by Jill Jaynes
She found herself unable to remember why she'd been so upset with Rick, when all she could think of was how warm she was starting to feel sitting next to him here on the couch. How much hotter he looked without a shirt than she'd even imagined. How the dim light made his eyes into dark pools of desire that dared her to deny that she wanted him, too.
He leaned closer, set his lips to the sensitive skin beneath her ear, sending a jolt of sensation on an express lane to her girl parts. "I can't tell you how sexy that is," he murmured against her neck. "And how much it makes me want to mess up your hair and watch what happens when you let go of all that self-control for a little while."
She shivered at the tingle that sparked across her skin and made her want more. She squeezed her eyes shut, searching for that notorious self-control that had evaporated at the touch of his hot mouth.
"I've wanted this chance to know you for two years, Stephanie, ever since I saw you at a Christmas party at Bainbridge, Smith and Lowry. I missed my chance with you then, and when Brett called and told me he was sending you down here, I swore I wouldn't miss it again."
"Wait, what?" His words were like cold water over her head. She sat up straight and tried to pull her hands away, but he held them tight. "You were at my company Christmas party two years ago?"
"I was in the area visiting my father and Brett invited me. We were roommates at law school. I noticed you the minute you walked into the room, but Brett said you were all business, no pleasure. I know what that kind of drive feels like." Rick shrugged. "I figured if you were even half as focused as me, I didn't stand a chance of getting your attention. I passed, and I've kicked myself for it every day since."
"Wow." Stephanie stood, began to pace in front of the couch. Somehow, this was getting worse instead of better. "There's more you're not telling me. You went to law school with Brett." She turned to face him. "So... You're a lawyer?"
Rick paused, shifted in his seat. Then he met her gaze directly. "You're right. No more secrets. Yes, I'm a lawyer, but I haven't practiced for a couple of years, since I took over running the resort for my dad. And I guess you should know that my dad was Bill Lowry."
For a moment, Stephanie could only stare at him, speechless. "No... Your dad was William Lowry, founding partner of Bainbridge, Smith and Lowry." She certainly hadn't seen that coming. "I'd heard he'd died about a year ago. Sorry for your loss." She sighed. "So you're the son who was making it big in New York—a star at one of the biggest law firms in the city, and climbing. No wonder you didn't talk to me at that party. Why would you?"
Rick stood and took her hands. "The only reason I didn't was because you intimidated me."
"Right." Stephanie, fought back the smile that tugged at her lips. "Anything else I should know?"
He took both her hands into his. "Only that you were right, there's definitely something happening between us. You are so much more than I ever expected and I can't wait to know everything about you. What do you say Stephanie? Can we start over? Give me another chance."
She searched his face for signs that he was lying. Her "slime- alert" radar was pretty reliable. She'd been subjected to her share of bad pick-up lines, and a few good ones too. It was easy business for the most part to spot a guy who was just looking for a quick hook up. Sincerity was unusual enough to be immediately recognizable.
That's what she was face to face with now, what shone unmistakably in Rick's eyes. And it shook her just a little to realize how much she wanted that from him.
"I'd like that a lot," she said.
He smiled, looking relieved. "Good. Excellent."
"I have some ideas about where we could start," she said leaning in to press a kiss against his neck. His skin was warm where she ran her fingers up over the corded muscles of his arms and shoulders.
"I like the way you think." His voice vibrated through her as he pulled her closer. She turned her face up to his, meeting his kiss as naturally as drawing her next breath.
Rick threaded his hands into her hair, cradling her head as he sank into her mouth, savoring that first, sweet contact.
She was tall for a woman and her curves fit against him in all the right places. Her heartbeat pounded against his chest as he stroked her tongue with his.
He felt, more than heard, the soft moan in her throat as she melted against him. She tasted like surrender and desire, and he knew he would never get enough.
Then she started kissing him back.
Her hands were in his hair, down his back, on his ass, his towel nothing but a memory.
The slow burn of desire that had smoldered between them all day flared to hot flame. Rick was consumed with an urgency to possess her, to have more. He was already as hard as a rock for her, but her fearless, take-no-prisoners response made him wild.
He smiled against her lips. Stephanie approached lovemaking like everything she did, straight on and for the win. This was going to be fun.
Keeping his mouth on hers, he hooked his thumbs under the top edge of her towel and yanked it off.
He ran his hands over all of that velvet skin finally bared to his touch, down the long plane of her back to her deliciously curved behind.
"Oh God," he groaned as he pulled her hips tight against him. "You feel so, so good. Almost as good as you look." To say nothing of her deliciously curved front, her full, soft breasts pressed against his chest, her thighs meeting his. He needed to get his hands on every inch of that voluptuous female flesh, and soon.
But Stephanie was clawing at his back in response, as though fighting to get closer, rubbing her body back and forth against his where his cock nestled between them against her belly. He wouldn't last long if she kept that up.
He plunged his tongue deeper into her mouth, tangling with hers. She met his kiss head-on, alternately capturing his tongue to suck on it, then letting him take command of her mouth to bite and suck her lips, her tongue.
