by Clara Bayard
He poked me in the side, smiling. “You sound like an old woman, Becca.”
“I feel like one.”
“Well then, I have a solution.” He took my hand as he stood, pulling me up with him.
“Old-age home?”
“Much better.” His eyes twinkled and his lip curled. “Co-ed shower.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll hold on to you.”
“I bet.” I laughed as he tried to drag me to the bathroom and pull off my clothes at the same time. Dex was always so smooth and sexy; I enjoyed him not quite being able to manage a maneuver. Then I stopped and helped him, concerned he might rip something in his haste.
We made it into the bathroom without any damage and both stripped down quickly. The light wasn’t on, so the only illumination in the room was what came through the door. It felt romantic and I appreciated not having to look at myself under glaring whiteness.
The shower stall was large and glass-walled, with two showerheads, one on each wall. I twisted them both on full heat and stepped inside. Dex followed quickly, and I had a few seconds to enjoy the long, muscular stretch of his body, the width of his shoulders and what looked like miles of smooth skin.
He arched an eyebrow as he stepped under the spray with me. “Enjoying the view?”
I nodded. “I love looking at you.”
“And I love feeling your eyes on me.” His hand reached around to tug my hair free and then spread it over my shoulders where it darkened under the water.
“You spend all your life with eyes on you.”
“Not yours.”
“Are they different?”
“Better.”
I grinned and hugged him as steam surrounded us and the pounding of the water drowned out everything. A private oasis for two. Peaceful and soothing. But when my body pressed against his, I felt Dex’s arousal, long and thick between us, and peace was the last thing I wanted.
Feeling a wave of sex-fueled energy come over me, I grabbed the soap and lathered up my hands before running them down his chest. Dex’s eyes fluttered as my fingers slid over his pecs and flat nipples, down the ridges of his abs, and lower.
He scooped up some of the suds and returned the favor, slipping his hands over my shoulders and down my back. It was, strangely, more intimate than when we’d actually slept together. Even though I could barely see him in the steam and dark room, I felt bared to him in a new way. One that made me nervous, but I liked it.
When my hands encountered his slip hips, his lower body jerked, sending his erection against my palms. Shifting us so the spray could wash away the soap, I decided shower time was about to be over. Getting clean was now very low on my list of priorities.
I started pulling his face down to mine, gripping his shoulder with one hand while the other circled the base of his cock.
“That is even better than your eyes,” he said, voice husky.
“What?”
“Your hands. Your tiny little hands.”
I laughed. “They’re not tiny.”
“Yes, they are.”
“Shut up.”
“Kiss me again and I’ll never say another word about your wee little hands.”
I rolled my eyes and bit back a giggle, and then kissed him. It was soft at first, then harder. Our tongues tangled and twisted and teeth scraped. It was messy and hurried. Hungry.
“Christ, Becca,” he said, breathlessly after a long moment. “I need to have you. Right now.”
I buried my face against his chest, feeling it rise and fall as my fingers slid over his thickening flesh. “Not in here.”
“Why not?”
Looking up, I shoved down my desire in order to answer him. “We could slip. Or get burned. Or the shower might leak. Plus we don’t-”
Dex pressed a finger over my lips to stop me. “I get it,” he said sharply, but the look of affection on his face softened it. “Skip the list-making and come to bed.”
I just nodded. We turned off the water and, holding hands, made our way, dripping, across the tiled floor back to the bedroom.
Within a flash we were on the bed, arms back around each other, lips pressed together. I shivered a bit in the cool air on my wet skin, and Dex yanked at the blanket at the bottom of the bed, pulling it over us.
I smiled and tucked my body against his. “This is much better. And more comfortable.”
“True. Does that mean you just want to cuddle?”
“Not a chance.”
“Thank fuck for that, love. I need to be inside you.”
My heart thundered in my chest and my core clenched at his words. “Yes, please.”
Dex chuckled, and then kissed me on the neck, sliding slowly down my body as he rolled me over onto my back. When his face was even with my breasts he kissed the puckered tips of each one before drawing circles with his tongue on one and the tips of his on the other. He did that for a few moments and then switched sides, letting me feel the difference in pressure, moisture and intensity. My whole body quivered and my hips flexed, thighs spreading unconsciously, bidding him closer to where I wanted him – needed him – most.
He shifted positions, but didn’t stop. His waist rested in the cradle of my legs, and he reached down to stroke the wide expanse of my hip. “Shit, I love your body. So lush and full. Soft and responsive.”
That wasn’t exactly how I saw it, but I could appreciate his words. And couldn’t argue with the last part. Every bit of me responded to his touch. A finger on my lips sent sparks of pleasure down to my toes. A stroke on my skin went through to my bones.
“I can feel you disagreeing. Stop it. See yourself the way I see you. Feel how perfect and sexy you are.”
I started to speak, but his teeth circled my nipple and bit down gently. The only sound I made was a low moan.
“That’s my girl.” Dex released my breast and slid down further. His face lowered against my body, hair ticking at my belly. He used two fingers to spread me open, baring my moist heat to the air, and then covered me with his mouth.
