More Than Friends (2 page)

* * * * *

“So, how is everybody back in Canton Falls?” Jeni asked before taking a sip of her Blue Moon. She usually made it back to Ohio several times a year, but between her relationship with Stephen and her work at the resort, the last six months had been hectic. She had only visited twice, and both times had been brief. She was not likely to make it to Canton Falls on this trip, but her parents were meeting her for breakfast Monday morning in Cleveland before she headed back to Florida.

“It may come as a shock to you, but everybody is the fucking same,” he said. His disdain for the fact that so little changed in their small town was evident. “Jeremy is still working in the body shop with his brothers and complaining every single day despite the fact that he drives the nicest car in town. I stopped taking his calls for a little while. He was becoming such a downer.”

Jeremy had grown up with Brian and Jeni, and he used to hang out with them all the time. He simply never had any aspirations to go to college, to leave Canton Falls. So when mostly everyone else went to college, Jeremy went to work at his dad’s body shop. He’d been there ever since. Working on cars during the day. Partying at night. Living with mom and dad. It was not a bad life. It was just that Jeremy complained about it instead of actually living it.

“How’s Kimmy? I haven’t spoken to her in about three months.” Kim had been one of Jeni’s best friends in high school. They went separate paths in college, but they still kept in touch periodically.

“Since Kim got married to Dave, she’s never been more miserable. Every time Dave goes out with the guys, she calls or texts excessively because she thinks he’s cheating.”

“Kim just wanted to live the American Dream. You know…husband, kids, white picket fence. So far, all Dave has given her is the husband.”

“Yeah, but Kimmy knew what she was getting into,” Brian said. The waitress placed their burgers in front of them. Brian stole one of Jeni’s sweet potato fries as she swatted his hand. “They had only been dating off and on since freshmen year of high school. She knew Dave was in no rush to have a family.”

“And Dave knew what he was getting into too,” Jeni said, defending her friend. “You always take Dave’s side.”

“And you always take Kimmy’s,” he said back. “If nothing else, you and I always remain loyal to our friends, including each other!” He smiled at her.

This was very true. Brian always had her back. No matter what. Any guy that she dated got a warning from him. One even got his face punched when he broke up with her and backed out of a college social the day before the event. Brian drove up to the University of Akron the following morning from Columbus where he attended the Ohio State University. He visited the guy at his apartment and punched him in the face as soon as he opened his door. Then Brian took Jeni to the social himself. She had had a lovely time with Brian that night, and he made her forget all about what’s his name.

The waitress brought another round of beers. They ate and drank. They talked about their families. They laughed about old memories. There was always such an ease between the two of them.

“I can’t believe it’s already past ten o’clock,” Brian said, glancing down at his cell phone. “Time escapes me when you’re around.” He smiled at her. His crooked smile made everything inside of her come alive. It was genuine…and it was sexy…. It was naughty but in a good way.

“Let’s head back to the hotel,” Jeni said. She knew that the thoughts of rolling around naked in bed were also zipping through his mind. She could tell by the darkness that settled in his eyes at her suggestion. “With the wedding festivities tomorrow, we have a long day ahead of us. We are going to need our rest.” Jeni winked at him.

“Very cute, Jeni.” He threw some money on the table to cover the bill, and they headed up the street to their hotel.

“It’s a bit chilly,” Jeni said, crossing her arms over her chest. She had on a light purple cable knit sweater with jeans, but the end of September in Ohio could be cold, especially for a transplant Floridian.

“Clearly, your blood has thinned since moving to Florida.” He draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer to his body. “You used to run around in shorts in this weather.”

Jeni laughed. What he said was true.

They walked into the lobby of the hotel and headed straight for the elevator. Their room was on the tenth floor. The elevator ride seemed like eternity. Brian’s arm was still over her shoulder, and Jeni snuggled closer to his chest. He felt so strong, and she felt so safe in his arms. He breathed into her hair and moaned softly. She looked up at him. His brown eyes were full of heat. His body responded to their close proximity. She could feel his erection press into her hip. His hand weaved into her hair and pulled her face to his and into a passionate kiss. The kiss stripped Jeni of her breath. His lips moved over hers. His tongue laved at her lips until he penetrated her mouth and swiped his tongue deep inside her in search of her tongue.

