Melt (5 page)

That same undefinable
something
he’d seen more than once in the bar flickered through her expression. “If you
weren’t sure, why did you touch me?”

“I think you already know,” he said quietly.

She swallowed hard. “I’m very single, actually. My ex didn’t
like to limit his options.” She propped her foot up on the sink and bared her
slick pussy to his openly appreciative gaze. “By the way, there’s one part of
me that really needs some attention.”

“Already?”

“It’s been several minutes, I’ll have you know.”

Grinning, he lathered her thigh. “Here?” His hand slid over
her knee. “Maybe here?” he asked, the sound of her laughter swimming through
his bloodstream.

“Try again, sport.” She gripped his wrist and dragged his
hand to the juncture of her thighs. Even through the soapy cloth, she burned.
“Much better.”

He rubbed one finger wrapped in nubby terrycloth over her
clit. As much as he loved her whimper, her drowsy eyes told him she was
fighting to stay awake. “Quick
washup
, then bed.” He
brushed a kiss over her forehead. “And sleep.”

“You’re so cute. And sweet. I deserve a sweet man.”

Her casual statement didn’t feel so casual in his gut. “I’m
not always so sweet. But yeah, you deserve the world.” He rinsed the washcloth
and went back to his very enjoyable task, making sure to explore each nook and
cranny. When he slipped a finger inside her, she giggled and moaned, a
strangely intoxicating combination. And when his warm cloth brushed her
breasts, she sighed and shifted her stance to lay her head on his shoulder.

“Best bath I’ve ever had.”

He wrung out the water and went back to wiping her down,
spending extra time on her sexy stomach. Imagining her flesh dripping with his
release had him hardening again. “You’re easy to please.”

“No, I’m really not.” Again, that faraway look flitted
across her face, and he wanted to go kick Rob’s skinny ass. “Thank you,
Justin.”

“For what?” Desperate to make her smile again, he twirled
the washcloth over her nipples. “My oral talents?”

“Well, that too.” But she didn’t smile. “For taking care of
me. For letting me stay.”

He cupped her cheek and met her gaze steadily, though his
heart wanted to pound right out of his chest. “You wouldn’t think I was so
wonderful if you had any idea how much time I’ve spent wanting another man’s
woman.”

She smiled and met his lips in a soft kiss. “Oh yes, I
would.”

Kylie slept, and that was some kind of miracle. She was a
notoriously light sleeper, prone to waking and prowling Rob’s house at all
hours, but she didn’t wake until just before dawn. She opened her eyes to that
murky half dark that hinted at sunrise, her body jolting at the unfamiliar
surroundings. Then she remembered.

Justin. Even better, Justin’s mouth.
Mmm
.
She’d be reliving those moments on his bathroom sink for the rest of her life.

She rubbed her eyes and shifted on the mattress, pleased to
feel a heavy arm wrapped around her waist. She wasn’t naked. Dimly, she
remembered him helping her into one of his huge flannel shirts before bed,
though she’d climbed between the sheets
sans
panties. She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled at his tousled hair,
his slack mouth. That he seemed to be smiling even in sleep made her want to
smile too.

And do very bad things to him. Yep, panties were definitely
unnecessary.

She rolled over and smiled again as he mumbled something
unintelligible. But his arm tightened around her as if he were afraid she’d
disappear. Not yet. Not until she’d gotten what she came for, at least a
half-dozen times.

How had he changed so much? She’d assumed in college he
didn’t have her needs, and she hadn’t wanted to taint their friendship. So
maybe it was her judgment that sucked, not Justin’s desire for missionary sex
right out of the gate. What had she expected? Chandeliers and floggers?

Maybe a little. That taste of the forbidden she’d found with
Rob had always been so sweet until it had spoiled altogether.

Back then, she hadn’t trusted herself not to try to mold
Justin into what she was looking for. Potentially hurting him had been out of
the question, so she’d slipped out of his life quickly and quietly.

Until he’d walked back into hers and screwed up…everything.
At least in her head. Because seeing him, remembering what it had been like to
have a true friend, had given her an out. If not for Justin, she probably
would’ve gone right back to Rob’s until she figured out her next step. Where
else did she have to go?

