One Last Risk

by Nancy Stopper

  Her hands trailed to his waist and flipped the button on his jeans. He couldn’t take it. It was too much. He was too close for her to touch him now. And he wanted to make this good for her. “If you touch me now, we’re going to be finished way too soon. It’s been too long, and my fantasies of your hands on me have driven me wild since the day I met you.”

  He made love to her mouth with his tongue, his lips, and his teeth. How did he get here, making love to the most beautiful woman in the world? What he did know was that he didn’t intend to waste one minute of this chance he had.

  He reached for her jeans. When his fingers brushed against her belly, she sucked in a breath. He leaned down and blew lightly across her skin and goose bumps sprinkled across her bare skin. She squirmed and her body reached for his.

  “Enough,” she breathed out on a huff.

  “No, it’s never enough. It’ll never be.” And as he said it, he knew it to be true. He could spend every day of the rest of his life with Sarah and still find new and intriguing ways to pleasure her.

  With his hands at her waist, he popped the button on her pants and drew the zipper down one slow click at a time, each inch exposing more of her creamy skin for his perusal.

  She writhed beneath him and he chuckled. He enjoyed torturing her just a little. By the time he was done with her, she’d be begging for him.

  “Lucas...” she whined.

  That was a good start, but not nearly enough. He leaned over and breathed a single word in her ear. “Pretty.”

  He pulled her jeans off, her long, bare legs laid out in front of him, her pale skin glowing in the moonlight. He nibbled his way up her heel, her ankle, her calf and to the back of her knee. Each time his mouth brushed against her skin, she squirmed. Each kiss took him closer to where he wanted to be.

  His cock strained behind his zipper. Nope, not yet. She wasn’t nearly ready and he hadn’t finished playing just yet. There was a lot more to explore before he could come out and play. He sprinkled kisses behind her knee and she wriggled again.

  He laid back with her, his legs with hers, until he was wrapped up in her. There was something close and intimate about having his legs intertwined with a woman.

  Her head was thrown back and her eyes closed. The creamy skin on her long, sleek neck was stretched out, begging him to explore. He licked to the sensitive spot beneath her ear he’d discovered earlier until she wriggled against him so many times he couldn’t stand it.

  His hand hovered over her core, his palm a breath away from what lay hidden. She arched her back, urging his hand toward her, the heat of arousal washing over his hand. When he stroked her through her panties, dampness moistened his palm.

  “Oh God,” she moaned into his mouth.

  He continued loving her with his tongue and his hands until she pushed him away.

  “Enough. I need you, Lucas.”

  “You’ve got me, honey. I’m all yours.” And she was his. Making love with her would just make official what he’d known for a long time.

  She reached for the button of his jeans, and this time, he helped her. He couldn’t wait any longer to sink into her, to join himself with her. With their fingers intertwined, they unbuttoned and unzipped him. Her fingers skimmed his thighs as she helped pull his jeans over his hips, and he trembled. Another touch and he would come completely undone. She had a power over him that he hadn’t expected.

  He ripped a condom from his wallet and threw it on the bed. Her gaze followed, her eyelids lowering and her eyes filling with desire. He turned back to her. “I just wanted to be prepared. I mean, I didn’t want you to be concerned. Um, this was just in case…” Damn. He was saying this all wrong. “I don’t want you to think I—”

  She cupped his cheeks and kissed him gently, sweetly. “Lucas. At least one of us was thinking ahead. You drive me so wild, I wouldn’t have remembered.” She raised her eyebrows. “Now come back here.”

  He stood and yanked both his pants and boxers down in a single motion. Her eyes widened as his cock sprang free, bobbing in front of him.

  He ran his hand along the top edge of her panties, pulling them down inch by inch, revealing more and more of her creamy skin. After he tugged them over her toes, he covered her body with his and placed his hands on either side of her head, his gaze locked on hers. He wanted her to see exactly what she did to him.

  “Now where was I?”

  She laced her arms around his neck. “I think you were about to make love to me.”

