River's Return (River's End Series, #3) (15 page)

“I might know it with women like Celia… or, you know, others,” he stammered. What he really wanted to say was
everyone else.
He usually had good radar when it came to selecting the women who went for his type, from the women who disdained it. But Allison? He had no freaking idea. “But I’m not attractive to all. I mean, because I look like this.” He waved his hand down the front of him before fighting the urge to sucker punch his own jaw. Holy crap. Why was he sounding like such an insecure wimp?

She stepped closer. “You’re a huge man. Everything about you says:
here, take it or leave it.
It’s sexy.”

For the first time, Shane ignored her reference to him as a
huge man
without adding a salacious comment about his junk. He felt too… strangely unsure to say it. He took each word she said to him with the utmost intent. He believed her, and now, her opinion, really freaking meant something to him. He stepped closer to her as she reached up and put her arms around his waist before resting her face against his chest. “Today, this date, is never a good day for me. Take me away from it. Please, Shane. Please take away my pain. I need you to do this for me. Will you?”

His heart went out to her as he shifted. She didn’t take a moment to study his skin, or judge his taste in tattoos. Her body was smashed up alongside his; and his erection was pushing hard against her stomach. Yet her words physically touched him.
What day was today?
He put his arms around her and she clung to him. Her hands clutched his back, kneading his skin. Her face was pressed to the side and he could feel fresh, hot tears. Whatever today was, Shane knew it had very little to do with him.

Her ex? Was today some kind of anniversary? Their marriage date? Divorce? The most logical answer was that today was some kind of anniversary for her. But for some reason, Allison interpreted Shane’s arrival as a sign that she should be with him? Should she? What if this made it worse for her? Or him? Hell, he didn’t want to lose her friendship. He never had a friend like her before. He really liked her and respected her; and always looked forward to their banter and verbal sparring. What if sex ruined all of that?

He shook his head. When did he start ranking a conversation over sex?

“I don’t want to… you know, ruin this,” he finally mumbled. Leaning over so he could envelop her more fully, he placed her arms around his neck. She was half the width of him and looked like a perfect, freckled china doll in his arms.

“Ruin what?”

“Us. I mean, I consider you a friend. I’ve never done something like this with a friend before.”

He had to look down when her hand softly caressed his cheek. His sideburns were long and he’d been flirting with a possible goatee. His dark, thick facial hair made it hard for him to ever keep it looking clean shaven. He often alternated from half beards, to small goatees, to long goatees.

“We’ll be fine.”

He frowned. “Don’t you consider us friends?” His heart dropped with apprehension. Didn’t she like being with him? As much as he did with her? He was almost affronted when she didn’t agree right away.

She smiled up at him. “Yes. I consider us friends.”

He scowled at her and grumbled, “This isn’t being very friendly.”

“Please, Shane, I—” she whispered, and her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to flinch as if she were still in pain. He couldn’t stand there and watch her suffer. Not if he could help it.

“Okay, Allison
, okay, shh,”
he said, touching his mouth to her cheek as he mumbled. He kissed the soft skin of her neck and chin and leaned her face back so he could trail kisses and his mouth all over her. Her skin was like unwrapped silk that he could have worshipped in another lifetime. He could make her feel good sensations that would turn whatever pain today’s date brought her upside down and inside out. He could do that. There was no doubt in his heart or his mind of his ability to satisfy Allison with his performance.

He stepped forward so his leg was between hers, letting his hand trail down to her butt and cupping one round globe. He increased the pressure of her against him, sliding the other hand down to press her body against his chest, forming a warm cocoon for his now raging hard-on. He groaned when it prodded against her stomach before her hand slid down between them and took him in a sure, confident fist. His eyes about popped out of their sockets at the sure, hard pressure as she pulled and released in a tugging motion. He responded by pulling her ass even harder towards him and groaning into her mouth, bending down lower to engulf her. She opened her mouth so his tongue could explore the depths of hers. She pulled on him again, sliding her thumb up and playing with the silver hoop on the end. The sensations were always intense, but with Allison? Shane feared he might blow his load into her hand right then and there.

“Will this rip a condom?”

She tore her mouth from his only long enough to ask that before her hand returned to what she was playing with. He couldn’t answer with any kind of comprehension. He shook his head to the negative, and finally, muttered, “No. That’s not a thing.”

Shane had been using condoms on his Prince Albert ever since he got the piercing one drunken road trip down to New Mexico. Luckily, he was sober when he decided to get it and managed to pick out the salon to do it. But he was good and drunk when he actually had it done. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt much more than the few holes he had pierced in his ears. But the nipple rings? Those were the sensitive fucks.

“Do you carry condoms?” she asked after a few more minutes. They were both lost in each other’s mouths and hands.

“In my wallet,” he replied. He was a self-respecting, single man, so, of course, he carried them at all times. Bending down, he finally located his wallet from the mess of his clothes. He dug out the three he had tucked in there. All new. All recently purchased. He tossed them on the bed.

She stared at them and then up at him, saying,  “Good.”

He started kissing her once more before sliding his hands over her arms and around her waist to cup her butt. It was soft and filled his hands. He groaned at the sensation of her skin as she shifted forward. His fingers played along the crease where her legs met her ass. He was so close to her center, he could feel the damp heat nearly radiating off her. He lay his hand flat on her back and she groaned as she squirmed around. Begging him, her body was clearly pleading for him to simply touch her. He did. Reaching between her legs, she was damp and hot, and he groaned at the wet pool of pleasure his fingers so easily slid into.

