Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Erin carried that thought with her as she rode the elevator to the lobby, intending to take a walk while her dad was in PT. Her mom wouldn’t be back for a couple of hours yet. Erin was walking through the main doors when she nearly collided with someone coming in.
The familiar scent of leather and the unmistakable cologne had her gasping and looking up at Slim’s face as he grasped her arms to keep her from tripping over him.
“W-what—”
He kissed her right there in the middle of the busy doorway, generating a few catcalls and laughs as people went by them. “There you are.”
“What’re you doing here?” She’d thought he’d be halfway to Florida by now.
He took her by the arm to move them out of the stream of foot traffic. “My client moved his flight to the Bahamas from tomorrow to the day after, so I figured I’d stop by on my way south. Hope that’s okay?”
Erin threw herself into his arms, hugging him so tight that he gasped and then laughed.
“I take it that’s a yes?”
She nodded. “I’m so happy to see you.”
“Likewise. I was going crazy missing you after one night away, and when my client texted early this morning, I ran for the airport.”
“I’m so glad your client texted you.” She kissed him again, not caring in the least that they were drawing the attention of everyone who walked by.
“How’s your dad?”
“He’s doing great. He’s at PT for the next couple of hours.”
“And your mom?”
“Is at lunch with her friends.”
“So you’re free and clear?”
“For the moment. Why?”
He took her by the hand and began walking—quickly—so quickly she had to scramble to keep up with his long-legged stride.
“Where’re we going? Slim!”
“You’ll see.” He led her around the corner and two blocks over to a hotel, walking into the lobby like he belonged there. At the registration counter, he said, “Could we get a room for the night, please?”
Erin’s entire body went hot with desire and longing and embarrassment when she realized what he was doing.
The clerk eyed them suspiciously—or so it seemed to her—and said, “Let me see what we have available.” He clicked around on the computer until he found an available room. “Our check-in time isn’t until three.”
“We have a family member in the hospital,” Slim said, producing his credit card. “They encouraged us to get some sleep while we can. I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course.”
Erin didn’t dare look at him, out of fear she might spontaneously combust from the yearning, not to mention trying not to laugh at his shamelessness.
The clerk returned Slim’s credit card along with two key cards and gave them directions to the elevator. “I’ll pray for your loved one,” he said.
“Thank you so much,” Slim said gravely. “That means the world to us.” Taking hold of Erin’s hand, he half walked, half dragged her to the elevator. The moment the doors closed to the lobby, they lost it laughing.
“Oh my God,” she said when she could talk again.
“You used my father so shamelessly.” And after their talk earlier, she knew her dad would’ve loved it.
Well, maybe not the part about what was sure to be a wild booty call, but that she was off having fun with a man he admired. That part he would like.
“I know,” he said, wincing. “I feel kind of guilty about that, but I have a feeling I’ll get over it.”
On the seventh floor, the elevator dinged to announce their arrival.
He tugged her along behind him as he found their room, dropping her hand only to get the door open and usher her inside ahead of him.
The second the door clicked shut behind them, he pounced, devouring her mouth and touching her everywhere he could get to under her coat, which quickly fell to the floor along with her sweater, jeans and bra.
“Hurry,” he said, as he worked the buttons on his shirt while she took care of his jeans.
His urgency fanned the fire burning inside her, which only intensified when his cock fell hard and hot into her hand.
She stroked him, drawing a hiss from him that had her dropping to her knees to take him into her mouth.
“Holy shit,” he whispered. “Erin, fuck… God, don’t stop.
” He buried his fingers in her hair, holding on tightly as she took him as deep as she could, until the head was snug against her throat.
“Babe…” Tugging on her hair, he tried to warn her before he came in her mouth, his big body shuddering as wave after wave overtook him, leaving him gasping when it was over.
Erin looked up at him, feeling shy in the wake of the storm.
He reached for her, helping her up and into his arms for another wild kiss. By the time they came up for air, he was already hard again and lifting her right off her feet to press her against the wall.
“Slim, wait…”
“I don’t want to wait.” Forgoing the condom, he thrust into her in one smooth movement that had her head falling back against the wall in complete surrender. “Ahhh, there,” he said, his lips close to her ear. “That’s it. So hot and so tight and all mine.”
