Opposites Attract (10 page)

He gently rocked his hips into her butt, pushing his shaft firmly against her. Her stomach tensed. Cream gathered between her thighs, dampening her panties. She wanted him, wanted him to touch her, kiss her, make love to her. He was warm and hard and he smelled really good.

Ethan stirred restlessly against her. One of his arms was trapped near her head as she used it for a pillow. He kissed her neck, working his way to an ear. He massaged her breasts, running his fingers lightly over her nipples through the thin nightgown. Alexis spread her thighs, slipping her leg over his, opening her body up to his exploring hands. He took the invitation, instantly working down to her hips.

Groaning, his hand slipped over her panties. ‘Mm, oh yeah, nice. You’re so warm and wet.’

‘Ah.’ Alexis arched her back. The man really knew how to work magic with his fingers. He stroked lightly at first, just brushing over her panties along her folds, teasing her slit until she squirmed for more.

Alexis arched, angling her hips. Ethan took the hint, dipping his hand beneath the thin layer of mesh. She relished the intimate contact of his finger against her wet pussy. He found the small pearl hidden in her folds. Reaching behind her back, she pulled at the waistband to his pyjama pants. He made light noises of pleasure, leaving her body long enough to free himself. When he again touched her, his hard penis worked along her butt cheeks. Her thong pulled, rubbing inside the cleft. The smooth length of his cock felt so much better than soft flannel.

Alexis knew she should push him away, pretend to wake up and feign outrage at his boldness. Ethan wasn’t her type. He was all wrong. He had tattoos for crissakes. Society would freak if she were to . . .

Were to what? It wasn’t like he was asking her to marry him. It wasn’t like they’d be seen together socially. He merely had his hand down her panties. They were in the middle of Nowhere, Wisconsin. No one who mattered would know. Not even Ted and Susan would believe anything sparked between her and Ethan. This could be her dirty little secret.

Suddenly, he slipped a finger up into her body and she forgot everything but the pleasure of being touched. He pulled her to him. As his hand rocked up into her, her butt rocked along his erection. Alexis reached behind to pull him closer. Her fingers dug into his firm hip, practically clawing him with her longer nails. Ethan groaned in obvious pleasure.

Alexis’s body jerked as the beginning tremors of her orgasm washed over her. Oh, she needed it. She’d been in an almost constant state of half-arousal since they first met. Her hips strained, rolling in small circles. Ethan knew just how to touch, how to work his calloused finger over her clit, sticking another inside her to put pressure on the sweet spot. Her ass clenched his erection as she wiggled against him. Reaching for a breast, she tweaked her own nipple.

‘Ah. Oh. Damn.’ Ethan began to actually thrust in earnest. ‘Damn, baby. I’m not even inside you and I’m about to come. It’s never happened like this.’

Alexis bit her lip to keep from answering. If she were to pretend later she was taken advantage of, she couldn’t give herself away. No doubt Ethan would gloat that she’d needed him to get off.

Mm, but truth was, she did. Her fingers felt nowhere near as nice as his did running up inside her. His fingers were thicker, longer, warmer. She could tell he’d done this before, many times. He knew just where to push as he continued to hit the sweet spot hidden in her passage, using just the right pressure and the right pace.

‘Keep riding my hand, ah, keep moving just like that. Mm, yeah. Little faster,’ he urged. He kept his hips pressed tight to her body as she obeyed.

His thumb stroked her sensitive bud, as if he’d timed her body’s response somehow. She came, making soft, involuntary noises in the back of her throat. A low grunt joined hers. Ethan trembled slightly and she felt liquid warmth spreading over her back as he came.

The sensation brought her mind crashing to reality. She gasped loudly. What had she just done? And with Ethan James?

‘Mm, Cindy,’ he whispered, nuzzling her neck. His hand withdrew from her panties, skating up her stomach towards her breasts.

Alexis felt as if she’d been slapped. Cindy? Cindy? No he did not!

‘What the . . .? Pierre?’ Alexis whispered, containing her anger as she forced confusion to her voice. She blocked his roaming hand with her arm. ‘Pierre, what are . . .?’

‘Pierre?’ Ethan’s voice snapped, loud. He pushed back from her and seconds later the lamp flicked on. When she turned to look at him, his pyjama pants were pulled back up his waist. ‘What the hell? Who’s Pierre?’

