Her hands fell to his head, her fingers threading through his thick hair. “Mike!” she gasped, then again when one hand trailed down her body to the spot between her legs. He slipped a finger inside; the wet heat of her muscles closed around him, holding him imprisoned.
“What sweetheart? Tell me what pleases you.”
“Oh Mike…” Emma began to thrash her head against the pillow, her hips moving uncontrollably when he teased and explored her hungry flesh with tender strokes, gliding over the nub of her desire until she was twisting beneath him. “Please…”
Mike moved to her other breast, loving it with the same amount of attention and zeal he’d given the first. She had beautiful breasts. She was beautiful. It had been leading up to this moment for weeks. Nothing else mattered. He was going to make Emma his in every sense of the word.
He was going to love Emma the way she deserved to be loved.
Because he loved her…
Chapter 21
Tears slipped through Emma’s closed lids as Mike made love to her in a tender, loving way. Taking his time and seeing to her every need, as well as his own, loving every square inch of her as though she was a goddess. Someone he cherished. As if he loved her. She didn’t know how much more she could take as his mouth moved over her aching breasts in a scorching path, firing the hunger in her a thousand times over with his teasing tongue and gentle teeth. Her fingers clutched his head, torn between pulling him away and holding him closer. Never had she experienced such shattering pleasure, not even in her wildest dreams. His touch sent currents of desire licking through her, forcing her to match his urgency with her own lusty demands.
Man against woman, flesh against flesh, her breasts tingled against Mike’s hair-roughened chest. He seemed to take great pleasure in torturing her hungry, aching flesh, teasing her until she was squirming with need. His hands were everywhere at once, finding the pleasure points that nearly drove Emma mad. Suddenly he moved, seeking a different pleasure.
“Mike!” she gasped, trying to drag him back up when she realized what his intentions were. His roaming mouth deserted her swollen breasts, searing a trail along her rib cage to her stomach and heading for the spot his fingers were tenderly exploring. She wasn’t certain she would be able to stand that particular torture, even while half of her yearned for it.
“Mike…” She squirmed beneath him, but not because she wanted to escape what he was doing to her, but because his skilled touch sent her to even higher levels of ecstasy. She moaned in sweet agony when his mouth replaced his probing finger.
“Mike!”
The exquisite feeling of his warm, raspy tongue sliding inside her was more than Emma could bear. She shuddered as a sweeping sensation exploded through her body, signaling the end was fast approaching. She tensed. “Mike please, I need you now.”
Whether it was the desperation in her tone or the fact he sensed her close release, Mike crawled up her body until he was poised at the brink of her womanhood. Emma’s hands fell to his taut buttocks, urging him inside. Urging him home. Her body was quivering beneath him, her breathing ragged. Their eyes met, glazed with desire.
“What are you waiting for?” she gasped with bewilderment, feeling control slipping away as an explosion of liquid fire consumed her. She strained toward Mike’s powerful erection, feeling the pulsing tip of him at the gates. Teasing and waiting, but for what? Why didn’t he take her?
As the first wave of a powerful climax overwhelmed Emma he thrust forward, intensifying the effect as his hard flesh brushed against the pleasure spot his tongue had manipulated. Her scream was lost on his lips, her hands clenching into his buttocks the same time her legs wound around his hips. Another wave and another hit Emma, leaving her body jerking in uncontrollable pleasure beneath him.
“That’s what I was waiting for,” he said in a low growl, wrenching his mouth from hers. He didn’t move. Just lay there between her thighs until the spasms gradually changed into tiny tremors. “I wanted to feel your pleasure when it hit,” he admitted in a ragged voice, kissing Emma in between words. “Even now your muscles are caressing me, drawing me toward my own release.”
She was too exhausted to speak, barely managing to lean forward enough to give his chin a gentle bite. She clenched her muscles tighter around his throbbing penis, whimpering when his hips finally began to move. Each thrust was drawn out in a long, slow sweep of his hard flesh joining hers, sinking deeply inside her body, caressing her womb. And it was Mike’s undoing when she leaned forward, twirling her tongue around his nipple and tugging at the small, taut nub with a careful love bite.
His low grunt pleased Emma immensely and she attacked his other nipple. He picked up speed, his movements almost wild as his need escalated out of control. Her hips left the bed each time to meet his downward thrust, her hands learning his hard, muscular body in an excited search as they moved in exquisite harmony with one another.
The turbulence of his passion swirled all around Emma, the recently banked fire surging through her blood once again. More than matching her need to his. Mike began to thrust without control, wild in a way that revealed his hunger, his power. She tightened her muscles around his pounding flesh knowing it would give him pleasure. He grunted low, clutching Emma to him. The force of his powerful release was pure and explosive, ending with a final deep plunge as he collapsed against her, shuddering.
* * * *
“I love you.” A thrill shot through Emma at Mike’s unexpected confession, yet something in his tone warned her to be cautious. He hadn’t exactly said it as though he was happy about it. He rolled, pulling her with him so that she ended up curled against his side. He kept his arm around her and she placed hers over his damp chest. Tilting her face slightly, she peered at him expectantly, and with worry.
