Kellan

by Kate Hoffmann

  “This is all right,” she said. “You’re warm.” She snuggled into that warmth. He had a beautiful body, slender but muscular, perfectly masculine in every way.

  He grabbed her hand, pressing it to his heart and Gelsey felt his pulse beneath her palm, quick and sure. She held her breath, wondering what was going through his mind. “Maybe I should go find that heater,” she murmured.

  “No.” Kellan held tight to her hand. “It’s all right. You can stay.”

  She relaxed again and stretched out beside him. “I love nights like this,” Gelsey whispered, “listening to the rain and the wind outside. It makes me feel safe, all warm and cozy and out of the weather.”

  “You weren’t out of the weather last night,” he said.

  “I wasn’t out there all night,” Gelsey explained. “I walked out there after the sun came up.”

  “You were drunk at seven in the morning?”

  “Not so much drunk as just…drained. Emotionally exhausted.”

  “Would you like to tell me why?”

  Gelsey shook her head. That was the last thing she wanted to talk about. There was nothing about her past that she wanted to remember. “It’s not important.” She pushed up on an elbow and tried to make out his features in the dark. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. I don’t know if I said that before, but I do appreciate what you did.”

  “Not a problem,” Kellan said.

  She leaned closer to kiss him on the cheek, but at the last moment, he turned and her lips came down on the corner of his mouth. Gelsey froze. She’d promised herself that she wasn’t going to rush headlong into a sexual relationship again. She was going to think before she acted.

  But Kellan made the next move and she was powerless to stop. He slipped his palms around her waist and pulled her beneath him. A sigh escaped from her throat as his mouth covered hers in a long and mind-numbing kiss.

  Gelsey moaned softly as he stretched her arms out above her head. He was nearly naked and she was bundled up in a fleece sweatshirt and a pair of his cotton boxers. But she was glad for the barrier between them, at least for the moment. It was just a kiss and nothing more. Just a kiss, she reminded herself.

  “Are you sure about this?” he whispered.

  Then again, maybe it was something more. She arched against him, her movement instinctive. “I don’t know,” she said, the answer coming with a gasp.

  Her hands skimmed over his back, her fingers exploring the rippled muscle that shifted with every movement of his body. Though she was ready to tear her clothes off, Kellan seemed more intent on seducing her slowly.

  “Tell me to stop,” he murmured.

  But as his hands slipped beneath her clothes, Gelsey knew the battle was already lost. Desperate to feel that connection with another human being, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. It was always this way with her, craving that intimacy she only found in bed with men. It wasn’t always the right thing to do, but it was the only time she felt wanted and needed-and completely in control.

  “Don’t stop,” she said, reaching for the hem of her sweatshirt.

  “Relax.” He took her hand and wove his fingers through hers, drawing it up to his lips. “We have time. Unless you’re going to wander out into this storm all by yourself again.”

  Gelsey wriggled out from beneath him, then got up on her knees. “Maybe I should take my clothes off?”

  “No,” he said, shaking his head.

  “I could take your clothes off,” she suggested.

  “No.” He pulled her back down on top of him. “I get the feeling you usually take charge in the bedroom.”

  “No,” Gelsey said. She paused. “Yes.” He was right. She usually did do the seducing. The men she chose to seduce were always happy to be along for the ride. “But I’ve been told I’m really good.”

  “I’ve been told the same thing,” Kellan said. He slipped his hand beneath her sweatshirt, running his palm along her belly until he cupped her breast. Gelsey’s breath caught in her throat as his thumb grazed her nipple. “I do know what I’m doing. If you just trust me, I’m sure we’ll make it through just fine.”

  She closed her eyes and tipped her head back as delicious sensation pulsed through her body. “Yes, I suppose we will.”

  He moved to the other breast. “And hasn’t anyone ever told you that anticipation can sometimes be as much fun as the act itself?”

  “No,” she said. “In fact, you do more talking than anyone I’ve ever been with.”

