Her hands slid down, over his belly button, and down.
“Touch me,” he ordered.
She closed one hand around his hard cock, and he groaned. She squeezed slightly and stroked him.
“Jesus, fuck, baby. Yes.” His hand closed over hers, teaching her what he liked. Then his hand released hers and returned to her belly. His palm dipped lower, between her legs, his middle finger sliding into her, and his mouth moved to her ear. “God, Jess, you’re so wet. Fuck, I want to be inside there.”
Her head fell back, and his mouth moved from her ear to her throat, as he rubbed and stroked her until she didn’t think she could take it anymore. He lifted his head, looking down at her face, watching the emotions wash over it as he brought her to climax.
She cried out, clutching him.
“God, baby-doll, that was so beautiful to watch,” he told her, holding her close.
“But…but what about you? We haven’t-”
“Shh, we will,” he promised and began to stimulate her all over again, until she was begging him.
“Please, Cary.”
“Okay, baby. Okay.” He brushed the hair back from her face and kissed her. Then he nodded toward his nightstand. “Top drawer, Jess. There’s a pack of condoms. Grab one, and hand it to me.”
Jess looked at the nightstand, then back to him. “You don’t need one. I’m on the pill.”
“You’re what?” he asked, studying her face.
“I’m on the pill, Cary.”
His head rose back an inch. “Why?”
She shrugged. “My periods were irregular. The doctor put me on it to regulate my cycle.” He nodded, stroking her hair, and she watched as his eyes slid down over her body. “What…what are you thinking?”
His eyes returned to her. “I’m thinking how in just a moment I’m going to possess all this beauty laid out before me.” His palm slid to the inside of her thigh, spreading her open, and he moved over her, settling between her legs. He positioned himself on top of her, holding his weight off her. His head dipped down, so he could watch as he took his cock in one hand, and aligning himself, he pushed in an inch.
Jessie immediately felt herself tense up. It was a strange feeling, something invading her body like that. “Cary.”
His head came up, his eyes connecting with hers. “I’ll be gentle, Jess. I swear. But it’s gonna hurt when I thrust into you. There’s no way around that. And I don’t think going slow is going to matter.”
“Okay. Just do it, Cary,” she whispered.
“Okay, baby. Okay. Put your arms around me.”
She slid her arms around his shoulders, holding on.
He drove into her, impaling her with one powerful thrust, their eyes never breaking connection.
She clutched at him, gasping, tensing. He had to have felt it, for he murmured, “I’m sorry, baby-doll. I know it hurts.” He held himself still, giving her time to adjust. “Relax for me, honey.”
“I…I can’t.”
He kissed her jaw, up to her mouth, and back to her ear, murmuring. “Christ, it’s killing me not to move, but I know your body needs time to adjust to me. Baby, you’ve got to relax, it’ll make it better.”
“E-easy for you to say. You didn’t just have something huge jammed inside you.”
The corners of his mouth pulled up, and he kissed her cheek. Her forehead. Her eyes. “I guess you’re right about that, honey. You want me to stop, pull out?”
Her arms tightened around him. “No.”
“You want me to start moving?”
“No.” She felt his grin against the side of her face. Lifting his head, he looked down at her. “Gotta do one or the other, Jess.”
“Okay.” He slid slowly out almost all the way and then slowly back in, his eyes never leaving hers. That wasn’t so bad, she thought as she slid one hand down his back and over his ass. Cary groaned, and she could tell his control was slipping.
“Oh, God, you feel good. Wrap your legs around me, baby.” He slid out and in again. “Lord, you’re tight. Tighter than I’ve ever had. Fuck, it’s taking everything I’ve got to hold myself in check, to go slow, to be gentle.”
She heard him groan again, and then practically growl the words, “Ahh, baby-doll, the need to power into you is overwhelming me.” Her legs slid up, tightened around his hips, her heels at the small of his back, and it was his undoing. He kissed her again and again fiercely as he began to move in a steady rhythm, slowly picking up the pace.
Because he must have known it was painful for her, he didn’t prolong it, but reached his climax quickly. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily. Jessie reached up, ran her hands along his back, and kissed his forehead.
