Claire comes rushing over. “Uncle Carl, are you boring Shane with your race car stories?”
He stands and gives her a quick hug. “Of course not, favorite niece. You two have a great time.”
I want to ask her why her relatives have been talking about my property, but Claire is in such a good mood that I don’t want to bring the energy down.
We circulate for another two hours, sampling hors d’oeuvres, having another drink, and chatting about nothing to dozens of people.
It is utterly exhausting.
People are arduous at the best of times, but this was too much.
Even so, I would have toughed it out for as long as Claire needed me, but I notice her shifting her weight from foot to foot instead of standing still.
I sweep her over to a table, and sit her down. “Are your shoes pinching?”
Her mouth falls open in surprise. “How could you tell?”
“You’re unstable.” I pause as she raises an eyebrow. “On your feet. Not mentally, as far as I know. Look, we can stay as long as you like, but just say the word and I’ll carry you to the front door and have the valet bring the car around whenever you like.”
Her sweet little laugh always sounded so sparkly. Until Claire appeared in my life, I don’t think I’ve ever even used the word ‘sparkly’ before.
She reaches into her purse and pulls out a hotel key card. “Oh wow, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you. I have a room upstairs.”
“Why? So that you don’t drink and drive?”
She laughs. “Partly that. It’s also sort of a family tradition. All of my relatives love to stay in hotels. They get to pretend they’re jet setters, I guess. They’ve just always been like that.”
“All right. Then I’ll walk you to your room whenever you’re ready. Unless we’d get strange looks.”
Claire gives me a meaningful look, and I suddenly feel tension in three areas simultaneously. My throat constricts, my pants become unbearably tight, and my heart races.
“I don’t care what anyone thinks, and I’d like you to spend the night with me.” Claire says softly, leaning close to whisper in my ear. “And I’m ready whenever you are.”
I’m fairly certain my heart stops for a solid ten seconds. When it restarts, it does so with what I am sure is an audible thump, like broken machinery clanking.
“Whatever you want, sweetie.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
~ Claire ~
It’s driving me crazy, the way Shane’s hand is pressing gently into the small of my back as we stroll around the room saying our goodbyes.
Most of the older relatives have already left, and the cousins are all tipsy in the far corner.
We say a quick goodbye to Glen and Patrice, who both have a slight champagne flush and stars in their eyes. As obnoxious as my older brother can be, it’s nice to see him so happy.
“Congratulations,” I say again, as Shane echoes it from his constant position at my side.
I love having his solid presence around me as much as possible. Secure and grounding, yet wildly exciting at the same time.
As I turn away from the happy couple, my mother appears, her hair twisted into an elegant French chignon. Her long dark green silk dress is flattering and perfect, as always.
Giving her a quick hug, I whisper in her ear, “You look amazing tonight, Mom.”
She smiles, but her eyes snap back to Shane. “I’m sorry that we didn’t get a chance to speak very much this evening,” she says. “Hopefully Claire will invite you back to the house sometime soon for brunch.”
“That would be wonderful, thank you,” he says, holding out his hand for a brief shake.
“Also, I’m told you’re the one who fixed Grandma Rosemary’s antique lamps. You do absolutely beautiful work.”
“Thank you very much. They really are exquisite pieces.”
Mom and I can both tell he’s not just kissing butt. “I’ll be sure to tell my ladies group about your services. I know that Gretchen has been complaining about the damage her teenagers cause whenever they throw a party.”
He laughs. “Anytime. Shop hours are on the website.”
Mom gives me another little hug, whispering, “You’ll notice that I saved all of the family questions for another time.”
“Thanks, Mom. Have a good night.”
I take Shane’s hand and walk out of the ballroom and into the hotel lobby. “That was relatively painless, right?”
His smile is adorable. Adorable is precious on a guy that large. Even though his eyes are studying my lips as if he’s starving for me.
The elevator comes quickly, and I hit the button for the twenty-seventh floor.
“What, they didn’t give you the penthouse suite?” Shane laughs.
“No, Glen and Patrice are in the honeymoon suite, and my parents are in the presidential suite. They got me a room two floors away.”
Shane is quiet as we get off the elevator and walk down to the very end of the hall.
I key the door open, then walk inside. It’s a lovely room, with the typical black lacquered furniture, white and teal upholstery, and silver accents. Modern and stylish, but with nothing that could possibly offend anyone.
I’ve always loved hotels for that.
The curtains are all open, revealing an absolutely breathtaking view of the city below.
“Damn,” that deep voice murmurs from directly behind me. My back presses into his chest as his arms slip around my waist.
