Falling for You (22 page)

“Yes.” She sighed and kissed him back. “Yes, yes. Love me, Chance. Make the hurting go away.”

“I will. I promise I will.” With trembling arms, he scooped her up to carry her into the bedroom, kissing her all the way, even as he laid her on the bed. Greater than the need to join his body to hers was the need to soothe her hurt. His fingers fumbled with the buttons on her blouse. She tried to help, but he brushed her hands away.

“No, let me,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Let me love you.”

She relaxed into the pillows, her eyes still bright with tears as she watched him. The longing he saw made his heart ache. He kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, tasting the saltiness of her sorrow, then he moved to her chin, her neck, where her pulse beat against his lips. As the shirt opened, he trailed kisses downward, between her breasts, over the warm skin of her stomach. He felt her muscles quiver, and desire rushed through him, but he pushed his own need away to concentrate on her.

He removed her clothes and his own so they could lie together, skin to skin. His hands shook as he ran them over her sides, down her legs, then back up in long soothing strokes. He kept his kisses light, a swirl of tongue around her navel, a slow lick up toward her breasts. Her nipples rose to hard tempting peaks, begging his attention. When he took one into his mouth, she arched beneath him, calling his name.

“Shh, I’m here, I’m here,” he cooed as he moved to the other breast.

She barely heard his words over the frantic beating of her pulse. His gentle touches eased the pain in her heart, but not the ache of desire. Every caress made her crave more. Her breasts were so sensitive from the baby they’d created, she needed him to suckle them harder, even as she feared it would be too much. She buried her hands in his hair, trying to guide him without words. He cupped one breast, sucking the nipple into his mouth. She cried out as pleasure knifed through her.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. Just love me, Chance. Love me.”

“I will. I do.” He moved upward and gave her one of his deep drugging kisses that had every nerve ending in her body tingling as he moved a hand over her stomach. She shivered in anticipation as his fingers slipped between her legs. She opened her thighs eagerly, desperate for release, but he teased her with feather-light touches. Grabbing his head, she kissed him with abandon, twisting and moving her body against him.

He broke the kiss and slipped lower, over her collarbone, her breast. His tongue forged a maddening trail down her stomach.

“Chance, please,” she begged as her hips lifted and fell, seeking relief. She reached for his shoulders, trying to pull him back up so he would end the torture of anticipation.

“Shh,” he soothed. “Let me.”

She fell back, afraid she’d drown from the pleasure rushing through her veins.

He settled between her legs and his breath tickled her curls. Then, his mouth reached its goal, and she came undone. With his hands cupping her bottom, he held her to him, pleasuring her through wave after wave until she fell limp and gasping for air.

She didn’t even feel him move, but suddenly, he was over her again, his weight braced on his arms as he watched her. When her vision cleared, he smiled. “Better?” he asked.

“Yes,” she breathed, and nearly laughed from the giddiness that had invaded her limbs. Though she felt almost too weak to move, she lifted her hands and ran them down his firmly muscled chest to his taut stomach. Air hissed through his teeth as he sucked in a breath, and she realized the trembling wasn’t all hers. His whole body quivered at her slightest caress.

Warm satisfaction filled her as she watched his face. She reached lower to take him in her hand and gently squeezed. His stomach muscles jumped and he swore as a bead of moisture escaped his control. He pulsed with life as she moved her hand up and down, reveling in the feel of him.

“I’ve wanted you so much,” she whispered. “Ever since the first time, I’ve thought about being with you again every day.”

“I’ve wanted you too. More than I can possibly say.” His face lined with strain.

“Then show me.”

“I will.” He kissed her briefly, but to her surprise, he pulled away.

When he glanced toward his nightstand, she understood. A condom, she realized, and shook her head. “No, don’t. You don’t need anything.”

He looked torn, but she guided him to her, lifting her hips. His eyes closed as he slipped inside that first little bit. She moved her hands to cup his bottom, felt his muscles flex as he filled her slowly with small thrusts, going deeper each time until they were fully joined.

She sighed at the sweet bliss of having him inside her, for the link went beyond a physical joining. He lowered his chest and slipped his arms beneath her so they were heart to heart.

Closing her eyes, she held him tight as he moved over her.
Yes
, she thought, letting the joy heal all the pain and longing of the past weeks. Tears rose up, filling her throat, but she swallowed them back and clung to him. He cradled her head, kissing her mouth as if starved for her taste as his thrusts increased in strength and speed.

They were both gasping for air and straining together as the pleasure built. It crashed over them in a hot, sweet burst of light. They clung to each other, holding on to the moment until the surge of passion faded to leave them trembling in each other’s arms.

He sagged so heavily against her, at first she wondered if he’d passed out, but the effort of asking was beyond her. She lay as limply as he, her heart hammering against her ribs. Or was that his heart pounding?

