God. God, she could hardly stand it, and she slid her fingers up his hot, damp torso to fist them in his hair, dragging his mouth back to hers. She couldnt see the flex and give of his muscles, but she could feel them, and she rocked up to meet him, feeling her toes curl at the wave after wave of pleasure crashing over her.
His hands slid up her throat to cup her face, their mouths only a fraction apart as she breathed out and he breathed in. It was shockingly intimate, erotic, sharing air as his body took hers higher than shed ever been, straight to heaven.
She was going to come, come with his rock solid body buried deep in hers. He was close, too, she could hear it in his breathing, in the way he gripped her, in how his mouth opened on her shoulder. Lizzy, he murmured, and that was it, that was all she needed, the sound of her name on his lips, and her release rocked her.
Her pleasure triggered his, and afterward, they remained entangled like that, her swamped with emotions and the feel of his body covering hers, a part of her wishing they never had to move, because she didnt want it to end.
WHAT TIME IS IT? she asked, slipping out of the bed, wrapping herself in the blanket to hold in his body heat.
He rolled over, and she looked back to see the glow from his watch as he brought it up to his face and blinked at it. Almost five. His voice was low and husky.
Sleepy.
Sexy.
God, so sexy. And everything hed done to her in the deep, dark hours of the night came flying back, making her face heat and her good parts quiver.
Shed actually forgotten how much she liked sex. Hard to believe, and she had a feeling she wouldnt be so lucky as to forget again anytime soon. I want to go by my place.
Even as she said it, dawn was breaking through the black night. One peek out the window told her nothing much had changed in terms of the weather, and she looked back at the bed.
As naked as she, Jason had rolled over again, the sheets snagged beneath him, leaving him sprawled on his back, arms and legs going taut as he stretched.
Just looking at him caused a little catch somewhere deep inside her. Hard and lean and tough, and then there were the tattoos.
And those abs.
And those long legs.
And what he had between them
No doubt, he was rangy and built and gorgeous. And for one glorious night, hed been hers. She could wish for more, but that was a waste of time.
She was finally free of the day-to-day grind of caring for someone, fully free to do something important to her for a long time. She owed it to herself to follow through.
Even if a very tiny part of her was no longer sure that was still her dream.
God. She just wanted to shove all that aside right now and climb back in bed. On top of Jason. She wanted to have her merry way with that body.
Again.
All day long.
He propped his head up on his hand and regarded her in the barely there light. You look so pretty standing there, Lizzy. Pretty and cold. Come here, let me warm you up.
She knew what she looked like in the morning. Bed-head hair. Pale face, probably lined from where shed smashed it into her pillow as she tended to do. I want to go.
I know. Come here first.
He held out a hand to go with the request, and she stared at it. Big and callused, that hand had stroked and touched and revered every inch of her body, and just looking at it made her knees wobble.
Whod have thought such a big, work-roughened hand could bring such pleasure? Jase.
He simply wriggled his fingers and waited patiently.
So damn patiently.
She had no idea what it was about him that had her feet taking her back to the bed until her knees touched the mattress.
Smiling up into her face, he reached out and wrapped his fingers in the blanket.
And tugged.
With a gasp she fell over him, minus the blanket, which he tossed aside. With an appreciative growl for what hed unwrapped, he tucked her beneath him and rolled on top of her, pinning her to the bed. Better, he murmured, dipping his head to the spot on her throat that always drove her crazy. You taste good.
We- She broke off as his hand swept up her thigh, over her belly, her ribs, to cup a breast. Have to-
His thumb brushed over her nipple.
She licked her lips and closed her eyes, arching up into him. Go.
He bent his head and replaced his thumb with his tongue, making her gasp and arch up again. Just want one more taste
When she was wriggling, panting, he kissed his way down her belly, pressed open her legs and kissed an inner thigh.
Jase-
The single word ended on a rough exhalation as he took his one more taste, and then, holding her thighs open with his warm palms, took another.
And another.
Jason.
Love the way you say my name, he said against her, and then he sighed, licked her one more time, and came up on his knees, pulling her to hers.
She was shuddering, quivering, and she stared at him as he rolled off the bed. You-we-I
I know. He looked at her, his hair wild, his eyes hot. Well finish later.
Okay. Except that hadnt been what shed been about to say. Shed been trying to say how mindboggling it was that he could make her feel so beautiful, so turned-on, so blown away, without even trying.
