‘I’m boring the crap out of you, aren’t I?’ Ry had just been explaining that three local threatened bird species would have a new haven in the Windswept wetlands. His frown was gorgeous and she fought back the urge to leap out of her seat and throw her arms around him. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, shaking his head.
‘I think I’ve been hanging out with the scientists too long. I seem to have turned into a bird nerd.’ Ry laughed at his own expense and Julia joined in. The sound of her mirth brought his eyes to hers, a heat in them she’d seen before and was so relieved to see had returned.
Julia sipped her wine to settle her pitching stomach. ‘Oh, there are far better ways to describe you.’
He sat up a little straighter and his eyebrows shot up. ‘There are?’
A log toppled in the fireplace, and Julia felt the fire crackle and flame. A gigantic ball of emotion lodged in her throat and she swallowed, trying to keep it all in and to keep from embarrassing herself in an over-the-top display of everything she really felt about him.
How to describe Ry Blackburn? God, where should she start?
The first time she’d caught a glimpse of Ry Blackburn she thought he was the most beautiful boy she’d ever seen in her entire life. How could she ever forget his easy confidence as he wandered around the beach and the general store in his low-slung boardshorts, his shaggy blonde hair perpetually wet, a tan that looked like he’d been bathing in honey. The array of long-haired bikini babes who seemed to mysteriously appear whenever he was around, trailing after him down the wooden steps to the beach like bees. He’d been the one that every girl had wanted. And she’d been on the end of a very long queue. The first time she’d ever met Ry Blackburn she couldn’t believe someone as beautiful as him had chosen her. Couldn’t believe that the handsome boy from the city, down at the beach for the holidays, thought she was good enough for him during that magical summer when they’d fallen in love for the first time.
He’d been her first in every way. The first boy who’d made her weak at the knees when he’d kissed her. The first she’d made love with. The first boy she’d given her heart to. The first one she’d broken up with. How could she put into words what he had meant to her? What he still meant to her?
How to describe Ry Blackburn? Julia took a breath and a sip of wine and made a safe start. ‘A brilliant businessman.’
He grinned at the compliment.
‘A loyal friend. A wonderful son.’
‘You might have a fight with Barbra on that one.’
A smile tugged at her lips and her eyes sparked. ‘I don’t think so. She thinks the sun shines out of your you-know-where. Mmm … how else to describe you? What about smart. Caring. Forgiving.’
‘Shit, you make me sound like a labrador.’
Now she met his eyes, not wanting to hold back any more, wanting so desperately for him to know how she really felt about him. How wonderful she thought he was. She moved forward in her chair, pushing her hair back from her face and tucking it behind her ears.
‘Handy with a paintbrush.’
‘What can I say? It’s a gift.’
‘Strong.’ Julia moved a little closer. She reached over and let her hand rest on his forearm, caressing the strong muscles outlined there. Despite the layer of fabric between her fingers and his bare skin, she could feel his heat. He covered her hand with his and entwined his fingers with hers in a lovers’ knot.
‘Well, I do work out.’
She took a deep breath. ‘Passionate about what you believe in.’
‘Some might say a stubborn prick.’
‘I’d say patient.’ Her voice shook only a little. ‘The most beautiful boy I’d ever seen in my entire life.’
His eyebrows raised and his smile smirked into a grin. ‘I’ve heard that before.’
Julia took a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a second while she prepared to say it all. ‘Take my breath away, heart-poundingly-
sexy-as-hell.’
The muscles in his jaw clenched and Ry moved closer, both his thighs pushing between hers, forcing her legs apart. One hand came to rest high up on her leg, the pressure sending bolts of electricity right to her core. He grasped her other hand and, hidden from view with his back to the rest of the bar, he drew it to his crotch, letting her feel exactly what else was pounding at that particular moment.
‘Describe me right now,’ he said, low and gruff. His face was so close to hers she could feel the heat of his breath on her neck. His lips were so close to the sensitive skin by her ear that she shivered. He pushed her hand down onto his hard cock. She gripped him through his jeans and he groaned low in his throat.
