Hot Bodies Boxed Set: The Complete Vital Signs Erotic Romance Trilogy (49 page)

Harlan shook it off and kept on with his story. “After you stormed out, I tried to drop a few subtle hints for Starla to back off and leave me alone. You know what she did instead? She flashed me her tits. They’re fake, by the way. Cheap boob job if I ever saw one.”

Joanna gasped.

“You want to know what happened then?”

Tongue-tied, Joanna gave her husband a single nod.

“I had to get out of there. For two reasons. I was disgusted, for one. And I had the world’s biggest hard-on, for another.”

“But—you just said you didn’t cheat on me!”

“I didn’t, Joanna. But you have to forgive me for being human. A
male
human. Unfortunately, most members of the male species can’t help getting erect when they see a pair of naked breasts, even if they are made mostly of cheap silicone. I bolted out of there as fast as I could and headed for my private office. Not just because I felt dirty and wanted to hide, but also because there was something really important that I had to do.”

“Such as?”

Harlan reddened. “This is where it gets sort of embarrassing.”

“I don’t give a damn whether you’re embarrassed or not,” Joanna snarled. “Out with it.”

Harlan wrung his perfect surgeon’s hands together. “Joanna, I think it goes without saying that you and I haven’t been doing much in the bedroom lately. We’ve both been working too hard. But all of that tension still has to go somewhere. And today, it went into the shower stall in my private office.”

Joanna’s eyes widened. “You mean—“

“Yes, Joanna. I jerked off in the shower. Then I fell asleep without getting dressed. That’s it.”

Joanna covered her mouth and giggled like a young girl. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I had so much—well—
stuff
backed up in those parts that I pretty much passed out afterward. Maryam Malone had to wake me up with smelling salts.” He grimaced. “Boy, that woman is not a nice sight to wake up to. Unlike you.”

Harlan took both of his wife’s hands in his own. “Joanna, what we have together is rare and special. I don’t want to throw it all away just because we’ve had a rough couple of months. Do you?”

Joanna lowered her eyes and shook her head. “But things can’t go on like they have been.”

“I know. And they won’t. I promise.”

“How do I know that, Harlan? You don’t always follow through on your promises the way you should.”

“I know. I’ll try to get better about it.” He paused and bit his lip again. “We could, ahh, we could go to counseling, if you like.” He squeezed Joanna’s hands hard. “Though I can’t guarantee it will work. I’m kind of hard-headed, if you haven’t already noticed.”

“We’ll have to make it work, Harlan. No matter what. Do you know why?”

“I can only imagine.”

“Harlan, I’m pregnant.”

Harlan swept his wife up out of her chair and carried her over to their bed. He set her down gently upon the rumpled bedspread, and covered her with passionate kisses. After a long moment they finally came up for air, and Harlan gently stroked his wife’s cheek with his fingertips. “I’m the luckiest man on earth, Joanna.”

“Yes, you are,” she replied, and smiled.

“How about you remind me of just how lucky I am? Think you can do that?”

“I know I can.”

There were no more words spoken between them. There was no need for them. Frantic hands seized upon clothes and tore them off bodies. They soon rediscovered each other, the incredible feel of naked skin upon naked skin, the heady sensation of their hot, mingled breath, the animal sounds and scents that arose whenever their bodies touched. All the weeks and months of anger and animosity melted away, and was replaced with nothing but bliss.

There’s a reason why make-up sex is always the best sex of all.

Harlan caressed his wife’s perfect body, taking special care to be gentle. Joanna carried precious cargo, after all. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t still love that body of hers to the fullest extent. No, Harlan had no intention of hesitating when it came to pleasuring his wife. He would pull out all the stops in that department, just like he always had.

Harlan went down on his wife and gave her the tongue treatment of her life.

Every touch of his tongue on her clit was pure joy. She came almost instantly, and her body responded again and again and again, becoming a live wire of nonstop ecstasy. He passed the tip of his tongue over ground zero again and again, turning her hot little nub into molten lava with each pass, all the while moving his nimble surgeon’s fingers in and out of her, pulsating them against her G-spot until Joanna thought her entire body would dissolve.

All at once, Joanna remembered why she married this man. The arguments, the tension, the misunderstandings—none of it mattered now. All that mattered now was their sweating, straining bodies, and how they made each other feel.

