Chapter 25
NICK
I’m trying not to take it personally that Delaney left the room right in the middle of things. Then again, she may have genuinely needed a minute. I did surprise her.
What’s not a surprise – but is a massive relief – is how it feels being with her again. Which is right. And wonderful. And normal – imbuing the word with the best parts of everyday life that make it a joy.
Something I hadn’t felt for a very long time before I met a spunky, brilliant, super sexy woman from California.
However, I didn’t expect to fall into bed with her the moment I arrived. I had eleven hours to plan what I wanted to say – longer, if I count the past week, when every other moment has been consumed with thoughts of her.
I figured we’d talk it through – that I’d have a chance to explain myself and update her on what’s happened since we parted ways on Capri. But I didn’t count on the power she holds over me, how much being in her presence is like a tractor beam, drawing me in.
And now she’s in the other room – close by, but with all this uncertainty, perhaps a million miles away.
‘Nick.’
Shivers cascade over me, from the crown of my head, down my chest and back, to my limbs, fingertips, and toes.
She’s standing in the open doorway, silhouetted against the darkness of her room, naked and breathtakingly beautiful.
She is everything.
My eyes fix on hers. I peer right into her and her into me, and even though I’m fully clothed, I am as bare as I’ve ever been.
Because Delaney is mine. And I am hers.
Or at least, I hope so.
I cross to her slowly, my feet leaden, time slowing.
When I reach the doorway, I scoop her up and our mouths meet, a perfect fit. She clasps her hands around my neck as her body settles into my arms. Her room is dark, but I can make out the bed, and I lower her onto it, bracing us both with one hand.
She’s so slight, I don’t want to crush her. I hover for a moment, dipping my head to kiss her.
Her fingers get lost in my hair and I angle my head to kiss her harder.
Her hands pull me even closer, her tongue wrangling mine – she tastes minty and also like her, the memory of our kiss in Italy forever etched on my brain.
I rest my weight on the bed next to her, one hand trailing along her side, my fingertips brushing her skin, feeling her shiver.
Our kiss intensifies and I reach between her legs.
She’s slick and I find her clit with my finger, circling it slowly.
She moans and her hips rise to meet me, grinding against my hand.
I release her mouth, trailing my lips down her neck, peppering it with kisses, and she tips her head back. She’s grinding against me harder now, and I slip a finger inside her, rubbing her clit with my thumb.
‘Two,’ she says breathlessly, and I slip a second finger inside her.
‘Can you come like this?’ I ask, whispering in her ear.
‘Mm-hmm,’ she says, nodding her head sharply.
I capture her mouth again, kissing her hard as she grips the duvet with both hands and we fall into a rhythm.
She whimpers into my mouth, a sweet sound that makes my cock strain against my jeans, her hips lifting higher to meet my hand.
She’s close and I keep the rhythm, guided by her, what she wants, what she needs.
She breaks the kiss and, head thrown back, eyes squeezed shut, she cries out, ‘Oh my god, oh my god, yes.’ She plants her feet, her hips rising even higher, her body shuddering with her climax.
It’s several long moments before she goes limp, falling onto the bed.
I slide my fingers out of her, then lightly brush my fingertips across her stomach as her eyes flutter open.
‘Phoof,’ she sighs, grinning at me. ‘That was… That was wow.’
‘That was wow,’ I say with a smile. My eyes have adjusted to the dim light spilling in from the other room, and my gaze travels the length of her lithe frame. She’s so beautiful.
‘Hey,’ she says, snaking a hand around my neck.
I turn towards her as she draws me closer and gives me a soft kiss that quickly deepens.
She rolls onto her side, fisting my T-shirt in her hand and yanking it upwards.
Her fingers run over the ridges of my abs, which tickles, making me chuckle.
She eases back and looks into my eyes, hers dancing with amusement.
‘You ticklish?’
‘Very,’ I reply, squirming away from her insistent fingers.
‘Good to know.’
‘Delaney,’ I warn, ‘you do not want to get into a tickling fight with me.’
She purses her lips to smother a smile, then her expression softens, her eyes blazing with lust.
‘That really was wow, Nick. I don’t usually… not the first time with someone.’
I can’t help it – I beam with pride.
‘Feeling pretty pleased with yourself, huh?’ she asks with a cheeky grin.
‘Uh-huh.’
Delaney closes the gap between us and kisses me again, her hand moving around to my back, the pads of her fingers digging into me.
I’m torn. Do we keep going or do I say everything I came to say?
She abruptly pulls away. ‘What? You stopped kissing me back.’
