His deep voice over her shoulder only made her panty situation more precarious.By the time he actually got around to touching them, they would be liquefied.
Nick opened the door and turned on the lights.Claire followed him in and leaned against the wall.As he locked up, his gaze raked her.His half smile spoke of hunger.His hooded eyes told tales of lust.When she bit her lip in anticipation, he groaned.
“You’re going to kill me if you keep doing that to your lip.”
“Maybe you should take over the nibbling duties.”She tossed her purse onto the floor.
She didn’t have to ask twice.Nick put his hands on the wall, bracketing her head.She inhaled sharply at his show of dominance.
Yes!This was what she’d been missing.Power and passion, and the kind of manhandling that showed her she was precious and loved.
This isn’t love.
This was merely sex with a willing partner.She and Nick both had needs, and they would fulfill them tonight.There was no reason to get ahead of herself.
Only, as he took her mouth—and he took it with urgency—it spoke of more than just lust.There was a reverence there, a curiosity that touched her soul.His eyes were shut tight, as if he could barely believe he was kissing her.Meanwhile, Claire’s heart soared higher than it had in a long time.
Just as she was closing her eyes, her gaze landed on one of the framed pictures of her and Arthur on the wall.It was from their wedding day in Cozumel.They’d had a beach wedding and the pic had been snapped as they’d danced that evening.The sunset provided a backdrop of pink and orange.She gazed up at him, beaming, and he looked at her as if she was his whole world.
Hehadbeen her whole world.
Claire shut her eyes.I’msorry, Arthur.
She knew Arthur would never want an apology, but it made her feel better to offer one up.She’d never dreamed, when she had stood on that beach in Cozumel, that her marriage would have an expiration date.It was supposed to have been forever.
But here she stood, kissing a terrific man, one who seemed to care about her an awful lot.
Nick pulled away, searching her eyes.“Hey, are you okay?”
“Yeah, absolutely.”
“Because we can stop any time.It doesn’t matter how far this goes, Claire.You’re in charge, and I won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”
“No.I want this, Nick.I want you.It’s just, well, like you said, it’s a big moment.”
“I get it.We can go slowly.”He smoothed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip.“I’m just happy to be with you.”
His kindness dispelled her anxiety.Claire had always known it would be hard to move on, but Nick made her want to try.
Frankly, Nick made her want to try a lot of things.Some of them involved restraints and him pulling her hair.
Speaking of which…
“Can I touch your hair?”
His amber eyes widened.“You can touch whatever you want.”
His tawny locks had been calling to her from day one.She’d always been a sucker for a man with longish hair.Even though Nick’s wasn’t as long as Arthur’s had been when she’d first met him, she was dying to run her fingers through it.She tangled her fingertips in the hair near his temple, massaging his scalp.
Once again, Nick closed his eyes.“That feels so good.”
She was glad.She wanted to make him feel really good.After everything he’d been through, he deserved a night of nothing but pleasure.
She just hoped she could give him whatever he needed, that she wouldn’t fall apart when push came to thrust.
Claire let go of his hair and took his hand.Without a word, she led him upstairs.However, at the top landing, she hesitated.
She couldn’t use her bedroom.There were photos of Arthur everywhere, to say nothing of all the memories.She couldn’t bring another man into Arthur’s bed, and it wasn’t fair for Nick to see Arthur’s face everywhere he looked.
