Faye traced her fingertips up to the broad sweep of Piers’s shoulders and back down over his biceps and forearms before shifting to his ridged abdomen. She heard his sharp intake of breath as she let her fingers slide lower, to the waistband of his trousers. One of his hands closed over hers as she started to tug at his belt.
“Let’s take this slow.” He practically ground out the words.
“Okay,” she said in a small voice.
But she wanted him so much. She was almost afraid to acknowledge to herself just how deeply she was affected by him. How the heat of his body penetrated through her to warm her where she’d believed she’d never feel warm again. How that heat infiltrated to the depths of her very soul. How the strength of his arms made her feel protected and how his very presence made her feel so much less alone in the world.
His hips began to sway and she followed his lead as they started again to dance. It felt so incredibly wicked to be dancing topless like this, but as his chest brushed against her breasts, as their bellies touched, as she felt his arousal press against her, it became less wicked and more and more right by the second.
When Piers tilted her face up to his and kissed her again, she felt as if she was melting from the inside out. His touch was magical, sending feathers of promise and delight singing along her veins. When he slowed their steps and reached for the fastener on her jeans to slowly slide her zipper down, she felt as though her entire body was humming like a tuning fork. She helped him push the denim to the floor and stepped out of the pool of fabric.
For a second she felt self-conscious about the burn scars that snaked over her lower legs, but then he kissed her and all thoughts of scars and the past fled.
His touch was so gentle, so reverent, she wanted to beg him to go further, harder, faster. But she was new at this. While she’d certainly been out with other men, even kissed a few, she’d never gone this far before. And what Piers was doing to her was making her insides quiver with a building tension that ached and demanded release.
Piers’s fingers skimmed her mound through her panties and she pressed against him.
“Eager, hmm?”
“You make me feel so much,” she acknowledged shyly. “But I...I want to feel more.”
“I promise I will make you feel everything you can imagine and that you will enjoy every moment of it.”
She chuckled softly, feeling a little self-conscious again. “Every moment?” she asked.
He pressed against her, his fingers cupping firmly between her thighs, leaving her quivering as an intense spear of longing pierced her.
“Every. Moment.” He kissed the side of her neck to punctuate each word.
The sensation of his lips on her skin sent a sizzling tingle through her body. Who knew you could feel this much from something as simple as a caress?
“I will hold you to that, then,” she said with all the solemnity she could muster.
“You know me. I love a challenge.”
She shivered a little as she felt his lips pull into a smile against her sensitive skin. And, yes, she did know him. So why was she letting him touch her like this? His relationships in the past three years had been many—more than enough for her to recognize the similarities. The women all beautiful. Statuesque. Worldly. Experienced. Nothing like her. Her mind started ticking overtime. Was he simply amusing himself with her? Looking for someone to scratch an itch with and she was “it” purely by proximity and lack of other options?
And then his hands skimmed her rib cage and cupped her breasts, his fingers gently kneading the softness while his lips and tongue traced a line from the curve of her neck down to the tips of her tightly budded nipples. His teeth grazed one nipple as he drew it into the heated cavern of his mouth and all thought fled her mind as his tongue rasped her flesh. A moan escaped her and she clung to his broad shoulders as if her very ability to stand depended on him. And maybe it did. Maybe he was all that anchored her to this reality, these feelings, the need that pulsed an insistent demand through her body.
When Piers lifted her and laid her on the large sofa, she felt a ripple of anticipation undulate through her. She watched as he undid his trousers and pushed them down with his underwear, kicking off his shoes and socks with the grace that was inherent in everything he did. When he straightened, she found her gaze riveted to his arousal, the hard length of him jutting proudly from a nest of curls. A primal tug pulled through her body. An ancient answer to an equally ancient unspoken question. Piers bent and slid her panties down her legs, tossing them to the floor before lowering himself over her.
She reached for him, her fingers closing around the length of him, sliding gently up and down. His skin was so very hot and silky smooth. He groaned as she reached the tip and her fingertip met the drop of moisture that had gathered there.
“Damn it,” he muttered. “Protection. I’ll be right back.”
He pulled away swiftly and she heard him leave the main room and head to one of the guest rooms. He was back in a moment, the rustle of foil barely audible over the crackle of the fire behind them. She watched, intrigued, as he rolled the sheath over his penis—her eyes flickering to the concentrated expression on his handsome face. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes shining with a fervor she’d never seen before. It took a moment to realize it was his desire for her that put that expression there.
The knowledge gave her strength. She knew that what came next could be uncomfortable, but she also knew that beyond the discomfort would come delight and gratification such as she’d never known. Her body already told her so. She knew she was ready.
When Piers settled over her, he looked her straight in the eye.
“Tell me if I’m taking this too fast,” he urged as he nestled his hips between her open thighs.