I search her eyes, catching the crease forming between her brows. Talk about killing the mood. What are you doing? I ask myself.
‘Nick, what’s wrong?’ she asks, an edge of worry tainting her voice. ‘Oh my god – are you still with Pippa? Because I figured—’
‘No, no – we’re not together,’ I hurriedly assure her.
‘Okay,’ she says with obvious relief. ‘So, what’s up then?’
‘It’s…’
I roll onto my back, tucking one arm under my head, and puff out my cheeks, letting the air slowly escape. Delaney crawls up onto my chest, facing me, and I wrap an arm around her and hold her close.
‘Okay, dude, this is meant to be the part where you get naked and we get busy.’
I quirk my brows at her.
‘Okay, that was a cheesy line, but you’ve gone all serious on me. You’ve got me resorting to lame jokes and calling you “dude”,’ she says, jostling me.
‘I thought you liked calling people “dude”. It’s part of your charm.’
Her stare intensifies, telling me to spit it out.
‘Okay, I don’t want you thinking I came all the way here just to seduce you.’
She gives me a side-eye, her lips twitching. ‘Well, after that performance, even if you did, I wouldn’t care. Hold on – no, I would care. But I’d probably wait until after we actually had sex.’
Eyes fixed on mine, her hand slides down to my jeans, and she flicks open the button. I lay my hand on hers.
‘Don’t you want to talk first?’ I ask.
She shakes her head. ‘Nope.’
She lands a hard kiss on my lips and climbs on top of me. Fuck it. I return the kiss, enclosing her in my arms, the softness of her skin beneath my fingers driving a bolt of electricity to my groin.
This time when she reaches for my jeans, I let her. She tugs at them impatiently, the fabric unforgiving, and I roughly shove them past my hips along with my briefs, my erection springing free.
Delaney drops her gaze, her eyes returning to mine and her mouth falling open with either surprise or delight – maybe both.
‘Nightstand,’ she says, and it takes my addled brain a moment to catch up. I look over, seeing several foil packets strung together, and pick them up.
‘Gimme,’ she says, and I tear one off and hand it to her.
She grips the packet between her teeth and rips it open. It’s not really a one-handed job, so I help her position the condom onto the tip, my breath catching as her small hand grasps me firmly and rolls it down the shaft.
‘I want you on top,’ she says with lust-filled eyes, her mouth slack.
I roll us both over, only my jeans are trapped halfway down my thighs. ‘Hang on.’ I sit up, taking off everything below my waist, including my shoes and socks.
‘And the T-shirt,’ she commands, and I glance over my shoulder at her. I like this Delaney too – bolshie and confident – sexy as hell.
I pull my shirt over my head and add it to the pile on the floor, then stretch out beside her.
I reach for her, slipping my hand under her bum and squeezing.
She gasps. ‘I love your pert little bum,’ I say, dropping a kiss on her mouth.
‘And your gorgeous boobs.’ I kiss each nipple.
‘And your soft, smooth belly.’ I slide my mouth lower, angling my body to cover her belly with kisses.
She wriggles – she must be ticklish too – but I hold her firmly, then kiss her between her legs.
She gasps, her body arching again as I slowly explore her with my tongue, circling her clit.
‘Oh fuck, Nick,’ she sighs.
I flick my tongue and she whimpers, burying her hands in my hair and pushing my face into her.
She’s sweet and wet and time recedes to the background – I could stay here all night.
I dip two fingers inside her, my tongue teasing, flicking, tasting her, and I can sense her building to another climax.
Her grip on my hair tightens, the sting bittersweet, and I devour her as she bucks against my mouth.
‘Oh my god. Oh god – fuck!’ She cries out again, louder this time, and I keep my mouth on her until the final shudder leaves her body.
When I look up, she seems listless, spent, her head lolling to the side.
I crawl up her body to lie beside her, my fingers lightly brushing her hair away from her face. She opens her eyes and looks into mine.
‘Geez, you’re good at that.’
‘You’ll give me a big head,’ I reply.
She reaches for my cock, and shivers cascade over me. ‘You already have a big head.’
‘Hah!’ I laugh. I look down and she’s wearing an embarrassed smile.
‘Sorry – that was corny. I’m new to this whole dirty-talk thing.’
‘I’d say you’ve nailed it,’ I say.
‘Like you’re gonna nail me?’
I groan, rolling my eyes.
‘See?’ she asks, blinking at me smugly. ‘This is why you write the sex scenes, not me.’
‘Play to our strengths.’
‘Speaking of…’ she says, tugging on my shoulder. ‘I want you – come here.’