“It is?”
“More important than anything,” he replied.
He moved closer to her, still playing with her hair. When he bent in for a kiss, Emily didn’t even think about stopping him. She just leaned in to meet him, and their mouths connected in the kind of kiss she remembered all too well. His lips and tongue played over hers, and she gave him back the same passion until they were both breathless. Emily’s arms went around his neck, and he pulled her gently into his lap as they continued kissing. When they finally came up for air, Todd was the first to speak.
“That’s what I wanted to say, Emmie.”
Emily looked at him intently before lowering her eyelids slightly. “Are you sure? We were a big mistake, remember? Those were your words, not mine.”
“I told you I’m not that bright. Talking isn’t the best thing I do, apparently. I sure messed things up with you. I was trying to say one thing and it came out all wrong.” He tipped her face up with one long finger and kissed her again; outlining her lips with his tongue and tasting her as if she was a Godiva chocolate. “I hope you can believe me,” he added as he ran his hands up and down her arms. He fingered her soft violet sweater. “You look so pretty in this,” he added as he kissed her neck. “And you smell, um…delicious.”
Her hands stroked his chest, the sensitive tips of her long fingers tracing the solid muscles she remembered so well. She stroked the faint outline of the scar on his chest. Moving her hips slowly, she could feel the proof of his arousal against her body. She was as turned on as he was. Every time his lips touched her skin, she could feel the moist heat building in all her most sensitive parts. He murmured her name, and for a few seconds she forgot that she was on a mission. She just lost herself in his arms.
His fingers toyed with the small buttons down the front of her sweater, but he wasn’t too successful in undoing them. Emily braced her hands against his shoulders and leaned away from him until she was sitting up as he leaned back into the throw pillows on the back of the sofa, watching her. She moved her hips slowly and deliberately until he moaned her name again. While he devoured her with his eyes, she carefully undid each button until he could see her violet silk camisole, trimmed in black lace. When she was finished, she pulled the sweater open to expose her black lace-covered breasts. The thin barrier of silk was the only thing between the two of them.
His eyes glazed with desire, and he sat up and lowered his head to her cleavage as he slid the sweater off her body. She shivered as she felt his breath on her and he stopped, concerned.
“Are you cold?”
She shook her head. “Not at all,” she murmured, but she trembled again as he lowered the straps of the camisole and her bra.
“I think you are cold. Come with me. I’ll get you nice and warm.”
Before she could protest, he’d carried her into the bedroom and lowered her to his huge king-size bed. It was neatly made with cool, crisp linens and a thick comforter. On top of the comforter was a big throw that looked and felt like chinchilla. In what seemed like seconds, she was on top of its furry warmth wearing nothing but her black lace panties and he was next to her wearing nothing at all. He was right; she was now bathed in the most wonderful heat she could imagine. There was another glass fireplace in the room, this one set into the wall. The room was bathed with its flickering light.
Todd lay next to her and kissed her, long and lingering. He looked gorgeous in the firelight, and she was about to tell him so when his hands covered her breasts and his thumbs stroked her nipples, which were already hard and ready for him. His mouth covered one breast and he devoured it, using his lips, his tongue and the slightest tease of his teeth to excite her. The feel of his hot, firm lips and his tongue brought her close to the edge of a climax. She had thought she remembered what his loving felt like, but this was even better than she recalled.
He straddled her body, making it easier for him to pleasure both her breasts. Their hands found each other and their fingers laced together. She was moaning and saying his name as he kissed his way down her body, licking her navel as he began to pull off her thong. She raised her hips off the bed to help him and just when he began to achieve their mutual goal, his phone rang. Emily froze, wondering what he was going to do. To her horror, he answered it on the first ring.
“Dr. Wainwright. Yes, okay. How many? Okay, I’ll be there in twenty minutes. You know what I need. See you soon.”
