Kairos (4 page)

His fingers part my moist folds and begin a slow but tortuous assault on my clitoris. I moan while pressing further into his eager hand. I am beyond reason now. I am living for the orgasm waiting to burst through the dam. It’s so close. I can feel my body tensing with the need for release. Like a wave building and building before it crashes against the shore. His fingers stroke with masterful precision. I am humming with electrifying sensations throughout my core.

“Shit. You’re soaking wet and ready for me. So fucking sexy.” His voice is husky with lust, which only serves to turn me on even more. I can feel him rocking his huge erection into my backside. My arms feel heavy as they slide down his delectable body. I place my palms on his thighs and gently massage my way up to his eager sex. At the first touch, his fingers still, and then he hisses loudly and moans into my neck. His smooth fingers plunge deep inside of me. First one, and then a second. The suddenness nearly catapults me over the edge, but he stops and waits while my body comes down again.

He’s dragging this out, and I am going mindless with the need to come. I work my hands over his steel shaft, up and down with firm but gentle strokes. I feel him stiffen behind me as his own need begins to seize control of his mind and body.

Tilting my head to the side, I expose my neck for his soft lips to caress. Needing no further explanation, he quickly seizes the moment and thrusts his fingers in time with his tongue as he licks my neck with an expertise I’ve never known the likes of. He gently bites my shoulder, and I squeak at the sensation coursing through my body. I’m so close. So close.

“Please, Logan. Please. Give it to me,” I pant. I’m begging like a greedy whore, but I don’t even notice, much less care. This man has brought me to the edge, and I feel as if I’m going to combust.

He chuckles in my ear and begins to whisper something in a foreign language. I can’t understand what he’s saying, but it sounds so damn sexy that I just imagine they’re words of praise, and I rock my hips hard into his palm while his fingers plunge in and out of my hot channel. In and out. In and out. Oh God, I am so close. So damn close. He bites the place on my neck that meets my shoulder…hard.

“Fuck!” I explode and crumple in his strong arms. His fingers are still milking every last drop of my orgasm from me, and I am lost to the white bliss that has swallowed me whole. My entire body feels as if I’m floating on a cloud of hot satin.

“That’s it. Come apart for me. Remember who gave you this. Remember this is only a taste of what is to come.” His words caress my skin as he plants sweet kisses over my shoulders and up the back of my neck. He pulls his fingers free, leaving me feeling bereft over the emptiness, but I’m too sated to say anything. That was one of the strongest orgasms I’ve ever had, and we didn’t even have sex. He’s amazing. I want him more now than I ever did.

The haze of lust begins to clear, and the music begins to play again around me. Other dancers come into focus a few feet in front of us but not looking our way. It’s as if no one sees us over here, or if they do they’re choosing not to look. A warm blush spreads up my neck and across my cheeks. Holy shit, I just let a guy finger me in the middle of a dance floor. What the hell was I thinking? I try to step away from him, but he yanks me back and then turns me around to face him.

He pulls his two soaked fingers up to his mouth and licks them with his wicked tongue. Then he puts them in his mouth and sucks them clean. This would normally gross me out, but I am finding it to be a real turn-on with him. I’m wet and aching, and it only makes it worse knowing he could ride me with the skill of a jockey at the Kentucky Derby.

“Where do you think you’re going? I told you that was only the beginning. There’s more to come, much more. Don’t you want to feel me inside of you? I’m dying to feel you sheath my cock as I plunge into your sweet wetness.”

I am standing speechless, staring up into his gleaming eyes. He gently drags his fingers over my bare back, and with his other hand, he cups my chin and leans down to claim my mouth.

His lips are soft, full, and rub against mine as if they were made for my pleasure. His tongue bumps my bottom lip, seeking entrance, and I open to him with heady anticipation. His tongue sweeps over mine and takes masterful control, exploring the concaves of my moist mouth and seeking tongue. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth and nibbles along its edge and then licks my lips as if they were covered in sugar.

Two people dancing in close proximity bump into my back, and I’m shoved none too gently into Logan’s chest. I push back against them to regain my footing and look up to find his searing gaze upon me. He looks over my head at the crowd behind us, his expression shifting, eyes narrowed, and brow furrowed—he’s all predator.

