Chapter 16

Jodie hadn’t known what to expect from this date. Sure, she already knew that Nick wasn’t as taciturn and grouchy as he often seemed. But tonight he was talking, making her laugh with stories about furniture, the crazy practical jokes his teammates played on each other on the road, and that hilarious axiom about women who ate French fries with their fingers.

His smile had quivery sensations rippling through her when he flashed it.

The play turned out to be entertaining as well, in a satirical way that was funny because it was so true. It turned out that she and Nick had a similar world view when it came to politics, and they had a spirited discussion about the play at the wine bar they went to for another drink after the play. When Nick started talking about trickle-down economics, her body tingled and her belly fluttered.

Great. It wasn’t enough that he was tall and ripped and handsome, with a killer—albeit rare—smile that did crazy things to her. Now she was also attracted to his brain and his sense of humor, and that was even more potent.

She bit her lip and dropped her gaze to her glass of Merlot, clenching her thighs together at the surge of lust.

“So it’s never been shown that wealth trickles down to improve the economy. Instead it ends up sheltered in tax havens for the super wealthy…uh, sorry, am I boring you?”

Her head snapped up, and she met his eyes. “No! I’m just…well, the truth is…you’re turning me on.”

His eyebrows flew up. “Trickle-down economics is turning you on?”

“No.” Her cheeks heated. “You are.”

He whipped his head around, lifted a hand, and barked, “Check, please.”

“I’m not finished with my drink!”

His eyes gleamed as he picked up his glass. “Drink up, beautiful.” He downed the rest of his wine.

Her inner muscles gave a long squeeze of excitement.

He settled the bill with a credit card, and they booked it outside and down the sidewalk toward his SUV.

When he was driving, he glanced at her and said, “Uh…Zyana?”

Jodie smiled. “She’s having a sleepover.”

“Thank the sweet baby Jesus,” he muttered, and she laughed softly.

Please, please let there be sex.

He parked in the garage. She walked ahead of him and down the sidewalk, pausing outside the coach house.

“Your place or mine?” he asked quietly.

She hesitated.

“My bed is bigger.”

“Okay then.” Smiling, she started toward his house.

They shed footwear and jackets as they walked through the mudroom and kitchen, heading straight toward the stairs.

“I’m a terrible host,” he murmured, setting his hands on her hips as he followed her up the stairs. “Do you want a, um, drink? Or coffee?”

“No. I just want you.”

“Ah.” He let out a fast breath.

“Up again?”

“Yeah. My bedroom’s on the third floor.”

They climbed one more flight of stairs and emerged into a huge open space that included a sitting area and what appeared to be a big bathroom, but most important, a giant king-size bed on a platform. He flicked on a lamp and turned to her.

Her entire body quivered with anticipation, a heavy ache building low in her pelvis.

“Come here.” Despite his words, he moved toward her with arms outstretched. She drifted toward him, her body yearning to touch his. “I want to kiss you.”

“Yes.”

She laid her hands against his chest while he clasped her hips and brought her against him, and when her breasts met his hard chest she exhaled with delight.

He lifted his hands to her face, touching her cheeks so gently, his fingertips brushing over her jaw as their mouths met. He kissed her slowly, their mouths clinging, then drew back. They looked into each other’s eyes and smiled, then Jodie’s eyes drifted closed as he tilted his head and kissed her again, deeper.

His arms went around her, one hand down to the curve of her ass, the other up into her hair. She slipped her fingertips inside his shirt, over the hot satiny skin of his neck, her other hand caressing his upper arm. She opened her mouth to him, falling into the sensation of his firm lips moving on hers, his hot tongue sliding into her mouth, the taste of him and the smell of his cologne filling her head.

His hands moved over her, sliding up her back, back down to her butt, pulling her tighter against him. His erection pressed into her, and heat radiated from his skin. They kissed on and on, Jodie straining to get closer still, rubbing her aching breasts against him, her lower belly full and hot.

He kissed over her cheek and her head fell back to give him access to her neck, where he opened his mouth on her skin and gently sucked. A shiver worked down her spine.

He guided her over to the bed, and as he sat on the foot of the bed, he pulled her down with him. He bent one knee under him so he could face her, and their hands moved over each other as they kissed, long, lush, wet kisses. Her body fevered for more, her pussy flexing and clenching involuntarily. She clutched his big shoulders as he caressed her back, her waist…her breasts ached and her nipples tingled.

His big hand slid up over her sweater, brushing against the curve of her breast. “Is this okay?” he whispered.

“Yes. God, yes.” Her back arched into his touch, as he finally cupped her breast and squeezed. “Oh yes.”

