Red Shoes & A Diary

by Mia Zachary

  Hello, Elise.

  When she slid off the bed onto her knees, a light sweat broke out on his skin. She leaned toward him, a wicked smile playing on her full red lips. Her tongue extended from between her lips, and she touched the very tip of it to the very tip of his penis.

  He gasped and arched his hips forward, but Meghan grinned and backed out of reach. Over and over, she pleasured him with nothing but the briefest flick of her tongue. He thought he’d lose his mind from wanting more.

  She looked up, coyly tilting her head. “Do I have to tie you down to keep you from wiggling?”

  The very thought of being restrained for her pleasure damn near sent him over the edge. He knew his voice sounded strained and a little desperate. “Save the kinky stuff. We can play Mistress Elise and her Love Slave some other time.”

  “Mistress. Elise.” She tilted her head, her brow furrowed as she regarded him. “Where did you come up with that?”

  “Your luggage tags. Can we talk about this after you—”

  She took him completely into her mouth. Alex shuddered and threw his head back, his fingers tangled in her short curls. When she made humming noises in the back of her throat, he was close, so close to losing it.

  He shut his eyes and thought about baseball, tax returns, crabgrass…anything except how fantastic her lips felt around him. Another minute of oral sex and he’d finish before he got started. As much as it pained him to leave the warmth of her mouth, he wanted to see to her pleasure.

  This was supposed to be her night. He drew in a ragged breath as he pulled away and raised her to her feet. After laying her on the pillows, he tugged off her panties and lay down beside her.

  He gathered her into his arms and felt her heart pounding against his chest. Her warm, soft curves molded to the contours of his body perfectly. Holding her, he was shaken by the sense of rightness. Like that second of anticipation just before lightning strikes, he was standing at the edge of a precipice.

  Years of undercover work had trained him to use his head, suppress his feelings. He’d always held a part of himself back. He had to. But with Meghan it was different. He was different. He wanted to be a part of her life, to become a part of her and she of him. The power of his emotions left him both stunned and disoriented.

  Damned if he wasn’t falling in love.

  9

  He takes me quickly, takes me roughly, takes me over the edge. I face his passion and equal it with my own.

  SHE WAS ON THE VERGE of internal combustion, and Nick wanted to cuddle. This wasn’t exactly the frenzied sex scenario she’d envisioned. Meghan grabbed a handful of his tush, urging him forward. His leg hairs tickled her inner thighs when he shifted. She shivered with anticipation when he positioned himself between her spread legs, supporting his weight on his elbows.

  His large body pressed hers into the mattress. Far from uncomfortable, she welcomed his weight. He kissed the sensitive column of her throat and arousal shot her pulse into overdrive. She uttered a frustrated groan and wiggled her hips. She’d never before felt this hot, this ready, so fast. If he didn’t take her soon she would… She’d bite him.

  Frenzied with need, she clutched his shoulders and rubbed against him. She couldn’t get close enough. She wanted him inside her. The waiting was going to make her insane, she just knew it. Ducking her head into the hollow of his neck, she nipped his collarbone.

  “Ouch! What was that for?”

  “Touch me, taste me, take me. Now!”

  When she arched against him, his erection grazed her clitoris. Her breasts were heavy and aching for attention, the nipples hard against his chest. Burying her fingers in his soft, wavy hair, she pushed his head lower.

  He didn’t need any more encouragement. She groaned as he enthusiastically suckled her nipples and licked her breasts. When he trailed his open mouth down her chest and over her ribs, she discovered new erogenous zones. His sharp teeth gently nibbled her belly in revenge as he moved farther down her body.

  Meghan half gasped, half moaned at the first touch of his mouth to the damp, swollen flesh. She’d never let anyone do this before. She wiggled and squirmed until he finally looked up, gripping her thighs tightly to keep her still.

  “You asked me to taste you.” His voice was rough-edged with desire. “Now lie back and let me.”

