The Notorious Groom (Desire)
Page 17
His big body felt deliciously warm as he pulled her down with him onto the mattress. Rather than pressing her beneath him as she expected, he rolled her onto her stomach and straddled her thighs.
“Eli!” The protest was instinctive as she felt the hot, velvety weight of his sex resting against her backside.
“Shh. It’s all right.” His voice rumbled in her ear, soft and reassuring, as he leaned up and pressed a series of kisses to her jaw. “I’d never do anything you didn’t want me to, Boo.”
The thought had never entered her mind. “I know. It’s just that I want to touch you...”
He sat back and she shivered as the night air washed over her, chilly after the heated press of his skin. “In a minute ..”
She felt his hair first. Cool and silky, it tickled against the sensitive channel of her spine a second before she felt the warm, wet caress of his mouth against the small of her back. Her breath caught as he began to work his way upward, inch by arousing inch.
There was something deliciously dangerous about lying naked in the dark, unable to see what he was doing. Deprived of sight, the rest of her senses kicked into overdrive. She felt the pressure of his lips, the rasp of his tongue, the satiny brush of the hair on his arms as they grazed her sides. She heard each puff of breeze that whispered through the leaves, raising goose bumps as it licked across her kiss-dampened skin. She smelled the clean, masculine musk of his skin as it mixed with the summery scent of sunshine that permeated the cotton-covered mattress.
And she tasted desire on her own parted lips, more intoxicating by far than the champagne that had been served earlier at the fund-raiser.
It spread through her, intensifying the ache in her breasts and at the juncture of her thighs as Eli steadily forged a chain of kisses from her derriere to the nape of her neck. “If you knew how much I’ve wanted to do this all night,” he whispered, his teeth strafing the downy hollow at the top of her spine. “With that haircut, the back of your neck ought to be X-rated.”
Norah couldn’t take any more. She needed to see him, to touch him, to have him inside her. “Enough,” she said raggedly.
With a groan that was echoed by her own, he abruptly sat back. Relieved of the bulk of his weight, she twisted onto her back and then reached for him, pulling him down. She anchored her hands in his hair and slanted her mouth against his, then gave a whimper as he settled between her thighs and his taut length rubbed against her silky dampness. “Oh, Eli. I want you. Now.”
“Not yet.” Twining her fingers with his, he lifted his head and blazed a path with his lips over her chin and down her throat. Lower and lower he went until he zeroed in on her breasts. He laved one aching nipple with his tongue, shaped it with his lips, then sucked it into his mouth, pulling hard in the same instant that he reached down and pressed the tip of his finger to the aching nub of her sex.
Norah came apart. With a startled cry, she arched as shock waves of pleasure raced through her, her hands clutching at Eli’s warm neck.
In the next instant he was sliding inside her, drawing another sharp cry from her as he thrust his hands under her buttocks and tilted her up. She wrapped her legs around him, holding tight, shivering with delight as he bucked into her, his breath raw and rasping in her ear.
A second climax hit her. Her fingers bit into his shoulders, her whole body slamming against his as the explosion rocked through her. Calling his name, she felt the silken inner muscles of her sheath squeeze around him. He groaned, the sound torn from deep in his throat. Wrapping her in his arms, he tugged her up, his back hollowing as he rocked against her, her cries of fulfillment mingling with his own.
Not until the last contraction of pleasure shivered through them seconds later did they collapse onto the mattress as if suddenly discovering gravity. With a deeply satisfied sigh, Eli slid sideways onto his stomach, his face buried in the crook of Norah’s neck, one arm draped possessively around her slender waist.
They lay there for a long time, too drained to do more than hold each other. Eli felt warm and solid against her and Norah sighed with pleasure, unable to think of a time when she’d ever felt happier.
Eli shifted back so he could see her, his fingers slowly stroking her bare arm. “Did you have a good time tonight?”
She felt the edges of her mouth quiver. “The past half hour was pretty wonderful.”
He gave her a painless pinch on the arm. “I meant earlier, at the Country Club.”
“Oh, that. Yes. It was fun.” It was the sort of night she’d once dreamed of, only it had been far better than she’d ever imagined because Eli had been part of it. “What about you?”
“It was okay.” After a heartbeat’s silence, he gave a muffled laugh.
“What?”
This time it was the corners of his mouth that ticked up. “I was just imagining the look on Joe’s face when he realized we’d left.”
She reached out, sifted her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, then began to rub in a gentle massage. “I take it he’s not big on formal gatherings?”
He groaned with satisfaction. “You could say that. What’s really going to make him crazy is when I tell him it was your idea to go.”
Her hand stilled for a moment. “You’re not going to tell him...everything, are you?”
“Hell, no.” There was a lengthy pause as he yawned. “Just the good stuff.”
“Eli!”
He laughed, low and lazy. “Okay. Just kidding.” He yawned again. “But can I at least tell him about the red underwear?”
“No. ”
“Gosh, Boo, you’re no fun. I’ll make you a deal. You keep doing that to my neck—” his lashes drifted down “—and I promise not to breathe a word.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“Yeah...isn’t it great?”
