In Safe Arms

by Christine, Lee

Nate’s toned body beneath her.

  Dizzy and desperate for oxygen, she dragged her mouth from his, breathing shallow as she opened her eyes and stared at their reflection. Nate’s left arm was braced on the back of the spa, elbow crooked, muscled forearm crushing her breasts and holding her in place. His dark head was next to her blonde one, his face turned into her neck, broad shoulders visible behind her narrower frame. The sensual image tipped her over the edge, and suddenly she was climbing, free of inhibitions, shamelessly seeking the pleasure so closely within her reach.

  As if sensing her desperation, Nate chose that moment to stop. But as she cried out in protest, he made soothing sounds in her ear, took hold of one knee and parted her legs.

  Suddenly, all she wanted was him, rising above her and sliding his long, hard length inside her. Never had she wanted anything so much.

  But it wasn’t to be.

  The moment he touched her again she came in his arms, crying out, arching her back and sending water cascading to the floor. He held her tight, lips pressed against her cheek as she surrendered to the vibrations of pleasure wracking her body.

  After a while, she let go of her pent up breath, sighs of pleasure echoing around the bathroom. She turned over, seeking his lips, curling up on his chest like a satisfied cat that had just got the cream.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You’re thanking me?’ he said, smiling against her lips.

  She gripped his shoulders and pulled herself up, breasts soaked, taut nipples scraping against his chest.

  ‘That was beautiful.’ Heat suffused her face at the admission she was about to make. ‘I’ve only ever done that with one other guy, and it was a bit underwhelming. He hurt me too.’

  ‘What?’ Nate’s body went rigid, his expression turning harsh, the way it had when he’d dealt with Barry Simpson. ‘Give me his name, and I’ll fucking arrest him.’

  ‘Not physically.’ Josie rushed to reassure him. ‘Just my feelings.’

  He continued to watch her, mouth pulled into a firm line, eyes brooding.

  Josie shrugged, wishing she’d stayed quiet. ‘It was a competition among some of the boys, you know, who could pop the rich girls cherry.’

  She watched him close his eyes for a few seconds, and when he opened them, the softness had returned. He raised his hand and stroked the pad of his thumb across her lips — smiled when she caught it between her teeth.

  ‘You shouldn’t talk like that about yourself.’ Then he lifted her off him and rose like Neptune, water pouring off his gloriously naked body.

  Josie gripped the side of the bath, tried to keep the panic out of her voice as she pushed herself up on unsteady legs. ‘Are we finished? I thought…’

  He reached for a towel, and when he turned around the harsh lines had disappeared from his face. Droplets of water trickled down his powerful chest as he wrapped her in a bath sheet and lifted her out of the tub.

  ‘At the risk of sounding like a Neanderthal, it’s time we adjourned to the bedroom.’

  Not bothering with a towel himself, he opened the door and carried her from the room.

  Chapter 18

  Nate kicked the door closed and laid Josie on the bed, watching as she lifted her hips and tugged the towel out from underneath her. Her eyes slanted towards his lower body, and he threw the towel aside, a little amused, a little guilty she was so youthful.

  Her inexperience hadn’t really surprised him, though the depth of her feelings certainly had. She’d left Dickson’s side and flown into his arms, not caring what the other man thought. But that was Josie. She wore her heart on her sleeve and didn’t play games — had no pretensions, despite his earlier opinion of her.

  She’d fussed over the tattoo, even though she hated him fussing over her, for reasons he didn’t understand. And she’d satisfied what little chauvinistic streak he had in him, by surrendering in the bath and allowing him to pleasure her.

  But now it was time for the main act.

  Was she ready?

  Hoping his nakedness wasn’t too confronting, he dimmed the bedside light to a dull glow and stretched out beside her. Propping himself up on one elbow, he ran his gaze over the length of her body. The sooner she got used to his hungry eyes the better, because he planned on looking at her often.

  ‘You have faint tan lines.’ He used his forefinger to draw a triangle around one beautiful breast, following the line where white skin met golden. ‘I look forward to seeing you in that very brief bikini.’

