by Alyssa Kress
This dream of hers would be able to remain that, a pure, unsullied dream.
"That's what you want," he said at last, his tone now flat. "Whoever gets up first, leaves."
No, that wasn't what she wanted. Valerie's heart began to thump heavily again. What she wanted was for him to say no, he didn't agree. She wanted him to say they would stay together and explore this fascinating connection they'd begun.
Oh, boy. Get real.
She took a deep breath. "Yes," she told him. "That's what I want."
His gaze flickered, shifting the tiniest bit. "All right. If that's what you want. Whoever gets up first leaves. It's a deal."
He'd agreed. But instead of relief, Valerie felt a sinking disappointment — as if he'd ever been about to argue.
"But that's not until morning." He stepped toward her. "And we're not dealing with morning now. Now you're mine and I'm yours. You understand? Right now there's nothing else. Nothing else."
Beneath his thick lashes, his eyes had gone hot, like fire. Right now, he clearly and honestly desired her.
She began to tremble, but with excitement now, rather than trepidation. Well, okay, maybe his feelings for her didn't go very deep. Maybe they could only last for one night, but for right now they were very, very real.
For right now...he was hers.
Her heart went bam, pa-bam, slam. He was hers. It was the fantasy again, the dream, that something so beautifully masculine could belong to her. The brittle defensiveness she'd brought up with her from the pool deck began to melt. She didn't want to ruin this. She wanted to experience him, and allow herself the never-before, never-again role of siren.
Her eyes grazed over his face, taking in the minute, compelling details. If she truly was a siren, did that mean — ?
"What?" The smiling crescent appeared in his cheek. "Tell me. What do you want?"
"I want to touch you." Valerie heard herself say, then blinked at her own words.
But it hadn't, apparently, been a faux pas. The crescent in his cheek faded while his gaze managed to intensify. "Please," he said hoarsely. "Go ahead."
Go ahead. The excitement within Valerie expanded. Her gaze focused on his mouth, with the skin pale and faintly stubbled around it. Her finger lifted to the shallow groove just above his lips. Her own lips parted. Oh, he felt just the way she'd imagined, soft but with a fleshy resistance, and a little prickly with beard. He felt vulnerable, yet utterly masculine.
Hers?
A subtle shudder went through him.
Her eyes shot up to lock on his.
Zam, bam. The crackle of a high-power electrical connection, and the amazing realization that she could affect him. Powerfully.
But he was the one who smiled, one-sided. Smug. He caught her raised hand with his own, and then lowered her finger to his mouth. She felt the inside of his mouth, wet and warm, and then an instant of sharp. A surprised pleasure arrowed through her. He'd nipped her.
"Oh, boy." His one-sided smile expanded into a fully boyish grin. "This is gonna be good."
Not terribly romantic, but Roy's happy smile gave her a warm feeling inside, an almost easy feeling, as if there was going to be nothing hard or scary about this, just happiness and fun. She smiled back.
He used the hold he had on her hand to draw her closer. Valerie felt a shiver of pure pleasure as she leaned against his solidity. Hers.
"Really good," he murmured, and kissed her.
Oh, my. Oh, my. The kiss was hungry and masterful. The power of it overwhelmed everything else: lingering doubt, self-will, self-consciousness.
When he slipped his hands under her shirt, it seemed the most natural thing in the world. Yes, it was surely a natural progression for his hands to smooth up to her bra, unsnap it and slide underneath.
She moaned at the touch of his hands on her naked breasts. It was too good to be believed.
He tugged her sweater over her head. Valerie didn't experience a flicker of embarrassment at her sudden exposure. No, not even when his gaze stopped to rest, heavily, on her breasts. The way he was looking at her, so hungry, so admiring, made inhibition unnecessary.
Then his face tautened and he pulled her close again. The cashmere of his sweater was soft and ticklish against her sensitized breasts while his needful embrace allowed Valerie to feel his arousal, a hard long ridge against her lower belly.
