Salvation (42 page)

“
No man will ever touch you like this again,
”
he muttered roughly, sinking into me with a deep roll. I shook my head. I didn’t want another man
’
s touch again. My hands cupped around his shoulders as I blinked away my emotions. The pressure was building again, his cock stimulating inside and out, the base rubbing the bundle of nerves in my clit. My neck arched as the tensing grew.

“
Mine.
”
Nate groaned, sinking into me again with unhurried, tantalising movements.
“
You belong to me.
”

“
Yes.
”
Dawn was breaking, blanketing the room in a romantic light. I hugged him, our bodies grinding against each other, our lips moving over any skin they came into contact with. He was on me, in me, he was everywhere. It was heaven.

“
Come, Kara. I have to feel it.
”

His apparent wish for me was my undoing. I came on command, tensing around him. I dug my nails into his shoulders, clawing frantically to hold on and not fall away. Nate groaned against my neck, an almost agonised sound, as he filled me over and over, relentlessly thrusting into me. He came so brutally I felt every pulse of his cock. He stayed there for a long time, coming deep inside me, nuzzling into my neck, not allowing me to see he was as stripped as I was.

WHEN I woke and checked the time, it was nearing midday. I snuggled back into the position we
’
d fallen asleep in, on our sides facing each other, legs scissored and holding hands with the sheet bunched at our waists. Nate was fast asleep, any traces of stress gone from his precisely symmetrical face. Thick, long lashes curled over his captivating eyes, a straight nose, and underneath, the most delicious mouth, capable of giving such pleasure.

I drew a deep breath when I remembered what had happened a few hours earlier. Nate had made love to me again without pausing for breath. It was a strange, but very welcome, sensation to feel him growing harder and lengthening inside me. We
’
d rolled around the bed as the sun came up, not stopping until we were both exhausted. Only then did we fall into a satisfied slumber, neither of us willing to let go of each other.

Nate stirred and blinked open his eyes.
“
Hey.
”

My stomach quivered purely from the way he looked at me, with unequivocal devotion.
“
Hi,
”
I said shyly.

The arm resting beneath my head flexed as his fingers sifted my hair, massaging softly. Worry flickered over his face.
“
Condoms.
”

“
Pardon?
”

“
We didn’t use condoms.
”

I stretched my legs, sore in the most wonderful way. There was something sublimely primitive about the flagrant stickiness between my thighs. I felt branded. He
’
d claimed me. The affected pride in his eyes made me shiver. I
’
d done something with him that I
’
d never shared with another man, not even Stuart. I could tell he knew that.

“
It
’
s okay,
”
I finally confirmed, releasing his hand so I could touch his chest.
“
I
’
m on the pill.
”

He pushed up onto one elbow, his eyes flaring.
“
You are?
”

I nodded, chewing my bottom lip.
“
I
’
ve always taken them as back up. I wanted to be sure about you before saying anything.
”

“
About
me
?
”
Nate didn’t conceal his shock, nor his widening smile.
“
I told you I
’
ve never been promiscuous.
”

Nate laid back down and held me to him, his hands soothing me, calming his own mind too, as we quietly adjusted to the change in direction of our relationship. In our desperation to be with each other, neither of us had thought about safety. It was a clear demonstration of how much he trusted me.

Of how much I trusted him.

HIS WEIGHT CRUSHED me into the mattress, taking my breath away with a long roll of his hips. Nate unclasped my hands from his nape and stretched them above my head until my fingertips brushed the cushions of the bed head. I
’
d woken after another nap with him sliding into me again.

I moaned, slotting my fingers with his, and squeezed. I was immobile, the movement of my hips working with his all I could do. His face was flushed, the dark silky strands of his hair clinging to his sweat-damp temples.

“
You
’
re the most decadent indulgence,
”
he murmured against my mouth.
“
Let me worship you
—
love you.
”

His words spun in my head. My grip tightened. This extraordinary man, his eyes so large and full of devotion, rotated his hips and sunk deeper than I was certain he
’
d even been.

I whimpered as he took my pleasure to another level. The fire burning in my chest spread to my stomach
…
and lower still, until I couldn’t hold it back any longer.

His mouth slammed into mine, silencing me as another orgasm coursed through my body in a tender wave. It was unforgiving, obliterating all thought, never-ending. Nate groaned, drawing our entwined hands down by my head, securing me to him, sheltering me as I rode it out.

