Behind Closed Doors (13 page)

She bucked and squirmed against the fiery sensation burning inside her, rushing like lava through her veins and filling her chest and limbs. She hadn’t expected this, hadn’t even liked it very much in the past, but with Nathan...she was shockingly close to climaxing.

His tongue circled, dipped and flicked, fast then slow, fast again. It drove her crazy, bringing her to the brink over and over, teasing her, confusing her. She wanted the sensations to go on forever; she wanted to explode with release. When he lifted one leg over his shoulder and changed the angle, the next swipe of his tongue sent the first bolt of shimmering heat through her body.

She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. And then she couldn’t stop moving. No matter how hard she bucked with the relentless spasms, his mouth stayed with her. He knew exactly how much pressure to use, when to firm the tip of his tongue as if they’d been doing this same dance forever. When she was certain she couldn’t take anymore, she clawed at his hair, searched for her voice so she could tell him to stop, then fell back in complete wonder when the next wave swept her toward even greater pleasure.

Finally she went limp, her unsteady breath coming in labored pants. “Nathan?” She touched his shoulder, so weak, her fingers barely grazed his skin. “Oh, God...I can’t breathe.”

After brushing a light kiss across her sensitive flesh, he lifted his head and pressed another kiss on her inner thigh. He lowered her leg from his shoulder and leaned back. The want in his face stole what little breath she had left. His eyes were as dark as midnight, his nostrils flaring, his lips damp. He seemed to be having just as much difficulty breathing, his chest rising and falling with the effort.

His gaze drifted from her face to her breasts, and almost as if he couldn’t help himself, he touched one, cupping its weight with a reverence that filled her already flushed body with warmth. Her soft whimper brought a new fire to his eyes. She tried to reach for him, wanting to peel off his boxers, but he rolled to his side and stripped them off in one fluid motion.

10

H
ER GAZE WENT
to his cock, which was thick and ready. The tip glistened with moisture. A shiver raced down her back and all the way to her legs. Stretching out beside her, he put an arm around her and drew her to his chest. His erection pulsed against her abdomen. Slipping a hand between them, she wrapped her fingers around the length of smooth, hard flesh. He shuddered, then moved his hips in small thrusts against her palm, groaned and went completely still.

“Not like this,” he whispered, forcing her hand away. “I’m too close.”

Her brain obviously wasn’t functioning yet. She buried her face against his warm musky skin. “So why are we stopping?” she murmured, trying to make sense of things.

“So I can get a grip.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

His gravelly laugh broke off when she touched him again. He briefly tightened his arms around her, kissed her temple, then rose and leaned over her, reaching into the nightstand on her side. He brought out a handful of condoms, some of them falling to the carpet, a couple landing on the bed next to her. He’d managed to hold on to one and lay back while he tore it open.

“Let me.” Beth got up on her knees.

Nathan’s body was tense and hard, from his well-developed calves to the muscles bunching across his chest and shoulders. He didn’t put up a fight. Just let his head fall back on an exhale and handed her the condom.

She couldn’t help herself...she had to touch him again. But this time she wanted to know how her lips felt pressed against the smooth hot flesh. She leaned forward and kissed the crown.

His cock jumped.

He brought his head up and his hand shot out to grab her wrist. “Jesus, Bethany. Don’t you understand...”

“I know.” Quickly she sheathed him.

He’d already curled upright and cupped a hand behind her neck, pulling her toward his mouth. The kiss wasn’t gentle. She’d pushed him past patience, maybe beyond his ability to stay in control, and she wasn’t sorry. The savage thrust of his tongue past her lips excited her. His fierceness demanded a response; it demanded surrender and filled a deep primitive need she’d never known existed. She should’ve been wary. She should’ve wanted him to ease up. But all she wanted was more.

They were both panting when they finally broke apart. He wasted no time sliding his hand between her thighs, probing with his fingers and finding her wet and ready for him. She relaxed her legs and stared up into his face. He was watching her, the hunger in his eyes burning hotter still.

