“You’re right,” he said, forcing himself to smile at her reassuringly. “From now on, no holding back. I will let myself love you and you will let yourself love me.”
A brilliant smile lit her face. Before he could react, her lips met his. He was happy to close his eyes and lose himself in the physical contact that had been his comfort these past few weeks. This was the kiss that was supposed to mark the change in their relationship for the better. They were giving in, and he needed to make her believe his words.
He pressed into her, pushing her back to mold her against the concave wall of the capsule. Her mouth was soft and welcoming in juxtaposition to his hard advance. His tongue forced its way into her mouth, demanding she give him more, and she gladly complied. She pressed her breasts against his chest and met his every advance.
How had he been so blind to this for so long? Amelia was perfect for him in so many ways. She knew just how to touch him, just how to handle his every mood. She wasn’t afraid to call him on his crap. And when it came down to it, he’d never been as attracted to a woman in his life as he was to her. From the first day he laid eyes on her freshman year, he’d known he was hers, be they friends or lovers. When they’d decided on friends, he’d shelved the attraction and kept his distance. Why, even now, he was resistant to let go. The minute he gave in to how badly he wanted her everything would fall apart.
At that unnerving thought, he pulled away. The moment their lips parted, the lights of the Eye illuminated and they were suddenly surrounded by its haunting blue glow. Amelia looked up at him, the lights and shadows highlighting the contours of her delicate features. Her smile was devoid of the pink lipstick she’d had on when they entered the Eye.
“Let’s go back to the hotel,” Amelia said, her voice breathy.
“You don’t want to go to dinner?” he asked.
“No,” she replied adamantly. “Take me back to the hotel right now or risk me doing something scandalous to you in this plastic bubble where everyone can see us.”
As appealing as that sounded, Tyler could see the loading platform approaching below. They wouldn’t have enough time to start anything interesting—or at least not to finish it—before the cops arrested them both.
“To the hotel it is.”
* * *
The moment they touched back down on solid earth, they rushed to get a cab to the hotel. Amelia’s heart was racing in her chest the entire way there, and when they pulled up outside the Landmark Hotel, she felt a tightness, like a vise closing down on her rib cage.
It wasn’t making love to Tyler that made her anxious. She had a thirst for him that never seemed to be satiated. It was their conversation on the Eye that worried her. She’d told him that she sensed he was afraid to give himself fully to the relationship, but there was more to it than just fear. Yes, he might be worried about losing their friendship or afraid of getting hurt again, but there was something else. He’d never seriously pursued her before now. Not once in all these years. But the moment a baby had come into the picture, Tyler had been ready to swoop in and claim her as his own.
Which raised the painful question she didn’t really want to face—was Tyler only here for the baby?
Did he really want them to fall in love, or did he just want Amelia to love him enough to stay in the relationship for the sake of their child? She had a miserable track record—she knew that. If not for the baby, she probably wouldn’t have let their relationship go on this long, in truth. She would’ve found some reason why it wouldn’t work. But now she was having feelings for Tyler. Real feelings that went far beyond friendship. Far beyond loving him, but not being in love with him.
But she didn’t get the same vibes from Tyler. It felt more like...an obligation, despite him telling her he was going to stop holding back.
Amelia shuddered at the thought. She never wanted anyone to be with her just because he thought he had to be. Tyler was attracted to her—there was no doubt of that—but could they have more?
The thoughts weighed heavy in her mind, even as they made their way through the stunning eight-story atrium of the hotel. She barely saw it, or any of the other remarkable features about their historic, hundred-year-old hotel. It wasn’t until they reached their suite that Amelia pushed the doubts out of her mind, just as she pushed Tyler’s suit coat over his shoulders. As they had nearly every night since they’d shared a home, she wanted to lose her worries in Tyler’s arms.
His jacket fell to the floor along with her own blue coat. Tyler pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she was nearly breathless. “I’ve never wanted a woman as badly as I want you tonight,” he said, his voice low and rough.
Amelia’s anxiety faded at the sound of his voice. It wasn’t all about the baby. His desire for her was real enough. She gave him a wicked, knowing grin and tugged at his tie. They shed clothing as they made it through the seating area to the large ivory-draped bed. Tyler whipped back the duvet and the flat sheet, then slipped out of his pants and eased onto the bed. Their make-out session on the Eye had certainly fired up his engine, and he was clearly ready for a long, exhilarating drive.
Kicking out of her heels, Amelia didn’t waste any time joining him in the bedroom. She’d been feeling a little feisty when she’d packed for this trip. Beneath her modest dress today, she’d opted for a lacy black demibra with matching panties and garter belt. The sheer black silk stockings were topped with lace that contrasted sharply with her pale skin.
Tyler’s mouth dropped open when her dress fell to the ground and she exposed the sexy lingerie she’d kept hidden all day. She did a little twirl, showcasing the revealing thong cut of the panties before slipping her thumbs beneath the sides and sliding them down her legs. She’d worn them outside the garter belt just for this reason. “Do you mind if I keep the rest on?” she asked innocently.
A frantic shake of his head was all she received in reply. Approaching the bed, she crawled slowly across it, putting the brakes on his rapid-fire seduction. When she reached the hard-carved muscles of Tyler’s bare abdomen, she threw one leg over his torso and straddled him. The movement immediately brought their most sensitive parts into contact, and the sensation brought a gasp of pleasure to her lips and a wicked smile to her face.
“All day?” He groaned. “You’ve been wearing that all day?”
“Mmm-hmm,” she hummed, reaching for the pins holding up her hair. When she removed the third and final one, her red curls spilled down over her shoulders, and she shook them out to great effect.
Tyler’s palms slid up her silky thighs, running his fingertips over the silver snaps of the garters and lacy tops of the stockings. “I...” he began, but Amelia brought a finger to his lips to quiet him.
They had done enough talking for today. There had been too many emotions and too much angst. Right now she just wanted to lose herself in making love to him. He wanted her to let go, and tonight, she would.
Rising up onto her knees, Ameli
a planted her hands on the pillows on both sides of Tyler’s head. Her breasts nearly tumbled from their confines as she moved, but he was quick to offer his hands to support them. As he kneaded her flesh, she slowly moved back, finding his firm heat and easing the length of him inside her hot, aching body.
Sitting up, Amelia rocked her hips forward, the pleasure of the moment forcing her eyes shut. It was better that way, so she kept them closed. With her eyes shut, she could focus on the feeling of Tyler’s hands cupping her breasts and teasing her nipples through the lace. She could absorb every powerful sensation as she moved her hips and forced the length of him deeper inside her body. She could hear Tyler’s murmurs of encouragement, her own soft gasps, the faint squeak of the bed as she moved...