“Sugar,” he said, his voice rough. “Can you tell me who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?”
And it was clear she couldn’t even parse his question, that she wasn’t even trying to, so he muttered, “Mission accomplished,” and buried his face in her pussy again, this time adding a finger, then two, as she cried out with pleasure.
He fucked her like that, his stiff fingers in a steady rhythm, his tongue flicking her clit as she angled her hips to allow him fuller access. His mind blanked out and he was glad for it, all the worry about this first act after two years having some major import evaporating in the fucking, fucking goodness of her inner walls clamping on his fingers and her accelerated whimpers testifying to the closeness of her orgasm.
Shifting onto his knees, with his free hand he yanked down his zipper and pulled his cock through his boxers and jeans, palming it. He glanced up to see that Lilly was staring there, her mouth half-open, her gaze glassy, her breath seemingly caught in her lungs as he jacked himself. Pleasure pulled inside him, stretching to a fine, quivering line until, as it felt about to break, he dove back to her pussy and clamped the edges of his teeth around her clit. Keeping his hold delicate, he sucked the jewel into his mouth.
Lilly moaned, the sound cut off as her body froze for one long moment, then shuddered in the obvious throes of climax. Alec kept at her, his fingers penetrating her in time with his own strokes of his rampant, aching erection.
Then he convulsed, his seed shooting up his dick to spill over the sensitive head and then onto his fingers, his muscles contracting in waves of almost-painful physical delight.
His blood hadn’t yet cooled before he found himself lying beside her again, his body still buzzing with satisfaction. He wiped his spilled seed onto the trailing edge of a sheet and then carefully unwound the dress from Lilly’s now-lax hands.
Her body boneless, she seemed unaware of him, nearly asleep.
Or she was hiding from him behind her closed, delicate eyelids.
Tenderness swamped him as he gazed on her, transfixed by the emotion filling his chest. He wanted to protect her, cherish her, and yes, spoil her in every way, and not just sexually. By day, he’d put her on a pedestal. By night, he’d drag her off and dirty her in every filthy manner he could imagine.
And he’d been worried that having sex after two years of celibacy might mess him up.
He hadn’t seen it coming, but it was being post-coital with Lilly Durand that was doing something to him that was far, far more dangerous.
Chapter 8
Alec spied Lilly in the patio dining area the next morning, at a table for two near the fountain and not far from the breakfast buffet set up on long, white linen-topped tables. He halted, mulling over his choices.
Smartest was to keep on moving, avoiding her and taking breakfast at the pool bar or even outside the resort. There had to be dozens of cafés in Santa Barbara and it might clear his mind of all things Lilly if he took time away from the resort. After all, no promises or future plans had been made the night before.
As a matter of fact, she’d rolled out of bed ten minutes after he’d collapsed beside her. With a smile and a gentle kiss to his cheek, she’d left him, while he was still sex-rocked and full of unfamiliar feelings he didn’t know how to handle. Back in her clothes, so tidy he almost found it maddening, the Lilly who’d moaned and writhed in his arms seemed a mere memory. All her flushed responses and wet-and-ready passion were neatly tucked away again. Barred from him as if behind stark ledger lines.
It was almost as if he had never touched her, he’d thought as he’d watched her slip out the door, and his hand had passed over the damp sheets to reassure himself it all hadn’t been a fevered dream.
That’s what he could pretend it was, he supposed. It made good sense and if he had any he would have bypassed the row of little shops surrounding the resort’s lobby as he made his way toward a morning meal. There was a flower stall there, a boutique with tropical-themed resort-wear, a sundries store that had a cooler stocked with wine, beer, and sodas. Snack foods were piled in bins and various toiletries and over-the-counter drugs hung on racks. Boxes of condoms marched in a row beside tiny tins of pain relievers and small tubes of toothpaste.
There was no sound reason that a three-pack of prophylactics nestled at the bottom of his pocket right this very minute. No sound reason at all, because nothing had changed between him and Lilly last night. Neither wanted a relationship, he reminded himself. He should have no expectation of getting her naked once again.
At that moment, she glanced up from the perusal of her phone, saw him.
He tensed, wondering what reaction to expect. Would she flush with embarrassment? Turn her gaze away and pretend she didn’t see him? Throw him an annoyed look because she’d made it clear from the first she didn’t want a one-night stand but they’d went ahead with it anyway?
Lilly Durand did none of those. Instead, she smiled, as sunny as the morning, and gave him a casual wave.
His chest loosened, and he realized he’d been holding his breath. Okay, he thought, taking air in, letting it out. She didn’t seem worse for wear or ready to blame him for the fire between his sheets last night.
Well, good. Because that one-night stand had been her idea as much as his.
Now, still smiling, Lilly beckoned him forward.
Alec obeyed. Hey, if she could play it cool, no reason for him not to follow suit.
“Hi,” she said, still beaming when he reached her. “How are you?” With a gesture of her hand, she indicated the chair across
