Harbor Nights (20 page)

Ned shook his head. “Nope, haven't heard from her.”

“So who told you I love Ring Dings?” Maybe someone at work had spilled the beans. After all, the whole place knew she kept a box of them in her bottom drawer.

“I think the word they used was addicted, not love.” Ned polished off his stew and his bread.

“What? The entire town knows my diet?”

“Nope, just Hank and Beth down at the local Gas 'N Go. Beth swears you buy them nearly every morning with your coffee on the way to work.”

“And they told you because?” She wondered if Beth had told him that she'd picked up a box of tampons there last week.

“They saw us having dinner the other night, and Beth wanted to make sure I knew your weakness.” Ned wrapped up the rest of the corn bread and poured fresh water into Flipper's now empty bowl.

“What you are telling me is that a person can't have any secrets and shop at the Gas 'N Go.”

“Or Barley's, or Krup's, or Claire's, or anywhere else in town. If there are any secrets in Misty Harbor, they aren't worth telling, or someone is paying a fortune to keep them quiet.” Ned gathered up the dishes and the pots. “I'll go clean these in the stream, and be right back.”

“What am I supposed to do while you're gone?” Evening wasn't falling; it had fallen. The woods were now in total darkness. “How about if I come with you?”

Ned held out his hand and smiled. “Come on, Rose Fairy; I'll make sure the bogeyman doesn't get you.”

The sleeping bag was soft beneath her, and the fire was warming her front, while Ned was snuggled up against her back. She lay there on her side, using her sweatshirt as a pillow, and stared, nearly mesmerized, at the fire. “I love all the colors that are in the flames and the way they move. It's almost like they are dancing.”

Ned nuzzled the top of her head. “So, what do you think about hiking and the great outdoors now?”

“I think that if they put a Jacuzzi and a real bathroom up here, I'd never leave.” She didn't know what Kay and Jill had been complaining about. She thought backpacking had a lot of romantic possibilities. Especially when your partner packed you Ring Dings and made you hot chocolate.

There was also something very seductive about lying beneath the stars and hearing nothing but the fire crackle.

“It would take away from the rustic ambiance.”

“There's outhouse rustic, and then there's caveman primitive. I prefer to live in the current century on certain things, like bathrooms.”

“Point taken.” Ned chuckled. “May I ask what happened with you, Kay, and Jill last Saturday?”

“What do you mean what happened? Nothing happened; we went to lunch and then did some shopping. Why?” As far as she knew, everyone had had a wonderful time.

Once Kay and Jill got into the swing of things, their inhibitions had been lowered, and then they had really had some fun in the mall. Kay dared Jill to buy a black thong; Jill countered with a red see-through teddy. It had been competitive shopping at its finest.

She had enjoyed the show, left it up to them as to what they should or shouldn't buy, and only voiced an opinion when she was asked. All she knew was that both women had been carrying a huge bag when they left the store, and the sales clerk had been beaming. Maybe Ned's brothers had gotten the credit card bills already?

“Something must have happened.”

“Why do you say that? It was just a girl's afternoon out shopping.”

“My brother John dropped a case of beer off at my place yesterday. Found it on the front porch when I got home from work with a note stuck to it.”

“What did the note say?”

“Tell Norah thanks. It was signed John, and then he had drawn a smiley face. John isn't the kind of guy to draw smiley faces.” Ned's fingers were slowly stroking the curve of her hip. “Want to tell me what I'm supposed to be thanking you for?”

“I have no idea.” Oh, she had an idea, but she wasn't about to talk to Ned about his sister-in-law's choice of sleeping attire.

“What about Paul?”

“What about him? I haven't seen Paul since I was at your place when they came to pick up the kids.”

“On Thursday night, he returned the chain saw he borrowed from me six months ago. He had it professionally sharpened for me.” Ned's fingers trailed down over her thigh and then back up to her waist. “He too wanted me to convey his thanks. For some reason, he couldn't even stay for a beer or wipe the stupid grin off his face. He had to hurry home, and I'm pretty sure it was past the kids' bedtime.”

She chuckled. Both of the Porter wives were bound and determined not only to seduce their husbands but also to bring a little romance back into their marriages. She had the feeling they were succeeding admirably. “I didn't do anything. Whatever Kay and Jill do in the privacy of their own homes is their business.” She surely wasn't going to think about what they might be doing in their bedrooms with their poor, unsuspecting husbands.

