Compromising Positions Page 13

  “Next we transition into the Snake Trap. Ladies, make sure you can support yourself in the position you are in with your hands on his legs. Once your partner is secure, men. lean back and hold on to her feet. You can see that these positions are more about enjoying each other, more about sex play than about achieving orgasm quickly.”

  David rolled his eyes. “You and your oranges,” he muttered under his breath. “Of course if achieving orgasm suddenly becomes your goal,” David’s voice echoed in the quiet classroom. “Then you simply…” Sitting up quickly and moving his legs, he threw her off balance, landing her flat in her back. She instinctively drew her legs together as he came down on top of her. “But I’m sure you all have that move down.”

  Sophie felt her temperature rise as she realized just how he’d turned the tables on her. She prayed the move they taught in self-defense class would work when she was so outmatched in size. She moved her legs to the side, then quickly raised them up in the air, perpendicular to their bodies. She swung her legs over, using them as leverage as she pushed him off her. Taking him by surprise, she was actually able to roll him off her and onto his back.

  She quickly sprang to her feet, brushing her hands together in triumph. Grabbing the remote she shut off the picture and brightened the lights.

  “There is a rule in this classroom. No one should feel pressured into a position that makes them uncomfortable.”

  She was enjoying the giggles from the crowd so much she barely noticed David hadn’t moved from where she left him. Turning to him, she realized his eyes were closed in a wince. Her stomach sank. She’d hurt him. She took the two steps back toward him.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered as she knelt down. “I didn’t think I could hurt you.”

  David opened his eyes. “You know better than that.”

  “Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”

  “Mainly my pride,” he said, pulling himself up slowly. “And my back.” He winced again, bringing a hand to his lower back.

  Sophie brought a hand to her mouth. Kneeling down, she said softly, “I swear, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to show you I could take care of myself.”

  David waved her off as she tried to touch him. Finally standing, he looked down at her. His smirk came close to sinister, his voice low and gravelly. “You’re going to be sorry later.”

  ———

  Gone. As if he hadn’t been there at all. Sophie turned and looked at the empty gym. She’d finished the class and dismissed the students, hoping David would be waiting. But of course, he’d gone.

  Backing against the reception desk, Sophie set her hands on the counter and her shoulders slumped in defeat. Even though she’d decided not to continue pushing things with David, she was still attracted to him. She rolled her eyes. Most of the women on the planet were attracted to him.

  She wanted him to be attracted to her. Until tonight, she’d always known he was aroused as they ran through the positions. Tonight there had been no signs of life. The powerful feeling she usually had from getting a rise out of him was woefully absent.

  Sophie closed her eyes and willed her heart to harden. He didn’t want her, probably never did. As the tears pricked the back of her eyelids she sucked in a deep breath. She wasn’t going to cry about this anymore. There was nothing she could do to change things, no point wasting energy on what ifs. Pushing off the counter, she propelled her tired legs to her office.

  Turning into the doorway, she heard him before she saw him. “You date a lot.” His voice was more curious than accusatory. “A lot, a lot. Much more than me.”

  Her forehead wrinkled as she saw him tooling with her PDA. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  David looked up. Reading her expression, he set down the organizer and held out his hands. “Relax. I was looking for some Ibuprofen and saw it. I was bored so I thought I would play a video game. But you don’t have any games on yours.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t have time for games, David.” Sophie picked up her backpack and shoved the PDA inside. “Why would you go through my things?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I told you, I was looking for some Ibuprofen. Someone wasn’t playing fair earlier.”

  Sophie planted her feet firmly on the ground. “You started it.” She had to grin. They’d been reduced to playground bickering. Again.

  “I’m sorry. You had my corporate and personal accounts at your fingertips. You could have robbed me blind. You could trust me a little.”

  “I don’t want your money, David.” She yanked her coat off the chair behind him

  “I know.” He muttered, looking at the floor. “I was just surprised. I assumed you didn’t date much.”

  “That’s what happens when you assume.”

  “I don’t get it Sophie. Why weren’t you with any of them?”

  Pausing at the second button of her coat, Sophie met his gaze. “I didn’t want to be.” The words echoed in the still room. The blood pounding in her ears got louder and louder until she just couldn’t take it anymore. She had to break it up with something, even if it meant she rambled.

  “Some of them were jerks, some didn’t want to deal with my folks, and when I agreed to be a surrogate for Daphne, I stopped all together. It just didn’t seem appropriate.”

  “Daphne’s been pregnant for what, seven months now?”

  “She’s been sick, David. I’ve had to step in and keep this place going while she takes care of herself. Losing my virginity hasn’t been a priority. I didn’t see the point in sleeping with one man while fantasizing about another.” Finally she’d said it. Fishing her gloves from her coat pocket, Sophie asked, “Haven’t we already had this conversation?”

  “We need to have a conversation about what is going on with us.”

  Sophie swallowed hard and charged forward. She couldn’t bear to hear some impassioned “it’s not you” speech from him. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that, and I’ve decided you’re right.”

  “I’m right,” he repeated slowly.

