Treading Water: Coming Home Part 24

"What're you thinking?" she asked as he lowered her to the bed and hovered over her. "Right in this second, what are you thinking?"

"That I can't believe I get to hold you and kiss you and touch you and make love with you after thinking about doing all of that-and more-for so long."

Her arms curled around his neck, and her eyes went soft with affection as she looked up at him. "You could've said something sooner."

He shook his head. "I was afraid to."

"Why?"

"I'm not exactly your sister's best friend. I figured she'd poisoned you against me, and I had no chance with you."

"I know you think she hates you, but she doesn't. It's more that she thinks you hate her."

"I don't."

"Sometimes you act like you do."

Ashton couldn't deny that was probably true. "I don't want to talk about her." His lips found her throat and neck on his way to her earlobe, which he bit down on gently. "I want to talk about you and this tiny mole, right here." His tongue dabbed at the crest of her breast, making her squirm beneath him. "I want to talk about this nipple. And this one. And your skin. G.o.d, it's like silk. So soft and s.e.xy." Once again her fingers tightened in his hair, letting him know she liked what he was doing. "I can't get enough."

"Neither can I." Her voice was husky and s.e.xy. "Ashton..."

"What, honey?" He moved farther down the bed to press his lips to the damp patch of silk between her legs, inhaling her tantalizing scent.

Her hips surged.

He took advantage of the opportunity to slide his hands under her, cupping her supple cheeks and squeezing.

"I...I don't know what I was going to say."

Chuckling, he ran his tongue over her outer lips, using the silk of her underwear to stimulate her. After a few minutes of that, it wasn't enough for him-or for her. He retreated only long enough to remove the sc.r.a.p of fabric before returning to where he'd been, using his shoulders to part her legs. Not since he'd played football in high school had he been so thankful for extra-broad shoulders.

"So pretty," he whispered as he bent his head to lick and suck and stroke her to a series of o.r.g.a.s.ms that had her screaming from the pleasure. He was like a man possessed. Giving her pleasure did more for him than taking it from any other woman ever had. His entire world was reduced to what was right in front of him, and nothing mattered more than taking care of her.

Carrying her essence on his lips and tongue, he kissed his way from her belly to the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her lips. That was when he saw the streaks of tears on her cheeks. "What's this?" he whispered, dabbing his tongue over the trails they'd left behind.

"I...I don't know. I didn't know I was crying."

"Was it too much?"

She shook her head as she welcomed him into her embrace. "It was incredible."

Ashton came to his senses the second before he would've slid into her equally welcoming s.e.x. "Condom."

Moaning, she released him.

He moved quickly to find his wallet and retrieve the strip of condoms he'd stashed in there before they left Malibu. As he returned to her, he rolled one on and was inside her two seconds later.

She gripped his a.s.s and pulsated around him, stretching to accommodate him.

Afraid to hurt her by giving her too much too soon, he forced himself to stay still, to restrain the need that pounded through him, threatening to end this far too soon. "Jill," he said through gritted teeth. "I need to move."

"Wait." She pressed tighter against him and held perfectly still, which triggered another release for her.

Ashton had never felt anything more erotic in his life.

When she relaxed her hold on him, he finally snapped, pounding into her with all hope of finesse abandoned in a flurry of pa.s.sion unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He drove into her one last time, coming with a deep, guttural groan torn from his chest. That was when he discovered he'd wrapped an arm around her leg and pushed it into her chest so he could go deeper.

"Christ," he muttered as he released the tight hold he had on her leg. "I'm sorry." Mortified by his total loss of control, he was almost afraid to look at her.

"For what?"

He finally dared to meet her gaze. "I went at you like a prisoner who's just been released after twenty years of hard time."

That made her laugh, which made her muscles squeeze intimately around him. His p.e.n.i.s surged with interest, as if he hadn't just had the most explosive o.r.g.a.s.m of his life.

"In case you didn't notice the four o.r.g.a.s.ms, I rather enjoyed it."

"I didn't hurt you?"

She smoothed the hair from his sweaty forehead. "No."

He stared down at her. "You make me crazy. I've never felt anything like this."

"Neither have I."

"What I said to you earlier-"

Her finger over his lips stopped him. "The phone rang before I was able to reply."

"I noticed."

Her smile was warm and sweet and loving. "Have you been twisting in the wind all this time, thinking it might be only you who feels that way?"

"Sorta."

