In the End (Lifetime #3)

by Ariadne Wayne

  “If there’s going to be something between us, I don’t want it to just be a one-night stand.”

  My stomach flipped at his smile. How on earth did I get so lucky to meet this guy? Sam wanted more.

  “That’s not what I want either.”

  Sam grinned. “Did we just talk ourselves out of having sex?” He stood, his jeans not hiding the obvious bulge in them.

  The woman who hadn’t had sex for more than two years took over, and I raised my face to look into his eyes. “Can I change my mind?”

  Chapter 6

  SAM

  The only other woman I’ve ever felt such a connection with was, well, Ella. Natasha woke something that I thought was dead inside. The ability to feel.

  From the moment she’d literally stumbled into my life, I’d wanted to help her. Sure, she was lovely, her cheeks flushed, her dark hair a messy pile on her head. But her fierce protection of her daughter was what drew me to her. Paige came first, and after all this time I’d spent getting to know my son, I knew that feeling of never wanting anything to hurt your child.

  She was beautiful, she was strong, and she rose from the couch to stand inches from me and ask for the second time.

  “Sam? Can I change my mind?”

  I claimed her mouth, kissing her with the hunger that had been building all evening. For tonight at least, she was mine. This alien feeling of need crept over my body. It had been so long since I’d felt this way, back before Petra, back to the days when I couldn’t get enough of my former wife.

  Now, all I could see was Natasha, all I could smell was Natasha. Her slim frame hit the nearby wall as I pushed her against it, pressing my body to hers as we devoured each other.

  “I don’t usually do this.” She panted as I let up and gave her space to move.

  “I know. Neither do I.” I’d seen enough to know she was telling the truth.

  “Why me?”

  “Are you seriously asking when I kissed you like that?” I chuckled.

  “I just … is it a single-mother thing? You think I’m lonely? If it is, I don’t know if …”

  I took a step back. “No. I like you.” Grasping her chin, I pulled her face up to look her in the eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  “Yes. Maybe I shouldn’t, not yet, but I do.”

  I wanted her so badly, I ached. My cock had a mind of its own as I struggled to keep myself together, a little scared she wanted to rush into something, but I did too.

  She maintained eye contact with me while brushing the back of her hand across my groin. I moaned at her touch.

  “Just make me one promise,” she whispered.

  I would have given her the moon in that moment. “Anything.”

  “Promise me this isn’t just a one-night stand.”

  That bit was easy. I wanted to know more about her, wanted to find out everything I could. Whether we spent the night together or not, Natasha wasn’t about to lose me that easily.

  “I swear. I promise you that every Wednesday I’ll drop your groceries to your door. If you’ll let me give you and Paige a lift, I’ll drop you two off too.”

  She shuffled closer, and I slid my arms around her waist, pulling her tight against my body.

  “That’ll do for starters.” A sly smile crossed her face, and I bent to kiss her, losing myself in those soft lips again.

  When the kiss broke off, she grabbed my hand and pulled me up the hallway, presumably toward the bedroom. She was beautiful, her hair down around her shoulders, her eyes full of want. She was perfection.

  The bedroom was small with a double bed in the centre. I had a million questions to ask her, to get to know more about her, but given she had her fingers on the button of her jeans, everything fell out of my head.

  She wriggled out of her jeans, dumping them beside the bed while I stripped off. Her eyes cast over me, lingering as they hit my hard-on. Sitting on the end of the bed, she pulled her shirt over her head and unhooked her bra, gasping as I pushed her backward, my hand cupping one of her perfect breasts.

  “You’re gorgeous,” I said, licking her nipple before coming up to kiss her.

  She shivered under me, her breath quickening as my tongue swept over hers, giving me a little moan as our bodies pressed together.

  Her skin was soft and warm, and the sensation of it against mine made me even harder, left me aching to take her. The way her nipple pebbled under my thumb, the way her back arched, she was ready for me, but I wasn’t about to rush. Despite my now desperate need to end my self-enforced celibacy, this was a woman I’d take my time claiming.

