Work Like You Don't Need the Money (12 page)

Pete ran his tongue along her bottom lip as he ran his fingers along the edge of her panties. She couldn't believe he was doing this in the back of a cab, but she didn't want him to stop. He slipped his tongue inside her mouth in a deep commanding kiss as he slipped his hand inside her panties. She opened up, kissing him back greedily as the exquisite sensations spread out from the place he touched her. She could feel herself getting wet, the tension starting to build in her belly as his mouth on hers demanded surrender. Suddenly he lifted his head and withdrew his hand, eyes glinting. Damn! He had her pulsing with need for him.

He smiled down at her. “We're nearly there,” he murmured.

“We were!” she retorted.

“Two can tease, Sweetheart.”

She drew in a deep breath. He was right there. She was frustrated, she didn't just want him now, she
needed
him. But as the lust receded a little, she was grateful that he at least was capable of some restraint. What kind of woman was she turning into? They were in the back of a cab, for God's sake – on the way to his parents' house!

The cab turned off the road and pulled through an arched gateway with the word 'Hemming' carved above it. They followed a driveway toward a huge house standing at the edge of the lake.

“Take a left here,” said Pete and they turned away from the main house.

As they rounded a corner, Holly saw a cabin standing at the water's edge, next to its own beach, sheltered by huge pines. She gasped, it was such a beautiful setting.

“This is great, thanks,” said Pete.

While he paid the driver, Holly got out and walked down to the water's edge. The pines smelled wonderful. The water lapped the pebbles on the beach. It was like a secret cove from a story book.

The cab drove away, and Pete walked down to join her. Holly's throat went dry as she took in his broad shoulders, strong chest, and the muscular legs encased in dark blue jeans. She met his eyes and smiled, he was incredible! He came to her and wrapped her in his arms. Resting his forehead on hers, he looked deep into her eyes.

“So?” The gesture and the way he asked were so gentle, she would love to believe that the question was about much more than sex, but she couldn't start kidding herself now.

“What about your parents?” she asked. She didn't want to be 'that girl,' the one screwing their son in the guest house!

Pete looked confused for a moment. His smile gone. Had he really been asking about more than sex? His eyes narrowed as he recovered.

“Don't worry, they're not here. We could get naked and fuck right here on the beach if that's what you want. We won't be disturbed.”

Holly was shocked by the harshness of his voice and his words. She looked at him, stunned.

“You're just here for the sex, right? Nothing else?”

Holly nodded, not knowing what else to say or what he wanted to hear. She'd never seen him this angry.

“Where do you want it then, Sweetheart?” he spat out the last word.

She started to speak, but his mouth crushed hers as his hands came down and grasped her backside, clamping her to him as he ground his hips into her. She flattened her hands against his chest to push him away, but he tightened his arms around her and started walking her backwards. In a few steps, her back hit the trunk of a tree. One of his hands tangled in her hair and pulled her head back. His lips left hers to nip and suck at her exposed throat.

“Pete, I...” she breathed as he pulled down her skirt to lay in a pool at her feet. His hand dived inside her panties.

“Pete...” she tried again.

“What, Sweetheart? We both know you don't want me to stop.”

She moaned as he slid two fingers inside her, then withdrew them, spreading her wetness over her nub in tight little circles before he slid them back in, over and over.

She couldn't focus on anything but the feel of his fingers, the sensations building. She was supposed to want him to stop, but she couldn't. It felt so good. The next time his fingers entered her, he pressed his palm against her, the combined pressure taking her close to the edge.

“Pete,” she breathed, “You're going to make me come.”

He withdrew his hand, eyes still dark. “Not till you're naked. I need to see you.”

She was panting, desperate for his talented fingers to return to their work.

“Take it off, Holly.” He stepped back, eyes fixed on her breasts. “Let me see you.”

She pulled her top over her head, unfastened her bra and removed her panties. A little thrill ran through her as the fresh air touched her skin, reminding her she was getting naked out here on the beach, in broad daylight. She reached out to Pete, wanting to see him too. He pushed her hands away. Leaning an arm across her chest he pinned her back against the tree.

