The Cliff-Top Killer (The Sydney Harbour Hospital Series Book 8)

by Chris Taylor

  When his mouth closed over her nipple, she gasped. White hot heat shot through her and centered between her thighs. He suckled her breast through the fabric of her bra until she was screaming inside for the feel of his mouth on her skin. Moving restlessly, she reached behind her and undid the clasp, sighing as her breasts were released.

  “You have way too many clothes on,” he mumbled between kisses.

  “I agree,” she said and sat up so she could work on her buttons. In her haste to undress, her fingers turned clumsy and she cursed softly under her breath. Samuel grinned.

  “I love that you’re eager to get naked, but there’s no rush. We have all day, remember?”

  She smiled back at him and lowered her hands. “You’re right. How about you do it?”

  His eyes flared with heat. She lay back against the pillows and waited for him to make his move. She didn’t have to wait long. Moving so that he straddled her thighs, he shot her a sexy smile and then leaned over and started at the top. He worked his way slowly, methodically down her blouse, exposing her skin one button at a time. At last, he finished and she couldn’t hold back a sigh.

  He stared down at her, his eyes dark with desire. “You’re so beautiful.”

  She gazed back at him. “Take off your shirt.”

  In silence, he pulled his T-shirt over his head. Underneath, he was just as firm and muscled as she’d imagined. His skin glowed golden—she guessed it was a combination of his aboriginal heritage and the hours he spent in the surf. She reached up and dragged her fingernail across the taut flesh. His muscles tensed beneath her touch.

  She smiled. “You’re beautiful, too.”

  Samuel shot her a wry smile and shook his head. “You have it all wrong. Guys aren’t beautiful.”

  “Some are,” she replied. “You are.”

  He bent low and captured her mouth with his. The soft fullness of his lips sent a renewed wave of desire pulsing through to her core. She reached up and framed his face with her hands, holding his head in place. Deepening the kiss, she traced the outline of his mouth with her tongue.

  He groaned beneath her ministrations and lowered his weight until he was pressed full against her. His erection pressed into her belly, hard and insistent. She moved restlessly beneath him as the need inside her burned hotter. He rolled onto his side and she went with him and then kept going until she was sitting on his lap, straddling his hips.

  “Now I have you where I want you,” she teased, pressing herself against him.

  “Good. Now you can get out of those shorts and while you’re at it, you can get rid of mine.”

  Tossing him a teasing smile, she undid the button on her shorts and eased her zipper down. Lifting her bottom, she shucked the shorts over her hips and down her legs, taking her panties with them. Her gaze remained fixed on Samuel’s face and she was pleased at the heat that flared in his eyes.

  Still on her knees, she leaned forward, making sure her breasts grazed his chest. She reached for the button on his shorts and once again, slid the zipper down. His cock lay thick and hard beneath the satin of his boxers. Clearly outlined, she marveled at its size. Her fingers itched to touch him.

  Giving in to the impulse, she put her hand inside his shorts and ran her fingers along the hard length of him. She smiled when he sucked in his breath. Squeezing rhythmically through the satin of his underwear, she was rewarded with another groan.

  “You’re a witch, Shelby Gianopoulos,” he growled, but made no move to stop her.

  She smiled, but didn’t answer and continued to caress him with increasing boldness. Not until his cock glistened with need did she finally slide his shorts and boxers down. Samuel lifted his hips to assist her and within moments, the two of them were naked. Shelby moved until she lay spread-eagled on top of him, skin to skin.

  “God, you feel so good,” Samuel muttered. Stroking her back, his hands reached down and cupped her ass. He pressed her intimately against him.

  With his cock lying thick and hard against her belly her need spiraled out of control. Desire pooled between her legs. Her breasts felt achy and heavy. Her nipples were pebbled. She moved until the tip of his cock slid up and down her slit and another wave of desire rushed through her.