Joanna was so desperate to have Harlan inside her now that she grabbed him and physically lifted his entire body so that he hovered over her, his cock at the perfect angle for penetration. He slid into her satin sheath without being asked, knowing instinctively when and how to cleave deep into her body. They moved as one, sharing the best part of themselves, with the tiny embryo they’d both helped create tucked safely inside the space between them.

Harlan thrust into his wife softly and gently at first, concerned about harming the precious cargo she carried deep within her. But Joanna’s primal nature took over, moving her body in ways she never thought possible, ways that showed Harlan that his wife’s so-called delicate condition didn’t necessarily mean
delicate
where sex was concerned.

Quite the contrary, in fact. Something about being pregnant made Joanna feel more sexual than she’d ever felt in her life. All her senses were elevated, her arousal was more intense, and her orgasms seemed endless, taking over her entire body. Every cell of her body exploded with desire and love for her husband and her child, turning their lovemaking into a deep spiritual experience. It was a level of passion she’d never known was possible.

They rode the wave together, higher and higher, deeper and deeper, until the tide rose and flooded their entire worlds.

Sixteen

Rebecca Marsh drove up to the small 1930s-era bungalow just off Main Street where Dana Johnson lived. The formerly timid nurse-anesthetist had apparently quit her job right after kneeing a male orderly three times her size in the groin. The orderly was furious and probably going to file charges. Rebecca imagined there was probably far more to the story than that, and she intended to go straight to the source.

She climbed the three crumbling concrete steps that led to the old house’s front door. The bungalow was dingy and the stucco was peeling in places. Probably a rental with an absentee landlord. Rebecca figured it was exactly the kind of place where a young, single woman who was new in town would choose to live, probably with a roommate. There were two vehicles in the cracked concrete driveway—a small, well-kept Honda Civic, and a battered pickup truck, both with Georgia plates. Rebecca knew that Dana was originally from Georgia, so she guessed that the pickup truck probably belonged to Dana’s roommate, or perhaps a visiting college friend.

She never would have guessed in a million years that it might be Billy Hartzell’s pickup truck.

There was a worn cardboard sign posted over the doorbell that read “DOORBELL BROKEN, PLEASE KNOCK.” Rebecca rapped hard on the door. A moment later, it opened. And the bottom fell out of her stomach.

Billy Hartzell stood just three inches away from her, on the other side of the worn wooden threshold. He was barefoot and held a glass of wine in one hand. And his shirt was off.

“Miss Marsh?” he stammered, wide-eyed and incredulous. Rebecca did a double-take; how did he know her name? She’d never given it to him. “What are you doing here?”

Rebecca’s mouth went cotton-dry. This is not at all what she’d expected. What the hell was Billy Hartzell doing back in Statesville? More than that, what the hell was the object of
her
desire and affection doing barefoot and shirtless in mousy, timid little Dana Johnson’s house?

“Uhhh, I ahhhh, I’m just here to speak with Dana Johnson, please. Important hospital business.”

Billy stifled a smirk. “Dana is, ummm,
indisposed
at the moment.”

The words stung. Rebecca could well imagine why the woman might be indisposed. But she didn’t care. She had important business to take care of, after all. And who knew—maybe she could still salvage her chances with Billy somehow.

There was some valuable swampland in Florida she should really look into buying, too.

“Please tell Dana I need to see her immediately regarding her job at the hospital.”

That same instant, Dana’s head appeared over Billy’s left shoulder. Her hands slid around his waist and clasped in front. “I
quit
my job at the hospital. I have nothing else to say about it, to you or anyone else. Go away.”

Rebecca stood her ground. “Miss Johnson, it is imperative that I speak to you about what occurred on the Psych ward today. I should advise you that the police are involved.” She thrust one high-heeled foot over the threshold, trying to shove her way into the house. “And state inspectors are very interested in speaking to both of you regarding the incident in Geriatrics last week—“

Billy placed a firm hand on Rebecca’s chest and gave an unfriendly shove.
“Get out,”
he hissed.
And slammed the door in her face.

Rebecca stood on the front stoop and fumed. She’d never been so humiliated in her entire life. Who the hell did those two cocky kids think they were, anyway? They hadn’t heard the last of Rebecca Marsh, not by a long shot.

She climbed into her Lexus and pulled away from the bungalow fast enough to leave tire tracks. And headed straight for the Statesville police station.

