by Jami Alden
It was like getting the most awesome, most coveted Christmas present in the world, and he knew that if he tried to open it with too much enthusiasm, it would shatter into a million pieces.
So even as his body demanded relief from the frustration that had dogged him for what felt like decades, Jack rode the brakes hard.
He sucked and nipped at her lips, rubbed her tongue with his, the taste of her, sweet and hot and tasting faintly of the lime she’d had in her drink, hitting his brain with a rush more powerful than any drug. He cupped her breast, the silky skin, the hard point of it nuzzling into his palm, threatening to send him into the stratosphere.
But nothing, nothing got him hotter than the little sounds she was making in the back of her throat. Helpless moans and sighs, the little gasps when he rolled her nipple between his fingers that told him exactly how much she liked it.
How much she wanted his hands and lips and tongue on her.
How much she wanted him.
Part of him didn’t really believe Talia would ever be able to get past the damage, the guilt, the pain to be able to give herself to him without at least a dusting of obligation.
But the moans into his mouth, the arching into his touch, and—sweet Jesus—the way her hips were rocking against him didn’t feel like obligation.
It felt like everything he’d kept pent up inside him echoing back on him. Lust. Need. Desire. And something else, a little too powerful and scary to put a name on just yet.
He slid his hands up her smooth thighs and cupped her ass, filling his hands with the firm curves. He felt her hands between them, and then his shirt was spread open. He pressed her harder against him so he could feel the heat of her as she rubbed herself against the mammoth bulge in his pants.
Her nipples brushed against his chest and they both gasped at the contact. She pressed closer, chest to chest, belly to belly, and the feel of her skin against his was so good Jack felt like the top of his head was going to pop off.
He needed her naked, to feel every inch of her skin against his.
Cupping her hips, he pushed off from the couch as she wrapped her legs and arms around him. Never taking his mouth from hers, he carried her down the hall to the downstairs bedroom and laid her gently across the double bed. He shoved his shirt the rest of the way off his shoulders and reached for her dress.
He curled his hands in the fabric bunched around her waist, his gaze seeking hers as he started to tug it down. “Okay?” he whispered.
Her eyes were hidden in the shadows, and though her pulse was thrumming against the delicate skin of her throat, there was no apprehension, no hesitation in her voice when she answered. “Okay.”
Jack pulled the flimsy green fabric over her hips, down the sleekly muscled legs. He let it fall to the floor and took a few seconds to just look at her.
What he saw made his breath hitch in his chest and every nerve in his body tighten in response. Wearing only a pair of panties that were somehow sexier for their plain cotton simplicity, she was all silky caramel skin over tight muscle and soft curves. Full breasts, their tips dark and tight, seemed to beg for his lips and tongue. Her stomach was a smooth, flat plane, lush hips flaring out from a waist he could fit his hands around.
He curled his hands around her ankles, needing to touch, to feel, to prove to himself she was actually here, letting him see her, letting him touch her in a way that she hadn’t let any man touch her in a very long time.
Christ, as if he didn’t feel enough pressure to make it good for her… He slid his hands up her legs, wondering if she could feel the slight tremble in his fingers. He hadn’t been this nervous since the first time he’d talked Mary Blake into sneaking off to his parents’ pool house in the tenth grade.
But the nerves fled, chased away by heat as Talia pulled him over her, her legs bent, knees parted so he could settle his hips exactly where he wanted them.
He took her mouth as his hand slid down, pausing to savor a breast before it continued down the smooth line of her stomach. He felt the muscles jump under his hand, tensing as his fingers teased the waistband of her underwear.
“If I’d known I was getting lucky tonight, I would have worn something other than granny panties,” she said, a breathless quiver in her voice.
Jack felt a smile tug at his lips and then bent to kiss a sweet patch of skin under her ear. “I like them. Reminds me of high school when I was trying to convince the good girls to be bad with me.”
Her hand tangled in his hair and stroked down his neck. “I was never a good girl. You should know that by now, Jack.”
He kissed her again, hard, trying to make her feel in that one touch how amazing he knew she was. How much he wanted her, admired her.
Loved her.
Oh shit.
“You’re a lot better than most and you don’t even know it,” he muttered against her lips. His hand slid a couple of inches inside her waistband. He heard her shaky breath. “I want to touch you.” His fingers slid a little farther, enough for him to feel soft hair and the top of the slit hidden beneath.
She caught his wrist in her hand, and for one horrible second he was afraid she was going to pull his hand away.
Just the thought was enough to make him burst into tears.
Instead, in a move that made him feel like his dick was going to rip through his zipper, she pushed his hand down, down that last inch.
He parted her with his fingers, groaning as he felt her, hot and slippery wet with need. Any doubts he had about how much she wanted this—wanted him—disappeared as he circled her clit, dipped his fingers in her tight core, and felt her clench around him.
He was so hard he hurt, desperate to sink inside her. But he could feel the slight quiver in her lips as he kissed her, knew if he went at her like the beast inside him was demanding, he risked calling up the old demons she’d finally managed to beat back enough to be with him.