She wanted desperately to respond to his kiss, but then she would lose the bet. Her body relented to his every desire when they kissed. There would be no turning back. Brian was a phenomenal kisser. His gentle but firm lips knew how to work her. His tongue would have her growling and begging in seconds. Just the kiss caused her panties to moisten.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened at their floor. She placed a hand on his chest while the other grabbed their room card out of the back of her jeans pocket.

“Phew! Traveling always wipes me out,” she said between breaths. She walked out of the elevator and down the hall to their room at the end. Trying desperately to recover her breath, she heard him curse her as he approached. Jeni just smiled. He came up behind her. His hands gripped her hips as she tried to stay focused on opening the door. He pushed his pelvis against her. He was rock hard!

“I see how it is,” he said seductively. “This is the kind of game we’re playing.” He rubbed himself up against her. His hands held her body close to him. “Do you feel that?”

“Yes,” Jeni said, breathless again.

“I am so fucking hard right now. I could take you right here in the hallway against this door and not give a damn who sees us.”

A chill spread rapidly over her body. He was playing hardball. He knew nothing turned her on more than talking dirty. He turned his baseball cap backward. A sigh escaped her lips when his lips reached the nape of her neck. He nuzzled her neck before his tongue eased up to just behind her ear. She almost lost the ability to stand. She could not stay focused enough to get the key card in the door.
Finally!
The card slid in and out, and the green light flashed. She pushed the door open and broke free of his hold.

“If you want to hand over the five hundred bucks right now, I’ll fuck you,” she said slyly. He stood in the threshold to the room, his hands on either side of the doorway. His foot kept the door from closing. His T-shirt rose slightly, giving a glimpse of his abdomen. His eyes sparkled, and his mouth turned up to the left in that crooked way that always made Jeni breathless. It took every bit of strength she had to keep from launching herself at him.

“Not gonna happen,” he said arrogantly. He walked into the room, and the door clicked closed behind him. He sat in the forest green armchair in the corner of the room, threw his legs on the ottoman, and flipped on
SportsCenter
.

“Cool,” she said. Jeni smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes. “I’m just going to put my pajamas on and wash up.” After kicking her brown clogs off by her bag on the floor, she pulled her pajamas out of the bag and tossed them on the white comforter of their king-sized bed. She turned her back to Brian and pulled her sweater over her head and laid it on top of her bag. He adjusted in his chair. Jeni felt his gaze on her. And she planned to give him a show. She unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans and wiggled her behind slowly as she slid them over her hips and down her legs. She heard his breath quicken. She slung the jeans over the chair by the window. She stood in just her bra and light blue lace bikini panties. Grabbing the hot pink pajama shorts on the bed, she bent at the waist to step into them and slowly pulled them up over her panties.

She looked over her shoulder at Brian. His gaze was all over her. The television was mere background noise. He was in overdrive. His eyes were intense…heated. He watched as Jeni unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. Her full breasts sprung loose. She pulled the thin, white tank top over her head. Her nipples hardened at the graze of the cotton shirt and at the heat she saw in his stare. She sauntered past him to the bathroom.

“Christ,” Brian muttered under his breath as the volume of the television increased slightly. Jeni smiled at herself in the mirror. She was not going to make this easy for him. No way. No how. She heard his continual mumbling from around the wall during her entire time in the bathroom.

“Did you say something?” she said, walking over to him and straddling his legs. “I couldn’t hear you over the running water.”

“No,” he said in a strained voice. His hands had a death grip on the arms of the chair, so much so his knuckles were almost white. “I was mumbling at the TV.”

“Okay,” she said in a soft voice. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Her breasts brushed his face for a moment, and he inhaled sharply. “Goodnight, Brian.” Jeni swung her leg over his and drifted over to the bed, pulling back the covers. It was not until she slid in between the cool sheets and laid her head on the pillow that she heard him slowly exhale.

