by Tara Mills
Damn, he looked good, so good. His warm tan enhanced his brilliant blue eyes, giving them the intensity of lasers targeted on her. His smile, well, his smile was slow, warm, and loaded with promise. They stood motionless, gazing at each other without words. Ariela moved first, going over to the copier to shut it off without turning from him.
Then Dylan headed right for her, and she waited, watching every determined step with a pounding heart.
She half expected him to smell like the beach, warm sunshine and coconut oil. The idea lured her in. The reality was even better. He was simply clean, unadulterated Dylan. She leaned into him, and he caught her tight in his arms. She almost sobbed when his mouth covered hers. Their skin flared with heat everywhere they touched as they fed from each other.
Slowly, Dylan eased back. “You’re done here right?” Even foggy from the kiss, she understood it was a courtesy question. What he really meant was, “You’re done here.”
She smiled, swaying against him when he nuzzled into her neck. “I’m done.”
He relaxed his hold, but didn’t let go. “My car’s out front. Do you need anything tonight?”
“Where are we going?”
“My place. You’re spending the night. I’m not putting up with a stand-in for you anymore.”
She laughed. “An overnight bag might be nice.”
“Just hurry.” He gave her another quick peck and let her go.
Ariela ran to the front door, flipped the sign, and shot the dead bolt home. Dylan was already holding the back door open for her when she turned. They raced up the stairs, Dylan’s hands roving impatiently over her body as she led the way.
While she tossed a few things into a bag, Dylan was dispatched to the kitchen to grab her birth-control pills. When he got back and tossed them onto her bed, he was even more impatient.
“Are you ready yet?”
She looked over in disbelief. “I thought you didn’t want to stick me like a bug in a case?”
The reminder made him grin. “I’m over it.”
Ariela laughed. “Is that right? Well, I don’t think I’m going to mind being impaled, either.”
He shot her a look of desperation. “If you talk like that we’ll never get out of here. Have a heart.”
***
The first thing that Ariela noticed when they exploded into his kitchen was the absence of Max.
“You didn’t stop at the kennel?” she asked, turning to Dylan.
“No. He’s not my first priority at the moment. Besides, they expected to have him through tomorrow.” He pulled Ariela’s bag out of her hand and dropped it on the floor, then drew her purse off her shoulder and dropped that too.
“Something on your mind?” she asked, helping him with the buttons on her blouse.
“How about a shower?” he asked with a low rumble, pressing suggestively against her.
“Now, there’s an idea.”
Ariela’s shirt gaped open as he pulled her by the hand to the bathroom. They stopped in front of the mirror and Dylan turned her toward it. He pressed against her back and kissed her neck, his eyes locked on hers while his hands came up to unhook the front of her bra. He swept it apart and scooped her breasts into his hands, massaging them rhythmically while they watched.
Ariela groaned and reached behind her head to touch Dylan’s hair, but he moved out of reach and dipped slightly to slide his hands down her torso, stopping at the fly of her slacks. He pressed a kiss into the curve of her back as he eased the zipper down and exposed her lace panties.
“I couldn’t get you out of my mind,” he said huskily, scraping his cheek along her shoulder blade, making her shudder at the sensation.
Dylan kissed his way back to her neck while his hand slid down inside the front of her underwear. Ariela held her breath as he explored, his touch so tantalizing she moved helplessly into it. He cupped her, his fingers playing over and in her as he pressed the heel of his hand against her mound, massaging her in a circular motion. It was delicious torture. Ariela dissolved, draping back against him like a loose garment. He moved fast, wrapping his free arm around her waist to support her.
“Ariela,” he murmured.
She forced her heavy eyelids open, and in the mirror, Dylan flashed the sexiest smile she’d ever seen in her life.
“Did you miss me?” He pressed little kisses along her shoulder, his eyes locked on her.
Ariela bit her lower lip, but she couldn’t stop the smile that gave her away. “Maybe a little.”