My fingers fisted in the sheets and I bit down on my lower lip. “Dex…”
He didn’t speak, only flicked his tongue over the tiny bundle of nerves over my folds, and slid one thick finger inside me.
I groaned and tossed my head, back arching.
Dex made a pleased sound low in his throat and kept up the sweet, erotic torture, coaxing pleasure from my body easily, as if he knew every spot and speed and amount of pressure to drive me wild.
And as a quick, sharp climax ripped through me, wild is exactly what I was. A hoarse, strangled sound burst from my mouth and my body started undulating in time with the waves of ecstasy rolling through me.
It was as if every bit of tension and fear left hiding within me exploded out, pushed away by pleasure. I felt lighter down to my soul and couldn’t do anything but go with it, let it take me away.
But Dex wouldn’t let me depart the moment completely. His movement slowed, but didn’t cease. He touched me just enough to keep me grounded, aware that he was with me, taking me on this journey. There weren’t words to express how I felt, and he didn’t need them. My body, open and honest in a way I wasn’t capable of being, said everything. He rode out the orgasm with me, and when my eyes opened and looked down, his gaze was locked on my face, a look of wonder and pride across his.
I made a contented sound and had to clear my throat before I could speak. “Sorry, I got a little carried away there.”
He smiled. “It was wonderful.”
“Not for you.”
“Oh yes it was. Watching you come is amazing. But I am not entirely selfless. Nor am I anywhere close to being done with you tonight.”
“Really? Because I am kind of sleepy now.”
Dex grunted and reared up before coming down on top of me again, this time with his face next to mine. He nipped at my neck and lifted my legs up around his waist. “Not even close to done, Becca.”
I could feel the thick heat of him against my body and I smiled. “Maybe not too sleepy.”
“Good.” His hips rolled and he pressed against my damp folds. “Please tell me you can reach my trousers without leaving this bed.”
I reached out an arm. “Barely.”
“Good thing, because I need something in there and I don’t think I’m capable of letting you go right now.”
With a nod I grabbed the pants he’d shed, and reached into the pocket. I handed the foil packet over to him and in seconds he’d spread the condom over his length and was back in position, nudging the entrance of my sex with the blunt tip of his member.
“Sure you’re not too tired?”
I hissed and lifted my hips in response.
Dex chuckled and then pushed inside me, invading and filling slowly, but relentlessly.
Like the first time, it was a snug and deliciously aching fit. My body was as ready as possible, but Dex was a big boy all over. Taking him inside me was like being taken over by him. Consumed, I existed only as sensation, wild and beautiful. The feeling was addictive and I was happily hooked.
Dex brushed a lock of hair from my face and lowered his so we were close enough to kiss. But instead, he stayed there, breath puffing against my lips as our lower bodies moved in that ancient rhythm.
I lifted my head to kiss him, but he pulled back, whispering, “I just want to watch you.”
That was new and crazy and wonderful, too.
I nodded and wrapped my arms around him, sliding my hands down the length of his back, feeling his muscles clench and release as I went.
My touch seemed to inflame him, and Dex started driving into me deeper and harder, panting as he moved, but still watching my face with total attention. The scrutiny started to embarrass me a little. I wondered briefly if I was making a weird expression or if my wet hair looked stupid.
But then, as if he could tell I was drifting, Dex slipped a finger between us and rubbed at my clit while he drove in and out of me, banishing any semblance of thought from my head, filling the space with us. The feel of his skin against mine, the scent of soap and water. The soft sounds of our coupling, the heat stoking hotter and hotter deep within me.
It was all too much and I couldn’t take it and never wanted it to stop. I cried out as he shifted his hips to a new angle, and he gritted his teeth and then let go, flying off the cliff with me into an ocean of pleasure where we floated forever.
Chapter Three
The next morning I woke up groggy and grumpy, until I noticed the long arm slung across my body and remembered where I was.
Dex mumbled something unintelligible and pulled me closer.
“Good morning,” I said, sinking happily into his embrace.
“The only thing that’s ever good about morning is when you’re the first thing I see.”
I smiled and closed my eyes, wondering how I could possibly be this lucky. With all the shit I’d seen and gone through, I’d somehow ended up in Paris, waking up in the arms of a sexy, talented man. At first I thought there were no words for what I was feeling, but then it became clear there was one. Love.
I couldn’t count how many songs I knew about falling in love, but it occurred to me that they were all right, and all wrong. I was falling for Dex, hard. And it was impossible that anyone had ever felt this way. The voice of caution in my head was silent for the first time in as long as I could remember, and I was glad. Nothing would ruin this moment. Whatever happened in the future, we would always have this morning, this perfect time where we were alone together with nothing to do but be with each other, no doubts or obligations to get in the way.
Rolling over to face Dex, I smiled. He was beautiful as always, dark eye bright and chiseled features stubbled, but his hair was a disaster. It had dried in bed and was matted in some places and sticking up in other.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” I replied, unconvincing.
