There was danger in desire, she told herself. But he was so much more than she’d imagined a man could be. She didn’t just like him, she admired him.
She put one hand on his shoulder and shifted so she could press her mouth to his.
For a second he didn’t react, then his mouth moved against hers, claiming her. There was heat and a familiar living need that consumed her. Rex’s kiss had left her unmoved, but Nathan’s kiss made her want to melt into a puddle. Except a puddle couldn’t really appreciate the nuances of a man’s mouth.
He set down his wine and grabbed her upper arms. After hauling her against him, he tilted his head and licked her bottom lip.
Jolts of desire shot through her, making her belly clench and her toes curl. She opened for him, then had to hold in a gasp as he claimed her with passionate, heady strokes of his tongue.
He explored her, teasing her, arousing her. She kissed him back, closing her lips around his tongue and sucking. He stiffened, then groaned.
“Dammit, Kerri,” he muttered, his voice low and thick.
His hands were everywhere—on her back, her arms, down her sides. She wore a shirt and jeans, and hated when his palm slid from bare skin to fabric. She wanted to feel him touching her everywhere.
But instead of reading her mind like he was supposed to, he pulled back.
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“What?”
“Is this about the money? Are you paying me back?”
She supposed she should have been insulted, but a voice in her head told her that Nathan was asking because he was afraid of getting hurt.
Not possible, she told herself. Her hurt Nathan? No one got close—he made sure of that. Or did he?
“It’s not about the money,” she said firmly.
“How do I know that?”
Good question. She tried to think of some way to convince him, but there weren’t any words. Finally she simply smiled and said, “You’re going to have to trust me.”
“Not my style.”
“New things can be exciting.” She eased forward until their bodies were touching. “Believe me.”
“Because you want me?”
No one had ever asked her that before. Brian had been her first, her only, and they had eased into lovemaking slowly. They’d dated and fallen in love. Their times together had been tender and sweet and all about discovery. They’d never talked about wanting or needing.
But Nathan was an experienced man who probably expected the same from his partners. Which was a really good reason to panic, she thought.
“Kerri?”
“Yes,” she said, and covered her face with her hands. “Don’t make me say it again.”
“You’re not convincing me.”
“I’m embarrassed.”
“Why?”
She dropped her hands. “I’m not like them. Those other women who are so practiced. I haven’t been with anyone since Brian and I sort of wasn’t with anyone before.”
He stared at her so long she felt herself blushing. The need to squirm was powerful, but she resisted. She could at least pretend to be mature.
“I really do want this,” she told him.
“I believe you.”
“Good. There’s just one other thing.”
He raised his eyebrows.
She drew in a breath. “It’s different when your partner has superpowers.”
“I’ll just bet.”
He pulled her close and kissed her. Even as his tongue teased her into playing an erotic game of chase, he slipped his hands below the hem of her T-shirt and ran his fingers down her spine.
She felt shivers and heat and an aching in her breasts. Her thighs trembled, as did her knees.
When he moved his hands to her waist, her breath caught. When he slid them up and cupped her breasts through her bra, she exhaled. When his thumbs brushed her hard, sensitive nipples, she forgot to breathe.
While his fingers worked their magic, he broke their kiss, then nibbled his way along her jaw. He licked the sensitive skin below her ear, then blew on the dampness. She did her best not to groan, but it was too hard to hold in the passion.
Heat sank down to the apex of her thighs, where she melted for him. She put her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance, then had to lift them as he tugged off her T-shirt. Seconds later her bra followed. She was so startled that he could unfasten it more quickly than she could that she nearly forgot to be shy.
But before she could cover herself or worry that he wouldn’t like what he saw, he leaned in and drew her left nipple into his mouth and sucked.
The combination of warmth and wetness and lips and tongue sent her heart racing. It was the most exquisite sensation, outside of orgasm, she’d ever experienced in her life.
“Don’t stop,” she breathed before she could stop herself. She clutched his head, determined he do that forever. She needed his touch, his tongue, the sensations shooting through her.
It was as if there was a direct line from her breasts to the center of her body. With each tug on her nipple, she felt an answering tension between her legs.
He shifted to the other breast, sucking and licking and taking her higher and higher. She ached for more, for him to touch her everywhere. She was both hot and cold, trembling with need and yet wanting to make the moment last forever.
When he reached for the button at the waistband of her jeans, she found herself frantically trying to help. Naked, she thought, burning with an unfamiliar need to take and be taken. Naked would be good. She wanted naked. Now!
The good part was after she kicked off her sandals, they managed to push down both her jeans and her panties. The bad news was he stopped touching her breasts to do it.
Then she was naked in her living room, which seemed awkward. But before she could try to figure out what to do next, Nathan urged her to sit on the sofa.
“We’re going to do it here?” she asked.
He knelt between her thighs and gave her a smile that spoke of a man who was very comfortable with his skill set. “Why waste time traveling?”
