by Eden Bradley
"What about you? Have you ever been married?"
"Me? No. I move around too much. No woman in her right mind would put up with me."
He sounded as though he were trying to convince her of his unsuitability. He only confirmed her assumption that he wouldn't be around for long. But why not enjoy him while she could? She stuffed her emotions down, vowed to lock them away and not think about the future. He was here now, and the present was a very pleasant place to be.
* * *
The following weeks were a haze of blazing days and sultry nights. Leigh spent nearly every weeknight in Jared's bed, and weekends they rarely left it at all. He'd accomplished little unpacking, and colorful take-out menus littered the tops of the boxes piled around his house.
Leigh hardly noticed. All she knew was that this man did things to her body no one had ever done before. She awoke each morning sore all over, yet wanting more. Every moment of the day seemed to be infused with sensuality.
Jared had awakened her senses, and there was no shutting them down, whether she was with him or not. On the few evenings he was away, her body yearned for him, demanding satisfaction. She had to stand in the shower, her soap-slicked hand rubbing furiously between her thighs, until, thinking of him, she came in a fierce explosion.
But more than that, she missed him. She tried not to. But every cell in her being needed him; her heart as much as her body. Thankfully, their evenings apart were rare.
On July 4th they walked down to the Santa Monica Pier to see the fireworks. The weather was perfect, the summer heat giving way to a cooling breeze. They arrived early, and were treated to a spectacular sunset while they sat on a blanket and drank champagne.
Giddy with the champagne, Leigh smiled when Jared pulled her to sit between his legs. She leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around her, his hands coming to rest beneath her breasts.
Her body tingled while darkness settled around them, while the crowd along the beach hummed with expectation. She didn't move when Jared's fingers began to tease one nipple through her light gauze top. Her nipple stiffened and she moaned.
He whispered in her ear, "When I get you home I'm going to fuck you so hard you'll come for an hour. What do you think of that?"
"I think we can leave now."
"Naughty girl. You'll have to wait until the fireworks are over." He gave her nipple a firm pinch before pulling his hand away.
"You're so cruel."
"Poor girl. You're a tortured soul."
"I am," she pouted.
"Then we shall have to do something about that."
He reached into the leather backpack they'd brought along and pulled out a beach towel, which he draped over her lap.
"Jared? What--"
"Shh. Watch the sky. The show's about to begin."
The air rumbled and a fiery shower of color burst in the darkness over the ocean. The crowd applauded. Jared's hand crept beneath the hem of Leigh's short skirt.
His fingers were cool against the hot skin of her thighs. He moved upward. She parted her legs to accommodate him. And let out a gasp when he thrust his fingers into her waiting pussy.
"Quiet, darlin'. There are a thousand people here."
"Yes," she breathed. That made it even better.
She rocked her hips to take his fingers more fully inside her. Her sex squeezed when he began to slide them in and out.
When he positioned his hand so that his thumb pressed on her clit, she had to suck in her breath to keep from crying out.
The fireworks exploded above them, the force of the launchers shaking the ground. The crowd oohed and ahhed. And still Jared worked her with his fingers, his thumb circling her throbbing clit. She moved against his hand.
Jared whispered, "Come for me, darlin'. Come into my hand. Fuck my hand. Yes, that's it."
When the finale rocketed into the sky in an electric burst of red, white and blue, Leigh's orgasm rocketed through her. Jared plunged his fingers deeper inside her, driving her on as she came. She squeezed her eyes shut, bit her lip to muffle her cry, then went limp against him. She was trembling. Her pussy was still in the last throes, convulsing around his fingers.
"God, Jared. You are wicked," she panted.
"I pride myself on that. I'll have you converted yet, my girl."
Her heart turned over at those possessive words. No, it's just sex. But it was getting harder and harder to convince herself of that.
He pulled his fingers from her, then one by one, put them in his mouth and sucked them clean. "You taste so good. Like summer."
She was still shaking. "Can we go now?"
"Yes!"
