“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere.”
Her expression dazed with ecstasy and her body flushed with arousal. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. He jerked the zipper and stepped out of his clothes, all the while watching the beautiful woman in his bed. She leaned up on her elbows, her gaze fastened on his burgeoning erection. He’d never been bashful, but her hot stare made his balls tighten to bursting.
“Kelly . . .” he uttered, hoarse with desire.
“I’ve never ogled a man before. I’m curious.”
“You have seen a naked man?” his voice trailed off in disbelief.
“Yes.” Her smoldering gaze flashed to his. “But I want to see you. You’re magnificent.”
Pride filled him that she thought so, her breathless praise drove him back to her side.
Her beauty astounded him. Her provocative skin warmed him, excited him with a desperate hunger. He sprinkled hot kisses over her neck and licked that favorite spot behind her ear. His hands explored and lingered over every inch of her silky body. She returned his caresses and he savored her every touch. Lost in a maze of desire, he fed like a starving man. He brushed a trail of kisses between her breasts, teasing a path with his tongue, down and over her abdomen. Smooth skin begged him to linger, so he burrowed into her softness, then moved lower, hearing her breath catch. Her sighs of pleasure encouraged him, inspired his every caress, emboldened him to seek her pleasure and indulge her every whim.
Kelly. Sexy, desirable, delectable Kelly. Every kiss he gave her, he wanted a hundred more. He pressed into her skin, wanting to devour her with his lips and tongue. He smoothed a trail of kisses over her shapely hips, then angled inward. He smelled her essence and it excited him, urged him on to his goal.
Even though she’d had one climax, he wanted to build her anticipation again. Tease her, taunt her, until her body craved him as desperately as she had only moments ago.
And as desperately as he craved her.
He dipped lower and kissed her inner thigh, moving his kisses higher and higher, deliberately tormenting her as he crawled between her legs. Only a breath from tasting her, he hesitated, delighting in the dew on her glistening curls. Her heavy pants, like a melody to his ears, told him she waited impatiently for his touch.
He covered her with his mouth and exhaled a hot wave of breath.
She keened, a delicate sound of anguish.
Pleasure and pain. Her body’s way of seeking immediate gratification, which he was all too willing to give.
Her breasts rose and fell with her shaky breaths, her fingers tangled in his hair. Her hips moved in a carnal dance, while he drove deeper with his tongue. God, she tasted like heaven.
Hearing her moans only made him grow harder and more determined to please her. Giving this to her gave him pleasure as well, but he wanted to give her everything. Touch her like she needed to be touched, satisfy her every desire, fulfill her every need.
Her essence consumed him. Every caress, every flick from his tongue sent her higher. She writhed beneath his ministrations. He groaned against her bundle of nerves, delving with mindless fervor.
She yanked his hair and wailed. Her body shuddered, he felt her pulse beneath his lips. The most wonderful sensation gripped him in his chest.
Kelly. My love.
With a smile, he placed a soft kiss just so, then rose to see her flushed face.
The night had scarcely begun, yet he already knew. One night with Kelly would never be enough.
~ ~ ~
Kelly waited for her breathing to slow, wondering if her heart would jump out of her chest. When her pulse finally returned to a reasonable rhythm, she opened her eyes and found Craig directly above her. The gleam in his regard sent a flash of heat through her. He stared at her as if she was a precious artifact or a prized jewel. She barely had the strength to lift her hand and smooth the black lock of hair dangling on his forehead.
God, he was so sexy.
Blazing blue irises penetrated her, infiltrating her soul, demanding to see the secrets dwelling within. Only a moment ago, she’d been writhing shamelessly against him. The things he did to her, the sensations he made her feel, made it almost impossible to breathe.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his voice smoky with lust.
He grasped her thigh and lifted it over his hip. Their eyes locked, their breath mingled, and he slipped inside her.
They gasped together. His thickness and the pressure so soon after her climax overwhelmed her. She released a guttural cry. She grabbed the back of his head and merged their lips in an erotic kiss.
“God, you’re delicious,” he gasped. “You are so incredibly desirable. I’ve wanted this too much, for so long.”
He began to move in a slow, deep, sensual way, sending another wave of desire rolling through her. Propped on an elbow, with one hand braced on her hip, he hauled her lower body even closer with each thrust. She clung to him, tracing the taut muscles on his back while he fondled her aching breasts. He shifted his hips and explored more deeply, bringing a soft cry to her lips. She turned her head to his shoulder and lightly bit him in a wave of uncontrollable need.
He stroked her again and again, hitting every raw nerve, every shred of sensitivity. He went faster with his hot, hard body, his thrusts deep and profound, finding nerve endings she didn’t know she had. Suddenly, her body tightened and her heart soared.
“Craig,” she called, out of control. Fire burst in her center and flowed to the tips of her fingers, shattering her mind with white hot pleasure.
Craig stiffened, rigid against her. Then he jerked and shouted her name—and crushed her so tight she thought her bones would crack.
She was too exhausted, too euphoric to care.
