Falling From Grace (7 page)

-7-

Dani spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning on the large bed, too distracted by the knowledge that Miles slept on the sofa in the other room to fall asleep. Too many questions swirled in her head, mixing with the hurt feelings and sadness of loss to allow any real sleep so when the first rays of sunshine finally broke through the window, she eagerly rose and padded into the kitchen. Miles, sprawled like an oversized kid on the cozy sofa, made her smile softly. He was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on and that hadn’t changed. The first time they’d met she’d known a sizzle unlike anything she’d ever experienced and she’d known, right at that moment, that Miles Lassiter had the power to break her heart. She’d never imagined that she would be the one to do the breaking. And now, here he was, saving her. What were the odds of that? She opened the fridge and pulled the cartoon of eggs. She wasn’t a whiz in the kitchen but she wasn’t totally helpless either. It was a small thing, but she wanted to make him breakfast, perhaps as a thank you for being the great guy he was, even if he didn’t want her anymore. Tears burned under her lids but she held them back. No time for crying. Today was going to be a good day and a good day always started with breakfast, at least that’s what her dad used to say.

Within a few minutes, she’d scrambled enough eggs for two, made toast and poured some orange juice. She went to the sofa and took a seat next to him, waving the plate of breakfast under his nose.
His eyes opened groggily and before he awoke completely, there was something so sweet and unguarded about the way his lips curved, as if he were smiling from his heart and she couldn’t help but smile back. “I made you breakfast,” she said, lifting the plate. “It’s nothing fancy but it’ll stick to your ribs for a bit.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said, yawning as he scooted to sit up, accepting the plate with another smile. “But thank you. It smells great.”

“My dad was a big believer in eating a hearty breakfast. He always said, eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner and it must be pretty good advice because I hear fitness gurus repeating the same phrase.”

He bit into the eggs and nodded in approval. “That’s pretty good.”

She preened under his praise. “Thanks. My dad taught me. I can make French toast, too. Except with all the carb warfare going on, I rarely make it anymore.”

“I love French toast,” he said with complete seriousness. “I would love to try yours.”

“You got it,” she said, grinning. Why couldn’t this be their reality? She’d gladly serve him breakfast in bed every day if it meant she could forget the trauma between them and just start over. But that wasn’t possible, right? She wouldn’t disrespect Miles by pushing the boundaries he’d set, not again anyway. Still, her heart ached with a heaviness that she tried to cover with a bright smile as he wolfed down the eggs.

“How’d you sleep?”
he asked, wiping his mouth and swigging the orange juice.

She bit her lip, admitting, “Not that great. The bed was wonderful but…”

He seemed to understand, sighing as he said, “I know. It’s hard to sleep in a strange place. It’ll get better.”

There was no sense in admitting that she would’ve slept like the dead if Miles had been cuddled up beside her so she simply nodded in agreement.

“If it’s any consolation, I didn’t sleep so good on this sofa either. My neck feels crimped into the shape of a question mark.” As if to illustrate, he cracked his neck a few times with a groan. “I’m going to need to see the chiropractor.”

“I’m sorry. I can take the couch if you want,” she offered but he waved away her offer
as she knew he would. He was such a gentlemen, deep down and through and through. It’s what she loved about him. “So…mind if I shower first?” His gaze darkened before he could shield his reaction and her breath hitched in her chest. The chemistry between them was palpable. Would it be like this until they exploded from the pressure? “Or, I can wait, it’s okay.”

“No, no, it’s fine. You go ahead.”

“Thanks. I need to wash off this salt from yesterday. I feel grimy.”

He jerked a nod and shoveled
his toast down his throat. She finished her own plate and carried it to the kitchen. “Yeah, no problem,” he said, but he was staring so intently at his plate she thought it might shatter. “Thanks for breakfast.”