‘A good man,’ she whispered. ‘A hard man.’ She tried to steady her breathing over her racing heartbeat. ‘A good, hard man.’
He grabbed her hand, held it in his, and then pulled her to standing.
‘Let’s get the hell out of here.’
CHAPTER
23
Ry and Julia stumbled into the darkness of Ry’s house, now thankfully — finally — empty of assorted friends and family. Ry slammed the door behind them and grabbed Julia from behind, spinning her around and taking her lips in a fierce kiss that left no time for tenderness. He wanted her, needed her, fiercely and furiously, and he didn’t give a shit about seduction or subtleties. And he’d seen the passion in her eyes, such heat there that all the blood had rushed to his groin, firing him up in a way that no other woman ever had, not even close. God, he wanted her fast, hard, slow, on the floor, on the bed, on the fucking kitchen table, he didn’t care.
Julia was ripe in his arms, clutching at him and moaning as he feasted on her lower lip, the blush in her cheeks, the pale skin of her neck and then down to the curve of her breasts. She found his lips with fierce determination and plundered them, hot and wet, moving her hands up his shoulders, her fingernails leaving a trail up his neck and into his hair.
‘Damn it,’ he moaned and freed his hands to strip her naked. He needed to feel her swollen breasts in his hands, was hungry for her nipples in his mouth, frantic to fill her with his length and strength. He forced her lips open with his searching tongue, shoved her coat off her shoulders and then expertly popped the small pearl buttons on her cashmere cardigan without even looking. She tore herself away from him and yanked off her boots, tossing them to the floor.
He had to feel, touch and search every inch of her body, his mouth possessively on her, walking her backwards until her legs hit the armrest of the white leather sofa. She reached up to his neck to steady herself, and he spread his strong legs around her, to enclose her with his exquisite pressure. His hands didn’t stop for a second, pulling at her T-shirt and shoving it upwards so he could palm the cool skin of her stomach. His fingers wide, he slid them up to cup her breasts and she groaned when he hit her bra. He yanked down the silky material and finally felt her, skin to skin, the warmth of her soft plumpness in his hand only making him harder.
Julia grabbed the waistband of his jeans, pulled the buttons apart with a yank and a tug, and dragged them down to free his bulging length from his boxers. She enclosed him in her hot fingers. He groaned again, louder and deeper, then sucked an aching nipple into his mouth so savagely that Julia almost came on the spot. She didn’t want to wait anymore. She’d waited fifteen years and a lifetime for Ry, and she had to claim his body, his heart, this minute, this second. She wanted him, needed him deep inside her, plunging into her, claiming her. And she knew, was more certain of it than anything else in her life that it wasn’t just her body and her hormones calling the shots this time, it was her heart. It ruled her now and the aching emptiness she’d had there was about to be filled by the person who’d always held it in the palm of his hands.
She let go of him and, meeting the raw desire in his eyes, tugged her skirt up over her thighs. He took the cue, snatching the waistband of her tights and knickers and wrenched them down over her feet. He reached into his pocket and flipped open his wallet.
Julia watched him kick off his boots and jeans and then heard a tearing rip. A few seconds later he was safe.
‘God Ry,’ she gasped. He reached around her hips to cup her arse, his strong hands leaving hot imprints on the pale orbs of her cheeks. He lifted her into the air. She gasped at his strength, could feel his shoulders move under her hands.
‘Your legs. Around me. Now.’
With his strong arms holding her up and so close to him, Julia felt like she was floating. She gripped on tight as they kissed deep and strong, and when he nudged at her entrance, she met him with a hip thrust of her own. He plunged inside her with the force of a single push, pounding and pulling her towards him, every deepening inch inside her feeling so damn good. She met every rhythmic move of his hips with her tongue in his mouth, tasting every space. Moans of ecstasy and craving fell from her lips, vibrating against his as she came with a shout.