Ned gently rolled her onto her back and smiled down at her. “I really don't want to know, do I?”

“Nope.” She returned his smile. Lord, he was handsome tonight, all fresh from his own bath in the stream. Ned smelled like pine soap and the smoke from the fire. He'd even managed to shave. She lifted her hand and stroked his smooth jaw. “Are you the kind of guy that has to shave twice a day?”

“Depends.” Ned turned his head and kissed the center of her palm.

“On what?” She loved the way his mouth smiled against her hand.

“What I'm planning on doing with my evening. If I'm going to be sitting home in front of the television or working in the office, then I don't bother.” Ned's teeth playfully nipped at the base of her thumb.

“Tonight you shaved.” She wrapped her free hand around the back of his neck. “What are your plans for this evening?”

“Kissing you.” Ned's lips trailed over her wrist and to the sensitive area inside her elbow.

She had never known arms could be an erogenous zone. “I like a man with a plan.”

Ned raised his head and looked at her. “Kissing you is very dangerous, Norah.”

“How so?” She didn't see anything dangerous about kissing Ned. He made her feel safe.

“I don't want to stop.” His thumb rubbed her lower lip, which was pouting. “You understand what I'm saying, don't you?”

She understood now. Ned was waiting for her to put the brakes on the physical side of their relationship like she had the other night when she had joined him for steaks and heated kisses at his place. Ned was going to have a long wait. “I came up here with you, didn't I?”

“This trip wasn't about us; it was about the article. There was, and is, no alternative motive, Norah. You're free to say and do anything you want. Anything you're comfortable with.”

Ned was so sweet. A lot of men would have taken advantage of the romantic fire and seductive night. Not Ned. He was once again allowing her to call all the shots. Was it any wonder she was falling in love with him? “I'm comfortable with you.” She reached up and kissed him. “I'm more than comfortable.”

The heat between them exploded. Ned's mouth was gentle but hungry. She pulled him down on top of her and marveled at his size. Marveled that he didn't frighten her at all.

Ned caught most of his weight on his forearms as he broke the kiss. “Norah, I need for you to be sure.”

“In one of the many little pockets on my backpack, you'll find a box of condoms I picked up last night at the mall.” She ran her toes up his jean-covered leg and grinned. “I guess it's a good thing I didn't pick them up at the Gas 'N Go.”

“You planned on seducing me?” Ned seemed both shocked and fascinated by her announcement.

“Oh yeah.” Her fingers climbed their way up his chest. “Is it working?”

“Am I breathing heavy?” Ned was fighting a smile, but he was allowing her to trail her fingers wherever they wanted to go.

“Yes.” Her fingers stroked his chest and dipped lower. Ned was definitely having a hard time breathing normally. She liked having the power to excite him.

Ned caught her hand as it dipped a little too low. “Then it's working.”

“Good; you're easy.” She loved the heat in Ned's touch and gaze. She could see the reflection of the flames dancing in his brown eyes.

“Only for you, Rose Fairy.” Ned's mouth lowered, and he whispered across her lips, “Only for you.”

She welcomed his warmth. His touch. His sweet, hungry kisses. Mouth mated with mouth. Tongues danced, and the fire between them was finally allowed to rage out of control. Her hands tugged at his T-shirt. Ned broke the kiss long enough to pull his shirt over his head and toss it aside.

Her fingers wove their way through the dark curls scattered across his chest. His skin felt like fire beneath her touch. Warm, hard steel.

Ned's mouth skimmed its way down her throat and nuzzled at the swell of her breast. “I've dreamt about this moment.” His hands slowly inched her top up her stomach, across her breasts, and then over her head. Ned's gaze was watching her eyes, not the skin he was exposing.

She was a little self-conscious about the size of her breasts. They were in perfect symmetry with the rest of her body, but considering the rest of her body was on the petite side, that wasn't saying much. No one was ever going to ask her to pose as a centerfold.

Ned's gaze lowered slowly as his hands rose and tenderly cupped Norah's breasts. He had never seen anything more perfect then her rose-tipped nipples silently begging for his attention. “You're beautiful.” His mouth brushed one pouting nipple. His body was screaming at him to rush, to find heaven between her slender thighs. His mind was telling him to slow down. To savor it.

Norah moaned his name as he captured her nipple deep within his mouth. Her hands reached up and stroked his back, fanning the fire building within him. Her hips jerked upward, pressing against his jeans.

