Why Not? (Love Riddles Book 3) Read online

  Before I can obsess fully over that fact, he moves. I lose my grip on his cock, my hands flying back to hold me up when he spreads my legs wide. Then his mouth is between them, there, right there.

  My chest heaves as his tongue strokes my clit. He moves one hand from my thigh and then, a moment later, passes me his wallet.

  He lifts his head long enough to say, “Get the condom out and open it.”

  His mouth then resumes its exquisite torture. I can’t hold myself up and do as he requests so I lie back fully against the tabletop.

  Focus Reilly. But, I can’t concentrate. My fingers shake as they unfold the leather. I’m too close. The tension deep within my core is overwhelming my ability to do anything else. Once his wallet is open, all I can do is press it flat to my chest and suck in air.

  He lifts me, his fingers under my ass as his mouth works me.

  Get the condom.

  No, wait a second, don’t move.

  He’s there. The pressure.

  Above me millions of stars blur as my eyes lose focus. My lids drop, darkness descends as my insides expand until I break. Piece by piece, waves of pleasure spill across my body.

  My eyes open when the wallet is plucked from my grasp. Still, I stare up at the stars. There’s a crinkle of foil and then a tear. He stretches out over me, his legs between mine. With his hand under my neck, he lifts me.

  Pulling me upright our mouths share a breath. I can smell myself on his lips. I lick him, my tongue gliding across their plump fullness.

  He takes my hand and places it on his now condom-covered cock.

  Ahh, I see what he wants me to do. He does not want to take, at least at first. Trip wants to be given.

  I guide him, shifting on the picnic table to move closer to the edge. Once the head of his cock is at my entrance, I take it inside. At the same time, I place my hand on the back of his head and pull his mouth down to mine.

  From there, he takes over. Oh God, does he take over. With one mind-altering thrust, he fills me at the same time his mouth takes mine.

  I am filled and then emptied, only to be filled again and again. His fingertips bite into the tops of my thighs, holding me wide and pulling me to meet each buck of his hips.

  I hold his head, breaking our kiss and pushing my face into his neck. There, I cling, the pathways of my brain rewriting and redefining what bliss is.

  I didn’t understand it before tonight. My body has never, not once, come close to that word until now.

  His hand moves from my thigh to between my legs. My clit jumps at his touch.

  “Too much,” I plead against his throat.

  If I come with him inside me, I’ll never be the same.

  “Let go, baby,” he replies.

  Let go?

  But, if I do I’ll fall.

  “I got you.”

  His thumb presses and circles. His other hand coasts up my back until it rests between my shoulder blades.

  “Let go,” he repeats.

  Stubbornly, I cling to him.

  His thumb presses and circles again.

  His hips pull back then thrust forward, filling me.

  “Harder,” I whisper.

  His hand pushes up to fist in my hair. He uses it to tug my face from his neck.

  Dark eyes stare into mine. “You sure you can take it?”

  “Make me ache,” I breathe.

  His jaw ticks, and for a beat, he almost looks menacing. Then he grins.

  All thoughts of letting go are gone. Now, I hold on.

  There is no sound I hear save the slap of his flesh against mine as he takes me just like I asked, hard.

  The way he takes me is brutal. He has complete and total control over my body. It is the best, most intense experience I’ve ever had. Before, he was on the verge of coaxing another orgasm from me.

  Now, he powers it out of me. With his hand still in my hair, I can’t hide my face from him as I come.

  He fucks me hard, his eyes not leaving mine. I shake, still clinging to him, and whimper out a sigh. The moment I’m silent, he covers my mouth with his.

  His hips jerk before he roots himself deep within me and groans against my lips. Warmth blossoms within me, satisfaction at doing that to him, at being able to bring him pleasure.

  I’m mushy in a way I’ve never been after sex. There’s something different about what happened. There’s no denying our chemistry. We’ve finished only seconds ago, and I can’t wait to do it again. He’s still inside me, and I’m already making future plans.

