Down Too Deep

by J. Daniels

I, on the other hand, would’ve killed for an interlude. I was dying to speak to Nathan alone. Or as alone as we could be with three children sitting behind us. So much had happened tonight. What was going on here? I had no idea. The only thing I knew for sure was it was pushing midnight and my children were wound up.

  What the hell was in those Popsicles?

  When Nathan pulled into the driveway, I couldn’t thwart my disappointment. My body slumped against the seat.

  Our evening was over. I never wanted it to end. What would happen the next time we saw each other?

  “Do you want to come inside?” Nathan asked, cutting the engine.

  I looked over at him and blinked. My heart began working double time.

  It was crazy late. Marley was passed out. My kids needed to go to bed an hour ago. And Nathan wanted me to come inside?

  “I do,” Olivia answered before I could get a word out.

  “Yeah, can we watch a movie or something?” Oliver asked.

  “Sure,” Nathan said, staring right at me.

  There it was again—that serious, uncertain gaze. He’d taken his aviators off to drive and was back to wearing his prescription glasses.

  “Do you want to watch a movie, Jenna?”

  I heard his question. I also heard what he wasn’t saying.

  Come inside. I don’t want to watch a movie.

  “Sure. I’d love to.” I smiled at him.

  We could talk. We could figure out what was happening between us. Or, something else maybe? The way he was looking at me…

  I threw the door open and stumbled out of the truck.

  After gathering both bags, ignoring Nathan’s protest about it, I trailed behind him and the kids and stepped inside the house. I dumped the bags near the front door as Nathan flipped on the lights. Marley was still asleep on his shoulder.

  “Go sit down,” I told my kids.

  Oliver and Olivia rounded the couch and sprawled out on separate ends. They yawned and blinked tiredly at the TV.

  “What movie do you want to watch?” I asked no one in particular. I stood in front of the couch and scrolled through Netflix at lightning speed. I could feel Nathan’s stare on my profile.

  “Here. This is good.” I cued up The BFG. I knew Oliver and Olivia enjoyed that. Dropping the remote on the love seat, I looked between the two of them and said, “You guys stay here, okay?”

  “Okay, Mom,” they both mumbled, eyes heavy-lidded and glued to the screen.

  I crossed the room and entered the kitchen, following Nathan up the stairs. He didn’t ask me to follow him. In fact, he didn’t say a word to me. My feet moved without prompting. I knew Nathan didn’t want or need help putting Marley to bed. That wasn’t why he’d waited, and it sure as hell wasn’t why I’d suddenly become his shadow.

  One, Marley was already asleep. And two, Nathan was perfectly capable of putting her to bed even if she were awake right now.

  Come inside. I don’t want to watch a movie.

  Instead of following him into Marley’s room, I stepped inside the bathroom across the hall, closing the door behind me and flicking on the light. After relieving myself, I washed my hands and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

  My hair was still tied up in a knot, but it looked messier than usual, with several pieces falling around my neck and in front of my ears. I pulled the tie out of my hair and ran my fingers through the strands, smoothing them out. Then I rubbed at my nose and cheeks, trying to remove the excess lotion that hadn’t been absorbed. My skin looked pink from the sun and my lips were cherry-Popsicle stained.

  I quickly wiped at my mouth, which did absolutely nothing to the color; then I flicked the light off and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway.

  Nathan was slouched against the opposite wall, and our eyes met instantly as I emerged, as if he’d been staring at the door. Waiting.

  “Hey, sorry,” I said, smiling at him. I pulled the door closed behind me. “Do you want to go downstairs?”

  “The kids are asleep.”

  “Mine too?”

  “Yeah. I checked. They’re out cold.”

  “Oh.”

  We stared at each other across the small space. I could hear my breathing. I could hear his.

  God, he looked so sexy. Relaxed and maybe a little tired. His hat and glasses removed now, hands shoved in his front pockets and head tipped back. The hallway lighting was dim above us, a soft amber glow, but it was enough. I could see him clearly.

  I lowered my eyes to his neck. His Adam’s apple was even more prominent, courtesy of his stance. If Nathan stayed there and remained still, I could’ve openly gazed at it for hours.

