Chapter 18
18
Karen eagerly followed Mark as they ascended the stairs. The evening had been perfect. She’d fussed over her appearance after the girls left, having already received their fashion advice and excited smiles about her date. Then she’d nervously driven to his house, anxious to see him.
The flowers he’d bought were a special touch. And when his gaze traveled appreciatively from her toes to her head, she’d wanted to forgo dinner and drag him upstairs straightaway.
But the dinner was delicious and had given them a chance to connect even more. She loved hearing about his life and felt he’d really listened and understood hers. As the connection built between them, she wanted more. For the first time since Jeffrey had died, she was really ready.
Entering his room with her hand still in his, she stopped and turned, suddenly having no idea what to do. Looking up at him, she giggled and then snorted. She slapped her free hand over her mouth as her cheeks burned. “I can’t believe I just giggled…and snorted.”
He grinned widely and stepped closer until the toes of their shoes were touching. Her head leaned way back to hold his gaze.
“I love that you giggle and snort,” he said.
Rolling her eyes, she huffed. “My seduction skills have a lot to be desired.”
He lifted a hand and gently tucked her hair behind her ear, then wrapped his palm around the side of her neck. Leaning down, he slid his nose along hers. “Your seduction skills are just what I crave. Real. Honest. Spontaneous. Authentic. You.”
His breath puffed over her cheek, and she closed her eyes as his mouth descended to hers. Their lips sealed, and as soon as his tongue plunged into her mouth, she needed to be closer. Unlinking their fingers, she lifted both arms to wrap her hands around the back of his neck. His free arm banded around her back and pulled her until her breasts were pressed against his chest. The kiss sent tingles down her spine and through her nerves. Her legs felt weak, but his arms held her in place, keeping her steady.
He plundered her mouth, and she reciprocated. Barely able to catch her breath, she didn’t care as long as she could breathe him in. The fresh-air scent that permeated him was already recognizable, as though her senses were attuned to him, claiming him.
She lowered to her heels, and their lips separated, but he rested his forehead against hers. Both breathing deeply, they remained still wrapped together. Finally, she leaned her head back and said, “I need to confess…”
His lips quirked upward. “That’s a strange thing to say to a detective.”
Laughter barked out, and she shook her head. “What I mean is that I want to tell you something. Maybe I’m going about this all wrong. Maybe I’m messing this up.”
He placed a finger over her lips. “Shhh. I don’t want you to ever worry about what you say to me. Just say what’s on your mind. I’ll take your worries and cares… I promise.”
At that moment, Karen felt the air leave her lungs as she stared at the man who had captured her thoughts and maybe her heart. Suddenly, she felt the need to let him know what was on her mind.
“A few years after I became a widow, I listened to a friend who said that it was time to get back out there . I wasn’t really ready but went on a date. I’d never had a one-night stand since college, and that only happened once because I learned early on that I equated sex with something more than just physical. Then I was married for almost thirteen years. But after a couple of years of widowhood, I thought maybe it was time to… well…” She shook her head. “Anyway, I had another one-night stand. He was a gentleman, but there were no sparks. In fact, I knew beforehand that there wouldn’t be a second date.” She winced at her words. “I’m blabbing at a most inopportune time. I just wanted you to know that you’re not a… a rebound. A widow’s rebound. I guess that’s not right. Oh God, I’m screwing this all up.” Heat rose from her chest upward until her face was flaming.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he assured. “You don’t have to explain your past, but if you do, then go for it. You’re not screwing anything up.”
“I just wanted you to know that what I feel right now is real. Not just… unreal…”
At that, they both chuckled. “I’m glad to know your real isn’t unreal ,” he joked.
Their arms were still banded around each other, but her fingers clutched his shoulders in despondent desperation. “Please tell me that I haven’t totally ruined the moment.”
He smiled and shook his head. “No, babe. You haven’t. And I totally get what you’re saying. I’ve been widowed longer than you and admit to a couple of dates that were only physical. Like you said, maybe a rebound. But they weren’t real either, and we both knew it. Since then, nothing… no one that I wanted to sleep with. Until you. And I’m here because what I feel is real, too.”
Hearing those words from him caused her heart to race. Lifting on her toes again, she kissed him. Angling her head, she took control, thrusting her tongue over his, allowing the velvet touch to shoot throughout her body before settling into her core. He gave her a moment, then lifted his hands to either side of her face, holding… no… cradling her face. She felt claimed while owning his movements.
His erection was evident, and damn, if that didn’t make her more desperate for his mouth. Before she knew what was happening, she felt the bed behind her thighs and realized he’d walked her backward during their kiss.
His hand went to the bottom of her shirt, then hesitated. It took a second for her to realize that her wrap shirt, while easy for her to put on and take off, might be complicated for a man. She shifted enough to get her hand between them to grasp the ties. With a pull, the material parted, and the two sides loosened.
