Vivian Arend - Rocky Mountain Haven

Oh Lord, it felt good. Every suck, every brush of his teeth on her skin made her feel more and more alive. From one side to the other he alternated, the cool air of the room brushing the wet skin he left behind, contrasting hard with the heat of his mouth. One hand, then two, came into play, cupping and lifting, massaging and pinching until she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

“You’re beautiful, Beth, curvy and womanly in all the right ways.” Another nip to the tender undercurve made her gasp, her panties soaked with the moisture flooding from her sex.

“Damn…” He suckled hard and stars formed before her eyes. “Daniel, please…”

She wasn’t sure what she was asking for, only that she needed. Needed something more than what he was currently giving her.

He rose from the chair and caught the back of her head in one hand, drawing their mouths together while he played and teased her body with the other. Her muscles felt tight, ready to explode, and she rubbed wantonly against him, trying to find the missing component that nagged her.

Then he pulled away.

He stepped back, breathing heavily, and his gaze swept her body like a heated brand. He wiped his mouth carefully, then lowered a hand and adjusted himself through his jeans. A wave of desire rolled over her. Fucking on the desk sounded better and better by the minute.

They stared at each other, Beth clutching the edge of her desktop. The solid surface prickled her fingertips, the minute scratches from a thousand pens itching her hypersensitive skin.

Daniel stepped closer and tugged her blouse together, slowly doing up the buttons. The cool fabric brushed her nipples, driving her crazy.

“You have to pick up anything on the way home?” He smoothed his palms down her waist before lifting her off the desktop.

What? “Daniel, I…” Her nipples stood proud, stabbing the front of her blouse. “Aren’t we going to do anything else?”

He chuckled as he touched a fingertip to one of the points. “I came to talk to you, to plan a date. You’ve got enough time to beat the boys home if we head out now.”

The boys. Her blood was boiling, and she was going to die if she didn’t get…something. But he was right.

“I can’t believe you’re stopping.” Samuel would never have left himself unsatisfied.

“We’ve got time, sweetheart, and anticipation is a part of the fun. If you’ve had nothing but slam-bam sex, you may not know it, but delayed gratification is very rewarding.”

She shook her head in frustration and turned to gather her things. “Didn’t have it on the list you made me start, that’s for sure.”

He brushed the tattered bra scraps on her desk into his fingers then shoved them all into his pocket before offering her his hand. She accepted it, his clasp warm and solid. The admiration in his eyes felt good, even as the fabric rubbing her nipples sent shivers down her spine and made her sex ache. He unlocked and opened the door and offered his elbow.

“You really surprise me, Daniel.” He made her body tingle, and not knowing what he was going to do next had the potential to drive her nuts. But it was a good uncertainty. She didn’t feel as if he was a moment away from taking a swing at her, more of a “what’s inside the box” kind of curiosity. She adjusted her jacket to cover her breasts better since her nipples still stood at attention.

“I surprise you because I think your body is beautiful?”

She stumbled, and he caught her, steadying her easily. The mischievous twinkle in his eye made heat flash across her face.

“Shh, not in the school.” The second-floor hallway was empty now, doors wide open, her fellow teachers gone already, but the echoes of voices grew louder as the two of them moved toward the stairs.

“You planning on hiding from me some more, Miss Beth, or are you going to start answering my calls?”

Somehow she had to make this work. No matter how awkward, she wanted it. “I’ll answer. It would be best to talk when the boys are gone to bed. Can you call later in the evening?”

“I could. I could also come over.”

The way her whole body reacted she figured something had to give, and soon. But she would stay in control of the situation.

“I don’t think that’s wise.”

He tugged her to a stop, turning her to face him. “I’m not going to do anything to upset the boys on purpose, but either you’re serious about this or you’re not. I’m not going to be led around like some dog for you to pet when you get the urge. Either you say no right now, and I’ll bow out of your life, or you stop saying yes with your body and no with your actions.”

Beth’s heart pounded, her mouth gone dry from a momentarily rush of fear. But when he stood close, his hands gentle on her arms as he looked into her eyes, there was nothing there that said he wanted to control her.

He only wanted her to decide.

“What’s it going to be? Do you want to go ahead? You think about it, and let me know, because while I’m a patient man, Beth, I won’t let you yank my chain like this. I won’t let you start one way and expect you to change later because that’s not fair to either of us. It’s all or nothing. So why don’t we make it your call. You contact me if you want to go ahead any further.”

She hadn’t been fair, even if she had good reasons to hesitate. “It’s impossible to think straight with my bra in pieces in your pocket.”

A reluctant grin shimmered to life. “I’m hoping when you call, you say yes. Then the next time I cut something off you, it’ll be your panties.”

Beth swallowed, the racing beat of her heart making her lightheaded. He was right. She needed to stop being wishy-washy about this. Although, when they did find a time and place to be truly alone, she wasn’t sure her body was going to survive.

In the middle of clearing away supper dishes, Beth looked longingly at the recliner in the living room. A simple flick would light the gas fireplace, and she could lean back and rest her head on the soft cushions. The incredible sexual tension Daniel had lit in her body after school refused to diminish. Combined with the sheer workload of being a single mom—she was beat. A chance to put up her feet, even for a few minutes, would be paradise.

A crash jerked her from her blissful daydream. Nathan gasped then complete silence reigned. At her feet the broken bowl from the evening pasta dish lay in pieces. A few leftover noodles clung to the shards, the rest scattered over the floor like miniature snakes.

“Shit.” Lance turned from the fridge where he’d been putting away the milk.

“No swearing.” She held out a hand to keep the boys in one spot. “Don’t move, I don’t want you to cut yourself on the glass.”

She grabbed the dustbin from under the sink and dealt with the larger pieces. Lance got the broom, and by the time the mess was cleaned up, the lethargy that had crept over her was gone. Which was good, since even though it was the weekend, she still had papers to mark and a lesson she wanted to revise. The boys needed homework spelling words checked and…

A soft sniff interrupted her mental rambling. Nathan stood to the side of the kitchen, eyes wide, his face white.

“Nathan? You okay? Did you get cut when the bowl fell?”

He shook his head rapidly, tucking his hands behind his back.

Oh God .

“Honey, it’s okay. It was an accident.” She held out her arms, and he moved towards her slowly, warily. Damn bastard of a husband. “Mommy’s not mad at you. I bet the bowl was slippery from the butter on the edge. We’ve cleaned it all up.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, the rapid pitter-patter of his heart as it pounded in fear making her crazy.