Ry felt her shudder and let it take her. He held her while it rumbled through her, his heart surging at her moans of sheer elation. Her eyes squeezed closed as ecstasy overtook her, her dark curls catching in her lashes and fluttering on her panting breath. And then he surged inside her with his own shattering climax, not letting go of her and realising, with a pounding heart, that he never wanted to. Ever again.
Their ragged breathing slowed and their eyes met. For a moment, Ry completely forgot where he was. Oh yeah. He was in his house, still inside Julia Jones, still holding her, her long legs tight around his hips, and he realised with a jolt that she was all the home he’d ever need. A smile crept over his face and he brought his lips to hers, welcoming, soft, bruised from his kisses and the stubble on his chin.
‘Fuck,’ he whispered as Julia nuzzled the smooth skin of his neck, nipping into the cord of muscle at the top of his shoulder. She smelled like flowers and sex.
‘I think we just did.’ She tightened her inner muscles around him for a few beats of pure sensation. As if he needed reminding.
‘I have a king-sized bed, you know. Just up the stairs. Want to see it?’
‘Mmm … too far away.’ She kissed his cheek, his jawline, the tip of his nose and then pressed her lips softly to each closed eyelid, his long blonde lashes fluttering against her lips.
‘Julia, you kill me.’
‘I hope you mean that in a good way.’
‘Believe me, the best of all possible ways.’ Ry lowered Julia onto the arm of the sofa, and withdrew slowly and playfully from her, an inch out and then an inch back inside her. He felt her shiver at the sensuous tug of war and gripped her thighs tighter around him. He planted another scorching kiss on her lips before heading to the bathroom to dispose of the condom.
Julia felt boneless, shattered and sated. With a deep sigh she let herself fall backwards onto the sofa, falling softly into the leather, her legs dangling over the armrest. She moved her hand to the flat of her stomach, feeling every nerve ending in her body pounding to the rock’n’roll beat in her head. She blew out a breath and floated away on the sweet relief and sheer toe-curling erotic pleasure of having sex with Ry. Take my breath away, heart-poundingly-sexy-as-hell. After all the years, he was still hers, body and soul.
A minute later, Ry loomed over her. The faint streetlight glowing through the windows outlined his swimmer’s body and she just couldn’t stop staring at how beautiful his naked chest was. The light and shadow playing on his abs like a black-and-white photo. His hair was still sexily mussed from her grip and he had a look of sheer male satisfaction on his face, split by a grin as sexy as all get out. He moved over her like a prowling panther, lying on top of her, skin to skin, letting his full weight rest on her with a strength that said, I own you. He crushed his lips to hers again for another toe-curling kiss.
She planted her hands on his pecs, squeezed and felt their strength under her palms, warmed them with his heat.
‘You good?’ he murmured against her cheek, his lips finding the flare of heat there.
‘I’m good,’ she said. ‘Better than good.’
‘You’re damn right, JJ. You’re the one who’s sexy as hell, you know that?’
She couldn’t see it in the shadows of his face but she could hear it in the gruffness of his voice. He felt it too.
‘I’ve only ever felt that way with you. Only with you.’ She reached up to feel his lips, his mouth soft and hot under her fingertips.
‘God Julia …’ Ry opened his mouth to speak and then shook it off. He propped himself up on an elbow and tenderly pushed strands of hair from her pink cheeks, looking over every inch of her face, as if he was committing it all to memory. And then his kiss told her everything she needed to know about how he felt. He moved slightly so she wasn’t bearing his full weight, and settled himself alongside her on the sofa, one leg draped over her. She watched every move, never wanting to stop looking at him, and savoured the delicious sensation as he held her breast in his hand, the gentle pressure budding her nipples again.
‘So what now, JJ?’ His serious eyes met hers and he smoothed his fingers down her body, slowly and skilfully, teasing her belly button on the way, tangling in her curls and coming to rest there. It felt so damn good she forgot to breathe. And when his fingers slid between her folds, slick and still throbbing, he expertly found her core, taunting her with a flick of his finger. His breath was suddenly hot on her breast, and when he pulled her nipple into his mouth, she burst. And then her brain was in a cloud, her tongue was fuzzy and her heart pounded loud in her chest and in her ears. Sexy shocks pulsed through her body. She had two questions: how the hell did he do that and did she ever want him to stop?
