Tears stung her eyes and she squeezed them closed. She felt the prod of his penis at her entrance, a pinching, a nudge of his knee on her thigh. A sob tore from her throat. She put her hands on his chest, pushed at him. He stopped, looked down at her.
“Stop.” She choked on a sob. “Stop.” She shoved him again, rolled from under him and scrambled out of the bed. She stood there on trembling legs, still wearing the silk gown, a hand covering her mouth. She tried to find control over her shaking throat so she could speak, but then the tears poured and sobbing, she turned and fled into the bathroom.
Chapter 18
Nate flopped face down onto the bed, the pillow almost suffocating him. The bedroom was silent other than the muffled sounds of Krissa weeping in the bathroom. Jesus Christ.
Slowly, he rolled to his side and looked at Derek, who sat there with his hand over his eyes.
“That didn’t go very well.”
“No shit.” Derek rubbed his face, met Nate’s eyes.
“Maybe this isn’t going to work.”
“Fuck.” They both fell silent, thinking. Nate stared up at the ceiling. What the hell had just happened? Was she having second thoughts about doing this? She’d seemed pretty confident earlier. In fact, she’d seemed…eager. Hot…for him.
Nate gazed at the flickering candles. So sexy and romantic. And Jesus…so the opposite of what he’d just done. He closed his eyes against the assault of guilt, of remorse.
Yeah, sex had been mechanical for him for the last two years. And this was basically a business transaction. But Krissa…dressed in that pretty silk thing, her hair brushed, candles burning…that hadn’t been business for her.
Shit. Even as Nate cursed his stupidity, his gut cramped at the thought of actually making love to Krissa—with real emotion. That was what scared him—even more than sex with his best friend’s wife. He shut that train of thought down, did not want to go there, hadn’t gone there for years.
He covered his face with his hand. “I think…” He stopped, cleared his throat. “I think we may need to try a different approach.”
“Yeah.”
Nate sat up, pulled his knees up. He was naked in bed with his best buddy. Life was so fucking weird. “I’m gonna have to…take it slower. Maybes it would help if…if you got involved, too. Between us, we should be able to make her feel more…” Words escaped him.
He looked sideways at Derek, trying to gauge his response. Derek nodded. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”
The bathroom door opened, spilling light into the room which Krissa quickly extinguished with a flick of her fingers. Candlelight shimmered on the satiny gown and her glossy hair.
Nate threw back the covers and stood. He was naked, but who cared. He walked to Krissa and without saying a word, took her in his arms.
“I’m sorry, bunny.” He held her slender body against him, tried to show her with the hug that he cared. He couldn’t say the words but he could show her. His erection surged again, against the thin silk over her warm body. She had to feel it.
He stroked her silky hair, and held her, her arms folded between them. He rocked her gently, reassuringly. “I’m sorry. Come on. Come back to bed.”
He released her and took her hand, led her back to the bed, her barefoot steps hesitant. He climbed onto the bed first, sat with his back against the pillows and headboard and covered his lower half with the duvet. He held out a hand to her. She extended her arm and put her small hand in his. They looked at each other. Their eyes met, and heat wrapped around him, seeped into him, warmed him. Her liquid green eyes shone in the candlelight. He dropped his gaze to her shoulders, the smooth curve of them, the jut of her collarbones, the ribs faintly visible beneath satiny skin, the shadowy hollow between her breasts revealed by the V of the gown. Gently, he pulled her toward him. She ended up in his lap, and he tipped her chin upwith his knuckles. “You’re beautiful, Krissa.”
“Thank you.”
They sat there, silence filling the room, flickering candlelight casting a golden glow over them. Nate stared down into Krissa’s eyes, trying to assure her that it was okay. He stroked a last tear from under her eye with his thumb. He looked at her mouth, vulnerable and soft. Bent his head lower, his mouth nearing hers. She held his gaze, and her pretty lips parted. He was so close he could feel her warm breath sighing in and out. His eyelids felt heavy and he let them droop closed as he closed the distance and touched his mouth to hers.
It was the softest, gentlest kiss, a brush of his mouth on hers, then again. Then he deepened the pressure, opened his mouth against hers and he tilted his head for a better angle. Their tongues touched, tentative, questioning, warm and wet, and they kissed again, and again, long, delicious kisses, lush licks, clinging lips. Small whimpers came from Krissa’s throat.
“Oh, Krissa.” Nate lifted his mouth from hers to mutter her name, slid his hands into her hair and held her head. “Kiss me, Krissa.”
And she did. Over and over, shifting closer. Her hands slid up his chest and held onto his shoulders; her fingertips stroked his neck. His hands explored her body, over the silk, caressed her waist and hips and thighs.
Oh fuck. Fuck me.Nate was lost. Her mouth destroyed him, soft and warm and eager, kissing him back like she was starving for him. Her desire for him ignited something inside him, a spark turning into a blazing fire, heating him from the inside out, making him gasp.
“Beautiful, Krissa.” He covered the pulse fluttering in her throat in an open-mouthed kiss, absorbing the beat of her heart. “Isn’t she, Derek?”
“Yeah.” Derek’s voice was low and rough. “Beautiful.”
“I’m sorry about earlier.” Nate’s throat ached at how they’d disappointed her. “Ididn’t understand…Now, we’re both going to make love to you.” Nate stroked her bare thigh. “We’re going to make it good for you. Right, Derek?”
