Mary had packed her stuff perfectly. In the top right corner of the suitcase, she’d found her nightgown and overnight case, as well with a small box she hadn’t been able to identify.
Using her nails, she tried to rip the plastic off the tightly wrapped package, but she always kept her nails short, so she wasn’t able to open it. She made a mental note to use one of her cutting tools tomorrow. She didn’t feel like going back into the living room right now and disturbing Nick. Besides, it was probably something for her hair. Maybe a barrette or a frilly elastic or something. In the bottom right corner of the suitcase, she discovered her underwear and socks. In the bottom left corner, were some pants and the top left corner her blouses and tops.
In her other suitcase, she found some winter wear. After unpacking the items into the nearby dresser, Summer undressed, donned her nightgown and grabbed her overnight bag. She brushed her teeth, flossed and tended to other business, then maneuvered her way back to her room.
Sighing wearily, she hung her cane on the bedpost, then plopped into bed, snuggling beneath the puffy comforters. Wrapping her arms around herself, she found comfort in her hug and listened to Nick moving around in the cabin. He moved quietly but from the sounds of it, he was preparing his bed on the couch. She heard the swish of the sheets and comforters. Heard him give his pillow a couple of punches before tossing it onto the couch. An interlude of quietness descended and she imagined him removing his clothes. Her heart pounded with excitement as she wondered if he slept in the nude.
Moments later, creaks of springs followed as he lay down on the couch. There was a click of a lamp being shut off, and then the sounds of the night permeated her room.
Rain pittered against the window and she listened to the soft lonely wail of a loon from a lake nearby. Feeling safe and secure knowing Nick Cassidy was in the room next door, she smiled and closed her eyes, hunching deeper into the comforters. In moments, she gave way to the exhaustion claiming her senses and slept.
Nick could smell her freshness. She was everywhere. Drifting along the warm air and teasing his nostrils and making him tense with awareness. His cock was hardening, not that it or he had relaxed at all over dinner or while he did the dishes and watched her sifting through her carving stuff.
She looked so pretty. Her hair darkened with dampness from the shower. Her cheeks rosy and her eyes sparkling as she ran her fingers over those erotic sculptures. Man, when he’d opened the boxes with those carvings, he had to admit he’d been stunned at the naughty poses she’d put her nude women in. Especially the blindfolded woman.
Where had she gotten the idea for that one? Or the other nude arching herself on her knees, her legs spread in welcome and the tiny slit of her pussy slightly open and waiting for a man’s cock.
Shit, just looking at her art made him hard.
What about her comment on him being her male model? Of course, she had to be teasing. She had to be teasing, right?
He tried to resist reaching down and touching himself, but he wanted so badly to pretend Summer was touching him that he couldn’t stop himself. Sliding his hands between his thighs, he stroked his throbbing erection. His body felt tight, aware of her being so close, yet he was refusing to act on it. His breathing sounded loud and harsh in the still night air as he fantasized about Summer.
He could almost see her coming out of her room, wearing nothing but a seductive smile in the darkness. Her breasts were high and perky as she strolled silently toward him. She would gasp softly as she found him here on the couch, the sheets and comforter pulled down below his hips, his balls swollen and needy and his cock hard and throbbing in his hands.
She would know what to do to alleviate his problem. Slowly dropping to her knees beside him, her head lowered, her hair tickling his thighs as heated lips wrapped around his cock head.
He groaned as her wet mouth began its magic. Her lips were so tight, her tongue dancing over his flesh, creating an agony he could barely endure. She slipped more of his cock into her mouth, sucking and biting. Bobbing her head, she drew him deeper and then moved back again, before taking him deeper again.
His body tightened. His breaths came faster. He was nearing the edge. So close. Oh yeah, bring me over the edge.
She was eager to please. She wanted him. Needed to taste him. She wasn’t shy, oh no. She knew what she wanted and she was taking him.
