The Sound of Consequence (Puget Sound ~ Alive With Love Book 1) (8 page)

His mouth was on her neck again, his hot tongue searing across her skin. When he kissed her like that, surrendering to him was the only option.

Her anxiety piqued, sexual inexperience diminishing the desire. She’d suggested to Greg that they try different things, but he’d refused. He didn’t want the mother of his future children to act like a wanton whore. So they had sex missionary. Occasionally he let her be on top. But that was it. She’d never even had oral sex and had a feeling that was the path Owen was taking her down. Stacie needed him to know, if they were going to be that intimate, that she wasn’t…well, wasn’t a woman of the world. She also needed to be clear on why she was here.

Stacie hoped the revelation wouldn’t be a turn off, but just as he’d been compelled to be honest earlier, for some reason she felt she owed him the same courtesy. Or maybe she owed it to herself.  Whatever the reason, she didn’t have the will to stop herself, not even under his sensual touch.

“Owen,” she said, almost breathless. He kissed along the plunging neckline of her shirt, teasing her by nearly caressing the swell of her breasts, but not quite. Longing tangled with desperation as she fought to speak the words. “Owen,” she said again, “I need you to know…” Her words trailed off as his hands began unbuttoning the shirt, his lips kissing newly exposed flesh. She gained a moment of control and gently lifted his head.

“Owen, you need to know, I’m not the kind of person who sleeps around. I haven’t been with a lot of men. In fact, until you, I’d only been with one.”

“Only one?” he asked, surprise widening his dark eyes.

Her cheeks burned with the embarrassment of her inexperience. “Yeah. Only one.”

He smiled, and the gesture filled her with reassurance that the night wasn’t over.

“I like that,” he said, caressing her flushed cheeks. “You respect yourself, your body. That’s important.”

She wished that was the case, but now wasn’t the time to confess that she’d been with that one man for ten long years. “I also need to tell you…I didn’t come to Seattle looking for any sort of relationship.”

Owen smiled as he cupped her face in his strong hands. “Baby, I didn’t come here looking for a relationship either. You heard about the mess I left behind me. I’m drawn to you. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you for one second. Not since I first saw you at that coffee store. I thought I was going to die when I missed the ferry tonight, not knowing how to find you.” He reached for her hand and kissed her palm. “I think you’re drawn to me too.”

Stacie smiled and had to focus to find her words. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know you tonight, and I want to be with you again.” That was the understatement of the year. “I just don’t want to hurt you. I’m here tonight because I want to be, but I can’t make any promises that I’ll be here any night after.”

“So what are you saying? You’re just using me for sex?”

It sounded horrible when he said it. And it was true. Fanny Hill! She had turned into the wanton whore that Greg had often accused her of acting like. Stacie pushed herself off the couch, buttoning her shirt. “I’m sorry,” she said, unsure if she was sorry for using him or sorry for leaving.

She’d expected Owen to fight back somehow, persuade her to stay, but he just sat on the floor, his face sad or stunned.

When her shirt was buttoned, she found her sandals near the door and slid them on. As she reached for the knob, she felt Owen’s arms circle her waist. Heat flowed from his body, dizzying her with need.

“You feel it too, don’t you?”

“Feel what?” she asked, unwilling to admit she knew what he was talking about.

“This thing between us. I can’t explain it, but it’s more than just sex.”

Stacie couldn’t explain it either. She’d tried to chalk it up to chemistry, but it was so much more than that. It was a pull, a deeper attraction. She’d tried not to acknowledge it because it was dangerous ground for a woman who didn’t want a serious relationship, but this wasn’t the first time Owen alluded to it.

“I know you feel it too. What are you so afraid of?”

“I’m not,” she said. “I mean, I don’t, feel it.”

He turned her around and gave her a crooked smile, like he was mocking her. “Liar,” he whispered.

“I should go.”

“Stay,” he slurred.

“And what? Use you for sex?” She was surprised at her sardonic tone, but his words had hit a sore spot. She’d never liked it when Greg had called her a wanton whore and even though those weren’t the words Owen had used, it stirred the same revulsion.

“Stay and explain away what’s happening here. Explain why we keep running into each other. Explain why your pulse is racing right now.”

“It’s coincidence, Owen. Simple as that.”

“You don’t really believe that.”

She didn’t, but there was no other explanation.

“Why were you at that Starbucks that day?”

“I wanted a coffee,” she shrugged.

“But why
that
Starbucks. There’s a store every few blocks. Why were you at that one.”

“It’s close to where I live,” she admitted.

“So you live near here.”

“Yeah.”

“Where?” he asked.

