As gently as possible, aware that she’d never done this before, he moved his fingers down her stomach, caressing her inner thighs, wanting to show her what it could be like.
She gasped, her legs moving wider, and the sight of her left him breathless.
Pushing away, he stood beside the bed, stripped off the remainder of his clothes, and grabbed a condom from the bedside table.
She lifted up onto her elbows, those fascinating blue eyes of hers watching him. But his undoing was her tongue wetting her lips as he rolled the condom down his shaft. “Damn it, Sloane!” he growled. That look, her tongue, and her slender, amazing body was too powerful of an enticement. He moved back to her but…instead of pressing his shaft into her body as he wanted to, he pressed her legs wider and, with a peek at her pink folds, moved down.
“Josh, I don’t…!”
“Just a taste, Sloane,” he assured her, lying through his teeth. He wanted more than a taste. He wanted all of her! He wanted to slam into her and feel her muscles clench around him, but he wanted to feel her climax, feel her hands clench in his hair as she pressed against his mouth.
With that intent in mind, he teased those glistening folds, his shoulders pushing her legs wider. He watched with fascination as he slid one of his fingers into her heat, making her back arch. When his tongue flicked against that nub, he almost laughed at the moan she made. She was so damned responsive! Every touch of his tongue caused her to shiver and tremble against his mouth. Devouring her, he teased and touched and tasted until…he felt her climax with every one of his senses and it was a heady, erotic moment.
Moving over her, he took her hands in his, not to hold them away, but to feel her body’s reaction more completely as he pressed slowly into her heat.
“You okay?” he asked, feeling on fire, trying to move slowly because he knew that she was a virgin, but…damn, she felt good! Too good!
“Oh Sloane!” he groaned, watching her face. He noticed her pretty white teeth biting her lower lip. “Am I hurting you?” he asked, pulling back.
Sloane’s eyes whipped open and she pulled her hands away, her nails digging into his butt to stop his retreat. “Don’t!” she gasped, then arched her back to take him deeper. “Please…don’t stop!”
She felt as well as heard his rumbling laughter and smiled, lifting her legs higher and rolling her hips. “Just…yes, like that!”
He pressed into her deeper and deeper before pulling out and thrusting again. He felt so incredibly good! “Yes!” she whispered, turning her head slightly so she wouldn’t reveal too much.
“Sloane, look at me,” he ordered.
“I can’t,” she replied back, her voice a bit squeaky.
“I’m not moving again until you do.”
She moaned at his demanding tone, but turned her head, looking right into his crystal green eyes. “Please,” she shivered.
Slowly, he pressed fully into her. Sloane felt a small pop, but not the pain she’d been expecting. With a smile, she shifted again, allowing her body to adjust to his delicious invasion. “You feel so good,” she told him, then bit her lip, startled that she’d said it out loud.
He laughed, and started moving, thrusting slowly into her heat. “As do you,” he replied.
She laughed as well and was startled by it. Sloane had never thought that laughter would be a part of sex. It had been frantic right up until that moment but…okay, when he shifted like that, she felt that driving urgency again.
“Faster!” she sobbed, shifting her body, reaching for that blissful release. “Please, Josh!”
He shifted, moving his hands so that they were underneath her back slightly, holding her shoulders and then…he moved faster, shifting his hips so that every thrust brought her closer and closer.
Sloane held onto Josh, feeling every tingle building higher and higher and then… “Josh!” she screamed, this climax bigger and more intense than the last one. All she could do was hold onto his shoulders as he continued to thrust into her. With a groan of his own, his body tightened and his climax sent her over into yet another orgasm, clinging to him as the only solid object in her world.
A long time later, Sloane opened her eyes to find Josh staring down at her, his green eyes…victorious.
“What?” she whispered flexing her fingers and arms. They were stiff after that explosion and she…good grief, she was still clinging to him!
“Stop it,” he growled, lowering his head to kiss her gently.
When he lifted his head again, she licked her lips, tasting his presence there. “Um…stop what?” she asked, not sure what the correct protocol was after having sex. Was she doing something wrong? Should she…just get up and leave? What was the polite thing to do in this situation?
“Stop second guessing yourself,” he ordered softly, then kissed her again. He pulled out of her body and stood up. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
Josh walked towards what she assumed was a bathroom, and she curled up, pulling the soft comforter over her. Staring up at the ceiling, she bit her lip, trying to decide what to do. But at the moment, her body was tingling with so much…happiness…it was hard to get her mind to work properly. She wanted to laugh and dance. She wanted to tip toe towards that bathroom and watch him, see his body fully in the light.
And then the water shut off and the light flipped off. She heard as well as felt his footsteps coming back towards the bed and…trembled.
“You moved,” he growled, coming onto the bed and bracing himself over her. “You look a bit stunned. Did I hurt you?” he asked, pulling the blankets away.
“No!” she smiled. “None of…that…was painful.”
He peeled more of the blanket away so that he could pull her into his arms. He reached out and switched off the light, pulling the covers over both of them. “I’m glad.”
She shifted against him, not understanding what was going on. “Shouldn’t I head home?” she whispered, feeling strange. It felt good but…this was Josh! She shouldn’t be here!
