When Love Calls Read online

  Mike paused long enough for our silence to become uncomfortable. The whole time his gaze at me was unwavering. His fingers scratched his chin as he said, ""You know, you really are a smart woman and it sounds like you have things all figured out but let me just clarify a couple of things. You mentioned the phone. As far as phones and contacts go, did you lose yours too because I don’t recall you ever contacting me. You’re right, staying with you was my choice but it was also your invitation. I stayed because I wanted to be with you, but you don’t seem to believe that. So tell me this, if I wanted to play you for a fool or just wanted to sleep with you and keep it moving, why even try to contact you after ‘three months’ and why chase you down here? I don’t mean any disrespect but if sex is all I wanted, I already got it so why am I here now?"

  I felt my cheeks flush. The points he’d made were valid. This would be extreme behavior for a booty call or the hope of a "friends with benefits" situation and to make matters worse, he was pushing me to take ownership of my part in the situation. His words had softened me and put me in my place at the same time and when I looked into his eyes, I saw nothing but sincerity. Traces of hurt distorted his perfect face and I yielded. "I apologize, Mike. I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions, but you have to admit this whole thing is a little crazy."

  "I know and I don’t want you to believe I’m just some guy out looking for some random sex. Sex is easy, but I thought you and I had a spark. It really bothered me that I didn’t hear from you. It’s the whole reason I even reached out to you after all that time. When I saw you at the gallery that night, I thought that was the end, so to see you here now…” His voice trailed off as he ran his hand over his face and he shook his head. I watched his every move. I was looking for anything that would indicate he was being anything less than authentic. I found nothing. "I’m serious Erin. You’ve got me in a bad situation right now. Running into you here has my head even more messed up! I know you have moved on and I guess I’ll have to do the same, but since you’re here, would you give me just a little bit more of your time? I honestly just don’t want to let the chance for us to spend time together pass me by."

  I was nervous and roused. My head, my heart and my body were in a full on battle. Part of me thought there couldn’t be any harm in hanging out with Mike in Vegas as friends but the other half of me was petrified. "I actually should be going Mike. I’m supposed to meet my friends at noon. So much has changed and I really wish we’d had this talk sooner but …"

  "Ok, well, can I at least walk you to your room?” He interrupted. “I mean, if this is goodbye, I don’t want to say it until I absolutely have to." Mike stood as I got up and even though I hadn’t responded, he was following me out the door.

  "How do you know where I’m staying?" I asked.

  "Well ma’am, again, you are a smart lady, but I had the sense to know that you weren’t venturing off too far from your hotel for a beer last night and definitely not alone in Vegas!" He had me pegged and I couldn’t help but laugh. Against my tinge of apprehension, I agreed to let him walk me to my room.

  The elevator ride seemed to be in slow-motion. I told myself he would walk me to my door and that would be that. I would just have to figure out how to get rid of any lingering feelings for him. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that I still had any feelings left. I had only seen him twice and it had been months ago.

  The elevator doors opened and Mike followed me down the hall to room 2214. I leaned against the door and prepped to give him any excuse for why I needed our goodbye to be abrupt but I couldn’t think of anything believable enough to say. I didn’t speak. Instead I watched as he studied every inch of me as though he was committing a permanent picture to memory.

  "Erin, does the guy from the auction make you happy? If you say yes, I’ll walk away and be happy that you’re happy. If you say no, I feel like I’m obligated to do whatever it takes to see that you have the happiness you deserve." He had inched in closer to me and now his proximity was close enough that I could once again feel the heat from his body. He was towering over me, awaiting my response. I was just about to speak through what felt like cobwebs in my throat when I was startled by the voices of a group of people approaching. It made me nervous so I turned to unlock the door.