  With a hand firmly on her bottom, holding her in place, Samuel rolled slightly until he could reach into the drawer of the nightstand. He pulled out a condom and held it out to her.

  “Would you like to do the honors?”

  She took the condom from him and tore the packet open. Sitting back on her haunches, she rolled the condom over his cock. Returning to her original position, she took him in her hand and guided his shaft into her warmth.

  Easing herself down onto his erection, she lost all thought of time and place. He stretched her wide, filling her, stealing her breath, blinding her senses. There was nothing and no one but Samuel and the way he made her feel.

  “You feel amazing,” she whispered.

  As if he couldn’t bear to remain still a moment longer, he thrust his hips upward and buried himself all the way in. The feel of him was like nothing she’d ever felt. She hadn’t had many lovers, but she’d had enough to know there was something magical about their joining, something that had never been there before. She only hoped he felt the same way.

  “Shelby!” he gasped and thrust into her again, his voice hoarse with need.

  Responding to the tension in his body, she lifted herself up and down on his cock, setting up a rhythm that would ultimately lead to satisfaction. Moving beneath her, matching her movements, Samuel’s breathing quickened.

  With his eyes closed and his head thrust back against the pillows, she’d never seen anything so sexy or so beautiful. His total absorption in their joining, the desire that stained his cheeks—it sent her spiraling out of control until her inner muscles clenched tightly around him.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, all of a sudden overwhelmed by the relief of her orgasm. Samuel opened his eyes and stared at her and a moment later, rolled them over.

  With their positions reversed, his expression grew fierce and his thrusts became harder and faster. The tension around his mouth increased until she didn’t know how he could stand it. Plunging into her over and over, she clung to his shoulders and rode out the waves of his passion. Minutes later, he stiffened and cried out and then finally collapsed against her as a second climax swept her along with him.

  His breath was harsh in her ear, but she didn’t mind a bit. Making love with him had been like nothing she’d ever experienced. It was partly because they’d taken time to get to know each other, but it was more than that. After all, she’d been with Kostas for more than three years and she’d always thought they’d known each other well. And yet, she’d never experienced a lovemaking session with Kostas remotely like the one she’d just shared with Samuel, or climaxed like that with any other partner. There was no other way to explain it. Samuel was the difference.

  With a muffled apology, he seemed to recall that he was still lying with his weight on top of her. Rolling onto his side and taking her with him, he pulled her close against him. He pressed a kiss upon her hair and sighed quietly.

  “I hope you agree with me when I say that was more than worth the wait.”

  She smiled and nodded and ducked her head. Even after all they’d done, she was still a little embarrassed. It was different when she was in the throes of passion. She didn’t care about anything then, but now, after the event, she felt a little shy. Samuel looked down at her with a curious expression on his face.

  “Don’t tell me you’re embarrassed?” he chided gently.

  When she ducked her head even lower, he took hold of her chin and eased her head up until she had no choice but to look at him.

  “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Shelby,” he said softly and then slowly shook his head. “You were amazing, incredible—it was indescribable. I’ve never felt like that with anyone before. I think it’s the difference between having sex and actually
making love. There was nothing about what we just shared that felt like sex. Sex doesn’t even come close. Don’t you agree?”

  All of a sudden, he looked a little uncertain and the fact he wasn’t sure how good it was for her filled her with tenderness. She reached up and cupped his cheek.

  “You’re right. What we just experienced doesn’t come close to just having sex. It was beyond anything I could have imagined and it was all because of you. I’m falling in love with you, Samuel Munro.”

  His eyes lit up with tenderness and joy and he bent his head and kissed her softly on the mouth.

  “I’ve been falling in love with you from almost the first moment I saw you, Shelby Gianopoulos. I’m so glad you feel the same way.”