* * *
Later, in his bed, they dined on cold chicken and washed it down with more champagne. He had fucked her hard and long, as promised. Leigh's thighs trembled and her sex ached.
But more than that, her heart ached. She loved this simple, companionable comfort. Things were always easy between them. They laughed together, often talked late into the night after they were both worn out from sex.
She knew this was a temporary arrangement, so there weren't the usual questions hanging in the air between them: Where is this relationship going? How do you feel about me?
Leigh knew how she felt. And she knew Jared wasn't the kind of man who got into anything permanent, so she pushed her feelings aside. Despite the incredible sex, the easy companionship, the laughter, the many things they had in common.
No, despite all that, he wasn't for her. He would move on eventually. And take a piece of her heart with him.
"Leigh." His deep voice broke through her reverie.
"Hmm?"
"I'm leaving soon."
"What?" She bolted upright, blood pounding in her head.
"I'm going to Paris."
"Paris?"
"I've been offered a project. It's a book of architectural photography, a variety of photographers. Some of the best in the world. And my agent managed to get me a show there at the same time."
"Oh." She swallowed, hard, the disappointment and the hurt going down like acid.
He reached out and tipped her chin up with his hand. "Look, darlin', I'm sorry to go. But this is a brilliant opportunity for me."
"I know that." She was furious when tears thickened her voice.
"Oh, now, don't do that. I can't bear it."
He leaned in and kissed her mouth, kissed her tear-damp eyes, her hot forehead. Her heart twisted at his tender touch.
He pulled away and looked into her eyes. For a moment she thought she saw something in the dark brown depths of his gaze. A glimpse of emotion. But she knew it was only her own wishful thinking.
"When do you go?"
"On Friday."
"So soon?" That was only two days away.
"I just got the news. And I don't think long goodbyes do anyone any good. Leigh, you knew I'd be leaving eventually, didn't you? I never led you to think otherwise."
"No, you didn't. I've always appreciated your honesty."
"Right then. Can we enjoy the next two days? Do you want to be here with me?"
"Yes. Of course." If only he knew how much.
"That's my girl." He rubbed a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. "I've had the most wonderful summer with you. You're an incredible woman, Leigh."
"Don't say that. Please."
"It's true."
Then why wasn't he staying with her?
Jared lay back on the bed and pulled her on top of him. He kissed her again, softly. His lips were so sweet and so fine against hers. He tasted faintly of the sparkling wine they'd been drinking all evening. Her body heated up, despite her aching heart.
"Make love with me, Leigh," he whispered.
He'd never called it that before. It was always fucking. But who was she to protest?
She slid her body against his, her already tight, hard nipples grazing his chest. He cupped her bottom in his big hands, and pulled her hips into his heavy erection.
"Ah, Leigh," h
e groaned.
She reached into the nightstand and found a condom, slipped it over his thick shaft, and positioned her wet sex over him. She needed to feel him inside her. Needed to have at least that much of him.
She parted her lips with her fingers and slid onto the hard length of him, his cock filling her. He reached up and took her face in his hands, drew her down for another kiss.
When his tongue pushed into her mouth, meeting and twining with hers, she began to move. His hands threaded through her hair, caressed the back of her neck, her shoulders, while she rocked her hips against him.
This was different, she thought, even as the familiar stab of pleasure shot through her. He was different. Was she fooling herself into believing that he felt something for her, too? That he was going to miss her the way she missed him even now?
He thrust into her, faster and faster. His pelvis ground against her clit, and the pressure built quickly. And when she came, pleasure crashing over her like the waves of the ocean, she cried his name out loud.
And moments later he stiffened beneath her, pulled her body close to his, her breasts crushing against the hard wall of his chest. And her name escaped his lips on a long sigh.
Chapter 7
Leigh didn't see him again. She realized the morning after Jared had given her the news that it would just be too difficult. When she told him about her decision, he didn't argue. That hurt.
In her girlish fantasies, he would have fought for her. But this was no fantasy. This was real life. And the truth was, he didn't want her. She'd known from the start it would end this way. That along with the sultry heat, he would be gone at the end of summer.
