Page 46 of The Deadbeat Next Door

He gave me a small nudge and I fell back, like I was made of liquid, onto the bed. He knelt, spread my legs wide and studied me for a moment, taking in every inch of my naked body. “You are even more fucking perfect than I’d imagined you’d be.” He bent and pressed his mouth to me, sucking and licking, until he brought me to a roaring orgasm that left me feeling limp and entirely sated.

He stood and looked down at me, his expression smug and satisfied. “Have I earned my raise?”

I lifted one hand limply and waved him away. “Yes, you may go now.” I was teasing. The last thing I wanted was for him to leave, but Carrie, the vineyard owner would likely be done with him.

He chuckled and stroked himself through his jeans. “I’m not sure I have earned that raise, boss. I’d like to be given the opportunity to give you a full one hundred percent of my effort.”

I licked my lips, my limp body coming awake and igniting with renewed desire. “I wouldn’t want you to leave without showing me everything you’ve got to offer,” I said.

He stripped off his jeans and his boxers and stood before me naked. I swallowed hard. He was large and he was beautiful and I…I wasn’t at all sure I could handle him. He must have seen something on my face, because his smug expression became even more smug. “Don’t worry, boss. I’ll make it good for you. I understand if you need a little help getting readjusted to the ride after an eternal dry spell.”

I huffed, lust turning to annoyance. “Eternal is a huge exaggeration.” I shook my head. “You know what? I think if you want to earn that raise, you’d do well to talk less.”

He smirked. “Good thing I’m not actually expecting a raise.”

“What?” Were we no longer playing?

“You aren’t the only one who’s been watching and dreaming. I’ve wanted you for a long fucking time, raise or no raise, and I’m going to enjoy every moment of this.”

Wow. I liked being in charge, but seeing him take charge made me melt. He bent and got something from his jeans pocket. Then he straightened and slowly slid a condom over his length. He laid down on the bed and pulled me over until I was straddling him. “First, though, I’m going to let you run the show a little longer. I want to see what it looks like when Carrie Harrison fucks me.”

I forgot how to breath for a moment. Who was this guy and why did I suddenly want to do everything he asked? I straightened my shoulders. This guy was someone who worked for me and, if he wanted to see me take charge, I was going to give him what he wanted. I slid onto him, slowly, giving myself time to get comfortable. I watched his face as I took every inch of him, watched him watch me as his expression went lax and pleasure suffused his features. I was pretty sure I could get off just watching his face, but I wanted more.

I rode him, touching my breasts and showing off a bit, just to see what reaction I’d get from him, just because it was fun and made me feel sexy as hell. His reaction didn’t disappoint and it didn’t take long before pleasure rushed through me like a bolt of feel-good lightening. Once I’d reached my climax, he gripped my hips and took control, seeming to understand what I needed without words. He urged me toward another climax and, when I reached it, he rolled us, so that he was on top. He took his time, torturing me with pleasure, before he picked up the pace and reached his own release. I was pretty sure I’d never move again. I’d never leave that bed again, now I knew the kind of pleasure that could be found there.

He rolled off me and lay next to me until we caught our breath. Then he got up and disposed of the condom. I stared at the ceiling, trying to understand how I’d just had the best sex of my life with a man I didn’t like very much.

He came back to the bed and lay down, not touching me. “Am I alone in this?” he asked. “Or was that amazing?”

“You’re not alone,” I said, still trying to catch my breath. “It was amazing.”

And now it felt awkward. I slid off the bed and started pulling on my clothes.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice sleepy.

“I’m getting dressed and going home. The sex was great, but cuddling after doesn’t work for Carrie the school teacher or Carrie the Vineyard owner.”

He sat up, and I very studiously avoided looking at his naked form, the way his ab muscles bunched, or the sleepy, sated look on his face. “You’re right,” he said. “But you should stay. Like you said, people are going to expect us to be sharing a bed most nights.”

I sighed and sat on the edge of his bed. “Right.” But everything felt more difficult and less casual now. He’d been a generous lover and gone above and beyond to make sure I was pleased. I was having a hard time remembering why I didn’t want to snuggle with him or have a repeat of that amazing sex.

“Borrow one of my t-shirts and get back in bed,” he said. “I promise, no cuddling.”

Exhaustion washed over me. Pretending took a lot more energy than I’d anticipated. Cody got up and walked across the room to his dresser, naked. I watched his body move, unable to take my eyes off his perfect ass, or his muscular back. He no longer seemed over-muscled to me, he seemed perfect, and desire rose in me again. He pulled a shirt from a drawer and tossed it to me. “If you don’t stop looking at me like that,” he said. “We aren’t going to be getting to sleep anytime soon.”

I dropped my eyes to the floor and pulled his t-shirt on. I slid back out of my pants and climbed under the covers. He put his boxer briefs back on and got in next to me. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“‘Night.” I snuggled down into a pillow that smelled like him and fell asleep almost immediately.

I woke up warm and cozy, the pillow under me vibrating in the most relaxing way. I froze. There wasn’t a pillow under me, there was a man. A man with a very happy lower appendage poking me in the belly. My body ignited and I resisted the urge to slide up and take him inside me. It would be wrong to attack a sleeping man. Very, very wrong.

It was also wrong to be snuggling with him in such a gratuitous full-body snuggle. But worse than that, I couldn’t stop smiling. This wasn’t a good thing. I didn’t love the feel of him or the smell of him, masculine and outdoorsy mixed with the intoxicating aroma of sex. No. This relationship was going to require self-control. It was temporary and he was a big jerk. A really, really big jerk.

A large hand gripped my ass and pulled me until my happy place was resting just right against his happy place. I let out a moan and then bit my lip to stop from making any more sounds.

“Relax,” he said. “It’s not snuggling. It’s foreplay.”

I laughed, relieved and…Just plain happy. Happy not to be waking up alone and happy to be so warm in his arms. I felt like sharing the happiness. “Well, then. Carrie the vineyard owner has just gotten to work and found Cody, the worker who wants more than a raise, in her office and very happy to see her. She tells him it’s time to play.”

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