by Meryl Sawyer
That would be two orgasms with her virginity intact. She couldn’t let that happen. Arching her hips, she said, “Come on.”
“Hold your horses. This time I have protection.”
He fumbled with his cutoffs and pulled out a foil packet. With a chuckle bordering on a groan he waved it under her nose. “See what it says? This is a French Tickler.”
“Very funny.” Do something quick!
Before she could draw a breath, he had on the condom. She didn’t have a moment to think too much about all the other times he must have used protection to be so fast. He nudged her knees apart and positioned himself between her legs.
He guided the velvet-smooth tip of his penis into her soft opening. She was slick, ready, but it hurt more than she had expected.
“You’re a little tight, honey.”
“I’m built that way,” she hedged. “Don’t stop.”
“Actually, that thought hadn’t crossed my mind.”
Chapter 23
Matt drew back a little, desire at a flash point now, almost out of control. The way she was built? What a crock.
“You’re a virgin?”
“Sorta.”
Man, oh, man, what had he gotten himself into? This was no way to have a first experience. Gritting his teeth, determined to hold back and make this good for her, Matt struggled to control his body.
All day he’d driven himself half crazy anticipating this moment. He’d imagined hot sex, some of it X-rated and bordering on kinky. Never in his wildest dreams had he considered Shelly might be a virgin.
When she’d stripped and turned to him, wearing nothing but a seductive smile, his pulse had gone berserk. Not to mention what it had done to the rest of him. Her behavior had been a bit odd, he’d thought at the time. Probably because she had forced herself to take off her clothes.
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded.
He realized his eyes were squeezed shut. Letting out his breath, he opened them. Moonlight flickered over her hair, gleaming softly on her moist lips and dancing in her eyes.
“I’m not stopping. I’m just trying to figure this out.”
“You’ve never had sex before?” she teased.
“Not with a virgin. They’re a dying breed. We don’t get many in these parts.”
What he wanted to say was that this was a big responsibility. Was he up to the challenge? He eased forward with little rocking movements, allowing her body time to stretch to accommodate him.
“I liked it better when you didn’t know I was a virgin.”
“You’re probably a backseat driver too.”
He gave her what she wanted. Thrusting forward, he tested the barrier. He pushed harder and harder. Nothing. Cocking his hips, he pulled back a little, then drove into her. He felt her body give.
She gasped.
“Does it hurt?”
“A little, but I don’t mind.”
He kissed her forehead as he burrowed his way inside her. “You’re so tight.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re perfect.” He meant it; her body was slick and ready, fitting him like a glove that was a size too small. He’d never been this aroused in his whole damn life. It was a miracle his heart was withstanding the adrenaline rush.
“You feel … wonderful. So big.”
He wasn’t that big, but she was incredibly small and inexperienced. He lifted her hips to deepen the angle of his thrusts. She gave a soft moaning sound that shot right through him.
“Now I know what I’ve been missing,” she whispered.
“A talker. I had to get a talker and virgin yet.” He tried to joke, hoping to distract himself. The last thing he wanted was to come before she did.
His movements were easier now. He drew back, then came forward with renewed momentum. She clung to him, her nails biting into the skin on his back, then raking downward.
“Great! A virgin and a talker and a scratcher.”
“Sorry, I can’t help myself. You feel so good.”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
She began moving beneath him, arching her hips to meet his thrusts.
“That’s it, darlin’. You’re getting the hang of it.”
“I wa-watched a naughty movie in a hotel once.” Her voice was a soft rasp in his ear, her breath coming in warm little pants.
“Don’t let anybody find out. You could get arrested.”
Talking helped, he found. He’d had sex too many times to count, none of them memorable. But he was never going to forget this.
It wasn’t just that Shelly was a virgin. He’d been resisting her for so long that he seemed to have driven himself to the brink of frustration. Just by wedging his way inside her, he had nearly lost it like some horny kid in the backseat of an old Chevy.
With each movement now he buried himself to the hilt, her hot, tight body compressing around his penis. He couldn’t help groaning with pleasure.
“Are you all right?”
No, he wanted to yell. He was so close to ejaculating that he couldn’t talk any longer. Her lips were parted and her eyes brimming with passion, but she showed no signs of being close to an orgasm.
He adjusted his position so his hand could touch the soft folds of skin between her thighs. Spreading them apart. He made certain his shaft was up against her tight bud. Then he began to pump, slowly at first.
She rewarded his efforts with a sweet moan. “Oh, God.”
He increased the tempo, hammering into her. “No, not God. He’s busy. I’m Matt, remember?”
She moaned again, louder than before. “This is heaven.”
Together they found the right cadence and moved together like dancers, hearing a silent tune. He permitted himself the luxury of losing himself in her, in this unique experience. All that existed was this moment, this special woman.
For now, at least, he could ignore the future.
His thrusts became heavier as he pounded furiously toward release. Beneath him, she was on fire, moving upward to meet him each time he lunged into her. She shuddered violently, then gave a gasping cry of pure delight.
