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  Riley rested her hands on his wide shoulders, easily feeling the thick mass of muscles under her palms. Meeting his gaze steadily, she noted how Spoon's brown eyes shimmered with passionate interest. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she watched his jaw tighten, felt his grip tighten as well as an intriguing bulge press between her legs when she settled more comfortably on his lap. The five o'clock shadow leaned more toward his rough and tumble side while making for an alluring combination with his looks and body build. A heady mixture that pricked her libido, sent her belly to flipping, and sped her heart.

  "You want me." His whispered voice carried sultry heat and a promise of pleasure to come.

  She didn't argue, not when her body and mind agreed heartily with his observation. After years of uncertainty with men, and the dating process in general, she marveled at the fact she sat on his lap and knew she wouldn't refuse his sexual advances. Heck, she eagerly awaited them.

  "I think so."

  One eyebrow shot up. "Think?"

  Leaning forward, she rubbed her nose against his. "I know so," she whispered against his lips then gently meshed her mouth over his. Just as she learned the contour and feel of the chaste kiss, he took control, opening his mouth and encouraging her to do the same. Once she complied, his tongue aggressively snaked past her lips, flicking over her tongue.

  Riley delved in, pouring all her unsaid emotions into the simple sharing of tastes. His hands wandered upward, stroking along her back before boldly cupping her breasts. Heightened sensitivity and pleasure surged through her. She clenched her fingers, digging through his shirt into solid muscle underneath. Biting back a moan at the sensation of his thumbs stroking across her pebbled nipples, she hastily grabbed the hem of his shirt, lifting enough to slide her fingers underneath, desperately needing to touch him anywhere and everywhere.

  He followed suit, tugging at her shirt, unclasping her bra, and repeating his caress on her bare skin. At the same time, his tongue plundered her mouth, leaving no area unchecked.

  She flinched in gut reaction to the novel feel of a man's hands on her bare breasts. He weighed the orbs with his palms then tenderly tweaked her nipple. Her belly somersaulted and she pressed into his body, instinctively begging for more.

  A ringing phone warbled loudly.

  Startled, Riley pulled back, clumsily almost falling off Spoon's lap as he shifted to pull his phone from the leather case on his jeans. He cursed under his breath and punched a button with one hand while using the other to steady her.

  "Yeah."

  A mumbled voice carried across to her, too quiet to make out the words.

  "Your timing sucks, buddy."

  The mood broken, she re-arranged her top and stood up, putting some much needed space between them. Reaching behind her, she connected the ends of her bra and pondered the sudden revelation of her rising tide of need for the man nicknamed Spoon.

  Never had she been the initiating type nor been the aggressor in to physical affection with a boyfriend. Spoon brought out the seductress buried deep inside, allowing her to control their first taste of intimacy and bolster her confidence along the way. If the phone hadn't interrupted, she might have stripped him down, thrown the last of her reservations to the wayside, and mounted up for a steamy ride.

  When did she become so needy? So lustful? The careful and cautious side of her exerted itself once more. She didn't sleep with a man so soon in a relationship. Heck, she hadn't slept with any man period. Yet, here she sat, despite knowing Spoon for only a few days, ready to jump into the sack like a kitty in full blown heat.

  Confusion, longing, and uncertainty washed over her, leading to a realization that she needed more time in order to cement her feelings and allow their relationship to step up to the stage of sexual intimacy. Rushing headlong into passion didn't fit her personality or settle her suddenly jumpy nerves around the man she cared for.

  Unsure what to do, she left Spoon to his phone call, escaping to the kitchen. Placing dirty dishes into the dishwasher, she scurried to find words to say in this awkward situation. Sorry, I temporarily went insane? I lost my nerve? The dirty dishes called to me? She snorted to herself, levering her focus away from Spoon's hot body and her hussy inclinations and erotic thoughts of what to do with him.

  "Sorry about that."

  Twisting, she found Spoon leaning against the wall at the entrance to her tiny kitchen, his gaze raking up and down her body before settling on her face.

