Shelter Me

by Allyson Charles

  She smiled even as her body shivered. “Your sweet-talk really needs…mmm, that feels good...really needs some work.” She ran her hand down his side and wrapped it around his behind. God, he had a nice butt. He kicked his leg over hers, and the muscles beneath her hand flexed. A really nice butt.

  “I’ve been told that before.” James brushed a hair off her cheek. “I’ve learned to compensate for that flaw in other ways.” Lowering his head, he brushed his lips against hers, the touch as delicate as butterfly wings. She strained to increase the pressure, but he kept his grip in her hair firm, never losing control of the kiss.

  When she thought she would go crazy with need, he changed the angle, deepened the kiss. He kept it slow, leisurely, like he had nothing else in the world to do except learn her mouth. Their tongues slid against each other’s. They explored, tasted, until every ounce of tension left her body and she was a ball of putty in his hands.

  James was the first to pull back, breathing heavily. “We have a problem of too many dads. Both of our places are occupied with them. I don’t want to face Oswald’s smirks when we come out of my room, and I damn sure don’t want to face your biological father after I’m through with you. Hotel?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Too cheesy, unless you have some luggage in the back of your car?”

  He shook his head. “Since you mentioned it, how about the back of my car? It will be like we’re teenagers again.”

  “I never did that as a teen, and I don’t want to do it now. I need room to move.”

  “Is that so?” His voice was honey-coated velvet. “What all do I have in store for me?”

  “You’ll have to wait and find out.” She tapped her finger against her lips. “I have an idea.” She tried rolling to her feet, but his arm went tight around her waist. “This idea requires us to move from our present location.”

  Groaning, he released her. “This idea better be nearby. I don’t know how long I can last like this.” He swept his hand down to the large bulge behind his zipper.

  “The sooner you stop whining, the sooner we can take care of our problem.” Reaching down, she grabbed his hand and heaved.

  James didn’t budge. With a grin, he clambered to his feet and pulled her close. “I like when you get all bossy with me. Makes me feel special.”

  Sarah blew out her cheeks. “Come on.” She led him along the creek and into a patch of trees. Reaching their destination, she pointed up.

  His gaze travelled up the tree’s trunk to the rickety structure bolted around it. “A tree house?”

  “Not just any tree house. I’ll have you know that this particular tree house is where I lost my virginity.” Circling the trunk, she rested her hand on a two-by-four screwed into the trunk. A row of them formed a make-shift ladder that led up into the structure. “With Milosh Brezenski in twelfth grade.”

  James placed both hands on the trunk behind her head. He settled his body against hers, pressing her back into the thick bark. “You little strumpet.” His wicked smile took any bite out of the words. “Your first time was with a Milosh?”

  She hooked her thumbs in the belt loops at his hips and pulled him closer. “Uh huh. I think my dad or brothers found out, because about a week after, poor Milosh would catch one glance of me at school and run the other way. Someone scared the kid good.”

  “Then Milosh wasn’t worthy of you. I’m offended on your behalf that you let such a wimp be your first.” Gripping her around the hips, James stepped back and spun her around so she faced the tree. He placed her hands on one of the wood slats. He leaned down and whispered, “Even if every Martineau male came out and surrounded this tree house right now, it wouldn’t stop me from taking what I’ve been dreaming about for weeks.”

  Her heart thudded against her breastbone, and she gave a small ‘eep’ when his hands cupped her behind and hefted her up the tree. She grabbed a two-by-four and sought purchase with her feet. James wasn’t a patient man at the best of times, and his eagerness now, for her, made something inside her melt.

  He was demanding, obnoxious, and pushy, all traits she thought she didn’t like. But when it came to the bedroom, or treehouse as the case might be...well, they didn’t seem quite so bad. Maybe.

  She took a deep breath. This would either be amazing, or go really, really badly. She didn’t want to think about the fallout if it went badly.