Feeling a spike in her own arousal, Valerie remembered: he was hers. She drew apart from him enough to get at the buttons of his sweater. Breathing heavily, she began to undo them.
He went still.
Self-consciousness returned to Valerie then, in a rush. Here she was in this rough stranger's arms, half-naked and fumbling with the buttons of his sweater. But the self-consciousness felt...good. She felt tinglingly aware of her naked skin and of his eyes watching her, gleaming from under his dark lashes. She was very aware of his erection, leaping against her stomach.
A smile curved her lips. She was pleasing him, fumbly fingers and all.
Still smiling, she finished opening his sweater and then tugged at the button on the waistband of his pants. She flicked a glance up at him.
The intensity in his eyes practically burned her. Her grasp momentarily stilled on his pants, then came to life again. She got the button undone, pulled down his zipper, and reached for his erection.
He groaned and stiffened. She did that to him. Then he dragged her hand away so he could make short work of her pants. Before Valerie knew it they were both on the bed and completely naked.
He leaned over and kissed her. He kissed her and kissed her. Their limbs twined. Hands sought vulnerable, wanting places. The world swirled into sensation — touch, taste, sight. Oh, she wanted it all.
And he was only too willing to give it to her.
Valerie found herself opening, responding, and offering, in a way she'd never been able to do before. Maybe because he was so appreciative. It felt as if she were doing him the favor when she let him gift her with some new caress. But she was the one being pleasured, riding on an expanding wave of need.
"Valerie," Roy whispered hoarsely. He perched over her, his hands on her shoulders. His gaze was wild-eyed. "I have to. Now."
Valerie looked back at him through a haze of physical sensation. "Yes," she told him, having no idea what she was agreeing to, and not caring. "Yes, of course you do."
"I have to get the — Don't go away."
As if she could move. She lay in a stupor as he pushed himself off the bed. He bent over their clothes, swearing softly as he struggled to get something out of his trouser pocket.
A bright affection swelled Valerie as she saw him fumble a three-pack of individually wrapped condoms out of his wallet. He'd remembered.
And he was going to put himself inside her.
Maybe that should have restored her inhibition. Maybe the realization should have brought back her awareness of the illusion of it all. Instead she felt herself sink into the bed with increased languor, her body softening in readiness.
He ripped off one of the packages, split it open, and efficiently rolled the contents onto himself. It was an image of abundant experience, but all Valerie could think was: thank God he's so fast.
His head came up and his gaze fastened on her. He was the hungry wolf, and she was his chosen prey.
She froze the way a prey would as he flowed back up to the bed and poised over her.
"Valerie." He used his knees to push her legs further apart. Their eyes locked. For one moment she was no longer prey. She could decide.
The decision was natural. Valerie sank her fingers into Roy's muscled shoulders.
With a low growl of satisfaction, he resumed his conquest, hard and strong and powerful. With each of his controlled, determined thrusts, Valerie felt herself fall more and more under his spell until the surrendering part of her began to transform with need. Her hands gripped his shoulders, her hips began to pump.
"Valerie." It was guttural, something between hoarse command
and desperate plea, before he fastened his mouth over hers and drove into her in true, male earnest.
She gasped. This would have been enough for her, the sensation of falling completely under the power of this dark conqueror. But no. There was more. Some place deep in her body, just at the reach of his thrusts, had grown so soft and willing that when he met it, the sensation zigzagged through her.
As he hit that spot over and over again, Valerie felt her body shake, felt her mouth open in stunned pleasure and surprise. With each majestic motion of his body, he plunged her into a new and profound place of need.
"Please," she whispered hoarsely, and shoved her hips upward. "Please don't stop."
He didn't stop. He kept going, both conquering and giving, linking his body to Valerie's in the deepest connection she'd ever known with another being. She could barely breathe as she stared up at him.
Every shred of control she owned was slipping out of her grasp. Pleasure and need climbed together, impossibly high.
