Free Damage Control by Elisa Adams Page A

against her entrance. When she hesitated, he pulled her down, thrusting his hips up at the same time. In one stroke, he filled her completely. She cried out at the sensation. Taking her cues from him, she raised and lowered herself in time with his rhythm.
    His finger found her clit and stroked the hard nub. Her body jerked. She dropped her hands to his chest to hold herself up. His thrusts grew faster and she responded, increasing the tempo. The pressure on her clit was too much. She came like that, her hands on his chest and her body writhing above him. The tremors seemed to go on forever, dragging her along on a tide of sensation. Light exploded behind her eyes. Soon even her arms wouldn’t hold her up and she dropped to his chest, spent. It wasn’t long before he followed her into orgasm.
    Sometime later, Andrea stirred and kissed Brian softly. God, she could get used to being held by this man.
    But she’d better not. Sex was one thing, and friendship was another, but deep emotional attachment was a whole different animal. The first two came easily. The third, she’d fight that, no matter what it took. She wasn’t ready for a relationship, and he hadn’t even indicated that he might want one. She moved off him and started pulling her clothes back on, reinforcing her desire to keep things casual.
    â€œBe right back. I have to go get cleaned up a little.” He stood and walked down the hall toward the bathroom, hitching his pants up as he went—but not before she caught a glimpse of the tattoo low on his back, just above his rear. It was simple, Asian letters done in black ink. She hadn’t noticed that the last time they’d been together, but then again, she’d been otherwise occupied.
    Interesting. Her curiosity piqued, she started to wonder what else there was to find out about him. And here she’d thought, after five years, she’d known all there was to know.
    â€œWhat does it say?” she asked him when he came back into the room, pants zipped but not buttoned.
    He looked confused for a few seconds before he laughed. “Are you talking about the tattoo on my back?”
    â€œYes. What do the letters mean?”
    â€œThey mean I was drunk one night back in college.”
    His shrug made her smile. “Seriously. Does it say something, or did you just pick out the design at random?”
    â€œI didn’t pick it out at all. My girlfriend at the time did.” His skin flushed a little and he rolled his eyes. “It’s stupid, but it means wild.”
    Andrea couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. Steady, change-resistant Brian was branded as being “wild”? This was too good for words. He must have really changed since his college days. “Are there any more secret tattoos I should know about?”
    She expected him to say no, and almost fell on the floor when he nodded. “I have a dragon on my left ankle and a snake on my left wrist.”
    Under the strap of the watch he never took off, even in the pool at the gym. “You really were crazy when you were younger, huh?”
    â€œNot too bad. I had my moments.”
    She hadn’t had any of those. Her days had been taken up with studying and extracurricular activities. She wanted some wild days now. She was due. “Is there anything else I should know about you?”
    He winked before bending down to pick up his shirt. “Probably. You’ll find out, but I have to warn you, I’ve become a pretty boring person over the years. Of course, you know that already. Do you want me to go home, Andrea?”
    Did she? It took her all of two seconds to come up with her answer. “No. But I want to be clear on something. I’m not looking for a relationship. At least not anything more than we already have.”
    â€œYou want a friends-with-benefits kind of thing.”
    He understood her so well. “Are you okay with that?”
    â€œIf you’re