Jaci Burton (22 page)

chest, and he took a step back.

“What’s wrong?”

She smiled. “Nothing at al .” She swept her hands down the

planes of his chest, pressed in with the tips of her fingers

—nothing but a solid wal of muscle. She felt like such a . . .

girl around him, soft where he was hard. She couldn’t

remember ever being with a man who’d made her feel so

feminine before.

She let her hands wander farther south, reached for his belt

buckle, sliding his zipper down, reveling in the way he sucked

in a breath. She let her body slide down with her hands, her

legs parting as she sat on her heels.

“Damn, Ava.”

“I wish I could have you naked out here,” she whispered,

more to herself than him. She’d love to see the moonlight

washing over his magnificent body.

But now she focused on one part of him. She tugged on his

jeans, just enough to pul them over his hips, giving her the

freedom to reach in and pul out his cock. He hissed when she

wrapped her hand around it, which only heightened her

pleasure, making her want to prolong his. There was

something so intoxicating about being in control of a man.

She stroked him, slow and easy, loving the feel of him in her

hand. She tilted her head back to watch his face, the tight

strain reflected there, the barely leashed control.

That’s what she always saw, what she always felt in Rick

—control. Tonight, she wanted to shatter his control.

She leaned forward and licked the thick crest. It was warm,

soft, and a salty pearl of fluid spil ed onto her tongue. She

curled her tongue around the head, then covered it with her

lips.

Rick groaned, tangled his fingers in her hair.

“Sweet Jesus, Ava, that’s so good.”

Was that his control slipping just a bit?

He pumped his hips forward, feeding her his cock. She

tilted her head back farther, giving him access to her mouth.

He tightened his hold on her hair as she took him in. And then

he pul ed out, slid in again, developed a rhythm of back and

forth, the same way he fucked her.

It made her wet, made her nipples and clit tingle as he

fucked her mouth with slow, deliberate movements that drove

her crazy.

This was supposed to be for Rick. How could this turn her

on so much? How could she be the one losing control?

She removed her mouth, licked her lips, loved seeing the

dark desire in his eyes. She reached under him and found the

sac containing his bal s, massaged them, and his lips parted.

Now he was the one who tilted his head back and groaned,

the sound harsh and fil ed with need. She grabbed the base of

his cock and this time she did take control, compressing her

lips over his shaft and letting her tongue slide along the

underside as she rol ed her mouth over his length.

“Ava. Stop. You’re going to make me come.”

There was no way she was going to stop, not with his bal s

tightening in her hand, his whole body tensing and jerking as

she loved him with her mouth, her lips, and her tongue. She

wanted him to come apart for her the way she had done for

him. She took a deep breath and took him in deeper.

“Christ. Oh, fuck, Ava.”

He jerked, thrust his cock against the roof of her mouth, and

jettisoned al that sweet come into her mouth. Ava felt the spil

of her own moisture against her panties, the quiver of desire

at his climax. She held on to him until he was empty, his breath

ragged, until he palmed the wal for support.

Rick held his hand out for her and she reached for it. He

lifted her to a standing position and before she could utter a

word his mouth covered hers, his tongue sweeping in to take

the last of his own flavor from her.

Passion exploded inside her, and al the control she’d held

was gone. He curved his hands along her hips, her thighs,

then raised her dress and smoothed his fingers along the silk

of her panties. He pul ed them aside and palmed her sex—her

ripe, throbbing pussy craving the touch of his hard, cal oused

hand. Oh, the way he rubbed her felt so good, sent sparks to

her clit. She lifted on her toes to reach for more of that

sensation, arching her pelvis toward his hand.

“That’s it,” he whispered, his voice the sensual darkness

against her ear. “Come on, baby.”

He inserted one, then two fingers inside her, driving his

palm against the swol en nub while he fucked her with his

fingers. The scent of him, his taste, al swirled around her,

mixing with the heady pleasure of his masterful hand.

Suddenly she was fal ing, unable to stop the rush of her

climax. She thrust against him over and over while he fucked

her with relentless strokes, her pussy spasming around him in

waves of nearly unbearable pleasure.

Panting, she laid her head on his shoulder while he

withdrew his fingers, moved around behind her and said,

“We’re not anywhere near finished yet. Fucking your pussy

with my fingers got me hard again.”

He led her inside, to the spacious living room. She thought

they were going to the bedroom, but instead he took her to the

edge of the sofa and stopped there.

“I need to fuck you while you’re wearing this dress. It’s been

driving me crazy al night.”

She heated at the visual of him doing just that. She leaned

back against him, twining her arms up and around his neck.

Rick reached around to her breasts, covered them with his

hands, his thumbs scraping over her nipples. Even through the

material of her dress she felt it, the tingles of pleasure

shooting straight to her pussy.

“These have been driving me crazy al night, too.” He held

her breasts in his hands, drove against her buttocks with his

cock.

Ava hissed out a breath. “You’re driving me crazy. Fuck me

now.”

“What’s the matter? Don’t you like this?” He pul ed the

bodice of her dress down and fil ed his hands with her

breasts, teasing her nipples with his fingers. The contact was

electric, shot straight to her pussy.

“Yes. I like it. A lot. Fuck me.”

His low laugh vibrated against her back. “You were a little

more reserved when we first met. You’re a hel ion now.”