Our erotic bubble pops and fizzles away. It’s like the rope pulling the two of us together has been sliced in half, and I can finally gather my thoughts again. He pulls back to look down at my bewildered expression. The intensity that just a second ago consumed his face has been wiped clean. A sensual smile plays on his lips; he kisses me quickly, then withdraws, and begins to straighten out my dress to tidy up my appearance.

His instant mood change has left my head spinning, and I’m grasping to figure out what the hell just happened. I sputter out the first halfway intelligible sentence I can think of. “I cannot believe I let you do that. I don’t even know you. Oh my God, you must think I’m some kind of bar whore. I swear to you…” He puts his fingers to my lips and kisses my forehead.

“Shh. Don’t panic. Your morals are safe with me.” His expression grows serious. “You are not a whore, Sulwen. I am drawn to you. It’s natural to surrender, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He plants another chaste kiss on my forehead and draws me off the dance floor and back to the table, where Tonya and his friend are casually conversing. The two men exchange a glance, speaking to each other without words as I excuse myself to the restroom and beat a hasty retreat to clean myself up.

I look over my shoulder once to see Thad’s eyes following me. The guy makes me restless as hell. Something about him sets my nerves on edge, yet I don’t fear him. For some unknown reason I feel safe when I’m with him and Logan.
Crazy Town,
I think to myself as I push my way through the crowd. And yet…a tingle in the back of my brain alerts me that something greater is afoot here. I just need to be patient and let the mystery, that is Logan Thatcher, unravel.

Chapter
Two

O
n the ride home, Tonya will not quit asking questions about Logan. He sat so close to me the rest of the night that I found it difficult to breathe at times. His hand was always touching me; on my thigh, holding my hand, or on the small of my back. The contact was always there. It was completely unnerving how he could unravel me so easily. The worst part was that I enjoyed his touch, even craved it! He never made another sexual advance, but I could tell his lack of release pained him throughout the night.

I don’t think I could handle that entire package anyway. To put it bluntly, the man was packing a small python in his pants, and even though I may not be a math major, I can look at the two and tell they don’t add up. He would rip me in two. At least that’s what I keep telling myself every time I have a naughty thought of him plunging deep inside me.

Shit on a stick…I am so royally screwed. This man has me completely frazzled. Although he is miles away, I can still smell his scent on my dress. It makes my skin sing with erotic bliss. Holy crap, I need to get laid. I’m foaming at the mouth over his fresh and clingy scent. He smells of woods and mint. It’s crisp and sharp and teases my nose like a siren’s call.

“Have you heard a word I just said?” Her voice is tinged with amusement. “Girl, you’ve got it bad, and you haven’t even
had
it yet. What are you going to do when you finally get a piece of that sweet candy?”

I can’t help it; I laugh at her crazy comment. The more I laugh, the more I know she’s dead on with this assessment. I am smitten, and I’ve only seen him twice. Pathetic…I know! But it’s the reality of the situation, and like it or not, my body has plans to mate with his, and it’s not accepting a logic check at the moment.

She continues to peer at me from the corner of her eye. I know she’s trying to figure out a way to derail this train before I climb onboard, but I’m afraid there isn’t anything anyone can say to me right now that could simmer the fire growing within.

“I know you’re worried, but there’s no need. I’m a big girl, and I can take care of myself. It’s been over a year since Dad passed, and I’m not on the rebound from Tommy, so quit worrying. You’re gonna give yourself wrinkles prematurely,” I chide her jokingly.

She knows her skin is the perfect olive tone, and she has dark mahogany hair that is stick straight and looks good no matter what she does to it. Her big brown eyes are so dark at times they look black. She inherits that from her father’s Italian bloodlines. Of course, that’s not the only thing. She’s super tall, thin, and has a complexion that looks like fine suede. I truly envy her skin. Mine has faint freckles in the background, but once you’re up close, you can’t miss them. Insecurities…
yes
, I have them just like any other woman.

“All right. All right. I’ll let it slide for now. But you two were hot and heavy on the dance floor. Don’t think I didn’t see you in the corner letting him feel you up. Dang, girl, it damn near made my panties wet to watch it. Did he hit second base? Or did you hold him to a bunt and tag him out before he got to first?”

“I’d say he was rounding second, fixing to slide into third, and then tagged me out. Honestly…I would have let him screw me right there in that corner and not thought a thing about it. I was that damn horny. It’s shameful, really, but I can’t bring myself to regret it one bit.” I smile at her, and she laughs out loud.

