by Vivian Arend
He wanted to be naked with her. He wanted to strip off the long-sleeved shirt and sports bra she always wore, and suck on her firm nipples until she screamed. Then he’d—
A buzzer went off and they both tensed. They glanced toward the clock on the wall and Melanie let out a huge sigh. “Opening time.”
The after-school crowd was waiting for him to open the door to the climbing gym. Screw it. They could all wait for a few minutes.
It took an extraordinary amount of time to untangle themselves and find their feet. Derrick held her close for longer than he needed to, pretending it was to make sure she had her balance. He just didn’t want to let her go.
The damn buzzer went off again, this time accompanied by banging fists on the doorframe.
“Your students are eager to get started.” Melanie stared away from him, all her concentration centered on untangling the knot tethering her to the rope.
He wasn’t going to leave it this way. A wild tumble on the climbing mats and nothing more? “Would you like to go for dinner with me?”
Her head snapped up, a small smile appearing. “Tonight?”
Derrick nodded as he headed for the door. “I can get away around six thirty. Seven if you’re okay waiting that long.”
Melanie paused and he held his breath. “I’d like that. You want me to come here?”
Excitement raced through him to rival any teenage boy planning a first date. “That would be great.”
“Okay.”
They were grinning at each other like fools, he was sure of it, but he really didn’t give a shit. Not about the continued protesting at the door behind him, or the faces peering in. Not about his lack of finesse. She turned and headed for the change room, and he watched her ass with a growing conviction that fate had intervened today and that tonight was going to be the start of a fine relationship.
Melanie wanted to relearn how to live? He could help her with a lesson or two, and if somewhere along the way they happened to get involved in some heart-pounding, body-aching sex?
He was good with that as well.
Chapter Two
Rope Gun: Slang title for the climber who does all the leading.
Melanie pivoted in front of the mirror, frowning in dissatisfaction. She smoothed her hands down the second T-shirt she’d layered on. Unless a person knew exactly where to look, no signs of her accident showed. Of course, that equaled no skin visible anywhere, which meant she wasn’t very sexy, and therein lay her dilemma.
There had to be some kind of rulebook she’d neglected to read that could guide her through this situation, but the feverish heat pulsing through her veins and the ache between her legs continued to distract her. A girly-girl she wasn’t, but surely even she could manage to pull together one outfit that was a little less “here I am, I’m covered” and a little more “here I am, want to uncover me?”
She changed clothing five times before she forced herself to stop.
In a few short minutes, Derrick James had turned her on and left her revving on high. Although she was embarrassed at her emotional outburst, it hadn’t seemed to bother him. On the contrary, he must have had getting close to her on his mind before that moment. Guys got turned on fast—she knew that from too many years of close contact in confining quarters when her co-ed team had traveled to competitions. But Derrick? He had struck her as far more mature than the trigger-happy youths on her climbing team.
And the way he’d kissed her? Okay, the idea of being in someone’s bed hadn’t been on her agenda for a long time for a lot of reasons. After her last horrifying experience, she was not only afraid of his reaction, but her own. She didn’t want it to all be a bunch of motion with no grand finale. The fear she wouldn’t be able to relax enough to enjoy sex haunted her, and she wasn’t the type to fake an orgasm for anyone, especially herself.
After the lust-inspiring grope they’d shared, she wasn’t that concerned Derrick wouldn’t be able to get a response out of her.
But would he be able to handle what her body looked like under her clothing? And was she really ready to let anyone see the scars? The lingering pulse of interest said she might be willing to find out.
She walked back to the climbing center, the air warm enough she didn’t need a jacket with the long-sleeved shirt she wore like protective armor. Hiding from the stares of other people on the street had become second nature to her by now—and took far less energy.
Five minutes later the pounding pulse of a rock beat shook her before she even laid a hand on the door. She slipped inside and leaned on the wall, taking a slow look around to see who was climbing on Thursday night.
Families, youths and couples all filled the place with noise and laughter. Derrick had done a great job making the center somewhere for more than the elite to gather. She smiled as a dad belayed his son up the closest wall, the little guy maybe five years old and clinging like a gecko as he chatted excitedly.
Except when the kid breezed past the marker line where she’d frozen, Melanie turned away in disgust. Yeah, whatever. Next time she’d force herself to go higher. There had to be an end to fear at some point, right?
She spotted Derrick roped into a harness, lead belaying one of the stronger climbers. The biceps in his arms showed nicely as he fed out the rope a portion at a time, watching his partner closely. Adam swarmed up the wall, smooth and rhythmic in his motions. She was far enough to the side Derrick must have seen her, at least in his peripheral vision, but he did no more than wave a finger, his gaze fixed on the climber.
Adam reached to clip his rope into the hook of the next carabiner on the overhanging wall and missed. Melanie’s stomach tightened in a rush as the young man fell. A split second later she fought for breath—the rope Derrick held that attached to Adam’s harness had jerked him to a safe stop well above the ground. Good-natured laughter rang through the room as Adam was lowered the remaining distance, shaking his head sheepishly.