  This brought a chuckle. He slipped his hands around her and pulled her back down on top of him. “Everyone in town thinks you’re a mermaid.”

  Gelsey laughed softly. “Do you think I am?”

  He slipped his hand around her nape and pulled her close. “Sweetheart, right now, I’ll believe anything you tell me.”

  Kellan grabbed the hem of her sweatshirt and in one smooth motion pulled it over her head and tossed it aside. He drew her closer, his lips teasing at her nipple. Gelsey sighed, furrowing her hands through his thick hair and arching against him. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes and relaxed, focusing on his touch.

  As promised, Kellan took his time, slowly seducing her, learning what she liked, what made her shudder and what made her moan. No man had ever taken so much care to make her feel wanted. Sex had always been a race to the end. But this was a long, lazy stroll.

  By the time they were both naked, Gelsey wasn’t even in charge of her own reactions. As he kissed his way from her lips to her belly, she trembled, knowing exactly what was coming.

  But he teased her a little longer, moving lower to gently kiss the inside of her thighs. When he finally found the spot between her legs, Gelsey was so close to the edge she knew she would lose control at the first caress. But, as if he read her distress, Kellan began slowly and deliberately.

  Again and again, he brought her close, then slowly pulled back. He knew the signs of her impending release and never allowed her to tumble over the edge. A delicious tension grew inside her and with each flick of his tongue, she began to feel herself losing touch with reality.

  Her fingers and toes tingled and her arms and legs felt boneless. She begged him to stop teasing and to give her what she needed, but Kellan seemed determined to prove his point. Her body belonged to him, at least for this one night and he was going to bend it to his will.

  Gelsey finally ceded all control-she realized that fighting him was no use. All he wanted was to give her pleasure-deep, shattering, soul-stirring pleasure. And for the first time in her life, she trusted a man enough to allow it.

  Though she didn’t really know him, she sensed that he had no ulterior motive. He had no idea who she was or where she came from. He didn’t know about her family or her money. And all the emotional baggage that she carried around was invisible to him, at least for now.

  With this man, this stranger, she felt liberated. There were no fears hiding just beneath the surface, no doubts or insecurities. And when her release came, it was a perfect expression of what she felt-complete freedom.

  Her body tensed and then dissolved into powerful spasms. He’d been right all along. It was worth the wait. Wave after wave of pleasure washed over her until she couldn’t respond anymore. But though the orgasm relaxed her, it also invigorated her. And when the last shudder was long gone, Gelsey was far from finished.

  Kellan pulled her into the curve of his naked body, resting his chin on her shoulder, his breath warm against her ear. Gelsey wriggled her backside, testing the limits of his control. He was hard. She could feel it. But Kellan had other ideas.

  “Go to sleep,” he murmured.

  “I’ve been sleeping all day,” Gelsey replied.

  “I haven’t. And we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

  “What are we doing?”

  “I have no idea. But I’m sure we’ll have fun. I suspect it will require a lot of energy, though.”

  Gelsey smiled to herself and snuggled a little closer. She di
dn’t need to hear anything else. She had another day and maybe another night to spend in this world, with this man. And that was all she really wanted.

  “You can’t resist me forever,” she said.

  “I can’t?”

  “No,” she whispered. There’d come a moment when he’d ache for the touch of her hand or the feel of her mouth on his body. And then, she’d give him what he’d given her…sweet, shattering release. And after that-they’d see what happened. Right now, the possibilities seemed endless.

  KELLAN ROLLED OVER in bed, stretching his arms over his head. His legs were tangled in the bed linens and he kicked them aside, then reached out to Gelsey. But the opposite side of the bed was cold and empty. He sat up and drew a deep breath. The soft sound of her voice drifted in through the open door. It sounded as if she was talking on the phone.

  Kellan glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. It was just past 5:00 a.m. and dawn was still hours away. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, Kellan stood and tiptoed to the door. A floorboard creaked beneath his feet and he paused, waiting to see if she’d noticed.