He held her gaze while he eased her legs farther apart and settled between them. Tense as he was, he still took the time to enter her carefully. He was a big man, in every way, and yes, she was ready, but the first breach was still a shock and she jerked. He waited, pushed in a little more and then stopped to brush the back of his hand down her cheek.

She lifted her hips, asking for more, and a faint smile touched the corners of his mouth. He thrust deeper, and when she bucked up to meet him, he pulled her legs around his hips and embedded himself to the hilt. Beth let out a small cry. His answering groan came from somewhere deep in his throat.

He rocked against her, deft, careful movements that she could tell strained his control. She arched into him, knowing exactly what his reaction would be. He began moving, faster and faster, making subtle shifts she knew were designed to learn her body, find the angle that would help her climax again.

It wouldn’t take long. His heat enveloped her, igniting a liquid fire that flowed from her belly to her chest and limbs. Feverish and damp, she couldn’t take it much longer...that powerful, all-consuming heat.

The burn was becoming too much....

She clenched around him, squeezing, relief almost within her grasp until the force of her climax hit so hard she seized and nearly threw him off.

Finally, finally she felt her body start to float, weightless, like an airy white tendril of smoke drifting up into the clouds. She thought she heard Nathan calling her, his voice a great distance away. Except he was right here, his body hot under her palms.

He let out a hoarse cry and suddenly she was the one hushing him, soothing him, petting his damp feverish skin and pulling him into her arms as his entire body shuddered. He was heavy, pinning her down against the mattress, but she refused to let go. Even when he tried to roll away.

Nathan lifted his head to look at her. She had no idea what she’d been thinking, clinging to him like she was. Embarrassed, she relaxed her arms. He used his elbow to take some of his weight off her and then touched her face with the back of his hand, slowly drawing it down her cheek.

He froze, his brows drawing into a frown. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She blinked. “Why?” To her sudden horror, she realized she was so full of emotion that her cheeks were damp. She sighed. “I’m exhausted. It feels as if I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in forever,” she said truthfully. “That’s all.”

He moved completely off her. Before she could roll to the side of the bed, he pulled the covers over them, put his arms around her and brought her to his chest.

It would be crazy to get too comfortable. Insane, she thought as she snuggled against him. Really stupid. She yawned, liking the feel of his soft chest hair against her cheek. Foolish even.

“I should get dressed,” she murmured, burrowing in deeper and sighing when he tightened his arms around her.

* * *

N
ATHAN STARED INTO
the semidarkness, aware of her soft warm body pressed to his, aware that he hadn’t stopped rubbing her arm. And he tried to get a grip on what had just happened.

She’d drugged him. Not literally. But something about Beth’s natural scent made him a little crazy. Maybe it was perfume, but he didn’t think so. Remembering her fragrance as he’d licked her to orgasm made his whole body tense.

He felt her breath on his chest, shocked that that alone turned him on, shocked he hadn’t dislocated something from coming so hard. “It’s still early.”

The room was dim, even with both lamps on. He routinely kept it that way unless he couldn’t sleep and picked up a book. He had a feeling Beth wouldn’t have any trouble drifting off. Her breathing had slowed and it seemed as though she could barely move.

She yawned, the action pushing her breasts against his ribs. Her voice sounded drowsy but her nipples were hard, and his cock stirred. “You still have to take me to my car.”

He lightly rested his chin in her hair. “Think you can drive?”

“I don’t have much choice.”

“Sure you do,” he said, without giving the words proper thought.

She lifted her head and blinked at him. “What do you mean?”

“You can sleep and I wake you in an hour.” He shrugged. “Or you can spend the night.”

“I can’t do that.” She seemed awake now, pushing away from him and sitting up, her gaze darting around until she found the nightstand clock behind her.

“Fine.”

She met his eyes. “But thank you for offering.”

He sat up against the padded headboard, raised his arms over his head and stretched. “I didn’t want you thinking I was pushing you out the door.”

She glanced down at her bare breasts and pulled the sheet up. “I would never think that.”

Dammit. It was his fault she felt the need to cover herself. He was acting like a jackass, pretending to be indifferent. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice coming out too gruff. “Spending the night is probably against the rules.”

“What rules?”

“This friends-with-benefits thing.” He shook his head. “It’s all new to me.”

