Kiss It Better (18 page)

‘Matchmaking?’

He tightened the hug. ‘We’ll ignore them. Don’t hyperventilate.’

‘We? Theo, you’re leaving.’

‘You’re very welcome to stay at my place in St Kilda. You can try the temp nursing we were talking about. No rent, so no pressure.’

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’ She pushed against his chest.

Reluctantly, he released her. ‘The nursing opportunities are limited in Jardin Bay. It would be silly to give up your career without at least trying temping.’

‘I was going to try in Perth. If I try. I have friends there, contacts. My old hospital will probably give me a job.’

‘Nurses can get a job anywhere.’

She folded her arms, a defensive gesture. ‘This isn’t about nursing.’

‘No,’ he agreed. ‘It’s about us. Whatever there is between us. I don’t trust easily, but I trust you. And you seem to feel the same. Add in the fact that sex between us would be amazing.’

‘Would it?’

He unfolded her arms and placed her hands on his chest. ‘Do you doubt it?’ Her fingers flexed, digging in, feeling incredible. ‘Can you deny it?’

‘You’re talking about a relationship, Theo. This isn’t the best time for either of us. Our judgement…’

‘Or maybe this is the best time, when we’ve both been halted in our juggernaut progress through life.’

‘I’m not a juggernaut, merely focussed. That’s how I got through my studies. I hate not knowing what I’m doing next.’

‘Come to Melbourne.’ He covered her hands as they stroked lower, distracting him. ‘Explore your options in your career. It doesn’t have to be nursing. Try other temp work. Explore this between us; let’s see where it takes us.’

***

Cassie hesitated. In terms of the amount of time she’d spent with Theo, it wasn’t much. But the intensity of the time they’d spent together…it was probably more significant than her connection to anyone else. He had trusted her with his emotions, which was hard for any guy. And she had trusted him with her fears and confusion; the admission, that he’d understood, that she was lonely.

Despite the burnout from her experiences in Africa, she knew she was a strong person. Her partner had to be equally strong, and Theo was. He was also kind and honest. If they risked a relationship, he wouldn’t be playing games.

So it was up to her not to play games either. Yes or no?

‘Yes.’

Theo tensed under her hands. ‘Yes?’

‘Yes, to a relationship, to exploring what’s between us. Yes, to Melbourne. Although I am going to pay you rent.’

‘No, you’re not.’

‘Theo.’

‘Greek male.’

‘Half-Greek.’ She smiled because it was wonderful that he could tease about his parentage.

He was sneaky, though. He drew her into his body, bent and kissed the sensitive skin just behind her ear.

It sent shivers along her spine. How had he already worked out that happy spot? She forgot to argue.

‘If I take you to bed now, would that be rushing things?’

Since she was shivering and clutching at him and…oh good grief, that was not a whimper! It was gentlemanly of him to ask. ‘Um.’

‘How about I play with your breasts while you think about it?’ He began unbuttoning her shirt, a smile dancing in his eyes.

‘Wouldn’t that be influencing my judgement?’ She watched his hands part her shirt and drag the material up and back, his fingers drifting against her skin. The shirt slipped off.

Her bra was plain white, no lace or fancy touches, but Theo didn’t seem to mind. He looked and his tongue touched his bottom lip.

Her nipples ached as she realised he was imagining sucking on her. She fumbled with her bra strap and did the awkward shimmy to dispose of it.

‘You have beautiful breasts.’

She’d always thought they were ordinary, apple-shaped and medium-sized. Right now her nipples were extraordinarily sensitive, jutting out at the excitement of standing half-naked before Theo.

He touched one nipple with an enquiring finger. Circled it. ‘Should I influence your decision?’

It was damn obvious what her decision was. She shrugged and saw Theo’s expression tense as her breasts moved. ‘You can try.’

‘Darlin’, I aim to.’ Finally he cupped her breasts, hands closing possessively over the mounds so that her nipples pressed into his palms.

Her knees weakened, so she gripped the kitchen counter behind her.

‘Better idea.’ He lifted her up, sitting her on the counter and moving between her legs.

She slid forward so they were crotch to crotch, and this time she wasn’t wearing jeans but light cotton trousers. ‘Feels good.’

‘Wrong angle though.’ He rubbed her nipples.