  She inhaled sharply, chest rising, and he chose that very moment to close his fingers over the luminous white flesh of her breast.

  Her green eyes glazed over, her nipple pebble hard in his palm.

  Christ!

  Nate’s blood heated, headed south, hit by a primal urge to bury himself in the soft, moist place between her thighs.

  Gritting his teeth, he composed himself. He wanted to love her properly, not in a “pop the rich girl’s cherry” kind of way either, but in a way that would get her so out of her mind she’d long for more of the same.

  He moved his hand to her other breast, watching her face as he massaged the soft, silky flesh. She moaned, turned her cheek into the pillow.

  ‘Don’t close your eyes, princess.’ Mindful of her tender jaw, he captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger, the throb in his chest nothing compared to the one in his groin. ‘Look at me.’

  Flushing, she opened her eyes.

  ‘I want to make up for two years ago.’ He parted her lips with his thumb and kissed her, hot and wet and with lava in his veins. She closed her fingers around his shoulders and he pushed her back into the pillows, a little more roughly than he’d intended, drunk on the sweet taste of her.

  He took his time exploring her mouth, seeking out the hidden corners and running his tongue along the edge of her teeth. He raised a knee and slipped it between hers, mind hazing when she parted her legs, granting him permission to settle inside thighs still warm from the bath.

  He tore his mouth away and moved lower, sliding down her body and kissing a trail from her chin to her breasts. He drew a nipple into his mouth, circling it with his tongue and sucking gently. Then her fingers speared into his hair, and she hooked her legs around the back of his knees and squeezed him with her thighs.

  Holy mother…

  Nate’s heart beat like an African drum as he kissed the sensitive undersides of her breasts. She said his name, and he answered with a low growl, pleased at her use of verbal cues to convey what she liked. And he was glad she liked this, because he was greedy — no, certifiably crazy for Josie’s breasts. Smooth, soft and sexy, covered or uncovered — they were heaven.

  She whimpered, fingers clenching in his hair, and he knew she was close, primed as she would ever be to accept him inside her body. He took his weight on his forearms to give her a breather from the constant stimulation. She drew in a few deep breaths as he reached for a condom in the top drawer of his bedside table.

  ‘Can I do it?’ She smiled at his surprised expression and took the packet from his fingers. ‘I’ve only ever put one on a banana — in sex ed.’

  Nate couldn’t help but burst out laughing. It was such a guileless thing to say, and he loved her for it, admired her daring attitude to life despite her inexperience. It may have lowered the sexual tension a notch, but her honest sharing made him feel closer to her. As if he, in turn, could tell her anything.

  It also allayed his fears about whether she was ready.

  She ripped the packet open and withdrew the condom, clasping it in long, delicate fingers. He turned towards her and gripped the side of the bed, praying he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

  She glanced down at him, her eyes widening a little. ‘You’re beautiful.’

  Nate went rock hard. He clenched his teeth, unable to tear his eyes away as she rolled on the condom and proceeded to smooth out the air bubbles. So much for lowering the sexual tension, he was at risk of losing it before the main game began. />
  To his relief, the rest of the application went smoothly, and soon she was cuddling into him, kissing his neck and running her fingers through his chest hair.

  ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this,’ she whispered. ‘I used to imagine it.’

  Nate closed his eyes and thought of Margaret Thatcher. If Josie started whispering her fantasies in his ear, it would well and truly be over.

  ‘At work — sometimes.’

  That was it!

  He flipped her on her back and took her mouth, bracing himself on one hand, the other fisting in her hair and supporting her head. He searched for her tongue, enticing it into a heated tango that spiked his core temperature to flash point.

  He lowered her head onto the pillow, freed his hand and parted her legs. Settling between her thighs, he nudged at her hot moist flesh.

  ‘Feel okay?’ He pulled back and spoke against her lips.

  ‘Yes, don’t stop.’ Her hands snaked around his neck and he knew she was trying hard to avoid touching his shoulder. ‘It feels so good.’