She listened as his breathing evened out, growing slow and deep. Silently tracing his features with her gaze—the straight nose and chiseled mouth, the firm jaw and strong cheekbones, the elegantly shaped eyes and arrogant slash of his eyebrows—she felt awed by the intensity of her feelings.
Gradually her own eyes grew heavy, and she leaned down and pulled the blanket over them. She settled a little closer and laid her hand on his broad chest, contentment running through her as she felt the steady beat of his heart against her palm. “I love you, Eli,” she whispered.
Within minutes, she was fast asleep.
And Eli came wide awake.
His heart thudding painfully, he lay frozen in place, the drowsiness that had almost overcome him only minutes earlier blown away by her soft declaration of love.
Damn, he thought savagely as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself staring straight at her sweetly sleeping face.
Why the hell did she have to say that?
And what the hell had he done?
Eleven
Monday was shaping up to be a scorcher, Eli thought as he leaned over Andrea Rand’s bright blue compact car. Although it was only half past ten and all the doors and windows in the garage were open in hopes of catching a cross breeze, the air inside felt dense and oppressive.
A little like the weight inside his chest.
He rolled his head, then resumed tightening the bolts holding Andrea’s new alternator in place. There was a certain irony to the job, he thought grimly. Given his current state of mind, it was just his luck to find himself working on a vehicle that belonged to somebody from the library.
Even here, in the one place at Willow Run he’d come to think of as his own, he couldn’t escape reminders of Norah. Or silence the voice that kept asking what he intended to do about her unwanted confession.
I love you, Eli.
He sighed. Yesterday had been one of the longest days of his life. But then, he’d been tired since he’d lam awake most of the preceding night, watching Norah sleep and repeating that single treacherous phrase over and over in his mind.
He had to admit that a part of him had wanted to cradle her c
lose and simply pretend he hadn’t heard what she said. Perhaps if he acted as though nothing had changed, they could continue to be lovers. After all, they were married.
Yet his recently discovered conscience wouldn’t have it. He cared about her, more than he’d ever cared for anyone except his daughter. He sure as hell didn’t want to hurt her.
But that was exactly what was going to happen if he didn’t do something and do it soon, he reminded himself sternly. She was just too trusting. Too trusting, too naive, too inclined to think the best of everything and everyone. Even him.
Especially him.
He gave the wrench a savage twist, then swore as it slipped off the bolt and he scraped his knuckles against the engine housing. He jerked his smarting hand to his mouth...and once again found himself remembering the night before last.
He’d finally awakened Norah in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Although she’d sleepily protested when he insisted they needed to go back to the house, she hadn’t resisted when he pulled her to her feet and zipped her into her dress. She’d even folded the blanket as he rolled the mattress and put it away. She’d allowed him to shepherd her down the ladder, along the wooded path and through Willow Run’s dark interior. Once at her bedroom door, she’d leaned bonelessly against him and kissed him good-night with all the sweetness of her soul.
If she’d wondered at his uncharacteristic silence or the sudden awkwardness of his manner, she hadn’t let on.
Nor had she broached the subject yesterday. Not when he’d stayed in his room past noon, pretending to sleep. Not when he’d made certain they were never alone during Chelsea’s softball game. Not when he’d spent the evening parked in front of the TV set, absorbed in a Mariners’ doubleheader right up until the moment when he’d stood, yawned and said he was going to bed.
By then her gaze had been troubled. But she still hadn’t pressed, which wasn’t surprising since confrontation wasn’t her usual style. However, he wasn’t fool enough to think she would be patient forever. If things kept on the way they were, she was bound to ask what the problem was.
What was he going to say?
That he really liked having sex with her, but he was afraid she was starting to get lust confused with love?
He could just imagine how that would go over. Yet he couldn’t very well continue to sleep with her, knowing how she felt and not say something.
So don’t sleep with her.
That idea lasted about as long as it took her image to flash through his mind. It was a nice idea, but impractical. Bottom line, he didn’t trust himself to keep his hands to himself.
A trickle of perspiration rolled between his shoulder blades. There was only one solution, he realized, reluctantly facing the truth as he picked up the wrench and went back to work on the bolts.
He and Chelsea would have to leave.
He set his jaw as the heavy feeling in his chest got worse.
You’ve got nobody but yourself to blame. Six weeks with the plainest, primmest woman in town and you couldn’t keep your pants zipped.
Except Norah wasn’t plain, he thought instantly. With her soft gray eyes, her shy smile and her satiny curves, she was as sweet and tantalizing as a summer peach. And she sure as heck wasn’t prim; she was a generous and inventive lover.
She just wasn’t for him. With a mounting sense of self-loathing, he recalled that first encounter in the car and how he’d known they weren’t right for each other. And how he’d suspected, even then, that she was too unfamiliar with physical pleasure not to confuse it with love.
It was just too damn bad he hadn’t listened to himself.
But he hadn’t. And there was no way he could change what had happened. All he could do was try to think of a way to end things now with the least amount of hurt to Norah.
