Playing With Attraction (Playing the Game Book 1), page 10
Bikini or one piece?
My eyes bounced between the two swimsuits laid out on my bed like a ping-pong ball being hit by paddles. The white bikini still had the tags on it because I’d gone out on my lunch hour and picked it up. My justification was that it had been on sale and I hadn’t gotten myself a new bathing suit in four years.
But I knew the truth. I could justify my behavior until I was blue in the face, but the real reason I’d made the purchase was the thought of having Cole see me in it. Last night, I’d spent another night tossing and turning in my bed, which had been happening a lot lately. Ever since Cole had inserted himself into my life.
Hmmm…inserted… A visual of Cole inserting himself into me popped into my mind.
No. Stop it, I quickly reprimanded myself.
Lately, my mind had been writing Letters to Penthouse, with all of my entries starring Cole. It was getting out of hand.
Not that I had even the slightest glimmer of hope that I’d be able to stop my erotic fantasies after that panty-melting, world-rocking, mind-blowing, “friendly” kiss we’d shared last night.
The one Cole had ended so abruptly that it had taken me several minutes after I’d locked the door—per his orders—before I’d been able to string together a coherent thought in my lust-addled brain.
Cole Carson knew how to kiss. Really kiss. Sure, I was not the most experienced when it came to sex, but I’d kissed my fair share of guys. Of course, that had all been during my preteen and teen years. Cole was the first man I’d ever kissed.
He’d taken his time and applied just the right amount of pressure with his tongue and lips. I’d gone mindless, boneless, inhibition-less from the first swipe of his wet tongue along my mouth. But that hadn’t even been the best part. Nope. The best part had been when he’d picked me up, set me on the counter, and then gruffly pulled my hips so that our bodies were intimately aligned. The way he’d handled me had been the perfect balance of rough and gentle. It’d made me feel a dangerous combination of completely safe and totally out of control.
Last night and all day, I’d tried to convince myself that my body’s reaction to him could be easily explained by the fact that I’d been on a self-imposed dry spell for the last…hmmm…decade. That any man who would’ve touched me and kissed me would’ve made me respond the same way. But deep down, I knew the truth.
Cole Carson held the keys to unlocking a side of myself I hadn’t even known existed. Or, if I’d known on some subconscious level, then I’d ignored it—the erotic, pleasure-seeking woman inside me that wanted Cole’s mouth all over my body last night felt like a stranger to me, but someone that I wanted to get to know better.
A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of what it would feel like if Cole used his talented mouth to kiss me between my legs. Just the notion made me tingle and pulse with need.
Looking at the clock on my bedside table, I saw that I still had fifteen minutes before Cole had said he would be there. Maybe I should take the edge off before he arrived. That way, I had a shot at controlling my urges tonight.
It had worked for Ben Stiller in There’s Something About Mary. Well, except for the whole accidental cum-as-hair-gel thing. Still, it might help. And if there was one thing my decade long sex drought had taught me, it was how to take care of myself.
Lying back on my bed, I closed my eyes and ran my hand up my thigh, lifting my dress to my waist. Then, opening my legs, I slipped my hand inside my panties and was not surprised to feel my fingers slide over damp lips, which were slick with arousal. After spreading the moisture over my clit, I began moving my finger in circles—slowly at first, then faster.
Images of Cole’s mouth where my hand was filled my mind. His tongue licking where I was touching. His lips sucking me and his long, thick fingers sensually massaging my opening, before sliding into me.
Before I knew it, my release was cresting like a wave, crashing over me as a rush of liquid coated my fingers. My body shook with its power.
As I floated back into my consciousness, there was a loud knock at the door.
Shoot. Did that take fifteen minutes?
Nope. A quick check of the time told me that it was only ten till six. So either Cole was early or someone else was at the door.
After grabbing my two-piece, I ran into the bathroom. With speed that put Wonder Woman to shame I stripped out of my dress, washed my hands and lady parts, threw on my swimsuit, and pulled my dress back on. Then I snatched up my brush and ran it through my hair before I slipped on my sandals and hurried to the door.