  I’m not the kind of girl to hold a torch but if I ever had, it would have been for him. To discover that he wanted me in return was liberating.

  Unless, this meant more to me than it did to him. Maybe this is his typical weekend night. Crap, he even had a condom in his wallet. He must be used to random hook-ups if he has the forethought to always be prepared.

  My warm fuzzies over fantastic sex are replaced with lead weights of doubt. I just had sex with a guy I hardly know, on a picnic table, behind an elementary school.

  I guess technically I’ve known him for a long time, but not in any way that counts.

  We’ve spoken all of two-dozen words to each other before tonight.

  My hands are shaking as I reach down to pull the cups of my bra up. I’m freaked and not doing a great job at hiding it. Trip tenses in response.

  “You okay?” he asks.

  I nod but avoid his eyes, busy trying to pull the front of my dress back up. He slips from me and turns to remove the condom. I watch, assumption in my gaze as he ties the end off and puts it in his pocket.

  Then, turning back toward me he rights himself. I’m closing my legs as he zips and then buttons his jeans.

  My arms are through the straps of my dress, and I’m struggling to pull the zipper up when he stops me, doing it for me.

  His hands move to my shoulders and grip me like warm shackles. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  I nod again. Embarrassment and shame hold my tongue.

  He gives me a gentle shake and orders, “Look at me.”

  I refuse his request, keeping my gaze pointedly away from his face. His hand moves from my shoulder to my chin, forcing me to look at him.

  The stillness around us is broken by the sound of a car, possibly in need of new brakes, on the road that runs in front of the school.

  “I have to go,” I whisper.

  There’s a line, a groove created by the pinch of his brows coming together. The type of guy who would fuck a random woman next to a playground shouldn’t be bothered by her wanting to leave. He should be pleased by it.

  “The fuck?” he practically growls.

  I pull back, surprised by his vehemence.

  He goes on, “What changed in the last two minutes?”

  I shake my head and lie, “Nothing.”

  “Bullshit. You went cold so fast I’m surprised there isn’t frostbite on my dick.”

  My mouth falls open before I snap, “I did not.”

  “Reilly,” he replies, as if my name is argument enough.

  I scoot off of the table, grateful he is standing far enough away that I can.

  “I need to go.”

  His hand circles around my bicep, stopping me. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuck just happened.”

  I turn to face him, and try to pull free. “What are you going to do, arrest me?”

  He shrugs, “Sure.”

  “For what?” I gasp.

  “Indecent exposure.”

  I can only gape at him before I sputter, “But . . . but you were too.”

  One side of his mouth tips up, revealing one of those goddamned dimples. “Maybe they’ll let us share a cell.”

  “You’re unbelievable,” I seethe.

  “You aren’t the first to say that, but usually it’s meant as a compliment.”

  He did not just say that. “You did not just say that.”

  “I did, so get over it and tell me w
hat freaked you out back there. You went from so fucking hot I was about to drag you to my room for round two, to so cold I think the temperature around us dropped ten degrees.”

  Only one point of what he said, for lack of a better word, penetrated. Round two.

  “Round two?”

  With a tug of his arm, my front is plastered flush to his. “Yeah.”

  I gulp and look up at him. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

  One of his brows lifts in a silent question, so I hurriedly babble on, “I mean, not sex. I’ve had sex, plenty of sex.” I cringe at my choice of words and power on, “I mean, an acceptable amount of sex. I’ve just never done it on a picnic table behind my elementary school with someone I barely know.”

  His hand slides up my arm and into my hair. “So, you only have sex behind schools with men you know?”

  She’s nervous. There’s something incredibly sexy about that. I’ve seen a couple of her reports on the local news channel. She’s normally so poised. Ruffling her feathers may turn into my new favorite hobby.

  Or, my new second favorite hobby, after fucking her. I’m no choirboy; I’ve had my fair share of women.