She has one of those Julia Roberts kind of mouths that shows every perfect tooth when she laughs and pulls you into it whether you want to laugh or not. Gah, why can’t I be more like her? The girl doesn’t possess a single flaw that I’m aware of. Sure, she can be a bit bossy, but that has never bothered me.

“Do you remember Lucy from the tenth grade? You know, the one who always had a really fat friend because she said they made her look good?” I ask.

“Of course, I remember. Her so-called fat friend ended up kicking her ass into next Saturday and rightfully so. She was so mean and vindictive. You know my family loves to eat as much as the next person, and there are some chubbies in the familial tree, but she crossed a line by being so openly cruel. What made you bring her up, anyway?” She waits for traffic to clear so she can pull into our complex.

“Nothing in particular. I was just thinking that I should have chosen someone uglier for a best friend. It’s hard to shine in your shadow. That’s all.” That comes out sounding more true to my ears than it did in my head. I thought I was joking, but maybe Tonya being perfect in every way has bothered me more than I realized.

She pulls the car into the complex and parks in her spot in front of our townhouse. Then she looks at me with so much hurt in her eyes I fumble for an apology. But before I can utter a word, she raises her hand for me to stop.

“You are beautiful, Sully. You always have been. You have this ethereal beauty that can’t be achieved with makeup or cosmetic surgery. You glow from within, and it’s not my shadow you’re standing in. You surround yourself with books, work, school, and seldom take time out to enjoy yourself. You’re determined. I get it. I truly do. But you have to relax and quit judging yourself and others so harshly. In case you failed to realize, you had the second hottest man in the club tonight, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of you. There were half-naked women all over that club, and he never noticed a single one. That is the ethereal beauty I’m talking about.” She grabs her purse and steps out of the car. I quickly follow her.

“Second hottest, huh? I suppose you’re claiming the number one spot for tall, dark, and handsome?” I playfully push her shoulder as she pushes the door open, laughing at my comment.

“But, of course. He was tall, dark, and handsome, wasn’t he? But he was so quiet and reserved it was hard to carry on a conversation with him. I don’t think he spoke more than three sentences the whole time. But you know me, I couldn’t seem to shut up once I got started. I caught him smirking a few times, so I think he found me charming and of course beautiful.” She pushes my shoulder, and I have to laugh at her audacity.

“Humble, aren’t we?” We both laugh as we climb the stairs and part ways in the hall. We yell out our goodnights, and then I shut the door behind me.

What a weird day. I didn’t even get his number, but he has mine, so I’m not going to stress about it. He’ll call when he wants, and if he doesn’t, I’ll probably never see him again, so it doesn’t matter. The thought instantly saddens me. When it comes to Logan, my mind is in chaotic disarray. Something about him is so compelling. At this rate I’ll be in love by the end of the week. Ha…I seriously need to get a grip on my schoolgirl crush. He’s a pretty face with a nice body, and that is all. Any woman with a sex drive would be drawn to him. Hell, he’s sexy enough to spark a sex drive in a woman who hasn’t braved those carnal desires in decades. I find myself flinching at the thought of him with another woman, and that is as troubling as the rest of my thoughts when it comes to him.

Get it together, Macgregor! He’s just a penis attached to a sexy body. Maybe if I say it enough that’s all he’ll be…one big walking penis. But no—those eyes haunt me in a way nothing ever has before.

After finishing my nightly routine, I strip down and crawl into bed with nothing on my mind but green eyes and long blond hair framing a face worthy of a Ralph Lauren ad.

The month of April comes and goes, and before I know it, the last week of school has finally passed in a blur of finals and presentations. Finally summer has arrived. I can breathe easier now that my schedule has opened up. I’ve told my boss to keep my hours to a minimum this summer. I don’t plan on spending my every free moment monitoring gas pumps and selling beer. I’m going to live a little and try to discover who it is that I really am. Since Dad passed away I feel like I’ve lost a chunk of my own identity along with him. I need to figure out what it is I want out of life and how I plan to achieve it.

I have about twelve hundred in my savings, and I’m thinking of taking a little trip to the beach for some sun and relaxation. I’ll have to ask Tonya if she wants to come too. It could be our final college vacation together. The thought of that saddens me a little, but I suppress it and head off to the bank to deposit my check.

