Flight of Her Life

by Diane Saxon

  When she opened her eyes, Sebastian’s face was above hers, his hand cupped her cheek and an arrogant smile spread across his face.

  “Couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

  She blinked. Her hazy brain didn’t quite grasp his meaning.

  “Started the party without me, Bailey?”

  His voice was warm and husky, his amusement evident. She’d never done that before.

  “I didn’t mean to be impolite, but you seemed to be otherwise occupied.”

  He chuckled as his fingers unclipped her bra, removed it and dropped it to the floor, seemingly unconcerned by her limp, satiated state as his palm slid down her fluid body and he peeled her panties down her lax, unresisting legs. On his return journey, he gave a soft touch of his fingertips to the swollen damp flesh between her legs and groaned in unison with her as he moved further up to stare avidly into her face, his delighted smile stretching wide.

  “Well you have my undivided attention now, darlin’, you go right ahead.”

  Sebastian dipped his strong fingers inside her slippery heat and flexed them as Bailey's muscles unexpectedly went into spasm for a second time, stealing her breath and pilfering her heart. He took her mouth with his own in a molten seduction, swallowing her shuddering surrender.

  Her body throbbed with the force of her orgasm, her brain emptied and she floated in silent paradise as he pressed feather soft kisses over her cheek, her nose, her brow, and tenderly brushed the hair back from her face.

  A submissive sigh escaped her lungs, her muscles lay limp and defeated, her body sprawled across the bed, and she was vaguely aware of him leaving her, stripping his clothes off. She gave a languid smile and hoped he was removing his ugly boots. She heard the unmistakable clunk of them hitting the floor.

  Sebastian slid back up her body and she struggled to open her heavy eyelids.

  His flesh felt hot and hard against her own coolness. She blinked at him, awareness seeping into her relaxed brain.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He snorted, his firm mouth tilted up at the edges, and Bailey couldn’t resist running her forefinger over his firm bottom lip. His arrogant surveillance made her want to explain further, so he didn’t take all the credit for her explosive reaction.

  “It’s been quite a while for me. Phillip doesn’t believe in sex before marriage.”

  Sebastian’s mouth dropped open and he stared at her in mute disbelief.

  She shrugged. She’d found it difficult to believe too, but she’d been willing to go along with his little idiosyncrasy, knowing it wouldn’t be long before they were married. Although, she was a little concerned about his overall physical coolness toward her.

  Sebastian grinned at her, looking decidedly pleased.

  “His loss. I do.”

  He dipped his head, took her mouth with his own, slid one warm hand between her legs again, and moaned as his fingers slipped through her wet heat.

  “Bailey, darlin’, I can’t wait any longer. I need to be inside you now.”

  She made a vague murmur of agreement. It didn’t matter to her, she was pretty sure she was replete anyway and there was no way she was going to have a third orgasm tonight. Uh uh. Unheard of. But she could lie back and enjoy the feel of him, the touch of him.

  She smiled as he held up a small condom packet.

  “Let me.” She plucked it from his fingers with a flare of naughtiness, tore the packet with her teeth, triumphantly removed the condom from the packet and gasped in dismay as her acrylic nail pierced through the latex material. She lifted her finger and stared fascinated as the condom wiggled a little happy dance on the end of her nail.

  “Oh…my…God.”

  She felt the vibrations of his laughter as he lowered his forehead to hers.

  “Bailey, don’t touch my dick will you? It’ll probably fall off.”

  She gave a sharp slap to his naked shoulder and took pleasure in his wince.

  “What do we do now?”

  He sat upright and reached for another condom off the bedside table. She peered over his shoulder and smiled as she saw two little boxes. Ambitious…or simply cautious. Sebastian obviously knew her better than she knew herself.

  He turned back around, rolled the condom into place himself, and smiled as she reclined again and raised her arms to welcome him.

  “Don’t touch anything.” He grunted. “It’ll probably turn to stone.”