  “Yes. I can’t handle a relationship with a man like you. I can’t keep putting myself out there and being rejected at every turn. My ego isn’t as big as yours.”

  “I never rejected you, Sophie,” David said, leaning forward in the chair. He winced, his hand finding its way to the sore muscles.

  Sophie pursed her lips together and continued. “You won’t have to worry about me throwing myself at you anymore. I’ll respect your decision.” She sucked in a hard breath. When had the air in this room gotten so cold?

  “I hope you can understand that I can’t handle kissing or touching outside of class.” She cast her eyes to the floor as she made her confession. “I’ll feel you and want more, it makes me think you do too, and that isn’t good for either one of us.” She could feel her heart splintering apart inside of her. This was supposed to make things easier, why did it feel like dying?

  “Whatever you want, Sophie,” his voice rumbled quietly.

  She looked up and watched him sit, staring at his hands. “I thought you’d be relieved.”

  He looked up at her, his eyes unreadable brown pools of emotion. “Are you ready to go?”

  She nodded, wrapping her scarf around her neck and heading for the door. “You don’t have to drive me,” Sophie said as they reached the exit. “I walk every other night. I’ll be fine.”

  David held open the door as she walked out, turning and checking to make sure the door locked behind them. “Actually, I need you to give me a ride home,” David said, fishing the keys from his pocket. He pressed a button, flashing the lights on a deep red compact SUV, before handing the keys to her. “Surprise.”

  ———

  “What are you doing?” David asked as Sophie followed him out of the truck.

  “I’m making sure you get home okay,” she said, falling in line behind him.

  “I’m fine,” he said, turning to face her.

  “Don’t make me give these back to you aga
in.” She dangled the key in front of his face. He realized then that her spare key was already on his key ring. He’d have to give that back. Nothing about this day had gone as he planned.

  David still wasn’t sure what he wanted from Sophie, but he damned sure knew it wasn’t the nothing she was offering. He’d known all along he didn’t deserve to be with someone like her. So if this was what she needed, he wouldn’t fight her on it. At least not until he figured out what he wanted for himself.

  He stared down at her determined expression and shrugged, turned and walked up the stairs to his condo. This was not the scenario he’d thought of for the first time he brought a woman back to his place. She had to be feeling guilty. She’d dumped and injured him, and he’d bought her a car. Again.

  Turning the key, he pushed the door open and turned to tell her goodbye. But somehow she slipped under his arm and made her way inside, flipping on the light as she passed into the living room.

  Spinning on her heel, she began to take off her gloves and scarf.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, removing his own jacket.

  “I’m going to make your back feel better,” she said, peeling off her coat. She stepped next to him, hanging her coat on the coat tree by the door and dropping her keys on the table beside his.

  “I took some Ibuprofen. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m the reason it’s sore. Just let me fix it.” Her eyes sparkled as she grinned up at him. She looked like the old Sophie, the playful, fun Sophie he knew before things got out of hand at her apartment.

  David shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  “Why not?” she asked, pushing her full lips into a pout.

  “You said we weren’t going to go there anymore.” And if she kept looking at him like that he definitely would want to.

  She rolled her eyes playfully. “You think I’m coming on to you?”

  “Aren’t you?” His voice betrayed him, cracking as he spoke.

  The way her eyes darkened showed him she’d heard it. “You should be so lucky. No, I just don’t want you aching tomorrow and cursing me all day.”

  He cleared his throat to make sure he could speak. “I won’t. I’ll be fine.”

  “You don’t trust yourself do you?” Her voice was low, throaty, teasing.

  “Excuse me?” He managed.

  “That’s it, isn’t it? You don’t think you can keep your hands off me.” She must have grown because he could swear she was bigger than him now.

  “You’re the one who wants to get their hands on someone.”

  Sophie held up her tiny hands. “Purely medicinal, I assure you. Come on, I swear I’ll keep my clothes on no matter how much you beg.”

  It was his turn to smile. “You should be so lucky.”

  “Fine, then I’ll grab some lotion while you take off your clothes.”

  He watched as she bounced to her bag and pulled out the bottle. Her lotion, the one that smelled like almonds. He turned and walked through his bedroom into the bathroom where he stripped off his shirt. He caught his reflection in the mirror. What was he doing? He must be crazy to be turning down a massage from a beautiful woman. She was right, he was afraid of her a little. She had some physical power over him he couldn’t explain. Craig had made him promise to leave her alone, and she just said they weren’t going there anymore. And he was trying. Failing miserably, but still trying.

  His head cocked to the side as he realized something. He could scare her off. He dropped his pants and stood naked in front of the mirror. Reasoning with her didn’t seem to be working. He could march out there nude and she would definitely change her mind. More than a few women had been intimidated by his size, and they weren’t virgins. If he just called her bluff maybe she would run for the hills. If he pushed her far enough it might work. He met his own eyes in the mirror.

  Unless she didn’t. Without the safety net of clothing he’d never recover his senses enough to hold back if she made a move for him. He grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it around his waist. He didn’t trust himself that much.

  He stepped out of the bathroom and stood frozen. She sat on his bed, rubbing her hands together.

  “Oh, no. Not in here.”

