Just This Once, Contemporary Romance (Last Frontier Lodge #3) (17 page)

Becca knew her face with flaming. She wasn’t accustomed to feeling so vulnerable. She’d convinced herself she was past this messy tangle of doubt. Trying to process her feelings aloud with anyone, even those closest to her, only heightened the sense of vulnerability. She shrugged. “Perhaps it would help if I had a better idea of what was going on with us. That’s at least half the problem.”

“Yeah, you might want to figure that part out. Don’t go thinking you’re the only one that ends up this confused. You should’ve seen me last winter,” Delia offered ruefully.

Chapter 21

Aidan checked his watch and leaned his head back against the plane seat. After two days of hemming and hawing about Becca’s damn text, Jo had called him out for being a coward. In reaction, he’d demanded she book him on the earliest flight to Alaska. Turned out, the flight was a red-eye midnight journey through the night sky from Seattle to Anchorage. Jo had booked him in first-class, which was pretty much a given for him because he was too tall to fold himself into the cramped spaces in business class.

Several hours later, he woke to the sound of the captain’s voice providing an update on their landing time. He glanced around to see most of his fellow passengers sound asleep. He stood and stretched his legs before sitting back down for the remainder of the flight. A while later, he was filing off the plane, his single bag slung over his shoulder. He carried that particular weariness that came from an overnight flight. He had a brief layover in Anchorage before his flight to Homer, the closest airport to Diamond Creek for commercial planes.

When his plane to Homer was called, he walked out into the chilly darkness to climb onto the smaller regional plane. Stars winked bright against the sky. As the plane flew through the lifting darkness, Aidan watched the mountains take shape in the wispy light of breaking dawn. The plane flew alongside the shore, mountains to one side and the ocean extending in the other. The ocean was dark in the barest light. The flight to Homer was brief. It wasn’t too long before he saw the town’s lights ahead in the distance. The plane looped out over Kachemak Bay to come in for landing. The boat harbor lights reflected on the water in the cove where it was nestled.

Shortly after landing, he walked out of the small airport and scanned the parking lot for the truck he’d rented. He’d alerted Gage to his pending arrival, but he’d declined Gage’s offer to pick him up. For starters, he didn’t want to burden Gage with driving to meet him at this early hour. He also didn’t want to arouse any questions in Becca’s mind. As was usually the case with Becca, he didn’t have much of a plan, so he’d be making it up as he went along.

The sun’s rays began to stretch into the sky from behind the mountains as he drove north to Diamond Creek. By the time he made his way up the winding road that led to Last Frontier Lodge, the sunrise was painting the sky in watercolor with swirls of pink, lavender and gold. He pulled into the parking lot at the ski lodge and sat quietly for a moment. He considered Jo’s comment that he was a coward. He knew she’d said it for effect, but it pricked because it hit at how thrown off he was with Becca. He’d never been anything other than confident when it came to women, yet he’d never been anything other than casual either. He’d just flown thousands of miles to see a woman who, whether she knew it or not, had more power than he’d like to admit over his heart. He sat in the truck in the early dawn wondering what to say to her.
Fuck. You’ve mucked this up good. Better come up with something because you can’t sit here in the damn parking lot all day.

He climbed out, grabbed his bag and walked up to the lodge. The main door was unlocked, so he quietly let himself in. From the reception area, he could hear a quiet hum of activity from the kitchen. He wasn’t up for greeting anyone other than Becca, so he made his way to the stairs. Gage had given him Becca’s room number. He headed down the hall and stopped at her door. He knocked and waited. Several moments later, the door swung open. Becca stood there in a robe. His heart thumped—hard—against his ribs. Her glossy brown hair fell in a tumble around her shoulders. Her blue eyes widened when she saw him. At her gasp, he spoke.

“You asked me not to call, but you didn’t say I couldn’t come see you.”

Her eyes sparked with mirth and a laugh bubbled out. She stepped back from the door, gesturing for him to come in. He walked into the suite and glanced around. The bed was rumpled with the covers thrown back. The curtains were open, and the sunrise behind the mountains was breathtaking. The sun’s rays were breaking through the colors, haloing the mountains and trees with soft gold. He set his bag on the floor by the door and followed her toward the kitchen area. She turned to face him, resting her elbow on the counter. The laughter had left her eyes, replaced with the guarded quality he knew so well. His heart tightened, and he wished like hell he knew how to think on his feet with her.

