She shook her head.
“I never stopped wanting you.” In a flash his hands moved, and he gripped the waistband of her jeans inside one tight fist.
The sudden impact of her waistband tightening—and the brush of his knuckles against her sensitive lower abdomen—made her jaw drop. Quickly, she glanced over his shoulder, concerned that Nan and Gladys might be standing there witnessing all of this.
“If you’re worried about them, let’s go in and shut the door.” His fingers dove deeper, and she felt him tweak the elastic on her panties.
“You wouldn’t dare —”
“Oh yes,” he interrupted, “I would. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Too long.”
With a quick maneuver he thumbed open the button on her jeans. She heard the clickety-click of her zipper ratcheting down as he inserted the tips of his fingers under her panty line. His other hand was on her lower back, encouraging her to enjoy.
“Oh God!” she murmured, shaking her head at him. There was no way she could go in there with him, she couldn’t risk it. “The ladies would hear, they’ll know,” she blurted, grasping for her last defense.
“We know how to keep it secret…we did for long enough.” He whispered the words against her ear, his breath warm on her skin, making her wild. Her hips arched to his over their own accord. Then he ducked and his hand was under her thigh, lifting her foot from the floor.
She grabbed his shoulders and clutched at him while he shoved his hand up and down inside her panties. “You bastard, I haven’t had sex in a long time. That’s the only reason I’m allowing you to touch me.”
“The need for random sex, is that all it is?” He grinned, flashing his teeth at her. He hadn’t forgotten how easily he could push her buttons, even while she tried to forget.
She attempted to still her erratic breathing. She was giving herself away here and she hated it.
He bent his head and brushed his mouth over hers.
“Don’t tease me, Sean, please,” she begged.
“I’m not teasing you, believe me.” He shifted bodily, moving against her so she could feel the hard length of his erection through their clothing. “I came straight here the moment I got out of jail because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. More than anything in this world I wanted to hold you again Rowan…to be inside you again.”
Her breath caught. Hot need barreled through her.
“I came here because I want to be with you…to fuck you slowly, hard then soft... just the way you like it. I’ve been thinking about it all the time, every minute of every day. I want to watch you while I make you come.”
She whimpered.
“Don’t fight it. We can’t talk until we do it, you know that and so do I. And I want that too…”
Did he? Really? Her resistance was faltering by the moment.
“You know it’s going to happen as much as I do. It was there in your eyes the moment I saw you.”
There was a little devil running loose in her mind, throwing out wild suggestions, trying to make her succumb. Would it hurt to have sex, it suggested. Just one more time? Maybe it would be a mistake, but she’d already made enough of those because of this man. Regret was helping her resolution, and she held tight to it. “No. Stay the night but—”
The floor went from under her.
Sean had lifted her and draped her over his shoulder. Winded and stunned, she beat her fists against his back.
He had one hand around the back of her knees locking in her position. The other hand he planted firmly on her bottom, much to her outrage. Ignoring her protests, he carried her through the open doorway and threw her down onto the narrow single bed that’d been made ready for him. Before she had a chance to gather herself, he’d shut the door behind them and turned the key in the lock.
Struggling up onto her elbows she glared at him.
His hand went to his belt, and as he undid it she shook her head. Images flashed through her mind, images of him over her—images she’d lingered on alone in her bed at night, wishing things had turned out differently.
Anger and need clashed inside her, making her hot and irrational. Furious, she rose to her feet. She’d been about to give in to him, but his knowing expression and his self-confidence annoyed her immensely. “Thinking with your cock as usual?”
“I’ve thought about this a whole lot, and not just with my cock.” His eyebrows lifted.
The very thought of him jacking-off made her crazy. It was something they used to tell each other about, back when they were lovers. Lust-sodden teenagers, she thought silently, feeling exactly the same now as she did then. Maybe he was right. Nothing had changed. Didn’t make it right. But he was getting harder to argue with. Could she stick to the promise she’d made herself not to fall into his arms again?
If he was taking it for granted, assuming he could have her and walk away, wouldn’t she be giving in to him? She certainly didn’t want to do that. It wasn’t all about his ego, ex-jailbird or not. Her emotions tangled. Trying to think it through and reason with herself wasn’t helping at all.
His jeans hung low on his hips. She could see the waistband of his jockeys and the huge bulge inside them. Her will to resist him was fast failing.
“If we don’t do this now,” he said, reaching for his fly, “we’ll only be putting it off until later.”
“Women have needs too, big deal. That’s no reason to make a mistake!”
“It wouldn’t be a mistake, and you got to admit…it might calm you the fuck down!” He laughed softly, and the challenge in his eyes shone so brightly it locked into her very core.
There was no denying it. She wanted him.
“Fuck me then,” she blurted.
He didn’t even blink. “Glad to.”
It flashed between them, a static charge that electrified her. She laughed, dizzy with anticipation. An odd sense of victory stole over her too, heightening her emotions. “I hate you.”
He strode closer, closing the space in a heartbeat. “No, you don’t.”
