The Other C-Word(32)

"You don't have to talk about it."

"It's okay, sweetheart. I don't have any issues talking about the people I've loved."

"When did they pass?"

"I was sixteen."

My heart lurched for him. I couldn't imagine losing my mom, especially not at that age. How had he managed it all? How was he so sure of himself, despite losing their guidance at such a crucial time? "I'm sorry, Rick."

"It's okay. They were great parents. I think about them every day. I got this when I was going through my pissed-off stage and rebelling the year after their death. I think it was the only decision I made that I didn't regret that year."

I knew there was more to the story, but I didn't want to pry. Instead, I slanted my mouth against his. When we finally broke from our kiss, I traced his lips with my fingertip. He took my finger into his mouth and sucked on it. "Do you think tattoos are hot on women?"

He continued to suck on my finger, while a devilish grin played out on his face. Finally, he released my finger, but the small gesture made me hot for him again. "I guess it would depend on the woman and where it was. Are you thinking about getting a tattoo?"                       
       
           



       

I put my forehead on his chest. "Maybe."

He lifted my chin and his eyes lit up mischievously. "Where?''

I opened my mouth, but he covered it with his hand before I could speak.

"Let me guess."

In one fluid motion, he rolled us over so he was on top of me. He sat up on his knees, straddling me. A playful smirk crinkled on his lips. "Is it here or here?" he asked, kissing each of my wrists. I was thankful they weren't so red today.

I shook my head in response.

"Here?" He slid his lips down each of my arms. When he was finished, he smiled the most playful, eager smile at me. I had to admit, this was a fun game.

"Nope."

"Here?" he asked, kissing my chin and neck. Was he really suggesting I'd get a tattoo on my chin?

"Nope."

He slid his lips down to my clavicle and kissed each breast, asking the same question. "You honestly think I'd get a tattoo on my boob? That sounds painful."

He laughed, but I started squirming because this guessing game was arousing me fiercely. "I didn't think so, but I never know with you. I'm glad though because your breasts are perfect the way they are." His compliment made me feel especially sexy, since I'd always thought they were on the small side.

He worked his way down my stomach, repeating the question with each kiss. I answered no each time. He reached the inside of my thighs, kissing and licking the skin there and sending a shiver up my spine. He kissed my mound and dipped his tongue, licking my folds. I started panting. "I don't think that's possible."

"Me either, but I just thought while I was in the general area."

Rick sat up and placed his hands on my hips, coaxing me to roll over. I turned so I was face down on the pillow. I lifted my ankles and I bent my knees up to accommodate him. "I know it has to be here or here. Which one?" he mused as he kissed each ankle.

"Neither. Guess you have to keep trying." I honestly hoped he'd never guess and just keep kissing me.

He worked his way up to the back of my thighs. He squeezed then kissed my behind, both cheeks. "This would be a very nice canvas," he said.

"No," I exhaled into the pillow.

"Tell me it's here," he pondered, caressing my lower back with his fingertips, before licking and kissing the area.

"Nope," I muffled.

He moved up to my shoulders, kissing each one and across my back. I told him no, and heard his sigh. I wondered if Rick was getting frustrated. "Giving up?"

"No, kissing you is too much fun."

He trailed kisses down my spine, until he reached the area on my lower back again. "Rick, you've already been at that spot. Is this your way of suggesting I get a tramp stamp?"

He laughed. "I don't call it that, but I can't deny how sexy it would look on you. I'm getting hard just thinking about it."

"And what should it be?"

"Hmmm, how about my name?" he said jokingly before flipping me over. He gently nipped at my shoulders and neck. "Just kidding, baby. Please tell me where?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"So I can kiss you there, and imagine it, and what it will be like when I lick that delicious piece of your flesh with my tongue."

The idea was so enticing I cursed myself for not having a tattoo already. I took Rick's hand and guided it to my lower, right hip. "Right here."

He leant down and kissed me there repeatedly. I'd never thought of that area as an erotic zone, but that's exactly what it was … especially when he licked me there.

He kissed his way back up to my face. "Okay, the placement is totally hot, but what will you get there? It has to be the perfect thing."

"Why?"

"Because, Marley, you have the perfect body and whatever you choose should match it."

I know I sound like a gushing, girly girl to say I swooned, but I did. Rick made me swoon. His words chipped away at the walls of snarky cynicism I'd worked so hard to build. "I was thinking of a dragonfly."

"Why that?"

"I don't know. I've always like them. When you think of a dragonfly, they don't sound pretty. Even the words, dragon and fly both sound awful, but when you see one close up, it's beautiful."

He nodded, approvingly at my explanation, before he went back to my hip and traced with his tongue what I imagined was his version of a dragonfly.

"Yep, that will work," he approved. "You know I'll have to come with you."

"Do you want to come with me because I'm scared of needles?"                       
       
           



       

He moved towards me again, looking into my eyes, pinning my wrists over my head. "Partially, but mostly because I like holding your hand and I hate the idea of you being scared."

He trailed his fingers down my body. There was something to his words. He saw me, despite the façade I'd put up. Part of me wanted to run. Another part though, the one that felt warm and well … randy, from all his kisses, pulled him nearer.

I reached for his shaft, stroking it. Rick's breath hitched as I kneaded him in my hands, feeling him respond to my touch. He slipped his finger inside me-one penetrated my slick folds while his thumb circled my clit. I screamed out from the pleasure, turning my head. He suckled my exposed earlobe, gently nibbling on it with those beautiful lips of his. The wetness at his tip excited me. I rubbed it along the head of his erection.

"I'm hard and you're wet … what should we do about that?"

"We should definitely do something," I choked.

"Tell me what you want, baby," he whispered in my ear.

"You," I moaned.

He growled suddenly, grabbing my wrist and moving it away. He entered my body in one swift motion, pushing his full length into me. I revelled in the now familiar stretch as Rick filled me, enjoying the sweet ecstasy of his body pressed against mine as we merged into one.





Chapter Ten





On Monday, Rick called me into his office to go over some new reports he needed. I jotted down studious notes, until he abruptly paused. "Let's go out to dinner tonight."

I glanced up at him, not sure if I'd heard correctly. "That's not part of the plan. No dating, remember?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, but his expression was completely serious and penetrating. "I'm changing the terms. Think of it as an addendum to our verbal contract."

"Well, I'm vetoing your addendum."

"Oh, but Marley, if you don't accept, I'll have to change other terms, and you won't like it."

I laughed cynically. "Are you threatening to withhold sex from me, Rick?"

He smiled. "Why would I punish myself? No, I can't really do that, but I can stop doing all the things you like so much. And trust me when I say I know exactly what they are."

I struggled with the chaotic thoughts that overtook my mind. I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but in reality, his threat scared me. I craved him, and not just for casual sex. I craved the way he made my body wake up as if it were coming out of a deep hibernation. He knew it too. "Fine, but we have to go somewhere far away from the office."

"Done. Any other stipulations, Garter Belt Girl?"

His tone was slightly mocking, but teasingly sexy nonetheless. "It's not a date."

"Then what is it, Marley?"

"Two co-workers going out after work and catching a bite to eat."

He was thoughtful for a moment, but I could see I'd managed to irritate him. "So to recap, we'll be two co-workers going out after work, catching a bite to eat, far away from the office so no one sees us, who are exclusively fucking each other."

"That's an apt description."

"It sounds like a completely insane description to me. One you can't say without taking a breath. It's so much simpler to just refer to it as a date, but then again, I should have expected you would make it more complicated."