He chuckled and moved his hands up to her breasts. Thank god he was holding her up. She needed his support.
Ariela’s head rolled back and forth against his shoulder. “I don’t think there’s any blood left in my brain now.”
“Good. Strip,” he ordered, then went into the shower to turn on the faucet. He tested the water and stepped back out again.
Without bothering with his buttons first, Dylan whipped his shirt up over his head and dropped it inside-out onto the floor.
They watched each other silently, intensely as they slid their pants down, exposing thigh, knee, finally calf, at the same time. Dylan’s solid erection sprang out at her, pointing to what it wanted in very explicit terms.
Ariela couldn’t resist this man. She ran her hands down his body and combed her fingers through the trail of hair bisecting Dylan’s chest, his torso, and his lean stomach. Her progress stalled at the top of his pubic area, and she stared at his jutting erection, fascinated and just a little nervous, yet unable to pull back or look away.
Woof! There wasn’t a single thing wrong with him from what she could see. Then Ariela laughed at herself and looked up, finally noticing his curious expression.
“Should I be worried about the laugh?” he asked.
Chuckling now, she shook her head. “I stand corrected. You were right. I was being hasty when I said your eyes are your best feature.”
Dylan’s deep rich laugh mingled with hers, and he held open the shower door for her. “Get in there.”
Ariela stepped under the spray and turned, completely unprepared for how fast he moved on her. He pressed her up against the cool, tile wall, her body suddenly a living buffer between two temperature extremes.
The feel of Dylan’s chest hair brushing over her breasts made Ariela’s nipples contract even tighter. Tantalized by the sensation, she mashed herself against him, craving full-body contact. She scuffed her chest and stomach rosy on him. His right leg invaded the space between her thighs, and she rode it slowly, brushing her calf across his coarser leg, like a cat, every point of contact making her skin more sensitive.
Dylan pinned her hands out flat against the wall and held her there. Now she was immobile, dangling over his thigh, her toes just brushing the tiles.
Could this be what the word ravish means?
It was unbelievably hot, thrilling. Ariela’s heart thumped wildly as Dylan made slow, deliberate love to her mouth. His tongue swept over everything, tasting, teasing, and stroking her in ways she never knew were possible. She’d never been kissed like this. Then he drew her tongue into his mouth and performed a guided tour there. It was the most erotic moment of her life—so far.
Ever so gradually, Dylan eased back and admired Ariela, still immobilized beneath the spray. She tried to imagine how she looked to him right then, her lips red and swollen, her eyes glazed with passion.
“You...are...stunning,” he told her, then used his upper thigh to nuzzle between her legs. He smiled at the breathless gasp it produced.
Of course, the washing that followed was merely a pretense to touch and stroke one another, and it only exacerbated the already unstable situation. They kissed again as water rained over their faces, seeking narrow passages between their bodies.
At one point, Dylan bent Ariela forward, his hands covering hers on the tile, and slipped inside her from behind. Their groans of pleasure echoed in the enclosed space.
Ariela cried out in protest when he withdrew. “Why are yo
u stopping?”
“The water’s getting cold.” He reached around her and shut it off.
Still dripping, they raced to his bedroom, and Dylan threw back the covers of the imperfectly made bed. “This can’t happen soon enough for me.”
“Tell me about it.” Ariela gave him an eager stroke then dropped backward onto the bed, her arms wide in invitation.
Her knees came up around him as Dylan sank on top of her, and their bodies merged instantaneously. There was no fumbling, no positioning, and no manual guidance. He simply penetrated her, tongue and cock.
The hunger, the need to ferociously collide was palpable, but to Ariela’s surprise, she found herself tearing up when Dylan chose a more tender approach.
What started out so reckless, so wild had turned in on itself, smothering out the ungodly need and leaving something entirely different in its place. Ariela had expected Dylan to drive into her quick and hard and hurtle them over their first climax as fast as possible. Once he’d taken down that hard edge, they would enjoy each other at a more leisurely pace. She’d never known anyone more unpredictable.