Her blood rushed in her ears. “You haven’t a clue! I don’t even believe you want to talk. Not now, not after so long. It’s just a line you’re throwing me. You just want convenient shag on your first night out, another bad-boy tick in the box, another notch on your machismo belt.”
“Believe me, I do want to talk.” His eyebrows lowered, shading his eyes. “But I want you naked first.”
“Yeah, right. You want me naked…to talk.” She laughed in his face. “Be honest.” She pulled off her top and dropped it on the floor. “We’re going to have hot sex, and then you’ll be gone. Pfft.” She fluttered her fingers in the air.
“Nope. We’re going to have hot sex, then we’re going to talk. Then we’re going to do it all again, and again…for the rest of our lives.”
Manic laughter escaped her. How gullible did he think she was?
He nodded at her bra, each nonchalant gesture a silent command—and an extra kick of highly-fuelled adrenaline soaring through her blood. Cursing under her breath, she unclipped the black lacy bra and cast it aside.
There was no hiding how turned on she was now. Her nipples were peaked, hard as diamonds. He devoured her with his eyes, taking his time. Christ, she could see he was rock hard and ready and yet he was taking his time, firmly in control, while she physically trembled with need. Bastard.
He sighed under his breath. “All of it, off.”
Kicking off her shoes, she shoved down her jeans. She felt the weight of his command in his gaze and rolled her panties down her thighs, abandoning them.
Sean nodded. “I couldn’t stop thinking about this moment.”
“You thought about making me strip while you were lonely in your cell…” Amused sarcasm rang through her words, but she felt heady with power. She put her hands on her hips. Lust had pooled heavily in her groin, dampening her. “I suppose I should be flattered by that?”
He didn’t respond. Instead he folded his arms acros
s his chest, staring over at her deliberately. His mouth lifted at one side.
“What?”
“It’s hard to believe, but you’re even more beautiful.”
I’m not beautiful, she silently objected. I’m too weird to be beautiful. Her mouth opened to deliver the denial, but no words came. She just stared at him. Sean was here, really here, and he wanted her.
Then he was beside her, his mouth closing over hers with a kiss that was gentle to being with, but evolved as she met him, moving from tenderness to passion. His arms closed around her and her fingers moved to latch around his neck.
One kiss melted away her last shred of resistance. It was so familiar, like a memory come alive, and it was so seductive and convincing it absolutely absolved her from any blame.
He rolled her onto her back, easing her back gently with his hands.
The pillows gave softly under her. In the distance she could hear the faint strains of Nan’s favorite soap opera theme tune reaching them through the floorboards and the rugs, but she was hardly aware of it, because she wanted his hardness against her, wanted it with every atom of her being.
Sean rained kisses over her torso, taking his sweet time, kissing and tasting each and every part of her, his hands stroking the length of her arms while he pinned them down to the bed.
Each touch set off a frenzy of sensation under her skin, her nerve endings electrified. She arched up beneath him, his attentions making her even more eager and desperate. “Sean, please…at least switch off the light, so they think you’re asleep.”
He lifted his head in response to her whispers and smiled down at her. “No, I want to see you.”
God he was gorgeous. Was it any wonder she’d fallen for him, when he’d rolled into her life, all that time ago. No wonder he’d haunted her dreams, day and night. It was as if she was programmed to crave him and now he was here it overwhelmed her.
He moved to get undressed.
Breathlessly, she watched as he stripped off, glad he hadn’t switched off the overhead light, because she wanted to see him too. His body, so familiar, yet made different by his time away, all bulging muscles and rock hard abs. The sight was impossible to ignore, sheer masculinity being unveiled right there in front of her.
When he shoved his jockey shorts down, his erection bounced free, so hard and ready for her it made her ache to discover every inch with her fingertips, to kiss him just as he kissed her—like a promise to every inch of her.
She sighed aloud. So much for keeping him at arm’s length. This was her last chance to make a bolt for the door. Nope, denial wasn’t going to cut, not tonight. Call it a final fling, for old time’s sake, she told herself. In the morning she could tell him straight, take him aside and tell him she couldn’t give a damn why he’d called on her. Tomorrow she’d say goodbye, on her terms.
Then he came back to her side, naked—his body ready for her in every way—and the ability to think and reason dissolved into mist. Only acute arousal remained, her pulse racing wildly, between her thighs the skin damp and hot with expectation.
Climbing over her, he eased himself between her legs.
He rose up on his arms and looked down at her.
His stare was too much and her head rolled against the pillows, her eyes closing, a whimper escaping her throat. His hard cock was against her, right where she wanted it, and it made her moan aloud with need. Her clit leapt, the contact making her legs thrash wildly.
“So eager,” he murmured, pushing her loosed hair back as he looked down at her with curiosity in his expression.
Had he doubted she’d still want him?
It was there, ever so briefly, in his eyes. He hadn’t been sure.
A sense of victory plumed in her—and then he was nudging inside her and thoughts vanished into sensation.
Silently she screamed: so good!
