DirtyInterludes (16 page)

Teeth scraped and tongues fought as he greedily sampled her.
He felt the quickening of her body and relished it. He fucked her with his
tongue, mimicking what he was doing below. Thighs clamped over his wrist, her
hips undulating. Max broke the kiss, wanting to see her come undone. His gut
clenched as heat swirled and tightened along his dick. Bridget screamed his
name. She arched upward and he palmed his cock, desperate to ease the painful
need.

Bridget’s pussy clenched over him and her juices flooded his
fingers. He exhaled sharply as she came down. He wanted to part her thighs and
thrust into her, the compulsion so great he was barely aware of the pounding in
his chest. Easing his fingers from her, he sucked the essence of her off his
fingers. His eyelids fluttered at the taste of rain. He loved her taste and
could get drunk on it.

“Max, I can’t wait anymore.”

Max lurched into action, unbuttoning his jeans with one
hand, while with the other, he reached for a bowl of condoms. A flash of
embarrassment pierced his haze as he wondered what she thought of condoms on
display, announcing his prominent sexual activity. But the thought went up in
flames as her hand slid up his abs and pulled his shirt from him. He jerked his
jeans down to his knees and rolled on the condom. Hand planted by her shoulder,
he hissed as he eased into her waiting body. Incredible bliss circled his cock
and spiraled upward to settle in his heart. Seated in her, he held still as
pleasure vibrated through his frame. She felt like heaven. Glorious, awe-inspiring
and all-encompassing. Sweat slithered down his back, followed by the stroke of
her fingers down his spine. Max cupped the back of her head, her blouse
brushing over his bare skin.

Shame intermingled with his growing desire and amusement.
“You’re still dressed.”

Bridget gasped as he shifted, her feet hooked over his
thigh, holding him to her. “I don’t care. It feels so good. Don’t stop.”

Who was he to deny her? He lunged forward, his balls
slapping against her backside. Ferocious need tore at him and stabbed through
his control. The need to come bore down on him and exploded inside his soul. He
kissed her with all the passion inside him. He relished every shimmer of
exaltation and the erotic assault on his senses. He gripped her knee, forcing
it upward and impaling her deeper. Bridget cried out and he nibbled on her ear.
The words of love caught in his throat and he trembled as an orgasm crashed
over him. He murmured something, it could’ve been inconsequential or something
hidden in his heart. He didn’t know. But he needed her, needed her with a
desperation that should’ve sent a shaft of fear through him.

He groaned as a fresh wave of his climax crashed over him
and his heart thundered with it. White light seared his vision and stole his
strength. The glory of coming passed, leaving him weak and vulnerable as he
slumped over her. Her breath whistled by his ear and he turned his head to face
her. A smile tilted her lips, a smile of a woman well pleasured.

He wished he could keep her like this forever. But reality
threatened to intrude. An awkward sense of passing the point of no return
pierced his consciousness. The answer to all his problems lay in lying to the
woman he was falling for. Guilt and relief were odd companions. He rolled off
her and pulled off the condom. Bridget adjusted her skirt as he buttoned his
jeans.

“This is starting to become a habit of ours.”

Max raised a brow in query. “What?”

Bridget brushed hair from her face and laughed. “Making love
with our clothes on.”

Max grimaced. “Says a lot about my prowess.”

Bridget crawled across the bed and straightened on her
knees, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. “I think it’s sexy.”

He caressed her arm. “Yeah. You keep thinking that.”

Her attention shifted behind him and her mouth slackened.
“Wow, you didn’t lie.”

“Huh?”

“P. Diddy Gnomes.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the two gnomes on his
dresser. Easing from her embrace, he pulled the father gnome from the dresser
and handed it to her. “Here, I shouldn’t have kept him.”

Strange that handing it to her hurt so much, but he tamped
down the emotion. Bridget stared at the gnome then waved her hands. “No. Keep
him. Think of it as a memento.”

His heart took flight and he returned the gnome to the
dresser. When he turned back to Bridget, she stood beside his bed, slipping her
feet into her flats.

“Stay for dinner?” The words were out before he could
register them.

“I would love to, but I’m going out with a friend. She’s
been pretty upset lately. I think she’s having man troubles.”

