Untouched: A Cedar Cove Novella Part 4

Emerson blinks at me slowly through his long, dark lashes. "But, what happened, on the porch..."

"I wanted it!" The words tumble out, and even though I blush to hear them, so blatant and true, I don't stop. The guilty expression on his face is cutting right through me, and I can't bear to have him think what we did was wrong. "I was there too, remember? I kissed you back!" I exclaim, still holding onto him. "I could have stopped you, any time I wanted, but I didn't. I wanted it. I wanted you!"

Emerson's expression slowly changes as my words sink in. The dark shadow in his eyes melts away, and then he's looking at me with an intensity I've never seen before, like I'm something precious and pure.

"I thought... you must hate me," Emerson mutters again, still not certain. "The way you took off like that..."

"Only because your sister pretty much saw me naked!" I exclaim.

His expression softens into a small grin. "Half-naked."

"Like that's any better." I laugh, and just like that, the tension and uncertainty between us melts away.

We both catch our breath, and suddenly, I realize that although we're right by the party-the fire blazing, music playing loud-n.o.body is even looking in our direction. We're alone, in the middle of a crowd.

Together.

It's like Emerson reads my mind. He glances around, and then looks back at me. "Do you want a drink?" he asks, "Or..."

"Or...?" I wait. My pulse is kicking, playing out a nervous symphony in my veins.

Emerson gives me a slow smile. "Or, we could go somewhere."

There's no mistaking the look in his eyes. My breath catches, but even as the voice in my head screams out, "Yes!" I have to force myself to stop and think a minute.

You know what'll happen if you go with him. You know where those kisses will lead.

I feel the s.h.i.+ver of danger, but I can't look away. My blood is running wild through my body, and already I can feel his hands on me, the memory of their sweet caress.

I nod.

Emerson leads me out past the party, towards the dark shadow of the dunes. I walk beside him, but I can feel the heat of his body blazing just inches away from me.

"Are you cold?" Emerson asks, frowning. "Here." He unzips his hoodie and pulls it off, draping it carefully around my shoulders.

I breathe in the clean, soapy scent of the fabric, of him, all my senses overcome. His hand stays on my shoulder, and then he pulls me in against him. I stay locked under the safe embrace of his arm until we're further down the beach, and the noise of the party is distant echoes.

"How's your mom?" I ask quietly.

He tenses beside me. "I don't know," he admits. "Doing better, I think. She won't talk about it. I just hope, this time..." he lets out a wistful sigh, then shakes his head, as if to shake off the dream. "It's stupid, I know."

"Hope is never stupid."

I feel him shrug, still defensive, so I stop and turn to him. Emerson looks uncertain as I step forwards and slip my arms around his waist, resting my head against his chest as I pull him into the hug I've been aching to give him.

He tenses up, but I just hold him, waiting until his solid muscles unclench, and he's hugging me back, our bodies joined for a moment in something safe, and warm, and innocent.

I wonder how long it's been since somebody held him, really held him. Since he felt like he wasn't the one to carry his family's burdens, and keep everything together. All this time, he's been alone in his pain.

I know what that's like. I know how dark it seems, fighting to stay above water, when the world is conspiring to pull you under.

"You're amazing." I whisper, lifting my head so my lips can find his ear.

He makes a low snort. "You don't even know me."

"I know enough." I tell him, pulling back to look at him. Emerson's face is shadowed in the dark, but I can see the desperate hope in his eyes. "I know you're brave, and strong, and you'd do anything for the ones you love." I swallow, knowing I'm about to say too much, but not caring anymore. If my words can make him see what I do, break through the doubt and bitterness he has built around his heart, then it's worth it, worth making a fool of myself, if he can just understand how special he is."I only met you a week ago, and I already know for sure, you're a good man. Maybe even the best I've ever known."

Silence.

My words hang between us, wrapped in the gentle crash of the waves against the sh.o.r.e. I watch as Emerson inhales a ragged breath, then he's reaching for me. Not like before, wild and unleashed, but gentle. Hesitant. He touches his palm against my cheek, fingers tracing along the outline of my cheekbone and jaw.

I s.h.i.+ver, his touch like fire against me. Fire and ice, sending every nerve sparkling with energy. He takes a step closer to me, dark gaze still fixed on mine, and it's too much. I have to close my eyes, just to focus on the feel of his slow caress, and the faint warmth of his breath against my cheek.

My heart drums in a wild rhythm as he runs his fingertips over every inch of my face. My nose, my eyes, my lips... His touch is light as feathers, but every new whisper against my skin sends golden sparks rus.h.i.+ng in my bloodstream, twisting lower, pooling with sweet tension between my thighs.

I feel him everywhere.

At last, he cups his hands around me and cradles my face, so delicately, I feel like my body is about to shatter apart and spin out into the night.

