by Ashlyn Chase
He heard her body humming with a curious vibration that seemed to leave her seriously off-kilter.
“Calm down,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t be sorry. I was talking to myself.”
These were definitely uncharted waters, at least for him. Maybe for both of them. Finally, she smiled, took a step back, and produced two martinis in her fists. She handed one to him and took a generous sip of her own.
“Is this some sort of stalling tactic?” he asked.
“Why on earth would you think that?” She rolled her eyes. As he was deciding if she was being sarcastic, she continued, “Why are you wasting your time trying to seduce me when there are probably hundreds of beautiful girls that would love to get their hands on you?”
“Only hundreds?” He grinned at her, his eyes twinkling with mischief. At least he hoped so. He wanted her to know he was toying with her. Then he whispered, “I’m only interested in you. I want only you, darling.”
Gaia sucked in a breath, her nipples tightening behind the flimsy swath of silk that barely covered her breasts.
“What’s it gonna be, Gaia?” He set his martini on the ground and moved away from the rock wall and closer to her. His fingers toyed with the top button of his faded Levi’s. They were still wet, and she stared at how they were plastered to his muscular legs. It looked like Gaia’s mouth was practically watering.
“How about if I help you decide?” he said, a teasing smile playing on his lips. He clenched his fist full of wet black cotton and tugged the hem of his T-shirt from the waist of his jeans, then up over his head. Gaia’s gaze dropped to his abdomen as he peeled the material from his body, exposing a wide expanse of taut muscle and damp skin.
An unbidden sigh escaped her lips.
But dammit, he was human. Aaron Samuels was a doctor and a decent human being, but human nonetheless. And she was Gaia, Mother Nature, goddess of all. How could they be a couple?
And yet, some mystical inner force had brought them together. She reached out her hand toward Aaron’s chest. Her fingers just barely skimmed his well-defined abs. He stayed perfectly still and let her run her hands up over his pectoral muscles and then step into his embrace.
He was equally enraptured. He liked the way she touched him. The pad of one finger just barely skimmed his nipple, and his jaw clenched.
He knew if they continued, they wouldn’t stop with mere touching. But common sense had long since abandoned him, and now what ruled was passion in his usually sensible brain.
Taking one small step forward, he closed the gap between them. Their thighs brushed. Their torsos slowly melded together. The hand that had previously touched his pecs now rested on his forearm as his own hand gripped her hip and yanked her that much closer to him.
A burst of minty breath escaped her body. Her gaze was smoldering, yet she was not the least bit intimidating.
He wanted her, but he didn’t want to unnerve her with the intensity of his desire. Aaron kissed her jaw, then moved lower, his lips brushing her throat. “I want you,” he said. It seemed like such a simple statement, yet his deep, intimate tone packed one hell of an erotic punch. Wondering where the growl that followed came from, he decided it didn’t matter. To him, it really was as simple as that. He wanted Gaia, and she wanted him.
He hoped she would let him make love to her. They’d been friends first, but he didn’t want to get stuck in the friend zone. It was now or never.
* * *
Gaia looked deep into his eyes. “I’ve seen every side of love and sex. I’ve seen hopes of love. I’ve seen players played by another and left shattered. And I’ve seen the most incompatible of couples discover the one thing about the other that makes them whole.” She shook her head.
She continued on, saying, “I have no delusions about anything, Aaron. I can’t afford to. I want people to see past physical attraction and find something solid to hang onto. Starting a relationship is simple. But maintaining one, well…”
Aaron paused thoughtfully. At last, he said, “I don’t have the answers either. But I do know I want to explore whatever this is between you and me. I would consider it an honor if you would allow me to do that, but more than that, I need you to try with me. I don’t want to navigate these tricky waters alone. Everyone needs someone.”
“And you want me to be your someone?” Gaia asked.
“I definitely do,” he said quietly.
