AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Shh.”
He nodded toward the doorknob, and she opened it for him to carry her through to the bedroom. By now, with all their lovemaking, they were dry, so she didn’t protest when he laid her on the bed. Longing to be in his arms consumed her, but he didn’t deny either of them the pleasure. He sank down beside her and stroked her hair from her face.
“You’re beautiful. Do you know that?”
She suppressed a smile. “Who me?”
“Silly woman.”
He didn’t need to see how his words affected her, so she lowered her head and nestled against his neck. She shivered when he ran a thumb over her anus.
“I want to take you here. Is that okay?”
“What?”
“If you’re afraid, I won’t. Don’t worry about it.”
She looked at him. “I’m not afraid.” She’d had it before and liked it with the right man who knew what he was doing. Did Nathan? Usually, she didn’t go so far with a lover unless they were in a committed relationship. Despite the temporary status of her and Nathan, she wanted to do it with him. Which is probably why I shouldn’t. “Oh crap, we didn’t use a condom.”
Her words couldn’t have been more of a splash of cold water on him. He sat up. “Is there danger of you getting pregnant?”
“No.”
He studied her face, and she could just guess what thoughts roamed his mind. She had no reason to try to trap him, and it was his ass that teased her in the bathroom and wouldn’t let her go. He’d first seduced her, not the other way around. She saw when he came to that conclusion.
“I apologize.” He rose from the bed. Something told her the sex wouldn’t continue tonight. Damn.
She rose and found a clean nightie from the drawer and drew it on. Then she clicked off her bedside lamp and climbed into bed. Nathan moved around in the bathroom a while, but she ignored him. Eventually, he came to bed, and she pretended to be asleep.
“Alyssa.”
“What?” She tried to keep emotion out of her tone, but failed.
“Turn around. I want to hold you.”
Somethin
g warmed inside her. She resisted a little longer and then rolled over. He drew her close to his bare chest, and she luxuriated in the feel of him. They were just a bit too intimate for her liking, but she melted into his hold anyway. He encircled her in his arms and stroked her hair. When he pushed a leg between hers, she let him, and they snuggled tight from chest to thighs. After some time, she began to drift off, forgetting everything except Nathan.
Chapter Ten
Alyssa came downstairs the next morning well rested if a tad sore between her legs. Just outside the dining room, she caught the sound of angry voices and paused. Maybe the family needed some time to sort out whatever their issues were. Nathan had left their bed early with a note to her that he had something to take care of. He would meet up with her in the afternoon. For some reason, she thought of Natasha, but pushed the woman from her mind. The more likely explanation was probably work. The man never rested. She’d like to see the day he had no responsibilities whatsoever.
Something Piper said pulled Alyssa from her thoughts. “I can’t go because I’ve…got a prior engagement.”
“What prior engagement?” Lydia demanded, and Alyssa thought the woman sounded like her son. She had never imagined Lydia angry, but now that she was, her tone matched Nathan’s. That surprised her because she would have thought he got the controlled and calculated trait from his dad. “Explain to me why we agreed to spend time with Dad this week, and even when you’re here, you act like you want to be somewhere else. Now you’re saying the rare time Dad is strong enough for an outing, you’re busy. Even Nathan says he’ll be back in time. So who is this person you’re seeing?”
“It’s someone important to me.”
A shiver raced down Alyssa’s back. If she didn’t miss her guess, Piper was ready to come clean, and she would not be around to witness the possible fallout. The Cordes were friendly, and in the face of Nathan bringing home a black woman as the love of his life, Leo Corde had not batted an eye. What would he feel about his daughter being gay? No one could predict that. Either way, she would not be around to find out.
Forgoing breakfast, Alyssa darted down the hall and took a side door outside. She removed her sandals and started around the path to the back of the house and down to the beach. Only when the long stretch of shoreline came into view did she remember Cullen’s invitation to come where they’d first met. Damn, she was not feeling him today, or any man for that matter. Nathan’s actions and attitude the night before confused her, so she wanted time to think on her own.
She turned in the opposite direction than the one she’d taken that morning of meeting Cullen, but she hadn’t taken three steps before she heard him calling her name. Didn’t the man have work to do? Or was he the type to slip out and do his own thing when no one was looking?
“Alyssa, wait,” he called and jogged over to her. Even his movements were fluid and graceful, his sculpted calves golden brown from the sun. He looked as good as the last time, dressed in white shorts and a white T-shirt.
“Don’t you ever work?” She smiled. “How’s it going?”