“I’m not ready to tell you that.”

“There’s a dozen clubs downtown. Why Funky Bella that night?”

“I’d just gotten into town. It was ladies’ night. We were celebrating.”

“I know at least three other clubs downtown have ladies’ night on Wednesday. Why Funky Bella?”

“I don’t know,” Stacie whined, frustrated that Owen wouldn’t let it go. Jenny had picked the place, said it was the coolest club within walking distance.

“Why were you on the ferry this morning? The Bremerton ferry? At six in the morning?”

“I needed to paint. The ride to Bainbridge Island is half the time of Bremerton. I could get more done on the longer crossing. I’d planned to paint all day.”

“Did you? Paint all day?”

“No.” She’d been too distracted by seeing Owen, and kissing him, and wanting more.

“Three times, baby. It’s not coincidence.”

“Then what would you call it? Fate?” Stacie didn’t much stock in such fantasies, but she couldn’t deny there were forces at work here.

“Fate’s as good a word as any.”

“I don’t believe in fate.”

“But you feel it, don’t you?” His voice was sultry smooth in her ear. Coupled with the warm embrace of his arms around her waist, she was practically putty in his hands.

“I’m not looking for anything serious, Owen,” she repeated, hoping he’d accept that she wanted to be with him but not have any unrealistic expectations as to a future together.

“Then let’s enjoy each other tonight,” he said, pulling her closer. “The only thing I ask is that you don’t sneak out like you did last time. Stay with me tonight and ride the ferry with me in the morning.”

“I really should sleep in my own bed,” she said, knowing that spending the entire night would weaken her resolve.

He led her back to the couch and returned to unbuttoning the lacey blouse. He slid it off her shoulders, his mouth caressing the hot skin as the lace fell to the floor. Despite the warmth of his tongue, a shiver traveled from her shoulders to her core in anticipation of his next kiss.

“What if I keep you up until it’s time to catch the ferry?” His hands went to work on the knot of the skirt before he gently guided her back to the cushions of the couch. The weight of his body was a welcome pressure. As his fingers caressed the edge of her bra, then outlined her panties, he continued, “Will you ride the ferry with me then?”

Her body completely relaxed under his touch. She almost wasn’t surprised when she heard the word
yes
escape on her next breath.

Owen ached to plant himself
inside Stacie, but he was enjoying himself far too much to rush.

There was something elemental between them when they touched, almost electric. He had felt it the first time their bodies made contact, when she’d spilled coffee all over him. The situation should have been far from intimate, but that’s exactly what it had been. He couldn’t explain the connection he felt with her. It sparked again that night in the club and during the hours they spent making love. Then on the ferry this morning. Right now, it was more powerful than it had been all those times combined.

He could hardly believe what she had told him, about only being with one other man. The lover he knew their first night together did not portray a woman who lacked experience. She was stone-faced serious when she said it, so he had no reason to doubt her.

More than anything else, he
wanted
to believe it. Owen felt like she belonged to him and didn’t want to think of her as ever being with any other man. Caveman thinking, or maybe it was his southern upbringing. Or the betrayals from his past. Whatever. It was a huge turn-on knowing she hadn’t gotten around.

Her confession made him wonder what had compelled her to sleep with him that first night. She had mentioned on the ferry that the alcohol impaired her judgment. He thought she was just playing with him, but maybe that was the case. Tonight she wasn’t drunk. She’d made a sober decision to meet him on the ferry and was more than willing to come back to his place. Then he’d practically blown it.

She wasn’t using him for sex. He knew she felt the same connection he did. How could she not? It was so powerful, so inexplicable. It was impossible to explain, but the connection was there. What bothered Owen was why she so reluctant to admit she felt it too. Why was she so reluctant to stay the night? Or commit to seeing him again?

He scolded himself for overanalyzing. His lips kissed a beautiful woman who was melting under his touch. It was time to stop using the head on his shoulders and start thinking with the one that ached below the waist. Besides, he planned to show her so much pleasure that she’d be begging to see him again.

Reluctant to move away from the warmth of her skin, he decided it was better to get the condoms now so that they were handy when he finally gave in to his carnal need. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he pushed himself off the couch. “Don’t move.”

Owen couldn’t have been gone for more than thirty seconds. When he returned with the condoms, Stacie was completely naked. He’d been looking forward to peeling the pink cotton bra and panties from her body. Her obvious eagerness turned out to be an even bigger turn on. “You moved,” he said as he tossed the box onto the glass table next to the couch.

