Not According to Plan Read online

  Emerald eyes drilled into mine, challenging me to connect our mouths. And once I did, another sexy moan spurred me on enough to deepen the kiss even more.

  As he slipped his hands beneath my skirt, skimming them up over the curve of my ass, a surge of feral need pulsed straight to my core.

  “No panties?” His deep, throaty voice only worsened my predicament.

  “Thong,” I said breathily, trying to hold back from demanding him to rip my skirt in half along the seam.

  His green eyes darkened just as his fingertips pressed into my flesh. When he resumed kissing me, he created an urgency that felt like he’d been waiting for my lips for years. I responded by sliding back and forth over his denim-clad crotch. Each shift brought with it a flash of white-hot desire like I’d never felt before. It furled deep in my core, licking flames to ignite almost painfully.

  What the hell is happening to me?

  I was horny, I reminded myself. That’s the reason I was wound so damn tight I could feel my climax building way too soon. His soft moans and hip gyrations weren’t helping. I either needed to speed things along or slow them down. But his fingers sliding under my thighs and coming dangerously close to where I throbbed with need set my wheels in motion, full speed ahead.

  The more grinding and kissing and gripping between us, the more my thighs quivered. Before I could stop it, a full-rolling orgasm hit me, followed by a carnal moan and an unmistakable shudder, which caused him to instantly still.

  I just came. Oh my God. I can’t believe my first orgasm from a man in, hell, I lost track how long ago, happened from nothing more than a dry humping make-out session.

  “I’m guessing that was good for you?” The smug smirk plastered on his face slightly worsened my humiliation, but that was short-lived. Because as intense as that release had been, I still needed more of him.

  “Don’t get too cocky. It’s been a while,” I admitted, blaming my dry spell for my zealous response.

  Why lie?

  But at the same time, I knew it was more than that. It was Max. Everything about him was sexy, from his face to his body to the sound of his voice. He managed to erase the awkwardness I carried over having a one-night stand with a stranger with the way he looked at me, kissed me, touched me. In such a short amount of time, he managed to make me want more passion in my life.

  The way his hands skimmed over my thighs instantly managed to spark a renewed pang of hunger that was even more voracious than it had been a few minutes earlier.

  “Okay, so now that round one is over…” He lasered his hypnotic emerald gaze straight into my core. “Do you think you can get going again?”

  I wanted to say that with just that look from him, I was already on my way. Instead, I asked, “Think you can get me going again?”

  He arched his brows mischievously. “Oh, without a doubt.”

  …

  Max

  Fuck, that was the hottest thing I’d ever seen.

  The flush on her cheeks, the wild desire evident in her big brown eyes goaded my already aching libido. For whatever reason, this complicated, beautiful woman needed what I was giving her tonight. Who was I to deny her? Especially when just kissing and grinding had her coming like she did, as I suffered from a very obvious and painful hard-on. If I didn’t move things along soon, I just might die.

  While staring into her eyes, I slowly unbuttoned her blouse. Once it was removed, her pink lace–covered breasts were right there for my eyes to feast on. She truly was gorgeous, and it wasn’t long before my mouth wanted in on the feasting part.

  “Goddamn, I’m a sucker for pink.” I leaned closer until my lips met her soft, warm flesh. With my hands on her back, I drew the swell of her right breast into my mouth and sucked. Her body became boneless, forcing me to hold her tighter to prevent her from falling backward.

  When I moved to her other breast, in a flash she reached behind, her hands bumping into mine, and unclasped her bra. It slackened enough to reveal her perfectly pebbled nipples, and without delay, I lowered my mouth to draw one in between my lips.

  Her fingers darted to the top button of my shirt. One by one, she slid them through their holes until the sides gaped open, exposing my chest. Not once did either of us break the connection between our eyes, not even while she pushed my shirt off and freed my arms.