  “What do you mean?” Her wide innocent eyes almost had him believing she wasn’t trying to seduce him.

  “Not you and me on the bed. We can use the couch in the living room.”

  She shook her head and patted the bed next to her. “Are you afraid of little, tiny me? Come now, what could I possibly do to you?”

  Was she batting her eyelashes at him? What could she do? He had a list a mile long that would do for a start. He opened his mouth to object but was stopped short.

  “Get over yourself. I’m not going to jump you the second you close your eyes. I told you, I’m done with trying that. Now lay down.” His body did as he was told. His brain was still urging him to run at full speed toward the nearest exit.

  He lay down on his stomach reaching his arms around the pillow under his head, reminding himself it was just a massage. That his back hurt, though for the life of him he couldn’t remember exactly where. Every muscle in his body tensed as he felt her thighs on either side, straddling him. So much for relaxing.

  His protests were futile now, she had him. This was what he wanted, her, warm beside him in a bed. It was the rest of the time he was confused about. He didn’t say a word, trying to focus on anything but her scent, her weight pressing the bed on either side of him, her hands. One warm hand fanned out between his shoulder blades while another pressed the base of his spine. He could feel the lotion slip across his back. She must have been warming it in her hands because it glided effortlessly, slowing the sensation of her hands so it was like she was everywhere all at once.

  Her fingertips lightly stroked his back from top to bottom. Her hands worked in tandem, so that one was reaching the towel across his buttocks as the other began atop his shoulder. Over and over her fingers ran down his back until he could feel the muscles begin to relax. Dancing fingertips were replaced by the steady pressure of flattened palms as she continued the path on either side of his spine. For what seemed like eternity, she kneaded and stroked, rolled and pushed at his tired muscles. Her hands explored his shoulders, neck, the back of his arms, his buttocks, back of his thighs.

  He’d experienced thousands of rubdowns in his life. But this was different. Somehow, because it was Sophie, the motions had a different meaning and seemed to trigger a deeper response. Every nerve ending in his back had ached before, so he knew they were there. But never had he considered those same nerve endings to be capable of such immense sexual pleasure. In fact, if this didn’t end soon he might come right here on the bed, without her ever having touched the front of him.

  He hadn’t been this out of control with his responses since junior high. But he was powerless to stop it. Such simple touches shouldn’t be affecting him like this, but his body responded in hope that she would keep touching him, not stopping until he found release. At some point he’d given in, relaxed to the point where he was only semi-awake. Or so he convinced himself.

  There would be no honorable intentions today. He’d be receptive to anything and everything she had in store. He gave into the push and pull of her warm, strong hands. Hands he’d thought were so small and fragile wielded amazing power over him. His closed eyes felt heavy as her strokes became lighter.

  Maybe he would sleep after all. She would be gone when he woke up and there would be no awkwardness, just the pure bliss of the moment. He tried to drift, but the aching hardness urgently pressing against his belly kept him on the edge. Her attentions drifted down his shoulders, back, to his buttocks. She must have removed the towel, but he hadn’t noticed exactly when. She kneaded lightly, building the intensity. He knew he should stop her, but he was so close. So close.

  She traced his spine from his cleft to nape with her tongue. His eyes shot open as sensuous shivers shot through him like
lightning. Her tongue retraced its path and he drew in a hard breath. Was it worth it to try to hold back? His body ached to accept the release she was offering. He closed his eyes again, finding it impossible to think when there was no blood left in his brain. She took mercy on him, removing his decision-making ability as she laid an open mouthed kiss on the triangle of skin just above his buttocks. Her fingers massaged his butt as he came, prolonging his ecstasy as he rode the wave of the spasms.

  He recognized the familiar weight of her body resting on top of him, and smiled. This was a perfect way to fall asleep. Relaxed and sated in a room that smelled of Sophie. He moaned as he felt her warm kisses along the back of his neck. He breathed her in, enjoying her ministrations. How in the world did she ever learn to do that? Whatever it was, she should teach it in their class.

  His eyes opened as he felt her pull away, rolling off him, off the bed. As she covered him with the comforter he caught her wrist. “How do you know how to touch me?”

  Sophie took his hand in hers and knelt beside the bed. “You told me.”

  He shook his tired head. “I didn’t say a word.”

  “Your breathing, I listen to how you breathe and you tell me.”

  “You listen to me breathe?”

  “Yes, sometimes I hear more when you breathe than when you talk.” He closed his eyes and listened to his breath. Ragged, shallow and purposely slow. What did she hear in that? She ran her hand gently through his hair.

  “Feel better?”

  He nodded slowly, not wanting to open his eyes. He felt her lips softly pressing first one eyelid and then the other, heard himself sigh. His eyes barely opened as she dropped his hand.

  “Where are you going?” he asked sleepily.

  “You sleep,” she said, crossing the room.

  Stay, he heard in his head.

  Chapter Eleven

  David’s back didn’t hurt at all this morning, making him wonder if it ever did. He was second-guessing every feeling he’d ever had. Sophie had knocked him to the ground. Literally, figuratively, in every way possible. She was a mass of contradictions he couldn’t wrap his head around.