Thigh High Read online

  “Never pictured you as a swooner.”

  “You’ve been gone a long time, Joseph.” Too damn long. How did I exist without this? Sex with Joe was raw and real. And I want more. As if he heard her, Joe increased his pace, his sweat-soaked body slapping against hers.

  “But I’m back home now.”

  As am I. Maz screamed as the orgasm tore up her spine and radiated throughout her body. She felt weak yet exalted and hung on wanting that same feeling for her lover. When Joe growled out loud and jerked and twitched against her, Maz smiled.

  “What?” Joe’s voice was breathless in her ear as he collapsed upon her.

  He was heavy yet he wasn’t. It was the sort of close, intimacy Maz craved. “That has to have burned up some calories.”

  Chapter Four

  “Uh-oh, you had sex.” Merlene’s eyes were instantly locked on Maz as she came around the bar to star her shift.

  “I did not—okay, how can you tell?” There was no point lying to Merlene. The woman had eyes like an eagle and could sense the slightest disturbance on a still pond.

  “I just can. Besides you’re running late for your shift and you never do that.” Merlene flicked the edge of Maz’s collar. “And your shirt is on inside out.”

  Maz looked down at the black shirt. The Naked Shearer logo was back to front and barely discernable. “Damn.” She ducked under the wide bar. Maz yanked the shirt off over her head and turned it the right way around.

  “And you have drenched yourself in perfume.”

  “I didn’t have time to shower.” Maz figured her favorite Red Door would overpower the smell of sex that clung to her. The bar patrons were not sophisticated enough to notice the difference between smells unless they were flavored with hops. She pulled the shirt back over her head and then stood up.

  “Was it good?”

  Maz fell forward onto the bar at the languid memory of it. “Oh god, yes.” She felt so relaxed that she wanted to slither to a heap on the ground and fall into a blissful sleep.

  “Now correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t Joe the guy who quote ‘ruined you for life’?”

  “Okay, so I may have said that one night after too many white wines but I got over him.” Sort of. Well, Maz was pretty sure she had until that moment in the gym. But then, that was just sex. Sex didn’t count in the “getting over someone” stakes.

  “You know I always thought you two would get married.”

  Maz had thought the same but that had been a long time ago when she was foolish enough to believe in happily ever after. “You thought wrong.” Maz believed in fidelity. Joe had broken her heart. Hmmm, and yet I just had sex with him. I’ll worry about that tomorrow. “Not everyone has to get married.”

  “Who’s getting married?” Blue sauntered in at that moment and dumped his hat on a nearby barstool.

  Merlene grabbed a glass. “You and your mate Dusty.”

  “Oh bugger off, I like women.” Blue was appalled at her words.

  “Pity they don’t like you,” the barkeeper replied with a snort.

  “I could tell you some stories.” Blue nodded to Dusty as he wandered in.

  “And they would be just that, stories.”

  Dusty looked concerned as he approached them. “Do you think Patto’s turned—you know…?”

  Maz smiled. She had an inkling what Dusty was thinking but she decided to play along. “No. What are you on about?” The thought that Joe, the local hero to all these men could be considered gay was amusing. If they only knew the truth about some of their most manly male acquaintances.

  “Well, Johnno said the inside of that fancy gym is painted pink.” Dusty’s tone was uncomfortable. “Well, pink’s not a man’s color is it?”

  Blue almost choked on his beer. “Pull your head in, you nong, as if Patto would be one of those fancy boys. He played cricket and footy. I bet he shagged half the ladies in Sydney.”

  Merlene and Maz rolled their eyes. That was what the measure of a man was to some of the locals in Amberwarra Falls. If you played sport you were unquestionably a man and any other inference was wrong.

  At that moment, Joe walked into the pub. His eyes locked with Maz’s and she felt her heart beat a crazy tattoo. How she ever thought she could forget him was beyond her.

  “What are we talking about?” Joe asked as he stood in front of Maz, only the width of the bar separating them.