  She raised an impressed eyebrow as she deliberately allowed her gaze to trace down the thin line of dark hair leading from his navel to his penis. Looked like she’d already turned him to stone and she wasn’t complaining.

  Her eyes rose to meet his, but he continued to wait.

  She huffed out an irritated breath, obligingly stretched her arms above her head, and delighted in observing the avid concentration on his face as he watched her breasts move enticingly upward, her nipples point toward the ceiling. Bailey deliberately gave a small undulation and thrilled as his control snapped.

  He ran his roughened hands from her waistline, up her sides and almost bypassed her breasts. He stretched out his thumbs to give a brief teasing touch to her nipples before he moved on to stroke the pale skin of the underside of her arms and smoothed his way to gently grasp both her wrists in one of his hands and hold them above her head

  “Are you ready?”

  She smiled slow and languid.

  “Take your time cowboy, I’m already done.”

  He touched her lips with his own in a featherlike stroke; she couldn’t help the low hum in the back of her throat.

  “I don’t think so, darlin’.”

  She squinted at him through half-closed lids.

  “Let me know when you’re finished, I could do with some strawberries and chocolate.”

  His eyes crinkled at the edges.

  “I won’t need to tell you, you’ll know.”

  He flexed his hips and she felt the hot, rigid length of him slide home as her body stretched, her hips raising to allow him in further, her legs automatically wrapped around his butt giving him a little squeeze and a small encouraging kick of her heels.

  She felt the groan roll through him, his lips grazed her neck as he withdrew, and then pushed his hard length in deeper. Her accompanying whimper made his smile widen.

  “I thought you were done.”

  Breathless, she raked her nails up his back and felt him lunge inside of her.

  “Maybe…maybe, ah, not.”

  “Bailey, sweetheart…I need to tell you something before we go any further.” He held himself still, deep inside her.

  “Oh God, you’re dying.” Her breath puffed out, disbelief shrugging off her hormones.

  “No. Listen, darlin’.” He waited until her eyes met his; he stroked his thumb across the line of her cheekbone until it reached her ear.

  “I love you.”

  Liquid honey swept from her center and spread its warm sweetness through her entire body. She closed her eyes as a rush of tears threatened to overwhelm her and a low, helpless sob escaped her lips.

  He adjusted his position, resting his forearms on either side of her head to wait for her, and as she blinked up at him through her blurred vision, he smiled.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” His brow twitched, his neck corded as he blew out a breath and obviously strained to remain motionless inside her. Her heart broke as she witnessed the pain she was putting him through both physical and emotional.

  She raised a hand, stroked the back of her fingers along the line of his clenched jaw and gave him a wobbly smile as her heart contracted painfully with the realization he probably didn’t mean it. He was simply overwhelmed with lust and desperate to make it good for both of them. If she remembered rightly, he’d confessed the same last time they’d made love…had sex, whichever way you wanted to look at it. Then he’d run like hell and never touched her again from that day to this. She hardened her heart and allowed Marilyn to take over.

  “
Thanks, cowboy. Now could you just get on with it, so I can have my strawberries?”

  A ragged laugh escaped him and he surged forward, taking her breath away as an involuntary shiver raced through her. He slid his hands under her ass, tilted her hips toward him, plunging deep into her center while his mouth took hers in a kiss that staggered her with the depth of it.

  Unable to believe he could make those sensations build inside her so quickly again, she twisted under him to open herself up further, her nails nipping at his warm, smooth flesh. He grabbed the back of her thigh with his large hand and pushed up and out as he thrust harder, sliding his palm to the back of her knee and hooking her leg over his shoulder. A throaty purr escaped her as she arched up to meet him, wild desire bolting through her veins. His naked chest crushed her breasts, abrading them as he surged rhythmically inside her.