I was still a little out of breath as I opened it mid-knock. Cole was standing, flowers in hand, on the other side of it.
“Hi.” I tried my best not to sound and look like a woman who’d just pleasured herself to the image of the person standing in front her. Unfortunately, my voice was shaky, my legs were still a little wobbly, and I could feel that there was a fairly obvious flush covering my cheeks.
Cole’s vivid, green eyes locked with mine before his gaze hungrily made its way down my body. His intense scrutiny was not helping my mission to appear unaffected. In fact, even though I’d just experienced an orgasm a few minutes ago, my sex was throbbing with need under his sultry stare.
“Damn, you look good enough to eat,” he rasped in a low tone that spread through me like melted butter.
Funny you should mention that…
Keeping the inside joke to myself, I tried to lighten the sexual tension that was thick enough to choke on. “It’s amazing what a dress can do,” I laughed nervously. I wasn’t trying to be self-deprecating. That’s just how it had come out.
His eyes shot to mine with an intensity that caused my already weak knees to grow weaker. “It’s not the dress.”
I had no idea how to respond to that. Not that I could have, even if I did have something clever to say. With Cole looking at me like he was staring straight into my soul, I was unable to do anything except for try to remain upright on legs that had turned to Jell-O.
His eyes narrowed and his head tilted forward. “What were you doing when I knocked on the door?”
What?! Was it that obvious? There was no way he could know. Right?
“Huh?” It wasn’t the most eloquent comeback, but honestly, I was proud of myself for not melting into a puddle under his sensual scrutiny.
“Why did it take you so long to come to the door?” he asked as if he already knew—or thought he knew—the answer.
“You’re early. I was getting dressed.” I stood taller, feeling pretty dang happy that I’d not only been able to explain my delay, I hadn’t had to lie to do it.
Score one for me. No Pinocchio nose here. Nope.
It looked like Cole was going to say more, but before he got the chance, Megan’s door opened and she stepped onto the porch. When she saw me, she let out a wolf whistle. Instantly, I felt my cheeks grow hotter.
“You look like a pinup girl, mama! H-O-T!”
“Yes, she does,” Cole immediately agreed.
While I appreciated the compliments, I’d never been one to be comfortable feeling on display. “Thanks. We’d better get going.”
“Where are you two kids off to?” Megan asked, as she bounced Chloe on her hip.
I realized that I had no idea. All Cole had told me was to wear a swimsuit. I’d decided to throw on a dress because all he had ever seen me in were cut-off shorts, jeans, scrubs, and cut-off sweats.
But, come to think of it, I actually had no idea where we were headed. That was really out of character for me. Normally, I needed every detail imaginable before agreeing to go anywhere or do anything.
Looking up at Cole, I waited with Megan to find out what my night had in store.
“We’re going swimming. At my house.”
Oh boy.
Cole reached over and said hi to the baby, who lit up at his attention, before settling his hand on my lower back. The feeling of his large hand as he guided me down the steps of the porch felt so good, so right, that it scared me. How could a simple touch, something so innocent, be so perfect and so hot?
“You kids have fun!” Megan yelled out.
I waved as Cole opened the door to his Range Rover for me. The vehicle was so roomy. I hadn’t ever been in a luxury SUV before and my first impression was it lived up to the hype.
When he shut the door, I looked over to where Megan was fanning herself dramatically on the porch—and not because of the temperature outside. I smiled. I was very lucky to have her as a friend. Not only supportive and protective, but also a smartass. That wasn’t a combination that came along very often.
When I heard the driver’s side door, I looked over and saw Cole’s long legs and tall frame fill the space, and suddenly, what had felt spacious now felt small and intimate.
“Ready?” he asked, a small dimple showing through his five-o’clock shadow.
“Yep.” I grinned tightly as butterflies had a dance party in my stomach.
