His fingertips brushed across her forehead to push a damp strand of hair away, then softly grazed along her jaw to her mouth. “You’re so beautiful,” he said.
She swallowed a denial when his thumb stroked her bottom lip and stole the words. She wanted him to kiss her again. To cover her body with his and make her forget about all her worries and anxieties, if just for tonight.
He hadn’t offered her more than that. But right now, that was all she needed. Some physical contact with a man she didn’t have to worry about complications with. If she had thought for a second there would be anything more to it, she wouldn’t have given in. But Alex was not a guy to stick around. If she wanted more, he’d be the worst possible choice. But sex between them should be easy and gratifying. There was absolutely no reason why she should deny herself the pleasure any longer.
His mouth found hers and she opened to him once again. She relished the silky slide of his tongue, the way he could coax a low moan from the back of her throat. His lips migrated to her jaw, settling in to feast on the sensitive curve of her neck. He nipped and sucked at her skin, sending throbbing impulses through her whole body.
She was surprised how quickly she responded to him. After their encounter at the pool, she would’ve thought she was sated enough for one night, but she was wrong. It had simply lit a fire to dry kindling and was now building to a crackling roar of desire.
Alex’s hand reached out to her beneath the blankets. His palm was a searing heat against her cool skin, blazing a trail along the curves of her body. The glide of his fingertips was electric, the sizzle warming her blood.
“Are you still cold?” he murmured against her throat.
Not when he was touching her. “No,” she said, kicking at the covers.
He flung back the rest and returned to feasting on her skin. As he traveled down to her breasts, Gwen was stunned by how sensitive they’d become. Just the brush of his fingertips across her tight nipples sent a sharp throb of need to her feminine muscles, tightening them into a delicious tug of pleasure.
Alex growled low against her skin, the vibration tickling and teasing at her.
The haze of pleasure thinned for a moment when Gwen realized he was moving down her body. She tensed when his hand came to a stop resting on the swell of her stomach. Would that be too much reality for him to ignore?
Gwen held her breath; her eyes squeezed shut so she wouldn’t see his reaction. It wasn’t until she felt the moist heat of his kiss searing across her belly that she was able to release the air trapped in her lungs.
Alex’s hand moved lower, stroking the inside of her thigh. Her muscles jumped beneath her skin with anticipation of his touch. His lips followed his fingertips, her thighs gently quivering when his warm breath brushed across her exposed core. His first taste sent a bolt of pleasure through her body that arched her back off the bed. He waited until the shock waves passed before stroking her again. Gwen held her breath, trying to swallow the cries he coaxed from her, but it was too much. He had her dancing on the edge of coming undone almost instantly.
“Alex,” she whispered.
He hesitated a moment, his tongue darting out one last time before sliding back up the length of her body. Alex hovered at the entrance to her body, his golden eyes gazing deep into her own. Then he slowly entered her. She couldn’t help her eyes closing as she savored the feeling she’d missed all these months with him gone.
“Damn,” he groaned against her lips. The rest of his body was stone still as he hovered, buried to the hilt. His arms started shaking with the strain before he allowed himself to pull back and drive into her again.
Gwen pulled her legs up to cradle him, easily riding the waves of motion that corresponded to the swells of pleasure building inside her. She’d been so close to the edge before that it didn’t take long to reach it again, but she wasn’t ready to give in to it. It had been eight long months since she’d given in to her desires. Having Alex in her bed again was an unexpected fantasy she’d never thought she could indulge. This moment needed to last a lifetime in case it was their last. She wasn’t about to rush to the finish line, even if every nerve in her body demanded release.
She opened her eyes, trying to memorize the lines of strain across his brow as he fought for control. Gwen wanted to remember the sound of his ragged breath and the salty taste of his skin.
It wasn’t until Alex stilled that she realized he was watching her, a look of curiosity on his face. “You’re thinking too much. I’m not doing a good job if you’re able to focus like that.”
Gwen smiled, reaching up to his face and pulling him to her lips for a kiss. “You’re doing a great job,” she reassured. “I’m just trying to make it last.”
“The good thing about orgasms,” he said with a wry grin, “is that you won’t run out. You can always have another.” At that, he thrust hard into her and elicited a surprised cry of pleasure from her throat. “And another.”
“And another,” she repeated, hooking her ankles around his hips and squeezing him until he groaned.
From then on, there were no more words. Gwen gave into the sensations, clinging to him as they drove hard toward their climax. She buried her cries in his shoulder when she came undone, the hard shudder of his own release coming soon after.
When she finally caught her breath, she looked up to find Alex hovering over her, his brow furrowed, his eyes wide with unexpected panic. “What’s the matter?” Gwen asked, her voice hoarse.
His jaw dropped open in shock and he just hung there, mute, until he could gather the words. “We didn’t use a condom. I forgot. I was too…” He shook his head and cursed.
Normally, Gwen would’ve launched into full damage-control mode. How could they forget something as crucial as that? But then she remembered she couldn’t get pregnant and a good portion of the panic subsided. “That’s okay,” she said, brushing a strand of golden hair from his face.
