The Negotiator (26 page)

Finished at last, she returned it to the storage closet and took a quick shower, dabbing on a light floral scent. The house smelled fresh and lemony. The bright morning sun poured through the open windows. It was another perfect summer day. All that was missing was Andy.

* * *

Andy swung the Audi into Cally’s driveway and cut the engine. It had been an eventful night and he was glad it was over. He was drained, physically and emotionally and he couldn’t wait to hit the shower and then crawl into bed.

He spied Cally’s Toyota parked in its usual spot and his heart rate picked up its pace. It was Tuesday morning. Jack should be in school. He remembered the previous night’s phone call and his cock stirred with interest. All of a sudden, he didn’t feel quite so exhausted.

With a renewed burst of energy, he climbed out of his car and jogged up the front steps, calling out to Cally as he went. She met him in the entryway and gave him an unsteady smile and then quickly looked away; a blush stained her cheeks. He knew exactly how she was feeling. He felt a little uncertain, too.

Breaking the awkward silence, he stepped closer and planted a quick kiss on her nose before moving swiftly away. “Mm, you smell nice,” he murmured. “And I don’t.” He looked down at his crumpled uniform. “I’m going to head to the shower.”

Ignoring the confused expression on her face, he turned away from her, knowing she’d been expecting more. After what they’d shared the night before, he couldn’t blame her for wondering what the hell had just happened. He didn’t know, either. What he did know was that he wanted her—hot and hard and fast. The phone sex was just the beginning. All it had done was whet his appetite. He had to put some distance between them so that he could get his libido under control. He had to take things slowly: coax her, convince her she wanted him as much as he wanted her. And then he’d let the magic take over.

That’s how it had worked in his fantasies, anyway. He could only hope the reality of it would exceed his expectations. But right now, he was off to the shower, preferably one that was icy cold.

* * *

Cally’s belly churned with confusion and nerves. A moment earlier, Andy had disappeared down the hall with a towel slung over his shoulder. He’d kissed her and then had left her, almost as if he needed to get away. She didn’t know what to make of it.

She might have been brazen over the phone, but now, face to face, it was a different matter. Should she make reference to what they’d shared, or ignore it? She’d never been in this position before. She didn’t have a clue how to proceed. She could always ask Kate. Her friend would know what to do… Cally would call her when Andy returned to his room.

With her mind made up, she turned to go back into the kitchen and abruptly came up short. Andy had finished in the shower and now leaned against the doorframe in the hall. He was naked except for the bath towel draped casually around his hips.

Heat burned her face and spread across her stomach before moving much lower. A surge of desire swept through her and her nipples hardened involuntarily beneath her light summer dress. All of a sudden, she remembered how it felt when she’d climaxed to the sound of Andy’s deep, husky voice.

Her gaze wandered over him. His broad chest was the color of copper and contrasted with the sun-bleached blond of his hair. Wet from the shower, it looked like he’d finger combed it, making it look even sexier than usual. His cheeks were freshly shaven and she caught a whiff of his tantalizing cologne.

Her gaze moved to his slightly parted lips and she remembered the feel of them pressed against hers. Her gaze dropped lower, moved across his broad chest and then lower still. She followed the thin path of dark hair that trailed down his belly and finally stopped at the bulge behind his towel. Her heart thudded with excitement.

“See anything you like?”

Her gaze flew up to his. Heat flooded her face. When his gaze slid over her, her body burned with fire.

“I-I’m sorry.” Her cheeks burned. “I-I…I’ll just—”

“Why don’t you come over here and say hello to me properly? It’s been
way
too long since I’ve seen you.”

The dark depths of his eyes were mesmerizing.

“It’s good to be home,” he added softly.

Her heart skipped a beat and then galloped away. Her feet inched forward until she stood less than a foot from him. His arm snaked out and hauled her up against his chest and she gasped.

She tilted her head back and stared up into his eyes, the blood thumping loudly in her ears. Her world narrowed to his beloved face and all of a sudden, there was no one else, but Andy.