“Liar.”
“Your hair is terrible. But you’re still perfect.”
He snarled playfully and planted a light kiss on my lips.
I sighed and snuggled in closer, wondering if he was feeling even the slightest bit as happy as I was. “What are you thinking about?”
“Two things.”
“And they are?”
“Eating breakfast and making you scream again.”
I laughed. “Are you deciding between them?”
“Not exactly. More like figuring out how to combine them. I’m a greedy man. I want both.”
“Hm. Good luck with that. But if I get a vote, I say we go for breakfast.”
“A vote? You get anything you want.” He kissed me again, deeper this time, with purpose.
“Behave, Dex.”
“Never.”
“Good.” I smiled and reluctantly dragged myself away from him. Wrapping the sheet around me I hopped off the bed.
“Where are you going?”
“To finish that shower.”
“I’ll join you.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “No, you won’t.”
He stuck out his lower lip, pouting.
“Cute. But that won’t work on me.”
Dex grinned. “What am I supposed to do all by myself?”
“Order us some breakfast.”
That inspired him. He jumped up and went over to the table where the room service menu sat and grabbed it. I took a long moment to stare at his naked body. He was so unselfconscious about walking around naked. I envied that. But, if I was that perfect I’d probably do the same.
With a sigh of regret I went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.
When I finished in there and went back to the bedroom, Dex was still naked, sitting at the foot of the bed, watching television.
I tugged my towel tighter around me and walked over to join him. “Is the food coming? One of us should be dressed enough to open the door.”
He didn’t say anything, so I looked up at the screen to see what had entranced him. It was a news report in French, so I couldn’t understand more than a word here and there. The reporter was standing in front of a large map of Europe. I was about to ask why he was watching the weather so closely when the map disappeared and crappy cell-phone video of a very familiar scene started to play.
It was from the airport. On the screen Dex was walking towards the camera and I could see Ryan’s face at the edge of the frame, behind him. There was audio, but you couldn’t hear what Dex said over the background noise from the crowded waiting area.
Form the angle, the person with the camera had been standing near me, so I never appeared on screen. But watching the scene play out, it was like being back there.
“What is this?”
Dex finally snapped out of it. “Us.”
“I can see that. But why is it on TV?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea. I don’t speak French.”
“There are channels in English here, silly.”
“Yeah, of course. Didn’t think of that.”
I took the remote from him and flipped through the channels. Finally I heard English and stopped. They weren’t showing the same video, but I saw still photos from the airport. These were from earlier, before everything got crazy.
There was Dex again, this time standing next to Matthew, laughing about something. Off to his right I could see myself, facing away from the camera, talking to one of the airline employees. My butt looked about twenty miles wide, but I didn’t have time to be annoyed, as the announcer’s voice began speaking again.
“Historic storms blanketed the country, stranding thousands of people and delaying hundreds of flights. Reports throughout Western Europe indicate there are still travelers struggling to make it to their destinations, though things are close to getting back to normal in the past few hours. So, while international rock sensations Dream Defiled may have made it where they were going after a drama-filled day, many others were not so lucky. Two of the to
rnados spotted yesterday have been confirmed as being responsible for the devastation outside Glasgow. Our James Carren is reporting life from the scene.”
“Holy shit,” I muttered.
“Crazy.”
“Well, this should make Ryan happy. If every story about the storms mentions you guys, he’ll be in heaven.”
Dex nodded and bumped my shoulder with his. “I guess we were a bit busy with our shit to notice what was really going on.”
“Yeah, I guess we were.” I was thinking about that when there was a knock on the door.
“Food, finally,” Dex said, rising.
I grabbed my suitcase and dragged it towards the bathroom. “Put some pants on before you open that, please.”
“Getting possessive already, Becca? I like it.” He winked at me and strolled over to the door, still naked.
Rolling my eyes, I went back into the bathroom to get dressed in private.
* * *
A few hours later we were fed and dressed, and I’d practically forgotten about the news reports. After checking in with Ryan I was shocked to discover he didn’t have anything for me to do until later, so Dex and I actually had time to do whatever we wanted. We had a serious discussion about staying in, that mainly consisted of him grabbing me and dragging me down onto the bed, but I finally managed to convince him we should spend at least a little bit of time in Paris actually out in Paris.
We were standing in front of the hotel, surrounded by lush plants and fragrant flowers, trying to decide what to do first.
“What about the Louvre? I think the tourist trap tower can wait until it’s dark, so we can see it all lit up, go up and watch the city.”
“Okay. Or we can just wander. See what we find.”
“Uh-huh.” I looked down at my phone; scrolling through the app I’d downloaded. “There are five great museums within walking distance. Or we could grab a cab across the river and visit Père Lachaise. I know you want to see Jim Morrison’s grave.” I paused. “Yeah, we should do that. I can map a route over in that section of the city, make sure we’re not wasting time backtracking or…” I trailed off at the sound of laughter. “What?”
Dex was grinning broadly. “Using a map and a plan really is your idea of wandering, isn’t it?”