He pummeled, faster and faster, on the brink himself. The coil of tension, wound so tight, exploded in a white-hot rush of pleasure. A guttural groan rumbled out of his throat as he flung his head back.
The orgasm lanced through him like a bolt of lightning, leaving him suddenly weak. He pitched forward, catching the brunt of his weight with his forearms on either side of her head and gasping for air.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with wonder. “Did I do okay for a first-timer?”
He couldn’t seem to get his breath, but he managed to nod. He gathered her in his arms and rolled onto his side, afraid he’d collapse on her. “If you get any better, you’ll kill me.”
She snuggled against him and planted a little kiss on his shoulder. He was still inside her, and he didn’t want to let her go. What had happened just now was powerful, all-consuming. He’d had sex before, but it had never been this intense.
This satisfying.
“It was much better than I ever dreamed,” she whispered to him. “No wonder people like sex so much.”
Matt chuckled.
“Hel-lo! Anybody home?”
Shelly jerked upright. “It’s Bubbles. She’s in the kitchen.”
“Head for the water.” He pulled out of her, yanked off the condom and tossed it onto his cutoffs.
When he reached the shore, Shelly was bobbing in water so deep, it covered her breasts. He dove in and surfaced beside her. “Come here, honey.”
She glided into his arms as if she knew she belonged there. The gentle surge of the sea swayed them back and forth.
“Shelly. Matt.” Bubbles and some guy were standing on the grass near the spot where they had just made love. “What are you doing?”
“Swimming.”
“Let’s hope they don’t decide to join us,” Shelly whispered to him.
“Why not? This is K
ey West. Anything goes. We might try group sex,” he said, but he wasn’t serious. No way in hell was he sharing her.
She tried to hold on to the elusive dream, not remembering what it was exactly, but knowing it had been pleasant. A smell had brought her out of the dream. Without opening her eyes and not wanting to wake up just yet, she sniffed. Coffee. She cracked one eyelid, then the other.
“It’s about time you woke up, sleepyhead.”
Matt was sitting beside the bed, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and drinking a cup of coffee. Last night. Oh, my God.
After Bubbles and her friend left, Matt had carried her to his room. How many times had they made love? She didn’t want to count, and she certainly didn’t need to remember how wantonly she’d behaved.
Over the rim of his cup, he smiled at her. “You’re blushing.”
He was grinning at her now, a proud, masculine grin. She realized she was sprawled across his bed without a stitch of clothing on. She reached for the sheet.
“Aw, Shelly. I’ve seen every inch of your body. Hell, I’ve had my tongue on every inch.” He put down his cup, then sat beside her on the bed. He grabbed her foot and planted a kiss on the bottom of it. “I missed that spot.”
The imprint of his lips on her sole tickled and reminded her of all the other places his lips had been. He was right, of course. He had explored every inch of her body. Being modest was for The Beast—not for her.
“Thanks for last night,” she said as she sat up.
His arm slipped around her bare shoulders with a casual intimacy. “No, angel, I should thank you.”
“We’re quite a team, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, we are.” The devilish glint in his eye told her he was up to something. “Tell me, have you ever been to France?”
She shook her head.
“So much for the skinny-dipping French.” He chuckled. “You know, I never use the word cute, but that was just about the cutest thing that ever happened to me. You started babbling, then you took off your clothes at warp speed.”
She gave him a playful punch on his thigh. “What did you expect?”
He kissed the tip of her nose, his expression serious now. “You keep surprising me. It blew me away to find out you were a virgin. In New York—”
“Matt, please. Forget that woman. Let’s start over.”
“Okay, sure. It’s just that—”
“I should hop in the shower.” She jumped up, then winced, discovering she was a little sore. “What time is it anyway?”
“It’s almost noon.”
He had a strange look on his face, and she wondered if he realized she was deliberately trying to distract him. She couldn’t afford to talk too much about Rochelle Ralston. She trotted into the bathroom and glanced at the mirror. Before she could stop herself, a small cry escaped her lips.
Matt was standing beside her in a second. “What’s wrong?”
She pointed at her reflection. “I could haunt a house and charge by the room.”
“Bedroom hair is sexy as hell. A few dozen love bites.” He pulled up the back of his T-shirt. “Check this.”
Angry red scratch marks, some long, others short, covered his back.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
He pulled down the shirt. “Don’t be. It was the hottest, best sex I’ve ever had. If you don’t get in the shower, I’m going to drag you back to bed.”
“I should go to my room. I don’t have anything to put on after I shower.”
“Your bra washed up on the beach this morning. Bingo and Jiggs were playing with it when I was getting coffee. It’s a goner.”
She shook her head, imagining everyone having breakfast as Bingo and Jiggs dragged her bra up from the beach.
“I have a great idea,” Matt said. “We should take one of Trevor’s Wave Runners and go find a deserted key.”
“Let’s have a picnic,” she said.
“Okay, but I was thinking we should see if the French have anything with this au naturel stuff.”
Chapter 24
Matt drove the Wave Runner up onto the ramp and turned off the engine. The sun was dropping behind Sunset Key. He hated to see the day end. Shelly’s arms were around his waist, the way they had been all during the ride back from Pirate Key.