His gaze dropped to her chest, which now showed the tops of her breasts over the satin of her bra. He smiled as his forefinger traced along her jaw, down her throat, and over the pillows of her breasts. She barely breathed as his finger skated along her skin. Her clothes felt too constricting, but she knew they needed to go slow. Take their time. Give each other plenty of space to make sure this was what they wanted to do. Oh hell!
She reached up and started to unbutton his shirt, jerking it out of his jeans. Managing to get to the bottom without popping any buttons in her haste, she shoved the material off his shoulders. His hand was doing the same with her shirt, and working at cross purposes, their movements came to a halt.
Their eyes met again, and she laughed. “Okay, I thought about going slow, but?—”
“But we know what we want, and what we want is each other, right?”
His gaze was penetrating, and she simply nodded.
“I see your actions, Karen, but I need to hear the words.”
Her lips curved. “I want you, Mark. I want whatever we’re going to do tonight, which I really hope includes naked bodies, sex, orgasms, and wishing we had all night. I’ll take any of the aforementioned items, but if it includes all of the above, I’ll be in heaven.”
His head dropped back as laughter ripped from his lungs, and then he dropped his chin and held her gaze. “Good God, babe. You know how to put it all out there, don’t you?”
“You wanted the words. I wanted to be sure that you had all the words.”
“I think I got the message, loud and clear.”
Their mirth ended as they stood perfectly still, their shirts half hanging off their bodies and their chests heaving. Their gazes never wavered but penetrated the depths of what was about to happen. At least, that was how it felt for Karen, and she would bet her life that Mark felt the same.
She pushed away and shook her shoulders, allowing the wrap shirt to fall to the floor. She didn’t think the washing instructions said it would wrinkle easily. As far as she was concerned, the shirt could stay on the floor all night. He mimicked her movements, and his dress shirt dropped behind him. Her lips twitched. He probably doesn’t care if his shirt wrinkles either.
His hands went to his belt, and her gaze dropped to where his prominent erection looked painful in the jeans that had fit so well they’d cupped his ass. As his zipper lowered, he let out a tiny hiss, and she watched in amazement as his cock, while still trapped in his boxers, peeked out from the waistband.
“That looks like it was painful,” she mumbled as her hands undid the button on her jeans. Keeping her eyes on the strip tease that was taking place in front of her, she knew he wasn’t teasing. They shimmied their jeans downward—his after he toed off his shoes and rid himself of his socks. She kicked off her shoes and stepped out of her jeans. The pile on the floor was growing.
He bent to the nightstand and grabbed a condom, tossing it onto the bed. He inclined his head to the nightstand and said, “You’ll notice it’s a new box, just opened for you.”
She let out a long, slow breath. “Oh…”
Now, they stood, he in his boxers and she in her matching bra and panties—a gift she’d purchased for the express purpose of driving Mark wild. The look in his eyes gave evidence that he appreciated the effort.
Her gaze began to roam over his torso, and now her appreciation was evident. Mark was muscular without being bulky. His shoulders were broad, and his chest and abs were defined. A smattering of dark hair sprinkled across his chest and then made a line leading to what she knew was an impressive cock. What caught her attention most of all was a simple one-word tattoo over his heart—Benji. Seeing his son’s name made her smile.
Her hands moved to the back clasp of her bra. He stepped forward and gently brushed her hands away, replacing them with his own. He glanced down as the bra fell away. His thumbs circled her nipples before his hands cupped both breasts. “You’re beautiful.”
These two simple words were spoken with such reverence. Jeffrey had told her constantly that she was beautiful. But after four years of only occasionally hearing the words given in a perfunctory way from a date that was going nowhere, Mark’s comment slipped inside the cold she’d felt for a long time.
She slathered lotion on her body daily, paid close attention to moisturizing her face and neck, visited the dentist twice a year, and used products that kept her hair strong and shiny. She accepted that her body was approaching thirty-nine and had borne two children. She hated to exercise, doing just what was needed to be able to eat a dessert with gusto. But right now, seeing her reflection in Mark’s eyes, she felt like a goddess.
He reached up to cup her face, his thumbs sweeping over her cheeks. “So beautiful.” He kept her face in place as he sweetly placed a soft kiss over her lips. They maneuvered until she was on her back on the bed, and his body covered hers.
The kiss continued as his hips settled between her thighs. The material between them now chafed as she lifted her hips to satisfy the need for friction. Just when she thought she might have to beg him to move faster, he pressed his hands into the mattress on either side of her and lifted upward. Sliding off the bed, he shucked his boxers, and her gaze landed and stayed on his cock. As a nurse, she was no stranger to all naked body parts. But in her personal life, it had been a long time since such a specimen had entranced her. Right now, she had forgotten everything before Mark and was focusing on him. He was long and thick, and she had no doubt he knew exactly what to do to make her body sing. And she was ready for a Mark-induced opera.
Bending over her, he slipped her panties down her legs, and now all their clothing graced the floor. Naked and needy, she lifted her arms, beckoning.