‘Ew,’ Alexis cried, forcing disgust to replace the confusion. Did he actually call her Cindy? That jerk. ‘Ethan? Gross. What did you do to me?’

‘Gross?’ he repeated, as if he’d never heard the word in his life.

‘What’s on my back?’ she asked, knowing full and well what it was. ‘Oh my . . . did you . . . relieve yourself on me? Are you like some dog that dry humps a person when they’re sleeping?’

‘Wait a minute.’ Ethan lifted a finger. ‘Did you actually just call me a dog?’

‘If the leash fits,’ she quipped. She made a great show of getting out of the bed and examining her back in the mirror. ‘Ew. You are so paying to wash this.’

‘Hey, you enjoyed it too,’ Ethan said, pointing at her to emphasise his words. ‘Don’t try to deny it.’

‘I thought I was with Pierre,’ Alexis lied. ‘I was dreaming of my summer in the south of France.’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Hey, listen, Ethan, I’m flattered and all.’ Her tone belied her words. ‘But we’re not getting together on this trip, got it? You’re not my type.’

‘Boy, you really know how to crush a guy.’ Sarcasm dripped from his tone. ‘Please, doll, I don’t want you. I have a newsflash for you. You are not my type.’

‘What? Rich and educated not your type?’ Alexis charged. She put her fists on her waist, facing him down. Tilting her head, she gave him her most arrogant look.

‘According to the papers, you’re not rich any more.’ Ethan returned her look with one of his own.

She dropped her arms from her side. She felt weak. Her voice a whisper, she asked, ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘Come on, I know who you are, Alexis Grant. Your picture has been in the papers. Oh, but that’s right, I’m just the scum of the earth. It’s amazing I can even read the newspaper, let alone remember what it says.’ Ethan snorted in disgust. ‘Did you actually think changing your name to Sam was going to fool me?’

Alexis didn’t move. Actually, she had. Refusing to answer his question, she said softly, ‘I’m going to take a shower. I need to wash your stench off me.’

Alexis frowned as she looked across the parking lot. The grey Impala looked somewhat familiar. Well, it was probably that she’d seen many of them since leaving New York. Then, seeing an overweight guy with a cigarette watching her from inside the car, she stiffened.

‘It’s your turn to drive and to pay for gas.’

Alexis spun on her boot heels, instantly forgetting the man in the car. She didn’t move to catch the keys Ethan tried to toss at her. They landed on the ground with a clank. He frowned. Until that moment, they hadn’t spoken. She was determined to forget what had happened and, by the look on his face, Ethan wanted to do the same.

His red-tipped hair was damp from his shower and she noticed that he’d trimmed the red from his goatee. Having the colour gone was actually a big change. He looked almost normal.

Ethan watched her expectantly, his blue-green eyes brilliant in the morning light. She couldn’t remember the name of the town they were in, but they were close to Lake Michigan and the air had a crisp chill to it. Alexis shivered. He glanced down to his keys, drawing her attention back to the present.

‘Oh, ah,’ Susan said, hurrying to pick up the keys. ‘Actually, I want to drive again.’

‘I think we should split duties,’ Ethan said through clenched teeth. ‘There will be plenty of miles for everyone.’

‘No, really, I love driving.’ Susan nodded her head emphatically. ‘I want to.’

‘You hate driving,’ Ted said. Susan’s eyes widened and she shot him a stern look. He hesitated for a moment and looked embarrassed. His words very unconvincing, he added, ‘Uh, never mind. I’m thinking of someone else.’

Susan took a deep breath. ‘Sam?’

Alexis closed her eyes as Ethan chuckled. The sound was mocking.

‘You know what, I’ll drive.’ Ethan swiped his keys off the ground. He pointed at Alexis as he walked around the car. ‘But you’re still paying for gas. It’s time you learned that everything isn’t handed to you on a silver platter.’

Alexis didn’t answer. Susan touched her arm, drawing her attention. ‘What’s going on?’

‘Nothing.’ Alexis shook her head. Then, reminded of her humiliation, she said quietly, ‘Go ahead and call me Alexis. He knows. He knew all along.’

‘Is that why he’s looking at you all funny? Did something happen?’ Susan persisted.

‘No, nothing happened.’ Alexis reached for the door.

Once she was in the car, Ethan merely snorted as he started the car.