  I wanted that, and I didn’t. I could stare at him later. After. Right now I needed him to move.

  There was only one reason we were both up here.

  “They’re heavy sleepers,” I shared, my breath quickening. “Um, my kids….so, if we wanted to talk or…anything, they wouldn’t hear it.”

  I was provoking him. I wasn’t sure if it was needed or not, but what if it was, just like earlier at the pool?

  Jenna, I need you to ask me.

  I wasn’t typically this forward, but it came easily with him. Around Nathan, my shyness slipped away.

  “Or anything,” he repeated, testing out that option on his tongue. He tilted his head to the side. “You’ve become my favorite person to talk to. Did you know that?”

  I smiled. Wow, that was sweet. “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “I don’t want to talk right now, Jenna.”

  I swallowed thickly. My fingers curled against my palms. “Honestly, me neither.”

  Nathan moved then, pushing away from the wall and stalking toward me.

  My head tilted up and up, until our shoes bumped and his fingers brushed against mine. That touch, my God. I felt my pulse throbbing in my neck.

  “I keep holding back with you. Can you tell?” Nathan bent his arm and braced it on the door above my head, his fingers slowly gliding over my hand, my wrist, the side of my elbow. “It’s not because I don’t want something to happen. There is little I’ve wanted more than this.”

  “I want it too.” I reached out and held on to his waist. I had to. My legs were threatening to give out.

  Nathan glanced down at my grip on his body. His chest was heaving now.

  “It’s okay if you need to hold back, and it’s okay if you don’t,” I said. Our eyes locked. “I’m not going to stop you, Nathan.”

  His fingers had worked their way up my arm and were currently teasing the bikini string around my neck. He pulled it away from my collarbone.

  “I don’t think I could stop right now.” He caught my eyes, bent lower, and floated his mouth over mine. “This fucking top,” he growled. “You nearly killed me today.”

  I didn’t move. I wasn’t sure I wanted to. We were so fucking close, we shared breath. Him out, me in. Me out, him in. He hovered there, staring at me. If I tilted my head up, we’d kiss. I knew we would.

  I didn’t move a muscle. Neither did he. For seconds, we never touched, and it was the hottest tease of my life.

  “How is this good?” he asked, head shaking ever so slightly in disbelief. “I could stay right here…Fuck.”

  “I know.” My hands flexed around his hips. “You really don’t have to move.”

  “Oh, I’m going to move,” he promised.

  The beat of a second passed before he acted, sliding his hand around my neck and into my hair, forcing that tilt of my head I’d been so patiently refusing. I gasped as our lips pressed together, arching away from the door and wrapping my arms around his neck.

  Nathan groaned and hauled me up his body, his fingers digging into my ass and his hard dick trapped between us.

  The feel of him…Holy shit. Wetness pooled between my legs.

  And good God, he could kiss.

  Soon we were moving, him backward and me barely needing to lift my feet. I felt like I was floating. My hands were in his
hair, tugging as I sucked grape Popsicle off his tongue. I moaned into his mouth.

  “I want you. God, I want you.” His voice was needy. Urgent. His hot mouth moved down my neck and sucked.

  “Nathan.” My entire body shook. “Get us in a room. Please.”

  His back hit a door, and he blindly reached around to open it.

  I squeaked when his hand returned to my ass and grabbed, fingers digging into denim and lifting. My legs wrapped around his waist.

  He carried me inside the room. I reached over his shoulder and pushed the door closed. He locked it. I swiped the wall and turned on the light.

  We toppled over onto the bed, kicking our sandals off. The sheets underneath my back bunching as he slid me higher toward the headboard. He was panting as he crawled over me. I fell back onto the pillow, my hands on his face as I kissed him.

  I didn’t want to stop. Just like out in the hallway, this was so good. Just this. His tongue inside my mouth. The way Nathan sucked on my lips. His dirty little noises, I could eat them for hours.

  I whimpered when he sat back on his heels and forced us apart, until he reached over his shoulder and stripped off his shirt.