But Justin’s presence didn’t change that she had to go back
and deal with the wreckage of her life. She had bags to pack and decisions to
make. Rob might not be happy with them, but too bad. His concerns weren’t her
problem anymore.

She linked her fingers with Justin’s, marveling at their
width. He had broad palms and sturdy fingers. The kind of hands a woman could
trust. Even the ridges of calluses seemed sexy somehow. And Lord, he knew how
to use his hands for maximum impact. Just the memory had her nipples straining
against the worn flannel of her top.

Jeez, what was up with that? She’d always had a healthy sex
drive, but lately nothing had excited her except talking to Justin across the
bar. Those twinkling, deep blue eyes did things to her Rob’s whole body never
could. So much for the little crush she’d believed she had.

Forget little. Even his body heat against her side—and those
long, muscled thighs nestled against her hip—made her wet. So wet that all her
aches and pains paled in comparison.

She didn’t want to wake him. He needed his rest. But damn,
she’d have to go take care of herself in the shower if he didn’t open his eyes
soon. Biting her lip, she squeezed her thighs together and tried to think
chaste thoughts.

“How’d you sleep?” he murmured against her cheek.

Thank God.

Rather than answer, she palmed his scruffy jaw and all but yanked
his mouth to hers. There was no buildup, just heat and passion and relief. She
felt the same emotions from him that burned in her. She could tell from the
tightness of his grip that he was happy she was there, as happy as she’d been
to wake and find him holding her safe.

Rob didn’t hold her in sleep. He didn’t hold her very often
at all anymore. And right now none of that mattered.

She parted her lips, and his tongue invaded her mouth,
staking a subtle claim in slow, persuasive licks. She wound her hands in his
hair and arched against him, sinking into his warmth, his touch. He pressed his
chest against hers as he rolled on top of her, gently, carefully, supporting
his weight on his forearms. That he still thought to protect her stoked her
fire even hotter.

Kylie pulled his hair the way she’d discovered he liked last
night. When his hooded eyes settled on hers, she went for broke. “Fuck me,
Justin. Now.”

She rejoiced at his low groan as he reached between their
bodies and rubbed her warm pussy, already moist and ready for action. He pushed
two fingers inside her, filling her while she writhed. The second he touched
her clit, she’d erupt like frigging Mount Vesuvius.

“Condom. Nightstand,” he managed, hand pumping.

She fumbled until she found the knob of the drawer, then
searched for the familiar foil packets. But what she found wasn’t condoms.

Even without seeing the contents, she had a pretty good idea
what she’d stumbled upon. Rob had certainly encouraged her vibrator curiosity,
so she knew their shape intimately. She also knew the longer, pliable dildos by
feel as well. One or two, she wouldn’t have balked. Maybe she would have, a
little, because this was Justin. She just wouldn’t have thought he was into
toys. Or tongue rings. Or tribal tattoos.

Obviously time changed things. She didn’t have him pegged at
all.

But there weren’t one or two. Five, six, seven…she had no
idea. The drawer seemed full. She touched other objects too. At least one or
two cock rings, something she was sure had to be a butt plug…

A prickle of heat flared between her shoulder blades.
Whether it was excitement or trepidation, she didn’t know.

Justin must have sensed her hesitation, because he leaned
over and easily plucked out the item he was looking for. His hand bumped hers,
and his fingers were wet straight up to the knuckles. She expected him to say
something as he drew her hand away from his toys, but he only kissed her palm.
Then he ripped open the condom with his teeth and pushed down his boxers,
freeing his erection. His steely length rubbed against her lower belly,
taunting her. Reminding her of exactly how much she needed him inside her.

Questions didn’t matter right now. Nothing did except the
two of them and stealing pleasure for as long as it lasted.

She shook off her shock at his secret stash and helped him
sheath himself in the latex, deliberately scratching her nails across his
girth. She had a feeling he’d hit every spot perfectly.

If she’d had to guess, she would’ve assumed he’d go right
for penetration. He didn’t. He flipped open the buttons of her flannel shirt
and spread the soft fabric, baring her breasts to his seeking mouth. Warm and
wet lips enveloped her flesh, firing nerve endings and squashing the pain that
stubbornly tried to make its presence known.

