by Jeannie Moon
Her hands ran up and down his sides and as she looked at him, she knew exactly what to do.
But first, Jordan stripped off her shirt and pajama bottoms, leaving her naked except for a tiny pair of pink panties. Reaching down with her hands, she stroked him and he arched back, hissing out a breath. She did it again, caressing him and making her way up the smooth shaft. He was big, not so much long but thick, and Jordan could already imagine how he would fill her.
She wasn’t a virgin, far from it. And Jordan loved sex when it was with the right person. Nothing had ever felt so right as this moment with Nick. Dropping to her knees, she was eye level with his navel. But from here, she could also see the scar on his hip that was much bigger than she imagined. Moving her lips over it, she kissed it. And again, trailing kisses over his pelvic bones until there was only one thing left to do. She left a gentle kiss on the head of his erection, and Nick, who’d had his eyes closed, groaned.
“I want to be inside you,” he said. “But I don’t have a condom.”
Jordan rose and kissed his lips. “That’s okay. I do. Bottom drawer of my night table.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t see them when I was evacuating you during the storm.”
“You wouldn’t have, because I just bought them.”
Pushing him on the bed, Nick fell back and settled himself against the pillows as Jordan climbed on top. He was letting her take the lead, and she loved it. Kissing his collarbone, she left another path of kisses down his body. Feeling his skin against hers was intoxicating. Her pulse leapt, her brain clouded. Everything about him made her body hum.
She was just one massive ache. From her breasts to her belly, she could feel everything inside her screaming. The desire pooled, then consumed her. Rising from the bed, she slid off her panties and took a condom from the drawer. As she was bent over, Nick’s hand gently caressed her bottom.
Turning around, he was staring at her. “God, you’re beautiful. The first time I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world, and now, now that you’re mine…”
Mine. A single word with so much meaning. Jordan had fought giving herself to him, but now she craved it. She wanted him to own her, body and soul.
“Am I yours, Nick?”
Pulling her onto the bed, in a move as smooth as water, he turned her onto her back.
“Right now, you are most definitely mine,” he growled. Jordan almost came right then and there.
He shackled both wrists with one of his hands. “It’s my turn.”
His grin was wolfish, and she had no idea what to expect. They were discovering each other, and nothing was more exciting. He pulled a nipple into his mouth, tugging and nibbling. The sensations shot through her, lighting up every nerve ending. It was torture. It was bliss.
It was everything she’d been missing in her relationships. Sex and desire were one thing, but this chemistry—the compatibility—made her burn. It was beyond attraction. Jordan was consumed.
Releasing her hands, Nick moved down her body, giving attention to her breasts, then exploring the rest of her body with hot kisses. Just a little past her belly button, he looked up before pressing his lips to the soft mound.
“Open your legs for me, baby.”
Planting her feet, anticipating what was to come next, she let her knees drop open.
“So beautiful.” Nick ran a finger over her folds. “And so wet.”
Rubbing his scruff along the inside of her thigh, Jordan’s muscles quivered, betraying her nerves and her desire.
“Do your best to stay still, sweetheart. Hold onto the headboard and don’t let go. I promise this isn’t going to hurt a bit.”
Wrapping her fingers around the rails of her wrought iron headboard, Jordan readied herself for whatever he had in mind. His eyes flashed with mischief, and it was then that Jordan knew she’d done exactly the right thing. They’d been dancing around each other since the storms had thrown them together.
They needed each other. Emotions, deep and powerful drove the waves crashing between them. Every time they were together, the attraction bubbled under the surface. It overwhelmed her.
“I’m going to make you come, Jordan,” he whispered. “I’ve been dying to watch you lose control. Are you ready?”
All she could do was nod. This man was a god, and Jordan fully expected to have her mind blown. But ready? She doubted it.
Running a finger over her, and then two, Nick sunk them inside her. The sudden invasion made her hips twitch. Inside of her, Nick’s fingers teased, while his thumb circled and tormented her sex.
“Mmm. So good.”
It was, too; then he added a third finger and Jordan loved the fullness she felt.
Gliding his fingers in and out, Jordan felt herself starting to unravel. He was not gentle, but she didn’t mind—everything he was doing felt amazing, felt so good. She heard herself moan as her insides contracted, tightening around him before exploding. He kept moving his hand, his fingers caressing the walls of her vagina, staying until her orgasm calmed. Only then did Nick pull out, and his mouth covered her.
She could feel his tongue and his lips sucking and pulling. He was unrelenting, and she was slowly losing her mind. Her hips bucked, and he stopped her, holding her steady with his hands. He possessed her in every way there was. Feeling the build, feeling the pressure valve ready to blow again, Jordan arched and cried out his name. He didn’t stop as she came, still sucking while her body convulsed. The man was relentless, as Jordan went over the edge again.
As she lay in a puddle on her bed, Nick rolled on the condom. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I’ve gone to heaven.”
“God, Jordan, watching you come is like music. You’re so responsive.” Turning onto his back, he gave her a tug. “Come here. I want to see you.”
Jordan kept her eyes on his as she settled her legs on each side of him.
