After All These Years (One Pass Away #2) (12 page)

“It’s September, Sean.” Riley licked her lips. “That
Christmas reference better be your attempt at a clever metaphor. I’m not
waiting four months to have—” Naked Sean made her lose her train of thought. “Holy
crap.”

“See something you like?”

“That is one big ass,
adult
toy you’re sporting, my
friend.”

“Hands off,” Sean warned when she started to reach out. “Play
by the rules or I’m taking my balls and going home.”

“Didn’t your parents teach you to share?”

“Yes. And I will. Eventually.”

Riley sighed. “Earlier, you called me a woman. I wasn’t one
before.”

Sean settled into the tub. Her expression was so earnest.
Her blue eyes filled with emotion. Taking her foot, he placed in onto his
chest, smoothing his hand over the instep.

“Are we going to talk about it? Now?”

“We never have. This seems like a good time.”

“Stripped bare, so to speak.” Sean gave her big toe a light
kiss. “It was five years ago, Riley.”

“Eight.”

“Eight? You would have been…?”

“Seventeen.”

“I had no idea.”

Sean looked mystified. Truly surprised—much to Riley’s
relief. His pity had been hard to handle when she was twenty. Three more years
of it, even though she hadn’t known at the time, would be hard to swallow.

“I’m going to tell you a story about a girl who decided,
with one look, that she was in love. It isn’t terribly flattering, so please
keep that in mind. She was young and possessed with a stubborn kind of tunnel
vision only found in a determined seventeen-year-old.”

To her surprise, it didn’t take her long. She always thought
of her former Sean obsession as epic and far reaching. In truth, the whole
thing could be recapped in ten minutes. Less, if Sean hadn’t asked a few
questions along the way.

Riley wasn’t sure how she felt. She hadn’t padded or
embellished the facts. Suddenly, something that had occupied her life for so
long had been reduced to a few succinct paragraphs. If written out? Two or three
pages.

Funny. It took saying it aloud to finally put it in
perspective.

“Sad? Pathetic? Creepy? Please check one of the above.”
Riley tried to make light of it, but she was on pins and needles waiting for
Sean’s reaction.

“I pick D.”

“Ah. A wildcard answer.” Riley took a deep breath. “Go on.
Hit me. I can take it.”

“Flattering.”

“No, Sean. Don’t let me off that easy. I was obnoxious.”
Riley cringed thinking about it. “I was a crazy kid. Filled with the odd idea
that you would love me because to me, it made sense. A smart man would have run
in the opposite direction. Instead, you tried to be nice.”

“By putting my foot in my mouth.” Sean shook his head. “Why
are you beating yourself up? Especially at this late date?”

“Why aren’t we having sex?”

“You lost me.” Sean soaped up a cloth, making it nice and
sudsy. Slowly, he ran it along her calf. He wasn’t washing so much as
caressing. It felt nice.

“What you did earlier? I’m all for it. Cartwheels and
lollipops all around.”

“Thank you.”

“Hold off on the self-congratulatory back-pats, buddy. I’m
adding a major but to that sentence. I want sex. Full-on, sweaty, mind-blowing
sex.”

“Riley—”

“I want your big, shiny, mouth-watering dick inside of me. I’ve
been very, very good. I deserve my treat. Now.”

“I…” Sean didn’t know what to say. Yes, he did. “I’ve slept
with a lot of women, Riley.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“You think you know. The truth is, you have no idea how
many. I’m reluctant to admit that I lost count a long time ago.”

“STD?”

“No. I’m clean. I’ve always been extra careful. And I
regularly get checked by my own doctor. That isn’t something I would want to
come out during my team physical.”

“Then I don’t care, Sean.” One or one thousand. What
difference did it make?

“For some reason, I do.” Leaning to his right, Sean touched
a button. Bubbles began swirling around them. Riley felt the cooling water
begin to heat. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed every hedonistic moment. It isn’t
that I want to turn back the clock or alter the past. Instead, I want
this—us—to be different.”

Riley felt her breath catch.

“I like different.”

“I think I do, too.”

“I want you to know, Sean. You don’t have to prove anything
to me.”

“I need to prove it to myself.”

Before Riley could blink, Sean turned her so her back rested
against him. His erection was still at full staff.

“Isn’t that uncomfortable?”

“It’s… different.”

“If I move a little I could—”

Holding her still, Sean laughed. Riley thought it sounded a
little strained. She stopped squirming. She didn’t agree with Sean, but it was
his thing. She would respect it—and try not to make it harder on him.

“Want to share the reason for that lovely laugh?”

“Have you ever noticed? When you have sex on the brain
everything is a double entendre?”

“Words can be a minefield.” Sean put his lips near her ear. “If
you have a dirty mind.”

