Incidental Contact (Those Devilish De Marco Men) (7 page)

He looked over his shoulder and waggled his brows, a gesture he often made, one that always made her laugh. She was being an idiot. Eric De Marco wanted to get naked—with her. How many women had she seen fight for that privilege tonight?

“Double-dog dare ya.”

Her competitive nature kicked in. He’d either be all talk, or every woman’s dream.
Time to find out.

“Okay.” She pulled off her shirt and pried loose the button on her jeans before she could change her mind. When he opened the door, a blast of cold air nearly made her run for the couch and the fire. She could see the snow coming down thick and fast, and not much else. The glow cast by the lamps didn’t penetrate far into the darkness.

He turned and lifted her into his arms before stepping through the door. Unnerved by being manhandled all evening, Amy snapped. “I can walk, you know.”

“But you’re so fuckin’ portable.” He rubbed the end of her nose with his. That damn grin melted her objections. “You can close the door.”

She gave the door a shove and wrapped her arms around his neck, in case his arms gave out. Drew was Eric’s height, but he’d only made her feel short, while Eric made her feel delicate. The sensation was foreign to Amy. Being carried was weird enough. Being carried by a gorgeous, naked man into a romantic, snowy night added one more layer of unreality to this crazy evening. She closed her eyes, afraid when she opened them this time, the dream would end for good.

When he stepped off the porch, snowflakes melted on her face and bare legs, making her snuggle closer to his chest. Her nipples hardened and her butt grew cold before he stopped moving. She opened her eyes, curious to see what kind of fiberglass big-boy toy he’d installed.

The surprises just don’t stop.

Massive, flat rocks formed a narrow patio in a small clearing. Though snow covered the ground, she could see the shapes of the stones because of the tufts of jutting grass in between. Tendrils of steam curled off the surface of an intimate pool, not much more than four feet across and perhaps seven feet long. This was no chlorine-filled hot tub. A light was submerged somewhere below, making the bluish-brown water glow. Thousands of tiny bubbles turned the pool milky. Close to the edge of the rough oval, the snow melted, leaving wet, bare rock. “Natural hot spring,” he explained. “A hundred and three degrees, year-round. I pump the water through the floors in the house, too, for ambient heating.”

“That’s ingenious.”

The stone was warm underfoot when he set her down. Eric plopped onto the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the water. “Can you swim?”

“Of course.” Unsure whether to wrap her arms over her breasts or her belly, she tried not to let her teeth chatter. Though there was no wind, the temperature had to be thirty-two or below for it to snow. The air felt much colder.

“Meet you on the other side.” He pushed off into the water. Wearing underwear seemed silly, an off detail in this dream where she was desired by the most attractive man in town. Amy took a deep breath and started wrestling the tight sports bra over her head. When she was naked, she sat down quickly, thrusting her legs into the pool. He reached the far side and turned. She was aware of his eyes on her less-than-perfect body.

“How deep is this?” The warmth of the water made goose bumps crawl over her breasts and thighs. Bubbles clung to her skin underneath the surface, tickling her. Her legs and feet felt unusually buoyant. She couldn’t see the bottom, but was very aware he could see her breasts. She wanted to cover them, but he’d think she was an idiot. The idea he might be looking at her nipples made them ache. The ghostly light accented his sculpted chest. He looked like a nature god, lounging on his throne.

His chuckle resounded across the water. “Over your head. About seven feet, I guess.” He stretched his arms along the rocks. His “I-dare-you” look was plain, even at this distance. She pushed off the edge, holding her breath, but she didn’t go under. The water enveloped her and seemed to carry her back to the surface. Kicking, she turned in a circle, looking around. Bare tree limbs, standing about six feet away in all directions, seemed as though they locked arms to keep out the rest of the world. Evergreens wore a light coat of snow, standing guard among their naked brethren.

The warm water felt delicious. She tipped her head back, squinting into the silent sky. The falling flakes became streaks. The cabin was too far from the highway to hear any traffic noises. All she could hear was water gently slapping the rocks and her heartbeat. Her sense of privacy was absolute.