Her thighs tightened. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘Nope. I want to suck your breasts, but to do that, I have to step back. The angle’s wrong.’

She was in no state to consider angles and solve problems of fit. She had him between her legs. He needed to stay there. But she was desperate to feel his mouth where his hands were teasing. She lay back against the smooth granite bench top. ‘Does this help?’

‘Yeah.’ His voice was low, raw. Seemed he liked her spread out like a feast. And his mouth on her breasts was everything he’d promised. He trapped her arms out wide, stopping her from touching him anywhere but where her thighs gripped him. He licked and circled and finally sucked.

She sobbed and tried to lift up. ‘Please, please, please.’ There was the sharpest, sweetest pain of wanting between her thighs, and no matter how she writhed she couldn’t get close enough. ‘Please.’

But Theo stepped away, and then his hand was there, offering a hard friction that she rode while he kissed his way to her other breast and sucked.

She shattered.

‘Beautiful.’ He kissed her mouth with a lover’s claim and impatience, drinking in her sighs till she lay quiet. He released her arms, trailing his fingers up from her inner wrists, up and along till he reached her breasts.

‘Theo.’

‘Come to bed.’

***

Theo led Cassie to the guest room, with its wide bed and sun-drenched view. The door was open, letting in the scent of the sea and the faint sound of the waves down below on the beach. He kissed her, enjoying the moment, knowing that she’d come for him, from no more than his hand and mouth. He hadn’t even been inside her, although he would be soon.

She kissed him back, tongues tangling without haste. She pushed her hands under his T-shirt and up, higher and higher. He broke the kiss long enough to strip off the shirt. She leant in and licked the hollow at the base of his throat.

‘You taste of salt and man.’

He groaned and unbuckled his jeans. Taking it slow was fine in theory, and he was determined not to rush Cassie, but she was killing him. He unfastened the button of the fly, while she tracked kisses up his throat to his all-too-hungry mouth. He unzipped, cautiously, as she sucked his tongue.

Her hands slid down his chest, down over his stomach and gently brushed his own hands aside. A warm hand closed around him.

His head went back.

‘I want you,’ she whispered. One lingering caress and she released him. She finished undressing and crawled onto the centre of the unmade bed. The white sheets outlined the warm colour of her skin. The breasts he’d kissed were taut and full.

He realised he was standing there, still partly dressed, just watching her.

She smiled, a little shy but totally honest. Totally Cassie.

He found a condom in his wallet, shed the jeans and joined her. Nothing about this was casual, and he wanted to please her.

But she seemed to feel it was her turn for touching. They touched and rolled, using the width of the bed to full advantage, tangling limbs and learning what turned the other on until his self-control was pretty much shredded. He pushed apart her thighs.

She drew up her knees. ‘Theo.’

Gazes locked, he pushed in slowly, feeling tight muscles cling. ‘So damn good.’

‘Yes.’ She arched up as she took all of him and he rested there a moment, his weight braced either side of her on his arms. Then she wrapped her legs around him and there was no more self-control, only sex rough and fierce, sweaty and real, that left them both gasping and coming and shouting out.

He heard his own name ripped from Cassie’s throat as her climax caught him and whirled him away so that he shouted her name, once, triumphant, and roared as he came.

‘That was very uncivilised,’ she said later.

Smugly he heard the hint of rawness from when she’d screamed. ‘Very.’

She rolled up on one elbow, a thigh shifting over his. ‘Do you want to do it again?’

***

In a vague sort of way Cassie figured that she should have known that sex between her and Theo would be explosive. They were both passionate but controlled. When you found someone whom you could trust enough to release that control with, fireworks were inevitable.

But mostly she focussed on how she felt. Free. Happy. Perhaps even a bit awed. It had never been like this.

They prepared dinner together, touching as they worked around one another. Then Theo barbequed prawns on the deck and they ate them with her rice salad while the last of the spectacular sunset faded over the sea and the stars came out.

‘That’s good.’

‘What is?’ She looked at him in the subdued lighting.

He gestured up towards the speakers set in the roof. ‘The music.’

The music had switched on with the lights, so much a part of life here that she hadn’t noticed. She concentrated and recognised the group. ‘Two cousins and a friend of theirs. All violinists. I couldn’t tell you the name of the piece, though.’

