The scrapes on her palms seemed so much better today Shannon mused. The rough, red abrasions were healing quickly and now that every movement of her hands didn’t bring discomfort, it was a lot easier to keep her unruly curls under control. She’d unbound the tight braided plait from earlier as she sat relaxed and swinging on the love seat.
Shannon enjoyed the feel of her hair tumbling around her shoulders and down her back. It seemed so decadent somehow. But all that hair, lovely as it was, had a tendency to get in the way. Sweeping the long tresses back from her jaw line she quickly wrapped a hair-band around the wavy pony tail and smoothed some errant wispy curls behind her ears. She knew the casual hairstyle made her look like a girly teenager but at least she didn’t resemble the bedraggled helpless patient she’d felt like for the past days.
When Nick sauntered from the kitchen carrying something in his hands, Shannon was shocked by an unexpected longing to find favor in his eyes and hoped that her casual dress and haphazard grooming wasn’t a turn off.
Where had that thought come from she thought while quietly lamenting the lack of a proper manicure or presence of carefully applied make-up. Damn and double damn but as he got closer and closer all she could focus on as she watched him approach was how sexy he looked in those well-worn jeans and the provocative way they clung to and framed what the kids these days referred to as his junk.
Exhaling a breath of contempt for the foolish phrase she wondered how anyone could view this man’s body and dismiss his enthralling virility as junk. He was …. well, he was making her mouth water so she did what any red-blooded female with a pulse would do; silently enjoyed the way he moved and the manner in which he carried his impressive physique.
Oh boy, with each brick that came crashing down in the wall she had built around her heart, Shannon fell deeper and deeper into the throbbing awareness she experienced each time he came into view. Her last thought as he pulled up to a halt right in front of her was how interesting it was that the prominent bulge he carried in his pants was pretty much right in her face when he was standing and she was sitting. Without thinking her tongue swept out and from her mouth where she stroked some much needed moisture before tugging on those lips with her teeth.
Whatever clever words Nick had planned to say were swept away by the sight of her tongue and lips which he couldn’t help but notice were conveniently at the same level as the hard-on which had been distracting him all day. He was holding a bowl of something but in that moment he couldn’t tell you what and though he tried to keep things light and casual he knew his eyes were blazing with undisguised sexual hunger. For a tiny second he considered grabbing her up from the love seat and crushing her into his aroused body while he tasted those delectable lips; plundering her mouth with a kiss that would leave no doubt how he hoped the night would end.
Whoa, slow down there he remembered at the last second and clearing his throat offered forth the bowl of cookies with a decidedly raspy, “Dessert?” Nick’s head shook fractionally as he castigated himself for sounding so tongue-tied. Smooth, real smooth he thought.
Realizing she’d been all but licking her lips with erotic fantasies as he stood right in front of her Shannon tried to recover with an answer which she hoped would sound casual but which, when it came out of her mouth, sounded like a come-on.
“Oooh, whatcha’ got there?” she sighed as she tried peering into the bowl only to realize that by doing so she looked like she was doing an on-site inspection of his groin. Snatching her head back she quickly lifted her gaze to his face in embarrassment and was stopped dead in her tracks by his expression.
He looked like someone, that cowboy pirate again, fighting a ferocious battle in his head which was clearly etched on his face. His eyes, blazing when he at first approached, had turned slumberous and slightly hooded giving him the look of a fierce predator sizing up a delectable morsel offered for his dining pleasure. He wanted to eat her alive and no amount of trying to clean up that thought erased the image of him using that sexy mouth of his on every inch of her body.
The same ferocious battle sprang to life in Shannon’s mind as she struggled to maintain her composure when all she really wanted to do was fling the bowl in his hands aside and reach for the snap of his jeans. She’d show him what she wanted for dessert she fantasized as a moaning, groaning montage of highly erotic visions invaded her thoughts. Regardless of what he was offering, her appetite for something much more intimate and exciting throbbed to life, deep in her core.
Not missing the slight trembling in his hand as he placed the wooden bowl on the table by her side, she complied when he shooshed her over far enough on the love seat for him to sit next to her. She liked the way the heat of his body invaded her senses wherever they touched. Her eyes met his and waited.
Nick sat down because if he didn’t he was going to do something stupid. The hungry way her eyes had moved over his body as he stood before her was causing all the blood normally circulating in his brain to dash southward at an alarming rate. If this kept up he’d be losing brain cells faster than the snap of his fingers since the only part of him which felt vibrantly alive at the moment was his hardened manhood. Get. A. Grip.
Oh shit and just like that he remembered what it felt like when Shannon’s feminine hands gripped his hardness and how watching her stroke his length had been burned in his memory to torture him during long years of loneliness. Think Nick, he castigated himself. Don’t just react.
Swallowing hard he tried for light-hearted, “That little market down the canyon sent along some of what they said was a favorite treat.” Gesturing to the bowl he diverted her attention for a heart-beat, “Meringue chocolate cookies.”
He leaned across her then and plucked one of the airy mounds from the bowl and popped it in his mouth. “Mmmm, these are good!” he exclaimed before reaching again and grabbing a few more.