“I, um…” Becca paused and brushed her fingers through her hair.

“I know you didn’t know I was coming. I just… Well, when you told me not to call, at first, I was going to wait it out. But I didn’t want to accidentally send the wrong message. Back when I first kissed you, I told you it wasn’t nothing. I haven’t talked about it, but the thing is—I’ve wanted you for years.” Her eyes widened, and his heart was near to pounding out of his chest, but he kept going. He’d decided he was going to be honest, so he was. “I didn’t ever think it would go anywhere. Honestly, I convinced myself I could never act on it. I didn’t mean to change that, but then I did. I’m not sorry, but I’m also not going to stand by and let you think this doesn’t matter. I want you more than I’ve wanted anyone, and I want us to have a chance. I know you have your reasons for not trusting men, but I’m not going to walk away, and I’m not going to let you down. I’ll wait, but I’m not going to do that without making sure you understand how much you mean to me.”

He ran out of words, somewhat stunned by all he’d said. The only thing he hadn’t said aloud was that he loved her. For a split second, he considered it, but he held back solely because he didn’t want to scare her away. He was already afraid he’d said too much.

Becca’s eyes were bright with the sheen of tears. “I didn’t know,” she whispered. “I only asked you not to call because… Well, because I can hardly think straight. I didn’t know I was going to feel like this. After Kyle, it was just easier not to bother. I thought we could have just one night and that would be enough. It’s not and it’s making me crazy!” She shook her head sharply and swiped at the tears on her cheeks.

He didn’t think. He simply stepped to her and wrapped her in his embrace. Her body softened against his. He felt her sigh. All he knew was it felt so good to hold her, he could hardly breathe. They stood like that for several moments. He managed to breathe and could feel the tension easing from her. As was the case whenever Becca was physically close, his body had its own ideas. Her lush curves were so tempting.

She lifted her head from his shoulder. He glanced down, his eyes colliding with hers. His body tightened instantly. Her blue eyes were dark, the desire in them echoing his. Thought fled. He dipped his head and closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in a kiss.

***

Aidan’s lips came against hers. For a flash, his touch was soft, as if asking a question. Currents of desire were surging through her. Heat blazed the moment his lips touched hers. She slipped her hand up around his neck and stroked her fingers into his hair. Their kiss went wild. His mouth laid claim to hers with deep strokes of his tongue. She met him stroke for stroke, arching against him. Heat twisted inside her. She’d missed him so much it had torn at her. To have him here, this close, this near—she couldn’t do anything other than allow herself to be swept into the tide of longing crashing through her.

She was frantic. The pleasure of his touch was so acute, she could hardly bear it. She tore at his shirt, desperate to feel his skin. He took a step back and quickly unbuttoned his shirt, shrugging out of it. She sighed at the mere sight of him—the hard planes of his chest, his defined abs and arms of pure muscle. His eyes were on her like hot embers. The air around them crackled with tension. He stood stock still for a moment, his eyes coasting over her. Without lifting a finger, she felt the heat of his touch from his eyes alone.

He lifted a hand and slowly reached for the tie of her robe. Her breath was shallow and her pulse skittered wildly as he slowly wound the robe tie around his hand. She could barely hear the slide of the fabric over the pounding of her heart as he loosened the tie and her robe fell open. The heat of his palms curled over her shoulders as he slowly slid the robe off. It fell to the floor in a rumple. She was bare in front of him. The need to touch him was so great, it rushed through her. She took a step and stroked a palm down his chest, savoring the flex of his muscles under her touch. His breath hissed through his teeth.

“Becca…”
 

He choked out her name. Want whipped through her, its lash tightening the need coursing through her. She tore at his jeans, curling her hand around his arousal. She shoved his briefs out of the way and leaned forward to take him in her mouth. A low moan tore from his throat. She knelt down and set to stroking, sucking and licking, glorying in the broken gasps coming from him. She brought him all the way inside of her mouth again and again. His cock throbbed in the warm, slick grip of her palm as she stroked up and down.