Several minutes later, he shut the television off and closed himself in the bathroom. Jeni heard his jeans hit the tile floor and the toilet lid go down. The hotel room was quiet, except for the heater and Brian’s heavy breathing. Jeni heard his familiar grunt and a groan. Her insides were burning. She thought she might burst. Sliding her hand inside her panties and rubbing her clit with her middle finger, she was so turned on that her orgasm rolled through her within seconds. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out. Once she caught her breath, she rolled on her side of the bed and pulled the sheets up over her shoulders.

“Goodnight, Jeni,” Brian said as he climbed on the bed several minutes later. He kissed the top of her head and lifted the sheets to crawl into bed. He inhaled deeply. “God, I love the smell of you when you’re turned on. Are you sure you don’t want me to lick that pussy into another orgasm?”

“How do you know it’s had one already?” Jeni whispered. She rolled onto her back to look at him, shocked by his question. He kneeled on the bed, holding the sheets back.

“Because I can smell you,” he said with a wicked smile.

“Really?” She looked at him skeptically. He grabbed her hand and brought it to his face. He inhaled.

“Ahh,” he growled. “Yes. Really.” His boxer briefs tightened before her eyes. She could see him growing hard. His tongue laved up her fingers while his eyes never left hers. Her breath caught in her chest at the feel of his tongue on her skin and the intensity in his eyes.

“If you give me the five hundred dollars right now, I’ll let you do whatever you want to me,” she whimpered.

“Why are you being such a hard ass, Jeni?” he said with a wry smile. He took her hand and slid it down the front of his bare torso. His abdominal muscles rippled under her hand. Then he slid her hand over his erection. His cock twitched at the feel of her hand. “You know you want me to fuck you.”

“Then cough up the money, Hamilton!” Though her voice regained its edge, her body was seconds away from crumbling. She wanted nothing more than him buried deep inside her. She ached for him.

“Have it your way, baby,” he said. He chuckled, but Jeni heard his frustration. The corner of his mouth slid up into a grin. He placed her hand back on the bed and curled up on his side of the bed with a sigh. She was grateful for the king-sized bed. If he touched her at this point, the bet would be over. Damn, they both were so stubborn.

After several sighs and a few fidgeting movements, Brian had fallen to sleep. She could tell by the slowness of his breathing. Jeni tossed and turned for about an hour. She rolled over and looked at the digital clock on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. A little after midnight. She waited until she was sure he was still asleep and on his back before moving over to his side of the bed and snuggling into his side. His arm underneath her squeezed her tight. He sighed and whispered her name. Jeni could not help but smile at the fact even in his sleep, he knew it was her in his arms. She inhaled deeply. Nothing smelled and felt more like home than Brian Hamilton.

Chapter Three

Slowly, Jeni opened her eyes. The sunlight peeked through a small slit in the hotel curtains. She rolled over and sighed. Brian stepped out of the bathroom. He wore nothing but his dark blue jeans slung low on his hips. Jeni felt the heat begin to course through her body again. His abdominal muscles were cut. His broad chest was tight. He always looked phenomenal without a shirt. He took his shirt off the bed and pulled it over his head. She smiled when she realized it was the Batman T-shirt she had bought him for his birthday their senior year of high school. Brian was a huge Batman fan, which, in turn, made Jeni a Batman fan.

“You still have that T-shirt,” she said softly.

“You’re awake, sleepy head,” he said, slipping his arms through the sleeves and smiling at her. He knelt on the bed and kissed her forehead. “Of course, I still have it. Wear it all the time. It’s my favorite.” He smiled down at her…that smile that turned her inside out. “I was going to run across the street to the bakery and grab some bagels and orange juice. I was hoping you weren’t going to sleep the day away.”

“Sorry,” Jeni said. “Traveling wipes me out, and my night had a restless beginning.” She stretched out in the big bed and moaned. His eyes, still focused on her face, darkened at the sound that escaped her. A shiver ran through her. “Bagels sound good. I’ll jump in the shower while you do that. Do you need any cash?”

“Nope,” he said. “Save your cash. You’re gonna need it.” He winked at her and left the room.