“But?” she finally asked, not certain she wanted to know his answer. She doubted telling him she loved him too would have any affect on him now.
His heavy sigh sounded anything but encouraging. “It hasn’t exactly come at a good time.”
“Love usually happens when you least expect it,” Emma agreed, feeling a dull pain creeping inside her heart. Mike’s tone indicated he didn’t know which way to turn so she decided to set him at ease. “Look, Mike, I know how you feel. I don’t want you to feel that just because we made love you owe me any commitments or anything. I’m a big girl and I don’t break that easy. It’s okay if all you want is a sexual relationship…”
What in the world was she saying? Her blabbering was a clear indication she was nervous and not handling the situation very well. She took in Mike’s shocked expression, her first warning that she’d gone too far. His brows were arched with obvious disbelief and he was looking at her as if she’d suddenly sprouted horns. Lowering her eyes couldn’t undo the damage but it gave her time to pull herself together.
“Is that what you think I want?” His voice held a sharp edge to it, gaining her attention again. “You’re crazy if you think I’d treat you with such little respect, Emma. It’s because I love you that I’ve tried not to let things move this far. Not because I’m some horny divorcee who can’t keep it in his pants. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I never insinuated…”
“Didn’t you? You’re the first woman I’ve ever made love to in this bed. I’m not going to insult your intelligence by saying I haven’t had my fair share of sexual encounters, but that’s all they were. The couple of serious affairs I had turned sour fast when I brought them home to meet Melissa and they realized we came as a package.”
“Mike, I didn’t mean it that…”
He didn’t let her finish. “Could you live with that arrangement? Come to think of it maybe it’s not such a bad idea. A sexual relationship with no strings attached; what more could a man ask for?” He sounded bitter.
How could things have gotten so mixed up so fast? Emma could understand his anger but if he’d only let her finish. “Let me explain…”
He rolled before she
could complete her statement and she suddenly found herself pinned beneath him. She gasped, but it wasn’t fear that held her motionless. She’d seen him angry before but not like this. Yet in spite of that he was growing hard against her.
“I love you,” she breathed softly, almost desperately, needing him to accept the truth. “I think I fell in love with you the moment I gazed into those steely blue eyes of yours. Do you think it’s been easy finding myself more attracted to you every time we bumped into each other? Trying not to let my heart get involved because I could see how determined you were not to like me?”
Tears slowly found their way down the side of her face, wetting the pillow beneath her. “Mike,” she continued in a choked voice. “I’m not asking you to make a choice between me and Melissa. I would never do that.” He had to believe her.
He stiffened, his eyes intense upon her face as though searching for the truth. She forced herself to make eye contact with him, willing him to understand, silently pleading with him to give them a chance. She knew his inner turmoil, knew he was torn with decisions that would change all their lives. She could see the mixed emotions churning in his eyes, her heart going out to him.
“No!” he finally swore, pounding the mattress next to Emma’s head. “I made a promise to myself that Melissa has to come first. I’m not going to change my mind about getting involved with you Emma.”
“We’re as involved as two people can get…”
“This was a mistake…”
“Mike, no…” To her mortification a sob escaped her. She bit down on her lip to keep from pleading with him, until the taste of blood filled her mouth and the lump in her throat threatened to choke her. Couldn’t he see how much she loved him?
“I’m sorry, Emma.” He held her teary gaze for a long moment and she could see he’d made up his mind. He was going to throw them away, deny the love they felt for each other and continue on with his life as if they’d never made love. As if they meant nothing to each other.
“Don’t do this.” she whispered passionately, trying not to sound desperate. “Don’t throw us away. We can be friends…” Tears swelled in her eyes.
A snort escaped him. “Friends? Never lady, not with you.” The back of his hand brushed lovingly over her wet cheek; his eyes held a look of deep regret in them. “God…I never meant to hurt you,” he said hoarsely before rolling away. He got to his feet and headed toward the bathroom without looking back. The sharp click of the closing door sounded over loud and final to her ears.
A torrent of emotion exploded from Emma at that moment and she buried her face into the pillow to disguise her sobs, knowing what true heartbreak was.
Chapter 22
For the hundredth time in four weeks Mike berated himself for being the world’s biggest fool. He’d given up the best thing to happen to him since Melissa’s birth. He’d treated Emma callously, using her and discarding her as if she didn’t matter. The truth was she mattered too damn much. Moreover, he couldn’t begin to figure out how to undo the damage.
It didn’t help that he hadn’t seen her since that morning. The morning he’d broken her heart and driven her home, leaving her with a half-hearted promise to call her when he worked things out in his head. It hadn’t made him feel any better when he’d glanced into her beautiful eyes before leaving her to see her quiet acceptance that she knew he wouldn’t call. God, walking away from her was the worst mistake of his life. He was miserable. Dreaming about her every night, waking in the middle of the night wanting her so badly he thought it was going to send him to the nut house. Likewise, his daydreams weren’t any better.