His voice and demeanor had changed completely. He was off the bed and the firelight was lost as he turned on the bedside lamp. Emily took the ends of the furry throw and covered her body. “What’s going on, Todd?”
He leaned over and kissed her mouth gently but quickly. “I’m on call tonight. I traded with another doctor so I could have the next two nights off,” he said as he was hastily pulling on clean underwear. “I wanted to make sure I could be with you on your birthday, if you wanted me there.” His voice trailed off as he went into the closet for jeans and a thick tweed sweater. He pulled socks out of a drawer and sat down to put them on.
“You do want me there, right? I’m not imagining things, am I?” He looked at her over his shoulder as he put on the second sock.
Emily smiled; she couldn’t seem to help it. “No, you’re not imagining things. Can I get a cab to get back to Ayanna’s?”
Todd was in constant motion, even as he was talking. He got a navy blue velour robe out of the closet and handed it to her. “Sweetheart, it’s too far. If you don’t mind waiting here, I’ll take you home as soon as I’m done. I’m only five minutes from the hospital and it may not be as bad as they think,” he mumbled as he went out of the room.
Emily put the robe on and followed him. He was already in his boots and was putting on his coat. “Listen, baby, is this okay, I mean staying here? I hate to put you out, but I can’t plan for emergencies.”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be here when you get back.”
He gave her the wide, joyful smile that had always attracted her. He held her tight for a long hug and one last kiss. “There are remotes for everything and there’s food in the refrigerator if you get hungry. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
And with that the door closed behind him. It was so strange to see him in action. He was a trauma surgeon at a very busy urban hospital and he was bound to get called in on emergencies. Somehow Emily had stopped thinking about the sum total of the man. She had been too busy concentrating on the part of him that had hurt her so badly. This was something she hadn’t expected at all. She went to find her purse and get her cell phone. She had to call Ayanna and let her know she wouldn’t be back until the next day. And she had some thinking to do until then.
Chapter 15
Emily came awake slowly. Todd’s bed was the best one she’d ever slept in. She was warm, well rested and so relaxed it was as if she was floating. And she was naked. It hadn’t made sense for her to get dressed again, and she felt so wonderful without clothes on she just didn’t put them back on. She began her usual morning stretch and quickly realized that she was floating, or at least resting, on Todd. His arms were around her, and he seemed just as comfortable as she. Obviously, he’d come back and gotten in bed with her without waking her. She was torn between being embarrassed and being aroused. On the one hand, this wasn’t the way she’d imagined waking up, but on the other, she couldn’t think of a better way to start the day. Her cheeks turned hot at her boldness, and she began to move away from his warmth. His arms tightened around her.
“Don’t leave,” he said in a voice made even deeper by sleep. “You feel so good.”
His hands were stroking her bare body, caressing her butt and the sensitive spot at the base of her spine. She sighed, a sound of contentment and longing as she melted against him. Her face was cradled on his shoulder and he kissed her forehead.
“What time did you get home? What time is it now?” she murmured.
“It’s about eight. I got home a couple of hours ago. Damn, yo
u feel good. Happy birthday, sweetheart.”
“It is my birthday,” she said dreamily. “I forgot all about it.”
“I could never forget something that important,” he said.
“You have a very sexy voice, Todd.”
“Don’t tell me things like that. I’ll start singing to you.”
She giggled as she began her own exploration of his body, loving the feel of his smooth skin. Her hand went down his chest, down past his navel to seek out his manhood. It felt heavy, hard and familiar in her hand. She squeezed gently and began to explore every inch of it as he groaned in pleasure. He gently rolled her over onto her back to start an investigation of his own, starting with her lips then her neck, her shoulders and her chest, while his hand found the moist warmth between her legs. When her hips began to move, his lips followed his hand so he could explore every bit of her with his mouth. His tongue reached the center of her, licking and sucking until she reached her first climax, but he wouldn’t stop until she had come again and was crying his name.
