Norah felt the heat creep up her cheeks, but broke contact with TJ to rush into the office and grab her purse and street shoes. She reappeared into a chilly wind that did nothing to cool the heat between them. When he had her enclosed in the passenger side and he’d slid into the driver’s seat, he turned to her, “I want you so much.”
She felt the smile and another blush creeping across her cheeks as he threw the car in reverse and made his way out of the parking lot. Norah shifted in her seat and felt a bag against her feet. Looking down she realized TJ waving at her for it. “What is it?”
“Condoms.”
“Condoms!” The bag was full. “What? Did you buy out the store?”
He looked a little red at that one. “Just about. I didn’t want another accident, so I checked all the expiration dates.”
She laughed at him. “That’s romantic.”
“You not fleeing afterward and holding back important information is romantic.”
She still felt bad about that. “That’s not going to happen again. I promise.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m on the pill.” At his expression, she explained. “The doctor wouldn’t give me the morning after pill without my consenting to a better form of birth control. So you don’t need these.” She tossed the whole bag into the back seat.
“This day keeps getting better. Now if I could just do something about the fact that I have been aching, in physical pain, for you for—” he checked his watch. “about thirty-nine hours.”
She frowned, “You only showed up last night. I know it feels like longer, but you’re off by about a day.”
“Oh, please don’t be mad at me, baby, but I have to tell you something.”
She was apprehensive about what he might say, but nothing damped the heat in her.
“I went over to your house two nights ago.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yeah, that’s just it, I did.” He took a turn, and she could almost physically feel them getting closer to his house, his bed. “I wanted to tell you, but you didn’t answer the door.”
“Oh!” She said she’d been dancing, and probably hadn’t heard.
He looked chagrinned. “I know. I went around back, but you didn’t see me. Then I thought you saw me through the window, and that you’d come get the door for me when you finished the song. It took a couple of songs to realize that you couldn’t see me at all. I kept thinking I’d go around front and pound on the door after just one more dance—”
Her heart picked up time, if that was possible. Oh God. “What did you see?”
He sighed, “I came in at a Tim McGraw song and saw I am and I couldn’t leave, because it was a Wilder song, and I’d never seen you really dance before, and—”
“And you left?”
He nodded. “Later, after that song about falling for the devil.”
This time she said it. “Oh, God.”
His chest started moving faster, even though they hadn’t touched or anything. He almost missed a turn, “’Oh God’ is right. Norah it was so hot, I, I get turned on just thinking about it. I want you to move like that for me, but naked.”
She laughed.
“Don’t laugh, baby. I’ve been in pain.”
“I’m sorry. You poor thing. You’ve had a bad time these last months, and now this.”
His hand reached across the gearshift as soon as he waved to the guard at the gate. “That’s not what I said. I said I’ve had a rough time. I also fell in love with you, and got to make love to you, and intend to do it many times again. I got to perform Queen in Central Park and I grew up. It’s been hard, but not all bad.”
He parked the car at a sloppy angle in the garage and came around quickly to pull her out of the passenger seat. Closing the door, TJ backed her up against it, his mouth finding hers and fusing. He pressed himself to her and when he finally came up for air, she laughed. “I can feel your pain.”
He growled at her, pulling her along, tugging his jacket off her at the same time. He ditched it just inside the entry, and somehow kissed her senseless while he led her up the stairs. When the door to his bedroom opened she was shocked to find her shirt was already half off, straps dangling low across her arms.
As TJ pushed the door shut behind them and locked it, her eyebrows raised.
“JD has a key and so does the maid, and there’s a realtor.”
“You’re selling?” She was shocked, but not for long.
“Yes. Shh!” His mouth worked magic on hers and his fingers tugged the strap of her top down setting one breast free. “God, you don’t wear a bra with these.”
She started to laugh, but his mouth closed over the tip of her breast and she sucked in air. Her chest expanded with that, and pushed her further into his mouth. TJ took advantage and Norah moaned.
She tried to even the score a little and tugged at his t-shirt, but her hands were ineffectual from the onslaught of sensations he sent through her. She only managed to get the hem untucked before he took pity on her and grinned. Reaching over his shoulders to his back he grabbed at the shirt, tugging it up and over his head. Norah figured two could play at that game and worked the stretchy top off. She was dropping it to the side when he emerged from under his shirt, his grin faded and his eyes went dark as the t-shirt hit the ground. “God, Norah, you are so beautiful.”
Her whole body melted against the wall at his words. This from the man with those muscles, those blue-blue eyes, and that sinful mouth. “I could say the same thing about you.”
He shook his head, “No.”
She grinned, her fingers coming up his arms and loving the feeling of strength there, “Yes. Shh!” Standing on her toes brought her chest to his and cemented the deep feeling that this was exactly where she belonged, in the circle of this man’s arms.
His hands skimmed her naked back leaving trails of heat. He pushed her against the wall, again lavishing attention on her now bare breasts. Her hands and mouth found his chest, and she enjoyed the way he quivered under her touch. TJ retaliated by sliding his fingers under the waistband of her warm-up shorts and tights.
