He forced himself to look into her eyes. “You absolutely terrify me. Whenever I’m with you it’s as though someone has reached inside my chest, until the pain is almost more than I can bear. And when I’m not with you, I’d give anything to feel that way again.”
He heaved a deep sigh and continued. “Tonight when I saw you in the alley... I...No, it was before that. I know it doesn’t matter. I know you can’t possibly return my feelings after the way I’ve treated you,” he said and felt his courage failing. He turned away, unable to bear the rejection he knew he’d see in her face. “But I...I couldn’t go another day as I was.”
The silence was oppressive. Slowly, he eased back around to face her. Her small hands were clenched tightly at her sides, eyes pleading. She was trying so hard to be strong, defying him to hurt her again.
“And who are you now?” she asked.
“A man hopelessly in love with you.”
She closed the space between them, and his heart raced with each step. She stopped a few feet away and then slowly, beautifully, a smile came to her face. “Nice to meet you.”
If he could only stop time, he would lock this moment away for eternity. Tentatively, he lifted his hand to her cheek, barely a caress, and gently pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. He searched her eyes for any sign of resistance, but she leaned into his touch. Emboldened, he loosely cupped her face with the palm of his hand. He moved slowly, giving her every chance to pull away.
His lips met hers in a tender kiss. Her hands came to rest on his chest and for a fleeting moment he feared she’d push him away, but her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt and pulled him closer.
Simon brought his other hand to her face, trying to convey his love and desire in every touch, to show her how precious she was to him. Finally, he could let himself out and let Elizabeth in. A world he’d only imagined, one he’d feared to even dream of, was born before his eyes. The impossible and unreachable had fallen into his hands. His heart still ached, but it was a sweet, beautiful pain.
Somewhere in his life he’d lost his way and now he’d found it again in her kiss. A piece of a puzzle he didn’t know was missing slid into place. Supple lips pressed against his, caution forgotten in the sublime feel of her mouth upon his. Tentative at first, the kiss flourished with passion. He felt her nimble fingers brush against his throat and then move down his chest to unbutton his shirt. He wanted this so badly, wanted her more than he thought possible, but the last shreds of coherent thought clung to his brain. He had to be sure she wanted him. This had to be her decision. He pulled back breathlessly and looked at her. As much as it frightened him, she was the one in control.
Elizabeth’s smile faltered. Afraid she might think he was pushing her away again, he gently ran his hands along her arms and took her hands in his. “Are you sure?” he asked.
Her smile blossomed again; the love he’d been denying himself shone back. How had he possibly survived without it? Now that it was his, it was as much a part of him as breathing, and he would never let it go.
She caressed his cheek, and then kissed him, more demanding than before. Her hands slid from his face and moved back to the buttons of his shirt. She worked her way down to his belt and rucked the fabric up from his waistband, then tugged on his undershirt. Reluctantly, he moved away from her kiss and pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it aside.
Elizabeth’s eyes, dark with passion, swept over his body and he watched as she took him in. She hadn’t turned away, she didn’t leave him as he so deserved. Instead, she laid her palm flat against his skin, feeling the beating of his heart.
A maelstrom of emotion swept over him. He felt himself falling again, and knew this time there was no turning away. She loved him. As unthinkable as it was, one look in her eyes told him a world of truths.
Her hand slowly slid down his chest and stopped at his sharp intake of breath. With an intoxicating half-smile, she pulled away and began to undo the buttons of her dress.
His hands caught hers, and she looked into his eyes. Silently, he asked permission, and she let her arms fall to her sides, offering herself.
Without taking his eyes from hers, he unbuttoned her dress, his long fingers trembling. The thin, cotton dress fell open. The lace of her bra peaked out from behind the edges of the fabric and begged for his touch. He reined in the impulse, wanting to take this as slowly as possible, to savor each moment as it was given.
He brushed the tips of his fingers along her collarbone, easing her dress from her shoulders. Leaning forward, he lifted her hair away from her neck and kissed the sensitive skin at the nape.
She rolled her head to the side, allowing him to work his way along her neck and down again to her shoulder. With each kiss his need for her grew. His hands slid down her sides and came to rest on her waist, gently pulling her body to his, until his hardness pulsed against her belly.
She sighed and he moved away slightly, shifting from one shoulder to the other. He nudged the dress further off her body. It slipped completely off and pooled at her feet.
She ducked her head in embarrassment. Was it possible she didn’t know how attractive she was? Touching her cheek, he urged her to lift her eyes. If she doubted before, she never would again. As long as he had breath in his body, she would know how beautiful she was. “And even the angels were jealous.”
Her skin blushed a bright red that rose from her cheeks and traveled deliciously down her chest. His eyes followed the path in a loving touch.
Emboldened, she stepped forward and ran her hands down over his quivering stomach muscles, finally working at the clasp of his belt. Simon grasped her waist, his hands nearly large enough to encircle her, and trailed his fingers up her sides, stopping just shy of the swell of her breasts. His thumbs slipped over the lace and he felt her nipples tighten in response. Each time she inhaled, her breasts brushed harder against his fingers. A deep, groan rumbled in his chest, and she stopped pulling on his belt.