The climax hit her like a thunderclap — sharp, extreme, overwhelming. Her chin shot up, her eyes closed and she moaned in sheer exultation. It was as though pleasure, itself, picked her up and tossed her high.
"Valerie!" He thrust into her one last time, tensed at his apex, and then shuddered violently.
Valerie clutched him close. This was — this had been — She had no words to describe it, only a powerful, almost weepy gratitude.
"Valerie." He said it low this time, on his own way down from the heights. Slowly, he lowered himself over her. Gently, he gathered her close to his chest.
Valerie was still humming. Emotion and physical sensations — everything had been taken to some incredible limit.
"Valerie," he said again. Light, feather-soft kisses dropped on her forehead, her cheeks, her chin. "Valerie, look at me."
Slowly, for they seemed to weigh a ton, she opened her eyes. He was looking down at her, his own eyes open and very clear. It seemed for one transcendent moment as if she could see all the way down into his soul. It seemed as if they were connected, in tune, a mated pair.
Truly.
Her heart squeezed in her chest. For one instant — probably one instant too long — she believed it. This joining had been for more than one night. In fact, they belonged together, for eternity.
Then his lashes lowered, the connection was broken, and she was flung back into reality. They were not connected. This had been casual sex.
"I told you it was gonna be good." Roy's lashes lifted enough to give her a strangely speculative look.
Valerie managed to smile. It wasn't that difficult, actually. She felt a deep fondness for him. Yes, probably too much fondness. "You were right," she replied, her voice only a little hoarse. "It was very good."
He smiled and bent to kiss her, briefly, familiarly, like they were old partners at this sort of thing. "Thank you," he murmured. "You were wonderful. Just amazing."
Valerie closed her eyes as a wave of emotion crested inside her. Even if this hadn't been what it had seemed, he was still awfully nice.
"Mmmm. Now, what I'd really like to — " he began, then swore and looked down at where their bodies still joined, where she could, in fact, feel him slipping out of her. "Wait a minute — Damn. Wait, no. It's okay."
He gave a little laugh then, and glanced over at her. "It's both embarrassing and messy when I get soft that fast, but I managed to catch it in time." He leaned forward to give her another peck, then clambered off the bed. "Be right back, doll. Don't move an inch."
She realized he was dealing with the condom. Not only was he nice, but clear-headed, and beautifully free of self-consciousness. He strolled, perfectly naked, toward the bathroom near the door.
For her part, Valerie wanted to cover herself a little bit. Fortunately, her limbs would still obey her commands and by the time Roy returned from the bathroom she was under the bed sheet.
If he thought this was silly, he didn't say. Grinning widely, he sauntered up to the bed, lifted one corner of the sheet and crawled in. "Now, where were we?" His tone was laughing. He curled up next to Valerie, wrapped an arm around her and then curled his ankle over hers. He nuzzled her beneath her ear. "Suddenly, I can't remember. God, you're sweet."
Valerie felt herself smiling. He was the sweet one, making this...cozy, making it seem natural and right. She turned to look at him.
He was smiling back at her. Indeed, he looked on top of the world, truly delighted.
The remnants of a physical release, a dry voice in Valerie's head explained. Then he smoothed his hand across Valerie's cheek and she didn't care if his smile was only the remnants of a physical release. Her own emotion spilled over. Damn, he was nice. Lord above, she liked him.
And for right now, it was all real.
"Don't imagine I'm through with you," he warned, in a voice that held a strange timbre. He leaned forward to press a kiss against her lips. "Don't imagine it for one instant."
Valerie chuckled and with a full heart reached out to embrace him.
Oh, she'd regret this later. But for right now, it was very, very real.
~~~
She had a freckle that was just off-center on the bridge of her nose. Her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. And when she smiled, it could make the sun come out in the middle of the night.
Roy noticed all of this as he lay, perched on one elbow and smoothed his hand up and down her arm.
He wanted to laugh from pure joy. He couldn't remember when he'd felt so contented, so at peace so...as if he were in the right place at the right time.