  "That's okay. We needed some air anyway."

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he studied her for a long moment. "Cold feet?"

  She sighed and answered truthfully. "Somewhat, yes." Setting the last glass on the top shelf, she closed the door and faced him. He ambled over, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, and lightly kissed her crown.

  "No worries. We have plenty of time." Spoon pulled back enough to look her in the face. "And I know a few tricks to get you warmed up."

  Her belly flipped over. Those words made for a nice start. Before she could consider his offer, a large canine body wedged himself between theirs, laying his substantial weight against Spoon's legs.

  "I think he's jealous."

  Riley grinned and scratched Achilles behind the ears. "Of me taking all your kisses?" She laughed. "Maybe he wants all your kisses for himself."

  Spoon snorted, tugging her back flush with his body. "Too bad. I'm saving all of them for you."

  He sealed his lips over hers once more, kissing her with wild abandon, until she broke contact out of a desperate need for air. "Wow."

  "You like?" A small smile appeared on his face.

  "Oh, yeah. Talk about addictive." He leaned in. She retreated quickly. "I need to pace myself, though. Too many of your kisses are like overeating Valentine's chocolates. They taste great until you get a tummy ache later."

  "I guarantee it won't be your stomach that will be sore by the time we exhaust ourselves in bed." He grinned wickedly.

  Oh, my.

  Achilles nosed Spoon pointedly in the groin.

  "Dog, you're throwing a bone in my seduction attempt." He stared down at the extra-large canine that blinked up at him. A long string of slobber splatted on his shoe, quickly soaking in.

  Riley giggled, relieved with the canine's impeccably timed interruption, allowing her a valid excuse to retreat. "Come on, drool machine. Let's go potty before you do more than slime Spoon's shoes with excessive salivation." Grabbing Achilles' leash, she connected it to his collar, and led the way outside.

  Considering her new dilemma as she walked with Spoon and Achilles, she pondered on the best plan of action. Impulsiveness didn't carry a hefty success rate. Like a steeplechase race, she had to pace herself and clear all obstacles, lest she trip, fall, and lose the race entirely. Not something she wanted to chance when it came to her promising relationship with Spoon. Thus, steady and sure dictated her course route for the near future, just until her inhibitions dissipated once and for all.

  Her lips turned up as a familiar childhood fairy tale came to mind that described her intentions to a T. While fast hares might be cuter with their little fluffy tails, she opted for the hard shelled competitor. Tortoise-hood, here I come.

  Chapter 11

  Bumbling idiot.

  Spoon chastised himself as he made his way back to his waiting SUV. After walking with Achilles and Riley, he excused himself to run some errands and allow her time to write without the distraction of his presence.

  Climbing into the driver's seat, he puffed out a breath of air. He pushed her too far, too fast and now suffered the consequences of his actions. Sure, she instigated the kiss, agreed she wanted him, and stayed with the program through the bit of tactile exploration they both committed. If it weren't for Loco's ill-timed call, they might be in bed, succumbing to a sensual need that would set the sheets on fire with passion. As much as he wanted that scenario to happen, relief surged through him that they'd stopped when they did. Judging from her skittish and embarrassed
reaction, she'd been riding a tide of sultry need out of instinct. While her body had seemed more than ready to explore the possibilities further, her conscious mind had put the brakes on, more than likely sending a large tide of guilt and bewilderment over her, snuffing out the quickly ignited flares of sensuality. Her comfortable, even playful demeanor had vanished after their round of fondling, replaced with telltale signs of nervousness, telling him two things. First, she probably didn't have much experience with men and sex. Secondly, he'd crossed the line.

  He should have realized her limits earlier, after all she had warned him of her unwillingness to fall into bed at the drop of a hat after only a date or two. Advice he'd forgotten about until he'd tracked her down in the kitchen, busily loading the dishwasher with an expression of awkward puzzlement written clearly across her face. Certainly not what he'd wanted to see after a hot express lane trip straight to second base.

