The Write Stuff (17 page)

"
Hush up a second," he said, resting his lower body so he was cradled between my legs. Every inch of him was still hard and ready with desire. I couldn't help lifting my hips, pressing myself against him. My toes curled under and gripped the blanket. "Does that feel like someone who wants to let you down easy?" His hand reached out for the side of my face before he paused. "Are you okay with this?"

I knew wha
t he was asking. A lot had transpired in the last day or so. Maybe what happened to me in the hallway should have made me gun shy about intimacy, but what my attacker had tried to do felt nothing like this. That had been a violation. What Alec was asking was worlds apart.

I nodded my head and without hesitation,
his lips captured mine. A thousand sensations flooded my mind at once. Like the way his tongue entered my mouth with finesse and ease, tangling with mine and stroking it boldly. How it moved in my mouth in such an intimate way that I felt we were already making love. The heat between my legs rose to a feverish fire as my hips began to grind against him. I pulled relentlessly at his shirt, wanting to rip it from his body.

He reached out an
d captured my hands, chuckling as he pulled back slightly. "Baby, slow down. I've been obsessing about this for weeks. I'm not ready for it to end before it really gets started. Trust me. I'm going to do you the way you deserve." He nearly brought me to climax with his statement. He raised his body and pulled his shirt over his head.

I
placed my hands on his expertly sculpted abs, but he captured them again, placing them back over my head. I began to think he was deliberately toying with me until I felt him lifting the hem of my shirt. Moments later his mouth found the sensitive skin of my stomach and I almost came up off the mattress. Gripping the sheets with clenched fists, I arched my back as his lips left a fiery trail over my abdomen. I moaned, begging for more of his tongue that stroked over my ribcage, traveling up my side. His tongue moved over the swell of my breast, taking me fully in his mouth. He tugged gently at my hard nipple with his teeth and my hands moved instinctively to his hair, pulling me closer against his mouth. I wanted so much more, which sounded greedy, but I didn't care.

"
Please," I begged.

He
listened but continued tormenting my hunger as he swirled his tongue around my nipple before releasing it and looking up at me. "Please what, baby? What do you want?" His voice was husky and sexy as hell. He knew exactly what I wanted. My body felt like it was coming apart at the seams, and we were just getting started.

My breathing began to rise like I had been sprinting and I panted the words out, trying to tell him
what I wanted. "You," I finally said, pulling his mouth to mine. I tried wrapping my legs around him to drag him back where I needed him to be, but he took control again, anchoring me in place. He rested again on top of me and I moaned in pleasure. Every nerve in my body was alive and seemed to be seeking the same release.

I reached for his shorts, trying to pull them off his hips. He lowered his body, taking them out of my reach. Just as I was about to display my displeasure, his mouth returned to my lower stomach again, taking a southern turn while dragging my sweats and panties with him.
Yes, god, yes
, I chanted. He was a magician with his mouth, making everything from my hips down quiver with need.

He li
fted his head for a moment. "You like?" He didn't wait for an answer as his mouth returned to the part of me that throbbed out of control.

The wave
of pleasure that had approached time and time again, only to be squashed when he pulled away, began coming at full force. The faster his tongue moved, the more intense it felt. I was no stranger to orgasms, but none that ever came from my own hand had felt like this. This was no fantasy. It was real and beyond my control.

Alec
lifted his mouth and dropped another hot kiss on my stomach. He stood and shed his shorts, pulling a condom from his pocket before dropping them to the floor. I watched with hooded eyes as he rolled on a condom. The anticipation was almost more than I could take.

He climbed on the bed again,
settling himself between my legs. I could feel his hard cock pressed against me and I spread my legs farther. "I don't want to hurt you," he said raggedly.

"
You won't," I responded, coaxing him forward by looping my legs around his waist. I felt the tip of him waiting hesitantly to slide into me and I welcomed the intrusion by lifting my hips.

"
Sweetheart, it's going to hurt," he panted. He was trying his best to make my first time as pleasurable as possible. The sentiment was sweet, but I needed him inside me. I ran my hand along his neck, bringing his mouth down to mine. My tongue parted his lips as my hands moved smoothly down his back, cupping his tight butt. Without warning, I lifted my hips, thrusting him against me.

He groaned against my mouth as I bit back a gasp of pain. A burning sensation had replaced the tingling between my legs as my body s
truggled to accept his size.

Alec
held himself still as I began to adjust to having him inside me. His tongue gently tickled my lips, coaxing my mouth to open. He kissed me and the burning sensation began to disappear as desire began to stir in me again. My eyes found his as he slowly began to move inside me. My body, which seemed to reject him at first, began to open and accept him fully as my wave of need rose. His hands gripped mine above my head, holding me in place as his movements increased. I lifted my hips, not wanting him to stop.