“Well, me, too.” She sounded indignant. “I’ve never been in a situation like this before.” She frowned at him. “What?”

He just looked at her, not knowing what to say. Hell, all he’d done was smile.

“You think I make a habit out of sleeping with strange men?”

Nathan winced. They weren’t exactly strangers. “Actually, no. If you did, I expect you’d have your pick at the Watering Hole.”

“I’ll have you know I haven’t had sex since moving to Blackfoot Falls. Or for that matter, almost a year before that.”

He almost smiled again. “All right, then.”

“Okay.” She drew in a deep breath and the sheet slipped down a little. Another inch would’ve made him real happy. Looking confused, she asked, “What exactly are we agreeing on?”

“No rules.”

“Oh.” She nodded. “I still can’t spend the night. On account of Liberty.”

“She doesn’t know where you are.”

“But if I don’t come home, she’ll assume I had a one-night stand. Sadly, she’s too used to that kind of behavior from her mother.”

Nathan didn’t know what to say. She was looking at him as if she expected him to understand, only he didn’t. Not entirely. Beth was an adult. She didn’t owe the girl an accounting of her time. “Okay. Smuggling you out of here in the morning wouldn’t be easy.”

“Oh, God.” She pressed a hand to her chest. He noticed her nipples were still hard. In a few minutes he’d be there, too. “I am so not doing the walk of shame. Never have, never will. Especially not in front of your guys,” she said, a blush filling her cheeks.

He lounged against the headboard, not bothering to hide his growing arousal under the sheet. “Come here.”

A slow smile lifted her lips. “Why?”

“Get over here and find out.”

She bit her lower lip, her gaze dropping to his chest, then to his erection. “You’re not going to let me take a nap, are you?”

Nathan just smiled.

* * *

A
LTHOUGH SHE’D HAD
very little sleep and not enough coffee, Beth was in a surprisingly good mood as she drove Lib to her penance. At the stop sign, Beth changed radio stations, heard “Rumour Has It” and immediately started singing along with Adele.

“God...” Liberty muttered through gritted teeth, raising splayed fingers to the heavens. “Why are you in such a good mood? It’s too freakin’ early.”

Moving her head from side to side with attitude, Beth pointed to her niece and finished the last few lines of the song before taking her foot off the brake and continuing through the intersection.

Liberty had clapped her hands over her ears. Realizing it was now safe, she lowered them. “You know you can’t sing, right? You’ve been off-key since we left the house.”

Beth wasn’t sure that was true. Lib was just cranky. She’d been grumbling since Beth woke her up at 8:00 a.m. It was Saturday, so why couldn’t she sleep till noon? Why did she have to go to the Lucky 7 on a weekend? She didn’t like Woody because he wouldn’t let her use her phone and he didn’t give her enough breaks...and on and on.

Beth waved to a white-haired man driving past them in a blue Chevy pickup on its last legs.

“Who was that?”

“I don’t know.” Beth felt her niece’s curiosity burning a hole in the side of her head and she glanced at her. “He waved, so I waved back.”

Lib frowned. “You got home late last night.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Where were you?”

“I was with a friend. Besides, I’m not the one on probation, kiddo.” Beth turned up the volume and started singing again. Not just because she liked the song. She didn’t want Lib asking any more questions.

Yes, Beth knew she was punchy from too little sleep. But the sex had been amazing, so who cared that she hadn’t made it home until after 1:30 a.m.? For all Lib knew, Beth had been out dancing. Turned out, Nathan had remarkable stamina. And holy cow, did that man know how to use his tongue.

She kept singing, probably getting most of the words wrong, until Liberty leaned over and turned down the volume.

“If you have to be in a good mood, can’t you do it quietly?”

Beth met the girl’s glare. “If you have to be a buzzkill, can’t you do it quietly?”

Lib gave her another strange look, a mix of annoyance and curiosity. “You’re weird.”

Beth returned her attention to the road. “Look, I have workers showing up in an hour. You know how much trouble I’ve had lining up labor,” she said. “So, no, driving you today isn’t convenient. The least you can do is be civil.”