One Sweet Night Page 8

  I love you. Dan.

  The words were heady and dangerous, but kept a smile on her face for most of the day. During the next few weeks, he sent her flowers, elaborate fruit baskets, beautiful cards and expensive chocolates. His gifts made it difficult to spend more than an hour or so without thinking about him. But he didn’t call her or attempt to see her.

  Four weeks later on a Sunday afternoon while she was doing laundry, a beautiful, edible flower-fruit basket arrived. The card said simply, You’re still the only woman for me and I’m still in love with you. Yours, Dan.

  Jule put the basket in the refrigerator and stood staring up at the ceiling for several moments. She longed to call him and tell him she’d had enough and she wanted him with her—immediately.

  Instead, she finished her laundry, slipped on shorts, a pull over top, socks, running shoes and went for an hour-long walk in the park three blocks away.

  On the way home, she rounded a curve in the walking trail and came face to face with a tall, handsome male with dark brown eyes and short brown hair graying at the temples.

  She sucked in a breath and came to an abrupt stop. “Karl.”

  Chapter Eight

  Tia had been upset when she learned Karl and his new wife had bought a house within a ten-minute drive of Jule’s apartment. After the initial shock of encountering them both at the local supermarket, Jule had conditioned herself to the possibility of encountering either one or both of them from time to time.

  The last time she’d seen Karl was three months earlier when he’d called to ask her to lunch. Over coffee, he’d told her Sheena was pregnant. While part of her had been happy that Karl was going to be a father, another part of her had been hurt and jealous. It had taken three days and endless pep talks from Tia before she was able to shake off her depression.

  This time, after the initial surprise, she was pleased that the familiar ache of regret and shroud of depression, which such encounters usually stirred in her, was absent. She was finally over him.

  She smiled. “Hi. How are you?”

  “Fine. Great.”

  “How’s Sheena?”

  His eyes lit up. “She’s fine. What about you? How are you?”

  “Good.”

  He gazed into her eyes. “You are?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. Are you seeing anyone?”

  They had parted on friendly terms and she knew he feared she might still be in love with him. “As a matter of fact, I’ve met someone.”

  He released a deep sigh. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that.”

  She touched his arm. “Actually, I think I do.”

  He looked briefly away before meeting her gaze again. “You know I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “Yes I do know that, Karl.”

  “This guy you’re seeing… are things serious with him?”

  “He said he fell in love with me the first time he saw me.”

  “Things don’t get any more serious than that. What about you, Jule? Are you in love with him?”

  “Yes.” She paused, admitting her true feelings for Dan for the first time. She nodded, a smile spreading across her face. “Yes. I am. He knows I can’t have kids, but it’s not an issue with him.”

  He sighed. “I didn’t want it to be an issue between us, but—”

  She shook her head and touched his arm. “It’s all right, Karl. You tried and that’s all I could have asked or expected of you. Maybe now we can both be happy.”

  “You have no idea how much I’d like that.”

  “Yes I do. You’re a great guy and Sheena is very lucky to have you—as I’m sure you’re feeling lucky to have her. So please don’t feel guilty for wanting to father your own child.”

  “Then you’re going to be all right?”

  “Going to be?” She shook her head. “I am already all right.”

  He squeezed her. “Thank God.”

  She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “I’m fine so you can stop worrying about me.”

  He hugged her briefly before releasing her. “He’ll probably think it’s a little kinky, but I’d like to meet him some time.”

  She wasn’t sure how Dan would react to the idea of meeting Karl. “I’ll tell him. And now I’m going home to call him. Say hi to Sheena for me.”

  Eager to talk to Dan, she called him on her cell phone as she continued the walk home.

  He answered on the second ring. “Hello.”

  She experienced a tingle of pleasure at the sound of his warm, deep voice. “Hi, Dan.”

  “Jule! How are you honey?”

  “Eager to see you,” she admitted. “Are you free? Can you come over?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  She smiled. “Great. I’m on my way home from my walk. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon, Dan.”

  “I’ll be there baby.”

  She returned home and quickly undressed. He arrived shortly after she stepped out of the shower half an hour later.

  Wrapping a large towel around her damp body, she admitted him into her apartment.

  She took the roses and bottle of wine from him. “Hi,” she said, feeling shy. She lifted her face, eager to be kissed senseless.

  Instead of kissing her lips, he pressed a gentle kiss against her cheek and whispered something soft and sweet against her ear.

  She placed her hands on his chest. “What did you say?”

  “I said I love you. You have a problem with that?”

  She smiled, her heart racing with joy. “Nope.”

  He arched a brow. “You don’t? Don’t you want to tell me it’s too soon for me to be in love with you or something along those lines?

  She gave him a wide eyed look. “Who am I to tell you how you feel? Especially when I like the idea of your loving me.”

  “It’s about time.”

  “It’s been—”

  “Five long, lonely, scary, miserable weeks.”

  “They were that way for me too.”

  “My patience was just about exhausted. What brought about this epiphany?”

  “There wasn’t any one thing. It’s been coming on since we met. Each bouquet of flowers, fruit basket, or card reinforced what you said the last time we saw each other.”