It was a battle for possession, of searing, scorching need, and one he was determined they both would win. He backed her up against the couch, and then eased her down until she lay on her back under him. In true Stephanie-fashion, she hooked her legs over the backs of his, urging him closer as she opened herself to him.
He broke the kiss. "Not yet."
Every cell in his body screamed at him to bury himself inside her now, but he wanted more.
He pulled the blanket part-way over them against the chilly air, and eased over to lie on his side next to Stephanie, keeping her in place with one leg over hers.
Stephanie frowned at him. "What are we waiting for?"
He chuckled. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Well, don't you want to...?" She arched a questioning brow at him.
What kind of loser guys had she been with? "Of course I do. There's more to it than just that."
"What are you talking about? Let's get down to business."
He smiled. "That's exactly what I plan to do."
Holding her gaze, he smoothed a hand up the curve of her waist until he cupped the side of one generous breast to fit in his hand. He shuddered at the surge of lust that went straight to his cock. There were few things in life as good as a woman's breast in his hand. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are Stephanie?" Plumping the flesh, he rubbed his thumb over her nipple, watching her eyelids flutter closed.
She sighed. "That feels really...good." She sounded surprised. Had no one taken the time to pleasure her before?
"I'm only getting started." Her nipple grew erect beneath his thumb, inviting him to suck. He lowered his head, licking in a circle around her waiting nipple before closing his lips over it and pulling it into his mouth.
Stephanie gasped and arched beneath him, stabbing her hands into his hair and holding his head tight.
When he finished with that one, he raised up to kneel astride her, cupping both of her breasts so that he could suckle each of them in turn as Stephanie squirmed beneath him.
"You are making me so hot, Stephanie," he said,
pausing to blow across one wet nipple.
"Oh my God," she panted. "I'm not even doing anything to you. How could I be making you hot?"
"Making you hot gets me hot. That's how it works." He took her nipple back into his mouth, this time biting down ever so gently.
Stephanie arched her hips beneath him with a scream. "Yes! Oh, yes! Oh, more! Oh please, oh please, oh please!"
Rick clenched his eyes closed, holding onto his self-control as the friction of Stephanie's hips against the head of his cock almost made him come in spite of himself. He wasn't quite done with her yet.
"There's more, baby. I promise." Moving back to lie alongside her again, he propped himself on one elbow. She looked up at him, breathing hard, a question in her eyes. Her hair was loose and disheveled and her skin glistened with perspiration despite the cool room. He'd done that to her. And he'd do a lot more before he was through. "Kiss me."
She met his kiss to tangle her tongue with his.
He smoothed his hand down her body over her hip and down to her knee. Lifting her knee slightly, he began to trace his fingers up the inside of her thigh.
Stephanie reached to pull him over on top of her.
He took her hand from his hip and pulled it up next to her head, then held it there while he plunged his tongue into her mouth over and over. He allowed himself the indulgence of pressing his ready cock against her hip several times, letting her feel how much he wanted her. He felt her relax beneath him, only tensing to squirm against him in answering rhythm to his kiss. He pulled back and looked down at her. "I'll tell you when it's time. I'm not done with you yet."
"But—"
Rick put his finger over her lips. He couldn't believe he had to coax her to take her pleasure. "Stephanie. Do as I say."
A thrill went through her at his words. She was so used to having to be the one in control, all the time, there was something freeing in relinquishing it. "Tell me what to do," she whispered.
He leaned down, keeping his gaze on her face and took her breast in his hand again. "Don't move." He toyed with her nipple, rolling and squeezing it.
She closed her eyes as streaks of sensation shot to her center. Sparks danced across the insides of her eyelids. "Ooooh." She heard herself moan. She concentrated on not moving.
"Now open your legs." Then his hot mouth was on her breast again.
She let her knees fall open, awash in waves of sensation as his fingers burned a trail back up the inside of her thigh.
She struggled to do as he said and hold still.
She'd never been with someone who'd taken this much time, just with her. She'd had a couple of partners, both of whom had been primarily interested in getting her clothes off and getting inside of her as quickly as possible. She'd been left feeling dissatisfied but not entirely sure why. The magazine articles she'd read about female orgasm seemed to place the responsibility primarily with her, so she'd decided the whole thing was a lot more effort than she had time to deal with.
But Rick was different. She'd tried to show him she was willing to give him what he wanted, but he seemed to have a totally different agenda from what she was used to. He was obviously turned on. Maybe getting her hot really did get him hot.
Reaching her female center, laid open to him, he stroked in tantalizing circles every place but where she'd realized she desperately wanted him to touch her.
She moved her hips restlessly against his hand, almost whimpering with pleasure when at last he slid a finger into her wet slit and stroked gently.
"You are so beautiful there," he whispered against her neck, "I want you to come for me."
Stephanie didn't have it in her to argue as he moved his finger in maddening circles around her clitoris, every tiny touch like an earthquake. It never felt like this when she touched herself.
He kissed her again and she opened her mouth to him, eagerly accepting his lips, his tongue, his control as he continued to touch her in irresistible rhythm.
A rising tide of pleasure built and built, and it worried her. It felt bigger than her, like more than she could control. She tightened her body against it.