My legs are weak, I can barely breathe. Everything I have is strung out, pulled taut, waiting for his kiss. And then, oh, finally, he lowers his lips to mine, and presses them against me in the sweetest, most tender kiss.

It's a revelation.

It's the most dizzying thing I've ever felt before, heartbreakingly pure. Neither of us move, or think, or breathe, we just exist in this single moment, our lips barely touching, but a lifetime of quiet hopes and secret pain pa.s.sing between us.

Time stops. I swear, my heart stops beating. Suddenly, everything I have in the world is right here, suspended in the gentle touch of his soft lips on mine, a whole universe bound up in this one moment. A promise. A bond.

Then Emerson catches his breath, and pulls me closer. The kiss deepens. Still soft and slow, but now my hands are locked around his neck, and his fingers run through my hair. I lean into him, falling into his solid, muscular warmth, and the ridge of his shoulders under my roving palms. He teases my mouth open, and then our tongues are intertwined: tasting, searching, drinking in this moment like we can make it last forever.

I fall into the kiss like it's gravity. There's no thought or decision in my mind anymore, only the sweet warmth that floods my system, every cell in my body set alive, racing with pleasure, and desire, and something more: a bone deep rightness. I can't even process it, only respond from some place of pure instinct, like we're dancing in perfect harmony to steps I never even knew I learned.

I was made for this. To pull him closer, kiss him deeper, let everything go and just sink into the perfection. I could stay here forever, I realize, through the haze of us. He finally breaks away, his breath coming ragged and hoa.r.s.e. I can see from the look of sheer wonder in his eyes that he feels it too: whatever this is, he's right here with me.

Emerson wordlessly holds out his hand to me, and I take it, and follow him deeper into the dark of the dunes.

I would follow him anywhere.

EMERSON.

I should stop.

Before I pull her any deeper into the bleak mess of my life, before I lose it all. I should take her back to the party, drive her home-stay in brightly-lit places, around other people, with my hands to myself.

But I can't. I couldn't stop kissing her even if the world was burning down around us, if the whole universe was torn apart at the seams.

She's the only thing that's ever made sense to me, and now I've had a taste of her sweetness, I can't ever go back.

I need to make her mine.

I find a private part of the dunes, away from the party noise. It's a sheltered spot facing the bay, with the sand still warm from the sun. Juliet pulls my hoodie from her shoulders and spreads it on the ground. She sits, delicately, tucking her legs under her and looking up at me with that wide-eyed stare. Innocent. Inviting. I drop onto the sand beside her, and reach for her without a word.

She comes to me, willingly, her soft lips pressing eagerly to mine, her tongue sliding into my mouth. Jesus. I kiss her back, ravenous, pulling her close as her hands slide up around my shoulders, roaming across my back. I shudder under her touch, and yank her into my lap, lifting her so she's straddling me, our bodies pressed tight together.

f.u.c.k, she feels incredible.

Juliet lifts my face up towards hers. Her skin is flushed, she's breathless, eyes bright. I move to capture her mouth again, but she turns my jaw away and kisses down the side of my neck, tiny b.u.t.terfly touches that send s.h.i.+vers through my whole body. I feel my hard-on grow, rock-hard, pressing against her, every movement making me ache. I grip the soft flesh of her hips and bury my face against her neck, but it's not enough. I'll never have enough of her.

I lick up the pale column of her throat and kiss her hard as I slide one hand up her body. She trembles as I brush my fingertips across her breast, soft at first, but my blood pounds hard and I can't help myself. I squeeze, feeling the gorgeous ripe weight of her in my hand, and the tight nub of her nipple already hard and pressing through her clothes. Juliet moans against my mouth, arching to press her chest into me, so I pull her s.h.i.+rt open and yank her bra straps down, sliding my hands under the lace. I groan. Her skin is warm, so f.u.c.king smooth against my rough palms. I rub my thumbs against her nipples, teasing gently, then I squeeze.

Juliet cries out, a noise of ecstasy in the night. I drop my head and kiss lower, tasting the sensitive flesh, replacing my hands and fingers with my mouth and tongue. I circle one nipple until she's panting, then close my mouth around her and suck. Juliet yelps and grinds her hips into mine, a pressure so sweet I'm gasping for air.

I want her naked, and open to me. I want to plunge inside of her, drown in her, give her pleasure she's never dreamed.

Juliet bucks her hips again, and it's more than I can take. I let out a growl, scooping her tight, round a.s.s in my hands. I roll us, pinning her beneath me, grabbing her wrists with one hand and pinning them above her head in the sand. Juliet gasps, but it's excitement I see in her eyes now, wild and untamed.

In a flash, I realize: she's never felt this before.

I'm the only one.

I'm undone. I devour her; kissing, touching everywhere. She writhes under my hold, crying out, legs wrapped tight around me as our bodies slam together. I release her hands, and suddenly, she's the one on top of me: yanking my T-s.h.i.+rt over my head and kissing across my chest, trailing her tongue over the contours of my muscles and sending sharp, sweet jolts of electricity through me with every touch. I lay back, dazed, and stare at the night's sky, dusted with stars.

