My Curvy Valentine: A Perfect Fit Novella (17 page)

“You slay me, old woman.”

“Get over here and give me a kiss, young man.”

He did as she asked, taking comfort that she still smelled the same after all these years, like medicated powder and Chanel No. 5.

“Is she feeling okay?” Maggie asked from behind him.

“She’s well enough to bust my balls, so I’m taking that as a good sign.”

“Oh, good.” Maggie stepped forward and pulled a pillow out of the large paper bag she was carrying. He hadn’t paid much attention to it before, he was too preoccupied with getting here. “Hi, Yaya. I hope you’re feeling okay. I bought you a pillow for your back. I made it out of one of Damara’s scarves.”

Yaya took the pillow from her, stroking her hand over the silky material. “Thank you,” she said in her rarely used English. “It’s lovely.”

“When did you make that?” Alex asked her as she was pulling baked goods from her bag.

“Last night. I needed something to do since I was mad at you. Jabbing a needle in something seemed like a good substitute. You like almond cake, Yaya?”

Yaya grinned. “I like her.” She switched back to Greek. “Who is she?”

“Maggie. Remember her? She lived two houses down. Clayton is her brother.”

She looked at him in confusion. “She’s your wife?”

“I wouldn’t get married without telling you,” he answered in Greek, not wanting Maggie to understand what they were talking about.

“I remember her. You love her.”

He paused at her statement. Yes, he loved Maggie, but in the way a guy loved a girl he had known half his life. “She’s my best friend.”

“You love her. You marry her. Don’t waste any more time. I’m getting old.”

“Yaya—”

“I want to go shopping today. You are going to buy me new slippers.” She turned her attention back to Maggie. The conversation was over. He knew he should just let what she said slip from his mind, but her words stuck with him. Maybe he
was
just wasting time.

*

They didn’t leave Yaya until nearly four that afternoon and when they got back home, Maggie was sure Alex was going to head straight to the bakery and work the two final hours it was open. But he didn’t. He surprised her by going in the back door and right up the stairs to their apartments, not even bothering to check in with Fernando.

“You’re going to take the whole day off?” she asked.

“I was there this morning for the rush.” He grabbed her hand and took her past her apartment, leading her to his.

“You know I’m not judging you for not going back. I think it’s good you take some time off. Maybe one of these days you’ll take the whole day off.”

“Maybe one of these days I will.” He unlocked the door to his apartment, tugging her inside before she had the chance to protest. “You think you can make me a pillow?”

He unbuttoned her coat slowly, looking her in the eye as he pushed it off her shoulders. She was so distracted by having his big hands on her body that she nearly forgot to answer him. “Um, yeah. Of course.”

“Thanks for coming today.” He bent, lifting her leg slightly so that he could remove her shoe.

Her mouth went dry. There was something infinitely sexy about having a man take off her clothes. “That’s what friends are for. It was nothing.”

“Not to her. Not me to me it wasn’t. She asked me to bring you next time.”

“Just let me know when.” He nodded and slipped his coat off, not removing his eyes from her. “There’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t had the chance. Will you do it with me?”

“If it’s tying me up, I told you that I’m not into that.”

He grinned at her, grabbing her by her hips and pulling her close. “I want to take a nap.”

“A nap?” she asked, a little disappointed.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve taken one? Do you how good it sounds to curl up under the covers when it’s still light out and sleep? And not worry about getting up or doing something? The idea of a nap turns me on.”

“Oh, honey. We need to get you out of the house more.”

“Take a nap with me, Maggie.” He slipped his hand into hers and led her to his bedroom. She should have told him no, or pulled away or given him some kind of clue that she didn’t want to do this. But she did want to do it. She wanted to crawl in bed with him and curl up under the
covers and not have to worry about anything or anyone. The idea of taking a nap with this big hard-bodied man turned her on too.

She had never been inside Alex’s bedroom. It was bigger than hers, not just the space, but everything. The furniture, the bed itself, was huge, taking up almost the entire wall. Instead of frilly throw pillows and a pretty duvet cover, his bed was made with a serviceable gray bedspread.

He came up behind her while she was taking everything in and pulled her into his chest.

