Talk to Me (23 page)

“I know that,” Jamie assured him. “Despite what you want everyone to think, Beast, you're a big ol’ marshmal ow inside.”

His eyes darkened as he unleashed his low, lethal voice, causing her to inhale sharply. “Don't let it get around, or I may have to punish you.” He

pul ed her to him for another long, slow kiss, sliding his hand down to cup her mound briefly. “I love that my voice stil makes your panties wet.”

She slapped his arm, and he nipped her ear in response and then pul ed away.

“Anyway, have fun. I'm gonna go out with Jon and a few of the other guys, but I'l be home early. Don't rush home on my account, though. I think

your sister could use a good, old-fashioned night on the town.”

“Yeah, I'm sure she could. You were a sweetheart to get her a nanny.”

“When you told me how stressed out she was and how they couldn't afford daycare, it seemed dumb that I have al this money sitting in my bank

account doing nothing.” He made it sound like no big deal, but to her, it was yet another way he showed her that he was truly the man she'd hoped

he could be when she'd committed to him. “Oh, and one more thing. I booked one of those tourist tours for you guys. Figured you should go on one

too, since you're pretty new to the city too. That's tomorrow at noon.”

Jamie leaned into him again, rubbing her pelvis on his until he hissed. “You are definitely getting a nice reward tonight. And tomorrow night...”

She licked his earlobe.

He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her away from him. “You need to go before I drag you into the bedroom and have my way with you, sister

be damned.”

“I love you, Drew,” she said softly.

He looked surprised for a minute, and then his face softened. “I love you too, baby. Go have a good time with your sister.”

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Jamie and Alison were seated in a comfortable booth along one wal . “Please tel me we're drinking tonight,” Alison said as soon as the hostess

left.

Jamie laughed. “We're drinking tonight.”

The waiter approached and told them about the specials, then asked about cocktails. “I'd like a Stoli Cosmopolitan, please,” Alison said.

“Same for me.”

He departed, and Alison turned to Jamie. “First of al , before we even look at the menu, I want to say something.”

Jamie nodded, not sure where the conversation was going. Alison blew out a loud breath.

“I'm thril ed to be here, and I want to have a good time. I don't want to fight about anything. I don't want to talk about my marriage or about Gavin

or about my life. I want to have fun, to let off some steam for once. Can we do that?”

“Of course we can,” Jamie answered, her eyes misting.

Alison pointed a finger at her. “And no crying. We're having
fun
.”

Jamie laughed. “Deal.”

They opened their menus and decided to split some sea scal ops to start. Both wanted steak, so they opted to get one New York Strip and one

filet mignon and split those too, since each came with its own sauces and accompaniments. Jamie ordered a bottle of red wine to go with dinner.

After making their selections, they sat back. Alison looked at her out of the corner of her eye. “So I have a confession.”

“Uh-oh.”

“No, it's nothing bad. I think you'l like it.”

Jamie grinned. “Okay, then. Shoot.”

“I was wrong. Drew is a great guy.”

Jamie let her mouth fal open in mock surprise. “You're admitting you were wrong?”

Alison stuck her tongue out at her. “Yes. I can admit when I'm wrong.”

“Since when?”

“Since, wel , now. Anyway, the past couple of days of talking to him—planning this trip, getting the nanny, al that stuff—he real y showed me what

kind of man he is. He adores you, for one thing.”

Jamie couldn't keep the smug grin off her face. “He told me he loved me today for the first time. I said it first, but he didn't scream and run for the

hil s.”

Alison smiled. “Good for him. He should love you. You're a great catch.”

“He hasn't said that to anybody since his fiancee cheated on him over ten years ago.”

“Wel , that makes it al the more special, then, doesn't it?”

“Yeah, it does,” she whispered, casting her eyes down so Alison wouldn't see her tearing up again.

