Talking Sense (9 page)

Shit,
she thought,
I’ve done it again. Me and my big mouth.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, cursing herself and hoping she hadn’t ruined the evening.

He raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For being…I don’t know. Forward. Pushy.”

He blinked. “Huh?”

She sat up hurriedly. “I know I talk too much and I can be bossy and too direct, but please don’t let it put you off, I promise I’ll shut up when we get going and—”

“Mia,” he interrupted patiently, “are you under the impression I’ve not pounced on you because you intimidate me?”

“Um, well, yes.”

“That’s not the case,” he said, his blue eyes calm.

That threw her. “Oh. It’s just—”

“Sweetheart, I’m not shy. And I have done this before. I’m enjoying the moment. Plus I’m trying to remind myself that you’ve got a bad back before I leap on you and thrust you into next week.”

That made her laugh. “Sorry, I thought… I mean, it’s happened before and…”

“You don’t intimidate me,” he insisted again. “It’s good when a woman knows what she wants. I like it that you like sex and you’re not afraid to say so. It turns me on.”

“I can see that.” She glanced at his erection, which was clearly hoping for some action in the near future.

He grinned. “Take it as a sign.”

“I will. It’s just…my last boyfriend left me because he said I was too bossy in bed.” The memory of that fateful evening made her cheeks burn.

“
He
left
you
?” Colm looked exasperated as he studied her unusually red cheeks. “I thought he had trouble getting it up?”

She winced. “Well, yes, that was another issue. But I was trying to overcome that. I supposed that was part of the problem, though—it was easier for him to blame me instead of addressing his own troubles.”

“Christ, what on earth was wrong with that dude?”

She sighed. “I’d never thought of myself as particularly difficult to turn on before, but even I have to admit to needing a little more than a tweak of the nipples and a two-second stroke down below to get me going. I suppose he just wanted to get it over with and couldn’t be bothered with turning me on. I tried to encourage him to indulge in a bit more foreplay, but he got cross when I seemed to want more than that. He blamed me. He said I was frigid.” The memory made her squirm.

Colm’s face was a picture. “Wow, what a wonderful example of the male species. I feel I have to apologise on behalf of the whole of my sex. I’m so sorry.”

“Well, I thought it
was
me for a while, but Grace convinced me eventually that he didn’t know his arse from his elbow. Or, rather, my arse and elbow.”

Colm snorted. “It doesn’t sound like he could have found a clitoris with a map and a compass.”

Relief swept over her. She thought he might have been nervous that she had such high expectations—an orgasm the first time they slept together—oh my! But dear God, he seemed to actually know what he was doing in bed. Mia nearly fainted. “The very fact that you even
know
there’s a clitoris is a big plus in your favour.”

He laughed at that and finally reached for her, pulling her into his arms and rolling so she could stretch out on top of him. He ran his hands down her, moulding her to him, and she shivered at the feel of his hard, strong body pressed against hers. “Poor Mia,” he said, amused. “All you want is to be screwed senseless and to have a bit of fun.”

“That
is
all I want,” she agreed. “I’m glad you realise that.”

“It seems fairly obvious to me. Who doesn’t want that? But it sounds like you’ve had a few bad experiences.”

Eek!
He thought she was a trollop. “Well, I haven’t been with
that
many men,” she said hastily. “I’m not a complete slut. I’m not in double figures yet.”

He gave her an impatient frown then. “Honey, I wouldn’t care if you were. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying sex.” His eyes were clear, honest. He meant it.

For some reason that comment made the breath hitch in her throat. She’d thought the whole world viewed a man who liked sex as a stud, but a woman who liked it as a slut. It was refreshing to meet someone who didn’t.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, biting her lip. “You’re something special, aren’t you?”

He gave her a puzzled look as he trailed his hands up her body. “Because I’m open minded?”

“Yes, exactly that.”

“If by that you mean that I’m not intimidated by a woman taking the initiative, then I guess so.” He shrugged. “I have an idea of what turns a woman on. But I’m not a mind reader, and everyone’s different. I’d much rather my partner say ‘slower’ or ‘up a bit’ than lie there thinking ‘for fuck’s sake, it’s going to take an hour for me to come like this’.”