Shed been about to say how unnerving it was to find herself realizing how much more than just a crush this was.
But some things, she realized, were better left unsaid.
12
JASON CLIMBED up the stairs from the garage level of Ceces condo, and into the kitchen. Wet to his thighs, he pulled a river raft behind him, with two life vests in it. He had a lot on his mind, and not the least was that hed just had the hottest night of his life.
He wasnt exactly sure what that meant except it couldnt be good news that he was goners over one soft, beautiful, tough-as-nails Lizzy Mann.
She stood there, looking at him, and his heart gave one good, hard knock against his ribs. Hed spent twenty-four hours with her, an intensely concentrated twenty-four hours, during which time hed seen her run the gamut of emotions, and face things most people never had to face.
She was solid. Loyal. Smart.
Yeah, goners was a good word to describe his current condition. A smarter man might have seen this coming, from the moment hed caught sight of those slay-me eyes. He should have run hard and fast.
Instead, here he was, wrapped around her pinkie, willing to do anything for her.
Which meant he wasnt just goners, he was screwed a hundred ways to Sunday.
LIZZY STARED at Jason as he came close, dripping everywhere. Her clothes werent quite dry yet and they certainly werent as warm and toasty as Jasons arms and body had been all night, but theyd do. With no hot water and no electricity, the morning routine had been simple. Shed borrowed Ceces extra toothbrush-which Jason had been kind enough to let her use first-and pulled on her slightly damp clothes.
Found our way out of here, Jason said.
She looked at the raft, then into Jasons eyes and let out a breath. Oh, boy.
Dont worry. He set down the raft and came closer still, pulling her up to her toes to give her a warm, hard kiss. She couldnt tell him that it wasnt their mode of transportation that had worried her.
Find any food? Jason asked, setting her down, turning to the cabinets.
A single-track mind, she said.
Nope. Its a double track. Over his shoulder, he wriggled an eyebrow in her direction, telling her without words what else he could think about.
Impossibly, her lips twitched. I found some snacks.
Great. He looked around hopefully. Where?
Theyd had sex.
That thought kept bumping around in her brain, which meant she was the one with the single-track mind. And itd felt like a hell of a lot more than just sex. Theyd connected more than just the required body parts, far more. Truth was, hed made love to her, and now she felt all soft and dreamy and mushy, and that couldnt be good. She didnt work well with soft and dreamy and mushy.
Its actually warmer out there than it was yesterday, Jason said. Which doesnt bode well. Warmer air usually means more rain.
Yeah. Shed looked out the window. The rain was still coming down. They were past the twenty-four-inch mark and climbing, and no end was in sight. The winds were still a problem, keeping the power lines down and unsafe. But flooding was the biggest concern. The street outside was nothing but a raging river now, which had overtaken the yards and the bottom floors of every building along it.
Ceces garage had over four feet of water in it and the level was rising. Shed never seen anything like it except for on the news.
But Jason had. Hed lived it, and itd cost him dearly. Heres what Ive got. She revealed the Cheez Whiz and crackers in Ceces pantry and made him laugh. I know, my sister has the palette of a puppy, or a twelve-year-old boy.
Not seeing the problem, he said, already plowing his way through the crackers.
Im assuming you usually eat more healthy than this.
I eat in bigger quantities, thats for sure. He stuffed a loaded cracker into her mouth, then opened the cupboard behind her.
She took in his long, lean, tough body. So how do you keep in such good shape?
He slid her an amused look, then abandoned his search, hooked an arm around her neck and hauled her in. WellI did just burn off a good amount of calories.
Yes. Yes, you did. She felt her cheeks heat. That was, um
His eyes were hot. Fun?
Very. And
He arched an eyebrow.
Good. And amazing. And brain-cell destroying. And off the chartsVery good.
His smile was slow and wickedly sweet, and also wickedly naughty as he backed her up until the wall hit her back. Plastering a hand on either side of her face, he dipped down so that they were at the same eye level. And that wasnt even my best work.
She was turned on and turned upside down by him, but it was so much more than that. He made her laugh, which was possibly the most attractive thing of all. No?
Definitely not. He kissed her jaw and made his way up to her ear, which he gently sucked into his mouth, making her eyes cross. Im starving and tired, he murmured. But when this is all over and weve slept for about two straight days? He laughed low and sexy in his throat. Ill show you what Ive got.
The thought made her knees wobble. When this is over, Ill be busy at work.