Erotic Influence (4 page)

“Talking about you,” he said without hesitation.

It definitely took the wind from her sails and her knowing
smile disappeared. “What about me?”

He sat beside her on the sofa and Annie dropped into her
dad’s recliner.

“When are you going to stop running around with the scum in
this neighborhood so your dad doesn’t freak every time you walk out the door?”
Rick asked.

Tammy frowned and scooted to the edge of the sofa. Rick
stood when she did.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you. Move out of my way.”

“Don’t be immature about this. I know you know better.”

“Shut up and move.”

She stomped her foot like a toddler and Rick held up his
hands. He stepped back and let her storm out of the room. Annie didn’t say
anything until he faced her again. “I’m sorry. She’s really spoiled.”

He released a humorless laugh. “I’ll say.”

He closed the distance and held out his hand. She took it
without hesitation and let him pull her to her feet. He kept her hand in his
and led her back down the hall. She frowned when he bypassed her room and she
thought he meant to argue with Tammy again. But he stopped at the wash room and
they went out the back door. As soon as she stepped off the bottom step he
turned and pulled her into his arms.

“I wanted to go back to your room, but if your dad catches
me here he’ll probably shoot me. This way we’ll hear him coming and you can run
inside while I slip around the house to go home.”

Her brows shot up but she didn’t get a word in before he was
kissing her again.

Even though it was wholly unexpected, she decided she really
liked his kisses. He took his time tasting first the top and then her bottom
lip. He licked the seam until she relaxed her jaw and let him in. Then he slid
his tongue between her teeth and she moaned at the taste. He was delicious too.

She had no idea how long they stood there enjoying each
other’s mouths. But by the time he finally pulled back she was lightheaded. His
arm tightened around her back and he used a finger to wipe the moisture from
her lips. She looked at him in a daze as her body tingled.

“I’d be perfectly content to stay here and do this all
evening, but the neighbors might see us.”

She startled at the reminder of where they were and looked
from one side to the next. The houses were close enough to see into the open
backyards from a rear window. Luckily no blinds twitched as if they were being
watched.

“Oh…yeah.”

He chuckled and ran a finger down her cheek. “Next time I
kiss you I want you to remove your glasses.”

“You don’t like my glasses?”

“It’s not that I don’t like them. I just like being able to
see your pretty eyes more clearly.”

Her face flushed again but she fought the urge to lower her
head. If she could let him kiss her then she could damn well let him compliment
her too. “Thank you.”

He grinned. “You’re very welcome.” He kissed her softly for
just a couple of seconds. “I guess I should go.”

Though he said the words, he didn’t loosen his grip. She
finally sighed and gave a short nod before wiggling out of his arms. This time
he let her go.

“I’m sorry about all the drama,” she said.

“None of it is your fault, Annie. I just wish we could have
had dinner together tonight.”

“Maybe…maybe in a couple of nights. I can try to talk my dad
into letting me go out.”

He frowned and she was instantly embarrassed by her
admission. She knew it was ridiculous to have to ask permission to go out at
her age. But she still lived in her father’s house and was at his mercy on such
things.

“Do you think he’ll let you? Especially if you say it’s with
me?”

She almost shook her head but stopped herself at the last
second. “I hope so.”

“Me too.”

He planted one last quick kiss on her mouth and turned away.
“I better go before I can’t make myself leave.”

She didn’t say a word as she watched him disappear around
the corner. The last thing she wanted to do was go back into her house, but she
had to do laundry. Her very unglamorous life would probably turn Rick off
quickly if he knew even half the story. She was very much the
mom
in the
house. She cooked, cleaned and kept Tammy in line. If she told her dad she was
going out one night he would probably have a heart attack. The only time she
left home was to go to work.

She went back into the house slowly and started a load of
laundry. Then she went to Tammy’s door. Amazingly it was unlocked. She opened
it, dreading the sight of an empty room. Luckily Tammy was on her bed.

“What?” Tammy asked.

Annie lifted a brow at the rude bark and crossed her arms
over her breasts without a word. After a full minute of her disapproving glare
Tammy finally wilted. “Sorry. I’m just sick of everyone treating me like a
dimwit. Or a baby.”

“Then stop acting like one or the other. Rick asked you a
valid question.”

Tammy rolled her eyes. “Oh now that he’s talking to you, you
can say his name?”

“Stop being rude.”

“I’m not being rude. You’re being stupid for taking his
side.”

“I’m not taking sides, Tammy. I’m saying you should have
simply answered his question.”

“It was stupid.”

“No it wasn’t.”

Tammy sat up with a huff and continued to glare. “I don’t
hang out with scum.”

