Sara Orwig - The Wedding Wager

“Meg, darlin’.” He ground out the words in a husky voice. His endearment made her heart leap, and she knew she was vulnerable in too many ways. His words were as seductive to her as his lovemaking. Physically and emotionally, she wanted him.

She climaxed in a shattering release. Lights exploded behind her closed eyelids while her heart pounded violently. Ecstasy enveloped her as spasms rocked her. He pumped faster, and then groaned, reaching his own finish, still pleasuring her.

He inhaled deeply and slowed and she could feel tension winding up once again. She tightened her arms and legs around him again.

“Jared,” she cried softly, “don’t stop loving me,” she whispered as he thrust slower, and as it commenced another building, sweet torment. Impaled on his thick rod, she moved her hips faster. And then another climax rocked her with rapture.

She hugged him, feeling the sheen of sweat on his back. They held each other tightly, returning to earth from a distant paradise.

Reality was a wolf at the door, and she didn’t want to face tomorrow’s problems.

He turned on his side, untangling his long legs from hers. She pressed tightly against him, her face against his throat with her head on his shoulder. Deliberately, she kept her mind blank, relishing the euphoria and lethargy after lovemaking.

He shifted, then tilted up her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Loving you is fantastic, Meg.”

“Shh.” She put her finger over his lips. “Don’t talk. Don’t do anything for a few minutes,” she urged. She agreed privately, but she wasn’t going to confess what she’d experienced.

He was quiet, gazing at her solemnly while she traced his jaw with her fingers, letting her hand caress his chest lightly. He sucked in a deep breath and gently combed her hair away from her face while he showered light kisses on her.

“You’re fabulous,” he said in a husky voice, shifting away again to brush his fingers across her bare breasts.

She caught his hand in hers, trailing kisses over his knuckles, still refusing to think about anything except the present moment.

Rolling onto his back, he drew her close in his embrace, remaining quiet, as she had asked. She tangled her fingers in his chest hair and then let her hand slide over him to his waist. His body was in peak condition, a marvel to her.

As she shifted, starting to sit up, his strong arms held her. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“To shower,” she said.

He sat up. “I’ll shower, too,” he said and she shook her head.

“Jared, we’ve—”

His arm circled her waist and his mouth covered hers, taking her words. He kissed her deeply, lowering her to the bed. Once again, she knew now was the moment to stop him, but she was already responding to him as if they hadn’t just made love.

When he raised his head, she opened her eyes to find him watching her. Standing to pick her up, he was hard again, ready for love. While he gazed into her eyes, he carried her into the shower and turned on warm water.

As he lowered her feet to the floor, he leaned forward to kiss her. Desiring him more than ever, she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning into him. Their bodies were wet, warm, pressed against each other while her heart raced. Desire rekindled, quickly reaching a raging fire.

Jared’s arousal was hot against her belly. She moaned softly. It had been so long since she had been loved by him, and he was the only one, something she never intended for him to know. Worse, she couldn’t get enough, now that she had let go.

He picked her up, stepped back to brace himself against the glass wall of the shower and then lowered her onto himself.

She cried out with pleasure, throwing her head back, running one hand over his shoulder as she moved with him and he thrust fast, taking her quickly.

She squeezed her eyes closed, gasping for breath, holding his shoulders tightly now while he kissed her.

“Love, this is good,” he whispered, but she heard him as she had before.

“Love me,” she whispered, wanting him.

In ecstasy once more, she climaxed as he climaxed. She draped herself on his shoulders, kissing his neck and caressing him, running her hands lightly on his shoulders and back.

He would break her heart again. She knew that clearly. She couldn’t refuse to face the truth. Fighting all the tender feelings toward him that surged in her, she turned away.

“Meg, darlin’, this is fine. So fine,” he said in his deep voice. “You’re magic, pure seduction, beautiful.”

His words were golden, taking her heart as he had once before. She raised her head to meet his gaze. “Put me down, Jared.”

He set her on her feet and pulled her against him to kiss her until she responded fully. “You don’t know what you do to me,” he said.

She would lose any battle with him, she realized. Why had she ever thought she could successfully contend with him and win? She was consumed by his lovemaking—boneless and unable to think straight.

He showered light kisses on her shoulder, drawing his tongue over the curves of her ear. Still kissing her and holding his arm around her waist while he caressed her, he walked her backward beneath the spray of water. He smiled. “This is perfect.”

His smile softened his features, lending a warmth to his expression that had been missing too much since he’d come back into her life.

She smiled in return, a part of her responding, a part of her knowing she was flying into disaster at the speed of light.

“You’re a charming devil,” she said, shaking her head.

“And you’re a seductress. Pure temptation.” He took one step back and his hands rested on her waist while his gaze slowly traveled over her.

She couldn’t keep from studying him as thoroughly and intently as he was her. His body was magnificent, radiating vitality and energy.

“I know something better,” he said, switching off the water. He opened the door to grab thick, soft terry-cloth towels off a shelf. He handed her a blue towel and began to dry her with his towel. In turn, she dried him, running the towel over his broad shoulders, his muscled chest.

His strokes were light, a slow, sensual friction rubbing her nipples. Then he dried her belly and the insides of her thighs, then he ran the towel between her legs lightly.

She gasped, pausing in her task, grasping his arms. “Jared!” she whispered.

“I’m only drying you,” he said, continuing. “Come here.” He picked her up and carried her easily out of the shower and set her on her feet in front of the mirrored wall. He gazed over her head. “We look right together. You’re more beautiful than ever,” he whispered, standing close behind her and letting his hands play over her stomach and breasts. As he watched her in the mirror, he cupped her breasts and began to tease her nipples. Longing flared, and she wanted him again.

She started to kiss him, but he held her. “Wait,” he whispered. “Look at us. Look what I can do to you,” he added, cupping her breasts as he ran his thumbs in circles over her nipples.

“You can do too much to me,” she whispered. His hands were tan against her pale skin. His caresses were torment and she wanted him inside her again. She spread her legs, her heart pounding, while she tugged at his arm and hand, but he wouldn’t stop what he was doing.

He continued to caress her breast with one hand while his other drifted between her legs to touch her intimately. While she moved her hips, she reached behind her to touch him in any manner she could, knowing she was violating all her promises to herself.

“Jared, you have to …” she began, but he leaned closer, kissing her shoulder and ear, and her words ceased.

His hand between her thighs was torment. She spread her legs wider, giving him access to her as she moved her hips and as tension wound as tight as a spring.