But she still wanted him, on every level. Her body still trembled with need whenever she thought of him. His tall, hard-packed body, his fathomless brown eyes, his hot, kissable mouth, the silken shaft of his cock. And her hands would find her soaking wet cleft, massaging and pinching her clit until she came in a shivering torrent.
Even worse was the yearning in her heart, in her head. She couldn't sleep. She missed him in a terrible gut-wrenching way that drained all of her energy. She couldn't stop thinking about him, even for a moment.
Was this obsession? Maybe so. But there were reasons why she felt the way she did about Jared. Why she loved him with all her heart. Her aching body. Her soul.
He was everything she could want in a man: kind, funny, creative, confident. He was the sexiest man she had ever met, and it was more than his big body, tight with muscle. Or even his beautiful face and deep, dark eyes. It was something about the way he carried himself, the way he moved. The way he smelled. Her mouth watered and her sex clenched just thinking about it.
And he made her feel about herself all of the things her ex never had: sexy, smart, beautiful. Maybe because he saw her that way.
But it wasn't enough to make him stay, was it?
The morning of Jared's scheduled departure Leigh moved about her house like a wraith. She couldn't seem to sit still. She was too full of grief. She was afraid if she allowed herself to stop moving, the grief would take over and she'd never get it under control again. It sat like a stone in her chest. Heavy, burdening her every breath.
She kept away from the windows. She couldn't bear to see him pull away in the cab. She'd already imagined that horrible, sad scenario in her head too many times during her sleepless night.
By ten A.M. the heat of the day was already stifling. She went to open her kitchen door to let some air in. And there he was.
Her breath caught in her throat and she was sure she'd never breathe again. He was too beautiful, standing there.
"Hallo, Leigh."
"Please Jared. I can't do this."
"I can't either."
"What?"
He took her arm, pushed past her into the house, pulling her with him. They stood in her small kitchen. He took something out of his back pocket and put it into her numb hands.
"Come with me."
The warmth from his hand on her arm was seeping into her skin. He smelled like Jared. Like clean skin and sex. She thought her legs might go out from under her. What had he just said? She glanced down and realized she held a pair of plane tickets.
"Go? Go where?" She couldn't seem to make sense of his words.
"To Paris. To Paris now, and later, wherever. Wherever you want."
His dark gaze locked onto hers and her shocked brain finally understood that he was serious. His fingers stroked her cheek, and it was a moment before she realized he was wiping away the tears that fell there.
"I can't go without you. I won't do it. Say you'll come. I love you, Leigh. I've never said those words to anyone else. I've never wanted to. Say those tears mean you love me. Say you'll come."
Her heart was filling up slowly, with a warm joy that consumed her. He loved her! Looking into his eyes she could see it there. His expression was intense, hopeful. It was the first time she had ever seen him unsure about anything. She wanted to kiss him, had to.
His lips were soft, more pliant than they'd ever been before. But he tasted the same. Like the man she loved. His arms went around her and pulled her into his big body. And she felt safe. And loved. And she would follow him to the ends of the earth.
She pulled away long enough to whisper, "I love you, Jared."
He crushed his mouth to hers once more, and that sultry heat flooded her body. She melted against him.
"And yes, I'll go," she told him when she could. "But there's one thing that just can't wait. Love me, Jared."
"I do, my girl."
And he did.
~ ~ ~
Eden Bradley writes erotica and sensual romance in between her duties as book review editor and member liaison at RomanceDivas.com, where she has published several articles on writing love scenes. She is also the author of Cherokee Cowboy, a steamy romance novel from New Age Dimensions Publishing (December 2005), written under the pen name Lisa Bradley.
She lives in sunny Southern California with the love of her life and a small menagerie.
When not busy writing, she enjoys a sybaritic life of cooking, eating, gardening, shopping, traveling, lounging and reading everything she can get her hands on. She particularly adores sultry, sensual stories of love.
Please visit her website at: www.edenbradleyerotica.com
