Faithful to a Fault (5 page)

To give her a moment to settle, he turned a slow circle, observing the small studio-style apartment. “I didn’t look closely last time. It’s nice.”

“Be it ever so humble,” she laughed. But her voice cracked slightly.

Humble, maybe. But also neater than the barracks right before an inspection. No dust, no dirty dishes in the sink. No clothes strewn over the couch or shoes tangled on the floor. His gaze drifted and he saw next to the couch sat a night table with a small clock and lamp. And lastly, the queen-sized bed.

“Big bed for a small space,” he joked while they shed their coats. Pete made sure to grab the box from his pocket and toss it onto the bed while she had her back turned.

Sarah shrugged and folded her coat nicely before laying it down on the couch. Then she picked up the coat Pete had tossed and gave it the same treatment. “The furniture was all here before me. Just took it and made do.” Her nose scrunched up and he fought the urge to kiss it. “Though when I got my first paycheck that I didn’t have to spend on bills I bought a new mattress. There are some things that are worth staying in debt a little longer for.”

“I won’t argue with that,” Pete said easily. He walked to the bed and bounced once. When she didn’t crack a smile, he held out a hand. “Come here.”

After a moment’s hesitation, she put her hand in his. Instead of waiting, he yanked. She shrieked and fell into him, a tangle of indignant female limbs. He laughed while rearranging so that she straddled him, one knee on either side of his hip. He could almost feel the heat of her pussy through the layers of fabric.

Lines appeared between her brows and her body stiffened. “Was that really necessary?” She was doing a good job of looking pissed, but nothing could hide the twitch to her lips.

Sarah needed some fun. Something told Pete that she’d been shouldering a massive burden all alone for too long. Time to drop some of that weight and let go.

“Absolutely necessary. And so’s this.” He took her lips in a slow kiss, letting her melt bit by bit until she was completely pliant in his arms. Until she kissed back, tongue dipping into his mouth. She was tentative at first, unsure. But when he opened more fully for her, giving her more access, she grew bolder.

Her teeth caught his bottom lip and nipped. Her hands roamed from his neck down his back, over his chest and desperately close to the erection straining the front of his jeans. So close, but not quite. When an involuntary groan escaped, she chuckled into the hollow of his mouth.

From zero to temptress in nothing flat. So that sexual, sensual side lay very close to the surface. He was determined to bring it out, highlight it, let that sexy Sarah play. See how far she would go.

Pete skimmed his hands under her sweater until it was gone, tossed into a corner. Her bra quickly followed. Her eyes drifted toward the pile of clothing and he was sure she was mentally folding them. But all concern for her clothes left her eyes when he took one peaked nipple in his mouth.

Sarah said nothing. Her shudder and the way she gripped his shoulders were answer enough. He released one and moved to the other. Something poked his stomach and he looked down.

Quick feminine fingers unbuttoned her jeans and pulled the zipper down, leaving the denim to fall apart. A sliver of lace was visible through the V of fabric. Pete’s mouth watered in anticipation. But to his shock, she didn’t stop there. Dipping beneath the lace, her fingers worked out of sight. Her chest moved in shallow bursts and her eyes were closed.

Pete’s balls tightened. Jesus. He was going to lose it right there before they even got started. He grabbed her wrist and pulled up until her fingers slid from the waistband of her panties. The tips were shining with her juices in the light. She looked at him, eyes wide and glassy.

“What?”

“Don’t start without me.” To make his point clear, he brought her fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean.

“Then hurry up,” she argued and ground her hips into his. “I’m just as ready as you are.”

She wasn’t going to let him get away with shit, was she? Pete kept the grin to himself. No need to let her know her bossiness was actually turning him on more. With a swat to her thigh, he said, “Up. Lose the rest of it.”

Sarah stood and started to take off her shoes and socks. Pete valiantly ignored the nice picture her ass in the air made and stripped as fast as possible. Grabbing the box of condoms he’d tossed earlier, he made quick work of putting one on and sat back down on the edge of the bed, waiting.

When she turned around, Pete did his best not to let his jaw drop. She was soft in all the right places, slopes and curves that begged him to take the time to explore. And he would.

Later.

“Come here,” he asked for the second time and this time didn’t have to yank. She slid until she once again straddled his thighs. Her breasts pressed into his chest, nipples hard points from desire. The heat of her pussy soaked into his cock. It took every ounce of hard-won self-control to not pound into her warmth. He had plans.

He fanned kisses over her cheek, her jaw, below her ear. A little breathy sigh encouraged him and he reached between them, down to her tight curls and lower. Her breath caught as his fingertips brushed her clit and she sank farther into his touch, as if reaching for it. His other hand ran up and down her back, the muscles bracketing her spine tight with anticipation.

Small circles on and around her tight bundle of nerves had her squirming, a wriggling package of feminine lust in his lap. Her knees clamped around his thighs. A field mouse would have had a better shot escaping the claws of a hawk.

He didn’t want to escape.

“Pete. Pete I think I’m—”

“Yeah. Come.”

Her forehead dropped to his shoulder and her body trembled. The sweetest of mewls escaped and she bit his shoulder. Hard. And when she was done, her hot breath against his neck was one of the greatest things he’d ever felt.

“That’s my girl.” Shifting just a little to relieve the pressure on his balls, he asked, “Too soon?”

A second passed. The longest second of his life. Then without lifting her head, she rose up on her knees, reached down and guided his cock to her wet opening.

Not too soon. Thank you, God.

But instead of instant relief, the slide was brief, sporadic. She inched down, then back up, never taking him fully inside her.

“You turned tease,” he growled and gripped her hips, ready to pull her all the way on him.

