One More Time - Ali Parker Page 0,20

that there was a lot more to him, a lot more going on in his head than one might initially think.

“Thanks. You’re not gonna ask?” His voice was flat, and he was regarding me with wary eyes, watching me take in all the wide-open spaces with an expression that screamed “Leave it fucking be.” So that was exactly what I did.

“Nope. I was promised a drink though. You got one of those?”

While he didn’t smile, his features did relax some as he nodded. He led me through his living area, pushed open the stackable glass doors, and stepped out onto the deck. In the corner, there was a decently sized bar stocked with all manners of scotch and beer, but not much in the way of wine.

“Beer okay?” he asked, stepping behind the counter and emerging with two bottles from the fridge behind it.

“Perfect.” Uncapping my beer, he handed it to me, and I took a long swig, looking out at the city’s lights twinkling below and stretching on forever. “This is a spectacular view. You must love it out here.”

“I do,” Caleb said, moving out from behind the bar to stand next to me. Together, we ambled over to the railing and stood silently side by side. From the looks of things, Caleb didn’t have a garden, only the large deck. It suited him. I couldn’t exactly imagine him singing lullabies to plants or whatever it was green-thumbed people did.

Caleb wordlessly reached for me, winding one strong arm around my waist as he pulled me closer. Shifting his body to make room for me in front of him, he slotted me in between the railing and his big body like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he’d done it a million times before.

Because he probably has, a snippy little voice in the back of my head said. Just not with you.

Still, even if it was highly likely that it was true, I couldn’t bring myself to care—not really. Not when every inch of me was so very aware of the hard, masculine body pressed against me. Caleb felt so much different than the other guys I’d been intimate with before, and he was still just holding me. His body was tall and lean, towering like a sentinel over mine.

One of his large hands was planted on my hip while the other was drawing lazy circles over my stomach. Bending his head down, his lips brushed against the shell of my ear, his voice low when he spoke.

“You know that if anything happens here, it’s just fun, right? Nothing serious.”

“Nothing serious,” I repeated, trying to remember the English language as the hand on my hip traveled lower and the one on my stomach higher. He wasn’t touching me. He was simply stroking my skin lightly, making me hyperaware of all the spots he wasn’t touching.

“You sure you’re okay with that?” Caleb asked quietly, his lips tugging at my earlobe while his roaming hands started massaging my thigh and ribcage, his thumbs brushing against the underside of my breast so softly that it might’ve been an accident. But it still sent shivers shooting straight through me.

“I’m more than okay with that,” I managed between heavy breaths. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate on words, yet it looked like he was intent on getting the talking done before he went any further.

I wiggled my butt against his front to try to encourage him to hurry it up, and I could feel his obvious erection pressing into it. Caleb made a low moaning sound and nipped at the skin on the back of my neck.

In response, he also moved his hand completely under my dress and started tracing the outline of the skimpy lace panties I’d worn for the occasion, though I’d never imagined that they might actually see some game time. Within milliseconds of his ministrations, my poor attention-starved pussy was practically dripping for him. It had been way too long.

“I don’t like using condoms.” He groaned when I pushed my ass up against him some more. Admittedly, I was trying to affect him as much as he was affecting me, and it seemed to be working.

My mind was a lust-fueled wasteland, but I managed to find the words I was looking for, only because I knew that I needed him to touch me and that he wouldn’t if I didn’t succeed. “I’m on the pill. After what happened with Jared and that groupie, I understand