Hide and Seek. Samantha Hunter

laughingly, they parted, but never stopped touching completely as Nathan raced back to Jennie’s apartment. She smiled, anticipation buzzing through her in a way she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

      Appreciation welled with desire as he pulled up into a parking spot in front of her building and cut the engine. He was willing to come to her place, to go where she felt familiar and comfortable. She had a feeling she’d only discovered the tip of the iceberg when it came to finding out how special Nathan Reilly really was.

      3

      IMAGES OF THEM FALLING in the door and tearing at each other’s clothes raced through Nathan’s brain as he tried to keep to the speed limit, but Jennie’s hand tracing erotic messages on his upper thigh made it hard to hold back. He needed out of this car, and out of his clothes, soon.

      After the frantic rush to the apartment, as soon as they stepped inside the door, breathless and laughing, everything slowed down. They stood, facing each other, saying nothing, and he crossed, taking her hands in his.

      “You’re sure?”

      “Yes.”

      The simple response was all he needed. With a gentle tug she was in his arms again, and the passion lit even more brightly than before. Now that they were alone, now that Nathan was where he’d dreamed of being for months on end, he found he didn’t want to rush, as urgent as the need was.

      He’d always preferred hard, fast sex, reveling in the urgency and the energy of the act, yet there was something about Jennie that made him hold back and savor every move, each touch. It was a new kind of intensity, born of waiting so long for her, he supposed. He slipped a finger beneath the shoulder of her soft sweater, sliding it under the bra strap, and eased it down, smoothing the tender skin of her shoulder. She was so soft.

      Leaning in, he buried his face in her neck and inhaled her scent, then darted his tongue out for a taste, loving the way her head fell back and how she seemed to purr as he nuzzled her, investigating all those secret spots he’d wondered about for so long. The hidden silk behind her ear. The visible pulse at the base of her throat that hammered as he lifted his other hand to her waist, sliding it up and down her spine, causing her to bow her body into his, issuing an erotic invitation when she pressed against him just so. They fit perfectly, as if they were made to be this way. The idea moved him profoundly.

      When she began her own exploration, yanking his shirt free and sliding over the skin of his lower back and then up, he momentarily closed his eyes, reminding himself he wanted to go slow, though his body was starting to disagree with that plan. Her seductive touch, still somewhat tentative, as if she hadn’t quite made up her mind, convinced him that slow was the right choice.

      The bulge in Nathan’s pants that nestled so sweetly against her abdomen made Jennie’s imagination spike with images of driving him over the edge. A part of her held back, still feeling, for the first time in a long time, like a liar. It didn’t seem to matter that the lies were to protect herself, to protect others. Would he still be here if he knew the secrets she kept?

      Now wasn’t the moment to worry about it. She felt more aroused than she ever had, and yet her worries were not quite quenched.

      “Jennie, you can change your mind if you want. I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to,” Nathan said. His breathing was labored and she smiled, lifting her hand to slide the pad of her fingers over the fine film of sweat that had formed on his brow.

      Nathan had some serious self-control, another plus, in her book. But she wanted him to go wild with her. And she knew just how to make him do it.

      “I don’t want to stop, Nathan. It’s just that I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to feel so much so fast and, well, I’m a little worried about the fact that we work together. Sex complicates things.”

      That much was true, she thought, though it was becoming less and less important as he touched her in all the right places.

      “Let’s not think about work tonight.”

      She nodded, agreeing, glad at least to be able to tell the truth to him about some things, “It’s also been a while for me.”

      “Then we need to make this extra special, don’t we?”

      “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. It feels pretty special to me already.”

      She could have kicked herself for her impulsive response as an answering flicker of passion, and some deeper emotion, passed over his expression. She couldn’t lead him along, she cautioned herself; she didn’t know how much she could give to him. Though the crazy thudding of her heart was urging her to give him everything. She’d wanted something special, right? Something more? Well, this was it.

      Nathan was special, she could feel it in her bones, and not being a woman of half measures or tepid emotions, she couldn’t deny her response to him. Permitting this to mean more than just sex was a risk. Her entire life was about risk, so what was she waiting for?

      “Where’s your bedroom?” His question was posed on a hushed breath, but she had other ideas. She wanted to let him know she was in this, one hundred percent.

      “I want you now, Nate. Here.”

      The comment was filled with such sexy promise he didn’t argue, but dived in to obey her command with a gusto that nearly dropped her to her knees as he kissed her with the full force of masculine desire, holding nothing back. She answered him with equal fervor, and they moved across the small living room toward the sofa.

      When his hands slipped up underneath her sweater and massaged her nipples, tweaking and pinching the tender nubs, she wondered if she would even make it to the couch. She gasped as her body coiled inside at the sharp sensations his touch created, feeling a spill of release quickly approaching.

      “You’re amazing…so beautiful…so responsive…”

      His encouragement wiped out the last of any doubts she had as she let go completely, winding her hands through his hair and urging him downward. Happy to comply, he shoved the sweater up over her head and brought his hot, searching mouth to her breasts. It took only moments before she cried out, coming hard as he sucked, arching into him as ripples of pleasure racked through her. When he raised his head, lifting a hand to push some hair from her brow, his hand was shaking.

      “Holy shit, Jen. I can’t believe you came like that….”

      “I’m so—”

      He shook his head vigorously, his skin ruddy with desire.

      “It was so hot…can you do it again?”

      Jennie smiled at the wonderful question, her body turning liquid under his mouth and hands as he applied his mouth to her skin again, searching out every tender, excruciatingly sensitive spot. Where had he learned to be so thorough with a woman’s body?

      “I can almost guarantee it,” she answered, giving herself over and forgetting everything but the way he made her feel.

      “UNDRESS ME, JEN.”

      “With pleasure.”

      The two simple words rocked him to the core; he could get off on her voice alone, he thought, still reeling that just his touch and his kiss had pushed her over the edge. It was daunting, the fire between them hotter than anything he imagined, and anything he’d ever experienced before. He was ready for more. He wanted it all.

      Somehow she’d managed to undo all the buttons while he kissed her. He couldn’t stay away from her, even just for the few moments it took for her to peel his clothes off, and to shed the rest of hers. That final act of confirming she wanted this as much as he did, of committing to the moment, moved him even more than her strong physical response had.

      She peeled the shirt from him, dipping to suck on one dark nipple, enchanted with his chest and running her fingers over the light sprinkling of chest hair. His cock twitched impatiently, hungry for those caresses and kisses to cover him there, too. But he had to stop her before