The strange buoyancy kept pushing her nipples above the water’s surface. When she turned in his direction, though his eyes were shadowed, she sensed he watched. Those fizzy bubbles caught in the hair covering her mound, making her hyper-aware of her sex.

“I like kissing you. Can’t do that with you way over there.”

When she came close, he wrapped his hands around her upper arms. His lips brushed one eyelid, then the other. The caressing touches spoke more of tenderness than sexual need.

You wish. Keep your head on straight. Eric’s specialties are sex and avoiding commitment.
Forgetting that would be stupid.

He pulled her against his chest. With a start, she felt his hands move to her waist. The size of his hands almost made her believe she
had
a waist. “Careful of the ledge. Don’t scrape your knees.” She shrieked when they sank nearly a foot. Her knees came to rest on a shelf so low, now the water lapped around his neck. Her choices were to push upright, or go under.

She pushed up, but the ledge was narrow. In order to get her balance, her thighs pressed against his chest. Even worse—or better, she didn’t have time to decide—her nipples were now pointed at his chin. His eyes were on her face, and the look in them made swallowing impossible.

Cold air made an icy blanket on her wet skin. Her nipples could cut diamonds. When he lowered his eyes, anticipation sent jagged heat streaking though her, leaving thunder subsiding in her core.

She had to hold onto something, so she dared to rest her hands on his shoulders. She felt awkward, unsure what to do next.

“Let’s get that tense look off your face.” She felt his muscular thighs press against her knees, moving them wider.

She stiffened.
That’s not bubbles.
A strong jet of water rushed against her folds. She tried to shift away from the stream, but he held her fast.

“Relax, Amy. Let it happen.”

The jet of water felt soft, yet the slender stream flayed her clit with insistent pressure. Holding her gaze, he rubbed his lips across one extended nipple. Slowly—oh God, so slowly she thought she’d die—he rasped her aching point. Raising his head a notch, he worried the peak with the stubble on his chin. Each prickling scrape sent daggers into her core. He nipped the hard bud.

The gentle torture made her cry out with frustration until he took a warm, soothing lick. The entire time, that forceful jet of water danced over her clit. His licks mingled with nips until her sensation of being cold disappeared. All Amy could feel was the heat from his tongue and the strong ache coiling inside her—and that jet of water driving her mad.

Tension spiraled in her core. She didn’t even know his middle name and she was about to come while he watched. He didn’t look away, licking and nipping until she arched, unable to stop the bowing motion when she came. He leaned forward, still teasing her with his tongue. Snowflakes melted on her cheeks and chest, tiny, cool darts that accented the whirlwind of heat making her senseless. Her other nipple felt so sensitive, she could almost feel the rising steam slide over the aching point. She cried out.

He wouldn’t let her move. Another orgasm hit her, hard on the heels of the first. He slowly sucked her nipple into his mouth. His ministrations sent waves of intense aches to her channel. Pounding waves of pleasure made her vision go dark. She bucked, but he kept her centered over that hard flow.

“Eric, please,” she finally gasped.

She’d tried sex in a swimming pool, but the chemicals seemed to wash away her moisture, making penetration uncomfortable. She didn’t care. She’d never had such an overwhelming need to be fucked.

“No condom.”

How could he sound so unaffected? “But I need mo—”

He shut off her protest, lifting one hand from the water. Cupping the back of her head, he forced it down, until her forehead rested on his. He stared into her eyes. She felt strange, and wonderful, and connected, and empty, all at once. He wasn’t a stranger, but she barely knew him. Yet Drew had never watched her with such intensity.

“I can help you get a little relief.”

His gaze was intent while he slid a finger through her folds from behind. When he eased inside her, she couldn’t help but whimper, clenching around him tightly.

He began working into her, slowly stretching her channel. The jet was still there, driving her crazy. When he could go no deeper, his thrusts grew more forceful. The motion made her rock, moving her over the nosy stream of water again and again. The jet drove bubbles into the thatch over her mound, turning each strand of hair into an antenna that directed sensation inward.