“Anyway, when he first cal ed and told me he wanted to fly me down here to surprise you and that he'd find somebody to watch Gavin, I was

skeptical and told him so. But he cal ed a bunch of nanny services and scheduled some interviews for me. I picked this one real y nice woman, and

when I told him how much I liked her, he offered to pay for her to come two days a week even after I came back home. I told him I couldn't possibly

accept that, but he insisted. He said you'd be happier if I was happier, and that it was his job to keep you happy. I'm so emotional lately, it was al I

could do not to burst into tears over the phone. I'm sure I would've horrified him.”

Jamie laughed at the image. “Probably scarred him for life.”

Alison chuckled too. “Most likely.” Further conversation stal ed while their appetizer arrived. Spearing a scal op, Alison waved it in her direction.

“You look incredible, by the way. I haven't seen you this relaxed, in, wel , ever, I don't think.”

“I like it here.”

“I can tel . The city seems to agree with you. Nice apartment, decent view...”

“Yeah, it's okay.” Jamie winked and grinned.

“It would be better if you could actual y see the Statue of Liberty, but I guess the Empire State Building and Central Park aren't bad either,”

Alison teased. “You've moved up in the world, girl. I'm proud of you.”

Jamie blushed. “Thanks.” She couldn't remember if Alison had ever told her she was proud of her.

“So, where are we going after this?” Alison asked. “I want to dance!”

“Dance? Oh, jeez, I have no idea where to go to dance. Maybe someone here can direct us to a good place.”

“Maybe we can ask the cute waiter,” Alison suggested, a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.

“I'm involved, and you're married,” Jamie reminded her.

“Yeah, yeah. Details.”

“Dave would tel on us if we tried to sneak men into the car.”

“Who's Dave?”

“The driver. He works for Drew.”

“And now you. He should be loyal and not rat you out,” Alison argued.

“Right... You're familiar with Drew, correct? Testosterone coursing through him from al those years spent playing hockey, has a jealous streak,

is real y strong? Does this sound familiar? I mean, it was different when we weren't official y dating, but now. Wel , now I wouldn't wake the sleeping

giant if I were you.”

“You're no fun.”

“Yes, that's me. No fun.”

Jamie felt lighter than she had in a long time. She missed this kind of verbal sparring with her sister. They hadn't done this since Jamie was in

col ege. She couldn't believe it had been that long, that she'd al owed herself to grow so distant from Alison. That she hadn't tried to get to the heart

of the issues between them sooner. She knew it wasn't al her fault. Alison shared plenty of the blame for their problems, but Jamie shouldn't have

let it fester as long as she did. She'd never get those years back. But Alison was here now and looked healthy and happy. Jamie was going to enjoy

their time together while she could.

“Hey, do you want to come into the station with us tomorrow night? My transfer hasn't gone through yet, so Drew and I are stil working together.”

“Maybe for a bit, but I don't want to sit there for hours while you two make googly eyes at each other.” Alison made a face, and Jamie nearly

snorted wine through her nose at the image.

“I promise; we'l try to behave while you're there.”

“Al right, then. I haven't seen one of your stations since you were in col ege.”

“I know,” Jamie replied softly.

“I'm sorry about that. I know I said I didn't want to fight, and I don't, but I real y am sorry about how it's been the past few years. I've just been so

angry, and I've been taking it out on everyone around me.”

“I know.” She patted Alison's shoulder. “You'l work through it. You're strong, probably the strongest woman I know.”

“Not hardly,” Alison retorted.

“Don't sel yourself short. You
are
strong; you just have to rediscover that inner strength. It's in there.”

Alison wiped her eyes. “Al right, enough of this talk. Let's go dance.”

The waiter came over to see if they wanted anything else. “Just the check,” Jamie said.

“It's been taken care of,” he told them.

Jamie rol ed her eyes. “Drew.”

“He is kind of awesome.” Alison sighed.

“He is.”

When she got home later and slid into bed beside Drew, he rol ed over and snuggled into her. “Did you have a good time?”

“The best. We had an incredible dinner at Butter—but you already know that, since you paid.” He grinned at her narrowed gaze. “And then we

went dancing. I haven't been dancing since I was in col ege. My feet are kil ing me, but it was great. Thank you again.”

