3

The Oakley Bar and Grill, or the OBG, was the weekend hotspot for the young set in Oakley. On weekends, they had live music and a DJ. The dance floor was large and crowded from about ten until last call. During the week they had drink special nights. Rori had always wanted to go there on a date, and now she was. Not just a date, the date.

Riding behind Jude on his Harley, the vibrations tingling through her body, her breasts pressed against his back, she’d gotten wet and achy. By the time they pulled into the OBG

lot, all she wanted was for him to turn her around and plunge his cock into her weeping pussy. She’d had to take a deep breath and think of England when they got off the bike.

She had to admit, as he guided her to a table just off the dance floor, that the place was really all she’d imagined and more. The music was loud, couples were dancing and the buzz of excited, happy conversation hummed through the room. This was a world she’d only been able to imagine when she’d run from Oakley a decade before.

Hanging her jacket over the back of the chair, Jude hooked a foot in the rungs at her feet, yanking her chair closer to his -- all while wearing a sexy grin. Her amusement at his irrepressible nature was dulled somewhat when the waitress came by to take their drink order, practically shoving her boobs in Jude’s face in the bargain.

Gritting her teeth, Rori pretended she hadn’t seen the whole ridiculous display.

Annoying as it was, she didn’t have the right to be jealous of other women; she’d been out with Jude for all of ten minutes. She’d be damned if she’d give any other man the satisfaction of getting publicly agitated by such behavior again.

Once the waitress swayed off, Jude leaned over to speak in her ear. “Sorry about that.”

His lips brushed the sensitive outer shell of her ear, the warmth of his breath bathing her flesh. She shivered at the delightful sensation and tried without much success to follow what he was saying. “About what?” Rori was unable to take a deep enough breath as his nearness worked up her spine.

Clearly, he noticed the effect he’d had on her and his lips curved up in a smug grin.

“Tonya. She’s an old girlfriend and she still gets a bit physical.”

Rori laughed, although she wanted to slap Tonya Big Boobs silly. “Well, Jude, I’m sure she’s not the only one. It’s okay.” Okay, not really. The only thing more annoying than the touchy-feely waitress was Jude’s arrogant comments about her ‘still getting a bit physical.’

Internally she rolled her eyes and let it go. She knew the score, knew the basic facts of the situation and they weren’t going to change.

She looked up and toward the door, just as Ryan walked in. Jude looked in his direction, and then put his arm around the back of her chair.

Interesting.

Ryan spotted them and smiled, coming over. “Hey, Jude, Rori. What’s happening?”

Ryan pulled up a chair.

“Rori and I were having a celebratory drink. She rented the apartment.” As he said it, Jude stretched his leg out sot that it rested against hers.

“That’s some shirt, Rori.” Ryan’s eyes moved over the fabric and her body, as well.

“Sexy. Just like the owner.” He winked and Jude snorted.

“Thanks, I made it from a sari I found in a little shop when I was in India. I got this belly ring there, too.”

Ryan’s eyes widened as he looked down past the curve of her breasts that had snagged his gaze until she mentioned the navel ring.

“You have a piercing?” Jude asked, leaning forward to get a better look.

“Yes, that’s one of them,” she murmured into his ear, teasing him. With her hand on his upper back, she felt the shiver run through him and it ignited one of her own. She really did only have the one but he didn’t know that. Of course, she wanted him to, intimately.

Tonya Big Boobs came back with their drinks and gave Jude another facial massage with her mammary glands. So conscientious, that girl, Rori thought to herself sarcastically as Tonya finally got around to taking drink orders. At least Jude kept pulling back every time those breasts got near him, clearly uncomfortable with the behavior.

Damn that Tonya! Jude avoided the waitress’ repeated come ons and focused on Rori.

He leaned into Rori’s body, breathing her in. Her scent seduced his senses. A hint of flowers, something earthy beneath that. She smelled good enough to eat. “Would you like to dance with me?” he asked, lips at her ear. Catching the way her pulse sped up at the delicate touch, he saw the shiver moving through her body. He liked that he affected her that much.

God, he wanted her. Flicking his glance up, he caught Ryan watching them both, a measuring look on his face. Possessiveness roared through him, something altogether new for him.