He moaned, thrusting faster and faster.
"How can you feel so fucking good?"

His words sent me over the edge
as my orgasm ripped through me like a freight train. I yanked my hands from his grip, tearing into his back with my nails. He moaned loudly, pushed into me one last time before collapsing on me.

Alec stroked his hand over my hair as we both struggled
to catch our breath. After a few seconds I was able to talk again. "Holy shit, why didn't I do that years ago?"

He chuckled on top of me
, which nearly made me jump from the tingling sensation between my legs. "I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but it's not always like that."

"
It's not? So, are you telling me you're like some sex god or something?"

"
No, I'm saying you must be. It's never been like that for me before."

"
Shut up." I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but I appreciated it anyway.

"
I'm not kidding. I'm thinking we're going to have to do it again so I know for sure."

We continued making love for the rest of the night, stopping only to give him a chance to recover in between. By the time the sun was beginning to rise, I was afraid I had put him out of commission for a week. It was as if my body wanted to squash years of pent
-up sexual frustration into one night. "Did I break you?"

"
Let's put it this way: I don't think I have any fluids left in my body," he laughed, looking completely spent. I kissed him across his chest, loving that he looked so content. "I've never worked out that hard at the gym."

"
And to think we have to catch a plane in less than four hours," I said, making him moan. He managed to drag himself out of bed and got dressed to go downstairs to grab us a couple of lattes. I snatched up my phone, seizing the opportunity to call Olivia.

"
Do you have any idea what time it is?" She sounded like I would have had I not just had the best night of my life.

"
I know, sorry. I only have a few minutes and wanted to give you the big news." I could barely contain my enthusiasm enough to tell her. "Alec and I did it last night." The phone was quiet for a second and I pulled it away from my ear to make sure I hadn't lost the connection.

She moaned before the impact of what I had told her sank in.
"Wait. Did you just say what I think you did?"

"
Yes," I squeaked.

"
Oh my god. I freaking knew it!" she yelled exuberantly. Her voice was so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. "How was it? Is he hung like a horse?"

"
That's disgusting, but pretty much, yeah. And it was good."

"
Just good? Come on, give me more than that."

"
I only have a minute before he comes back. It was excellent, okay? It kind of hurt at first, if you know what I mean, but after that, I didn't want to stop." It was a little embarrassing giving her the dirty details, but we had been waiting for this moment forever.

"
See, didn't I tell you? Now just keep doing it. It only gets better and better."

"
All right. Well, go back to sleep. I have to go before he gets back with our coffees."

"
You got him to fetch your morning coffee too? Damn, you go, girl." We both laughed and said goodbye. Before I hung up, she made me promise to call her again when I had the chance to give her more details.

Chapter Sixteen

Alec and I
left behind Nashville and all the bad reminders of my attack. Needless to say, we had created some new memories that trumped anything else. We flew into New Orleans for the second stop on our book signing tour. Since the Wicked Fantasies Book Festival didn't officially begin for another day and a half, we pretty much locked ourselves in my hotel room to see if we could create the same magic we had in Nashville.

T
he necessity of sustenance to replete our drained bodies coaxed us out of bed the next morning. We showered together, bringing a whole new meaning to the process. There was something incredibly sexy about a man's soapy hands skating smoothly around every curve of your body. Repaying the favor was even better. Feeling lethargic and relaxed, I flopped down on the bed, wrapped in a towel. I tried luring Alec to join me, but his stomach was threatening mutiny. Plus, he was anxious to explore the city since I had never been to New Orleans. He said he would give me the expert tour. Begrudgingly, I allowed him to drag me up to my feet so I could get dressed. After twenty minutes and one last longing look at the comfort of the room, we left to head downstairs.

"
I think I've created a nympho," Alec teased as we stepped into the empty elevator.

"
Pssh. I think I've always been one. You just helped release the beast. Does that disturb you?"

He tugged me int
o his arms. "Not on your life. If anything, it makes me want you more." He lowered his voice to a deep, seductive whisper. "I want to touch every inch of you, letting my fingers lead the way before my mouth follows the same path." His mouth moved across my neck and up to my earlobe where he nipped gently. "I want to take you every way possible and make you beg for more," he growled lightly before his mouth took mine.

His actions sent
a shudder of pleasure rippling from my head to my toes. "You better stop or the only part of the city you're going to see is the view from the room," I said, pulling away.

"
Babe, you have no idea what's coming. We're going to turn our tour of the city into a giant foreplay session." He trailed his hand across my chest, making my hardened nipples tingle beneath my lacy bra. I snatched his hand, pulling it tightly against my bosom.

