CHAPTER SIX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A s the plane touched down, she couldn’t wait to be back in Luka’s arms. She headed back to the same hotel and checked into another suite. This one had the same monochromatic color scheme and a king-sized bed. The view of downtown from the top floor was nice, but she closed the curtains and turned on the bedside lamp. She sent him the room number and wasted no time, stripping out of her travel clothes and into something more alluring.

Less than an hour later, knuckles rapped at her door. Jill put her book away, turned down the volume on the radio and checked through the peephole. She couldn’t see his face. This time instead of a hood, there was a ball cap pulled low over his brow. But it was him. He dominated the hall like a semi-truck in a back lane.

She unlocked the chain and twisted the knob. With her hand propped on one hip, she opened the door. The feminine lingerie covered very little as she leaned against the frame and smiled. “Hello handsome.”

He charged into the room. His lips crashed against hers with the force of a tidal wave. It knocked her back, but he caught her. He swept her off her feet and kicked the door shut. She pushed his hat to the floor and ran her fingers through the short strands of hair.

Their tongues twisted in greeting. The kiss was aggressive and severe. He kissed her like a man possessed by desire. She loved it. His fingers dug into her ass cheeks and he groaned. A low and gruff declaration of need.

“I missed you,” she panted as he broke the kiss to lay her down.

His dark eyes were even more intense than the first time she’d seen him, increasing the craving she had for him. He stood and removed his shirt. The corded muscles of his forearms caught her eye as he worked his belt loose. The metal jingled, and the tines of his zipper lowered. Her mouth watered as she stared at his tanned skin and followed the dark trail of hair down his body.

“You are what I need.” His muscles flexed as he shed every stitch of clothing.

She moved to the middle of the bed, making room for him. The sheer outfit contained her breasts, keeping them high and on display. She leaned back, propped on her elbows, thrusting her hard nipples towards him. From the waist down, she was bare. Her legs fell open.

“I need you too,” she replied.

The same deep growl she’d heard earlier made another appearance. “My night was not good until I saw you. I thought it impossible for you to be more beautiful than when we met, but… you are my fantasy come to life.”

“You are too far away,” she added when he didn’t immediately come to her.

“I need to calm for a moment, so I don’t hurt you. The way you make me feel… seeing your wet pussy begging for me.” He ground his teeth, stepped next to the bed and pumped his cock. “You’ve unleashed an animal.”

She reached over and ripped open a condom wrapper. He wasn’t the only one with primal urges. Either the lack of sex for the past few years or seeing his glorious body primed and ready caused her to snap into action. An insatiable hunger took over. Waiting wasn’t an option.

Within seconds, she rolled the latex over his erection and jumped into his arms. “Give it to me,” she commanded as she wrapped her legs around him. Her back hit the wall.

He thrust inside, and she cried out at the magnitude of his force. “Jill, I’m sorry,” Luka said between her breasts. He chomped down on her nipple and slammed into her again. The flimsy fabric ripped, and he tore it from her body with his teeth.

One painting by them fell to the ground. The relentless pounding never slowed. She begged him to keep going, and he listened. Her screams for more mingled with his grunts and the room filled with the constant slapping of skin on skin.

They both took what they needed from each other. No holding back. Jill reveled in the intensity.

Two orgasms later, he set her down on shaky legs. They stepped over the tattered remains of her nightie and Luka drew them a bath. The warm water soothed some soreness, but she’d be feeling that encounter physically for days. Emotionally, she wasn’t sure she’d ever recover.

“Did I hurt you?” Luka asked as he slipped a cloth over her nipple. “I may have pushed things too far.”

The gentleness of his touch surprised her. She looked down at the imprints of his teeth all over her breasts. “I asked for it, and I’d have let you know if I couldn’t handle it,” she answered. “Besides, I like it rough.”

His shoulders were covered in her claw marks. “We compliment each other.” He left a trail of kisses down her neck.

She didn’t answer. They took turns washing each other, content not to speak. After the visceral way they’d attacked each other, this calm intimacy was a stark contrast. It was nice. Maybe too nice. As Jill lay there wrapped around Luka, pieces of her heart drifted over to him. The broken pieces that had yet to heal from her failed marriage somehow opened to the possibility of something new.

“We should get out,” she said, bracing her hands on the side of the tub. “Would you like to spend the night?” The inside of her cheek worried between her teeth, waiting for his answer.

Luka stood, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her, drawing her to him. “I would like that.”

She tried to contain her excitement, but it was evident in her smile. They dried and headed towards the bed. He pulled the covers back and let her go in first. The small things like that touched her and it spoke to his character. Luka was a good man. She crawled in and he followed.

“You mentioned it was a bad night. Care to talk about it?” She leaned on her side and ran her hand over his chest.

“Things didn’t go my way. I let a lot of people down, and that doesn’t sit well with me.” He sighed and angled his body onto his side, facing her. “I prefer to do things right every time.”

“No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. Try not to be so hard on yourself.” She tugged on his beard and giggled, trying to lighten the moment.

It worked, and he smiled. “Smart woman.” He brushed his lips to hers then worked his way down. “How did I get so lucky?”

Her giggles turned into moans when his whiskers caressed her inner thighs and his tongue found her slit. She opened wide for him to move between her legs. “I’m the lucky one.”

She inhaled sharply as he latched onto her clit. The hard pull stole the oxygen from the room. Then he followed with soft licks and gentle kisses. The mix of hard and soft, fast and slow drove her to the brink of madness. “Don’t tease me. I need more,” she huffed, trying to catch her breath and find release.