Rori nodded as she got up Gesturing for her to precede him toward the dance floor, he guided her with his hand at her neck. He caught the sinuous sway of the tattoo as she moved and traced it with a fingertip, wondering what it would look like as he took her from behind.

“Nice,” he murmured, pulling her into his arms, beginning to sway to the slow song coming over the sound system. “You smell really good,” he said, face close to hers, his breath stirring the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck.

“Thanks, so do you.” She leaned into him, melting her body into his. He looked down and saw that her eyes were closed, face against his chest, ear over his heart. The sight stirred him. She felt good in his arms. Right. He fought the panic the feeling evoked.

The song ended and he reluctantly led her back to the table. Others had joined their little group during their dance. One woman sat in her chair, looking at him like he was a pizza and she was starving. Normally, he’d have been satisfied by that look and would have made an effort to get the woman’s number, but tonight, he just wanted to be with Rori. He moved behind her and kept his thanks-but-no-thanks face on.

Rori smirked at the brazen woman, pleased that Jude stood behind her, his arm curled around her waist. She had a good idea that this was the sort of thing one dealt with routinely when one went out with a man like Jude. She didn’t have to like it, though.

“You know, we can use this as an excuse to get out of here. Grab your coat,” he murmured. Nodding, she slowly bent forward, pressing her ass against his erection. She looked back over her shoulder at him and smiled as she grabbed her coat. Triumph lit her as she saw the hungry look on his face.

She gave a quick wave to the people they’d been sitting with and Jude tightened the arm he’d banded about her waist. Turning to everyone at the table he tipped his chin. “Night all. See you later.”

He steered them through the crowded club and out into the cool night air. “Ah, that’s better,” he said softly, bringing her tight against his chest. Rori leaned her head back, looking into his eyes.

“You know what would make it even better?” she asked, surprised at how smoky and seductive her voice sounded. The feel of his hard body against her softer one was intoxicating, making her slightly dizzy with his nearness. Their chemistry, their pheromones, mingled and fed off each other, creating a heady mix.

“This?” He slowly brought his mouth to hers. His lips were warm and lush. He had one arm wrapped around her waist, her hair wrapped around the fist of his other. He slanted his lips across hers, moving to get more contact, growling as she slid her hands up his chest. The silk of his blond hair called to her and she weaved her fingers through it.

She sighed and the tongue that had been tracing her lower lip dipped into her mouth and slid around hers in a sinuous, wet dance. When he sucked her tongue into his mouth his taste exploded through her system. He tasted better than she’d imagined -- spicy, male, hot.

She wanted more and squirmed against him, needing to touch him as much as she could. I’m kissing Jude Callahan, she thought with a sigh. They slowly pulled apart and she rested her forehead on his chin a moment to catch her breath. Tipping back, she caught his eyes with her own.

“I’m glad you’re back in town, Rori,” he said softly.

“Me too.”

“Let’s go for a ride, shall we?” he asked, his eyes pulling her in.

“Okay.” Following him to his bike, she got on behind him, snuggling into his back.

They roared out of the parking lot, Rori settling in for the ride. Jude took her down the winding back roads along the river. Reaching a secluded spot, he pulled over. Rori climbed off, but Jude grabbed her, hauling her back on, this time in front of him so that they were face to face. He groaned when she wrapped her legs around his waist.

The night just got better and better. Rori hadn’t been this free in a very long time.

Hadn’t felt this turned on and desired, probably ever. This man wanted her and there was no disguising the raw hunger in his face or the jut of his erection into the notch of her pussy. It was impossible for her to not grind herself into him, making soft sounds of pleasure that he swallowed into his mouth.

He sipped at her, tasted her like she was a delicacy. She felt like a goddess in his arms.

His hands, fingers splayed wide on the bare skin of her back, burned into her -- held her in place and to him. She felt, for want of a better word, possessed, by him. It thrilled her, despite some slight guilt.

Jude felt the heat of her cunt through her jeans as she ground herself over his cock. The sensation was so deliriously good he lost his ability to think for a moment. His desire to rip open the fly on his jeans and plunge inside of her rode him hard.

