Page 16 of The Summer House

Rather than answer the question with something as silly as words, she reached for the buttons on his short-sleeved shirt and began unfastening them. He gave a low groan and shifted so he could reach behind her.

She felt her zipper being lowered past her waist to her hips. Then his hands were on her bare skin. He was warm and tender as he stroked the length of her spine. Her dress dropped a few inches but caught in the crook of her elbows. She straightened her arms long enough to let it fall to the floor.

He took a step back and jerked his partially unbuttoned shirt out of his waistband. His gaze fixed on her body, he shrugged out of his shirt and went to work on his slacks. As a rule Mandy wasn’t comfortable being stared at while she was partially—or completely—undressed. But somehow with Rick it didn’t matter. The pleasure in his eyes, the straining ridge of his arousal, all told her that he liked what he saw.

They came together again, this time touching each other everywhere. He fumbled for the clasp on her bra while she explored the thick muscles of his back. She ran her fingers through the light dusting of hair over his sculpted chest, then moved lower to narrow hips. He freed her bra and dropped it to the ground, then rested his hand on her left breast.

All thought fled from her brain. She could only feel the gentle touch of his fingers on her skin. He moved his thumb against her tight nipple and fire shot through her. She gasped.

There was a quick movement and she felt herself falling. They tumbled together onto the mattress, his body half-covering hers.

Their naked legs brushed together. She looked up into his blue eyes and saw an answering fire flickering there. Need tightened his mouth. His hand slipped from her breast to her hip and back, making a lazy circle. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.

Familiar, she thought hazily. Familiar, yet different. The combination was unexpected and arousing. Some things were the same—the taste of him, the heat—but others were different. She felt tension increasing from his simple touches. Years before, arousal and climax had always been difficult for her, but not today. Not with him.

He moved his hand lower until he cupped her between her legs. Jolts of need made her cry out. He rubbed her through her silk panties and she could tell that she was wet and ready.

With one long elegant tug, he removed her last scrap of clothing, then slipped his hands through her damp curls. As if drawn by a beacon, he instantly found her point of pleasure and introduced himself with a gentle caress.

She closed her eyes and arched her head back. It was too good, she thought, barely able to keep breathing. He touched her with a sureness that made her relax. Every brush of his fingers was more perfect than the one before. Then she felt warm, moist heat on her breasts. As his hand moved below, he licked her sensitive nipples, then began to suck on them. The combination was impossible.

“Now!” she breathed as her release swept over her. She had no control, no will. The pleasure rolled through her, making her cling to him and silently beg for it to go on forever.

Eventually, though, the tingles faded and reality returned. She opened her eyes to find Rick staring down at her intently.

“That was incredible,” he said quietly.

She had to clear her throat before she could speak. “Actually, that would be my line,” she said.

“I want you,” he murmured. “I want to be inside you. I want to bury myself so deep that you don’t have a choice but to do that again.”

His words made her tremble.

“Okay,” she managed to say, already feeling her own need flaring to life again.

He stood and peeled off his briefs, then opened a nightstand drawer and pulled out a condom. When he turned around and she saw his arousal, her need increased. She, too, wanted him inside, filling her, making her lose control for a second time.

He applied the protection, then settled between her knees. Again she had the sensation of a blending of the familiar and unfamiliar. Then he was kissing her and nothing mattered but his mouth and the probing she felt at the apex of her thighs.

She reached down a hand to guide him inside her. He was large and thick and she had to stretch to accommodate him. But what could have been uncomfortable was only spectacular.

More, she thought, pulsing toward him. More and more and more and more.

He read her mind. As they kissed and clung to each other, he began to move in and out of her. Each stroke filled her, brushing against sensitized nerves that began to quake in anticipation. Tension grew. More. She wanted more. He moved faster. She brought up her legs and wrapped them around his hips, pulling him deeper inside. A strong pulsing began in her belly, then moved outward. She couldn’t stop it or control it or do anything but feel the growing release as it swelled and blossomed.

“Yes,” he murmured, breaking the kiss and staring into her eyes. “Do it for me.”

The erotic request pushed her over the edge. Still watching him, knowinghewatched her, she gave herself up to the pleasure. Wave after wave of release rumbled through her, making her hold on tight and cry out. He gritted his teeth, obviously restraining himself as long as he could. Then he gave a groan of surrender. One more strong thrust and he was still. She felt the muscles in his body tense, then release with a sigh.

* * *

When the aftershocks subsided, Rick rolled off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom to deal with the condom. Mandy watched him go, not sure if she was supposed to duck under the sheets or start dressing. He returned before she could make up her mind, and held out a hand.

Still not certain about what was expected of her, she let him pull her to her feet, then waited while he drew back the covers and motioned for her to slide in first. He settled next to her, drew her close and wrapped his arms around her.

“Like I said…incredible,” he told her as he nuzzled her hair.

Mandy wasn’t so quick to relax. She enjoyed being in his arms, and the sensual aftershocks of her multiple releases were very nice, but…