His hand lingered atop the curve of her hip. "I could kill myself," he remarked.
Her eyes widened. "What?"
He grinned. "Three. That's all I had, and we just used up the third one. What was I thinking?"
She looked momentarily nonplussed, then seemed to realize he was referring to the condoms. "I would say you weren't thinking," she opined carefully.
Roy laughed. Laughing felt good, letting some of the joy bouncing around him get out. He leaned forward to give her a peck on the lips. If she only knew, he'd been lucky to have as many as one condom, sitting in his wallet from God knew when. He hadn't even considered birth control until she'd brought it up. No, he definitely had not been thinking. "We'll just have to improvise," he decided.
Her eyes widened again, this time with the part innocent, part adventurous sparkle that had made those three condoms go the way of all condoms in a hurry.
Roy felt his blood heat. Inside him stirred a peculiar melding of desires he hadn't even known he possessed: for a woman with a sharp mind, for one with warmth as well as sex appeal. For one who looked at him as if he hung the moon and stars.
Now she stuck her tongue in her cheek. "Are you going for a record, here?"
"You should be so lucky."
She laughed.
The happiness inside Roy jumped. And he was already very happy.
Maybe too happy.
What? Where did that idea come from? Roy shook it off as he put an arm around her and drew her into a loose embrace. "Seriously, honey. I'd like to — well, maybe we could try something off the beaten path. But if you're too tired, or, um, sore...?"
She smiled. "You're serious."
His eyes widened. "Yeah." Damn straight he was serious, but...the idea pestered him again. Maybe there was a danger to how good this was.
Maybe he was trying for too much joy.
She must have seen something in his face for her smile started to fade.
Watching the joy drain from her sparked Roy back to reality. There was no danger here. Thinking so was — was the kind of thing his father would think. If you're happy, there must be something wrong. Thou must make thyself miserable. Feel guilty. Believe you aren't good enough.
Roy pulled Valerie closer. There was no danger, except that he might let his father's stupid ideas step in and ruin this. "I'm serious, darling." He kissed the tip of her nose. "I'm not done yet here. How abo
ut you?"
She bit her lip as she looked up at him. "You can't get enough of me."
"Nope." Jaunty now, determined not to let his father, of all people, ruin this, Roy brought his mouth close to hers. "Want me to prove it?"
A laugh escaped her. Full of humor, her eyes flashed up at him. Lethal.
He wanted her — again. Oh, how he wanted her.
So he was going to have her, and enjoy it.
He closed the eighth of an inch that separated them and pressed his lips to hers.
Joy, pleasure, excitement...a bone-deep wonder. All of these immediately splashed through him. He made a small sound and kissed her deeper.
She put one of those sweet arms around him.
Roy's eyes closed. Oh, this was good. This was so very, very good.
And there was absolutely no danger to enjoying it.
CHAPTER FOUR
He was still lying next to her when Valerie woke up.
It took her a second to orient herself, blinking out at the cool elegance of the hotel room, dimly lit by dawn. It took her another second to remember what had happened. When she did, her muscles tensed.
Had she really done all that?
The mild soreness between her legs told her she must have. So did the memories that filled her head, sweet and beautiful memories.
The source of those memories was still lying next to her, his male weight pulling down the other side of the bed.
Valerie breathed as softly and evenly as she could. She'd been sure he would wake up first. She'd been certain he'd be the one to carry out the terms of their deal, and leave.
But he was still here. Asleep.
Slowly, she pushed up from her pillow. Roy was truly dead to the world. His dark lashes lay long and flat against his cheeks. His beard was a disreputable shadow. With his breathing satisfied and deep, he had the appearance of a well-entertained predator.
Valerie felt a smile crawl over her face. He'd been so...beyond. Not only competent — extraordinarily so — but sweet. He'd made everything seem beautiful and meaningful.
He'd made her feel beautiful and meaningful.
The emotions that had swirled through her during the night whirled up again through her chest.