  Every sensation, every touch, every stroke drove her crazy. Her flesh burned as though she were on fire while his wonderful hands skimmed over her, delicious and warm. She wallowed in the sensation of his flesh against hers, shook her head trying to deny the perfection of the moment, but couldn’t stop the mewl in the back of her throat from escaping as he pushed harder and deeper. His body rocked hers, she kept her gaze on his face above hers, his lips brushed her skin each time he moved against her. Love and magic mingled together to soften her heart and bewitch her.

  She stroked the curve of his shoulder, ran her fingers across his chest to feel the deep, rhythmic pounding of his heart in time with her own. Her muscles quivered as pleasure whipped through her, making her greedy for more.

  Mindless with passion, she cried out his name as he plunged into her, shorter, faster, deeper strokes. His mouth took hers with a savage possession matched only by her own as he swallowed her scream and made one final lunge, holding himself completely still above her as she pulsated around him.

  Overwhelmed with her own feelings, she rolled her head to one side, a lone tear slid into her hairline as Sebastian collapsed on top of her. Her breath shuddered through her chest and she fought desperately not to cry. Swamped with love for him, her heart shattered.

  He’d said he loved her, and she wanted to scream at him for using the very words she’d longed to hear from him. Howl at the injustice of it all, knowing she’d loved him since she was sixteen and apart from her first time in the back of her daddy’s truck with him, he’d never given a single indication he felt anything for her. Knowing his declaration meant nothing to him, it ripped her heart in two.

  She’d lived for six years on his slightest smile, the dip of his head, the twinkle of his eyes, in the belief one day he might look her way. And when he hadn’t, she’d finally given up and decided settling for something less was better than pining the rest of her life away.

  The steady thrum of his heart against her breast felt so right. She stroked his hair and listened to his breathing slow down, even out, as her own breathing stuttered and her heart ached.

  “If you fall asleep on me, Sebastian, I might have to bury you.”

  He raised his head and she fell into the fathomless blue pools of his beautiful eyes. She wasn’t sure if she was capable of continuing to breathe.

  The edges of his mouth crooked up.

  “I am buried. Inside of you.” As his smile broadened he arched his back and she could still feel him wedged firmly inside her body.

  She gave him a hard shove and he rolled willingly onto his side, pulling her along with him so they lay face to face. His body stilled and he stared at her with a passion that scared the living daylights out of her.

  Frightened of the discussion she knew he wanted to have, she rolled away and deliberately leaned over to the tray, plucking a strawberry from the plate and dipping it in the chocolate.

  Aware of his heavy sigh as he sat up, she popped the strawberry into her mouth, whisked another one off the plate, trailed it through the chocolate and turning, stuffed it into his mouth.

  He gave a brief, strained grin around the food and then got up to wander naked toward the bathroom.

  ∙•∙

  He rubbed the palms of his hands across his cheeks, listened to the bristles rasping, and wondered if he should shave just to give him a moment longer to think.

  Shaving and thinking went well together.

  He stared at himself in the mirror. He’d just had the best sex ever and he wasn’t sure he had the strength to go back into the room and face her knowing she’d see by his face how she’d crucified him.

  He had no idea why he’d told her he loved her, except he’d had to say it. He’d kept it to himself for too long and it had been bursting out of him from the moment he saw her again in the airport. But he had no idea what he had expected in return. She’d actually looked really uncomfortable about his confession, as though she wanted to avoid the subject. Other than desperate lust, he didn’t think she was consumed with any other feeling. She certainly hadn’t given any indication that she might feel the same way. If she had, he wouldn’t be loitering around the bathroom, wondering what the hell to do.

  He gave himself a bitter little smile, drew his lips back from his teeth and checked for strawberry seeds.

  She’d just been dumped by her future mother-in-law. It was probably re-bound sex, and he’d been lucky enough to be the one she’d re-bounded all over. It didn’t mean to say she’d invited his embarrassing declaration of love, in fact she’d barely even acknowledged it. There’d just been a moment’s pause before she had distracted him with sex.