His possessiveness was as much of a turn-on as the deep thrusts of his cock and the tight squeeze of his hands on her ass while he took them on a wild ride. She’d never wanted to be possessed by a man, but now…
He bent his head to draw her nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting just hard enough to trigger an explosive orgasm.
“Ah, fuck,” he muttered, dropping his head to her shoulder and taking his own pleasure.
For a long time afterward, the only sounds in the room were that of them breathing hard as they recovered.
When he finally raised his head to look at her, he looked as poleaxed as she felt. “Holy moly.”
“Mmm.” She was so blissed out, she couldn’t form coherent thoughts. “No condom.”
“Noticed that, huh?”
“Uh-huh. How was it?”
“Spectacular. But then again, it always is with you.”
Erin caressed his face and stared into his eyes, lost in the sea of emotion she found there.
“Hold on to me.” That was the only warning Erin got before he lifted her and carried her to the bed while maintaining their intimate connection. He came down on top of her, his chest hair rubbing against her nipples, which reawakened her recently well-satisfied libido.
Propped up on his elbows, he gazed down at her and brushed the hair back from her face. “In case it’s not obvious, I probably ought to tell you…”
“What?” she asked, immediately on alert for bad news.
“I seem to have fallen completely and absolutely in love with you at some point in the last four months.”
“Oh,” Erin said, stunned by his blunt confession. “You have?”
Nodding, he kept his gaze fixed on her face as he kissed her softly, tenderly, slaying her with sweetness.
Overwhelmed by the powerful emotions he stirred in her, she raised her hands to his face and opened her mouth to his tongue, allowing him to sweep her up in another wave of powerful desire.
She loved him, too. Of course she did. But if she told him so, if she said the words, it would change everything.
Was she ready to change everything? To take a huge leap with a man she’d known only four months?
Her father’s words from earlier echoed through her mind as Slim began to move again, thrusting slowly this time, leaving no doubt in her mind that while the first time might’ve been wild sex, this time was all about lovemaking.
He never looked away, he never stopped touching her or kissing her or letting her know with everything he did that he meant what he’d said.
Erin felt like a coward when she closed her eyes against the intensity that was suddenly too much for her—and not enough at the same time. Yes, she was that much of a mess on the inside as she tried to make sense of the powerful feelings he evoked in her.
“Mmm, so good,” he whispered in her ear. “It’s never been so good.”
Erin tightened her arms around him, determined to enjoy every second of this unexpected time together. There’d be time for life decisions later.
He told himself it didn’t matter that she didn’t say it back, because it didn’t.
At least, not yet it didn’t. If this went on for much longer, it would start to matter, but for now, he was thankful to be with her, to be naked in a bed with her in the middle of the day, to have her soft skin brushing up against him and the sweet fragrance of her hair invading his senses.
It was enough.
“When do you have to be back to the hospital?” he asked, nuzzling her neck.
After three explosive orgasms, he should’ve been completely spent, but the soft ass cheeks cradling his cock had him hard and ready to go again.
He would never forget the way she’d dropped to her knees to take him into her mouth.
Just thinking about it made him even harder than he already was.
“Not until later.” She covered the hand he had on her belly with hers, linking their fingers. “I should text my mom at some point and tell her I left to do some errands or something.”
“Is that what we’re doing?” he asked on a low chuckle. “Errands?”
“That can be our code word.”
He could hear the amusement in the words that gave him hope there might be a future for them, because suddenly that was the one thing he wanted the most—more of her.
“Slim…”
“Hmm?”
“What you said before…”
“I said that because I wanted you to know, not because I’m trying to pressure you.”
“I want you to know… I feel so much for you, and I’m trying to process it all and to figure out what to do about it.”
“That’s more than enough for me. Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Except Florida.”
“And you’re welcome to visit any time you want, or better yet, move there to live with me for the rest of the winter.” He nudged her ass with his erection. “Then we could do this any time we wanted.” Cupping her breast, he punctuated his point by lightly pinching her nipple.
She pushed back against him, which he took as a green light for more.