  “Really,” Gelsey whispered. “I’m fine. I’m safe. I’m with friends. I just didn’t want you to worry.”

  After a long silence, she spoke again. “Yes, I have everything I need for now.”

  Who was she speaking to? It sounded like a parent. But maybe it was a boyfriend. Or a husband.

  “I-I lost my mobile,” Gelsey said. “If Antonio calls again, tell him…tell him that…” She cursed softly. “Just put him off. Don’t tell him anything.” She paused again. “All right. I know you do. Take care.”

  He heard her set the phone back into the cradle. By the time she returned to the bed, his eyes were closed and the sheets pulled up around his waist. She sank down beside him and a moment later, he felt the warmth from her naked body against his. Kellan wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled his face into the curve of her neck.

  “Are you awake?” she whispered.

  “I wasn’t…until now. Where were you?”

  “Bathroom,” she lied. Gelsey shuddered and wriggled back against him, her backside nestled into his lap. “I’m so cold. I just can’t seem to stay warm.”

  It was a blatant invitation to touch her, to run his hands over her bare skin. Kellan considered his options. Why even bother to resist, he mused. She was offering herself to him without any conditions. Why not enjoy her company while she was here? He reached out and smoothed his hand over her shoulder, pushing her hair aside until he could kiss the curve of her neck.

  The warmth of his lips on her skin was enough to get him aroused again, enough to make him forget all his doubts about who she was and where she came from. In truth, the mystery about this woman made it even more exciting, more dangerous.

  She turned to face him and almost immediately, her mouth found his. She kissed him without any hesitation, her tongue tangling with his as he pulled her beneath his naked body. Everything about her was perfect, her long, slender limbs, her pale silken skin, the addictive taste of her lips…

  Kellan groaned as she slid her leg up along his hip, his growing erection cradled at the juncture of her thighs. It would be so simple to just slip inside her and he ached to join in this way, to share such an intimate connection.

  He hadn’t planned on unplanned sex. Part of the reason he’d focused on her earlier was that he wasn’t really sure he had any condoms with him. He usually kept a box in the side pocket of his duffel, but he’d put his emptied bag in the boot of his car to get it out of the way.

  Gelsey pressed her palm to his chest. Kellan was sure she could feel his heart slamming against it. He’d always had such control around women, trying to figure out what they wanted, and what he was willing to surrender to get what he wanted. It was like a chess game, only with naked bodies and unsatisfied desires.

  But he didn’t want to think now. He just wanted to feel. And when Gelsey ran her palm between them, then wrapped her fingers around his shaft, Kellan closed his eyes and groaned. He didn’t know anything about her, except her name. And one other thing. She could make his body ache like no other women ever had.

  “I need to go get a condom,” he murmured.

  “You don’t keep them in the bedroom?”

  “They’re in my duffel. I think.”

  “Where is your duffel?”

  “In my car.” Cursing softly, Kellan crawled out of bed. This would no doubt prove to her that he wasn’t the smoothest guy on the planet.

  “Aren’t you going to put some clothes on?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No. That will take too long. I’m just going to make a run for it.” Kellan hurried to the front door, grabbing his keys from the table as he passed. With a squeal of excitement, Gelsey followed him, tugging the quilt off the bed and wrapping it around them both.

  “You don’t have to come with me,” he said. “It’s freezing out there.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body against his, kissing her deeply as his hand skimmed over her bare torso. When they finally pulled the front door open, a cold, wet wind hit them both in the face. Gelsey covered him with the blanket and stood in the doorway, naked and shivering. “Run,” she cried. “Hurry.”

  Drawing a deep breath, Kellan started down the garden path. The bricks were freezing and slick under his feet and by the time he reached his car, he was already soaked. Fumbling with the keys, he tried to keep the quilt wrapped around himself, but a gust caught it and exposed his nude body to the full brunt of the storm.

  When he reached the front door, duffel in his hand, Gelsey was waiting with a towel. She rubbed the rain from his face and hair, then slammed the door shut and gently pulled him along to the fireplace.

