spread much more quickly than he’d ever anticipated. “Just delivering some necessities,” Riley said, holding up the crate.
Fergus chuckled. “Oh, is that what they call it nowadays? Deliverin’ necessities.” He continued to laugh as he walked past, the dogs trotting dutifully behind him.
Picking up his pace, Riley strode up the hill, determined to avoid any other meetings with curious townsfolk. When he reached the front door of the cottage, he took a moment to catch his breath, then rapped on the door. A few seconds later it opened, to a sight that made his heart skip a beat.
She looked more beautiful that he’d ever imagined her to be. A pale blue dress, cut deep in the front and made of some silky fabric, clung to her slender body. Her arms were exposed and her feet and legs were bare beneath the flowing skirt.
Riley glanced up at her face to find her regarding him quizzically. “Sorry,” he said. “I was gawking. You look absolutely grand.”
This observation brought a beautiful smile to her face. “Thank you. So do you.”
“May I come in?” Riley asked.
She stepped aside. “You may. You do own the place.”
The cottage was filled with lovely smells. He wasn’t sure what it was she’d prepared, but Riley knew that even if it was inedible, he’d devour it with a smile. “I brought wine and beer,” he said.
Nan reached for the basket. “I’ll put the beer in the fridge.”
“I’ll do it. I know where it is.”
The kitchen was tiny, with barely enough room for the sink, the cooker and the refrigerator, never mind two people. Nan watched as he put the bottles in the freezer to chill. “We’re having spaghetti,” she said. “I hope you like Italian food.”
“I could eat,” he said. But he didn’t want to think about food. All he wanted at the moment was to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Riley followed her out of the kitchen and then, to his surprise, she turned around and threw herself into his arms, kissing him desperately.
With a low groan, Riley furrowed his fingers through her hair and her lips molded to his. A surge of desire washed through him, hot and liquid, a fire in his veins.
Kissing her wasn’t enough. He wanted to be closer, his desire consuming her body as well. His hands skimmed over her curves, kneading the soft flesh beneath the fabric of her dress. He fought the urge to tear the garment from her body, impatient with the pace of a proper seduction.
But Nan didn’t have the same concerns about the speed they were moving. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and when they were all undone, she yanked his shirttail out of his jeans. In one deft motion, she shoved the jacket and shirt off his shoulders, never once breaking the kiss they shared.
Riley struggled with the buttons on the cuffs before he was able to rid himself of the clothes. His hands immediately returned to her body in an unchecked exploration. He bunched her skirt in his fists and when it was up around her thighs, slid his hands beneath to cup her backside.
Through it all, they moved inexorably toward the bedroom, a step at a time. Dinner had been forgotten, life had been forgotten. All Riley could think about was the feel of her body beneath his hands. Anticipation built inside of him and he wondered if he’d even be able to stop now that they’d begun.
When Nan began to work on the button on his jeans, he decided it was time to dispose of her dress. He reached down and grabbed the hem, then pulled it off over her head, leaving her in just her lacy underwear.
Everywhere he touched was a new experience, each delicious curve and limb a revelation. Riley had always loved the female body and its ability to spark his desire, but there had never been such a deep need before. Though they’d only known each other two days, he was keenly aware of the connection growing between them.
When she’d finished with the zipper of his jeans, he kicked off his shoes. Without a pause, Nan slipped her palms beneath the waistband and skimmed the faded denim down over his hips. Finally, she broke the desperate kiss between them and smiled up at him.
“Better?” he asked, unable to keep from grinning himself.
“Much better.”
“If I’d have known this was appropriate dinner attire, I wouldn’t have bothered getting dressed at all. I could have walked up here starkers.”
“You’ll have to try that next time,” she teased. Nan ran her hand down his chest, letting a finger hook the elastic of his boxers. She gave it a snap. “We’re all undressed and no place to go.”
“Oh, I think I know where we can go,” he said.
She laughed. “I’ll race you.” With that, she turned and ran toward the bedroom. It took him two quick steps to catch her around the waist. Riley picked her up off her feet and carried her into the bedroom, then tumbled onto the bed with her. Then he remembered the condoms he’d put in his jacket pocket.
“Bloody hell,” he muttered. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“For some necessities,” he said. When he returned, she was stretched out on the bed, her elbows braced behind her. He held up the string of five condoms. “Wouldn’t want to be without these,” he said.
She arched her eyebrow. “Only five? Stingy boy.”
“Cheeky bird,” he countered. Riley jumped onto the bed and stretched out above her, pinning her hands on either side of her head.
He’d been hard since he’d pulled off her dress and now, his shaft pressed against her hips, fully aroused and ready. Leaning in, he softly touched his mouth to hers, then tasted more deeply. Slowly, he thought to himself. They’d already raced through the first part of foreplay and he wanted the anticipation to last as long as possible.
But Nan had other ideas. She twisted beneath him as he kissed her, trying to free her hands and creating an irresistible friction between their bodies. He moaned as her hand finally slid beneath his boxers.
Riley wanted her fingers wrapped around him if only to experience the sensations her touch created. He grabbed her waist and rolled her on top of him, giving her complete freedom to do what she wanted.
“No more clothes,” she whispered, reaching back to unhook her bra. Taking her cue, he tugged her panties down, but they got tangled between them. She stood up on the bed, then slowly drew them down, watching him with a teasing smile.
“You are very naughty,” he said.
Nan pointed to his boxers. Chuckling, he pulled them off, then tossed them to her. “Better?”
She let her gaze slowly drift down the length of his body, then back again. “Yes. Much better.” As she dropped back down, straddling his hips, Riley couldn’t help but wonder if she were deliberately tormenting him. Everything she did seemed designed to push him closer and closer to the edge.
He spanned her waist with his hands, holding her still as she leaned down to kiss him again. She had the perfect body, made for his touch. Everything fit, everything worked. She shifted above him and he nearly slipped inside of her.
Groaning, Riley reached out for the condoms, but she took them out of his hand and tore one of the packages open. With deft fingers, she smoothed the latex over his shaft. And then, she was above him, wet and ready.
Riley wanted to slow down, but Nan would have none of it. Slowly, she took him inside her, inch by inch, until he was completely buried. A sigh slipped from her lips and she closed her eyes. Riley watched her and waited for her to move again, but she seemed content to revel in the quiet power of their joined bodies.
When she began to move, Riley groaned, drawing her into a long, deep kiss. But the taste of her mouth was not enough to distract from the feel of her body surrounding him. Nan seemed to follow her instincts, moving with him and then against him, as they both moved toward their release.
And then, she was there, tensing above him, her head thrown back, her eyes closed. Her body stiffened before she dissolved into soft shudders of pleasure. Riley held back, watching and waiting until she was nearly spent. He drove into her, holding tight to her hips.
His orgasm hit him like a bolt of lightning, electrifying every nerve in his body. One moment, he was rational and aware, and then the next, he was lost in an exquisite release. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through him.
When it was over, he opened his eyes and found her looking down at him, a satisfied smile twitching at her lips. With a lazy groan, she stretched out on top of him, nuzzling her face into his chest. “Forget about dinner,” she said.