Alexis placed her arm along the window, watching the quaint little houses with their picket-fence yards as Ethan drove down the quiet street.

‘This town’s pretty,’ Susan said. Alexis knew her friend was trying to lighten the mood in the car. ‘I’d love to live near water like this.’

The road turned, winding slowly. She saw glimpses of water through the houses and trees. The road curved to the left and soon they were driving close to Lake Michigan’s shore. A family walked along the small beach. Two small children ran ahead of their parents. They were bundled in bright pink jackets. Alexis fingered the strap of her camera bag. It was next to her on the seat.

‘You want me to slow down?’ Ethan asked.

Alexis blinked in surprise, turning to see who he was talking to.

‘If you want to take pictures I can slow down and you can hang out the window,’ he offered.

‘Why? So you can run me into a pole?’ she asked, looking away from him.

Ethan sighed, loud and long. ‘Not everything is said to be mean, Alexis.’

Ethan clutched the steering wheel, doing his best not to think of the morning’s events. He’d known what he was doing, maybe not from the first moment, but he’d known who was in his bed. It didn’t help that her soft, feminine smell wrapped around him in sleep. And did she have to wear such sexy nightgowns? Come on, what was a guy to think? She paraded around in those skimpy little numbers, feeding fuel to his already flaming libido.

He had woken up, aroused from dreaming about Alexis. He wasn’t sure how it had gotten there, but his hand was on her hip, rubbing her flesh like it had a mind of its own. Her skin was smooth, like she’d just shaved her legs. He’d forced himself to stop, to see how she’d react. She’d pressed her tight little butt up next to his cock and wiggled.

Ethan shifted in his seat. He grew hard just thinking about it. Watching Alexis out of the corner of his eye, he sighed. He wasn’t sure what made him think about it, but her style today matched his car. She had a very Audrey Hepburn quality with her black long-sleeve shirt and dark eyeliner. Her denim jeans were dark and tight. Her hair was pulled back into a puffy, stringy bun-looking thing. It had a messy elegance to it with the dark wisps falling around her features. He had to give it to her credit. She knew how to put together a good package.

Susan giggled in the back seat. She did that a lot. He heard Ted whisper, but couldn’t make out the words.

The water was beautiful, if not a little grey. The sun streaked across the glassy surface. He saw Alexis finger her camera bag again, playing with the latch. She hardly ever let it out of her sight and she caressed it when she wasn’t paying attention, but then she refused to take a single picture. It made no sense.

I’m a fool
, he thought, seconds before opening himself up for another of her attacks. ‘I want pictures from this trip for my shop. We’ve already missed several states. If you lean out the window and take some pictures that I can upload to my computer, then every time I get a free room, you get a free room.’

Her big eyes turned to him and he pretended to study the road. He waited for her answer, almost tense. Slowly, she pulled her camera out and slipped on a lens. She sat for a second before rolling down the window. Cool air whipped inside the car, but no one complained.

Ethan saw Susan move to smile at him in the rear-view mirror. She winked, mouthing, ‘Thank you.’

He nodded once.

‘Do you, ah, want anything in particular?’ Alexis asked.

‘How many pictures does that thing hold?’ Ethan dared to look at her. Her expression was softer than he’d ever seen it and her eyes looked almost scared.

‘Several hundred. I have a couple of memory sticks,’ she answered.

‘Then just shoot everything.’ It took all his control not to smile at her.

The coastal road changed, taking them through a small forest. The white bark of the birch trees made a beautiful contrast to the darker shadows behind them. Hours passed fairly quickly. Small wooden signs along the road boasted crafts and seafood.

They’d been driving for some time when Ted chuckled, ‘There’s another bar.’

‘I know, what is that? Fifteen along this road?’ Susan laughed. The bars were actually small trailers with signs in front. They were set up in little inlets along the road. It was the strangest thing.

‘We need to stop for gas,’ Ethan said. ‘We should be getting close to a town.’

‘Ah, good, I’d like to stretch my legs a little,’ Alexis said.

I’d like to stretch your legs.
Ethan’s eyes darted involuntarily to her long legs at the comment. He stiffened, forcing himself to stare at the road. All day thoughts like that had been popping into his head. It would seem the morning’s events only whetted his appetite for more. Yeah, he needed to get laid and fast.