She sucked harder, quicker, her tongue moved along his shaft with quick-fire speed, lapping and licking until he could bear the tension no longer. He came on a groan, the couch springs squeaking, his hands stroking his hard, hot length so fast, his brain short-circuited and for a moment, he didn’t care if Summer did hear. Ejaculating into his hands, he enjoyed the pleasure that slammed into him like a storm. When it was over, he lay gasping, a thin sheen of perspiration on his forehead and chest.
Wow! Now that had been something. He hadn’t masturbated like that in years. Would being with Summer be like this? he wondered as he wearily got off the couch. Quietly he padded into the bathroom, which also adjoined the only bedroom in the cabin. The bedroom where Summer lay.
His heart thumped with both excitement and anxiety. Was she asleep? Or had she heard him fucking himself?
After flicking on the bathroom light, he gently turned on the faucet and let the water run softly until it reached a nice warm state. Using the white bar of soap in the container on the counter, he washed his hands then soaped the cloth. Even in here, her fragrance wrapped a blanket of arousal around him and damn if he wasn’t getting hard again.
Once he cleaned up, he glanced into the mirror. With his hair mussed and a glazed look of lust shining in his eyes, he looked like a madman in dire need of a woman. Man, it was a good thing Summer couldn’t see him or she’d be running the other way. That is, if she was inexperienced in sex.
This made him ponder that she must have some sexual experiences to come up with such erotic poses for her carvings. Did she have a boyfriend? Ryan had mentioned on several occasions she dated, but he’d never mentioned anything serious. Nick swallowed back a fissure of jealousy at the thought of Summer being with another man. If she belonged to him, he’d make sure she was pleasured so much she wouldn’t even have a chance to think of another guy.
He shook his head. What was the matter with him? He had no right to think about her that way.
But why couldn’t he stop smelling her? Or stop thinking about her? He couldn’t sleep; he was so centered on her. He’d never felt this way about any woman. It was weird and exciting and nerve-racking rolled into one big ball of pressure. His cock and balls were all tight and hard again.
A light sound from her room had him stiffening. The noise came again. Like a scratching sound. Like maybe someone jimmying the lock on Summer’s bedroom window? Nick’s senses went to alert mode. Had the killer been tipped off somehow that Summer was here?
Okay chill, man. No need to panic. No one but he, Ryan and Mary knew he was staying here with Summer. And they sure as hell wouldn’t be saying a word to anyone whether they trusted them or not. The chances were highly unlikely the sound was the killer, but he needed to check it out.
Shit! He’d left his gun on the night table beside the couch so he was pleased Summer hadn’t locked the bathroom door to her room. Flicking off the light, he waited a moment for his eyes to get used to the darkness before slowly slipping into her room.
The vanilla candles he’d left on the sconces were still flickering, casting a cheery glow along the rose-printed wallpaper and Summer’s bed. He captured the origination of the sound immediately. Wind was making a branch scratch along her window. He sighed in relief but then froze.
Summer wasn’t in her bed!
Chapter Three
Summer stood behind the open doorway, her heart pounding a mile a minute, her cane upraised and ready to clobber the intruder. She’d awoken abruptly from a deep sleep to find herself immersed in all kinds of sounds. They’d bombarded her from all angles, throwing her off balance. At first, she hadn’t b
een able to remember where she was and confusion enveloped her. Inhaling and forcing herself to keep calm, she remembered she was in the middle of nowhere with Nick Cassidy.
Before she could set her thoughts fully on Nick, an owl hooted right outside her window. The sound chased shivers up her spine, making her burrow deeper beneath her comforter. Floorboards creaked as someone walked around out in the living room and then in the bathroom and she jumped at the popping sounds of broken branches hitting the roof.
From outside somewhere she could also hear waves crashing against the shore, making her wonder exactly how close this cabin had been built to the lake. Wind shrieked, rattling the window panes. There was this creepy sound scratching at the glass of her window right beside her bed, which had her bolting upright and angling her head in the hopes of identifying the sound. But she couldn’t.
