“Ari…” I moaned, gripping the lapels of his jacket tightly as my climax overwhelmed me.
“I’d say you feel the same way,” he whispered hoarsely, stroking along the bare silken folds of my cleft, my climax soaking his probing fingers.
I was about to respond when a ruckus in the doorway interrupted us, not that it diverted Ari’s attention.
“Oh, here you BOTH are!” Dominique exclaimed loudly, stumbling through the doorway.
Regardless of her intrusion, he inconspicuously kept up the tantalising strokes. “Get out, Dom.”
My jaw gaped at the relaxed demeanour. How was Ari so damned calm? I certainly wasn’t! Oh, sweet Jesus, this was pure torture. Worse when I felt my legs stiffening from the strain.
His encouraging whisper purred in my ear, “Just let go.” Was he mad? Oh, fuck it.
I leaned into his shoulder, muffling my cries as another intense orgasm ripped through me.
“Will you two go ahead and do it already? You know you want too. Put yourselves, and us, out of our misery for goodness sake!”
An irritated growl rumbled, making me giggle. “I’m trying, but you won’t take the hint and leave.”
“It’s my room, so how about you leave! Go to your old room if ya wanna fuck each other senseless!”
Ari peered down at me and smiled warmly before looking over at his sister and growling at her. “Are you quite finished my darling sister? You’re not only embarrassing Teddy but also yourself. Now, go, and have some food, and water, while you’re at it!” he scolded in a fatherly fashion. “I believe you’ve had enough alcohol for one night.”
She stubbornly folded her arms over her chest. “Don’t tell me what to do, brother!”
“Are you coming, Teddy?” Blowing out a disgruntled sigh, he held out a hand and seemed immensely pleased when I gladly accepted it. Anything if it meant we could be alone elsewhere, and away from prying eyes.
Dominique giggled uncontrollably. “I’m sure she wants to.”
Fed up and flustered, his hand dropped from mine. “Out!” he barked, pushing his sister towards the open doorway.
“All right, I’m going! And don’t touch me!” she growled fiercely poking his hands away. “Who knows where those hands have been!”
“Go! Now!”
“And stay off my bed!” In a drunken huff, Dominique noisily stumbled and took off. Quietly and inwardly, I prayed she’d made it to the bottom of the winding staircase safely.
“Right, now my annoying little sister has left the both of us utterly embarrassed, shall we proceed to somewhere a little less noisy? Perhaps my bedroom might be more suitable as opposed to this pink nightmare?” Ari queried, holding out his hand once more.
Stupidly, I refused to take it and instead, I just stared, clasping both hands close to my chest. “I can’t.”
He expressed his dismay, “Why not? Have I done something wrong, Teddy?”
Facing the puzzled gaze on his face pained me beyond repair. “It’s...I feel the same way, and was hoping...” Blinking pooling tears away, I sighed despondently. “I was hoping tonight would finally bring us together.”
Ari tugged at my chin. “Look at me, please?” he whispered, cupping my face. As he wiped my falling tears away with the soft pads of his thumbs, his intense gaze softened. “Believe it or not, I had the same notion.”
Suddenly he launched himself at me, and firmly grasped my nape as his mouth hungrily claimed mine. My fingers twisted through his thick hair, as the seduction and desperation left me lost in the electrifying kiss.
I moaned and arched into the hard slab that was his body, absorbing the feel of his hands as they began roaming. One slid down my back, pinning us together. His noticeably impressive bulge straining against the soft curve of my stomach, an indication if I ever felt one of the apparent effect I had on him.
Then unbidden thoughts raced through my mind, tragically reminding me why we never came together to begin with, and why we could never be. Panting harshly, I pushed away from Ari, my hand flattening against his firm chest as he endeavoured to move closer. “No, I can’t.”
Heavily panting, Ari’s brows knitted together. “Why not?” Again, he attempted to reach out to me. I shook my head heatedly. His disappointed gaze eyeing me with longing as his arm dropped back to his side.
Never again, could he look at me the same way if I explained the truth behind my reasoning. It just wasn’t possible.
“It’s…I just can’t. Excuse me, Ari.” Like the coward I was, I ran from the bedroom, leaving him behind, lost, and perplexed. Again.
Chapter Four
Ari
A FRISSON OF annoyance flared as I speculated Teddy’s reticence. As it stood, our little tryst had left me with a rock-hard erection, one I desperately needed to rid myself of, and quickly before my balls turned a lovely shade of blue. Ice cubes might magically do the trick.
Weaving my way through the crowded dancefloor towards the bar, I made the gut-wrenching decision to stay away from Teddy for the rest of the evening. Visiting with her at her North Melbourne home appeared to be the preferred choice. Privacy would be a given at least.
“Bourbon, straight, and no bloody ice!” My curt demand quickly met, I threw the dark liquor back, its burn felt on the way down. It wasn’t enough. I slammed the small crystal tumbler onto the bar indicating for another.
“Another, Mr Jaeger?”
Irritated he couldn’t take the hint, my brows shot up. “Does a bear shit in the woods?” Only then did the young, inexperienced red-faced barman understand. He swiftly poured and slid the drink back to me.
My gaze inadvertently slid across the yard as I casually leaned my forearm on the bar. I frowned; considering our steamy encounter earlier, Teddy was rather lively. It had to be nothing more than an act, surely. My silent question furtively answered as her daring gaze glanced over at me, and creamy cheeks turned a deep crimson.
A perceptive smile flittered across my lips. Knowing Teddy was just as affected by my presence as I was hers, offered a fragment of hope. Even if it was small, tomorrow was bound to be an improvement on tonight’s epic failure.
Then I got a glimpse of the reason behind Teddy’s animated persona, Eve, my mother’s younger sister. She peered past Teddy’s slender shoulder and waved. I raised my glass, acknowledging her. She added a wink for good measure. Cheeky bugger.
Eve Whittemore, what could I say, I adored her. She was more of a second mother than an aunt. Whenever I required an indifferent and impartial opinion, she was someone I knew to be honest. Another reason I loved her was her diplomacy skills or lack thereof. She certainly wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, that too, was a given.
Highly