“I’m sorry the day’s over,” Shelly echoed his thoughts as he helped her off the Wave Runner onto the dock.
He gazed into her gorgeous blue eyes, half tempted to tell her he loved her. Where in hell had that thought come from? He couldn’t commit himself.
The fact was he could never be there for Shelly—not in that happy ever after way she deserved. She was a sensitive woman. Telling her that he loved her would make parting even more difficult.
When he was gone, Matt wanted Shelly to find someone else. She had so much to give. Hour by hour she seemed to be changing, opening up more and more. Becoming a different woman. He wished he could stay around to see it. Stop being maudlin, he told himself. Get a grip.
“The day’s not over until midnight,” he said as he gave her a playful swat on her cute fanny. “We haven’t had all the fun we can have yet.”
“Did you forget about Trevor’s dinner party?”
He stopped and slammed the heel of his hand against his forehead. “I totally forgot. I said I would get the table out of the storage room and set it up. I’m supposed to take care of the cats too.”
“Run along. I’ve got major repairs.” She pointed to her head; her hair was a windblown tangle that looked just as sexy as it had this morning. “I want to do the dress justice.”
“You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
He bent his head to give her a quick kiss. Once, he would have had to pull her into his arms, but not now. She automatically closed the space between them and tilted her head up for the kiss. Their lips met and the heat of desire ignited a wildfire.
In a heartbeat, pressure was building in his groin. So what else was new? They’d made love just before they’d left Pirate Key, yet his body wanted her again. “I can’t get enough of you. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“I think you got more than your fair share of testosterone.” She winked at him. “Works for me.”
She scampered off toward the far side of the house, where her room was. He watched her go, asking himself why he’d found her now. Why hadn’t it been years ago?
He walked up to the kitchen door and paused. Inside, Trevor and Clive had their heads together, arranging hors d’oeuvres on a platter. He could tell by the smile on Trevor’s face that his friend was happy being with Clive. Now, if Trevor would only trust his instincts enough to know he could have a lasting relationship with Clive.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Matt said as he walked into the kitchen. “Shelly wanted to go on a picnic. I lost track of the time.”
“I hope she had on sunblock. Bioengineered skin can’t take the sun.”
“Don’t worry, Clive. We used up an entire tube.”
He didn’t say what they’d done with most of it. He couldn’t let Shelly’s bare breasts burn, could he? When he’d seen how much fun rubbing lotion on her was, he’d smoothed it on the rest of her.
“Are you going to admit I was right?” Trevor asked. “The accident changed Shelly. She isn’t crazy.”
“You were right. She’s special.”
“I’m going to take some credit here,” Clive said. “She was attractive before. I saved her face, then nipped a bit off her nose. Now she’s perfect.”
Matt didn’t give a rat’s ass about Shelly’s improved nose. She had a power and a depth to her that fascinated him. It had nothing to do with her face, and everything to do with what went on inside that head of hers.
“She didn’t need her breasts enlarged,” Matt said. “She was sexy the way she was.”
Clive waved a carrot stick at him. “I don’t do breasts. I leave that to the hacks in the clinics on every corner.”
I’ll be damned, he thought. He could hav
e sworn Shelly had much smaller breasts. Not that he judged a woman by her bra size, but he was a man. He noticed these things.
He recalled the one date he’d had with Shelly when he’d been in New York. It took a second to picture her in the low-cut black dress she’d worn. No, she’d been smaller.
During the year she’d chased him around, leaving notes, she must have had her breasts enlarged. Women did it all the time. At least, he supposed they did. There were certainly enough newspaper ads to indicate some doctors were making big bucks from silicone.
Aw, shit. A twinge too strong to be just a pang arced through his head. It couldn’t be a headache, could it? Not now, not today, when he was so happy. He rubbed his temples, praying his headache was just a result of spending too much time in the brutal sun.
“Earth to Matt,” Trevor called. “Are you going to stand there day dreaming, or will you get the big round table out of the storage shed?”
He hurried to the side of the house where the shed was located. Behind him, he heard Trevor and Clive sharing a laugh.
That’s what life is all about, he told himself. Sharing laughs and sunsets and quiet moments. Why had it taken him so long to discover what was really important?
“The Beast is gone,” she told her reflection.
For the first time in her life she felt … whole. Matt had as much to do with her transformation as the surgery. There was something indefinably special about being with a man, making love to him, and enjoying his company.
Today Matt had taken her to a deserted key, where they’d gone snorkeling and had a picnic. With no one around, they’d taken off their suits. The Beast would have been too shy to do this, but Matt made her feel comfortable with herself and her body.
Yes, they’d made love. She was a little sore from all the sex, but she wouldn’t have missed one second of it. She was having the time of her life.
“Yes?” she called when she heard a knock on the door.
“It’s me,” Matt’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Everyone’s at the party but you.”
She walked across the room, a little unsteady on the vampy heels that went with the outfit. When she opened the door, Matt stared at her for a moment, then gave a low whistle of appreciation.
