by Sara Orwig
She gasped with pleasure and clung to his hips as his hands drifted to her thighs.
“This is magic, Talia. You make me want you every way possible.”
He tossed aside the last of his clothes. His body against hers was hot, hard and exciting, making her tremble with eagerness and discovery as she ran her hands and trailed her lips over him.
Her fingers explored lower, over his flat, muscled stomach, down on his thighs, and then she stroked his throbbing manhood that made her insides clench and heat. She wanted him inside her. She wanted to give herself, to feel that he was part of her, as close as they could get.
“Nick, I want you—”
“Shh, just wait. We’re just getting started. I want to pleasure you, to stir you to heights, to discover what you like best, to taste and thrill you,” he whispered as he filled his hands with her soft, full breasts. His fingers circled each taut peak slowly, deliberately, sending showers of tingling sensations following the faintest touch. Her breasts felt swollen, aching for his mouth, and she yearned for him to come inside her, to move together, to finally reach a climax together. She felt driven, need building with each stroke of his fingers, each slow lick of his wet tongue.
“Ahh, Nick,” she gasped with pleasure, running her hands over his narrow hips, taking his thick rod in her hand to stroke and caress him. She rubbed against him and then ran her tongue slowly, intimately, where her hand had been.
He closed his eyes and wound his hand in her hair, holding her while he groaned with pleasure and desire. He pulled her up to him suddenly to kiss her hard, a demanding, possessive kiss that revealed he wanted her with an equally desperate urgency. His hungry kiss made her heart beat even faster. It was a kiss of possession that drove her wild with longing for all of him.
“Nick, the bed,” she whispered.
“Soon,” he answered, his hands drifting down to her silky inner thighs and then rubbing her intimately as she cried out and clung to him.
Kissing her, he scooped her up into his strong arms and carried her upstairs to his bedroom. He yanked away the covers and placed her on the bed. While he kissed her, he moved between her legs and then he looked down at her.
“You’re beautiful. Every inch of you is so beautiful,” he whispered.
She reached for him, but he pushed her hands away. He put her legs over his shoulders, giving him more access while he toyed with her, stroked her, set her on fire with longing.
Sensations bombarded her, driving her to move, to cry out for more of him as she shifted and knelt before him. She took his thick rod in her hand, exciting him as he had her.
He rolled her over on her stomach, running his hands over her and then his tongue while she writhed in pleasure and need beneath him. With a cry, she rolled over and sat up to kiss him, wrapping her long legs around him and pulling him down while she fell back on the bed. He retrieved a condom from the nightstand drawer and knelt between her legs to put it on.
“I want you now,” she whispered, gazing into his eyes.
He entered her slowly, partially, pausing and then withdrawing and driving her wild.
“Nick, I want you now.”
He entered her, filling her with his hot, thick manhood, then withdrawing while he kissed her. She arched beneath him, pulling at his firm butt, tightening her legs around him to draw him closer. “Nick, I want you, all of you,” she whispered, pulling on him.
Finally he filled her, his manhood hot and thick. She moved her hips beneath him. “Love me,” she gasped, wanting him desperately, tugging at him.
He kissed her, a kiss that made her breasts tingle and become more sensitive to the touch of his chest against them. She tried to pull him closer, arching her hips to meet his every thrust as he began to pump faster. With a cry of ecstasy and need, she met him and moved with him. His thrusts filled her, faster and more intense, until she shattered with a wild climax, arching beneath him, her cry muffled by his kiss. Seconds later he found his own release.
Still, he continued to thrust into her. She felt need build again inside her and clutched his broad shoulders, moving in perfect rhythm with him. In seconds he had her crying out while she shuddered in a powerful orgasm. Even in her ecstasy she felt him reach his climax, pounding into her with one final thrust.
“Ahh, Talia,” he whispered on a ragged breath. “You have to be the sexiest woman on earth.”
