by Elle James
Ava leaned into him, her knees no longer capable of supporting her. She wound her hands into the fabric of his shirt and tugged on it until it slipped free of the waistband of his jeans.
Her fingers slipped beneath the denim to touch his naked skin.
He was warm, the muscles of his abdomen taut and firm.
When his hands found the hem of her sweater, she didn’t resist. Instead, she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor.
Standing in front of him in her jeans and bra, she remembered where they were. The windows of the penthouse overlooked all of the city of Austin. Could all of Austin look into windows?
“Come with me.” Sean took her hand and led her past a sofa. He snagged a remote control device and hit a button as he walked. Shades lowered over the big picture windows, blocking out the magical city lights.
Sean didn’t stop in the living room. He continued to the opposite end of the huge penthouse, pausing in front of a door that led into a spacious bedroom.
In the center of one wall stood a massive king-size bed covered in a soft white, down comforter.
He stepped inside, still holding Ava’s hand, without pulling or tugging. He waited for Ava to make the decision to enter the room.
Her heart pounding against her ribs, she followed him through the door, all the way into the master bedroom.
Sean stopped beside the bed, released her hand and turned to grip her arms in a light grasp she could easily break. “Just say no, and I’ll take you out of here and back to your place.”
Ava shook her head. Since their first kiss, Ava’s dreams had been filled with Sean. “I want to stay.”
Raising her hands, she unhooked one button at a time on his denim shirt. She didn’t stop until she had all of them loose. Then she pushed the shirt over his broad shoulders and let it fell free to the ground.
Ava drank in the curves and plains of his muscles. She ran her fingers across them, feeling the hardness and strength beneath his smooth skin. She paused at each scar, tracing the jagged lines. “Did they hurt?”
He shrugged. “At the time, all I could think about was getting my team out alive. Pain wasn’t an option.” Sean captured her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “I want you.”
She nodded, knowing this might be their one and only time together. Their deal was clear. No relationship. Tomorrows weren’t guaranteed or wanted.
When she’d signed up for this gig, Ava had thought that was what she wanted. Now…she was torn. The thought that this might be their one and only time together made the act even more poignant.
“I haven’t done this in a very long time,” she whispered.
He pulled her against him and pressed a kiss to her temple. “We can take it slow.”
Ava shook her head, the blood humming through her veins, her nerves shooting electrical impulses throughout her body and her core heating. “No. Don’t. It’s like I’m on fire.” She stepped back, reached for the button on her jeans and pushed it through the hole. Before she could grab the tab on her zipper, Sean’s hands brushed hers aside.
Slowly, to the point of excruciating pain, he dragged the zipper down, his other hand following the path, slipping into her jeans and her lacy panties to cup her sex.
Ava moaned and pressed into his palm. She grabbed the waistband of her jeans and shoved them down her thighs.
Sean chuckled. “In a hurry?”
“Yes!”
“Let me,” he urged, removing his hand from her sex to ease the jeans the rest of the way down her legs.
He followed with kisses and flicks of his tongue down her thighs to the inside bend of her knees, and then lower to the firm curve of her calf.
When he reached her ankles, he pushed the shoe from the back of her heel and slid it from her foot, tossing it to the side.
Once he had both shoes off, Ava stepped free of the jeans.
While he still knelt in front of her, Sean slipped off her socks. Then he kissed his way up her calves and thighs, stopping when he reached the scrap of lace covering her sex.
He looked up at her, his gaze capturing hers.
She nodded, her breath hitching in her throat.
Sean hooked his fingers into the elastic waistband of her panties and slid them over her hips and down her thighs, his knuckles skimming her skin, blazing fire across her nerves.
By the time she stepped free of the panties, Ava’s breaths were coming in ragged gasps. She unhooked her bra, letting the straps slide down her arms.
A shiver shook her from head to toe, and her nipples puckered. She hadn’t been naked in front of a man since she’d given birth to Mica. Would he notice the stretch marks? Would he find them repulsive?
She waited, her eyes wide, her pulse pounding so loudly against her eardrums she couldn’t hear herself think.
Sean’s gaze slid over her like a caress. He reached out to cup her face in his palm, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. “You’re beautiful.”
She snorted, nervously. “I don’t know about that, but I know you’re overdressed.”
He smiled. “That can be remedied.” In seconds, he shed his boots and jeans and stood before her naked, strong and proud.
His cock jutted forward, hard, thick and long.
Ava couldn’t help staring at his magnificence, her mouth suddenly dry. She ran her tongue along her lips, anxious to get started.
“Do I scare you?” He reached for her and pulled her close. “You can change your mind at any time. Just say the word.”
“You’re kidding, right?” she said, her voice breathless.
“Not at all.” He brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “You have to want this as much as I do.”
“Oh, dear sweet heaven, I want this.” She cupped his face between her hands and leaned up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips. “I want you. Now. Make love to me. Please.” She didn’t care that she sounded desperate. She wanted this man, his touch, his body.