  She explored my body, feeling each ridge of my abs, my chest, and my shoulders. Then she repeated the journey downward toward the waistband of my jeans. With a shaky touch, she popped the button to squeeze her fingers in between the fabric and my skin. Her hands were so close to where I wanted them to be, too close. Because once we turned that corner, there would be no turning back.

  Breathlessly, she continued to hold my gaze. I had to admit I reveled at seeing the desire she felt for me clear in her big brown eyes, in her shallow breaths.

  I needed to taste her again and latched on to the other nipple to suck with abandon.

  “Max,” she panted, and I impatiently peeled her blouse off her arms, letting it fall behind her. She repositioned her hands on my shoulders, firmly pressing her fingertips into them. The way she pushed her hips down just enough to drive my cock upward in search of an escape from its prison made me nuts.

  She smelled like vanilla and tasted even sweeter…addicting. By the sounds coming from her mouth, I drove her insane as I spent long moments laving at her nipples and the firm flesh around them.

  Needing more, I lifted and turned until she lay beneath me on the small couch. I removed her bra that was now hanging under her breasts and without delay began removing her shoes and skirt. Once she was completely bare, except for her matching pink G-string, I paused to relish in the vision before me. She held my stare as I finally dragged that sexy thong down her thighs and off her legs.

  Her body was just as beautiful as I had imagined—actually, even more beautiful. Except for faint tan lines where a bikini had once covered her, smooth, firm skin everywhere—her breasts, her belly, her pussy. She was flawless.

  “You’re stunning, Jade,” I said, my eyes continuing their path over her naked body. I stopped at her eyes. She looked up with a blush tingeing the apples of her cheeks, her breaths coming in shallow and labored spurts. Her fingers tightened into fists beside her, and goose bumps covered every inch of her body.

  “Relax,” I said, holding her hips and shifting her until she sat with her back against the couch. Her eyes widened when I dropped to my knees and spread her thighs. Her lips parted when I gripped each ankle and placed her feet on the edge of the couch, further exposing her smooth pussy.

  Without a word, I dipped my head to place a long, hard kiss on her clit.

  She sucked in a breath, threading her fingers through my hair. When I kissed her again, her hips rose greedily. But after a few lazy laps along her folds, she pushed my head away.

  “Max, I’m dangerously close, and I want you to…” At her halted words, my cock jerked in the confines of my jeans.

  “Fuck you?” I asked with a throaty rasp.

  “Yes. Do you have a condom?”

  I quickly retrieved my wallet and pulled one out, making the distance it added between us feel like a bucket of ice water on my libido. I then presented it as if it were a special key to unlock all her secrets. Little did she know how desperately I wanted to know those secrets.

  I stood, lowering my zipper. “Where were we?” The sound of each tooth moving through the metal slider, mixed with my pounding heartbeat and her heavy breathing, echoed off the walls as loudly as thunder echoed in an open field.

  I kicked off my shoes and peeled off my socks, leaving me barefoot and shirtless. Her eyes then skidded down to the motion of my hands pushing my jeans over my hips. I followed suit with my boxer briefs, feeling them both pool at my ankles. She was transfixed to my nakedness, and I smiled at the audible swallow she took just as I stepped out
of my clothes. My smile turned serious when she licked her lips before tearing open the condom packet with her teeth, tossing the wrapper onto the table, and then sliding it over my engorged length. Her hands manipulating the latex over my dick inch by inch practically caused me to come right then.

  Once I was sheathed and ready, what followed was all bodies clashing, lips crushing, pelvises grinding, arms, legs, mouths, skin colliding until I sat on the couch, and she straddled my hips and lowered her tight, wet pussy over my cock.

  That moment, as she slowly took me deeper until her ass hit my upper thighs, was what stopped time in its tracks. The kissing, the touching, the groaning all came to a standstill while we stared into each other’s eyes in awe, reveling over how fucking perfectly we fit together, how familiar it all seemed. She gripped my cock like a fist, stealing my breath.

  “Oh, fuck, Jade.” I closed my eyes for a moment to gain a shred of control.