Slowly, slowly, his head descended and his lips grazed gently across hers. She stood on tiptoe and pressed herself against him, holding onto his shoulders for support. As if a match ignited between them, their passion burst into flame. Andy’s kiss turned deeper and more frantic and she matched him just the same.

When at last they pulled apart, they were breathing hard. Andy’s eyes glittered with heat and desire and Cally was sure she looked just as needy. Her body throbbed, her lips ached, her breasts were heavy with desire.

“I want to make love to you, Cally,” Andy whispered hoarsely and waited for her response.

She dragged in another breath and tried hard to calm her racing heart. Knowing there would be no turning back if she made the next move, she swallowed against the lump of nerves which had lodged itself in her throat.

She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek and then stood on tiptoe again. She pressed her lips against his and whispered, “I want to make love to you, too.”

Andy growled low in his throat and then bent and swung her up in his arms. With his long strides eating up the distance, it seemed mere seconds before he leaned down and deposited her gently on his bed.

“Oops, the towel’s come loose,” he murmured in her ear.

She blushed and then reached over and ran her hand down the muscular length of his naked thigh. “I don’t think we need the towel.”

His eyes widened in surprise and he shot her a lascivious grin. A second later, he joined her on the bed. On his hands and knees, he straddled her, with an arm either side of her head. As if in slow motion, he lowered his head. Her mouth parted on a soft sigh. This time, his kiss was as light as butterfly wings and she reveled in its tenderness. He kissed her over and over again, each more passionate than the one before, until both of them were once again breathless.

Reaching up, she put her arms around his neck and pulled him close against her. The solid hardness of his erection pressed against her belly through her clothes. He sucked in his breath at the contact and she couldn’t help the thrill of satisfaction that surged through her. Emboldened, she reached down and touched him.

“You have way too many clothes on, woman,” he muttered, his voice husky with need.

Turning her on her side, he found the zipper of her dress and slid it down as far as it would go. Pushing the thin straps off her shoulders, he touched her skin with fingers that trembled.

“You’re so beautiful, Cally.” He bent to fasten his mouth over her breast, laving it with his tongue through the fabric of her bra. She moaned in frustration, wanting desperately to feel his tongue on her heated flesh. Reaching around behind, she unfastened the clasp of her bra. She pulled it away and her breasts sprang free.

His eyes glittered with desire. He bent his head, intent on one of her nipples and she held her breath, anticipating the feel of his lips against her heated skin. His hot wet mouth sucked on the sensitive nub. She gasped. Desire coiled tight within her, pulsing with warmth and need.

It had been a long time since she’d been with a man, but she couldn’t remember ever feeling so aware of her body. Sex with Stewart had always been fast and furious and laced with massive doses of guilt. She’d never achieved a climax.

Nothing could compare to the feelings Andy stirred up inside her. Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, he turned his attention to her other breast. Plunging her fingers into his hair, she held his head. His teeth grazed her nipple. Her clit throbbed with need. She squirmed against him.

“Easy, sweetheart, easy,” he murmured, levering his body away from her. “We have all day.”

His lips returned to hers. When his tongue sought entrance, she opened her mouth and let him taste her. His tongue swept inside and he moaned. “
Mm
, you taste so good. You always taste so good.”

He pushed her dress further down her hips. She lay back against the pillows and lifted her bottom so he could pull it down over her legs, along with her panties. Once both articles of clothing had been tossed onto the floor, his eyes feasted on her lying there, naked before him.

He leaned over her and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. His eyes were almost black with desire. His bare chest scraped lightly against her breasts. She drew in a sharp breath and reached up impatiently to pull him down hard against her.

Her breasts were crushed against the solid wall of his chest. She arched her back, needing to get even closer. The throbbing heat in her center had become almost unbearable. She ached deep in her core.