“Don’t go home,” he murmured, already sounding sleepy. “Stay here with me tonight.”
Sloane didn’t move, but she felt the muscles in his body slowly relax as he drifted off to sleep. Sloane tried to do the same, but she was just…too wound up.
Sex! She’d actually had sex with Josh! And it had been so much better than anything she’d dreamed about. Her fantasies were mere shadows of the reality! Every touch, every sigh, every thrust had been so much…more! Just everything about it had been more!
She wanted to snuggle up to him, but Sloane resisted the urge. Not because he’d notice, but because she’d notice. And she might actually fall asleep. But…she needed to leave. To head back to her house and shower. She felt sticky and strangely alive. She wanted to wake him up and convince him to do that all over again but…she looked at his profile in the shadows. He looked exhausted. Josh always pushed himself too hard, she thought as love filled her chest to the point of bursting.
No longer able to conceal her feelings, she let herself accept that she was completely, madly in love. She loved him so absolutely that her heart ached. It wasn’t just sex, she told herself, although…she smiled, thinking about the way he’d touched her and the tender way he’d initiated her into the world of lovemaking.
Her feelings were definitely mixed with feelings of joy because of the sex, but she’d felt love for Josh before tonight. In fact, she’d probably been in love with him for years. When had her emotions shifted from hatred to friendship to love? She couldn’t remember any specific moment, but as she’d gotten to know him over the years, she’d understood him better. He might be gruff and demanding, but he was more than fair and outrageously generous. But love…Sloane wasn’t sure when that had happened either. She’d denied her love for him for so long, it had skewed her perceptions. Still, she loved him. Loved him with all of her heart.
She loved his strengths and weaknesses, loved all of his quirky habits, and she loved the way he took
care of the people in his life. She loved…him. That’s it. That’s all of it. She loved him because of who he was, not because of what he represented.
And that love warmed her heart and…scared her to death! Sloane knew that he didn’t love her back. No way. He wasn’t that kind of a man. He was too focused on work and…well, that’s what she’d do as well. Sloane knew that she loved him too much to burden him with her feelings.
With that in mind, she shifted again, looking up at his dark jawline and the ridiculously long lashes that lay against his skin. His hard muscles were…tempting, but he needed his rest.
Slipping slowly away so she didn’t wake him, Sloane gathered up her clothes and tip toed out of the bedroom. Dressing outside, she realized that her underwear was completely ruined. With a smile, she tucked them into her purse and smoothed her skirt down over her hips, hoping that no one would notice she wasn’t wearing panties! She smiled to herself as she grabbed her bag and slipped out the front door, setting the security alarm. She knew his codes since she’d been the one to have the system installed. She’d shown him how to reset the alarm, but he’d never changed the code.
A half hour later, she pulled into the space beside her cottage. Everything was dark inside and she stared at the small house. She’d lived here for eight years. Eight wonderful, challenging, scary years.
And she was in love with Josh Starke. Good grief, how the world had changed.
Stepping out of her car, she moved silently through the house, listening for sounds. But there weren’t any because Pepper and Rayne were gone. Off to start their own lives.
Instead of thinking about her sisters, she showered and changed into a tee shirt, found another pair of panties, and slipped into bed. She was asleep within seconds.
Chapter 14
Sloane stepped into the office the next morning, her knees quivering with fear and embarrassment. She’d loved being with him last night, reveling in his arms and feeling the power of his touch. He kissed as if he’d been taught by a master and…the way he’d made her body sing? She hadn’t thought that was possible!
The office was dark and quiet, thankfully. It allowed her to move down the hallway towards her own office and get settled in before she had to face the reality of what she’d done. Gone were the feelings of happiness she’d felt last night, replaced with anxiety over Josh’s potential regret for what they’d done together.
With a sigh, she settled into her chair, connected her laptop and, surrounded by her familiar work world, felt balanced and in control again. Working here was good, she reminded herself. She loved her job and…well, she respected Josh. It wasn’t love. Even after last night, she didn’t love him. Not really. Her revelations last night had been…!
Closing her eyes, she sighed and bowed her head. She loved him. Loved him completely. He wasn’t perfect. But he was pretty amazing. And she loved him so damn much that it hurt sometimes.
Like right now!
Blinking back the tears, she focused on her computer, needing to find the peace that usually came from her job. From controlling this small portion of her world. She loved her job and how she organized everyone in this office, took care of them, ensured that they had what that they needed. Especially Josh.
Would he fire her now that they’d…?
No, he wouldn’t, but their relationship would change. It had to. They’d done…things. So many things with and to each other last night. Goodness, she felt her cheeks heat up at the memory!
“You left me!”
Sloane jerked backwards, startled.
Looking up at Josh, she was startled by how angry he appeared. Sloane couldn’t remember another time when he’d looked so furious!
He moved silently over the plush carpeting until he stood on the other side of her desk. Then he leaned over, bracing his fists on her desk until he was less than a foot away from her face. “You left me, Sloane. And I’m not happy about it.”
Sloane took in his angry, glittering eyes, and saw that muscle twitching along his jawline. Not good, she thought, unconsciously licking her lips.