“
Sure. It’s the least I could do.” And then, because she realized she was stalling in the hopes that he would simply drop his plate and scoop her up to carry her into the bathroom, she quickly hurried into the bedroom and closed the door. Her heartbeat thundered as she fought the wave of disappointment and the burgeoning sense that if she didn’t manage to get Miles to touch her she’d go crazy.
This was pointless
. He wasn’t interested and he’d all but told her that it wasn’t going to happen,
so let it go
. With a sigh, she pushed off the door and headed for the bathroom, where, if nothing else, a glorious open-air shower awaited.
Gotta take your blessings where you find them
…that’s another thing her dad used to say and he’d been pretty damn smart.

#

Miles tried to focus on anything aside from the knowledge that Dani was naked in his shower. Dani…naked…in his shower. Yeah, that was nearly impossible. He narrowed his thoughts to problems at the clinic, hoping that the complicated nature of a small-town clinic would occupy his brain long enough to give Dani time to finish showering but when he heard Dani’s voice floating in from the open window, singing with playful joy, he lost it. His feet were on auto-pilot, his brain had effectively shut down.
Don’t do this, man. This is a terrible idea
…but he was lost to reason. Honestly, what red-blooded American male could resist the scintillating sexual allure of Dani St. Claire? If she sizzled on the screen, she flat-out killed in real life. Unlike many actors and actresses who relied on the magic of filmmaking to round out their flaws, Dani was the real deal. She didn’t need filters and special lighting to look good. She simply radiated youth and health. And for God’s sake, he was only human.

He stripped as he went and then stepped into the shower
, officially leap-frogging over the edge of sanity and wearing a smile as he fell because ten seconds later, his hands were filled with the luscious fullness of Dani’s beautiful breasts and his cock was already straining to bury itself between her hot folds. Yeah, officially…fucked.

#

Dani, singing to herself, was startled mid-scrub when two strong, familiar hands, reached around and cupped her breasts, as she was pulled against a muscular chest. Soapy water slicked their bodies and she shuddered with pure, wild pleasure at the dizzying realization that Miles had joined her. She closed her eyes, leaning against him, loving the feel of his hard cock, pressing insistently against her, nudging her with the warm steel, teasing her with the promise of mind-altering pleasure. His fingers tweaked her nipples, demanding their attention and they hardened like obedient soldiers, rising for action. She pushed against him, needing to feel every inch of his body, as if starved and he were her only form of sustenance. “Miles,” she gasped when he slipped a finger inside her, sweetly and gently strumming her arousal as if plucking a melody from a guitar. This was heaven, no this was bliss, and she hoped she never awoke if this were only a dream. Her clit throbbed, dancing around that promised release but Miles knew how to play her body to his own tune, refusing to allow her to come until he was ready. Miles, her sweet and gentle Miles…except when he fucked — then, he was a master and she was his willing submissive slave. She shuddered as he withdrew his finger only to turn her slowly, gazing with lust-soaked possession blazing in his eyes. She nodded, answering his unspoken question.
Are you mine
? Yes, yes, Miles! Her lids fluttered shut as he pushed her against the wall of the shower and dropped to his knees, burying his face between her folds, fingering her G-spot with a
come here
motion that sent her into orbit. She threaded her fingers through his hair, steadying herself as her knees weakened. Oh God…sweet Jesus…brilliance wrapped in decadence exploded behind her eyes and everything clenched in beautiful unison as she crashed headlong into a violent orgasm, shaking and crying out like a whipped baby as the pleasure rippled in waves throughout her body, blotting out everything but the moment as she sank into Miles arms, nearly spent from that one single orgasm. “Oh my God,” she said weakly, clinging to him as the water rained down her back, caressing her with drops of moisture as her core continued to clench and shudder from the magnitude of what he’d done to her. “You’re a magician…that was…oh, God…yeah…no more words.”

Miles chuckled but that savage light still filled his gaze and she knew he wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot and the realization made her groan with anticipation and a bit of trepidation
but there was no turning back now. “I agree…no more words,” he said, spinning her back around and pulling her hips to him. “I’ve dreamt of this ass for too long and I can’t hold back any longer.”