"
Careful. You think because I'm new to this I don't know how to play?" I slid my hand down to his crotch, rubbing him until he became rock hard under his jeans. "You want me to take this right here, right now?" He watched me intently as I began lowering myself to my knees, reaching for the clasp of his jeans.

"
Too late," I said, standing when the elevator dinged, signaling our arrival at the lobby. I breezed through the doors when they opened, leaving Alec to walk awkwardly past a group of women waiting to get on.

Alec
caught up with me outside the hotel before I could reach the three shallow steps that led to the sidewalk. "Touché," he said, lacing his fingers through mine. "Obviously you've got game. Who would have thought?" I threw my head back, laughing.

The
air outside in New Orleans was thick and muggy. Alec tucked me under the crook of his arm as we made our way along uneven streets that were littered with tourists. Having never been to New Orleans, the city was different than what I had envisioned. It had been almost nine years since Hurricane Katrina and everywhere you looked there was still evidence of the storm's destruction and damage that still had not been repaired. I remembered being in middle school when the storm hit and watching the coverage on TV with my parents. I felt so sorry for the people the news stations would show who had lost everything they owned.

Alec laughed, seeing the sour expression on my face as we sidestepped a pothole filled with murky water.
"Why do you keep wrinkling your nose?"

"
Because it's stinky here," I whispered so I wouldn't offend any of the locals.

"
That's because it's pretty much a party town. There are nicer areas. Bourbon Street here is just a whole different experience," he said as an attendant standing outside a strip club tried to entice us inside with the offer that ladies got in for half price.

"
Oh lord," I muttered, scooting closer to Alec, who chuckled again.

"
You don't want to go check it out?" I could tell by his tone that he was teasing, but he placed a soft kiss on my cheek to leave no doubt. I shivered with delight. I'd discovered during the past couple of days that Alec was a hands-on kind of guy. He was always finding excuses to touch or kiss me. I liked it more than I probably should have. He made me feel wanted and desirable. Hell, even irresistible. Being with him was a heady experience. Women openly admired him as we strolled down the street, but he didn't seem to notice. Or at least he didn't let on. He appeared to only have eyes for me.

"
Do you want to see some boobs?"

My question obviously took him by surprise because h
e nearly fell down laughing as he clapped his hands.

I stopped and crossed my arms across my chest.
"What?" I knew my question was direct, but I was curious whether he was into places like strip clubs.

"
Did you really just ask me if I wanted to see some boobs?" He could barely choke out his words. "You should work as an attendant outside one of the clubs. That's a great line to get people inside," he said, practically coming to tears from laughing so hard.

"
Whatever," I said, turning my back and walking away.

"
Hang on," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder to stop me. He spun me around, but looking me in the eyes only made him start laughing again. "Wait, don't leave." He shook his head to collect himself. "Okay, seriously now." His eyes fell to my chest before meeting mine. "Only yours, sweetheart. Only yours."

That was
how the day went. Well, not the laughing-at-my-expense part. We flirted and touched, driving each other mad with thoughts and innuendos. Somewhere along the way, we even managed to take in the ambiance of our surroundings. After Bourbon Street, I stopped focusing on the sour smells and general lack of cleanliness and began to appreciate the actual beauty of the city that was steeped in tradition and culture. We sampled local delicacies, liking each one more than the last. My favorite culinary delight was the beignet from Cafe Du Monde. It was like a pastry from heaven. The dough was so light and fresh it melted in my mouth. I became instantly addicted, so Alec ordered extra so we could take them back to the room.

Near the end of
our exploration, we stumbled upon one of the old parks in the heart of the city where a couple stood, exchanging vows in front of a minster and a couple dozen friends and family. The colors in the sky had just begun to change in the pre-dusk hour when the sun wasn't quite as hot and a mild breeze cut into the humidity. Two peacocks strutted across the grass without fear, their brilliant feathers fanned out behind them. Combined with the backdrop of the historic architecture of the surrounding buildings, the scene was absolutely picturesque and became my favorite moment of the day.

"
Oh no. You're one of those girls who is a total sucker for weddings," Alec whispered, seeing the starry-eyed look in my eyes.

I shook my head
, scrunching up my nose distastefully as he slid an arm around my waist. "Not at all. I'm a romantic at heart, but I can totally do without the hoopla of an actual wedding ceremony. I've been a bridesmaid twice, and after witnessing the pre-wedding mayhem, I would rather elope."

"
And she surprises me again," Alec said, kissing the top of my head.

"
It's the peacocks. I'm a bit obsessed with them," I said, pointing to the majestic birds that had migrated to the bushes. "I've always thought they were beautiful, but I was researching them for
Wicked Lovely
, and I was instantly hooked by their symbolism."