“Please.” She playfully rapped her fist on the side of his
skull. “I’m only borderline dirty.”

“Stick with me. I’ll push you to the next level in no time.”

“I’m good where I am, thank you very much.” Riley pulled
Sean’s arms around her waist. This was nice. Warm, frothy water and a big,
strong, sexy man to share it. If she weren’t careful, she would fall asleep.

“I should go home.”

“Or, you could stay the night,” Sean whispered, his hand
covering her breast.

It wasn’t sexual. Though it felt very, very good. It was
sweet. Dare she hope, loving? She was tired. For now, that kind of thinking had
to stay buried. Riley was tempted to stay. However, Sean was right. Slower was
better.

“Another time.”

Sean didn’t argue. He helped her from the tub, leaving her
to dry off while he retrieved her clothing. When he returned, he was wearing
the same jeans with a fresh white t-shirt. It was a good look on him. Then
again, what wasn’t?

“Are we good?” he asked, holding out her shirt.

“I’m not leaving because I’m angry.” Riley pulled on her
jeans. Topless, she slipped her arms around Sean’s waist.

“You have the softest skin.”

“
That’s
why.” Reluctantly, she eased far enough away
to slip on her shirt. “You keep touching me. And making remarks about my skin
or how I taste.”

“Bad Sean.”

“Laugh all you want.” Gripping his arm for balance, Riley
slid on her shoes. “You want to be a good boy. I want to rip your clothes off.
Chances are, if I stay, I’ll compromise your purity before morning.”

Later, after he walked Riley home, Sean stared at his
bedroom ceiling, a grin plastered on his face. Yes, his sexual frustration was
higher than he could remember. And sure, it would be better if Riley was
here—in his arms. But damn. That woman could make him laugh.

Sexual purity, indeed
. Closing his eyes, Sean took a
deep breath, his body relaxing.
Only Riley
. He drifted, sleep closing
in, and smiled again.

Only Riley.

THE TWO WOMEN, one blond, the other brunette, drew plenty of
attention. This was a sports bar. On most days, the clientele was ninety
percent male. On Sundays, the women who ventured in usually came with their
husbands or boyfriends.

The crowd was raucous and focused on the game. However, when
the final whistle blew, things changed. Fast. Especially when the Knights won.

“Put your money away, ladies. There is a line ten deep of
men wanting to buy your drinks.”

“What do you think?” Claire asked Riley, her eyes filled
with laughter. They were at the bar in the same seats they occupied throughout
the game.

“I think you should tell the men thanks, but no thanks.”
Riley handed the bartender a twenty. “We want two more drafts. Period. Whatever’s
left, keep for yourself.”

“Will do. But I warn you, these guys hate to take no for an
answer. Give me a signal if anyone gets out of hand.”

“Why do men think all women are looking for male
companionship?”

“Ego and too much cheap beer?”

“Mmm. Maybe we should have watched the game at your place.”

The Knights were in New York this week. It was the featured
game on Sunday night. A five o’clock start in Seattle.

Claire called to see if she wanted to watch the game
together and Riley suggested
The Extra Point.
The idea of sharing the
experience with other fans seemed like a good idea. Until now.

“You want to leave?”

“No.” Riley clinked glasses with Claire. “The Knights won.
Again. Logan had another hundred-yard-plus game and Sean caught a touchdown
pass. We are going to celebrate. If anybody gets touchy-feely, you throw your
beer in their face while I kick them in the balls.”

“And
that
is why I knew we would be friends.”

“Here comes idiot number one,” Riley warned.

“Hey, beautiful ladies.” His beer breath washed over her
face. He wasn’t bad looking. However, the swaying and glazed eyes were a hard
look to carry off. It made his attractive factor plummet—fast.

“One push. He’ll land on his butt and be out of our hair,”
Claire murmured.

Riley agreed with the assessment. Unfortunately, because the
place was packed, the drunk was likely to take out five or six innocent
bystanders on his way down. Entertaining, yes. Also, potentially dangerous.

“It isn’t worth it. Let’s go.”

“Hey, where ya goin’?” idiot boy protested as they walked
past him. He reached for one, then the other, missing both.

“Sorry about Ed.” A tall, thin man grabbed hold of his
friend before he toppled over. “Can we buy you a drink as an apology?”

“No.”

Riley and Claire exchanged chagrined looks. Some guys never
quit. Nor did their buddies.

They were almost out the door without further incident when out
of the corner of her eye, Riley saw a familiar looking woman. A brunette with
gravity defying breasts. Sapphire, her father’s
personal assistant,
didn’t
look happy. In fact, she appeared to be on the verge of tears. With a sigh,
Riley stopped Claire.

“You go. I’ll meet you at the coffee place across the
street.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Claire said. When Riley started
weaving through the crowd, Claire was right behind. “What are we doing?”