You have no idea.
CHAPTER 18
Cole
I felt like a nervous, pimply-faced teenager. Not that I’d ever been one. I’d always had clear skin and the opposite sex had never been all that intimidating to me.
Until now.
The ride over to my house was awkward, at best. As much as I would’ve liked to think that my stupid jokes and small talk had made Julianna feel comfortable, I could see the truth. She was a basket case. A nervous wreck.
Her fingers had been twisting in her hair so much that they would’ve made Chubby Checker proud, and her foot had been tapping on the floorboard like she was doing a Cab Calloway impression.
Now that we’d arrived at my house, I felt self-conscious as she looked around, her jaw practically on the floor.
“Wow.” She slowly spun in a circle, taking in the view of the city through the wall of windows in the living room.
I’d only shown her the kitchen, study, and living room so far, and with every room we entered, she seemed more overwhelmed. I made an executive decision to skip the media and game rooms and head straight to the pool. Since the moment Anthony had told me that his mom’s favorite thing to do was swim but she hated going to public pools because she had a thing about germs, I hadn’t been able to get the vision of her in a bikini, at my house, dripping wet, out of my head.
I had felt like a little bit of a creep for that thought considering that Anthony had been the one to tell me. But damn, I couldn’t help myself.
“Do you want to eat or swim first?” I asked. I kept my tone casual, even though I would’ve given up my Super Bowl win for her to choose swim.
“Swim,” she answered as if that were a stupid question.
I smiled from ear to ear. I found myself doing that a lot around Julianna.
“Then let’s go.” I placed my hand on the small of her back, a gesture that was starting to feel as natural as tying my shoe. My palm took up one side of her lower back and my fingers spread to cover the rest—a perfect fit.
As we walked out the back door onto the deck, I realized that, for the first time in my life, I could honestly say that I had everything I wanted in the palm of my hand.
“Oh my gosh! This is beautiful!” Julianna took two steps onto the deck and covered her mouth.
I looked around, trying to see it through her eyes. There was a black-bottom infinity pool in the center that overlooked the city. The large wooden deck we were standing on had strings of lights looping above it. Shrubbery surrounded the privacy fence on each side of the property.
It was nice, but nothing compared to the person standing beside me.
“You are beautiful,” I said reverently.
She smiled up at me, and her body relaxed.
“I’m sure you say that to all the girls you bring here,” she teased, lifting her brows.
“I’ve never brought a girl here,” I confessed, then immediately regretted it. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her off, but another part of me wanted her to know how serious I was about her.
“Right,” she said, as if I were bullshitting.
“I haven’t. You’re the first,” I replied honestly. I had nothing to hide.
Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she tilted her head. “I find that hard to believe.”
Since I’d gone this far, I knew that I might as well go all in. I wanted no secrets between us. My past was my past, and there was nothing I could do to change it, but I wasn’t ashamed of it.
“I had an apartment that I used for that.”
“Had?”
“Yeah. I turned in my keys to the landlord a couple of weeks ago. I knew I wasn’t going to be needing it anymore.”
“Because you decided to start bringing your conquests to your house?” she said in a joking tone, but I could see she was really asking.
“No. Because I hadn’t used it since the day I met you. I’m done with ‘conquests.’ I only want one thing. You.”
She didn’t have a quick comeback to that one. Instead, she just stared at me, looking sexier and more beautiful than any woman I’d ever seen. The air between us crackled with an electrical charge. I knew I had just raised the stakes, and I wasn’t sure if Julianna was going to fold or see my hand. She surprised me by doing neither.
“Let’s swim,” she declared in a shaky voice. Then she lifted her dress over her head and dropped it on a deck chair.
Holy shit.
I had imagined seeing Julianna in a bikini more times than I cared to admit. I’d fantasized about what she looked like beneath her scrubs and shorts and tank tops. Now, coming face to face with the real thing took my breath away. The reality of her body was so much better than my vivid imagination had been able to come up with.
