Salvation (44 page)

“
That
’
s for you to decide.
”
He smiled and stepped back, promptly ending my enjoyment.
“
I
’
ll give you a head start.
”

I considered his wager as I pulled his Lakers cap back on and pulled my ponytail through the back. Whoever won, we would both be winners.
“
You
’
ll do anything?
”

“
Anything.
”

I smiled sweetly.
“
You
’
re on!
”
I was already sprinting away up the dusty track, laughing, before Nate had slipped his sunglasses back on.

For a good ten minutes Nate stayed behind me. His pace was steady, more of a jog than a sprint, whilst I was going flat out, determined to beat him. I was plotting all the different things I could get him to do in my head. It was those ideas that spurred me on and helped me push through the pain barrier.

As I approached the end of the trail, Nate was gaining on me. When he came alongside me, I acknowledged his cunning smile with one of my own and surged ahead, marginally beating him to the finish. I bent over, hands on my knees, and dragged some much-needed oxygen into my lungs.

“
Looks like I
’
m your sex slave this evening,
”
Nate murmured, lifting my shoulders and straightening me up. I eyed him with amusement, suspecting he
’
d allowed me to win. He could
’
ve easily beaten me if he tried.

“
Only tonight?
”
I pouted, curling my hands around his neck.
“
That
’
s not fair. Your prize had an indefinite timeframe.
”

Nate smiled and pressed his lips to mine. My already pounding pulse sped as he teased his tongue along the seam and slid his tongue into my hot mouth when I willingly opened.

“
You know you have me anytime you want me,
”
he breathed emphatically against my lips.
“
Always.
”

HOT jets of water pummelled my tired muscles. I twisted and turned, groaning as I rolled my head back and let the water cascade over me. I
’
d gone ahead and showered once we arrived back at the condo whilst Nate took a call.

“
Enjoying yourself?
”
Nate
’
s gruff voice startled me. I wiped the steamed up glass door, clearing a gap so I could see out. I ran my eyes the length of him as he leant against the wall, stopping when I reached the impressive bulge in his shorts.

“
Not nearly as much as you it would seem.
”
I pushed open the glass door. For a long minute we stared, riveted to our respective views.
“
You coming in?
”

My invitation was met with surprise. He shoved off the wall, lips twitching with a smile and prowled over. He stripped until he was wonderfully naked and joined me. He caught my chin between his thumb and finger and tipped up my face, brushing his lips over mine as he reached behind me.
“
Hold this.
”

I took the shampoo he offered and poured some into his cupped hands. Was he going to give me a floor show? Let me watch him as he washed? I couldn’t think of anything better.

“
You won the bet,
”
he breathed, moving behind me.
“
Let me take care of you.
”

With dextrous fingers, Nate washed and conditioned my hair. The touch of his hands massaging my scalp was bliss. After rinsing, he set to work on my body, using his shower gel to cleanse me. He took his time, branding me with the scent I cherished so much. My body went lax as his hands slid over my hyper-sensitive skin.

When he finally cupped my breasts, I moaned with relief. Passion flamed in his eyes, his hunger matching my burning desire for him.
“
My turn now,
”
he whispered into my ear. He dropped his hands and stepped back.

He
’
d washed everywhere except between my legs, and one look at the curl of his lips said leaving me bereft of the ultimate climax had been deliberate. My breaths were fast, my heart beating furiously. I licked my lips and reached for my shower gel.

I stood behind him, enjoying the strength of his shoulders and back as I lathered up his body, branding him in a similar way.

“
I love your hands on me,
”
he murmured. His skin broke out in goosebumps, even though the water was hot. I kissed them away, over his shoulders and down his back. I snaked my arms around his waist, running my soapy hands over his stomach, and shuddered as my body came into contact with his.

Nate braced his hands on the tiles, leant forward and parted his legs for balance. I ran my hands over his arse, letting out a small laugh when his cheeks clenched under my caress.
“
You know what you
’
re doing to me,
”
he muttered, tugging me in front of him. He backed me up to the wall.
“
Tease.
”

Before he could make the contact of mouth to mouth, I grinned and slid down the tiles until I crouched in front of him.

“
What are you doing?
”
he asked gruffly, staring down at me. I blinked up at him looming over me, not moving so his frame shielded me from the water.

“
This.
”
I swirled my tongue around the tip of his rigid cock. His stomach clenched.

“
Baby, you won, remember?
”
His voice was uneven.

“
I do.
”
I teased him with soft flicks up and down his shaft, getting a thrill from him watching me seduce him.
“
This is how I want to claim my prize.
”

A small smile curved his sinful mouth. His gaze was hot, his frame growing bigger.

“
Just enjoy it,
”
I told him. I circled the swollen head of his cock with the tip of my tongue then took him to the back of my throat.

“
Fuck, Kara,
”
he groaned, steadying his legs. The longer I sucked, the louder and rawer his moans became. I hollowed my cheeks and slowed down, wanting to prolong his pleasure.

“
Baby.
”
His fingers curled around my jaw.
“
Your mouth is too fucking good.
”

Desperate to taste him, I pressed my tongue to the underside of his thick cock, feeling the veins pulsing beneath the silkiness of his skin. My clit swelled with unreleased tension, as turned on as he was.