  She let out a sigh, relaxing as I moved to brush my lips on her neck. Dropping my head to one breast, I played my tongue over her flesh, teasing. She squirmed, running her fingers through my hair in a move that just urged me on. I wanted my mouth on every part of her body.

  She groaned as I planted kisses over her stomach, nipping at her thighs as I teased her.

  “Please.” Her hips lifted from the bed, begging for more. Who was I to deny her?

  I devoured her, inhaling her scent and dragging my tongue through her wetness like a man who hadn’t eaten in years. She bucked her hips, and it fed my ravenous appetite, my need to give this woman everything and more.

  “Sam,” she cried, reaching down to grip my hair.

  How had I gone so long without sex? It had taken someone extraordinary to wake me from the slumber I’d been in. Sure, I’d jerked off, but I hadn’t felt an urge like this in a long time.

  Taking my time with her clit, I rolled my tongue over it before gently sucking it into my mouth. God, she tasted good. In my younger, cruder days I might have talked dirty to her. Now all I wanted was to taste it all.

  Pulling her onto her side, I buried my face up close. Her arousal surrounded me and I pushed my tongue into her, grabbing every little thing she gave me, digging my fingers into her backside. I didn’t have to look to know how hard I was.

  “Wait. Sam. I haven’t …” Her body tensed before trembling, the guttural moan from her lips better than any words would have sounded. I slid up her body, rolling to her side.

  “Haven’t what? Don’t tell me you’re a virgin.” I grinned.

  She gazed at me with this wondrous expression, and I knew I’d never be happy seeing it just once. I wanted that look on her face all of the time.

  Natasha laughed. “You know that’s not possible. I’ve never …” Her cheeks flushed pink, and I narrowed my eyes as if trying to see what was behind them.

  “Come?” I asked.

  She licked her lips. “Well, yeah, I have before, but not like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “It was just so … intense.”

  I reached for her, cupping her face and pressing my lips to hers, slipping my tongue into her mouth. She moaned, and my cock ached knowing she tasted herself on me. Brushing my fingers down her body, I slipped two into her as she bucked again.

  “Have you got a condom?” I asked.

  Her eyes widened. “Haven’t you?”

  “I do, but it’s over there on the floor in my wallet. To get it I’d have to take my fingers out of you, and they’re quite comfortable.”

  Natasha giggled. “It’s your lucky day.”

  “I know it is, but …”

  “I went on the pill about a year ago, and the doctor prescribed a whole lot of condoms to fill the gap. He got a bit carried away.” She reached over, and pulled open the drawer on the bedside cabinet. “Six boxes.”

  “Six? Six-dozen condoms?”

  Nodding, she tore open the plastic covering the box. “I think he wanted me to get my money’s worth. Five dollars for the lot.”

  I tilted my fingers slightly, and she caught her breath. “Sam, I need to concentrate.

  Pushing farther in, I rubbed my thumb across her clit, watching her face for the reaction. She didn’t disappoint, tearing open the box and pulling out a condom as her eyes rolled back in her head.

&nb
sp; “So, one box for tonight, then?” I teased.

  I could only assume from the moan escaping her lips that it was a yes. Leaning over, I took her right nipple into my mouth, tonguing it before sucking gently.

  “Sam.” She moaned, thrusting her hips onto my fingers.

  “I want to make you come again, and then you can roll the condom on.”

  She fell silent, her body tensing before a louder moan escaped her. I covered her mouth with mine to swallow her groans, giving her everything and taking nothing for myself. Not yet.

  When I finally let her speak, she licked her lips and let out a loud breath as if she’d run a marathon and just needed to stop for a second.

  “I’ve never rolled a condom on. I mean, I’ve used them before, but …”

  “I’ll show you.” Tearing the wrapper, I handed it to her, and she gave it a nervous look. “You just have to pinch the end to get rid of the air and roll it down.” I got up onto my knees, and her eyes widened at my erection, right in her face. “It’s easy. I want your hands on me.”