“No? What about the Langly brothers? They’ve both been in
juvie and I know they smoke pot.”

“So?”

“Tammy.”

“What?”

“You know I’m not going to stay here forever, right?”

The defiant anger in Tammy’s expression was quickly replaced
with fear, and she looked like a five-year-old again, going off to school alone
for the first time.

“You’re moving out?”

Annie hated the quaver in her voice that always poured on
the guilt. She sighed and walked fully into the room, sitting on the edge of
her bed. “Not tomorrow or anytime real soon. But you know I can’t stay here
forever. I can’t let Dad rule my life forever.”

Tammy nodded, though her expression didn’t change. “I know.
I hate how he yells at you like you’re a kid but then expects you to act like
my mom. It’s so stupid.”

“I agree. But since he is our dad I can’t really do anything
about it while I’m stuck here.”

“How much have you saved up?”

Annie shrugged, even though she knew the exact balance in
her savings account down to the penny. She didn’t want to outright lie to her
sister, so she just kept it vague. “Not enough yet, but almost.”

Tammy sighed and moved to sit beside her so she could lay
her head on Annie’s shoulder. Annie wrapped her arm around Tammy and leaned her
head against her too.

“It’s gonna really suck when you move out,” Tammy said.

“Not if you’re on your way to a college somewhere. Did you
finish your paperwork for the scholarships?”

“Yeah, but they’re not that much, you know? Not enough.”

They both seemed to slump a bit after that. Annie knew her
sister needed to get out of their dad’s house just as much as she did, but
figuring out how was a challenge. She’d been saving every penny she could since
she started working at fifteen. Unfortunately, her dad expected her to help
with bills and groceries. There wasn’t much left after. It was a vicious circle
and she wasn’t sure she’d ever find her way out. What would Rick think if he
knew she was stuck in this trailer for life?

Rick shut his door and leaned back against it with a sigh.
His heart was still racing from holding Annie in his arms. And the taste of
her… God, had anything ever been so sweet? If so, he couldn’t remember it. She
had felt completely perfect in his arms. The desire on her face had nearly been
his undoing. He had wanted to throw caution to the wind and carry her home like
a damn caveman. Just the thought of being buried balls-deep in her sweet body
had his cock throbbing in his jeans. He groaned and pushed away from the door.

He wasn’t exactly a player but had definitely had his share
of women. The past few months had been kind of lonely. He had stopped going out
once he’d moved out of Houston and into the small town of New Caney farther
north. It was just too much of a pain to drive into the city every night. His
last steady girlfriend had been almost two years ago and no other woman had
kept his interest since. Until he’d met Annie. He shook his head and laughed at
himself. Annie was polar opposite from any woman he’d ever dated in his life.
Even back in high school he’d gravitated toward the outgoing cheerleaders.

He dropped onto his sofa and grabbed his laptop off the
coffee table. Luckily he was able to do a lot of work from home and only had to
go into the office three times a week. His hours were usually all over the
place, not leaving a lot of time for social interaction. What was surprising
was how little he missed it. Before the move he’d had a hangout for every night
of the week. But once out of the city he had left all that behind and didn’t
even miss it. Even the people he used to hang out with seemed to be from
another lifetime. They hadn’t exactly gone out of their way to stay in touch
either.

His life now was much simpler. He slept until he was ready
to wake, with no alarm going off. He sometimes worked in his underwear with the
TV on. When he did go into the office it was barely a ten-minute drive down the
highway. He usually only spent about six hours there at a time and Greg, the
owner of the company, was a close friend. Overall, Rick had little to complain
about at this point in his life and he liked the lack of complications. Adding
Annie into the mix might add some drama, but he was confident he could handle
it.

The telltale sounds of Henry’s rust-bucket truck pulling
into the driveway echoed from across the street. Rick looked out the window and
watched the grumpy older man stomp up his porch stairs. He started yelling as
soon as the front door opened. The urge to run over there and pull Annie out of
the house was overwhelming, but for all he knew she might not welcome the
gesture. Amazingly their father was the one subject Tammy rarely talked about.
Rick had no clue if the man was physically abusive or not.

There had to be a way to get Annie out of there. Even if she
had to move into the city, Rick was determined to help her. She was an adult
and shouldn’t be under her father’s thumb anymore. Especially when he seemed to
do nothing but use her. Rick stepped away from the window and ran a hand
through his hair. Saving damsels in distress wasn’t his usual gig and he
honestly didn’t know how to go about it. What Annie really seemed to need was a
new, better job. Especially if her dad had jeopardized her current one.