Faye was aware of the blunt tip of his shaft nudging the soft folds of her skin, aware of his hand as he expertly guided himself to her entrance. A tiny sliver of apprehension pierced the veil of desire that gripped her, but it was soothed in the moment his fingers touched her just above that point where their bodies met.
He circled her clitoris, pressing gently against the nub and making her squirm against him. She moaned again as a fresh spiral of bliss began to radiate from her core. A spiral that grew in force commensurate with the pressure he applied until she felt her entire body become consumed with the strength of it. She surged against him and beneath the pleasure that racked her she was aware of a searing sensation as he entered her and filled her completely.
The pain was instantly forgotten as aftershocks of satisfaction rippled through her, making her inner muscles clench against him and, in turn, sending continued jolts of delight that spread from her core.
Piers didn’t move and Faye slowly became aware of the strain that scored his face.
“What is it?” she said softly, her hands reaching up to cup his face. “Did I do something wrong?”
To her shock and surprise Piers withdrew from her body. He shook his head. “No, you did nothing wrong. Nothing except neglect to tell me you were still a virgin.”
Eight
A virgin!
Piers’s mind was in turmoil even as his body screamed at him to seek the release he’d been so close to attaining.
“Does it make a difference?” Faye asked beneath him in a small voice.
Her skin was still flushed with the aftermath of her orgasm, her eyes still glowed with the confirmation of the satisfaction he’d made it his mission to give her. But it wasn’t enough. It had been her first time and if he’d known... Well, suffice it to say he wouldn’t have taken her on a sofa the way he had.
“Piers?”
“Yes, it makes a difference.”
He was disgusted with himself.
She was his employee. She should have been completely out of bounds. But these past few da
ys he’d allowed himself to push all of his scruples out the door and to focus only on what he’d wanted. And he’d decided he’d wanted her. He still did. His blood still beat hot and fast through his veins with ferocious desire for her, every throb a painful reminder that he hadn’t reached completion. But this wasn’t about him anymore. It should never have been about him. The only person who mattered right here and now was the precious woman who’d trusted him with her virginity. Now it was up to him to make it right.
Without saying anything he rose, scooped her into his arms and began to head up the stairs.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she automatically hooked her arms around his neck.
Her room was just off the gallery. He toed the door open and walked through the darkened room toward the bed. Piers set her on her feet and swept the covers down.
“What am I doing? Well, I’m going to make love to you the way you deserve.”
“But...but...” She sounded confused. “I know you didn’t finish downstairs but you made me—”
Her voice broke as if she couldn’t quite find the words to describe what she’d felt.
He’d have smiled at this—the first time he’d ever seen her at a complete loss for words—if he hadn’t felt so damned serious.
“Lie down on the bed,” he instructed her and reached over to switch on a bedside lamp. “That was nothing.”
“Well, it felt like a whole lot more than nothing to me.”
This time he couldn’t help it. A twinge of male pride tugged his lips into a smile.
“Then you’re really going to enjoy what I have planned for you this time.”
“Oh?” she said with an arch to her brow that made her look a great deal more coquettish and experienced than he’d ever seen from her. “Well, it’ll have to be something else to beat the last time.”
He couldn’t help it. He laughed and then realized this was first time he’d ever actually laughed in a situation like this.
“You know what I said about a challenge,” he murmured as he settled on the mattress and began to stroke her body. “Nothing gives me more satisfaction than beating it—nothing except maybe this.”
He moved to the base of the bed and began to run his fingertips from her feet up her legs. He felt her stiffen as he skimmed over the ropey scars on her feet and lower legs. Understanding her reluctance for him to focus too much attention on them, he moved upward, to her thighs, taking his time as he touched her. He chased each caress with a brush of his lips, a lick of his tongue or a nip of his teeth. Beneath his touch Faye began to quiver again, her thighs becoming rigid beneath his touch.
Yes, she thought he’d showed her pleasure, but that would pale in significance now.
His fingertips brushed the neatly trimmed patch of curls on her mound. He liked that she kept herself natural when so many went hairless these days. He tugged gently before letting his touch soothe again.
Faye squirmed against the sheets. He was drawing closer to the object of his goal and let his fingers drift across her clit.
She went still beneath him, as if trying to anticipate where he’d touch and what he’d do next. Piers smiled to himself as he bent his head lower. He could smell her scent, that wonderful musk of woman—a scent rich with promise that made his erection ache with a pleasure-pain that demanded he hurry this up. But he wouldn’t be hurried. He was a man on a mission.
He touched her again with a fingertip, then let his hand trail to the top of her thighs. Her skin shivered with goose bumps and she clenched her hands in the sheets beside her. It was time. Piers lowered his mouth to her bud, flicking it with his tongue and relishing the taste of her. Faye uttered a startled gasp as he flicked his tongue across her again before blowing a cool stream of air on her heated flesh.