Those beautiful hazel eyes narrowed as her lips curved into a sexy smile. Lust ricocheted through him, urging him to strip down and penetrate her right now. Owen resisted the impulse because rushing wasn’t his plan. He was going to taste every inch of her body before he was done.

After he kneeled beside her, Owen allowed Stacie’s soft hands to unbutton his shirt. Her fingers lit his skin on fire as she pushed the shirt off his shoulders. When she went for the button on his pants, he grabbed her hands.

“Not yet,” he whispered, stretching her arms over her head. He liked the way her breasts spread across her chest, the sensuous mounds forming perfect circles that were too irresistible not to kiss.

Stacie gasped as he licked the hard pink tip of her breast, her fingers diving into his hair. She was so responsive, arching to meet his mouth, hands holding him firmly at her breast. Her breathing quickened, prompting him to flick faster, suck harder, nip gently with his teeth.

“Owen,” she whispered, the need apparent as she reached for him.

“Not yet, baby,” he said, slowly abandoning her beautiful swell, his tongue traveling down her rib cage. He could feel the subtle bumps under her soft skin, then a deep cavern as he moved across her belly. The way her muscles twitched told him she was ticklish there. He liked that.

As he traveled down her body, his hands caressed the spots his mouth had tasted. Damn, her skin was so soft, so warm. His eyes wandered up to find her watching him. He’d expected to find them closed, but her intense stare was locked right on him as if she was enjoying the show. He tongued her navel and let his hand wander over the soft curls between her legs. He was dying to taste her there and as his mouth moved closer and her hips raised slightly, he knew that’s what she wanted too.

His eyes left the gaze of hers as his mouth moved over to her hip. When he glimpsed the narrow pile of downy hair, his cock jumped at the sight of her, his own need surging in a painful pulse that threatened to turn him blue if he didn’t address it soon. He wasn’t ready to cease the exploration of her body though. He still had those long luscious legs to enjoy.

His mouth was traveling down her thigh when she moaned his name again. “You’re driving me crazy,” she said on a barely audible whisper.

Good. That was the point. He wanted her to be insane with want before he got inside her. Hearing his name on her breathy voice made it difficult to keep the beast in his pants tame.

Owen took the time to massage each foot, kissing the apricot-painted toes before his tongue slid up her other leg. When his mouth came back to her hip, he let his fingers disappear between her thighs.

Oh, hell, she was so wet. At that discovery, he wasted no more time in putting his tongue where it had wanted to be all along. She tasted as sweet as she smelled and as soon as his tongued licked her hard nub, her back arched up, pushing her against his face as she called out his name again. He tried to hold himself together, but her orgasm was sexy as hell and he couldn’t stop himself from coming with her.

They were both breathing hard when her body relaxed. His mouth was still on her, his tongue still tasting her when his eyes lifted and found hers again. “Owen…please…I want you inside me. Now!”

He barely lifted his head to speak to her. “Baby, I’m going to need a little time to recover before I can make that happen.” Even though he wasn’t completely soft, he wasn’t sure he was hard enough to penetrate her. Besides, he was taking too much pleasure in tasting her to want to give it up so soon.

When she buried her hands in his hair, he knew she had no objections, so his tongue got back to work, licking the hard nub, delving inside her, only stopping to suckle her. She was so soft and wet and each time he made her come, she seemed to grow even more soft and more wet. He could have stayed there forever except the ache in his Jockey shorts returned and he’d given up the will to stave that appetite.

He kissed the inside of her thigh and then stood over her. She smiled as he opened his pants, so he took his time. Her eyes traveled down to his hands and her smile stretched with desire when he slid the tight shorts over his aching erection.

It felt like he’d just been freed from prison and he hated that he had to put a condom on. His tongue had felt her from the inside and his cock wanted to as well. Not using one had gotten him into trouble two too many times, so that wasn’t a risk he was willing to take no matter how badly he wanted to.

Her hands reached out to him and he stepped back before she could touch him. “It’s not your turn yet,” he said.

She sat up and grabbed the box of condoms before he could get to them. “I want to touch you.” She slid a condom out of the box and tore the wrapper open. “Let me put this on.”

He couldn’t argue. He’d have loved to watch her eyes as he slid it on himself, but it was even hotter watching her hands roll the latex down his shaft. Her hands moved slowly, deliberately. The fingertips of one hand caressed him lightly before the latex covered his skin and the palm of her other hand gripped him firmly over the sheath. He sucked in a deep breath and held it. He was forced to close his eyes before they rolled back under the pleasure of her delicate hands.

When the condom was securely in place, her hands moved around his hips to his ass. She kissed him low on his abdomen, a teasing mix of soft lips and wet tongue and warm breath. She looked up at him with hunger and need. “I want you, Owen. I want you inside of me. Now.”