"
Really? So, what do they symbolize?"

"
It's fascinating. A lot of religions believe the peacock is a symbol of immortality, while others believe it symbolizes new beginnings. The idea of immortality has always fascinated me, but I actually used the new beginning symbolism in
Wicked Lovely
."

"
New beginnings? I like that," he murmured, trailing his lips along my neck.

I leaned back in
to his embrace, completely agreeing with him. The kind of new beginning we were experiencing was definitely something I could learn to love.

We watched the
peacocks for several more minutes before strolling away. Maybe someday I would have a peacock at my own wedding. Maybe with Alec. It could be our one and only witness. My glimpse into the future wasn't something I would share. The virgin thing was a big enough hurdle to get over. Still, I was beginning to fall for him—hard.

W
e headed back toward the hotel after a long afternoon of walking the city. The foreplay and teasing followed by the moment we had just shared made me more than ready to be alone with him.

We detoured briefly into
a tourist shop because I had it in my mind that I wanted to get Olivia the most obnoxious souvenir I could find. I had called her after the first night Alec and I had done the deed. She was, of course, appropriately enthusiastic, but turned crude when she demanded to know the details. I wanted to get her something absolutely hideous to pay her back.

Alec
's phone rang in his pocket and I smiled, checking the time on my phone. He had told me the day before that Lily liked to call him every night at eight o'clock, right before she headed off to bed. The one conversation I had witnessed wasn't long and seemed entirely one-sided as he asked her about her day at summer camp.

Alec stepped outside for some privacy, so I headed toward the store
's selection of tee shirts. Most of them boasted crude messages. Some were downright hilarious and I couldn't help laughing as I searched the rack.

"
Get her that one," Alec said, sneaking up behind me. He had pointed to a shirt with a cartoon picture of a woman's vagina that looked like a giant crawfish that read: "The taste of New Orleans."

I laughed
, thumbing through the stack of shirts until I found Olivia's size. "That's totally gross, but she's going to die. Did you want to pick something for Lily?"

"
She wants a toy airplane from the airport. I'll pick one up before we head home. I am getting this though," he said, holding up a box of beignet mix.

"
You know how to cook?" I clapped my hands gleefully.

"
You're looking at a master chef here. I make a mean French toast that would make any mademoiselle weep," he said in his best French accent.

"
My oh my. Aren't you multitalented?"

"
Not nearly as talented as you, sweet stuff. I can barely write a decent grocery shopping list. Forget about an entire novel. It blows my mind that you can sit in front of your computer and create an entire story. That's something spectacular."

His compliment made me blush.
"I don't know. To me, it pales in comparison to becoming a doctor. I think saving lives trumps couples hooking up."

"
Oh, I wouldn't go that far, especially when they're hooking up in places like balconies or on the deck of a pirate ship." He smiled crookedly.

"
You read my book?" I had a hard time believing it since I knew from past conversations that he preferred a more "manly" type of fiction. Historical romance didn't seem to fit into his normal reading forte.

"
Books, sweetheart. I read all of them. I have to say, for a virgin, you definitely sounded like you knew your way around the bedroom." He winked at me, making my cheeks flush.

"
All of them? Wow." I wasn't sure how to react. My family had all read my books. Even Dad, much to my chagrin, but I always believed it was because they felt obligated. Like when someone tells you a bad haircut looked good. Knowing that Alec had read my books made my heart swell. The emotions I was feeling for him were as foreign to me as the Creole dishes we had eaten for lunch. Not to mention, it was too soon. I could be setting myself up for the biggest disappointment of my life. As an avid reader, I hated insta-love stories. It never felt real to me. I wanted love built on a relationship that had grown and matured along the way. Not because he made my toes curl in bed or filled me with desire with only a wink. Love was an invested emotion. Not something you handed out willy-nilly.

"
Damn right, all of them. I tried the first book after we met at the beach, but how could I not continue after that cliffhanger with Jacques and Liz at the end of the second book?" Alec's eyes twinkled with humor. I couldn't tell if he was screwing with me. Over the years, I'd been teased mercilessly by the testosterone clan in my family, so I was a pro at sniffing out bullshit. Alec was harder to read.

"
People hated me for that cliffhanger, you know. I vowed I'd never end a book like that again," I admitted, purchasing my shirt before he could argue. During the last couple of days, he had tried to revisit the subject of me paying for things, claiming that if we were dating, he would be picking up the tab from now on. Not that the idea of him thinking of us as an item wasn't wonderful, but I had to put my foot down on him paying. It took some convincing, but I still had the solid reasoning that my purchases were a business expense. Uncle Sam wanted his money and according to the accountant who did my taxes, I needed all the deductions I could get.