Chapter Three
In the elevator, Josh stared straight ahead at the closed doors, keeping a careful few feet between them. Hope stood behind him, trying to simultaneously imagine what he looked like under his clothes and not have a panic attack.
What was she doing? Going up to Josh’s room was impulsive, even reckless, maybe the craziest thing she’d ever done. Her thoughts raced around in her head, but the hot thrum of her blood almost drowned out any kind of coherent thought. She had never felt a connection like this with a man before. One kiss, and she’d been ready to jump him in the hotel lobby.
Hope had spent her life being responsible. She’d worked her way through college, earned a living, made a good career for herself. She drove a safe Japanese car, drank inexpensive California wine, and put ten percent of he
r income into savings. She dated boring men who made her feel boring too.
Maybe it was time to do something completely reckless.
The ding of the elevator startled her out of her reverie. Josh stepped out of the elevator and turned to the right, still not looking at her. She followed through the beige hotel hallway, wondering if he was having second thoughts, even as the concerned little voice in her head was silenced for good by the sight of his long, lean back flexing as he dug his keycard out of his pocket and unlocked the door.
She didn’t say anything as the door swung closed, leaving the two of them in the small room only lit by a small lamp. Just when she decided Josh had changed his mind, he turned and grabbed her arms a little roughly and backed her against the door. His jacket slipped off her shoulders into a puddle on the floor.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
Instead of answering him, she went up on her tiptoes and kissed his throat, his chin, and finally his lips.
He groaned and leaned into her, pressing himself up against her body. He felt amazing, all muscle and hardness. When his tongue brushed against her parted lips, she opened them further and thrust her tongue against his. The kiss was wet and hungry, turning into another kiss and yet another until she felt like she was drowning and dizzy with lust. She pushed into him, her nipples tingling with sensation and begging to be touched.
Hoping he’d get the idea, she let her fingers go in search of his shirt buttons. He broke the kiss and reached down to help her, and together they shrugged off his shirt, leaving her free to explore the expanse of his shoulders and chest. So much skin for her to touch, smooth in places, rough with hair in others.
He undid her belt, letting it fall to the floor, then began tugging at the zipper of her dress. She turned around to allow him better access, but he drew it out, lowering the zipper an inch at a time, then leaning in to lick and kiss the skin he’d uncovered.
When he reached her bra, he slid his hands along her shoulders, pushing her dress off. She reached up to pull it off and let it drop to the floor in a colorful puddle. She took a deep breath, thinking of all those times she’d meant to go to Zumba, but then Josh leaned in to kiss her shoulder, and she felt his erection press against her backside. He was hard for her. He wanted her, extra pounds and all.
She unhooked her bra before turning around, for the pleasure of seeing his eyes widen at the sight of her breasts. He immediately reached up to cup them, his thumbs stroking across the nipples, and she let her head thunk back against the wall as the pleasure shot through her. He let out a low chuckle and leaned into to take one in his mouth.
“Oh, God, Josh,” she gasped as he tugged at the pebbled flesh with his lips.
“You are so gorgeous, I can’t believe it. I could barely wait until we got in the room,” he murmured. He stroked his hands down her bare sides and came to rest on her hips. “Lie down, so I can taste you.”
The rush of desire felt like a physical impact, weakening her knees. She wanted so many things simultaneously—his mouth on her, the feel of his skin against hers, him filling the aching emptiness inside her. She moved toward the bed, a little unsteady on her feet, and pulled the covers aside. The cool sheets were a shock to her overheated skin. Josh finished undressing, and then he was on top of her, slowly sliding to rest between her legs.
They kissed again and again, deep, hungry kisses, each one promising more pleasure to come. Josh slid his mouth down her neck, leaving a wet trail that tingled in the cool air of the hotel room. He kissed each of her breasts, then trailed his tongue along the waistband of her panties.
“Can I take these off?”
“You better.”
The silk slid down her legs, and then his mouth was on her. His tongue was wet and hot, licking into her relentlessly, sending her into a spiral of pleasure. Her muscles tensed, and her fingers clenched in the sheets. When he sucked gently on her, she cried out in a voice she barely recognized as her own.
“Josh,” she chanted, “Josh, Josh, so good...”
The sensation built and built, but as she came close to release, he eased back on the pressure, just lightly teasing her with the tip of his tongue.
“Oh, you bastard,” she gritted out. Her muscles were so tense it almost hurt. “Please, please—”
“Shh, it’s okay.” He lowered his mouth to her again and kept up the steady pressure, just right, so that she almost immediately crested to her orgasm. She relaxed as the waves swept through her body, pulsing warmth spreading through her and leaving a languorous exhaustion behind.
Josh climbed up and settled next to her, a hand resting gently on her belly.
She poked him in the side with a finger. “You can stop looking so smug.”
The smile on his face grew, and he leaned down to kiss her. “Oh, it was my pleasure.”
“Mine too. Obviously.”