He nearly died when her fingers tugged at the snap on his jeans. “Easy, love; we have all night.”

Norah shook her head and flattened her palm against the bulge in his pants. “I want you, Ned.”

His hips jerked against her hand. His mouth captured hers in a kiss that showed her exactly how much he wanted her back. His fingers trembled as they slid under the waistband of her cotton pajama bottoms. He slowly slid them over her hips and down her legs.

Norah was breathing fast and driving him closer to the edge. He wanted their first time to be slow, gentle, and earth shattering. His self-control was slipping with her every moan, her every touch. He moved away and reached for the small side pocket on his backpack.

He fumbled with the box, causing Norah to smile. She was breathtakingly beautiful with the fire bathing her skin in golden light. She looked like a goddess. “I came prepared too.”

“I see.” Norah looked at the foil packet in his hand and then at his jeans, which were still on. “You need any help with that?”

“If you help, it will be all over before it starts.” He couldn't believe how close to the edge he was. Norah made him feel like an untried school boy. He kicked off his jeans and made sure there was no way for Norah to touch him where he wanted to be touched the most. He didn't trust himself to act like a gentleman if she wrapped her fingers around him. He ran his fingertips lightly up her legs and over her thighs.

Norah closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. She was afraid she would disgrace herself and beg. She had never felt like this in her entire life, and Ned seemed bound and determined to take his good, old, sweet time. She didn't want that this time, sweet as it might be. She wanted Ned, and she wanted him now.

Her thighs fell open as Ned's fingers lightly stroked her. She was moist and ready for him. She had been ready for him for over a week. “Now, Ned.”

Ned's lips trailed over her hip bone, and he chuckled against her stomach. “Patience, Norah, patience.” His mouth nuzzled the underside of her breasts as his fingers moved in the same rhythm his hips were jerking.

Her hands stroked down his back and cupped his muscular buttocks. She opened her trembling thighs wider and arched her back as Ned playfully teased her nipples with his lips. She was out of patience, and the fool man wasn't listening to reason.

She reached between them and took him in her hand. Ned had already put the condom on, and he hissed and arched his back as she gently squeezed. Ned's hands grabbed her hips as she brought them up off the sleeping bag and wrapped her legs around his thighs. “We'll go slow the next time, Ned.” She positioned the head of his penis against her opening. “Promise.”

Ned slowly slid inside her warm, tight channel. He felt the way she clung to his every inch as he slowly pulled back out. It was as if she were trying to hold him deep inside her. To grip him tight and hold him fast. He plunged back in, and Norah came apart in his arms. Two swift thrusts, and he joined her.

Five minutes later, he was still trying to catch his breath while rehashing what had just happened. Norah was curled up beside him, fast asleep and using his arm as a pillow. Thankfully, in the heat of the moment, none of their clothes had been tossed into the fire.

Norah's red hair was dry, and it was going in every direction. Her lips were red and swollen from his kisses, and there was a becoming flush on her face. Her breasts had the same flush, and the diamonds marching up the curves of her ears caught the firelight and glistened. Maybe they were real diamonds after all. He reached out and lightly touched a rose-colored nipple. The nipple quivered, and a small smile curved Norah's mouth as she slept.

The only thing he was wearing was a stupid grin and a satisfied expression.

They had made love under the stars out in the open. He was half tempted just to spend the night where they were, but he didn't think Norah would appreciate it. Come morning, it was bound to be cold. He glanced toward the tent and slowly rolled to his feet. Norah didn't even budge.

Five minutes later, he had Norah tucked in between the two sleeping bags inside the tent. She had mumbled something incoherent as he carried her inside the low tent, almost dropping her twice. The fire was nearly out, their clothes were now folded neatly and placed at the bottom of the tent, and Flipper was snoring under a tree nearby.

All was right in his world.

He crawled into the tent, and zipped the screen panel closed. The light from the dying embers gave him enough to see by as he crawled into bed with his rose fairy.

 

 

Ned woke from either the most erotic lifelike dream he'd ever had, or Norah's fingers were really exploring his body in the most tantalizing way. He was afraid to open his eyes and ruin the moment. “If this is a dream, don't you dare wake me up.”

A soft chuckle sounded against his chest. “It's not a dream.” Norah's mouth trailed across his stomach, following the direction her fingers had taken.

His body, which was already hard and throbbing, grew painful. “Not that I mind, but can I ask what you are doing?” She was not just playing with fire; she was lighting the dynamite fuse.