Nikki nodded in understanding but he could feel the walls that she’d put up around herself. The distance between them was killing him.
“Nikki,” his tone was serious and she lifted her gaze back up to meet his. “Do you really believe that baby is mine?” He had to know. Because if she did this would never work between them.
Her shallow breaths were causing her chest to rise and fall rapidly. Tears pooled in her eyes once again and it felt like someone had reached inside his chest and squeezed his heart in their fists. He knew he’d lost her. He’d just found her and he’d lost her.
“No,” she sniffed as a large tear drop fell over her bottom lid. “I don’t believe it’s yours.”
Relief washed over him but he wasn’t celebrating just yet. The woman he loved was sitting in front of him crying and brokenhearted. “What is it?”
“I just…I still don’t know if I can be with you,” her voice cracked as she spoke.
He felt like the rug had just been pulled out from beneath him. “Why?”
She shrugged and wiped her nose with her sleeve.
He knew there was something she wasn’t saying and that this might not be the right time to tell her but he was scared if he didn’t, he might not have another chance. “I love you, Nikki.”
A small gasp escaped her lips and her eyes widened in shock as she whispered, “What?”
Reaching up he cupped her face gently and brushed his thumbs across her soft skin wiping the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. “I know I said I didn’t believe in love, but I was wrong. I just never saw any examples of what real love was. Until I met you. You love with your whole heart. Your family. Your friends. Scrappy.” Mike looked down at the five pound Chihuahua that he knew Nikki loved so much. “You showed me that there are people that love selflessly and fiercely. I love you, Nikki. Even if this doesn’t work out between us, I just needed you to know that I love you.”
It didn’t matter what she said or if she believed him. He was hers. He knew he could never love someone like he loved Nikki. She was it for him, whether she wanted him or not.
Mike’s heart beat like the drum line in a college band as he waited for her response. Nikki’s expression was uncharacteristically blank. She was definitely someone that would be described as wearing her heart on her sleeve, yet she gave nothing away. She sat silently staring at him. Although he did love the fact that she was comfortable with long silences and didn’t feel the need to fill the space, he really needed her to say something.
Just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore she said, “I do love my family, my friends, and Scrappy. But you forgot one important person on that list, you. I love you, Mike.”
Now both relief and happiness filled his body. He needed to hold her. To kiss her. To make love to her. Reaching down he began picking Scrappy up off her lap.
“He doesn’t like-” she stopped talking when Scrappy snuggled against Mike’s chest and craned his little neck trying to give Mike wet kisses on his face. “…strangers,” she finished shaking her head in disbelief. “What is it with you? Does everyone love you?”
He set Scrappy down on the couch beside Nikki and made sure he was settled. Then standing he scooped Nikki into his arms. “I don’t care who loves me as long as you do.” He dipped his head and captured her mouth with his. The moment their lips touched, all the pent up anxiety he’d been feeling all day went away. Her kiss was all there was. Tearing himself away from her soft lips and velvet tongue he rasped, “Bedroom. Where is it?”
Nikki’s lips turned up into a naughty smile and she arched her brow, “What’s wrong with the couch?”
“I’m not really into threesomes,” Mike said motioning down to sleepy Scrappy who was turning in circles to find the perfect spot to curl up in.
Nikki’s head fell back and she laughed. Not waiting for her to answer, Mike pulled her closer and walked towards the back of the house with long purposeful strides. He had a law degree from Stanford; he could find a bedroom. Nikki held onto him tighter and nuzzled against his neck.
“Mike,” she whispered against his neck.
He stopped mid-stride and looked down at her. “What, baby?”
Her eyes were so filled with emotion his heart ripped in two. She spoke softly as she said, “Thank you for coming and finding me.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her full lips as he said, “You couldn’t have kept me away.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Nikki loved the feeling of being carried in Mike’s arms. She wanted to cry it felt so right. She snuggled up against his shoulder and pressed tiny kisses on the base of his neck. A groan vibrated in his chest and she knew he must like what she was doing.
Before she knew it she felt herself being lowered down onto her bed but she held onto Mike’s neck, not wanting to break contact. A soft chuckle shook his body as he stood and gently removed her hands. Before she could protest his hands were under her sweatshirt and he was pulling it off of her.
As soon as the sweatshirt cleared her head, she heard him groan as he said, “Oh, damn.”
In all the hub-bub and drama she’d forgotten that she was still wearing the negligee that she’d purchased in Boston.
Nice.
His eyes greedily roamed her body as he made quick work of her jeans. They were tossed beside the bed before she could blink.
He stood perfectly still in front of her, except for his chest that was rising and falling heavily. Nikki lay flat on her bedspread enjoying his hungry gaze as it traveled up and down her entire length. Never one to be patient and just wanting to be closer to him she pushed up on her elbows.
“I had this on when Lizzie came over,” she explained. “I was waiting for you in it.”
His eyes narrowed and darkened as he let out low primal sound of appreciation. “God, you are so fucking beautiful.”
A smile spread across her face at his use of profanity. She had to admit she got a little thrill over the fact that she’d been the one that had caused him to drop the f-bomb. He was always so controlled and she liked knowing that he lost just a shred of that when he was with her.