The portrait near his door caught his eye and a grin slowly
spread across his face as a plan formed. Annie might not want a handout, and
she might be opposed to the kind of work that could get her on her feet. But
what if she thought Rick desperately needed her help with a project?

He chuckled and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. Wes
would definitely help him once he explained the situation. And if not? Then he
would just call Lynn. She could talk her husband into anything.

* * * * *

Tammy went to work on Sunday so Annie was able to as well.
Then the week started, and with Tammy in school Henry had nothing to complain
about. The next few days passed without incident. Annie looked for any
opportunity to visit Rick, but when she had free time his car was gone. He had
never been away so much during the week before and she decided he was avoiding
her.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” she said as she let her
blinds fall back into place.

It was Friday afternoon and both Tammy and Henry were at
work. Annie had asked to go into work too but there wasn’t an available shift
for her. Sam had drastically cut her hours after the previous weekend.

She fell back onto her bed and stared at the water-marked
ceiling. Thoughts of Rick were always close and she had been dreaming about
him. But his absence made it obvious the desire was all one-sided. He was way
out of her league anyway.

Her eyes drifted shut and her muscles relaxed into the soft
mattress. She had curled onto her side and started to doze when a knock sounded
on the front door. It was tempting to simply ignore it. She wasn’t expecting
anyone. It was probably one of the neighborhood teens looking for Tammy. The
knock sounded again, more persistently, and she decided to answer. With a groan
she left her bed and went to the front door.

Rick was about to give up and head home when a very
sleepy-looking Annie finally opened her front door. She was adorably rumpled
and had neglected to put her glasses on. Large green eyes blinked up at him in
confusion and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey, beautiful, did I wake you?”

Her sweet mouth dropped open but nothing came out. He took
the opportunity to lean forward and kiss her lips. She moaned into his mouth
and he pulled her into his arms. A sense of peace settled over him and he knew
that was what had been missing all week. He deepened the kiss until she melted
against him.

The sound of a car passing had her jumping back. He released
her reluctantly and glanced behind him. It was someone from farther down the
road whom he didn’t know. The car didn’t even slow down.

“Rick. I wasn’t expecting you,” Annie said.

He appreciated the breathless quality of her voice. At least
she seemed to be as affected by their kisses as he. He ran a hand over his face
and gave a short nod. “I’m sorry I haven’t been by all week. I got busy with
work unexpectedly.”

“Oh.”

“Can I come in?”

Confusion crossed her features for a second before clearing
into a smile. “Yeah. My dad’s working late.”

“Perfect.”

She moved back and he stepped into the dim interior. Only
the bright Texas sunlight breaking through the cracks in the blinds illuminated
the living room. Somewhere down the hallway another light was on. He guessed it
to be her bedroom.

She shut and locked the door once he was inside and he
couldn’t keep from touching her. Luckily she didn’t protest when he pulled her
against him again. He rubbed his lips against hers slowly before slipping his
tongue into her mouth.

“Mmm, you taste so good,” he whispered.

“Y-you too.”

That made him smile and he pulled back to look down at her
for a moment. “How late is your dad working?”

“Until six or seven. He wasn’t sure. Tammy’s working ’til
seven for sure.”

“Good. That gives us plenty of time.”

“For what?”

Rather than answer, he took over her mouth again.

He wanted her in his bed. Or any bed really. But he knew
that might be dangerous. She didn’t seem very experienced and he didn’t want to
scare her away. Every reserve of patience might be tested by sweet Annie May,
but he planned to take things slow and easy. The past week had been hell. Of
all the times to be needed in the office every damn day, it had to be this week
when he was aching to be with Annie. He’d gotten home late every night and her
father had been home. Finally, today he had finished the project and hightailed
it out of there early.

She melted against him and moaned as he suckled her lips.
Her eager responses ratcheted up his arousal until he wasn’t certain he’d be
able to pull away. Somehow he found the strength to stop kissing her long
enough to make it to her room. She shut the door and he pressed her against it
as he kissed her again. Her sweet flavor was addictive. She wrapped her arms
around his neck and he dropped his hands onto her slender hips.

Luckily she wasn’t wearing her damn hoodie. He slipped his
hands beneath her thin t-shirt and up her ribs until he encountered her bra.
She shivered and pulled back, gasping in a much-needed breath.

“R-Rick…I’m not a virgin, but…”

“But?”

She sighed and leaned her head against his chest, hiding her
expression. “I’ve only done this once before.”

Her softly spoken words left him both terrified and elated.
He had guessed she was inexperienced, had almost hoped she was a virgin. The
thought of another man touching her infuriated him, but at her age he had
expected it. Knowing she had only been touched once helped…a little.