“No, it isn’t,” he insisted. “I always wear a condom. Always.”
There was a touch of alarm in his eyes that worried her. “I’m already pregnant, Alex. And it’s a little late for this conversation, but I was tested for everything under the sun before the in vitro procedure. What about you?”
Her question seemed to jerk him from his thoughts. He looked down at her and nodded, clearly realizing she was right, yet still obviously concerned. “I get a full panel of testing every six months, without fail. Never so much as a false positive.”
That was a relief. And at the same time a touch disturbing. How many women had he charmed into bed that he was tested so often? It was a good thing she didn’t have fantasies of keeping Alex. It was an impossibility.
Fortunately, he was smart about it, so their stupidity wouldn’t put both her health and the baby’s in jeopardy. A nurse should know better, but apparently being in Alex’s arms made her lose all her good sense.
Gwen sighed and patted his arm reassuringly. “Well, it wasn’t the smartest thing, but I think it will be okay just this once.” Using protection the “next time” was left unsaid. The only thing that could bring down the postorgasm buzz faster than the “oops, no condom” discussion was a clingy woman talking about the future.
Alex’s jaw relaxed and he gave a short nod before leaning down to kiss her. Gwen noticed there was still a tension there, but he was trying his best to hide it. She remembered how diligent he was with birth control the last time they were together. For both of them to forget…
He eased onto his side, dropping against the mattress. His arm snaked around her and gently pulled her back to his chest.
She snuggled into him, trying not to think about the implications of his slip and the fact that he’d positioned himself so she couldn’t see his expression. He hadn’t immediately rushed back to his room, so maybe she was making something out of nothing. Gwen tried to focus on just being with him, and before long, she fell asleep in the protective warmth of his arms.
* * *
It
was still early morning when a beam of sunlight stretched across the bed and into Alex’s face. It pulled him from the comfortable fog of sleep. His eyes fluttered open, looking around for a moment in confusion at the whitewashed furniture and blue comforter before he remembered where he was.
Gwen’s bed.
Easing his head up, he saw her unruly, dark blond curls and her arm draped across his chest. She was still asleep, her breathing soft and even as she cuddled against him.
Alex needed to leave if they were going to keep last night a secret from the rest of the house. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to pull up the duvet and sleep away the rest of the afternoon with her in his arms, but that was just a pipe dream. If it was daylight out, he should’ve returned to his room a long time ago. Will always got up early, although there was no sense in tiptoeing around him. He didn’t know much about the other guests in the house, but he certainly didn’t want any of them to see him dash, half-naked, to his room.
All he had were his jeans. Alex swallowed a groan when he realized they were a soaking wet heap in Gwen’s bathroom sink. When he had come downstairs the night before, he was after a drink and some cake. If he’d thought for a moment he’d end up in the pool or Gwen’s bed, he would’ve planned accordingly. And he most certainly would’ve brought a condom.
The memory of the slipup slapped him in the face and made sure he was good and awake now. God, he was an idiot.
No condom. How could he forget something that important? He had never had sex without one before. He wasn’t about to get snared like his father. Not once, not even one time in all these years, had he allowed himself to get so wrapped up in a woman that he could let something like that happen.
Alex wasn’t quite sure why it bothered him so badly. Gwen couldn’t get pregnant with his child. They both vouched for being healthy. Nothing should come back to bite either of them. What was it, then, that left him with a pool of worry in his stomach?
It was just one more thing. One more difference between Gwen and every other woman he’d ever been with. Since he’d first met her, she’d gotten through almost all of his well-fortified defenses. She probably didn’t even know it, but she had. He never would’ve sought her out again, much less made love to her, if she hadn’t gotten under his skin.
Gwen had penetrated his brain, occupying his thoughts and dreams over the last months. Making him think of nothing but having her back in his arms again. She’d pierced his physical defenses last night, getting closer to him than any other woman had. Without the barrier of latex between them, their joining had been so different. It didn’t just feel different; it was almost as if it meant more than he’d ever intended.
The sound of birds chirping outside the window declared it was officially morning and distracted him from his worries. He glanced over at the nightstand and the clock sitting there. It was just after six. He definitely needed to get back to his room, jeans or no. Alex picked up Gwen’s wrist and slowly eased out from beneath her. She grumbled sleepily for a moment, then curled into a ball in the warm spot he’d left behind and fell back asleep.
Alex struggled to swallow a lump in his throat as he watched her sleep. Her ash-blond hair was a tangle across the pillowcase, her pink lips still swollen from his kisses. Just the sight of her like that made his chest tighten.
Typically, the morning after was uncomfortable for him. Sunlight always brought a cold dose of reality with it. Seeing a woman sleeping or just after she’d woken up had always seemed too intimate to him. The sex… that was just sex, but the reality of a woman without her carefully crafted facade was a line he didn’t like to cross. It felt like relationship territory. He preferred to leave before the veil of fantasy slipped away.
It was different with Gwen. He wasn’t uncomfortable watching her like this. Not even after realizing he was playing with fire. He was overwhelmed with the urge to surprise her with breakfast in bed. He wanted to make her pancakes and kiss her maple syrup–flavored lips.