“Am I crushing you?” he mumbled into the pillow.

“I don’t think so,” she murmured back, her body so sated she wasn’t sure how she felt.

“Good.” A delayed tremor moved through him and he groaned. “I don’t think I can move just yet.”

“Me, either.” She smiled, wanting to lie there and hold him forever. Somehow, she managed to tighten her arms and legs about him.

He moaned as the motion pulled him deeper inside her and she realized he was still semi-hard. The feel of him renewed her strength a bit, enough to nudge him with her hips. He groaned and, apparently able to move after all, lifted his weight onto his forearms. He kissed her deeply as he lengthened inside her, not as hard as he’d been before, but definitely not slipping away.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at her and flexed his hips, not a thrust, just a small movement that pressed him deeper.

As if nothing at all were going on below the waist, he smoothed the hair back from her face. “Stay with me,” he said softly.

She glanced toward the window to see the sun wasn’t even down. “We have all evening.”

“No.” He kissed her cheek, nuzzled her ear. His hips flexed again and he lengthened a bit more. “All night.”

She tried to think. “I’ll need to... call Allison. Let her know... where I am.”

“Later.” His hips moved and her vision went dim. He shifted lazily to her other ear. “Are you sore?”

She skimmed her hands down his back and lifted her hips. “Ask me in an hour.”

“If I live that long.” His body shook with laughter. “God, if you knew how badly I’ve been wanting you... and all the things I’ve fantasized about doing.”

“So, you do have wicked thoughts.”

“Oh, yeah.”

His words and his expression sent a shiver of excitement through her as a few of her own fantasies came to mind. “Like what?”

He hesitated a moment, searching her eyes. What he saw was an eager desire that matched his own. Smiling, he moved onto his knees so her bottom was cradled between his thighs. She moaned and arched to keep the link from being broken. He lifted her feet onto his chest and leaned forward, bracing his hand on the backs of her thighs, delighting in her limber, well-toned body.

Slowly, he pressed forward, going even deeper than he had before.
Oh, God.
He closed his eyes against pleasure so intense it sank into his gut like claws. After a few breaths, he opened his eyes and saw her expression of greedy wonder. With a little sound, almost a pout, she wiggled her bottom, wanting more.

That was all it took for the beast to break free. He gave himself over to it, no longer trying to hold back, moving strong and hard. The climax ripped the air from his lungs. He heard her cry of welcome, realized she was right there with him, her neck arched back, her eyes closed in ecstasy. Satisfaction wrung the last drop of strength from his bones.

He collapsed beside her, rather than on top. A good thing, since he really wouldn’t be able to move this time. Not until his heart and lungs stopped convulsing.

“Good God!” he breathed, staring at the ceiling. Turning his head, he gazed at her in awe. She was lying on her back just like him, with arms and legs sprawled, chest heaving with every breath. “Are you all right?”

She turned and dazzled him with a grin. “I think I died for a second there.”

“Me, too.” He smiled. “About five times in a row.”

“Sorry.” She laughed. “I’ll try to be more gentle with you next time.”

“Come here.” He reached for her and helped her roll toward him until she was cradled against his side with her head resting on his shoulder. Love swelled inside him. “I think I deserve a medal.”

“You were pretty spectacular.”

“Not for that!” He gave her bottom a light swat. “For
not
doing that.” He moved his head against the pillow until he could see her face. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to resist you these past weeks?”

Her expression sobered as she propped her chin on his chest. “You didn’t have to resist.”

But he had needed to. He wasn’t a man who switched tracks easily. He’d needed these weeks to examine the situation from every angle, to be sure he was making the right choice—especially a choice this life-changing. Letting his gaze roam over her face, a sense of peace filled him. He’d made the right choice, and he was glad he’d given himself the time to do it slowly so there would never be any regrets. Consequences, yes, but no regrets. What he felt for Aurora went beyond anything he’d ever imagined. She completed him.

She trailed a finger across his lower lip. “That’s some smile you’ve got there. Wanna tell me what you’re thinking?”

“How much I love you. And yet how little I really know about you.”

“What do you mean?” A frown puckered her brow. “We’ve seen each other nearly every day for a whole summer.”

“True, but it isn’t enough. I want to know everything about you from the day you were born until the day you accosted me on Pearl Island.”

“I didn’t accost you.” She rose up in mock offense.

“You knocked me down and beat me with that foreclosure sign.”

“You fell down, and the wind blew the sign against you.”

“If you insist.” He rolled her onto her back and gave her a thorough kiss using every ounce of skill he possessed. When he raised his head, her eyes looked dazed. “Are you hungry?”

“W-what?” She blinked up at him.

“Hungry. Food. Eat.” She just stared at him so he kissed the tip of her nose. “Well, I’m starved. How about we order a pizza? We can eat right here in bed while you tell me your life story. Then we can try out a few more fantasies. Whadaya say?”