He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and removed it. Nikki’s mouth watered at his chiseled chest. She wanted to kiss him. Explore him. Taste him.
Sitting up on her knees at the edge of the bed she reached out and ran her fingers over his sculpted torso. His muscles rippled beneath her touch.
Leaning forward she pressed her lips to his heated skin in the center of his chest. Then opening her mouth she slid her tongue slowly, sensuously across the strong, lean planes of his chest. His breaths were coming in shorter and shorter pants as she continued to alternate kissing and licking him, trailing all the way down his abdomen to the waistband of his pants.
Her fingers moved to his belt as she shifted so she was sitting on her backside. Her legs were hanging off the side of the bed on either side of Mike’s strong thighs. As she pulled the leather strap through the buckle and slipped it off, she saw Mike’s erection jump in his slacks.
“Someone’s happy to see me,” she said as she unbuttoned his black slacks and pulled the zipper down slowly. Slow wasn’t usually her speed but she figured that turnabout was fair play. He liked to do things slow and two could play at that game.
When his zipper on his slacks was all the way down, she ran her fingers beneath the elastic band of Mike’s boxer briefs and pulled them both down his legs. As she straightened back up, she was met with a mouthwatering sight. She lifted her hands and wrapped them both around Mike’s rigid shaft. He pulsed heavily in her hands and she tightened her fingers around him.
His skin felt velvety smooth beneath her palms and saliva filled her mouth. Leaning forward she pressed her lips to his engorged head. He grew even larger in her hands and she began moving them up and down his shaft as she opened her mouth and licked across the broad tip of his member.
Brazenly, her tongue made a second pass, taking in a small bead of moisture. She heard Mike hiss
as he sucked in a breath and threaded his fingers through her hair. With that encouragement, she moved her lips down his rod pulling his iron hard flesh into the wet heat of her mouth.
His hands fisted causing him to tug her hair. The sharp sensation sent a shock of bliss rushing through her body. Keeping her lips locked tightly around his girth, she moved back up his erection, letting her tongue rub firmly along the erotic path of his sex as her fingers gripped his base tightly. She repeated this motion over and over. Moving her hands to his sculpted hips, she dug her fingers into his firm skin anchoring herself.
The soft lace of her new panties growing wetter and wetter from arousal as she took him in and out of her mouth. His flesh swelling with each suctioning pass was causing an urgent need to swirl in her core.
Without any warning he pulled her up by her shoulders and laid her down on the bed. He slid her dampened panties down her long legs before reaching into the pocket of his pants—that had lay beside the bed in a heap—and he pulled out a condom. He quickly rolled it on then moved above her, kissing his way up her naked body. “God that felt good,” he gritted out.
“Then you should have let me keep going,” Nikki would have loved to have him come apart in her mouth.
He looked up at her, locking his gaze with hers. “Not tonight, tonight is all about you.” His promise, coupled with the predatory gleam in his eye, sent a racing thrill down her spine.
He pulled the satin ties on the front of her teddy, freeing her breasts. Leaning down, he covered her nipple with his lips and she arched her back into his mouth. His teeth grazed her already sensitized nipple as he teased her with tiny nips. His large hands wrapped around the swells of her breasts. Using his thumb and forefinger he rolled and pulled the peak his mouth wasn’t covering.
He moved back and forth between each breast. Nikki always loved the feeling of his mouth and hands on her but tonight, she had the added bonus of his normally clean shaven face having a little scruff to it. The sensation of the bristly hairs on his chin and cheeks, brushing against her delicate skin, was electrifying all of her nerve endings with delicious pleasure.
Dizziness assaulted her as Mike continued his sensual torture. She wanted him. Badly. He’d said tonight was about her and all she wanted was for him to bury himself deep inside of her. She needed him.
“Mike,” his name came out in a needy plea.
He stilled for a moment, then began moving up licking a trail across her collarbone and up the side of her neck. Then as he peppered kisses across her jaw his large hand moved down her body. His fingers spread across her hipbone and then continued around and gripped her butt. Kneading her flesh in his hand as he lifted her hips causing his erection to be positioned at her throbbing sex.
“Is this what you want?” he asked his voice smoky with passion.
“Yes,” she said sounding desperate with need.
Her hands wrapped around his body, clutching his muscular back as he thrust into her. “I love you,” he rasped as he filled her completely.
“I love you,” she repeated as her hips bucked to meet his.
She knew that this is what sex was supposed to be. Not about getting your own pleasure but about connecting to another person. This was love.
--- ~ ---
Mike stilled, embedded deep inside of Nikki’s body as she enveloped him in her tight slick heat. His body throbbed as her inner muscles clamped around him. He wished that he could freeze time, stay buried inside of Nikki’s snug warmth forever, mindless with pleasure.
Nikki’s hands moved down his back and her fingers dug into him causing hot lust to whip through him. He began moving slowly at first pulling out and then easing himself back inside of her.
“That feels so good,” she whispered into his ear. The heat of her breath sent a hot wild tremor through his body. His fingers squeezed her backside tighter and she let out a soft whimper, “Oh yeah.”