Being filled by this man—who she’d loved so desperately—was even better than she’d remembered during all those nights of tossing and turning. It didn’t matter if it was a day or a year or three of dreaming, there was no memory or dream as stunning as the feeling of being suddenly filled, his hard cock claiming her right to her center. Then he hit home, brushing her sensitive places, stretching her to capacity, and she moaned loudly—couldn’t keep it inside—and lifted up under him, her back arching, her rising up from the surface of the bed.
“Oh yes,” he murmured, and kissed her mouth. Suddenly she didn’t care if he was smug about it. It didn’t matter that he was thrilled—and he was—because she was too. All that pent up regret and longing, all that frustration poured right out of her, and she locked eyes with him and ground her hips to meet his.
He thrust deep inside her, over and again, whispering her name, whispering encouragement, arching over to kiss her face.
She took everything he had to give, meeting his strides, her hands tight on his back locking him in, holding him to her. Relishing each and every motion—every liberated pleasure—they moved as one.
“You didn’t come all the way here...for this,” she managed to accuse, with a gasp for air on his thrust, “surely?” Wild, joyous laughter escaped her.
He nodded, grinning, his brow drawn down with the effort.
“It’s a long way to...come...for a shag, Sean.”
He gave a hoarse laugh, and pulled out, urging her to chase after him. Her hips reacted of their own accord, reaching for him, angled up from the bed.
With a soft chuckle, he thrust home again and ground to halt, deep inside, making her gasp. “Oh yes, I came here for this, but not just for a one off. For you, all of you. I want you to be mine. Forever.”
Chapter Six
Rowan wanted to get up from the bed immediately afterwards to make a point, but somehow she couldn’t force herself to do it. Instead she stayed curled in Sean’s powerful arms, savoring the feel of him, her face against his chest while their twin heartbeats began to settle. His body was strong and invincible under her cheek, his familiar scent enveloping her. The rise and fall of his chest made her feel dreamy and secure, even while the rest of her body still spangled with pleasure.
He stroked his fingertips over her back while he held her in place, and it felt so good. She wanted the moment to last and last, but it couldn’t, she knew that. He was playing a game, reliving the past. She had to take a deep breath and steel herself, because this was just the fleeting reunion of past lovers, and soon he’d be gone. No way would she let herself hope for more, no matter what story he spun her. Tough, he’d called her. Well, he had no idea. She had an armor plated heart now, and the only one who occupied the precious space was her baby girl. He’d find out soon enough, and then he’d understand.
Just for now, she clung closer a moment longer, floating on the afterglow.
A familiar creak, a sound on the stairway, focused her attention though, and she lifted her head.
“What is it?” He whispered the question, having kept his promise to be quiet and keep their secret.
“They’re going to bed.” Her thoughts returned to Pixie. Sitting up she glanced across the room, looking for her abandoned things.
His hand on her shoulder made her pause.
“You can’t leave now.”
She huffed a laugh. The weight of responsibility and the nagging feeling of regret quickly sobered her. Seductive words and actions meant nothing when heartbreak was lurking around the corner once again. “Why not? Aren’t you done?”
“Hey.” He drew her back, easing her round so she faced him. “We haven’t talked yet. That was part of the deal.”
“Not now.” She glanced at the door when the floorboards creaked on the landing outside. “I meant tomorrow, before you head off.”
“I meant now, and I’m not heading off.”
“You should.” She stood.
He clasped her wrist in one strong hand, tethering her to the bed. “The agreement was we talk.”
“We can’t. They’ll realize I’m in here with you. I’m
not going through all that moral outrage again.”
“It’s different now. They seem to have accepted it.”
“Easy for you to say.” She knew they would expect her to be more responsible, especially since she had Pixie to think of now. “I can’t spend any more time in here with you, besides, I don’t want to.” She tugged her hand free and picked up her jeans.
“Rowan, stay. I locked the door. Your Nan is the only who’d check on you and she’s not bothered about us being close now, she made that obvious. Relax.”
He was on his feet too and loomed over her, one hand on her upper arm. “Come back to bed. We’ll talk quietly, but there are things that need to be said. That’s more obvious than ever now.”
His tone was earnest and as if to convince her, he reached out and turned off the overhead light. It meant the bedside light was the only one on, and it meant the room was softly lit.
“I don’t want to upset Auntie Gladys, this is her house. And Nan’s been ill, she’s putting on a brave face but she was in hospital a few months back.” It wasn’t the right time to tell him but she was clutching at straws for back up.
“I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t know.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” She stared at him.
In the low light he appeared even more dreamlike to her and she put her hand to his chest to assure herself she wasn’t imagining him there.
“Come on, hear me out.”
There was such a serious look in his eyes a sense of misgiving stole over her. What was it he wanted to tell her, something about prison? Her tummy knotted. Part of her had been curious, but mostly it made her feel horribly anxious, thinking how rough it might have been for him. The idea that he suffered hurt her deeply, she couldn’t help that. It was because of what they’d once had, she figured, back in the day. That was all it was. Like caring about an old friend. Whatever he was going to say, she suddenly wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it. If he told her things, they’d grow closer, the way they used to be. That was a risk too far, she’d sink into it again, and Nan was right, always had been. He was a drifter.
Sean: A Stepbrother Romance (Coded for Love Book 3) Page 4