She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she sank willingly on his hard cock, enveloping his long, turgid shaft with a moan as he stretched her to the point of pain but she welcomed every sensation between them.
In and out, harder and faster, Miles was an animal of lust and domination. His hands gripped her hips as he thrust, demanding everything she had and then some. She cried out as another orgasm began to build, gathering steam and causing her to tense. There was no running away from it — the power between Miles’ legs was a force to be reckoned with and she was more than willing to take whatever he could dish out. Stars burst behind her eyes and she cried out as she rode the wave again but Miles wasn’t slowing down and he sure as hell wasn’t done. She growled and pushed back, clamping down with her internal muscles and popping a deep, guttural groan from Miles that turned her on unlike anything she’d ever known. Miles had made her come twice already. He deserved a good bone-rattler and she was happy to give it to him. She knew Miles liked it when she talked dirty and she loved how it turned his crank. “That’s right, baby…you like that? You like fucking that sweet pussy? I know you do. Fuck it like you mean it, baby. Say my name…say my name!”

“D-dani!” he gasped, as his thrusts became erratic. Seconds later, he yelled
and warmth flooded her channel as he bathed her core with his juices. She was on the pill so she wasn’t worried about getting pregnant but for a split second, she desperately wished she’d stopped taking it so that at this very moment, Miles might be getting her pregnant. A baby was the last thing she needed but the thought of Miles’ baby growing inside her…damn, it changed the way she looked at babies. She swallowed and pushed away the lingering oddness of such a sentiment and when Miles withdrew she immediately went under the spray to wash away the sudden moisture that’d gathered. A long, loud exhale from Miles snagged her attention. She was afraid to see regret in his eyes but as she turned to face him, she was grateful when nothing but the remnants of soul-shattering pleasure remained. But it didn’t last. “Dani…I’m so sorry…” shame crept into his cheeks and she shook her head, refusing to hear it.

“Don’t. Don’t apologize for doing what we both wanted.
I won’t listen.” Dani pinned him with a hard look. “And don’t you dare try to tell me that you didn’t enjoy it, too because you’re not that good of a liar.”

A chagrined smile lifted the corners of his sexy mouth and he shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that. I enjoyed the hell out of that but I shouldn’t have come in here. I was lost the minute you said the word shower. I was weak.”

“Didn’t feel weak to me,” she countered with a sly look at his softening cock. “Felt pretty strong and virile.”

He actually blushed and she thought that might be the single most adorable thing she’d ever seen a guy do. Dani grabbed the shampoo and lathered some in her hands, going to his head and telling him, “Close your
eyes. I don’t want the soap to burn you” before scrubbing his head gently with a smile. They used to scrub each other — sometimes playfully and sometimes functionally — but somehow they’d always ended up having sex at some point. Neither could put their hands on the other without wanting to take things to the next level. It was nice to see somethings hadn’t changed between them. He rinsed and then the returned the favor. His gentle touch soothed the ragged beast of her heart and for a time — maybe just this sliver of time — Dani knew true happiness.

#

Miles followed Dani out of the shower and even though he’d royally screwed up, he couldn’t find the willpower to dredge up the appropriate amount of regret. Dani didn’t seem to mind, if anything, her smile was brighter and more effervescent, which of course, just made him want to bury his cock inside her all over again. Not that lack of desire had ever been their problem. No, their problem had been far more devastating — the fact that Dani had been married.

“So…since we’ve totally obliterated boundaries…” he began, pulling on his board shorts while she donned her barely-there bikini. “Tell me about this husband of yours and is he still in the picture?”

She scowled. “No.”

“No, you don’t want to tell me about him or no, he’s not in the picture.”

“Both.”

Maybe he ought to listen and not press the issue. But hey, in keeping with the current trend of ignoring good sense, he pushed. “I think I’m owed an answer, don’t you think?”