Best Erotic Romance Read online

  I met him halfway, my hands out to take his. But when his arms slid around me, somehow it was right. I slipped into his embrace like I’d never left, and we stood there in the middle of the lobby, tears streaming down my face as we clung to each other.

  “Oh, baby, I’ve missed you. It’s so good to see you again.”

  His voice wavered, and I smiled into the warmth of his chest. “I’ve missed you, too.” My laugh was shaky. “It’s a good thing I’m not wearing mascara, or I’d have ruined your shirt.”

  He inhaled as my mouth opened—I could almost hear the words between us. Then the shirt would have to come off.

  But neither one of us spoke. Instead he led me to a quiet corner where I could dry my eyes and blow my nose. I tried to excuse myself to go to the ladies room, to splash cold water on my face, but Eric shook his head, trailing the side of his knuckle down my cheek.

  “You’re beautiful just the way you are. I don’t want to waste another minute without you.” He nodded toward the door. “My car’s outside. Let’s go to dinner.”

  He held out his hand. His eyes held mine, and they didn’t look away. In that moment, I knew I’d made up my mind. I squared my shoulders, put my hand in his, and we left.

  The restaurant was only a few blocks away, still on the waterfront. The sun was setting. Lights twinkled on the boats moving slowly past the restaurant’s huge bay windows. “On the recommendation of a friend,” Eric ordered swordfish and delicate pasta, the perfectly steamed house vegetables, and a light white wine. We each had a single glass, and spumoni for dessert.

  I knew dinner was delicious. But my attention was riveted to the mesmerizing voice of the man whose absence, I was quickly realizing, had been a hole in my life for almost twenty years. Each laugh, each stroke of his finger over the back of my hand or along my palm, was like a salve seeping in to fill the voids inside me with color and sound and even the damn aromas of the appetizer samples he held out to me on the end of his fork. God, I’d missed him.

  We spent hours and two pots of coffee filling in the three-dimensional details that online communication could never quite complete. No matter what the subject, my thoughts always came back to the compelling blue eyes of the man beside me. I was coming to realize that every post, every status update and private message, had been a form of foreplay between us.

  Now every touch, every smile and whisper, was taking our intimacy one step closer. My pussy tingled, and my nipples were hard enough I expected Eric couldn’t help noticing. More than once, his hand slipped beneath the table. I envisioned the firm, thick erection I’d occasionally seen tenting the front of his jeans all those years ago, now pressing up into the expensive dark linen of his beautiful blue suit. I got even hotter, and more nervous, imaging his cock filling for me.

  “God, even these mints are good!” I laughed to distract myself when he popped one of the creamy pink squares into my mouth.

  He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Janelle will be pleased to know you like her favorite ‘fancy restaurant.’”

  I tipped my head, running my finger along the side of the hand cupping my face. “She knew you were bringing me here,” I said quietly.

  His eyes never left mine. “Yes. I told her I wanted to take you someplace special—someplace neither of us had ever been.” Eric had always been direct. No hedging. No bullshit. I nodded and kissed the place I’d just touched.

  “Thank you.”

  The waiter came by with more coffee, but Eric just kept looking at me. “Would you like to dance off some of this caffeine?”

  There was a wealth of meaning in his eyes, not subtle, but not pushing either. Inquiry, arousal, and patience. Infinite patience that was, perhaps, getting ready to change to something else.

  I took a deep breath, then I shook my head and let go of his hand. “No. I want to go back to the hotel. With you.”

  His eyes never left mine as he pulled out his wallet and handed the waiter a wad of cash. Eric guided me outside, his hand resting on the small of my back as we waited for the valet to bring the car. The music wafting over from the dance floor was just loud enough to provide an excuse not to converse. I wondered if that was for the best. I was getting really nervous. My palms weren’t the only parts of my body that were damp.

  We’d barely left the parking lot, though, when Eric pulled over to the curb. He turned, his arm moving to the back of the seat as he looked directly at me.

  “Are you sure about this?” he asked quietly. “I’ve waited for you for years. I can wait longer if you need me to.”