I could die now. I could die, right here, and be happy.

But not until I feel what it's like, inside of her.

I roll her underneath me again, kissing her deep, and shuddering at the feel of her body yielding to mine, the heat of her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s against my chest. I slide my grip lower, settling one hand on her hip. Gently, I slide my thumb just a couple of inches under the waistband of her jeans.

Juliet tenses in my arms.

I pause, propping myself up on one elbow above her. She's laying there, dark hair fanned out like a halo around her face; eyes heavy-lidded and dark with desire. My dark angel, so full of mystery and pain.

I stroke my thumb below her waistband again, teasing under the lacey top of her panties. Juliet catches her breath, but her eyes don't leave mine. They burn into me, full of wordless questions and curiosity.

I trail my hand across her stomach, watching it tremble under my touch. I slowly unb.u.t.ton her jeans, then pause again, watching her.

She doesn't look away.

I dip my head to hers, kissing softly as I slowly pull down the zip on her jeans. My hands are shaking, I realize, like some green kid who's never been past second base. Me, Emerson Ray, who's laid more girls than I can count; struck dumb and shaking just from the sheer antic.i.p.ation sliding her jeans lower, and stroking gently across the lace of her panties.

Juliet gasps against me.

I stroke again, soft, circling gently between her thighs. She's already damp, wet for me through the fabric, and I have to grit my teeth to hold back from ravaging her right now. I force myself back to keep up the slow touch, pressing gently, responding to every gasp and sigh she makes against my lips. Juliet's body rises with every touch until she bucks against me, eager, and I finally slip my hands inside the fabric and stroke my fingers down to touch her, hot and wet and the center of my f.u.c.king universe.

I stop breathing, and slide one finger inside.

Juliet lets out a whimper, but it's a distant echo to me. My heartbeat pounds so loudly, I can't hear a thing. There's nothing anymore, nothing except the feel of her, so tight and soft, and ready for me. Everything I've ever wanted. All I'll ever need. Time stops as I slide another finger inside and she gasps, arching up again as I start to stroke my thumb, circling, building the pressure, moving with me against my hand as I stroke, and pulse, and cling on to the last distant thread of self-control until Juliet cries out and her body shudders against me.

She falls, limp and surrendered in my arms.

I collapse on the sand beside her with a gasp. Her eyes are closed, lips parted as she gasps for air.

She's mine now.

It's the truest thing I've ever known. Like gravity. Like endless swell of the ocean waves. She's mine, and just the idea of another man touching her now-putting his hands where mine have been-is unthinkable.

I reach and gently brush a lock of hair from her eyes. She smiles against my touch, not opening her eyes. "Wow," she breathes softly, and I feel like I just scaled Mount Everest in a single stride.

"I'm just getting started," I promise, my voice coming out a low growl.

She blinks her eyes open at me, questioning.

I grin, tracing down her collar-bone. "When I'm done with you, you're going to be begging me for more," I tell her, circling her nipple with my fingertip. She s.h.i.+vers, and I feel another wave of l.u.s.t. "You don't even know what you're body's capable of yet. But I'm going to teach you. You're going to come so many times, you won't remember your own name."

Juliet blushes, and I have to laugh. She's still so innocent, it's like a drug to me. I get to be the one to show her, every inch of her body, all the hundreds of ways I'm going to make her come, screaming my name.

A noise comes, from further down the beach. Yells, and the sound of an engine. Light comes cutting through the dark, a flashlight, coming our way.

"s.h.i.+t," I curse, and move to cover Juliet's body with my own. She scrambles to pull her s.h.i.+rt back on just as the stranger reaches us.

"Who's there?" A voice demands from the top of the dune. He beams the flashlight right at us, blinding us with the light.

I relax, s.h.i.+elding my eyes from the glare. "h.e.l.l, Larry, get that thing out of my face."

Larry lowers the beam so I can see him, our town deputy, swinging a confiscated six pack from one hand. "Emerson Ray," he drawls, smug."I should have known you'd be mixed up in this trouble. Who's that you've got with you?"

"None of your business." I growl, but Juliet steps out from behind me.

"Hi," she waves awkwardly. "I'm sorry, we were, uh..."

There's silence as we all fill in the blanks of what we've been doing.

"You over twenty-one?" Larry demands.

I sigh. This is what happens when you give a failed football star some power: they want to throw it around any chance they get.

"Relax. She wasn't drinking." I answer for Juliet. "And you don't have to get your panties in a twist. I'm taking her home now."

I check Juliet's got all her clothes back on, and then take her hand. I start up the dunes towards the parking lot, but Larry steps in my way.

"I don't think so," he stops me. "You've got her in enough trouble tonight. I'll get her back to her parents."