  Right. Too many clothes. This could get so much better. Move, Jenna.

  I quickly sat up and drew off my top, tossing it beside the bed to join his while I openly stared at his chest and carved-out abs. I fell back as Nathan reached for me. Our hands collided at my shorts.

  I popped the button. He pulled down the zipper. I lifted my hips. He yanked the shorts down my legs.

  “Teamwork,” I said. I smiled when he smiled and slid my fingers underneath the ties at my hips.

  “Leave that on for a minute.” He sank back over me, bracing his weight on his elbows and dipping lower.

  “Sure.” I licked along his tongue.

  Again, I was good with doing this for hours. He wanted a minute? No problem.

  I rubbed my hands over his sides and back as we kissed. I gripped onto muscle. His skin was smooth and warm from the sun. When Nathan rocked his hips forward and pressed the head of his dick against me, I gasped and dug my nails into his skin. “God, yes.”

  “Yeah?”

  I nodded fast, dropping my knees wider and gripping his trim waist. I drew him in.

  Nathan peered down at me and moved, another surge between my legs. This one working into a glide and ending with a heavy press to my clit. His mouth dropped open through a moan.

  I felt close to coming straight off the bed. I could feel everything. Everything.

  His basketball shorts hugged the line of his thick dick. And my bathing suit did absolutely nothing in terms of being a barrier. If anything, our bottoms made the glide smoother.

  “I haven’t done this in years,” he said, kissing my jaw, my neck. He pumped his hips.

  I grasped at his body, moaning. “Me either.”

  Hell, I couldn’t remember the last time I dry humped. And even though I knew incredible things existed beyond this, I began to wonder how it was possible to top what we were doing.

  What was better than grinding one out? Absolutely nothing. I couldn’t stop now if I tried.

  “This feels so good,” I panted. I spread my legs wider and clutched his ass through his shorts.

  Nathan dipped closer. Our foreheads touched, our bodies building into a rhythm. He pushed down and up. I rode his glide, tipping my pelvis to meet him. His hand wiggled between us and squeezed my breast. We both moaned. My fingers slid to his mouth, and I whimpered when he sucked on the tips.

  “Kiss me,” I begged, grabbing him. I gripped handfuls of his hair.

  Nathan crashed our mouths together, his hand staying between us. He slid the triangle aside and rolled my nipple to a stiff peak.

  “Oh God,” I gasped. “Don’t stop.”

  “This?” he asked, his thumb teasing me.

  “Everything. I’m close.”

  He kept torturing my nipple as his hips pistoned relentlessly. Soon his pace grew desperate.

  “Fuck,” he breathed. “Ah…holy shit.” He harshly grabbed my breast.

  I loved how unrestrained he became. I felt just as frantic.

  This chase…I’d never experienced anything like it.

  “I’m gonna come,” he said. His body shook. His dick throbbed between my legs.

  Oh my God, him saying that…I fell over the edge.

  Fingers digging into his ass, I closed my eyes as my orgasm took hold. “Nathan,” I groaned. “Oh God…”

  He rode it out with me. He kept moving, grinding wildly against my clit. He moaned through it and begged my name. “Jenna.”

  And the noises leaving him…Jesus. Words spilled out of me. I couldn’t help them.

  “You’re so sexy,” I panted, my body still shuddering. “I’m so into you, you have no idea.”

  Nathan slowed the rock of his hips, watching me, his expression wrecked. Sweat beaded on his brow. “Come here,” he said, bending to take my mouth. “Fuck, this is so good.”

  “Yeah.” I melted inside our kiss.

  My body went slack against the sheet as I came down, gathering my breath…only to lose it again when Nathan hunched over and tongued my nipple.

  “Oh,” I gasped, pushing my fingers through his messy hair. He sucked my flesh like a man starved. “God…”

  I’d been expecting an intermission. Maybe a cuddle break. Honestly, I’d been hoping for one, only because I knew how amazing Nathan’s arms felt around me and I’d been dying to feel them again.

  But when he slid his hand into my bathing suit bottoms and pressed his finger against my sex, I quit wishing for anything besides more.