  For a moment, I wondered if he’d changed his mind. The hours we’d spent talking online just weren’t the same as being together in person. But his hand was shaking, ever so slightly, and his voice wasn’t completely steady. I wasn’t the only one nervous as hell here.

  I licked my lips and turned to lean against the door, letting my Wonderbra do its cleavage magic as I stretched my leg just enough to open my thighs beneath the clinging silk of my skirt. I was so wet I half-expected he could smell me.

  “Don’t you want me?”

  His pupils dilated, his nostrils flaring as his eyes flicked quickly to my breasts, lingered, then slid purposefully down and back up my body. He threw his head back against the seat and laughed.

  “Christ, woman! I want you so badly I’m about to come in my pants.” His voice came out hoarse in the quiet of the car. “Do you want me?”

  Yes. The answer was yes. I kept my eyes on his, knowing at that moment, I was going to let him see my lingerie.

  “I’m wearing crotchless panties. Just in case.” I couldn’t stop the flush heating my face. “Not that I expected you to ever know that.”

  He closed his eyes and groaned, his knuckles white as he took deep, bracing breaths. When he finally looked at me, his eyes smoldered. He smiled crookedly.

  “After all this time, it would be really embarrassing to come before we got our clothes off.”

  “Drive!” I laughed. He drove.

  My cell vibrated. Melissa. I turned it off. Eric’s cell vibrated. He pulled it out, grimacing as it slipped from his fingers and onto the seat beside me.

  “Would you please turn that fucking thing off!”

  I glanced at the Caller ID as I pressed the button. “J C Home?”

  “Janelle and Chris. And that would be Janelle. Chris would not be calling me now!”

  I giggled like a schoolgirl. “Does the whole world know we’re going out tonight?”

  “Yes, dammit!” He looked at me, both of us sobering at the same time. “I’m sorry if that bothers you. God, I hope it doesn’t! I’ve been in love with you for so long. I feel like some gawky-assed teenager tripping over his words.”

  He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he realized what he’d said.

  “Shit. I hadn’t meant to say that yet. The L-word, I mean. But it’s true, dammit, and I won’t take it back. I love you. I want to marry you. And I’m making a total fucking mess of this conversation!” He slammed his hand against the wheel. “Fuck!”

  We were pulling into the hotel. Eric turned toward the parking structure. I put my hand on his arm and said, “Valet. Now.” He whipped the wheel to the left and into the circle in front of the main entrance. I released my seat belt, braced my hand on his thigh, and leaned over him until my lips were just above his.

  “I love you, too. Yes, I’ll marry you. I’m out of my fucking mind, but it’s true, and I’m scared to death. Take me upstairs and make love to me until I’m not afraid anymore.”

  I fell back in the seat, shaking like a leaf. If I looked anything like he did, the valet was getting one hell of an education in what “deer in the headlights” looked like.

  “Fair enough,” he choked. And tripped trying to get out of the car without taking his seatbelt off.

  I don’t remember getting to the elevator. I was in his arms when the door closed, our tongues tangling coffee and mint-laced kisses as he ground his erection into my belly.
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  “Security cameras,” he gasped as he came up for air.

  I wrapped my leg around him, the wet silk of my dress rubbing against my pussy. “Don’t care.” Then we were kissing again.

  The bell dinged and he broke free, panting as the elevator door opened. He pulled me down the empty hall, pressing me against the wall as he slid the keycard through the slot. Suddenly his hand was beneath the back of his jacket, the butt of a gun showing at his waist.

  “Wait here.” He ducked quickly inside, scanning the room, checking the bathroom and under the bed before he pulled me in behind him. Then he shoved the door closed and threw all the locks.

  “What the hell is your job!” I demanded. I was shocked to realize I didn’t really care. I just wanted to know.

  “FBI, fifteen years,” he growled, tearing his jacket off, throwing it onto the nightstand. He stripped off the weapon harness, checked the safety, and tossed it down on his jacket. “Are you okay with that?”

  “It’s better than blowing up crap in the desert,” I sighed. “I’ll still worry. Are you okay with that?”