Being with Nikki wasn’t like being with anyone else he’d ever been with. Even the first night they’d been together, it was like they instinctively knew each other’s bodies. He didn’t think he would ever get enough of her. She was so responsive to every touch, every lick, every thrust and it caused a burning need inside of him that he didn’t think would be able to extinguished.
Her hands moved up his back and neck and he felt her fingers sink into his hair. Her lips grazed his ear as she whispered a provocative request, “Harder.”
His jaw clenched and his thin thread of control snapped. A pulsing rush of unrestrained desire spread through him and he began to drive into her with roaring urgency. Sweat formed on his brow as he pumped into her with possessive passion.
“Yes, yes,” she whimpered against his ear as her fingers tightened in his hair.
With each insistent press, he was sent soaring to higher levels of fiery exquisite sensation. The delicious pressure and friction where their bodies met consumed him. All he could think about was the pleasure they were both feeling.
“Oh god, just like that,” Nikki cried as her back arched and her body began trembling beneath him.
Mike continued the ruthless and demanding strokes as he felt her go up and over the edge. Her legs shook wildly at his sides and then clamped tightly against his hips. Her fingers pulled roughly at his hair. She cursed under her breath as her eyes shut tightly. He only slowed his pace when her body relaxed and her arms and legs flopped down on the bed.
Mike could feel his erection growing thicker inside of her as she milked his body with hers. He slid in and out of her in smooth measured strokes as she came down from her explosive climax.
After a minute or so she looked up at him through heavy-lidded eyes and exhaled loudly. “That was so good,” she said, her voice hoarse from pleasure.
“Good?” He repeated, “I think I can do better than good.”
Her eyes widened and danced with excitement as she bit down on her bottom lip. Pushing up to his knees without breaking their intimate contact, he grabbed a pillow from behind her and lifting her hips he placed it beneath her backside.
Staring down at where their bodies were joined, he rubbed his hands up and down the soft skin of her inner thighs, spreading her legs farther apart as he slowly grinded his hips against her. Her breathing was already becoming labored again and he but he didn’t think she had recovered from her previous orgasm just yet.
Looking down at her, wide open for him, he ran his finger in a circular motion around her pleasure nub. The center of her femininity glistened with arousal and was slippery to the touch. Around and around he circled, never touching the sensitized spot… just teasing it.
Her hips began moving against him. She tilted her pelvis up, silently begging for his touch. His body screamed for release as the steel length of his erection ached with need.
Giving them what they both needed, Mike brushed his finger over her swollen sex stroking her sensually with one hand as he gripped her hip with the other, thrusting in and out of her tight passage.
Nikki’s head fell to the side as she fisted her comforter in her hands as her back arched in ecstasy. She cried out in fevered exclamations as liquid heat pooled at her center.
His pulse raced as his body throbbed with pleasure and he felt himself getting close to the edge. He thrust inside of her once more as a frenzy of simultaneous explosions erupted throughout his entire body. His head fell back as a guttural moan ripped from his chest. He lost himself completely in the decadent mind-blowing pleasure that seemed to go on forever.
After just experiencing one of the longest hottest releases of his life, his legs felt a little shaky and he lowered himself onto Nikki. His head collapsed against her still heaving chest. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of her heart beating against his cheek.
“Okay, you proved your point,” she said through short pants of breath, “that was better than good. It was earth shattering.”
He smiled against her chest as she raked her fingers through his hair and he knew that this
was where he belonged. With Nikki. Always.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“You really don’t have to do this,” Nikki said for the fifth time since they’d left the house. She was a bundle of nerves sitting beside him in the passenger seat.
“I know,” Mike reached over and grabbed her hand bringing it to his mouth and pressing his lips against it. “I want to.”
“Are you sure? You really don’t have to,” her voice was filled with nervous energy.
He pulled up to a four way stop and looked over at her. She looked more terrified than when they’d been stuck in the elevator together. “Is it that you don’t want me to meet your family or your family to meet me?” he asked.
“Neither. Both.” She waved her hands in front of her, “I don’t know it’s just... A lot. And this,” she motioned between them frantically, “is really new and I just don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea.”
“And what would be the wrong idea?” Mike asked calmly as he pulled away through the intersection.
“That this is more than this is,” she said in exasperation.
“I love you, Nikki, and you’re not getting rid of me anytime soon,” or ever if I have any say over it, “so I’m going to need to meet your family sooner or later. Plus I already met Amy. She seemed really nice.”
“Of course she did,” Nikki’s hands flew up in the air, “she’s the nice one. The easy one. But my mom, my dad, my brothers are not so easy. Not so nice.”
Mike hated seeing her this worked up. Since her mom had called an hour ago and laid on the guilt about Nikki missing the last month of Sunday dinners, she’d been beside herself.
“Listen, if you really think it’s too soon, I don’t have to go. I’m sure I can keep myself occupied while you have dinner with your family,” Mike offered.
“No. I want you to meet them. I do.” Nikki blew out a long breath. “But remember, my mom is a handful, my dad doesn’t like politicians—he thinks they lie for a living, Eric is way over-protective, and Jake is a smart ass.”
Snowed In Page 21