  Maz had the crazy urge to reach out and touch him. It was madness of course. She had lived without Joe for this long and one moment of passion was not likely to have changed that. “There is the assumption that because the gym is painted pink it means you’re gay.”

  Joe’s eyes never left hers. “Well, we know that’s not right, don’t we?”

  Maz blushed. She had a horrible feeling Joe was going to tell everyone they had just had sex in the pink gym. And while what people thought of her was irrelevant, it was more that it would get back to her Auntie Beryl who would start planning a wedding. To Beryl, sleeping with a man was a decree of engagement. While her mother may have been different, Maz had grown up with Beryl and she knew how her aunt thought.

  “I can’t be gay, as I play footy.”

  Blue slapped Joe’s back. “’Told ya.”

  “I need to speak to you about your personal training schedule.” Joe’s attention returned to Maz, his voice full of meaning.

  Merlene didn’t miss it. “Personal, huh?” She winked at them.

  “I am not doing any training, personal or otherwise.”

  “Chicken.” Joe’s looked at her in challenge.

  “Whatever.” Maz wasn’t about to get into a fight with Joe with so many spectators.

  “I’d like to train with you, Joe.” Dusty seemed keen on the idea.

  Merlene smiled at that. “He’s busy with Maz at the moment.”

  “Yeah, but she’s a girl. It’s not like she wants to increase muscle.” Dusty rolled his eyes at the thought. “Only blokes do that.”

  Joe ignored everyone but Maz. “I am actually looking out for you. I want to make sure you don’t overdo it at the gym.”

  “I’m very sure I’m never again going to do what I did in the gym today.”

  Dusty snorted. “Did you pull a muscle? Gyms aren’t for girls.”

  Would it stop the bar dead if she announced she fucked Joe and she liked it?

  “You’ll do it all again.” Joe looked overconfident on that point. “Unless you’re chicken.”

  “As if,” Maz retaliated, suddenly aware how alive she felt sparring with Joe. “Not everyone in this town thinks you’re all that fantastic you know, Joseph.”

  The man in question leaned forward on the bar. “Did I say I was, Marilyn?”

  “Uh-oh, use of full names,” Merlene murmured in amusement.

  Maz stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. No, he hadn’t damn it and suddenly she was taking this all too seriously as if he was the only thing on her mind. Maz had a horrible feeling that made her look pathetic and needy, like Joe was her main concern. He was of course but he didn’t need to know that her body still tingled with the thrust of his cock.

  “Come on, training with me will be fun.”

  “It will be painful and tiring.” And lead to more sex which in itself wasn’t bad, but Maz knew looking at Joe she wanted more. It was highly unlikely, despite his words, that someone as adventurous as Joe would stay in Amberwarra Falls. Do I risk my heart over him again?

  “I’ll look after you.” Joe grinned at her. “After all who knows your body better than me?”

  “Oh bugger off.” Damn, he was sexy. It was hard to fight that.

  Merlene grasped her arm and shook Maz. “It’s quiet now, do you want to take this round back? You know, small town, crowded bar and alcohol having a way of loosening tongues.”

  That was a good point. Whatever was being played out between them now was no one’s business but their own. “Fine.” Maz walked turned and walked to through the doorway that led t
o the stockroom. She knew Joe was following her. She could feel it. “We have to get something straight.” She faced him and swallowed hard. Damn, it was hard to concentrate when he looked at her with those soft, sexy eyes.

  “You smell great.” His body was pressing against hers before Maz had a chance to move. “Perfume and sex. Excellent.”

  “Joe.” Her hands pushed against his chest. Maz could feel his heartbeat and the firm curve of his pecs and she knew she had to pull herself together before she did something stupid like lift up his shirt and lick his shoulders. “We have to set some rules here.”

  Rule number one, licking is bad for good resolutions.

  “Absolutely.” Joe’s hands cupped her bum and pulled her against his groin.

  Nice. Head slap. Rule number two, cock is bad for my equilibrium.

  “I mean it.” Her words did not come out as forcefully as she would have liked due to the steady massage on her butt.

