His self-control exploded at their first real touch in far too long. His hands glided down her sides and wrapped her tightly to his chest. Not good enough. I need to feel more of you, all of you. He guided her slowly toward the wall and pressed her lightly against it, his tongue still seeking its partner for the dance. Her soft curves welcomed him home and he nudged her more tightly between himself and the wall that was now her main means of remaining upright. He groaned as her tongue began to slide alongside his.
–I’ve needed this, baby… wanted this… you… wanted you… only you…
Her hands fisted in his hair, pulling him deeper into the spell that was her kiss. JT heard her thoughts as clearly as if she’d whispered them into his ear.
** I’ve longed for you, too. It’s not right, it’s not easy, it’s not fair. But the answer to my soul lives in your heart.
Her breath fanned stronger over his cheek, mirroring his own escalating rhythm as the coiled passion threatened to break free. He ground into her, tattooing his skin with her sweet contours. He knew time was short and this couldn’t go on.
Gathering all his strength, he withdrew, then tugged gently at her lips with his own, winding down with a frustrated groan to lightly graze her full mouth. He tucked her gently into his arms, resting his cheek on top of her head, and willed his breathing to slow.
“God, JT, how are we going to get through this? I feel like I’m going insane,” she murmured against his chest.
“Easy,” he whispered. “We get through it by getting through it, one day at a time. Don’t try to live through tomorrow before it gets here, and tomorrow will take care of itself.” He sighed and pulled her closer, then laid a gentle kiss on her hair. “C’mon, love. I have to check out, and you’d better be getting back.”
She shook her head into his broad chest.
**No. I don’t want to go back. Can I be someone else for a while? I want a vacation from my life. I used to be able to escape, to be in another body, another place, but that turned out to be yours. Now, even if I took that dreamland break, I couldn’t get away. The problems would be the same, I’d only be seeing them through your eyes instead.
Again she shook her head no.
**Let me just stay in the safety of your arms for a little while longer, keep the illusion that this is normal for a few more minutes.
“Love, we have to,” he said. A shiver tripped down her spine as his throat rumbled against the crown of her head. “They’ll be coming to kick me out soon.”
She didn’t move. “I never wanted this, JT,” she murmured into his shirt. “Not like this. But now I don’t know how I can ever want it to end. To find out that all along you were real…” Her sigh pierced his heart.
His arms tightened around her. “We won’t end, Kori. We were inevitable, don’t you, especially you, see that? You’ve been traipsing around my mind and invading my life for damn near most of it. We had to find one another.”
– and now that we have, do you honestly think I’d ever let you go? I ache for you…
Kori felt the truth in his words; she let out a soft sound and turned her head a fraction, nestling her ear into his chest. She heard his heart begin to thud harder against his ribs, and the indelible bulge pressing just above her hipbone twitched and grew more stony. He hugged her tighter; she shifted her weight from one foot to the other to keep her balance.
Sweet God in heaven. JT clenched his teeth against the groan that threatened as her movement rubbed against him in all the right places. He sandwiched her more firmly to the wall and ground into her hip, trying to find relief from the increasing throb in his pants. He knew that would only make it worse, and it did, but he had to do something to quell the brimming agony of her soft curves pushing so deeply into him. “Bloody fucking hell,” he mumbled shakily into her hair.
She twisted her face up to look at him. “Kiss me one more time, JT,” she murmured in a voice soaked with desire. “Please.”
Her breathy pleading demolished his resolve. “Oh fuck it,” he mumbled before once again claiming her full lips. There was no longing in this kiss, no tender begging for just a little more. His hunger raged harsh and strong and she met it head on, moaning softly as his tongue ravaged her mouth.
Her hands dragged a slow path from his waist to curve around his hard-muscled hips, drawing him deeper into her welcoming softness. JT unhinged.
–You’re gonna make me… Jesus FUCK, woman… are you trying to… oh, hell…
He pressed into her more fiercely and ground against the flare of her hipbone, desperate to slake his impossible need. “Dammit, Kori,” he growled into her lips, “if we don’t stop…”
“Shhh,” she breathed, snaking a hand forward to press over his straining zipper. “Just go with it, JT.”
