by Gina Kincade
Nicola lay snuggled under the covers. Flickers from a nearby candle on the nightstand danced across her exquisite features. “Did I forget something?” she asked.
He closed the door behind him. “You made a good point about not wanting my mum to find you in my room. She would never think to check for me in the guestroom.”
She waggled her eyebrows. “You deviant.”
“Guilty as charged.” He grinned as he prowled toward her. “So, Ms. Mills, are you ready for round two?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Nicola curled into the fetal position, hugging her pillow against her chest. She was deliciously comfortable. A feeling of deep satisfaction washed over her. She sighed as the faint morning sun crept through the transparent curtains of the bedroom window. She could lay here forever.
A moment later, an arm draped across her waist and hooked her possessively. She backed up against a solid wall of muscle. Insistent lips pressed butterfly kisses against her bare shoulder and the back of her neck.
“Mmm,” she purred. “That feels good.”
A deep voice rubbed her like velvet. “I’ve got more where that came from.”
She rolled over onto her side, coming face-to-face with the object of her desire.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Leif murmured, before pressing a kiss on the tip of her nose.
She gazed into his eyes. For the hundredth time, she was mesmerized by the unusual color. She remembered how intimidating he seemed to her the first day she met him. Now, she knew there were so many facets to him. He had the ability to irritate the hell out of her but then make her desire him all in one breath.
Raw desire glowed in his eyes. She knew what he wanted. Last night, they’d been carried away by their passions. She wasn’t thinking rationally then. She was afraid of the storm. Now, in the light of morning, things looked different. She should be making rational decisions, shouldn’t she?
“Um, Leif, maybe we shouldn’t…”
He pulled her into his arms and claimed her lips with a deep kiss. His mouth was warm and soft as his tongue expertly caressed hers. It was even more delicious than their first kiss. He was methodical in his actions, and he left no area untouched as he sucked and nibbled her lips. Her mouth was alive with the taste of him, and she found herself drowning in a tide of passion, wanting only to savor the feeling of his tongue intimately entwined with her own.
Her hands moved to his chest, unable to resist stroking the hard planes of muscle there. His bare skin was hot to the touch, and when her fingers brushed against his nipples, she felt his deep groan of approval against her mouth.
She loved the self-assuredness of his stroke. He didn’t ask for permission. He stormed in, taking control, demanding her surrender. And she loved it. The heat of his touch melted her core. His hot mouth branded her lips, then her neck, trailing kisses down the column of her throat. His teeth nipped her skin as he suckled and pulled, putting his stamps of passion all over her neck and breasts.
She reached below the covers, finding him hard and ready for her. She stroked his granite erection and was rewarded with his guttural moans. Her heart raced as she held him in her hand. It was unbelievable that she was even here with him. It had been five years since she’d been with a man. How in the hell had she lucked up and found him? Not only was he a gorgeous doctor, he had an incredible body. Last night, she’d gotten the chance to see it up close and personal. Muscled chest. Sculpted arms. Brawny legs. Every inch of his rugged build was sun-kissed.
She moaned when he cupped her breasts and pressed them together to suckle each nipple. His tongue relentlessly flickered over each of the dark buds until they were hard pebbles in his warm mouth. She stroked his back with the palms of her hands, grounding herself to him. She felt weightless, her body wafting among the clouds. She savored every touch and kiss. She didn’t ever want it to end.
Leif scooted low, nibbling his way in a southern direction. Thank God, she’d waxed before she left the States. Her heartbeat ricocheted as she watched Leif’s eyes take in the view. For a half a second, she felt embarrassed having a man’s face that close to her crotch. What would he think of her body?
“Gorgeous,” he said, reading her mind.
She held her breath as the pink tip of his tongue flicked toward her. When he licked the tender flesh between her legs, she damned near melted into a pool of boneless flesh. The pleasure was too much.
“You taste good,” he said.