She gave him a “get real” look.

“Okay, if you insist, we’ll skip the talking and go straight back to making out. But first I need food.”

They stayed up half the night, eating, talking, loving. She told him about growing up with her aunt and siblings, and a little about her parents’ life on the road with the theater troupe, even though she’d been too young to remember it. He told her about growing up as an only child, the Chancellor heir, the friends he’d made in college and some of the pranks they’d pulled. Yet, somehow, it sounded a little lonely to her, in spite of the privilege of wealth. He’d loved his parents and had lots of friends, but he really was the loner Paige had described.

Paige. The name brought a twinge of guilt. She pushed it away to concentrate on the sleepy rumble of Chance’s voice. She snuggled deeper in his arms, inhaling the scent of his warm skin. Her last thought before drifting to sleep was a wish that morning would never come. With morning would come reality. A reality that included Paige and a child she hadn’t yet told him about.

The radio alarm clicked on, spilling out the morning news. Vaguely aware that it had done so a few times already, Chance hit the snooze button and started to go back to sleep but stopped when he saw the time. Okay, so he’d already hit the snooze
several
times. He was also freezing from lack of covers.

Cursing the air-conditioning vent over the bed, he rolled toward Aurora, hoping to warm himself with her body heat before he braved getting up. She’d created a cocoon with the covers, so he had to peel away the bedspread and sheet before he even found her. He revealed her mass of reddish-gold hair, then her face. A few more tugs, and her peaceful expression turned to a pout.

“Come on, Aurora, I’m freezing.” He managed to wiggle his way inside her cocoon and up against her blazing hot body. He tucked his hands between their chests and wedged his feet between her calves.

“Cold feet,” she protested sleepily and tried to move away.

“Oh, no you don’t.” He wrapped his arms around her and hauled her on top of him where he could rub his hands on her back, and his thighs against hers, trying to create as much friction as possible.

“Chance,” she grumbled, batting her hair away from her face. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to get warm. You stole all the covers.”

“Oh.” She looked down at him, her eyes sleepy. “Sorry,”

He marveled that any woman could look so good upon first waking. “You’re forgiven. As long as you warm me up.”

A lazy smile spread over her face. “I think I can handle that.” She lowered her mouth to his for a slow good-morning kiss. Using just her lips, she molded her mouth to his for a series of teasing touches. She tilted her head to a different angle, tasted his bottom lip, the corners of his mouth. He hardened against her belly and she purred in approval.

Rolling her onto her back, he took over the kiss but kept it all tantalizing lips that sent tingles racing through his system. She arranged the covers around them, until they were lost in a dark cave of warm pleasure. He slipped inside her so naturally, almost as if the link had never been broken, and he absorbed her moan as she absorbed his body. They moved together, slowly, languidly, the kiss deepening apace with the beat of their hearts. He cradled her head, kissing her endlessly.

A rush of love spread through him, and he closed his eyes as he gave himself over to the pleasure. When she peaked, he followed a heartbeat behind, never breaking the kiss. The last shudder finally subsided. He lifted his head and smiled down at her. God, he loved her so much, he wondered that he didn’t die from it.

Her expression was both glowing and mischievous. “Did that warm you up?”

“Oh, yeah.” He laughed and gave her one more quick kiss. “Too bad we can’t try it again now that we’re both fully awake.” At her puzzled look, he said, “I have to get to work.”

She frowned and looked away. “So, I guess I need to get out of here so you can dress.”

“No need to rush.” Easing their bodies apart, he settled beside her where he could smooth the hair from her face.

“I need to take a shower, but do you want to duck into the bathroom first?”

She nodded, not quite meeting his eyes. “Do you have something I can wear?”

“There should be a robe hanging from the hook on the bathroom door.” He wondered at the awkwardness that had suddenly fallen over her as she slipped from the bed. But the sight of her tall, beautifully nude body erased that thought and all others as she padded toward the bathroom.

She emerged moments later, wearing his terry-cloth robe, her hair combed but still a tumble of curls hanging to her waist. She hesitated, as if unsure if she should come back to bed, or dress and leave. “Do you want me to fix coffee while you shower?”

God love the woman
,
he thought as his heart melted a bit more. “That would be great. The grounds are in the cabinet over the coffee maker.”

Rory nodded and headed for the kitchen, desperately needing to get her bearings. Last night had been magical, but she wondered what came next as she found the grounds and filters. He’d said he loved her, and that he wasn’t going to marry Paige. But he’d also said he had doubts about their future together. Maybe Alli was right, that the thought of marrying her might not even occur to Chance because she was so far outside his social circle. Passion was fine when choosing a bed partner, but outside the bedroom, he needed someone with polish and poise.

Would the love he felt for her be enough to make up for her social shortcomings? Her heart said yes, that she could make him happy. But doubt remained, tormenting her.