They hadn’t resolved squat. What this might or might not mean didn’t matter any longer to Gaia. All that mattered to her was that he consumed her mind. Making love to Aaron was the only thing she could think of now. The only thing she wanted to do. She wanted to please him. She wanted to drive him wild, hear him moan. She wanted to make him come and come hard.
The desire gripping her intensified until an insatiable hunger took over her body. One hand plowed through his hair, holding his head in place as she captured his lips in a deep kiss.
Maybe it was the martini. Maybe it was Aaron. But Gaia had never felt so freely uninhibited before, so lost in the moment. She wanted more than anything for Aaron to be buried deep within her warm, wet depths. His hands shifted, and he clasped her toga in his fists. Pulling the soft material upward, he broke the kiss so he could haul the garment over her head, then tossed it beside the pool.
“Oh my,” she gasped. “You want to have sex here?”
Aaron grinned at her, but he backed her up against the rock wall, and when she was trapped between him and the rock, he said, “Why not?”
Why not indeed?
He slid his hands slowly down her arms, along the outer swells of her breasts, and over her rib cage. He let out a low groan as he took in her areolae and nipples, which were becoming a darker shade of dusty rose. The pebbled centers begged for his touch. She wanted more than anything for Aaron to take each sensitive bud into his mouth and lave it with the teasing pressure of his tongue.
His head bent, his lips seeking hers. She let out a soft whimper, and his mouth sealed to hers as he engaged her in another slow, sensuous kiss. He pressed his body against the length of her. His hands eased over her bare skin, and she tingled. Actually tingled. She felt the rise and fall of her chest against him. As he moved his lips lower, she sucked in a breath. Cupping her full breasts, he gave them a gentle squeeze. Gaia’s soft, lusty moan heralded her slow surrender. At the same time, her heart melted a little more, knowing how completely she was ready for him.
“I’ll give you everything you want, sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear. “Everything you need. You may just have to tell me what feels good and give me a little guidance.”
Her body trembled, and she heard her own breath catch as he latched onto one nipple and sucked. He leaned in closer to her, pressing his body to hers. His long leg wedged between hers, forcing them farther apart. His hands moved over her rib cage to her back. He broke the pressure on the first breast, and then he moved to the other one.
Oh! I feel really good! And he’d barely even touched her. But the night was still young, and she intended to make the most of every minute with Aaron.
What was most stunning to Gaia wasn’t how incredible Aaron’s hands felt on her body. She’d known he’d overwhelm her senses and drive her crazy with wanting him. But what surprised her most was how wantonly she responded to him. All inhibition seemed to melt away as his fingers eased over her burning flesh. As his lips worked their way back up and grazed her neck, she became just a little more undone.
His strong hands on her body, his tongue gently teasing her skin, his clean, wet scent mixed with his male heat turned her on more than anything she’d experienced. True, Mother Nature hadn’t engaged in such a primal heated encounter before. Usually, it was just Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am. Have fun giving birth to Giants.
The air around them was sexually charged. With every breath
she took, he infiltrated her senses all the more, making her even more excited and very wet. Swiping her sensitive center with the pad of his finger elicited a sharp cry from her. Her eyelids fluttered closed. The combination of his warm breath around the shell of her ear, her breasts pressing against his chest, and his talented fingers pressing against her most sensitive bud made her pulse race and her insides seize up. The throbbing between her legs intensified. Oh, sweet torture…
Maybe she wasn’t Aaron’s usual type, and maybe seduction was all new to her, but this wasn’t just a wild impulse brought on by the full moon or basic physical needs. She had to admit it was Aaron himself. A passion-induced haze took over, shadowing all doubt and uncertainty. All reservations slipped away.
She cared deeply for him. And she knew he cared for her, as only he could. Faithfully. She knew the kind of person he was, and she would bet anything he was a one-woman man.