Kelly floated in a whirl of bliss. Weightless, mindless, the most luscious feeling she’d ever known. Gradually, Craig’s weight made his presence known. His skin so hot, he singed her in a wonderful warm embrace.
“I’m heavy,” he said as he shifted. She clutched him, not wanting him to move, yet knowing if he remained she’d find it difficult to breathe.
He tugged her to his side and wrapped himself around her, his chest rising and falling with harsh breaths. “You take my breath,” he finally said on a soft chuckle.
“You took mine on three occasions before you lost yours,” she teased.
“I wouldn’t survive three if they all were like that one.”
She burrowed into him, wrapping her arms around his middle. She couldn’t get close enough. The words I love you were on the tip of her tongue, but how could she dare think them? Bliss. Pure, utter bliss. Ecstasy, rapture. There wasn’t a word strong enough to describe how she felt. She wanted to crawl into Craig, under his skin, next to his heart, and stay there.
She didn’t care that she was losing herself. She didn’t want to explain anything right now. The most wonderful feeling in the world had her in its hold. She didn’t care about anything else. All she wanted, all she needed, was Craig.
For a long while, they lay side by side, quietly enjoying the after effects of making love.
“Your skin has that flushed glow,” he said, while his hand slowly glided from her shoulder to her elbow and back.
“I can’t imagine why,” she purred, then placed an open-mouthed kiss on his pecs.
“Hmmm. You feel so good. There should be a stronger word with deeper meaning, but good just says it all.”
“Be careful, Mr. Peterson. You might fall under my spell.”
“I already have,” he said, and rolled her to her back. “Now, if I could just charm and enchant you . . .” His voice trailed off as he spread kisses on her collar bone.
“You’re doing that already,” she said, breathless.
“You drive me crazy. I can’t be r
esponsible for my actions when you wear something like that little black lacy thing.”
“It didn’t stay on very long.”
“Long enough to do what you intended,” he said between kisses. His hands were everywhere. Stroking, squeezing, inflaming every nerve all over again.
“I love the way you touch me. I love the feel of your hands everywhere on my body.”
“You arouse me without using words, but if you keep talking like that, I won’t be able to control myself.”
“You don’t need to use control. I like the idea of you not holding back.”
“Sweetheart. You release the beast in me. You make me want to beat my chest and devour you whole. But, I like to nibble, like this.” He caught her bottom lip between his teeth. “And I love to taunt, like this.” He twirled his tongue around her nipple several times before covering her breast with his hot mouth.
She sighed in satisfaction, holding his head prisoner so he would continue his lavish demonstration.
“And spike your desire, like this.” His teeth nipped the skin at her neck, then he laved the flat of his tongue over the sensitive spot. His words propelled her higher with every open-mouthed kiss. Her body had a mind of its own, she simply wallowed in the sea of want. A flood of need, created by the man of her dreams and desires. Fantasies she never knew existed? Craig gave them to her. How could she not love him?
They explored each other’s bodies, tasting, touching, until neither could take more. Kelly shook with want.
“Damn. I usually have more restraint. You do things to me,” he said, his lips grazing her skin. “I crave you more now than before. I have to be inside you.” Before his words registered, his spine flexed and he slipped inside, filling her. He gave a growl of desperate hunger.
Yes. Please.
“Kelly.” His harsh groan enthralled her, sending a tingling to her toes. He stayed still only a moment before he drove into her with long, maddening strokes.
With a sigh, he lowered his head and captured her mouth. She opened to him eagerly, wantonly, her tongue gliding against his with sensual abandon. Sliding his palms down her thigh, he snagged her leg and raised it over his hip as he plunged again. The breath rushed from her lungs, making her cry out. His deepening thrusts had her head spinning from the blood thudding in her ears.
Craig brought her to the cliff, dangled her on the edge, then tossed her over into a flood of hot, pulsating sensation. She panted as she gripped his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin.
The pace of his thrusts increased. She held him tightly, feeling his straining muscles, and then his big body shook beneath her hands.
Chapter 15
The week flew by without Kelly’s notice. Craig’s touch drove her to distraction. It was time for her to make a decision. Extend her stay or return to her job in Virginia.
No difficult choice there. She’d earned vacation, several weeks, in fact. Now would be a perfect time to use it. She hadn’t planned on finding a man. A man had been the last thing she’d wanted. But Craig had fallen into her lap and she’d be damned if she would let him go. Not yet.
She’d been infatuated with him from the moment he invaded her shower, but the kiss at the lake rattled her. She’d never felt such hunger. After a night of mind-blowing sex, he’d created a storm of emotions. Desire, fervor, excitement, lust. Now she bordered on obsession. She’d never met a man who made her so hot just looking at him.
They ignited sparks off each other.
Whatever hold he had on her, she’d succumbed to it. She liked it. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. This feeling, this chaos, was exciting and new, and had completely swept her into a whirlwind that she didn’t want to escape from.