“So this is where the magic happens?”

He unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. She leaned into him, knowing what was about to happen and powerless to stop it. “You’re the first girl I’ve had in my room. My dad doesn’t let me have them in here.”

“Your dad is so uncool. My parents let me have boys in my room all the time. The only rule is that I have to keep my pants on.”

He pushed her pants down over her hips, excitement building as they pooled at her feet. “Uh-oh. Broke that rule.”

“I won’t tell. I just want to know why you are taking off my pants.”

“We can’t sleep in our clothes. It’s just unsanitary.”

“Oh, sleeping. Yeah. That’s what why we’re doing this.” She turned in his arms, reaching for his pants. She tugged them down, going to her knees as she did. Alex had beautiful thighs. They were muscular, powerful looking, with a light coating of hair that she enjoyed running her
fingers along. She pressed her lips to one of them, feeling his erection grow as she did. “What are you doing down there?” His voice was thick, husky. She heard the need in it.

“I’m teasing you.” She kissed him through his boxer briefs causing him to jump. “Don’t you like to be teased?” She kissed him again as she reached for his underwear to pull them down.

“Stop.” He grabbed her hand, yanking her off the floor. “You’re not allowed to tease me.” He reached for her shirt, pulling it off over her head, but unlike with her pants, he didn’t go slow. “You teased me enough last night.”

“But I didn’t!”

“Getting me all worked up and then sending me away is teasing me. Every time you walk past me in a pair of ass-hugging pants you tease me. Every time you hold my hand or kiss my cheek you tease me. You’ve been teasing me ever since I moved back to town and I can’t take it anymore.”

“You’re the one whose phone kept ringing.” He unhooked her bra, his eyes narrowing as her breasts were revealed to him. He bent and flicked his tongue across her nipple.

“I’ll throw the damn thing out the window.” He covered her whole nipple with his hot wet mouth, sucking her in, and if he weren’t holding her upright she would have crumbled right to the floor.

“Get naked,” she ordered “No more playing.” He let her go, ripping his shirt from his body, but he didn’t return immediately. He stared at her, chest heaving, his bottom half still covered.

“You first.” He folded his hands across his massive chest.

“Fine.” She reached for him, ready to feel him inside of her, but he held up his hand.

“Do it slowly.”

“Slowly?” She grinned at him, shaking her hips from side to side. “You want me to do a little dance?”

“Turn around while you do it. I’ve been dreaming about this moment for months.”

“Months?”

“Months and months. I think I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole damn life.”

She paused then, knowing that he was just saying that, that they were aroused and wanting each other, but it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. And in that moment she knew that she was making a mistake. She knew if they went through with this she would end up losing her heart to him.

“What?” He stepped forward cupping her face in his hands, kissing her mouth softly. “You don’t want to turn around? Would you rather I take them off for you?”

But there was no going back. She couldn’t deny him anymore than she could give up breathing. She stepped away from him, turning around, peeling off her underwear slowly, shaking her bottom as the silky material slid down her legs.

Keep it light. Keep it fun
.

He wasn’t asking for a relationship. He didn’t want anything more from her. She couldn’t forget that.

He came behind her, running his hands over her bare bottom. “More beautiful than I imagined.” He stood her up straight, lifted her hair off her neck so that he could kiss her there. They were no soft sweet kisses but scorching ones that she felt in every nerve in her body. “Get on the bed and take your hair down for me.”

“Stop bossing me around,” she said, but did as he asked anyway.

He grinned at her. “Are you telling me it’s time for me to do what you want?”

“Way past time. Get naked and come here.”

His underwear came off in a flash and he came at her, but he didn’t settle his big body on top of hers like she wanted. He grabbed her leg and, starting at her ankle, nibbled her skin. She jumped, but he gifted her with another one of his beautiful smiles and then kissed where he bit.

“Why are you playing with me?”

“Playing?” He slid his big body between her thighs and planted a slow hot kiss on her lower lips. “I’m very serious about what I’m going to do to you right now.” He parted her with his fingers and licked inside. She cried out, and he looked up at her, satisfaction in his eyes. It made her grow wetter. She was already so close to the edge when he licked her again, sucking her nub into his mouth.