  “Please…please.” I reached down and tore my suit off. “Do you have a condom?” I asked. I guided his face to mine and kissed the word “yeah” as it left his mouth.

  Nathan pushed back and over, kneeling beside my hip. He bent over me, two fingers inside now, and worked me over with his lips and tongue.

  My hands flew to his head as it pressed between my legs. I both held him to me and attempted to push him off.

  “Nathan.” I gasped, writhing on the sheets. “N-N…Please, I—” I fumbled for words. I didn’t know what to beg for.

  Sex? More of his mouth and fingers? This was so good. I couldn’t decide.

  “I know. I had to,” Nathan whispered against my clit. He pressed his lips there once more, sucking gently. Then he eased away and slid off the bed.

  I untied my top and pulled it off, dropping it beside me. Then I pressed my palms to my chest and felt the steady beat of my heart. “Wow,” I whispered, turning my head on the pillow. My eyes widened at Nathan’s bare ass.

  Wow is right. He had muscle there too? Damn.

  Nathan finished cleaning himself off with his T-shirt and tossed the garment across the room at the hamper in the corner. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and dug through the drawer in his nightstand. The muscles in his back flexed.

  I rolled to my side as he retrieved something out of the drawer, a box of condoms by the sound of the paperboard flap popping open. I watched him reach back and rub at his neck, his head lowered. When his arm fell away, he remained in that position.

  He didn’t turn around. He didn’t stand with a condom. He didn’t move at all.

  Shoulders hunched forward. Head down. The only sound I could hear was his breathing.

  I was holding mine.

  Chapter Twelve

  NATHAN

  Nathan, are you okay?”

  Jenna’s soft voice lifted my gaze off the box in my hand. I peered back at her.

  She was on her side now, pushed up on her elbow, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders and down her chest. She’d removed her top. Her full breasts heaved slowly.

  “Yeah, I’m just checking for an expiration date.” I cleared my throat and gazed into her eyes, watching them widen ever so slightly. Right. Confession time. “I haven’t been with anyone since…These are pretty old. I don’t know if they’re still
okay to use or not.”

  The paperboard bent in my hand. I forced my grip to ease.

  Jenna could’ve reacted to the news of my bleak sex life with surprise. Her pretty green eyes could’ve rounded further. Her lips could’ve parted. Maybe her breathing would’ve hitched. I was watching her closely enough, I wouldn’t have missed a damn thing she did right now. And I would’ve anticipated shock. When I thought about it perceptively, it was shocking to me. I expected no less from Jenna.

  “I haven’t been with anyone in four years,” she revealed.

  I stared at her.

  She hadn’t reacted to my admission. But there was no way in hell I wasn’t reacting to hers.

  I turned sideways to face her more. “Excuse me. How is that even possible?”

  “What do you mean, how…?”

  “You’re you.” I gestured at her.

  A little smile tugged at her mouth. “With the kids, I don’t really have a whole lot of time to date. The dates I have been on haven’t worked out, and we never got to that step. Or the guys are only looking for a hookup. I can’t do that, so—”

  I cut her off, not knowing whether this needed to be said, but I couldn’t risk Jenna getting hurt over this. We hadn’t discussed what was happening between us. We hadn’t talked at all, no thanks to me. I told her I didn’t want that tonight. How did she interpret my request? Any conversing outside of what we said to each other while we fooled around was off-limits?

  You dick. What the fuck?

  “That’s not what this is,” I said. “I’m not just looking to hook up with you.”

  She smiled a little more. “I didn’t think you were.”

  “We can talk. I know I said I didn’t want to, but we can. I didn’t mean…Fuck, I just…” I pushed my hand through my hair. “I’ve been fighting this with you. For weeks I’ve wanted to be here. I haven’t felt that in…well…” I held up the box in my hand.

  “I know we can talk,” Jenna said, pushing up to her hip. “I know if I asked to stop right now, we would. I know what this isn’t, Nathan. I’m not sure what it is yet, but if those aren’t expired”—she pointed at the box—“I’d like to keep going, if you do.”

  “The only way I wouldn’t want to keep going is if you didn’t.”