She held him tightly. Smiling, she couldn’t answer. She was sunk in euphoria, satiated, enveloped in rapture, and she didn’t want to speak or think or do anything except relish the moment and his body, his weight on her a reassurance that he was real and in her arms. He raised his head slightly to look at her. “You’re not speaking. Are you all right?”
“I’m more than all right. I didn’t know it could ever be that great. It’s an effort to talk, an effort to think. I feel as if every bone in my body melted and I don’t want to get out of this bed or let go of you ever.”
He chuckled softly, a rumble in his chest causing her to feel the vibrations. “I hope you don’t get out of this bed tonight. It was terribly shortsighted of me to think we wouldn’t want any kind of wedding night to ourselves, not to mention dismissing all thoughts of a honeymoon.”
“A honeymoon seemed a ridiculous thing to plan when we not only aren’t in love, we didn’t ever really plan to make love tonight. I feel too exhausted to talk about it.”
He showered kisses on her face. “Well, it was shortsighted on my part because I knew what it was like to kiss you and I knew how beautiful and sexy you are. I guess I really have been numb to the world for a long time. Numb in all parts from my brain down.”
She smiled. “You were far from numb tonight.” She snuggled against his hot body. “Just stay here in my arms and hold me close and I’ll be happy.”
“That I can do, my dear.”
She didn’t know how long they lay in each other’s arms, but finally he spoke softly, his deep voice making vibrations in his chest. “Talia, tonight was spectacular, mind-blowing sex, hot and urgent, but I can’t promise that it will be a buffer to keep away the hurt and pain of losses that I have. I’ll still have moments. Hopefully, if I work at it, I can control my hurt and keep my low moments from dragging things down for you.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve told you how I feel. It’s all worth it for what I get out of this marriage—Hattie as my daughter. And when you get to know her, you’ll be a loving dad for her. I know you will. I can’t ask for anything more. The rest is icing on the cake, and believe me, this hot, mind-boggling sex with you is better than the usual icing on the cake.”
He rolled beside her, pulled her close and lay on his side to face her. He ran his fingers through her hair to comb it away from her face.
“The day will come, I’m sure, when I’ll love little Hattie the way I loved Artie.”
She heard the sorrow, as well as the hope, in his voice. “I’m so sorry for your losses, Nick. You probably thought you had everything in the world you wanted and it was all taken from you. If I had lost Hattie like I thought I was going to, I’d be far worse than you’ve been. When I thought the state might take her, I couldn’t sleep or eat. Thanks to you that isn’t going to happen, but believe me, I understand your hurt and can accept that.”
He leaned down to kiss her forehead tenderly. “I’m lucky. Hattie can’t ever take Artie’s place, but she’ll have her own place.”
They lay in each other’s arms quietly, till Nick spoke again. “This is good, Talia. Very good,” he whispered against her. “Thank you again for being you and for understanding today.”
“I told you—you’ve given me what I wanted the most. Few people can ever say that to someone else. You’ve made me a very happy woman, Nick.”
“I’m glad.”
They became silent and she realized there were no words of love, no easy banter after fantastic sex. T
he day had been an emotional roller coaster for him and somewhat for her, as well. But they had gotten through it better than she had expected.
They had gotten through it with his family welcoming her and now she was Mrs. Nicholas Duncan. Nick’s wife and Hattie’s mother. She turned to share her joy with Nick and saw that his eyes were closed, but she didn’t think he was asleep. As if he knew what she was thinking, he reached out and slipped his arm around her, pulling her close against him and turning slightly so he could hug her.
“You’ve been great today,” he said.
“Thanks,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and wondering if she should leave right now and get in her own bed. She started to move away but he tightened his arm around her, so she settled back. The monitor for Hattie was right beside the bed, so she snuggled against Nick and closed her eyes.
The next thing she knew, she stirred because Nick was talking and holding her tightly. “Regina, Regina,” he mumbled.
