Page 9

8

ALLISON

A llison is fighting a blush that is creeping up her neck. Emma is looking back and forth between her and Russell, trying to determine the cause of their odd behavior. Thankfully, Allison is spared from having to deny the chemistry between her and Russell when Gloria and Aunt Jenny greet them at the elevator.

“Allison! I’m so glad you made it!” Gloria grabs Allison into a bear hug. She is about Allison’s height, but she has blonde hair and light-colored skin, much like Emma, though she is thinner. “How are you? I haven’t seen you in forever.” Before Allison can even answer, Aunt Jenny, an older version of Gloria, jumps in.

“Lord, Allison you look awful! What have you done to yourself?” Aunt Jenny asks. Her voice dripping with disapproval. She has her greying hair up in a tight bun and her purse in the crook of her arm. Her eyes rove over Allison. “What are you wearing? Leggings?”

Allison nods, stifling a groan, while waiting for the lecture to begin about dressing like a lady and not a man.

“You are never going to find a man looking like something the cat dragged in. Seriously, child. You have got to take more pride in your appearance.” Aunt Jenny clucks her tongue, patting Allison on the shoulder.

“She’s beautiful just as she is,” Russell growls, “You should consider she’s been traveling all day. She needs to get to her room so she can rest.” He grabs Allison’s hand pulling her down the hall, away from the stunned group.

Allison, too shocked at his defense of her to argue, follows. She’s used to Aunt Jenny’s criticism and is far too exhausted to debate the woman about proper attire.

Russell stops in front of her room, sliding her room key into the slot. Allison turns to him. “Thanks, Russell,” she says softly. “Aunt Jenny doesn’t mean to be a bitch. She just has old fashioned ideas about women and marriage. She thinks I’m an old maid that’ll die alone.”

“She might be old fashioned, but there’s no excuse for what she said,” Russell grouses, unhappily, jerking the card from the slot. “You’re a beautiful woman. I’m surprised that you haven’t been snatched up yet, but I’m glad you haven’t.”

“Wh-what? Why would you be glad?” Allison frowns up at him, confused by his words. Russell pushes the door open, urging her inside. He slams the door shut behind them, even though Emma and Curtis are right behind them. Russell didn’t seem to notice or perhaps he just doesn’t care.

Once inside, Russell turns to her, cupping one side of her face in his large hand. Allison’s body lights up at the intimate contact. “It means I can do this,” Russell whispers, capturing her lips with his.

Allison is caught off guard, her lips parting in surprise. Russell wastes no time delving his tongue into her mouth in the most passionate first kiss she’s ever had. Allison melts into him, her shock wearing off. Her hands move up strong muscular arms, across broad shoulders, to circle his neck.

The hand cupping her face moves to the back of her neck while his other arm wraps around her waist pulling her body flush with his. He tilts her head to the left, deepening the kiss. Allison moans when he sucks on her tongue. She can imagine him sucking on other more sensitive places.

The hand around her waist drops lower, cupping her ass and pressing their bodies closer together. His growing reaction to their activities presses against her abdomen. An image of their naked bodies coming together flashes in her mind just as there is a knock on her door.

Russell growls against her mouth. Allison pulls back from the kiss, giggling at his animalistic sound. “Just one more?” he asks, leaning down for another quick kiss.

“Caveman,” she coos, untangling herself from his embrace. A half-laugh, half-growl erupts from him, but he lets her go. Allison opens the door to see a concerned looking Emma and a pissed off Curtis standing outside the door, along with the others who’d ridden up in the elevator. Thankfully, no Aunt Jenny or Gloria.

“Hey, Allison. Want me to help you unpack?” Emma asks, uncertainly, stepping to enter the room. Her eyes focus on Allison’s damp, swollen lips, then on Russell. Emma stops abruptly, realization on her face. Curtis bumps into her back. “I’m sorry, are we interrupting something?”

“No.” “Yes.” Allison and Worm answer at the same time.

Emma giggles, turning to leave, but Curtis’s hand stops her. “Cool it, Worm!” he demands. The two men stare at one another. The women look back and forth between them but are too afraid to say anything while the men have a silent conversation.