“Hey, hey, hey!” she laughed, playfully swatting at his retreating hand. “Those are a guilty pleasure mister! Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to get in the way of a lady and her chocolate?! You’d better watch yourself, sir!”
The obvious delight and laughter which instantly transformed her face brought waves of undiluted joy to Nick’s entire being. Her smile was his guilty pleasure and he’d be more than happy to steal her treats till the cows came home if it meant she’d keep teasing him that way and laughing with abandon.
Deciding to push the limits just a tad Nick fixed her with raised brows and said, “I consider it my duty to feed all your guilty pleasures Shannon. Since you’re the injured one, what say you just relax and let me feed you, one at a time?”
The way his mouth quirked with laughter at the obviously naughty taunt over-rode whatever caution bells may have sounded in her brain. Throwing common sense to the wayside Shannon just giggled and said, “Feed me then.” before leaning toward him and opening her mouth.
Holy Mother of God was Nick’s last coherent thought as he watched in helpless fascination while he met her challenge with one of his own; placing one of the tiny chocolate morsels just on the tip of her tongue, letting his hand linger at her lips while they stared each other down.
Closing her mouth around the cookie, Shannon let her tongue barely touch his fingers before looking away and acting out her obvious enjoyment of the treat. “I love how they just melt on your tongue.” she sighed a second before she returned her eyes to his and smiled one of those Mona Lisa smiles that drove a man nuts.
Popping yet another chocolate delight into his rapidly drying mouth, Nick laughed at Shannon’s coquettish response and before either one of them knew what was happening he leaned in and softly kissed her.
“Now that’s what I call delicious.” he breathed into her blushing face as he slowly pulled back to survey her reaction. The blush of course told him a lot as did her quickly brightening eyes and the way she drew in oxygen. “You up for seconds?” he asked as he waited to see what happened next.
Should she consider playing coy an
d continuing their game of teasing flirtation? Not for a second Shannon decided when instinct and desire took over and she slowly smiled into his eyes and said, “Yes, please”.
That was all it took for Nick to pull her toward him on the gently swaying love seat and to slowly, slowly, slowly lower his head until breaths mingled and lips almost touched. He wasn’t sure why he hesitated but was glad he had when Shannon closed the distance, scant as it was, so their lips could finish what their mischievous words had started.
She tasted like heaven. The soft sigh she released as their mouths joined in a kiss which went way beyond a simple peck was more sweet and satisfying than any edible treat he could imagine. This is something they exceled at. Slow, sensual, deep kisses; the kind that stole your breath and made you wish for time to stand still.
Shannon fell into that kiss with a satisfaction so deep she shivered in response to the emotions which were washing all over her. She remembered long, drawn out kissing with him which could go on an entire night. His lips were soft and perfect, covering hers one second and then nibbling at the contours of her mouth the next.
Sighing some more, Shannon relaxed against him letting the intensifying heat building between them grow by leaps and bounds. When his tongue began seeking entry into the moist recesses of her trembling mouth, she reached up and placed her hand at the back of his head telling him with her touch how much more she wanted.
They stayed like that for a long time. Shannon’s fingers on his skin were as soft as the lips which had opened under his without reservation. He got lost in the sensations wrought by her delicate touch and deepened the kiss with each new caress. Heart thundering in his chest, Nick pulled her even closer so she could feel his excitement and know it was for her alone.
His tongue plundered her mouth mimicking what he wanted to do with another part of his anatomy; plunging slow and deep, swirling sexy pulses meant to drive her wild. She responded in kind, sucking him in with barely audible groans of sensual abandon.
Shannon lay in his arms and exulted in the way he took command of their sensual interlude. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t push things too far. That knowledge allowed her to let go and enjoy what was happening between them.
She loved being kissed by him and she’d never forgotten how it made her feel to be in Nick’s arms with her soft, trembling mouth crushed under his. How could she have lived without ever knowing this feeling again? Well, she hadn’t really lived and that small, sad truth made her grip his head more forcefully as it was she who took their kiss deeper still.
Years of want coalesced inside her, suddenly bursting forth in a wave of aching, throbbing need. Her female core became taut with pulsating intensity as his tongue inside her mouth reawakened a passion that had the ability to render her mindless and begging for his possession.
Desperately needing to regain some control Nick began gentling his touch moments after Shannon dove in with a growing urgency that threatened to shatter his intention to go slow. God, but she was like fire in his embrace; losing herself in the yearning they had awakened, sending shock waves of desire through them both.
Time was on his side he reminded himself as the deep, probing oral exchange became less intense by degrees until she lay quietly shaking in his arms. He nibbled at her mouth before covering her face with tiny, soft kisses each holding a promise for the future that he intended to press when the timing was right.
Long moments later, after they’d swayed and rocked slowly on the patio swing for what seemed like ages, Nick lifted away from her and suggested they move inside now that the light of the day had vanished and darkness had enveloped them.
Reluctantly, Shannon straightened and once again tried to smooth her now disheveled hair. He was right. She may want to continue being kissed and cradled in his arms but she was sensible enough to know they were playing with fire and they both had their limits. She may be enjoying their newfound connection but she was far from being able to go much further than this just yet.