Rick must have felt her resistance. "Let go, Stephanie. Trust me." He slid his finger deep inside her, owning her. "Come for me baby."
"You're right," Stephanie panted. "You're in control, Rick. Control me." She looked up at his beautiful face, the lamplight gleaming in his eyes, so focused on her while he touched her, coaxed her, drove her. She stopped thinking; let his touch command her, every stroke bringing the wave closer now, the promise of pleasure building as it grew. Then it broke over her, tumbling her and lifting her on its impossible crest.
She was lost and she didn't care. She let it take her where it would, until it finally left her shaking and spent, wrapped safe in Rick's arms.
She drew in a shuddering breath, and opened her eyes to find him watching her. "Holy crap," she managed. "That was just—" She shook her head. There weren't words for what it had been. "I've never felt anything like that with anyone before." She shifted restlessly against Rick as he lay beside her, "But I need more. I need you inside me. Now." She reached down and grasped his hard length in her hand, gratified that it sprang to attention at her touch.
"I can do that." Rick reached over to grab one of the discarded condom packets lying on the coffee table. He ripped it open with his teeth, and slid it on in less time than she would have thought possible.
She opened her legs for him as he lifted himself over her, hungry for his possession. He used one hand to probe her slick opening with the head of his cock, and she lifted her hips, urging him in. But he apparently wasn't finished tormenting her, because he spent a moment rubbing himself all along her female flesh, caressing her clit. She was amazed at her own response as instant shockwaves shot through her.
"God," she groaned, grasping his hips with both hands. "Fuck me already."
"Your wish is my command," he said, and drove into her at last.
"Yes, oh yes." She arched to meet him as he began to plunge into her, over and over. She opened her eyes to find him watching her as he made love to her. She'd never felt so connected to a man before, in every possible way.
She ran her hands over his back, loving the feel of him over her, in her, all around her. She cupped his fine behind, giving herself to his rhythm.
To her surprise, she found that his movements set off a delicious friction with just the right parts of her. She had no idea she could be ready for more so quickly, but apparently her body knew exactly what to do with all of this excellent stimulation.
This time the wave didn't bother building. Her orgasm hit all at once and it hit hard, knocking the breath right out of her as it exploded through her body.
She arched helplessly beneath Rick as he picked up his rhythm, which seemed to prolong the spasms that gripped her in wave after wave of pleasure. She saw stars and she wasn't entirely sure she didn't pass out for a moment.
She heard Rick groan above her, then felt his body go rigid under her hands as his own climax took him.
He collapsed on top of her, breathing hard. She could feel his heartbeat racing against her chest as she held him close.
"I don't know about you," she said against his neck. "But I don't think I could move if the house caught fire right now. It would just have to burn around me."
Lightning lit up the darkness outside the windows, followed by booming thunder.
Stephanie trembled a little, hating that she couldn't stop herself. "I hate thunder. Always have."
Rick rolled to one side. "I have just the thing for that." He turned Stephanie so her back was to him and curled around her, wrapping her in his arms. "Works every time."
"On who? Small children? Puppies and kittens?"
"On me. My mom used to do it when I was a kid and crawled into my parent's bed when there was a storm. Always made me feel safe."
Stephanie snuggled closer, wedging herself securely into his lap. She smiled at his strangled gasp, and pulled
his arms tighter around her, placing one of his hands firmly on her breast. "I'm starting to see the charm of it," she said.
"Saucy wench," he said. "Keep it up and I'll ravish you again." He yawned. "Just as soon as I can."
"Promises, promises." Warm and feeling pleasantly languid, Stephanie smiled and let herself relax into the rhythm of Rick's breathing.
Rick came awake sometime later, his arms full of warm, sleeping woman. It was full dark outside now, and the rain had settled to a steady light fall, punctuated by the occasional gust of wind. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he definitely felt better for it. And he definitely felt something else.
"Hmmm," said Stephanie. "Someone's awake."
As if on cue, his stomach growled loudly. "I don't know what I want to eat first, you or that pillow you're sleeping on."
Stephanie laughed and stretched. "Why don't you go look for some food. I hope you have better luck than I did."
Sitting up, Rick found his discarded towel on the floor and wrapped it around his waist. "Guess I'm going to need to keep my strength up if I'm going to ravish you again."
"Hurry."
A somewhat more thorough scavenge of the kitchen's contents produced a couple of cans of chicken noodle soup, and enough other odds and ends to make a meal of.
Rick watched Stephanie spoon steaming soup into her mouth, her hair a dark fall where she'd swept it to hang over one bare shoulder. The towel was back on, covering territory he planned on seeing a lot more of.
"So tell me why you really came down here to the Caribbean."
Rick's thoughts kicked back into focus. His mind had been...elsewhere. "I'm sorry, what?"
"You didn't just take an after-college walkabout break," Stephanie said, in what sounded like cross-examination mode. "You quit a successful law career with a bright future. What happened?"
"My father's cancer happened." He peeled back the lid on a snack-sized can of peaches. "It changed everything."
"Were you close?"
Rick choked a little, swallowed his bite of peach. Leave it to Stephanie to zero in on the heart of the issue.