The Substitute Stripper (6 page)

“Mark’s so in love with his new wife, he won’t think about you again for weeks.”

“But what if he does realize I stripped for the party? Will he be pissed you brought a stripper to the wedding?”

“I didn’t bring a stripper to the wedding. I brought a beautiful, intelligent woman who helped me out in a moment’s desperation. I shouldn’t have put you in the situation. It was inexcusable. If you were smart, you’d walk away from me now.”

She glanced at the snow, now in five- or six-foot drifts where the plow had piled it. “I don’t think I could walk home in this weather.”

He laughed. “Thank goodness for that.”

When they reached their room, he slid the key card and opened the door, motioning for her to enter. “Your feet must be frozen.”

She kicked off her shoes, picking them up and setting them on the dresser. “They’re cold, but they’ll thaw.” She slipped off her coat and jacket, laying them on the foot of the bed, then reached for the zipper on the back of her dress.

“Let me help you.” Ash slowly drew down the zipper, kissing her skin as it was bared.

She moaned. “Don’t we have to get on the road?”

He pushed the dress off her shoulders and let it puddle at her feet. “Soon, yeah. But if I don’t do this now, I’ll have to pull over on the side of the road and fuck you in the car. I can’t make it till we get down the mountain.”

She shivered, more from the gravelly sound of his voice that revealed the state of his arousal than from the cool air. “No, that car isn’t big enough, for sure.”

Her bra strap loosened, and her breasts swelled at being freed. His hands came around her and cupped her, kneading and pinching and sending sparks down to her clit. One hand slipped down the back of her panties and fingered her crack. She rocked back against him.

“One day when we have more time, I want to play with your ass.”

“If you’re not going to follow through now, quit teasing me. We need to get this show in the road.”

“Oh, you want it faster?”

She heard his pants unzip, felt the fumbling behind her, and suddenly his cock pressed into the small of her back, its tip wet. “That’s more like it.” She pushed her panties down and braced her hands on the foot of the bed. Stepping out of her panties, she spread her legs.

Ash moved to the nightstand and returned, tearing open a foil packet. He spread her moisture over her pussy, flicking her clit. Her hips rocked and she gasped at the shock of heat that hit her. Moving quickly, confidently, he inserted two fingers into her, curling them to stroke the sweet spot. Her pussy clenched his fingers, and Bree felt her juices flow.

Ash quickly replaced his fingers with his cock, thrusting hip deep in one move. His cock seemed larger than she remembered, or she’d tightened more around him. The friction made her need build quickly. She reached between her legs and found her clit, rubbing hard as Ash pumped. He grunted with each thrust, his thighs hitting hers and throwing her off balance. She pushed back against him, not wanting to lose the contact.

Harder and harder he drove, fast and faster her fingers circled on her clit. She whimpered when the knot in her tightened. “Ash—”

He growled and
thrust. Heat spread over her skin, throughout her insides, and the knot of her clit grew painful. She was so close. So…close—

Ash cried out, clenching her hips. He plunged once more, and her own orgasm broke free, her legs growing limp. She shuddered, wobbled, and his arm came around her to lower her to the bed.

After disposing of the condom, Ash came back to her where she lay panting on the bed. His ribs rose and fell with his breaths, his abs muscles rippling enticingly. If they weren’t on their way out, she’d explore those muscles and a few more.

She sat up and reached for her panties and bra. A flash of thought hit her. Was this the end of them? She was his wedding date. The amazing sex had been a bonus. Sure, he’d said little things about
after
, but that could have been foreplay for all she knew.

Standing in her underwear, she folded her dress and slipped her pumps back into their shoe bag and zipped her suitcase closed. While Ash did a pass-through in the bathroom looking for anything they’d left, she tugged on her skinny jeans and clingy cashmere sweater. She’d worn casual, imitation fleece lined boots on the ride up, and
poked her toes into them. Her hair was still a dignified helmet, so she wrapped a knit scarf around her head, draping the ends down her front. With a final touch of lip-gloss, she was ready to go.

She found Ash watching her, his expression unreadable. “What’s up?”

He shook his head and reached for her suitcase handle. “Nothing. I’ll go load the car and get it warmed up.”

Out of nerves, she opened and closed the dresser drawers, checking for forgotten items. This had to be the most awkward ending to a date she could remember. Maybe because she’d never gone out of town with a guy on a first date. This was worse than internet dating. She had no clue what he was thinking, if he wanted to see her again for anything other than sex.

Would she agree to that? Ash becoming another fuck buddy? No, she couldn’t see that happening. He was too real. She’d seen that on his face when she’d mouthed off to his ex-. His heart would be involved with anyone he saw on a regular basis.

Bree knew she needed to grow up and ask him what came next. After they ran into each other at work
Monday morning. After the week passed by and they were faced with weekend plans. She sank onto the bed, hugging her coat closed, and waited.

When Ash entered again, he stopped just inside the door. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Fine. I was just thinking about things.”

“Things…”

“Yeah. I guess it sounds scary when a girl says that, huh? Maybe I just need something to eat when we get down the mountain.”

He slapped his palm against his forehead. “Food, of course. Did you eat anything at the reception? I was so nervous about my speech, I didn’t check to be sure you had what you needed.”

She stood, grabbed her purse and walked to him. “I’m fine. I did eat, had some champagne. It was all good. So let’s go.”

He held onto her upper arms. “I never apologized for putting you in a bad situation.”

“You said enough. I volunteered. It’s not a problem.”

“But something is.”

“No, not really. It’s just nerves.”

He shook his head and shrugged.

“Do you want to see me again after this?”

His brows drew together. “After what? After this amazing weekend of sex? Fuck yeah.” He must have heard how that sounded. “Bree, I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to ask you out for months, I told you. Are you having second thoughts, now? I can see how being a dick and asking you to strip for my friends makes me a lousy boyfriend prospect, but I’ll make it up to you.”

She laughed. “I think we both need to get over that stripping thing and start fresh.”

He grinned. “Cool. Is tomorrow night too soon?”

“To start over?”

His hands tightened on her upper arms. “Dinner. And we’ll see what happens from there.”

“Okay, sure. That sounds good.”

He turned and opened the door, leading her out. “Cool.”

As he helped her get in the car, she glanced up at him. “And if you really think you’re going to get away with not fucking me after dinner tomorrow, think again.”

He paused, that slow grin of his widening. “
Point taken. Dessert is a given, then.”

Bree leaned back in her seat, those stomach critters fluttering madly. She wasn’t going to think anymore about where this was going. Sometimes it was enough just to enjoy the ride.

Celtic Rhythm (Ellora’s Cavemen Flavors of Ecstasy II)

Honey

Death by Sex

Kyle’s Redemption

Maui Heat

Maui Rekindled

Honey and Heat (print only anthology containing Honey, Death by Sex, Kyle’s Redemption, Maui Heat and Maui Rekindled)

Demon of Desire

Fighting for Control