Riley shrugged. It was too loud to explain the unexplainable.
She felt bad about how she had treated Sapphire. The woman had been doing her
job. And she was sleeping with Gerald Preston. Hadn’t she suffered enough? If
Riley could help out, she would be doing her good deed for the next month.

“I told you, I want to go home.”

Riley heard Sapphire’s teary words over the din.

“And I told you I want to stay,” the man at the table
yelled. “Leave. I don’t care.”

“Fine.”

Sapphire seemed to lose her nerve when faced with a sea of
drunk men.

“Come on, we’ll get you out of here.”

Riley might not have been Sapphire’s idea of a savior, but
she seemed to understand it was the boss’ daughter or no one. Putting the woman
between her and Claire, they made their way out of the bar without incident.

All Riley could think when they reached fresh air was,
never
again
.

“Men are pigs.” Sapphire cried. Her mascara ran, giving her
raccoon eyes.

“Okay.” Riley guided her across the street and into the
coffee shop.

“Why?” Sapphire flopped onto the first chair she came to.

“Why what?” Claire asked Riley.

“I have no idea. By the looks of her, I doubt she knows. I’ll
flip you for the right to sit with her. The winner gets the coffee.”

“No way. She’s your…?” Claire searched for the word. “Friend?”

“Not even close, but I get the point. Make it strong and
black.”

Sapphire’s forehead rested on the table. “Your father dumped
me for a younger woman with bigger breasts.”

What was she supposed to say to that? Naturally her father
dumped Sapphire. It was his M.O. It was all fun and games until he grew bored or
met someone else. The two events usually coinciding.

But bigger breasts? Sapphire’s were squished against the
table. How much bigger could you get?

“I hate my breasts.”

Claire arrived with three steaming cups of coffee. Placing
one in front of Sapphire, she said with genuine sympathy, “I’m sorry to hear
that.”

“One week after we started seeing each other, Gerald offered
to buy me implants.”

“Offered?” Riley doubted Sapphire had been given a choice.
Not if she wanted the relationship to continue.

“Insisted,” Sapphire admitted. “I wanted to make him happy.
My body is grotesque and I’m all alone.” The last three words came out in huge,
gulping sobs.

“I’m sorry, Sapphire.” Awkwardly, Riley patted the woman’s
back, handing her a napkin to wipe her eyes. “For my father and for how I
behaved the day we met. I took my frustration with him out on you. It was
wrong.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve given up everything for that man. I
had a nice, solid boyfriend. Gerald seemed so worldly and sophisticated.”
Sapphire loudly blew her nose. “Today, I’d give anything for nice and solid.
Did you see that idiot I was with? I’ve been reduced to accepting dates with
athletic supporter salesmen.”

“Can you make a living doing that?” Claire wanted to know.

Riley wiped her mouth, trying to hide her smile. Damn, this
kept teetering between tragedy and farce. After her heartfelt apology, it would
be rude to laugh. No matter how tempting Sapphire made it.

“Has he fired you?”

“Not yet. But it’s just a matter of time. He’ll want his
latest floozy close by. How do you think
I
got the job?”

It would have been bad form to point out that Sapphire had
just called herself a floozy. Instead, Riley took out one of her business
cards.

“Here’s what we’re going to do.” Riley scribbled her private
number on the back of the card before handing it to Sapphire. “Finish your
coffee. Then we’ll get you a cab. Tomorrow when you’re able to think things
through with a clear head, decide if you want to have the implants removed.”

“I can’t afford it.” Sapphire looked like she had hit
bottom.

“My father paid to have them put in, I’ll pay to have them
taken out.”

“Really?”

“It seems fair. And don’t worry about your job. Stay if you
want. If need be, I’ll help you find another one.”

It was amazing what a glimmer of hope did for a person’s
state of mind. By the time they put Sapphire in a cab, she no longer looked as
if her world were ending. She even managed a smile, waving as the car pulled
away.

“That was kind,” Claire said as they walked toward her
parked car. “I can’t imagine taking pity on my father’s mistress.”

“She’s a victim. I’ve seen his women come and go. There are
predators, and there are women like Sapphire, who delude themselves into
believing that my father truly loves them and that they will be different from
all the others. Trust me, they never are.”

“The surgery.” Claire hit the remote, the car’s headlights
engaging, signaling the doors were unlocked. “That was more than a friendly
gesture.”

“I’m giving her a choice.” Riley slid into the passenger
side, then closed the door.

“She chose to have those things put in, Riley. No one held
her down.”

“Love has a way of clouding your judgment.”