He groaned as her hand began to move. He kissed her furiously, barely breathing in shallow pants when she palmed him harder through the tight denim. The rubbing came faster as she felt him stiffen and dig his fingers into her back.
–You can’t want me to actually… oh but love I’m… I’m gonna come in my pants… holy fucking CHRIST Kori…
She squeezed him tightly one last time as he began to tremble and quake, his tongue marauding deeply through her lips and his breath falling in uneven little grunts across her cheek.
He felt her smile against his mouth; he pulled back to stare at her, dumbfounded.
Before he could find his voice again, a sharp knock sounded from the door. “Mr. Blackwood, sir?” called a female voice. “We need to have you check out right now so the maid can make up the room.” She was met with silence.
“Mr. Blackwood? It’s ten o’clock, sir,” the voice called again.
He sighed and hoped the shakiness in his voice would be muffled by the door. “I’ll be down momentarily. I…” he exhaled through pursed lips, “I just need to dress.”
Kori pulled her hand away to stifle a snorting giggle.
****
Kori smirked as she bent to retrieve her discarded cigarette from the carpet. She picked up JT’s lighter from the table and used it, thought about stuffing it in her pocket since he owed her so many of them, then decided to let him keep it until he lost it as he inevitably would. She sat on the edge of the bed to wait; he was in the bathroom getting presentable again.
JT inspected his jeans for wearability; finding no telltale spots, he tugged them back on over a fresh pair of briefs.
What in the hell got into me a few minutes ago, anyway? I mean, what would you call THAT? He grinned. Kori. Kori and lust. He shook his head, the goofy smile still in place, and checked his appearance in the bathroom mirror. “Look at you, Blackwood,” he mumbled. “Smiling like a damned idiot.”
Still, the grin persisted. He couldn’t help it. He was relaxed and happy for the first time in ages, despite the holiday predicament he had yet to resolve.
As he turned and reached for the knob, he heard her call through the door. “You okay in there, JT? You need a hand to finish up?” The laughter in her voice danced in his ears.
He twisted the knob and stepped out. “No. Absolutely not. I think your hand has done enough for now.” His eyes raked up her lounging form and settled on the face he saw every night in his dreams. Her teeth tugged at the corner of her lip and her cheeks flushed a light pink but she held his steady gaze. Is she embarrassed?
He watched as her pupils grew to enormous black islands in a sea of turquoise and the expression in them changed, softening and sharpening both at once. Although it’d been weeks since he’d seen it anywhere but in his imagination, he recognized that smoldering look and inwardly groaned at the twitching response from his groin. Embarrassed? Not by a long shot. She’s not done with me yet. And I’ve got to sleep on her sofa tonight. Bloomin’ hell…
“Kori?”
“Hmm?” she responded as she crushed out her cigarette.
“You smell sufficiently smoky to justify why you were here, and I still have to check out.”
She
kept her eyes trained to his and the hunger in them didn’t change. “Yeah, I know,” she sighed. She made no move to get up.
“So, much as I’d love to stay and ravish you until the sun comes up tomorrow, we have to go. Now.” Dammit.
“I know that, too,” she smiled, but stayed where she was, laying back on her elbows on the bed.
He took a step closer, knowing it was dangerous but unwilling to let her challenge go unanswered. “So what are you waiting for then, love?” he asked, silky and low.
She cocked her head to the side and favored him with a slight smile. “For you to help a lady to her feet.”
Oh shit. Closer? Touching? Not a good idea, JT, not a good idea at all. He leaned a bit and held out his hands for her to take.
Her smile widened as she reached up to grasp them; too late he saw the flames dance higher in her eyes as, with the lightest of tugs, she had him off-balance and pulled him down on top of her.
