Remembrance: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series Book 4) (53 page)

He snickered.  “Yeah, I remember that one.”  Then he paused, thinking through his words.  “I guess we’re of that age where we have our home base and we’re territorial about it.  That’s what it is with me.  I didn’t want to share it with any woman in that way.  Until you.”

She basked in the warmth of his answer, then said, “Okay.”

“Okay?  That’s my second ‘okay’.  Does that mean I get my fashion show now?”  His eyes were twinkling. 

She nodded and jumped naked off the bed.  “Don’t move.” 

He leaned against the back of the headboard and clasped his hands behind his head.  “I don’t plan on it.  I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the show.”

She spent the next half hour going through the bags and prancing in and out of the closet into the bedroom to twirl and show off her assets to their best advantage.  They laughed the whole time with Luke telling her to shake it and Janie pulling the overly dramatic model look every time she was within arm’s reach of him. 

After each article of clothing, he checked out how each piece was made before peeling it off of her so she could put on the next set.  Janie could tell he was looking for business purposes, but was getting excited as well, seeing his erection grow more and more as the fashion show continued.

When she finally had on the last panty and bra set, she asked, “What did you think of the fashion show, Mr. Daniels?”

He crooked his finger so she would come closer.  She stalked over turning at the last minute so he could see the thong.

“Ooh, that’s nice.  I need to see that more closely.  Back that sweet ass up,
dulzura,
” he said smacking his lips.  She did and he stroked her butt cheeks, kneading them.  “This one might be my favorite.  Let me see the front again.”  He sat up on the edge of the bed, pulling her to him.

She turned and entwined her arms around his neck, pressing her front into his.  She couldn’t believe she’d finally found a demi cup brassiere
in her size.  He rubbed his front into her and smiled just as she was closing her eyes, letting out a contented moan.

“Yeah, this is definitely my favorite,” he said again.

“I’m glad you like them,” she said finally opening her eyes. 

“I like them because you’re wearing them.  Then I like them when you’re not.”  He undid the bra clasp and let it fall from her body.  “Now this.  This is perfection.”  He stroked his fingers over her naked breasts.  “I’ll never get tired of touching you, Janie.  Your curves make me want to put my mouth on you.”

“Every time you say things like that, I have to keep telling myself that you’re serious.”

“Of course I’m serious.”

“I know, it’s just that I didn’t hear those things for the first 25 years of my life, so to all of the sudden hear them…well, it just takes getting used to.”

“I’m go
ing to enjoy watching you get used to it.  Come here.”

He rolled her back onto the bed where they snuggled into each other.  She yawned.  “It’s been a long day.”

“It has.  You ready to sleep?”

“Yeah.”

“Take off this thong.  I like you naked.”

“So demanding,” she said shimmying
it off on the bed then tossing it to the floor.

He pulled her closer and they found their comfortable sleeping positions. 

“Did I take over the bed last night, kicking at you then trapping you at the same time?” she murmured with a chuckle.

“Did I snore?”

They both waited a beat then laughed and said, “Yes,” simultaneously.

She wrapped her body around him to settle in.  He pulled her even closer and covered them with the comforter.

“Do you have to work tomorrow?” she asked as she was falling asleep.

“No.  You have any last minute shopping to do?”

“Yeah.  I only have one gift left to buy.”

“For?”

“None of your business,” she quipped.  He was the only one she had to buy for.  He played along and didn’t ask her to elaborate.

“Take Kenneth.”

“You won’t need him?”

“Nah, I’ll make do.  Let’s sleep in, then you can go after lunch.  I’ll just chill, see if Jem or Mike maybe wan
t to hang out or something.”

“Okay.”  She snuggled in again.  “Thanks.  And let’s get my coffee maker tomorrow and a couple of other things.” 

“Yup.”  A moment passed and just as she was falling asleep, she heard him whisper, “I love you.”

She smiled and murmured, “I love you more.”

……

Saturday morning, Janie woke before Luke, which was unusual.  She knew he was an early riser.  She spent a couple of minutes just ruminating on how beautiful and perfect he was, then laughed at her goofy lovesick self and got out of bed.  She
went into their walk-in closet and grabbed some workout pants and a sports bra that she’d brought over, then made some coffee.  She headed to the living room to do a little Yoga to stretch her sore muscles.  The man was working her in ways that no Yogi had ever done.

Laying a towel down in front of the fireplace, she kept the lights off and turned on the Christmas lights around the tree to create some dim lighting and a peaceful space then began going through her practice.  About a half hour in, she was working up a good sweat when she felt Luke’s presence in the room.  She didn’t need to look to know he was there.  She could feel his energy shift the air.

Smiling to herself, she moved into Downward Facing Dog and wiggled her ass, peering at him upside down from between her legs.  “Good morning,” she murmured.

“Don’t even think about moving from that position,” he said, walking over naked.  It was difficult to tell from her position, but it looked like he’d already put on a condom.  “You can’t expect me to wake up, see you twisting yourself up like a pretzel like that, and then not wan
t to fuck you right here.”

He was behind her, holding her hips and rubbing himself in to her, then let out a soft low moan of excitement.  He reached his hand around her and pressed his fingers between her legs, rubbing her intimately.

She let out her own sound of lust and wiggled into him some more.  “What are you going to do to me?”

“I’m go
ing to teach you some new Yoga moves.”

Now, several hours later, Janie thought of those moves while sitting in the limo.  Luke had definitely taught her some new moves, and she discovered that doing Yoga with him would likely burn more calories.  He’d been quick, precise, and true to Luke’s nature, thorough. 

