by Vivian Arend
She raised a brow. “Even though I’ve worn nothing but long pants and full sleeves since day one?”
Derrick smoothed a hand down her cheek, reveling in the heat she exuded. “It’s not just about the way you look. Your stubborn determination to learn to climb again is more of a turn-on to me than seeing you in a skimpy pair of underwear with flawless skin. The way you move makes me hard. I smell your skin, and I’m ready to beg you to touch me.”
“God, you’re good.”
He trailed his fingertips down the front of her shirt, scraping a nail over her nipple and smiling as it popped up to poke the fabric. “It’s the truth. You tell me—any of your injuries affect what we can and can’t do when we get naked?”
Her nipple fascinated him, and he continued to play with it, teasing lightly in circles, pressing the tight nub with his fingers. It took a minute for him to register she hadn’t responded. He glanced up to see her pull her mouth shut and a red flush staining her cheeks.
“When we get naked, there is nothing we can’t do.”
He let his satisfaction show. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. Will you come home with me? So we can do the naked thing?”
Melanie straightened her back, but her smile was nothing but naughty. “Oh, yeah. If you’re sure, I’d like that very much.”
It normally took him fifteen minutes to walk home from the park. With all their pauses to kiss each other, they didn’t make it to the gate of his backyard for thirty. Once he yanked the stubborn thing open, she was back in his arms and he had her pressed against the solid wood, their mouths together again as he gave in to the need to massage her breasts through her shirt.
The compact mounds just filled his hands, her nipples spearing into his palms. A growl escaped, tearing from his lips as his desire broke free. He bent over and nipped at the hard peak through the thin material and she moaned. Moisture from his mouth soaked her shirt, and he sucked right through the fabric, making her squirm. It wasn’t enough, not nearly. It took all his will power to draw away, staring at the wet circle left behind. “I want to taste you, everywhere.”
His voice had dropped a level, dark and lust-filled. Behind his jeans, his cock pressed the fabric to its limits, his balls tight to his body as she writhed against him.
“Not outside. Please?”
Of course not. Not considering she was concerned about showing herself in the first place. The thought of seeing her totally nude in the sunlight did crazy things to his groin though, and there was no way he could walk right now. He propped his hands on either side of her head and gave her one last needy kiss before pulling back.
“Inside.”
He unburied his keys from his pocket and dangled them in front of her. Melanie grinned mischievously, snatched them from his fingers and ducked under his arm. She ran down the back path and halfway up the stairs to the deck before he could follow. He chased her with an exaggerated roar. She fumbled at the lock before popping it open and slipping inside with him right on her heels.
The back door opened onto the kitchen, but she darted through into the next room, dodged around the couch and coffee table and scrambled for the stairs. He slowed, letting her remain ahead of him.
She paused at the top of the landing and leaned over the railing to beam at him. “Shall I make myself at home?”
His cheeks ached from grinning so much. “Please do. Anywhere you want to go is fine with me.”
Melanie disappeared around the corner, and he stomped his way after her, deliberately loud as he took each step, loving how her responding laugh echoed off the walls. He slowed as he reached the door of his bedroom. Every nerve in his body wanted to grab her and bury himself deep, but his brain was getting the biggest kick out of the whole chase scene.
He hadn’t had a lover he could play with in a long time.
She waited on the far side of his mattress, the curtain half-drawn behind her. Backlit, her hair tumbled around her, a halo of shimmering highlights. “Am I being too forward?”
“You ended up right where I wanted you.” Time to start the naked business. If she was uncomfortable, he’d do what he could to help her. He reached for the bottom of his shirt and stripped it from his body. Admiration painted her face as her gaze dropped over him, lingering on his abdomen and the front of his jeans. Staring at her as he continued, he popped open the top button. She bit her lower lip, her hips wiggling from side to side, her arms wrapped tight around her.
The width of the bed separated them. He unzipped his jeans, pushed them from his hips and stepped free. He knew his cock strained against the front of his boxer briefs. Hell, he’d probably already left a wet spot on the fabric after all their fooling around. Melanie once again seemed to square her shoulders. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and shimmied it upward, slowly exposing her smooth belly with a flash of a jewel at her navel. The outline of a rib, then those perfect little breasts were bare to him, and his mouth watered. He wanted to cover the dark circles with his lips and suck them until she moaned in ecstasy.
“God, you’re beautiful.”
The words burst free—unplanned, unrehearsed—and she choked out a cry. It was somewhere between laughter and pain, and as he searched her face for the reason, she pivoted, twisting to expose the left side of her torso.
Ribbons of stark white showed against her skin, plastering her arm and shoulder, her breast. Her rib cage was covered, and the scars marked her all the way down to disappear under the edge of her soft cotton pants. The lower they dropped, the more extensive the damage, the single lines meshing into crosshatches and batches of uneven dips and valleys where the skin and muscle had been torn away prior to healing.
“Shit—that must have hurt.” He sat on the bed, patting the place beside him then reaching a hand to her. She joined him hesitantly, crawling over to bury her face in his neck, her body shaking against his.