Derrick clapped hands with him and pointed at the holds, probably suggesting something different to try the next time. Adam nodded and the two unroped and separated. Derrick headed directly for her.
“You okay?” The concern on his face was touching and annoying at the same time. God, even watching another person fall made her stomach roll.
“Just a little shaky. Think I need some food.”
He undid the straps securing his waist belt. She tried not to stare in fascination at his hands working directly over his groin. Part of her wanted to reach out and volunteer to help him, any way she could. When she dragged her gaze higher, he tossed her one of his spine-melting smiles, his own interest shining in his eyes as he looked her over.
“I need to wash the chalk off my hands and put my belt away, then we can head out.”
It wasn’t that much later they were on the sidewalk, forced into close side-by-side proximity as newcomers brushed past them to enter the facility.
“You sure you can get away?” Melanie asked. “It looks busy tonight.”
“I’m fine. There’s enough staff on, and I usually take off Thursdays and work the late shift Friday and Saturday.”
“That must interfere with your social life.” Oh, that was smooth, Mel. Not. Way to sound as if she was digging for information. Which she totally was, but still. She didn’t think he had a regular girlfriend, not with the way he’d kissed her. He had asked her out, but before she dove into anything, she’d like to know a little more about the big picture. Their private lives were not a subject they’d discussed over the past weeks.
“I get plenty of time for friends. The gym is closed at nine those days, and five on Sundays, so it’s not like I’m there until two a.m. or anything.” They dodged a group of skateboarders hanging out in a circle on the corner of the street. Derrick pulled her closer to his side as a few of the gang turned and eyed her.
The touch of his fingers as he kept hold of her trickled tiny rays of heat up her arm and into her body, and she suddenly wished she’d been brave enough
to simply wear a tank top so he’d be touching her skin.
Hmm, skin on skin. Another item to add to the collection of things she’d like to try again. Soon.
They were in the restaurant in two minutes flat—one of the joys of small-town living. Derrick pulled out a chair for her on the deck built along the main street. In the winter, Main Street was an eclectic shopping vista, with cozy coffee shops to hide from the weather. In the spring and summer, the town turned the downtown lane into the center of attention, with multiple outdoor sitting areas and the ever-present buskers providing street music for tossed coins.
“How are you enjoying living here?” Derrick leaned back in his chair. He was seated beside her, his right arm close to hers as he placed the menu back on the table. The hair on his arm brushed the back of her hand and her nipples tightened.
She was a sexual time bomb waiting to be triggered. She blew out a breath, ruffling her bangs, then smiled at him. “It’s been great. My brother told me this was a fun town to visit, but a little crazy to live in. He’s right.”
“You see a lot of Kane?”
She shook her head. “I had dinner with him and his roommates when I first moved, but he’s been gone pretty much ever since. He’s got a full schedule of wilderness trips booked until the end of summer.”
They chatted for a little longer until their order was taken. Light conversation about what she’d done in school, about him and the house he was renovating even farther up the steep slope of the mountain than where she lived. All the while she admired him—his dark hair with the slightest bit of unruly curl at the ends hung loose, brushing his shoulders. He had the darkest irises, somewhere between brown and black, and a jaw that made her want to turn down dinner and just nibble on him for a while.
A climber’s body—lean muscle, not bulky—every movement he made coordinated and smooth. He wore a T-shirt that clung to his biceps, fit snug to his chest. Heck, it was tight enough when he shifted position she swore she could make out the ridges of his six-pack. She knew he had one—she’d rounded the corner the second week at the gym when he’d stripped off his shirt and pumped out a set of chin-ups to the rising cheers of his climbing mates. She’d had to wipe away her drool.
Their food arrived and they both reached for the salt at the same time, bumping hands. He laughed and gestured for her to take it first, his strong fingers with neatly trimmed nails catching her eye as he picked up his burger and bit into it heartily.
Melanie attacked her own multilayered wrap, juice from the spicy barbeque sauce escaping to trickle down her chin as the flavours burst over her tongue. He caught a drip from the corner of her mouth and that electric pulse returned. Harder. Hotter. Their conversation faded away to nothing as the sexual tension at the table rose tenfold. Every bite, every swallow. Flames licked her skin, and there wasn’t enough of a breeze in the air to cool her off. She grabbed her water glass and purposely looked in the opposite direction, needing a second to regain control.
“What would you like to do after dinner?” Derrick rubbed the back of his knuckles against the thin fabric of her shirtsleeve provoking an instant rush of desire. “There’s a movie we could catch, or we could go for a walk along the lakeside.”
There were a whole lot of unspoken questions in his tone.
What was her agenda for the night? Going to a movie was safe, in a way. At the most they’d be able to do a little necking like teenagers, but they wouldn’t get to talk. And while more kissing with Derrick was on her list, if they were going to take the interlude they’d started any further, they definitely needed to talk. “I’d like to walk, if you don’t mind.”
Thirty minutes later they slowly strolled the boardwalk curving the perimeter of the park. On their left, the lake spread out, lazy ripples undulating on the surface as the occasional kayaker floated past. Melanie reached for his hand and snuck her fingers into his, and he smiled, squeezing lightly and letting her set the pace.