Nick sat with his back straight against the pillows, and Jordan pressed against him. Running his hands down her sides, he took her hips and gently lowered her onto his erection.
Jordan drew a deep breath as she felt him at her entrance.
“Nice and slow,” he said.
The expression on his face was taut, strained. She knew he wanted to bury himself, and Jordan could understand it, but the slow entry, feeling him slide inside her a little at a time, was perfection. Inch by inch, he filled her, taking his time to inflict the slow sensuous torture on both of them.
Finally, when she was fully seated, Nick bent down and pulled one of her nipples into his mouth, then the other. He sucked her, causing her body to move, to take him even deeper.
“You have all the control now,” he ground out. “It’s all about you.”
Thrusting her hips, Jordan moved slowly, feeling him slide in and out. At the same time, Nick held her hips, giving her some leverage to truly torment them both.
Rising and falling, faster and faster, Jordan moved and Nick started pumping.
It was wild and intense, sex as it was in the early days. Mating. Claiming. She was his, and Jordan knew for all time, they would be bonded together.
Nick was her match in every way, and she’d been fighting it. But at that moment, they found bliss together, and the rest of the world could fade away.
Finally having enough, he banded his arms around her and flipped her onto her back. Jordan held on, digging her nails into his muscular shoulders. But it was then, when she felt him sinking with her into the soft mattress, that his hand came up and stroked her face.
She only heard him say one thing. “So beautiful.”
She was lost.
His movements slowed; the heat inside her went from a burn to a gentle warmth. The way his hips pressed against hers was so tender, so loving, Jordan felt her heart swell and her eyes fill with tears. He moved with purpose, kissing her sweetly, whispering in her ear.
Jordan felt the wave crest again, slow and steady, as Nick pushed himself, bury
ing himself inside her, desperate and frantic for satisfaction. His shoulders and back bunched when his body finally released, and her name slipped from his lips. Jordan lost herself one last time, orgasming as his body ebbed. Then, finally exhausted, finally at peace, her hero slept.
*
It was dark in the house. But enough light came through the windows for Nick to watch Jordan, who was tucked in next to him, sound asleep. After they’d made love, they’d both passed right out, but she woke up long enough to pull on a T-shirt, give him a kiss, and fall right back to sleep.
She’d wanted to make him forget whatever had been on his mind, and she’d done that, at least for a little while. Nick was still thinking about Eric and Lacy’s mother and the beatings she’d been taking from her husband. But being with Jordan also reminded him that there were people who cared for each other, and Jordan did that without a thought.
Not that sex was a measure of how good things were in a relationship, but if Nick had to judge, he and Jordan could be happy together. When he said he didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her, he meant it.
He hadn’t let people in. He’d seen too much, lost too much of himself on his last deployment, to risk hurting anyone. He always thought there was too much baggage to hope he’d have a normal life. But he knew he could work, he could help people, and that would be enough.
But she’d changed him. He wanted this woman in his life, and Nick had to figure out a way to break down the wall he’d built around himself.
With a barely audible coo escaping her throat, Jordan turned toward him and opened her eyes. She gazed up and smiled sweetly. “What time is it?”
Kissing her softly, he ran his hand down her side. “It’s a little after midnight. Should I go?”
Snuggling against him, she shook her head and let her hands wander over his body. “Please stay.” Tilting her face up, she kissed him. “Make love to me?”
Her request, so pure, so perfect, shook him to his very core. This woman gave all of herself. Whether it be her students, her father, her friends, or him, Jordan’s heart knew no limits on what she offered others. In return, he wanted to give her everything she asked for, and more.
Gently easing her onto her back, Nick raised himself above her and examined her beautiful face. Content, happy, and so very seductive, her eyes gave him every reason to believe she loved him as much as he loved her. If she did, he’d consider himself one lucky bastard.
Grabbing the hem of her T-shirt, he pulled it over her head and tossed it on the floor. Their bodies touched, skin to skin, rough to soft, a contrast on every level.
Heart hammering in his chest, Nick ran his hand down her long, lean body. Every curve warmed at his touch as she arched to get closer, pressing against him and looping her arms around his neck. Dropping his head, his lips and teeth grazed her collarbone, giving him a taste of her sweetness.
“Tell me what you want,” he murmured in her ear. “Anything.”
Pulling his face down, Jordan kissed his lips. “Take me. Love me.”
The request, so simple, so honest, moved him. His body hummed as she wrapped around him and caressed his body, kissing the scars near his ribs, lingering there.
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
“Sometimes.”
“I wish I could take the pain away.”
How did he tell her that in so many ways, she already had? The emptiness. The regret. The feeling that he’d never find his way back to medicine… she’d given him so much.
Without any more delay, he sunk into her. Unlike the last time, there was no urgency; they wanted this to linger. They knew each other now, their bodies melting together, awareness replacing nervousness.
The movements were slow, no rush to finish, but a desire to keep it going. He filled her completely and her arms and legs wrapped around him, holding his body against hers as they moved.
“This is perfect. God, Nick… so perfect.”