  Now what? He’d had the door closed for the best part of fifteen minutes and he couldn’t be bothered to shave. Apart from anything, he quite liked putting his mark on her with a little bit of whisker burn. He’d noticed it on the tender skin of her chest where he’d laid his head. He heaved a sigh and was forced to look himself dead in the eye. Get out there. Act natural.

  He cracked open the door and glanced around the room. It was empty—she was gone and the damned woman had taken the strawberries and chocolate with her.

  ∙•∙

  She slid her finger through the last of the chocolate drizzled across the plate. Phillip would think it was so uncouth. She wondered what Phillip would think about the other things she’d just done, not that it was any of Phillip’s cowardly, heartless business what she’d been up to. He hadn’t even had to guts to tell her himself they were over.

  She stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked the last of the chocolate off it. The smell reminded her of Sebastian. She grinned and shuddered with remembered delight.

  She leaned back against the headboard, tucked her knees up and tugged Sebastian’s gray thermal T-shirt as far down as it would go, wrapping her arms around her legs, she rested her chin on her knees.

  It didn’t seem right that he’d been in the bathroom so long. She thought he would have come out and snuggled with her, given her some of his warmth and more importantly, reassurance. She’d needed him to tell her he was relieved she wasn’t getting married anymore and ask her to run off with him to Maui instead. But the door had remained shut and she figured he probably wanted her to leave. His declaration of love had steamed through her system, but she guessed some guys said things like that in the heat of the moment. She remembered he’d said it to her in the backseat of her daddy’s truck, not long before he’d taken off and barely spoken to her ever again. He’d probably declared it to the next fifty women he’d slept with, and in her own head she sounded desperate just thinking about it.

  She closed her eyes and breathed deep; trying to dismiss any memory of the man she had loved for as long as she could remember.

  The sweet aroma of horses, leather and Sebastian assailed her senses, winding through her consciousness and pricking memories she thought she had buried. Unwelcome memories she’d pushed firmly aside and concentrated on the present. Turning her mind to more current events, she idly wondered if he would bother to come and retrieve his T-shirt and gave a small smile as she thought about the important things in a cowboy’s li
fe.

  He flung the door open so hard, it rebounded off the wall and shuddered as it bounced back, and came into contact with his boot.

  “Give me my hat back.”

  She grinned.

  Oh yeah, any cowboy worth his salt would come after his Stetson. She touched her forefinger to the brim of his hat and gave it a push, so it sat further back on her head.

  It felt comfortable. She’d forgotten how good they felt. It had been almost a year since she’d worn one and she’d never realized how natural it was until she slapped Sebastian’s on her head and smelled life again.

  She narrowed her eyes and peered up at him from underneath the brim.

  “Come and get it, cowboy.” Marilyn’s voice came out of her mouth, and she made it sound more like a seductive invitation than a challenge.

  Sebastian slapped the door shut and his long legged stride carried him across the room, faster than she could draw breath. He towered above her, vibrating with annoyance and sent a wild and wicked tremor through her.

  She chewed on her bottom lip, watched his gaze drop to her mouth and delighted in distracting him, while she contemplated the handsome, half-naked cowboy in front of her.

  “My suit’s gone.” She purred.

  “I sent someone for it. They’re going to dry-clean and fix it.”

  “Oh.”

  He moved her feet over and slumped down on the bed. She knew he wasn’t really annoyed, it was all simple bluster, so she came up on her knees, and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

  “I thought you wanted me to leave.”

  “I never want you to leave.” He hauled her body in close to his and pushed his face into the crook of her neck. His whiskers rubbed and made her want more. She stroked his lush, dark brown hair, made a humming noise in the back of her throat, and realized she was gently rocking him, like a consolation, an apology. And he was sucking it up.

  She wrenched his head back with a fistful of hair and gazed into his surprised blue eyes.

  “Then you better make it worth my while not to.”

  She straddled his lap, taking his mouth with her own while she stroked her fingers on either side of his spine in a deep massage. He stretched his back and his naked chest rubbed her T-shirt clad one. He took the material in between his thumb and forefinger and pinged it.