Up In Flames (15 page)

She pulled out of his grasp. It wasn't an easy feat, considering his strength, and her great curiosity about the massive bulge in his pants. “That's what you think, mister. If you're just looking to warm someone's bed, why not try the woman who bought you at the auction?"

He smirked. “You mean Claire? I don't think Todd would appreciate it."

"What! Claire bought you?"

"Yeah, you left before you could find out. Your sister bought me. For you. I suppose she thought she was doing a good thing. Paid a hefty amount, too."

"Why, that little...” Jules fisted her hands at her sides and paced. “Does nobody around here think I can find my
own
dates? What is wrong with all you people? As if the evening wasn't already bad enough with the letter. Now I get insulted, too? First, my ex buys himself for me, and then my sister buys the boarder for me! This is the most unbelievable, pathetic, outrageous..."

He stopped her tirade with a kiss. Shane yanked her back into his arms and cut off her protest with his lips. And as she squirmed and tried to talk, she heard her noises become little groans of near submission. He tightened his hold on her arms, but she continued to fight the need to melt into his embrace.

He pulled away for one breathless moment and glared down at her. “Stop wiggling, and kiss me, woman."

She inhaled. “You know, you can't just walk in here and kiss me like that. This is..."

He kissed her again, sweeping his tongue into her mouth, and cutting off all conversation. Jules blinked furiously at him, at the outrage of his velvety tongue in her mouth. She'd never known him to be so demanding, so ruthless. So delicious. She knew if she weren't so angry, she'd be legless with the taste of him.

But she'd been dreaming of this all night. She'd been fantasizing about it since she first saw him. And hadn't she planned on trying to seduce him at the auction anyway? Was there even a reason to fight this?

Yes, that being, his wife. His dear, departed wife. A ghost of a woman with whom she could never compete.

But maybe she didn't have to compete. Maybe she didn't need Shane's undying love. Maybe this was all she really ever needed. Just him, hot and close against her skin.

As he kissed her, he brought one hand up to her face. His fingers skimmed her flushed cheek and then settled into her hair, cradling her head. He slanted his head, taking the kiss deeper. She could feel the storm in him, the awe and the desire. Her eyes fluttered closed and she laid her hands on his chest.

Sensing that one, small concession on her part, Shane moaned, and the sound made her hungrier. When his other hand slid down to cup her bottom, squeezing and feeling and dipping down between her cheeks, she thought she'd finally gone insane with need. Beside herself with want, she groaned when he grabbed her ass with both hands and ground her against his cock.

Their lips fell apart on a breath and she gazed into his dilated pupils. He was so gorgeous, so hungry for her. She wondered at the thought as he let his hands trace the curve of her figure through her form-fitting dress.

"God, Jules. Do you have any idea how much I want you?"

She frowned. As much as he'd wanted Alana? Would he ever be able to want her as much as Alana? She dropped her hands from his heaving chest, feeling the ghost of his wife watching them.

"It's true,” he whispered, grasping at her hands. “I want you so much. Please let me have you tonight, Jules. I'll burst without you. Please."

She didn't say a word. Had no words left to say. Instead, Jules slowly turned around and looked at him over her shoulder. When he paused, she asked, “Will you unzip me?"

He released the breath he'd been holding, and his hands moved to her zipper. Even the feel of his fingers over her dress was enough to make her come undone. But as he slowly tugged the zipper down, stopping to kiss each inch of skin that was exposed, Jules thought she'd never felt anything so good.

Until he retraced his steps with his tongue.

With leisure, he licked his way down her spine, flicking and swirling down the length of her back. And this time, he spread the open flaps of her dress wider with his hands, finally teasing the fabric over her shoulders and arms. He let the dress fall to the floor and she felt his hot breath on her neck as she stepped out of it.

She turned to face him. She was wearing a matching bra and thong set, black and frilly. His expression changed as he took her in, and she hoped his heart was hammering in his chest the same way hers was. With urgency, he threw off his suspenders and T-shirt, sliding out of his boots, socks and heavy pants.

Jules smiled a little Mona Lisa smile. He was wearing only a very snug pair of white boxer briefs, the kind which hugged every manly detail. She had trouble dragging her eyes away from his groin, beautiful as it was.