His smile widened, and she had no doubt it matched hers. He acquiesced to her silent invitation. Only when he crawled onto the bed over her this time, he shifted to the side. With his elbow bent and his head resting against his hand, he began exploring. His free hand drifted from her cheek, down her neck, his fingers pausing against her fluttering pulse. From there, he moved down her chest, leaning forward so his mouth sucked one nipple while his hand kneaded her other breast.
Her hands were not still as she explored his body. Her finger skimmed over his shoulders, dancing along the taut muscles. They traced his chest and along the ridges of his abs. Shifting so that she was also facing him, she moved her hand to his tight ass just as he squeezed hers.
His hand glided around and gently pressed her back against the mattress. His heavy thigh settled over hers as his fingers continued to explore. Now, they move downward, gliding through her folds, sending more sparks of need throughout her.
Then he gently slipped a long finger deep inside, and her hands clutched his shoulders, holding on for dear life as her need now crescendoed. Adding another finger, he created a scissoring motion that hit just the right spot. Her hips bucked upward as she gasped. He continued to move his fingers as her core fluttered.
She felt the cool air as he leaned away from her, but before she could protest, she watched him grab the foil packet. He ripped it open and quickly rolled the condom down his impressive shaft, already dripping with pre-come.
And with another quick shift, he was leaning over her, his hips once again settled between her thighs, now with his erection pressing at the entrance of her sex. In a move she found incredibly sexy, he linked fingers with her and, with his forearms pressed against the mattress, held her hands at either side.
He slipped inside with slow, measured thrusts until he was seated. Then he pulled back and looked down, and her smile met his. He began thrusting harder and faster. Flames licked inside, and she welcomed each thrust as the inferno threatened.
She kept her eyes on his face, drowning in their depths. Her core tightened, and she could tell with the hitches in his breath that he was close. She once again flew over the precipice, grinning when he followed her.
He continued to thrust as a groan came from deep in his chest, then ripped out of his lungs. He loosened his hold on her fingers, and she wrapped her arms around his back, holding him close.
When every last drop must’ve run from his body, he slowly lowered until his lips were barely a whisper above her. “Amazing,” he said between pants. “You are amazing.”
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” she said.
“When I knew you were coming over tonight, I bought the condoms because there was a part of me that hoped we would want to take this beyond kissing. But I want you to know what I feel for you is real, and I don’t want you to feel taken advantage of.”
A giggle left her lips, and she felt his chest move with hers. “No one took advantage of anyone here tonight. We aren’t fresh out of high school or college, untried and uncertain. I knew exactly what I wanted to share with you tonight. And knowing it was also what you wanted makes it all the more special.”
“My only regret about tonight,” he said, his smile wide, “is that we don’t have all night.”
“Oh, that is a regret,” she agreed.
He slid from her body and then stood after placing a sweet kiss on her lips. He walked into the bathroom, where she heard the toilet flush and the water run.
She slipped from the bed as he came out. Her hand glided over his chest as they passed when she went into the bathroom. Quickly taking care of business, she walked back out to see him sitting on the side of the bed, still naked. He wasn’t putting his clothes back on but seemed to be waiting.
“Do you have to leave now?” he asked.
“I want to spend the night if I’m honest,” she admitted.
He grinned. “God, I want you to.”
Relief speared through her. “Maybe we can plan something where that can happen.”
He stood and walked to her, then wrapped his arms around her back, pulling their naked bodies close together. “I’d be honored to spend the night with you because I don’t want this to end.”
She leaned back and stared into his eyes. Nodding slowly, she said, “I don’t either. I know there is a lot to consider with our kids, but I really like you, Mark. I really like having you be… um… whatever we are.”
“As far as I’m concerned, we’re in an exclusive, committed relationship. It’s early days, but we’re old enough to know what we want.”
“Next weekend, both girls will be at a sleepover…” She let the unspoken invitation dangle between them.
His brows lifted. “Benji will be at another birthday sleepover, too. And my dad has no problem with me not coming home.”
“Good… then it’s a date,” she declared, her smile wide. “For what it’s worth, the girls will be happy. They like you. And they like you for me.”
“Does that mean we’re ready for a joint meal or outing?”
She pressed her lips together. “From my standpoint, I can say yes since my girls know we are going out. They know you as a running coach and have met Benji at the AL running practices. But I don’t know what you consider to be the right time for Benji. He’s younger. He’s been without his mother longer, so that may make a difference. And I, in no way, want you to feel rushed.”
Mark chuckled as he held her close. “Benji would love it. He’s mature enough to know that people can date without suddenly seeing you as a mom. And I know my dad would love it, too.” He kissed her lightly, then said, “I need to get dressed.”
She scrunched her nose as she nodded. “We left the kitchen in a mess,” she reminded.
“I wasn’t even thinking about the kitchen.” He grinned. “The sex with you short-circuited my brain.”
“Good,” she said. “Glad I could blow your mind.”
“Don’t worry about the kitchen. I can take care of it.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Nah. Let’s do it together.”
“Together,” he murmured, kissing her lightly. “I like the sound of that.”
That night, back at her house in her bed, her body still tingled. And for the first time in years, she slept peacefully, with a smile on her lips.