  “I know you do.” Joe didn’t look the slightest bit concerned.

  “Joseph—”

  “Marilyn—”

  “We can’t do this.” Actually they could. It was infinitely doable. If she was going to do it that was. And I’m not.

  Joe’s mouth hovered barely an inch from hers. “Yeah, we can.”

  Maz licked her lips dying for a taste. “We’re not dumb twenty-year-olds.” What she really wanted to say was, “I cannot get hooked up in you again only for you to disappoint me.”

  “I’m not leaving Maz.”

  The solemn look in his eyes made her want to believe Joe but how rational was that? Besides Maz was not the type of woman to have sex without reason and did she want to make Joe the cause? “We can’t stay in here all day.” Maz tried to pull from his arms.

  “I meant I’m not leaving town.”

  “So you say.”

  “Is that what this is about? You’re scared?”

  Hell yes. She had loved and lost him once. Maz didn’t want to go through that again. “I just don’t see any point in having random sex with a drifter.”

  Joe laughed at her words. “You’ve never had random sex in your life, Marilyn, and I’m no drifter and you know it.”

  He held her so close her body shook with his laughter. “That’s not the point.”

  “What is?”

  “What do you want?” Was it just sex or her? And did she want to the same things? Fourteen years of nothing was a hard habit to break. There was something comforting in being closed down. Opening up led to all sorts of issues like need and longing.

  “I want you.”

  Maz could not hide the shiver that coursed through her body. It was everything she wanted to hear but it also made her fearful. “Why now?”

  Joe’s hands moved in a slow, sensual massaging action up her back to her shoulders. “I have always wanted you.”

  “We haven’t seen each other in fourteen years.” Maz fought not to close her eyes under his gentle assault on her body and emotions.

  His hand reached up to cup her face. “But neither of us has forgotten the other.”

  “Yeah, well some things are hard to forget.” Maz had the ridiculous urge to cry. Joe was so gentle that she wanted to sink into his arms and take from him whatever he gave.

  “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “I got over it.” Not.

  Joe shook his head in disbelief. “Did you? Fourteen years later and you’re still thinking about it.”

  “Well, time goes slowly in Amberwarra and things tend to stick in my mind.”

  “Maz, let’s start again.”

  Yes. “No.” She hated being needy.

  He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “We’re good together.”

  His hot breath on her skin made her tremble. “So we have sex.” That was doable. But do I want more? And can I just lose myself in lust and not call it love?

  “If that’s all there is between us.” Joe didn’t sound convinced. “Do you believe that’s all it is, Maz?”

  “Literally?” She would have had to be dead not to feel his cock pushing madly against his trousers in an effort to get to her.

  Joe grinned. “You know what I mean. Would it hurt to feel good?”

  “No.” It would be wonderful. That moment in the gym still had her body lit up like a Christmas tree.

  “So?”

  “Why me?”

  “You know why.”

  And then Joe kissed Maz and any words she was going to use to deflect him from his purpose seemed pointless. She wanted him. It was fact. Her body craved his touch as much as her heart beat its crazy tattoo for him. This was Joe. The only man she had ever loved. Why fight what was on offer? She grabbed at his shirtfront to steady herself. “We need some rules here.”

  “And I need to see you naked.”

  “Joe—”

  He smiled at her. “Oh come on the thigh-high rule was thrown at the window long ago.”

  Yeah, it had been and she wanted her thighs wrapped around him as she came but she needed to set some ground rules first. “No promises of anything. Let’s just enjoy this.” If Joe promised her the moon Maz would want to believe in it. If it was just pure, hot and raw sex then she could deal with that.

  “Okay, for now.” Joe’s hands slid down to the snap fastener of her pants. “But I’m not going to play this all your way.” His hands pushed the fabric off down her hips.

  Never did Maz think for a second he would. She slipped her shoes off and kicked the fabric free from her ankles. She was so wet for Joe it was almost embarrassing. “I didn’t have time to shower from before.”

  “I love the way you smell.” His fingers gripped the sides of her panties and pulled those down as well. “Perfect.”