When she pulled away and glanced up, he moved swiftly, lifting her in his arms and setting her on the kitchen counter. The tiled counter was cool against her skin, its contrast notching the heat higher inside. He slid his hands up her calves, the calloused surface sending shivers through her. He pressed her knees apart and lifted his eyes to hers. The naked want in his eyes nearly took her breath away. Her chest tightened. His eyes held hers as his hands reached the juncture of her thighs. Her pulse pounded, need thrumming through her as he stroked a finger into her cleft. She was slippery with desire. He dragged his fingers through her folds before delving into her channel.

Her head fell back on a moan, and she gripped the edge of the counter. Pleasure tightened its coil inside, streaks of heat whipping through her. His mouth joined his fingers, and he set to drive her mad with a slow exploration of her folds while his fingers surged in and out of her at a steady pace. Shudders began to roll through her, the ache of pleasure so intense, she scrambled to cling to the edge of sanity. A deep thrust of his fingers at the exact moment he swirled his tongue across her clit, and she cried out. Pleasure raced through her in deep ripples. His touch eased, and he pulled away. His lips made their way up her body. She was nearly limp in the aftermath of her climax. His touch coaxed her body back to a state of taut need. He teased her nipples, dragging his fingers in lazy circles around them on the heels of his wet kisses. He nipped, stroked and kissed his way up her neck. The rough scrape of his stubble ignited tiny fires under the surface of her skin. She felt him fumble in his jeans and heard the tear of foil.

His thumb traced her lips. Her name was a gruff command. She dragged her eyes open and was instantly lost in the blue blur of his gaze. Fire and understanding were in his eyes. Sweet electricity sizzled in the air around them. Her breath ran away from her. He cupped his hands around her hips, dragging her closer to the edge of the counter. He dragged the head of his cock back and forth through her drenched folds. Again and again, his hard shaft slid across the center of her desire until she was frantic for him to fill her. She curled her legs around his hips and arched against him. He finally surged into her, fast and hard. He gave her all she wanted and more as he pounded into her. Long, hard, deep strokes sent her spinning tighter and tighter inside. Pressure gathered and she chased after more, spurring him on as she flexed against him.

Her breath broke when he slid his hand between them and stroked her clit. This orgasm started from the echoes of her last. Pleasure spun loose, wracking her body in deep waves. His cry joined hers as he drummed his hips into hers. Her head fell into the curve of his neck. She struggled to catch her breath. Her legs slowly loosened and fell to hang by his hips. They were still joined. His hand stroked through her hair, slowly untangling it.

Chapter 22

Becca lay still, simply letting herself relax for a moment. They’d shared a shower and collapsed in her bed a while ago. It was still not quite nine in the morning yet. Though her body had been humming madly, she’d fallen asleep in Aidan’s arms for a little while. What couldn’t have been much more than an hour of sleep was more restful than any sleep she’d had since she’d left Seattle.
It has nothing to do with Seattle, and everything to do with Aidan.
Her mind taunted her, and she smiled wryly. So true, and she damn well knew it. Her mind started to climb on its well-worn path of rumination and worry, but she swatted it back.

Aidan had followed her up here to make sure she knew he wouldn’t go quietly. A part of her reared up and wanted to tell him to get the hell out of her life. But that was a habit born out of defenses, defenses that had served her well for years. Another part of her wanted to relax, but she didn’t know how. Aidan said he’d wanted her for years. The idea any man would long for her was so foreign, she couldn’t quite believe it. Yet, her pesky, hopeful heart so desperately wanted to believe it. She’d done such a thorough job of putting that corner of her heart out of commission, it was rusty and underused, but way too enthusiastic. Hope nearly galloped in circles inside.

Aidan’s hand stroked down her side, coming to rest on her hip. His touch was warm and sure. She took a breath, trying to gather herself. She rolled over to face him. His hand naturally adjusted, sliding with her turn onto the low curve of her abdomen. His dark curls were rumpled. His thick lashes curled against his cheeks. The angled planes of his face were softer in sleep. She lifted her hand and traced the blade of his nose, wondering about the miniscule jog along the bridge. His eyes slowly opened.