She smiled and stretched. ‘I burnt a lot of calories. I’m going to have ice cream. Do you want some?’

‘What flavour?’

‘Vanilla and coffee, or raspberry and white chocolate.’

‘You’ve convinced me.’

They walked inside, dealing with the dishes then scooping some of each ice cream into waffle cones. It was an incredibly simple pleasure, and yet magic. She sat beside Theo on the outdoor sofa and when the ice cream was finished it was natural to turn and kiss. The night wind was cool and heightened the pleasure of warm skin against skin. This wasn’t the desperate sex of their first time or the disbelief and double-checking that anything could be so marvellous of their second. This was an all-the-time-in-the-world enjoyment of the moment and each other.

Cassie relaxed into it. ‘You’re definitely a breast man.’ She hadn’t bothered with a bra and he was taking full advantage, now that he’d unbuttoned her shirt.

‘I like your breasts. Big enough to squeeze.’ He demonstrated. ‘Not so big that they’re weapons of smotheration in bed.’

She laughed.

‘Sit up here so that I have proper access.’ He shifted and tugged her so that she straddled him on her knees while he leaned back against the sofa. ‘Perfect.’

It really was. She trailed her hands from the bottom of his rib cage, up over his chest, along his throat and into his hair. She massaged his scalp and he muttered something about heaven. It was hard to be clear since he had a mouthful of breast at the time.

When they went inside, out of the light and to the comfort of a bed, the loving was just as slow, gently teasing and full of delight. Somehow Cassie wasn’t surprised that Theo fell asleep with a hand over her breast. She smiled. Feeling treasured was a precious gift.

She lay there, sleepily listening to their mingled breathing and the distant shush of the sea. Tomorrow she’d go with him to Melbourne. It wouldn’t be like this. He’d need his family and they’d need him. His work would demand his time and attention, and she had to find her own path. To nurse or not to nurse? But questions and worries could, would have to wait. Her tired, happy brain couldn’t focus on them.

And in the morning, Theo woke her in the best of all possible ways.

‘Better than coffee,’ she murmured, rolling over and cuddling the pillow when he got out of bed. The view of him walking to the en suite was pretty good, too. She enjoyed it till he disappeared, then reluctantly released the pillow and sat up. A satisfying stretch reminded her of well-worked muscles.

She grinned, and as the shower turned on, wandered off to her room to shower, dress, pack and generally get the show on the road.

Her hair was still wet when they stopped at the café for coffee and pastries.

Maureen shouted over the noise of the espresso machine. ‘You off then?’

Cassie blinked. ‘How did you guess?’

‘Theo said yesterday,’ Maureen reminded her, and rolled her eyes at Theo as he stood behind Cassie.

But yesterday Cassie hadn’t thought she’d be going with him. Now she was. She could feel the goofy smile spreading over her face.

Maureen shook her head. ‘You wouldn’t see me so excited about flying. I hate planes. Sardine cans just waiting to crash to earth. Splat!’

‘Thanks for that, Maureen.’

The woman handed her the two coffees. ‘You’ll be fine.’

In the car, Cassie laughed. ‘Good thing we’re not afraid of flying.’

‘Statistically, we’re at more risk on the road.’

She blew a raspberry at the notion of statistical truth, waved to Sergeant Forrest as he passed in the police 4WD and settled back to drink her coffee and eat two of the chocolate croissants. Absentmindedly, she ate three.

They arrived in the city late morning. A slow-moving, over-sized truck had held them to a crawl on the highway. It meant they cut things fine in terms of turning in the rental car and catching their plane. Theo walked a fraction faster than usual, but that was the only sign of pressure. He hadn’t drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, complained, hurried her when she was already hurrying; none of the things other guys did when they got stressed.

She settled beside him in the plane — business class, she didn’t even try to argue — reminded yet again of his self-control. It seemed effortless, genuinely a part of him. ‘You don’t sweat the small stuff, do you?’

He looked at her as the steward started the safety spiel. ‘Are you nervous about flying? Did Maureen get to you?’

She shook her head. ‘Never mind.’

There was that extended moment of pressure and ears popping as the plane ascended before its climb levelled out. Cassie ate a delicious chicken Caesar salad, enjoyed a sparkling water and refused dessert. Those three chocolate croissants were sufficient.