“Oh, God. Oh, Shane. More. Please,” she begged, barely lifting her mouth from his. Her eyes were glazed over in pleasure. She was lost already, and he was lost inside her. He watched her eyes turning the same shade as blue heat from a blowtorch. He sunk two fingers deep inside her when her nails dug into his shoulders as she struggled to hold herself up. With one hand, he encircled her waist so she could lean into him; and the other? Well, it was busily exploring her soft, swollen, pulsating insides. He went deep and far inside her, then slowly and gently, teased her clit. Rubbing and stroking it, he lowered his head and caught her breast in his mouth before gently nipping her with his teeth. Her swollen, distended flesh ached for more as her hands plundered his hair. He stepped forward forcing her to step back until he managed to awkwardly, yet gently, recline her on the bed while his hand never lost contact with her wet, slick warmth. Pulling her bottom to the edge of the mattress, he dropped to his knees and placed her thighs on his shoulders before his mouth delved right where his hand had just been. He could smell her wet arousal. His hot tongue pushed inside her as he gently pulled her clit into his mouth and kept caressing her. Sliding his hands up to her stomach, he felt her breasts, two huge, round, white globes with large, pink nipples just begging for his mouth. He sucked and sucked and licked and played until her moans made her whole body shudder around him. He kissed her bright red pubic hair, moving up to her belly button and even further, towards her breasts. He played with one and then the other as her sighs started to lessen before building up again all at once.

Setting her hands on his shoulders, then on his face, she tenderly pulled him towards her where she kissed his mouth in a soft, closed mouth kiss. Her eyes were still closed and he paused to sink into the innocent, tender kiss of her closed, warm lips on his. It was the sweetest kiss he ever received. It seemed like she was saying simply,
thank you.
Why? For being there for her? Or for making her feel good? He wasn’t sure.

Then her hands were on him again. He was leaning above her, using his arms to keep most of his weight off her. His dick was hanging down towards her belly. She took him in both her hands and his arms started to shake. He fell to the side of her as she moved down before her mouth began to lick him while she used both of her hands to supplement her ministrations. He closed his eyes at the fantastic sensations. The piercing prevented her from being comfortable with full-on head, but she quickly figured out a combination that was even better. He opened his eyes to find her ass facing him, and he reached over and touched her. She jumped and then sunk back towards his hand as she played even harder with him. Watching her mouth on him, with her red hair pulled back, still neatly tied up in a braid, was so hot. Hotter than any woman he’d ever been with.

He felt her hands fitting a condom on him. He sat up and let her go to make sure it was on right. She rolled over and glanced back at him. He was shocked; well beyond surprised at the position she chose. He came up behind her and gently laid a hand on her round, white butt. The line of her back was so pretty before him and the way she was just lying there, exposed, ready and willing. He was surprised, shocked, thrilled and turned on. He held her waist steady before lining up behind her and sinking slowly inside her. She was just as wet as before her first orgasm. She wanted this so much. There was no doubt in Shane’s mind as her body greedily drew him in, and in, and in. He sighed and closed his eyes at the feeling of being lost and suddenly found. Warm and soothed. Hot and wet. It was the closest thing to heaven.

He pulled out gently, but her body followed him, barely allowing him to withdraw. He pushed in again and held her there; then kept just pushing and pushing. She seemed to say,
harder and harder
with her body until they were both moaning, straining, and groaning in total abandon. Shane didn’t realize what he was doing. He had no control and no thoughts. Just feelings. There were so many feelings and sensations that Shane soon got lost in them. The bed shook and she shook. He nearly collapsed after one last body slam into her before she finally contracted and exploded around him.

It was not the tender, missionary sex he might have predicted or expected. But it didn’t change what filled his chest as he collapsed over her, putting his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him before falling next to her. He was still inside her.

Compelled beyond any reason he could find, he kissed the side of her face: her cheek, her nose, her damp temple. Shane and Allison were both sweaty and tasted salty. She shifted her face towards his mouth, keeping her eyes closed. He brought a hand up and brushed back her bangs, now stiff with sweat and hair product. His arms were completely crossed over her stomach and he held her as tightly against his chest as he could. He could not remember ever holding a woman so tightly or for as long as he did Allison then. Minutes drifted by, maybe ten or fifteen, then twenty. They stayed like that, clutching each other until their bodies grew cooler and normal. The sunset left shadows and random glints of sun on the walls and ceiling.

Shane used many women in his life, mostly for his own satisfaction. And this? This felt so different from any other experience he ever had. He just didn’t know what that meant. Why? Why would this feel so different? The basic body parts and functions were all the same. But this felt so much better.
His heart was engaged
. Perhaps that was the difference; he might have never engaged his heart before.

Now, lying there in the afterglow, holding Allison felt like the most connected moment of Shane’s life.

“What’s today?” he finally asked before leaning down and kissing the side of mouth. Her eyes stayed closed and he could feel her body tightening. Her former ease was instantly replaced by taut, stressed muscles.

“Allison? Come on. Breaking all those plates? Having sex with me? None of that is like the usual you. What is today?”

He waited, believing she wouldn’t say. He suspected she’d first get mad and throw him out. Her ex was a touchy subject for her. Shane’s muscles tightened around her. He resented the idea that her ex had that much power over her still. He plain didn’t like knowing she had any strong feelings for another man. He refused to sit down and contemplate his reason, however.

Still, he waited. “Allison?”

He could feel her exhale. “You really don’t want to know.”

“I really do. Maybe I can help.”

“You can’t help. No one can.”

“Try me. What’s today?”

He could feel her head shaking back and forth on the arm beneath where it was nestled. He felt hot tears that must have been falling down her face, and planted his hand flat on her stomach for support. “Please, Allison. Let me help you. Tell me what today is.”