She slid her hands over the back of his head, through his short, silky hair, her eyes closed as he nibbled at her lips and licked inside her mouth. Then he slowly drew back and met her eyes. His fingers curved around the hem of her sweater. “Can I take this off you?”

She exhaled sharply, his care with her making her heart swell. “Yes.”

He lifted her loose sweater up over her head, and she raised her arms to help him. Then she was sitting beside him in her bra. His gaze dropped there, and he slid his forefinger along the scalloped edge of her black bralette. “Very nice.” His fingers traced lower, over the crisscrossed ribbons on the wide lace band below her breasts.

“Th-thank you.”

He caressed the inside curves of her breasts, watching his fingers move over her, and damn, that was hot. Then he covered one breast with his hand and rubbed. He let out a low groan. “You’re beautiful.”

Electric thrills of longing raced through her, and a small moan escaped her lips.

He nuzzled the side of her neck, pushing her hair aside, licking and kissing her again, then drew back to watch as he cupped both breasts, seeming fascinated with them. She was at best average size in the boobage department, and his rapt attention was flattering.

“This is pretty, but I want to see all of you.” He met her eyes again as he fingered the lace bralette. “Okay?”

She nodded, breathless with anticipation, hungry for his touch on her bare skin.

He felt around her back, realized there was no clasp, and slid the lace up and off. Her breasts tightened as air brushed over them and her lungs emptied. He covered her breasts with his hands, lifted their weight, molded their shape, caught her nipples between thumbs and forefingers. A hard shudder shook her.

Then he captured her mouth with his again in a hot devouring kiss. Easing her down to her back, he kept kissing her and she continued to move her hands over him, wanting to touch him everywhere…his chest, his shoulders, his neck, his hair. She pulled her feet up onto the bed, bending her knees, then arching her back as he lifted his head, looked at her breasts again, and then shifted to take her nipple into his mouth.

“Oh God…” Pleasure poured through her, sensation stabbing her clit.

He cupped her breast, plumping it up to his mouth, tugging on the tender tip with his lips, then licking it with his tongue. He pulled back to stare at her, rubbing his fingertips over the taut nipple, then moved to the other one to suck and lick. More ecstasy lashed through her.

“So sweet,” he muttered, then closed his lips over her flesh and pulled on it.

She let out a soft cry and arched again, her chin going up, eyes squeezed closed as fire spread through her body.

He shifted back to kiss her again, hot openmouthed kisses. She held his face, and his hand slowly slipped over her abdomen, lower and lower, over the waistband of her pants, until his fingertips brushed her pubic mound.

“Now this,” he whispered against her lips. “Can I touch you here?”

“Oh God. Yes.” She would die if he didn’t touch her there.

He palmed her through her trousers, which was not as satisfying as it could be, but still felt amazing. He rubbed her there, and tension tightened in her womb, heat spreading from her core.

“You feel good.”

“Oh…” She was mindless, speechless, drifting on sensation. “Yes…”

She felt his smile against her mouth. He slid an arm beneath her neck and kissed her again. She lifted her arm to wrap it around his head.

“Want to feel how wet you are,” he murmured, rubbing his nose alongside her. “Are you wet, beautiful?”

Oh. She melted even more at him calling her beautiful. “I’m so wet,” she breathed. “Please…touch me there.”

He rose up to deal with the button and zipper, then worked her pants down over her hips and thighs. He left her in her panties, black lace that matched the bralette, and his eyes heated with admiration as he studied her. “Gorgeous.” He stroked a fingertip down her abdomen to black lace. “These are coming off too.”

“Yes.” She lifted her hips to help him, and then she was naked. And he was…not. “I want to see you too. You’re beautiful too. I want to touch you.”

He pushed back and off the bed, and she watched, enthralled, as he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, powerful muscles in his chest flexing, then removed his pants and socks. He left on his black boxer briefs, which were snug and barely contained a huge erection.

His body was more than beautiful. She drank in the sight of it…male perfection, with wide muscled shoulders and chest narrowing down to lean hips. His abdomen was ridged and firm, and his legs were strong and dusted with dark hair. Even his arms were gorgeous…carved muscles, lean tendons, and traced with veins.

Her lips parted, her breath went shallow. “Wow,” she whispered, completely forgetting that she was lying naked in front of him.

The corners of his eyes crinkled up. “I could say the same.” His gaze moved over her.

Now her skin heated. She dragged her tongue across her bottom lip. “Thank you.”

“Hang on.” He moved over to the bedside table, opened a drawer, and pulled out something. When he tossed it onto the bed beside her, he once more asked with quiet gravity, “Okay?”

She eyed the condom, turned her gaze back to him, almost weeping with relief. “Yes. More than okay. And thank you.”