After a moment, he slowly pulled out, watching her reaction. She moaned slightly, rolling to her side as he slid his hand low over her belly. “You’ll be tender and sore tomorrow,” he told her.
Her hand reached down and covered his. “I’ll be okay.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Let me clean you up. Be right back.” He rolled to his feet and strode naked out of the room. Jessie heard the water come on in the bathroom down the hall. A few moments later he was back. She could still hear water running in the bath. It sounded like he was filling the tub. She watched him move toward her. He sat on the bed, a washcloth in his hand. He pressed it between her legs, and she moaned at the wet warmth. It felt so good.
His eyes moved from between her legs to her eyes, and the corners of his mouth pulled up. “Does that feel better?”
“God, yes.”
He grinned and continued wiping the blood from between her legs. When he was through, he twisted and tossed the washcloth in the wastebasket. Then he scooped her up in his arms, lifting her up. Her arms clasped around his neck, holding tight, feeling the bare skin of her hip and breast pressed against the heat of his chest and abs. “Cary, what are you doing? Put me down.”
He looked down in her face as he carried her from the room, “Hush, sweetheart. I want to take care of you. Let me.”
She stopped objecting and let him have his way. He carried her into the bathroom. She looked around. There were several candles lit, casting the room in a soft golden glow. A claw foot tub was filling with steaming water. A window above it, covered in an old lace curtain, let in the moonlight. Her mouth formed a small smile as she took in the preparations he’d made for her.
He set her down on the bathmat and bent to test the temperature of the water. Then he reached over and turned off the taps. Straightening, his hands came to her waist. “Get in.”
She put her hands on his forearms for balance and stepped up into the tub. He stepped in behind her and settled down, his back to the tub with her cradled between his legs.
Reaching up he took a soft sponge and bar of soap from the soap dish. Dunking them under the water, he trailed the sopping wet sponge across her chest and breasts. Her head fell back against his shoulder as he trailed the heated sponge over her skin. “Mmm. Heavenly.”
He nuzzled her neck, pressing wet kisses along her skin.
“Do you like to take baths, Cary?” she asked him with a smile.
“Hell, no. Girls take baths. Guys take showers. But, I’m likin’ this one, though,” he admitted with a smile, his hand dragging the sponge over her breasts. She giggled, turning her face to his neck, and kissing him there.
His other hand slid down over her belly, dipping between her legs. She froze, grabbing at his wrist. “Wait. Cary, I’m a bit sore, and-”
“Shh.” He rubbed his jaw against her cheek. “Let me. I won’t hurt you. Do you trust me?”
She released his wrist.
He touched her gently, his fingers moving with tender strokes. “Do you like when I touch you, Jess?” he whispered against her ear, and she nodded. She could hear the smile in his voice as he admitted, “Good. I’m glad, because I like touching you. Put your hands on my legs.” Her hands slid to his thighs, just above his knees that were sticking out of the water. His mouth at her ear, he commanded, “Keep them there.”
She did as he said, feeling a thrill shoot through her as she put herself completely in his hands.
“Lay your head back on my shoulder. Relax. Let yourself enjoy my touch.”
Her head fell back, and she swallowed.
He dropped the sponge, his hand going to her breast, as his other hand stroked her. He rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger, applying pressure. She moaned, arching against him, thrusting her breast into his hand. “You like that, baby-doll?”
She moaned, her head rolling on his shoulder. “Yes.” He kept up his strokes until she was thrashing, her legs trembling, her chest heaving with her short panting breaths. “Oh, Cary.”
“Let go, honey. Let it come,” he whispered softly, his mouth at her ear.
Her hands clenched his legs, and she arched her head back, her hips lifting to his touch. He pinched her nipple and she flew over the edge into orgasm, moaning out against his neck. Her hands slowly released his legs, sliding into the water. She was breathing hard. His palm lifted to her jaw, and tilted her head up, his mouth coming down on hers with short gentle kisses. Then his arms closed around her, locking her in his hold.
Jessie turned her head and spoke into his neck. “Cary?”
“Hmm?” She felt his voice rumble through his chest pressed against her back.
“What if my father finds out about us?” she asked and felt his body go solid behind her as he tensed.
His hand reached up, sliding into her hair. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Then we’ll deal with it.”
“What do you think he’d do?” she asked worriedly.
