by Sophia Renny
A languid feeling poured into her bloodstream, zapping what little energy she had left, compelling her eyes to close. She drifted as if on a cloud, vaguely aware of his warm, calloused hands sliding across her scalp, the sound of the blow dryer, the smell of lavender and talc.
And then he was shutting the blow dryer off and lifting her into his arms, cradling her close to his chest. She forced her heavy eyelids to open as he carried her into her bedroom and placed her on her bed.
She lay down, resting her cheek on her pillow. The cotton pillowcase felt cold against her face, and she shivered.
“Are you still feeling cold?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“Yes,” she whispered, unable to tamp down the shakiness in her voice. “It’s like it’s deep in my bones.” As she looked up at him, she wondered if her eyes conveyed the pleading emotion that was suddenly squeezing around her heart.
Something flickered in Joe’s expression; a heat that had been kept banked now simmered to the surface. Without a second of hesitation he reached for the belt at his waist and unclasped it. Then he undid the buttons of his jeans. Eyes glued on her face, he pushed his sodden jeans and briefs down his lean hips.
Willa rubbed her lips together and lowered her gaze, latching on to the sleek, male angles and planes that were revealed to her as he slowly removed his jeans.
Moisture darkened and curled the trail of dark hair that led to his groin. More hair was revealed as he pulled his jeans lower, his movements impeded by the heavy, wet material that clung to his body like a second skin. As he bent forward to peel the jeans down his legs, his penis, semi-swollen, hung low and heavy, brushing against his inner thigh.
Finally, he kicked the jeans aside and stood up straight, hands on his hips, revealing not a trace of embarrassment or awkwardness in his stance. “Willa,” he said, his voice taut.
She tore her gaze away from his penis and met his burning eyes.
“I’m going to hold you, that’s all. Share my body heat to get your temperature up to where it should be. You’re still too cold. Do you have a thermometer?”
She shook her head.
“We need to be skin to skin,” he said. He stepped closer to the bed and leaned over. His fingers tugged at the belt of her robe, unloosening it. Then he drew the folds of her robe away from her, baring her body.
“Can you sit up?”
She did, her body shaking uncontrollably now as he removed her robe. He used it to quickly towel himself dry before setting it aside.
“Scoot over.”
As she moved closer to the center of the bed, he climbed in beside her, drawing the top sheet and comforter over them both.
“Roll over to your other side so I can cuddle you.”
Willa gave him one final wide-eyed look before rolling to her side, her back to him. He wrapped one arm around her waist and dragged her close, holding her snuggly against his body. His knees moved up, pressing against the back of her legs, gently coaxing her to bend her legs in the same position. His thighs and groin cupped her bottom. His body was like a furnace. She felt the heat and length of his penis, harder now, nudging at the crevice of her bottom.
Joe tucked his other arm under her head and brought his face close to hers, his cheek resting against her temple. “Feeling warmer?” His chest rumbled against her back.
Willa could only nod her head.
He trailed his fingers across her forearm. “You’re tired,” he whispered huskily. “And still in a state of shock, I think. As much as I want to be inside of you right now, I’m not going to make love with you. Not yet. Go to sleep.”
As his fingers continued their slow, lulling caress, Willa found herself drifting, falling deeper into a state of tranquility and warm bliss. Her heavy eyelids drooped and then shut. She sank into sleep.
The aroma of coffee awakened her. She gradually opened her eyes. The comforter was tucked closely around her body. There was a small square of sunshine on her pillow. She moved her head into it, smiling as the filtered warmth kissed her face.
With the sun at that angle, it must be early afternoon. She’d never slept in this late before.
And then she remembered what had happened.
She bolted upright, the comforter falling to her naked waist. Her eyes darted around the room.
Joe wasn’t there.
Her robe was draped across the chair in front of the vanity table.
The door was closed.
Willa scooted to the edge of the bed and placed her feet on the floor. She stood up slowly, testing her limbs.
The shakiness was gone.
In fact, she felt wonderful. Refreshed. Excited.
She slipped on a fresh pair of underwear and a pair of jeans. Deciding to go braless, she tugged a loose, pale blue cashmere sweater over her head.
She was still wearing the socks Joe had put on her feet.
Her pulse quickened as she opened the door and walked down the hallway towards the living room and kitchen. Rounding the corner, she instantly spotted Joe standing at the stove, spatula in hand as he watched whatever he was cooking up in the frying pan. He was dressed in his jeans and tee-shirt; they looked clean and dry.
As if sensing her presence, he pivoted towards her. A smile creased his face. “Hey there. How are you feeling?”
She walked towards him, pausing at the counter. “Warmer.” She smiled back. “How long was I asleep?”
“A couple hours.”
They stared at each other for a while.
Willa wrinkled her nose. “Is something burning?”
“Oops.” He turned back to the stove, flipped something over with the spatula. “Stop distracting me,” he ordered, teasing. “Or it’ll be cereal for lunch for you.”
She moved into the kitchen, coming to stand beside him. “What are you making?”
“Grilled cheese sandwiches. There’s tomato soup in the pot. Give it a stir, will you?”
