“So?”
He sighed and pushed the swing again. “You ever heard the saying ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’? Some people believe that.”
“Do you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I don’t.” She slipped her hand into his and lifted it over her head so his arm encircled her shoulders.
He drew her close and kissed the top of her head, enjoying the fruity scent of her shampoo.
“Next issue,” she said.
“What?”
“I want to know what you meant when you said we live in different worlds.”
He sighed. This wasn’t really a conversation he wanted to have, but she was right. They needed to have it. “We’re different. You grew up with a father who loved you and took care of you. I looked after myself. You went to college. I did whatever I got paid to do, until I could afford to get out of here. You always stood up for what was right. I did some things I’m not real proud of.”
“What did you do that’s so horrible?”
“Well, I used people. Had lots of girlfriends I didn’t care about.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Warm place to sleep, food. Acceptance, I suppose. And I stole stuff when I was a kid.”
She rested her hand on his leg.
He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I went to jail when I was fifteen. Got caught stealing. I have a juvenile record.”
She leaned back against his shoulder and looked up at him. “Lee, none of that matters. Not now. Not when it comes to us.”
He swallowed hard. “Hannah—”
“Lee, I watched you run into a burning building to save a child. That’s who you are now. That’s what’s important.”
He studied her eyes, amazed by the acceptance he found there.
Maybe she was right; maybe the past really didn’t matter. Maybe the only thing that mattered now was the way his heart sang when she was near.
He kissed her, unable to do anything else. Her lips were what he needed more than anything.
As she opened her mouth, he turned and pulled her closer, running his hand across her ribs and up to the side of her breast. Her hand warmed his leg, and its proximity to his cock resulted in a hard-on that was already uncomfortable.
He wanted her with a new level of desire that surprised even him.
Lee drew his mouth from hers and pressed it to her forehead. “If you don’t want to get caught doing more than swinging out here, we better go inside.”
She nodded.
He released her and helped her up with a hand on her lovely ass.
“Lee.” She halfheartedly swatted his hand away.
Grabbing his coat and the shaving kit underneath it, he followed her into the house.
“Do you want something to eat? I have a leftover pot roast, or—”
He caught her around the waist and drew her close. “I want you,” he said in her ear.
She laughed and tried to push his arm away. “Lee, please.”
“Please, what?”
“Please let go.”
“Really want me to?”
She quit struggling. “Only long enough to go upstairs.”
“Hmm.” He nuzzled her hair. “I can do that.”
She climbed the stairs in front of him, laughing and flashing sexy grins, and staying just out of his reach. When they got to the doorway of her room, he charged forward and grabbed her around the waist again.
She squealed but looped her arms around his neck.
Holding her against him, her feet off the floor, their lips pressed together, he walked her to the bed, where he tossed his things. Still kissing her, he eased her down to her feet, then unbuttoned his shirt and tore it off.
Her warm, soft hands slid over his chest and shoulders, and he sighed against her lips. How could a simple touch feel so good?
He straightened and smiled down at her as he removed her sweater; then he took her mouth again and cupped her breasts, marveling at the way they fit his hands.
She drew him with her as she sat, and he crouched between her knees. Holding her close, he sampled each tit, licking and sucking her taut nipples. She stroked his hair and made sweet sounds of pleasure.
“I hope you brought protection,” she said.
He grinned up at her as he reached for his shaving kit, opened it, and turned it over. His toothbrush and razor fell out, followed by three dozen condoms.
She laughed. “Do you think you have enough?”
He shrugged. “You said I could spend the night. I didn’t want to run out.”
She shook her head. “You’re insane.”
“Is that a problem?”
She cupped his face. “No.” Then she leaned forward and kissed him, drawing him into her precious mouth.
He eased her over to her back and ended the kiss long enough to undress them both. She lay back and watched, smiling and licking her lips. As he opened a condom and rolled it on, she sucked her index finger slowly into her mouth.
He grunted as he fell forward. “You’re a wicked woman.”
“Is that a problem?” she asked, imitating him.
He shook his head. “Hell no.” With his feet still on the floor, he lowered himself to her, enjoying the feel of her breasts against his chest and her thighs opening around his hips.
He kissed her neck and her throat and caressed her body until she began to squirm. Then he stood and drew her legs up in front of him.
She watched him with her green eyes wide with trust that squeezed his heart. He kissed her calves as he stroked the length of her smooth thighs. She hooked her feet around the back of his head.
Reaching between them, he circled her warm cunt, pleased to find it already juicy. He slid one finger across her clit and into her slippery heat, and her eyelids drooped with pleasure. She drew in a slow breath, and her tits rose as the nipples puckered.
Needing to be inside her, he withdrew his finger and eased the head of his cock between her swelling labia, holding back to savor the feel of her.
Almost as wonderful as her cunt swallowing him was the sight of her. Arousal arched her back and darkened the rosiness of her cheeks. Her mouth opened, and the tip of her tongue slid across her bottom lip.
He pushed deeper as he traced their union with his fingers and followed her juices down to her ass. He pressed gently and she sucked in a quick breath. Kissing and nipping her calves, he pushed his cock deeper and eased his finger into her tight ass, filling all of her at the same time.
Muscles clenched and he watched as he thrust slowly into her hot cunt.
Her eyes closed, her head went back, and she grabbed fistfuls of the bedcover. Ecstasy furrowed her brow and she cried out.
Christ, she was beautiful. He clenched his jaw to hold back. Her cunt clamped down so hard on his cock, he shook.