He felt the same urgency. She spread her legs as he moved down to the couch and as soon as their bodies came together, he was inside her. He couldn’t help the moan as he exhaled hard. Her hands clutched his ass again and her hips rose swiftly. God, she felt good. She was starting to move with a hunger reminiscent of their first night together, testing his determination to take it slow.

He brushed the hair from her face and looked into her hazel eyes. A low grunt escaped him as he plunged slowly. With a smile, he ground into her. “Baby, we’ve got all night. Let me make love to you.”

Her tight hips relaxed under him as her hands slid up his back. “Kiss me,” she whispered through her smile and he was happy to oblige. Her tongue was hungry and searching; Owen had to dig deep to resist succumbing to its demands. Instead, he slowly caressed her lips with his tongue, then sucked at them until they were swollen from his attention. All the while, he slowly slid in and out of her, reveling in the feel of her soft, welcoming flesh.

The grip of her fingers below his shoulder blades lit his skin on fire. He smiled as Stacie caught and held her breath. Her sex flexed around him and her body tightened. His mouth dropped to her nipple as her back arched and she moaned loudly under his touch. Then she was gasping and calling out his name and it was all Owen could do to keep from exploding inside of her. He didn’t want it to be over. He wanted to ride the wave of her orgasm with her and bring her to many more before he reached his own release. 

When her body relaxed and her breathing slowed, her hips began moving in perfect rhythm with him. “You’re sexy as hell when you come,” he said.

She clutched his ass and laughed a little. “You’re sexy as hell when I come.”

“Mmm…I like to watch.”
Like
was probably an understatement. Watching the contorted pleasure on her face, watching his cock disappear inside her, watching her breasts rise and fall with her erratic breathing. She was amazing and beautiful, every part of her. He wanted to be lost in her forever.

“I want to watch you,” she said softly, a smile crossing her lips.

“It’s still not your turn.” Then his mouth was on her, moving from her breast to her neck to her mouth. Her skin burned under his touch, warming him everywhere their bodies met.

The pace of their rhythm increased and then slowed and then increased again. “Stacie,” he whispered in a sensuous kiss to her neck. He slowed again as his own climax boiled. Still not ready to reach it, he wanted to stay like this as long as possible, feeling the inexplicable connection their bodies shared.

With his body braced above hers, he took in her glistening body. She was breathtaking, slender without being too thin. Perfect curves outlined her frame from her breasts to her hips. As his focus shifted back to her bright hazel eyes, her fingers moved down his back and around his hips. Her touch was hot and sensual and it was all he could do to hang on. When she pushed her palms into his hips and pulled him into her, her own hips rising to meet his thrust, he was done.

“Oh, god, Owen,” she gasped, reaching another climax.

His name on her lips sent him over the edge. The tightening at the base of his spine exploded in a thunderous pleasure that rocked every muscle and bone. He couldn’t move the rigid plane of his body as his orgasm cascaded into Stacie’s soft heat. He had never felt anything so intense, so electrifying, so paralyzing.

Stacie’s eyes were locked on him and she was holding her breath. When Owen’s body finally collapsed on her, they both exhaled with force.

“Baby,” he said again, this time on a hard exhale. He kissed her slowly, then looked into her eyes once more.

“You’re sexy as hell when you come,” Stacie said and laughed a little. The smile she wore grew bigger. “That was…amazing.”

You’re
amazing. He held the thought, kept it to himself. He’d nearly scared her off earlier and there had been so many times he’d been too open about his feelings, too forthright, and it had cost him. He’d only known her for days. Hours, really. He wasn’t going to risk spooking her again.

Instead, he held her close.

Owen could have stayed there forever, holding Stacie, feeling the electricity in their touch. He could feel his body awakening again. He was surprised at the way it reacted to her, how quickly it recovered from the most intense orgasm he’d ever felt. He was hungry for more of her, but his thirst was even greater. Owen finally peeled himself away from Stacie’s body, knowing as he removed the condom that the night wasn’t over.

“Water?” he asked as he walked to the kitchen, hoping the sight of his naked body would entice her to let him in again.

~~~

Stacie’s entire body tingled, from the top of her head to the tips of her fingers and toes. And everywhere in between. Owen was amazing. Incredible. She had never felt so sated. She’d never felt such pleasure. He truly was a god. What she felt, though, it was more than just the satisfaction of multiple orgasms. It was him. He was right, they had a connection.

She wasn’t willing to let herself go there, so she focused on the feeling of having him inside of her, of him touching her.