Page 43 of Storm's Embrace

“So what are you doing in here?” As if she couldn’t tell from how certain parts of his body were making his intentions quite clear.

“I want to help youshower.”

“I can see that,” she said, glancing down his slick body and then back up into his grinning face dripping with water. “But I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She meant that. She really did. So why, then, was her body gravitating toward his until she found herself wrapped up in his arms with her hands clutching his firm backside.

“Trust me,” he said, pushing her up against the tile wall behind her before he slid down her body. “It’ll be the best shower of your life.”

After the first swipe of his tongue through her sensitive folds, she decided he was absolutely right.

* * *

“Eli.” Miriam groaned and reached over and shut off her alarm clock, and then turned and relaxed back into the circle of his arms. The dim, early morning light shone through the blinds at her windows, touching her lover’s stubbled face as she reached up and smoothed his sleep-tousled hair. The fact it had dried all over the place after Eli had shown her some good clean shower fun didn’t help how messy it was. She shoved at his arm.

“Hmm?” He slowly opened one eye and grimaced.

“Get up. We need to get ready for work.”

He groaned and scrubbed a hand down his face before leaning over her and squinting at the clock on her nightstand. “Six-eighteen?” He plopped back on his pillow and pulled her over onto his chest, muttering, “Fifteen more minutes.”

As much as she would have loved to remain exactly like they were, she knew if she stayed in bed that much longer she’d never be ready on time. Sure, Zoë was at her parents’ house and she didn’t have to get her ready for school, but she still needed at least an hour to do all she needed to do before heading into the office. And with another adult in the house who also had to get ready for work, they needed to make sure they’d have enough time.

Speaking of getting ready.

“What’re you going to do about clothes?”

He certainly couldn’t wear what he he’d worn the previous day. The staff would most definitely notice. Especially after the whole Deidre spectacle and the fact he’d shared how Pam and Bonnie had heard him profess his love for her to the other woman. So, his coming to work in the same clothes would speak volumes, and she’d have enough questions to field as it was without them deducing he’d spent the night with her.

“Clothes?”

“Clothes.” She sat up and away from him and yawned. They hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep and she was pretty tired.

“Oh, yeah,” he said, sitting up and stretching.

She let her gaze roam over his upper body and licked her lips. The man was a work of art.

“I’ll need to go home, I guess.” He didn’t sound too enthusiastic. “But first,” he said, turning and pulling her under him. “Kiss me.”

“You do know we both have morning breath. Right?” She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“It’s still sweet to me,” he said, chuckling and bending his head to take her lips in a gentle kiss. But too soon, slow kisses turned to heated explorations, with both of them straining against each other until Miriam was panting and holding Eli as he surged into her, her body singing and heart full as they came together over and over—his cry of fulfillment joining hers moments later.

“What you do to me,” Eli said, breathless, as he kissed over Miriam’s brow and cheek, and then finally her lips. “It’s devastating.”

“Mmm.” Miriam enjoyed the feel of Eli’s damp skin under her fingertips as she stroked over his back and the weight of him pressing down on her. “You devastate me too, but—“ The telltale signs of his reawakening interest made its presence known. “Again?”

He shrugged and pressed into her. “What can I say?”

“Eli,” Miriam said, pushing him off of her with a laugh and scooting out of bed. “What you need to say is, you’re heading home, so I can get my shower. Alone,” she said when his speculative gaze ran over her body.

He sighed and nodded. “You’re right. Okay.” He got out on the other side of the bed. “You take your shower—alone.” He grinned and waggled his brows. Who knew the man could be so playfulandsexy? “And I’ll see you at the office.” He came around the bed, her eyes widening at the evidence of how much he wanted her, while her thoughts went to ideas of them cutting off some time by showering together. “Don’t worry I just need another kiss to tide me over.” He bent toward her without bringing any part of his body in contact with hers but his mouth. The swift kiss on her lips before he made a quick exit from her bedroom wasn’t what she was hoping for, but was probably for the best.

“Well, crud.”

* * *

“So far, so good,” Miriam muttered as she waved at Gail heading down the hall toward the exit on her way to lunch. All in all, it had been a fairly uneventful day.

Sure, Miriam had received a few questioning looks, and maybe even a grin or a wink or two, from the other staff. But surprisingly, no one had come right out and asked her about what had happened in Eli’s office the previous morning, her hurried exit, or Ms. Bennett’s semi-public dumping.

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