“Since you have every TV channel known to man, why don’t we get you inside and comfortable on the sofa so you can find us something to watch. How does that sound little one?”
Without waiting for an answer Nick did as he was want to do and quickly stood while he picked her up and marched off with a very happy Shannon nestled in his more than capable arms.
Sofa? What sofa she thought? She’d much prefer to stay right where she was and only a blast of common sense into her pleasure drenched brain stopped her from saying so out loud.
Enjoying the short walk from the patio to the living room, Shannon absorbed as much as she could; breathing him in, memorizing the beats of his strong heart against her side; allowing her arm to hold tightly about his shoulders while rubbing her fingers on his neck and collarbone.
As he lowered her to the sofa cushions Nick had to admit she was driving him crazy with those shy touches and longing sighs. He knew he was right to take things slowly, but right now he was experiencing acute oxygen deprivation made worse by the straining zipper on his old jeans which he was sure was going to bust open from the pressure.
There was a lot at stake, a fact which had not eluded either of them. Shannon was content to sit with him for the next two hours as they became engrossed in a recently released pay-per-view movie about political intrigue and a plot to destroy a historic site.
It was comforting to share even the smallest of experiences with him she had to admit as she observed his profile from the corner of her eye. Yeah, she wanted to jump his bones but there was more to consider than a quick slackening of desire. Hopping into bed together wasn’t going to suddenly make things right.
Unfortunately, the moist evidence in her panties of just how hard her body was trying to change her mind was a constant reminder of how easy it would be to surrender to her passions. Been there, done that she remembered. Look how well that turned out she nodded in silent recognition of a deeper truth which had the clout to over-ride the powerful lure of physical attraction.
When the movie finally wrapped up, Shannon was trying not to yawn while they companionably chatted about what they’d just watched. She’d enjoyed the actors and thought the story was well presented.
He agreed. They tended to have similar opinions about such things, adding his review about the directing and pacing of the suspenseful story. They talked as Nick moved around the living room turning off lights; preparing for the overnight. It was all so normal and commonplace and felt so right. So easy. Yet another brick in the wall fell as they slipped into an achingly familiar groove. Shannon couldn’t ignore how effortlessly they fit together.
By the time Nick picked her up to carry Shannon into the master bedroom she was beyond tired and went with the flow; her sleepy state led to a snuggling embrace as they made their way to her bedside. He smelled so good, she thought.
Settling her gently on the edge of the high mattress Nick immediately knelt before Shannon to carefully remove the bracing wrap around her ankle. She watched in slumberous fascination as he ducked his head and inspected the bruising she knew was evident. It took all her might not to reach out and run her fingers through that dark blonde hair. When he looked up at her from his knees she saw only hazel eyes on a face she’d desperately missed in her life.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening.” Shannon breathed out in a voice grown unexpectedly husky. She wanted to say more but exhaustion mixed with a hesitant shyness stopped whatever words were forming in her mind.
Nick held her eyes then, while he also held her injured foot against his lap as his large, warm hands swept up and down her legs. “Woman,” he growled as his hands tightened where he gripped her calves “you’re gonna’ be the death of me if you keep looking at me like that.”
With eyes quickly grown wide as she sluggishly blinked, Nick thoroughly enjoyed the pretty pink blush which started where his hands still caressed her legs, traveling up her length; spreading across her expression in an arc of color that deepened her natural
luminance in the soft lighting of the bedroom.
She enchanted him with her astonishing innocence when, cocking her head slightly as she looked down at him with her brows squinched together in confusion, he watched as her mouth started to say, “What?” when instantaneous understanding hit her making her bite off that reply.
A self-deprecating shrug followed before she bit her lip for a second and whispered bashfully, “Um, sorry.” She cast her eyes away in clear embarrassment because Shannon knew she’d been lost in a sleepy, sensual fog swirling with lusty imagery when he had said she’d be the death of him.
Nick responded to her adorable reaction with a huge grin as he finished attending to her foot. Standing so he was the one on top, his height meant Shannon to adjust her view of him so he waited in a whirlwind of immense satisfaction as she took in their positions.
Once again, Shannon was achingly aware of his size and presence. He was just so big. His size dominated the space, evoking a sense deep inside her of being consumed by his powerful presence. She instantly felt small, feminine and uncommonly fragile.
Letting her admiring gaze move unhurriedly up his torso Shannon finally arrived at his grinning face which wore the dimples hidden in a scraggly beard that had long been haunting her dreams and playing havoc with her senses. Seeing his expression light up in that glorious grin brought a mirrored response from a deep corner of her bleak soul which was now flooded with light. Her face bloomed with a smile so wide she thought it would spread forever.
They stood there with him towering over her; both of them grinning like loons for several satisfying minutes. They’d shared something just now, something real and powerful. Not a memory or a fantasy, something that had legs. Shannon’s cute little caught in the act shrug and embarrassed sorry was a huge step forward. Her admitting a response she could barely contain made Nick’s heart light up with a joy so immense he couldn’t have stopped the enormous grin of satisfaction to save his life. Her glorious smile was the only balm their broken hearts needed.
The Billionaire's Second Chance Page 17