His tongue grazed lazy swirls against the tight curls between her legs. She held on, threading her fingers through his thick hair. He lifted one of her legs so that her knee hooked over his shoulder. Now he had wide-open access.
“Umm,” he groaned, as he licked her sensitive clit. He used his tongue as a weapon of seduction, smoothly darting in and out of her folds. His rhythm increased. His long tongue plunged in and out of her.
Her head thrashed from side to side as she grasped fistfuls of his hair. She shamelessly thrust her hips against his mouth, desperate to feel every inch of his tongue ravish her. Her soft whimpers filled the air as Leif suckled on the extended nub of her clitoris, his tongue flicking repeatedly over the tender flesh. She tensed, feeling the first wave of a hedonistic tsunami crashing against passion’s shores.
Thrusting a finger inside her, Leif probed deep against her slick walls. Nicola gasped, welcoming the fullness she felt. She arched against his finger, the muscles of her coochie gripping, pulsating, craving his touch. He kept up a steady rhythm, relentlessly fondling her, until seconds later, she shuddered against his mouth as she climaxed.
She scarcely had time to recover before he dragged her along the length of his hard body, positioning her beneath him. He pulled a condom from beneath his pillow.
“This is the last one,” he told her.
“Let’s make it count.”
She watched as he expertly sheathed himself. This time, there was no teasing. No holding back. He plunged in, driving his penis to the hilt. She cried out, her body rocked by the contact, but begging for more. She grasped the corded muscles of his firm backside, encouraging him.
“Tell me how you want it, Nicola. Your wish is my command.”
She told him what he wanted in no uncertain words. “Harder,” she rasped.
He complied, slamming his hips against hers. She gasped with pleasure. Flames of desire snaked through her as her whole body blazed with an intense heat.
“Damn, you feel…so…good,” he ground out in between strokes. “I can’t get enough of you.”
He deepened his stroke, filling her with his massive length, sending shivers of ecstasy through her. She writhed beneath him and clasped her legs around his back. She felt her tight walls ebbing against him, then stretching, opening to grant him unrestricted access.
She pushed against him, rolling over and sitting astride him. She gave herself a minute to adjust and then began riding him, moving to a wickedly erotic rhythm. She heard his harsh intake of breath. He took over then, lifting her up and down along the long length of his hard penis. White-hot sparks of pleasure shot through her. Seconds later, her orgasm erupted like a volcanic explosion. Liquid lava spilled from inside her, down her thighs. Leif clapped a hand over her mouth to drown out her loud cries.
His release followed abruptly, violently shaking her to her core. A guttural moan ripped from his throat and echoed throughout the room. His body shuddered and then stuttered to a stop. She collapsed atop his chest. The soft, fuzzy hair there was damp with sweat. His thunderous heartbeat galloped in tune with hers.
“That was incredible,” he croaked.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“Why didn’t we do this sooner?”
She giggled. “How much sooner? We just met a few days ago, for goodness sakes. Any sooner, and you would have been humping me on your examination table!”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“Humph! That day, you were too busy chastising me.”
&nb
sp; “You should have slapped me for being so pig-headed. I deserved it.”
“It’s not too late, if you still want me to do it.”
His deep chuckle wrapped around her. “You’re playing hardball now. I have to pull out my secret weapon.” He made a big production of wiggling his fingers before he started tickling her.
She shrieked with laughter, wrapping herself in one of the bed sheets to escape him. “Stop! I give up! I’m ticklish!”
“I finally found your kryptonite, Ms. Mills.” He pulled her into his embrace, eyeing her with a hungry gaze. “What other weaknesses are you hiding?”
The man was insatiable! She grinned. “I confess, your kisses leave me breathless.”
“Well, I can’t simply take your word for it. I’ll need to perform a thorough oral examination to make my diagnosis.”
As his mouth hovered near hers, Nicola’s lips parted, eagerly anticipating his hot kiss.
A loud gasp drew her attention to the bedroom’s open door.