He leaned slightly away and gave her breasts a squeeze, then slid his hands down to her stomach. His fingers deftly worked the button and zipper on his jeans. He eased the denim over his hips and down his legs. He stepped out of the thick material and kicked his jeans aside. His hands went on a loving exploration of her legs, starting with her calves, and his fingers grazed the backs of her knees, teasing the sensitive flesh before moving higher up to her now quivering apex. He grinned at her, bestowing on her a sweet yet oh so sexy look that made her insides burn and her heart soar.
She sucked in a breath and gave him a small nod.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’re going to enjoy every second of this.”
“I’m not trembling because I’m nervous. It’s just the way you touch me. The way you look at me. It makes me feel…” She searched her jumbled brain for the right words. “Sexy,” she whispered.
Aaron stared at her. “You are sexy, darling. Damn sexy.”
Gaia had never thought of herself that way. But tonight, she felt completely desirable. All because of Aaron. She shook her head. “I can’t even think straight right now.”
Aaron winked at her. “Stop thinking, sweetheart. Just feel.”
He trailed his hand from her stomach to her pelvis and down until the heel of one hand covered her mound. He applied just the right amount of pressure to make her whimper in need. As he massaged the sensitive area, desire caressed her insides…her heart and her soul. Her toes curled. His finger entered her slowly, gently, testing her wetness.
A moment later, he positioned himself right below her opening and thrust upward gradually but firmly until he was fully seated. “Are you okay?”
She sighed. “Never better.”
He began the age-old rhythm of thrusts and partial withdrawals. Intense sensations rocketed through her body. She gasped. Her grip tightened on his shoulders.
He kissed her temple, cheek, and her ear as he made love to her.
She had never known such intimate pleasure. No god or man had ever made love to her this way. And she innately knew no one else could make her this hot, this restless, this in need of release.
He lifted one of her legs and draped it around his waist. He began stroking her clit with his finger while he continued thrusting with his cock. His eager cock increased the speed of their rhythm, and her hips matched him thrust for thrust, as all the while he murmured encouragement.
He continued giving attention to the swollen nubbin between her legs. Gaia rushed toward what was sure to be a powerful orgasm. Her heart thundered in her chest, and heat lightning lit the sky. Ripples of sheer joy rushed through her body until, at last, she erupted in a bright shower of stars.
What Aaron did to her body was more sizzling than she’d dreamed possible. Pleasuring her in a way that made her lose all control—now here she was again careening toward another release. She had never experienced multiple orgasms. Intense sensations consumed her, heightening her arousal to a nearly unbearable degree. But she wanted to see how high and hard she could climax.
“More,” she whispered on a sharp breath. She whimpered encouragement, wanting Aaron to know how much she loved his intimate touch. Wanting him to know how crazy with desire he made her. As he pushed his cock deep into her core and intensified the pressure on her clit, she was done for. Another climax tore through her. The sensations were electric, intensifying to an overwhelming degree before the fiery heat and pleasure lit up the sky above them.
“Aaron!” she cried out. Bursts of light flashed behind her closed eyelids. Her heart slammed against her chest, and her entire being embraced the erotic sensations that surged inside her. She held onto the endless moments of rapture, her inner walls squeezing tight around Aaron’s thick cock, holding him captive as she clung to his shoulders. She could have stayed in this glorious place forever. Nothing had ever felt so wonderful. So right.
Aaron’s breaths came in shallow pants as he stared down at the place where their bodies met. Suddenly, he shuddered from his core.
His release seemed timed to her vaginal contractions. They came together, Aaron once, Gaia for the third time.
At last, he collapsed against her and braced his forearms against the wall behind her as if it were the only thing holding up both of them. Perhaps it was.
“I luuu—” she began. Could she do it? Could she say the words? “Luuuuv—”
Aaron pushed his upper torso from the wall without uncoupling them. His lips turned up in a smile. “I love you too, Gaia.” And he sealed the words with a sensuous kiss.
* * *
Mother Nature summoned her sisters to the ether. Fate appeared first. Karma materialized close behind. They looked like they had been out partying, both wearing sparkly short dresses and spiky high heels.