Forcing himself to hold back, he instead spent his time tasting her lips for what seemed like the edge of forever. Slowly, he moved to her jaw line and finally, the hollow of her throat. Her taste on his lips, her scent in his nose, she was everywhere. The soft sounds of pleasure she made drove him to the point where he was ready to fuck her there, in the open without protection.

On that note, barely holding onto his control, he pulled back with a sigh of regret.

Looking into those whiskey-colored eyes that were blurred with passion, his desire for her grew into something more than physical lust. Alarmed, he picked her up from his lap and helped her stand next to the bike. “It’s been a long day for both of us. I should get you home.”

“Yeah. Not a whole lot we can do here without risking arrest.” Her voice sounded slightly shaky.

He helped her back up onto the bike behind him and headed back into town.

On the ride back, Rori had been grateful for the solace of the helmet. She’d needed to shut out everything but his body in front of her and her racing thoughts about what had just happened.

It was more than the sizzling sexual chemistry they shared. More than the kisses and the excitement of the motorcycle ride through the country. She’d just lived out something she’d fantasized through some pretty lonely nights when she was younger. How many times had she conjured up Jude looking at her like she was the sexiest and most beautiful woman alive? How many nights had she lain in bed imagining what it would be like to actually go on a date with him and be seen on his arm? There was something bittersweet about it. All of that yearning finally lived and it was wonderful but she definitely needed to try and keep it in perspective and not view it through the eyes of that girl from long ago.

*

She’d been thinking so hard about the evening she was surprised to look up in what seemed like thirty seconds to see they were pulling down Kelly’s street. This man made her lose her sense of time! It was exciting and yet really dangerous all at once.

Once he’d parked out front, she slid off the back of the bike and reached out, putting a staying hand on Jude’s arm. “It’s okay. You don’t have to walk me up.”

He snorted dismissively. Getting off the bike, he tossed his helmet on the handlebars.

“Don’t even try it. Even when I was the town bad boy I walked my dates to the door at the end of the night.”

She thrilled inside at hearing herself described as his date. “All right, I won’t argue, especially if it gets me kissed again.”

He put his arm around her shoulder and walked her to the door. On the porch, he pulled her to him. “I think that can be arranged,” he murmured, bringing his lips to hers.

Rori couldn’t bite back a moan as his hands slid down her back, cupping her ass, kneading softly. She felt the ridge of his cock like a brand, burning, pressing against her mound, shooting tingles of sensation through her. Her tightened nipples stabbed through the thin material of her top and he responded, moving back and forth, stroking his chest over them with a groan.

Before anything else could happen, the door opened, sending them flying apart like two guilty teenagers.

“Oh! Whoops, sorry, bro,” Max said with a chuckle. “I thought I heard something.”

Rori laughed and kissed the tip of Jude’s nose. “I’ll see you later. Thanks for the ride.”

She turned and went inside, feeling the heat of Jude’s gaze on her back as she walked up the stairs.

“So?” Max said, grinning.

“So what?” Jude responded, annoyed by the interruption. “You and Rori, who’d have thought?” Max chuckled. “You coming inside or what?”

“No, I have to work tomorrow morning. And just to be clear, there is no me and Rori. I just took her for a drink and a ride on my bike.”

“And a tonsillectomy on the front porch.”

“Yeah,” Jude said with a smile.

“So you know what I’m going to say next, right?” Max asked, turning serious. Jude sighed.

“What? Why are you busting my chops? I haven’t done anything.”

“Jude, Rori is not only related to me by marriage, she’s been like a little sister to me for twenty years. If you hurt her, not only will my wife kick my ass for being related to you but I’ll kick your ass for hurting such a nice person. Rori is not the usual woman you date.”

“Max, why do you assume the worst of me?” Jude’s jaw hardened. “She knows the score. It’s just some fun.”

Max cocked his head, searching Jude’s face and finally shrugged with a sigh. “Okay.

Just remember what I said. Don’t hurt her, Jude.”

“You worry too much,” Jude said, his grin back in place. With one last wave, he turned and walked back to his bike and roared away into the night.