  Luckily, James didn’t give her time to worry. “We’re wasting daylight. Get your ass up that ladder, Dr. Martineau.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  James didn’t take the time to fully enjoy the view of Sarah climbing up ahead of him. Pulling himself through the hole in the tree house’s floor, he crawled over her, pressing her back until he was kneeling over her prone body, caging her in between his knees and hands.

  Her breath came in sharp pants. Her eyes widened as though she was surprised they were actually here. James was pretty damned surprised, too. But right now he didn’t care that he didn’t have time for a relationship. Didn’t care that Sarah was an entanglement and had her own mess of a complicated life.

  He wanted her, more than he could remember ever wanting a woman, and everything else was irrelevant.

  “Hi.” Staring down at her, he couldn’t think what else to say.

  The edges of her eyes crinkled. “Hi.”

  He rested his hand on her cheek and brushed her smile with his thumb. She was gorgeous when she smiled. And gorgeous when her forehead got all puckered when she was yelling at him, too. He couldn’t believe he’d ever thought this woman plain.

  She locked her teeth around his thumb for a light nip before closing those lush lips and sucking the tip deeper into her mouth.

  He almost came in his pants.

  Sliding his finger from her mouth, he was rewarded with another bite. “Brat,” he murmured, his attention already down at her waist. He hooked his thumbs under the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head, her back arching as she helped him get it off.

  Her full breasts spilled over the cups of her cotton bra. He molded his hands over her tits, cupping their weight. “Jesus, you’re beautiful.”

  “My boobs get that a lot,” she said dryly.

  He pinched a nipple until she squirmed. “You know that’s not what I meant. But yeah, they’re pretty fucking fantastic. Up.” Grabbing the back of her head, he raised her far enough to unsnap the bra, drag it off of her.

  She settled back on the hard wood planks. The setting sun bathed her skin in a rosy hue, her nipples as pink as berries. Mouth watering, he lowered his head and drew one of the tips into his mouth. Her moan of pleasure shot straight to his groin, and he settled in to enjoy his prize.

  He traced her areola with his tongue, then suckled at the hard nub. She arched into him, her body rubbing the length of his. Clutching the back of his head, she whispered “Oh God” over and over. Not wanting to play favorites, he licked his way across to her other breast for some equal love. When both nipples were wet from his attention, he lightly blew across the sensitive skin.

  Sarah whimpered beneath him.

  And rubbed his crotch through his jeans.

  He sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s not playing fair,” he said, his voice as rough as sandpaper.

  “Why would I want to do that?” She popped open the top button and eased the zipper down, the rasp of the metal loud in the still air. She shoved his briefs down his hips, and his erection tumbled free into her hot little hands.

  Groaning, he thrust into her grip. Her hold was tight, her up and down glide with a little twist at the end blowing his mind. Sarah licked her bottom lip, and he stared hungrily at her mouth. There were much better uses for that tongue. Lowering his head, he stole another kiss.

  Sweet. She tasted so damn sweet. Like barbeque sauce and honey. She slid her tongue against his, the pace as smooth and steady as her palm on his cock. He sank into the kiss, his brain only circulating enough blood to register sensa
tion at those two points. The rest of his body was numb.

  With an effort, he snapped from his trance. He needed Sarah as desperate as he was. He wanted her begging.

  He slid his knee between her legs, nudging her thighs wide. Seeking her heat, he traced his fingers down the center seam of her pants, adding just enough pressure to make her squirm.

  She broke away from the kiss with a gasp. “Pants off. We need both our pants off now.”

  Who was he to argue? He stripped off his shirt before attacking his and Sarah’s jeans. In under ten seconds, they were both naked, a record that belonged in the Guinness Record Book.

  “Shit.” She froze, then thumped her head back against the floor. “No condom.”

  Grabbing his pants, he tugged his wallet out of the back pocket and pulled one out.