  “Yup. I’m not doing as much field work these days. I’ll tell you what I can, when I can. It’s a lot more than we could, back then.”

  Eric was looking out the window, still breathing hard, his gaze calculating. He pulled a straight-backed chair out from the desk and set it in front of the window. I have no idea where the condom came from, but there was one on the seat of the chair. He turned on a low light in front of the window and held out his hand to me.

  “I want to see you this first time. Really see you. Are you okay with that?”

  I nodded, reaching for the zipper at the side of my dress.

  “Leave it.”

  I quirked my eyebrow at him, but I left my dress zipped and walked over to take his hands. The glow from the light turned the glass doors to the balcony into quasi-mirrors, reflecting the room while still letting in the twinkling lights from the marina in the darkness below. Eric slid his fingers up my arms, then he was holding my head to his, his kisses hungry now, still soft but with an underlying desperation that had me quickly running my tongue over the insides of his lips. When I sucked his tongue, he groaned, his hard-on so stiff against me I felt my juices trickling down my thigh.

  “Undo my pants,” he growled, one hand sliding down to cup my breast. As I tugged his zipper down, the side of my dress parted. His hand was against my bare skin, stroking a trail of fire. His belt clunked to the floor, and his bare hip was against my hand. No underwear. I hadn’t expected any.

  “I can’t wait,” he growled against my lips.

  “Now,” I panted. “Hurry.” I reached for the condom and met his hand.

  “I’ll do it. If you touch me, I’ll come.”

  He stepped out of his pants and sheathed himself, breaking the kiss again to move in back of me. He sat and pulled me to straddle him, my back to his chest, my thighs spread wide over his, the open slit in my panties exposed. My skirt fell between us as he lowered me onto his lap.

  “We have a problem,” I laughed breathlessly.

  “No problem,” he panted. The silk of my skirt rasped against my pussy lips as he ground me against the hot flesh of his erection. His groan was long and loud. I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of him lowering the top of my dress, of him lifting my breasts out of their confinement to rest on top of the blasted Wonderbra, the cool air helping his talented fingers tease my nipples to rock-hard peaks.

  “Look at the window.”

  Oh, my God. Our full-length reflections gazed back at us from the long sheet of glass. My head rested against Eric’s shoulder, his face visible next to mine, my chest arched forward displaying my bare breasts where he toyed with my nipples. I balanced on my heels as his other hand slowly teased my skirt up, over my thighs, over the tops of my stockings. Higher.

  “Christ.” Eric’s hand shook as he raised the shimmering red silk past the lace-framed, neatly trimmed thatch guarding my pussy lips. His fingers spread the sopping lace, slid between the slick, swollen folds, through the glistening dark pink slit to delve deep into my pussy. “Fuck. Now! I need you now! Lift up.”

  I did, yanking my dress out from under me. Eric braced himself with one hand. He put the other on my waist, gently guiding me down onto his shaft.

  “Fuck!” he growled.

  Hot. Full. He filled me so perfectly. The thick girth of his shaft was stretching me, filling me as I’d needed to be filled for so very long. I mewled with pleasure, my hands stretched over my head, my fingers gripping his hair as he rocked his hips beneath me.

  “I’m gonna come,” he panted, his body arching up, his cock surging deep as he wrapped his arms around me. “Dammit! I’m gonna come!” With one hand, he spread my pussy lips. With the other, he rubbed his finger over my clit in the most delicious, most intense circles of my entire life. I screamed as I came, my pussy muscles gripping and squeezing him in glorious, rhythmic spasms of sheer ecstasy as he roared and bucked up into me. My pussy juice squirted over his hand and I screamed again, clenching him ferociously as he surged and thrust his cock harder, deeper into me.

  And he stayed hard. My whole body was trembling as his fingers kept stroking, driving me right back up.

  “Again,” he growled. “Rock your hips against me.”

  I did, shuddering as his cock pressed back and forth inside me, deep and hard into places that were orgasms waiting to happen.

  “I want to come again,” I panted, grinding against him.