  As she focused, she licked her lips slowly, and it took every bit of willpower not to just push her back and fuck her the way I think we both wanted.

  The latex hit the end of my cock, and her gentle touch left me gripping the sheet as she slowly rolled the condom down. Her hand lingered, and I grasped her chin, pulling her face up to meet my eyes. “That is so hot.”

  She blushed and smiled, averting her gaze. I loved that even though she’d been married and had a kid, there was still such an innocent air about her. What planet had that ex-husband of hers been on not to worship and cherish this woman?

  “Come here,” she said softly.

  I shifted between her legs, and leaned down for one last kiss. “Are you ready for this?”

  She nodded, her eyes wide as I positioned myself, and at the last moment she reached down, guiding me in. I caught my breath as I filled her, her body moulding to mine. Heaven. This was heaven.

  I moved slowly at first. The last thing I wanted to do was rush through this.

  Just as slowly as I moved inside her, Natasha ran her fingers over my chest, up to my shoulders. I shuddered at her touch, my body aching for release, but I wouldn’t do it. Not yet. Even if it took every bit of my self-control, and then some, not to.

  “You feel so good.” Her expression softened when I said the words, as if I’d given her the biggest compliment. Maybe I had, given what she’d told me about her ex-husband. I wanted to undo all the damage he must have done, make her feel as special as she should. One evening told me just how amazing she was.

  “Sam?”

  I smiled. “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  I dropped my head to her neck, nipping at the skin with my lips. “What for?”

  “For putting me first.”

  Her voice was so small, and I raised my head to see the emotion written all over her face. Being with her was so easy—how could anyone have treated her so badly?

  I stopped resisting, letting go and closing my eyes as my release overtook me. I’d never been part of anything so intense.

  She stilled beneath me, and I met her gaze as she looked up at me with wide eyes. If I didn’t know for sure before, I knew now I was a goner.

  Finding her lips with mine, I gave her a tender kiss, one laced with promises of more. I didn’t know where I was going with this, but there was no doubt in my mind that she would come along for the ride. This was the last way I ever thought I’d spend my Friday night, but there was nowhere else I’d rather be.

  Letting out a loud breath, I dropped to her side. “What a workout that was.”

  She laughed, running her fingers through my hair. “I enjoyed it. Though I think you did all of the work.”

  I waggled my eyebrows. “Your turn next time.”

  “Is there going to be a next time?” Her voice wavered, like she thought I was about to get out of bed and leave. As if that was going to happen.

  “Do you want there to be?”

  A devilish grin appeared on her lips. “If I had my way, I’d never let you leave this bed. Not after that.”

  “Might be a bit awkward on Monday.” I pecked her lips as she giggled. “I can’t teach my class from here.”

  “Can I tell you something?” She ran a finger down my chest.

  “I think after that, you’re entitled to anything you want.”

  She laughed into my chest, the vibration sending shockwaves through my body. “I haven’t been with anyone since my ex-husband. Until now.”

  Grinning, I rolled to my side and kissed her. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, wrecked from our frantic need to be together.

  “I haven’t been with anyone for more than three years. My focus has been on getting to know my son. I thought anything else would complicate things, but I’ve changed my mind.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “You.”

  My tongue found hers, and I closed my eyes to drift off with her into a place where time and space meant nothing. We were free to be together, to be ourselves, to experience whatever the hell this was.

  “Sam.” My name rolled off her tongue so easily, and when I gazed at her, she smiled with hazy eyes. She’d found her bliss in me just as I’d found mine in hers.

  I’d fucked up my life once before, and had no intention of ever doing that again. My stomach gave a little twist thinking about that time of my life. How could I tell her what I did to Ella? Natasha had been through more than enough.

  All I knew was if things between Natasha and I grew, I’d cherish her.

  The fun was getting to that point.

