When she turned back to him, he was suddenly right there, so close she bumped into his chest. Not fair, he whispered.
Whats not fair is that you havent started. She tugged on his shirt. He raised his arms so that she could pull it off and toss it over her shoulder. The bruises on his ribs made her physically ache for him. Are you okay?
Right now I am. I love your color choices today.
She grimaced. One of these days Ill get it together and pay attention in the morning.
No, I like it. Tough, cool tomboy on the outside, thoroughly unorganized siren on the inside. His palms slid up her sides to cup her breasts, while she combed her fingers through his hair, bringing his mouth back to hers for the hot, wet, deep kiss shed been longing for.
Nicole. His voice was hoarse, and he repeated her name as if he couldnt hear it enough. He kissed her jaw, beneath her ear, her throat, touching her everywhere his hands could reach. Then her bra fell to the floor, followed by her mismatched panties. I dont want to hurt you, he said.
Then dont. She opened his jeans and slid her hands inside, squeezing his very squeezable butt. Not enough, but she knew he couldnt easily bend so she dropped to her knees to work his jeans down. She tugged off his knit boxers, too, her mouth watering as his impressive erection sprang free.
Nicole-
She took him in her mouth and he staggered back a step, then swore reverently as his hands entangled in her hair. His head fell back. She ran her tongue up his length, and he shuddered, but then pulled away and hauled her up to her feet.
Ty, I want to-
Bed. Now.
But-
Id play the hero and toss you on it, he said in a thrilling rough voice. But-
Your ribs.
My ribs, he agreed, following her down to the mattress. Lying at her side, he touched her feet, ran his hands up her calves, over her kneesthen met her gaze as he wrapped his palm around her thigh.
Careful of your ribs- Her words ended abruptly when he splayed open her legs.
Staring down at her with such intense heat she felt herself go up in flames, he let out a slow breath. I wont hurt myself, I wont have to. Youre already killing me.
Very carefully, he shifted his weight. His intent became clear when she felt his warm breath high on her inner thigh. Careful-
Shh. He kissed her quivering, slick flesh, and suddenly her skin felt tight, her chest too small to hold her heart. Then he kissed her again, and writhing on the sheets, she cried out.
I want you. His gaze locked on her as he slid a finger into her body. Her moan of pleasure meshed with his. I want you more than Ive ever wanted anyone.
I want you, too. She barely managed to put the words together, but sensed how much he needed to hear them to ground him here, to this place. To her. I want you more than Ive ever wanted anyone, Ty. Love me.
Like this? Sliding his hands beneath her, he put his mouth on her, and with one slow, sure, knowing stroke of his tongue he nearly drove her right out of her living mind. Then he sucked her into his mouth, and he did drive her right out of her living mind. While she was still trembling with the aftershocks, he came up to his knees, wrapped his hand around his erection and buried himself deep within her.
Then he went still as he uttered one concise and perfectly descriptive oath.
She was just about crazy with the need for him to move within her. What?
Condom, he growled, and pulled out of her, his sex glistening with her own wetness. She watched him grit his teeth as he got off the bed, searched out his wallet, opened a foil packet, and stroked a condom down the length of himself.
Hurry, she said.
This isnt the emergency room, Dr. Hot Pants. Theres no hurry. And he proceeded to prove it to her by slowly, far too slowly, entering her again, watching her with hot, hot eyes as he did.
Oh, he destroyed her, completely destroyed her. Arching her hips, she tried to pull him in, faster, harder.
Slow, he whispered, running hot, openmouthed kisses along her jaw, her throat, pulling a patch of her skin into his mouth to suck.
But she needed all of him and she needed it now. She needed that to ease her tight chest, to soothe her fear that shed wake up and hed be gone. Ty-
But he couldnt be rushed, so she slapped her hands to his tight butt and tugged. Still no go. He was a solid mass of muscle, with a mind of his own.
He held her like that, on the very edge. She would have been furious at the way he mastered her body if he hadnt been right there with her, head back, jaw clenched in a grimace of passion, just as on the edge as she. Then, when she was nearly sobbing in frustration, he thrust deep, stretching her, filling her. The penetration was so powerful and complete they both cried out, and then again when he withdrew only to plunge back in. His grip on her hips tightened as he stroked harder, deeper, his powerful body crushing her to the mattress.
Legs tightening around his waist, she moved with him, slowly at first, as hed wanted, but the pressure built until her heart beat in her ears in tune to the thrust of his pumping hips.