“Sorry, I thought I could do this. I thought I was strong enough, but I’m still freaking out.” Her voice was a whisper, and he carefully wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
“Shh, it’s okay. Tell me what happened.”
“I slid. Thirty feet free fall down the wall, most of it jagged granite. The rocks were sharp enough they cut my clothing away, and shredded my harness. By the time I landed, I had broken four ribs and my left leg, dislocated my shoulder and had lacerations from wrist to ankle. A concussion that put me out for a couple of days. The rescue crew was amazed I hadn’t broken my neck. They figured my flexibility and muscle strength saved me.”
“You survived because you’re strong.”
Melanie shrugged, her ear resting on his chest. “My life changed.”
He smoothed her back with tiny circles, caught in an erotic torture as her bare breasts rubbed his chest. Damned if he’d move ahead until she was ready, but shit, he hadn’t lied. Just the smell of her skin made him hard, and now holding her half-naked body in his arms? Screw the scars, he wanted her badly.
So tell her.
“I understand why you’re afraid, but…” Maybe actions would speak louder than words. He caught her hand and pulled it between their bodies, pressing her palm against his cock where it rose between them. “Does it seem as if I’m turned off at the thought of being with you?”
Melanie laughed again, this time a short gasp. She’d been on the verge of tears, and that was not where he wanted this to go. He would wait as patiently as possible. Of course, while he waited, he could make it clear he had no objections to her body whatsoever. He lay back on the bed and took her with him, draping her over his chest and continuing to stroke her warm skin. She squirmed and her gorgeous tits pressed tight to him again. His cock jerked against his briefs. Her temple was within reach, so he kissed it. Then with a little roll they were side by side and her lips were once again accessible.
Kissing her breathless seemed the best way to get her mind off what wasn’t an issue. Not tonight. Not with him. And kissing his way down her body to her breasts was
the next natural progression. He held her gently, thumb and forefingers creating a half cup to press the mound of her breast upward. A slow lick over one tip, the hard point wonderful against his tongue. When she moaned, he tore his gaze upward to make sure she was still on board. Melanie struggled up on her elbows, shaking her head slightly.
“What?” He moved his other hand to play with her nipple.
“It really doesn’t bother you?”
“Kissing you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being deliberately obtuse. My scars.”
“They don’t bother me.” All he wanted was to touch her. To get back to what they were doing. He wasn’t ignoring her pain, or the damage the accident had done to her mind and soul, but wanted to show her the fears about her body at least were groundless. He leaned in and took her nipple into his mouth again, the one on the side where the scarring was. Working slowly, he skimmed his fingertips along the sides of her torso, touching and teasing her skin. Slipping his fingers under the waistband of her pants, he pulled them away.
He slid down the mattress to dip his tongue into her belly button and play with the tiny purple jewel nestled there. All his senses were heightened as he tasted her. The sweet scent of her soap clung to her skin and turned his exploration into an olfactory delight. He planted kisses along the top of her panty line, stroking the side of her body in long sweeps, cupping her ass. She rolled one hip upward, and he snagged the edge of her underwear and dragged it down, exposing her sex to his sight. Oh yes, this was what he’d been waiting for.
Nudging her legs apart with his shoulders, he settled between her thighs, swirling a fingertip between her curls to open her.
“Please.” Melanie lifted her hips higher, and he rewarded her with a slow swipe of his tongue.
He shuddered as her cream hit his system. Too good to stay slow, he covered her with his mouth and ate greedily. Tongue dipping in, then rising to torment the hard nub of her clitoris. Driving in hard until Melanie grabbed his head and called out her pleasure. It happened far too quickly, so he carried on feasting. He brought up one hand, slipping a finger into her core to enjoy the pulses of her orgasm that rocked on and on. Languid pumps followed as he continued to lap and suck her sensitive clit.
She dug in her heels and ground against him, and he willingly gave more. Two fingers now, stroking the front of her passage until she shook. Derrick pulled away and leaned on the bed, his fingers moving constantly as he looked into her face. Two bright red spots flushed her cheeks and her eyes were half-lidded. Pleasure streaked her face when he brought the heel of his hand in contact with the top of her mound. He moved to kiss her again.
Her fingers twisted in his hair, her tongue tangling with his. The taste of her pleasure passed between them, and she arched, rubbing against him like a cat.
She broke the seal between their lips. “I want you inside me.”
Oh, yeah. Derrick kissed her one last time then reached over her into his side table. Her warm hands were busy at the elastic of his briefs, stripping off the fabric and enveloping his cock with her tight grip. He rolled to his back and let her play, watching with delight as she explored his length, stroking and caressing with her fingertips.
“You okay?” he asked.
She shuffled closer, kneeling half over him as she turned her bright eyes in his direction. “I’m wonderful. I want more.”
“So do I.” Every firm stroke brought him that much closer to finishing, and he wasn’t ready yet. He grabbed her wrists in his hand and stilled her caress. “You’re driving me mad.”
Melanie smiled and leaned over to nab the condom. He took the opportunity to swipe at her breast as it came within reach, and she paused, moaning as he suckled. “That feels so good.”
He smiled around his mouthful, nipping the tight tip. She gasped and pulled away, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
“I like your body, Melanie. All of you. You are one nice package.”