She started to reach down toward his groin, but he grabbed her hand. “Uh-uh.” Rol ing her onto her back, he slid into her gently. “I want to make

love to the woman I love.” Jamie gasped as he hit her G-spot. “That's right, baby, we're gonna take this nice and slow.” He slid slowly out and then

thrust back in until he was buried to the hilt. Bracing his weight on his forearms, he leaned down to give her a soul-stealing kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you.” She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him as he pul ed out of her again.

“How much?” he teased, pushing in slowly.

“Ohh,” she moaned. “So much. So, so much.”

“That's what I wanted to hear.”

He licked the seam of her lips, and she al owed him entrance. He timed the easy, languid thrusts into her mouth with those into her pussy and felt

her soften further beneath him. She purred as he ran his hands through the curly hair he loved to touch so much, inhaling the sweet smel of her

shampoo.

Moving from her mouth, down her jawline to her ear, he licked the outer shel and then unerringly found that sensitive spot right behind it. She

gasped, tensing as he began to suckle it gently. He lightly kissed her neck and then bit down on the junction between her neck and shoulder, playful y licking the sting away.

“Drew.”

“Baby, what do you need?”

“More. Just... More.”

“You got it.”

He moved down, nipping and kissing along her col arbone, then the tops of her breasts. She held his head as he explored, rewarding him with

little gasps and groans when he hit a particularly pleasurable spot.

Taking a nipple into his mouth, he suckled it just enough to make it pebble.

“Drew! Don't tease me.”

He chuckled against her skin and felt her shudder. “But where's the fun in that?” Pointing his tongue, he drew ever-smal er circles around her

breast until he approached her nipple again but switched to the other breast without actual y touching it.

“Drew!” she cried.

He moved back to the first breast and sucked as much of it as he could into his mouth, now drawing hard on the stiff peak. Pushing it between

his tongue and the roof of his mouth, he stroked it over and over while Jamie panted and thrashed. Her plaintive moans spurred him on. Final y

releasing it, he began to lightly pinch the nipple while he took the other into his mouth and gave it a similar treatment.

She pul ed his head back up and stroked the sides of his face. “What you do to me...”

“You make me want to do it to you,” he answered before taking her mouth again.

Rol ing them over, he grabbed her hips. “Ride me, honey. Nice and slow and deep. Lean back.” He grasped her hands in his and helped her

keep her balance, watching as her back arched when his strokes reached the very core of her. Sweat sheened on her skin, and her cheeks and

chest were flushed. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

Planting his heels on the bed, he lifted his hips to meet her thrusts, wil ing his orgasm to hold off until she'd gone over. He could feel her inner

wal s fluttering around his cock, and considering they weren't using a condom to dul the sensations, he wasn't sure how long he was going to last.

He rol ed them over again and took charge, needing to make Jamie come before he lost it completely. Reaching between them, he began to rub

her swol en, throbbing clit. “Come for me, Jamie. I want to watch you come for me.”

That was al it took. Her eyes drifted closed. Drew grew inside her and tensed as his release came. Final y, he careful y lowered himself on top

of her.

“Wow.”

“That was...” He paused to take a breath. “I don't know what that was. You leave me speechless. There are no words.” He kissed her again, then

slowly pul ed out and rol ed over onto his back, taking her with him until they were snuggled together, her head tucked under his chin. “Sleep, baby.

I've got you.” And they both did, secure in the knowledge that he had her, and she had him.

THE END

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Loose Id Titles by Cassandra Carr

Talk to Me

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Cassandra Carr

Cassandra Carr lives in Western New York with her gorgeous husband, who is the inspiration for her heroes. After al , who doesn't love a man

who's smart, sexy, AND sane? She also has a young daughter who is clearly her mother's daughter, as she demands to be read to for hours every

day. Cassandra is a huge hockey fan, which explains why many of her heroes are hockey players.

She writes every chance she gets, but most of her work is done before her daughter wakes up in the morning, while she naps in the afternoon,