But she rose up, letting his erection spring free completely. Leaning back, she gave him a grin. “I kind of like being in charge.”

He was circling the drain of hell. She would tease him for months if she could. Time to regain leadership. Before Sarah could inch back down, he reached between them and slid one finger inside her pussy.

Hot. It was so hot, so slick. He pulled out, taking as much moisture with him as he could and waited for her to reposition herself over his cock.

“What was that for?” she asked, one eyebrow arched.

“This.” As she sank down, he reached around and placed his finger against the tight hole of her ass. She stiffened and he soothed her. “Relax. Just relax. Lean forward. Into me. There you go.”

He pushed gently, waiting for her to stop him, but she didn’t. Her face was buried against his neck, her breath ragged. Without her denial, he continued until his finger slid halfway in.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Feels weird. Good weird,” she murmured against his skin.

“More?”

As an answer, she lifted her ass slightly, almost sinking back into his finger. With gentle pressure, he slid all the way in. Her gasp was part shock, part delight, and he smiled.

Back in the driver’s seat.

The hum of the space heater almost drowned out her moans. She rocked back and forth, between his finger and his cock, as if she couldn’t choose which stimulation to focus on. Pete couldn’t resist thrusting up, seeking that heat.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe…” Sarah panted, her teeth scraped his neck.

“You’re close again, aren’t you?”

She nodded, hair brushing his ear.

“Good. So am I.” He thrust once, twice more and felt her walls squeeze, both in front and behind. That pulled him over to his release. His arms tightened around her and she shook with her climax.

When Sarah’s breathing slowed enough, she asked, “Was that as good as I think it was, or did I stroke out in the middle?”

“Yeah. It was just as good.” Pete nudged so that she slid onto the bed. Without a word, she started to snuggle down under the covers.

Pete padded to the bathroom, cleaned up and walked back to the bed. Sarah was on her side, eyes half closed, breathing steady and even. If she hadn’t smiled, he would have thought she was already asleep.

He crawled into bed, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back tightly against his chest.

Then Pete did what he had never done before.

He slept with a woman in his arms.

* * * * *

Sarah woke up by inches. She was never a “hop out of bed and appreciate the sunrise” sort of person. In fact, she thought those people had a screw loose. But waking up this morning felt distinctly different than previous mornings.

She was warm. For so long, even with the space heater on, the mornings had been a freezing-cold bitch. Which, of course, only made her want to snuggle back down into the covers and never leave. But she was warm, satisfied even.

She was also not alone. A heavy arm draped over her midsection, anchoring her against a hard chest. Soft breath whispered over her ear. And a bone-deep contentment settled deep in her chest.

Pete.

“Morning.” His voice, gravelly with sleep, rumbled behind her.

His hand ran up her ribs and cupped her breast. Thumb brushing against her tightened nipple, he gave a soft bite to the spot where her neck and shoulder met. “You know, I have an unfulfilled fantasy that I was hoping you could help me with.”

“Mmm.” She was turning to liquid from the gentle caress. Her body responded to his touch so quickly.

“Morning sex.” He nipped her earlobe. “I’ve never had morning sex.”

“Really?” She rotated until she faced him, his chest hair rubbing against the sensitive tips of her breasts. One of his legs slid between hers and she let her hips grind against him. The pressure against her clit only stoked the burn for him.

“Really.” His hands pushed her shoulders down until she was flat on her back. He took one nipple in his mouth and sucked. She arched her back, wanting more. His other hand stroked up and down her ribs, both comforting and exciting her nerves. He reached down between her legs and flicked fingers through her wet pussy.

God the man could have her hot and wet in a minute flat. Wanting to even the playing field, she reached under the covers and found his cock rising over the waistband of his boxers.

“Coming out to say hello, huh?” she teased and circled the crown with her thumb and forefinger, squeezing gently.

“Mmm.” Pete worked his way down her stomach, tickling her ribs by scraping them with his teeth. She lost hold of his erection when he ducked under the covers. To anchor herself, she grabbed onto the headboard behind her. To draw out the moment, she locked her knees together and almost laughed as she pictured his annoyed expression.

Hot breath warmed the tops of her thighs. A long lick up the seam of her leg had her squirming. Finally he pried her knees apart and she let them fall to the bed, giving him complete access to her pussy.

One long lap up one side, then down the other. He used his tongue to taste her, murmuring something that sounded like “so good”, but she wasn’t sure. He managed to avoid the one spot she wanted him to reach most, the bastard.

“Pete, please.” Her voice cracked. She’d be mortified if she weren’t so intensely focused on where his tongue was—and wasn’t.

“Please what?”

“Touch me,” she panted out. “Touch my clit.”

His response was to trace maddening circles around the sensitive, swollen bud.

“Damn it!” she shouted. “Pete!”

He chuckled, then the flat of his tongue rasped against the bundle of nerve endings and almost sent her through the ceiling.

“Like that?”

“Yes, like that, you smartass!” One hand dropped down to fist in the sheets. She was so pathetic. She wouldn’t last a minute.

“Can you—” Oh there was no way in hell she could say it.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she mumbled.

Pete’s head rose. “I’m not touching you again if you don’t ask.”

Sarah sat up. “That’s not fair! Just, you were doing great. Keep, you know, keep doing that.”

“But that’s not what you want. Or it’s not all you want.” He leaned down until his hot breath was right over her core. She could feel the heat, his mouth was less than an inch away from the goal. But he didn’t move closer, just hovered.

She pulled a pillow over her face and mumbled, “
Dothatthingfromlastnight
.”

“Ah,” Pete said. Honestly, she could practically feel his words vibrating against the swollen flesh between her legs. “We’re getting closer. Now which thing do you mean?”