  Someone needed to kick his butt for letting his cock rule his brain.

  Starting the engine, he pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic, still working on the problem at hand. How to woo Riley back, solidify her trust in him, and leave no question in her mind that he wanted her now and forever?

  Forever? Where in the hell had that thought come from? Forever meant commitment, marriage, two point three children, a dog, and a house with a white picket fence.

  Well, I've got the dog part taken care of already.

  He shook his head with wry amusement, wondering at what point he'd lost his ever-loving mind. Maybe being the lone single team member left was playing with him after all. Something had to be at fault as he never truly considered settling down and all the responsibilities that husbandly status brought with it.

  Yet, he felt an overwhelming need to earn back Riley's complete faith and trust, to ease her newfound discomfort, and solidify them as a couple once more. In essence, he had to court her, prove his intentions honorable, and give her plenty of time to catch up with him on the trail to the bedroom. Definitely doable and worthy of the time and effort.

  Chapter 12

  Riley handed a newly minted membership card to a young blonde along with a smile. "If you have any questions feel free to ask. Athletic trainers are all around, dressed in yellow T-shirts with the word 'Athletic Trainer' on the front. Don't be afraid to ask them for assistance. In fact, they would probably appreciate it as they get bored and lonely at times just waiting for someone to talk to them."

  The woman smiled, spun on her heel, and dashed off toward the women's locker room.

  "Can you escape for lunch?"

  Glancing up from her computer screen at the familiar voice, Riley smiled at the sight of Spoon. "Oh, hi."

  He leaned on the reception desk, his well-defined arm muscles easily bearing the weight, standing out against the light green T-shirt. With his short hair neatly combed and a clean shaven chin, he made for a picture perfect pin-up guy.

  "Lunch?"

  A quick glance at the clock found it straight up noon. "I think so, why?"

  He matched her grin. "I grabbed some take-out. Figured we might eat at the park across the street since it's so nice outside."

  "That sounds wonderful." She caught the attention of another worker and made motions indicating she was headed out to lunch. At her nod, she grabbed her purse. "I'm all yours."

  His eyebrow arched even as his eyes danced with amusement. Spinning around, he held the front door open for her, following her into the midday sunshine. They swung by his vehicle to pick up the food, a delicious scent of Italian spices greeting them as he opened the door.

  She sniffed deeply. "This smells wonderful."

  Collecting the plastic bags, he led the way to an empty picnic table located under a large oak tree, providing enough shade for comfort while letting in enough light to not be too chilly.

  "I didn't know what you liked, so I went with the old standby: spaghetti."

  "I just happen to love spaghetti." She beamed at him. The impromptu picnic both surprised and delighted her. Her heart buoyed at his actions, sending a surge of hope and relief coursing through her. After the awkwardness of their last time together, she truly hadn't known what to expect. A dozen times she'd wanted to call, to reassure herself that things between them would be fine, they'd just stumbled over a mere speed bump in their budding relationship, a reminder to her that haste makes waste.

  Together, they set out the food, each grabbing a Styrofoam box along with a bottled soda he'd also thoughtfully brought along. Digging in, she savored the pasta with meat sauce along with the company on such a pretty day.

  A sudden thought struck as she checked her watch. "I'm going to have to hurry. I still need to get home and let Achilles out."

  "I'll do it." He sucked a long string of spaghetti into his mouth.

  Blinking, she considered his offer. It would be nice to relax and soak up the atmosphere for her entire lunch hour without having to race off to her nearby apartment, walk Achilles, and return to work in the nick of time. On the other hand, that meant giving Spoon her key. Not that she didn't trust him but handing over an apartment key seemed so… formal. Unsure, she worried her bottom lip, still debating the offer.

  His gaze raked her face, staring for a long moment. "I'll bring it right back. Promise. Just let the dog do his business, then return the key to you at the gym."

