Part 17 (2/2)

She put her hands against his chest and held him back. ”But I don't expect you to stay once September gets here. This is just casual s.e.x, okay?”

That was a lie, of course. She liked him. She really did, even though he was arrogant and demanding and she didn't know enough about him.

When the fall came, she was going to have a big clean-up job to take care of after he'd left, but she wasn't about to try and tie him down just so she felt better about sleeping with him. First of all, she was an adult, which meant she was fully capable of making a bad decision and having to live with the consequences. And second, he didn't owe her anything. Two and a half weeks ago they'd been total strangers and in another five or so, he would go back out into the world on his own.

”This is only causal s.e.x,” she repeated, as much for her own benefit as his.

Nate's eyes blinked once. ”Whatever you say.”

”So, are you going to the pharmacy or am I?”

That night the restaurant was a madhouse. People were actually waiting for tables and Nate was in his element. She'd never seen someone work so fast or so well.At the end of the evening, even though she was wilted from all the work, she went to her office to add up the receipts. She had to go through them twice. They'd done five thousand dollars worth of business.

Was it possible that miracles really did happen?

When the phone rang, she picked up. ”White Caps.”

There was static and then, ”Frankie?”

”Alex! Where are you?”

”Heading for home, believe it or not.” More static. ”-be there in about a week.”

”A week?”

”-then we're heading back out-America's Cup training-”

”Alex?”

”-better go now. See you soon.”

”I can't wait to see you!”

”Same h-” The connection broke.

She hung up the phone smiling.

”Who was that?”

She looked across the room. Nate was leaning against the doorjamb. He'd taken a shower and changed into cut-offs and his hair was wet, curling against his neck.

”Ah-my brother. He's coming for a visit.” She got to her feet, feeling awkward.

Nate stared at her from under low lids, antic.i.p.ation coming off of him in waves, but she wasn't exactly sure how this was supposed to work between them. He answered the question by striding into the room and putting his hands on her waist.

”It's late. We should get to bed.”

She slid her arms around his neck. ”Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Upstairs, she drew him into her bedroom and had a moment of trepidation as he undressed her. But the moment they fell onto her bed and his body was on hers, she stopped thinking. The sensations he roused as he suckled her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and swept his hand between her legs were all her brain could handle.

What a lover he was. Relentless, he pleasured her over and over again until she didn't think it was possible for her to climax one more time. Unfortunately, he refused to let her reciprocate. Every time she tried to reach for him, he stayed just out of range. He was generous to the point of frustration and she had a feeling he was making up for leaving the night before.

But his pleasure was hers.

”Why can't I touch you?” she moaned, trying to get to his erection.

His voice was rough in her ear. ”Because I'm going to come the instant you do. G.o.d, I'm so hot for you.”

And then he went back to work on her.

The only time he paused was to put the condom on.

His body was taut over hers as he came back to her. She reached for his hips to pull him down, but he resisted, resting his forehead on hers. His breath was ragged.

”Frankie, look at me. I want to see your eyes.”

And then he sank into her body, filling her, stretching her. He was slow at first but then his thrusts gained power until she was climaxing again. As her body grabbed onto his, he went rigid, her name torn out of his throat.

As dawn came, Nate rolled over, pulling Frankie tightly against his body. He had to get up in a matter of minutes to start breakfast and wanted to savor the quiet moment.She stirred in his arms. ”Is it morning already?” Her voice was groggy as she rubbed her eyes.

”Unfortunately.”

They'd made love twice more during the night and had fallen asleep only an hour before, but Nate felt like he could run a marathon.

He trailed his hand down the smooth plane of her stomach and then onto her thigh. ”You know something?”

”What?”

Nate shut his mouth. He was going to say he could really get used to waking up next to her, but he thought about her casual-only limits.

h.e.l.l, his own casual-only limits.

As he kept his lip zipped, he thought, well, wasn't this was a new one. Usually women wanted him to talk to them and he had nothing to say. Or nothing they'd want to hear, to be more accurate.

But, G.o.d, after last night, he wanted to let loose with a whole stream of romantic drivel. She'd rocked his world and not just physically.

Frankie rolled over and looked up at him.

Man, he liked the color of her eyes.

”What?” she prompted.

”I gotta go.” He dropped a kiss on her mouth and then got out of bed quickly. He was pulling on his shorts when he caught her smile.

”You've got a beautiful body, you know that,” she said, eyes going low.

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