  “You will, baby,” he laughed, “as often as you want.” He moved his hand up to my nipples, cupping them and squeezing the hard buds between his thumbs and forefingers. “Use your beautiful, strong legs to lift up on those gorgeous heels, just a little bit.” He shuddered as I lifted. “Not too far. That’s it. Just enough so we’re both feeling your luscious, hot pussy riding my cock.”

  It felt good. Oh, God, it felt so good!

  “P-put your f-fingers, on my c-clit,” I panted, clenching my pussy muscles around him, squeezing as I lowered myself, squeezing again as I raised back up.

  “In a minute, baby.” His voice was a low, sexy growl that made my pussy cream even harder. “I’ll touch you again when your pussy is ready. When your clit’s so sensitive you scream when I touch it.”

  He was as good as his word. He raised and lowered me on his cock, fucking me over him while he played with my nipples, getting all those special spots deep inside me so sensitized I was almost going to come from that touch alone.

  “Please,” I wailed. “Please, now!”

  He pulled me down onto his cock, rocking his hips and parting my pussy lips with one hand.

  “Look at the window,” he growled. “Look at us.”

  And he touched his finger to my clit. I screamed as the orgasm washed through me, wailed again and again as his finger circled, my eyes locked on his as he shouted and bucked into me so hard the chair rocked against the floor.

  “I love you,” he panted as I shuddered in his arms. “Always, baby. I’m yours.”

  “I l-love you, t-too.” It was hard to speak. I couldn’t stop shaking. Eric’s cock twitched inside me. I shuddered as I came again. And again.

  When I finally quit trembling, when my pussy finally quit spasming, Eric stood us up and lifted me into his arms. He stripped me naked and took me to bed. Then he traced the rose over my nipples and licked my pussy until I finally I couldn’t stand it anymore. I fell asleep in his arms and when we woke up, I took him into my mouth and loved him with my lips and tongue and throat until he was as wasted as I was.

  We made love all night. And in the morning, we called Melissa and Janelle and told them we were engaged. Everybody else found out through their Facebook status updates, because Eric and I cleared our calendars for the rest of the week, turned off our computers and phones, and damn well spent most of that time in bed and getting to know each other again.

  We’re getting married next year, after he’s transferr
ed to the Minneapolis office. We’ll use traditional invitations—and at Melissa’s instigation, we’ll also have a Facebook RSVP option for those who can’t break away from their computers, because God help me, we’re inviting everybody.

  We’re even having a somewhat traditional wedding night, though only Eric and I know that. As we left the hotel at the end of our extended holiday, Eric turned to me and asked, “Have you ever had anal sex?”

  My blush gave him his answer even before I stammered out, “Um, no.”

  “Me, either,” he grinned. “How about we save that for our wedding night? I know some very interesting things we can do in the interim so we’re ready for it.”

  I looked pointedly at his butt. “Okay.”

  He rolled his eyes and his face turned a beautiful pink, but then he laughed and shrugged. “All right. Both ways. We can order some toys. Damn. I’ll send you a Facebook message.”

  I had no doubt he would. I couldn’t wait to see the innuendo only I’d recognize in his status updates.

  THE DRAFT

  Craig J. Sorensen

  Sarah could have played it safe and bought a VW bug. Cheap, easy to fix, and they were aplenty.

  But there was something about the cockpit of the long-nosed, bright red 1948 MG-TC. Still, the noise that ground up from the engine of the twenty-year-old car as she descended the Sierras told her it was not eager to make the round trip. It groaned as it hit the tarmac of a truck stop near Reno. She reluctantly turned the engine off. She tried to turn the engine over, and it made an evil noise. Yes, it was done.

  Sarah gathered her midnight-blue polka-dot dress at the knees and slipped through the tiny right-hand door. She opened the engine compartment, and the black smoke slithered out like a cobra, dancing. She made a pistol shape with her left hand and turned it to the engine, covered her own eyes like a blindfold. “Good-bye, old girl.” She made a gun sound.

  The sound of “Taps” being played. A broad-chested man with a bit of a belly saluted while rendering a convincing bugle sound. Sarah clasped her hand to her heart until he finished the soulful rendition with a smooth vibrato. “Tell me you know something about cars?”