When It Feels So Right

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  He stopped and looked down the length of her seeing tiny curled hair teasing him from just below the waistband. With one hand firmly pressed to her back he traced his fingers down the front of her ending just as the hairs began. “Let’s go upstairs,” she muttered again looking into his willful eyes.

  He shook his head. “We’d never make it.” He grabbed her rear and pressed her closer to his body. “Nice outfit,” he muttered.

  She smiled seductively feeling the place between her legs getting wetter still. “I think we have too many clothes on.”

  “I can fix that.” He leaned in and kissed her as he reached to the sides and began unsnapping her sweats. She was so focused on his mouth and his tongue that she didn’t even realize what he was doing with his hands until she was completely naked. The kiss ended. She looked down at her body realizing that she hadn’t moved, but was completely naked on top of him.

  “Nice trick, got any others?”

  “How about this one?” He lifted her up and eased her to lie down on the sofa. She spread her legs anticipating him joining her. He didn’t. “Close your eyes,” he whispered near her ear.

  “Why?” she asked, closing her eyes as he requested.

  “I want to kiss you,” he whispered, “here,” pressing his mouth to her forehead, and then trailing down to her cheek and ear. “And maybe here,” he continued kissing her neck and shoulder.

  “Andre…”

  “Sh,” he hushed her.

  “Andre…”

  “And here too,” he kissed her chest then each breast. She gasped when he licked one nipple then the other. Her body shuddered and trembled.

  “Andre, what are you going to do?” she asked, with her eyes still obediently closed.

  “What do you think I’m going to do?” he asked, licking her nipple causing her to moan with pleasure. “Do you like that?” he asked. “Or do you like this,” he asked as the flat of his tongue barely touching her then he licked her other nipple. She quivered and tried to withdraw. “Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, don’t stop,” she rasped. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed each finger then placed it above her head. He repeated the action with her other hand. She lay stretched out, her arms above her head and her eyes closed. But instead of feeling vulnerable and powerless, she felt in complete control. Ordinarily, she never would have agreed to something like this, but his voice calmed her and made her want more.

  “Do you trust me to give you pleasure?” he whispered close to her ear. She nodded without speaking. “Will you do as I ask?” She nodded again. “Then relax and let me please you.”

  She nodded and instantly felt him touch her lips. His finger traced to her forehead, down her cheek and down her neck following the trail of kisses earlier. When he touched her breasts she shivered as every nerve seemed to scream. She felt the sensation tenfold when his finger traced down her stomach to rest between her legs.

  “You’re wet,” he whispered deep and throaty, “good, ’cause I think I’m hungry now.” He opened her legs and leaned in. “Enough.”

  Her eyes popped open. She looked down and saw him just before his mouth touched her. She had no idea what he meant by the word enough, and at this point she wasn’t sure she cared. Her thoughts faded and her mind went to mush. His mouth was there. She gasped and attempted to close her legs, but he was there already too firmly entrenched in the purposeful pleasure of her body. “Andre,” she whispered, her throat dry from panting. He didn’t answer. He was too busy giving her pleasure. “Andre,” she called out again as his tongue penetrated. She moaned and twitched each time he stroked her.

  He licked and sucked the tiny nib and the spot just above it. She felt her body teeter on the edge of what was probably every cell in her brain exploding. Her legs shook. Her body tensed. How could she take any more of this? But she could and at one point she even opened her legs wider. He instantly took advantage of the invitation. His actions became more intense. He lifted her rear off the sofa and delved deep into her.

  She bit at her lower lip and held her breath trying not to scream. She moaned and writhed, coming closer and closer to the edge. She gasped then exploded into a million blinding pieces. He continued. Her body bucked with a second intense spasm, then another and another. “Andre,” she called his name. Still he continued. She exploded again, screaming out. This time the orgasm was even more powerful as her body shook uncontrollably. “Andre, Andre, enough,” she rasped breathlessly. He stopped. Jo felt herself release. With her eyes still closed she wondered if her body was still in one piece. It took her several minutes to compose herself.

  “That was incredible,” she moaned, “you’re incredible.”

  “Actually incredible is what happens next.” Andre stood and held his hand out to her. Curious, she took his hand and stood. She grabbed the T-shirt, slipped it on and followed him upstairs to his bathroom. He removed his sweats, opened the tinted shower door and stepped inside. A dim light began to glow. Instead of stopping, he kept going, turning a corner and disappearing from sight.

  “This is a shower, right?” she asked.

  “Come on,” he called out to her.

  Jo grabbed some condoms from the basket on the counter and followed him inside the shower stall. She peeked around the corner curiously. There was a sudden chill, like an outside door opening. She found him standing in the connecting outside shower.

  “Incredible…” Jo gasped, looking around then up at the open sky. The view was amazing, but being out there was totally insane. The outside shower stall itself was the size of an extra large closet. To one side was a curved alcove and a padded seat. With a surrounding surface of black and gray marble tile and chrome, it was simply gorgeous. She watched as he turned on the water. “You realize that you’re outside, right?” she joked.