  “It’s bloody cold out there.”

  “You’re stark naked,” she said with a giggle. “What did you expect?”

  He glanced down. “I think I’ve done irreparable damage to my manhood.”

  Gelsey looked up at him, sending him a coy smile. “I can take care of that.”

  As she continued to dry him off, he reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. “Who are you? What are you doing here with me?”

  “I’m not sure,” she said. “But I do know that I don’t want to leave yet.”

  He brought her lips to his and kissed her, a rush of warmth snaking through his body. It wasn’t enough to possess only her mouth. Kellan pulled her against him, stumbling back against the door and dropping the leather duffel.

  Grabbing her hips, he spun them around and pressed her against the door. Gelsey slipped her hand between them and slowly began to stroke. She’d been right all along. She had a very simple antidote for the cold. In little more than a minute, he was hard and ready and aching to bury himself in her warmth.

  Outside, the weather raged, the wind roaring up from the sea and the rain pelting at the windowpanes. But inside the cottage, they found the storm between them just as powerful and overwhelming.

  Kellan’s mouth savaged Gelsey’s and he felt himself losing all sense of control. The last time had been gentle and slow, but this time he didn’t want to wait. For Kellan, there was no longer any point in pretending. Since he’d held her body against his on the beach, he’d known this moment would come. It felt as if he’d been waiting for this his entire adult life-waiting for a woman who could make him feel real raw passion.

  “Condom,” he murmured.

  She reached down and picked up his duffel and he rummaged through it until he found the box. Saying a silent prayer that it wasn’t empty, Kellan opened it. A single foil packet fell into his palm. “Stroke of luck there,” he murmured.

  Gelsey grabbed the packet and tore it open, then quickly sheathed him. She drew him along to the sofa, then pushed him down, straddling his hips with her knees. Gently, she guided him inside her. He wanted to slow down, to just take a moment and enjoy the anticipation. But the instant he felt her warmth close around him, Kellan was lost. H
e held his breath, marshaling his control, trying to fix his mind on something other than the woman above him.

  Programs, he thought to himself. He had to do those damn wedding programs. Ribbon and little red jewels, Nan had said. He didn’t know what the hell she’d been talking about, but as long as he focused on his brother’s wedding plans, he’d be all right.

  “Do you want me to move?” she whispered, her words soft against his ear.

  “No,” he said.

  “It works better if I move.”

  He leaned back and found her smiling down at him. “I know. I have done this before.”

  “Really? It’s hard to tell.”

  Chuckling softly, he clasped her hips and moved. “Better?”

  “Do it again,” she said with a laugh.

  He did as she asked and she groaned softly. “See how good that feels?”

  She leaned over him and touched her lips to his. “You were right,” she whispered.

  “About what?”

  “You are very good at this.”

  3

  GELSEY SNUGGLED into the soft covers of the bed. It was still warm with the heat from Kellan’s body, even though he’d gotten up an hour before. She was beginning to feel almost normal and attributed part of that to the passionate interlude she’d shared with her rescuer.

  Sex had always been an important part of Gelsey’s life, but never for the right reasons. According to a long string of therapists, she used sex to create a false sense of security, the security she’d never enjoyed as a child.

  Her early childhood had been spent with her nanny, Marie, a wonderful Frenchwoman who had been more of a mother than Dorothy Trent Woodson had ever been. And Gelsey had been happy with that life, even if she rarely spent time with her parents.

  But after the divorce, Marie had been sent away, there one day and gone the next. And Gelsey had been packed and shipped off to a Swiss boarding school, a place where she was to be well educated and carefully prepared to take her place in society as some billionaire’s charming wife.

  At first, she’d accepted her fate and done her best at school. But then, she’d discovered boys. And along with boys came a sense of exhilarating freedom. There was nothing to stop her from living her life exactly how she chose. That first spontaneous kiss with Kellan had been just the start of her pursuit of pleasure.