Disappointment ripped the wings off his heart. “Oh.”

Bridget smiled and kissed him, pulling away before he could
take it further. “But I can swing by later?”

Max stroked her hip. “I would love it.”

“Then it’s a date.”

Chapter Twelve

Bridget fiddled with her mug, turning it in her hand as the
silent tension raked over her nerves. Cathy stabbed into her cake, the odd
silent treatment making the last ten minutes feel like an hour. Since arriving,
Cathy refused to speak a word and Bridget waited for her friend to reveal the
source of her discontent.

“Are you mad at me?” Bridget asked finally.

Cathy pushed her plate away, forearms propped on the table.
The smile she cast Bridget’s way was brittle, her gaze just as chilly. “No, why
would you think that?” she asked, her tone sickly sweet.

The sting made her shrink back. “You haven’t spoken to me
since I arrived. I thought you wanted to talk about what has been bothering you,
but I’m beginning to think you don’t want to talk at all.”

Cathy dropped her arms off the table, shoulders slumping
forward. “I know. It’s wrong of me to take out my angst on you. It’s just that
I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. I’m not good company tonight.”

Bridget’s heart ached for her friend’s misery. Reaching
across the distance, she patted her hand. “Are you certain?”

Cathy shrugged morosely. “He hasn’t been interested in, you
know, for a while. I thought it was a phase, but the other day, I did something
a little sexy and I got the cold shoulder.”

“Maybe there is something else? It could be stress.”

Cathy shook her head adamantly. “No. I know him and he’s
seeing someone behind my back.” She pounded her fist so hard against the table
cutlery rattled.

Bridget recoiled in her seat. Her friend was clearly hurting
and she was at a loss to how she could ease her pain. “Have you tried talking
to him?”

“And say what?”

“Find out how he’s feeling. Men sometimes just want to be
heard.”

Cathy glowered. “He isn’t that type of guy. Besides this has
happened before.”

Shock prickled along her scalp. “He’s done this before?”

“He’ll get bored of her and come back to me.”

Bridget slid her hands along the table, silently reaching to
comfort her friend. “He is a serial cheater? You can’t be thinking of staying with
him.”

Cathy glowered. “You don’t know anything. I love him. I moved
here for a fresh start. He wants to fix this.”

Bridget shook her head, baffled by her friend’s adamant
refusal to see how broken her relationship was. “Running away doesn’t solve
anything. You need to talk to him.”

Cathy slapped her hands down on the table, rising half out
of her seat. “Don’t speak about something you have no idea about. You’re just like
all of those women.”

“What?”

Cathy pointed a trembling finger at her. “You and all the
others who want me to leave him so you can have him all to yourself.”

“I don’t even know him.”

Cathy leaned forward, jaw clenched. “That’s right. You don’t
know him. I do and he loves me. He’ll come back and everything will be as it was.
As it was meant to be.”

Bridget felt for her friend. Could love really be that painful?
“It will. You just need to talk to him.”

Cathy brushed hair from her face and flopped back in her
seat. “Yes,” she said absently. “Yes. I should talk to him.”

Bridget reached for her friend and Cathy gripped her hand.

Cathy’s smile wobbled. “I’m sorry. I’ve just been on edge
the last week.”

“That’s okay. I understand.”

Cathy leaned forward, interest gleaming in her eyes. “Enough
about my problems, tell me what you’ve been doing. I haven’t seen you in an
age.”

Bridget hesitated in telling Cathy about Max. Her friend had
relationship problems and wouldn’t want to hear about how her feelings for him
had changed. “My tires were slashed the other day.”

Cathy’s mouth dropped open. “Was it Max?”

“No. He was actually pretty nice about it all.”

Cathy’s eyes narrowed. “What is going on here? Last time we
talked you hated him and now,” she twirled a finger at Bridget’s face, “you
have that look.”

Bridget straightened, swallowing back a smile. “What look?”

“The look. The dreamy, I’m-so-in-love look.”

Bridget made a sound of protest. “I’m not in love.”
I
don’t think.

“Well something is going on.”

“I didn’t want to say anything, because you’re going through
such a hard time with Mitch. But Max is actually a real nice guy.”

Cathy grimaced. “You don’t know that. Guys can’t hold their
attention long. I’d be really worried if I were you.”

