Page 41 of Just What She Needed

"Who called?" Rhett asked.

Her sister shook her head a little, and her lips tipped up at the corners. "Men are such wonderful creatures, aren't they?"

Bemused at this cryptic response, Rhett grinned. "What did Gary do now?"

"Just when you think you've got them all figured out, they do something that surprises the hell out of you." Mel propped her chin in her hand, still smiling. "Wonderful creatures."

Before Rhett could respond, Justin Timberlake's suggestive, almost synthesized voice breathed out the opening words to "FutureSex/LoveSound." Her bemused grin turned into an accusatory glare.

"Mel, you didn't."

"Hell, yes, I did. I told you I was going to, didn't I?"

Rhett shrugged one shoulder. "And I told you I wasn't going to dance to it, so you're just shit out of luck, sister." She ignored Lilith's giggle and tried her hardest to also ignore the song. But her hips wanted so bad to sway to the insinuating bass line, and the first two lines of the lyrics made the rest of her body want to join in.

Then she was enveloped in the intoxicating scent of dark chocolate and rum, and a smoky voice sang in her ear asking if she could make it hot for him. Eyes wide with shock, she turned to find Rhys standing there wearing the most devastating, naughty smile she'd ever seen on any man anywhere. When he raised his hand and beckoned to her with two fingers, she was out of her chair before she realized it and being led by the hand onto the dance floor. She had time to notice his black silk blazer, his shirt that was a sinful shade of red, and the exceptional fit of his black jeans before he pulled her tight against him.

The music, the suggestive lyrics and the look in his eyes obliterated any inhibitions she might have still harbored, and she began to move with him, their bodies seeming to melt into each other. She danced without conscious thought until Rhys bent his head to her ear. When he sang about giving her his tongue and being skin to skin, it zapped into Rhett's bloodstream at eighty miles per hour and wiped out awareness of everything but his hands tangled in her hair and the evidence of how much he wanted her pressed tight against her abdomen. She sighed onto the hot, tempting skin at the side of his neck, and his answering groan vibrated through his chest and tingled against her breasts.

So lost in him, Rhett was surprised when the song ended and another, unfamiliar tune began. She looked up into his dark blue eyes and asked the only thing on her mind.

"Can we go home now?"

16

Rock 'n roll is art, but it also means sex, so it's just the perfect combination.—Pamela Des Barres

How they got from the dance floor to Rhys's condo was pretty much a great big blur in Rhett's mind. Worry about how she would face her daughter after having what could only be described as sex standing up became a moot point, thanks to Rhys. He swept past the table, grabbed Rhett's purse, and distributed quick good nights to all present. She didn't have time to utter a word before he was ushering her out the door and into his car.

The ride home seemed to last minutes, and at the same time Rhett thought they must have been in that car for days. Conversation was impossible because the desire raging through her body wiped out any coherent thought in her mind. If she had spoken, all she would have been able to say was, "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" Never in her life had she even considered saying those words to anyone, but with the echo of Rhys's voice singing those song lyrics still tingling in her ear, it was all she could think about.

They must have parked in the garage, and there must have been an elevator ride up to the twenty-third floor, because that was the only way they could have ended up standing beside the king-size bed in Rhys's bedroom. The sight of it brought Rhett back to the present with a jolt of anticipation so strong it shook her entire body.

She buried her hands in his glorious hair and pulled his mouth to hers. At the first touch of his lips, the embers that smoldered deep within her from the day he left for Vancouver ignited. A groan she didn't know she was capable of making rose from her throat as she pressed tight against him and opened her mouth to his blistering kisses and his probing tongue. The feel of his hands on her bare back stoked the flames higher.

Mad to feel his skin against hers, Rhett let go of his hair and shoved his jacket off his shoulders. Rhys released her long enough to shake it loose from his arms, and to yank his long-sleeved pullover off over his head. The minute it was gone, Rhett ran her hands up his chest, then lightly drew her nails back down.

"Mother of..." Rhys didn't even bother to finish his sentence but took her mouth with his again. His hands fumbled at the back of her neck where the halter top was fastened, but after a minute he broke the kiss and looked at her with extreme frustration. "Fuck it, I can't get it open. Turn round."

Though she was reluctant to take her hands from the warm skin of his chest, Rhett turned her back to him and swept her hair aside to give him better access. The sooner the dress was gone, the sooner their bodies would be touching. This time they were both going to be naked, and she trembled with eagerness.

Now that he could see what he was doing, it didn't take Rhys long to unfasten the three tiny hooks at her neck. As the top of the dress slithered down her body, Rhett felt his hands at the small of her back pulling at her waistband.

"Jesus Christ, Rhett," he growled. "What kind of fucking medieval torture device are you wearing, anyway? Where's the zip?"

"The...? Oh! Left side."

Thus directed, Rhys made short work of the zipper. Her new birthday dress swished in a puddle at her feet, leaving her clad only in a pink lace thong and Mel's silver high heeled sandals.

"Oh, God," Rhys groaned as he ran his hands up the backs of her thighs to cup her ass. "Baby, you have the most beautiful bum."

A shaky breath passed between Rhett's lips. The combination of his voice and his touch had her more turned on than she'd ever been in her life, even more than she was in the back seat of his car. When his fingers slid under the thong's straps over her hips, she squeezed her eyes shut, breath coming short in anticipation.

Then his lips were at her ear, his voice low and taut with tension. "Don't move."

The sound of another zipper being lowered was followed by the heavy rustle of denim as Rhys removed his jeans. They hit the floor beside her, and she heard the short, sharp snap of elastic along with a muffled "Ow." A pair of gray and black boxer briefs landed on top of the jeans, and Rhett's head whirled at the realization that Rhys was now naked behind her.

Before she could obey the inner voice that insisted she turn around and look at him, his hands returned to the straps of her thong. This time he lowered the miniscule garment to her ankles. She stepped out of it, and his hands were there to ease the sandals from her feet. When she was completely undressed, Rhys ran his hands up her legs again. He paused at her ass with an appreciative hum, then continued up her ribcage and down her arms. Grasping her wrists in both hands, he pulled them behind his neck and used his fingers to thread hers together.