  "Come in for a minute, just in case one of my nosey friends decides to show up." I swallowed down my angst as I scanned the hall before opening the door. Mike followed me inside and closed the door behind him. He paused in the doorway and even though I wasn’t facing him, I could feel him staring at me. I knew he was awaiting my response. My chest tightened and my breathing became shallow. I had tried to ignore my feelings and make the “right” decision but it was undeniable. We were here in this moment for a reason and I couldn’t let it pass me by. Without a word I turned and kissed him hungrily. As if that was all the response he needed, Mike gripped ample handfuls of my backside like he was punishing me for keeping it away for so long. I felt the same dull pain I remembered from that night on the shore. I pressed my body hard against him and felt the full length of his nature against my thigh. I eagerly unbuckled his pants as he helped me remove my jersey dress. Mike bit my perky nipples through the thin lace bra that held them hostage and I felt my head begin to spin. I bit down on my bottom lip before he muffled my moan with his mouth. Our tongues lapped against each other like waves against a shore as I continued to help him out of his pants. Mike stumbled out of his shoes and pants as I pulled down his boxers and his erection sprang forth. I guided him to the bed and sat him down on the edge where I slowly dropped to my knees, and took his stiffness in my hand. I placed soft kisses up and down his shaft and looked up to check for his reaction. Mike watched me hungrily and it urged me forward. He didn’t stop me as I licked the tip. He didn’t flinch when I took him fully into my mouth. I closed my eyes and worked my rhythmic pattern until I could feel he was close to his end. Before he could release, I pulled away. “Not yet.” I groaned.

  Mike collapsed back onto the bed and rubbed his hand over his face. "Woman," he said with a sigh. I stood there in front of him, still in my bra and panties, watching him. He sat up, pulled me close and consumed me with his kisses. I followed his lead as he laid back on the bed and I climbed on top of him. Our tongues met in a slow sultry dance of me licking his lips and him sucking mine. I paused to adorn his neck with firm nibbles and soft kisses before pulling his earlobe between my teeth. Mike moaned his pleasure into my chest as he reached behind me to undo my bra. My throbbing breasts cascaded onto his face and he welcomed them with his warm, pink tongue. Now I moaned my reply. I began grinding my hips steadily against his girth and could feel the wetness accumulating in the lacey fabric between my legs. Without warning, Mike reached down and tore them off. In response, my pleasure received him and engulfed him with soft, sticky syrup. My arrival was instant and overpowering. I trembled as rippling waves radiated through my body. I tried to pull away from the sensation, but Mike grabbed my waist and pulled me further down onto him. I couldn’t contain my cry of ecstasy as he thrust himself relentlessly within me. I could feel that he was close to his peak and ground my hips harder against his. Unable to contain my impending climax, I clinched from inside as a washing release came yet again, but Mike wasn’t done. He flipped me onto my back and pulled my legs up onto his shoulders. He kissed and sucked the inside of my calf as he continued kneading into my wetness. I reached for a pillow and tried to cover the sweet anguish etched on my face but Mike snatched it away. “Don’t hide from me. I want to watch you come.” Has he not been watching the past two times? To my own disbelief, as his pace quickened, again I felt tiny starbursts inside. I clenched my eyes tightly and felt Mike bite down hard into my calf mixing pain with my pleasure as we both came together. I was spent and my body was damp with perspiration. Mike looked down at me then kissed the spot on my leg where small bite marks remained. “You ok? Did I hurt you?” He continued to trace kisses from up along my calf.

  “Yes,” sh
e replied breathlessly, sliding my legs down his sides. “But I liked it,” I smirked. Mike rolled over and laid on his back and I crawled over to lay on his chest "So, now what," I murmured into his shoulder.

  "Well, that is really up to you, but I’ve already told you my feelings about it. I can only assume that all of this was the answer to my question so, like I said, I feel obligated to do whatever it takes to make you happy."

  It was ten o’clock when I finally turned over to check the clock on the nightstand, I listened to the pattern of his breath as we laid there in silence. I knew he was giving me time to think about everything that had just happened and to figure out what my next step would be. I peeled myself reluctantly away from the warmth of his muscular frame, went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It wasn’t long before he came to join me. “What are you doing? I questioned as he climbed in the shower behind me.