  His arms tightened around her and he hugged her hard. Shelby was filled with wonder at finding her soul mate, the man she knew she could love all her life. It was a heady feeling. It almost felt too good to be true. She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Athena Gianopoulos stared at the textbooks opened on the kitchen table in front of her. She’d been studying hard for the past three days and yet she still felt overwhelmed. She’d been an attorney for two years, working for various small firms around the city, doing everything from wills and probate to conveyancing. But what she really wanted was to be a barrister and to specialize in criminal law, like her father. Before she could do that, she needed to pass the bar exam and right now, she wasn’t confident that was going to happen.

  She’d come over to her parents’ house in Bondi to escape the usual hubbub of the house she shared with her siblings. With her father spending long hours at his firm in the city, her mother busy with her various charitable engagements, and her two younger brothers at school most of the day, Athena had the place to herself. It should have been the perfect environment to memorize everything she needed to know, but she was restless and bored and suddenly wished she hadn’t removed herself from the comings and goings of her normal life.

  The sound of a door closing snagged her attention and she frowned. Pushing back the chair, she went to investigate. As far as she knew, she was the only one home. Perhaps one of her siblings had stopped by to say hello? The thought instantly revived her flagging spirits.

  A moment later, her father appeared and started when he noticed her. “Oh, Athena. I’m sorry, I forgot you were here.”

  “Daddy! What are you doing here? I thought you were at work.”

  An embarrassed flush stained his cheeks. He looked away. “I am. I just had to come back and get…a file. I’d left it in the basement.”

  “Is that where you’ve been? I didn’t even hear you come in.”

  “Yes, well, as I said, I forgot you were here. I snuck in the back entrance.”

  She laughed. “You snuck? Daddy, it’s your house. You don’t have to sneak anywhere.”

  Once again, he looked uncomfortable. She was suddenly intrigued. Her father’s den in the basement had always been a no-go zone. For as long as she could remember, she’d understood the den was her father’s private space. A place where he liked to go to unwind from his stressful days in the courtroom. A place where no kids were allowed. She couldn’t even recall her mother venturing down the stairs, though Athena supposed she must have at some point.

  “Yes, well, anyway, I’d better get going. I have a client coming in shortly. If I don’t hurry, I won’t make it back in time. See you later, Athena. Don’t study too hard.”

  He turned and headed toward the front door, closing it softly as he left. A moment later, she heard the sound of his Mercedes rumbling down the drive. She moved toward the kitchen, intent on fixing a snack and then it hit her. Her father had left the house empty-handed. He’d told her he’d come back for a file. He must have forgotten it. She wondered how important it was and then grimaced. Of course it was important. He’d come all the way home from the city to retrieve it.

  Knowing he’d already left, she picked up her phone and dialed his number. Perhaps he could turn around again and come and fetch it? The phone went straight to voicemail and she could only assume he was already on a call. Sometimes it felt like her father spent more time on the phone sorting out work problems than he did talking to his family.

  She ended the call and blew out her breath on a sigh. She could probably get the file herself and take it to him in the city. He said it was in his den. She assumed it was somewhere easy to find. He’d probably put it down and forgotten to collect it. With her mind made up, she hurried over to the door that led down to the basement. Her father usually locked it, telling them he didn’t want anyone touching his things. With nine rowdy children living under his roof at one time, she’d always understood his caution.

  She turned the doorknob and was surprised when it turned under her hand. In his haste, he must have forgotten to lock it. Or perhaps he didn’t bother doing that anymore? After all, only her two younger brothers lived at home and the youngest had turned eighteen. They were hardly going to disobey an order that had been in force for so many years.

  Feeling around for a light switch, she found it and flicked it on. The carpeted stairwell was flooded with dim light. Making her way down the stairs, she rounded the corner and came up short.

  * * *

  Shelby flipped over onto her back and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her skin. It was her second day off and the second day she’d spent with Samuel and she’d never felt more content. They’d agreed to spend the morning down at Bondi Beach, where Samuel intended to catch some waves while Shelby worked on her tan.