  “Hardly.” She had spent years collecting the cellulite she had.

  “You are delicious.” Joe’s lips found hers as his hands worked on his belt.

  It was no surprise to Maz that Joe went commando, his cock jumping out as soon as it was freed from its confines. “Eager are we?”

  “Since the moment I drove to the motel.”

  “So what happened after I left you?” It had been getting pretty hot and heavy there. Maz herself had needed to stop her car and breathe deeply to calm herself and not turn back and jump Joe and ride him.

  “I counted backward from three hundred and fifty-seven to calm myself down.”

  Maz smiled. She could almost picture that. “I’m sorry.”

  Joe snorted in amusement “No, you’re not.” He turned her around.

  Maz’s hands gripped at a box of imported beer. “Okay, I’m not. It was fun.” She pushed her ass back expecting to find Joe close behind her. “Where are you?”

  “Eager are we?” he mimicked her earlier words. “I know I have one here somewhere.” Joe scrabbled through the pockets of his discarded trousers looking for a condom.

  “If it’s all too hard for you—”

  “Oh yeah, it’s very, very hard and just for you.” Joe found what he was searching for.

  Maz turned her head and watched as his hands made short work of covering his cock in rubber. Five minutes ago she was determined not to have sex with Joe and yet here she was ready and waiting to receive. “You’re a bad influence.”

  “But you like it.” He moved in behind and grabbed her hips. “How do you want this?” Joe whispered against her neck. “Hard and fast? Soft and slow?”

  The answer was yes to all, however Maz was not insensible enough to forget there was a bar full of people outside. She spread her legs wide. “Just make it quick before someone comes in.” Maz jumped as hot, hard inches of cock pushed into her vagina. She closed her eyes and gave in to the feeling of fullness. “O-oh…”

  “You like.”

  I love. “It’s okay,” It was fantastic. The push and pull of his flesh against her made her bite her bottom lip to stop from panting out loud like she was on heat. Maz never realized how much she craved sex until Joe. No other man affected her so.
/>   Joe laughed at her words. “You never used to lie this much before, Marilyn.”

  I have more to lose now. Getting all starry-eyed over Joe again was not an option. “Just shut up and fuck me.”

  Joe pulled out and slammed back into her. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Oh god…” Her knees shook when he did that several more times. “I am not going to be able to hang on much longer if you keep doing that.”

  Once more Joe’s cock pulled out and thrust back in. “What?” His voice was overly innocent.

  “T-that.” To hell with it. Maz panted at the increased friction of his cock.

  “What about this?” One of Joe’s hands moved round to massage her clit.

  If she had not been leaning so hard on the crate of beer she would have fallen down.

  “Oh Joe.” Maz pushed her ass out for more.

  “Come on let me train you. See how much fun we’ll have?”

  His voice against her ear made her shiver. That and the hot cock buried deep inside her were giving her the most intense rush of feeling. “Training for what?” Her thighs shook as she felt the first surge of an orgasm hit her.

  “Whatever is meant to happen.”

  Maz caught her breath as he rammed harder as if sensing she was close to coming. “You’re not going to leave me alone until I agree are you.” Maybe I should. She was breathless from this fast fuck. “Well, regular exercise might be a good idea.”

  “I am delighted to provide not only exercise for you but also gym work.”

  “Yeah, we have German beer.” Merlene’s voice rang out loud and pointed. “Maz, will you get that for me?”

  “Oh crap.” She had almost forgotten where they were. The last thing she needed was Blue or Dusty wandering in and seeing Joe buried balls-deep inside her. “Hurry up.”

  “’Not the most romantic thing to say.”

  “Maz?” Merlene called out.

  “C-coming.” It wasn’t a lie. Maz came so hard and fast that she would have fallen to the ground if Joe did not have an arm securely around her waist.

  “See how much fun we’re having already?” He pulled her back in his arms and growled low and huskily as his body jerked against hers.

  Maz licked her lips and leaned back into him. “We smell of sex.”