“What’s going on in here?” Petey asked, his eyes wide.
“Are they having S-E-X?” Dell asked, shoving him aside.
“I think they already did. I’m telling Mum!”
Mortified, Nicola drew the bed sheet up to her nose.
Leif threw a pillow at the kids. “On with ya, little ankle biters! Get out of here!”
“What’s all the ruckus?” Leif’s father asked, filling the doorway. His eyes flew to Nicola and Leif lying in bed. “I knew it!” He pointed an accusing finger in Leif’s direction. “I knew you two were more than friends.”
“The girl’s a beaut,” Grandpa said, walking up behind Leif’s father. “Leif probably can’t keep his hands off her.”
Nicola wanted to disappear beneath a rock. How embarrassing! If Leif’s family had dropped in one minute earlier, they would caught her doing the nasty. Petey and Dell would have been traumatized for life.
“Is it always like this?” she mumbled.
Leif nodded. “Yep. It is.”
“What are the odds they’ll go away anytime soon?”
“Pretty high, since brekkie is ready. The scent of food will draw them like sharks to blood.”
“Thank God.”
“I’ll distract them while you get dressed.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Meet me downstairs.”
***
In the kitchen, Leif helped himself to a heaping plate of bacon and his mother’s tasty fried eggs.
“Somebody’s worked up an appetite,” his father observed.
Grandpa edged his way in, grabbing a piece of bacon from Leif’s plate. “When you stay up late working overtime, that’ll happen.”
Leif laughed at the old man’s attempt at sexual humor. “Don’t you ever stop?”
“Never. You should know that by now.”
Blake joined the group. The three of them cornered Leif at the kitchen sink. “I heard about you and Nic,” his brother said.
Leif glared at his father and grandfather. “Did you two make a public broadcast?”
“All that moaning and groaning was enough of a broadcast,” Grandpa said.
“What are your intentions with her?” Leif’s father asked.
Leif shrugged. “We’re just having a good time.”
“Good times lead to bad mistakes. Did you remember to use protection?”
“Crikey, Dad! You’re puttin’ your snout down the wrong hole. That’s my private business.” When all three of them continued to stare at him, he added, “Of course!”
“I’ll give it to you,” Blake said. “When you emerge from your doldrums, you do it right! I’ve got some extra frangers you can have. That woman is enough to lift anyone’s depression.”
Leif shook his head. “I wasn’t depressed.”
“Humph!” Grandpa mumbled. “What else do you call a man who pines for a woman day and night?”
“I wasn’t pining.” Leif stifled his irritation. “I’ve been over Lisa for years.”
“Well, I didn’t believe it until now. Welcome back to the land of the living.”
His father cleared his throat. “Back to my original question. What are your intentions? Obviously, you like her—a lot.”
“Aw, c’mon. I—”
“Don’t deny it,” Blake said, jabbing him in the chest. “I see the way your face lights up when you look at her. You’re like a rabid dog, tongue hanging out, following her every movement with your eyes.”
“Just remember,” Grandpa said, “Sex complicates things. Make sure you’re thinking with the big head, not the little one.”
“It ain’t that little,” Leif joked, trying to make light of the conversation.
In fact, Grandpa was right. Sex had complicated things a bit. Only, not the way his family thought. He wasn’t thinking of Nicola as just a one-night stand. He was thinking of the possibilities. He hadn’t thought of possibilities in a long time. That was the scariest part of all.
He sat his plate down on the counter and ran a hand through his uncombed hair. Bloody hell. What was wrong with him? He must still be high on the euphoria of his lovemaking with Nicola. Why else would he be thinking of possibilities with a woman he’d just met? Permanent was not part of his plan. But Nicola wasn’t any ordinary woman. He was quickly learning just how special she was.
His father clapped him on the shoulder. “What is it, son?”
“I need…some air,” Leif answered, suddenly feeling suffocated. He tugged on the collar of his T-shirt.