  "I’m multitasking… getting clean and getting dirty at the same time," he growled as he nibbled my ear and traced kisses down my neck and shoulder.

  "I really need to start getting ready.” I implored. “My friends will be calling me any minute. If I don’t answer, they’re coming straight down here." I could tell my words fell on deaf ears as Mike was pressed up against me and massaged my breasts from behind. He knows that drives me crazy! I could feel my resolve dissipate as I leaned back against his chest and kissed him longingly. Mike moved one hand down to meet my yearning flesh and gently explored it with his fingers. I was bent to his will now. He turned me to face him and this time he was the one dropping to his knees. Beads of water rolled down his back as he placed a row of kisses up my inner thigh. Before I knew it, he enraptured my wetness with his tongue; swirling and flicking vigorously. I sucked my bottom lip between my teeth as the trembling in my legs traveled to my heat. I gripped the wall and curtain rod for fear I might collapse and interrupt him as he ravaged me sweetly. Mike released a guttural moan as he lapped up every bit of my nectar and I rewarded him with a second helping. It only drove him further. When I thought I would surely go insane from the pleasure that engulfed me, to my surprise again I climbed passions peak and gratefully descended.

  "Holy shit," was all I could muster as I watched him stand to his feet.

  “Would you hand me the soap please?” Mike asked casually. As long as I don’t have to use my legs to do it! Without moving from my spot I reached over and handed him the soap. He slid in front of me and turned to the shower head, proceeded to wash and hopped out of the shower, His last words as he walked into the bedroom were, “Don’t let me hold you up!” I could hear the smile in his voice. I probably should have been annoyed by his cockiness but I found it sexy as hell. I collected myself as best I could, haphazardly washed and stepped out of the shower. My legs still felt like jelly and I could feel the embers still subtly burning at my core.

  When I entered the bedroom I immediately noticed the flashing red light on the hotel phone. I lifted the receiver and checked the message. The sing-song of Amber’s voice rang in my ear. "Hey sleepyhead! We hope you not answering means you’re in the shower and not still asleep! We’re going down for breakfast and then heading your way so try to be ready!"

  That should give me about thirty minutes from the time she called. Fifteen of those minutes had already been lost in the shower. "Ok, you have got to go." I said frantically as I shoved his clothes into his chest. He was still standing there in a towel like he was in absolutely no hurry. I turned my attention to retrieving my undergarments and my dress that had been tossed into the closet.

  "Alright, I’ll go if you say I come back later tonight? It will be pretty late because I have this whole bachelor party thing, but I’m leaving tomorrow so I could just bring my stuff and leave from here. That way I could spend some more time with you since I still don’t know what is going to happen when we get back to Chicago!" I knew I should have said no but everything in me was screaming Y-E-S!!!

  "Ok, fine, but please go now!!" Mike had managed to dress in record time. Now I was pushing him toward the door. He paused just long enough to kiss me tenderly on the lips before closing the door behind him. “Phew!” I pulled my dress over my head and slid on my sandals still parked at the foot of the bed.

  It was less than two minutes later that there was a knock on her door. What did he forget? "Did you forget," I began as I opened the door. My jaw dropped when I saw Amber standing there. I resisted the urge to look down the hall and quickly reunited my bottom lip with the rest of my face as I stepped aside to let her in.

  "Forget what?" Amber asked.

  I laughed nervously and answered, "Did you say forget about breakfast? You couldn’t have eaten that fast!" Good save.

  "Oh no, Feliz and Angie are still down there. I just came up to make sure you were awake. Since you are, I’ll just wait for you to finish up and we can go down together." Amber sat down in the desk chair. I watched her scan the room and I quickly did the same. There were three towels strode about. I averted my gaze and went into the bathroom.

  "That’s fine. Let me do something with this mop on my head and throw on some makeup. I won’t be long." I closed the door behind me as I assessed my reflection in the mirror. I needed a minute to myself before I returned to Amber’s inspecting eyes. I pulled my hair back into a long, wavy ponytail and smeared some gloss on my lips.