  “Yes, I was.”

  He took his cock in hand and rubbed it in the moisture around her core once, then again. Her petal soft folds begged for him to take her. What he wouldn’t give to slide into her bareback, her softness gripping his steel shaft. Soon, but not yet.

  He slid on the condom and nestled beside her. With a single finger, he stroked her core, caressing just enough to tease her so she’d anticipate what he planned next. Already her breaths were coming in heavy gasps, her thighs trembling and hips thrusting. He wasn’t the only one holding back. He inserted one finger and stroked her sensitive nub with his thumb.

  Her channel pulled him in, welcomed him, her wet heat clenching him

  He added another finger, stretching her, preparing her for him. Each pant, every moan, drove his hand to move faster. Her core muscles tightened around him. She was close. He could drive her up and over the edge with just his fingers, but he didn’t want that. Tonight, he needed to be with her, have his body wrapped around her, to be inside her, when she came. “I want to be with you the first time you come.”

  He withdrew his finger and positioned himself at her core, his hands bracing her face. “Sarah, look at me.”

  Once he had her focused attention, he drew in a deep breath and entered her. Her warmth enveloped him and drew him in. Her soft channel relaxed and stretched as his hard shaft slid into her before clamping around him.

  He’d thought being with Sarah would be life-changing, but he couldn’t have predicted that being inside her would infuse every part of his soul. Every squeeze of her muscles sent jolts through him. He clenched his jaw. This was exactly where he wanted to be, intimately connected to the woman that had come to be his everything. The feeling overwhelmed him. He wasn’t going to last long and he refused to come before she did.

  “Oh, God,” she moaned on a breath.

  “Good?”

  “So good.”

  He pulled out almost completely and slid back in, the gentle friction making him even harder and drawing moans of pleasure from her. Sure, he’d had sex before, but being with Sarah was different. His heart had expanded the moment he connected intimately with her, love flowing through him. As he thrust into her, she lifted her hips, pushing against him until they found a rhythm together, his pelvis pressing against her. Each thrust drove him deeper in love with this wonderful, giving woman who accepted him into her life, into her body, into her soul.

  Sarah’s breathing shallowed, her moans matched the quickness of his thrusts, and she writhed beneath him. She threw her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

  “Open your eyes,” he said.

  Her lids fluttered and she returned his gaze.

  “I want to see you when you come.” His pace quickened and he shifted his hips, reaching for the spot he knew would drive her over the edge. Her inner muscles clenched around him, squeezing so tight that he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He loved seeing her let go and give herself over to him. And he wanted to do the same for her.

  A low, guttural sound vibrated through her. He quickened his pace, his thrusts going deeper, her channel clenching him tighter with each one. He kept up a steady rhythm until a long and steady keening sound rumbled deep in her belly. She trembled, her body reaching for him, and he kept up the pace as her channel clamped around him like a vise. His balls tightened. With a final deep thrust, she arched off the bed, he groaned, and they fell over the edge together.

  He rolled to the side, his arms firmly around h
er to take her with him, and lay beside her, still buried deep within her. Her channel continued to clench him a bit longer until the shudders relaxed. After her breathing slowed, he shifted away from her. “Gimme one sec.”

  He made quick work of the condom and returned to Sarah, wrapping her in his arms. He didn’t want to miss a moment with her. Her body melted against him, her cheek pressed against his chest. He tangled his fingers in her hair, letting the soft strands fall over him.

  Before long, her breathing evened out. She’d fallen asleep. But he stayed awake, his mind racing. With gentle fingers, he stroked down her back, over her hip, and slid up her arm. He couldn’t stop touching her, looking at her. What had he done to deserve the beautiful woman in his arms?

  He loved her. If he hadn’t known before, he knew now. The way she gave herself over to him, the way she’d responded to his touch. The desire he’d seen when he entered her. All his previous sexual encounters meant nothing, because now he really knew what it meant to make love.

