Deception of the Heart (19 page)

‘I want you inside me,’ she pleaded, her voice hoarse and urgent. ‘
Please, Jon, I want you to make love to me…’

H
e wanted nothing more, and his body surged as he listened to her voice.

‘I don’t have any protection,’ he managed to
rasp, hoping against hope she’d tell him it was taken care of, that she was on some kind of a pill or it just wasn’t necessary. But deep down, he knew already that wouldn’t be the case. Even before she shook her head and dashed his hopes, he knew she wasn’t prepared for what was transpiring.

‘
Still, it can be beautiful, I promise,’ he whispered against the silky skin of her thighs. He kissed the soft flesh that trembled with the same desire that made it almost impossible for him to stay decent.

‘I know
.’ Before he noticed what she was doing, she moved, her swift, cat like grace making it a blur. Her lips found his erection. She licked it again, her fingers scrapping against the tightened skin of his balls. He could only groan and let her lead, his own lips busy against her clit. Stroke for stroke and kiss for kiss, they caressed each other with increasing speed, desperate to find the ultimate release.

H
e felt the first tremors of ecstasy building deep inside him before long, his whole body tensing with pleasure that was almost too intense to bear. He heard her moan louder, her body shaking under his lips. He felt the scalding heat of her release on his tongue, sweet and fragrant. That was all it took for him to follow. His universe splintered into a million pieces, his body falling through space and time. Wave after wave of ecstasy shook him as he felt her kiss his still-trembling flesh, smearing the moisture of his release onto his skin and her lips.

He wasn’t sure where he end
ed and she began, too spent to do anything but lay still, his chest heaving. Finally he found enough energy to move until they were face to face, his arms around her warm, sweat-covered frame.

‘
Hey,’ he whispered, acutely aware of how uninspiring his intro really was. He wanted to tell her how wonderful she was, but he found that the incredible lovemaking was too spectacular to put into words. So instead he kissed her, tasting him on her mouth. They kissed for a long time, the slow, long sweeps of their tongues dancing together waking up his already sated desire.

He
felt himself hardening again, his memories from just moments ago enough to make him crave more. He resisted at first, trying to take it slow this time. Melanie didn’t make it any easier with the way her naked body pressed against his, her breasts full and heavy against the skin of his chest. He could taste the same desire in her kiss. Her slender thigh lay against his leg, brushing his fast-thickening erection.

‘I want you to make love to me, Jon,’ she
whispered, dragging her mouth away from his and tracing the lines of his lips with her trembling fingers. ‘I want to feel you inside me.’

He wanted to refuse. He should have
. He never had sex without protection. It just simply wasn’t something he found acceptable since responsibility featured high on his list of sexual behavior.

He should have refused. But she kissed him again, her slim
hand slinking down to wrap her fingers around the unmistakable proof of his desire. She teased him gently, running her thumb against the sensitive tip, smearing drops of moisture over its glistening flesh.

He flipped her over
, too impatient to be careful. With one powerful stroke, he was inside her tight passage, stretching the swollen tissues and filling it to its limits. She was hot and tight, making it difficult to last. He was glad he had already satisfied some of his need as he moved, slowly at first, each deep stroke taking him closer to the pinnacle of pleasure. Melanie’s legs wrapped around his hips, changing the angle and taking him even deeper into her yielding body. She moved with him, responding to each stroke and soon shattering his resolution to satisfy her first. He needed her. He increased the speed of his strokes, his lips worshipping the skin of her neck and shoulders.

‘Now,’
she breathed, her nails digging into his shoulders. Her muscles around him clenched in ecstasy, pressing against his sensitive flesh and making it impossible for him to last any longer. Unable to refuse, he followed her lead and groaned, collapsing on top of her as he felt his seed spill inside her, every ounce of energy spent. He managed to gently detach himself, pulling her closer and pillowing her head on his shoulder. And then he didn’t want to do anything anymore. Just to stay like that forever, with her in his arms, was a heaven he didn’t want to abandon. The earth was cold and cruel beyond this private paradise offered to him by an unexpected twist of fate that put Melanie in his way. He wished she could stay in his way forever.

She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she felt any need to move. She felt Jon’s heartbeat under her cheek, strong and reassuring. His idle fingers traced the skin of her shoulders. She waited for the regrets to kick in because what transpired in the hotel room was so out of character for her, they were bound to haunt her at any given moment.

They didn’t.
The luxurious weakness that lingered in her bones and muscles had nothing to do with embarrassment or guilt. True, it wasn’t the way she thought she’d ever behave, but it didn’t matter. She was there with Jon. He wanted her and had shown her a slice of heaven she had forgotten even existed. Or rather, never even knew, her relationship with Luke paling in comparison.

She had no idea what would happen next. No plans or ideas whatsoever. For just a few moments longer
, she would allow herself to savor the bliss, refusing to worry about the future.

The sound of a phone ringing interrupted the peaceful silence. It took her a few seconds to realize it must
be Jon’s cell since her ringtone was different. She lifted her head, looking up into his face. She was surprised by his worried expression. His eyebrows snapped together as he listened to the insistent sound.

‘Aren’t you going to get it?’ she asked finally, realizing he wasn’t moving at all. ‘I mean, it could be important, right?’

‘Sure.’ His face smoothed out. He got up, ignorant of the beauty of his naked body. She watched him, feasting her eyes on the perfect lines of his broad shoulders, tight buttocks, and long, muscular legs. Just like one of those statues in the fountain. Her mouth dried instantly with a thirst that had nothing to do with drinks. He walked around, picked up his discarded pants, and fished out his phone. It was still ringing, the classical tune filling the silence.

She watched his expression change as he checked the caller ID, his features set in stone.