  The warmth of the sun was making her drowsy. Closing her eyes, she relaxed against her towel. The sound of her phone startled her and she blinked and opened her eyes. Reaching across, she pulled it out of her beach bag and glanced at the screen.

  Athena.

  She was supposed to be studying, but Shelby bet her sister was bored out of her brain by now. She’d been at it for the past three days. No doubt she was looking for an excuse to take time out from her books. Shelby could understand that. She wasn’t that old that she couldn’t recall the drudgery of studying for exams. She didn’t know anyone who enjoyed it. She answered the call with a cheery greeting.

  “Hi, Athena. How are you this glorious day?”

  “Where are you?”

  Shelby frowned. There was an edge of panic to her sister’s voice. “I’m at the beach,” she replied.

  “Bondi?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, thank goodness!”

  Shelby’s frown deepened. “What’s the matter? What’s going on?”

  “I can’t talk about it over the phone. You need to come home. There’s something you’re not going to believe.”

  “What is it? Is it Momma or Daddy?”

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “Then what?”

  “Just get over here, quick.”

  Athena ended the call and Shelby stared down at her phone. Her sister sounded panicked, almost fearful. What the hell was going on?

  She squinted through her sunglasses in the direction of the surf. The reflection of the sun on the water was almost blinding. She could barely see Samuel. He was a tiny dot in the distance. She had no way of knowing how long he’d stay out there. After all, they both had the day off and he’d only been gone ten minutes. He’d told her on their walk down to the beach from his condo that it had been more than a fortnight since he’d hit the waves. She imagined he’d take advantage of the beautiful weather and stay out for a decent amount of time.

  She thought about Athena and the panic in her voice. Something was up. Athena wasn’t the kind of girl who panicked for no reason. Shelby needed to go and see her and find out what was wrong. She was also curious about what Athena wanted to show her. Coming to a decision, she sent Samuel a text.

  Gone 2 Momma and Daddy’s. Athena has something 2 show me. Not sure how long I’ll b, but call me when u get this.

  Tossing her phone back into her b
each bag, she collected her flip flops and with her towel draped over her shoulders, she made her way across the sand and back onto the boardwalk. Once on solid ground, she slipped on her footwear and headed up the hill, thankful that her parents didn’t live far away. In fact, Samuel’s condo was only a few blocks from her childhood home.

  The thought brought a rueful smile to her lips. She’d been a regular visitor to his neighborhood and she hadn’t even known it. It was like that movie, Six Degrees of Separation. She’d been way too young to watch it when it had first been released, but she’d since caught the movie on DVD. It still gave her goosebumps.

  Her phone rang again and she dug around in her bag to answer it.

  Athena.

  “Okay, okay, I’m coming,” she said by way of greeting.

  “Hurry up, all right. I’m kind of freaking out.”

  Shelby felt a rush of impatience. “Why don’t you just tell me?”

  “No, I don’t want to. It’s not the kind of thing I can talk about. You need to come and see. How far away are you?”

  “I’m halfway up the hill. I’ll be there in less than five minutes.”

  “Okay, but get a move on.”

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, Athena, it’s a little hot out here. I’m walking as fast as I can.”

  “I’ll come and get you.”

  “There’s no need. I’ll be home before you open the garage.”

  “Well, all right,” Athena sighed. “Just hurry.”

  Shelby ended the call and tossed her phone back into her bag. Stuffing the towel in with it, she adjusted the bag on her shoulders and increased her pace. It was far too hot for jogging and her fitness level probably wouldn’t allow her to do more than a fast walk anyway. She was heading up a very steep hill. Athena would just have to be patient.

  Shelby had almost reached the front door of her parents’ home when she remembered she’d left her house key in her handbag. She hadn’t expected to go calling on her parents while she’d been making wild love to Samuel. Her fantasies of the day went something along the lines of endless mind-blowing orgasms followed by eating tubs of salted caramel ice cream in bed, with a little more loving to come. She hadn’t planned on involving her family in any way.