Riley’s experience hadn’t been as extreme. However, at
twenty-five, it was easy to say she would never let a man talk her into doing
something that, deep down, she didn’t want to do. Five years ago, she didn’t
know what she would, or wouldn’t, have done if Sean had asked.

“I’m lucky to be in love with a man who likes me the way I
am.”

Riley looked Claire up and down. Tall, gorgeous, and smart
as a whip. The woman was practically perfect. But a man—the wrong man—could
always find something with which to tear down a woman.

Gerald Preston was the perfect example. Riley’s advice? Run,
ladies. Run hard and fast in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, her father
had enough of the three Cs to pull woman after woman into his web.

Cash. Charm. Clout. A heady combination that often spelled
disaster for someone like Sapphire.

“Think she’ll make that call?”

“I hope so. But,” Riley gave Claire a half-smile, “it’s up
to her.”

TWELVE FIFTEEN. RILEY’S visitors, when she had them, rarely
arrived after eight. She didn’t mind staying out late. However, when she stayed
in, anything after ten equaled the middle of the night.

The intercom buzzed again.

“Yes, Stuart?”

“He wants it to be a surprise, but I can’t let anyone up
without announcing them.”

“Who? And damn straight you need to announce them.”

“Mr. McBride.” Stuart’s voice vibrated with excitement. “
Sean
McBride,” he qualified.

Riley grinned. He must have come straight from the airport.
The team’s plane had made good time. Not that it mattered. Anytime was fine
with her. No hour was too late for Sean.

“Send him up, Stuart.”

“Right away.”

She didn’t know who was more excited by Sean’s arrival. Her
or Stuart. Riley rushed to the bathroom, checking her image. She hadn’t been
asleep, only reading in bed. Still, she took the time to fluff her hair. Her
mouth still felt minty fresh.

Lavender satin and lace. Not Riley’s usual sleep garb. An
impulse had her donning the nightgown. Or had it been a premonition?

The knock on her front door brought a wave of anticipation.
It had only been three days, but it felt longer. She missed him. It was that
simple. And it made her happy that after a long, exhausting roadtrip, the first
thing he wanted was her.

“Hi.”

Sean didn’t look tired. He stood in the hall outside of her
condo all sexy and masculine.

He sported a bit of stubble on his face and a smile that
made her heart race. Jeans, a leather jacket, and lace-up sneakers that looked
like a cross between hiking boots and high-tops. Riley knew each piece of his
outfit sported a designer label. However, Sean wore them with a casual ease. He
never looked like he was trying too hard to be cool.

As a result, he was the personification of the word.

An answering smile curved Sean’s lips. Without a word, he
entered her home, lifting her into his arms. Riley locked her legs around his
waist, slammed the door, then burrowed her face into his clean, soft hair.

“I missed you.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered, breathing deep. Nothing but soap
and Sean. It was a scent she wanted to drench herself in.

Sean pulled back until his eyes met hers. Hazel flecked with
green and gold, glowing with need. His gaze dropped to her lips, his groan deep
when her tongue moistened the surface. In an instant, he closed the gap that
separated them.

The kiss bordered on desperate. It only took a second for it
to cross over. Riley sank into the feel of Sean’s mouth covering hers. He
consumed her. Eagerly, she opened to his questing tongue, wanting more. Needing
everything.

“Are we having a sleepover?” Riley asked when Sean headed
down the hall.

“Sleep?” Sean tossed her on the bed. “Eventually.”

Riley rested on her elbow, not wanting to miss the show. Off
came his jacket followed by a white t-shirt. This view alone was worth any
price of admission.

His skin was a light brown. As with his black hair, the tone
was a testament to the Cherokee blood that ran on his mother’s side. Smooth,
with a slight dusting of hair that formed an interesting V above the waistband
of his tight cotton briefs.

Riley wanted to touch, kiss, and taste very mouthwatering
inch.

“I like the nightgown,” Sean said, slowly lowering his
zipper. “But it has to go.”

Riley opened her mouth, ready to respond with a quick quip.
Whatever she was about to say melted from her brain when Sean removed a condom
from the pocket of his jeans.

“That looks serious.” Riley swallowed, hoping she knew what
the foil packet meant.

“I don’t carry them around for show.”

“Should I sing a chorus of Hallelujah?’

“I’ll have you singing, Riley.” Grinning, Sean kicked aside
his shoes and jeans. “If you want to get a head start, be my guest.”

“I think I’ll save my energy.”

She thought Sean taking his clothes off was a show? That was
a pale imitation compared to a front row seat to the condom roll.

“What made you change your mind?”

“You want to go into that now?” Sean asked. He placed a knee
on each side of her, causing the mattress to dip. “All the way to New York I
called myself a hundred different kinds of fool for leaving us both wanting.
All the way home, I thought of nothing but this. I want you, Riley. I hope that
says it all.”