“You made me that way. Now fuck me.”

“I think I get the hint.” She heard the laughter in his voice, but

also heard the hard edge of desire, knew he was as aroused

as she was.

He bent her over the sofa. She held on to the edge while he

lifted her dress over her hips and pul ed her panties down,

blazing a trail of kisses along the way. By the time he made it

back up to her hips, her legs were shaking.

“Rick.”

“Yeah.”

“Hurry up.”

His laugh only made her hotter, quivering in anticipation

while she waited for him to apply a condom. He hadn’t even

bothered to zip up his jeans after their episode out on the

balcony, and he pressed against her now, his skin to hers, his

cock searching between her folds until he thrust hard inside

her.

She gasped, arched her back, her pussy clenching around

him as waves of pleasure shot through her.

“That what you wanted?”

She let out a moan, tilted her head back. “Yes.”

He held on to her hips and drove harder, deeper this time.

“Like that?”

“Oh, yes. Give me more.” Exactly what she wanted—to be

connected to him in this most primal way. To not think about

anything except this joining, the way he fucked her, the way he

powered hard so he could get deeper inside her, like that was

the only thing that mattered to him.

It was the only thing that mattered to her.

Until he reached around and strummed her clit with one

hand while he continued to pound her with relentless strokes.

The sensations were powerful, and with every touch her pussy

gripped him tighter.

He leaned across her back, his hand never leaving her

pussy.

“I like the way your pussy grips me. Do you know I can tel

when you’re getting ready to come?”

“Yes. I feel it, too.”

“I want you to come on my dick, Ava. I want to feel every

muscle inside your pussy squeezing me when you go off.

Come on, baby, make me come.”

His voice made her wet, made her pussy tremble. She’d

never had a man talk to her like this. She’d never felt so

incredibly one with a man before.

It was heaven. No one had ever fucked her like this. No one.

And she realized as Rick gripped her hips and thrust hard,

pul ed out, and powered inside her again, that she didn’t want

this to end.

She wanted more of this. More than just tonight.

He continued to murmur against her ear, moving to the back

of her neck. And when he bit down lightly as he fucked her, that

was it. She spiraled out of control, climaxing in giant waves

that took her breath and forced her to grip the edge of the sofa

for balance.

“Oh fuck,” Rick said behind her, and held tight to her hips,

his body glued to hers while he shuddered and groaned

behind her.

She couldn’t move, could barely form a coherent sentence.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to, because Rick picked her up

and carried her to the bedroom. He helped her take off her

dress, then pul ed the covers back and, after he undressed, he

climbed in bed behind her, pul ing her against him before he

wrapped his arms around her.

He kissed the back of her neck before his breathing evened

out and she knew he’d fal en asleep.

She felt safe . . . loved.

Love? Was that what she felt?

Yes. It was. She’d never felt it before. It made her giddy and

nauseous and scared shitless. And hopeful.

Maybe this could work after al .

She drifted off with a smile on her face.

Ava woke the next day alone in her bed, immediately

squelching the feeling of disappointment.

Okay, so it was ten-thirty. They’d been up late. And she

already knew Rick never slept in. Maybe he’d gone off to get

coffee somewhere.

She showered and packed, a sense of reluctance settling

over her. Maybe Lacey had been right about this place having

a magical lure. Though admittedly, Ava hadn’t enjoyed her

time here until Rick had showed up. He’d made this trip

special. Which didn’t say much at al about her friendship with

Lacey.

Ava would always be friends with Lacey, but she had a

feeling they were going off in opposite directions now. And

that made her sad, but it was time to face reality. Ava wanted

no part of the life Lacey led. And Lacey was a grown woman

now. Ava couldn’t mother her or force her to do what she

wanted her to do. Lacey had to make her own choices, even if

Ava thought they were bad choices. There was nothing Ava

could do about it, except be there for her friend if and when

the bottom dropped out of Lacey’s life.

It was time to let go, time for Ava to concentrate on her own

life, her own future. It was time to make some decisions about

what she was going to do with that life.

And who was going to be in it.

The door opened and her heart did a little leap at the sight

of Rick walking in with two coffees in hand. She smiled.

“Good morning.”

“Wow, already showered and packing?”

“The bed gets cold and empty when you’re not in it. It’s like

an automatic wake-up cal .”

He set the coffees down and came over to her, pul ed her

into his arms and kissed her. When he pul ed away, her toes

were curling and her nipples beaded against her bra.

“I like that,” he said, rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip.

She liked it, too.

He handed her a cup of coffee and they went outside on the

balcony to drink it.

“I’l miss this place.” She looked out over the turquoise

water, as calm and peaceful in the morning as the lazy town it

blanketed. It was already warm, though at least there was a

bank of clouds this morning instead of heavy, hot sun.

“Yeah, it is kind of nice.”

“I might want to come back here someday.”

He glanced over at her, his expression unfathomable. “Wel ,

maybe you wil . You can always come with Lacey.”

Not with him. With Lacey.

She shrugged. “Maybe. Not sure Lacey and I wil be

hanging out much anymore.”

“Yeah? Why’s that?”

“I’ve come to the realization that we need to go our

separate ways. We have nothing in common anymore.”

He nodded. “It happens sometimes. You’re probably

making the right choice.”

He said it so matter-of-factly, as if twenty years of friendship