Chapter 22 #2
‘You. You’re amazing. And talented. The way you deal with people, with animals. You’re so lovely and so much better than you know. You’re not getting a free ride from anyone. Believe in yourself.’
‘Oh,’ she said, her heart suddenly thudding, and she couldn’t think of anything to say. All she could do was stare up at him, her lips parting because she couldn’t help herself.
He smiled down at her, a hint of amusement twinkling in his eyes, probably because he’d managed to render her speechless. His eyes dropped to her mouth as he continued to stroke her hip.
‘So soft,’ he murmured. ‘Your skin.’
Electricity shimmered in the air, and the breath caught in her throat as they continued to hold each other’s gaze.
‘Bets,’ he whispered. Questions swirled between them but neither of them said a word.
She saw the sharp need in his eyes and heard his quick indrawn breath as his fingers roved across the curve of her hip with frantic little movements that she wondered if he were even aware of.
The fierce tug of north and south echoed between them, an inexorable pull of desire.
Who moved first, she couldn’t say but when his lips brushed hers, something crackled like a burst of static between them, despite the water running down their faces.
Excitement thrilled its way through her system.
It had never been like this before. Something was different.
His hand moved to cup her face as he angled his mouth to deepen the kiss.
She kissed him back, confident and strong, aware of her sexuality and her power.
She was lovely. He desired her, she could feel it in the desperation of the kiss, as if he couldn’t quite get enough of her.
Perhaps she recognised the feeling because she felt the same.
Water streamed between their bodies as they pressed against each other, his arms around her waist, hers looped around his shoulders.
Breathless, they pulled apart, his forehead resting against hers, the shower spray bouncing off them.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he said.
Her heart clenched. ‘I missed you, too.’
* * *
This time when they kissed, there was no coming up for air, no slowing down.
They’d gone from nought to frantic for each other in a matter of seconds.
With his mouth still fused to hers Jack backed her up against the glass shower wall, his hands gliding down her body to cup her bottom as she clung to his shoulders, trying to keep herself upright and remember how to breathe.
He groaned as her tongue tangled with his, trying to pull him closer to her. They were pressed together, skin to skin, just in the periphery of the spray of water. She threaded her fingers through his wet hair as he angled his mouth over hers again in a fresh onslaught.
‘Jack,’ she murmured on a heated outbreath.
‘Mmm,’ he said, breaking off to nuzzle the tender skin on her neck, nibbling his way down to her collarbone.
The touch sent a fizz across the surface of her skin, all her synapses igniting in quick, electrical flares of pleasure.
Too much pleasure. She wanted him to stop.
To never stop. Oh God, her brain had short-circuited and she was existing on pure feeling.
Jack’s mouth had found her breast and his tongue circled her wet nipple, sucking and coaxing. Her head fell back against the shower wall, her legs weak and useless as she gripped his waist, her hands resting on his slim hips.
‘Aah, Jack, Jack,’ she hissed, looking down at him, the sight of his tanned skin against her pale breast sending another thrill through her. He glanced up and shot her a grin of pure wickedness.
‘I love it when you say my name like that,’ he murmured. ‘Makes me even harder.’
‘Does it?’ she managed to say as he rolled his fingers over her other nipple. Her hands moved beneath his boxers and across his groin. ‘So it does,’ she said as she wrapped her fingers around him.
He eased out a breath as she gently slid her hand up and down for a few strokes.
‘If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to hold on. It’s been a while.’
Bets was never one to resist a challenge and she gripped a little more firmly and pumped him.
‘Stop, Bets. Stop,’ he begged. ‘I won’t last. There hasn’t been anyone since you.’
She stopped abruptly. ‘What?’
He lifted his head and straightened up, facing her, his arms looping around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. ‘There hasn’t been anyone but you.’
Her mouth dropped open.
‘What?’ he asked.
‘I just assumed…’
‘Assumed what?’
‘You’re a guy.’
‘I think you’ve got the evidence of that jutting into you right now,’ said Jack with a wry smile.
‘But … you could have any girl you wanted.’
He frowned. ‘I never wanted anyone but you.’
‘But there were always girls around. They all made it obvious they’d jump your bones. I mean, come on, Jack. It was never in doubt that you are a hottie.’
‘What are you talking about?’
She shrugged, realising he really didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.
‘There was one girl. After we split up, she made it obvious she wanted to but … I couldn’t. Even though we’d finished, it felt wrong. Disloyal.’
Tears sprang to Bets’ eyes. ‘Oh, Jack.’
She raised on her toes and kissed him.
He lifted her leg, bent at the knee, holding her thigh, pinning her against the glass again, his fingers grazing her opening.
She moaned as his calloused thumb rubbed over the sensitive nub buried there. The tendons in his neck were taut with effort as he took slow, careful breaths.
‘Are you sure you want this?’ he asked.
She nodded, her chest tight. ‘Mmm,’ she said with a gasp.
One finger slid into her and she closed her eyes at the rush of pleasure, her teeth nipping at his damp skin. Heat burned in her core and she gasped as he drove a little deeper.
She sagged against him, her head against his shoulder as he added a second finger and began to tease and torment her with the inexorable rhythm of those clever fingers.
When she wasn’t sure she could take any more, he withdrew and then she felt the hard strength of him nudge at the wetness of her. Anticipation welled up and she tilted her hips towards him in desperate invitation. She wanted him inside her.
With one swift stroke he guided himself in and then held her as he rocked in and out of her, slow and sure at first, her gasps punctuating the air.
Then he picked up the pace, driving into her, pushing her over the edge.
The minutes stretched out and all she could feel was him inside her.
She heard their laboured breaths and sank into the sensation of coming home.
The tiny tremors signalling her orgasm fluttered like beating wings and then it came, the tsunami of feeling, wave after wave of hot, bright pleasure.
As she weathered the intense explosion at her core, she felt him shudder and heard him let out a heartfelt groan as, with a warm spurt, he came inside her, holding her tight against his heaving chest.
They clung to each other while their breathing subsided and then their gazes locked.
Bets swallowed, a little panicked. Sex had never been like that before, so hungry, so desperate, so wonderful. Yes, she definitely felt panicked. It might feel like a wonderful new beginning but was it a new beginning before she was ready for it?