Dylan nuzzled into Ariela’s neck. “You smell so good.” Drawing back he smiled and visually traced around her head. “There’s a damp halo radiating out from your wet hair on the sheet. The way it frames your face is startlingly beautiful. I have to kiss you again.”
Touched and amazed, Ariela brushed the hair back from his temple. He turned into her hand, kissing the inside of her wrist.
That simple gesture frightened her. There was more happening between them than simply sex and companionship. She was in real danger of falling fast and hard for Dylan. Ariela was afraid of needing him, longing for him, but recognized she was well on her way already. Is this what she’d always protected herself against? Not just hero types but men in general? Was fear of men and the vulnerability they brought out in her the reason she habitually sabotaged her relationships? Was she going to be as weak as her mother in the end, because she never allowed herself to be tested? Where were her calluses? Where were her scrapes and bruises? All in her head, that’s where. She was owed a day of reckoning for sidestepping true emotional entanglements for so long.
Ariela looked up at Dylan and returned his smile, clinging to his shoulders as they moved together. She knew she wasn’t going to get out of it so easy this time. He was the embodiment of everything she’d run from. He was idealistic, warm, funny, smart, interesting, and intense. She was halfway in love with him already, and that wasn’t even taking his most excellent chassis into consideration. Nope, her bare ass was hanging out there now, and she had no clue what was going to come up and bite it.
Dylan hooked Ariela’s legs back with his arms and surged over her giving her even more to think about.
Immobilized, she could only take what he gave her, which turned out to be plenty. He was still taking his time, but his thrusts were more powerful now, more purposeful. Dylan held nothing back, and she was, oh, so grateful.
***
Dylan loved how Ariela touched him, how her soft fingertips traced his areolas, how she lightly pinched his hard nipples. She liked to squeeze his earlobes too, and run her nails lightly down the sides of his neck and up into his hair. He didn’t mind the bite of her fingernails on his arms or shoulders, either. He especially loved the silky touch of her ass and thighs against him, how her eyelashes fluttered and she gasped softly whenever he rotated deep inside her. He could feel her swelling around him, tightening, and he coaxed her along, every thrust heightening her color. Heat seemed to radiate from her glowing skin.
“Dylan.” Her voice was shaky, her eyes wide.
“Let go, Ariela. I’ll follow.”
There it was. With a sudden cry, she seized, and her fingers dug into his arms. She clenched around him in release, her head thrown back, and her mouth open in a silent scream of ecstasy. Two more forceful drives and Dylan locked hips with her and groaned as his body jerked. He felt his energy drain away with every involuntary spasm. Collapsing with exhaustion, they clung to each other and trembled for several silent minutes, their lungs gasping for air.
Dylan was shaken, stunned. What the hell just happened here? He’d been sexually active since age sixteen, had even thought he was in love a couple of times, and yet, this felt different. No way. He didn’t want this. It was too damn soon. They were still trying each other on for size, for Christ’s sake. He didn’t believe in falling head over heels or whirlwind romances. He’d silently scorned and ridiculed guys who claimed it happened that way for them—saps. He’d listened to their anecdotes with skepticism, unable to accept the possibility. Well, this was a kick in the ass. Finding himself in the same situation was the perfect way to prove him wrong. Irony loved giving life lessons.
It was a full five minutes before either spoke. They lay together, Ariela snuggled close in his arms. Dylan dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to her temple, having finally come to terms with the startling discovery of his deepening feelings. Call it whatever he liked, he was becoming emotionally involved.
“How are you doing? Okay?” he asked.
She laughed. “Okay? I’m fantastic, but still recovering. God, that was so necessary.”
He chuckled. “No kidding. I’ve been saving up.”
“I appreciate it.”
Dylan toyed with her hair. He liked how it looked spilling around her face and across his chest. It gave him an idea.
