Strangers with Benefits (Siren Publishing Classic) (38 page)

He stepped out into the sunshine and waited by the corner of the stand for Sidonie, but he heard Sadie laugh. “Damn, he’s a hot one.”

“I know right?” Sidonie chuckled and Den grinned. Yeah, that was exactly what he wanted to hear.

When they took their seats in the stands, Sidonie hugged a huge bucket of popcorn that neither of them could stand to eat after the hour with the smell a constant in the air. They’d shoved dozens of the buckets and he would be grateful to never shovel another mouthful.

He missed most of the events, but there were still a few to go and he got to watch one of Katie’s relays and Mark’s relay, as well.

When all was said and done, his throat was on fire from the yelling, but the kids enjoyed it and waved like mad from the track.

After the events were over and done with, Katie ran over. “Hey, Mom, can I go to Clarissa’s for a sleepover for the weekend? We’re kind of depressed we didn’t make it to regionals. Ashley crushed us.” Katie didn’t look depressed at all and Den had to hide his grin. The girl was trying to help him out and he was no fool to refuse any assistance he could get. Sidonie was a tough nut to crack.

Sidonie cocked her head to the side. “But you agreed to dinner tonight with Mr. McTavish and breaking your obligations isn’t right.”

Den winked at Katie from behind Sidonie’s back. “I wouldn’t want to interrupt a good old fashioned sleepover.”

He grinned at Katie and the girl bounced. “See, he doesn’t mind!”

“Fine, but since this is last minute, you have to pack yourself. And I am not bringing a toothbrush or underwear if you forget.” The way she made the statement was as if she had done just that more than once before.

“Maybe a list might help you out there, Katie,” Den offered and Katie pursed her lips.

He expected an argument and wondered if his luck with the kids had run out. “You might be right.” She smiled. “When I get back from the locker room, I’ll make one.”

She jogged off as Mark chatted with another teen from the relay team at the fence.

“And we are now three,” Den quipped as Mark walked up.

“Oh, so Mrs. Sandy already asked you?” Mark queried.

“Huh?” Sidonie frowned.

“Connor asked me to have a weekend at their place to celebrate the regionals.”

“But we have dinner.”

“I know, I’m sorry. But this is the first year they’ve made regionals in like ten years or something.”

“I don’t want you to feel bad, Mark, this is a big deal and you worked hard for it. You deserve it. Congratulations.” Den clapped him on the back with his good arm.

“Thanks!”

“Welcome and good job.”

He could tell by the look on her face that she was going to give in, but it was just as apparent that she hated to. “Fine, then go,” Sidonie grumbled.

“Are you sure?” the young man asked as if he were afraid to hurt his mother’s feelings.

“Yeah, I am.” She smiled for good measure.

Mark cocked his head. “What about dinner? I don’t want for us all to cancel, makes the Clark name look bad.”

Sidonie shook her head. “Your last name isn’t even Clark. Child, its Johnson.”

“I know.” With that Mark winked and ran off.

Den couldn’t help it, he laughed until he couldn’t laugh anymore.

She shook her head. “Yeah it’s cute when they don’t belong to you.”

“They might, if you’d let me have my way. Pick you up in an hour and a half. Wear something pretty for me.” He could practically hear her grind her teeth as he walked away.

Before he cleared the aisle completely, he stopped and turned back. She must not have expected him to as her expression was unguarded and soft.

“Oh yeah, don’t forget to pack a bag. Mommy gets a sleepover, too.”

It had taken forever to figure out what to wear, since their plans had changed. Originally, he had chosen a family friendly place that would have all kinds of food, and the teens should find a fun place to hang out. But now that it was the two of them, he wanted to go somewhere more romantic. A place that didn’t let patrons throw peanut shells on the floor would be nice.

He was a basic kind of guy and didn’t have much in the way of dressy items that polished white collar men wore. After he tugged out the two suits he owned and debated the merits of each, he decided on a half-dressed look.

His ex told him that he looked good in blue and it was familiar, so he ended up with a pair of navy slacks from one suit and a starched dress shirt with pinstripes, but he decided to leave the jacket as he didn’t want to look like he was trying too hard. Like his actions didn’t say that he was trying to win her, but still, a guy had to have some pride. A little bit, even if he was thirsty as hell for the damn woman.

About an hour and fifteen minutes later, Den pulled into her parking lot and got to see Katie bounce out of the building as if she had won a get out of jail free card.

Before he could step out to greet her, Mark ran out of the lobby door. “Hey, Mr. Dennis! Mom’s testy, just so ya know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He walked the youth over to Sadie’s modern mommy wagon, complete with a little bow-tied family sticker set on the back.

“Be safe and call me if you need to. Make sure Katie gets the number on this card, too.”

“All right.” Mark winked and buckled up before Sadie waived at him.

Once he knocked on the door, Sidonie opened it wide without even looking, evidenced by her lack of clothing. She had on an odd slip that suggested femininity based on delicacy, but was more dominatrix on her frame with heavy satiny strips at the bust and hem.

She was dressed for the hot sex he so desperately wanted. “I like it.”

“Dinner. That’s it.” She stepped away from the door and let him inside.

“Maybe I’ll feed you. But I know you’re not hungry right now.”

“How so?”

“This is why.” His hand touched rubbed across the erect nipples poorly hidden in their undergarment and watched the hungry pout that each one bestowed him. “But since you claim you only want to eat, get dressed.” When she was too slow to walk away while he had the nerve to let her, he slapped her on the ass. “I’ll wait.”

She rolled her eyes and sauntered off. “You’re early, so you have no choice.”

