London Falling (14 page)

It was unavoidable. In the center of the room was a king size bed. An enormous bed. A bed that was screaming:
I’m a bed.

My knees were like Jell-O and my stomach twisted in knots. But the good kind of knots—the ones that had me jumping out of my skin waiting for Beau to make the first move. Although, why was I waiting on him? I knew exactly what I wanted.

It was silly to think it was ingrained in my head that it would be too forward or would come across as too slutty to tell a guy what I wanted—that I wanted him. However, in all my other relationships, I never made the first move, especially not in bed. Something about Beau aroused a primal instinct I kept buried with my last boyfriend. Beau challenged me on so many levels, or maybe I was just that turned on by the thought of having nothing between us.

He turned and pointed to a closed door. “There’s a private bathroom right here. Towels are on the shelf. My mom stocks the guest cabinet with extra toothbrushes and stuff.” He hurried past the end of the bed and was moving toward the hallway. “Everything good?”

This was my chance. For the first time in a month, we were finally alone together. And not just any kind of alone—utterly alone in a beautiful house, secluded on a quiet beach. No Nina or Candace or Xbox-playing roommates. No gawking blog followers. No one.

“Beau?” One of his hands was on the door and he was headed in the direction of the kitchen. I couldn’t tell if he was excited to show me the house or nervous that I was there. It was kind of cute to see him shed some of his ultra-cool exterior.

“Hmm? What’s up?” He had both feet back in the bedroom.

I sat on the edge of the bed, taking my time to unzip each of my knee-high leather boots before setting them on the floor. I peeled the cardigan sweater I was wearing off one arm and then the other. I tossed it on the chair. This was the best come-hither look I had. I leaned back on the bed. Self-admittedly, I had perfected this pose as Maggie in
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
.

“Kiss me.”

I pushed myself to a place I had never gone, but I wanted him to stay. The fire burning under my skin wasn’t going to let this moment pass by without Beau knowing how I felt. I was willing to sacrifice any pride I had left to show him. It didn’t make any sense to let him walk out the door. I smiled as he crossed the room, closing in on me a step at a time.
Mission accomplished
.

He eased his athletic frame onto the bed. “Like this?”

Beau’s gaze was focused on my mouth. He studied the curves of my lips with his thumb, sending ripples through my body that surged in other places I wanted him to touch. I waited for him as the space between us became the boundary for our breath. He kissed the side of my cheek while his hand gripped the back of my neck, sending a moan from my throat.

“Yes,” was all I could manage to sound out as he pressed his lips into mine. I drank in his kiss, while the outside world and its stormy skies faded away. This was better than what I could have asked for. I loved how he tasted. I was sure more perfect lips did not exist. I reclined back, pulling Beau with me on the summer white quilt.

The house shook with a loud clap of thunder, and the lights flickered several times before the room was thrust into sudden darkness.

Beau shot up on both arms, hovering over me with his broad shoulders. “Shit. We just lost power.” I could tell he was contemplating leaving our compromising position for the more responsible house-sitting duties that had to be plaguing him.

The rain pelted the wooden deck outside the window, and I could hear the howling of the wind as it ripped around the corners of the house.

I had waited over a month for this moment and I wasn’t about to let him off the bed or out of my arms. I was finally right where I wanted to be. After the cat and mouse game we had been playing, a little power outage wasn’t going to stop the heat that was building between us. Lightning flashed through the glass door. A few kisses weren’t enough. I wanted so much more.

I snaked my arms around his waist and gripped the small of his back. I might be tiny, but I didn’t want him to have any doubts about what I was willing to do to keep him entangled in this position.

“Stay,” I whispered. “Stay with me.”

His mouth found mine in the darkness and I raveled my legs around him. I caught my breath as he worked the buttons open on my shirt. His hands explored every inch of my exposed skin, and I couldn’t keep from moving under his touch, inching his fingers farther below my hips. I tugged the T-shirt over his head and let the backs of my nails trickle down his chest. His skin was hot and smooth under my fingertips. Even after my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, I closed them, trying to savor every touch and kiss. Each sensation Beau created with his fingers shot through me until I felt like a prisoner in my own skin. I wanted him to release me from the pressure building deep within.

He seemed to be enjoying making me squirm with want. A devilish look flashed across his eyes before his lips began dropping kisses across my stomach like falling raindrops. Starting at my navel, I felt the intense sensation of his mouth while he drew a heated line to the buttons on my jeans.

“London, are you ok?” he whispered to me so softly over the thunder.

I couldn’t think. I could only feel what he was doing to me, and it was amazing. We had never talked about having sex. I knew it was inevitable after the night we decided to make our fake relationship real. Every time he touched me, it felt like my body was drawn to him. This night was meant to happen. I had never wanted anyone or anything so much. Seriously, he couldn’t be trying to talk to me right now. I thought my body was saying it all without me having to utter a single word.

Then it hit me. I froze. What if I wasn’t doing enough?

Beau steadied himself on his arms. “London?” I saw the smoldering look in his eyes.
Oh my God, he was hot.

“Yes?” I didn’t want him to stop. I reached for the zipper on his jeans and tugged it until it reached the base of the seam. This was no time for conversation.

He exhaled deeply as I slid my hand between the denim and his skin. “I want you. Don’t get me wrong, this is all I can think about, but I need to know you’re ok with us—with doing this.”