“This is why I only date older women,” he said, running the tip of his nose along her entrance. “You are comfortable with your sexuality. Not timid or reserved. You say what you want and don’t push me away when I breathe you in.” Luka inhaled and pressed a kiss to the top of her mound.

“I can’t imagine anyone pushing you away,” she replied, grabbing the side of his face and grinding her pelvis against his mouth.

He opened wide, covering her completely and licked deep inside. His tongue prodded her core until she saw stars. Bright white flashes of light danced before her as he sucked the climax from her. Sated and spent, she relaxed into the softness of the sheets.

His head rested his against her thigh and their eyes met. “We will do this again.” He paused, looked away and then back. “Because, I want you to be more. I’d like more of this; more everything. Does that work for you?” His question, like everything about Luka caught her by surprise.

“I’m becoming addicted to you. It’s not the sex. Which is… wow, by the way. It’s you. I want to know you. So far, the Slavic accent, the directness of your words and your intensity all intrigue me. I want more too.”

Most of her life she’d watched her tongue, gauged her words and provided the appropriate response. At this moment, she should have told him it wouldn’t work. That her life was too complicated for more. Instead, she spoke from the heart. She hadn’t meant to fall for this guy, or anyone, but it was happening.

“Then we are together.” He winked and positioned himself beside her.

Wrapped in his arms, the rest of the world disappeared. It was just the two of them in a cocoon of bliss. Eventually, reality would sneak in. Relationships took work and lived beyond hotel room walls.

“We’re together,” she repeated his words. “I’m interested to see where this goes.”

A sane woman would have taken things slowly and proceeded with caution. With Luka, she didn’t want to hold back. She didn’t want to filter the emotions. What they had was raw, and it thrilled her.

As he kissed her goodnight, the feelings for him grew. She was in big trouble. Getting involved with a man a decade younger who lived a plane ride away, wouldn’t be easy. She closed her eyes and focused on the positive. After the challenges she’d faced with her ex, the distance and the numbers were no big deal. She smiled and settled into the comfort of a new beginning.

When she opened her eyes, morning had arrived though the sun continued to hide behind the curtains. The only light came from the bathroom, casting shadows over their bodies. Luka lay on his back with his eyes closed and one hand over her torso. His fingers splayed next to a cluster of stretch marks. Outside those doors, life and responsibilities waited.

“You went from relaxed to tense,” he said, without moving or opening his eyes. “What is it?”

“Were you serious last night about us? About starting something real. Because I come with a lot of baggage. More than your average twenty-two-year-old.” She chuckled under her breath, then stopped when the ramifications of their decision slammed into her gut. Life didn’t revolve around her. “I’ve never introduced anyone to my kids. I’ll be honest, they aren’t ready to meet you, or anyone.”

He turned towards her. “I want you, and you have kids. No big deal. We’ll meet when the time is right. Don’t stress it. Kids love me.”

“You’re so humble too,” she slapped his arm when he attempted to pull her over.

He won and succeeded at sliding her on top of him. “I have meetings this morning, but I want you to stay. I’ll only be gone a few hours.”

She pictured him sitting in a business meeting, seated behind a round table like a captain of industry. They’d talked about many things, but not careers. He probably figured she was a stay at home mom, but she also owned and operated a successful online jewelry store. “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

He pushed hairs away from her eyes and stared into them. “I am all grown, and I love what I do. I make good money, but the most important role a man can have is to be a father. To be part of a family again, is what I want.”

She almost swallowed her tongue. If he’d reached into her soul, and used her own words, he couldn’t have said anything more perfect. This man rescued puppies and valued family above all else. Jill blinked away the tears that formed.

“When is your flight?” he asked, glancing towards the clock.

“I’m booked on the late afternoon flight,” she answered. “So, I can tuck my kids into bed. Being home for them is important to me. I agree with you that family is everything.”

He nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll hustle. We can make the most of our hours.”

Their lips met, and their bodies came together. They fit seamlessly. Her eyes drifted shut as they kissed. A foil wrapper ripped open. One shift of her hips and he buried himself inside her. Another swivel added pressure against her clit. More twisting and thrusting ended with one hell of a climax to start the day.

The rest of the day was every bit as spectacular. After Luka returned from work, they went to the zoo. They both loved animals but neither had any. The date couldn’t have been more fun. Seeing the majestic polar bears swim was the highlight, besides learning more about her boyfriend.

Luka Pedlanski was an interesting and funny young man who made her laugh. His name seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn’t place it. His perspective on life fascinated her. He saw the wonder in the little things most people overlooked. He had a heart of gold.

“What was your favorite part of today?” She shuffled her feet and squeezed his hand. She wasn’t looking forward to leaving.

He smirked. “Seeing the ground hogs roam free and kissing you at every exhibit.”

“I had a great time. Thank you for… everything,” she giggled as the taxi stopped next to them.

He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. “You are an unexpected, pleasant distraction in my crazy life. I don’t know when we’ll be able to see each other next, but we’ll find a way.” He opened the car door for her.

She nodded against his chest, inhaling his manly scent. “I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll take it one day at a time.”

As the cab drove away, her heart felt heavy. It was wrong to get attached to him. The odds of them making something work were slim. She rested her head against the headrest and ran her fingers over her lips. They were swollen and well used. Leonora was going to lose it when she filled her in on this new development. She had so much to tell her best friend, but she planned to keep her relationship a secret from everyone else. At least for now.