Page 17 of #Resort Romance
Placing a finger over her lips, he silenced her. “We both know it was the right thing to do. Tonight, on the other hand, I’m a little more open-minded.” His hand caressed her cheek before smoothing over her jaw, along her throat, and down her arm. It was the barest of touches, and yet it felt much more powerful. “What do you say? Would you like to join me inside, or…?”
She was already shaking her head. “No or,” she whispered before swallowing hard. “I wanted you last night and I still want you.” Boldly, Kelsey raked her hand through his hair. “I’ve always wanted you.”
His sharp intake of breath was his only reaction before he turned and quickly opened the cabin door and tugged her in behind him. The door slammed shut and Jayce pulled her into his arms, instantly claiming her lips. Kelsey wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body as close to his as possible, and after that, she was done thinking and talking. She wanted to feel alive. She wanted to feel something other than sadness.
Last night, Jayce thought she only wanted sex.
But she didn’t.
What she wanted was intimacy—to be touched, held, looked at, seen as a desirable woman. She wanted someone to smile at her, laugh with her, someone who made her feel safe and warm. But more than anything, she wanted to feel like someone really understood her. She wanted it so much it was more like a craving.
But tonight it was all of those things, plus sex.
Jayce Nash was a man she felt safe with, but he was also a man she felt a deep connection with. After years of friendship and teenage dating, it felt natural for them to be together like this. She’d dreamed about it for years, and right now she wanted to experience it for real and not just in her mind.
“Make love to me, Jayce,” she whispered against his lips.
Lazily, he lifted his head and stared down at her. “Are you sure? Because…”
This time she was the one to place a finger over his lips to silence him. “I’m very sure. No regrets.” But then a thought occurred to her. “Unless…this isn’t what you…?”
Pushing her hand aside, he cut off her words with a kiss that bordered on brutal. It was exciting and arousing and if this was just the beginning, she couldn’t wait for what was going to happen next.
His hands were everywhere, his lips were wildly sensual, and everything about him turned her on. The cabin was small, so it was a short—and slightly awkward—walk to the bedroom. The space was crammed and neither wanted to break the kiss, so they carefully made their way from the living room until they were beside the bed.
Breathlessly, they finally broke apart and Jayce’s hands slid under her shirt to cup her breasts. It felt so good that her head fell back as she let out a very throaty sigh before humming, “Yes.”
The next thing she knew, they were on the bed, with Jayce’s body covering hers. It was a gloriously satisfying feeling, the weight of him settling against her. So many thoughts were racing through her head—she was happy, turned on, giddy, nervous…it was total sensory overload, but she decided to simply hold on and enjoy the ride. If they were going to have the next week together and have this…fling, then she was going to savor every moment.
Every touch, every kiss, every sigh…she would take it all and commit it to memory, so when they went their separate ways and back to their regular lives, she could remember it all.
Bracing himself above her, he studied her face. “You are so beautiful, Kelsey. I always thought that, but the woman you’ve become simply takes my breath away.”
She could feel herself blush even as she fought the urge to squirm. Before she could comment or even properly think of something to say, he was kissing her again, and this time, it was deeply erotic and sensual, and she knew there weren’t any words necessary. After years of thinking about him and going through all of the “what if” scenarios, she was finally going to find out.
Wrapping herself around him, Kelsey gave herself over to the moment and was confident that this was exactly what she wanted and needed.
And she was going to love the hell out of it.
Chapter Five
The next morning, Jayce cradled the steaming mug of coffee in his hands as he watched Kelsey walk across the path to her cabin. When she reached her front porch, she turned and gave him a shy smile and wave before going inside. And like a lovesick fool, he stared at the closed door for far longer than was necessary.
After several minutes, he realized he was being weird and turned to go back into his own cabin. The space wasn’t conducive to pacing—which he felt like doing—so he forced himself to sit on the sofa and relax.
That lasted for less than a minute.
Standing, he went and stood in the bedroom doorway and looked at the messy bed and remembered how thoroughly they had messed it up last night and again this morning.
Kelsey Brooks. The girl who stole his heart as a teen had rocked his world as an adult. He meant what he said last night that it had to be fate and the universe bringing them together again after all these years.
Unfortunately, he just didn’t know what it would mean when this vacation was over.
Jayce wasn’t someone who thought about or…well…dreamed about the future. The future was going to be what it was going to be. But if he was the type to think and dream, he’d want to bring Kelsey home with him and take care of her. From everything she’d shared with him, her job was stressful, taking care of her mother before she passed away was stressful, and now she was struggling with her grief and seeing a therapist. Deep down, he knew what she needed—a fresh start, someplace completely new and different from her life up in Rochester. She’d already mentioned the possibility of moving, but…would she consider moving closer to him?
Possibly…moving in with him?
Raleigh wasn’t in her top three choices of new locations, but…maybe it could be?