The restaurant lights shimmered, glass and silverware clinked, and the hum of conversation filled the room. Nothing held her attention but the gorgeous man sitting across from her. His scrutiny read her every emotion. He sensed her unease, but he seemed a bit preoccupied as well. All through dinner, instead of lingering, heated glances of seduction, he looked at her as though he had something on his mind. Maybe he, too, was thinking of their limited time. Neither of them wanted to bring up the subject that their time together was nearing an end.
She’d been a bit nervous, wondering if this would be her last evening with Craig. She certainly was not ready for it. If she had her way, she’d stay in Charlotte indefinitely.
She’d never been one to bury her head in the sand. Facing a problem head on was more her style, yet she hated addressing this topic, as she already felt the sting of loss. She couldn’t bear the thought of ending things with Craig. They each had lives waiting for them. Hers in Virginia. His in San Francisco. Talk about long distance. They were on opposite sides of the continent.
His eyes darted to her as she reached for her wine glass. Changing her mind, she blinked in frustration.
“Craig. Is something bothering you?” He seemed startled by her question.
“Only that I can barely wait to get you alone.”
That was more like it. She smiled at his comment, knowing there was more he didn’t say. She took a sip of wine for courage. “We can leave whenever you want.”
“You’ve barely touched your meal.”
He was right. Thinking their time together almost at an end, she didn’t have much of an appetite. His eyes blazed. God, she wanted to get lost in them. Couldn’t she ignore everything else for a while longer?
“I’m not very hungry. I’d rather be with you.”
He straightened and signaled for the waiter. In no time at all, they left the restaurant and climbed into his truck. Neither spoke a word as he drove to his hotel, nor on the elevator ride to his room. As if words might shatter the thread holding her together, she kept silent. Still, she noticed the tension in him, too. He knew her so well, was able to read her easily. He said nothing, merely placed his hand at the curve of her back, guiding her, burning her where his hand touched.
Preceding him inside, she stepped to the big glass window, staring out at the lights over the city. She sensed the moment he stood behind her, just before his hands gripped her hips.
“Would you like something to drink?” His lips brushed her hair.
“No, thank you.” He slipped his hands around her waist and settled them over her stomach, drawing her back. She leaned into his hard strength and covered his large hands with her palms, absorbing every drop of his tenderness. She needed his warmth, his affection. She sank into the sensation of his caress.
“I can never get enough of you,” he breathed into her hair just before his lips grazed her neck. One hand slid up to fondle her breast, while the other roamed over her belly, his fingers caressing, sending tremors of longing racing through her blood.
Her insides clenched and she let out a breathy moan. He flicked his finger back and forth over her nipple. Combined with the pressure he applied below, and his open mouth sucking on her neck, she rode the swell of a nearing climax. He knew how to play her body, and tuned it to a fever pitch. He knew what to do to make her feel exactly the way she wanted to feel. His fingers played over her thighs, then dipped into her panties, raising her level of excitement. She arched to meet them, his touch sparking a new wave of arousal.
“Let go, my love. I’ve got you,” he crooned.
Needing him so badly, she gave in to her desire and bit her lip to keep from screaming. He added more pressure, his fingers danced and pumped her to oblivion. Her whimpers came out hard and strong.
Then, she heard his zipper. She prepared for the thrust she knew was coming, and cried out in pleasure when he gave her exactly what she craved. His arms became steel bands and his weight pressed heavy into her back.
“Jesus, you feel so goddamn perfect,” he hissed.
His touch burned like fire against her skin, creating a m
indless need. His strokes consumed and surged, each more demanding, more powerful. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so wild and free and needed. She moaned and panted. He flexed his hips, grinding against her, while his fingers found the sensitive bud at her core.
She moaned and whimpered, his thumb circling the bundle of nerves with a skill that drove her insane.
“Baby, you’re driving me crazy with the sounds you’re making.”
“More. More,” she begged.
He adjusted her leg, circled his hips, and plunged deeper. His teeth grazed the back of her neck, the sting making her desperate for the grinding pulse of his hips. He squeezed her breasts and pinched her nipples. Suddenly, her muscles clenched. Her body trembled violently as her powerful orgasm tore through her, ripping a cry of ecstasy from her throat.
“Christ.” Craig’s body tensed and jerked, the warmth of his love flowing into her. His breathing ragged, his groan like a long, suffering wail, her name spilling passionately from his lips.
~ ~ ~
“Craig. I have one more day, then I have to leave.”
He’d known it was coming, but he hadn’t expected the flash of pain that came with it. He buried his face in her hair, loving the way she curled up next to him. He toyed with the idea of keeping her in bed forever.
She’d been preoccupied all evening, it wasn’t hard to guess what had been on her mind. On both their minds. The week had passed by much too quickly. And he’d enjoyed every blissful moment.
“What shall we do tomorrow?” She caressed his chest with delicious distraction. With a slow, stroking movement, her hand moved lower with each swipe.
He gave a laugh and rolled over, pinning her arms. “What we’ve done every day since the first time I made love to you.” He kissed the tops of her breasts and pressed his lower body to hers, leaving no doubt of his intention. She laughed that throaty laugh of hers. The one that drove him wild with lust.
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