JT’s face landed in the soft curve of her shoulder. He breathed in her captivating scent, felt the silky skin under his lips; yearning and responsibility warred for control. The thought of a third embarrassing knock at the door had him almost rational, then she tilted her head ever so slightly and sighed as his lips settled deeper into her neck. Discretion flew out the window and he impulsively nipped at the velvety skin. Sweet Christ…
Kori freed one of her hands from his and twined it into his hair, drawing him in further. He groaned as his senses filled with her. He rained tiny kisses over her throat.
“I love you, JT,” she murmured, her breath tickling in his ear.
His head spun with longing. A tiny voice of reason piped up through the haze; he told it to go fuck itself, but somehow it gained control of his voice anyway. “But, Kori,” he raggedly breathed into her skin.
“I want you,” she whispered, her free hand sliding down his spine to settle on the small of his back.
He was almost undone; he’d needed to hear those words from her for too long. “Lord, Kori, we can’t.” He tried to quash the aching desire. There just isn’t time.
She slipped the hand from his back to curve around the fullness behind his zipper. “I think you want me, too.” She squeezed gently.
“Holy shit, love,” he moaned, gathering all his resolve to not grind into her warm palm. “You know I do.”
She squeezed him again, then froze at the sound of the outer room door swinging open. “Mr. Blackwood? If you’re still in here, we’ve come to clean the room, sir.”
JT flew to his feet, thankful that they were both still fully clothed. “I was just doing a final check, making sure I hadn’t left anything behind.” His eyes widened and he quirked a brow at Kori where she lay on the bed.
– Get UP… and not one smartass comment, so help me, Kori…
She responded with a wink and rose slowly, picking up one of his smaller bags from the bed and slinging its long strap over her shoulder. “Let’s take these to my room first, okay?” she said, her voice a dusky purr.
JT groaned inwardly and picked up his other suitcases without a word. This is going to be one helluva long night on that couch.
He tossed the maid a lopsided smile as they exited the room. “Sorry, leaving in such a rush always makes me feel that I’ve not gotten everything.” He noted Kori’s smirk and thought as loudly as he could.
– Not one bloomin’ word, Kori…
She was quiet as they trundled the bags down the hall and into her suite, but he could feel the facetious comments swirling through her mind. I don’t wanna hear it, I DON’T wanna hear it… He sighed as they set down the bags just inside the door.
Zach looked up as they entered. “What’s up, Mom?” he asked, eyeing JT’s luggage.
“Is your father up yet?” she skirted.
“He’s a little restless and groany, but he’s still in bed.” He looked at JT for answers, instead. “Are you sleeping over, JT?”
JT chuckled at the innocent question and the images it conjured forth. “Uh, yeah, actually, I’m borrowing your couch for tonight. Seems I’m a bit stuck.”
“Cool,” Zach smiled and went back to his magazine.
****
JT left for the front desk to check out and ask them to redirect his calls to her room. He adjusted his pants as he walked and did his best to cool down, entertaining thoughts of his mum and of being chastised by their vertically challenged tour manager with his irritating voice and annoying brogue. This is going to be one long fucking night.
****
No way in hell. A disaster waiting to happen. If I can’t make it through those few minutes alone in his room, Christmas is going to kill me. Kori rolled onto her back in the darkened room and stared up at the ceiling, barely discernible in the gloom. I still cannot believe Mark did that. Not that he had any valid reason not to, and how could I protest? “No, JT, you can’t come to our house for the holiday. I can’t be that close to you, so you have to be alone.” Yeah, that would’ve gone over really well.
She glanced over at her husband where he lay next to her in the bed and listened to his shallow, uneven breathing. I know you meant well, honey. You just have no idea what you’ve thrust me into. And may you never find out.
I’m glad nobody noticed how I about choked on my soda when Mark asked JT to stay with us during the holiday break. Good thing I’d set it down when Zach told JT he could sleep in his bed so that his feet wouldn’t hang off the end of the couch.