  There was a waterfall-like effect against the back tiled wall. She marveled at the ingenuity. He turned a few more knobs and several showerheads released jets of water all around them as well as a warm misting steam from the rim above. The surrounding lights dimmed and the iridescent tiles seemed to shimmer and glow beneath the stars. “I guess just a simple shower stall with one showerhead was totally out of the question.”

  He nodded. “Totally,” he said, curling his finger and motioning for her to come to him. “Come on out.”

  His intent was obvious. She shook her head laughing. “No way.”

  “Trust me.”

  “Are you kidding, I’ll freeze out there. It’s like minus two degrees. You’re used to this weather—I’m not.”

  “Trust me,” he repeated with added sincerity, “I promise if you get the least bit chilly we’ll go back inside.”

  He was the perfect temptation. She smiled, biting her lower lip, considering his offer. Then shaking her head, she stepped outside and walked to him drinking in the magnificence of his body. His erection was still hard and jutting straight out to her. She walked over and stood right up against his body. He helped her remove her T-shirt. Her pebbled nipples brushed against him with each breath she took. He was right. She didn’t feel the chill. Warm water poured down his chest and sprayed over her shoulder and down her back. The hot steam mist surrounded them like a floating cloud. She looked around then up through the hot steam.

  The sky sparkled like jewels thrown across the black velvet. There was no chill, no cold, there was only the heat of her body and his surrounded by the warmth of hot steam and warm flowing water.

  Andre leaned down and kissed her slowly, deliberately taking his time as his hands caressed her back lovingly. She felt her body go weak as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight. When the kiss ended she stepped back. Looking over his lean muscled body, she smiled. His erection was full and hard. She grasped him, ringing her hand around him firmly. His quick intake was expected. She pulled through the length of his shaft ending with a slight twist to the tip. He pulled her to his body instantly and kissed her hard then looked int
ently into her eyes. “We’re playing with fire here, you know that don’t you?” he said huskily.

  She smiled seductively. “Definitely.” She opened the condom packet and put it on him. They kissed again as he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist and held tight. He took a few steps forward, pressing her back against the warm waterfall wall. In one smooth action, he lifted her higher then slowly entered her. She gasped and held tight, releasing a tiny moan.

  The intense sensual feeling of his throbbing erection inside of her took her breath away. He’d filled her completely then stopped. They looked into each other’s eyes knowing that they’d gone way past the point of unemotional. This wasn’t just sex as they promised. She wasn’t sure if it ever was.

  Slow and deliberate he began to move in and out of her, rocking his hips up and down pressing her firmly against the shower’s waterfall. A steady stream of warm water poured over her shoulders as their eyes stayed connected. The pure rapture of the moment was beyond words. They were each caught in a fantasy of their making as the swell of climax began to build.

  The hot steam swirled and billowed around them, caressing their bodies as the ecstasy continued to build. Each pleasurable thrust was gentle and firm. The intense sensuousness of their lovemaking was mind-blowing as the slow steady rapture consumed them. Their breathing quickened to swift gasps. Eye to eye they reached that point. The edge was here, the crest had peaked. Then they both burst. She held tight, feeling his body tremble and shake. It was too much and not nearly enough.

  Trembling and shaking from the mind-shattering climax, they stood wrapped together tightly. In an instant this rapturous pleasure had defined what lovemaking would always be for them, adventurous, trusting, undaunted and passionate. He kissed her, letting his tongue linger lovingly on her lips. She embraced the sensuousness of his intimate touch.

  Afterward they stood holding each other as the pulsating water streamed down their bodies. Both breathless and motionless, they were wrapped together. With her still in his arms, he walked over and sat on the padded seat. Face-to-face, he sat with her still straddling his lap. It seemed to be their favorite position. His kiss trailing down her neck to her chest. She arched back, resting her hands on his knees. He took her nipple into his mouth and suckled as she opened another condom packet and put it on him.

  “Your breasts are pure succulence.”

  “I think you like that,” she said impaling herself on him.

  “I do. They’re the perfect appetizer.” He nibbled her until she started squirming.

  Jo licked her lips. She could feel him getting hard again. This time he was already inside of her, so the sensation of his erection growing and throbbing inside of her was intense. It was the start of another thirty minutes of sultry, steaming lovemaking.

  Later Jo lay across Andre’s bed on her stomach with her chin resting on her folded arms. She watched the crackling fire in the fireplace as Andre sat up on his elbow, stroking and caressing her back and buttocks lovingly. After the shower they snacked on the cold platter of food and drank a bottle of wine before retiring to the bed. Jo sighed. “Did I mention that you’re incredible?” she asked, closing her eyes sleepily.

  He kissed the small of her back and snuggled close. “Yes, I believe you did,” he said, looking down on his almost sleeping beauty. Just seeing her lying there on his bed caused his body to react. He wanted her all over again. But he knew she was tired. They’d had a full day, then making love had worn her out.

  He, however, was wide awake. He lay there stroking her back and caressing her buttocks and thinking about the moment she finds out this was all just a distraction to keep her away from his grandfather and his family’s past. He began to feel guilty again.