“
Kara.
”
He jerked my face up. His eyes were wide and daring.
“
Make yourself come. Show me
—
ah, Christ
.
”
He bit his lower lip when I grazed the tip with my teeth.

I
’
d never masturbated in front of a man before, but it felt so natural I did without hesitation. I cupped his balls with one hand, the fingers of my right slipping and sliding over my clit, moving in the same rhythm as my mouth.

“
That
’
s it,
”
he encouraged. He still had hold of my head, restraining me as he burst into my mouth so fiercely I almost choked.

My orgasm screamed through my body, leaving me a trembling heap on the tiled floor. Nate hauled me to my feet and crushed his mouth to mine.

“
I love how you fuck me with your mouth,
”
he growled.
“
So greedy.
”
The water fell like rainfall, splashing across his shoulders. Nate shoved me to the wall, curved a hand under each thigh to lift my legs around his hips and drove into me so hard I cried out at the sudden intrusion.
“
And you love how I fuck you with my cock.
”

“
Yes,
”
I panted. I loved when he got cocky and dirty with his mouth. Raw and uncensored when we fucked, sweet and tender when we made love, his words always matched the mood. I shuddered with pleasure, my mind filling with remembrance of how good it was having Nate inside me.
“
I love it.
”

His pace was unrelenting, fast and urgent, like it had been days since we
’
d made love.

“
I
’
ve wanted you in here for so long,
”
he murmured, brushing damp hair off my face.
“
Soft and wet. Our bodies slipping and sliding against each other.
”
He grasped my chin, the tips of his fingers digging in as he held me and savagely ate at my mouth.

I was still recovering as the wave of another orgasm began rolling through me. I groaned, hands sliding over him. It was physically impossible to get any closer, yet it was never close enough. I wanted him like an addiction, yearning to feel him in my bloodstream and flowing through my body.
“
I
’
m coming
…”

“
I know.
”
Nate shifted and changed angles, tilting my pelvis with a firm grip of my arse. The rubbing of my clit pushed me into a second orgasm.

“
God, you squeeze me so fucking tight when you come.
”
His hips stilled as I milked him, drawing his release out with the force of my own. He pumped into me, crying my name. I cupped his face as water dripped from the tips of his hair, catching in his eyelashes and running over his chiselled face.

I was falling further and further under his spell.

I DROPPED MY knife and fork onto my empty plate and set it on the floor beside me. Nate and I had chosen to eat Thai takeout in the media room watching a baseball game. I had no idea of the rules, but Nate had kept me thoroughly entertained. He was so animated, calling out encouragement to the players and cursing the decisions made by the referee.

I stroked his hair as he lounged on the floor, leaning back against the sofa. I was wearing one of the sets purchased earlier, a silver-grey silk chemise and matching robe. Nate wore casual black lounge pants and t-shirt. Of course, he looked casually handsome as always.

“This is nice, baby.” He took a swig of beer from his bottle and twisted, resting his arm on my curled up legs. “You and I relaxing, no expectations or false pretences. It’s better than I imagined.”

I smiled. “You say it like it’s a novelty.”

He shrugged. “It is.”

“I doubt you spent many Saturday nights alone.” I trailed my fingers along his arm. Nate didn’t reply, but his body tensed. He reached for the remote and switched off the giant TV. “You can admit it,” I said when he’d settled back again. “You’re a good-looking man, Nate. I know I wasn’t your first.”

“I’ve told you already. There’s nothing else to say.”

“Why are you being so secretive? We all have pasts,” I offered quietly, setting my glasses on the square end table beside me. “I guarantee yours is nowhere near as screwed up as mine.”

“Christ, Kara! It’s not fucking important.” Nate shoved to his feet and headed to the kitchen, taking our plates with him. I gathered our drinks and rushed after him. I wasn’t sure what just happened, but I was determined to find out.

When I joined him, he was leaning against the sink staring at the wall, his features twisted in annoyance. “It’s important to me,” I encouraged, setting his empty bottle on the counter beside him. I pressed a hand to his shoulder. “I want to know all about you like you do me.”

“Yeah,” he scoffed, shrugging me off, “except you won’t let me in either.” The ferocity of him tossing the plates into the sink with a crash panicked me. My ears began to ring with the sound of my heart thudding in my chest. Nate glanced sideways, his face set. “You’re keeping secrets, too.”

I winced at the harsh truth of his words. What right did I have, asking him to open up when I couldn’t do it myself?

“Kara.”
His fingertips drifted over my cheekbone. I jumped, taken aback by the veneration in his touch and the gentleness of his voice. “I don’t want to argue, to spoil an idyllic couple of days.”

I hated seeing him like this, so lost and bewildered, out of control. It went against so much of what I treasured about him. Yet it gave me comfort to know he wasn’t just an ideal high on a pedestal, completely out of reach. Nate was human, and he was here, with me.

I stepped closer and rubbed his arm. His eyes were mesmerising, the pupils almost fully dilated. My breath caught when I saw the depth of his feelings swimming in them as he stared back at me. The tiny tick of his jaw pulsed as he gritted his teeth. “I’m trying to do right by you. Trying my utmost to shelter you.”

My body tensed. “From what?”

Nate caressed my face, seeking and finding strength the way I did from him. His eyes were fretful and undecided. God, what had happened to make him behave so out of character?