He showed her no mercy but much more passion. Every time she thought she couldn’t experience more sensation, he showed her how much more he could give. He finally relented and slowly kissed his way back up her body until he was holding her close and kissing her face.
“Um, Todd, that was…” Emily pushed her hair out of her face and sighed as he continued to kiss her face with one hand cupped around her cheek.
“Yes, it was,” he said. “I totally agree.”
“Now it’s your turn,” she told him. “That was my turn, baby,” he said with a rakish smile.
She had to laugh at his smug expression. She held his face for a long kiss and replied, “Well then, this is my turn. Lay back, sugar.”
He was even more erect than before, and he felt twice as hard. When her mouth touched him she could feel his reaction, and she licked him as she would a giant ice-cream cone on the hottest day of summer. She wanted to give him the same passionate torture he’d given her, taking him to the highest level of satisfaction possible, and he gave her every indication that she was doing just that.
“Emily, Emmie, baby, come here, damn,” he moaned as he urged her to change positions so that he could enter her. Their bodies came together hard and fast. She locked her legs around his waist and he reared back so he was on his knees, thrusting his body into hers. He pumped into her sweetness until they exploded as one, finally collapsing on the bed, sweating and breathing hard.
Neither one of them said a word for a long time, but their silence spoke volumes. They stayed locked in each other’s arms until they fell asleep.
“Where are you going?” Emily’s eyes were half-closed and her voice was sleepy and very sexy.
Todd was getting out of bed as quietly as possible, but he’d disturbed her sleep. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to wake you, but I’m needed at the hospital. I’m working a swing shift, and figured I’d go in early to check on my patients from last night.” He leaned over to kiss her forehead. “I was gonna grab a quick shower and fix you breakfast.”
“How about if we shower together and I fix you breakfast?”
She looked so sweet with her tangled hair and her now makeupless face that Todd felt a deep twinge in his heart. He could get used to this very quickly. “Shower it is. I think you’re gonna like it.”
He held his hands out to her and pulled her out of the bed, holding her close before walking her backward into the bathroom.
“This is one swanky bathroom, Todd. I did take advantage of the facilities a couple of times, and I was very impressed.”
“Yeah, Billie outdid herself on this place,” Todd said proudly.
The bathroom was a place of beauty. Blue-green glass tiles on the walls, heated slate tiles on the floor, custom glass counters, dual marble vessel sinks and a marble soaking tub made it look chic and modern, but the shower took it over the top. It was a stand-alone unit enclosed in glass with an elaborate panel of controls on opposing sides of the enclosure. The floor of the shower was teak, to match the cleverly designed storage units.
“I don’t suppose there’s an extra toothbrush to be had,” Emily inquired.
Todd gave her an odd look. “Absolutely. Just don’t tell Jason about this,” he warned. He opened one of the cupboards and took out a case of new toothbrushes. “Help yourself. Yeah, I have dental OCD. I can’t use a toothbrush more than once. Jason used to give me the business over it, and I let him think I’d outgrown what he thinks is bizarre behavior. But I didn’t, so here you go. You can have a brush for every tooth if you want.”
Emily dissolved in laughter when he finished his explanation. Todd pretended to be offended.
“Go ahead, laugh it up. You think I’m a lunatic, right?”
“No, I think you’re adorable. Toothpaste?”
As he handed her the tube, he was struck again by how comfortable and easy this was. He’d never met a woman he wanted to be with in the morning. That was one of the reasons he’d never had one stay at the loft. And he’d never known a woman as unselfconscious and natural as Emily. Even brushing her teeth she looked as sexy as the top runway model of the moment, whoever that might be.
“Todd, this thing is way complicated.” Emily was examining the panels in the shower. “You wouldn’t happen to have a remote for this, would you?”
He did indeed, and he began to show her the various settings. Emily shook her head. “Just turn it on. You can show me the rest later. The heated floors are wonderful, but I’m getting cold and I don’t want to make you late for work.”
