“I would have welcomed you into my bed.”
He didn’t utter a word. Instead, his mouth swooped down on hers and for the next few moments he kissed her so deeply that Lilly could feel her senses slipping away, her legs turning to useless mush.
When their lips finally parted, Lilly’s heart was pounding out of control and her hands were gripping the front of his shirt. She’d never felt so aroused in her life, so drunk with desire.
”I want you so much, Lilly,” he whispered against the side of her neck. “From the first moment I saw you I wanted you. Like this. And this.”
As his lips made a slow, wet trail down the side of her neck, his fingers worked loose the buttons on the upper part of her dress and he pushed the fabric off her shoulder as his mouth continued its blistering descent.
With each touch of his hand, each caress of his lips, Lilly felt her body yielding, molding to whatever he wanted it to be. Yet she’d never felt so alive, so acutely aware of every sound and scent, every throbbing ache building deep in the core of her.
“My legs,” she finally managed to whisper. “I can’t keep standing.”
“And I don’t want to,” he agreed, then sweeping her up in his arms, he asked, “The couch?”
Now was the moment, she thought. Either give all of herself to this man, or close herself off and wonder for the rest of her life what might have been.
Curling her arms around his neck, she whispered, “My bedroom. Behind you to the right.”
Chapter Seven
Lilly’s bedroom was cool and the faint scent of tropical flowers lingered in the air. The shades were pulled down and, except for a shaft of light filtering through the doorway, the room was mostly dark. Rafe managed to see the outline of a queen-size bed and he placed Lilly in the center of the mattress then stretched out alongside her.
She reached for him at the same time his arm curled around her waist and as he tucked her head beneath his chin, he whispered close to her ear, “I never expected to be here like this. But you have a habit of making me do the unexpected.”
Tilting her head, she planted a kiss on his chin and then another on his jaw, and the simple sweetness of her response was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. And for long moments all he could do was hold her close, breathe in the scent of her hair and let the warmth of her body seep into his.
“I wasn’t exactly planning on this happening tonight, either,” she replied in a low, husky voice. “But I knew it was coming soon. Neither one of us could stop it.”
Stop it? He’d thought all along he’d been working toward this very moment. But perhaps subconsciously he’d been trying to hold back. Because he’d known that this thing with Lilly would be different. And he feared it as much as he wanted it.
Groaning at the thought, he began to plant kisses over her forehead. “That would be like trying to stop the rain or the wind. Impossible.”
Her hand cupped the side of his face and urged his lips toward hers. Rafe was more than glad to surrender, and in a matter of seconds the meeting of their mouths turned into a frenzied feast, each of them searching for more and more. And even though Rafe kept telling himself to slow down and take his time to touch and savor each exquisite curve of her body, the desire erupting inside him had his hands and mouth moving in a blind rush.
Ripping his mouth from hers, he finished with the last buttons on her nurse’s dress, then folded back both sides of the fabric to reveal a full white slip edged at the neckline and hem with delicate ecru lace.
Easing back on his feet, he studied her in the dim light. “Wow! I thought women quit dressing like this back in the 1960s!”
Under the circumstances, the prim press of her lips seemed ridiculously funny. But he couldn’t laugh. Not when the sight of her was virtually taking his breath away.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Rafe, but some of us still dress like ladies.”
“Disappoint? Lilly, you’re the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my life. Sexy, beautiful, delicious.”
As he said the last word, he planted hands on either side of her waist and bent his head to the valley between her breasts. The feel of her skin against his tongue was incredibly soft and tasted like sweet cream. Like a hungry cat, he wanted to lap it all up then search for more.
Unfortunately, the beautiful slip and white lace bra beneath it became an irritating barrier and after a few moments, he shoved the hem upward to her armpits.
Sensing his need, she rose to a sitting position and held up her arms so that he could ease the garment over her head. Once it and her bra were out of the way, his hands cupped both small breasts as he dipped his head and laved each pink nipple with his tongue.
In the silence of the room, he could hear each ragged intake of her breath and each time his mouth moved to a new spot, her breathing grew faster and faster while her fingers dug into his hair and clung to his scalp.
Eventually, her lower body began to writhe against his and she pushed his mouth away from her breasts and gasped.
“Rafe—please—love me now! This second!”
The urgency in her thick voice washed him with waves of heat. Feeling as though he was about to explode, he hurriedly began to tug off his boots and clothing. All the while, he could feel her gaze upon him, watching, waiting and weighing.
When he finally stepped out of his boxers, he felt ridiculously exposed and for the first time in his life, he wanted a woman to look at him and want him. Not because he was a wealthy Calhoun or because he had a long, lean, muscled body that could give her pleasure, but because of all the things she could see inside him. The needs and wishes, the disappointments and pains.
“I have protection in my wallet. If you—”
Before he could finish, she interrupted, “I’m already protected with oral birth control. But if you’re worried—”
He arched a brow at her. “The pill?”