Bridget reined in the urge to snap at her friend and
shrugged. “It’s nothing serious. We’re just friends right now, but who knows.”

Cathy’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, who knows.”

The rest of their conversation carried an undertone of
tension and Bridget finally called it quits. Leaving the café, she pondered on
her friend’s misery and fervently hoped Cathy would resolve whatever issue was
bothering her.

Leaving the guilt of having a budding relationship behind,
she thought of Max as warmth spread through her at the prospect of spending
more time with him. She imagined his hands on her. Need ratcheted inside and
her breasts felt heavy. Arriving home, she cast a glance at Max’s to find his
lights on. Grinning, she hurried into her house and stripped down to her
underwear. She pulled a long coat on, the fabric cool against her skin. She
cinched it tight around her waist before making her way to Max’s front door.
The crisp breeze snaked up her legs and she tensed at the spike of cool air.
Despite the heat of lust searing her, the cold dampened it. Knocking on the
door, she couldn’t wait long enough for him to let her in.

The door opened and she stepped inside, her fingers working
on the bow. “Thought I’d come prepared.”

She dropped the coat and Max’s mouth fell open.

“Do you like what you see?” she asked coquettishly.

She turned to give him the full view but stopped, frozen at
the sight of a couple in the living room, both pairs of eyes wide in equal surprise.
A scream of surprise burst from her and she covered her breasts, mortification
driving all the heat from her. She dove into a crouch to snatch up her coat.

“Oh my God.”

Max slipped the coat over her shoulders and she turned into
him, pressing her hot cheek against his chest. Clutching the lapels of her coat
with one hand, she groaned in humiliation. Max kissed her temple. “I did like
what I saw, but I don’t like sharing,” he whispered.

Laughing, she snuggled into him. “How embarrassing.”

“Nah, they’re cool. Don’t worry about it. Come on, I want
you to meet my friends.”

She shook her head even as he pulled away from her. He
grinned and winked playfully. “It can’t get any worse. You’ll like them.”

Grudgingly tying the coat shut she accepted his hand, allowing
him to lead her to the pair. One was a blond Rough Rider and the other, a
voluptuous bohemian with strawberry-blonde hair. “Guys, this is Bridget, my
neighbor. Bridget, this is Erica and Dylan.”

A sliver of pain spiked in her heart and she covered it with
a smile and listened to Max complete the introductions. She didn’t know what
she expected to call their relationship, but to be relegated to mere neighbor
who liked to go full Monty hurt.

She offered up an awkward wave.

Erica beamed, as if she hadn’t seen Bridget in all her naked
glory. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

Relief welled. “I’ve never met any of Max’s friends. How do
you know each other?”

Dylan opened his mouth, but Max spoke. “We used to work for
a production company, but Dylan left for suburban life with Erica.”

Dylan’s brows popped up. “Uh, yeah.”

She turned to Max and smiled. “Is that what you do?”

Max rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah. I kind of
freelance.”

“So you’re artistic?”

“I don’t know about that. Dylan’s the artist here. He makes
furniture. Real nice stuff.”

Settling into the lounge, she held Max’s hand as she was
drawn into a conversation about life outside of LA. The small-town living
sounded so quaint.

The anxiety in Max rose with every passing second as he
rubbed his finger over Bridget’s hand. He was barely aware of the conversation
and laughed only when others did, but otherwise was consumed by fear. Releasing
Bridget’s hand, he rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans before seeking out her
hand again. Bridget leaned against his side, her perfume surrounding him. She
was his and he wasn’t ready to let her in on his job.

Dylan stood. “We should leave the girls to get to know each
other. Max, you wanted to show me your car.”

Max knew a ploy when he saw one. He buzzed a kiss on Bridget’s
lips then followed his friend out onto the porch. As soon as the door clicked
shut, Dylan spoke. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

Max folded his arms. “What?”

Dylan stepped closer, his features soft with understanding.
“I know what it’s like to want someone you can’t have.”

Max glowered. “I don’t know what you think—”

“I think you’re screwing your neighbor.”

“Don’t. Don’t say anything about her, are we clear?”

Dylan’s lips pinched, his gaze unreadable. “She’s not just
some random screw, is she? Something deeper is going on here.”