But Jack knew all about demons. Knew they didn’t like to stay quiet for long, and one false move would bring them screaming back to the forefront. He shoved his own need aside and focused every cell in his body on her. On what she wanted, what she liked.
What would make her come so hard she’d forget all about the demons that haunted her dreams.
He kissed his way down her body as his fingers rubbed and stroked, every moan, every hitch in her breath sending a sizzle of triumph through him.
His lips traced the waistband of her panties and she let out a cry of protest as he slipped his hand free. “Why are you stopping?” she said, and he smiled at the note of irritation in her voice.
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband and slid them off with one swift tug. Before she could react, he hooked her left knee over his shoulder and pressed a kiss to the top of her mound. “Trust me, this is only going to get better.” He licked his lips in anticipation. She was as gorgeous here as she was everywhere else.
Oh my God, was he… The thought dissolved as Jack parted her with his thumbs and bent to take her with his mouth. Talia arched up from the bed, a high, startled cry ripping from her throat as pleasure like nothing she’d ever felt jolted through her. She’d been stunned already at the pleasure she felt at Jack’s touch. Shocked at how wet and ready he’d made her, how her body thrilled at the feel of his hands on her skin, his lips and tongue on her breasts. When his hands slid inside her panties, when he’d pressed his thick, powerful finger inside her, she’d never known anything could feel so good.
But, God, this, the feel of his tongue circling her clit, his lips sucking at her.
She felt a tiny ripple of embarrassment. He wasn’t really enjoying this, was he? She’d never met a man who did….
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to—” she started, but her words stuck on another gasp as he slid one thick, long finger inside of her.
“Are you kidding?” He lifted his head but replaced his tongue with his thumb, circling, stroking, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate on what he was sa
ying. “I’ve been dying to taste you like this forever.” His eyes were molten blue flames. “I crave you like a drug and I don’t want to miss a single inch of you.”
Any lingering reserve dissolved as he pressed his mouth to her again, his unmistakable groan of pleasure vibrating through her. He took her lovingly, hungrily with his lips and tongue, feasting on her like she was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.
She could feel something building, churning inside her, pulling every sinew tight as her pleasure focused on Jack’s mouth against her core.
It was like teetering on the edge of a cliff, looking out into the abyss. What would happen if she let herself fall?
Another finger slid in to join the first, stroking and thrusting. Her body clenched and shuddered around him as though trying to pull him deeper. She’d never felt like this before, powerless to control the thrust of her hips, the high cries ripping from her throat. Oh, God, it was so good, it almost hurt, her whole body reaching, yearning…
“Jack!”
The tight knot burst, shattering her into a million glittering pieces as time seemed to stop at the monumental force of her orgasm. In what could have been seconds or hours, or hell, even days, Talia came back to herself and felt the pieces start to settle back together.
Yet everything was a bit off, not quite the same as she’d been before. But as Jack pressed a kiss to the still quivering muscle of her inner thigh, Talia somehow felt more right in herself than she ever had before.
Satisfaction surged through Jack as he felt the lingering pulses of Talia’s orgasm shimmer though her body. He’d always tried to be a considerate lover, but the stakes riding on Talia’s pleasure were higher than anything he’d ever faced.
But hearing her sharp cries, feeling the tug of her fingers in his hair and the tight clench of her muscles around his fingers as she came…
The thought of burying his cock in that tight, clenching heat… his cock throbbed behind his fly. He was so hard he hurt, desperate to shove himself inside her and pound his way to satisfaction.
He kissed his way up her body and tried to keep himself under control. Even though Talia had liked having him go down on her, it didn’t mean she was ready for him to drop trou and have at her like a caveman.
He took her mouth and settled between her legs. He could feel her hot and wet against the muscles of his abs, could see the blurry look of satisfaction in her eyes.
He had done that. Wiped away the fear and hesitation and replaced it with something dark and sultry. Kissed that plump mouth until it was swollen and red.
“You’re looking very pleased with yourself,” she said. Her fingers threaded through his hair and he leaned into her touch.
“Do I deserve to?” He bent and tasted the sly smile on her lips. It felt so damn good to be with her like this, teasing and kissing. He didn’t know what was going to happen next, and he wanted to draw this out as long as he could.
“Considering I had an orgasm for the first time in nearly a decade, I’d say yeah, you’ve earned your swagger tonight.”
Jack jerked back a little. “You’re exaggerating, right?”
“Oh, God, I can’t believe I just admitted that.” Talia dropped her gaze and looked like she wanted to retreat, but there was nowhere to go with Jack’s arms framing her head on the pillow and his weight pressing her into the mattress.
There was no way. Despite her past, once you broke through the wall, Talia was a passionate, responsive, sexual creature. Tonight had finally proven that without a doubt. He didn’t kid himself this was only about him. “But I know you loved…” He stopped himself. He didn’t want to utter the fucker’s name, didn’t want him to pollute what they had here.
She smiled up at him, a little sad. “He never took the time to make me feel like this. No one did.”
Her eyes were suspiciously shiny and Jack felt an answering tightness. He had about a million things to say swirling around in his head but he couldn’t get any of them past the lump clogging his throat.
