard her moving around the shower, then her hands were on me, washing my skin and toying with me again.

  Roxie didn’t need words, sexy clothing, or any of that. The tender way she touched me was enough to turn me on to the point of pain.

  Her hands rubbed over my skin as I met her eyes. She had a sly smile on her lips as she washed me. She poured shampoo into her hands and washed my hair, then helped me under the spray to rinse. As the water ran over my flesh, she used her hands to make sure I was rinsed clean.

  By the time she was done I was ready for her, though she wasn’t getting off as easily this time.
>
  Not if I had anything to say with it.

  I turned her around to face the wall and nudged her feet farther apart with my own. I ran my hands down her body, touching and caressing the spots I knew drove her crazy. I pulled her hips back into mine before sliding inside her. She gasped and pressed her cheek to the glass. I was relentless in my pace, bringing her close before backing off. By the time I finally let her tip over the edge, she was begging me and clawing at the glass as though that would make any difference.

  She was at my mercy. She just needed to realize it.

  Since I hadn’t slipped a condom on, I slid out of her. She turned around and kissed me passionately as I came undone pressed against her belly.

  When we both calmed down, I turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her.

  “That was probably the best shower I’ve ever had in my entire life,” she remarked with a smile.

  I pulled her towel-covered body close to me and kissed her, hard. When I could tell she was breathless, I pulled away and brought my lips close to her ear. “Anything I do with you is the best ever.” I moved away from her, giving her time to absorb my words. In my bedroom, I put clothes on and went out to the kitchen to make something for breakfast. Hopefully, she was a fan of eggs and toast.

  She joined me sooner than I thought she would. I expected her to be stubborn and stay hidden in the bedroom, but she came out and started the coffee pot before hopping up on the counter.

  “Do you have any plans today?” she asked, swinging her feet back and forth.

  “Nope. The guys at the shop are taking care of everything. I’m not needed there.”