Todd laughed at the expression on her face when the water came on. The multiple heads with their various settings turned the shower into something like an aquatic sex toy. The water jets vibrated and pulsed and stimulated body parts in a way that had to be experienced to be believed. They tried to be quick and chaste in deference to Todd’s schedule, but it was difficult.
“If you let me, I promise to make this up to you tonight. I give you my word.”
Their wet, soapy arms were locked around each other’s bodies while Emily’s hips moved against his groin.
“I couldn’t say no to that, could I?”
By mutual agreement they rinsed off. Emily was looking around for towels, but there didn’t seem to be any. Todd gave her a secretive smile. “One more thing we have to thank Billie for,” he said.
He stood her in front of a sleek freestanding panel with a vertical row of round vents and pushed a button. Warm air began blowing over her body, giving her yet another new sensation.
“An energy-efficient body dryer,” he explained.
Her eyes closed in bliss as she experienced the ultimate finish to a perfect shower. “You’re just full of surprises, Todd.”
“You have no idea. Wait until tonight.”
He covered her mouth with his to prevent her from asking any questions, but she didn’t mind at all.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Emily, I told you I have plenty of time to take you to Ayanna’s house before I go to the hospital. And, yes, I’m coming in to say hello to your mother and your sister. We’re two grown and sexy adults, and we have no reason to be embarrassed about anything we did from the time we left them until now. This ain’t no ‘walk of shame,’ sweetheart. I don’t know where you ladies get your crazy ideas from.”
She opened her mouth to snap, “They aren’t crazy notions. They are proven tenets derived from sordid dealings with trifling men,” but the words wouldn’t come out. It was exactly what she’d have said a few months ago, but now it would have felt as if she was uttering a foreign language. In addition, they had reached Ayanna’s big brick house and there was no turning back.
Todd opened her door and gallantly helped her out of the car as though he’d been doing it forever. That, too, would have earned a snarky remark from her in the past, but she’d found that she liked it. He had nice manners and he didn’t make a big show out of it, so there was no
reason to be a quasifeminist bitch about it. She tightened her fingers around Todd’s and prepared for the inquisition to come.
Lucie opened the door before Emily could use her key. “There you are! Happy birthday, darling,” she said brightly, planting a kiss on Emily’s cheek. “I made breakfast. Do you have time for a bite, Todd?” She turned her cheek to accept his kiss.
Emily raised both her eyebrows and looked over her mother’s shoulder to Ayanna, who was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea. She had a smile on her face that meant she was going to grill Emily at length at her earliest opportunity, but all she said was “Good morning, you two. And happy birthday, Em.”
It was by far the strangest birthday she could remember, and it wasn’t even noon. Todd gladly accepted her mother’s invitation to join them. He smiled, remembering Emily and him had gotten carried away in the shower, totally forgetting their own plans for breakfast. He devoured two waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice and coffee while making pleasant conversation as if there was nothing unusual about him bringing her home after they spent the night together.
“Thanks so much, Mrs. Porter, for the delicious meal. I truly hate to eat and run, but I do have to check in with my patients,” Todd said.
“Honey, call me Lucie. And you’re more than welcome. Are you taking Emmie out tonight? We always celebrate her birthday on Thanksgiving weekend since the two days are so close, but I think it would be nice to do something on her day,” she said with the bright smile no male could resist.
Emily’s face grew warm with chagrin. There were worse things than the legendary walk of shame. She looked to Ayanna for support, but she was laughing into her cup, the traitor.
Todd rose from the table and leaned down to kiss her, right on the mouth in front of everyone. “I happen to have something very special planned tonight. Is eight okay?”
“Yes, that’s…perfect,” Emily said softly.
She walked Todd to the door and watched him walk down the driveway. She braced herself for the onslaught of questions she knew she’d have to field from Lucie and Ayanna and turned around to face them. And they weren’t there. She was alone in the kitchen, but she heard Lucie call to her from upstairs.
Chemistry of Desire Page 11