Off Limits (5 page)

“Never found the right combination before.” He eased down over her thighs. “Spread your legs, Paige.”

“Words I’ve wanted to hear from you for a long time.” She did as he asked.

He paused, looking at her pretty pink pussy, swollen and slick. Setting the ice cream aside, he bent to tease her clit. The taste of her coated his tongue before he thrust it inside her. She moaned and wriggled beneath him, her fingers winding tightly in his hair. Without looking away from her, he reached for a glob of ice cream and dropped the cold sweet right on her clit.

She screamed and bucked up, offering it to him. How could he refuse? He closed his mouth around the treat and her clit, rolling the ice cream against her flesh as she pumped her hips, opening herself wider, wanting more.

He rose, looking up the length of her body at her parted lips, her dark eyes. She whimpered in protest when she realized he wasn’t going to make her come. Instead he cupped the bowl to move it to the nightstand.

She wrapped her fingers around his wrist. “Not so fast. On your back.”

Zach was torn. He wasn’t wild about ice cream being spread over him, but the idea of her licking it off—yeah, okay. He turned onto his back, hands on the pillow beside him in surrender as she knelt over him, gorgeous breasts swaying with the movement. He gave in to the temptation to tug one nipple into hardness. She grinned and reached for the fastening of his pants. She made short work of them, freeing his erection and sliding her palm up and down it, just to make him crazy, no doubt. Then, tucking her wild curls behind her ear, she bent and closed her lips around the head of his cock.

Every ounce of will kept him from thrusting his hips upward to push deeper into her mouth, to fulfill this fantasy. But no, he’d let her take it slow, as long as it wasn’t too slow. She parted her mouth wider to bring him deeper, her tongue sliding down the underside of him, teasing the bundle of nerves at the base of the head while her fingers closed around his shaft, pumping gently. He let out a groan through his teeth, and she looked up at him, eyes knowing, before she took more of him, her mouth hot and wet, sliding up and down, her gorgeous hair streaming over the tops of his thighs, tangling with the coarse hair there. The tip of him bumped the back of her throat, and she slid her mouth all the way up, releasing him with a pop.

And she reached for the bowl.

Alarm tripped his pulse. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Like she’d start listening to him now. She scooped a spoonful of the unmelted ice cream, waved it over his cock a couple of times before slipping the spoon between her own lips.

He barely had the chance to be relieved when she took him back into her mouth.

The cold ice cream touched the tender skin, and he sat up with a shout. But she didn’t release him, only coated his shaft with the concoction, mouth working, the ice cream melting between her tongue and his skin. The combination of sensation was overwhelming, and Christ, he wanted to let go. But he hadn’t let her come.

“Stop. Jesus. I want to be inside you.”

Before he lost his mind completely to pleasure, he scrambled behind him for a condom from the nightstand and shoved it at her. She took it, and with one last stroke of her lips on him, sat back to open the condom.

She took her sweet time about it too, and he was about to snatch it away when she settled her knees on either side of his hips and rolled it on, then guided him to her entrance and into her.

His fingers dug into her hips so hard he saw white spots on her skin. His balls were tight, ready for the orgasm that he fought to hold in.

Finally she started moving over him, her palm in the center of his chest, her hair and breasts swaying with her movements, the sexiest goddamned thing he’d ever seen. His gaze was drawn to her pussy swallowing his cock. Her rhythm was exquisite, and a fine sheen of sweat coated her skin.

“Touch yourself,” he urged, his voice almost unrecognizable.

Her eyes brightened. She reached for his hand and placed it on hers. “Show me.”

She was a fantasy come true. God help him. He guided her hand over her breast, coaxing her fingers to pinch her already-erect nipple. He urged it down her flat belly to toy in her curls, no longer neat. He watched her eyes heat as he slicked her fingers over her clit, and felt her pussy squeeze around him.

“Make yourself come,” he said, pushing his hips against hers, his cock deeper into her heat. God, he wished he could feel her naked around him, but he had to protect her. “Come for me, Paige.”

He watched as her fingers flicked and swirled around the pulsing bud. Her rhythm became erratic as she saw to her own pleasure, so he put his hands on her hips again and took over, pushing little pants from her as her fingers played over her clit.

