Electricity shot through her at that first second of contact. Delicious need burned away shyness or pride. She opened her legs wider and arched her hips in a very clear invitation. One he accepted.
He ran his tongue over every inch of her. He dipped into her swollen and ready center, then returned to that single point of exquisite pleasure. He rubbed it with the flat of his tongue, teased it with the point. Then he closed his lips around the engorged flesh and sucked.
Charity felt the tension build. It grew until she had no control, no choice but to lose herself in the trembling release that shuddered through her. She grabbed onto the blankets, tossed her head from side to side and clenched her teeth to keep from screaming.
Josh continued to caress her gently, drawing out every drop of bliss until she was weak and breathless.
When the last wave had ebbed, he shifted so that he was on his knees. He opened the nightstand, grabbed a condom and quickly put it on. Then he was in her, filling her, taking her deeply, thoroughly. She hung on for the second half of the ride.
Later, when they were both breathing normally, lying facing each other, his hazel-green eyes bright with contentment, she traced the outline of his perfect mouth.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured.
“Yeah, I did.”
She smiled. “You know what I mean. Thank you for…” What? Distracting her? Making her realize that she hadn’t really known what good sex was supposed to be before now?
“Charity,” he said, staring into her eyes. “I want you. I’m a guy. It doesn’t get more complicated than that.”
The words were oddly comforting. “Do you get every woman you want?”
“No.” He shrugged. “It’s different with you. Better.”
“I aim to please.”
“You do good work.”
She laughed. “So do you. All that practice has really paid off.”
“Knowing what to do is the easy part. Finding the right person to do it with is a whole lot harder.”
Sweet words that made her chest ache a little.
Not him, she reminded herself. He fell in the category of “too much.” Too good looking, too charming, too famous. She wanted regular. She’d seen what happened when a woman fell for the wrong kind of guy. It had happened to her mother enough times.
Thinking about Sandra destroyed her good mood, so she focused on something else.
“I haven’t seen you around in the past few days. What’s been going on?”
He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. She snuggled close, loving the feel of his naked body next to hers.
“I rode with the high school team yesterday.”
She half sat up. “Really? How did it go?”
He lightly circled her nipple, then drew her against him again. “Badly. I couldn’t do it. I pretended there was something wrong with my bike.” He swore. “Talk about a loser.”
He wasn’t that, but telling him wouldn’t make a difference, she thought sadly. He needed to believe in himself. But was that possible?
“Have you thought about talking to someone?” she asked. “A professional?”
“A shrink? No. Sitting around and talking about my feelings isn’t going to help.”
“You don’t actually know that.”
“Yeah, I do. I tried it after the accident and it didn’t help.”
She sighed. “You tried it what? One time, then gave up? You’re such a guy.”
“That makes the sex less awkward.” He looked at her. “Want to stay? We could order in, watch dirty movies on pay-per-view, take a bath. I have a spa tub.”
Make love, she thought, losing herself in his mesmerizing gaze. “You know how to tempt a girl.”
He rolled toward her, stopping when he was above her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, the corners of his mouth turning up.
“That’s a yes and a please and a let’s do it again.”
SUNDAY CHARITY DRAGGED herself from Josh’s bed. She was having lunch with Pia, and Josh had to go work out. As she showered and dressed, she found it difficult to keep from smiling all the time. Every part of her body seemed satisfied and the little aches were a delicious reminder of how they’d spent their night.
By noon she was walking toward Pia’s place. She had the top floor in an older building. The large single-family home had been divided into three apartments. Charity climbed the stairs and knocked on her friend’s door.
“Hi,” Pia said with a grin. “Are you winded by the climb?”
“I’m on the third floor in the hotel and I take the stairs there.”
“Built-in exercise,” Pia said, closing the door behind her. “I’m so not the gym type. I have a great deck. I thought we’d eat there.”
“Sounds good.”
Pia’s place was bright and airy, with lots of windows and large rooms. The sloping ceiling added character and everywhere Charity looked was a splash of color. The sofa was lipstick red microfiber with patterned pillows. There was a purple and yellow throw on the back of an old wooden rocking chair and travel stickers pasted on an old steamer trunk that served as an end table.