“Wait here.” He leaped up and ran out of the room.
***
Ariela tugged the sheet up around herself and snuggled into the nearest pillow, pushing her irrational fear of the future aside in favor of happiness now.
He was holding his phone when he came back.
“This is the perfect time to snap a few. Any objections?” He gave her a hopeful smile.
Ariela considered the question then shook her head. “Just promise me you’ll keep these to yourself.”
“I promise.”
He had her sit up then he draped the sheet in a suggestive way. He wanted one breast exposed. After careful deliberation about which breast, he posed her and snapped his picture.
“Take a look.” He showed her. “That is one sexy picture.”
“That’s not bad,” she admitted with surprise. “And no one else gets to see this—ever.”
“I agree.” Dylan took the phone back. “Do a few more?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I think it’s time to lose the sheet.” Before she could stop him, he snatched it away and stepped up onto the mattress, straddling her legs as he looked down on her. “I’ll call this one Afterglow.”
Playing up to the camera, she informed him, “You’re hard again.”
He leered back at her. “What do you expect?”
“I expect you to show me a little more of the world. Someplace hot and exotic might be nice.”
He grinned and sank to his knees, reaching over to set the phone on the nightstand. With a growl that sent Ariela’s heart rate into an excited gallop, he dropped on top of her and they rolled across the mattress.
***
Dylan couldn't get enough of Ariela that night. He would have felt bad about robbing her of a decent sleep if she hadn't reached for him just as often until exhaustion finally took its toll. When he eventually woke, he found he was still pinned beneath her. It didn’t look like she’d moved after collapsing on top of him the last time.
He glanced over at the clock. It was half past eleven, closing in on noon. The morning sunshine had already retreated while they slept, moving off the bed. The light was indirect now, unlike earlier when he’d woken to full, radiant heat and planted himself between her thighs with a luxurious moan. He was astonished at how much he wanted her. The craving never abated, no matter how many times they fed the carnal beast.
Dipping his chin, he kissed the top of Ariela’s head. She smiled and shifted, her hand traveling automatically to his groin. He thought she was going to stroke hi
m back to life again, but her fingernails went to his balls instead and worked lazily through the hairs. Now he really groaned.
“You know the saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?” he asked.
She released a sexy sigh. “Um hum.” Flexing her fingers, she drew her nails across his sack from underneath.
God that felt good.
“They lied.” He gave her back a grateful rub. “A good ball scratch will do the trick.”
Ariela jiggled with laughter on top of him. “I’ll remember that.”
He gave her a squeeze. “Please do.”
Ariela's smile was warmer than the sunshine when she turned her head to look at him.
He smiled back. “How are you feeling? I’ve put you through your paces.” Reaching down, he stopped her hand before she could scratch him raw.
She answered with a playful wriggle and a musical laugh. “I’ve never felt better.”
“Thank you for last night.” He chuckled, lightly tugging a lock of her hair. “And this morning.”
“Any regrets?” She pushed herself up and straddled him. When the sheet slid to her waist, Dylan cupped her breasts. He stared at her as if she were crazy. “Hell, no. You?”
“That’s another big no.” Ariela dipped down for a quick kiss then bounded out of bed. “I get the bathroom first,” she called, rounding the doorway.
Dylan sat up and kicked free of the remaining covers, rubbing his eyes and face. He was in trouble, deep, scary trouble. However, his anxiety blew out like a candle when Ariela, all wonderfully curvy and naked, waltzed back into the bedroom.
Her eyebrows arched up at the look in his eyes. She smiled. “You’re awfully appealing all rumpled in the morning.”
He chuckled. “I was thinking the same thing about you.” Dylan rose to his feet and enjoyed a long stretch. Coming back to ease, he grabbed his keys and phone from the bedside table. “I need water, coffee, breakfast, and juice, in that order. Come on. Let’s get dressed. I’m buying.”