He reached for her. “What is that mysterious look for?"

"I suspected you were a boxer brief kind of guy."

"I trust you're not disappointed."

"No,” she murmured. “Disappointing is a word I'd never use to describe how you look.” Then, feeling brash and more aroused than ever before, she touched him there. As Shane groaned, his head fallen back, she ran her fingers along the length of him and down to cup his sac.

He cursed. “I need you on that bed right now."

And unable to do anything but comply, she took a step towards it.

Nibbling her lips, he backed her to the bed and laid her down. He moved above her and she opened her legs to accommodate him. He could feel her heat through his boxers, wanted desperately to taste it. He just knew she'd be delicious. He was ready to devour her, to pull aside that tempting little thong and plunge his tongue right into her.

No, he thought. Go slow. You never thought you'd get her here. Don't scare her away again.

If she ran from him again, he'd be forced to chase her, which might put a damper on things. Or would it?

Channeling every ounce of his willpower, he allowed himself to nuzzle her neck and enjoy the feel of her hands skimming over his back and ass. As he kissed her neck, licking at her pulse point, he could feel her heart thumping away inside her. It was incredibly erotic, knowing how aroused she was.

Those last few times with Alana had been lack-luster, both of them knowing the relationship was already over. How refreshing, how intoxicating to be with a woman who wanted him back.

He dragged himself away from her tasty neck and let his gaze travel down to her provocative black bra. He traced the outline with one finger, allowing it to dip under the top elastic. “You know, I've only seen one of your beautiful breasts. And I think I've spent all my time since wondering what the other one looks like."

"Oh, you don't want to know,” she joked, her voice almost breathless. “The other one's the ugly sister. She doesn't get out much."

He cupped the mysterious, hitherto unseen breast, his face all smiles. “Jules, you kill me."

He lowered his mouth to the so-called ugly sister, teasing her through the satin fabric of her bra. Jules let out a whimper and he grinned against the fabric, eager to see how she'd react once he got the bra off her. He wanted to make her scream with rapture tonight, wanted to erase all traces of the letters and Kevin from her mind. Wanted her mind to reel with images of him and what he could do to her.

He played with the bra and realized it had a front closure. Arching a brow, he smiled at her. “Front snap. My favorite kind.” With one hand, staring at Jules the whole time, he played with the fastener. “Time to free the girls."

He unhooked her and removed the bra. And then he just stared at her. Her breasts were gorgeous, even more so than he remembered. Large and lush, with nipples that called out to him, that pebbled even under his gaze. “There's no ugly sister here."

A flush crept into her cheeks and he could see she was fighting the urge to shield herself from his hungry gaze. “Jules, why do you look so shy? If you're too scared by what happened tonight..."

"It's not that.” Her voice was soft, quiet. “It's just ... no one's ever quite looked at me the way you're looking at me."

Her words broke his heart. She should be adored, worshipped. “Well, if you'd paid more attention, you'd know I've been looking at you like this since day one."

She wriggled under him, and his arousal ground into her. Hungry. Aching. He had to taste her. Now. Lowering his head to her bare breast, he claimed it.

Jules thought she was going to die. Thought she was actually going to expire underneath this hunk of a man. They didn't even have all their clothes off yet and she was ready to come. Her thighs were a quivering, hot mess, to say nothing of the throbbing heat between her thighs. He had to know how turned on she was. She could feel her wetness soaking into his briefs.

As he suckled at her breasts, licking a path from one to the other, she clutched at his head, desperate to bring him closer. Deeper. Into her. God, she'd give anything to have him inside her.

But he was doing such sinful things right now, she couldn't bear to rush him. Her nipples had never experienced such exquisite treatment, such bliss. They were so hard she feared she'd poke him in the eye. He'd built up a delicious pattern of licking, swirling, sucking and scraping his teeth along them, and each time he repeated the pattern, she could feel the urgency growing in both of them.

Shane was rock hard and impossibly thick, wedged between her legs. As he suckled, the thrusting had already begun. A heady wave of movement which had her grasping, reaching under the elastic of his shorts, eager to push them off. She reached her fingers under the white cotton and cupped his sculpted derriere. It was so muscled and round, the perfect little bubble-butt. You could bounce a dime off it.