  She released a sigh as he seemed to understand her concerns and hesitation. Searching his face, she found no hint of anger or frustration, just lazy contentment and a truthful vow.

  "Are you sure it's not too much trouble?"

  He shook his head. "Not at all. I'm off today, just running a few errands. Besides, I figured on working out after lunch anyway."

  Her lips turned up. "Thank you." Digging through her purse, she found her keys, pulled them out, and dropped them into his upturned palm. "To be honest, I'm enjoying myself too much to hurry through and dash off."

  "Good." Spoon took a long drink, studying her carefully.

  Squirming under his intense gaze, she tossed out the first topic that came to mind. "So, tell me what your faults are."

  He snorted, an amused grin slowly creasing his face. "I thought the purpose of dating was to present your best side?"

  Riley shrugged. "Probably, but I think it's good to see the good with the bad, mix them together, and see what you come up with."

  "Sounds like a science experiment to me."

  "Maybe it is." She flashed him a wicked smile. "Come on. Fess up. What are your faults?"

  Stabbing a small meatball, he dropped it in his mouth and chewed. "Stubbornness is a given." He took another bite. "I've been told I'm domineering and a slave driver." He thought a long moment longer. "That's about all I can come up with on the spot, although I'm sure there are more."

  She took a sip of her soda.

  "Your turn." He gestured her direction.

  Chasing a stray noodle around her plate, she hem-hawed for a moment. "I'll also claim stubbornness. Willful at times, too, so I've been told. Oh, and I am not a morning person. Make me get up before the sun rises and I can be pretty cranky for a while."

  The corners of his mouth turned up. "I'm not sure that's a fault. If so, there are millions of other people in this country that share it."

  "Hmm. What else? I can be wishy-washy."

  Spoon nodded, taking the last bite of his meal. "That's not always bad. Think of all the impulsive buys you don't make."

  "True. I'm also fairly frugal. No sense in spending money on items you already have just because they're a different color or style."

  He clutched his chest dramatically. "A woman after my own heart."

  A chuckle escaped. "That's good to know. We can be frugal together." She wiped her mouth with the provided napkin, slurped down the last of her drink, then bundled all her trash together.

  Spoon did the same, plucking hers off the table, and headed to the nearby trash can to dispose of their containers.

  Checking the time, she re
leased a sigh. "I don't want to go back. This is much more fun."

  He ambled back to her side, tapping his finger on her nose. "I'm sorry."

  Standing, she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight before brushing her lips against his cheek. "Thank you for lunch. You made my day."

  Pulling her flush against his body, he sealed his mouth over hers, lazily sampling. She returned the affection without hesitation, enjoying the feel of his large frame supporting her smaller body while his soft but talented lips teased her own. All too soon, he pulled back, breaking their close contact.

  "We better get you back or your boss will be fit to be tied."

  She nodded, slipping her fingers between his as they headed back across the street. "Too bad I have to work in order to pay the bills. Otherwise, I could play hooky and spend the afternoon with you."

  He grinned. "Ah ha. I knew deep down you had a rebel gene or two."

  "Does that count as a fault?" she asked, peering up coyly through her batting eyelashes.

  "I'll have to get back with you on that." With a merry laugh, he pulled open the front door and ushered her inside. "Back to work for you and off to walk Achilles for me before he leaves a spot on your carpet." Holding up her keys, he gave them a small shake, letting them jingle together. "I'll bring these right back."

  "Okay. Thanks." She gave a quick wave, headed behind the reception area, and tossed her purse in a bottom drawer. Watching Spoon stride to his car, she wondered if a quarter would bounce off that tight rear and how far it might travel.

  A half hour later, keys dangled in front of Riley's face as she busily typed in information for a new member joining the gym. With a client right there, she could do no more than palm the keys, smile, and say thank you. Spoon nodded, spun on his heel, and headed back to the free weight section.

  "Boy. If all the men look like him, I'll definitely be here every day," the brunette announced as she plucked her card from Riley's fingertips.