Deception (16 page)

He hefted her legs onto his biceps, and she threw out a hand, slapping ceramic tiles as a lungful of air stuttered from her chest. His tongue parted her labia and lapped at her slit. Then she felt it inside, curling around fluctuating flesh.
Oh – my – god!

A hand slid up her thigh, evoking a trail of tingles, and as his tongue left her body, two of his fingers dipped inside.

And that’s when Layla’s self-control dissolved.

Back arching, she cried out toward the ceiling and curled her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth tighter against sensitive flesh. He sucked it in, teasing it with his tongue, and the pleasure swelled, threatening to douse him in a very real wave of ecstasy.

He pulled his fingers away then pushed them back in, and she slapped at the wall again, her legs squeezing his biceps as her insides squeezed his knuckles. A hum rolled in her throat as vibrations consumed her, and she forgot how to breathe, think or move.

Her hand slid from the wall, joining the other in his hair, and she looked down, whispering his name through trembling lips. His dark eyes flashed up, and the pleasure she found in them did her in, plunging her through a vortex of heightened emotion and core-quaking sensations.

A guttural moan burst from her diaphragm, echoing in her ears as hot blood and dynamic shivers charged throbbing veins; and her eyes rolled back, her body jolting against his mouth and twitching around his fingers.

He'd done it again. He'd dipped her in intoxicating rapture while staying sober.

Her chest shuddered as the rush ebbed, and her knees shook as they slid down his arms. He caught them, carefully easing her thighs to the wall. Then he took her by the waist and kissed his way up her torso, pausing only to lick beads of moisture from her nipples.

When his lips found hers, he pulled her against him, kissing deeply while pressing his erection between her slick thighs, and she shuddered again, her lungs making a noble effort to suck his tongue in.

He pulled it away. Then he urged her face to his neck as he slipped one arm under her butt and hugged her away from the wall. She melted, unable to speak or lift her head, and he turned her back to the spray, letting the water keep her warm while he stroked her hair.

When at last she’d amassed enough energy to open her eyes, she found his neck and whispered. “That was tricky.”

He sighed through her curls and nuzzled her ear. “That was delicious, and I wasn't trying to trick you.”

“No?”

“No, love.”

“Was this your plan when you came in here?”

“I wouldn’t call it a plan, but you can.”

“You were nervous,” she pointed out.

“Yes,” he confessed.

She raised a lazy eyebrow. “Why?”

“I didn't know if you’d let me do this for you, and I worried I would cross those lines I mentioned.”

“Oh.”

“Did I make you feel better?”

She lifted her heavy head, finding his eyes as she rested an elbow on his shoulder and her chin on her knuckles. She was spent, too lethargic to hold herself up, let alone worry. Damn, he was good.

“You could say that,” she smirked.

“Satisfaction looks good on you,” he whispered, searching her face.

She caught his gaze and held it. “I wonder what it looks like on you.”

“You do?” he replied, dimples deepening. “That turns me on.”

Indeed, the bulge in his shorts swelled, pressing between her thighs.

“Yet the satisfaction remains elusive,” she returned.

“You want to do something for me?” he asked.

Her head jumped from her hand, energized by surprise and anxiousness. “Yeah,” she answered, trying not to sound hesitant, but she was. When it came to sexual favors, doing for others wasn’t something she was familiar with.

He scanned her aura and flashed a knowing grin. Damn, he could smell her embarrassment a mile away.

“Then let me help you finish your shower,” he requested. “I’d love to wash your body and hair. It would make my day.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but only if you're comfortable with it. Otherwise it won’t satisfy me.”

“I don't mind,” she agreed, returning her chin to her knuckles. “But it seems like a small favor in comparison to the one you just gave me.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew how much pleasure I got from cheering you up.”

She laughed then took his shoulders, wiggling from his arms and down his body. Once her feet found the tub, she steadied her shaky knees and smiled up at him. “Lather away, my hero.”

“Excellent,” he approved, grabbing a bottle of shampoo. “Get your hair wet.”

She leaned back under the spray and heard a muffled murmur of appreciation – something about making his day. Then she ducked out from under the water and let him move behind her.

He made her scalp tingle as he washed and conditioned her hair. Then he washed her body, and he didn’t take the task lightly. His soapy hands cleansed every inch of flesh, and it felt incredible.

He started rinsing her, and she opened her eyes, grinning as she found his racing aura. “You know, part of me wouldn’t mind canceling on Bri so we could spend a lazy afternoon in our starlit meadow.”

He laughed as he gave her wet butt a soft slap then moved in front of her. “And the other part of you would kick my ass for letting you cancel on Bri.”

“True,” she confessed. Then she smiled and grabbed the shampoo. “Your turn?”

“Sounds heavenly, but I'm leaving my shorts on.”

She tucked her bottom lip into her teeth as she glanced down. “You don't have to.”

“Yes,” he disagreed. “I really do.”

She watched his eyes for several seconds then moved closer, pressing her belly against his firm manhood while wrapping an arm around his waist. “I'm ready, you know? Whenever you are.”

He carefully swept her wet hair aside and stretched his palms over her back. “I’m more than ready, love, but not right now and not right here. You deserve better than this.”

“How long are you going to make me wait?” she asked, laying her cheek to his chest.

He laughed and rumbled her eardrum. “Are you in a hurry?”

“Um… kind of. I want to know what it’s like.”

“Me, too,” he whispered, nuzzling her hair. Then he stepped back and shifted his arousal. “Soon, but not here. And not in our starlit meadow. I’d prefer not to follow so closely in your dad’s footsteps.”