He shook his head. “Tights, the new bane of my existence.”
Norah laughed at him, while he kneeled in front of her and tugged the clothing down.
His breathing changed audibly. “You’re not wearing underwear.”
“Of course not.”
“Oh, I have changed my mind about the tights.”
She would have laughed, but he was reverently peeling them down her legs leaving her entirely bare. Tossing the tights aside, he grabbed each ankle and tugged her feet wider apart. Before she could say anything, he was on his knees in front of her, kissing and nibbling at her belly, and ruining any hope of steady breathing. His hands ran up and down her legs, making her go weak when his thumb found the center of her.
“TJ!” She couldn’t get enough air, and she looked down only to find him staring back up, enjoying seeing the way his touch made her move. Then his head ducked and his tongue joined his fingers as Norah’s hands found his head.
It was the only part of him she could reach. Her own head tipped back against the wall. She couldn’t see anything but stars and didn’t know if she’d gone blind or was squeezing her eyes shut so tight in an effort to survive the feelings crashing over her. His tongue laved at her until she came with something between a moan and a scream, and collapsed down the wall.
His arms caught her and he picked her up as though she weighed nothing. He turned, pulling back the comforter before he laid her down, and she slid like syrup across the sheets. Languid, she watched him while he unbuckled his belt and slipped out of his pants and underwear all in one motion. He was rock hard and ready for her, and Norah found the energy to reach out to him as he crawled the few feet across the bed toward her. He was hot to the touch and moaned each time she stroked him.
His knees planted between her legs, and he kissed her breasts, arousing her again, while she struggled t
o keep him in hand. With a tug, she brought him where she wanted him, and TJ took his weight on his elbows as he nudged at the very core of her.
She arched, bringing her hips closer, trying to take him in, but TJ held back.
“Norah.” His hands found the side of her face, and he kissed her long and hard. When he stopped, she lay beneath him, eyes closed, writhing, waiting. She could feel him, poised, ready, but TJ didn’t enter her. After a moment she opened her eyes to see what he wanted.
His thumbs stroked her cheeks, “Look at me.” His deep blue eyes turned midnight, and he stared right into her while he finally pressed home in one long surge, taking her breath away.
Both of them were breathing through their mouths, lips open, unable to look away as they joined. TJ sank himself inside her completely, his own eyes widening as he did, and Norah knew she was an open book. Her face was a mirror of his own wonder at finding her.
He moved within her, setting up a steady rhythm that she worked to meet. Just the sight of him fighting so hard for just a little more sent her over the edge. Even so, his hands held the sides of her face, keeping her gaze on his, so she saw when he finally slipped beyond his limits and let the feelings dominate him entirely.
His eyes closed as his orgasm at last ended, leaving both of them clinging through the aftershocks. His arms were steel bands around her, holding her pressed close against him, their chests heaving together, their bodies drawing in the same air.
TJ rolled to his side taking her with him. Their legs tangled, and he pushed her hair out of her face before reaching back and tugging the covers up and over them. Still his breathing was heavy, but he managed words. “This is what I want right now. I have waited an eternity for this.”
Norah pressed her cheek against his chest, and her fingers along his ribcage enjoying the feel of him against her skin. Then her fingers found a small smooth line in his side. The knife wound. “Does it still hurt?”
“No.” His finger traced the scar down the front of her chest, “Yours?”
She shrugged. “Unless I see it, I don’t even remember it’s there. But you look like yours tugs once in a while.”
“It does. But it was worth it.”
Her fingers traced the scar again. “Thank you. You saved me.”
“Then we’re even.” He took her hand and led it up to the base of his neck. He placed her fingers along the vertebra there. Norah could feel two more small scars and tiny bumps under the skin that were the permanent screws holding together the bone he’d broken.
She sighed against him, hoping it was true. Because she could think of no other way to pay him back for putting himself in the path of a madman.
Again he reached back to the side of the bed, this time producing an alarm clock. “When do you need to leave to get ready for work?”
She tried to calculate traffic and a shower, “Four-thirty.”
“Okay. I’m setting the alarm. Just in case we fall asleep, or just aren’t paying attention to the time.” He grinned that wicked-angel grin at her, and she felt herself slipping further.
He dipped his head to hers, kissing her softly, stroking her hair, and holding her close. “You know, you were right. It happened.”
“What did?”
“I fell a little more in love with you just now.” He grinned. “Did you maybe fall a little more for me?”
Norah shook her head and sighed, “No.”
“Oh.” He stilled.
“A lot.”
Chapter 57
TJ tossed and turned and checked the clock. Midnight.
Even the clock reminded him of Norah. Not eight hours ago, it had gone off, waking him with her locked in his arms, and reminding them both that she had to go. He’d said as long a good-bye as he could. She wasn’t going to be home until well after ten, and he had to be up before the crack of dawn.
It was all a well and good plan. Except it was based on him being asleep. He was here in his big bed by himself, and she was there in her bed by herself. Hopefully she was sleeping. It was the only way them being apart was accomplishing anything.