  When she wrapped her legs around him, he pushed part way inside. Jesus! She was hot and tight and she gripped him with a surprising strength for someone so small.

  He nipped her bottom lip to distract her, brain no longer his control tower. She opened her mouth, and he sank his full length inside her, swallowing her gasp, then holding still, giving her time to grow accustomed to the feel of him.

  She relaxed, and he kissed her hair, looked into her eyes to make sure she was alright. She smiled, clenched her muscles around him again and shifted her hips.

  ‘Josie.’ Her name was torn from him, his voice disembodied.

  And then she was cupping his face and murmuring his name, and he was lost. He began to move, gently at first and then with more urgency, taking his cues from her body, responding to what she liked. Her hands shaped his shoulders, his back, his hips, fingernails scraping across his skin when she wanted more friction.

  And then her breathing turned shallow and her eyes closed. She cried his name, her body bowing beneath his as she shattered around him.

  Only then did Nate give in to his own pleasure, revelling in the feel of her throbbing climax. He drove harder, lengthening her orgasm and feeding her rapture, until his mind shut down and his heart swelled, body shaking in an orgasm so powerful it felt like a dam had burst. His vision hazed, and he buried his face in her hair, riding out the blissful spasms with her locked tightly in his arms.

  Afterwards, he held her while she slept, content and at peace for the first time in years. Josie might be young, but she was more emotionally mature than many thirty-year-olds he knew. And what did age matter anyway, when you possessed a head full of common sense? Surely once everyone reached adulthood, the playing field levelled out.

  Feeling her skin cool, he untangled her limbs from around his and leaned down to pull the coverlet over them. She stirred, and he tucked her against his side, smiled as she slipped her arm around him.

  ‘How’s your shoulder?’ Her voice was husky, sexy, the voice of a woman who’d just been made love to.

  ‘Can’t feel a thing.’ He brushed the hair out of her eyes. ‘Sex is the best painkiller not on the market.’

  She laughed, cupping a breast and lifting it out from where it lay squashed between them.

  Nate’s throat went dry and he turned hard again, had to move a bit to hide his arousal. He’d never thought of himself as a boob man before, more a general admirer of feminine beauty. But there was just something about Josie, and the shape of her breasts that drove him to distraction.

  ‘Is Dickson okay?’ she asked.

  Nate stretched out his legs. ‘I’d forgotten all about him.’

  She pushed herself up on one elbow, eyebrows lifting in surprise. ‘How could you forget about Dickson? You went to check on him.’

  ‘I did. And then I forgot him.’

  ‘How is he?’

  ‘His pride’s hurt more than his head,’ he said with a scowl. ‘It was a fundamental mistake to leave you alone in the house. We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t get us all killed.’

  ‘Nate.’ She leaned over and kissed his nipple. ‘Did you really forget he was here?’

  ‘Yeah.’ His body tightened, and he brushed her hair back from her face so he could watch her kissing his chest. ‘Sex can drive everything from a man’s mind.’

  ‘Is that why you’re not supposed to get involved with anyone while you’re undercover?’

  Josie felt his body tense, and when she turned to look at him, a frown marred his forehead.

  ‘Dickson told me about the woman in America. Is that her son, the one in your wallet?’

  He nodded, his expression far from pleased. ‘Jonathan. Dickson shouldn’t have said anything. It’s none of his business.’

  From his curt response it sounded like it was none of her business either. ‘I didn’t ask, he volunteered it.’

  He looked away. ‘What else did he say?’

  Now wasn’t the time to ask about the suspension. ‘Just — that you wanted to bring them out here.’

  Nate closed his eyes for a second, a muscle shifting in his cheek.

  Josie’s stomach lurched, and suddenly she felt stupid, naive and nosy. Oh God. She’d asked one question about his past, and now it was going to blow up in her face. She’d been so positive Nate would never have started something with her if he had another woman, regardless of distance.

  But Dickson had put doubts in her mind, and now she wasn’t sure.

  And what had Nate just said?

  Sex drives everything else from a man’s mind.