Seven
Startled, Talia came fully awake. She realized Nick was dreaming and he must mean his late wife, Regina. “Nick,” she whispered.
Sitting up suddenly and breathing heavily, he looked around the bedroom.
“Nick, you were dreaming.”
He stared at her and she wondered if he even remembered that he had married only hours earlier.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”
She slipped out of bed and grabbed up her dress. “I think I’ll check on Hattie and stay in my room.”
She left his bedroom, closing the door behind her, unable to deny the disappointment that enveloped her. He hadn’t asked her to come back or to stay. Had he woken remembering his dream about his first wife? Or when tomorrow came, would he even remember dreaming?
Able to see because of a little night-light, she entered her suite and crossed the room to Hattie’s crib. As she looked at her, her heart filled with joy. She loved Hattie and now she could be her mother. She couldn’t be angry with Nick for mourning the woman he loved or the little baby boy he lost. Time would help him heal to a point, but there would always be memories that hurt, always be a void. If dreams came about his first wife, he couldn’t stop them. She could understand his pain and regretted he was sad when their wedding had showered her with happiness. She felt as he got to know Hattie, the love for her would help to alleviate his pain.
She climbed into her bed and hoped Nick slept peacefully. The fantastic sex was one more thing that would cause them to bond. She didn’t expect Nick to fall in love with her, but life could still be good if she just didn’t fall deeply in love with him and need his love in her life. That was the one thing that could lead to a broken heart. If she could just take the sex the way he did, without emotional ties, without falling in love, then they would have a good relationship. Could she do that? Could she keep her feelings from getting involved?
Common sense told her to keep up her guard, but the way she reacted when he held her or when he kissed her told her it wouldn’t be easy. Nick was far too charming. She sighed and shook her head. Could she keep him at arm’s length all the time? Did she even want to? They were married, after all. Winning Nick’s love might be worth taking some risks.
Or was she just setting herself up for a huge heartbreak?
* * *
Days later, on Monday, Myra asked her to come visit and bring Hattie. When Talia told Nick, he arranged for a limo, which seemed ridiculous to Talia, but she didn’t argue with him. She had stayed out of his bedroom Sunday night and they’d had the brothers over in the evening, so she hadn’t been alone with him. Earlier that day they had all gone to church together and then taken Ida and Myra to a local restaurant in the closest small town to have Sunday dinner together. The brothers had come back to Nick’s and all of them had disappeared into the barn until evening.
Even though Talia hadn’t been alone with Nick since their wedding night, she was acutely aware of him, feeling the same sizzling fires when he touched her lightly or when they exchanged glances. More so now than ever before because they had made love and it had been scalding, raging hot sex that she thought about constantly when she was with him or not.
Monday night the brothers were back and Nick went with them to look at some of his horses in the barn again. Later on, when she went upstairs to put Hattie to bed, she thought she was alone in the house. She had all the lights off except one, a small baby lamp with nursery-rhyme characters at the base. But in minutes Nick appeared. He knocked lightly on the door and came in.
“She’s sound asleep, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Talia said. “She had a big day. She’s not used to all the attention, but she had a good time. She was good with your grandmother, sitting on her lap for as long as she did.”
“You can’t imagine how happy my grandmother is over Hattie. All of us are amazed. I don’t remember that kind of joy with Artie, but Artie was so little and he wasn’t talking.”
“I’m glad. Hattie must sense that because she seems to really like your grandmother.”
His fingers closed lightly on her arm. “Come here,” he said softly and shivers tickled her. “She’s asleep.” They walked out of the bedroom into the sitting room and he turned to her. He reached up to take a lock of her hair in his hand and she felt the contact through her whole body, a touch that would be nothing if done by anyone else, but with Nick, it was electrifying.
“I can’t control my dreams,” he told her without preamble. “I was dreaming about Regina the other night but that didn’t have anything to do with us.”