“No need, you just want sex, right? Not me?”

His hand trailed down over her stomach and returned to its work. She moaned again as his other hand closed around her breast and he pinched her nipple, hard. He thrust his fingers deep and she arched her hips to him as he touched her G spot.

His eyes, still hard, bored into her own. “Come for me, Holly.”

She couldn't look away as he brought her to the edge. Even as her muscles spasmed over and over and she cried his name, she couldn't pull her eyes away from his. When she stopped gasping, he slowly withdrew his fingers and brought them to his lips, still holding her eyes as he licked her juices from his fingertips.

“Mmm, I need more of this.”

She drooped against the tree, wondering if her legs would support her. Pete read her mind and picked her up, carrying her around to the back of the cabin where he sat her on the edge of a picnic table and took a seat on the bench between her legs.

He pulled her hips towards his face and an aftershock rippled through her. She hadn't fully recovered and he was about to... Oh God! She leaned back on her hands as he held her open and trailed his tongue over her swollen flesh. Even his tongue was hot and hard as he flicked it inside her, making her making her collapse back onto her elbows. He grazed his teeth over her clit, just hard enough make her yelp at the delicious discomfort.

“Sit up!” She was stunned by the growled command that came from between her legs. So stunned that she obeyed instinctively, sitting upright. He reached up to touch her breasts. His mouth closed around her clit and he sucked as he twisted her nipples between his finger and thumb. The combined effects made her come again, a shuddering orgasm that left her panting.

Pete stood and she reached out hold him, but he stepped back away from her. Screw him then if he was going to be so moody! She lay back on the table, needing some support, her muscles were like Jello. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh, she was spent.

She opened them in a hurry when Pete took hold of her feet and pulled her round so she was lying lengthways on the table, her legs hanging off the end. He was unbuckling his jeans, eyes still unreadable, none of the fun in them that she'd grown so used to.

“Pete, I...”

She tried to sit up, but he put a hand to her shoulder. Without a word, he freed his cock from his pants. He was huge and
very
hard. She could see the veins standing out along the length of him. He took her hand and closed it around him. He felt like silk and steel, radiating heat, she could feel him throb.

“Is this what you want from me?” he asked, thrusting into her hand.

She nodded, biting her bottom lip in anticipation of the way he would feel inside her. He rolled on a condom then spread her legs wide. He stood between them, positioning himself at her opening. He coaxed her clit with his  thumb once more. At her first moan, he thrust deep, stretching her even though she was already so wet. He embedded himself deep inside and held still, she could feel him pulsating as he filled her. He stood that way a long moment, breathing hard. She found his eyes, little beads of sweat had formed on his brow.

“Is this what you want from me?” he rasped. He pulled all the way out then thrust deep again.

“Yes, oh God, Pete. Yes!”

He held still, blue eyes boring deep into her. “Is this
all
you want?” He picked up his pace pounding into her then stopped. “Is this really
all
you want?” He moved slowly now, filling her, pulling out, tormenting her. “Don't lie to me.”

Tears filled her eyes. Why was he doing this? It was nowhere near all that she wanted, but she knew it was all she could have.

He thrust his hips again, his hot hard cock taking her to the edge, even as a tear threatened to fall.

He pulled her up so she sat facing him and pumped slowly in and out, still holding her captive with his eyes. “I
need
to know.” He marked each word with a thrust. “Is. This. All. You. Want?”

“Nooo!” It came out as a scream that echoed around the pines and across the lake. She couldn't hide it, couldn't deny it. His eyes softened and his arms closed around her as he moved inside her. Her naked breasts chafed against his shirt as their bodies heaved together. She felt him tense and grow bigger before he exploded, triggering her own climax as they carried each other through wave after wave.

When she returned to earth, he silently offered her his hand and led her inside the cabin where he went into the bathroom while she collapsed onto the bed. When he returned, he wrapped her in a blanket then wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he rested his head on her shoulder.

“You are amazing, do you know this?”