“Love your tits,” he murmured, and she shivered. “Just
looking at them makes me want to come all over those pretty nipples.”

“Justin. You’re making me crazy.” Hearing him talk, period,
made her pussy ache, but when he added a bit of dirty to the mix? She was a goner.

Without another word, he rolled to the side and turned her,
lifting her leg on top of both of his. Then he worked himself inside her
slowly, inch by incredible inch.

The minute he’d embedded himself deep, he pulled out and
rammed home, ripping a hoarse cry from her throat. But he didn’t stop. She
gripped the edge of the mattress as he drove into her sex again and again. He
grunted soft, indiscernible praise, his damp hand alternating between her hard
nipples. She gasped as he pinched the aroused peaks, sure she had to be
thrashing against him.

The ball of lust inside her grew bigger, harder. Good Lord.
Somehow she hadn’t expected speed, and this was like a damn runaway train.

The liquid heat pooling in her belly spread, ribbons of
desire unfurling from her center out to every nerve in her body. She rocked
back against him. So very close.

“Oh God. Please. Don’t stop.”

“Never,” he ground out.

Her cunt clenched, tearing yet another groan from him. Her
liquid soaked her thighs. He pulled out and slammed into her, rotating his cock
so that her orgasm spun out and rolled back to her again and again. Caught in
the throes of it, she whimpered as his thumb and forefinger tweaked her clit.
She felt too sensitive from the quick climax, but his touch shoved her over the
edge again. This time, though, she took him with her.

Riding out his release, he thrust so hard she had to bite
the inside of her cheek to stifle her scream. He let out a shout as he pulsed
his cum into the latex.

“Perfect. Baby, you’re so damned perfect,” he whispered, his
body quaking against hers.

Right here and now, while still vibrating from one of the
best climaxes she’d had…well,
ever
,
she felt pretty damn perfect. And if she let herself, pretty damn scared.

Eventually he pulled out and disposed of the condom. When he
slipped back into bed, he curved his arm around her waist. “I didn’t hurt you,
did I?”

“Hurt me?” She arched her back and pretended nothing
twinged
or ached. “I practically feel like purring.” She
smiled and rolled over to rub her fingers along the morning stubble shadowing
his jaw. “Happy Almost Thanksgiving.”

“More like ecstatic Almost Thanksgiving.” His mouth met hers
in a slumberous kiss. “Will you stay?”

His murmured question knotted up her loose muscles all over again.
She heard the implications in that question, and as much as she liked him, as
much as she wanted to spend days enjoying the hell out of this heat between
them, she wasn't sure jumping right back into something that clearly wouldn’t
be a one-night stand was a good idea. Especially since the guy she’d thought
she knew so well had a drawer full of sex toys, and she’d begun to wonder if
exploration could be a slippery slope. Rob had started liking toys and porn.
Next thing she knew, he was having an orgy in her living room.

“What about your family?” She knew his mom and stepfather
lived a few miles away, but he’d never mentioned any siblings. He barely
mentioned his parents for that matter. Every time she’d asked what she thought
was an innocent question, he made a joke and evaded. As much as she wanted to
know why, she wouldn’t press.

“I usually hang here for Thanksgiving. Sometimes I head out
somewhere for dessert, but more often I hit the trails.”

“What about friends? Don’t you have any you spend time with?”

“You’re my friend, aren’t you? You’re here.”

For reasons she couldn’t identify, her eyes moistened.
Something about the vulnerability in his expression combined with the defensive
edge to his tone made her ache. Could Justin be just as alone as she was?

“You’re not spending the day with your family?” he asked.

“Dad’s on the road, and Mom doesn’t cook.” She blinked until
her eyes were dry. “She’s probably hanging out in the city with some of her
theater types. My brother’s in Milwaukee on business, so yeah, a big Fisher
Thanksgiving ain’t exactly in the cards.”

“So staying here makes sense. I’ll cook for you.”

Kylie rolled her head on the pillow to meet his eyes. The
watery light allowed her to see the tension written in the planes of his face.
“Justin—”