‘Ry … God, that’s so good,’ she whispered, her breath gone, her voice barely a murmur. He kissed her moans away, lingering there, his tongue teasing hers. Pure bliss, she decided.
‘Yeah? You like it?’
She could only nod in response.
‘So, you didn’t answer my question.’
Julia stretched languorously and let the delicious tremors reverberate around her body again and again and again. ‘You distracted me. What was that question again?’
‘I was asking you …’ He kissed her again.‘ … what happens now?’
Julia stretched, feeling every muscle respond to him. ‘How about we try out that enormous bathtub of yours? Last time I was in it I was all on my lonesome. I’m sure it would fit two. If we squeezed up against each other, that is.’
‘You want a bath?’
‘Only if you’re in it.’
‘Julia …’
Something in his voice wasn’t right. Julia opened her eyes to see a sober expression on Ry’s face. He’d gone from blowing her head off to serious in a minute. It made her skittish and she had to get up, needed time to think. As she wriggled and tried to disentangle herself from him, pushing at his chest, twisting her legs to get a purchase, he pinned her down with the sheer weight of his thigh and a demanding hand in the space between her breasts.
‘Ry, let me up.’ She pushed at his chest, barely able to move him. ‘I can’t think like this.’
‘Like what?’ His voice hoarse.
‘When I’m naked and you’re on top of me.’
He thought about it for a moment, then pushed himself up, let her go. Julia struggled to her feet and in the half-light, fished around for the rest of her clothes. As she held her knickers out in a straight line in front of her to untwist them, one leg poised in the air to poke through the leg hole, he spoke.
‘Don’t put them back on.’ His voice was rough and she startled. Damn it. What was it about his voice? He could read the phone book to her and she would get wet in a hot second.
Julia planted her foot and looked over at Ry. He was lying back on the sofa, his legs stretched out along the space meant for four people, his fingers linked behind his head. His broad chest rippled in all the right places.
He looked like he wanted to devour her, body and soul, inch by inch, his desire obvious again in the window light. Julia took in a deep breath and cu
rsed to herself. Why the hell did it have to be him? If only there’d been some other man in the past fifteen years who’d looked at her like that. If only she’d felt like this for someone else, these confounding feelings in her head and her heart might give her some kind of perspective. But she’d never felt like this with any other man. The sex — the blow-your-head-off, toe-curling, once-in-a-lifetime sex — had got in the way, confused the hell out of her. It was too damn seductive to give in to his desire for her, to let it overwhelm her senses, to let it dictate where and how she should live her life.
But she couldn’t. She hadn’t fifteen years ago and she wouldn’t this time. So what if she wanted him and he clearly wanted her? They would have to see this for what it was, confess that it had been fun while it lasted, and then go back to their own lives. They would have to admit it to themselves and each other that this was impossible. There was simply no other choice.
‘Ry …’ Julia turned and looked out the sky-high windows into the black anonymity of the night. ‘Why are you even asking that question? You know this is what it is, what it has to be. I don’t want to say it out loud when we both know that it has to happen. We know where we stand. It’s been clear to me from the beginning. Your life is here, mine isn’t.’
He lay still, except for a jiggling foot hammering up and down in a tense rhythm, his chest rising and falling with his deep breaths. He glared at her with dark eyes and she felt suddenly nervous.
‘You got someone in Melbourne who fucks you like I do?’
The harshness of his words hit her and she reacted without thinking.
‘So that’s all this is to you, you handsome jerk? Just sex?’
Ry leapt off the sofa in a sudden explosion of energy, every muscle tensed, the muscles in his neck tight. His eyes blazed and he gripped her shoulders. ‘You fucking well know it’s not and, judging by that reaction, it’s more than sex for you too.’
Nobody But Him Page 23