  She reached for it. “Thank God. I really want to be annoyed that you made an assumption or that you’re always prepared for a quickie, but I don’t care right now.” Sarah rolled the rubber down his length.

  An arc of pleasure rippled up his spine.

  She tugged gently, making him hiss. “Now get over here,” she said.

  He growled. Almost succumbed to her order. But she wasn’t begging yet.

  “You’re going the wrong direction…oh!” Her thighs fell open. “That works, too.”

  He licked up her seam, the tip of his tongue just slipping through her honey. Breathing deep, he inhaled her scent. Sweet, spicy, and musky all wrapped together. He nibbled her outer lips and circled her opening, reveling in the cream that spilled onto his lips. If his cock wasn’t threatening to burst, he could spend all night right here.

  Just this first time, he needed to hurry them along. Later, later he’d take his time.

  Zeroing in on her plump clit, he drew it between his lips, lapped at it with his tongue.

  Sarah jolted beneath him. She dug her fingers into his hair and yanked.

  His lips twitched, but he stayed focused. Gripping her hips, he held her in place until her thighs trembled around his ears.

  “Please.” Her voice was a ragged whisper, thready with need. “Please.”

  Abandoning his gentle caresses, he drew her nub deep into his mouth and sucked, hard.

  Her cries filled the air. As she lay trembling, James reared up to watch her fall apart. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks flushed, and her lips parted on a sigh.

  James’s lungs expanded to their fullest with each deep, satisfied breath he took. He did that to her. And he wanted to do it again.

  “Roll over.”

  She opened lazy eyes, gone so dark they looked like pools of ink. “Hmmm?”

  Guiding her hips, he did the job himself. The toned muscles of her shoulders and back flexed as she brought her arms up to rest her head upon. James slid the band off the end of her braid, slid his fingers through her hair until it spread out like a sheet around her. It was as silky as he’d imagined.

  He nudged her knees apart, and covered her back, careful to keep most of his weight on his forearms. Her hair brushed against his chest, and his body hummed. The light was almost gone, but he wanted to see the contours of her face. He brushed a lock of hair off her exposed cheek, and tucked it behind her ear.

  His chest squeezed. He knew he was an asshole. People had told him that his whole life. He knew he never said the right thing at the right time. Sarah had been calling it on him ever since they’d met.

  Yet, she still wanted this. Wanted him.

  He pressed a soft kiss below her ear, hoping it would tell her what his words couldn’t. She lifted her hips, just enough, and he pressed inside.

  His head fell back on his shoulders as waves of pleasure washed over him. Her sheath fluttered, and he stayed deep, unmoving, enjoying the sensation.

  Slowly, so slowly he had to battle with his self-control, he began to move.

  ****

  James was killing her. Every languid thrust made her nerve endings hum, but never let her pleasure build. Every time he bottomed out, he paused, holding himself pressed against her, before slowly reversing, easing out until just his crown remained nestled in her channel.

  He was calm and measured when she needed wild frenzy.

  It figured this would be the first position he’d take her in. A position that gave him all the control. His weight on her back didn’t even allow her to rock her hips into him. It was the worst kind of torture. Every touch of his, every stroke, was so damn good that she knew if he let go it would be even better.

  But patience was supposed to be a virtue. She was so used to being the one who got things done, it was strange letting someone else do the work. Strange… and a bit liberating. She relaxed into his embrace and decided to let him have his way.

  For now.

  He ran his fingers through her hair, the caress as soothing as a back rub. Her body couldn’t decide if it wanted to bliss out, or if it needed to writhe and buck, fight its way to completion.

  Skimming his hand down her hip and thigh, he prodded at the back of her knee, shifting some of his weight. “Lift this up for me, baby.”

  Another demand. But since he seemed to know what he was doing, she was happy to go along. She couldn’t wait until the tables were turned, however. And she would turn them. Eventually.

  Scraping her leg along the rough floor, she lifted her knee so it was waist level. James sank deeper. They moaned together.