“Give him some space,” his father ordered. “I think he’s having a panic attack.”
“Either that or an epiphany,” Blake joked.
“Nope,” Grandpa argued. “I think he’s falling for that woman. The realization is hitting him hard.”
Leif nodded. He couldn’t think with everyone in his face. Grandpa had hit the nail on the head. What started out as a brief attraction had blossomed into something he had no control over.
“Tell her how you feel,” his father urged.
“Absolutely not,” Leif answered. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Crikey! Nicola would think he was a lovesick wimp. “We’ve only just met. I can’t tell her how I feel because I’m not sure what this feeling is. Probably just lust.”
He was damned sure attracted to her, and he knew she was attracted to him. Or at least she had been last night and this morning. Maybe she was horny. He was the first available male. There was another reason for him not telling her. Maybe she didn’t share his enthusiasm.
“I think you should tell her how you feel,” Blake said. “Take a leap of faith.”
“Forget it,” Leif growled. “Besides, she just scattered her husband’s ashes. She needs time to mourn without me confusing her.”
“Is that what you were doing in her bed this morning?” Grandpa quipped. “Mourning?”
“Leave him be, Dad,” Leif’s father defended him.
“I think you’re making excuses because you’re afraid,” Blake said. “And you have every right to be. After what happened with Lisa…”
Leif flinched. He didn’t want to think about Lisa or the pain she’d caused. Now, he’d finally gotten himself together and Nicola had come along. She was beautiful. Intelligent. Funny. Sexy. Compassionate. She didn’t seem capable of inflicting such pain, but who knew the mind of a woman? It was best to call her visit what it was—a good time, and leave it at that. He’d have the memory to sustain him. He didn’t want to destroy the fantasy with too much reality.
Grandma ambled into the kitchen. She took one look at the group of men and frowned. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but from the looks on your faces, I can tell it’s some dumbarse idea.”
Leif picked up his plate with one hand and hugged Grandma with the other. “You’re right, Grams. It was dumb, and we’ve already forgotten about it. Let’s eat.”
***
The next morning, Leif dropped Nicola at Brisbane International Airport. They hadn’t said much during
the ride. First, he’d taken her to G’Day Tours resort to get the rest of her belongings. She’d left an entire suitcase of clothing in her room. Between Leif’s shirt, Olivia’s hand-me-downs, and the few things she’d picked up while shopping, she hadn’t needed all the rest of the junk she brought with her. Good thing McSeever wasn’t there. She didn’t want him and Leif to start brawling again.
She should be ecstatic that she’d finally accomplished a mission she’d put off for five years. In the process, she’d broken her half-decade of self-imposed abstinence. She should feel a weight lifted from her shoulders. Instead, her heart was heavier than before she’d come here. It was all because of Leif. Already, she missed him terribly.
Her last night in Australia had been a fairy tale. Leif’s family seemed to sense their need to be alone. The entire brood went to the cinema, leaving her and Leif by themselves. They took advantage of the empty house, retreating to his room. They’d made love passionately, unhurriedly exploring each other’s bodies. He’d made her body hum in all the right places, licking, kissing, sucking, and nibbling until she thought she died and gone to heaven.
It seemed they couldn’t get enough of each other. Every time she strayed from his reach, he pulled her back against his solid body, making her dizzy with need for him. Words couldn’t express the way he made her feel. It wasn’t just the sex. It was the companionship. The hope for a new beginning. Building a bond. She couldn’t express those feelings. Besides, he’d made no declarations of affection to her. He might not even feel the same way. She could be just a jump off for him, a way to ease his loneliness. If she spilled her guts, he might go running for the hills the first chance he got! He didn’t owe her anything, and she didn’t feel right demanding it. She wouldn’t be able to handle his rejection.
At the airport passenger drop off, he gave her a heartfelt goodbye, planting a kiss on her lips that she would no doubt remember even in the old folks’ home.