“This is fine.” He lathered harder, digging into her scalp with the hands that had just been all over her body. In her body. Even thinking that made her squeeze her thighs together as he dragged her closer, sliding his wet body against hers in a sensual glide that made them both groan. “Gotta switch to cold,” he muttered with one final regretful glance at her breasts.
She giggled as she saw the reason why. If anything he’d grown even harder. Even thicker. “Ouch.”
“Yeah. After we get cleaned up, I’m taking you to bed.” He thumbed her wet hair out of her eyes. “Okay?”
Karyn’s lips curved. He looked so big in her tiny shower, dwarfing the small space with his broad shoulders and overwhelming presence. She circled her arms around his waist, loving how he drew her even more tightly against him.
It had been so long since she’d been with a man who wasn’t her husband. Even then they hadn’t played like this. At least not recently. It hadn’t always been so businesslike with Lon, but for the past few years orgasm had been his lone goal. He always endeavored to make her come too, however weak his efforts might have been. At least he’d tried. She’d tried as well, offering the occasional blowjob and suggesting ways to spice up their sex life. Sometimes he seemed into it, sometimes not. His preference had usually been straight sex. On the nights work sapped him, he’d thrust until she was nearly chafed and sleepy to boot.
Which, she supposed, said as much about her as it did him. If she’d been so uninvolved that she always rolled over and went right to sleep after he got off, she probably hadn’t been a rip-roaring time for him either.
Years ago their relationship had been different. He’d never been a romantic and didn’t know a tulip from a rose. Making love hadn’t been a phrase in his vocabulary. But he’d been a good listener and at the beginning their sex life had been decent. Not spectacular but acceptable.
Dear God, acceptable? But all she’d had to compare it to was more of the same. Her other lovers had been okay in bed, but not outstanding. She hadn’t really expected them to be. She’d ranked excellent lovemaking right up there with the possibility that unicorns really existed.
No wonder this whole night seemed like a fantasy. Amazing sex that came with laughter and fun? Who knew people actually experienced such things? She sure hadn’t.
“Karyn?” Jeff asked, concern erasing his easy smile. “You okay?”
Easy. That’s what she loved most about all of this. It had all been so easy. She didn’t have to work to maintain her interest or feign desire. They didn’t have a dying relationship that seeped into the bedroom and colored every interaction. She and Jeff were just enjoying each other.
Even if it was just for tonight, she’d finally discovered how it felt to be authentic. To ask for what she wanted and have a snowball’s chance of getting it.
“Perfect.” She patted the smiling daisy on his chest he’d yet to wash away. “Hurry up. I’m ready for bed.”
* * * * *
Jeff spent a sizeable part of the night in her bed. And in her body. Of the two, he had to say he appreciated her curves more than her design sense.
Everything in her bedroom matched. Heavy navy drapes, velveteen-looking dark-blue spread, small touch lamp on the nightstand painted with bluebells. At least he thought they were bluebells. Then it got really girly. Blue ruffles hid the legs of the bed. A gaudy gold mirror hung on the wall above the fancy dresser and ribbons of different colors and lengths hung off the points. Did she sew too? Or use them on her hair?
It was a big space, without a hint of the man who’d once shared it with her. Unless he’d been into glossy photographs of flowers in bloom or the silky, multicolored fabrics stretched over the arm of the plush armchair—navy, of course—in the sitting area. He half expected to see a tea set on the coffee table.
He admitted the room was pretty. As she was. But he couldn’t see a guy here. Not without some serious redecorating.
Why the hell was he thinking about that? How she chose to outfit her house was her deal. Even if she wouldn’t be living there that much longer. A damn shame, really. She shouldn’t have to leave a place she loved. Especially not because of Lonny goddamned James.
The prick.
“Tell me about your sister.”
He glanced at Karyn where she was sprawled out beside him, her dark hair a wild tangle over her shoulders and her rosy lips swollen from kisses. And blowjobs. Something she happened to excel at, once she’d gotten past her initial hesitation.
She drank her wine, rolling it around in her mouth as she let her head fall back. Lamplight played over her skin, skimming the hollows of her throat. He’d love to drink from her there. Everywhere. Sip at her skin until she yielded in his arms.
“This was a great choice,” she said. “Nice and dry.”
“Yeah, I spent quite a while searching for just the right one.”
Her knowing smile made him grin. “Five minutes?”
“Closer to three. But my knowledge of wine could be held on the head of a pin. I’m not a big drinker.”
“So what’s your beverage of choice?”
“Usually water.” He shrugged. “When I’m thirsty, there’s almost always a fountain or a tap right there.”
“Since I spend most of my time carting around an ecologically friendly tumbler to show the kids I practice what I preach, I approve heartily.” She ran her fingertip around the rim of her glass. “I’d be happy to share some of my wine knowledge with you. The difference between Pinot Noir and Shiraz, what foods pair well with—” She stopped, laughing softly. “You’re staring.”