Absolute Zero (32 page)

“No, love. I’m clean, though. Trust me, I couldn’t…”
get you pregnant if I tried
, he thought but held the words back. Now was
not
the time to have that discussion. Hopefully she wouldn’t ask.

“I have an IUD,” she offered instead which caused him to smile. She wouldn’t need it with him…

This is really happening
, he thought as he gripped himself, rubbing his tip against her trying to ease his entry when all he really wanted to do was thrust into her. It was complete madness, holding himself back like this. For the first time in his life, he was in danger of exploding before he even had a chance to enter. Maybe it was the sounds she was making or the way she was opening even further for him or maybe it was just the fact this was Anne. Someone he never in a million years thought would be so passionate, so willing…

He let out a shaky breath as he pressed into her slowly, her warmth surrounding and squeezing him as he gave a few short thrusts. Her hips rose up as a choked moan burst from her, changing the angle and pulling him into her a bit further. “You’re so…ahh. You’re so tight,” he whispered before grabbing under her, raising her hips even more and thrusting even further before backing off then seating himself fully. She cried out causing his body to stop immediately.

“Are you all right?” he asked cautiously, searching the darkness for her face.

“Don’t… stop,” she panted. That was all the encouragement he needed. He pulled back and pushed forward again and again, the sound of skin slapping against skin mingling with her ragged breaths.  He was so close and maybe later he would marvel at how quickly his orgasm built but at that moment his only wish was that she was close too.

“Harder,” he heard her voice crack and his thrusts intensified against her moving hips. Every gram of blood in his body rushed to where their bodies joined causing a familiar tightening before a shattering release overtook him, causing his entire body to tremble. He continued to move, only intensifying the sensation ripping through him.

“I’m…Aahh. I’m… Oh, gawd…” she yelled out as her back arched and her legs shook beneath his fingertips. Every muscle in his body seized up as her walls squeezed him even further. Another wave crashed through him and it was all he could do not to fall forward and crush her. He leaned over her instead, keeping his weight on his elbows as he sought and found her lips. His tongue immediately entered her mouth and she responded just like he had hoped she would. Her fingers threaded into the back of his hair as her head angled to suit him. Her legs wrapped around his waist and squeezed causing him to thrust a few more times as a loud gasp from her throat filled his mouth.

He swept his tongue across hers before pulling back, kissing her lips lightly and planting a small peck on the tip of her nose before staring down at her. He could barely make out her expression, but from her reaction, it didn’t really need to.

His fingers swept the hair from her forehead as he continued to look down on her.

“Why did we wait so long to do that?” he asked softly.

“What?” she breathed back.

“I said, ‘why did we wait so long to do that?” he asked a bit louder.

A small laugh sounded from her. “I…I can’t hear what you’re saying. My ears…popped,” she admitted. “It’s like…when you descend in a plane? You actually made my  ears pop,” she stated with wonder.

Well, that was a first
, he thought, quite proud of himself.

“Try yawning,” he stated loudly into her ear.

She must have heard that because her mouth opened wide and a loud intake of breath followed.

“Better?” he asked with a completely amused expression on his face.

“Mmm, much,” she responded lightly.

“So, I asked why we didn’t do that sooner,” he stated as his fingers continued to stroke through her hair.

“We’ve only seen each other a handful of times, Ian. Actually, we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks. Hell, you never even took me on a date…” she stated with furrowed brows.

“Not true. I
did
buy you dinner one night, if you recall.”

That was true. Of course that was the same night she mentioned Shelby and he took off and left her staring after him in completely bewilderment.

Suddenly, a feeling of unease began to overtake the bliss that enveloped her only moments ago. This was Shelby’s house,
their
house together. Maybe even
their
bed. Oh god…

What had she done?

She cleared her throat and gave his chest a slight push. Their bodies were still joined intimately and it caused a feeling of apprehension to wash through her.

What had she
done
?

“Could you…umm…” she gave another subtle push.

“Oh! Sorry, love,” he pulled out and quickly flopped over on his back next to her before wrapping an arm under her and pulling her to him. His hand guided her head to his chest and his fingers toyed with her hair.

“I need to go,” she whispered. He had a light smattering of chest hair that tickled her overly sensitive skin.

“No,” he stated loudly. “I want to sleep next to you. I need to…Aw, Anne, I dinnae do this right,” he sighed. “It was the first time, and I’ve been wanting you as long as I’ve known you, which, I am aware has not been verra long, but you don’t know what you do to me,” he admitted before seeking her forehead and kissing her gently then tucking her head beneath his chin again. “Just stay,” he added gently.

“I can’t. I need to go home and mentally kick myself in the ass for this,” she said without thought.

“
Don’t
tell me this was mistake. Don’t say anything, all right? Just let me hold you. I don’t want to argue with you, Anne,” his fingers were rubbing circles on her scalp, causing tingles to erupt anywhere he touched.

She let out a loud sigh as he reached down and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his chest and holding it. His heart pounded beneath her palm.

“You need to pack. Early flight? Remember that?” she asked in an almost teasing voice.

“Mmm. Don’t remind me.”

“What time?”

“Hmm?”

“What time do you leave?” she asked again.

“There’s a car coming at 3:30. Flight leaves at 6 but it’s International so I have to be there early. I hate that…” his finger was tracing her ear lightly, lulling her even further into a relaxed state.

“Right, so I should go,” she stated but made no attempt to push up. His arm tightened around her anyway.