Sean chuckled, scooped her up in his arms and laid her out on the huge bed. For a moment, he stared down at her, his gaze making her nipples pucker. He reached out and trailed his fingers across her ankle, gripped it and moved it to the side.
He climbed onto the bed, planted his hands on either side of her head and settled his body between her legs. His cock nudged her entrance.
Ava sucked in a breath and held it in anticipation of having all of him inside.
Sean was in no hurry to consummate their evening. He pressed a kiss to her temple, to her forehead and each of her eyelids.
Ava ran her hands over his chest, memorizing how he felt, how he smelled, how warm he was to the touch.
When he covered her mouth with his, she opened to him, taking his tongue and meeting it with thrusts of her own.
Hunger built at her core and spread throughout her body.
When he’d drunk his fill of her mouth, he spread kisses across her chin and down the long length of her neck. When he reached her breast, he tongued the tip until it hardened into a little bead. Then he sucked it into his mouth and rolled it between his teeth.
Ava arched off the bed, pressing her breast deeper into Sean’s mouth.
He sucked on it then moved to the other breast and gave it equal attention until Ava moaned and writhed beneath him. She wanted more. So much more. And soon.
Sean worked his way down her body, trailing kisses and nibbles along each rib. He dipped into her belly button and moved lower to the mound of curls over her sex.
Already fevered and needy, she spread her legs wider and waited for what would come next.
Sean cupped her with his palm and slid a finger into her slick channel, swirling it around. Wet with her juices, he parted her folds and stroked her clit until she lay flat on her back, her head tossing side to side.
Could it get any better than this? She might come apart if it did.
Positioning his head between her legs, he lifted them and draped them over his shoulders. With
his tongue, he flicked and licked her clit until Ava forgot how to breathe.
The tingling began where his tongue touched her and spread like lightning throughout her body to the very tips of her fingers and toes.
Ava threaded her hands into his hair and held him there, her body convulsing with her release. Pulsing and shuddering with the waves of sensations washing over her.
He climbed up her body, leaned over and reached into the nightstand to retrieve a little foil packet.
Ava thanked the heavens that Sean had the good sense to think of protection. She certainly wasn’t in any way capable of thinking past what was happening below her waist.
All she knew was she’d waited a long time for this, and it was more than she could remember. But now that Pandora’s box had been opened, how would she ever be able to walk away from it? From him? From Sean?
* * *
Sean slipped the condom over himself and settled between Ava’s legs. He was so hard and thick, he was afraid he’d hurt her if he moved inside her too fast.
With every ounce of control he could muster, he eased into her, a little at time, giving her body the opportunity to adjust to his size. He wanted their first coupling to be perfect and pain free.
“Can’t wait.” Ava reached out, grabbed his buttocks and brought him home.
With her channel wrapped tightly around him, he remained deep inside her for a long moment. Then he drew himself almost all the way out and slipped back inside.
She was wet, so very slick and warm.
Sean groaned and pulled back out, settling into a natural, sexy rhythm.
Ava planted her heels on the mattress and met each of his thrusts with ones of her own. The faster he moved, the better it felt until he was pumping in and out of her.
She rested her hands on his hips, digging her fingernails into each cheek.
As the sensations intensified, he held on for as long as he could before he shot over the edge and rocketed into the stratosphere.
One last thrust left him buried deep inside of her, his cock throbbing, his body on fire, a flame he never wanted to put out.
When he finally dropped back to earth, he collapsed on top of her and rolled them both onto their sides, maintaining their intimate connection.
She cupped his face with her hand and smiled into his eyes. “Wow.”
Sean chuckled. “Wow, yourself.”
“Is it always this good with you?” she asked.
“I don’t know how good it was for you, but it was amazing for me,” he said.
“Mmm. It was amazing,” Ava said and kissed his chin, his lips and then thrust her tongue between his teeth to caress his.
When she gave him a chance to breathe again, he helped her out of the bed, walking her to the adjoining bathroom where they shared a warm shower and made love again. Thankfully, he had a stash of condoms in the bathroom.
By the time they returned to the bed, he was tired, and she was yawning. He laid down beside her, gathered her into his arms and inhaled the fresh, clean scent of the woman.
Ava laid her cheek against his chest, draped an arm over his hip and sighed.
Sean held her in his arms until her breathing grew deeper and her soft, warm body relaxed completely.
For a long moment he remained awake, absorbing all that had happened and all he was feeling. One thought stood out above all.
He didn’t want this to end.
Chapter 8
When Ava woke, it was dark in the room. At first, she didn’t know where she was. Then the weight of an arm over her waist brought back memories of all that had occurred the night before.
She’d made love with Sean, not once, but twice. And she wanted to do it again.
She lay with one leg draped over his thigh and a hand resting on his muscular chest.
Her purely physical reaction to the man was at once exciting and unnerving. Her desire was so strong, it was like an addiction. She couldn’t get enough of him and wanted him more than she wanted to breathe.
A desire so strong couldn’t be healthy. What would happen when their time together ended, as it surely would? He’d be out of her life, and she’d be alone again.