  “Right. So what brought about this epiphany?”

  She laughed. “Ok. I ran into my ex.”

  “Your ex-husband? The nice guy you’re still half in love with?”

  “Let me put the roses in water and put the wine away and then we can talk.”

  He arched a brow. “After more than 30 days of missing you, I want to do more than talk.”

  She licked her lips and grinned at him. “So do I.”

  “Now you’re talking.”

  “Wait here and I’ll be right back.”

  “Okay.”

  She went to the kitchen to put the roses in a vase and the wine in the refrigerator before looking into the living room.

  Standing in the doorway, she watched him at the windows.

  “Dan?”

  He turned from the window, a smile on his face.

  She pointed over her shoulder. “’I’m going to get into something more comfortable.”

  He leered at her. “Just take the towel off and that’ll be sexy enough for me.”

  She smiled. “Patience. I think you’re going to like what I slip into.”

  “Okay.”

  He nodded.

  In her bedroom, she quickly tossed the towel aside. Smiling at her reflection, she slipped on a new pair of black, silk thongs. Leaving her breasts bare, she pulled a sheer camisole on before slipping on a pair of loose, cotton shorts.

  Dan paced the floor when she returned to the living room.

  “Hey.”

  “You’re even lovelier than I remembered.”

  Noting the sincerity in his voice and eyes, she smiled. “Oh, Dan. You make me feel so beautiful and special.”

  An eternity passed whil
e she waited for him to cross the room to take her in his arms. “That’s exactly what you are, my Jule…my sweet, lovely, Jule.” He kissed her neck. “I’ve missed you.”

  Burrowing into his embrace felt so right. “I’ve missed you too, Dan.”

  Taking her hand in his he led her over to the loveseat. He sank down, drawing her on his lap. “Now tell me about your upstanding ex.”

  She linked her arms around his neck. “You want to talk about Karl with my big ass on your lap? Can’t you think of anything else you’d rather do?”

  His fingers seemed to burn the sides of her butt. “Nice try, now tell me what happened when you saw your upstanding damn ex.”

  “You don’t need to sound so condescending. He really is a good man, Dan. He didn’t cheat and he didn’t stray. He just wanted his own children. Who can fault him for that?”

  “Whatever.”

  She laughed.

  “What happened when you met him”

  “I felt this incredible relief and you know why? Because I knew as soon as I saw him that it was gone.”

  “What was gone?”

  “The…I call it the familiar ache of regret for what we’d once shared and lost. When I saw him and I didn’t wish myself back several years earlier when we were still in love, I knew it was over.” She smiled and stroked her fingers through the hair at his nape. “More importantly, I knew why it was over.”

  “And that would be…?”

  “You.” She rubbed her nose against his before leaning back so she could look into his eyes. “I knew I didn’t want to rekindle the past with him because I was ready to accept a future with you—if you still want me.”

  “Do I still want you? Hmmm.” He frowned. “That’s a tough question to answer off the top of my head.”

  She glowered at him. “You are treading on dangerous ground, Danny boy.”

  He grinned. “Tell you what. Let me think about it for a few weeks and I’ll get back to you when I make up my mind. How’s that?”

  “A few weeks? How’s this?” She leaned close to pepper his lips with soft nibbling kisses. She stroked her fingers through his hair. “How about we go to bed and sleep on it? You think that might speed up the deciding process some?”

  Dan slipped a hand between their bodies and up her top to caress her breasts. “I don’t know.” He licked her lips. “You want to try it and see?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  He set her on her feet and rose. “Let’s go find out, my lovely.”

  “Let’s.” In bedroom, she turned on her CD clock radio. Slow, suggestive jazz filled the room. Spreading her arms held wide, she looked at him. “What do you think?”

  “I think you are the sexiest woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of loving—even if you are severely overdressed.”

  “I’ve never had a lover make such sweet, seductive verbal love to me.”

  “What do you plan to do about that?”

  “This.” She pulled off her camisole and thong. Turning in a slow circle, she gave him ample time to ogle her ass before she turned to face him. “So?”

  “Damn you are beautiful with an ass that’s calling to my cock and palm.”

  Feeling sexy and wanton, she lay on the bed, leaning against her headboard. “Your turn.”

  “To fuck you senseless?”

  She cupped her breasts and licked her lips. “In a moment, but there’s something I want you to do for me first.”

  “And that would be?”

  “Strip for me.”

  In the process of pulling his socks off, he paused and looked at her. “Strip for you?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you think I’m doing?”

  “I mean do it slowly…suggestively.”

  He arched a brow. “What do I get if I do?”

  She parted her legs and rubbed her slit. “As much pussy as you can handle. Is this incentive enough?”

  “In two words—hell yeah.”

  “I thought it would be,” she said, delighted at how certain she felt with him. “So take it off, Danny boy…every stitch.”

  She bent her legs and slipped two fingers inside herself.

  “Damn you’re turning me on,” he said, slowly removing his trousers.

  “That’s the idea.” She slipped her fingers in and out of her slit. “By the time you’re naked, I want you as hard and aroused as I am wet and ready to be fucked.”