Another orgasm hit her, the hard waves making her thighs quake. His thrusts stopped, replaced by a gentle circling motion just inside her channel. She couldn’t resist when he turned her, sitting her on his thighs, but she found her slit right over that little jet again. He cupped her breasts with both hands, locking her in place with crossed forearms. His thumbs and forefingers trapped her nipples, pulling and pinching. She tried shifting forward, but all that did was send the pressure pounding against her pucker.

She sensed his movement from the ripple of his thigh muscles. He hooked his heels over her ankles and pulled, spreading her. When he leaned forward, forcing her breasts underwater, she had nowhere to go but right back over that piercing stream. “Please, Eric.” She wasn’t sure what she was begging for.

His voice was a growl in her ear. “Coming is sexy, Amy. Come again, baby doll. Stop fighting it.”

She knew right then, she was over her head in more ways than one, but Amy was too limp to remain tense. The pressure did feel good. His rough fondling of her nipples added to her pleasure, building her quickly to another peak. Each orgasm faded into the next swell of pleasure, leaving her no way to keep track.

He whispered sweet, dirty nothings in her ear. The warm air from his breath penetrated her ear with the same insubstantial nothing as the jet of water, but both sensations drove her higher. She felt his mouth on her neck, her shoulder, her jaw. Bright color exploded in the darkness behind her eyes. She felt caught in a strong undertow of pleasure, but she felt so empty, tears ran down her cheeks.

Finally, he untangled their legs and turned her to face him. Resting her head on his shoulder, Amy let her eyes drift closed. His hands were never still, caressing her. From time to time, he slid a finger along her folds, tapping her swollen clit and setting off aftershocks of pleasure inside her.

Bathed in warmth and cuddled to his chest, contentment and exhaustion numbed her.

Yes, this was definitely the best part.

“Wake up, little one.” Amy opened her eyes and reluctantly lifted her head from his shoulder. The snow was coming down in flakes so fat and thick, she could barely see the trees. She gave him a shy smile. He pecked her cheek. “Ready?”

His muscular arms bulged when he lifted her from the water. She groped for the side of the pool, but her arms felt like wet spaghetti. When her butt connected with the warm rock, the air felt shockingly cold. He pulled up on the edge, pausing to press a kiss to her thigh. “Guess I should’ve thought to bring towels.”

Amy scrambled to her feet, eager to get indoors. Without the benefit of that small underwater light, she couldn’t see his expression. “They’d be cold anyway.” Unsure of her bearings, she clutched his hand.

Suddenly, he pulled her into his arms, lifting her again like a toy. She felt him nuzzle her cheek. When she turned her head, he brought his lips down hard on hers. His demanding kiss wiped the cold right off her mind, setting a flame burning inside her belly.

He was a good teacher. It’d almost ceased to be strange that he wanted her. She ached with the need to be filled. Small throbs echoed in her clit. She realized she was grinding her mound into his belly, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

When he broke the kiss, she was panting. He slipped one hand beneath her butt, cradled her head to his shoulder with the other, and started walking. Her emotions were torn apart and his seemed as impenetrable as the darkness. She sensed the only way she could win this game was to hold something back. When he cleared the trees, she demanded, “Put me down. Let’s run.”

He slowed. “Really?”

“Really.” She tried to see his eyes. “How many chances in a lifetime do you get to go snow-streaking?” She felt his laugh rumble thorough his chest, but couldn’t make out his expression.

“You’re something else. Let’s do it.”

Jogging through the darkness chased away her need to be cuddled. Before she’d taken many strides, the small porch lights appeared. Her sense of loss disappeared. She couldn’t help laughing. She’d never in a million years have guessed when she woke this morning, she’d be running bare-assed through the snow before bedtime, holding hands with Eric De Marco.

She was eager to reach the fire. Her feet were numb, but she felt giddy. At the foot of the stairs, he pulled back, letting her go first. She dashed up the steps and across the porch, and yanked the door open. The cabin felt warm, though not as warm as she hoped she might get in a few minutes. She made a beeline for the hearth and dropped to her knees on the rug. The fire inside the little stove was still burning bright.

While he locked the door and turned off the lights, she finally worked up the courage to peek, but when she looked up, he was on the other side of the counter. “Towels are in the bathroom and there’s plenty of hot water. Make yourself at home. Good night.”

Not how she’d thought this dream might end.