  None of them, not one came close to what Reilly just gave me. There is no way in hell I’m not having her again.

  She was so good, I might not even care that she went frigid after. On second thought, I do care. That shit was fucked up. She went from hot to cold so fast I got whiplash.

  I’ve heard the “I’ve never done anything like this before,” more than a few times. Where my bullshit radar has gone off in the past, it isn’t firing now. I believe her.

  “I’m not about to judge you for something I was an equal and willing participant of. Is that what’s freaking you out?”

  She looks at me, her expression weary. “I might be judging myself.”

  My hands frame her face. “There is not one thing wrong with what happened between us, and I wasn’t lying when I said I still want you.”

  She presses her lips together and my gaze travels over her face. Her expression strikes me. I’ve seen her in restaurants, around town, and on TV. Looking at her now, her vulnerability so raw, it’s like this is the first time I’ve ever looked at her.

  She’s going to be trouble if I let her. There’s no chance in hell I’m going to.

  Breaking the silence, I lay it out there, “I’m not going to make you any promises. I’m not that guy. Thing is, I want you. I can make you feel real good. I can make whatever it is that had you swinging on that swing set in the middle of the night not matter for a few hours. If you’re willing to take what I can give, we can head back to my room now.”

  She gulps. “Your room?”

  I nod, my eyes not leaving hers. “You in?”

  Her quiet “Yes,” makes my dick jump.

  Leaning forward, I press my lips to her forehead. “I’ll follow your Jeep. Park on the backside of the building. I use that entrance.”

  She frowns. “What if people see me parked there?”

  “Who cares?” I ask.

  She pulls away. “I get you haven’t lived here for a long time, so I’ll just remind you. This is a small town. Everyone will care if they see my Jeep parked at the inn.”

  Damn if that doesn’t make sense. “Do you want me to come to your place?”

  Her eyes widen. “Then my neighbors will assume you’re sleeping with me or Julie.”

  Right, Julie is the single mom she shares a house with. I wonder how deeply that kid sleeps. Reilly makes some seriously sexy noises during sex; it’d be a shame to lose those.

  “My place makes the most sense. We can swing past your house to drop off your car, then no one will know.”

  She purses her lips and looks to her left as she considers my plan before replying, “That could work.”

  I reach for her hand and start pulling her toward our cars, ready to get her back to my place.

  “But don’t follow me to my house. Take Briar, that’s the street behind mine. I’ll cut through the backyard and meet you there.”

  I freeze then turn toward her as she speaks. Once she’s done, I snap, “Fuck no.”

  She blinks, then tugs her hand from mine so she can cross her arms over her chest. “Why not?”

  “No way I’m cool with you scrambling through bushes when I can pick you up from your driveway. Besides, you’ll more likely draw attention to yourself if you’re sneaking through backyards.”

  She glares at me. Something about that makes me want to spank her ass.

  “Fine,” she huffs, and I start to second-guess myself if the sex is worth it.

  It doesn’t take long for me to decide it is, and I resume pulling her to the parking lot. With a squeak, she stops, and then starts trying to tug her hand free. What now?

  I turn back to look at her and she whispers, “We left my underwear back there. I don’t want anyone to find it.”

  I can’t argue and almost curse myself for forgetting. “You go on ahead. I’ll get them and meet you at your place.”

  She nods and hurries past me. My gaze follows her, now fully conscious of the fact that she’s wearing nothing under that dress. Having her go on ahead is saving me from the very real temptation of bending her over the hood of my SUV.

  I wait until she’s backed out of her spot and is heading to the exit to the road before I head back to the picnic table. Her lace panties aren’t hard to find. It wouldn’t have been a good thing if some person walking their dog found them. Now that they’re safely in my pocket, that’s one thing we won’t need to worry about.

  There is little to no traffic on the roads between the school and Reilly’s place. By the time I pull up, she’s parked and walking toward me.