Finally, Russell nods before turning to Allison. “I’m just next door if you need anything.” He picks up her suitcase and places it on a stand in the closet. Then he pushes past Curtis and out the door, turning left.

“What is that all about?” Emma asks, turning toward Curtis. A door slams nearby with enough force to jar the floor. Allison jumps. The loud sound echoes in the hall. Curtis is gritting his teeth so hard Allison is astonished he hasn’t broken a tooth.

“I’m not sure,” Allison says, thoughtfully, before Curtis can reply. “He seemed to get his panties in a wad over Aunt Jenny’s appraisal of me.”

“Aunt Jenny is rude that’s for sure,” Emma surmises but changes the subject. “You remember Curtis and his teammates Tank and Hack from when you met them in San Diego?” Allison nods. “This is Ruby, Tank’s wife, and you remember, Lisa, Charlotte’s best friend? You met Charlotte and Hawk on that trip, too.”

“Yes, I remember,” Allison shakes hands with each of them as Emma reintroduces her to them. “It’s good to see you all again.”

“I’m glad you could join us,” Curtis says to her. “Emma has been looking forward to spending time with you this week before the ceremony. She’s so happy you’re here.” His arm wrapping around Emma’s waist. Allison smiles at his words and the affection he clearly shows for Emma.

Allison has a sudden desire to have a man look at her with such adoration. She gives herself a mental shake. She doesn’t have time for such things. Relationships take work. Allison is too busy chasing stories to be in a relationship like Emma. She’d learned that lesson the hard way.

“I apologize for Worm’s behavior. I’m not sure what has gotten into him,” Curtis says with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“Oh, it’s fine, really!” Allison hurries to assure him, not wanting Curtis to be angry with Russell. “I’m more than capable of handling a caveman.” She smiles big, letting Curtis know she’s not upset over anything Russell has done.

Curtis nods. “I’ll leave you girls to catch up then.” He gives Emma a kiss on the cheek before exiting the room with Tank and Hack tagging along behind him. The door closes with a gentle click, leaving the women alone.

“Okay, spill!” Emma demands, the second the door is closed. Allison gives her cousin an annoyed frown. “It’s obvious we interrupted something between you and Worm,” Emma declares. “So, spill it!” Allison rolls her eyes.

“It isn’t that big of a deal,” Allison denies. “It was just a little harmless flirting and a kiss.” Ruby, Lisa, and Emma, all give each other a meaningful look. Allison is confused by their behavior.

“I think it was more than just a kiss,” Emma argues. “He seemed pretty upset that we interrupted you.”

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Allison disagrees. “He’s part caveman. Grunting and posturing is in his nature. It doesn’t mean anything.” The other women laugh, like she’s a toddler trying to be an adult. “Seriously! We just met. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“If you say so,” Emma concurs, but her tone says she doesn’t really agree. “So? You want help unpacking?” Allison is suddenly very tired. She has missed her cousin, but she hasn’t had nearly enough sleep in the last week to deal with all this right now.

“Actually, I’d love to take a nap if you don’t mind,” Allison replies. “I was up all night packing, then this kid kept kicking my seat on the plane. I did take a short nap on the drive here, but I’m beat.”

“Why did you wait until the last minute to pack?” Emma asks. “You used to be the first one ready when we were going on a trip.”

Allison’s face flushes with embarrassment. “I told you I’d considered not coming, so I hadn’t packed yet.” Emma looks disappointed. “It’s not that I didn’t want to be here for you,” she hurries to explain, “but you know how bad this is going to be for me. Plus, I’m still working on the story about the missing kids. I had thought I was going to need to travel to gather more information, but my source hasn’t gotten back with me yet, so here I am.”

Allison grimaces. She didn’t intend to hurt Emma’s feelings. She is really happy for her, but it is hard being the last one of the family to not be married and settled down. Her life is flying by. Deep down she is afraid she’ll wake up one day and regret working so hard on her career.