  His arms surrounding hers, he laced their fingers and clutched their hands together by her head. The light was so dim now, she could only see the rough outline of their joined fingers as she rested her cheek on his forearm. She’d never felt so linked to another human being before.

  James thrust faster, the slap of skin against skin loud in the cooling air. Heat spiraled up her body. Tension started low, focusing on the point where their bodies met and spreading until her whole body was as tense as a coiled snake.

  So close. She was so close to coming a second time that night, something that almost never happened with past lovers. He just needed to hit that spot. One. More…

  Pleasure exploded through her body. She moaned as James continued to thrust into her, seeking his own release and prolonging hers. Wave after wave of ecstasy rolled through her, leaving her limp and satisfied.

  James cursed. His cock jerked, and he wrapped his hands around her and held her close until his body stopped pulsing.

  He was heavy on her, as comforting as a weighted blanket, and she didn’t know if she ever wanted to move again. She lay there until their skin cooled and their hearts stopped racing.

  She swallowed. “Wow.”

  He stroked her hair, gathering it into a loose ponytail. “Better than with Milosh?”

  “Milosh who?”

  His chest rumbled with his laughter. “Good answer. I also would have accepted ‘you blew him out of the water’ and ‘it wasn’t even close.’”

  “Good to know.” Closing her eyes, she enjoyed their embrace for one more moment. Finally, she pushed up, ignoring his grumbled protest.

  “I’m sure my dad is wondering what happened to us. And Harry is probably wondering when I’m getting home.” Crawling on her hands and knees, she searched for her missing clothes by feel, gathering what she could, tossing James’s jeans in his direction when she found those.

  He handed her a bra. “It’s not as much fun putting your clothes back on.”

  “If you’re a good boy, you might be able to take them off again. Maybe.” Almost definitely. She wished she had the willpower to protect her heart and end this now, but she knew herself better than that. With the way he made her feel, she wasn’t going to deny herself the pleasure of his body any time soon. She pulled on her shoes and scooted toward the opening of the tree house.

  James got there first. “That was your vet voice. Sweet with an edge of authoritarian. The way you talk to your animals.”

  She shrugged. “It works on animals. And”—leaning in, she brushed
a kiss across his jaw—“I think that voice works on you, too.”

  Turning his head, he captured her mouth with his own and paused the argument for a good couple of minutes.

  He set her back, both of them out of breath. “Maybe it works on me,” he admitted. Sticking his legs down the hold, he climbed down the make-shift ladder until his head was level was hers. “But now I know what works on you, too.” His teeth flashed in the moonlight before his head dropped out of sight.

  She sighed. He was right, damn him. She lowered herself out of the tree house. James gripped her hips while she climbed down and lifted her the last few feet. Dirt streaked the stomach of her white shirt. James brushed at it, smudging it around more than cleaning it off. If her dad or brothers saw her like this, James wouldn’t stand a chance of getting home alive.

  “I know we’ve got some logistical issues, but let’s try not to make that our regular spot.” He grimaced. “I think I’ve got a splinter in my ass.”

  Turning on her heel, she headed back to the house. “Don’t be a baby. I’m sure I’ve got one in my boob, but you don’t hear me complaining.”

  He jogged to catch up to her. “I’d be happy to check it out for you.”

  She fought back her smile. She had more fun squabbling with James than getting along with most of her friends.

  “My back feels like it’s got some scratches on it.” He casually took her hand. “You’ll have to look at that for me, Doc. Tend to my wounds.”

  “I scraped my knee because of you.”

  Grinding to a halt, he tugged on her arm, spinning her around to face him. He pulled her close. “Maybe teenage sex spots aren’t for us anymore. Too many injuries.”

  She grinned and draped her arms around his neck. Even with their height difference, their bodies just seemed to fit. They just seemed to fit.

  “Totally worth it,” they said together.