  Chapter Eighteen

  THE SCENT OF bacon drew Sarah out of a deep sleep. She sunk back into her pillow and appreciated the delicious smells filling her bedroom. It had been years since she’d woken up to someone fixing her breakfast after a night of wonderful sex.

  She smiled at the wonderful memories she’d made yesterday… the festival, dancing with Lucas, kissing Lucas, making love with Lucas. She’d fallen asleep wrapped in his arms. For once, someone had looked after her, cradled her in her sleep, stayed the night. Taking care of her during sex to make sure her needs were met. And boy, were they ever met. More than once.

  Her mind shifted to Alex and her happy mood deflated. How could she be lying here after making love with Lucas and think about Alex? More than that, she felt guilty. Sure, her relationship with Lucas happened fast. She’d been attracted to him the day she’d met him, and her feelings grew each day from there. They’d fallen into bed quickly, all the while, she refused to stop wearing Alex’s ring around her neck.

  But Alex was gone. And Lucas was here. She wouldn’t have given herself over to Lucas if she didn’t think they had a future. She was determined to see this through, to explore the possibility of a future with Lucas. She refused to let her grief hold her back any longer.

  Her stomach grumbled. She leapt out of the bed, pulled on a T-shirt and pair of yoga pants and headed down the hall to the kitchen.

  Her approach didn’t alert Lucas as she stepped into the doorway. She propped against the frame and watched as he stood at the stove, his broad, naked back smooth and muscular. She’d run her hands over those corded muscles last night—several times. His jeans hung loosely on his hips and his feet were bare. Who thought feet were sexy? She did. How did they get here, with this sexy man looking deliciously rumpled in her kitchen, making her breakfast? If it hadn’t been for her accident, they might never have found their way to this point, and her life would have never been the same.

  Lucas turned and his smoky gaze dropped to her feet. He drank her in, one slow inch at a time, all the way up her body until it landed on her face. Her skin prickled beneath his intense look. She saw a look of desire in his eyes. And something more intimate, something deeper she couldn’t quite put a name to. He strode across the floor, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

  Her stomach growled and he laughed.

  “Breakfast is almost ready. I made some coffee. Would you like a cup?”

  “Oh man, would I ever.”

  He poured her a cup of coffee and she caught the unusual aroma as he handed it to her.

  “I hope you like it. It’s a special blend I like to treat myself with from time to time.”

  Him and his coffee. He’d told her once before he had a special relationship with coffee… and she believed him. He probably had this special blend tucked in the console of his truck, just in case.

  She waved the mug under her nose, savoring the deep, aromatic scent. Damn, that smelled good. After the night with very little sleep, she needed her coffee. She took a sip. “Oh God. That’s so good.”

  He leaned in, his arm trapping her against the wall, and covered her mouth with his. His kiss tasted like him mixed with the wonderful flavor of the coffee. “Man, that was so sexy. It tastes delicious on your lips.”

  “This blend is really good.” She drank another long swallow, letting the hot coffee warm her throat on the way down.

  “Should I be jealous?”

  “Not in the least.” She threw him a playful grin. “Nothing will ever come between me and my coffee.”

  The toaster popped across the room. “Let’s eat.”

  She pulled the toast out and placed it on a plate. Lucas drained the bacon on a paper towel and scrambled eggs in another pan. Sarah looked over to him and he smiled at her. It felt natural and comfortable to be here with Lucas, in her kitchen, working side by side.

  They finished together then sat to eat.

  “So, what’s the schedule for today?”

  “I need to get home and shower. Unless, maybe, you’d like me to shower here. With you.” He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed.

  Him. Her. Shower. Water. Heat. Her cheeks flushed. They’d made love twice last night. She’d fallen asleep after the first time they made love but awoke to Lucas’s kisses, his gentle strokes on her sensitive skin. He’d slid into her easily, slowly, deliberately and made slow, easy love to her. What would it be like to make love in the shower, water sluicing over the two of them, Lucas taking her from behind? They’d never make it to his parents’ house if that happened.