  She relaxed and lost herself in the sensations his wickedly clever tongue created. Her hips began to move against his mouth, dictating the rhythm. His strong hands imprisoned her as she quivered in response to his intimate attention.

  “Oh…yes.” Her breath came in harsh gasps. Her body strained for release. Her fingers flexed, tangling in the damp threads of his hair, holding his head in place. When his tongue delved inside her, her whole being caught fire and a familiar tightening began in her belly.

  She’d felt this tingling, tugging pressure before, but never with a partner. The joy of it almost brought tears to her eyes as Nick coaxed her toward a quickly escalating climax. She couldn’t think, she could only feel, as she shuddered with the most incredible orgasm she’d ever experienced.

  Meghan lay panting while she returned to earth, both relieved and amazed at her body’s response. She wanted to feel this way forever. Opening her eyes, she saw a smug grin tugging at the corners of his damp mouth.

  “Wow. That was… Wow.”

  “We’re just getting started, Trouble.”

  His tone was filled with male arrogance, like he’d just conquered Mt. Everest. He looked so proud of himself that she couldn’t resist teasing him. She feigned a cynical expression, raising one brow and turning down the corner of her mouth.

  “You can’t possibly do better than that.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  Nick lunged forward to capture her lips in a hot, greedy kiss. Raw hunger built inside her as she explored his mouth. The first orgasm had only increased her desire. Tickling his ribs, she used the element of surprise to flip herself on top of his sexy body. Pinning his wrists over his head, she returned his smug grin.

  “You’re at my mercy now, mister, and I intend to have my way with you.”

  She trailed her fingertips along the skin inside of his forearm. Her hands slid from the column of his long neck over the wide expanse of his shoulders to the heavy muscles of his biceps. She caressed the flat, well-defined planes of his abs before moving on to his narrow hips and hard, toned thighs.

  Beneath her hands she sensed his leashed strength and knew that he was indulging her. For now. Gazing into his light green eyes, she saw both tenderness and challenge. Meghan acknowledged the subtle power play, knowing that in the end they’d both win.

  Nick raised himself up, trying to capture her left breast in his mouth. Maneuvering just out of reach, she reveled in the frustration on his face. Joining their hands so the fingers interlocked, she forced his arms back over his head.

  This time he lay passive, watching her. She liked the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the heat of his gaze as he looked at her. She brushed her lips against his, seducing him with her tongue. He tasted of cinnamon; he tasted of her.

  She leaned over to lick his neck, then gently blew on the wet spots. Nick shivered beneath her but remained still when she rubbed her breasts over his chest. She felt every muscle in his body go taut and a groan escaped his throat in a slow, ragged breath. A light sweat covered their skin where their bodies touched. The heat building between them was enough to scorch the sheets.

  Without releasing his hands, she eased her lower body toward his lap, watching his face while her damp flesh slid down his belly. He lifted his hips and his rigid shaft made contact with the tiny bud of flesh at the core of her need.

  Meghan rubbed herself along his length, intensifying the pleasure and prolonging their satisfaction. His entire frame vibrated beneath her. Then he whispered a single word, his voice hoarse and darkly sensual.

  “Mercy.”

  She experienced a sense of power as old as Eve, realizing she could a
ffect a man this way. Even more exhilarating was knowing she affected Nick this way. It looked like her training was over. She was a real Sex Goddess now. Triumphant, she began to take him inside her. Instead he gently broke her grip on his wrists and eased her aside.

  “Wait. Gotta get something.”

  Reclining on her elbows, she laughed out loud when she saw the label on the box in his hand. “A thirty-six pack of extra large with sensation ribs? You really believe in being prepared.”

  “I got them for you.”

  She tried to snort in disbelief but the feel of his warm, clever fingers caressing her was a wonderful distraction. She opened one of the foil packages and tossed the wrapper aside. “Lie back. I read this in a book once and always wanted to try it.”

  He stiffened when her teeth scraped his vulnerable flesh, then groaned in surprised delight as she unrolled the condom onto him using only her mouth.

  “You’re killing me, Trouble.”

  “Don’t the French call an orgasm le petit mort—?”