For a moment, she thought about screaming for Nick but decided against it. Mainly because she didn’t want to come off to him as a scaredy cat if this latest noise was just normal for this cabin.
Instead, she opted to go to the living room and get him herself. Finding her cane where she’d left it on the bed post, she scrambled out from beneath the covers and stumbled along the bed. She’d been about to open the door to the bathroom when she felt the doorknob turn in her hand.
Letting go of it, she’d leaned against the nearby wall. Raising her cane, just in case, she waited and almost bonked the intruder before recognizing his aroma.
Nick.
Relief poured through her, yet she remained riveted. He must have heard something too and come to investigate.
Staring into the complete blackness, she wondered if she might be imagining the small glows of light she was seeing as she looked to her left. Suddenly she heard him curse violently as he banged into something and she couldn’t help but smile. Welcome to my world, she wanted to say, but kept her comment to herself. No use in throwing taunts about her blindness at him.
It wasn’t his fault she was blind. Well, if he had taken her to his hotel that night, she wouldn’t have been in the car with her parents. Maybe, her parents would have left at another time that night, missing the drunk driver who veered into their lane, instead of leaving when they did, at her insistence, because she’d been upset about Nick leaving.
Okay chill, she chastised herself. Thinking about that night and throwing fault around was totally wrong. Things happened and that was that.
“Nick?” she called as she sensed him passing by the open door she stood behind.
He swore again and she heard the light flick on.
“Summer? What the hell are you doing? You scared the shit out of me. Are you all right?”
“I heard noises. I was coming to get you.”
“There’s a wind storm. Some branches are hitting the window and dropping onto the roof. The cabin sits on a peninsula with huge pine trees all around it. I’ll have to cut some branches in the morning. Are you sure you’re okay? You’re shaking.”
“Just a bit jittery. I’ll be okay.” Yeah sure, she was. Now that things seemed to be okay, her mouth was suddenly dry and her palms sweaty at his nearness. Need, dark and desperate, was shifting through her. She licked her lips, and her pulse skittered as she could almost feel his gaze on her mouth. With the lights turned on, she could see his large shadow in front of her. He smelled so very nice. The aroma of fresh soap and his unique scent launched a burning desire through her.
He was sexy. Powerful. Hers.
He slid his arm around her waist, his palm branding her flesh. His hand felt large and so perfect on her. She ached for more. Craved both his hands on her. She wanted him roaming over her body, touching her, exploring her and fucking her.
Feverish blood pounded through her, arousal and need pooled in her pussy. She wasn’t sure if she was dizzy with excitement or if he was moving her too fast because she suddenly felt off balance.
In an effort to steady herself, she reached out and tried to grab him. Her hands flattened against his rock-hard chest. He groaned and she felt scorching taut muscles beneath her palms as her fingertips tangled in his crisp chest hairs. His other hand slipped against her left hip and she stumbled closer. Or maybe he was bringing her closer to him. She wasn’t sure because she truly couldn’t gather her thoughts as his length pressed against her, shocking her to her core. The hot, hard erection was unmistakable against her right thigh.
“Easy, I got you,” he whispered.
Oh yes, he certainly did have her, didn’t he? And um, was he naked? She couldn’t feel any pajama bottoms or underwear lines on the guy considering only her thin nightie and her panties was keeping them apart and there was loads of naked flesh pushing intimately against her. Obviously, he did sleep in the raw.
Standing here in this position reminded her of that night and the one scorching kiss, which had curled her toes. Just like back then, she could feel his tension and his restraint. Senses told her he wanted to kiss her and do other naughty things to her. God help her, she wanted him to, but she couldn’t say anything. All she could do was stare at his shadow and hope he would kiss her.
She heard him swear again, this time softly. A moment later, his warm breath caressed her face. Oh my! Was he going to kiss her?
Liquid heat lashed her pussy and she arched against him, molding herself against his powerful thighs and his bold erection. Her cheeks burned with excitement and her lips parted in expectation. His thigh muscle flexed against hers as he moved into a more intimate position, his cock pressing into her tummy. The feel of him left her breathless.