She pushed her heels into the mattress to propel herself higher on the bed as he came back down beside her, stretching out on his side. He sealed his mouth over hers, once again slipping an arm beneath her while his other hand caressed her…her breasts, her stomach, then between her legs, this time on bare skin. She jerked as though jolted with a surge of electricity.

As they kissed, his fingers stroked her, so gently, then probed deeper. “Wet,” he murmured. “Love how wet you are.”

“I’m dying for you.” She curled her fingers around his neck and brought his mouth back to hers for a long kiss as he slicked his fingers through her wet flesh. He pushed a long finger inside, and she clenched around it, gasping against his mouth. He thrust in and out a few times, making her ache for more, for deeper penetration…and then he curled his finger against the front wall of her vagina and struck super sensitive nerves. She gasped and tightened, lifting her hips. “Oh Jesus.”

“Good?”

“Yes. God yes.”

His thumb found her clit, and she jolted again, giving another wordless cry. That tight sensation spiraled higher. This need…this urgent, desperate need for more…it was so powerful it was making her lose her mind. She panted.

“Inside me,” she gasped. “Please.” She gripped his shoulder, trying to pull him toward her.

“Yeah.” He shoved down his briefs and kicked them off. He reached for the condom he’d tossed onto the bed, ripped it open, and efficiently rolled it on. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, watching strong hands and wrists on his—oh dear God, so beautiful—cock. More hotness.

Her body pulsed with unfulfilled desire; his earlier strokes to her pussy had brought her so close to orgasm. She just needed him inside her…needed a little more stimulation to her clit…and she’d be there.

In a dream, she watched him move over her, now fully naked, gloved up, the lamplight highlighting all the planes and curves of his body. He set his hands on her inner thighs and pushed them wide, revealing her to him. She whimpered.

Again he studied her with such concentration, his eyes glowing with hunger. He made her feel so…worthy. Admirable. It was heady. Intoxicating.

“Pretty.” He bent his head and dragged his tongue over her sensitive flesh. “So pretty. So pink…and wet…” He licked again. Pleasure danced over every nerve ending, lighting up her body, tightening her insides.

She tipped her head back, hands going to her breasts. He plunged his fingers inside her and once again stroked that sensitive spot. Her body clenched and quivered. He lapped with his tongue, finding her clit. Her hips rolled upward, her entire body trembling.

“Please, please, I need you inside me.” She reached for him.

“Yeah. Wanna be inside you, baby.” He moved closer, on his knees, fisting his cock and stroking it. Finding her entrance, he paused, watching her. “Still okay?”

“Yes, God, yes, I’m begging you…fuck me, Nick.”

“Oh hell yeah.” And he penetrated her.

Fire burned from her entrance, heat flashing through her body from her core to her extremities…fingers, toes, lips. Burning rapture.

He pushed his fists into the mattress on either side of her and kissed her again, absorbing her cries as his thick flesh pierced her. His mouth moved on hers with hypnotic pressure, lips and tongue sliding. Her hands roamed over his shoulders, his arms, his neck, down to his sides. He was so big…so strong.

He set his forehead against hers as they moved together, their breath mingling, their sighs merging. He found her mouth again, and the kiss went on and on as he slowly began to move, in and out.

He lowered himself to his elbows, his body resting against hers, hot and heavy. His cock slid slickly into sensitive flesh. “You feel so good.”

His stubble rasped against her cheek, her jaw. She smiled, rubbing her hands up and down his ribs.

“So hot. So tight. Christ.”

He moved faster, plunging deeper, again and again. She was floating, beyond conscious thought, excitement curling low inside her in a hot coil. She hooked her wrists around his arms, their tongues licking together, then pulled her legs up, rubbing her heels over his tight ass. He lowered himself farther, his hands sliding into her hair, his weight pressing her into the mattress. Mindless, she tilted her pelvis up into him, seeking pressure where she needed it.

Their needy noises filled the air. He stroked her upper arm, gripped one breast, kissing her deeply. Oh God…so close…exquisite sensation exploded deep inside her, sparks shimmering in her vision and through her veins. She couldn’t stop the stream of soft cries that fell from her lips as he steadily and rapidly drove into her.

He growled, and his body tightened against her, going taut and still, his thick cock pulsing inside her. She squeezed her muscles, and he let out another low groan, burying his face in the side of her neck. She held on to his shoulders as their bodies trembled and throbbed together.

After what seemed like an hour or maybe a minute, he lifted his head. Their hands went to each other’s face as their mouths met and clung. “Jesus,” he murmured. “I think I really did go blind again.”

She smiled and gave his mouth another soft smooch. “Me too.”