Chapter Three #2
“My turn.” She put her hands on his hard shoulders and pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed. Dropping to a crouch, she pulled off one boot. The second boot resisted. She finally got it loose, ending up on her butt in the process.
He laughed at that, and so did she as she gave another hard tug and the boot slipped off. The socks gave her no trouble at all. She peeled them away and threw them over her shoulder, not once glancing back to see where they landed.
Chuckling, he rose yet again and took off his shirt. She admired the view. He had those abs you could scrub your laundry on.
Still crouched on the floor, she stared up at him, dazed with desire, as he unzipped his Wranglers and took them down, his boxer briefs with them. Stepping neatly free of all of it, he tossed the jeans and briefs away.
By then, her guilt and anxiety over what she’d failed to tell him had vanished. There was only this—Riley and Josh—good buddies forever. And now, for this one more night at least, ardent and enthusiastic lovers.
Yes, everything would probably come crashing down around her ears when she finally worked up the nerve to tell him that all this great sex had produced the classic result. She felt really bad about it. Because a baby had never been part of their deal.
But here they were for one more night.
And he was so good at this. She loved being with him. As a friend. As a lover. Both or either. He was the best.
Completely exposed and not the least shy about it at this point, she sat back on her heels and let her gaze trail up his strong legs to where he was erect and ready to take this night to the next level.
“Come up here with me,” he instructed in a low, rough growl. He held down his hand.
She couldn’t take that hand fast enough. He helped her to her feet and then curled his lean arm around her, drawing her closer, till she was pressed tight against him.
“We should be quiet,” she warned him—and herself. The words came out sounding desperate. She was lost in the moment now, in the rough-tender sound of his voice, in the delicious feel of him all along the front of her.
“Gotcha. We’re going to be quiet,” he replied and swooped down to claim her mouth.
She laughed against his parted lips, her whole body aglow with excitement, with happy desire.
That was thing about her and Josh. It was always so good with him. And not only good. It was so dang much fun. She didn’t want it to end.
But she knew that it would. And very soon now.
Guilt threatened to derail her. But she didn’t let it. The moment of truth couldn’t be avoided much longer.
And that was all the more reason to enjoy tonight.
He bit her earlobe lightly, sending a shiver running through her.
“Hey…” She clasped his shoulder, stroked her palm down the outside of his arm, feeling hard muscle beneath warm skin.
He caught her hand. “Come on…” Dropping to the bed again, he pulled her down onto the white sheets with him.
She slanted him a knowing look. “You turned back the covers.”
“That’s a problem for you?”
“You planned ahead, didn’t you? This bed is all ready for a girl to fall into.”
He smirked. “I do not deny it. I fully intended to get you all to myself once the kids were in bed.”
“Oh, Joshua…” She framed his face between her hands. “It’s been good, huh—this, you and me?”
“So good. The best.” His voice had gone rough again in the most exciting way. “I never want it to end…”
And then he was kissing her, his mouth urging her to open, his tongue meeting hers as he took her down to the waiting sheets. His hands skimmed over her skin, knowing her, touching her like there was no way he could ever get enough.
She understood that need he had, that need for more, for everything. Life was too full of terrible surprises. First her mom, gone so suddenly. Then her dad. And then her true love. All of them taken, pieces of her heart torn out with them.
Nowadays, every bit of joy mattered. And she’d had so much joy lately, with this wonderful man. She reveled in it, basked in it.
Yes, this magical secret affair would finally end—and very soon. But right now, who cared? Every time with him was the best time, and she had zero regrets.
He shifted, turning them both so that she was beneath him. Laughing, she braced a foot on the mattress and claimed the top position again. He made a low, growling sound, but he didn’t stop her when she slid off him and went to her knees.
Bending close, she took him into her mouth. He groaned and muttered her name. She took him deeper. He let her.
But not for long. Reaching down, he cradled her face and made her look at him. “Now…” he whispered.
“Oh, yes,” she eagerly agreed. “Now.”
“Come here…” He clasped her waist in both strong hands and pulled her back on top of him. She took it from there. Folding her legs to either side of him, she reached down between them and guided him to her. They groaned together as she took him in.
“This,” he moaned, sliding in deep, hitting that perfect spot, the one that sent ripples of pleasure cascading through her. “So right…” He said her name like a plea as she claimed him completely.
And then they were moving, rocking together.