She raised a brow and sat back, the condom wrapper tossed to the floor as she held his cock in her hand again. Ball-breakingly slow, she rolled the latex down his shaft. “Speaking of nice packages.”
They laughed together before he tipped her chin up. “You want to be on top? It’s been a while.”
She answered by dropping to the mattress and tugging his shoulders. “You do all the work this time.”
He had no objections with that at all. He covered her with his body, the warmth of her skin teasing him. The expression in her eyes enticing him on. Then the tip of his cock slipped through her folds, and the raging heat of her body surrounded him. He squeezed his eyes closed, fighting to restrain his eagerness. One slight rock after another, he forced his way into her tight passage. Melanie drew her knees wider to the side, opening space for his hips as they meshed together. It felt so fucking good as pleasure slid down his spine and pulsed in his balls.
He hovered over her, allowing their bodies room to rub as he thrust in, slowly at first. Unhurried and deep, his cock slid into her passage as her cream spread over him. His ability to resist melted and he sped up, switching to hard and fast thrusts. Each plunge better than the last, each drive slamming their groins together. His balls slapped her body, her peaked nipples grazed his chest. When she dragged her fingers down his back, he swore and pounded in wildly. There was an inferno blazing between them, and he wasn’t going to stop until they went out together in a burst of pleasure.
Derrick leaned on one arm and slipped a hand between their torsos to find her clit, pinching in time with his thrusts, and Melanie screamed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her heels digging into his butt. She hauled him into her core, and as her orgasm squeezed him, he released all control and exploded into the condom. His balls pulled up, his cock jerking again and again until she’d drained him completely. The room spun, and there was a loud roar in his ears that blocked out all other sounds. Her panting breath hit his cheek, and he took in the scent of sex filling the room.
He could handle more of this. A lot more.
Derrick collapsed to the side, his arms quivering with reaction to the intensity of his release. “Holy shit, that was…” Words escaped him. His brain was mush. She cuddled in closer, his cock still buried in her body, and let out a contented sigh.
“Oh yeah, it was.”
They stared at each other, satisfied and sated. “Round one?”
Melanie raised her brows. “I’m game for more, once I can move.”
Exactly. He kissed her forehead and just lay there. More in a minute. Right now he needed to get some blood back into another part of his body before his limbs would operate. He lazily ran a hand over her naked torso, both the smooth and the scarred. She tensed, but only for a second, before leaning into him and relaxing.
Derrick smiled against her hair. Yup. There were some things said more clearly with actions than could ever be said with words.
Chapter Three
Sketched Out: Feeling insecure, a lack of confidence in the current situation.
She hadn’t changed much. Not in the nearly ten years since he’d last seen her. Her petite body was still powerful, lean and made his body ache as she clung to the wall and traversed her way across, staying only a few feet off the ground.
Nathan King rested his chin on his hands, leaning forward in his seat in the balcony area as he watched Melanie bouldering. She wore full-length yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt—no evidence of her accident was visible, but he knew it was there. He’d seen the news-file photos taken immediately after Mel’s fall.
He’d gone off in another direction long before her mishap, and until his most recent assignment had crossed his desk, he’d put all thoughts of her out of his mind. She’d been underage the first time they’d hung around each other, him always careful to stay on the outskirts of her crowd.
Nathan stared across the room, his fascination rising. She wasn’t too young anymore.
He clicked a couple of candid shots from the upstairs seating
area before packing away his camera equipment and descending the stairs to greet her.
He hung back along the wall and waited for her to spot him. She spoke animatedly with another climber, the woman laughing at something Mel said. Nathan admired how her eyes lit up, a smile brightening her face just like he remembered. Except the slope of her cheek was all woman now, no baby fat or maturing left to do, simply a dark beauty that shone through her healthy glow.
Taking this assignment was looking more positive all the time.
Melanie lifted her head and glanced in his direction. A crease appeared between her brows, a cloud of confusion in her eyes. The moment she figured out who he was, everything changed.
“Nathan? Oh my God, it’s you!”
She raced across the floor and threw herself into his arms. The warmth of her torso hit like a thunderbolt, streaking through him and electrifying his entire system. He grabbed on to stop her from falling, bracing his legs to keep them both vertical. Her arms squeezed him tight and he was suddenly aware of the intimate contact between their bodies. Her breasts were compressed against him, his cock against her belly. She squirmed and he let her go, her cheeks flushed as she stared.
“Hey, monkey.”
He easily blocked her instant punch to his torso, grinning as he realized that even after all these years her response to his tease hadn’t changed.
“What are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in forever.” She motioned him to the side of the room to a safer place to talk out of the way of climbers and curious onlookers.
“I came to see you.”
Her eyes widened, panic-stricken. “Katy. She’s okay, isn’t she? You didn’t come to tell me—”
“Whoa, hang on. There’s nothing wrong with my sister. She sent her love when I told her I was heading west to meet with you.” Nathan looked her up and down slowly, letting his admiration show. This might be partly a job, but that didn’t mean that was all it had to be. He was single, and she was all grown up. This could be a lot of fun for the short while he would be in town.