“I know that, Nick. I thought we’d both sleep better if I came back here with Hattie. These are new surroundings. I want to be here for her if she wakes up. I understand and it didn’t upset me,” she said.
“Okay. I just didn’t want to hurt you, but I can’t control my dreams and I do dream about both of them. I haven’t slept well since that plane crash.”
“I’m sorry and I can imagine. You don’t ever need to apologize where Regina and Artie are concerned. Not ever, not once. You had a devastating, terrible loss.”
He looked away and was silent a moment. “Regina took him to see her folks in Montana. It was one of my planes, but not a small plane. It went down and all were killed. We had a pilot, copilot, Regina, her sister and Artie.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss. Don’t ever apologize for dreaming about them or anything like that. You loved them.”
He drew her into his arms and she went eagerly. She slipped her arms around his waist and held him tightly, hoping she was some comfort, some company for him, and that Hattie would bring him love and joy.
“I’m going to sleep in here tonight, Nick. I’ll feel better and I don’t want to rush into a lusty physical relationship that we both might regret.”
“I won’t ever have a regret about making love with you. Oh, Talia, you can’t imagine what you do to me,” he whispered, trailing kisses on her throat and then running his tongue over the curve of her ear as he caressed her nape and sent waves of fiery tingles that centered low in her.
She drew a deep breath and wound her arms around his neck. “Nick, aren’t your brothers here?”
“I guess. I left them in the barn.” He shrugged. “But I don’t care really. They know we just got married.”
“Nick,” she said, starting to protest when his lips covered hers, his tongue stroking hers so slowly while he caressed her breast. She gasped with pleasure and couldn’t stop him or say anything else to him. She was hopelessly lost in sensations that made her yearn for his thick, hard manhood inside her.
“I wasn’t going to do this tonight,” she whispered, tearing her mouth away from his.
“Neither was I, but now we are and I don’t want to stop.” His mouth covered hers, his tongue going over hers while he pulled her zipper down her back and then peeled away her dress.
/> “Nick, we should use some sense here—”
“Shh,” he whispered, unfastening her bra and letting it fall. His hands cupped her bare breasts and he stroked her so lightly, slowly, his thumbs circling her taut nipples, and then his mouth covered them so he could lave them with his tongue. She gasped and thrust her hips against him, grinding against him, wanting him inside her, forgetting all her lectures to avoid making love with him anytime soon. She was lost in his kisses and caresses. She trembled, gasping for air and moaning with pleasure as his hands moved over her and more of her clothing fell away.
“I wasn’t going to do this,” she whispered again, as if she could convince herself.
Nick didn’t respond. He merely picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.
Before she could utter a protest, he assured her, “The monitor is on and we can hear Hattie.”
Once in his bedroom, he stood Talia on her feet and peeled away the rest of her clothes, tossing his own aside as he kissed her.
She ran one hand through his hair and the other over his broad shoulder, down his back, over his hip and then over his butt that was hard and muscular like the rest of him. Against her, she felt his erection, thick and hard, ready for her. He picked her up and she locked her legs around his waist as he took her breast in his mouth and ran his tongue over her nipple.
She clung to him while he lowered her down over his body, sliding her onto his throbbing rod. She cried out and locked her legs around him, moving in perfect rhythm with him as he pumped into her. She cried out again as her climax burst and made her shake, relief and ecstasy showering over her. He thrust hard and fast toward his own climax.
In seconds or minutes—she didn’t know time—she was aroused again, moving with him toward another shattering climax as she rode him.
When they were both sated, she had lost all track of time. Finally she slid down and placed her feet on the floor. He looked into her eyes and she felt as if a bond sprang to life between them, a tie that bound them together in rapturous intimacy. She knew it couldn’t last, but for a moment, she felt something from him beyond pure lust. He pulled her to him to kiss her, another earth-shaking kiss. His kiss set her on fire as if they hadn’t just made love, as if she hadn’t reached more than one explosive climax that still took her breath away to think about.