TJ rolled over pushing his face into his pillow and suffered again. The other thing, the part he hadn’t counted on at all, was that the whole bed smelled like her. How was he supposed to sleep with the scent of Norah clinging to everything? Oh, and the bed smelled like sex, too. And his sheets now triggered sense memories of Norah’s skin against his. Norah laid out naked on the sheets, the first time he’d carried her over and she’d melted against them. And the second time when he’d thrown back the covers because she’d rolled away from him, then rubbed that hot little ass against him.
Yup. No sleep at all.
He packed everything after she’d left to teach class. Again operating under the false impression that sleep would find him tonight. He thought about getting up and fixing himself a whiskey sour, thinking the alcohol might put him to sleep. But lying there with his hands behind his head and his memories all around him, he realized that he hadn’t touched the stuff since before his accident. He’d had two beers at different times in New York and a few out with Norah and that was it.
For a moment, he simply took stock of the changes.
The first was that he wasn’t drinking. Not that he’d been bad before. Immediately he amended that. Anyone who didn’t react fast enough to get out of the way of a semi when he should have been able to, had been bad.
Second, was the learning to walk again. That had required a level of determination even he hadn’t realized he had. And that from a man who had ditched everything and lived fairly hand-to-mouth for a long time just to get started in the music business. Although, that had been four of them. He’d been the last piece of the band to fall into place. So of the four he’d had the least struggles. Also, when things had been tough, they had been four together, and they decided together. Re-learning to walk had just been him.
The third thing was falling in love with Norah. He didn’t think he’d been man enough to do it before the accident. He was pretty certain she would have laughed at that TJ and walked away without a care if that man had hit on her. That was a sobering thought. If not for that semi, he’d have seen Norah sooner or later, and she would have never known she was the love of his life.
Fourth, he’d saved her from a horrible fate at the hands of her attacker. It had taken a while to believe that, and he still only believed it in part. If he’d been there or even just been earlier, maybe that bastard never would have come after her. But Norah had a comeback for everything he said. If she hadn’t been attacked, the man wouldn’t be behind bars. When she told it, TJ saved far more than her.
Fifth, he’d started writing and found a whole new path to his music. He was a performer, and he was a better one now. He had a big job on this tour to keep improving. It was like being in the chair and knowing he could get up and walk, but not that far. He still had a way to go.
He had scars commemorating the first and fourth things. A great review from the Central Park show, and an invite to perform with the remaining members of Queen that he’d turned down. No matter what the offer, and even though JD had encouraged him to do it, he was loyal to Wilder. Besides, it was obvious from contemplations that he already had too much on his plate. Norah had changed all of him. He wasn’t grumpy or bitter or jealous of his brother anymore. Even before they’d fessed up their feelings to each other, he was laughing more and just being better to the people around him.
He didn’t want the whiskey sour and he could really only think of one thing that he was certain would make him fall asleep. With a deep sigh he decided to go get it. He had four hours.
Twenty minutes later, he was in his sneakers, flannel pajama pants, and his leather jacket standing just below her window bouncing tiny pebbles off the glass. Norah, Norah, come on. Wake up.
Finally, the curtains moved, her hand splayed against the window in what he recognized was a gesture to get him to stop throwing the rocks. He obliged, dumping the rest of the
handful back into the rose bed and grinning up at her sleepy face as she poked it out the window. “TJ.”
“I missed you, baby.”
She grinned, slow and easy, and yawned. “I missed you, too.”
“I have four hours and two options. You come out with me or I come up there.”
She blinked and he waited, wishing he hadn’t dumped all the little rocks so he’d have something to fidget with.
Her voice carried softly down to him. “How are you going to get up here?”
Laughing, TJ told her he’d already figured that out. “Up the front porch post, across the roof and in your window.”
The arch of her eyebrows revealed she was both awake and disbelieving. He thought she might make him do it just to see if he could.
He saw her sigh, then she pulled back and closed the window. When the curtains closed, he got really concerned. Had he offended her? TJ went to the rose bed to grab a handful of pebbles to start another assault when the front door opened. Norah stood there in her men’s underwear and mussed hair and wide eyes. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Nor could he help that it got wider when she impatiently motioned him inside.
He crossed the threshold, and she carefully closed and locked the door behind him. “You have to be quiet.”
Grabbing her, he kissed her with eight hours of pent up longing. His tongue searched her surprised mouth and his hands slipped under the hem of the t-shirt.
She smacked at his hands playfully. “TJ! Upstairs. At least wait until the door is locked.” She turned and headed up the stairs and he followed, watching the way her hips swayed as she climbed the steps. He tried to pay attention when she turned and pointed out a few squeaks. But her long bare legs were distracting.
He didn’t make it half a second after he closed the door and hit the lock button. He shrugged out of his jacket revealing his bare chest and making Norah laugh that she had her very own stripper. He asked if he could have his very own stripper too, so Norah grinned and peeled her shirt.
Love Notes Page 31