Touching Lace (Vaughn)

She couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. Her heart pounded out of her chest and her blood raced through her veins. In the theater, she’d thought it her imagination that Nick might be showing her something besides friendship. She’d stroked his thigh, and he’d groaned. Lacey thought she’d been reading too much into the simple touch, but now she was beginning to see Nick might truly want her. His demanding and possessive kiss had made that crystal clear.

Lacey met Nick’s stare. He still waited for her answer. “Uh, yeah, I think you made your point.”

Was that her husky voice? Lacey touched her lips and felt Nick’s warmth lingering there still. Oh my, what would it be like to have him naked? Nick on top of her. Underneath her. Inside her. It was all starting to sound rather exciting. She had a feeling he’d be magnificent. And he did have a point, she did need lessons. But what would happen to their friendship?

He reached over and took her chin in the palm of his hand. “I’d never hurt you, baby. We could take it as slow and easy as you want. I promise you can trust me, Lacey.” His whisper turned her knees into a weak imitation of Jell-O.

He sounded so sure, so convincing, but she needed to know where his sudden desire for her was coming from. She sat back, forcing him to drop his hand. “Nick, why do you want to do this? What do you get out of these lessons?”

It sounded strange, arranging to have private sex lessons with her best friend. Weirder still, not as strange as it should. She was still burning from the kiss. The thought of going further, deeper, was wildly intriguing. He was her friend, and friends didn’t have sex together. It wasn’t to be considered.

So, why was she so excited?

Nick looked startled, as if she’d just asked him to stand on his head in the middle of Main Street. Then, with a look that singed her eyelashes and in a voice ripe with lust, he growled out, “Are you kidding me? Damn, Lace, what I get is

you. Haven’t you figured out yet that I want you?”

As her mind absorbed his shocking words, her body snapped to attention. He’d never given her any indication he was even remotely attracted to her. As she stared at the shape of his mouth and then the hotter than hot look in his anxious eyes, she realized he was well beyond ready to take her home and have his way with her.

“Yeah, baby, I want you. And you’d better start getting used to the idea, because I want you gloriously naked and all mine. In every way I can think of and for as long as possible.”

Oh, God. It was all too much. Lacey blinked, dazed and even a little bit afraid, if she was being totally honest. She hadn’t expected to feel anticipation uncurling in the pit of her stomach, but oddly enough she liked the idea of getting down and dirty with Nick. She’d wondered a couple of times, when they’d double dated, what it would be like to have all that feral masculinity focused her way. To have his strong hands touching and stroking her body. His eyes staring at her with dark promise.

She’d wondered, but it never occurred to her he might have wondered, too. “Nick, what if things don’t turn out so well? I would die if anything hurt our friendship. I care about you too much to let sex ruin that.”

Nick’s predatory smile sent a shiver of awareness up her spine. “We are two intelligent adults. We can handle this.” Her indecision must have shown on her face because he pushed a little harder. “I want to see you naked. I want to touch you, to taste you…all over.” He lifted his fingers to her neck and stroked her erratic pulse with his thumb. “Christ, just the thought of having my cock inside you, tight and wet, makes me so hard I hurt,” he said gruffly. “Please tell me I’m not the only one feeling this way, baby.”

Lacey couldn’t think, couldn’t move. A few heated words from Nick and she was on fire. Ready and aching for everything he could give her. Eager to meet his every demand. It had never been this way for her before. Then again, Nick wasn’t just any man. She swallowed convulsively and whispered, “No, you’re not the only one.”

Nick’s gaze roamed over her, a slow caress. Lacey burned from the inside out. His eyes touched on her breasts. Her breathing grew rapid. Her chest rose and fell. As she sat there, her nipples hardened just for him. A blatant enticement beneath the fabric of her t-shirt.

“Are you wet for me right now, Lacey?” His tone was gentle.

“Nick! We shouldn’t be talking like this in public.”

’His jaw went rigid. “No more restraints, that’s lesson number one. Let go of your embarrassment. With me, nothing is taboo.”

She gave that a quick thought then took the plunge. “Yes, Nick, I am wet. And…” she said huskily, “and I want desperately to be alone with you right now.”

He started to rise from the table, and suddenly her fear of losing him as a friend caused her to reach out and grasp his forearm, just barely stopping him from dragging her out of the diner.

“But I’m not ready for this. Not so soon. I need some time to consider the ramifications of what you’re proposing. Please understand.”

Nick plopped back down in the seat, as if defeated. Lacey simply couldn’t take the look of raw need on his face.

“I’m not saying no. Just…not yet,” she pleaded, gently willing him to understand he was moving too fast.

For long seconds Nick only stared at her, not saying a word as the tension between them grew. She feared she’d made a grave mistake, but she couldn’t let him overpower her. He had a way of pushing and prodding until he got his way. This time, however, she couldn’t let him win.

“Okay. I’ll take you home.”

“Thank you.” Lacey let out a long breath, not entirely sure if she was happy or sad that he’d given in to her wishes. Then he reached over and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up and into his warm brown eyes.

“I’m not giving up. I’m only giving you some time to get used to the idea.”

Lacey smiled, a genuine smile of understanding for the man who had been her best friend for the past five years. “I’ve never known you to give up.”

He winked, and his face turned from serious to fun loving, giving her a glimpse of the man she’d gotten to know in a way she didn’t know another living soul.