Kenneth drove her to her two locations so she could do her last minute shopping.  Considering it was the Saturday before Christmas, she was expecting her outing to be a little nuts. 

It was.

Her first stop was to the hardware store for Luke’s gift.  She chuckled as she purchased it, then picked up a few empty boxes as well, so she could start loading more things up from her place.

Her second stop was to
Doodads
, one of Luke’s stores.  It was a little gem of a shop that sold all kinds of women’s accessories.  Janie had decided at the last minute to pick up something for Ryann as a small and personal engagement gift.  The boutique had some beautifully designed silk scarves that were pieces of art in and of themselves.  Since Ryann was a painter of watercolors, Janie thought she’d see if she could find anything that jumped out at her.

While standing in the scarf area, she felt a presence behind her then heard a whisper, “Hello, gorgeous.”

She whirled around and looked up into the dark hazel eyes of Eric Weston, a wicked grin on his face.

She sighed softly.  Eric Weston really was a handsome devil, and he knew it.  But given the new information she’d learned about him taking her picture, her guard was immediately up.

“Hello, Mr. Weston
.”

He shifted closer, looking around until nailing her with his gaze.  “Imagine my surprise while shopping for my mother, only to turn and see your curvy little backside.”  He lowered his voice.  “I’ve been thinking of that kiss against your front door and desperately wishing for a repeat performance.”

She tried not to appear exasperated.  “Sorry, Eric.  No encores.”

He gave her a mock wounded look.  “I bet if you went out with me again, I could get you to rethink that, Miss Callahan.”  He emphasized ‘rethink’ with relish.  “There’s a cafe right across the street.  We can talk, reminisce.  They serve up some great coffee, too.  Really,” he paused, “potent and strong.  Lots of muscle to it,” he said with a smile dripping with sex.

She put up her hand.  She needed to stop him before this went any further.  “I’m seeing Luke Daniels, Eric.”  She let that sit between them and watched for his reaction.

She noticed a tick in his jaw, then, “And?”  He acted completely unfazed.  “You know it’s interesting.  I just had a meeting with him the other day and he didn’t mention he was seeing you.”

“Why would he?  Do you usually discuss your girlfriends with each other?” 

“I asked him about you.”

She acted surprised, playing dumb.  “You did?”

He nodded.  “He didn’t say he was seeing you,” he repeated.  “What do you think that means, Janie?”

Luke and Janie’s conversation about what she was to say to Eric if he ever contacted her again played through her mind.  Janie cocked her head to look at him and recalled Luke’s final words she was to say to Eric Weston, the words that, at the time, she’d thought were too harsh. 
…then you’re going to tell him to go fuck himself…he can get a little from his hand for all I care.  He’s not getting it from you
. 

The memory almost made her smile.  Instead, she said, “It means he apparently didn’t think it was any of your business.”

He shrugged.  “Maybe.  Or maybe he likes keeping the field open for different opportunities when they come around.”  He gave her a sympathetic yet pointed look.

She was done with this.  “I need to finish up and get going, Eric.”  She went to grab the scarf she’d been looking at, but his hand stopped her.

“You have no idea what you’re getting into, Janie.  When he breaks your heart, I’ll be happy to help you out.  I’m good at getting Luke Daniels out of a woman’s system.”

“Oh?  You wouldn’t think of me as sloppy seconds?”  She waited.

His eyes narrowed then glittered.  “Well, if that sloppy seconds is a good fuck, I’d definitely still be interested.”  His face moved closer toward her ear.  “I hear he likes it a little rough.  You like that, Janie?  ’Cause I can definitely work you over if you like it nice and hard.”

She stepped away, feeling uncomfortable and a little nervous with the conversation.

Her phone rang in her purse.  She gave Eric an annoyed look at his last comment and grabbed her phone knowing it was Luke due to its ring tone. 

How do I play this?

“Hey, you,” she answered.

“Hey,” Luke said on the other end with a smile in his voice.  “How much longer
are you going to be?”

She looked up at Eric, who was running his fingers over the scarves while looking over at her.

“Actually, I should be done momentarily.  I just bumped into someone I know and we were catching up.”  Eric was stripping her with his eyes by this point.

“Oh, okay.  Anyone I know?” Luke asked casually.

Um.
  “Yeah, as a matter of fact.”  She paused.  Eric was now watching her trying to decipher who she was on the phone with and following her conversation more carefully.

Luke paused on the other line.  “Is this person of the male persuasion?” 

I’m thinking he’s more of the shark persuasion.
 

“Yup,” she said, letting her lips pop on the P sound.  The way she’d said it clued Luke into the fact that she was perhaps not too happy to be ‘catching up’ with the person in question.

“Where are you?  What store?”

“I stopped by
Doodads
to get an engagement gift for Ryann.”

“Shit, Janie.  Is it Weston?”

“Uh, huh,” she chirped.

Luke swore.  “Just leave.  Better yet, tell him to go fuck himself,
then
leave.”

“I’ll see you in a bit.  Should be leaving here in about ten minutes, ’kay?”

“Janie –”

“Love you,” she said, then hung up.  “Alright, Weston.  Here’s the deal.”  He turned fully to her with an eyebrow raised.
  “I really don’t mean to be bitchy, but I’m not interested in any kind of relationship with you, regardless of whether I’m dating Luke or not.  So, consider this our last conversation together on the matter, okay?”

He waited then moved his head to acknowledge her words.  “Well, like I said before, Janie.  When you change your mind, or should I say, when you realize that Daniels isn’t who you think he is and
he
changes his mind, you have my number when you’re ready,” he paused purposefully and smiled, “for me to work all those kinks out.”