****

Dana threw her arms around Billy’s neck and leaned in to kiss him. But Billy stopped her, tenderly touching his index finger to her lips. “You didn’t tell me you quit your job,” he said. “What happened?”

“Kind of a long story,” Dana replied. She’d changed out of her work clothes into a set of loose-fitting pink satin pajamas. They were demure and conservative, and covered her from head to toe—but Billy still found them as sexy as the most revealing negligee. Sometimes mystery is the best way to attract.

“Well, we’ve got all the time in the world. We’re both unemployed.”

Dana giggled. Billy pulled her to him and held her tight. He’d been here less than half an hour when that Rebecca Marsh woman had shown up and interrupted things. He and Dana had barely even spoken beyond pleasantries. But they hadn’t had to. When he’d shown up on her doorstep, it was as if they’d never been apart at all.

Their connection was so innate, so natural, it needed no explanation, no discussion of any kind. All of Billy’s fears had evaporated in an instant. Dana loved him, loved him unconditionally, no matter what had happened back at the hospital. She loved him even though she barely knew him, and he felt the same way about her. It was like something out of a fairy tale.

The logical part of Billy told him that such things were never possible in the real world, that there had to be a catch somewhere. But his heart said otherwise. His heart said to just go with the flow, to love the woman who, even in her innocence, loved him back with just as much passion. “Well, Dana?” he asked. “Are you gonna tell me what happened or not?”

Dana nuzzled his cheek and sighed. “I’d rather not say too much about it. I’ll get too upset.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She pulled away from him slightly, stared deep into his eyes. “Besides, I think there’s something far more important for us to discuss.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

Dana blushed deeply and stared at the threadbare carpet. “Billy, I’m a virgin,” she said in a small voice. “I really, really want to make love with you, but I don’t have the slightest idea how, or even if I should. I’m so afraid I’ll be a disappointment to you.” She looked back up at him, and her eyes were brimming with tears. “And I’m just afraid I’ve completely messed up my life here in Statesville, and I haven’t even been here two months.”

“How can you say something like that?” Billy asked, stroking her velvet-soft cheek. “I’m the one who accidentally helped kill five people. I’m the one who’s completely messed up my life, not you.”

The brimming tears spilled out onto Dana’s perfect cheeks. “I’m not talking about anything like that,” she whimpered, choking down sobs. “I just don’t know how I ended up this way, is all. A twenty-six-year-old virgin, with no idea about how to act around men. I hit a man today, Billy. At work. Can you believe that?”

He chuckled. “I’m sure he probably deserved it.”

That got a laugh out of her. “He did, actually. But still that doesn’t mean I had to do it.”

“Maybe you did have to. Were you afraid for your safety?”

“Yes, but—“

He put a finger over her lips. “Then you did have to do it. And there’s nothing anybody can do or say otherwise.”

“You really think so?”

Billy kissed her forehead. “I know so. What do you say we move this conversation into the bedroom?”

Dana gasped. “You mean—“

“We don’t have to do anything you aren’t ready to do,” Billy said, soothing her. “But there’s nothing in the world I’d rather do than make love to you, Dana. And I think it’s what you want, too.” He cast a glance down at his bare pecs. “Especially considering you’ve already relieved me of my shirt.”

Without another word, Dana took Billy by the hand and led him down the bungalow’s tiny hallway until they reached her bedroom. Dana’s room was much like her—neat, petite, and feminine. The walls were painted a dusky rose, and there was a pink plush throw rug at the foot of her full-sized bed, which took up almost the entire room. The bedroom furniture was shabby chic, mostly flea-market and garage-sale finds that Dana had repainted and reupholstered in pastels. The bedspread was white eyelet cotton, the sheets smooth percale, the pillows overstuffed and plentiful.

The whole room smelled of lavender and honeysuckle, the very scent of innocence. Upon entering the room, Billy almost felt like it would be his first time, too. And in a way, it would be.

Dana timidly sat down on the bed, her body sinking down several inches into the fluffy comforter and featherbed. She kept her pajamas on, and looked expectantly up at Billy, waiting for him to make the first move. So he did. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small travel pack of condoms. “We’ll probably need these,” he said.

Dana blushed again. “I know,” she said. “Though you’ll probably have to show me how to use them.”

He smiled, touched again by her innocence. “Don’t worry, it’s all on me.” He sat down beside her, placed his hands softly on her shoulders. “Funny, I thought you would have covered this in nursing school.”