She wants to be married, to have kids, but she has to find a decent man first. Those are hard to come by, especially where she lives and works. Russell’s smiling face pops into her mind. Wait! Why did she think about him in reference to a decent man? Oh, shit! She must stomp out such thoughts or this is going to be the longest week of her life.

“Allison, I know being here is hard for you, but you are like my sister. I’m really glad you decided to come.” Emma smiles at her. “We’ll get out of your hair and let you get some sleep.”

Once Emma and the other women have left, Allison heads into the bathroom for a shower. She washes quickly and towels off before slipping into the very comfortable king-sized bed, not bothering to get pjs out of her suitcase. She’s asleep in minutes.

The sound of someone banging on her door awakens her. She is momentarily confused, seeing an unfamiliar room. She blinks her eyes, clearing the sleep from them. She’s in a hotel room in the mountains of east Tennessee. Sitting upright, she grabs her phone to check the time. Shit! She’s overslept. She meant to be up an hour ago. The pounding on her door gets louder. Then a familiar voice calls to her.

“Hey, sugar! You awake?” Russell yells, banging on the door. Allison jumps from bed, grabbing a robe and throwing it on while hurrying to the door. “He’s going to wake the dead,” she mutters, jerking the door open after removing the chain.

“God, you ogre, stop yelling! You are making a scene,” Allison scolds, grabbing Russell’s hand and dragging him into her room. She shuts the door quickly. His deep rumbling laugh ignites her body instantly. Her nipples pebble into hard peaks.

“I came to get you for dinner. Emma wants everyone to eat together,” Russell says, turning to face her. “I thought afterward, we could see a mov–” He breaks off abruptly, sucking in a breath. Allison glances down. Her robe is hanging open. In her haste to answer the door, she’d tied it haphazardly. It has gapped open to reveal most of her ample breasts, stomach, and sex. She jerks it closed, flushing with embarrassment.

“Damn, sugar! You need to put some clothes on, or we are going to miss dinner.” Russell’s voice has dropped an octave to a husky, sexy tone. “On second thought, who needs dinner?” Russell moves into her personal space. “When there’s a feast right here.” He reaches for her. Allison’s breath leaves her body, her mouth as dry as a desert. His hand snakes behind her neck, drawing her to him. He takes her mouth in a heated kiss as she fists his shirt.

He walks her backward further into the room. Suddenly, she is falling onto her back in the middle of the king-sized bed. Her robe falling completely open, baring her naked body to him. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” Russell rasps. His pupils dilating with desire as his eyes feast on her. Standing at the edge of the bed, the heat of his gaze sets her body on fire. She can’t ever remember wanting a man as much as she wants him.

“Russell,” Allison says in a breathy whisper. When he begins to climb on top of her, she scoots back onto the bed to give them some room, arching into his gentle caresses. Her brain stops working correctly. There’s somewhere important she needs to be, but with his hands on her, she can’t think of anything else.

Her lady parts are screaming for him to take her, fast and hard. It’s been a very long time since she’s been with a man. She has a vibrator, but let’s face it, it’s nothing like the real thing. She wants and needs him to be inside her.

“Sugar, you are exquisite.” Russell’s voice is ragged and cracks with desire. “I’ve never seen such beauty.” He locks eyes with hers before lowering his mouth to her right breast. The suction causes a moan to escape her. His warm mouth and expert hands work her nipples into hard peaks. She’s lost in the moment. Her hands grip his hair, encouraging him to continue. Russell’s mouth moves to her left breast showering it with attention.

After a few moments, he raises his head, kissing Allison long and deep. She spreads her legs, letting his body fall between them. She grinds her wet sex against his long hard erection, only the thin fabric of his dress pants between them. He kisses his way along her jaw, to her left ear sucking the lobe into his mouth before nibbling gently on it.

Then he trails kisses down her neck and around her breasts. He nips, licks, and sucks his way down until he is hovering over her soaking wet heat. His hands push her knees farther apart, staring down at her for a long moment. Allison becomes uncomfortable under his gaze and tries to pull her legs together. Her movement brings him out of his trance.