Never once breaking the sweet, perfect rhythm, he rolled her under him. “Riley…”
She stared up into his handsome face. His eyes were dazed, the pupils blown. She asked, “You okay?”
“Oh, hell yeah,” he muttered gruffly. “Riley Jane, there is no one like you…”
“It’s good,” she agreed.
“So good.” He kissed the words onto her mouth.
The pleasure expanded within her, claiming every inch of her. She quivered with the magic of it—and then, all at once, she was coming, her climax overtaking her, rolling outward from her core in a hot shimmer of overwhelming sensation.
She held him good and tight and gave herself up to the beauty of this one last night. He groaned as her body contracted around him. And then he was following her over the edge.
For a long, perfect moment, there was nothing but pleasure, pulsing hot and then slowly, sweetly fading to afterglow.
He nuzzled her cheek. “I’m crushing you…”
“No.” She tucked her head in the crook of his shoulder and breathed in his clean, outdoorsy scent. “I am just fine.”
“Oh yes, you are…” Gently, he eased away from her and rolled onto his back.
For several minutes, they were quiet together, just lying there side by side. She loved that, the warmth of him so close as the fire between them faded to something very much like contentment.
When he rolled to face her, he was grinning. “I think we should go fishing every Saturday—followed by a little private time right here in this bed.”
She loved that idea—even if it was just a fantasy. Reaching up, she laid her hand along his cheek, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the slight scrape of beard scruff. Idly, she brushed her fingers back into his silky brown hair.
“What?” he asked.
She tugged on his earlobe. “I should get back to my room…”
He bent close, kissed the tip of her nose. “In a minute…” He laid his hand on her shoulder, trailed it down to cover her breast. Lightly, he rubbed his palm over the sensitive flesh of her nipple.
“That feels way too good.”
He put his lips to her ear. “Stay awhile…”
She turned her head and kissed him hard and quick. “I would love to. However, it really is time to go.”
His broad shoulders slumped, but he didn’t argue further as she rose from the bed and started picking up her clothes.
Lying back on the pillow, hands laced behind his head, he watched her.
She sent him a smile as she put on her panties.
But he didn’t smile back. His gaze had drifted down her body. He seemed…thoughtful, suddenly.
Was it possible he’d noticed the new roundness of her belly? Her ears felt hot. She waited for him to say something.
But he was silent.
Should she go for it, spill the truth right here and now?
No. This was not the time. The kids were here. They had tomorrow morning to get through. She needed to wait until it was just the two of them.
Her bra was right there on the floor next to her left foot. She snatched it up.
“Let me help you with that.” He swung his feet to the floor and stood.
She laughed, an awkward, too-loud burst of sound. Feeling foolish, she accused, “You are so transparent.”
“Hey.” He put up both hands. “All I want to do is help.”
Dear Lord, he was a fine-looking man, tall and lean, broad-shouldered with that irresistible smile. Sometimes when she looked at him she wondered how the skinny smart aleck she’d grown up with had miraculously become the guy she most wanted to climb like a tree.
Life was full of mysteries, no doubt about it—and he didn’t know. She was sure of it now. He wouldn’t be kidding around with her if he knew.
Would he?
“Fine.” She put her arms through the bra straps and turned her back to him. “Hook me up.”
He stepped close. The backs of his fingers brushed the sensitive skin between her shoulder blades as he slipped the hooks into the eyes. “See?” His warm lips brushed the side of her neck. “I can be good.”
“Thank you,” she replied as she actively resisted the desire to lean back against him.
Stepping away, she reached for her jeans, shook them out and pulled them on, glancing up with a grin to find him watching her.
He wasn’t smiling. His serious stare made her throat feel dry and sent an odd little shiver racing down the backs of her thighs. “What?” she demanded.
He just stood there, buck naked, his eyes unreadable. The moment stretched out.
She gulped. “Josh. What’s the matter?”
He came toward her then, stopping when he was only a few inches away. A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Got something to tell me?”
It took all the will she possessed not to burst into tears. “I, uh…”
“Hey…” He whispered the word. Gently. Tenderly. And then he touched her. Sliding his fingers under her hair, he clasped the nape of her neck and pulled her in.
With a tiny moan, she let her head drop to his shoulder. “It’s just that…” She lifted her head and made herself look him straight in the eye. “I’m pregnant, Josh. About thirteen weeks along.”