His warmth seems to radiate straight through me, and I realize I’m squirming slightly against him. The feeling of his arousal pressing against me is almost more than I can take.
I spin, grabbing his shoulders to pull him down to kiss me. Those lips are silky and scorching. His huge hands grab my hips, taking control of me.
His kisses are so soft. Tender. It’s deeply erotic how slowly he moves against me. The tiny twinge of whiskey on his breath mixes with the unbelievable natural flavor of Shane’s warmth.
Something about his kisses make me feel like I’m leaving this world, entering a new place where we’re the only two people who exist.
He kisses me so perfectly there aren’t even words or thoughts that can come close to describing how high and happy I feel.
“Claire,” he chokes, his voice rough, “I’ve never wanted a woman as much as I want you. But don’t feel that just because we’re in a fancy hotel I’m going to expect more than you’re willing to give.”
Why was that even more arousing than if he had just thrown me down and ripped my clothes off? His thoughtful sweetness was the ultimate aphrodisiac.
“I want…more,” I whisper against his lips. “Everything.”
In a blink I’m in the air, as Shane carries me over to the giant bed that is pretty much the elephant in the room.
He slips off my high heels, tossing them aside as he sits at the edge of the bed. Then I feel his thumbs drag along the soles of my feet. Falling back, I moan. “Amazing.”
He carefully massages every bit of tension from my poor, aching feet, until I’m practically boneless. “Is that better, sweetie?”
“Absolutely.”
Sitting up, I kiss him as hard as I dare, pouring all my feelings for him into the embrace. He has to know how much I need him. I don’t know how to go about saying such a thing out loud, so body language will have to do for now.
My reward is his hand on my thigh, slipping up under my dress. He hooks his thumb into the edge of my panties, then smiles.
“Claire, my gorgeous sweet girl, may I kiss you a little farther south?”
I can’t tell which I love more – the old-fashioned euphemism, or the absolute fire in his eyes.
“Yes.”
Shane lies me back on the bed, grabbing a pillow to place under my head. He kneels on the floor, then his palms skim up my calves. Reaching under my skirt, he pulls my panties off slowly, as I lift my butt a little to help him.
I laugh as he flings them blindly
behind him. My giggles are cut short by the feeling of my skirt being pressed up to my waist, and the heat of his lips on my inner thigh.
Even though he’s gentle, almost polite in the way he touches me, I feel an underlying animalistic need surging through both of us.
I’ve never been so hungry for a person before. It’s a strange twist on basic lust that I’ve never experienced.
His hands slide along my skin slowly, but I notice that every time I make a sound, something in him clenches. Does he like the little noises I’m making? I hope they don’t bother him – there’s no hope of controlling them.
Shane spreads my knees apart, and I look down to see his eyes twitch. Like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. It makes me feel beautiful and precious.
If it were possible for my inner thighs to blush, they would be, as his lips drag along my skin.
It is so weirdly intimate to have his handsome face between my legs. His breath begins to flutter across my sex, and my fingers grip the duvet.
His dark eyes are hazy with lust as he looks up at me, blowing a kiss. We share a smile as his chin dips, then a shiver runs right through me as his thumbs part my flesh and his tongue drags straight through my center.
I have no idea whether it’s polite to look him in the eyes or not while he’s doing this, but I can’t tear my gaze away.
Although I’m slightly nervous, I’m not embarrassed. His tongue takes another long, luxurious trip past every single nerve ending, as I try not to squirm.
He’s not just licking, he’s exploring. Testing. Tasting. Maybe he’s trying to figure me out.
I feel the last of my reserve bolt from the room as one of my hands lands on the top of his head. My fingers grip his hair as I hear myself moan.
Shane finds a spot that makes me quiver the most, and cry out the loudest. His instinct for what I need is amazing.
I would never have imagined in a million years that I would feel so incredible to have a huge, sexy man on his knees for me. Pleasuring me.
My heels press into his back as my hips stop behaving themselves. It’s almost like having an out of body experience, there’s too much to focus on at once.
I’m trying not to pull his hair too hard. I’m trying not to shake out from under him. I’m trying not to scream like I’m seeing a ghost.
Then his eyes meet mine and he gives me a tiny nod. Like he knows that I need to feel that it’s okay to fall apart completely.
He nods again, and I can feel his growl rumble through my core. His fingertip slips inside me just a pinch, as his tongue presses harder.
Then I’m falling.
The room seems to echo with a shriek as my entire body ripples from head to toe as the surge of raw heat takes me.