  “No more talking.”

  With one arm about her waist, Nick flipped her over and nestled his body between her spread thighs. She arched her back when he entered her slick passage, her body adjusting to the way he stretched her, filled her.

  Crying out in need, in relief, the pleasure of his possession overwhelmed her. He began rocking his hips in a deliberate, sensuous rhythm that she quickly matched. Then he drew his knees closer, slowed the pace, changed the angle of penetration.

  “Open your eyes, Meghan. Look at us.”

  He levered himself onto his elbows and she raised her head to watch. It was incredibly erotic to both see and feel their bodies join and separate. Again she experienced the wondrous aching, the quickening in her belly.

  He must have felt it too because he accelerated the tempo, increased the glorious grinding pleasure. Wild and wanton, she reveled in his hard, fast thrusts. Wrapping her legs tightly around his pistoning hips, her hands clutched at the sweat-slick muscles of his back.

  “More. Please.” She barely recognized her own voice as she urged him on.

  “Everything I have, sweetheart.”

  He growled the promise while shifting his body slightly. Nick reached his right hand between their sweaty bodies until his thumb found the catalyst that intensified her enjoyment. He rubbed and stroked the nub of flesh in languid circles. At the same time, he plunged himself deeper, again and again.

  The orgasm shuddered through her, rocking her to the core. Her vaginal muscles clamped down on him, contracting almost painfully against his large size. A sensual wave crested over her, followed by tremors of ecstasy.

  Eyes closed, his features tense, he moved faster, pushed harder. She felt the telltale pulsating inside her that preceded his climax. Holding her like the only anchor in a storm, his whole body stiffened. A triumphant groan escaped his throat when he found his own release.

  After a few mind-numbing moments, she felt her soul return. Breathing hard, Nick still lay buried inside her. Meghan closed her eyes, tried to catch her breath. Too overwhelmed to speak, she was filled with a sense of gratitude, elation and wonder.

  She’d hoped for amazing sex, but the emotional intensity had caught her off guard. It was probably a side effect. She’d opened herself—literally—to the most intimate contact possible. Of course she would feel a little poignant afterward.

  The important thing was not to get caught up in it.

  “NO. NO!”

  Meghan jerked awake at the sound of an angry shout. Her heart thudded in her chest. For a moment she was disoriented, her eyes struggling to focus and make sense of the darkness.

  “Don’t do it…”

  The words were cold, razor-sharp. The harsh tone made her shiver. She raised herself on one elbow and looked over at Nick lying beside her. Moonlight shone through the bedroom window onto his face. His amicable charm was gone, replaced by a hard mask. His jaw was clenched, his brows drawn together in a scowl. She jerked away from what she saw, not recognizing the man she’d just had sex with.

  “Michael Collins in Jackson…” He muttered the name under his breath as he stirred restlessly in his sleep. “Andy Ruiz in El Paso. Nick… Alex…”

  She leaned a little closer, reached out tentatively to pat his shoulder. “What? Who are you talking about?”

  “Sorry, Greg… So damned sorry…”

  Her fear dissipated when she heard his remorse. She smoothed the frown from his brow, comforting him. When her fingers skimmed over the thin scar dividing his left eyebrow, he flinched at her touch.

  “My fault… Should have… Sorry, Greg…”

  She draped her arms over him, embracing him tightly until he settled down. He murmured softly, unconsciously nuzzling his cheek against her hair. After a few minutes he seemed to fall back into a peaceful sleep.

  Wide-awake, Meghan lay beside him, absorbing his agitated heat. She continued to hold him, wondering what dreams plagued his rest. Everyone had nightmares occasionally, but the change in his demeanor was shocking.

  Who was this man she’d just given her body to? She’d met him two days ago, hardly knew him at all. Suddenly, it was like he had a split personality. Meghan huffed out a breath. Then again, so did she. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one escaping into a role during this vacation.

