Jane Doe's Return (16 page)

Rinsing out the empty glass, he stared out at the stillness of the night, listening to the water gently roll against the shore. He couldn’t let things stay this way, and he wasn’t going to wait until morning. He had to make her understand that he couldn’t risk it, not now.

****

Closing the bedroom door, Shauna stood and looked around the room. She could smell his mixture of aftershave and sex appeal everywhere. “Damn him.” She threw herself on the bed, face down, and cried.

How could she suggest that they sleep together? He was her partner, her mentor. Being attracted to each other meant nothing. Was she so desperate to feel like a woman that she would throw herself at the first decent man who showed her any interest?

No. She leapt from the bed and smoothed out her shirt. She needed to sleep off the effects of the alcohol and then stay away from it—and Travis. Not necessarily in that order.

She pulled her shirt over her head and heard a noise behind her.

“Shauna, I—” Travis said.

Turning, she gasped as she struggled to cover herself and then she dropped her shirt to the floor.

He was in her room, and he was staring at her. He said nothing, just looked at her. His piercing gaze burned her body with pure heat. She could do nothing but drop her hands to her side and hold her breath.

In less than a second, he moved across the room and his mouth was on hers. His tongue parted her lips and brushed over her teeth. The intention, when her hands touched his shoulders, was to push him away. She couldn’t handle another rejection. But when she felt the heat that echoed her own, she opened her mouth for his tongue and clasped her fingers behind his neck.

His strong hands pressed against her bare back, sending electric pulses throughout her body. She arched against his chest.

Her lips felt cold when he moved his kisses to her cheek. His moist tongue glided across her ear, sending wonderful goose bumps down her spine. She could barely catch her breath as he traced a path with his index finger down her neck. His lips followed, applying just enough pressure against her skin. She caved to her deepest desires letting herself feel him. Only him.

No longer in control, Shauna had to touch his skin. Feel his nakedness against her fingers. She tugged at his shirt.

He must have felt her frustration because he whipped his shirt off so fast she barely had time to realize his lips had left her body.

When he cupped her breast, she gasped. She hadn’t expected it to feel so intimate. It was like he released her, allowing her to feel what she had been missing most of her life. She felt a connection with him like no other person she had ever known.

His lips danced about her neck, while his fingers did things to her nipple that sent her into a world she thought didn’t exist. Her whole body warmed and throbbed for him.

Taking in a deep breath, she offered her breasts to his mouth. Much to her delight, his tongue circled her nipple, teasing her in such a way she thought she might die.

She held his head in her hands as he drew her nipple all the way in his mouth.

“Oh, Travis,” she whispered, feeling his tongue glide under her breast. She looked down at him as he moved to his knees, his tongue circling her belly button. His hands dug into her backside, leaving behind his fingerprints.

A slight jolt of reality hit her when he pulled her jeans down over her hips, down her thighs and encouraged her to step out of them. “What are you doing?”

Still on his knees, he looked up at her, his eyes hazed with passion, lust, desire, or all three. “Giving you pleasure.” He kissed her stomach, his fingers curling in the lace of her panties. His steamy breath moist against her sex, making her hotter than she thought was ever possible.

Her body shuttered. He gave her pleasure all right.

She brought her hands to his head, wanting to run her fingers through his hair.

“Go ahead.” He looked up at her.

Tentatively, she threaded her fingers through this thick dark hair. It was soft and full and perfect. She could feel him chuckle against her skin.

“Oh, my. Ohhh. I—” Her head dropped back as he eased her panties down her legs. He kissed his way up her thigh, to her hipbone and then across her stomach. “I’m scared,” she said, barely audible.

“Don’t be. If you don’t like this, tell me. I can stop anytime,” he said softly before she felt him kiss her in the most intimate way a man could.

“You’re so beautiful.” He slipped his fingers between her legs, slowly entering her. When she looked down, she gasped, surprised to see him looking so intently at her, at what he was doing to her.

Her breathing tightened and her pulse raced with need. Running her fingers through his hair, she encouraged him to kiss her again.

“I want you to lie down.” He eased her back onto the bed, lifting her knees. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, unable to speak.

“Relax.” His fingers glided inside her while he kissed her swollen nub. Afraid she might scream, she bit down on her lower lip. Her body tensed as she felt a wave of instant pleasure wash through her, but then it was gone.

He looked up at her. “Shauna, sweetheart. Are you okay?”

She breathed unevenly, but managed to nod again.

“Do you like this?”

“Yes.” She moaned. “Please,” she heard herself beg as her body began to shiver under his gentle touch. She relaxed and knew she would find heaven. It was right there for her to discover, seek and savor. She wanted it.

He caressed and kissed her in ways no one could describe. His touch sent electric pulses to every inch of her body. “Oh, Travis,” she cried as her body reached its limit, convulsing with his movements.

He stilled for a few moments before he lay next to her, studying her face.

“Travis, I…I never… Oh, God, I had no idea.”

“We’re not done yet.” He smiled, scooting from the bed and stood before her. “That was just a preview.”

“It gets better?” She smiled.

“God, I hope so.” He undid his belt buckle, sliding the long black belt from its loops.

She watched him undress, amazed she wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, until he removed his boxers. Still, she wasn’t afraid, not with him. Her senses electrified in anticipation. Seeing him naked only made her want him more.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said, tenderly.

She moved to her knees, throwing her arms around his shoulders. “So are you.” She kissed him for the first time with feverish intent. She felt a sudden surge of empowerment.

He cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes. “I saw your pills. If you want I can still use a condom, but I’d rather not.”

“Do I need to be worried?” She knew all the dangers of sex. She also knew she hadn’t taken the last few pills in this current pack. She didn’t take them regularly. She didn’t know why she kept them.

“It’s been a really long time, and, no. You don’t need to worry.” Just as the words left his mouth, his tongue sought hers cutting off her ability to speak, much less think.

She had meant to tell him to use the condom, but she couldn’t. The heat his mouth offered was too sweet, and she wanted to feel him inside her, without any barriers.

She had enough barriers in her life.

He eased her onto her back, nudging her legs apart. She felt his hardness against her. “Anything you don’t like, or don’t want me to do, or if you want to stop, just tell me. Okay?” He kissed her nose.

This man was just too good to be true. “Who are you? And where did you come from?” She cupped his face, searching for answers.

“I’m just a man.” His words were soft and sensitive, but she somehow felt he wasn’t being humble. He didn’t see himself as anything out of the ordinary, but he was unique, special.

“You’re more than a man, Travis. Make love to me.”

“Not to you, with you.” He pushed down, slowly.

Arching her back, she accepted his length inside her. “Travis,” she whispered.

“Shauna,” he answered, moving in strong but gentle stokes inside her. He kissed her lips, her neck, her breasts.

She wiggled underneath him. Her body now knew the pleasure he could bring her, and she demanded it.

“It’s okay if it doesn’t happen again,” he said as if he could feel her frustration.

“But, I want it to. I want to come with you,” she said boldly, cupping his face.

“Roll over on top of me.” He gripped her hips and pushed them back and forth over him. He lifted his head and brought his tongue to her nipple.

She felt closer, but it wasn’t until he touched her where their bodies were joined together she felt a second wave of passion, stronger than the first one, shocking her.

Just when she thought her body was done, she felt his release deep inside her as he called out her name in a grunt.

“Oh, God.” She ground her hips hard back and forth as her body quivered violently. The intensity of her emotions, coupled with the fierce physical contact sent her system into overdrive.

No longer in control, she released the tears fighting to be free.

“Shh. Its okay.” He gripped her hips, slowing her down, pulling her close to him. “Shh, sweetheart.” His fingers tangled through her hair as he soothed away the raw emotion that rocked her body.

She didn’t know how long she cried, but when she took a big cleansing breath she was on her side, pulled close to him and he still whispered sweet loving words in her ears. “I had no idea.” She sighed.

“I should’ve been more careful with you.”

When she looked at him, his eyes looked so damned caring. She had to force the tears away since she didn’t want to start again. “You were wonderful.”

“It was too intense. I should’ve known and been more gentle.” He propped up on one elbow, while his other hand rubbed up and down her arm.

“If that wasn’t gentle, then I think I might like to see your idea of rough.”

That caught a laugh.

“Will you stay with me?” She closed her eyes, snuggling against his hard body.

“Do you want me to?”

She nodded.

“Shauna, you understand that this can’t happen again. Even if we want it to. I don’t want to tarnish your reputation. You’re too good an agent to be tainted by something like this. Besides, I don’t want to lose my job. It’s my life, what I live for.”

For the first time, his voice sounded almost demanding. He wasn’t giving her a choice. But she understood. While she didn’t regret making love with him, she did regret that it would never happen again. She regretted even more that someday he would hate her for lying to him.

“Shauna?” He gave her a questioning glance.

“I understand. I don’t want to lose my job either. Can we just have tonight? I don’t want to be alone right now.” She tried not to sound pleading. She would feel empty if he left her. Like it meant nothing to him.

“If the circumstances were different, I would want to take you out to the movies, kiss you goodnight and pray like hell you would invite me into your room.”

“Thank you.”

“I mean—”

She covered his mouth. She didn’t want to know if he really wanted more or not. He was willing to give her one night. That would have to be enough. “We could make love again.” She smiled, hopefully seductively.

“God, you’re sexy.” He smiled, wickedly.

It made her dizzy with anticipation.

“Inviting me into your room?” he teased.

“Just for tonight.” She would let him take her as many times as he wanted, tonight. She knew when she woke in the morning it would be over.

“Maybe if we don’t sleep, tomorrow will never come,” he said, right before he kissed her passionately with a promise of pure pleasure.

Afterward, when she curled up in his arms, she let herself, for the first time in her life, feel. She felt like a woman, a woman who loved and had loved back. She felt whole, and at the same time, empty. Empty because her secret would destroy her life, again.

Chapter Nine 

Travis lay on his back, holding Shauna as close as he could. Even with the sun trying to push its way into the bedroom, he wanted to savor the feeling her body gave to him for as long as he could. Being with her made him realize he hadn’t been living at all, but merely existing. The tenderness of her soul had awakened him.

Sex hadn’t meant much to him, just a need that he satisfied, on occasion. It was like wine. He could take it or leave it. Until now. He had made love to her more times last night than he’d had sex over the last two years.

The connection he had with her was so strong that breaking it would be like losing another part of himself. Turning to look at the angel who lay beside him, his heart pounded in pain. He hadn’t wanted to care again.

At first, he thought it was because he had given her body satisfaction. He made her feel desirable, like a woman should, but she was more than just desirable. She was damn likable, too. When he made love with her the second time, she gave her whole self. There was no hesitation, no fear of the unknown, just pure, uninhibited lovemaking that sucked up his senses. He had to make love with her again. If only to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.