She giggled, loving his open, honest manner. “I don’t mean to be bossy. But as you say, it seems pointless to lie there thinking ‘what’s he doing?’ when I could just say ‘ooh, don’t stop, I’m nearly there’.”

He laughed. “I agree. Be as bossy as you like.” He skimmed his fingers up her rib cage. “But it doesn’t mean I’ll always do as I’m told.” He met her gaze challengingly.

“Ooh—” she shivered, “—gosh. You’re so sexy. Your lovely accent gives me goose bumps.”

“So I see.” He traced a finger lightly around the areola of one nipple, not quite touching the puckered skin.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Oh.”

He rolled her over onto her back and leaned on an elbow to look down at her. “The reason I’m taking my time, Mia Nicholls, is that I’ve been watching you all year and I can’t quite believe my luck that I’ve finally got you into bed. I want to make it last, especially because it’s been a while for you, and you deserve a little bit of pleasure after all you’ve been through.”

“Okay,” she said weakly.

“So here’s what I’m going to do,” he said. “First of all I’m going to kiss you for a while. I enjoyed kissing you the other night, and I’ve been wanting to do it again ever since.”

“Mm.”

“I’ll start with your lips, and then I’m going to move downward.” He showed her with his finger, drawing an invisible line from her jaw down her neck. “I’ll gradually go lower, to here.” He trailed his finger down the swell of her breast to the tip. “I might linger here awhile.” He circled the nipple.

She opened her eyes and stared up at him dreamily. “If you insist.”

“I do. And then I’m going to move lower.” He slid his finger down her rib cage and over her stomach, which quivered in response.

“That tickles.”

“It won’t when it’s my lips.” He stroked across to her hip bone, then down to her thighs. She lay with one leg drawn up, but he pushed the knee gently, so she parted her legs, her pulse racing.

He brushed up her inner thigh. “And then I think I’ll move down here.”

“With your mouth?” she asked hopefully.

“With my mouth. You see, I want to taste you, Mia.” His eyes were dark with passion. “I’ve wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you in the staff room. I want to slide my tongue through your swollen skin and taste your arousal.” He stroked very lightly up the heart of her. “I want to slip my fingers inside you while I flick my tongue over this little button here.” He circled the area, and she closed her eyes and moaned. He carried on, “I’d like to continue doing that while I explore and find that magic spot inside you. And I want to feel you come on my tongue and tighten around my fingers.” He moved them down and they slid inside her easily. He groaned. “Oh…Mia, so swollen and wet for me already. Does that meet with your approval?”

Her eyelids fluttered open. “Oh God, yes. I swear, Colm, I could come just by listening to you.”

“That won’t be necessary.” He withdrew his fingers, coated with her slippery fluid, and moved them up to stroke her clit firmly. “But I expect you to tell me what you like.”

“Oh…I will. That. Yes. Right there.”

“Guide me, Mia. Let me make this good for you.” He lowered his head and kissed her deeply, hungrily, his tongue delving into her mouth as his fingers continued their relentless arousal of her.

It had been so long since she’d done this, and she was so keyed up, she could already feel an orgasm building. How embarrassing. She knew she should push him away, but the feeling was fantastic, and he was stroking her in exactly the right spot…

He lifted his head. “Tell me what you’re thinking.” His mouth hovered over hers, his touch sure, practiced. Who’d have guessed the slightly geeky history professor would be so skilled between the sheets?

She bit her lip. “That’s…so nice…” Her eyes fluttered closed. “You should stop… Or I’ll…” She moaned as he slid his fingers inside her to collect more moisture, then brought them back up again to continue their slow, persistent rhythm. Her thighs loosened instinctively, her hips lifting to press against his hand.

“Oh, honey, already?” He kissed her again as he stroked more firmly in response to her unspoken plea. “No wonder you’re so frustrated. Yes, come for me—and then we can really get down to business.”

“More than one?” His confidence in his ability to deliver sent shivers through her. “Oh my God I’ve died, haven’t I? I’m in heaven and I didn’t even realise it.”

He laughed and lowered his head to her breast. “I think we both have. This is the nearest to heaven I’ve ever been.” He covered her nipple with his mouth and sucked.