  “On second thought, maybe that’s not such a good idea.” He reached below the table and placed his hand on his lap. They both laughed.

  “I have to pick Lily up. She doesn’t know we’re going to your parent’s house for dinner. She’ll be over the moon.”

  “I can come back and pick you up at twelve thirty if that works.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  They ate breakfast quickly and cleared the dishes. Then Lucas headed into her bedroom. He returned a moment later with his shirt covering his delicious chest and shoes on his feet. She already missed him and he hadn’t even left yet. He crossed back to the table and pulled Sarah to her feet.

  “I need to head out.” He lowered his head for a searing kiss, just enough to over-stimulate her senses before he pulled back and rested his forehead on hers. “I’ll be back at twelve thirty.”

  He swaggered to the door, the muscles of his back stretching against his shirt. She sighed. She could get used to this… not his leaving, but the sight of his sexy body striding across her house. He turned back one last time and then walked out the door.

  She sank into the kitchen chair, her legs no longer able to hold her up.

  SARAH MADE THE quick drive to collect Lily from her sleepover. After a few excited minutes chattering about the fun she’d had, Lily grew quiet in the back seat. A quick check in the rearview mirror told Sarah all she needed to know. Lily’s head was slumped against her chest and her eyes were closed.

  So not a lot of sleep happened at the sleepover. She shouldn’t be surprised. Sarah and Jessica hadn’t gotten a wink, either, when they’d camped out in the backyard with their best friends. They’d told stories, read books with flashlights and giggled at each other most of the night, too. Sarah’s heart warmed to know that Lily was growing up with ordinary, little girl experiences. As normal as she could without a father.

  The nap didn’t last long, though. Lily opened her eyes just as Sarah pulled into the driveway.

  “Hey, sweetie,” Sarah said on the way in the house, “we’re going to have dinner with Mr. Lucas and his family today. How does that sound?”

  “Yaaay! I love Mr. Lucas!” Lily ran down the hall toward her room, no sign of her earlier exhaustion.

  But Sarah’s feet froze in place, Lily’s words on repeat in her head. She loved Lucas. What Lily said was innocent enough. Before Alex had died, Lily had said “I love you” to him in h
er sweet, little two-year-old way. No one could replace Alex in Lily’s heart. Fix that—no one should replace Alex in her daughter’s heart. But did Sarah expect Lily to never have a father figure because Sarah was afraid of Lily losing her memories of Alex?

  Sarah followed Lily down the hall and stepped into her own room. A few moments alone to give herself a pep talk should prepare her for meeting the Bennetts. But she couldn’t escape Lucas in here. The bed was rumpled. The pillow on the right side was squashed where Lucas’s thick head of hair had rested against it last night. It had been so long since she’d shared her bed with a man. The feeling warmed her heart. She grabbed the pillow and brought it to her nose, breathing in his scent.

  Meeting Lucas’s parents was a big step. She didn’t know anything about them. Maybe they wouldn’t approve of Lucas dating a woman with a daughter. And bringing Lily there could also be a problem if it didn’t work out with Lucas. She already asked after Lucas each day. Maybe she’d expect to see the Bennetts again, too. This was happening too fast. They’d just made love last night. One step at a time. She’d call Lucas and cancel. They could always go another day—Lucas said they have dinner every Sunday. That’s what she’d do. She’d call him and tell him they could go next week. Or the week after. Then they could see where this was going before she met his parents. Lucas would understand.

  “Are you almost ready, Mommy? I can’t wait to go to Mr. Lucas’s house.” Lily made her pronouncement from the door then turned and hustled down the hall before Sarah could object.

  Daggone it. She couldn’t disappoint her daughter. What she was going to do was march down the hall and don her big girl panties. She had this. She could do this.

  Except, when she walked into the kitchen, she found Lily’s tiny body poked out from the refrigerator.

  “Oh, crap,” Sarah muttered under her breath. She had nothing to take for Lucas’s mother. No way would she show up empty-handed.