  ‘There was no question of her coming to Australia.’ Soulful eyes turned her way and he reached out and tugged one of her curls. ‘I didn’t ask. It was never an issue.’

  Josie had to stop herself fist pumping the air in celebration, moving her head onto his shoulder instead. She couldn’t indulge in such juvenile behaviour with Nate, no matter how happy he made her. He was a thirty-two-year-old man with a terrifying job. And he’d cared for this broken family.

  ‘Did you love her very much?’

  ‘It was more a fondness.’ He blew out a breath as if the admission was an effort. ‘She’s a workaholic, divorced, driven. It was a convenience thing for both of us. I was in the house while we worked the case.’

  Sensing he was about to share more, Josie stayed quiet.

  ‘I grew close to the kid.’ He rubbed a hand over his chest, a rough edge to his voice. ‘I became like a stepdad to him, taught him a lot of stuff.’

  Josie’s throat closed over. The pain in Nate’s voice was tangible.

  He’d loved this child.

  She covered his hand with hers, satisfied when he entwined his fingers through hers and squeezed. ‘The relationship will have had a positive effect, Nate. He won’t forget you, I promise.’

  Josie braced herself on one elbow and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. ‘I’m not trying to make you feel better. I had heaps of nannies when I was little. Some were middle aged, some were young European girls out here on a working holiday. All of them enriched my life.’

  He frowned. ‘You’re a bit of an old soul, princess, for someone so young.’

  ‘Well, my family’s not for the faint hearted. Is Jonathan’s father on the scene?’

  ‘Yeah. He’s a good guy, very involved.’ Nate shook his head in disgust. ‘That’s why Dickson’s talking out of his arse. Jonathan’s mum would never take him so far away from his biological father.’

  ‘I’m sorry I listened to him.’ She caressed his face, pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

  ‘I’ll forgive you,’ he said against her mouth, and she was glad to hear the smile back in his voice. ‘It’s your turn now. I want to hear all about this famous family of yours.’

  Josie sighed and flopped back on the pillow. ‘There’s not much to tell really. My Dad’s great, when he’s around — and Mum?’

  Josie’s heart sank. The
difficult relationship she had with her mother was never easy to discuss. It was a mystery even to her, and when she’d asked her father, he hadn’t been able to explain either.

  ‘It hurts that we’re not close, especially when I don’t have any siblings.’

  ‘She was nice when I drove you home that night.’

  Nate’s non-judgmental, diplomatic answer gave Josie the confidence to go on. ‘She is, she’s beautiful. Everyone loves her. She’s just always been distant with me.’

  ‘Oh, Josie.’ His arms tightened around her and he began to stroke her back.

  ‘I think she suffered postnatal depression, and we might have had trouble bonding. I didn’t cope well. I remember when I was about three, she used to get dressed up and go out with dad. I thought she was a goddess. I started suffering separation anxiety attacks around that time. They’re common in kids, but mine were severe. I was so terrified something bad would happen to her, and she wouldn’t come back. It affected my learning, delayed my speech, reading, everything. I didn’t catch up until Year 2.’

  Nate didn’t say anything, just continued to stroke her back.

  Not wanting to get all gloomy, Josie tried for something lighter. ‘That’s why I talk so much now.’

  He rolled onto his side with a grin, long, hard length digging into her hip. ‘So what’s your excuse for swearing?’

  She reached under the covers and stroked his velvety hardness, desire building at the look of pleasure that came over his “nine out of ten” face.

  ‘Just another way of expressing myself, Senior Detective. I was so frustrated when I was little, once I learned, I never stopped.’

  ‘I can fix frustrated.’ He flipped her on her back, causing a heady excitement to rip through her body. ‘And I love the way you express yourself, especially when you’re all hot and wet — and underneath me.’

  Chapter 19

  Mid afternoon — Northern Hemisphere

  Simon Poole hockey stopped midway down the Jordanelle run in Deer Valley, edged his skis into the snow and stared at the Wasatch Mountain range, Utah. It was a blue bird day in the “skier only” resort, and behind the polarised lenses of his goggles, he could see his wife about half way to the bottom.