Holly said nothing. She was physically and emotionally drained. She didn't know what to say, or even what to think. Why had he done that? Why tear down her defenses? Was it some kind of ego trip for him? She was glad she couldn't see his eyes, or he hers.

He peppered her neck and shoulder with little kisses. “Do you think we need to talk about it?”

She shrugged. Wondering what he might have to say.

He said nothing for a long moment then his hand found its way inside the blanket and stroked down her side till it rested at her waist. She didn't know if she could manage another round. But, instead of making its way southward, that hand surprised the hell out of her by tickling her. And did it ever tickle!  She laughed uncontrollably as she tried to wriggle away from him, but he just kept tickling and laughing. She rolled over to face him and tried to tickle him back, but being fully clothed gave him a major advantage. They were laughing like a pair of kids when he caught her hands and drew her to him, the laughter faded into a deep, tender kiss.

When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were that violet color again, gentle, not a  trace of hardness left in them.

“There's my proof,” he smiled.

“What proof?”

“A woman would never get into a tickle war, or respond to a kiss the way you just did, if she was only looking to get laid.”

Holly rolled her eyes. “Such a way with words!”

“Don't blame me, they were
your
ground rules.”

“I suppose.”

He kissed the top of her head and she closed her eyes. He could be so sweet. She'd be setting herself up for a whole world of hurt if she got too attached to him.

“I'd say it's fairly obvious we need to change those ground rules though. So, we need to talk about it. Agreed?”

“I suppose,” she said again. Why the hell was he doing this? Wasn't the guy supposed to be the one who was happy with just sex? The one who didn't want to talk?

“Come on, Holly. What do you want out of this?”

She pursed her lips. “Nothing I can have, that's for sure!”

“What do you mean?”

“You said yourself, there's no room for someone like me in your life.”

“What? I've said nothing of the sort. And what does 'someone like you' mean, anyway?”

Holly took a deep breath. “Okay,  maybe you didn't say it out loud, but you didn't disagree with me when I said there was no room for me in your life. I know I'm not like you.  I'm not rich or successful, I'm just plain old Holly Hayes. Someone like you is going to want a woman of similar status, a successful woman, who moves in all the right circles, who goes to your fancy fundraisers,” she let out a bitter little laugh, “Someone who can cook! I am none of those things. I am definitely not girlfriend material. So, I thought it best to keep our arrangement purely physical.”

Pete looked completely baffled. “Why?”

Holly blew out an exasperated sigh. Why was he able to blast through her defenses? And why, oh why, did she always have to blurt out the truth? She planted a kiss on his full, beautiful lips.

“Because you, Mr. Bigshot, would be far too easy for me to get attached to. I am nothing if not practical. I was trying to make it easy on myself.”

Pete nodded.

“Anyway, why couldn't you just take a woman offered on a plate and leave it at that? I would have thought any man would be all over an opportunity for commitment free sex.”

He said nothing, just held her captive with his eyes once more. She could see his mind was working overtime, the little pulse working in his jaw. She waited for the worst. He'd probably tell her they should just forget the whole thing.

                                                          **********

Pete's mind was racing; racing to unscramble what she'd just said, the way he felt about her and how he could reconcile any of it with the unfortunate fact that, in one important respect, she was right...

“Okay, first things first. You've got me all wrong if you think status and material success are what matter to me. Think about it, my best friends include a broke single mom and the son of a dirt poor, abusive alcoholic.”

Holly raised an eyebrow.

“I'm talking about Missy and Jack, two of the most important people in my life. So that argument doesn't stand. I don't even believe you think I'm that shallow, it's more about your own hang-ups.”

Holly started to speak, but he silenced her with a kiss. He needed to tell her the rest before they got into discussing it.

“Now, I didn't argue with you about not having room in my life, because it's true, I don't. No, listen,” he said, seeing her face at that. “It's not that I don't have room for YOU, it's that I don't have room for anyone. Phoenix takes up my time and is my number one priority, and it will be for the next four years. That's the plan and I live my life by the plan. It's what got me where I am. I date women, of course I do, but nothing serious, nothing long term, because it's not my time yet.”