  It had started perfectly, but then he opened his heart to seal her trust and found that she’d gotten to him. He’d fallen in love with her and he knew there was no way he could continue doing what he was doing without tearing them both apart.

  He knew what it felt like to be used and he couldn’t betray her like this. His ex-wife had used him solely to gain access to Titan for her father. She pretended to love him, but it was all just a lie. It tore him apart and he didn’t want to do that to Jo.

  Chapter 14

  Jo quietly slid out of bed and slipped on the T-shirt she wore earlier. Without the sagging sweats this time, she walked over to stand at the balcony doors. She couldn’t sleep, her feelings were too jumbled. Adrenaline pumped through her body at warp speed. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusing thoughts, some elation, some cautionary and some just plain troubled. The latter being the most prominent. Everything she thought she knew about herself had changed. She never felt like this before. The sudden sensation of emotion was overwhelming. She was in love with Andre and her world had been turned upside down in just days.

  She turned and looked back at Andre sleeping peacefully. With the fireplace still burning and candles flickering on the bedside table, the room had a shadowy glow. The setting was romantic and seductive. Being here with him felt so right. But this wasn’t supposed to be, they weren’t supposed to be. She looked away quickly.

  She was tempted to slide the door open and step outside into the night air, but she knew the sudden blast of cold air would wake him up. Instead she looked at her reflection. It was perfectly clear, but still she didn’t recognize the image. The no-nonsense, isolated loner she always claimed to be was nowhere in sight. Before coming to Alaska she prided herself on never letting anyone get close to her and never getting close to others. The uncomplicated focus had worked all her life. If no one cared for her, then she didn’t need to care for them back. Somewhere along the line things got complicated and she lost that focus.

  She cared, she loved, and now she found herself feeling very different. She’d lost herself in emotion and she had no idea how to handle it. Her heart was beginning to rule her head. Her comfort zone had been breached and she let it. All her life she took risks, but never with the heart. Now she was taking the biggest risk she could possibly fathom. She had opened herself up and given her heart to a man she barely knew, and now she was in love.

  Andre wasn’t the same man she met in the foyer and in the library. Something had changed, he changed. She could handle arrogant and cocky. She was used to men like that, but now he was open and loving. How could she steel her heart against that, against feelings, against love?

  She shifted her focus. She needed this job and falling for her client’s grandson was not supposed to happen. But she knew that it already had. She was exhausted and vulnerable. She’d been running away all her life from something she never thought she’d find, love. Then when she stopped running Andre was there.

  She thought about the horrendous situation with her last biography assignment almost a year ago. The senator’s husband was convincing, and had she not walked in on him and the senator’s aide, she would have believed it herself when he denied it. Then instead of taking responsibility, he accused her of coming on to him. So much for integrity. She told the truth, but everyone believed him. After all, he was rich, handsome and the husband of a powerful politician. She was only a writer who’d found out the truth and that truth could destroy careers, hers included.

  She looked beyond her image at the muted darkness, knowing that she would never forget last night. They fit so perfectly and after the shower they had talked until she nodded off.

  She looked up. The sky sparkled with a billion stars glowing brightly above the Juneau city lights. The sight was just as breathtaking at night as it was in day. This was an amazing place. She wondered how it all began.

  She knew the text history of course. There were thousands of books written about Alaskan history. She read dozens herself. But she of all people knew that the real truth was seldom written as such. Man wrote as he wanted to be remembered, not as he was. The actions were glorified, personas were embellished and deeds were larger-than-life. The truth was oftentimes far from that.

  It was pro
bably true of Louis Buchanan, one of the original settlers of this land. Everything she read and heard from Jacob pointed to one conclusion. He was a formidable man with an iron will. She wondered what trials he went through as a black man in this harsh wilderness—racial injustice, bigotry, segregation. She speculated that he was indeed a strong man with a will of iron and a powerful resolve. Anyone weaker would have never survived and become so powerful.

  She began to wonder what he really looked like. Jacob had several old photos in the boxes he’d given her to look at, but none were identified. There was one photo that came to mind. She remembered it well. Sepia faded monochrome, there were eight men standing in front of an old wooden structure. Five were white, two black and one Indian.

  She remembered looking at the two black men, scrutinizing their faces with a purpose. The eyes, mouth and noses were different as was everything else. The build was wrong, the stance was off. They couldn’t have been related to the Buchanan men she saw in recent photos. Nothing about those men showed it.

  But to her surprise, one man in the photo could have easily been Jacob’s twin. The resemblance was startling. He was dusty, muddy and dirty as he peered from beneath a wide brimmed hat. The facial features were almost exact. But the man was most definitely white and by all accounts Louis was black. It couldn’t have been Louis. She looked up at the sky and wondered more about the men in the old tattered photo.

  She stood in silence surrounded in darkness and staring out into the night. She seemed so lost. Like a child wading too far from shore, tossed into the deep. His first instinct was to go to her, but instead he lay there watching, wondering what she was thinking. She was a mystery, and from the first moment he saw her in the airport he was attracted to her. Bold and passionate at times, shy and withdrawn at others, he had no idea who the real woman was.