  When I opened them, she stared back in a similar dazed state. The obvious attraction we felt toward each other caused me to become almost incoherent, drunk with lust. Yet the response within our bodies made it impossible to remain still. I had no idea what she felt, but a punishing pulsing ensued at the base of my cock, propelling me to rock my hips to get deeper into her.

  Jade nodded silently, understanding what I needed. Slowly, she lifted herself higher to then lower back down on every one of my deliberate pumps. I gripped her hips, aiding in keeping that rhythm from changing while we wound ourselves up to frightening heights. After so much mind-blowing foreplay, keeping from releasing like a goddamn rocket was a full-on struggle.

  “Are you close?” I asked through gritted teeth, again flipping us so she was back to lying beneath me on the couch.

  “I’m there.” Her words preceded that gorgeous look on her face that meant she was coming, just before she pulsated around me. Every thrust brought me closer. Combined with the euphoric sensations caused by her pussy squeezing my cock sent me over the edge right behind her.

  “Jade,” I said as I came spectacularly with a violent rush. Fuck, I couldn’t remember another time I’d felt my release in every cell of my body. So much so, it stunned me silent, and all I could manage was a guttural moan before collapsing onto her and burying my face in her neck.

  And even as my body calmed, I knew I needed more of this woman. Once with Jade was not enough.

  Chapter Five

  Jade

  “Jesus Christ, I can’t move,” Max murmured against my skin.

  “Me, neither,” I said, and it wasn’t because the weight of him pinned me down.

  Never had I ever come so severely in all of my life. It all started with that one kiss. And damn, by gifting me with one of the sexiest kisses I’d ever had, he managed to unleash every ounce of pent-up lust trapped within me. He also managed to eliminate the apprehension that had consumed me since meeting him at the bar.

  I finally joined the One-night Stand Club. Based on the fact I was probably the last twentysomething to have had one, I felt like I should’ve gotten a commemorative button or maybe a special T-shirt.

  Before tonight, I couldn’t relate to swiping right, fake names, changing the last digit of your phone number, or any other game playing required when hooking up with a stranger. I had heard awful stories of one-night stands that had gone wrong and often thought, Who the hell would want that bullshit?

  But now that I’d been inducted into this exclusive club, I believed the reason I decided to go for it could be explained in two words—Max Navarro.

  The man was perfection. Washboard abs, muscular thighs, a smattering of chest hair, that coveted deep V, and a thin happy trail that stretched from his belly button to his thick, hard cock were going to be difficult to get out of my mind. Not to mention, his touchable dark brown hair, those sexy green eyes, perfect scruff, large hands, and dimples…shit…his dimples. I was a sucker for dimples.

  Forgetting all the physical details that made him flawless, he exuded confidence and a sort of cockiness that made him irresistible. But I suspected there was more to him than just good looks and charisma.

  It seemed like Max Navarro was a good man. Most others would pounce the moment we stepped through the door. The assurance he needed from me that I did indeed want him to come up to my apartment was endearing. The concern he had over me being comfortable with what the night had in store meant he was considerate, kind, even sensitive…and that was the reason I could never see him again. From what I could tell so far, Max Navarro was the complete package. I had too much on my plate at work and too many things left to accomplish to get wrapped up in a relationship. And based on the last twenty or so minutes, he had the ability to enchant me. Distract me from my goals.

  That realization was what had me come to my senses and gently nudge him. “I need to use the bathroom.”

  “Sorry.” When he pulled out, the immediate sense of loss unnerved me. Before I said or did something I’d regret, I scrambled off and barricaded myself behind the safety of a closed door. I took my time, gathering the courage needed to bring this night to an end. Because part of me wanted to drag him into my room and screw him all night long, and that couldn’t happen.

  Reaching for my comfy robe, I lifted it off the hook on the door and slipped it on. With one last look at my reflection, I pointed to myself and scolded, “You don’t have space in your life right now for a man like Max.”