The next morning, Kelly and Rori went to breakfast. They’d made plans to meet up with Max and the boys for furniture shopping before Alex’s game that afternoon.

They settled into a tiny booth near a large, plate-glass window. The morning sun was warm on Rori’s arms as she read the menu. She ordered pancakes and Kelly ordered the two-egg special and a pot of coffee for both of them to share.

“So, you gonna tell me about your date or what?” Kelly asked, sipping her coffee.

Rori laughed. “It was ... interesting. He was fun, attentive, sexy. We drank some, danced some, made out on his motorcycle down by the river.” She shrugged.

“Well? How was it? I’d be lying like a dog if I denied wondering what he’d be like to kiss.” Kelly leaned over the table as she spoke, snagging a strawberry from Rori’s plate.

Rori burst out laughing again and playfully tugged on her sister’s hair. “What do you think? Dude, he’s good. Really good. He left me in quite a state. And if that was his effect and all he did was kiss me? Well, I shiver to imagine what he’ll be like in bed.” She gulped down her coffee and glanced around the restaurant, looking for the server to get some more syrup and stopped in disbelief.

Jude sat across the diner. He was in his uniform and flirting with the waitress -- what was it about him and waitresses anyway -- his hand on her waist, rubbing circles on her hip with his thumb.

Suddenly the warmth of feeling about the night before chilled as reality set in. She turned back and caught Kelly, who’d clearly noticed Rori’s attention snagged elsewhere, craning her neck to see what was going on.

“Jeez,” Kelly said with a sigh. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

Rori shrugged. “No, it’s good. I need to remember that despite his sweetness, he is who he is. I don’t own him.” She took a bite of her eggs and smiled. “Lucky for me, there are lots of cute, single men in this town.”

Kelly laughed at that and Jude looked up. His eyes lit on Rori, and he blushed a bit, giving her a twinge of satisfaction.

She mouthed hi at him and managed to look nonchalant, turning back to her breakfast and her sister. She heard the waitress say something about seeing him that night.

Rori narrowed her eyes at Kelly for a moment and then continued to eat, proudly suppressing a snort of annoyance. Men.

A few moments later, Jude stopped by their table on his way out. “Hey, you two,” he said.

“Hey, Jude,” Rori said lightly. She’d just figured out how she was going to grab Jude Callahan -- she’d beat him at his own game. Smiling at her sister, she tossed down money for the bill and got up. “See you later. Have a good day now,” she said and let him watch her walk out with her sister.

“You’re up to something, Rori, I can see it in your face,” Kelly said as they walked up the sidewalk toward the car.

Rori tossed a smug grin at her sister and then got into the car. “Oh yeah. You see, I want Jude Callahan -- I have since I was ten years old. And I think I know how to get him.”

“How?” Kelly asked warily, putting her seatbelt on.

“Jude is used to having women chase him.” Rori pulled back into traffic and idly tapped a fingernail on the steering wheel as she worked it out.

Kelly nodded.

“And having them want him and then trying to catch him -- which turns him off and bores him and he runs the other way.”

“That about describes it, yeah. Dumbass.”

“Aside from how loudly that screams ‘commitment-phobe!,’ I’m not going to chase him, Kel. I’m going to turn the tables on Jude Callahan. He’s gonna chase me. I’m going to roll out of bed after we are done and get dressed and go home. Because I will have sweaty, hot monkey love with that man. He’s going to call me and I’ll be busy. Hell, he’s going to be the one looking up to see me with a date. Jude Callahan is going to want me with every single cell in his body and only when he admits it to himself, only when he admits it to me, only then is he going to get me. That is, if I want him by that point. In any case, I’m not going to play his game by his rules.” She shrugged. She did want him. She wanted to draw out the Jude beneath all of the cocky asshole he smeared over himself. She knew it was there, she’d seen that Jude many times and had, in no small amount, fallen for him.

“Rori, that just might work,” Kelly said thoughtfully. “And it certainly can’t hurt to be squired around town by the hot single hunks of Oakley. You’ll be careful though? He’s big league, Rori. You’re wonderful and he’d be lucky to have you but I think that he’s a master at this stuff.”