After running a few errands, I head into Old Navy in search of some summer clothes. I deserve a new outfit and maybe even a pair of sandals. Yeah, that sounds good. Shoes always bring a smile to my face. As I’m parking my old Camry in the only spot that isn’t a mile away from the store, my phone rings. I pull it out of my purse and lock my door as I walk to the entrance. I hit the talk button and sputter out a distracted greeting. Then I freeze as the voice on the line momentarily paralyzes me.

“Hi.” He always says it like it means so much more.

“Um, hello. How are you doing?” I start walking again so I don’t get plowed over by the chick in a huge Hummer backing out of her spot without looking for pedestrians.

“I’m good. And you?” His voice is like a rich dark chocolate saturating my senses; I wait with bated breath for each and every syllable. It’s pathetic! Gosh, what has he got over me that I cannot control my raging hormones any better than this. It’s embarrassing.

“I was going to do a little shopping. I’m thinking of taking a trip, and my summer wardrobe is a little lacking. I might even throw in a pair of cute sandals for good measure,” I tease him. Men cringe at women who love to shop. So maybe I’m baiting him intentionally to judge his reaction. I really despise shopping, but it’s a necessary evil when most of my clothes are suffering from overuse. I very seldom purchase anything for myself. It’s an old habit I inherited from my father, and I can’t seem to shake the guilt I feel when I spend in excess. There always seems to be something better or more useful I could be spending my money on. But not today…nope, today I’m all about indulging and not feeling even a tad guilty.

“Where are you shopping?” He sounds vaguely curious but not upset or discouraged in the slightest.

“Old Navy.” I start to make my way through the racks. The summer selection is displayed at its finest. I flip through the dresses, searching for something light and airy for the beach trip I’m debating about taking.

“Funny thing, then…well, that you’re at Old Navy, that is. Because I find myself staring at a tantalizing chestnut-haired beauty.” I lift my eyes from the rack and take a step back. I feel him long before I see him. His warmth tingles down my spine as I anticipate his touch. He doesn’t disappoint.

Warm hands grip my shoulders and weave a trail of heat as his long fingers skim down my arms and back up to my shoulders, and then he gently turns me around to face him.

“You see, I find myself in a bit of a dilemma.” He smiles as he cups my chin in his hand and pulls my mouth to his. His other hand lies possessively on the small of my back, tugging me gently to him. He breaks the kiss and smiles down at me with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“And what, pray tell, is your dilemma, Mr. Thatcher?” I smile back up at him as he chuckles at my retort.

“I’ve had these blue eyes and burnished brown hair running through my mind since that night at the club, and no matter what I do, I can’t seem to shake the need to see you. To touch you.” He caresses my cheek with the backs of his fingers and takes a step back.

I remember to breathe again. The air rushes into my lungs, and I struggle not to gasp.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
How does he do this to me?

I clear my throat and turn back to the racks. Trying for nonchalance, I pretend to be browsing the selection, but in all reality my mind is wholly focused on the meat muffin standing behind me.

“I think you’ll find that seeing someone is easily accomplished if you pick up the phone and dial the digits. Wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Thatcher?”

He chuckles, and then I feel him shift to my right side so he can see my face. He likes that. He is constantly seeking eye contact with me, and I find myself avoiding it with each pressing minute. He sees too much. I feel as if he can take in my every thought by simply looking into my eyes.

A warm blush rises up my neck and flushes my cheeks rosy red. I try to look down like something in the floor has just become monumentally interesting, but he cups my chin in his hand again and pulls my eyes to his.

“Why so shy, Sulwen? You weren’t shy the other night. Don’t tell me you’ve gone and judged what we did as a gross error on your part. I won’t allow that. I’ve thought of nothing else.” He takes the dress I’m holding and places it over his arm. I turn back to the racks and slide hangers over as if I’m actually interested in shopping. “And I didn’t call you because I was out of town all week. I apologize if you had misgivings about my character. Let me reassure you that while I may have been distanced from you physically, you have been on my mind nonstop.” He reaches over and runs the pad of his thumb over my bottom lip. My tongue darts out to taste him, and he sucks in a sharp breath at the contact.

I am nearly undone by my brash behavior. Heat floods my face. I can feel my ears lighting up like the Fourth of July. I turn my head back to the rack, but he again pulls my eyes back to his. He speaks to me with his eyes. It’s a language my body responds to with eager anticipation.