  When I followed her to the school, I had no idea tonight would turn out the way it did. Not that I wasn’t hoping things would get physical with the town’s cute reporter and me. I’ve had my sights set on her since that night Sydney invited me to join her and some friends for dinner.

  That night I knew I wanted Reilly in my bed. Still, I never would have figured she would be down to fuck outside by a playground.

  My passenger door opens and she slides up into the seat. She doesn’t even have her seatbelt on before I pull away from the curb.

  As she buckles it, her head twists as she looks to see if any of her neighbors saw her. “Stop being paranoid.”

  She doesn’t respond so I glance her way. Her TV reporter mask is back on. I can’t wait to break her façade. It’s beyond sexy that there is this hidden side to her.

  “Do you want to sleep here or do you want me to take you back to your place?” I ask.

  She stretches, a catlike quality to her pose. Earlier, at the park, she could not cover herself fast enough. Now, here in my room at the inn, her nudity doesn’t seem to bother her. This is a good thing because her naked may be one of my new favorite things.

  With her still-stretched hand, she twists the alarm clock on the bedside table until she can see its display.

  With a frown, she replies, “I didn’t realize it was so late. I should go home.”

  As much as I want to argue for her to stay, it’s safer this way. If we are both smart, this could be the start of the perfect friends-with-benefits deal.

  Her not wanting to sleep here is a good sign she isn’t a clinger. With no ceremony, I get out of bed and get rid of the condom. She’s up and partially dressed by the time I’m back.

  Her back is to me so I help her with her zipper, relieved she hasn’t gone ice princess like before. I’m dressed and holding the door for her moments later.

  We only pass one other car on the road on the way back to her place. I get she’s worried people will find out, but this time of night, in this sleepy little town, most everyone is in for the night.

  “What’s your schedule look like this week?” I ask once we’re close to her place.

  “My schedule?” She sounds confused.

  “For me to pick you up again.
Unless there’s another place you want to hook up at.”

  “To see you again?”

  “Listen, cupcake, I thought I was clear earlier. I’m not looking for a girlfriend or anything close to that right now, but I sure as fuck wouldn’t mind seeing you again. If that works for you, what does your schedule look like?”

  Her body language tells me two things. First, the way she presses her lips together says she still wants my dick. Second, the way she presses her lips together while looking away says she isn’t sure.

  She’s a knockout and probably has guys falling all over themselves to be with her. I’m not that guy and that has to be a first for her.

  “Look. You seem like a great girl, but—“

  She cuts me off. “Wednesday night.”

  Reaching into her purse, she pulls out a pen and a small notebook. She quickly jots something down and tears a sheet off.

  She folds it and sets it in one of my cup holders. “That’s my cell. Text me and we’ll figure out the timing.”

  I stop in front of her house, she doesn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye before she’s out the door and halfway up her walk. When she reaches her door, she gives me a wave that’s part farewell part go before anyone sees you.

  I pull away. She isn’t the first woman I’ve been intimate with since Roxanne, but she’s the first woman ever who hasn’t angled for a goodbye kiss. This bothers me even though it shouldn’t.

  Once I’m back in my room, I crash, too wiped from the day an unexpected late night to worry about it. When I wake, it’s to the sound of rap music booming from the room next to mine.

  Since glaring at the wall doesn’t make it stop, I lumber out of bed and pound my fist against it until they get the message and turn it down. Sleep is not something I can reclaim once I wake. It sucks, but I’m up whether I want to be or not.

  The display on the clock reads 7:27. Shit, that means I get to function on all of three hours of sleep today. My thoughts drift to Reilly and if she’ll need to work today.

  I’ve been interviewed before, especially after pulling Sydney from that mudslide. We were the feel good story of the week.

  The fact that she lived, considering what her car looked like, was nothing short of a miracle. Her injuries were so bad they couldn’t interview her. They had to interview me instead.