When she began her own exploration, yanking his shirt free and sliding over the skin of his lower back and then up, he momentarily closed his eyes, reminding himself he wanted to go slow, though his body was starting to disagree with that plan. Her seductive touch, still somewhat tentative, as if she hadn’t quite made up her mind, convinced him that slow was the right choice.
The bulge in Nathan’s pants that nestled so sweetly against her abdomen made Jennie’s imagination spike with images of driving him over the edge. A part of her held back, still feeling, for the first time in a long time, like a liar. It didn’t seem to matter that the lies were to protect herself, to protect others. Would he still be here if he knew the secrets she kept?
Now wasn’t the moment to worry about it. She felt more aroused than she ever had, and yet her worries were not quite quenched.
“Jennie, you can change your mind if you want. I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to,” Nathan said. His breathing was labored and she smiled, lifting her hand to slide the pad of her fingers over the fine film of sweat that had formed on his brow.
Nathan had some serious self-control, another plus, in her book. But she wanted him to go wild with her. And she knew just how to make him do it.
“I don’t want to stop, Nathan. It’s just that I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to feel so much so fast and, well, I’m a little worried about the fact that we work together. Sex complicates things.”
That much was true, she thought, though it was becoming less and less important as he touched her in all the right places.
“Let’s not think about work tonight.”
She nodded, agreeing, glad at least to be able to tell the truth to him about some things, “It’s also been a while for me.”
“Then we need to make this extra special, don’t we?”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. It feels pretty special to me already.”
She could have kicked herself for her impulsive response as an answering flicker of passion, and some deeper emotion, passed over his expression. She couldn’t lead him along, she cautioned herself; she didn’t know how much she could give to him. Though the crazy thudding of her heart was urging her to give him everything. She’d wanted something special, right? Something more? Well, this was it.
Nathan was special, she could feel it in her bones, and not being a woman of half measures or tepid emotions, she couldn’t deny her response to him. Permitting this to mean more than just sex was a risk. Her entire life was about risk, so what was she waiting for?
“Where’s your bedroom?” His question was posed on a hushed breath, but she had other ideas. She wanted to let him know she was in this, one hundred percent.
“I want you now, Nate. Here.”
The comment was filled with such sexy promise he didn’t argue, but dived in to obey her command with a gusto that nearly dropped her to her knees as he kissed her with the full force of masculine desire, holding nothing back. She answered him with equal fervor, and they moved across the small living room toward the sofa.
When his hands slipped up underneath her sweater and massaged her nipples, tweaking and pinching the tender nubs, she wondered if she would even make it to the couch. She gasped as her body coiled inside at the sharp sensations his touch created, feeling a spill of release quickly approaching.
“You’re amazing…so beautiful…so responsive…”
His encouragement wiped out the last of any doubts she had as she let go completely, winding her hands through his hair and urging him downward. Happy to comply, he shoved the sweater up over her head and brought his hot, searching mouth to her breasts. It took only moments before she cried out, coming hard as he sucked, arching into him as ripples of pleasure racked through her. When he raised his head, lifting a hand to push some hair from her brow, his hand was shaking.
“Holy shit, Jen. I can’t believe you came like that….”
“I’m so—”
He shook his head vigorously, his skin ruddy with desire.
“It was so hot…can you do it again?”
Jennie smiled at the wonderful question, her body turning liquid under his mouth and hands as he applied his mouth to her skin again, searching out every tender, excruciatingly sensitive spot. Where had he learned to be so thorough with a woman’s body?
“I can almost guarantee it,” she answered, giving herself over and forgetting everything but the way he made her feel.
“UNDRESS ME, JEN.”
“With pleasure.”
The two simple words rocked him to the core; he could get off on her voice alone, he thought, still reeling that just his touch and his kiss had pushed her over the edge. It was daunting, the fire between them hotter than anything he imagined, and anything he’d ever experienced before. He was ready for more. He wanted it all.
Somehow she’d managed to undo all the buttons while he kissed her. He couldn’t stay away from her, even just for the few moments it took for her to peel his clothes off, and to shed the rest of hers. That final act of confirming she wanted this as much as he did, of committing to the moment, moved him even more than her strong physical response had.
She peeled the shirt from him, dipping to suck on one dark nipple, enchanted with his chest and running her fingers over the light sprinkling of chest hair. His cock twitched impatiently, hungry for those caresses and kisses to cover him there, too. But he had to stop her before he lost it and completely embarrassed himself.
Within moments, they were both completely bare; facing each other in the warm light of the room, taking in the sight of each other’s bodies. She was even lovelier than he could have ever imagined. Curved and full, she was beautifully formed, her skin a satin olive tone that bespoke her Italian heritage, the dark triangle of silken hair at the V of her legs thick and soft and tempting him to touch, to taste. The dusky areolae of her nipples accentuated perfectly rounded breasts with velvet brown tips that had been heaven to taste.
“You’re amazing,” she said as she stepped forward, breathing the words into his mouth, pressing the cleft of her moist sex next to his painfully hard shaft. He drew back, looking up into her face.
“I was just thinking the same about you.” He couldn’t take his eyes from her as he responded, trying to cover all of the bases before the inevitable progressed. “Anything else we should get out in the open before this happens?”
“No. I’m good. On the pill, and no problems to speak of. You?”
“I was tested during my physical when I joined the team, and haven’t been with anyone since.”
She looked amazed at what he’d just revealed. “You haven’t slept with anyone since you joined HotWires?”
He lifted his hand, brushing the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “Well, at first I had the move and settling into the job, the new city. And then I saw you. I didn’t want anyone after that.”
Her eyes turned molten, telling him how affected she was by his confession, and he was glad it hadn’t scared her off. It was true—one morning he’d seen her laughing with Sarah over coffee. The sun had been shining through the window behind her, and her expression had been lit with amusement at whatever story Sarah had been telling.
He’d been rooted to the spot, watching, reminded of something