Good question, she thought as he reached between her thighs and parted her skin. Then he bent forward and gave her the most intimate kiss of her life.
His tongue was soft and warm and wet and he used it to explore every inch of her. He found the places that made her squirm and sigh and that one spot that made her want to beg.
He went slowly at first, setting up a rhythm that seemed impossibly leisurely, especially when all she wanted was more. But then she relaxed and forced herself to accept his pace. After a while she even started to like it.
He moved over that one sensitive place at first. Slipping around it, ignoring it, then brushing it again. She tensed in anticipation before relaxing again. Wasn’t the journey supposed to be the best part?
She kept her eyes closed, all the better to feel what he was doing, and did her best to ignore the fact that she was naked, with a man between her legs in her living room.
Over and over he touched her, patiently driving her higher and higher. Tension pulled her muscles tight. He circled again, this time brushing that spot more firmly, more regularly. Her breathing quickened as she moaned her pleasure.
Nothing was supposed to feel this good. Nothing ever had. She had forgotten her body was capable of this kind of sensation.
She spread her knees farther apart, wanting more of what he was doing. As she grew closer and closer to a release that would probably cause her to explode from the inside out, she began to pulse her hips. Tremors claimed her. She clutched at the cushions, wanting the crash.
Pleasure heightened, pushing her until she didn’t have any control. “Don’t stop,” she begged, needing what he was doing more than she’d ever needed anything.
Unexpectedly, he began to suck on that swollen center, while flicking it with his tongue. The sensations became so intense, she knew she was about to lose control. Pressure built as release became inevitable. She was
hurtling toward that perfect moment and there was nothing anyone could—
Her orgasm crashed through her with the subtlety of a train. It knocked her back, made her shake and shudder and scream. Every cell got involved; every inch of her skin quivered. Her entire body found bliss as her release flowed through her.
On and on, an endless river of rippling ecstasy. It was as if she’d spent the past ten years storing up for this moment and she was going to get every drop she was owed.
After nearly a minute, Kerri became aware that maybe she was carrying this on a little too far. After a few more seconds, she told herself she could stop, but it all felt too good. As long as he touched her, she kept on coming. Could a person actually die from too much sexual pleasure?
Awkwardness battled selfish need and awkwardness won.
“I’m, ah, you can stop now,” she said, trying to hide the fact that a delicious contraction continued to rip through her.
Nathan raised his head and smiled at her. “I don’t think so.”
“What?”
He slipped two fingers inside of her, filling her, stretching her, making her gasp and bear down on him.
He moved them in and out, mimicking the act of love, forcing her over the edge again. With his other hand, he rubbed her swollen center. She probably could have handled that, but then he leaned in and licked her nipples and she had no choice but to come again, clutching at him, pulling her knees back, wanting everything he could give her.
“I can’t stop,” she breathed.
“Then don’t. Dammit, Kerri, do you know how much this is turning me on? I want to be inside of you. I want to feel you coming while I’m there.”
“What’s stopping you?”
He stared at her for a long second, then shifted back and reached for the belt on his slacks.
It took him about three heartbeats to get his pants and briefs down and pull a condom out of his pocket. Then he was protected and thrusting inside.
His erection felt a whole lot better than his fingers, she thought, as he pushed his way inside. He was large enough to stretch her, to fill her, to hit all the right spots.
He grabbed her hips. She arched into him, taking his thick length and then surrendering to another wave of release. He took her again and again, and she came and cried out and held on for the ride of her life.
At last her exhausted body gave up. The ripples trickled away as she held on to him. Then he pushed one last time and groaned. She felt his body stiffen as he came.
Five minutes later they were facing each other across the sofa. She’d pulled on a robe, he’d pulled up his pants. As they stared at each other, she had the feeling this was going to be a defining moment in their relationship. Which could be really interesting, because Nathan actually looked…sheepish.
“You probably want an explanation,” he said.
For what? The sex? Hadn’t they both wanted it? “Okay,” she said cautiously.
“It was that first kiss. I didn’t know what the deal was. Were you playing a game because of the money or was it real? I couldn’t be sure. I just knew how sexy I found you. The more I got to know you, the more I wanted you. I was hopeful more than anything.”
Even though he was speaking English, Kerri would have appreciated some subtitles. Or at the very least, a soft-voiced announcer explaining that what Nathan really meant was…and then fill in the blank.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said.
“The condom. I had a condom with me because I’m an optimist. I wasn’t expecting anything.”
Oh. Was that all? “I’m glad you planned ahead.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Do I look mad? Mad would require more energy than I’ll have in the next five years. I’m totally drained. I’ve never experienced anything like that in my life.”
He grinned like a proud male and moved closer. “It was good.”
“Are you asking or telling?”
“I know it was good.”
She’d just experienced the longest orgasm in modern history. Who was she to be critical? “It was amazing.”
He cupped her face and kissed her. “We could do it again.”
“I don’t think that’s possible.”