“You know? I even looked into a private jet just to avoid all this…”

“What? Ah…really?” she asked, trying to mask her sudden reemerging sense of unease from before.

“But, I decided against it. I need to use funding wisely right now,” he started before she interrupted.

“Speaking of…” she started before his hand immediately covered her mouth.

“
DON’T
say it. Don’t you dare mention that fuckin’ list,” he ground out before a burst of laughter rang out from Anne.

“What?” he asked, pulling his head back to look at her. Her shoulders were shaking.

“You…I’m sorry. It sounds like ‘fookin’ when you say it. I don’t mean to…” she buried her face in his chest but her shoulders continued their jerky movement.

“You’re making fun of
my
accent? It sounds like ‘f
aahhhking
’ when you say it, so there.” He kissed the top of her head lightly before angling his head down, intent on finding her lips with his.

“Stop laughing, love. Give us a nip,” he commanded as his hand grasped the back of her head. She jerked her face up to meet his.

“What?” she asked.

“A kiss, Anne. Come here,” he settled his lips on hers, caressing them languidly with his own.

“I really wish I could see you right now,” he whispered against her lips before his hand trailed down her neck and brushed against her breast.

She grabbed his fingers quickly and a sharp intake of breath followed.

“What? So they’re not real, so what, love?” he asked casually, causing her to lean back even further.

“You…how did you know?” she breathed out.

“I felt them. When we were at the Benefit? You let me touch them, right before you opened your mouth and…well, that’s behind us, eh?” he stated instead. He wouldn’t tell her about Margaret and her surgically enhanced breasts. Probably not the best thing to mention at the moment…

He suddenly rose up, pulling her with him. “Up you go, maybe we should lay the right way on this bed, eh?” He scooped behind her back and knees and tossed her easily before settling next to her. Her head was practically swallowed by the fluffy pillow.

Was this Shelby’s pillow?

“Oh God,” she groaned before rolling to the side of the bed and quickly stood up. It was too much. No matter what, her mind was going to keep this incessant, annoying practice of digging up the dumbest thoughts even though she should be contented and sated at the moment.

But, no. As always, her brain didn’t operate that way.

“Tell me you’re not planning on leaving,” he stated as he sat up.

“I’m planning on leaving,” she answered back as she rounded the bed, in search of her clothing.

“Dammit, Anne. No…” he started before she quickly halted his words.

“Stay in bed,” she stopped and pointed at him. “I need to think. I can’t do that when you’re touching me. I mean it!” She thrust her finger toward him when he attempted to swing his legs over the side.

“Anne, I don’t know when I’m going to see you again. There’s
no way
you’re sleeping anywhere other than next to me tonight,” he responded but luckily stayed seated on the bed.

“You wouldn’t understand. I just…this is the way my brain works. I…just need to be alone. It’s not you,” she stated before a small laugh burst from her mouth at the obvious cliché. “It’s me. Don’t take that the wrong way,” she added quickly as she pulled her panties up her legs and grabbed her pants. “I won’t say I regret doing what we just did. It was…” she let out a breath as she attempted to do something as simple as place her foot in the opening of her pants and failed. She hopped around like an ass trying not to fall over, “it was incredible. I can’t believe you apologized,” she stated under her breath as one leg was pulled up and the other followed. “Anyway,” she bent over and grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head before walking over to him quickly.

“Anne…”

“Shhh, please,” her fingers touched his lips lightly as soon as she was close enough. “You’re my bosses’ boss ten times over or something like that. It’s a little weird for me. But…no regrets,” she quickly replaced her fingers with a soft kiss from her lips.

“How about repeats?” he asked, mesmerized into immobility as she pulled away before he could grab her to him.

“How about…I don’t know? I really…I just need to go, Ian. You have a safe trip and all that, OK?”  She tossed over her shoulder as she walked toward the lit hallway.

“Anne!”

“Goodbye, Ian!” she called out as she walked around the corner.

“I feel so…cheap,” he yelled then ended on a subtle tone that she would never hear. He was kidding of course, but damn…

*****

This was NUTS.

She wasn’t supposed to do
that
. Her fist pounded the steering wheel once before the other hand rubbed it quickly. She needed a shower. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she attempted to navigate through the trees.

She didn’t even talk about the list.

“Fuck the list,” she said aloud. “Fook it,” she amended before a giggle escaped followed by clamped lips and a guttural grunt.

You made fun of his accent, smooth.
Her eyes widened.

You had sex with him – hey! Even more smooth!

“Stupid…stupid…” she muttered as she steered around a particularly sharp curve.

She drove to the main road and quickly turned without even looking. Luckily no one t-boned her as she hit the gas, causing the Porsche to take off down the road.  It took mere seconds before she caught sight of her own driveway.

Turning in, she quickly drove up and parked, ignoring the sticky and sore flesh between her legs as she removed her body from the car and walked up to the front door.

An hour after an extremely hot shower with extra scrubbing and some mental bashing, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

He would be gone in a few hours and he had stated he didn’t know when he would be back. She should be relieved, and for the most part, she was. She had told him no regrets. Not entirely true, since she had already rehashed the entire encounter in her head multiple times over and to say the thoughts were unflattering…

However, there was the actual sex itself. Their bodies seemed to fit together so perfectly. Just thinking about the way he looked at her had her cheeks flaming. He was intense in everything, personal
and
professional. She was a fool if she thought this would never happen. It almost
had
to. And now that they had, she could admit, she wanted to again. It was reckless, impulsive, but damn it felt so
good
.