She wrapped her leg around his hip, and her arms tightened around his neck. "It's not just you."

Until she said those words, he hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath since earlier in the day. Relief flooded through him, making his skin tingle. "I don't think I'm falling anymore."

He felt her stiffen beneath him. "You changed your mind?"

Raising his head, he met her gaze. "No." He touched his lips to hers, lingering to revel in her sweetness. A thousand emotions pa.s.sed through her eyes as she watched him, trying to gauge his meaning. "I've already landed."

In the morning, Reid woke Kate with the news that an incoming storm would keep them on the island at least one more day. Since they had some extra time, he'd decided to go across to St. Kitts to deal with his belongings at the house and speak to his landlord. He leaned over the bed to kiss her before he left. "Rest, relax, and I'll be back before you miss me."

"No, you won't." She hooked her arm around his neck to bring him down for a better kiss. "You'll be back before the storm comes?"

"Long before."

As she watched him get dressed, she was struck by the memory of watching him dress for a weekend business meeting he'd wanted to skip so he could spend more time with her. "Remember the time you were going to a meeting in the city and I asked you for a ride?"

His eyes lit up with mirth. "As I recall, you made me hideously late."

She enjoyed revisiting that long-ago morning until she recalled the rest of what happened. "That was the day my dad caught us."

Returning to the bed, he sat next to her and took her hand. "Don't think about that now. It's all in the past. Think about the future. Think about what kind of wedding you want and where you want to have it. No negative thoughts. Got me?"

"I got you," she said, tingling at the mention of their wedding. "Hurry back."

"I won't be gone for one minute longer than I have to." He kissed her again. "Love you, darlin'."

"Love you, too." Kate reluctantly released him and watched him leave the room. "Don't forget to come back."

He turned in the doorway, smiling. "Not a chance."

Kate was lonely for him from the minute she heard the front door close downstairs. "You're being ridiculous. He'll be gone a couple of hours, and you have plenty to do while he's gone." Buoyed by her pep talk, Kate headed for the shower and then downstairs to find some coffee.

Bertha was in the kitchen, overseeing something on the stove. "Oh, you're up. I was going to bring breakfast to you. Mr. Matthews told me you prefer egg-white omelets and wheat toast with fresh fruit."

"That sounds lovely."

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Bertha handed her a steaming mug and placed a carafe of cream and a sugar bowl on the counter. "You're welcome to have a seat on the veranda, and I'll bring breakfast out when it's ready."

"Thank you." Kate took her coffee outside where the sky was darkening with storm clouds that so far were only threatening rain.

After a delicious breakfast and a peaceful interlude on the veranda, Kate decided it was time to return the flurry of phone calls she'd received from her family over the last two days. Her recently satisfied stomach turned at the thought of speaking to her parents about the embarra.s.sing video, but she couldn't avoid them forever.

She started with Jill, who sounded like she might've been still asleep when she answered the phone.

"Are you actually sleeping in?" Kate asked.

"Didn't you tell me to take a vacation?"

"I never expected you to actually do it."

"I only got half a vacation, thanks to your antics on the island."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"I've been working the phones, and I've got a plan."

"You're too good to me, sis, but I've made some plans of my own."

"What kind of plans?"

"I'll talk to you about it when I get home."

"And when will that be?"

"Tomorrow. We were going to leave today, but the weather isn't cooperating."

"So Reid is coming with you?"

"Yes." Kate paused before she asked, "Have you talked to Mom or Dad?"

"Both briefly yesterday."

Kate closed her eyes and braced herself. "What'd they have to say?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. How did your sister manage to get herself caught on video having s.e.x? That kind of thing."

"I'm glad you find it funny."

"It's not funny, Kate, but what do you think they said? They're freaking out, especially since you can't find the time to call them back."

"What am I supposed to say to them?"

"Just tell them you're okay, and they'll be satisfied. You are okay, aren't you?"

"I'm much better than okay. Reid and I are engaged."

"Oh my G.o.d, Kate! When did that happen?"

"Last night."

"I'm happy for you. I know how badly you hoped he'd still feel the same way."

"He does. We both do. It's even better than it was before, if that's possible."

"I'm glad for you."

"Are you really?"

"I want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

Jill had been the one person in her life who'd never ha.s.sled her about Reid or the age difference the first time they were together. "Thanks. You don't know how much that means to me."

"I think I have a small idea."

"What've you been up to?"

"Not much."

"Taking it easy, I hope."