Instead of answering, he bent down and drew her nipple into his mouth. Then he reached between her legs and lightly touched her.
Instantly jolts shot through her. She found herself wanting to pull him close and beg to be taken.
He drew back. “What do you think?”
She looked into his amused eyes. “That maybe I might have a little more time to make up for.”
“I figured.”
“Did you bring more condoms?”
“Yes.”
“Thank God.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
KERRI HOVERED outside of Cody’s room. She rubbed her hands on her jeans, then smiled and walked in.
“How you doing?” she asked. “Is the game going well?”
Cody paused his video game and looked at her. “I’m fine.”
“Good. Good. I was thinking of maybe making cookies or something. Would you like that?”
Cody stared at her as if he’d never seen her. “Mom, you’re acting weird.”
“What? How?”
“You keep coming in here and checking on me. Are you okay?”
“I’m perfect. Really. Just terrific. I’m not checking on you that much.”
“You’ve been in here three times since I came home.”
Had she? Guilt was a powerful force in the universe. Too bad she couldn’t use it for good.
“I, um, guess I missed you while you were at Brandon’s,” she murmured, knowing she hadn’t actually thought about Cody once in those few hours. She’d been too busy having hot monkey sex with Nathan.
“Go back to your game,” she told him. “I’ll leave you alone.”
“Okay.” While he didn’t sound as if he believed her, he did return his attention to the space creatures on the TV screen. She backed out of the room and vowed to quit acting like an idiot.
Once she was in the kitchen, she started emptying the dishwasher. Maybe housework would distract her. There were always a thousand things to do at home. Cleaning, dishes, laundry. She could change her sheets and—
Kerri squeezed her eyes together. Thinking about the sheets reminded her of the bed and the bed reminded her of Nathan.
She straightened and crossed to the window. It wasn’t that she wanted to regret being with him. She liked him and respected him. He’d been good to her and Cody. He was a friend. He mattered. Not to mention the fact that he’d made her feel things that were beyond anything she’d ever experienced before.
She brushed away a whisper that Brian was supposed to have been the best. In truth they’d been young and inexperienced together. He’d been with one other person and she’d been a virgin. Sex had been fun and, given more time, they would have figured it all out. Nathan had time and practice on his side.
She closed her eyes as she remembered the feel of his hands on her body. The way he’d touched her, she’d had no choice but to surrender. But it wasn’t just about the pleasure. In his arms, she’d felt safe for the first time in a long time. She’d felt as if she belonged. As if they belonged.
Which was the problem—she wasn’t supposed to have a life. It wasn’t part of the deal. So after making love with Nathan, all she could do was wait for whatever bad thing that was going to happen.
She knew that, logically, there wasn’t any punishment lurking. Life wasn’t that tidy. But she couldn’t shake the feeling. She had to give everything to Cody. She’d always accepted that, embraced it even. Giving willingly because there was nothing else she wanted. Only now she wanted more.
She wanted her son to be well and she wanted something for herself. A chance to be happy with a man. And not just any man—she wanted a chance with Nathan King.
As the truth settled into her bones, she sucked in a breath agai
nst the pain. Because Nathan wasn’t up for grabs. Not only was he rich and powerful and he moved in a different world, he wasn’t interested. Hadn’t he told her that he didn’t allow himself to care? That no one got in? She had a feeling he hadn’t been lying.
Even if she was allowed to have more, Nathan was the wrong man to have it with.
ABRAM STOOD in the center of the lab, his fists clenched, his body tense. The evidence of failure sat before him, a few typed numbers from a report. How could so little information mean so much?
“Dr. Wallace, we’ll get it right next time,” one of the other scientists told him. “We’re close. We can all see that we’re close. We’ll try again. Vary the levels.”
The woman kept talking, but Abram couldn’t hear her. He could only see the failure and remember how Kerri Sullivan had brought her son to the lab. When the boy died, it would be his fault.
He walked away from the still-talking woman and went into his office, where he closed the door and sank into his chair.
He’d been so sure, so confident. He’d believed in his gut that they were on to the solution. That they were close. And now there was nothing but failure.
Linda knocked on his door, then entered. “I have requisitions for you to sign,” she said. “More lab equipment. It’s nice to have the money to buy new—” She frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“The experiments failed. I was so sure. Now there’s nothing. I keep thinking about that boy. Cody. I can’t save him.”
Linda crossed to him and crouched in front of him. “You don’t know that. You’re not going to give up. You’re going to review the experiments and look at what you can change, what you can get better.”
She was so beautiful, he thought as he stared into her blue eyes and saw the total faith blazing there.
“I have nothing left,” he told her.
“Bullshit. You’re not allowed to give up. We’ve been through this before.”
He nodded slowly. “I’m not giving up. I’ll never give up. I know it takes time, but I feel the weight of that small boy with me everywhere. I have to save him. I promised I would try. But will it be enough? Time is my enemy.”
“Cody’s, too.”
Accidentally Yours Page 20