Instead he cupped her cheek and bent his head and kissed her, trying to tell her without words how much he cared about her, that she was worthy of kindness and consideration and, goddamn it, pleasure and didn’t have to settle for assholes and losers who didn’t care about anything but their own selfish desires.
But his own selfish needs quickly roared to the surface. His kiss turned hungry, demanding, even as he warned himself to back off. Yet when he tried to pull back, slow it down, Talia wouldn’t have it. She sucked and nipped at his tongue and wound her legs around his hips. She slid her hands down his back and slipped her fingers into the waistband of his pants, under the top of his boxers to curl them into the tight muscles of his ass.
She moved her hands to his hips. “Lift up,” she whispered, and he held his breath as her hands came around to the front of his waist and her fingers landed on the tab front closure. The muscles of his arms quaked as he held himself over her, perfectly still as though any sudden move-ment might send her fleeing from the room. He could hear the pounding of his heart, the panting of his breath as she flicked his pants open at the waist. She dragged the zipper down, and even through his boxers he almost came at the first brush of her fingers against his cock.
She caught her lip in her teeth as she shoved his pants down his hips and he rolled to the side, squirming to kick his legs free. Then he was on his back, his erection tenting out the front of his boxers so outrageously it would have been funny if he weren’t so hard he felt like he was going to burst through his skin.
Talia lay on her side next to him, dark waves falling across her cheek. So beautiful it almost hurt to look at her as she slowly leaned over to kiss him. He gasped into her mouth at the first brush of her hand against his stomach. The hand slid lower to brush against the waistband of his boxers. Then lower still, and she curled her fingers around him and stroked him through the fabric of his underwear. He let out a low groan against her mouth, then swore as her hand slipped under the waistband to take him into her hand.
Silky and warm against his hot flesh, it was all he could do to keep himself from coming in her hand. But she seemed into it, too, her breath coming faster as she gripped him in her fist and stroked him from root to tip. Her thumb swept over the head, spreading the droplet of precome that had pearled at the tip, and Jack felt his balls tighten against his body. Talia was making those hot little sounds in the back of her throat again, and as she pumped him again, he knew he’d reached the end of his rope.
Breathing like he’d run a marathon, he ripped his mouth away and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to hold it still.
“What’s wrong?” she said, and even through the roar of blood in his head, he could hear the thread of anxiety. “Nothing,” he gasped, “not one goddamn thing except for the fact that if you don’t stop touching me like that, I’m going to come in your hand.”
Her cheeks darkened with a blush, and he took a second to marvel at the fact that this woman who had once led men around by the sheer force of her sex appeal was so easily embarrassed by crude language. He could spend the rest of his life working out all of her contradictions.
“Look,” he said through gritted teeth, fighting the urge to pump against her hand still wrapped around him, “I could settle for a hand job tonight and be totally satisfied.” Okay, that was a huge exaggeration. “I know this is a lot for you and I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”
A smile spread across her face, its glow sending a warmth that had nothing to do with lust rushing through him. She tugged her hand from his grip and released him with a last, teasing stroke and brought her hand up to cup his cheek as she pressed him back against the pillow.
She leaned over him, and he felt that smiling mouth against his lips as she whispered, “That’s my Jack, noble to the bitter end.”
He parted his lips with little urging and sucked her tongue inside. He pulled her against him until they were breast to chest, her legs br
ushing against his as she hooked one knee over his hip.
“I’m all in, Jack, and I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” To prove her point, she took his hand in hers, guided it between her legs.
Take it easy, take it slow, Jack chanted silently as he rolled her to her back and took himself in his hand. He pressed the head of his cock against her hot, moist core, pushed inside. Oh, Christ, he was barely inside her and he was about to lose it. Nothing had ever felt this good, ever. She was hotter, wetter, tighter, every sensation turned up to eleven as he eased himself in a millimeter at a time.
Then, like a hammer blow, it hit him why it felt so ridiculously good.
He pulled out with a curse and flung himself onto his back.
“What?” Talia asked, breathless.
“I don’t have a condom,” he groaned.
“Oh,” Talia said with a little laugh. “It’s okay.” She nuzzled his neck and nipped at his earlobe. “I’m on the pill,” she whispered.
He could be inside her, nothing between them? For a second Jack thought the top of his head was going to blow off. He held himself still, digging deep for self-control as he struggled not to drive himself full length inside of her.
“I’m… I’m clean too,” she said, the embarrassment evident even in her whisper. She squirmed underneath him and he bit back a groan at the feel of her wet flesh sliding against him. “I can see why that might worry you, but I was with only David for a long time, and of course no one since.”
It was hard to form the words with the blood roaring in his ears. “God, of course I’m not worried,” he said. “And for the record, I had everything done on my last physical and I’m good and—”
He broke off as he pushed the head of his cock against her, felt her tightness close around him as he pushed inside. “God, I’ve never done it without a condom. It feels…” He trailed off, unable to find the words. He bent his head, kissed her, pushed in a little farther. So hot. So tight. Like a wet, silky fist closing around him as he worked himself in inch by torturous inch.