I shimmied out of my jeans, tossing them on the floor. “Does that answer your question? Beau, I want this too. I want to be close to you, like this.” That was kind of an understatement, but I didn’t think I could tell him all of my feelings, especially right now.

He smiled before kissing me so deeply I couldn’t remember ever being kissed before.

Taking my lead, Beau unbuckled his jeans, shoved them off his legs, and laughed when we heard them land somewhere in the dark.

Growling in my ear, he pushed my shirt farther down my arms. “Too. Many. Clothes.”

“Mmm…hmm.” I couldn’t agree with him more, reveling in how my skin felt pressed against his. He was so warm.

Nimbly, his fingers released the clasp on my bra, and he gradually tore the lacy lingerie from my breasts. As much as I wanted Beau, I loved that he wasn’t rushing me or us. He took his time exploring, touching, and driving me crazy beyond my limits.

His mischievous eyes softened as his hand slid down my hip and began peeling the lacy fabric down my legs. I bit my lower lip and nodded to him. “Yes.” I didn’t want anything else between us.

Breathless for him, I arched my back, surrendering the core of my body to the fullness of him I needed so desperately. His palms pressed into mine, taking my hands over my head. I clasped my fingers tightly around his grip. I didn’t know sex could be so sweet and hot all at the same time. I had never felt so connected to anyone in my life. Every move he made sent rushes of heat spiraling though my body. I held on tightly, aching with unyielding pleasure at each controlled rock of his hips. This was all I wanted—to be so close to him that I couldn’t feel anything but his heart beating, his breathing, and how much he wanted me.

***

“I guess you’re going to tell me I can’t put that on the blog this week.” Beau laughed with the sheet draped over his leg.

“Hey! Not funny.” I punched him in the side, and then launched into a full attack, nipping on his neck with my teeth until he begged me to stop. It hadn’t taken me long to find the spot that would send him over the edge.

“Ok. Ok. Unless you want me to keep you in this room all night and deprive you of all food and drink, you better stop.”

I collapsed next to him. “Now that you mention it, I am hungry.” I had no idea what time it was. The power still hadn’t returned, and neither one of us had managed to muster enough willpower to leave the bed. How many hours had we been lost in each other?

“Ok. Dinner’s coming right up. I can’t starve you on your first night of spring break.” I watched as a shadowy-figured Beau hopped off the side of the bed and searched for his haphazardly thrown pants. It was a shame he had to put those back on.

I sat up in the massive bed, feeling chilled without Beau next to me. He was a natural heater. “Do you have any flashlights or candles? I can help you with dinner.”

“Wait right here. I know where my dad’s emergency supply drawer is.”

I searched the floor for the remnants of my clothes while Beau assessed the lighting situation.
How did my bra end up under the bed?
I had just had sex with Beau Anderson and it was pure and utter blissful, mind-blowing sex. I squealed as I jumped into my jeans. Everything felt so perfect and so right.

A few minutes later, Beau returned with a pair of flashlights. He handed one to me. “Right this way.”

I shuffled down the hall, my hand tightly tucked in the back pocket of his jeans. The heat wasn’t working with the power outage, but Beau was walking around the house shirtless, not that I was complaining.

We emerged into the great room. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace and candles flickered on the mantle and on the kitchen countertop.

“How did you do all this?” I walked over to the fire to warm up.

“Luckily, we have a gas stove and gas fireplace, so we can still cook and you won’t freeze tonight.” He winked at me and I melted. “How does stir fry chicken sound?”

At this point, I would eat a cardboard sandwich, I was so hungry. “Perfect.” I pulled a few pillows off the couch and laid them close to the fire. “You need any help?”

Beau looked surprisingly comfortable in the kitchen. I had never asked him about his culinary skills, but most guys in college stuck to Ramon noodles, pizza, and takeout food. I smiled, liking that he kept surprising me tonight.

“No. I’ve got this under control, but you can get the drinks. There’s wine and beer in the fridge.”

I opened the door to discover five bottles of wine chilling on the shelf. I looked at him. “Expecting a real spring break party?”

His grin turned sheepish. “Wanted to make sure I had my bases covered.”

I laughed. I guess I didn’t give him much of a chance to seduce me with the usual wine and dine ritual. We had been in the house all of ten minutes before I was begging him to rip my clothes off. I poured a tall glass of wine and handed him a beer.

“Cheers.”

He took the bottle. “To spring break.”

I reached on the tips of my toes, leaning toward him. He planted a rough kiss on my lips. “To spring break.”

***

I awoke the next morning on the living room floor cushioned by a makeshift bed Beau had created. The fire was still dancing among the constructed logs. The space next to me was empty. Sunlight streamed through the cathedral ceiling windows. I pulled the quilt against my bare skin and hugged my knees. If anyone had told me two months ago I would be spending my spring break in a secret location with Beau Anderson, I would have said he or she were insane.

We had managed to go from reluctant group partners to something I didn’t even have words to describe. All doubts I had about him and the chance I was taking with this charade evaporated the minute he kissed me. Last night was the most amazing night of my life.

“Hey. You’re awake.” Beau walked in through the sliding door. His earbuds were dangling around his shoulders. His T-shirt was soaked, and he had on shorts and running shoes.

“Hey.” I smiled, realizing I was the only one in the room completely naked. I could see my shirt hanging on the edge of the couch. “You went for a run?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to wake you up. I’m going to go jump in the shower.” He darted through the living room and disappeared into the hall.