“No, sugar, don’t hide yourself from me,” Russell rumbles. His eyes lock with hers, lowering his head to kiss each inner thigh. Allison shivers from the delightful sensations. When he slips his tongue between her lower lips, her hips buck up to meet his mouth. Placing her legs on his shoulders, he finds her clit, flicking it with his tongue.

Allison is lost in sensations she hasn’t felt in a long, long time. He works her for several minutes until her bucking becomes frantic, demanding more. He slips a couple of fingers inside her, curving them just right to hit that special spot inside. Before long she is quaking all over, moaning his name. Her thighs squeezing his head. Still, he strokes her until she comes down from her orgasm.

Russell releases her clit and withdraws his fingers, moving back up her body, planting tender kisses along the way. When he reaches her mouth, they share a long, sweet kiss. Allison can taste her essence on his tongue. She’s never had a lover go down on her like this and then kiss her.

All too soon, Russell breaks their kiss and rests his forehead against hers. They are both panting to catch their breath. “God, Russell!” Allison finds hers first. “What…why…shit I can’t even talk.” Russell chuckles and raises up.

“That good, sugar? I haven’t even given you my cock yet.” His smug grin brings Allison out of her stupor. She pushes him hard on each shoulder, but he doesn’t even move. He laughs out loud before rolling off her when she growls at him.

“Get off me, you ogre!” Allison grabs her robe and tries to cover herself. “Do you often attack women in their hotel room?” Allison grumbles. She moves off the bed. Russell snags her around the waist and pulls her back onto the bed. He looms over her with a fierce look on his face.

“I didn’t attack you, Allison.” His tone is sharp, but it doesn’t sting nearly as bad as him calling her by her name and not sugar. “You dragged me in here if you recall. I’m sorry if I went too far, but you didn’t say no or tell me to stop. When I saw you barely covered by that flimsy robe…laying spread out on the bed like you were just waiting for me. I couldn’t resist.” His voice has softened by the end of his declaration.

“Oh, Russell…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like it sounded.” Allison gives him a little smile while shaking her head. “I wasn’t trying to insinuate you forced me. I was just caught off guard and…well, a little embarrassed. I don’t usually act like this.” Allison sighs, searching for the words to make him understand.

“Don’t act like what?” He questions. Their eyes locked, like he can see into her soul. She looks away, feeling uncomfortable with the intimacy, but focuses back on him when she answers.

“Like some floozy, throwing herself at the hot guy who gives her a little attention. That’s what my parents would say. They’d be so ashamed of me.” Allison blushes.

“You are not a floozy, sugar.” Russell lowers himself over her once more, resting his weight on his left forearm which he has braced on the mattress beside her head. His right hand smooths the hair out of her eyes. “You are a gorgeous woman that knows what she wants, who enjoys sex. There’s nothing wrong with that.” Russell lowers his head and places a gentle kiss on her lips. She sighs, opening her mouth to deepen their kiss. He pulls back after a few sweet moments of their tongues dancing.

“So, you think I’m hot, huh?” Russell smirks. Allison rolls her eyes. Of course, he would focus on that and not her poor behavior. He laughs at her eye roll. He leans over her, lowering his lips just above hers. “Just one more?” He captures her lips, stealing her breath.

“Caveman,” Allison chuckles when they break apart, pushing gently against his chest.

“Get dressed, sugar. If we keep this up, we are going to be late for dinner,” Russell says with another smirk, before he kisses her forehead and raises up off the bed. “We don’t want to give your aunts anything to be gossiping about, now do we?”

His words get her moving. She definitely doesn’t want to give them anything else to be wagging their tongues about. Russell pulls her to her feet rapidly. A laugh escaping her, at the sudden movement. She starts toward her suitcase. Russell grabs her, pulling her tight against his body, his arms wrapping around her. “We will finish this later, yeah?”

Allison wants to deny him. She doesn’t need the distraction, but she wants him more than she has ever wanted a man. Looking into his eyes, she nods with a smile. He kisses her long and deep before releasing her.

“I’ll wait in the hall,” Russell tells her, leaving the room with a small click of the door.