Gaia just looked at them and shook her head. “Sorry to interrupt your fun. Listen, Sisters. I can’t believe I’m asking you this, but I need your help, and I’ve no one else to ask.”
Fate stepped forward and put her hands on Gaia’s arms, looking at her with compassion. “Oh, Sister, what happened? How can we help?”
Karma stood behind Fate. “We’re listening. Sort of.” With a smirk on her face, she placed her hands on her hips.
Gaia took a giant step back and said, “It’s not anything terrible, Fate. In fact, I think you’ll be pleased. It’s just that I need a little advice in the dating area.”
Fate clapped her hands. “Oh! I knew it! You and Aaron. Is everything okay?”
Gaia smiled and nodded. “I think you’re both right. He’s as close to a soul mate as I’ll ever find.”
Fate ran back to Karma and squeezed her arm. “See? I told you she would be able to handle the idea of dating a human…if it was the right human.”
Karma raised her brows and stepped forward. “So why do you need our advice, and why can no one else help you?”
Gaia blushed. “I…um…”
After a long hesitation, Karma said, “Just spit it out. We’re all adults here.”
Gaia took a deep breath and tried. “I’m just… I mean, he’s just so… I mean…so very…”
Fate cocked her head. “We can’t read your mind, Gaia. Unless you want to remove the shield you’ve put there to keep us from knowing your innermost thoughts.”
Gaia thought about it and realized showing them might be a whole lot easier than telling them about her concerns. She placed her hand a few inches below her chin and ran it up over the crown of her head.
Then, with her shields removed, she thought about the night she had just spent with Aaron by the waterfall. Specifically, the time against the rocks and all the heat lightning and meteor showers.
Karma took a step back, and her eyebrows shot up. Then she grinned. “Wow. That was some passionate lovemaking.”
Gaia let out a long breath in a whoosh. “You can say that again.”
“Wow. That was some—”
Gaia held up her hand. “You know I hate lit
eral humor. Look, I just need to figure out how to enjoy that incredible feeling without, you know…”
“Causing an earthquake?” Fate provided.
“Yes. Exactly. I’m wondering, can I possibly contain this, especially if he gets any more passionate?”
Karma nodded. “I can think of one way. When you can’t stand it anymore and know you’re going to scream, shake, and have an out-of-body experience, you’ll have to pop both you and Aaron into the ether. What happens in the ether…”
Gaia turned bright red and covered her face with her hands. “Stays in the ether,” she mumbled.
Fate rubbed Gaia’s shoulder. “Don’t be embarrassed, Sister. You created sex to be enjoyable. Why shouldn’t you enjoy it yourself?”
Mother Nature snapped her fingers, creating a fainting couch and two overstuffed armchairs.
“Oh, is this going to be a long conversation?” Karma asked.
Gaia flicked her fingers, and one of the chairs disappeared. “Not if you don’t want to stay. I can puzzle out any remaining concerns with Fate.”
“Okay then. I have someone waiting for a good swift kick in the butt, and I was just excusing myself to go to the bathroom.”
Gaia made a dismissive wave. “Go. Punish. Have fun.”
Karma sang “Ta-ta,” and vanished.
Gaia sat in the chair and allowed Fate to have the couch. Fate was kind of a softy, and as Gaia expected, she stretched out on the lounge. “So that light show last night was you?”
Gaia sighed. “Yes, and it’s fine to happen once in a while. People can call it a fluke, but what if…”
Fate rested her head in her cupped hand, getting even more comfortable. “Ah! What if you got together in a committed relationship and it happened almost every night? Hee-hee. Scientists would be going crazy trying to explain it. Imagine if they ever discovered the truth. Now that’s an image and a half!”
Gaia slapped her forehead. “Shoot, I forgot to close down my mental shield.”
Fate chuckled as Gaia moved her hand from the crown of her head back down over her forehead and nose to her chin.