She needed no other encouragement and came immediately, and he stilled his hand, pressing down with his thumb while he slid two fingers inside her. It was exactly what she needed and she cried out, arching against him as the pleasurable sensations racked her body, her internal muscles tightening deliciously around his hand.

He raised his head as she gradually relaxed, and withdrew his fingers gently. “There. Now we can take our time.” He rubbed his nose against hers.

She blew out her breath, still amazed at how quickly she’d come. “Wow, that was fantastic.”

He nibbled her bottom lip. “And quick. I think I can say with some authority that you are
not
frigid.”

She giggled, and he chuckled and began to kiss down her neck. “Now be a good girl and tell me what you want me to do.” He cupped her breast. “By the end of the evening I hope to have found out exactly what makes you tick. And if you haven’t come at least twice more, I’ll want to know why.”

“Oh…” She was going to cry if he was any nicer to her.

He kissed her nipple. “Say yes, Colm.”

“You know what, I think you’re bossier than me.”

“Maybe you’re right. Say it.”

“Yes, Colm.”

“Good girl. I’m going to pay attention here for a little while now.”

She raised her arms above her head on the bed and gave a long, contented sigh as he took her softened nipple in his mouth and sucked it to a long, tight peak. She’d been telling the truth when she said she’d had fewer than ten partners. Eight was the actual number, over half of whom had been mediocre in bed. One had been slightly better, one pretty good and one had given her a glimpse of what it could really be like with the right person, but even though the sex had been great, their personalities had clashed out of the bedroom and it was clearly never going to amount to more than a brief fling.

Colm, however… As he switched to her other nipple, teasing it with the tip of his tongue, she caught herself pondering on what a lovely partner he’d make. A sex god in the bedroom, and a funny and caring guy outside.

But no, no, no. She mustn’t go down the route of thinking about this long-term. He was going back to Ireland. This wasn’t about forgiveness or consolation or moving on. This was all about sex.
Concentrate on the sex.

He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow. “I’m doing my best.”

“Shit, did I say that out loud?”

He laughed and lifted himself up, moving between her legs. “Stop thinking.”

“Sorry.”

“And stop apologising,” he scolded. “Now, tell me, is this nice?” He sucked her nipple.

“Mm, yes.”

“What about this?” He sucked harder while he plucked the other one with firm fingers.

“Fuck.” She tightened her fingers in his hair at the pleasure-pain. “Oh God, yes.”

“Hmm.” He kissed back up her neck to her mouth. “I’m beginning to think you like it a little rough, Mia Nicholls.”

“Be as animal as you like,” she said breathlessly, taken aback at the raw passion in his eyes.

He kissed her. “Oh, I will. How’s the back, though? Don’t want to put you in hospital.”

“What back?” She meant it—her muscles felt warm and loose, the sharp pain having faded to little more than a distant, dull ache.

He laughed and kissed down her body, manoeuvring himself between her thighs. “Excellent. Let’s see if we can’t get you even more relaxed.” He curved his arms under her thighs and rested his palms on her stomach. Then he brushed his tongue right through her hot centre.

“Fuuuuuuuuuck.” She clutched the bedclothes.

“Oh yeah.” His vehement reply told her he liked her being vocal.

He went on to arouse her leisurely, exploring her folds with his tongue and fingers, trying different strokes and pressures, changing if she said, “Slower,” or staying put if she said, “Oh yes, right there.”

He slid his fingers inside her and stroked the front wall of her until he found what he was looking for, and the pressure on that spot, combined with his hot mouth and teasing tongue, tipped her over the edge once more.

She came, fast and furious, aware of his deep, satisfied groans, and afterward she could only lie there exhausted and impressed as he withdrew his fingers and kissed slowly back up her body until he lay next to her again, nuzzling her hair.

Chapter Twelve

“You want to go to sleep?” Colm asked, kissing her cheek. She looked so beautiful lying there, face all flushed, completely relaxed like warm, kneaded dough. She’d been surprisingly easy to pleasure—he’d wondered whether her comments about her previous boyfriend might mean she took a long time to come, but that had been far from the case. It confirmed what an idiot the guy had been. Colm wanted to punch his lights out for making the gorgeous Mia doubt her own sexuality.