Max didn’t want to admit it to Dylan. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

Dylan sighed, the sound grating on Max. “Max, you’re playing
with fire.”

“You think I’m not entitled to have someone like her in my
life?”

“It’s not that. If you want a chance to keep her, you’re
going to have to come clean.”

“Like you did?”

“My situation was different and you know it. You still work
in the industry and it’s a fact she needs to know.”

Pain pounded in his chest. He didn’t like the weight of
guilt, and anger burned through it. “You really think a girl like her will want
me once she knows what I do?”

“So you want to be in a relationship with her?”

“Hell yes I do. I want to have what every guy has. I want a
fucking girlfriend for a change. And you think telling her about work is going
to achieve that for me?”

“Who knows? But you can’t build a relationship on lies.
Someday it’s going to crumble in on you.”

“Yeah? Well at least I’ll have a good damn time before that
happens.”

He opened the door and slammed it shut. Erica jerked
upright, her eyes wide, and he faltered to a stop. “Just a slight disagreement
of which car is better. I think Dylan wants to go.”

Dylan stepped in behind him. “Yeah, it’s getting late. We’ll
catch up later. Think about what I said, all right?”

Max nodded stiffly, his focus on Bridget. Beautiful,
luscious Bridget, and his world seemed to settle. She walked over to him and he
wrapped her in an embrace, sinking all his worries into the depths of his chest
and feeling her body curved into him. This was what he wanted. Her.

“Come to bed with me?” he whispered.

“Okay.”

He slipped his hand down to hers and walked her up to his
room. The minute he passed the threshold, he turned toward her and cupped her
cheeks, kissing her with all the passion he felt in his being. She tasted of
the wine she’d sipped and a pureness he couldn’t touch. He slipped his hands
along her shoulders, the coat fluttering to her feet with a whisper. Lust
seared his cock, knowing all that kept him from her was a flimsy bit of
material. Nibbling on her lower lip, he hooked his finger over the elastic and
pulled her panties down. His hand settled on her waist as she shimmied them the
rest of the way off. Breaking the kiss, he muttered a curse. For all the beautiful
women he’d seen and fucked, Bridget eclipsed them all. Smooth skin and curves
that begged for his mouth on them. She tipped a foot up to take off her red
pumps.

“Leave them on,” he said, his voice thick with desire.

Bridget blinked up at him, then grinned, a smile both shy
and saucy. “All right.”

Clasping both her hands, he walked backward until he sat on
his bed. Her breasts were at eye level and he kissed the tip of one. Bridget’s
fingers fluttered over his nape as he swirled his tongue over her nipple.

The mattress dipped and he released her to stare up in awe
as she mounted him. She fisted her hands around the hem of his shirt and he
lifted his arms to help her pull it off him. Cool air touched his torso, but
inside he burned up with lust. Clasping her around the waist so he wouldn’t
lose her for one second, he lifted off the bed enough to shuck his jeans past
his knees. The rest he kicked off and Bridget giggled. She cupped his cheeks
and kissed him. He cupped the back of her head, her hair tangling around his
fingers as he sampled her provocative mouth. Bridget pushed at his shoulders
and he broke off with a groan of reluctance.

“What?” he rasped.

She pressed her palm against his chest and he swore she
could feel his heart racing. “I want to ride you,” she said.

Max’s mouth went dry and he allowed her to push him back.
She pumped him a few times before letting him go. Max swallowed back a curse,
his shaft thrumming with painful need. He wanted her to fist his cock until it
hurt so good.

She settled her body higher, hands pressed over his
shoulders, her long hair drifting down to caress his skin. He tensed as
awareness tingled. Her delicious cunt slid along his lower abs, just above his
cock, the wetness of her untouched pussy compelling and gratifying. He wasn’t
the only one suffering. Max hissed as her butt rubbed the tip of his cock. He
longed to shift her a few inches downward so he could thrust into her tight
sheath. Her touch was heaven and hell combined. He wanted her to go on forever,
but needed her to settle over his dick and give him the fucking he desperately
wanted.

He heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper and he opened his
eyes as she scooted down to roll the latex over his erection. Max’s cock jerked
as white-hot pleasure followed after her touch and he gripped the base, cursing
as a climax threatened.