Her orgasm was as gorgeous as she was, her body bowing back, her skin flushing, breasts high, fingers moving with a sensuous rhythm now, drawing out every molecule of pleasure as her channel clasped around him. Only then did he release his own orgasm with a shout, grinding up, feeling her drench his balls.

She collapsed over him, her fingers twining through his on the mattress as her cheek pressed against his pounding heart. He stroked her sweat-slickened back, then eased his hand up to toss her hair off her neck to cool her. He couldn’t get enough of touching her, damn it. All that silky skin, gorgeous breasts, long legs. He’d known this was a mistake from the beginning, but he hadn’t realized how quickly she would get under his skin.

Chapter Four

Paige glided her fingertips in circles over Zach’s palm and listened to his heartbeat slow to normal. Amazing to think she could have made this man come three times tonight, each time as eagerly as the last. She felt powerful, sexy, strong.

He shifted beneath her and curved his hands over her shoulders. “I need to get up, take care of this.”

The condom, he meant. Reluctantly she slid to her side facing him, watching the play of muscles in his back, ass and legs as he rolled off the bed and walked to the bathroom. God, he was beautiful. Longing tugged deep within her. Yes, she might have him in her bed now, but it wouldn’t last. She knew what he wanted out of life, and falling in love wasn’t it. No matter what she might do to convince him she was the one for him, he wouldn’t see it.

So she’d take what she could get and nurse her broken heart tomorrow.

She heard the shower turn on and forced her limp muscles to sit up. She was feeling a little sticky from the ice cream that now sat as slush in the bowl. She made her way across the carpet, feeling twinges in places she’d never twinged before. Right. Two rounds of lovemaking, no matter how hot, had aftereffects.

She tested the doorknob and found it unlocked, so opened it and stepped in.

She hadn’t seen the bathroom when they came in, but it was roomy, with a separate tub, and the shower behind glass blocks. She indulged herself with watching the blurred shape of Zach through them, before she stepped forward.

Water streamed over his face, flattening his hair, sluicing over his brow as he stood with one hand braced against the wall.

“Room for two?” she asked, and he whipped around, swiping the water from his eyes.

She wouldn’t let his reaction chase her off. If tonight was all she had, she was going to make the most of it.

“I have ice cream in interesting places,” she said, edging past him to steal some of the spray, while he watched her warily.

“You’re going to have bruises on your hips,” he said, his voice echoing off the glass. “I’m sorry.”

She coasted her palms down her reddened skin. “It’s fine. No one will see.” She considered, then tilted her head back under the water. Her makeup and hair-styling product were probably all sweated off anyway. She lifted her head again to see him staring at her. “What? Raccoon eyes?”

He shook his head, his jaw tight, and for a moment, she thought he’d bolt. Instead, he stepped forward, scooped her hair back from her face and kissed her.

The kiss was everything she’d dreamed of, gentle yet passionate, as if he craved her beyond anything, his lips gliding over hers, tongue stroking her lower lip, his lips covering hers, parting hers, to dip inside, filling her with his taste. She slid her fingers over his chest, the hair there rasping her palms, up to his broad, muscular shoulders, down his arms. Their bodies didn’t touch, only their mouths and hands.

He released her and stepped out of the shower, leaving her alone and confused.

When she joined him a few minutes later, dry and wrapped in a hotel robe, he was beneath the sheets, bare-chested, his hair damp from the shower. A quick glance around the room told her he was naked—his pants were draped over a chair, his boxers folded beside them. She toweled the underside of her hair as she considered. She’d never spent the night with a guy in a hotel before. What was the etiquette?

He turned his gaze to her. “Do you want to watch some television or something?”

She shook her head and tossed the towel back in the direction of the bathroom. He followed the path and winced when it landed. Of course. She’d forgotten how fastidious he was. But she gained his attention quickly when she shrugged out of her robe and crossed the room to the opposite side of the bed. She lifted the sheets enough to confirm her suspicion that he was indeed naked, and slipped in beside him.

“You’re warm,” she murmured, and wondered how he’d react if she cuddled up against him.