Again she gasped, her hands letting go of the sheets and tangling in his hair instead. He nuzzled her and traced his fingers higher, to the moist folds of skin that hid her entrance and beyond until he gently penetrated her. He felt her muscles tighten around his fingers, felt the shudder that racked her body. Yes, it was definitely time. He closed his mouth around her bud, swirling his tongue around the tiny nub and sucking gently until she was pressing against his mouth with abandon. He withdrew his fingers and then entered them into her body again, mimicking the action his arousal craved.
He tracked every indication of the escalating sensations that grew within her. Knew the exact moment she broke apart into a million pieces of pleasure. She looked so beautiful in her utter abandon that he had to fight to stay under control. He gentled the movement of his tongue, his fingers, until he felt her body begin to relax.
Faye’s legs eased farther apart as she sank deeper into the mattress, and Piers moved between them, positioned himself and slowly slid into her molten heat. There was no resistance this time. No reminder that she had chosen to give herself to him and only him. Even so, he would eternally treasure that gift, treasure her, and make sure she realized just how incredibly special she was to him.
This time he coaxed her slowly to her peak, holding on to his control with every last thread of concentration and only letting himself go as he felt the deep, slow ripple of her climax undulate through her body. And then he let go, allowing his own pleasure to roll like thunder through him.
Spent, he finally collapsed on top of her, his heart pounding in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her slender form and rolled onto his side so that she was nestled up against him.
He pressed his lips to her forehead, feeling closer to her than he’d ever felt to anyone in his life. And he knew he wanted this new closeness between them to continue. He couldn’t imagine his life without her in every aspect of it now.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently, nuzzling her hair and relishing the scent of it.
“Okay? I don’t think I’ve ever felt more okay in my entire life.” Faye’s voice sounded thick and heavy, as though she was drugged with a combination of satisfaction and exhaustion. A soft chuckle escaped her. “I always knew you were a man of your word, but I didn’t expect you to take things quite so literally. I think you can safely say your challenge has been met.”
He smiled in response. “Well, you know what that means, don’t you?”
She stiffened slightly in his arms, and though he wasn’t sure what had triggered that response, Piers stroked the skin of her back to soothe her again.
“What does it mean?” she asked, fighting back a yawn.
“It means I have to do better next time.”
“If there is a next time,” she answered.
“Oh, there’ll be a next time. And a time after that. But for now I think we should rest.”
“Yeah, rest. That’s a good idea. I don’t think my body could handle all of that again too soon.”
“Did I hurt you?” Piers asked, suddenly concerned. He’d done his best to be gentle. To ensure her body was completely ready for him before he’d entered her.
“No, not at all. You were...you were amazing. Thank you.”
He reached for the bedcovers and drew them over her, leaving the bed only long enough to dispense with the protection he’d worn before diving back under the covers and pulling her to him again. He felt that if he let her go she’d simply slip away like an ephemeral creature—there one minute, gone the next.
“Are you comfortable?” he asked.
“Very. I didn’t know it could be like this, sharing a bed with someone else. It’s cozy, isn’t it?”
He laughed softly. “Very cozy.” He fell silent a minute before asking the question that kept echoing in the back of his mind. “Why me, Faye? Why did you let me be your first?”
The minute he allowed the words to fall on the air he knew he’d made a mistake. He could feel her retreat, mentally if not physically.
“Why not?” she answered. “You d
id seem to be very good at it.”
Now she was using humor to shield herself from revealing the truth. He’d have to tread carefully if he was to work his way past her protective shields without damaging the fragile link they now shared.
“For what it’s worth, I’m honored I was your first. I—” He took a deep breath. Was it too soon? “I care about you, Faye.”
She remained silent for what felt like forever but then he heard her indrawn breath and her voice softly filtered through the darkness around them.
“I care about you, too.”
As admissions went, it was hard-won, and he allowed a swell of relief dosed with a liberal coating of satisfaction to ride through him. It was a good start.
She snuggled right into his chest and he could feel the puffs of her breath against his skin.
“I haven’t had many boyfriends,” she admitted. “After my family died in a car wreck, I just wasn’t interested in much of anything anymore. I was fostered in the same district where I’d grown up, so there was as little disruption to my routine as possible once I was released from hospital. Some of my friends at school...they tried to include me, but as we all got older we drifted apart.”
“I’m sorry about your family, Faye. That must have been tough.”
The words sounded so inane. Not nearly enough to describe his sorrow at the thought of what she must have been through. What would it have been like to suddenly be alone at fifteen? To be without the anchors that kept you feeling safe and loved. Growing up, his parents had been uninvolved, but he’d always had Quin by his side. The grief he’d felt at the loss of his brother had sent him to a dark, lonely place in his mind and it had forced him to reevaluate a lot of things in his life. But at least he’d been an adult while learning to cope with his loss. For Faye, just a teenager, how could she make decisions about her future when everything she’d ever known, every parameter she’d lived her life by, had been gone in a flash?
The Christmas Baby Bonus Page 9