  “I love it when you talk dirty. To hell with slow.” He pulled off the remainder of his clothes in quick order, leaving only his briefs on. He stood still in front of her for several moments.

  Noting the semi-erect state pressing against his briefs, she smiled. “Nice.”

  He turned around. “How about from this angle?”

  “Nice view. I love a man with an ass you can bounce a quarter off.”

  With his back to her, he moved his slim, but powerful hips suggestively from side to side. Glancing at her over his shoulder, he parted his legs and cupped a hand over his cock.

  “You have a beautiful body, baby,” she whispered. “Now let me see you shake that tight, beautiful ass of yours.”

  He pushed his dark briefs down his thighs. Allowing them to bunch just under his balls and his semi-erect cock, he pumped himself.

  “Oh yeah, baby, get that thick boy nice and hard for me.”

  Keeping his back to her, he continued rotating his hips and pumping himself.

  “How’s it coming? Show me your crown jewels, baby.”

  He eased the briefs off and kicked them away.

  She licked her lips and thrust her fingers back into herself as he turned to face her. With one hand between his legs, and the other palm on his nape, he masturbated until his thick cock was fully erect and his balls hung low and heavy. Then he made fucking motions with his hips.

  Her heart raced and her pussy gushed. “Dan…”

  “Tell me what you want.”

  “I want to feel you stretching me.” She lay on her back with her knees bent and her legs parted. “I want you…I need you…now. Please.”

  Crossing the room to the bed, he stared down at her, still gently pumping himself. “How much do you want me?”

  “So badly I’m aching for you.” She caressed his thigh. “Please don’t make me beg.”

  He leaned down and eased her hand away from her slit. He fingered her. “You’re warm and wet…just as I like my woman to be.” He bent and kissed her lips. “And I like it when you want me enough to beg.” He flicked his thumb against her clit before plunging two fingers inside her.

  She arched her back, thrusting her hips off the bed. “Oh, Danny boy. I want you enough to beg. Please. Please fuck me. Now. Please.”

  He thrust his fingers deep inside her. “That’s what I’m talking about. You beg so nicely my lovely Jule. I’m going to give you what you want.”

  “Yes. Please do.”

  “I will, but first, I have to taste your sweet pussy, my love.”

  She shivered and forced her legs as far apart as she could. “Who’s stopping you? Taste me…eat me, baby.”

  “I will. When I have and you’re slick and wet and ready to be fucked…”

  “I’m already that, but what?”

  “Let’s make love bareback.”

  The temptation to allow him to love her without protection was strong. She resisted it and shook her head. “We can’t, Dan.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” She moistened her lips. “Making love without protection has to come with an entire different level of…commitment.”

  “Hey honey, I couldn’t get any more committed to you if I tried.” He licked her slit before he lifted his head to meet her gaze. “So let me plunge into this tight, hot pussy bareback.”

  “I can’t…not yet.”

  “Then when?”

  “Can you bear with me for a little while?”

  “It won’t be easy, but yes, I can bear with you.” Pressing a quick kiss against he
r slit, he withdrew his fingers and straightened to cross the room.

  There were few things sexier than watching a handsome hunk lift a condom from his pants pocket. Except maybe watching him slipping it quickly over his erection. That was beyond nice, she thought as he returned to the bed to lie on his stomach between her legs.

  He brushed his open mouth against her muff. “Hmmm. I love the musky aroma of your pussy.”

  “Taste it,” she invited. “Please.”

  “I’m going to do more than taste it, my lovely.” Cupping his hands over her hips, he settled between her legs. He tilted her hips and rubbed the tip of his tongue against her clit.

  She shivered. “Hmm. Nice. So nice.”

  He licked the lips of her slit and then buried his face against her, streaking his tongue inside.

  “Oooh.” She arched her back, pressing her slit against his face. “Yes. Please…Oh…Please.”

  He slowly ate and licked her to within an inch of a scorching climax. Just as she was about to explode, he rose over her.

  She licked her lips and pinched her nipples. “Do it. Please.”

  “Yes, my lovely.” He slipped his cock into her.

  “Finally. I love your cock.”

  “It and I love you and your pussy.”

  “Prove it. Make love to us both.”

  He thrust in and pulled out of her once…twice…three times, sending ripples of delight through her that were so strong, her toes curled.

  His tension was almost palpable. Clearly, he wanted to pound her. Instead, he kept his movements even and deep, which created a delicious anticipation in her. Even as part of her wanted him to love her slowly, another part needed to come.

  Jule wrapped her arms around him and undulated her body in time with his, keeping her hips pressed as tight to his as she could. Her climax was so close it nearly consumed her. To hasten it, she thrust herself wildly along his length, moaning with pleasure each time their pubic hair met.

  Dan rewarded her sexual frenzy by pressing his mouth against hers, teasing her lips apart. He devoured her lips rather than kissed her. Her breasts felt crushed under his chest.

  The heightened intensity of their lovemaking pushed her closer to coming. With a few powerful strokes, she gasped, shuddered, and exploded around him.