“I didn’t know I had tomato soup in my pantry.”
“You didn’t. I went to Dave’s Market while you were sleeping. A grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup is the favorite comfort food for the Rossetti family.” He nodded towards the kitchen window. “And it looks like it’s going to rain any minute. That’ll make this taste even better.”
Willa lifted the lid from the pot and stirred the soup with a wooden spoon. Her smile broadened. “Are we going to have cookies and milk for dessert? That was my aunt’s comfort food for me.”
He gently nudged her shoulder with his arm. “And a bedtime story if you’re a good girl.”
She blushed.
Joe scooped the sandwich onto a plate. He added some butter to the pan before placing another sandwich inside. He turned towards her, leaning one hip against the counter. “You are hungry, right?” he asked.
“Yes. I didn’t have breakfast.”
“Don’t you usually take your walk earlier in the morning?”
“Usually. But Collette came over for coffee. Once she gets to talking…”
Her voice drifted off. While she’d been speaking, Joe had reached forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered, one inquisitive finger tenderly investigating the shell of her ear.
“Yeah, she’s a talker,” he murmured, distracted.
“She’s gone to Foxwoods with her mother for the weekend.”
He frowned. He dropped his hand, fisting it on his hip. “When did she leave?”
“Around nine-thirty.”
“That’s strange. She called me yesterday and asked me to come over to pick something up. She said it was something important for the desk I’m building for you. Some kind of surprise.”
“She asked you to come over today?”
He nodded. “She said she’d be shopping in the morning but would be back by eleven. I got here early and decided to drive down to the park.”
Willa felt the color drain from her face. “So it was just a coincidence, you being there.”
“Two minutes
after I parked my truck, I saw you jogging on the sandbar. I wondered what the hell you were doing. It was too windy to be out there. I was already getting out of the truck when I saw you fall in the water.”
He reached forward, grabbed her by the shoulders and brought her against his chest. His arms wrapped around her back. “Jesus, Willa. My heart stopped when I saw you fall in. I felt like I was in one of those horrible nightmares where my feet felt like they were in quicksand. I couldn’t run fast enough. I thought I wouldn’t make it in time.”
She curled her arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his chest. “But you did. I knew the moment I saw you that you would save me.”
He brought one hand to her head, slowly trailed his fingers through her hair. “If anything had happened to you…” His embrace tightened.
“I know,” she whispered.
He took a step back, cupped her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “This is all I dare give you right now,” he muttered, his voice shaking. “You need to eat.” He kissed her again before returning his attention to the stove.
Willa’s senses sang with anticipation and desire. So overcome with these feelings, it took a while for Collette’s plotting to sink in. Collette had intentionally lured Joe here and had made sure Willa would be home today. Willa wondered what the note on Collette’s door said. She doubted it was addressed to the UPS man. It probably instructed Joe to go knock on Willa’s door.
But Willa couldn’t find any anger towards her friend. Unwittingly, Collette’s maneuverings had placed Joe in the right spot at the right time.
If he hadn’t been there…
She shoved that thought to the back of her mind. He had been there. And he was here now. And there wasn’t a doubt in her mind as to where both of them would be as soon as they were done with their lunch.
She set the table and poured the coffee. She opened a tin of fresh cookies and put some on a plate. Joe scooped the soup into individual bowls and carried them to the table, then brought over a plate of sandwiches, cut in halves.
He sat down across from her. “Dig in,” he encouraged, his eyes mirroring the anticipation that glimmered from hers.
As they ate in companionable silence, the rain began to fall, plinking lightly on the windowpanes and the gutters. The sky had darkened, giving the illusion of early evening.
Willa felt as if she and Joe were nestled in their own private cocoon. Right now, nothing existed outside of this room. Nothing mattered except the here and now.
She finished her soup and ate two sandwiches. Joe demolished the rest. As they sipped their coffee and nibbled at the chocolate chip cookies, a delicious tension moved into the space between them, tightening the air.
Her breaths came in short, shallow pants. She moistened her lips, her gaze lingering on his neck, the way his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed his coffee. Her eyes drifted upwards to his firm jaw, his sculpted lips, the tinge of red along his cheekbones.
He set down his coffee cup. “Are you on birth control?” he asked, his voice strained.
She nodded. Her eyes flickered up to his. Her pulse skittered out of control as she felt the force of the desire that blazed from his eyes.
“I bought condoms while I was at the store,” he said. “I’m safe, but I’ll use them. But, very soon, I’ll want to be bare inside of you. I want to feel you, skin to skin.”
She liked the directness of his words, the absolute certainty behind them. She returned his bold gaze with one of her own. “Yes.”
He scraped his chair back from the table and stood. He came to her in two swift strides, lifted her from her chair and into his arms.
She gave a startled huff of laughter as he carried her down the hallway. “You seem to have a thing for carrying me,” she said breathlessly.
His smile stretched across a face that was rigid with need. “You’re light as a feather. With that mop of brown hair and those big, gorgeous eyes, you remind me of a little mouse.”
If there had been any ounce of doubt in her heart about the choice she was making, it vanished at that very moment.