Pancakes. What the hell was that about? It was definitely time to go.
With a sigh, Alex ran his fingers through his messy hair and headed for the bathroom before he could do something stupid, such as cooking or tossing aside every remaining rule in his relationship book. As he suspected, his jeans were still soaked and ice cold. There was no way he could bear to slip those on against his bare skin, and he’d do nothing but drip all the way upstairs. He took the jeans and her swimsuit and moved them to hang over the bar in the shower. Hopefully they would dry better that way.
He opted to grab a towel from the rod on the wall and wrap it around his waist. Turning on the water in the sink, Alex eased down and lightly wet his hair. If he ran into anyone, he’d tell them he’d taken an early-morning dip in the pool.
Alex gave a quick glance to the bed where Gwen was silently sleeping, then crept out into the hallway. He was relieved to find the house was still dark and quiet. Six was a little early for people on vacation. When he got back to his room, he immediately slipped into the shower.
As the hot water streamed over his body and washed away her scent, his gut twisted with confusion and regret about last night. Gwen was so beautiful, so passionate. She was impossible to resist, and yet he knew he should’ve returned to his room instead of charging into the water and claiming her. Gwen was trying to figure out what she wanted in life. She deserved a man who would marry her and fill their home with their own children, if she decided that was what she wanted.
And that wasn’t Alex.
Being here with her the last few days had roused something deep inside that wanted him to be that man for her. But that wouldn’t last. Not once since hitting puberty had he had a lasting interest in a relationship. He’d seen firsthand what a hell marriage could be like. His childhood home had been a battlefield with him as one of the primary weapons. Marriage was not for him. This time, despite what he thought now, was no different. Eventually, he would feel the choking noose of commitment around his throat and he’d have to leave.
So he didn’t dare offer anything he couldn’t give. He’d tempted Gwen with a few days of meaningless, mind-blowing sex, and that was all it was going to be. He wouldn’t even entertain the thoughts of more in the privacy of his own mind. They were counterproductive.
By the time Alex dressed and went downstairs, Will was awake and pouring his first cup of coffee. He eyed Alex with suspicion as he settled at the breakfast bar.
“You’re up early.” His words were heavy with meaning as he passed a steamy mug of coffee across the counter to Alex. “Trouble sleeping?”
“Something like that,” he muttered into his coffee mug, avoiding eye contact with his friend, although he knew it was pointless. Will was a newspaperman. Journalism ran in his blood. He could read between the lines and sniff out the larger story better than anyone else he’d ever met.
“What are you going to do?” Will asked softly. With his own coffee in hand, he approached the bar and leaned against it so their voices wouldn’t need to carry far. Gwen’s room was only feet away.
“I was thinking about going for a run,” Alex answered, flatly dodging Will’s real question. He was considering a jog this morning. He’d pulled on a T-shirt and jogging shorts after his shower, but it was a halfhearted effort. If he left, it would just be to escape the pull of Gwen on his thoughts. He seriously doubted even that would help at this point. She’d been the only thing on his mind since he’d decided to come on this trip.
Will shook his head but opted not to press Alex further. “Do you want company? I doubt the others will be up for a while.”
“Sure, let me just absorb some of this caffeine first. What’s on the agenda for today, anyway?”
“Some of us were talking about going to a couple of wineries in the area. Several do tours and tastings this time of year.”
Alex frowned, despite his general fondness for wine. “What about Emma and Gwen? Neither can drink.”
Will nodded, thoughtfully sipping his coff
ee. “I think Emma is keen on an afternoon tanning and talking to her boyfriend on the phone. I doubt she gets five minutes of peace and solitude at home the way Pauline and George hover since the crash.”
“Do you think they’ll follow her to Yale?”
“No.” He smiled. “But I have no doubt she’ll go wild with her new freedom. Hopefully not at the expense of her grades or her reputation.”
Alex grinned. They both knew Alex had had at least one semester when he’d toyed with academic probation. Economics and calculus were not nearly as interesting as playing polo and checking out the latest class of freshman girls. “What about Gwen?”
Will shrugged. “That’s up to her, I suppose. She could come with us and just not drink. I think at least one of them also does olive oil and cheese tastings. And she could enjoy the tours of the gardens and vineyards.”
Somehow that didn’t sound like Gwen’s cup of tea at all. She’d put on a brave face yesterday during the long hours of yuppie polo festivities, politely turning down the caviar and foie gras canapés and blankly staring at the horses. Following it up with a day of wine tasting was probably too much for her, especially when she couldn’t benefit from getting pleasantly tipsy in the process.
Perhaps this was his chance to have some uninterrupted time with Gwen away from the others. “Maybe I’ll offer to stay with her. She doesn’t have a car here, so she’s trapped if we all leave.”
“Actually, we have the little Volvo in the garage that stays at the house. I could leave her the keys.”
Alex supposed that solved the problem of Gwen’s stranding, but he still didn’t like the idea of her being alone all day. Emma was not likely to be good company, either. “That isn’t any fun. I’ll skip the wineries and take her out.”
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