  A minute later we were going out the door when Amber said with a hint of inquisition, "You sure use a lot of towels when you shower." Without turning back to look in her direction, I replied, "Yep, thank goodness here I’m not responsible for doing laundry."

  Chapter Ten

  Two thirty. That was the time on the clock when I was jolted from my sleep by the ringing of my cell phone. I was livid for about ten seconds before it registered in my brain that Mike was the one calling. Seconds later I heard a soft knock on the door. I jumped up from bed and took a glance at myself in the closet mirror. Not too scary, I guess. I felt around in my purse for the container of Altoids and popped one in my mouth. Seeing Mike’s face through the peephole caused my breath to catch. It wasn’t as if I didn’t know he was coming but somehow his actually being there caused my stomach to turn a somersault. He rapped softly on the door again and broke me from my trance. As I pulled open the door, I watched relief wash over his face.

  “Erin,” he said with slight exasperation, “I was beginning to think you weren’t going to answer. I knocked for a while before I called.” I stepped back and Mike walked in, toting his bags behind him. “I came straight here after we wrapped things up with the party. You mind if I take a shower? I don’t want to get in your bed smelling like smoke and liquor.” The thought of him being naked in the shower sent my thoughts straight back to hours ago when he’d left me there a quivering mess.

  “Yes, that’s fine.” I bit my bottom lip and eyed him longingly.

  “Mmm, well maybe you want to join me,” Mike entranced me with his gaze as he approached. I could feel my breasts begin to ache as they rose to meet him. The protruding nipples pressing through the sheer fabric of my gown caught his attention and teased them with his index finger. He studied my reaction as I fought to control every breath. The part of me that was used to being in control was in a full out battle with the part of me that carried an insatiable desire for this man. I needed his touch. I would have begged for it but he didn’t need to know that. Again he responded as though he heard me as one hand seized my breast and the other cupped beneath the left cheek of my ass. A gasped betrayed me as it vented from my parted lips like vapor. I was fixated on his mouth. I wanted it all over me burning me with hot impassioned kisses. “I’m so smoky.” He gruffed as I leaned in to meet his mouth with mine.

  “I don’t care.” I whispered breathlessly. I pressed my lips to Mike’s and parted his mouth with my tongue. His response was primal as he mimicked every swirling motion. If I licked, he licked. If I sucked, he sucked. Our back and forth continued until I felt the tapered edge of the desk against my backside. I didn�
�t know how we got there and I didn’t care as he flipped me around to face myself in the mirror. I watched as he tugged down his pants and shorts and let them fall to his ankles. Slowly he pulled my gown up over my behind and moaned his approval as his eyes consumed my naked flesh. Mike slid his hands beneath my gown and found his way to my tender, hardened mounds. He squeezed them steadily between his strong fingers as watched me, intently relishing my every response. My face defied me and conveyed my pleasure. His mouth curved into a knowing smile and he slid his hand up between my thighs until he reached my wetness. I had no resolve left and his touch felt too good for me to try and pretend. I arrived right then and there. Mike moved his hands to my waist and before I could recover from the shuddering within me, he entered from behind. I felt my arms buckling beneath me and leaned forward to grip the edge of the desk. Now I was face-to-face with a woman undone. I could see the unbridled passion etched across Mike’s face as he worked me over. I bit my lip to stifle my moans, to no avail. Moans quickly grew to whimpers as he continued grinding against me, sending my nerve-endings into a frenzy. Again I felt a wave so strong I closed my eyes to brace for the current when Mike grabbed my hair, pulled my head back and forced me to watch as he did me in. “Let. It. Out,” he growled with each powerful stroke. He released my hair and gripped my shoulders as he neared his breaking point. Each reentry sent a new electric sensations through my body. It was more than I could stand. I cried out loudly as I yielded again. This time Mike joined my chorus and exclaimed his own release.