Dana blushed even deeper. “Well, yes. But only the broadest general principles. I went to a Baptist college. They weren’t too big on the particulars.”

“Well, I’ll be glad to show you all the particulars you like tonight.” Billy began to unfasten the tiny fabric-covered buttons of Dana’s pajama top. Her body was stiff against his touch at first, but then slowly began to relax with each button, until the soft satin fell away from her shoulders, exposing her breasts.

He pushed her gently backward onto the mattress, then began to kiss her softly, first on the mouth, then slowly working his way downward—her chin, her neck, the tiny indentation where her neck met her chest. He caressed each nipple, making tiny circles around her areolae with his fingertips that sent her gasping for breath. Her whole body trembled and shuddered at his touch. “You’ve really never done this before, have you?” he whispered between kisses.

“N-no,” she whispered back. “You’re the first man who’s ever touched me in any way. Except for Captain Masters, but he didn’t count.”

“I’m honored.” Billy shifted his mouth from her chest to her cleavage, leaving a trail of kisses that led to her right nipple. Dana let out a little squeal and sucked in her breath as he closed his mouth around it, softly sucking, sucking, sucking. At the same time, Billy’s hands strayed down to the fly of his jeans, which he eased open slowly so not to disturb her. On pure instinct, Dana wrapped her arms around Billy’s waist, then slowly began to help him push his jeans down his legs. He wiggled out of them, kicked them onto the floor.

His rock-hard cock poked through the fly of his satin boxers; Dana instinctively reached down to touch it, her curiosity like a giddy teenager’s. She caressed his entire shaft, explored the intimate folds of his foreskin. She slid her fingertips with delight over the hot tip of his glans, slick as it was with happy juice.

Billy eased down his boxers with one hand, and showed Dana how to pump his cock and knead his balls with the other. She took to the lesson instantly, giving him pleasure like a mature, seasoned woman with decades of bedroom experience, not the shy young virgin she actually was. Billy relished in the pleasure she gave him for a few minutes, but soon had to cut things short. “That’s enough, honey,” he whispered, nuzzling her neck. “I want to last a long time for you.”

She didn’t question him further. He slipped her pajama bottoms off, then her panties; she lifted her hips up slightly as he did so, helping him along. Her legs spread of their own accord, welcoming him. He touched her intimately, exploring and probing her as gently as possible. He wanted her to be ready to receive him, ready to for her to have pleasure and ecstasy her first time, instead of pain and disappointment like so many women did. He rubbed her clit and vulva, getting her juices flowing. She writhed and moaned at his touch, spread her legs wider and lifted her thighs, beckoning him in. “Not yet, honey,” he whispered. “Not just yet.”

He went down on her, plunging his tongue deep into her sacred depths. Dana screamed, moaned, and sighed at the incredible new sensations. She never knew that such feelings were possible. She realized then and there that sex was not dark and dirty, something to be feared and avoided. With the right person, it was transforming, beautiful. And Billy Hartzell was the right person—for her, for always.

He licked her clit one final, sensational time, then worked his way back up her body. “Are you ready?” he whispered, kissing her breasts and neck.

“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “I’ve never done this before.”

He reached down, felt how slick she was, how swollen and spread her folds were. She was breathing in quick, tight little gasps, her mouth gaping open and her forehead covered in sweat. A red-pink sex flush dotted her bosom. She was ready, all right, even if she didn’t realize it. “You’re ready, Dana. Trust me.”

“I do.” And it was true. Dana trusted him absolutely, with her love, her body, even with her life.

The air in the room became heavy, silent. There was the slight metallic sound of a condom wrapper being torn, followed by rustling bedclothes. Billy positioned himself over Dana, gripping her buttocks to hold her at the best possible angle as he slowly slid inside her. “I’m coming in, baby,” he whispered. “Tell me if I hurt you.”

Dana closed her eyes and sucked in her breath as Billy plunged into her. What she felt as his cock filled her wasn’t painful, though it was a bit of a shock at first. She took deep breaths, concentrated on relaxing her pelvic muscles, willing her body to make room for Billy. And her body obeyed. When at first the feeling of his cock inside her was strange, a foreign body intruding upon her—now it was the most natural thing in the word. Billy’s body became an extension of her own. They were joined in such a way that Dana knew they would never be separated again.