Flicking the front clasp of her bra, he eased the straps off her shoulders, and her breasts were laid bare for his touch. It was too much to resist, and he cupped her in his hands. The hard tips of her nipples rubbed against his palms as he tenderly caressed the supple flesh.
Elizabeth closed her eyes and tilted back her head. Dear God, she was beautiful. After a moment, she opened her eyes, the shyness long gone, and took hold of one of his hands. Slowly, she urged him back toward the bed, slipping off her shoes as she walked.
Simon stood by the bed and watched as she lay down, reaching out for him to join her. He knew in that moment, he’d follow her anywhere, and without question to the heaven she offered now. He stretched his body out next to hers, lost in the smoky haze of her eyes, of her lips, swollen and moist. He leaned down to take them in a kiss, his hips pressing against her side, as he felt her hands run along his back, urging him closer still.
Trailing kisses down her neck, he stopped to suckle the heated skin above her pulse point. Licking and tasting every inch, he slowly made his way down her neck until he reached her breasts, soft and round, topped with dark pink. He kissed the valley between them. One hand moved to brush the underside of one, as his mouth descended on the other. How could something be so soft, so absolutely perfect? She fit into the palm of his hand as if God had designed it be so. The taste of her grew more exquisite with each kiss.
Her hips rose and rubbed against the thigh he had nestled between hers. He looked up into her eyes and found he wanted nothing more than to pleasure her. It surprised and shamed him. He’d never truly thought of his partner’s wants before. He’d seen to their needs only to expedite his own. It was a painful truth to realize what a selfish lover he’d been. With Elizabeth, everything, things he hadn’t even begun to realize, changed. He could be content to please her, could spend a lifetime doing it and it wouldn’t be enough.
Simon eased himself down the bed and moved between her thighs. He kissed the juncture of her hip and smoothed his hand across
the soft swell of her belly. Smelling the musky scent of her arousal forced him to push his own hips down into the mattress.
Slipping a finger under the elastic of her waistband, he looked up the bed for permission. Her soft moan answered him, and she raised her hips. His fingers caressed her legs as he slowly pulled her panties down and set them aside. He wanted so much to bury himself inside her, to find his own release, but more than that, he wanted to please her.
With one last look at her flushed face, he settled his elbows on either side of her thighs and ran his hands over her stomach. Her muscles quivered at his touch, and he felt a thrill knowing she wanted this as much as he did. He dipped his head down and tasted her for the first time. Her sharp intake of breath urged him on and he lapped gently at the moist warmth between her legs, licking and suckling until he felt her legs tense. He quickened his pace, drinking deeper. Her breath came faster, growing more ragged with each passing second. He gentled his movements and then watched in rapture as she pushed her head back into the pillow, her mouth open in a silent cry of pleasure.
He kissed the soft skin of her inner thigh as she came back down. Once he was sure she was ready, he slipped a finger inside her, then another.
“Again,” he whispered, a gentle urging bringing them both that much closer to the edge.
She cried out and he nearly lost himself as her body spasmed. With another gentle kiss, he eased himself back up her body. His erection tight in the confines of his clothes, rubbed against her body.
She opened her eyes, still blurry from her release. How many times he’d dreamt of that look, of being the man that brought her over the brink. She lifted a weak hand and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. He took her mouth in a passionate kiss, pressing himself more tightly against her heated body.
Elizabeth’s hands fluttered down his back and slipped inside the waistband of his pants. She tugged at his hips, and he shifted away slightly. Her hands moved between them and molded over him. His arousal jumped, and he stifled a groan.
Simon shook his head. “I’m afraid it will all be over too quickly if you do that,” he rasped, and rolled to the side, quickly shedding the rest of his clothes.
He smoothed his body against hers, the first unfettered touch. He closed his eyes and fought for control. Just the feeling of her was enough to push him over the edge. But he needed her so much more than that. It wasn’t her body giving him pleasure. It was fire to a cold a heart, life to an empty soul.
He moved his body over hers, until he was resting just above her. Any fears he had were allayed in her kiss. She pulled him to her and with one smooth motion he slipped inside her.
The feeling was such unimaginable bliss, he had to stop. He savored the feel of her surrounding him, body and soul. Burying his forehead in the crook of her neck, he tried to slow his breathing. God, she was perfection. A fleeting sense of sadness swept over him. He knew he’d never feel this whole, this complete again.
Her hands ran down his back, and he lifted his head. Her eyes were soulful and so achingly beautiful. The words came out as naturally as their bodies fit together.
“I love you,” he whispered and then took her mouth in a tender kiss.
She shifted her hips, and he pulled out slightly before thrusting back slowly. Each movement drew them both closer to the brink. He wanted it to last, for this moment to last forever, but each time he pulled away, her body drew him back deeper, until he was drowning inside her soul. He felt her begin to pulse around him and with one final thrust he lost himself.
After a long moment, the world slowly coalesced and he nuzzled her cheek.
“Elizabeth,” he whispered.
“I love you, Simon,” she said, still breathless from their lovemaking.
He kissed her tenderly, humbled by her words. He was sure he wasn’t worthy, but he’d spend the rest of his life trying to be.