He was hers.
Only hers.
In the bedroom, he set her on her feet and stepped back only far enough so that he could yank off his shirt. She lifted her sweater over her head and let it drop to the floor.
She kept her arms loose at her sides, offering her breasts to his keen gaze. He stood still for a few moments, simply staring at her. A flush of red rose up his neck. He swallowed hard. “You are so pretty.”
She felt a corresponding flush spread across her skin, a visible testament to the inner glow that was spreading like warm honey throughout her body. Her breasts swelled, her nipples hardened.
Joe took a lurching step forward and cupped one breast with a hand that was hot and shaking. He slowly rubbed his thumb against her skin. “I love how soft they are,” he said on a hoarse breath. “I need to taste.”
Willa gasped as he lowered his head and gave the breast he held a light, venerating kiss. She grabbed his arm, her knees threatening to buckle when he took the nipple into the hot, wet cavern of his mouth and suckled. His delighted groan vibrated against her skin as he brought his free hand to her other breast, squeezing lightly before sliding his mouth over to give it equal attention.
Willa shivered. She brought her hands to his head, sifted her fingers through his thick, wavy hair, urging him with her touch to fondle and suckle and lick as much as he pleased.
She didn’t recognize the mewing, pleading sounds coming from her throat as his mouth traveled down her torso and kissed and nibbled at her quivering skin. Her excitement soared to a higher level when he dropped to his knees, unsnapped the button of her jeans and tugged the zipper down. He looked up at her, the promise of sex and sin in his eyes as he pulled her jeans down until they puddled at her feet.
“Step out of them,” he whispered, his breath warm against her stomach.
She placed one hand on his shoulder to keep herself from toppling forward. She kicked the jeans into the corner and almost lost her balance in her hurry.
He chuckled softly against her stomach. Then he hooked a hand behind her left knee, bringing her leg up and over his shoulder so that the damp folds of her feminine core were fully exposed to his lascivious gaze.
“So pretty,” he breathed just before he set his mouth there, his tongue finding her clitoris with ease, licking and tasting, coaxing it from under its protective hood.
She pressed her fingers against his scalp, closed her eyes, arched her back and let out a long, discordant moan, feeling a climax rapidly building. She’d never approached orgasm so quickly before.
Joe clamped one arm across her hips, his outspread hand on her bottom, fingers lightly digging into the crevice between her cheeks as he pulled her closer to his wicked mouth. Her moans escalated in volume when she felt the fingers of his other hand spreading her outer labia wider. When his tongue delved inside of her and licked her inner walls, Willa exploded. Light and color flashed behind her closed eyelids; her body felt aflame with liquid, pulsing heat.
She thought she might have screamed, but her heart was hammering so loudly in her ears she couldn’t be sure. She swayed forward, her leg threatening to collapse. Joe unhooked her other leg from his shoulder and stood up, keeping steadying hands around her waist. He walked her backwards towards the bed and gently pushed her down, leaving her legs to dangle over the side in lewd abandon.
She lay there, arms outspread, fingers stretched, feeling languid in the aftermath of the most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced. She gazed up at him with slumberous eyes as he bent over to remove his jeans and briefs. His penis was so hard it sprang upwards, the tip brushing against his stomach.
His breath hissed between his teeth as he quickly moved over to her nightstand and retrieved a box of condoms from the drawer. His hands trembled as he opened the box and then one of the foil packets. She watched with an avid gaze as he prepared himself to ta
ke her.
He came to stand in front of her again. “You are so damn beautiful,” he breathed, his half-lidded eyes burning over her body.
Her smile was tremulous. “So are you.”
He ran his hands down her inner thighs and up again, his fingernails scraping deliciously over her skin. “I wanted to take this slow. This first time with you. But I don’t think I’m going to last very long once I’m inside you.”
“That’s okay. We have all night.”
His smile matched the eager gleam in his dark eyes. “The first of many,” he promised, his words thickening into a groan as his gaze lowered to the yearning place between her legs. “You are so ready for me.”
“Hurry.”
Her whisper turned into a frenzied gasp of need when he palmed between her legs with one hot hand, capturing the moisture there; he rubbed it over the head of his erection. He stepped between her outspread legs, lifting them up and hooking them over his arms. Then he grabbed her hips and entered her in one long, smooth thrust, a grunt of pleasure and possession bursting from his chest as he buried himself to the hilt.
Willa arched her back and pressed her hands into the mattress, her eyes wide with sensual delight. He felt so thick inside of her, touching places that no other man had reached before. She felt herself stretching and clasping around him, accommodating his length and girth, luring him in farther, deeper.
“Holy… God… Willa.”
He pulled her legs around his hips. “Lock your legs around me, baby,” he said, half plea, half command.
As she eagerly complied, he leaned forward, this new angle allowing him to press even deeper inside of her. He brought his hands to hers, intertwining their fingers and bringing their clasped hands to either side of her head. His face hovered closer to hers, glistening with the sweat of his exertion, his sharp, staccato breaths like hot kisses against her skin. His pupils dilated, pulsing with the beat of his heart.