“Right,” she yielded, filling her hand with shampoo.

He laughed as he gave her pout a light tug. “You better be ready when the time comes, because once I take the leap, you’ll have a difficult time stopping me.”

“Why would I try?”

“I beg that you don’t, but it’s easier to want something than it is to take it.”

“I guess,” she agreed, absently rubbing shampoo between her hands.

He took her cheek and pulled her attention to his eyes. “I’ll make it as easy as I possibly can, Layla.”

She smiled and leaned into his palm. “I know. Now get your hair wet.”

He did, and she hovered from the bathtub so she could wash his hair without making him lean over. When she moved to his body, he put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, his aura going crazy as he took slow and steady breaths.

“Are you using magic?” she asked, pressing her breasts into his side while running a sudsy hand down washboard abs.

His breathing hiccupped as his stomach twitched, and his lips curved toward deep dimples. “Trust me, it’s necessary. Your hands feel amazing.”

“Your body feels amazing,” she returned. “It's perfect. I don't know how many times I've wished I could sink into it and stay there.”

She forced herself to leave his chest and was rewarded with his back. The water enhanced the bronze sheen of the hard muscles stretching from his glutes like wings; and with his hands behind his head, she had a superb view of rolling biceps and shoulders.

After washing everything from the hips up, she hovered behind him, forcing his hands away so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders. “You’re gorgeous,” she whispered, sweeping her lips across his ear.

He opened his eyes and found her gaze. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” She gave him a quick kiss then slid down his extraordinary body. “All done. Unless you've changed your mind about keeping these on.”

She tucked her fingers into the back of his shorts, and he laughed as he shook his head. “No, but I’ll take a rain check.”

“Fine,” she conceded, wiggling her fingers away. “I'll get out so you can finish.”

She turned and reached for the shower curtain, but paused when his chest found her shoulder blades and his lips found her hair.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

She faced him, shivering as her nipples swept over his stomach. “For what?”

“Letting me shower with you. You didn't blush one time, and while your blush is beautiful, the fact that you can be with me like this without it means the world to me.”

“You make it easy, Quin.”

“I’m glad,” he approved, leaning in for a kiss.

His hands slid to her butt, softly squeezing as his lips sent tingles down her spine. Then he murmured something into her mouth and pulled away. “I love you, Layla, but you have to get out of here before I explode.”

She laughed as she turned and stepped from the shower. Then she halted, dripping on the floor as she looked around. “I don't have any clothes.”

“Oh, darn,” he mumbled. “Whatever shall we do?”

She laughed again, and a soft groan echoed from the other side of the curtain as a water faucet squeaked. She guessed the cold one.

“You may enjoy seeing my naked body, Quin, but the tourists at Mount Hood might not.”

“Oh, I think they would.”

“Maybe some of the men,” she conceded, drying her hair with magic. “But there would be a lot of angry girlfriends and moms.”

“I bet they wouldn't mind a bit. They’d probably think they witnessed a miracle. They’d go home and tell everyone a glorious goddess blessed them with her presence high atop a mountain.”

“You're flattering me,” she accused. “I look nothing like a goddess.”

After sucking in a deep breath, he poked his head from the shower and scanned her from head to toe. “Yes, you do.”

Her body flushed with heat, and he laughed as he pointed. “And
that
you blush about.” Shaking his head, he pulled it back into the shower. “Throw my shirt back on. I'll get you something to wear when I get out of here. I'm almost done.”

“I'll just put on the dress I wore yesterday and go pick something myself. I need to get more familiar with my clothes.”

He poked his head back out, his brow creasing over a frown. “Will you wait? So I can go with you?”

She raised an eyebrow at the forest-green river creeping through his aura. “Why?”

“I don’t want you to be alone right now.”

“I'm just going to my house. There are family members all over the place. I'll be fine.” She stood on her toes to give him a kiss, but he remained concerned. “Come on, Quin. It's two houses down. What kind of trouble could I possibly get into?”

“At the moment, you're a magnet for trouble.”

“It does seem to be that way, but I'm not even leaving the lawn.”

He silently stared at her for several seconds then sighed and smoothed his expression. “Please be careful.”

“There’s nothing to be careful about. I'm just going to my house and looking through my clothes.” She smiled as she tugged on his bottom lip. “You'd be done by now if you weren't out here arguing with me.”

She started to drop her hand, but he grabbed it, keeping his eyes on hers as he kissed her finger. “I'll hurry and meet you there.”

She laughed and slid her thumb to a hidden dimple. “If you hurry, you'll beat me there.”

He tried to return her smile, but she could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

“It's okay, Quin. I love you.” She gave him one more kiss, and he quickly reached up, sweeping his fingers across her cheek.

“I love you, too,” he whispered. “I'll see you in a few minutes. And I'll bring your coffee with me.”

“My thorough hero,” she sighed, floating backward.

“My perfect angel,” he returned, watching her go.

She blew him a kiss as she reached for the doorknob. Then she left the room, taking her soothing glow with her.

Quin stared at the door for a moment, wondering if he was smothering her, but his unease was relentless and too crippling to disregard, so he pulled his head back in the shower and rushed to finish.

Chapter 11

Waving one hand toward the window, Layla magically donned yesterday’s dress while floating across the enchanted bedroom. A square hole opened in the midnight sky, pouring cloudy light across the grassy floor, and Layla touched down with one toe before leaping into open air. She flew right toward her house, enjoying a short trip beside the forest. Then she landed on her deck and walked inside.