Intense pleasure gripped her, shoved her over the edge as lights exploded behind her eyes and shudders rippled her body, robbing her of breath. Vaguely she felt him bury his face in her neck and groan out her name as he followed her over, but all she could do was cling to him, lost, as hot wave after hot wave continued to take her.
Ty collapsed to the side, hauling her with him. They lay still like that except for the sound of their racing hearts and uneven breathing.
Nicole concentrated on the physical, which was incredible, and refused to think of anything else. Then Ty kissed her shoulder and pulled back so he could look into her eyes. Okay?
Definitely. She might have said fantastic. Euphoric. Better than shed ever been. But he got out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She stared at the ceiling.
When he came back out, he stood by the bed, still naked, looking down at her with those depthless eyes. Should I go?
Go? The thought made her heart clench. No. No, he shouldnt go. To show him, she lifted the covers, held them open.
He flipped off the light, climbed in, and scooped her close. She put her face into the crook of his neck, loving the feel of his warm, strong arms around her, having his hard body cradling hers as if he never wanted to let her go.
She loved him.
She knew that now, even though shed never felt such an overwhelming, terrifying emotion for a man before. It was a bitter pill to swallow that Taylor, smug Taylor, had been right. The L-word was involved.
Now what? Good God, now what? Deep breath, Nicole. After all, shed handled some pretty tough situations before, she could handle this.
They could handle this. Together.
That thought held her, made her smile in her sleep, made her smile as she woke up with the sun shining in her eyes.
She smiled all the way until she reached for Ty and found him gone.
12
HE COULDNT REALLY be gone. Nicole cocked her head and listened, thinking hed gotten in the shower, or was in the kitchen, though God knew, the fridge was so empty she couldnt imagine what was keeping him.
But, she heard nothing, and the truth hit her. Ty was gone and she was alone. No problem, really, as she was used to that, and she lay back in a relaxed pose to prove it.
But then she heard a sound in the hallway, and before she could think about it, shed leapt from the bed so fast her head spun. Maybe hed just gone for donuts and coffee.
If that was the case, shed love him forever.
Hand on the front door, she realized she was still entirely naked so she went racing back into the bedroom, grabbed the blanket theyd tossed to the floor sometime in the deep, dark of the night when they hadnt needed anything but the heat theyd generated while making love.
Back at the front door, wrapped in the blanket now, she hauled the door open.
Nothing.
But since she still heard sounds, she tiptoed down a few stairs, thinking any moment now hed pop into view with his grin, holding donuts and coffee, and she would offer to be his sex slave forever.
Nicole? Is that you?
Shit. Suzanne. Nicole whipped around and lifted a foot to race back up the stairs, only she tripped on an edge of the blanket and ended up facedown on the stairs.
Honey, you okay? Suzanne came into view holding some sort of brass frame. At the sight of Nicole sprawled in her blanket, with her naked arms and shoulders peeking out, she stopped short.
Dont ask. Nicole managed to sit up.
Holding the back end of the frame, Taylor came up behind Suzanne. Rough night?
Nicole tugged her blanket closer and remained silent.
Hmm. From Taylor, that was a loaded hmm.
Tell you what, lets skip you for a moment and get right to me. Im selling this antique brass quilt holder today, and I cant be here. Neither can Suzanne. I was hoping youd be in bed with Ty all day and could handle the transaction for me.
Ty is gone.
Hes gone out to get you caffeine?
Hes gone out, all right. Slunk out. Nicole scrubbed her face with her hands. Happy now?
Ah. Were back to this being about you.
Nicole dropped her hands and glowered at Taylor. Im the one sitting bare-ass naked here.
Taylor sat on the step next to her. You and Ty do it last night?
What does that have to do with anything?
Did you?
Yes! Okay? Three times! Now is my humiliation complete?
Did you happen to mention you love him during any of those three times? Suzanne asked.
Nicole resisted the urge to strangle her. Why would I do that?
Because its the truth.
Nicole glared at Suzanne, who continued just to look at her serenely. Confidently. Smugly.
Did you? Taylor pressed. Did you tell him?
No. Nicole thought about how perfect the night had been, how many times theyd turned to one another, how shed wondered how that much happiness could fit into her chest. He didnt say it either.
Maybe hes just as scared as you, Taylor said very gently, and put her arm around her shoulders. Love is fairly terrifying.
Nicole looked deep into Taylors eyes and saw a haunting pain. You know this for a fact, dont you?
Oh, yes.
Suzanne sat on Nicoles other side. Tell him. See what happens.