Although, at the moment just how he was going to do that was beyond him.
Finally done with the bolts, he laid the wrench aside and straightened. He wiped his hands on the towel clipped to his belt and went to get Andrea’s battery, which was hooked to the charger.
He was at the counter when a flash of motion caught his eye. He turned, surprised to see Ezra Lampley standing in the doorway.
“Elijah.” The attorney inclined his head. Despite the heat, the old gent looked dapper in a three-piece summer-weight suit. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No. No problem,” Eli said mildly. “Is there another problem with your Caddy?”
“Not at all.” Skirting an oily patch on the floor, Lampley walked over and joined Eli at the counter. “I came for a different reason entirely. I suppose I should have called, but I’m on my way to see another client and I thought I’d take a chance on finding you here. I’ve brought you something. Something I believe you’ve been waiting for.” His eyes twinkling, he reached into his coat and drew a long envelope out of his breast pocket and offered it to Eli.
Eli took it, mystified, since the old man had already paid for the work on his car. One eyebrow raised in question, he looked down at the cellophane window and saw that the item inside had his name on it. And that the returnee was Security-TrustCo. He glanced abruptly at Lampley, then tore open the flap and pulled out the rectangular piece of pale green paper, stunned to find a check for far more than he’d dared to hope. Typed on the memo line was a notation that read, “Payment in full: Elijah Wilder/Wilder Automotive.”
He couldn’t believe it. A month and a half ago, getting this check would have meant everything. Now, however, its arrival felt flat and anticlimactic. He glanced up at the attorney. “I don’t understand,” he said slowly. “Why do you have this?”
“No great mystery,” the old man said easily. “I had some business at their branch office this morning. When it was mentioned that this was ready, I offered to bring it to you.”
“But why would they say anything to you?”
“Ah.” The attorney steepled his fingers. “I see Norah Jane never told you.”
“Told me what?”
“That she asked me to see if I could help things along. Unfortunately there wasn’t much I could do, other than calling an old friend or two, until the two of you decided to marry. Since then, I’ve been able to be a bit more effective.”
“Norah asked you to do this? When?”
The attorney knit his brows. “To be precise, it was right after you turned down her initial proposal.” He hesitated, suddenly looking uncertain. “I do hope you aren’t offended. Or view this as interfering in your business. I assure you it was done with only the best intentions in mind. Norah Jane was trying to help.”
Eli believed it, all right. It was just the sort of altruistic thing Boo would do.
Lampley glanced at his watch. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get going or I’ll be late to my other appointment.”
Eli saw him off with a mumbled goodbye and a distracted wave as a new thought occurred to him. He looked down at the check clutched in his hand.
Unwittingly Norah had provided him with the perfect reason to end things. One that didn’t involve lengthy or difficult explanations—although it would require a first-class performance.
For a second, that heavy feeling threatened to choke him.
He shrugged it off. He could do this.
He had to.
‘“And when winter comes, I watch the snow falling from the sky. Then I curl up in my hollow tree and dream about spring.”’ Smiling at the rapt faces of the preschoolers sitting at her feet, Norah gently shut the oversize copy of Ole Risom and Richard Scarry’s I am a Bunny and softly added, “The end.”
There was a moment of profound silence, quickly followed by a gratifying outburst of questions. “But how come Nicholas Bunny has to sleep in a tree?” little Mikey Manetti wanted to know.
“It was a hollow tree, Mikey,” Amberlee Corski corrected him importantly.
“Where was his mom and dad?” asked Lisbeth Mc-Donnahugh.
“Why does he wear red pants?” Shondra Ellis inquired.
He waggled his fingers at her, looking so enticingly masculine she completely forgot what she intended to say. “I—I think I’ll let Ms. Kulath answer your questions today,” she told the children, looking beseechingly at their day care teacher. “If that’s all right with you, Madeline?”
The other woman climbed amiably to her feet after a quick, knowing glance at Eli. “Certainly.” She walked to the front of the room and gave Norah a pat on the shoulder. “Go on, dear. I’ll take it from here.”
“Thanks.” Amid cries of “Bye, Mrs. Wilder!” Norah walked eagerly over to see Eli. “Hi. This is a pleasant surprise. What’s up?”
He straightened away from the bookcase. “I wondered if you had a few minutes. I need to talk to you.”
“Of course. We can go into my office—”
“No.” At her startled look, he said sheepishly, “I guess this may actually take more than a few minutes. Can you get away long enough for us to go somewhere private?”
She glanced at her watch. It was after eleven, close enough to qualify as lunchtime. “Sure. Let me talk to Andrea and get my purse.”
“If she gives you a hard time, point out that I’ve got her car.”
She smiled. “I will.”
“Good. I’ll wait for you out front.”
She watched him head for the door, her pulse a little erratic as she finally admitted how relieved she felt. He’d been quiet and withdrawn yesterday, and no matter how often she’d told herself he was simply tired and in need of some space—not surprising given everything that had happened—deep down she’d imagined all sorts of terrible things.