Her pulses slowed. Her mouth relaxed and her hands opened. He withdrew from her ass, eased her legs apart, and stretched out on top of her again, kissing her face as he pushed against the last of her orgasm.
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
He kissed her lips. “What?” he asked against them.
“How can it keep getting better?”
He smiled.
She slid her hands down his back to his butt and he grunted at the pleasure of her touch. Then she raked her nails up his back and he sucked a long breath through his teeth.
She locked her legs around him and gazed into his eyes as he maintained a slow, easy rhythm. He stroked her temples and her beautiful face. Then he kissed her, pouring into the kiss all the wonder of making love to her. She held him, taking all he offered as if she understood.
As they kissed, her hands slid over his back and sides and shoulders, touching him everywhere at once, leaving electric sparks of excitement. The sparks arced together into a charge that ran like liquid fire down his spine and into his balls. He groaned at the intense pleasure and tore his mouth from hers.
Wrapping himself around her, he focused on the amazing way her cunt held him, fighting against each withdrawal and welcoming each thrust with gripping heat. She undulated under him, mirroring his movements, taking more of him each time, holding him tighter.
Her stuttered breathing near his ear pushed him past the point of return and he gave in, releasing control, plunging headfirst into the inferno.
The world vanished, leaving the two of them joined, melted into each other, fused.
Her soul burned white-hot, branded his, claimed him.
His love for her reduced his fears and his past to ashes and they floated away on a breeze.
He trembled with joy.
Did she know? Had she shared the cleansing fire?
With his last thrust, he felt the final pulses of her climax and smiled.
“Hannah,” he breathed.
“Yes, Lee?”
What could he say? He had no words to describe what he felt.
He sighed.
She combed her fingers through his hair, stroking the back of his head.
A loud buzz brought him up to his elbows. “That’s not my phone.”
“It’s the doorbell,” Hannah said.
“Think you can ignore it?”
A longer buzz rose from downstairs in response, followed by another.
“I guess not,” she said.
He kissed the end of her nose, pushed himself up, and then sat on the bed beside her.
After a moment, she sat up and smiled at him. As he watched, she grabbed her pants and sweater, slipped them on, and straightened her hair as she crossed the room.
The doorbell buzzed again.
“All right, I’m on my way,” she said.
Halfway down the stairs, she realized who must be at the front door. Only Sterling would be so persistent and impatient.
She considered turning around and heading back upstairs, but she knew it wouldn’t help. She’d have to face him eventually. At least maybe he’d listen if they were face-to-face.
When she opened the door, he nearly knocked her down as he barged in.
“What took you so long to answer? And what happened to your hair?” He draped his scarf over the back of a chair and started to unbutton his jacket.
“Don’t get comfortable, Sterling. You’re not staying.”
He turned and stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’m busy.”
He glanced around the room and stepped closer. “Doing what?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Look, I apologize for not being clear at dinner when we were discussing our relationship. I didn’t mean to surprise you with my announcement.”
“Sterling, we have no relationship. Listen to me. I’m not marrying you.” She picked up his scarf and held it out. “I’d appreciate it if you left now.”
He grabbed her wrist as his face reddened. “You will not embarrass me like this. You know damn well—”
“Get your hands off her, Mason.” Lee took the last few stairs at a trot and strode toward them. He’d put on his jeans and shirt, but his open shirt fluttering behind him revealed muscles large enough to intimidate anyone with half a brain.
Sterling released her and backed away. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Hannah stepped between the two men. “Please, Lee, I can handle this.”
Lee stopped with his hands fisted at his sides and a cold glare leveled at Sterling.
She tried again to hand the scarf to Sterling. “I’m sure you’ll find someone else. Maybe Juli Tucker’s still around.”
His eyes widened as if horrified by her words. Did he really think she’d forgotten? It didn’t matter that he’d left poor Juli crying at school two days later. Hannah had even felt sorry for the girl.
“And,” Hannah said, “if you need to see me for any reason in the future, you can make an appointment with my office manager.”
Sterling snatched the scarf and leaned toward her. “If I’d known your tastes ran toward this kind of trash, I’d never have asked you to marry me, anyway.” He pointed at her face. “You’ll regret this, Hannah.”
“I don’t think so.” She opened the door and waited.
He glared at Lee, who took a step toward him. Sterling stumbled backward through the doorway, then spun around and marched down the front steps.
Hannah closed the door.
“You should have let me throw him out.”
She shook her head and turned toward Lee, who had visibly relaxed. “That wouldn’t have been wise.”
“Maybe not, but it would have been fun.” He took her hand and drew her to him.
She hugged him, sighed, and looked up into his warm gaze. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. Again.”
“It’s what I live for, sweetheart.” He smiled. “Well, that and the sex.”
“Of course.” She stood on her toes and kissed his lips, then moved out of his embrace and started toward the kitchen. “How about some tea?”
“Depends. Think we’ll have time for a quickie while the water’s heating?”
She laughed. “You’re insatiable.” But her face warmed at the thought of sex in the kitchen with Lee. She glanced back. “We could just skip the tea and take our time.”
He wrapped his arms around her, groaned, and kissed the side of her head as he walked her forward. “Sounds perfect.”
She laughed again. “Good.”
APHRODISIA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Compilation copyright © 2011 by Kensington Publishing Corp.
“Fight Fire with Fire” copyright © 2011 by Lorie O’Clare
“Heat Wave” copyright © 2011 by P.J. Mellor
“Smoldering Lust” copyright © 2011 by Lydia Parks
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
Aphrodisia and the A logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-0-7582-3814-6
Feel the Heat Page 29