Gently, he eased off to the side and pulled her into his arms. She rested her hand above his heart. Such a small hand held everything he was.
The bright hues of dawn’s first light filtered through the window. He held her as she drifted off to sleep and prayed when he woke, that it all wasn’t a dream.
Chapter Seventeen
Elizabeth awoke to the feel of warm skin, hard muscle and a distinctly male scent. Simon. He’d been so tender, so unsure. She could remember the moment the shutters of his eyes opened. How hard it must have been for him to lay bare everything he’d kept so carefully hidden. The way he’d looked at her, waiting for the rejection, and the surprise when she touched him.
She could feel his arm around her, strong and loving, and nuzzled her cheek into the crook of his shoulder. The lump on her forehead reminded her of last night’s other activities, but any pain was lost in the feeling of being in his arms. The thin sheet was pooled around his waist, and her hand rested against the bare skin of his chest. A soft sprinkling of hair tickled her palm, and she slid her hand across the muscles to the dark coppery skin of his nipple.
Simon cleared his throat. “Good morning.”
Elizabeth smiled at the formality in his voice. Even with a naked woman in his arms, he was still Professor Cross. She knew Simon was in there somewhere, he just needed a little coaxing. Her fingers drifted down his ribs to his abdomen. He sighed, almost sadly, and she pushed herself up onto one elbow. He was watching her carefully, bemused but apprehensive.
“Good morning yourself,” she said and dropped a kiss onto his chest.
His hand touched her shoulder tentatively and his eyes fell away from hers. “How do you feel?”
Nervous as hell. “Wonderful.”
He smiled, but still his eyes didn’t meet hers. She gently eased his face back to hers and kissed him reassuringly. When she pulled away, his expression was still troubled. He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and his eyes fell on the bruise on her forehead. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. When he looked at her again, his brow creased and she could see it was difficult for him not to look away again. “About last night...”
Her body tensed and he quickly shook his head. “Not that.”
“If you’re worried about birth control, I’ve got that covered.”
“Dear Lord. I hadn’t even thought of that,” he said, clearly appalled at his lack of foresight.
“We did have a lot on our minds.”
He relaxed a little and nodded. “I just wanted to...” he said and then shook his head again. “Thank you.”
Elizabeth laughed in relief. “If I remember correctly, I should be thanking you.”
Simon chuckled and she could feel the rumbling in his chest beneath her. “I’m fairly certain I don’t deserve you.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that.”
A trace of a smile lifted his lips. “And if your judgment’s impaired?”
“I guess you’ll just have to trust me.”
He paused and nodded slightly. A nearly imperceptible movement acknowledged something so profound. His long fingers brushed the hair away from her face and trailed down her cheek.
She leaned into his touch and settled herself more comfortably. “And how do you feel?”
He smiled for a moment, but then something else won out and he looked up at the ceiling, letting out a long breath. “Like I’m on top of the bloody world.”
She could hear the tremor in his voice. “And about to fall off?”
Simon’s eyes flicked back to hers, seemingly surprised and a little embarrassed by her insight.
Elizabeth shook her head. “Not gonna happen.”
“You seem terribly sure.”
She arched an eyebrow and slipped her body onto his. “I like it on top.”
* * *
Charlie hadn’t stopped grinning all night. Only when Elizabeth mentioned the mugging had his expression faltered. He shrugged off her concern over the money with a wave of his hand. She was all right, and that was all that mattered. The club was doing a land of
fice business, but Elizabeth had a feeling his ear-to-ear smile was something a bit more personal.
“You look like the cat that ate the canary,” she said, as she waited for another order to be filled.
He shrugged innocently. “Just a happy man.”
She saw his eyes dart over to Simon and his smile broaden even further. She fought the urge to giggle. Charlie, the two hundred pound cupid.
However it had happened, she was grateful. Was it only yesterday she stood in this very same spot and thought her world had come crashing down? She looked across the bar at Simon. He really did play beautifully. She couldn’t see his hands, but could imagine the way they moved across the keys with sensual grace. She grinned to herself, remembering how they’d moved across her body that morning.
The warmth of the memory and the velvety melody of “Someone to Watch Over Me” lulled her into a pleasant haze. She didn’t notice the hushed voices and the newborn tension in the room until King was standing at her side.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he said in a voice smoother than silk. “Although, I’m sure they’re worth much more.”
She tried not to let her fluster show and busied herself with rearranging the nearly empty tray. “Mr. Kashian.”
“King.”
She nodded once. “What brings you here again?”
His dark eyes flashed with something almost preternatural, but he schooled himself quickly. “A little business,” he said and then moved ever so slightly closer. “And perhaps a little pleasure.”
She tried not to shiver. She was used to space invaders, people who infringed on your personal bubble, but King was something else entirely. It wasn’t simply the fact he was a gangster, although she knew that should have been more than reason enough. It was that something in his eyes. Some mysteries are better left unsolved, a tiny voice told her. For once, she listened.
“I hope you have an enjoyable evening,” she said with as much finality as she could muster.
Out of Time Series Omnibus (Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance & When the Walls Fell) Page 16