For a brief instant, she wondered if maybe this was another dream fantasy, similar to the one she’d had in the car, but a second later, his mouth fused against hers and the fierceness of his kiss rocked her. Nope, this was for real.
She didn’t remember him being this intense in that other kiss years ago. Or being this bold in pressing so hotly against her. It frightened her. Almost.
She didn’t have a chance to think much about her reaction as his hands slid off her body, coming around to her front, splaying along her tummy and up until he was cupping her breasts. Pleasure streaked through her and exploded into her brain chasing away all thoughts.
Electricity sparked through her and instincts took over. She kissed him back, sliding her lips against his. He conquered her with his hard mouth, his teeth nipping her bottom lip, their tongues dueling and licking. She pressed herself into him, moaning at the promise of how fantastic his thick erection would feel sliding into her needy wet pussy.
His hands were massaging her breasts, his fingers and thumbs tweaking her nipples. His touches were addictive and driving her mad. So was his mouth. He slid his warm lips over hers, hard and fast, making the arousal buried deep within her vagina uncoil. She was aware of his taut muscles pressing against her curves. Aware of his hips gyrating with hers, his thick erection poking into her lower abdomen.
She wanted to reach down, lift her nightie and pull down her panties. Bring his thick erection into her, but suddenly he was pulling away, breaking the kiss. She moaned in protest, her palms sliding up his chest, her fingers curling over his thickly muscled shoulders, quite ready to bring him back.
“Don’t stop, Nick,” she whispered, her voice thick with lust.
He stayed within her embrace, his body coiled with tension, his breaths as harsh and erratic as hers.
“I’d only hurt you,” he whispered back, his hands still cupping her breasts and teasing her nipples through her nightie.
She wasn’t sure what he meant. Hurt her as in sex or in a possible relationship?
“Hurt me,” she moaned, not caring what he meant, realizing she wanted him any way she could get him.
“Summer—”
“Make love to me, Nick. Make love to me like you wanted to that night. I know you wanted to. I wanted you to.”
“We can’t live in the past, Summer.” Despite what he was saying, he brushed his lips against her mouth, his touch fiery hot and so sedu
ctive, lightheadedness blew through her. “You’re still half asleep. Not thinking.”
“Unfinished business. I want to know how it would have felt,” she panted.
She heard him swallow. Felt his shoulder muscles flex beneath her fingers as he continued to play with her breasts.
“It can’t mean anything…”
His words were spoken softly and tenderly, but she knew it would mean something. For both of them. Knew it deep in her bones.
“Do me, here, up against the wall. Like you wanted that night. I know you did. I saw it in your eyes. Your hunger. Your need. I’ve felt it the moment you came into the hospital room.”
He cursed, giving himself away. He was doing a lot of that tonight, wasn’t he? Cursing. She hoped it was a good sign. She held her breath as his hands left her breasts, and then she felt a tug at the hem of her nightie.
Oh my God! He really was going to go through with it! She was more powerful with the man than she thought. Amazing!
“Lift your arms,” he groaned thickly.
She did as he asked, and he tugged off her nightie. Warm air from his breath whispered against her breasts.
“A few steps backward and we’ve got the wall,” he whispered. She was breathing harshly now, not quite believing Nick was going to go through with her suggestion. But he led her a few steps until her back and butt were pressed against the cool wall. He took the cane from her.
“I’m hanging your cane on the bathroom doorknob,” he whispered. A moment later, he twined his fingers with hers, and brought her hands onto his shoulders.
“I’ve wanted to do this to you for so long, babe,” he said.
His shoulder muscles flexed beneath her fingers as he slowly lowered himself.
Hot air brushed her nipple and she gasped as he slipped it into his mouth, bringing a storm of sultry sensations crashing through her. Digging her fingers into his shoulders, she held on as her world tilted. Her heart pounded against her chest and fire rocked her as he let go of her nipple and kissed a blistering trail down over her belly.
Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances Page 49