Shane lifted his head from her breast and kissed her lips. “Why, Miss Baker, I do believe you're trying to pull my shorts down. That's not ladylike at all."

"Just get ‘em off, Gaskill.” For further incentive, she reached up and licked at his bottom lip.

She watched as a shudder of delight passed through his body and he raised himself off her. “If you say so.” Standing, his eyes on her, he slowly removed his shorts and let her look at him.

Jules had to bite her lip so she wouldn't blurt out something ridiculous. Like how he resembled that blond, Viking warrior on the romance novel covers. Shane was drop-dead gorgeous with all his clothes on. Without any clothes, he was a raging tower of lust. Everything about him, chest, arms, legs, intimidating penis, all seemed made for one thing. Pleasure. She longed to touch him, to run her tongue along the length of his thick shaft and taste him. Inspired, she began to sit up and reached out.

"No way,” he whispered, looking decidedly evil. “Fair's fair. Now we take that thong off."

"Oh my."

"Oh my, indeed.” He hooked his fingers under the elastic and slowly tugged. “Wiggle those delicious hips a little for me, honey. Yeah, that's it."

Panting, Jules watched as he slid the thong down her legs. He tossed it to the side and returned his heated gaze to her body. He was still standing there, not moving, his muscles clenched. “Why don't you join me on the bed, Captain?"

"Not yet,” he whispered. “Jules, let me see you."

She blushed again. “You mean...?"

He grinned his sexy, eat-you-up grin. The one which made her insides roil with lust. The one she couldn't say no to. And for the first time in her life, Juliet let a man see her. Really see her. She let her legs fall apart and watched as Shane gulped. His penis jumped as he looked at her, eager to contribute to the proceedings. He didn't say anything for the longest time.

She should have felt awkward, too, should have felt some modicum of modesty. But she didn't. It felt wonderful to have him look at her like that. All hungry and appreciative. It felt right. As if he was meant to see her so intimately.

"Shane?"

He finally dragged his eyes up to hers, his lascivious grin now a sweet smile. “I'm sorry. I don't mean to ogle you. You're just the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You take my breath away, Juliet."

With a deep breath, he crawled onto the bed with her, between her legs. He slid his hands up the length of her legs, acquainting himself with every curve and plane. His fingers danced a path towards the mound of black curls at the vee of her thighs, and he played with them, tickling her stomach.

And then, as Jules held her breath, one of Shane's fingers caressed her moist slit, feeling for the wetness there. Feeling it, he grinned again. “I need to have you in my mouth. I need to taste you, sweetheart."

Jules gripped the sheets and waited as he lowered his head. First, all she felt was hot air, his breath embracing her. Then, the velvet touch of his hot tongue swept along the length of her. She thrust up towards his mouth, crying out, and he took her. Suckling, stroking her lips, flickering into her. He seemed determined to know every fold, every ripple of sensitive skin. And as Shane ate her, consumed her, Jules felt the first wave of undulating, rapturous pleasure wash over her and take her. Driving her into the sky, mindless and legless. Leaping and soaring, driven by the most enticing pressure her body had ever experienced.

She came and he continued to suck, relentless, drinking in every last ounce of her pleasure. As if he needed her essence inside him. Laving her until neither of them knew where one ended and the other began.

"Shane, please,” she begged. “Please, now."

Still looking ravenous, Shane swiped at his mouth and rose over her trembling body. With the taste of her still on his lips, he kissed her long and deep, letting his tongue penetrate her mouth the way his cock would soon penetrate her body. His erection pulsed at her core, wanting in. Still, she felt him hold back.

"I want to make love to you all night long, wanna make this last as long as possible. But with you under me, so tender and pink, I don't think I can hold out."

"Just take me now,” she purred, hoping to spur him on. “I want you inside me so badly."

There was a quick, frantic search for one of the condoms in his wallet. Shane rolled it on faster than she'd ever seen him move. And with another deep kiss, he was joined to her, sinking between her appreciative thighs. Plunging into her, stretching her, filling her.