  A SHRIEK WOKE me with a jump in the morning, and I opened one eye to see Paige standing at the bottom of the bed.

  “Mr Mason?”

  Shit.

  Natasha sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. “Paige. I didn’t think you’d be home so early.”

  An older version of Natasha stood in the doorway and sighed, shifting her gaze to the ceiling. “I’ll talk to you when you’re dressed. Come on, Paige.”

  Paige kept her gaze on me as she shuffled out of the room, the woman pulling the door closed behind her.

  “Great. Just what I need,” Natasha muttered.

  “I’ll get dressed and go.” I sat up, turning to step out of the bed.

  Her hand gripped my wrist. “You don’t have to. It’s not like anything like this has ever happened before. Stay and have breakfast.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She smiled. “Sam, this is the craziest thing I’ve done in a long time. And it feels better than anything.”

  “I’m sorry you have to explain it to Paige.”

  Natasha shrugged. “It’s way too late to worry about that now. You’re not going to get into trouble at the school if they find out?”

  I shook my head. “No, but it’s probably better if we don’t make a big deal about it yet. For Paige’s sake.”

  “It’s Paige talking about us that I’m worried about.”

  Leaning over, I gave Natasha a tender kiss. “It’s too late to hide it from her now. I’m more concerned about where we go from here. You and me.”

  Her cheeks flushed with colour. “

  “I really want to see you again, Natasha.”

  She looked at me through her long, dark eyelashes. “I’d like that too.”

  “In the meantime, we’d better get out of bed. Your mother already knows we’re up to no good, and I don’t want to give her a worse impression of me.”

  “I won’t tell her we had sex four times, then.” She stepped out of bed, her naked body giving me more rise than I needed with her mother waiting outside.

  “I’ll … uhh … just be a while.”

  She laughed as she retrieved a pair of panties from her cabinet drawer and slid them up those long legs that had been wrapped around me half the night. I groaned as her breasts disappeared into the bra she’d picked up from the floor.

&n
bsp; “Again?” Her eyebrows lifted as she looked at the dent in the sheet covering me.

  “I think I’m making up for three years of no sex. My body wants to play catch-up.”

  She grinned, leaning forward to kiss me. “I’ll play catch-up with you any time.”

  “That’s really not helping.” I grabbed her left wrist and kissed the inside of it, my smile fading as she winced. “Are you okay? I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

  “It’s an old injury. You weren’t to know.” She raised the same hand and palmed my cheek.

  That didn’t make me feel better as she tugged on her jeans and pulled on a T-shirt. She shut the door and I collapsed back into the bed, running my hands through my hair.

  This. What was this? She was sweet and gentle, and given the opportunity I’d bet anything there was a whole lot of love ready to burst out of her. This hadn’t been some drunken fumble—we’d both been sober.

  My head had been full of Finn for so long that there hadn’t been space for anything else, and yet there she was with her dark eyes and caring smile taking up room in my mind.

  I climbed out of bed, picking my clothes up off the floor and slipping them on. This whole thing had been so spontaneous; the last thing I thought I’d do was meet her mother after one night together. But it was too late to worry about that now.

  Natasha greeted me with a smile as I entered the kitchen. I paused to peck her on the lips as I passed her, either to reassure her I wasn’t going to run and look like a dick in front of her mother, or to reassure myself. This was what I wanted—she was what I wanted.

  “Natasha tells me you’re Sam,” her mother said. This time she had a warm smile for me, and I took the hand she offered and shook it as I sat on the opposite side of the table to her. I nodded.

  “Sam, I am.” Paige laughed as I waggled my eyebrows at her.

  “There are no green eggs and ham, but I can offer you a coffee,” Natasha said, teaspoon poised over the coffee jar.

  “I’d love a coffee. Milk and two sugars, thanks.”

  “Coming right up.” She beamed.

  “I’m Janet,” Natasha’s mother said.

  “It’s nice to meet you. Good to see you too, Paige.”