  Nick’s breathing slowed, indicating deep sleep. She eased away to relieve the numb tingling in her arm. Looking out the window, she saw the full moon had drifted lower in the night sky. She needed to go. She wanted time alone, to think and to sort out the emotions churning her up inside.

  As wonderful as it had been, having sex with a total stranger now seemed like a mistake.

  Meghan rolled off the bed, eager to avoid the awkwardness of waking up in his arms. She located her panties behind a chair and hastily pulled them on. In the bathroom, she winced at the sight of herself in the mirror.

  The lovely ringlets of the night before were now the tangled curls of the morning after. Her lipstick was smudged, her foundation had vanished and sapphire shadow circled her eyes, making her look like a raccoon.

  She grabbed a cloth to wash her face and borrowed Nick’s hairbrush to repair as much of the damage as possible. Out in the living room, she put on her bra and dress, not bothering with her shoes.

  Meghan checked her evening bag for the card key inside. How humiliating it would be to get locked out in last night’s formal wear. She cracked open the door, peering into the hallway. No insomniacs. Easing the door closed, she headed for her own suite.

  Years of writing about intimate and uninhibited encounters didn’t prepare me for the real thing. Nick is an incredible lover and being intimate with him was like discovering a new world. Or maybe I simply discovered myself and what my body is capable of.

  In my fantasies, though, I didn’t feel altered in some elemental way. My dreams have been totally sexual, with no emotional commitment. Nick touched me—ME. And I’m not sure how I feel about that.

  ALEX WOKE UP ALONE. Not an unusual occurrence. But the sense of abandonment was completely foreign.

  The bed sheets were cool with only his body to warm them. He rolled onto his stomach and cuddled the pillow against his chest. The scent of Meghan’s calendula body oil still lingered. He closed his eyes and laid his cheek on the case.

  He was acting like a high-school kid with his first crush.

  Lying there contented, he waited for her to come back to bed. And waited. Finally, he went to find her. The living room was empty and so was the bath. His brows drew together, his lips thinning with displeasure. When the hell had she left?

  Why had she left?

  Dejected thoughts accompanied him into the shower. He’d done his best to recreate her fantasies. He’d tried to make their night special. And she’d just up and left, without so much as a “thanks, it was fun.”

  He’d chosen the food based on what she’d written. He’d recreated her game of “show and taste.” He’d let her set the pac
e of their lovemaking. He’d restrained himself in order to fulfill her dream. How the hell could she have just sneaked off into the night after that?

  The seduction had affected him more than he’d expected. How could he give a woman her first orgasm, during the best sex of his life, and not fall in love? But she’d left. She’d just left!

  He had no right to feel cheap and used. Meghan told him up front what she wanted from him. But, dammit, he’d never been loved and left before. Alex slammed the faucet shut and stomped, dripping wet, to the telephone. He dialed her number, waited in annoyance for her to answer.

  “Morning, Trouble.”

  “Hi, Nick. Um, did you sleep okay?”

  The caution in her tone warned him. “I guess so… Why?”

  “You must have had a bad dream. You kept apologizing to someone named Greg?”

  Oh, shit. Not last night, of all nights. Alex sat on the arm of the couch and let out his breath in a slow hiss. The psychologist had warned him that he’d be more vulnerable to the nightmares when his emotions ran high. The telephone line was quiet while she waited for an explanation.

  “Greg was—is my younger brother. I, uh, haven’t seen him in a while.” He wondered, not for the first time, whether Greg was even still alive. Guilt weighed on him. His brother was the reason he needed to get back to work and stop pursuing a woman who only wanted his body.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Nick. What—”

  “Why didn’t you wake me before you left? I’d planned to start the day off right and make love to you again.”

  She hesitated, as if she wasn’t sure how to answer. “I thought we were finished. I mean, I thought we had our night of hot sex….”

  The awkward pause was a stab in his heart. Was this how women felt the morning after? “We’re not finished, Trouble. Not by a long shot. You agreed to be open to whatever happened between us.”

  “I did. Last night was fantastic. But we’re on vacation. This is only an interlude before returning to our real lives.”