Snorting, Pippa commented, “I can’t believeyou want to sleep out in the middle of that mud. I’m not sleepingoutside; you’re on your own with that one.”
Laughter bubbling through her, Sophie teasedher friend, “Message received. I believe that’s what you told methe last thirty times I asked.” On several occasions, she hadrequested a hiking or camping trip while visiting Foothills, butfor a born and raised country girl, Pippa sure didn’t like gettingdirty.
Cleaning up garbage, dessert plates, nearlyempty pie-pans, the crew started clearing out. In the commotion,Asher whispered in her ear, “Next week. I have a perfect spotpicked out.” Happy butterflies paraded through Sophie’s gut, herears ringing in anticipation.
The party cleared out painfully slowly. Freyatried to help her cause, shuttling out Grady and attempting toexpedite Lincoln’s sloth-like departure. Apparently, Lincoln andPippa couldn’t quite decide where to spend the night. Pippa was tootired to go anywhere, and Lincoln had a meeting early the nextmorning, but both wanted to stick together.
Sophie bit her tongue to hide her impatience.“How about I pick you up tomorrow for a late breakfast or earlylunch and we’ll have more of that scrumptious pie atLarissa’s?”
Pouting, Pippa nodded. “Okay. At least then Idon’t have to drive my own car tonight.” Lincoln finally,mercifully dragged his sleepy fiancée out the door.
Denise and Paul had already disappeared totheir bedroom in the chaos.
Freya grabbed her purse on the way out. “Havefun.” With a wink, she popped her head back in the doorway, “Don’tlet that girl go to bed too early on her birthday.”
Living room quiet for the first time allnight, Asher dashed to the front door and locked it before anyonecould change their mind and come back in. Nodding, he motionedSophie upstairs. “I’ve got one more present for you.”
Eyebrow raised, full flirty smile engaged,Sophie felt those butterflies wrestling again in her gut. “Is thiscode?”
Mouth quirking up at the side, Asher shruggedmischievously, “It can be. But I actually have one morepresent.”
Anticipation building, Sophie followed Asherupstairs. Where he trotted up the stairs in an eager rush, she wastoo nervous to move so quickly. “Thanks for remembering that I likepie. Did your mom or Pippa think it was odd when you brought homepie for my birthday?”
Each stopping outside their bedroom doors,Asher shrugged, “Not that they said. I’m not hiding the fact thatyou’re my friend. Give me ten minutes.”
***
What was Sophie supposed to do for tenminutes? The wait was killing her. They’d built quite the routineof going to their separate bedrooms each night, then once it seemedthe household was asleep, she’d climb into his bed. Maybe make outa little first, maybe curl right up and sleep.
Tonight was new. There was somethingdifferent about him.
She brushed her teeth. Shifted and re-partedher hair. Checked her legs for stray hairs the razor had missed.Washed her face for the evening, then added a touch of makeup.Changed into a nightgown. Changed back out of the nightgown intoher normal cami and panties. Then back into the nightgown. Washedthe makeup back off again.
Finally, a knock at the bathroom door. Asherpoked his head in. “Okay, come on in.”
A scattering of candles left a soft glow inthe darkened bedroom. Flickering serenely, the candles cast aromantic glow around a large, zipped-together sleeping bag setspread out over the middle of the bedroom. “I love it.”
“I didn’t want to give you a sleeping bag infront of everyone. Seemed oddly intimate given the circumstances.See how they zip together? Genius that came up with that. Sex in amummy bag is not easy.” Suddenly shy, Asher stood back and watchedas she stood in front of him and pulled off her skimpy nightgownwith a wiggle of her hips.
“Can’t say that I’ve ever tried,” sheremarked, feeling so unreserved around him. His shyness and theuniqueness of his gift triggered something in her, she wasn’t sureexactly what, but she was overcome with the need to find out moreof who he was, who they were together. Some of that would come withtime, some with intimacy.
Empowered, she slid her panties down her hipsand stepped past him, grazing her hand along his abs in a playfulgesture. She otherwise passed right by him, naked and tormenting,knowing it would drive him wild. His eyes grew wide as she was nowfully undressed and stood over the sleeping bags.
***
A knowing look crossing her face, her lowerlip pulled between her lip and breasts rising and falling witheager breaths. “There is one dessert I like better than pie.” Fuck,he was so done for.
She was so hot. Lickable, strawberry rednipples, those pert breasts, waist narrow with slim hips and legs afucking mile long. He was dreadfully, overwhelmingly out of hisleague.
At her mercy, he stepped forward and stoppedin front of her. She teased her fingertips lightly under the edgeof his shirt before pulling it over his head. Not quite tallenough, she stopped with their arms both raised over their heads.Rather than laughing it off, silly like they had been before, shetook complete advantage of his trapped hands, and pinned his armsabove his head. Kissing him deeply, aggressively, sucking histongue hard before releasing him and allowing him to finish peelingoff his shirt.
Sliding his jeans down over his hips, shepressed her body tightly against his. She fit so perfectly againsthim, tormenting him. His cock, already iron-hard, twitched againsther, desperate to bury into her.
Not tonight.
His body tensing in anticipation, she didn’ttease him with her light touch this time, instead she took hisrigid length in her hand and gripped firmly, driving him out of hismind at the sudden sensation. Stroking, grasping, she massageduntil a rumbling, gravelly groan escaped his lips.
Gliding her tongue across his chest, shenipped his nipple before lowering down to her knees in front ofhim. Fuck, he was about to come at the sight.