He twisted toward the nightstand, and she hoped he was reaching for another condom. Instead, he picked up his phone. “What time do you need to be up?”

Right. Work tomorrow. Considering she had nothing but her sexy evening dress, not even underwear, no makeup and her hair would look like a rat’s nest in the morning— “I’d better leave here about seven.”

He nodded and set the phone down without changing anything. “I have the alarm set for six thirty. Good enough?”

Such an odd conversation to have with the man of her fantasies while naked in bed with him. “Sure.”

She settled uncertainly on the pillow facing him. What now? Small talk? Sleep? Could she sleep with him an arm’s length away?

He shifted onto his side to face her, and almost as if he couldn’t help himself, stroked her bare arm above the sheet. “Matt asked me to be in the wedding party.”

She smiled. Right. They knew how to talk to one another. They’d known each other for fifteen years. “Technically it’s a commitment party. Good. Are you going to?”

His gaze flicked from following his hand on her arm to her face. “Sure. Why not?”

“Because to hear you tell it, you’re not all that into commitment, no matter what type.”

He flinched. “My commitment. I’m fine with Matt’s.”

“They’re very happy.”

“Yeah, I know.” His fingers traveled up to twine in her curls. “Are you in the commitment party?”

“Already have my dress.”

“I hope it starts at your chin and goes to the floor, because if Adam sees me looking at you—”

She turned her mouth down in an exaggerated pout. “You won’t look at me otherwise?”

“Not if I treasure my balls. And I do.”

She wouldn’t let his words sting, would play it off as she always had—teasing him. “So you won’t look at me under miles of fabric and remember what I looked like tonight, straddling you, my legs spread for your mouth, my—”

He covered her mouth with his palm, his expression pained. “I will not. And you won’t look at me like you want me to remember that.”

She pushed his hand away and leaned closer. “The dress is actually cut down to here.” She motioned just below her breasts. “And cut high enough on the side to have easy access.”

He grimaced and rolled onto his back, reaching for the bedside lamp. “Go to sleep, Paige.”

Paige woke to the sound of the hotel alarm and slid her hand across the mattress. Cool. Her eyes popped open. He was gone. No real surprise—he’d been on edge all night, even when he’d been making love to her, and he hadn’t drawn her into his arms afterwards, soothed her to sleep. She ignored the twinge of regret. She’d known what she was doing last night.

She flipped on the bedside lamp, just to make sure, holding the sheets to her breast, more out of security than modesty. After all, no one was here but her. His clothes were gone. In their place was a bag from a 24-hour discount store. Curiosity driving her, she got out of bed to open it. Inside were toothpaste and a toothbrush, a pair of panties, jeans, a bra and a T-shirt. Great. She wouldn’t have to make the walk of shame in last night’s dress. The effort touched her.

Then she saw the envelope at the bottom of the bag.

She recognized his scrawl on the front, squinted to decipher.

“Didn’t know if you brought your car. Money in here for a cab ride home. Room’s paid for.”

Nothing else, no
see you soon
or
call you later
. Her stomach tightened in disappointment, though she couldn’t say she’d expected more. Hoped, yes, but the logical part of her had known it would happen like this. She rose and dressed in her new clothes, a hair too big. She tucked last night’s dress in the bag, wrapped it up as small as she could, and headed out, head held high.

Zach stared at the computer screen without seeing the ad displayed there for his approval.

He’d left Paige in a hotel room with cash and clothes from a 24-hour store. She may have pretended to come to him a sex-sophisticate, determined to show him she could be as casual about their intimacy as he, but he knew better. He’d seen the adoration in her eyes, and Jesus, he’d liked it. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been adored. And damn it, he hadn’t deserved it, had been all uptight and snarly, as if touching her, making love to her, was the last thing he wanted. He was good at sex, he had fun with it, but other than the bit with the ice cream, he hadn’t shown her that side of him. He hated himself for that almost as much as he did for leaving her alone.

But no, he couldn’t think about that any more than he could think about touching her creamy skin or her wild hair, any more than he could think about the taste of her mouth, the sound of her sighs. She wanted something more, and he had no desire to enter a relationship with her, or any woman, not for a good long time.