And did JT have to look so damn eager? Christ! Looking relieved I could understand… but I heard what he was thinking. Shit, it was loud enough. I’m pretty sure Zach didn’t hear him, though. I don’t think he’s that good at keeping a pokerface yet. Thank God. That’s all I need, to have to explain what JT meant by “I’m sure I can arrange for some time alone with you, love, to finish what we started. That is, if you make me wait ‘til we get there to finish it.”
They’ve got me so torn apart, the two of them. It’s a hell of a thing to realize that my heart can’t be whole again until the man I pledged to spend my life with is dead and buried.
She threw back the blankets and slid from the bed. She knew sleep was a long way off and lying in bed next to her softly snoring husband was pure torture.
****
Kori hid her smile behind tented fingers as she watched him sleeping. JT’s legs were too long for this sofa, too. He lay prone with his feet propped on a pillow so they wouldn’t dangle off the end. His hands were tucked under his head, one elbow stuck out over the floor, and he had a hint of a smile on his face.
I wonder if he’s dreaming?
She’d only come out to see if her fellow night owl was awake and might want to talk for a while. One whisper of his name told her that he wasn’t, but she sat in the easychair anyway, just looking at him. It was better than lying awake in bed and wishing she could sleep. It seemed everyone else in the suite was enjoying the privilege denied to her so often of late. Sleep. Sweet, wonderful sleep.
She heard him murmur something indiscernible and he shifted a bit, dragging his foot from its perch on the arm and resting his bent knee against the back of the sofa.
Hmm… now I think he’s solidly caught in a dream…
No, I shouldn’t.
I would be doing the very thing that I’ve gotten furious with him for.
Except that I can do it without waking him up. And, in truth, without him even knowing that it wasn’t just one of his own overheated dreams.
She darted her gaze around the room, just to make sure that she was the only one awake, then loosely folded her hands in her lap and let her eyes drift closed. She shifted her awareness and probed gently into his thoughts.
He’s dreaming about the first time he invaded my sleep on the tourbus and how upset I was by it. I’m guessing this particular memory was dredged up from my zipper rubdown that left him messy..
I believe it’s time to tinker…
The smile curved a little wider at the corners of her mouth.
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She let his dream unfold, watching for the perfect moment to jump in and nudge it in a different direction.
(I’ve never invaded anyone’s dreams on purpose before. This feels very strange, experiencing a memory we share but through his eyes, and with his emotions running alongside mine.)
A sense of peace tinged by an edge of shame, wishing he hadn’t had to resort to self-satisfaction… annoyance that his fresh shirt wasn’t clean anymore and he’d likely have to change it…
His eyes drifting up her body after she tromped into the room… thinking that she’s getting too thin and feeling a brush of anger that she was hurting herself, despite understanding that she wasn’t doing it on purpose…
The strangeness of feeling longing and desire when she looked upon herself with his eyes…
(I’ll let it play on a little longer. Time it just right, Kori. We’re almost there…)
“I’m sorry, I guess I should have knocked first,” she said as pink stained her cheeks.
JT couldn’t help but smile, noting where she was looking and realizing her embarrassment arose from knowing what he was trying to wipe from his t-shirt. It didn’t help matters that he’d left his zipper down, too. “Nice to know I can still make you blush, love.
Kori closed the door. “It seems you can make me do lots of things, JT.”
(NOW, Kori thought. Time to give that push…)
JT sat up, leaning his elbows on his crisscrossed legs and captured her eyes.
(God, even in a dream that look can make my stomach drop into my socks.)
He raised a brow as his stare intensified. “Really, love? And what else have I made you do just recently?” he rumbled softly.
“I think you already know the answer to that,” she replied, feeling her body respond to the heat rippling off of him. Her gaze shifted to the pale marks still evident on the front of his shirt.
JT flickered his eyes down to where she was looking, then back up to hers again. Kori could almost smell the ozone from the flying sparks. He sighed; she could feel his slight embarrassment at having been caught. “No, Kori, I really don’t. Why don’t you tell me, sweetheart?”
Dream Me Off My Feet (Sex, Love, And Rock & Roll) Page 42