He’d completely lost his focus at work. On top of everything else, Melissa was barely talking to him and only then when she needed to, confused over the complexity of adult relationships and reasoning. He couldn’t blame her. Hell, his explanation for excluding Emma from their lives didn’t make sense to him. And Melissa wasn’t stupid. Once again she’d been hurt, only this time by him.
Then there was Amanda. Every time he ran into her she was slightly aloof, as if not sure what to say or how to act around him, though that could be his own guilt making him think that way. He doubted Emma had bad mouthed him; she had too much class for that. Yet she had to have told her sister something. He expelled a long breath, reaching for the bottle at his feet. It was funny how he and Emma weren’t running into each other at every turn anymore. He took a swig of his warm beer, staring out into the darkness beyond his porch. Thanksgiving had come and gone and Christmas was fast approaching. He wondered how many lumps of coal would be in his stocking this year.
“Dad?”
He turned at the sound of Melissa’s voice. He’d left the lights off but he could see enough to make out the flickering gleam in her eyes. “Yes?”
“I was just wondering, you never gave me an answer about the Christmas party.”
Mike hadn’t answered her on purpose. He wasn’t in a very festive mood and the last thing he felt like doing was attend the annual Christmas party at the high school. The basket ball court was the only place in town big enough to accommodate a few hundred people inside.
“Dad?”
Her hesitant low tone pulled him back to the present. It wouldn’t be fair keeping Melissa home when they went every year. Before long she’d be going places without him. Until then Mike wanted to do as many father/daughter things with her as possible. “We go every year, don’t we, kiddo?”
“Oh, thank you!” She pushed the screen door open enough to slip through. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to go. I know you’re still missing Emma.”
What? Mike didn’t get a chance to question her on how she got to be so smart. The next thing he knew she was throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a tight squeeze. The kind of hug she use to give him, until she’d informed him one night before bed that she was too old for that sort of thing anymore. When she released him, he pulled back, trying to gauge her unusual response, but it was too dark to see her expression clearly. Was she just a little bit too over zealous? He frowned with suspicion, then realized what he was doing and shook his head. He had to stop analyzing everything. Why wouldn’t she be happy about attending the biggest holiday event of the year?
“See you in the morning.” She was gone before he could get over his surprise of her unexpected hug. He listened to her stomping up the stairs as he took another swig of his beer. He made a face when he remembered too late that it was warm and flat. The slam of a door indicated Melissa had reached her room. Just as he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the rail in front of him, a falling star caught his attention. He watched it streak across the sky for several seconds before having the presence of mind to make a wish on it before it disappeared. It was foolish but at that moment Mike wished the woman he loved was sitting there next to him.
He pressed his lips together, accepting the truth. There was no reason in the world why she shouldn’t be. He knew he was going to do whatever it took to make it right between him and Emma.
Even if it meant groveling was involved.
* * * *
“That’s twice you’ve disappeared and I thought you skipped out and went home,” Amanda complained, handing Emma a glass of red holiday punch.
“No, that’s something you do, sister dear. And I told you, I haven’t been feeling well,” Emma explained, searching the crowd over the rim of her glass as she took a sip. “I don’t know why you insisted I come anyway. I haven’t before.”
“It’s the holiday season for goodness sake, Mom. I thought you needed cheering up. I know Mike hurt you…”
“Please, leave Mike out of this.” She turned before Amanda saw the moisture filling her eyes. Lord, it even hurt to say his name. What had she been thinking, coming to a Christmas party where he might very well show up? Moreover, how would he act if he saw her? Could she take another rejection? She already knew the answer to that; it would crush her.
“Here come Troy and Pete,” Amanda sai
d, grabbing Emma by the arm to get her attention again. “And be nice to him.”
“I’m always nice to Troy,” she said without hesitation.
“I’m talking about Pete,” Amanda corrected.
Emma shot her sister a frown, wondering why she’d say such a thing. Why was Pete with Troy anyway and why was there a silly grin on his face? As dawning gradually replaced her curiosity, she ground out beneath her breath, “What have you done?”
Amanda’s tone said she didn’t know what she was talking about. “Nothing, don’t be so suspicious. He’s just here enjoying the party like everyone else in town.”
Without a date? Emma didn’t believe her but she had no choice but to stand there and wait for the two men to reach them. She took another sip of her drink, pretending interest in the holiday decorations and the huge Christmas tree in the center of the room. It was all very beautiful but her heart just wasn’t in it. She hadn’t even decorated at home.
“Maybe eating something will help.” Amanda smiled at Troy as he approached, love for him shining brightly in her eyes. “Did the doctor give you anything?”
“Yes, he…” Pausing in mid air, she looked past Troy and Pete, her gaze landing on the one man she was hoping not to run into. He’d just walked through the doorway with Melissa. Looking tall and handsome, as always, with an expression on his face that said he didn’t want to be there anymore than she did.
As he removed his coat, she tried to pull her gaze away before he glanced up and noticed her watching. Yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man she loved. He finally glanced across the distance separating them and froze, his eyes narrowing sharply. Emma caught her breath at the raw look of hunger etched on his features.
Kiss Me Page 18