The Player Next Door by Kathy Lyons Page A

sex. So she’d started going through the act as fast as possible before her mind wandered somewhere else.
    Her partners usually didn’t mind. Edward especially had been all about thrust, release and here’s your vibrator, honey, in case you’re feeling neglected. Though in all fairness, he’d been happy to hold the vibrator for her if she wanted.
    Mike was an entirely different kind of man.
    He didn’t start with stripping her naked. In her experience, that was the first order of business for most men. Especially when they were as aroused as Mike obviously was. No clothing could hide an erection that large, and he was in thin jeans. Plus, her hand was right there, stroking downward over the heat.
    She only managed to do it once before he caught her fingers and drew it to his lips. He kissed her fingers, then stayed still, obviously debating something in his mind.
    “Mike—”
    He leaned forward, kissing her lightly. She expected to be slammed onto the bed, but he just licked her lips, nipped at the edges, and then eventually sealed her mouth with his.
    In short, he was a slow lover, and she was terrified that she’d insult him when her mind wandered elsewhere. So she broke away and stripped off her tee. She would have taken everything off if her legs hadn’t been entwined with his. “You don’t have to go slow, Mike. It’s okay.”
    He chuckled. “I’ve never heard a woman say that before.” Then he sobered. “I’m a big guy, Tori. I want to make sure you’re fully involved before we do this.”
    She winced, realizing what he meant: the slow build to a great climax. Except she just wasn’t built that way. “Um, I never get fully involved in anything. At least not for long.”
    He smiled. “That sounds like a challenge.”
    Oh shit. Not what she meant. He was a competitor and if she put up a goal, he would go through hell and high water to meet it. But he couldn’t with her, and he was too perceptive for her to fake it effectively.
    “I’m just not wired for slow,” she said. “I distract too easily.”
    He smiled and let his hands trail down her sides, making her shiver. “Good information there. I’ll need to work for your attention.” He grinned, his white teeth showing brilliantly against his caramel skin. “Good thing I’m used to electrifying millions of people.”
    “That’s in basketball—oh… That’s…nice.” He was tracing one finger around her nipple. It was even through her bra, but she felt it like a lightning bolt through her belly. But then he kept doing it, adding in a pinch occasionally to the circling motion. Over and over until her sight fuzzed out and she began thinking about what he’d said.
    Just exactly how large was he? She tried to think back to her other lovers. She didn’t remember any of them as particularly big, so did that mean…
    He touched her chin and she blinked, focusing back on him. Oh shit. She’d just dazed out on him.
    “Mike, I…um…”
    He touched her lips with his thumb, pressing them closed. “That was just a baseline, Tori. I wanted to see what you did when you got bored.”
    “I wasn’t bored,” she lied.
    He chuckled. “Yes, you were. I only have one rule: don’t lie to me.”
    She swallowed. It wasn’t like she lied as a general rule, but guys’ egos were fragile. Especially in the lovemaking department. “I—”
    “You’re going to have to learn to trust me on this. My ego can handle it.”
    She didn’t believe him. She wanted to, but honestly, he was a superstar athlete. He was used to being the best at everything, especially anything physical. And he’d probably had women telling him he was the greatest lover ever since high school. No way was he going to like it—
    “So what’s going on in that head of yours?”
    She blinked. Damn it, she’d just spaced out on him again. Normally she could focus better.
    “Let me guess,” he said with a smile. “You’re used to lying to your lovers. Telling them they’ve