Enough of keeping secrets. If she was going to do anything more than kiss him, she had to tell him. Part of facing the future, right?
“You know my brother pretty well?”
He nodded, his thumb brushing the back of her knuckles with a light, teasing touch. “We’ve worked together over the years. When Kane’s arranged wilderness excursions with rock-climbing components, I’ve come along and coordinated. I do occasionally hang out with him, Jack and Dara for kicks. Great guy, lots of fun.”
“Did he ever tell you about my accident?”
Derrick pointed off the main path to a bench facing the water. “He’d said you were a top-ranked climber, but you’d had a fall. Never mentioned much more. That was also about all you told me when you came in and asked for private lessons.”
Melanie shifted uneasily, ignoring the open spot next to him on the bench. She’d prefer to be on her feet for this one. “I guess I don’t want a lot of sympathy, but…”
She sighed. Damn fall. Of all the stupid things to be worried about right now.
“What’s wrong, Melanie? How can I help?” He reached forward and grabbed her hands and tugged her toward him. His knees were spread wide and she stepped into the protective circle of his body. The warmth from his torso and the sincerity in his eyes helped a lot. “I’m interested in you. Not just as a client.”
He slipped his hands around her hips and suddenly fingers touched bare skin where her shirt had ridden up in the back.
“Wait…” She pulled back and his face fell.
“Sorry. I thought you—”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just…” Damn. She dragged her hand through her hair. Pull in your courage. It shouldn’t be this tough.
He tugged on her arm again. She plopped onto his knee and clutched his shoulders for balance. Slowly, as if expecting her to run away again, he leaned his head toward her and their mouths connected.
Melanie dove in wholeheartedly, letting the arousal that had simmered all afternoon come to a full boil. Yeah, she still needed to tell him about her scars, but just in case she scared him off, she was going to store away one last session for future fantasy material.
As her willing lips meshed with his, the strumming in his body kicked up a notch. Thank God, it wasn’t that she didn’t want him. Derrick adjusted her on his lap so he could lean back and let her full weight rest against his aching groin. She had to be the most emotionally volatile woman he’d met in a long time. Frightening thought in some ways, but he liked his woman to have both the fire to stand up to him, and the mental strength to submit. It was never the cool and in-control ones he enjoyed the most. Whatever psychological turmoil had Melanie in its grip, he was more than content to see where this thing between them led.
She wiggled, her lips leaving his to dip into the scoop of his neck as she squeezed tight against him. Her small breasts rubbed his chest, her tight nipples visible as he glanced down at her dark, long-sleeved T-shirt. He ran his hands up her back, careful to stay over top of the fabric, and swore lightly when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra.
The heat in his body kicked even higher. Three weeks of watching and wanting to touch her. Yeah, he was ready for this to go a whole lot further than simply kissing.
They had enough privacy here to get into a moderate public display without getting arrested. There were only the joggers at his back who could spot them, and they always seemed intent on the end of the trail. He clasped her hips and lifted her across him. She helped by raising her knee, coming down to straddle his thighs. Off in the distance, a cheer rose from the parents watching their children at the soccer fields.
She scraped her fingernails down his shoulders as her tongue continued to dip into his mouth. He captured her taste, the warmth of her wet lips, and another pulse of desire raced through him. This much contact wasn’t nearly enough. He lowered his hands back to her hips to grind her over him, connecting the ridge of his bulging erection with her crotch. She moaned in approval.
Derrick tore his mouth from hers and drop
ped his head to her shoulder, stilling their frantic gyrations and dragging in a breath to control himself. “I want you. Let me take you home.”
She stiffened, but her fingers continued their teasing touch at the base of his skull. “I want that too, but…”
He cupped the back of her head and held her tight. Maybe it would be easier if she didn’t meet his eyes. Maybe it was the wrong time of the month, as if that wasn’t the most awkward question ever. “But what? Not a good time right now?”
Melanie out-and-out laughed, leaning back to display a smirk. “Oh God, sorry for making you ask. No, it’s nothing like that, but I am…embarrassed.” Her words tumbled out in a rush as if she had to say it quickly, or not at all. “I’ve got scars from the accident. I wasn’t sure what you’d think of them.”
All the tension that had built in him as he’d considered the dire reasons she could have for putting him off slipped away in a smooth eddy of relief. “I’ve got a few scars of my own. Thirty years of rock climbing and outdoor adventures invites wear and tear on the body. I don’t think there will be a problem.”
“Yeah, well…that’s what someone else told me too. Only it was a problem.”
Shit. As soon as she uttered the words she’d gone as rigid in his arms as a tightly coiled spring. Suddenly he understood. “Is that why it’s been so long since you’ve had sex? You think guys don’t appreciate what you look like? Or did some ass insult you and you never tried again?”
She hung her head. “Walked out on me in disgust.”
Rage flashed inside, along with a deep need to take apart the guy one piece at a time.
“He was an idiot.” He cupped her chin and waited until she looked him fully in the eye. “I swear there’s nothing about your body that can make me not want you. You’ve been driving me crazy since the minute you walked through the door of my club.”