“Sha…Shane,” I choke, as my shoulders lift off the bed so I can stare into his eyes.
My handsome man looks pleased.
Even as I’m being shaken to the bone with the most powerful orgasm I could possibly imagine, it thrills me to think that I’m making him happy.
As I try to stop twitching, blinking the stars from my eyes, his thick finger swirls around my opening, making me shiver all over again.
“You’re so wet for me, baby.”
Shane kisses his way up my body, sitting me up to slip off my dress. He pulls off my bra, and his sharp inhale of breath as he examines my breasts makes me giggle.
“No sense sleeping in that nice dress and getting it all wrinkled.”
“Oh, I had a bag sent here when my parents came earlier,” I say, pointing to the little weekend bag on the dresser. “There will be an extra toothbrush in the washroom for you. I’m really sorry I forgot to mention this room.”
“Actually, I’m glad I didn’t know in advance,” he says, lying beside me to trace his lips around my nipples. “I wouldn’t have been able to walk around and pretend to be normal with your family if I had known I was going to be sleeping beside you tonight.”
My fingers thread through his hair as I moan softly, the feeling of his tongue slipping across my tight peaks driving me wild.
His head jerks back. Those intense eyes are almost black with lust.
He stands, slips off his jacket and shoes, and sets them neatly aside.
Is it weird that I’m sprawled across the bed completely naked while he’s still almost fully clothed? Somehow it makes me feel vulnerable and wanton at the same time.
His gaze slowly meanders over every single inch of my body, then he shakes his head firmly.
“I should have a quick shower before I even think about going too far,” he says stiffly. “Why don’t you grab something comfortable to sleep in, and I’ll be right back to hold you all night, alright?”
“Sure.”
As he closes the bathroom door behind him, I’m not sure how to feel. Everything is still buzzing from that incredible climax. It would’ve been the perfect time for him to make love to me.
Is he really that old fashioned? He doesn’t seem the type to wait until marriage or anything. Maybe he truly thinks that being alone in a hotel for our first real encounter is a bit much.
Over the past few months, every wonderful thing in my life has happened because I was bold.
Sure, it’s scary as hell. But there’s one little trick that I am almost positive he would enjoy.
There is a solid ninety-nine point seven percent chance of sparks flying as soon as I hear that water running.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
~ Shane ~
Tonight has been absolutely magical and utter hell at the same time.
Watching Claire slink around in that clingy dress all night kept me hard as a rock for hours. Things were actually beginning to ache.
Maybe I’ve been a loner too long. Maybe normal guys are able to control themselves. Keeping my hands mostly off her since her family was around was absolute hell on earth.
I start the shower, tearing my clothes off and throwing them over the towel rod. Although the gray and silver veined white marble was impressive, I didn’t have a second to waste to admire it. After hours of tension, my cock needed relief.
Stepping into the scalding water, I turn around once to soak myself, then shift so the spray lands in the center of my shoulder blades.
Gripping my throbbing shaft in my right hand, my left rests against the wall as my eyes close. Instantly I picture Claire naked, spread out across the bed.
Her juices were so sweet. Her hot little thighs clamped around my head were impossibly sexy.
I know that she wants me to take her completely tonight, but it’s too soon. It’s the overwhelming romance of the night, the opportunity of a hotel room, and it being our first time alone together near a bed talking, I’m sure.
I can’t let my sweet darling girl rush into anything. Especially since I have to be damn sure that I’m her final choice, scrapyard and all.
I try to slow down the quick movement of my hand, wanting to savor and prolong this moment. Yet all I can hear is the endless replay of those breathy choked little moans.
‘Sha...Shane’ is now my new favorite word in the entire universe.
I hear another of her gasps. This one’s softer, and so real.
Picturing her gorgeous breasts, I imagine coming across them…
Then a slightly cooler breeze makes my eyes snap open to see Claire stepping into the giant shower enclosure. She’s naked, smiling, and coming closer.
If I’d had more than three drinks over the past four hours, I would assume this was some sort of hallucination. But her palm presses against my chest, making me realize that this is completely real.
My hand stops moving as I stare into those dreamy caramel eyes.
“You made me feel so incredible. Please, let me try to do the same for you?”
Before I can ask her what the heck she means, Claire slides to her knees and opens those perfect pouty lips.
Sweet Jesus.
A better man would…
No.
No man on earth could
resist this.
She’s in the perfect position, and absolutely begging me with her eyes.
Her little hands reach up, pulling my shaft down to drag the head across her bottom lip.
Oh my God.
So wrong. But so perfect .
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