‘Yes?’ His tone was clipped, its coolness a dramatic contrast to his warmth-filled voice from only minutes ago. ‘What is it?’

He
listened for a moment, as still as if he’d become one of those beautifully sculpted statues. Only now the thought didn’t carry as much promise and appeal. She felt the waves of resentment radiating from him as he listened to whoever was on the other end, the light mood marred beyond repair.

‘Of course
.’ He nodded shortly, running his hand through his dark, disheveled hair. She remembered grabbing it and felt heat rise in her cheeks. Her hot, passionate lover had vanished, replaced by this absolutely breathtaking yet distant man she barely recognized.

He put the phone down
and returned to the bed where she still sat frozen, her hands clutching the white sheets. Somehow her nudity didn’t feel natural anymore, even though he didn’t seem to have such problems.

‘I am sorry
.’ Sitting down next to her, he sighed, his brown eyes regretful. ‘There is something I need to do, Melanie. An appointment that got moved to today. I had a meeting planned for tomorrow regarding my work here. Not today, by any stretch, but things changed at the last moment. I swear, I didn’t plan it and it’s just bad timing.’ He looked chagrined enough to make her believe him. He wasn’t lying about not wanting to go, she could tell. His eyes were genuinely regretful, his hands warm and reassuring as he stroked her hair. When he bent and kissed her mouth, she could taste the truth in his kiss, warm and lingering as if he was looking for a reason to stay. And she felt consoled.

‘That’s all right
.’ She smiled, the newfound confidence from being wanted allowing her to be generous. ‘I mean, it’s getting late anyway. I should probably get ready before Pete returns. I don’t care what he thinks, but I’d rather not be found in bed with you when my boss knocks on the door.’

‘Right
.’ Another kiss silenced her for a moment, a desperate note creeping into the way his lips clung to hers, refusing to go. Finally he lifted his dark head, his gaze calm once more. ‘I can’t tell you how much this day meant to me, Melanie. Or rather, I would love to tell you all about it, even though it would take some time to put it into words. Right now, I need to run, but we need to talk, all right? Promise to listen to me…’

S
he wanted to yell, ‘Of course!’ Her body was suffused with a warm glow. She was right. Her spontaneous decision to follow her heart and meet him halfway wasn’t a mistake. He cared. His dark eyes followed her lips as she nodded and agreed to see him in the morning. She didn’t care at the moment if Pete would need her. If Jon wanted to see her, she would make time for it. He smiled in response.

He
dressed quickly, his fingers flying as he buttoned up his shirt and found his shoes. In seconds, he was ready, and he bent down to pull her closer for a last kiss. His mouth branded hers for long enough to heat her blood and make her head spin. Her arms took on a life on their own, coming to his neck and pulling him even closer.

‘I wish you didn’t have to go,’ she whispered as they finally looked at each other, her brown eyes honest and open. She was past preten
ding, her heart bared to him in the most basic and yet most powerful way.

‘
So do I.’ He hesitated briefly before standing and walking to the door, his steps slowing down as he reached for the handle. ‘I want you to remember that, Melanie. We will talk later, okay?’

She
nodded, offering him a smile that told him more than a thousand words. And then the door closed, and she was alone.

………..

It took her only a few minutes to get up and dress again. A quick shower refreshed her pleasantly aching body, a fresh set of clothes replacing the white robe. She looked at it as she put it into the laundry hamper, wondering if she could ever again see such an innocent garment without remembering their wonderful lovemaking.

She glanced at her palm, finally remembering the cut. It was well worth it, the unexpected turn of events bringing her and Jon together.

Pete might mind it if it impacted her writing skills, so she decided spontaneously to surprise him with her work ethic. He wasn’t back yet, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t do some work before he returned from the Spitieris’. She walked over to her laptop, glad to have it in her room once more. At least she didn’t forget and leave it in his room again. She started the device, watching the screen come to life. Pete had already stored some material from his interview with Daniel. If she could start formatting it right now, Pete should be satisfied, shouldn’t he?

She found the files without
difficulties. The neat package Pete had sent to her account made it child’s play. Not too much so far. She was surprised. She’d expected more material after the amount of time he’d dedicated to Daniel’s collaboration. There must have been something else, she decided, searching her mail and opening multiple files. She worked on them for the next hour, surprised by how fast she finished the job. Pete still wasn’t there, and she yearned to do some more, deliberating what else she could do while she waited for his return.

She remembered Pete left some of the material in his room. He
’d told her so himself, part of the gathered info on paper. He told her he’d sort through it first, playing down the importance of the papers.

She hesitated only for a moment.
Hopefully that blasted door won’t be locked again
she thought as she pushed down the handle, only to be disappointed. Locked yet again. Pete joked yesterday that the housekeeper must have locked it, sensing that they weren’t a couple. He’d tell them to stop, he promised. Obviously it didn’t work. The door was as locked as ever.

She could try opening it anyway, a little voice in her head tempted, reminding her of learning how to pick locks from her friends in summer camp years ago. Not the best life lesson ever, she decided
as she found a hairpin and bent it into the right tool. But since Pete expected the room to be unlocked anyway, she’d do no harm. He’d never know the difference, and her snooping would save some maid from being scolded for ignoring her guest’s wishes.

Suddenly she heard
the unmistakable sound of a door being unlocked followed by voices on the other side, two different ones. Her initial impulse to barge in died instantly as she celebrated her good luck. Pete was back, her whole James Bond style expedition unnecessary. She imagined she would look rather silly if he found her inside his room, a bent hairpin in hand. She was just about to knock on the door, a smile on her lips, when she heard her name. The voice was definitely not Pete’s.