It was simply too soon, she told herself. They’d only admitted how they felt about each other less than twelve hours ago. Knowing Chance, he probably needed time to adjust to such a big change in his master plan for life. Only she didn’t have time! She was two and a half months pregnant and would start showing within a few weeks. Her plan to hide her expanding waistline would hardly work if they were getting naked in bed together.

And—social differences aside—what guarantee did she have that Chance was even considering marriage? Men didn’t always think along the logical lines of falling-in-love-equals-getting-married. From listening to Adrian and his friends over the years, she knew men actually thought that admitting they even had emotions was such a huge accomplishment it should be enough. They seemed perplexed, and even angry at times, that women expected something more—like commitment. Which had led her to the conclusion that if women didn’t press the issue, marriage wouldn’t even exist.

Although she needed to be careful, take things slowly and keep it light. Pushing Chance too soon might scare him off. So, with the coffeepot gurgling and filling the kitchen with aromatic steam, she turned her thoughts toward fixing breakfast.

“Is the coffee ready?” Chance asked a few minutes later as he strode into the kitchen.

She turned from the freezer and her heart skipped a beat. Good heavens, the man looked good wearing gray slacks, a crisp white shirt, and knotting a tie with his exquisitely long, very talented fingers.

He reached the pot as it let out a final groan, signaling that the brew was done. “Oh, bless you, baby. Bless you.”

As he poured them each a cup, her eyes roamed over his back, and renewed longing blossomed inside her. This man, this wonderful man who was everything she desired and admired, had said he loved her. Her. Aurora St. Claire.

She smiled to herself as a mischievous imp took hold. “You know, Chance, we really need to have a serious talk,” she said in her gravest voice.

He went still, as she knew he would. “About what?”

“About”—she was tempted to make him squirm a bit, but took mercy—“your refrigerator.”

“What?” A comical blend of relief and concern spread over his face. “Is it broken?”

“No. It’s practically empty.” She gestured to the open doors of the refrigerator/freezer. One side held a few soft drinks and some unidentifiable leftovers in take-out cartons. The other side held a smattering of cardboard boxes. “Chance, you can’t live on frozen preservatives zapped in the microwave.”

“Sure you can.” He sipped his coffee. “I’ve been doing it since I left home for college.”

“Well, you’re not a college kid anymore.” Closing the door, she headed for the toaster with the frozen waffles she’d found. “You need food. Real food.”

“I tell you what.” He slipped his arm about her waist and pulled her against him. “Make out a shopping list and I’ll buy anything you want—as long as you promise to cook it.”

“Why can’t we shop and cook together?”

“We can shop together all you want.” He settled her more comfortably against him with his arms looped about her. “But trust me when I say you don’t want to eat my cooking.”

“I bet I could teach you.” Grinning, she ran a fingertip along his jaw to his chin.

“Hmm, tempting.” He gave her a leisurely kiss that made her heart pound.

The toaster dinged, popping up four golden waffles. Breathless, she pulled away. “Our breakfast is ready.”

“Too bad,” he sighed, and let his arms drop to his sides.

She had to take a deep breath to clear her head before she placed two waffles on a plate and handed it to him. “Go eat and behave yourself.”

Taking up her own plate along with the syrup she’d found, she joined him at the dining table. It felt oddly natural to be sharing his morning.

“I’ll need to leave as soon as I finish these,” he said. “But you can stay as long as you like. There’s shampoo in the shower, and I left a clean towel for you on the counter.”

“Can I use your razor?”

He cringed. “I guess. But put razors on the grocery list.” He took a sip of coffee. “Do you have anything special planned for today?”

“Not really,” she said. “Although they’re supposed to deliver the silk plants we bought yesterday.”

“Oh, yes, your shopping trip.” His brow wrinkled and she knew he was thinking about Paige.

“Chance?” She pushed a piece of waffle about her plate. “What will you tell her?”

He heaved a sigh. “I don’t know.”

“She’s planning to come to the inn as soon as Alli gets off work. They’re both eager to see how everything looks.”

He nodded in understanding, but didn’t look at her. “I’ll try to catch her before that. I don’t want to... talk to her at the inn. It would be too awkward. For everyone.”

Rory’s stomach ached with empathy. “She’s going to be hurt.”

“Yeah. I know. I’m sorry for that.”

“Me, too.”

After a moment of silence, he checked his watch. “I need to go.”

She rose when he did and walked with him to the door, wishing things could be different, that she and Chance could be together without hurting Paige.

“I’ll see you this evening,” he said and gave her a kiss. She leaned into him, almost afraid to let him go. He gathered her against him, deepening the kiss until they were both trembling with renewed desire. “Oh, man.” He exhaled a breath and a small laugh. “Hold that thought.” He gave her one more quick peck, then stepped out the door, leaving her with a strange blend of euphoria and guilt.