Her mouth curved with wry assumption. “You’re thinking I’m promiscuous now.”
His low chuckle was nothing about humor. Instead, it held a wealth of affection.
“Oh, Lilly, baby. I’m thinking nothing of the sort. I’m thinking—” Leaning over her, he brushed back a tendril of hair dangling close to her eye. “To be honest I—I’ve never been that bare with any woman before. And the idea—”
He stopped, unsure of how to go on, or even if he should.
“Scares you,” she finished for him.
He traced his forefinger along her cheekbone and down her pert little nose. “Maybe. But not nearly as much as it excites me. When I’m inside of you I’ll be able to feel you—all of you against me.”
His throat was so thick he could barely get the last word out. But by then it didn’t matter as her hand curved around the back of his neck and tugged his mouth down to hers.
The contact drew him onto the bed with her and as their naked bodies intertwined and their tongues danced together, he was assaulted with so many sensations he was suddenly drunk. Everything around him was blurring, whirling to a place where she was the anchor and without her he’d float off into velvety darkness.
Somewhere among his splintered awareness, he could feel her small hands skimming over his back and shoulders, down his arms and over each bump of his ribs. At the same time, his hands were racing over each curve, every dip and valley of her body, while his own body was screaming at him to make the final connection.
When his hand slipped between her soft thighs and his finger found the moist folds, she groaned deep in her throat, and in that moment he thought he would split apart.
Lifting his head, he looked down at her. “Lilly, is this really what you want? Tell me. Tell me now or—”
Her hands came up to frame his face. “Rafe, I want you. All of you,” she whispered.
If there’d been an
ounce of hesitancy in her voice he would’ve somehow found the willpower to pull away from her. But he heard no doubts and the notion that she trusted him to this extent caused his chest to swell with inexplicable emotions.
“And I want all of you, Lilly.”
Her legs parted and her hands latched on to his shoulders. With his eyes on her shadowed face, he shifted his hips over hers and slowly entered. As her body accepted him, surrounded him with moist heat, he momentarily lost his breath and his teeth snapped together as he fought to hang on to his control.
Before he could fill his lungs with air, her hips were already thrusting upward, drawing him deeper inside, and he had no choice but to follow her needy movements. And suddenly, thinking had nothing to do with it. Everything was about feeling, touching and tasting.
Faster and faster, their bodies melded together and moved as one as they raced toward the spot where relief would engulf them and toss them higher than the star-studded sky.
Somewhere along the way Rafe recognized that he was lost and that this was a journey he’d never taken before, but it was too late to be afraid and far too late to turn back.
With his mouth devouring hers, he mindlessly drove himself into her. Over and over. Until there was nothing left in him. Nothing to stop him from stepping over the edge. And as his seed spilled into her, something else went with it, something that felt oddly like his heart.
For long, incredible moments Rafe felt like an empty vessel, free-falling, drifting aimlessly through a cloud of magical stardust. Until finally, he realized his face was buried between her breasts and her fingers were sliding through his damp hair.
“You have beautiful hair. Did you know that?”
Her remark was so sweet and unexpected, he tried to chuckle, but the sound came out more like a weary gasp.
“All of that and the woman is fixated on my hair,” he teased. “Surely, there was a little more than my hair that impressed you.”
Groaning, she pushed him onto his back then draping her upper body over his, she pressed the pad of her forefinger to the middle of his chin. “I’m impressed with every bit of you, Rafe Calhoun.”
Her face was bathed in the soft light filtering through the doorway and he was amazed at how familiar and precious her features had become to him. No matter what happened from this night forward, the image of her like this, with a sheen of sweat on her face and her golden hair tousled about her head, would forever be etched in his brain.
“I’m glad.”
Her finger moved upward until it was smoothing across his lower lip.
“I’ve only been with one other man in my life, Rafe. And that was a few years ago. I’m sorry if I—well, seemed rusty.”
His hands splayed against her back then slid slowly down to her buttocks. “Hmm. I’m almost afraid to think what you might be with a little practice.”
She smiled then bending her head, she kissed him, and as Rafe kissed her back it dawned on him that something was different. He was different. Lilly had just given him incredibly hot sex, yet that wasn’t enough for him. He wanted to hold her, feel her cheek resting against his chest and listen to her soft breathing. Not for just a moment or two, but for the whole night and endless nights to come.
“Maybe you can help me practice,” she replied in a sensual, teasing voice.
She wasn’t being serious and that was a good thing, he thought. Neither one of them wanted strings or attachments. Still, it was nice to hear her say something to make this night seem more than just a onetime wonder.
“I think I can handle that. And more,” he added.
She pressed a quick kiss to his lips then rested her head upon his shoulder. Rafe closed his eyes and tried not to think too far beyond the moment. Even so, his thoughts were already jumping into the future. And though he knew he would eventually have to let this woman go, his mind refused to picture it.
“I’ve not eaten supper,” she murmured. “Have you?”