Just the way she’d wanted it.
In the beginning.
Her reason for keeping her dating life separate from her home life had been to protect Mica from the yoyo of parading multiple men through her world. That reason hadn’t changed. Unfortunately, Mica had met this man and wanted him to be the daddy she’d never had.
The more she saw him, the more she’d push the issue until the day came that Sean exercised his right to step out of the picture and never date Ava again.
He’d been just as adamant as she had been about only dating. No long-term relationships.
Ava had to end this before Mica got too entrenched in her feelings for Sean and was hurt when he disappeared out of her life.
Ava eased her hand from Sean’s chest and untangled her leg from his. Moving his arm from her waist was a little trickier.
She ended up slipping out from under it and rolling off the bed to land on her hands and knees on the cool, tile floor.
Sean rolled over onto his side.
Ava held her breath, expecting him to wake and ask her where she was going.
When he didn’t, she breathed a sigh of relief and went on a hunt to find her clothing with the only light coming from a nightlight glowing from the bathroom.
She found everything but her panties.
Closing the door to the bedroom, she dressed quickly, grabbed her purse and shoes and hurried to the elevator door.
She waited several long moments for the car to arrive, glancing back at the door to the master bedroom, expecting Sean to appear in the doorway at any moment. When the elevator door finally opened, she stepped aboard and let go of the breath she’d been holding.
On the way down, she called a cab. It was waiting for her as she walked past the security desk and out of the building into the night.
Ava made it home without any trouble and let herself into her little house before her emotions caught up with her.
She locked the door, dropped her purse on the floor and ran for her bedroom, kicking off her shoes as she went.
Flinging herself onto the bed, she pulled a pillow up to her chest and let go of the flood of tears that came from where, she didn’t know.
What was wrong with her?
Sean was just a man who’d taken her out on a date and just happened to run into her at the county fair. It wasn’t as if they had been together since high school. They hadn’t started out as best friends. They’d begun as strangers. And then they were in bed and making love like there would be no tomorrow.
Which was the problem. With the way they’d gone into the BODS database, they weren’t meant to last. They were supposed to date only and then move on whenever the mood took them.
The big flaw in that premise was that Ava was forming attachments to Sean. And worse…so was Mica.
Which could only end in heartache. Ava cried for Mica. She cried for herself, and she cried for knowing, now, what she’d been missing in her life.
Eventually, Ava cried herself to sleep.
When she woke, she had a splitting headache, her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, and it was ten o’clock.
Her doorbell rang, forcing her to get out of bed and pad barefooted to open the door.
Mica rushed in, carrying the backpack she’d taken with her to Auntie Leslie’s. Her daughter slammed into her legs, hugged her hard and then ran past her into her bedroom. “Love you, Mama!”
Ava pinched the bridge of her nose and moaned. “Love you, too, baby.”
“You look like hell,” Leslie said.
“Thanks. Nice to see you, too.” Ava turned, walked into the kitchen and plugged in the coffee maker.
“You better let me do that,” Leslie said, shooing her away from the coffee grinds. “What happened to you?”
Ava collapsed into the seat at the b
reakfast table and buried her face in her hands. “I slept in.” She glanced up with a grimace.
“Uh huh.” Leslie gave her a side-eye glance. “Then how do you explain the tear tracks on your cheeks?”
Ava rubbed her face with her fingertips.
Leslie shook her head as she poured a scoop of coffee into a filter and turned on the machine. “Did Sean make you cry?”
“I don’t cry,” Ava said.
“And my name isn’t Leslie.” Her friend pulled out the chair beside her and sat. “What’s wrong? And don’t tell me nothing, because it’s as plain as the smeared mascara on your face.”
Ava sat up straighter, ready to tell Leslie to mind her own business.
One look at the concern in her friend’s eyes pulled the wind out of Ava’s sails and sent her into another useless bout of tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Again, she buried her face in her hands and let the tears fall, careful not to sob loudly and frighten Mica.
“Did Sean say something dumb that made you sad?” Leslie’s fists clenched. “If he did, I’ll punch him in the throat for you.”
Ava laughed, the sound catching on a sob. “No. He’s been perfect. It’s me.”
“Hold that thought.” Leslie jumped up to grab a couple of mugs and filled them with the fragrant brew. She set them down on the table and took her seat again. “Now, elaborate, dear. I can’t read your mind. It was you? How so? Did he take advantage of you? Make you mad? Hurt your feelings?”
Ava stared at Leslie for a long moment, searching for the words that would describe just what she was feeling. Tears welled up in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. “I don’t know. All I know is I have to break it off with him.”
“Why?” Leslie asked. “I thought you two were getting along so well. And he’s so good with Mica. Why would you want to break things off?”
“It’s not what we both said we wanted. I can’t put Mica in a situation where she could potentially be miserable. And we both said we weren’t in it for the long haul. The problem is, the more I’m with him, the more I want to be with him. I have to break it off now, before someone gets hurt.”