“I just thought…that…well, that we would be more comfortable if we pretended that last night hadn’t happened,” she whispered, wishing that her voice sounded more confident. But with him this close, all she wanted to do was reach out and run a finger along his jaw. Maybe lean forward and kiss him, feel the power of his lips teasing hers. She wanted to press her body against his and feel that sensation of happiness when his arms wrapped around her body.
His eyes moved over her features, as if he were thinking the same things.
“Is that what you really want?”
She swallowed back the pain at the thought of never feeling his arms around her. “That’s probably the best idea,” she replied, hiding her hands under the desk so that he wouldn’t see her fingers. They were trembling with the need to touch him.
“You’re right, that’s probably the best course of action,” he agreed. Then his head slowly turned to the left and right. “Unfortunately, that’s not what’s going to happen between us, Sloane.”
“It’s not?” she croaked out.
“No.” He straightened his tall, powerful body and came around to the other side of the desk. “We’ve ignored this sexual attraction for each other for too long,” he explained in an almost conversational tone. “And it hasn’t dissipated. Not for me at least.” He took her hand, tugging her to her feet. “After last night,” he pulled her closer and closer, leaning back against her desk and pulling her between his thighs, “I know that you feel the same way. We are going to explore this.”
He didn’t give her a chance to argue. He simply covered her lips with his and, after a fraction of a second when she tried to resist, she exploded with the need to kiss him back. It wasn’t a conscious decision to let her hands slide up his perfectly tailored suit jacket and press herself against him until she could feel all of him against her softness. It was more like a growing need to touch and be touched that overwhelmed her and there was no decision to be made. It was just need and desire and desperate moans. The pins she’d carefully placed in her hair this morning were dislodged as his hand wove into her hair, pulling her head back so that he could deepen the kiss.
And then he stopped. Sloane looked up at him, startled that he would dare to stop! She whimpered and tightened her fingers on his hair.
“I knew it!” he growled, his hands tightening on her bottom as he lifted her against his erection. “I knew that this wasn’t over! But damn it, Sloane, I was so furious when I woke up and you weren’t there this morning!” He sighed, nipping at her lip in a sort of sensual punishment. “Don’t you dare ever leave me like that again without telling me goodbye!”
She shivered, feeling as if she were flying high on sexual need. “Okay,” she finally replied, not sure what else to say. Then his words hit her. The meaning behind the words meant…did he…?
“Um…does that mean that…you want…?” she couldn’t finish that question, too embarrassed to ask and too afraid of the potential answers.
“Hell yes, I want another night with you. Not just one more night though.” He eyed her carefully. “What do you want?”
Wasn’t that the million dollar question? “I don’t know.”
He lifted a dark eyebrow, chuckling. “I’ve known you long enough to know that you do know, but you’re not going to admit it until you understand what’s going on.” He paused, looking at her carefully. “Am I right?”
Sloane didn’t want to admit anything to him. First of all, she didn’t understand what was…okay, he might be right there.
He smiled. “You’re trying to understand all off the possible issues to having a relationship with me, aren’t you?”
Sloane sighed, bowing her head slightly. “Yes. But…”
He wrapped his strong arms around her. “I get it, Sloane. It’s one of the reason’s you’ve been such an asset to me over the years. You need to understand the pros and cons, work through ever
ything, and figure out ways to overcome potential problems.” He took her hands in his, allowing her to put a bit of space between them without breaking contact. “The problem with that way of approaching this kind of situation is that we’re two human beings and we can’t anticipate every problem.”
“That’s true, but shouldn’t we approach a…romantic relationship cautiously?”
His lips quirked. “I suspect that we’ve been approaching this relationship for the past several years.”
Sloane wanted to believe him, but her tender, wounded heart wouldn’t allow her to. Not after her personal history and her knowledge of men. She’d experienced her mother’s pain after she’d informed Rayne and then Pepper’s sperm donors, watched her mother fall apart when they disappeared, never to be heard from again. Sloane had helped her gentle, heartbroken mother pull herself together, encouraging and helping in any way she could. It was one of the reasons Sloane had so easily stepped into the mother-role after their mother was killed. It felt natural, probably because she’d been doing it for so long already.
Which isn’t to say that she hadn’t panicked many times during that period right after their mother’s funeral. Especially the first night after they’d been evicted from the apartment. And the next several nights. Okay, so she’d never really stopped panicking, Sloane realized.
“I’m not sure if…”
“One day at a time, Sloane,” he coaxed softly, and stood up, giving her hands a final squeeze before releasing them. “Just relax, Sloane. We’ll figure this out together.”
She liked the sound of that. But she also preferred to be in control. He knew this about her and laughed softly as he walked into his office. “You’re going to try to plan anyway, aren’t you?” he asked over his shoulder.
She didn’t reply, and instead turned to watch him walk away because…well, because watching Josh Starke at any point, coming or going, was a delight for the senses! He was so tall and confident, his shoulders broad, his stomach flat…she remembered exploring that flat stomach last night and realized that it wasn’t exactly flat. It was ridged and amazing and…!
The Tycoon's Baby Revelation (The Abbot Sisters Book 1) Page 10