Rori turned quickly and noted the worried look on her sister’s face. “I know. It’s probably stupid and pointless but as I plan to at least have sex a few times with him, why not see where it can go? It’s not like I’m trying to trap him or anything. Really. I’m just taking the game from his court and pulling it into mine.” Even as she said it, she sensed she was lying to herself but she pushed the thought out of her mind.

“Okay, hon.”

“But you can’t tell Max. This is top secret.”

“Oh, of course. I’m married to him, but he’s still a man, for goodness sake! I do hope you’re going to be all right here.”

“No sweat, Kelly.” Rori knew, even as she said the words that she’d most likely live to regret them.

“I’ll just have it all delivered to the apartment later,” Rori said as she looked at the couch she wanted.

“Nonsense!” Max pulled out his cell phone and began to dial. “Ryan? Are you busy? I’m at Robin’s Furniture and Rori is buying a couch, a bed and some dressers and stuff. Can you help us move it? Great, yeah, tell him thanks too.” He winked, snapping the phone shut.

“Ryan and Sean are off this morning, they both have trucks and are more than happy to help.”

Rori shook her head and squeezed his arm. “Thanks, but I don’t want to put them out. I know it’s their day off!”

“You’ve been in the city too long if you think we’d let you have furniture delivered, honey, when we all have trucks and time,” he said with a laugh.

And she realized he was right. She’d forgotten what it was like to be cared for like that.

It felt good.

“I can’t believe you’re only staying with us one night! I could kill Jude for finding you a place just a few hours after you get into town,” Kelly groused.

“Honey, I’m two miles from your house, not in Paris. Heck, I already gave you a spare key.”

“I do like this bed. You sure you need a king, though?” Kelly walked around the large bed frame, admiring it.

Rori merely looked at her sister with a small smile. Kelly caught the look and choked on a laugh. “Someday I’ll actually have someone else in it, plus I like a big bed.”

She paid for the furniture and shortly afterward Ryan and Sean showed up, looking freshly showered and bemuscled. Mmmm, big men with big muscles. She enjoyed European men greatly, but she had to admit a preference for homegrown testosterone.

She took in the way they loaded her stuff into their trucks, the flex and strain of muscle, the stretch of arms and thighs. As if the day wasn’t hot enough, these men were making it about ten degrees hotter! Ah well, at least it gave her something to daydream about on the way back to her apartment.

“Thank you guys so much,” she called out, watching those rock-hard asses move up and down the stairs as they helped carry in her furniture.

Unfortunately, her ogling-fun ended all too soon. Five minutes later, three more men showed up to help. Rori was pleased that they made short work of unloading and setting up her new furniture.

“I have to go to Alex’s baseball game, but I’d be happy to make you all dinner tomorrow to thank you,” she said to everyone. The announcement was met with smiles and nods of agreement.

Ryan looked at her with a grin as he pulled off his tee shirt and wiped it across his sweaty brow. “I’ll hold you to that, Rori.”

Oh my lands! she thought weakly, gaping at the naked expanse of skin. He had coppery nipples and his pecs were well-defined, as were his biceps. He looked gloriously hard. His upper chest and arms had a smattering of the coffee brown hair that matched his head and beard. Her eyes followed the line of his body south, finding the trail of hair that started just below his belly button and disappeared beneath the waist of his low slung jeans ... Mmmm.

She was still slightly dazed by all of that sweaty skin when she glanced up to find he’d caught her gawking at him. Shrugging and blushing, she gave him a saucy grin.

“Rori Simon, you are one good-looking woman, you know that?” He stepped closer to her and she had to exercise all of her self control not to gulp. He glistened with sweat and she could smell him. Clean, hardworking man. He smelled so good she wanted to lean in take a lick.

“That so?” she asked, noting that she’d contained the squeak as much as she could.

Maybe she was hungry with all of the licking and biting she wanted to perpetrate on the men in her life.

“Mmmm hmmm. What are you doing tonight?”

“Going to dinner with you?” She broke her rules about same day dates twice now, but by the looks of that chest and stomach, it’d be worth it. He chuckled. “Why yes, that is what you are doing tonight. I’ll pick you up at seven.”