She grabbed his hair and yanked on it, wanting him to stop, wanting him to keep going. “You don’t like that, baby?” He slid this thick finger inside her, mimicking with his finger what she wanted him to do with his cock. “What about this? Is this better?”

“Come here,” she ordered.

“Not until you come.” He placed his mouth back on her as his finger worked inside. She wanted to hold off to spite him, but he was too good and she was too close. When he slid that second finger inside she lost it.

She cried out, not exactly sure what she said but when Alex came to lie beside her he was grinning.

“Why do you look so smug?” She climbed on top of him, finally getting to enjoy the sight of him completely naked.

“I’m not smug. I just like the little noises you make.”

He was hard as a rock, his erection standing proudly, just waiting for attention. She took it in her hand, sliding all the way down his shaft, then up again. He hissed. “You like the little noises I make? Payback is a bitch.” She climbed off, bending over him so she could take him in her mouth. As soon as her lips closed over him he cursed and praised her all at the same time.

“You win.” He sat up, reaching in his nightstand for a condom. His hands shook slightly as he rolled it on.

“You’re always prepared. Just like a Boy Scout.”

He shook his head, his body came on top of her, and his lips found hers. “I bought these after the first time we kissed.”

“You were so sure we were going to end up here?”

“No.” He slid inside her in one smooth hard thrust. “But I was sure I wanted to be with you.”

Keep it fun? Keep it light?
Impossible. She was halfway in love with him already.

*

Alex looked over at Maggie curled on her side, her hand resting on her cheek. She was naked as the day she was born, the blankets only partially covering her body, her beautiful chest bare and there for him to see. Her hair was loose. Her face was sleepy. She was lovely. There was no other way to describe her. She reminded him of one of those classic paintings where women had rounded bellies and thick thighs, where women looked natural and lush. He couldn’t take his eyes from her. She was in his bed. She looked right there. She felt right there. Like she belonged.

He reached for her, smoothing his hand across her chest and reaching down to cup her breast. She had beautiful pink nipples that reacted with the slightest touch. And boy did he love touching them, touching her in general. He had never been with a woman her size, a woman who didn’t make him feel so self-conscious about his own bigness. A woman who could take his weight. A woman who seemed to fit perfectly with him. He felt like he had been missing out on a lifetime of this. Maggie should have been his sooner.

“Why are you so quiet?” He touched her face, smoothing the hair out of it so that he could see her eyes clearly.

“You keep having sex with me,” she said with a half-smile that he wanted to kiss. “It takes a lot out of a girl.”

“Lightweight,” he teased. He brought himself closer to her so that they both were on their sides facing each other. There was more contributing to her quietness than just sleepiness. She seemed thoughtful, almost sad in a way. And he didn’t get that because he felt so damn happy. Ridiculously so. “Do you want me to stay away from you?” He kissed her slowly, loving the way
she sucked on his tongue when he slipped it into her mouth. Who knew sweet little Maggie gave such erotic kisses?

Who knew he would end up here with his best friend’s sister?

Maybe he did. Maybe he had known when he came back to Durant that he wanted this all along.

“I don’t think there’s anything I could say to make you stop bothering me.”

“I’m bothering you?” He ran his hand down her side, over her hip and soft belly. Such warm, soft skin, such plush, inviting flesh. He was rock hard again. His cock not happy unless it was inside her.

“Yes, being made continuous love to all evening by a big sexy man is quite bothersome.”

“You think I’m sexy?”

She nodded. The smartass remark he was expecting never came.

“You sure there’s nothing wrong? You’re not regretting this?”

“No. We needed to get this out of our systems.”

Her words made him still for a moment. Out of their systems? There was no way. “I haven’t had enough of you yet.” He was sure he could never have enough. He had had great sex before, but this was different. This was Maggie.

He touched her between her thighs. She was warm there. Wet there. Inviting. He slipped his middle finger in between her lips and stroked the length of her. She rolled on to her back and opened to give him more access. He really should leave her alone. He had been with her four
times that night already, but he couldn’t help himself. He had known her for almost twenty years. He had waited for her for a lifetime.