Chapter Eight
They’d barely made it into her hotel room before clothes began to fly every which way. Even with the edge taken off by the frenzy of the night before, it was almost a race to the finish as they came together for the first climax of the night. Up against the wall at the side of the door, which thankfully, they’d managed to close before getting totally naked. She cried out his name as she came, loving the way he nailed her against the faded floral wallpaper, as if he could never get enough of her.
Round two was more traditional. Jim simply lay her down on the sheets after throwing the comforter to the foot of the bed and came down over her. He’d taken a moment to put on a new condom, but that was about all the time he allowed before sliding into her once more. This time, there was a slower build, a straining push toward ecstasy that left her panting for breath.
Roisin gripped his shoulders, loving the way his muscles bunched and released as he moved within her. He might work at a desk, but he was as fit as any fighting man, with bulging muscles in all the right places. Places she wanted to lick…and bite.
She’d never had that sort of response to the few other men she’d been with. Only Jim seemed to bring out the wanton in her. It was a little frightening but also intriguing. She wanted to stroke him all over and show him without words, the wild and tender feelings that welled in her heart for him.
She nearly lost her mind when she came, but he held her throughout, whispering words of praise in her ear as he strained against her. In his arms, she truly believed she was beautiful. Just like he said. Because he made her feel it, in a very elemental way. He was a force of nature, and she was bowled over by the fascinating combination of his incredible tenderness and raging passion.
Round three was more sedate but definitely a little more kinky. He took her into the bathroom, carrying her. He deposited her on a towel he’d spread over the countertop next to the sink. He ran warm water over a small washcloth and then ran it over her skin, rubbing the nubby terrycloth over and into every sensitive peak and valley of her body until she was about ready to come just from his touch.
He rinsed the cloth, and when he brought it back to her breasts, she discovered the water he’d used this time was cold. So cold. And exciting. Her nipples pebbled right away, and he took advantage, lowering his mouth to suck on one peak while the other was subjected to the cold, wet washcloth. Fire and ice. Ache and need. Want and fulfillment. Jim was giving her an experience in passion she would never forget.
Just as she would never forget him. Even if they parted after this stolen night, she knew he would be indelibly etched into her heart for all time. Being with him might just have ruined her for any other man, but she wasn’t too worried about that at the moment. No, this moment was all about sensation…and Jim. Everything else she would deal with in time. If she had to.
But the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted. Some devious part of her mind kept tempting her with visions of what it might be like to be with him always, and a bigger part of her heart than she was really comfortable with started to believe it might just be possible. Could he love her after only three nights together? Could she truly love him after so short a time?
The brutal answer—she was very much afraid to say—was yes.
Dear God. She loved him.
And just where the hell would that leave her when he took off again?
Thankfully, her morbid thoughts were derailed yet again by Jim’s attentions to her straining body. He’d given up on teasing her and was instead in the process of lifting her into his arms.
He carried her into the shower, and she only just realized, as luscious hot water cascaded over her skin, that he must have turned on the shower and played with the temperature controls at some point. She’d been so caught up in her jumbled thoughts and the overwhelming passion he’d given her, she hadn’t really noticed.
What followed was a slippery fun experience she never would have expected. Jim found creative things to do with the little bar of hotel soap, and she knew she would never look at one the same again. When both of them were slick with soap and sliding against each other, he joined their bodies once again.
It was almost too much. He’d over stimulated her senses so that they swam in sensation, nearly drowning in pleasure. But Jim was her solid rock, her anchor in the sea of storms. He pushed into her, holding her up against the cold tile of the wall as he ground into her body. Slow, at first, his pace increased along with her desire until they were both breathing like marathon runners in the final legs of a grueling race that only they could finish…together.
She came only a split second before him, crying out as ecstasy washed over her. His growl near her ear set of secondary sparks in her body as she shook in his arms, fulfillment taking her down again and again as he held her for long, long moments, partially under the warm spray of the water.
In the aftermath, a long time later, he helped her wash off the remaining soap, then bundled them both into fluffy towels. He took care of her, making sure they were both mostly dry before he tucked her back into the rumpled bed, next to him. He cuddled her against his body, one of his muscular arms around her as she settled against his chest.
They fit together so well. That was the last thought in her mind as sleep finally took her into the land of dreams.
Roisin woke sometime later. It was still the middle of the night, but Jim wasn’t in the bed with her. She heard running water in the bathroom and realized he must be in there. That settled her nerves a bit. For one horrible moment, she’d thought it had all been a dream. A wonderful dream, to be sure, but still a dream.
Heaven knew, she’d dreamed of him often enough in the past year, only to wake, her body on fire with a want that couldn’t be fulfilled…because he wasn’t there. Of course, this time, her body’s need had been satisfied. At least for now.
She might not have a desperate need for climax at the moment, but she definitely needed some water. Her throat was dry and parched, but she had a solution near at hand. There were bottles of water in the small fridge under the television. All she had to do was get out of bed and get one.
Seeing her robe on the chair next to the bed, she put it on out of habit before heading for the fridge. She was taking a long, welcome swallow of cold purified water when the door to the bathroom opened and Jim came out. He had a towel wrapped around his lean hips, and even in the dim light, she couldn’t help but stare at the vision of masculine perfection he presented.
Holy shit. Her man was hot!
Jim was surprised to find Roisin out of bed when he emerged from the bathroom. He hadn’t meant to wake her. They’d had a long night of lovemaking. Something he’d never forget…and something he wanted to repeat…again and again, if she’d let him.
So, maybe it was a good thing she was awake. Sometimes, it was better to talk of the really important things deep in the night, when confidences were shared more easily. A dim nightlight by the door was the only illumination, but it was enough to see her clearly as Jim approached her.
“You okay?” In the silence of the night, his voice seemed overly loud, even though he was almost whispering.
“I’m fine. Just thirsty,” she replied. “You want some?” She offered him her water bottle.
He took it, drinking a healthy swallow before handing it back. “Thanks. I wasn’t too rough? You’re sure?” He would rather die than hurt her.
“I’m sure,” she said, smiling softly. “Was I too demanding?” Her shy question made him feel things in his heart that only she had ever brought out.
“Never,” he assured her. “You can have anything you want from me. Any time. Any place. All you have to do is ask.”
She took another swallow of her water, holding eye contact with him as she swallowed. Damn. Was it getting hot in here?
“That sounds serious,” she said finally, and his thoughts went from sex to something even more important. Maybe now was the time to talk about their future?
Dawn would be here all too soon, and their time together was quickly winding down. He had to say something quick, before he completely ran out of time, but it was a big step. What if she wasn’t on the same page? What if all she wanted was a fling while she was away from home?
He had to take the chance. He couldn’t let her slip through his fingers. Not again. Not when he finally had some control over his life again and where he’d be for the foreseeable future. He’d decided somewhere during the past two days that, if she was willing to see where this odd relationship of theirs might lead, he wasn’t going to go back to the Navy.
She was the missing factor in his equation. If she was with him, he could easily give up the military. More than his family. More than his friends. More than any civilian career he might be able to create. If he had her in his life, that was the one variable that tipped the scales in favor of quitting the service.
All he had to do now was find out if she was willing. He had to put it all on the line with her. Tell her the truth and she what she made of it. The next few minutes—if he could manage to get the words out—were going to be some of the most important of his life.
Here goes everything…