“To you? I don’t know. To me? Beat the crap out of me, definitely. Fire me and send me packing, possibly.”
She twisted in his arms, looking in his eyes. “I’d go with you. You’d take me with you, wouldn’t you?”
He looked down into her upturned face. “Baby doll, I’m not gonna let you turn your back on your family. Don’t ask that of me. Besides, you’re going to college in the fall, and-”
“Cary, I couldn’t bear it if you went away.”
He pulled her head to him and kissed her forehead. “Jess, let’s not buy trouble. We’ll worry about it when it happens, okay?”
They lay there quietly a few more minutes, cuddled together, until finally the water began to cool.
Cary leaned down to her ear. “Tonight meant something to me, Jessie. It meant a lot.” He kissed her temple.
Jessie turned her head toward him, tucking under his chin.
“You don’t regret it, do you?” he asked hesitantly.
“No, Cary. I could never regret this. I wanted it to be you. I’ve always wanted it to be you.”
He swallowed. “You did?” He felt her nod.
“I remember the first time I laid eyes on you.”
His arms tightened around her. “Do you? Tell me.”
“It was my first day of High School. It was four o’clock. I’d just gotten off the bus. Keri and I were on the phone crushing on all the cute boys in the senior class. I walked around the side of the house, and there you were talking to Dad about a job. I about dropped my phone. Every thought I’d had about the boys at school went right out of my head, because standing in my own backyard was the hottest guy I’d ever seen.”
“You think I’m hot, huh?” he teased her.
“Shut up! You know you’re hot, Cary.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Get up, Jess. The waters getting cold.”
They both climbed out. Cary pulled a towel from the bar and began drying her off.
“I can do that, Cary,” she protested.
He grinned up at her from where he knelt drying her legs. “Yeah, you could. But this is more fun.”
She grinned back, slid her hands to his face, cupping his jaw, and bent to kiss him. He grabbed her up, tossing her over his shoulder. “Cary!” she squealed. “Put me down.”
He smacked her on the ass. “Hush, woman.” He carried her down the hall back to his bedroom and dropped her on her back on the bed. She bounced once before he came down on top of her, kissing her. His mouth moved over hers playfully, biting at her bottom lip and smacking at her mouth. “You hungry, baby?” he asked, pulling back to look into her face.
She shook her head.
He glanced over her head at the clock radio on the bedside table, checking the time. “We still have a few hours before you need to get home. Will you lay down with me for a while?”
Jessie smiled. “That sounds nice.”
Cary rose up. “Here, scoot.” He reached for the covers and pulled them back. “Get underneath, honey.”
They both climbed under the covers. Cary lay down pulling Jessie against his chest, his arm wrapping around her. His hand slid up the back of her head into her hair, his fingers massaging her scalp. She moaned under his touch and felt his lips press a kiss to her forehead. It wasn’t long before they both drifted off to sleep.
Cary woke first. He looked over at the clock. It was almost midnight. He knew he had to get Jessie home soon. Gazing down at her, he couldn’t believe how beautiful she was lying there in the moonlight like some porcelain Venus. He wondered just how big a mistake they’d made tonight and how many people would be hurt before this was over. “Jessie? Wake up, baby,” he whispered, nudging her.
She moaned and rolled over.
“Jessie, sweetheart. Come on, wake up.” He leaned down and nibbled at her ear. Her eyes came open, and she blinked. He watched as it slowly dawned on her where she was. She turned her head and smiled at him. “I need to get you home, princess.”
“Already?”
“It’s almost midnight. Pumpkin time.”
She frowned, “Hmm?”
He grinned. “Isn’t that the way the fairy tale goes? Your carriage turns back into a pumpkin at midnight?”
“I don’t want it to end.”
Cary reached up and brushed the hair back off her forehead. “Just for tonight, Jess. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He helped her dress. She found a safety pin in her purse, and he pinned the broken strap of her gown for her. He walked her to her back door, hand in hand. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, he lifted her hand to his mouth, and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “Goodnight, baby doll.”
He stood watching until she went inside.
Lord, what’ve I done, he thought to himself.
Jessie crossed through the mudroom and entered the kitchen. Summer was sitting at the kitchen table with her head propped on her hand and her eyes closed.