“That’s fine by me, baby. We can take things as slow as you
need. All I want to do right now is make you feel good. I want to see you come
apart in my arms.”

She shivered again and he took the opportunity to move her
hair off her neck so he could taste her heated skin. She moved her head to the
side and gave him better access. He slowly made his way down her throat to the
top of her collar.

“Can I take your shirt off?” he asked.

Her short fingernails dug into his shoulders. “There’s not
much to see.”

“Let me be the judge of that…please?”

She swallowed loudly and nodded. “Turn the light off first.”

He immediately flipped the switch. Then she lifted her arms
and he pulled off the shirt before she could change her mind. The sunlight
peeking through the closed blinds was still enough to give him a great view.

“Damn. You’re beautiful.”

As expected, her breasts were on the small side. Covered in
a plain white bra, they were barely a handful. He had absolutely no complaints.
A blush crept up from the tantalizing globes to her neck, and then her face.
Still, she didn’t try to cover herself and he counted it a small victory.

“Will you take your shirt off too?” she asked.

Amusement filled him but he was careful to only grin. He
didn’t want her to think he was laughing at her as he yanked his shirt over his
head. She gasped and placed her palms flat on his chest, gently rubbing his
sprinkling of hair.

“Wow. You… You’re really hot,” she whispered.

“I can say the same about you.”

Her hands froze and she looked up at him with disbelief
clear in her gaze. Then she shook her head and crossed her arms over her
breasts. He wanted to kick himself.

“No, I’m not. I know what I look like. Why are you here with
me, Rick? No guy who looks like you has ever looked twice at me.”

That immediately pissed him off but he fought to control his
expression. The last thing he needed was to scare her. “I’m here because I want
to be. I think you’re beautiful, Annie.”

Her face clearly said she didn’t believe him, but she didn’t
argue. Instead, she put her hands back on his chest. “Thank you.”

He kissed her forehead then made his way all around her face
until finding her mouth again. He indulged in the sweetness of her for long
moments as she continued to run her palms over his chest. Lust fired his blood
but he held himself in check. Slow and easy had to be the order of the day.

Her short fingernails bit into his bare shoulders before she
scratched them down the planes of his chest. A shiver raced up his spine, and
his cock hardened to steel. He needed her on a primal level. But first he had
to be sure they were on the same page. He pushed his hips against her, pinning
her to the door. She moaned and pushed back. It was too good. He rubbed against
her again, letting his erection press into her soft belly. She pulled back with
a gasp.

“I-I don’t have any condoms,” she said.

For a second he felt as if his brain had short-circuited.
Fear raced through him as he pictured the contents of his wallet. Then his
tension eased and he tightened his hold on her. “Don’t worry, baby. I’ve got
one.”

“Oh…good.”

She nipped at his chin and he chuckled before placing his
palms over her breasts. “I want to taste these.”

She shivered and gave a small nod. He squeezed them once,
enjoying the view of her small cleavage. Then he reached behind her to unclasp
the hooks. A glance showed her eyes tightly shut as he pulled the cloth away
from her body.

“Mmm, they are pink.”

Then he dipped his head and engulfed one small breast in his
eager mouth. She cried out and dug her fingers into his hair, but he barely
noticed the slight sting. He suckled first one breast then the other, switching
back and forth. Picking his favorite was impossible. Annie continued to grip
his hair and moan as she writhed against him.

“G-god…Rick.”

“Mmm.”

Once he had both small peaks tightened into buds he kissed a
path back to her mouth. Her nipples poked his chest and heightened his arousal.
He slowly turned and walked her back to the edge of her bed.

“Annie?” He pulled back and looked down at her face. She
opened her eyes slowly but her gaze was hazy. “Baby?”

“Huh?”

“You can stop me at any time, okay?”

“What? You wanna stop?”

“No.” His grip involuntarily tightened around her waist.
“No, not at all. I’m just saying if you decide you want me to stop, just say
so. Okay?”

It took a couple of seconds before she seemed to understand.
“Oh…okay.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. He urged her onto
the bed and placed his hands on the front of her jeans. “I’m going to take
these off now.”

She shivered again but then gave a small smile. “And then
yours?”

He grinned. “And then mine.”

Annie stayed perfectly still as Rick removed her jeans and
panties. He went slowly. So slowly she wanted to scream. But she knew he was
just trying to be careful with her. It was as endearing as it was maddening and
she knew it was her fault. She had almost not told him how inexperienced she
was but didn’t want him to be disappointed. So far he seemed to be okay with
it.