With a firm hand under my arse, he rolled us over until my weak limbs straddled his hips. He gazed up at me, the shadows of whatever had been troubling him long gone from those engaging eyes. One hand came to my face, cupping my cheek.
“
Make love to me,
”
he urged with the gentlest voice.
“
Show me what you
’
re still afraid to say.
”

The way I kissed and caressed him, loved him as I moved on top of him, guaranteed he knew
exactly
how I felt by the time we were done.

“
I can
’
t believe you told Michael I had to spend the day in bed,
”
I said a while later. By now, it was dusk. We
’
d spent the whole day sleeping, talking and making love.

“
Riley
’
s good at stretching the truth when necessary.
”
Nate was draped over me, his lips on my neck where they
’
d been teasing and tempting for a good half hour whilst I played with his hair.
“
I told her to give the message to Mai.
”

“
Why?
”

He raised his head, grinning.
“
Because Mai
’
s even better.
”

I laughed. His perceptive brain clearly extended to understanding the inner workings of my friend. Mai could be
very
persuading when she had to be.

“
Shall we take that bath you promised me?
”
he asked.

“
Hmm, sounds good.
”
I could feel his eyes following me as I went into the bathroom. I caught sight of my naked, thoroughly well-worked body in the mirror as I loitered in there, stretching whilst I waited for the tub to fill. Then I saw Nate watching me from the doorframe.

Self-consciously, I turned away to swill the water. The room filled with the scent of cedar oil with a sweet orange hint, a calming aroma intended to soothe and relax. I was anything but, when Nate grabbed me from behind, my inner muscles clenching instinctively when his cock pressed into me.

He was hard.

“
You
’
re a machine,
”
I laughed, facing him.

“
Your fault.
”
He moved in, pressing tiny kisses all over my face that made me melt. But I needed a rest.

I backed up, careful not to fall, and climbed into the bath, humming as I lowered into the water. Nate gathered some fresh towels from the cupboard and hung them on the heated rail. I was still awed by his faultless conditioned frame and sighed inwardly when I recalled how masterful he
’
d been during the course of our marathon sex-fest.

“
Sit here,
”
I told him, pointing in front of me. He obliged, sinking gracefully into the water so it barely rippled.

“
This feels good.
”
His hands curved around my legs, wrapping them tight around his waist as he leant back into me.
“
It
’
s been a tough week.
”

“
Was it productive?
”
I asked, massaging his temples.

He murmured vaguely as his eyes closed.
“
It was challenging. And tiring. I didn’t catch much sleep.
”
His voice turned cold, distant, much like in the early hours of this morning.
“
I ran into an old acquaintance who might be cause for concern. I
’
ve returned with a whole other set of issues.
”

A chill moved through me again.
“
Want to talk about them?
”

“
No,
”
he answered hastily.
“
I have to deal with this on my own.
”
How could he slip away from me so quickly? After what we
’
d shared today?

“
Well, I
’
m here if you need me.
”
I pressed my head to his, breathing him in, glad he was back in my arms.

He tugged my arm across his chest, the sweet kiss on my knuckles his quiet acknowledgement of appreciation for not trying to probe for more.
“
I asked my security team to investigate what happened last night,
”
he offered soberly.

I didn’t say anything. I
’
d have been more shocked if he
hadn’t
done it. I was also mentally exhausted and not willing to rock the boat. But the sense of ill-ease crept further over my skin.

We stayed in the bath until the sky turned black with nightfall. The quiet times were interjected with details of our respective weeks, but otherwise, we just enjoyed each other
’
s company. When the water was cooling, Nate climbed out. He quickly rubbed his taut body down, then helped me out and started on me.

“
We have to make sure you
’
re dry everywhere,
”
he murmured, a smile teasing his mouth as he parted my legs.

“
Thought you preferred me wet down there?
”
I bit my lip to stifle a groan elicited by the slight pressure he was exerting.

His smile turned salacious.
“
Always.
”
With a brief kiss, he led me into the bedroom.
“
It
’
s late, we should eat. Are you hungry?
”

“
Not for food,
”
I admitted quietly.

Nate cocked his head, bemused eyes scanning my face.
“
That,
”
he murmured, backing me up to the bed,
“
is an invitation to dinner I
’
ll never refuse. Now I know how good you feel, I want more.
”

“
Now?
”
I grinned as he settled on top of me, his touch revving my need for him. I didn’t doubt for a second he could go again.

“
Right now.
”
Soft lips moved down the curve of my neck to my collarbone.
“
We
’
ve got a lot of catching up to do.
”

SATURDAY morning started out much the same as Friday night ended. Trying to count the number of orgasms I
’
d had in the past twenty-four hours made my head hurt.