CHASING TROUBLE

Nicholas didn’t allow himself to think as he took the three strides that took him back to Caroline’s side; as he lifted a hand and cupped it lightly against the warmth of her cheek; as he gazed down into the depths of her eyes.

Caroline gazed right back at him. Not challengingly, but questioningly.

It was Nicholas’ cue to stop this right now. To bring a halt to something that would ultimately lead to disaster. Except he couldn’t do it. He wanted to kiss Caroline. Wanted to do more than kiss her. But he would settle for tasting her. For feeling the warm response of her mouth beneath his. For now…

Nicholas lowered his head slowly, all the time holding her gaze with his own, his groan completely involuntary as his lips came into contact with hers. She tasted so good! So sweet, like nectar. “Open your mouth for me, Care,” he groaned huskily against her lips. “Let me in!” he encouraged achingly even as his tongue moved in a light caress against the softness of her lips.

Lips that parted invitingly as Caroline stepped fully into his arms, her own arms moving up to curve about his shoulders as her fingers became entangled in the dark thickness of the hair at his nape. It was all the encouragement he needed to deepen the kiss, his lips hard and demanding against hers as he dipped his tongue into her honeyed sweetness.

Caroline trembled as the thrust of Nicholas’ tongue claimed her mouth, seeking, possessing, taking. Igniting.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

She pressed close against him as the kiss deepened hungrily, her breasts highly sensitized as they came into contact with the hardness of his chest, that hardness abrasive against her aroused nipples and sending hot rivulets of arousal down to her already-heated thighs.

Nicholas’ hand left the curve of her cheek to travel slowly, caressingly down over her breast, the dip of her waist and lower still. His fingers curved over her bottom to pull her even closer against his arousal, the hard feel of him there causing a wild rush of pleasure that had Caroline wet and aching within seconds as she moved restlessly against him. That ache deepened to near pain as his hand moved to the curve of her breast, cupping, lightly squeezing, the soft pad of his thumb unerringly finding the thrust of her nipple against the soft wool of her jumper.

Caroline groaned softly as the whole of her body seemed to melt, that ache between her thighs becoming a heated throb, her fingers clinging to Nicholas’ shoulders as his mouth left hers to trail down her throat to the deep hollows beneath, tongue dipping, tasting.

Her neck arched in invitation, supplication, as he moved back slightly to sit on the arm of the chair before pushing her jumper up above her breasts. One hand moved to cup and caress even as his head lowered, and he suckled the other fiery tip into the heat and moisture of his mouth.

Caroline’s legs buckled at this dual assault upon her senses, the smooth caress of the pad of his thumb and the rasping caress of his tongue. It was…sublime. Ecstasy. Unlike anything she had ever known before. Her fingers were tangled in his hair as she held him to her, unwilling for this pleasure to ever stop. Her gasp became a groan as Nicholas turned the attention of his mouth to her other breast, licking, tasting, before suckling deeply.

Nicholas felt Caroline’s restlessness as her thighs pressed urgently against his, his own arousal so hard and tight it was almost painful as he felt the heat of her need.

Her stomach was flat and hot as he loosened the button on her denims before slipping his hand beneath, her curls soft and silky as he sought the center of her need, lightly caressing with his fingers as he found that hardened nub. Stroking her. Once. Twice. He was able to feel her quivers of release on his third stroke, and Nicholas suckled harder on her breast as he took her over the edge. She came in spasm after spasm as release shook her heated slickness.

Caroline felt herself coming apart. Disintegrating. Shattering into a thousand, a million, pieces as her body convulsed and shook in a burning release that was beyond imagining, seemingly never-ending. Until reality hit her with the force of a blow.

Her forehead rested on Nicholas’ shoulder as she became aware of her surroundings. Of the softness of his sweater cool against her heated skin. The air feeling cool too against her bared breasts. Both his arms were lightly about her waist now.

Caroline shivered, not with cold but with reaction. What had she just done? What had she just allowed to happen? She couldn’t have stopped that if she had tried; she had been totally lost from the moment he had begun to kiss her.

What must he think of her? He had kissed her more intimately than any other man. Had touched her more intimately than any other man. Had given her more pleasure…

Nicholas felt it as Caroline began to shiver in reaction, his arms tightening about her as she would have moved sharply away from him. “You were beautiful, Care,” he told her gruffly. “Absolutely beautiful.”

She raised her head slowly, eyes dark and shadowed, the hollows in her cheeks more pronounced beneath those shadowy depths. Her expression was one of regret as well as embarrassment.

Nicholas groaned softly as he saw that regret in her eyes. “Don’t, Care,”

“Don’t what?” Her voice broke emotionally as she pulled out of his arms, turned away and straightened her clothing. “Don’t feel embarrassed? Mortified?” Her voice rose angrily as she turned back to look at him with sparkling eyes. “How do you want me to feel, Nicholas?” she challenged harshly. “Warm and soft? Girlish and coy? Or will just grateful do?”

Nicholas could feel the nerve pulsing in his cheek as he fought to contain his own anger. Anything he and Caroline said to each other now was going to sound wrong. Better to walk away from this before one or both of them said something they were going to regret. As he already regretted letting this situation between them get so out of control…

“Go to bed, Care,” he rasped as he turned away from her. “I’ll sleep down here tonight. We’ll talk in the morning.”