Pumping his hips a little harder, he moved in and out, the pace quickening only a little. Her wet heat teased him, consumed him, urged him further. Nick slowed, wanting to make it last, kissing her, his tongue invading her mouth. Jordan’s thrusts matched his, thrust for thrust, until he felt a little tremor rush through her body.
She was getting close, he could feel the quaking of her muscles, and he wasn’t far behind, but Nick wanted Jordan to come first, for her to shiver and convulse around him.
He didn’t have to wait long. He could feel the build, the teasing heat coming off her. She pumped harder, pulled him deeper, and then as her back arched, Nick came, riding her wave, and watching her face settle into contented bliss.
Earlier, they’d taken each other with passion and heat, learning and discovering each other as they went.
This was a joining of hearts and bodies. It was so much more than he ever expected.
Dropping his head so he could kiss her soundly, Nick didn’t know what he was going to do about her. Maybe coming here tonight was a mistake. Maybe they didn’t have any business taking their relationship to the next step. But when he was with Jordan—talking with her, kissing her, or making love to her—Nick felt like he’d come home.
Chapter Seventeen
Jordan knew sex could cloud a person’s thinking, but as she watched Nick get dressed at five o’clock in the morning, she thought it had to be the hottest thing she’d ever seen.
His back was to her, so she got to see all that wondrous muscle move from an entirely different angle. First, he pulled on his boxer briefs, and all that did was accentuate his fantastic ass. Then came the khakis. How did he make khakis look good? And when he slipped his arms through the sleeves of his checked button down, she thought she might cry a little at the way the shirt hid his body.
But Nick obliged her with one of his killer grins when he turned around and did up his buttons. “I’m sorry I woke you, but I want to try to get back in the house under the radar.”
Jordan smiled and shook her head. “Silly man. They’re up already.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he leaned in for a kiss. “Did you call me silly?”
With her lips pressed to his, she nodded. “I did. Whatcha gonna do about it?”
Pulling away, he took her hand. “You are so tempting. But I do have to go.”
“I know. You can’t tell me what was bothering you last night?”
With a furrowed brown, he blew out. “I would guess you’re going to find out today. But I can’t tell you.”
“Okay,” she said. “Can you tell me why you broke into a cold sweat and called out when you were asleep?”
When his face dropped, Jordan worried she might have crossed the line.
“How am I supposed to answer that?”
“Truthfully would be good. How long have you had nightmares?”
As he rose from the bed, Jordan got to watch Nick fully shut down. There was no discussing what she saw at two in the morning. She was supposed to forget how he called out, tossed and turned and then startled himself awake before drifting back to sleep.
“I don’t talk about it,” he muttered.
“Well, maybe you need to.” Nick wasn’t the only one who could get angry. Jordan hated to be shut out, especially when all she wanted to do was help. But if she was learning anything about Nick, he didn’t take help. From anyone.
And it was going to kill the possibility of anything between them becoming more.
Nudging past him, she grabbed a pair of leggings and a long-sleeved tee out of her drawer.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m going for a run.”
Grabbing her clothes from her, he stared. “No, you’re not. It’s dark.”
“You did not just tell me what to do, did you?”
A cold understanding appeared to wash through him, but that did nothing to change how she was feeling. Those few words, and Jordan was angry.
“I’m sorry. It’s still too cold.”
“It’s been a
month. I feel fine.” Taking her clothes back, and refusing to respond, she walked to the bathroom and closed the door. “Jerk,” she muttered. “Who does he think he is?”
“I’m your doctor,” he called through the door.
“No, you’re not.” God, he was infuriating. Her doctor… Pfft. “I don’t recall my doctor ever sleeping with me.”
“Damn right about that,” he said.
“Would you stop?” she yelled back. Not paying attention while she pulled on her sports bra, the elastic slipped and snapped Jordan on the chin. “Ouch! Dammit.”
“You okay in there?”
“Yes,” she lied, rubbing the red mark the bitch bra left on her face. Being extra careful, she wrestled the girls into place and settled the heavy elastic around her ribs.
The man was so aggravating. She’d been going out for early morning runs since she was in high school. There were times she couldn’t sleep and getting up before the whole town gave her time to think.
Nick didn’t seem to get that. Just like when she bolted from the bridal shop, sometimes Jordan needed the time inside her own head to sort out a problem. The rhythm of her stride allowed her to block out the confusion and the static that clouded her thinking. It was just her and her stride.
Brushing her teeth, Jordan didn’t know what she was supposed to do. She was trying to be angry, but truthfully, she was hurt. Fake engagement aside, they cared about each other, but he had a wall up, and she couldn’t get around it.
Taking a breath as she looked at her own reflection, Jordan liked that she saw a strong woman staring back. Six months ago, that wasn’t the case.
When she opened the bathroom door, she jumped. Nick was right there, his shoulder braced against the wall. “You should not be going out. It’s cold this morning. It could irritate your lungs.”
“I need the exercise.”
Without warning, Nick grabbed her hand and pulled her close. “Jordan, come on. Do you want to get sick again?”