As if aware of her need, Andy shifted his weight. Leaning on his elbows, he pressed kisses over her stomach and then kept moving lower. Cally’s breath caught when his tongue poked into her belly button, swirling and tasting her skin. A moment later, his mouth nuzzled her femininity. Despite the aching in her core, she tensed and pressed her legs together.

“Andy, please!” she gasped. Reaching down, she tried to pull his head away. Undeterred, his tongue pressed against her slit.

“Please what?” His voice was a low murmur as his tongue continued to work its magic.

Cally’s face flamed. Turning her head away from him, she tried again. “Please don’t do that.”

“Do what?” He swirled his tongue lightly over her clit. “That?” He lifted his head briefly to watch her reaction. “Or this?”

His tongue plunged inside her and she gasped again. Never before had she been caressed so intimately and she fought against the sensations as she tried to regain some sense of propriety.

“Andy, stop! I don’t think you should—”

“What? Kiss you like this?” He opened his mouth over the lips of her womanhood and sucked them gently into his mouth.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Cally. You’re so beautiful. I want to taste every inch of you. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Please, let me.”

His humble request eased her discomfort. Little by little, she let go of her instinctive inhibitions and allowed herself to experience the incredible sensations he created deep inside her.

As if sensing her acquiescence, he deepened the movements of his tongue. Once again, desire began to build inside her. The rhythmic stroking continued. Her fingers clutched at his hair, but this time in supplication as she silently begged him to put an end to her torment.

Her hips moved against him. In response, he increased the pressure of his tongue, licking and laving and swirling around her clit until she didn’t think she could stand it another minute.

“That’s it, sweetheart; that’s it. Come for me, babe, come for me.”

Andy’s murmured encouragement brought to mind the night before and was all she needed to push her over the edge. Waves of pleasure washed over her. Holding his head tightly in her hands, she cried out in release. Long moments later, as the last pulse of her orgasm receded, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He leaned over her on his elbows, a look of pure male satisfaction on his face.

“Aren’t you glad you let me?”

Heat flooded her face. It was one thing to
do
it, but to
talk
about it afterwards? Could she really cope with that?

“Look at me, Cally,” he commanded softly. He waited until she lifted her reluctant gaze to his. “Don’t be embarrassed by what we do together. I love you. I love every part of you and I want to show you how much.” With tender fingers, he brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “All the things I do to you are just a way of expressing my love. I hope you can understand that?”

Her heart beat wildly at his declaration. She held his gaze, reading the honesty and sincerity in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, she kept her eyes locked on his. “I love you too, Andy.”

His eyes widened with surprise and his face lit up with happiness. “Show me,” he grinned.

Though boneless after her orgasm, she pulled herself up slowly from where she lay beneath him. Emboldened by the desire glittering in the depths of his dark eyes, she pushed him gently until he was lying on his back, stretched out before her in all his naked glory. His thick cock sprang up from his groin, surrounded by pubic hair. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Her only experience in that department had been with Stewart and she hadn’t realized until that moment how unimpressively endowed he’d been—either that, or Andy was exceptionally big.

His well-muscled chest was smooth and tanned and hairless. Leaning over him, she brushed the tips of her breasts over his chest and watched in awe as his nipples puckered. Pressing her breasts more fully against his skin, she heard the quick intake of Andy’s breath. Noticing the strained look on his face, she grinned. “You were the one who told me to show you.”

His voice was hoarse. “Did I happen to tell you how wicked you are?”

“
Mm
, not today.” She gave him a cheeky grin.

He growled. “As I was saying—”

She silenced him by flicking her tongue over the hard nub of his nipple, first one then the other. He gasped and his hands clamped over her bare thighs where they straddled his hips, holding her still. The hard evidence of his desire pressed into the softness of her womanhood, still slick from her orgasm. She leaned over again to kiss him.

“You are a witch,” he murmured. “An enchantress sent to drive me out of my mind.”

She reveled in his praise and it made her even braver. Wriggling off his hips, she slowly slid down the hard length of his long muscular legs until her mouth hovered over his impressive erection.

He opened his eyes and stared down at her where she was poised above his hardness.