Page 66 of Derailed
20
Sean
She gazesout at the tiny lights that make up the LA skyline, watching with rapt attention. Her lips pull a little at the edges as if she wants to smile but can’t bring herself to do it. Normally I enjoy watching the city lights, too. Lines of red and white paint the landscape with bumper to bumper traffic. There’s beauty in the orchestrated chaos at this distance, but tonight my eyes can’t be pulled from the woman before me. For once there’s no one around to judge how I drink herin.
I’m pissed as hell about the shiner she’s sporting, her cheek still red and angry from where he hurt her.Fucking Coy. I’m not a fighter. I’m not sure I could even take him. But seeing Jess like this ignites an anger inside that will surely explode when I see his fucking face. But as livid as I am, I made a promise to Jess. Tonight isn’t about me. It’s about helping her forget. If I do my job right, hopefully she’ll forget him forgood.
Her soft voice cuts through our silence. “Do you ever feel like no one would notice if you just disappeared? That maybe it’d be better if you did?” With her gaze transfixed at the skyline, my gut instantly clenches with caution. I want her—no, Ineedher to look at me. Her eyes always give her away, their depths knowing much more than theyshould.
“Jess.”
She doesn’t waver from staring out into thenight.
“Never mind, that was stupid.” She takes another sip of Jameson and her shoulders shake with laughter. “Of course, you never feel that way. Thousands of people take notice whenyouhave acold.”
“Jess.”
“Just forget I said that, okay?” Her words are light but her tone ispleading.
I wait, because I need her to see me just as I am when I speak my next words. I need the gravity of them to hit her straight in the heart. Her chin finally turns and as soon as her gaze lifts to mine I empty the truth in my answer. “I would. I would care if you weren’t here anymore. I would care a lot.” I hold her gaze as long as I can. Until the pain in my heart burns, because as much as I want her, she’s not mine. When I finally look away, my eyes find the lights in the distance, a surprising calm, and before I can help it, more truth slips through my mouth. “Probably more than Ishould.”
“Sean.” Her voice is lit with that familiar kindness I’ve grown to love, but there’s something else there I haven’t heard. Or maybe it’s just my own wishful hopes, but I swear I can feel her desire in the way she said myname.
My eyes leave the skyline to meet hers, and in them there’s no innocence. She’s all woman, and I’d love to see her drop her guard even more. “Tell me you care,too.”
“You know I do,” she says in a rush, and her lashes fluttershut.
My chin dips and I lean close, so close that her breath fans against my cheek. My lips find the shell of her ear. “I won’t . . .” As much as I know I could coax her into this, I have to hear her consent. I don’t know where she stands with Coy. Right now, I can’t even find it in me to care. With Jess I toss all my rules out the window. When it comes to her I’ll do anything, as long as it’s what she wants. “We can stop, if youwant.”
She tilts her head and my cheek brushes hers. “I don’t want that.” Her lips graze my earlobe and skirt along my jawline. “I want you.” Her lips finally meet mine. Moving tenderly at first, then kissing with purpose as I open my mouth. Our lips move together in a dance more fluid than the Jameson. She’s sweeter than in my dreams.Fuck. She is my dream come tolife.
My hands find their way onto her body. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, it’s as if I can’t decide where to go first. Hips, waist, back, arms, breasts, hair—my fingers brush against the softness of herskin.
She scoots down the lounge chair and I support her back until she’s fully reclined against the cushion. My body settles between her thighs and I’m careful not to crush her with my weight. Her hands run up and down my chest, stroking both my skin and ego as she holds meclose.
My lips leave her mouth to explore what else she likes. Kissing along her cheek, I brush my tongue along her earlobe. She exhales a soft moan, digs her fingers into my scalp and pulls my lips back to hers. Fuck. I could kiss her forever. No shit. If this is as far as things go, I’ll be a happy man. Slowing my movements, I try to bring our kiss back to something more PG rated. I don’t want her to assume I’m only into her if it includessex.
“More.” Her hands run down my back and dip inside the waistband of my shorts. “I want you,Sean.”
Screw being happy. She’s about to blow my mind and rock my world. Who am I to not give Jess what shewants?
It’s not easy leaving her lips, but my destination has me rock hard and on a mission—that being to make her come first, and several times more before the night is over. I hitch up her shirt, and she shivers in response. “Thisokay?”
She nods, watching me as I raise it high enough that my lips move across her belly, and ultimately find their way between her breasts. Every touch is purposeful and unhurried. It’s not only about the buildup, but also my desire to make this last as long as possible. There’s an unexplainable need to burn this moment into my memory, and the fact she doesn’t rush me makes me wonder whether she feels thesame.
“This needs to come off.” I tug at the shirt and bra I have bunched up over her ample breasts and take one nipple into my mouth to suck, then flick with my thumb until it’s a hard point before moving to thenext.
“I don’t know,” she whispers before letting loose a moan. “This seems to be working justfine.”
I stop the assault on her breasts, a grin pulling at my lips. “I am a resourcefulman.”
“Yeah?” She quirks her brow. “Proveit.”
“Fuck.” The word rushes from my mouth and causes her to giggle. I love this side to her. Carefree. Full of delight. Sure, it’s probably aided by the liquor, but still, it’s a side I’ve neverseen.
Before she can laugh again I slide down her body, my face between her legs, and hook my fingers into her shorts and panties to tug them down her legs. As each inch of skin is exposed, I wish we were doing this inside where I’d have more than the stars above to illuminate her perfectbody.
“You’re beautiful.” I glance up and hold her stare as I drop a kiss to her center. Her most intimate parts are already slick with arousal. She pants and I can feel another shiver work over her body as her skin prickles withgooseflesh.