“No. Greta had cooked lasagna, but I didn’t wait around to eat. I was more intent on seeing you.”
He gently stroked his fingertips down her spine and she responded with a sigh so soft it was barely discernible.
Her voice drowsy, she said, “After the day I’ve had today I never expected it to turn out this nice.”
“The emergency room was busy today?”
“Yes. And I’m fine with that. I like helping people. But I had a run-in with one of the E.R. doctors. He says he’s going to report me.”
“Does that worry you?”
“No. I was in the right. Besides, I’m friendly with the director of nursing. He’ll listen to my side of things. I just hate getting angry. My mother is always flying off the handle. So I try my best not to be like her. But today Doctor Sherman pushed my temper button.”
The idea of anyone mistreating Lilly made him want to carry her to the ranch and keep her there. But he couldn’t do that any more than he could start telling her how to deal with her job or her coworkers. For one thing he didn’t have that right. No more than she had the right to try and control his life. Still, the idea of any man trying to bully or hurt Lilly brought out a fierce protectiveness he’d never felt toward any woman before.
“Well, don’t feel bad about losing your temper. I had a set-to with my brother Finn today. And to make matters worse, I was the one doing all the ranting. He sat there listening and never raised his voice.”
His confession had her scrambling to a sitting position. “You had an argument with Finn? About what?”
“Horses. Half the remuda is out of commission because of injuries or sickness. Finn has been promising to purchase more to add to the string, but he keeps dallying. This morning I got so fed up I chewed him out about it.”
Confusion puckered her brow. “But all those horses you showed me that were stalled in the barn—can’t you use some of those out on the range?”
“Those aren’t working horses,” he explained. “They’re in training for cutting and Western pleasure prospects.”
“Oh, I see,” she said thoughtfully, then bending closer, she trailed gentle fingers alongside his face. “I’m sorry you had cross words with your brother, but I’m sure it will get better.”
She wasn’t recriminating or judgmental. Instead, she was encouraging him and somehow that made him feel even guiltier about the episode with Finn.
“I’m going to make sure that it does,” he said. Pulling her back down beside him, he kissed her swollen lips and tangled his fingers in her silky hair. “Being with you like this makes everything better.”
Stretching out beside him, she pillowed her cheek upon his shoulder. “For me, too, Rafe.”
He’d never had this sort of pillow talk with a woman before. Normally, he would already have been up and dressed and thinking of a good excuse to say good-night. Was this the way it was with married couples? he wondered. Not that he’d ever consider becoming Lilly’s husband. But he could certainly get used to having this precious time with her.
“That’s why we need more time together.” He spoke his thoughts aloud. “I wish you’d move out to the ranch.”
That jerked her head up and she stared at him. “I couldn’t!”
He studied the incredulous look on her face. “Why not? You’re already out there every day to give Gramps his therapy. Wouldn’t it be nice to simply get up and walk upstairs instead of driving for thirty minutes?”
“I’d still have to drive into town for my shift at the hospital,” she argued.
As far as Rafe was concerned he wished she’d forget about working in the emergency room. But she wasn’t the type who’d ever give up her independence. And Rafe was smart enough not to mention the idea. Besides, he could see her work was important to her. And that made it important to him.
“If you stayed on the ranch,
that would cut out one of the trips,” he reasoned. “And you did enjoy staying in the green room, didn’t you?”
“It was very nice,” she agreed. “But Bart isn’t going to need therapy for a whole lot longer. At the most, maybe four or five more weeks. Besides, me staying in the green room would never work. You’d end up in my bed or I’d end up in yours.”
“Naturally,” he said with a grin.
She shook her head. “I couldn’t deal with that. Not in your family’s house. It wouldn’t be decent or right.”
“They’d never have to know.”
She frowned at him. “I’d know.”
Before he could say any more on the subject, she scooted off the bed and began plucking her clothing off the floor.
Sensing that he might have angered her, he asked, “Where are you going?”
Her expression coy, she tossed his boxers at him. “Just stay where you are. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Considering the fact that his body felt like he’d just run a marathon, it was easy for Rafe to promise, “I’ll be right here.”
A few minutes later, she returned wearing a red silk kimono and carrying a small tray stacked with sandwiches, cookies and two cups of coffee.
She flashed him a tempting smile. “You talked about me taking coffee in bed. Well, it’s your turn.”
While she placed the tray on the nightstand, he scooted up and rested his back against the headboard.
Handing him a cup of the coffee, she said, “There’s bologna or ham. Take your pick.”
Grinning, he chose a triangle of ham and bread. “I’ve never had this kind of supper before. What if I get crumbs in the bed?”
She chuckled. “I doubt we’ll notice.”
He patted the empty space next to him. “Aren’t you going to join me?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.” Climbing over him, she propped a pillow against the headboard then settled herself next to him.
He handed her the other cup and a sandwich, then watched her bite hungrily into the snack.
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