  That thought saddened me. If I had met him a year from now, once my professional goals had been met, I could very well see myself becoming lost in a relationship. I never really had that kind of passion—waiting for the phone to ring, counting the minutes before I saw him again. Tonight, I got a taste of it and already mourned what could have been. But the sooner I pushed him away, the better.

  I found Max on the couch in his boxer briefs. The brilliant smile that revealed those delicious dimples almost had me forgetting my mission…almost.

  His eyes tracked me until I sat beside him. “You okay?” he asked, that sweet side showing once again.

  I remained silent for a bit while fumbling through my thoughts. Sitting beside his practically naked perfect body brought with it an urge to straddle him again. I swear the professional logic that ran deep in my veins slapped me on the back of the head, because I suddenly blurted out, “That was great, but you need to go now.”

  The sexy grin on his face morphed into a frown. But then, as if my sudden change in gears clicked in his head, he nodded once and said, “Okay.”

  When I should have been thankful there was no argument on his part, instead a pinch of disappointment came at how easily he agreed, more of the universe reminding me it needed to be one night.

  Our shared passion and electricity gave way to awkwardness that hung in the air, thick enough to cut with a knife.

  He silently got dressed, but when he came over to grip the back of the couch, caging me in, my pulse immediately quickened.

  “Happy birthday.” There was no levity in his words or in his expression. It smoldered hot and intense as he held steady eye contact. Without warning, he pressed his mouth to mine in a searing yet chaste kiss.

  “I’m sorry.” I felt the need to explain. “You seem like a great guy, but with my job, I have little room in my life for anything else.”

  “I hear ya.” He then straightened before sauntering toward the door, but just before walking out, he turned and paused. “Bye.” The way his eyes continued to drill salaciously into mine almost caused me to shout, Stop! I take it back. Don’t go. Please, fuck me again.

  Thankfully, my logical side, the one that kept me grounded, continued to hold control of the wheel. “Bye, Max.”

  Once he left, I texted Amy to let her know I was alive and well and then got ready for bed, still trembling from memories of his touch.

  I was exhausted by the physical exertion that came from intense sex, but my body ref
used to rest. My mind refused to stop flashing image after hot image of what had just happened on my couch. My heart refused to stop pounding in my chest, remembering the beguiling expression on his face before he left.

  Throughout the night, the memory of him made me restless. Way before the alarm sounded, I gave up trying to get any sleep at all and turned on my phone to find a text.

  Amy: YAY! Success?

  Me: Success.

  The dots danced.

  Amy: Good. Please tell me he is still there? That man is irresistibly fuckable…and he’s a twin! I may need to meet the brother.

  Me: No. I kicked him out. Actually he’s a triplet.

  Amy: There are three of those fine specimens walking the earth?

  Me: Yep.

  Amy: Okay, I think I just came.

  Me: You’re incorrigible.

  Her response came in the form of an angry red-faced emoji and a parting text.

  Amy: And you’re a dumbass!

  She was lucky I even went through with her ridiculous scheme at all…and I’d be lucky to get through this day without reliving every delicious moment of my night with Max over and over and over.

  …

  Max

  Based on how exhausted I felt, I should’ve gone straight to the hotel, especially when I hadn’t gotten all that much sleep the night before. But as I hopped in a cab, I knew sleep wouldn’t come until I stepped into my new gym’s Miami location.

  While the deafening drone of a power drill echoed, a twinge of excitement engulfed me as I took in the space. One by one, the men working tirelessly stopped their task to smile as I wandered. They were used to my awestricken tours whenever I popped in.

  Still under construction, it wasn’t the exposed beams or electrical wiring I saw in my mind but instead the gorgeous layout of a finished state-of-the-art fitness center.

  And in only eight months, this coming February, it would be exactly that.

  Since attending Miami University, I’d been itching to get back to my favorite place on earth. My original plan was to settle there after I graduated. Tragically, my dad died suddenly that fall, and guilt over leaving my family had me returning to New York to begin my future.