When she came out, his jaw almost dropped. The dress fit her like a second skin even as the length almost touched the floor and sported a little key hole that exposed a fat nugget of cleavage. He almost went country boy and motor boated her, but knew she would likely call the whole thing off.

Den whistled. “I about don’t want anyone else to see you in that.”

“Too bad. I’m not changing.”

“I said about, didn’t I?”

They left and went someplace he heard good things about, and ate a meal he didn’t taste. He had a conversation he couldn’t remember if he tried to.

When their knees bumped, or their arms rubbed, he was inundated with her so badly that he couldn’t even think straight.

Every thought was… Sex.

Sex.

Sex.

Sex-sex.

Sidonie… sex…

Sex with Sidonie…

Fuck… Sex with Sidonie tonight…

Once they left the confines of the cozy spot, he knew they were in trouble. Sidonie didn’t seem to breathe the entire trip and he felt lightheaded enough he wasn’t sure if he had gotten any air on the ride either.

When he parked his car, she unbuckled her belt and slid out of the console with little trouble. He could barely navigate around his hard on. Once he opened the door, she stepped inside and leaned against the wall.

He popped the door shut and she jumped him.

Honest to god.

He thought he had passed out for a moment, because all he knew was his back was to the wall and she practically dragged him to her level. She groaned his name and he melted south, into her.

“Damn, woman!” He grumbled even as his body cursed a blue streak at the stupidity it required to tell this woman no.

“Shouldn’t have touched me so much. Can’t take it,” she mumbled against his mouth. “Need you.”

That was all she had to say.

Their kisses took them from one room into the next, until they were sprawled on top of his sofa with his cock out and her dress hitched up to the waist.

When he pushed against her, Den looked at her, unsure if they should jump right into bed. Funny thing, as he’d never imagined he would pause sexual activity to try and have a conversation.

“Why’d you stop?” She pouted.

“Are you sure? Because I won’t stop until I’ve had my fill of you. Until you’re
mine
.” It took everything he had to give to not give in and just let their bodies speak for them.

He also knew that was how he ended up without her these last weeks. He had let his body do all of the talking and his mouth hadn’t done enough of it. She had made too many misconceptions about him and it was partially his fault.

She touched his jawline and gave his sling a quick peck. “Please… yes.”

He thrust home in a single motion that made both of them gasp and stop breathing. His eyes remained fixed on hers as he pulled back and swept in again.

“Fuck… Sidonie…” It felt so wonderful, so sweet, he almost wept.

“I know.” She sighed.

His mouth opened and his heart fell halfway out of it. “God, I missed you so much.”

She closed her eyes and he wanted them to open again, but when she blinked, a single tear ran from one eye. And a splash on her face made him realize he shed his own.

She jerked upward and rocked into him, leaving him helpless to her sibilant hips and sinuous movements.

He couldn’t help himself, as he gave into her, gave himself to her.

It was the fastest sex on record, but that couldn’t be helped. Sidonie was a handful and then some. She sighed and jerked, hissed and cursed, sex as they always had it before, with a twist of tenderness he could almost taste on his tongue.

“Please, Den… don’t stop!” she cried into the air with a needy clasp of hot cunt around him.

“Never.”

When they finished making love, she wiped her face and stretched a hand out to rub over his cheeks, which were, oddly enough, as damp as hers were.

By the time it was all said and done, he laid his head on her shoulder and collapsed.

“You weigh a ton…” she joked, and then huffed, “like I get to talk, huh?” He liked the way she felt. But he rolled carefully to the side and she moved with him so they faced one another on the deep cushions. She laid on his good arm and he finally relaxed. She wasn’t going anywhere, not for the moment at least.

“Every inch of you is perfect.” He grabbed the extra flesh above her hip and sighed contentedly.

“I don’t know about perfect.” She tried to laugh it off, but he could hear the self-depreciating tone underneath the statement.

“Nobody’s perfect. But you’re perfect for me and that’s good enough.”

She laughed at him. “Okay. I’ll give you that. Sex this amazing isn’t for everyone to have.”

He was a man and liked sex as much as the next person, but damn. Their issues revolved around the fact that he wanted so much more than hot sex. He wanted it all, and she doubted he was the man for the job. “So we’re back to that now?”

She sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

He sighed. It felt as if he were right back at square one. “You don’t want to feel anything for me. Think that I don’t know it? Can’t feel you pull away from me with every breath you take.”

“It’s not like that, Den, and you know it.”

Now he was a mind reader. Why the hell was this so hard? In the movies, the guy got the girl and they lived happily ever after. “How am I supposed to know that, Sidonie? You tell me. Did I get a superpower that I don’t know about? Get bitten by a radioactive spider while I was in the hospital and you didn’t tell me?”

“Now you’re being sarcastic.”

“Well, seeing as how you’re the master at it. Then go on, school me. Teach me how to be a single woman with an axe to grind. I’m not your ex-husband.”

“I know that you’re not like Charles…”

“I hear a
but
in there somewhere.”

“But it’s hard.” He waited for her to finish the statement. He knew there was more.

It was as if she had so many layers that when he thought he’d gotten to the heart of her, there was another wall holding him at bay.

“Den, you’ll never understand what it was like. He wasn’t a bad husband or a bad father. It was just that I had imagined so much more than what we had together. I know that he loved me, but it was more the love of friends than people who were husband and wife.

“I knew he was different, even when we were in high school. He was always quiet and stayed to himself. He never pressured me to be more than the companions that we were so good at being. I didn’t have to feel like everything was about sex.”

She shook her head and frowned. “Even when it was. I should have put two and two together, especially when I caught him in my underwear one night after I came home from school. But I laughed it off as the joke he pretended it to be.