She had an hourglass figure that rivaled any of the Kardashians. Her full breasts pressed against the white triangles of her bikini top, and the small V of her bottoms left little to the imagination. I knew I was staring, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“You coming?” she asked as she turned and jogged to the edge of the pool.
Yes. I would definitely be coming tonight. I’d be coming to the picture of her in a bathing suit tonight, tomorrow night, and for all the foreseeable nights in my future.
I ripped my shirt off and stepped out of my shoes as I strode like a man on a mission to where she was standing. Just as I reached her, Julianna dove into the deep end with the grace and poise of an Olympic swimmer.
Knowing that she was going to get an eyeful of just how much I was enjoying seeing her in a bikini if I didn’t get underwater before she surfaced, I jumped in too. And for the next hour, we swam around, splashed, and had fun. She was quick and wily. Every time I’d reach for her—usually after she’d splashed or dunked me—she’d get away before I could get a good grip on her.
After dunking me for the umpteenth time, Julianna laughed as she began swimming away, trying to escape retaliation. Unfortunately for her, I was done playing cat and mouse. I easily stood up in the deep end and grabbed her ankle. Then I pulled her towards me, spun her around, and wrapped my arms around her in one swift movement. Still giggling, she pushed off of my chest, splashed, and wriggled against me. The mood turned on a dime when her efforts brought her in direct contact with my rock-hard cock.
Julianna stilled. The energy between us shifted. What had been playful and flirty turned serious and heated.
Then, in a move sexier than the Phoebe Cates pool scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, she brushed the wet strands of hair that had fallen in her face, leaned back, and locked her legs around my waist.
Instinctively, my body rocked into hers as she rested her hands on my shoulders. Digging my fingers into the flesh on her hips, I tightened my hold, pulling her even closer to me. Water dripped down her chest, her rounded breasts bobbing against the surface of the water, tempting me to the point of insanity.
“Can I ask you something?” Julianna asked shyly.
“Anything.” I studied her, wondering where the sudden shyness had come from.
Her face was flushed, her eyes glossy with desire, and her shiny red lips were slightly open as she took in short breaths, which reminded me of exactly how she looked when she’d opened the door tonight.
Interesting. I’d seen that expression on women’s faces enough times that I had a strong suspicion as to what she’d been doing before I got there.
“Am I really the only girl you’ve brought here?” She searched my eyes, waiting for my response.
“Yes,” I answered definitively. “Can I ask you something?”
A nervous smile pulled at her lips. I wasn’t sure if it was because of my answer or the fact that I had something I wanted to ask her.
“What?” she finally responded, the corner of her eyes crinkling with suspicion.
“Oh, I see how it is. I say, ‘anything’ and you ask, ‘what?’” I teased as I spread my fingers on her ribs and lightly tickled her.
“Stop! I’m ticklish!” She giggled as she writhed in the water, my arms still holding her firmly against me.
I stopped—not only because she’d asked me to, but also because if she kept rubbing her soft, wet curves along my straining shaft I was going to explode in my swim trunks.
When her laughter subsided, she ran her hands through her hair, once again lifting the wet strands off her gorgeous face. She looked happy. Truly happy. Knowing that I had put the wide-open smile on her beautiful face made me feel prouder than when I’d thrown the winning touchdown for my Super Bowl win that I was willing to give up to have this moment.
“What do you want to ask me?” she asked playfully as we swayed in the water.
“Did I interrupt something when I came to pick you up tonight?”
When her mouth opened, I thought she was going to say no, but she closed it. Then opened and closed it again. After the third time, her answer was clear.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” My hands flexed around her hips, my fingers gripping her backside. “What were you doing?” I asked, as my dick twitched painfully at the thought of what I was ninety-nine percent sure she’d been doing.
“I was… I got… I needed to…” She stumbled over her words. I noticed that she did that when she was nervous too, in addition to twisting her hair, biting her lip, and tapping her foot.
