Crash and Burn (18 page)

She pushed him to the side and onto his back. With all the confidence she could muster, she straddled him, jeans to jeans, rubbing her breasts over his chest, loving the way it made her nipples bead and pleasure zing though her.

He groaned and she moved her hips over him.

“I’m trying to take this slow and savor it, but you’re making it...difficult.”

She sat back up. “Who said I want to take it slow? I’ve waited a long time for this.”

Stone flipped her back over and in two moves had her pants undone. With one more move of his hands, he’d stripped her of her last inhibitions–and her panties.

She started on his belt and then his button-fly, her fingers acting like all thumbs. “Take it fast,” she mocked. “But I can’t get your jeans unbuttoned.”

He put his hand on top of hers, assisting her in freeing him. She pushed down on his jeans with her foot while he tried to kick them off his legs.

He was amazingly beautiful. It was more than she’d imagined when she’d fantasized about him. She couldn’t wait to touch him everywhere.

Spreading her legs, he touched her core, sliding his hand back and forth. She was pulsating with need and knew he was checking to make sure she was ready for him. Sweet, but totally unnecessary.

He rolled a condom on over his stiff erection and positioned himself above her, poised at her entrance. She couldn’t break eye contact with him even if she’d wanted to. She needed to remember this moment forever. The look of intense concentration, but something else in his eyes–possession, pride? She wasn’t sure and at this second, didn’t care.

She bucked her hips at him, her sex touching him. He jerked back and then surged forward into her. One motion and they were joined together in a way they could never go back from. Grace sucked in a breath and let it release in a whoosh as he pulled away from her. He pushed into her again and she moved her hips, trying to find their rhythm.

Her climax surfaced suddenly, ready to bubble over. She clenched her muscles, halting the waves over her orgasm. He needed to come with her. They needed to finish together, she thought as he thrust faster.

She lifted her head and leading with her tongue, she kissed him with all the pent-up passion she felt for him. She mirrored his thrusts with her tongue, knowing she fought a losing her battle with her own need to hold off.

Her climax crested and washed over her, shaking her whole body. She clenched him with her legs, bringing them closer together, and then he gave one deep plunge into her as he came with a groan.

He pulled out and slid into her again, which she relished as the last pulsating waves of her orgasm subsided.

Collapsing on her, he kissed her forehead. “I wanted that to last longer,” he said, his voice raspy.

“Next time,” she said. There would be a next time. There was no way she could pass on something as fantastic as making love to Stone.

He kissed her again and rolled onto his back with a sigh. “It was better than I imagined.”

“You imagined this happening?” She grinned. Warmth spread through her at the knowledge that he’d fantasized about her. It was vain and maybe a bit insecure, but she didn’t care. He was hers.

“Do you want to keep driving tonight?” he asked without moving.

“Not really.”

“Me neither.”

* * * *

The next morning Grace woke naked, sore and completely satisfied. They hadn’t slept much, preferring to learn everything there was to know about each other’s bodies. All modesty gone, Grace stood and stretched as she headed for the shower. She picked up her clothes like she was on a scavenger hunt, until she was sequestered in the bathroom.

She opened the hotel mini-toiletries and lined them up on the shower ledge. Stepping in, she let the hot water warm her body, shivering with goose bumps. The water felt wonderful flowing through her hair and the temperature helped loosen her stiff muscles.

“Is this a private party or do you need a back scrubber?” Stone said, peeking behind the curtain and raising his eyebrows.

“You can’t have the hot water.”

“Selfish? I never would have guessed that of you.”

“Get in here,” she said, laughing and splashing water on him.

He was already hard and searching for her. She was thrilled and took no time soaping him up and then getting soap on her by rubbing up against him. His groan of pleasure was loud in the small bare room.

“I thought you wanted to get washed,” she said.

“Changed my mind. I can’t get enough of you.”

He scooped her up and slid inside her without hesitation, knowing she was ready for him. She locked her ankles around him and held on. Her back hit the cold plastic of the shower wall and she cried out in surprise. He paused for a second before he started pumping in and out of her.

The water sloshed over them and sprayed in every direction. He kissed her, sucking on her lips, and she clung to him, unable to do anything else. He was overpowering and she only wanted for him to take her again and again.

He climaxed at the same time her muscles spasmed around him. And she slid down his slick body, her muscles having turned to jelly. He held on to her and washed her tenderly.

* * * *

Stone considered going back to bed again. He didn’t have anything to rush back to Riverhead for, but Grace was dressed and waiting for him when he finished in the bathroom. There were dressed in the same rumbled clothes from yesterday and they planned to slink out of the hotel like two people who’d pulled off the highway because they’d been so hot for one another.

Oh, that’s right, they were. He smiled. The night had been amazing and Grace had kept up with him, only falling asleep after someone pounded on the wall to quiet them down. They’d laughed loudly, like noisy teens after the prom.

“You’re ready to go?” he asked.

She nodded and he couldn’t help himself from kissing her again. Stone didn’t know how or why it worked between them, but it did.

“Remind me to thank Bill for suggesting the kiss yesterday,” he said, trying to keep things lighthearted.

He wasn’t great at reading people, women especially, but Grace seemed to be sinking into some kind of funk. He slung his arm around her and they left the room together.

“Brings back some college memories,” he said.

“Sure does,” she admitted.

He held her away from him. “You slept over at some boy’s room and walked home in the same outfit?” He tried to act outraged.

She shrugged. “Yep.”

“I knew I liked you.” As soon as he said “liked,” he knew he was in trouble. A woman didn’t make love to a man all night and then be told that he liked her a lot. Her face didn’t change expression as she climbed into the passenger seat.

“Guess I’m driving.” He nodded and got behind the wheel. “Thanks for driving last night. I was too tired to concentrate on the road.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Grace,” he began, slamming the car into reverse. “I don’t want things to get weird between us. What happened was perfect. It was what happens between a husband and his wife.”

She crossed her arms. “That’s the point. We’re not husband and wife. You’re legally married to my sister.”

“I consider you my wife in every way but legally.”

“Stone, I don’t regret sleeping with you. You’re an amazing lover.”

He felt the brush off in her words. There was a “but” coming and he didn’t want to hear it.

“Stop.” He stepped on the brake and pulled to the side of the road. Turning to her, he said, “I love you, Grace. I don’t care about some stupid mistake I made a month ago in Vegas. It brought me to you. I wouldn’t have gotten to know you if I hadn’t married Divina.”

He saw the tears in her eyes and he hoped they were tears of joy, but he didn’t know for sure.

“Grace?”

She smiled at him, but there was no warmth in her smile. She didn’t mean it.

“I know I should be so excited, but clinically, this is a disaster. It can’t work. I’m known as my sister and if you were to divorce Divina-me, and marry me-Grace... Do you see what I’m talking about? I’m going to need a lot of therapy for this whopper of a mistake.”

“Mistake? What mistake?”

“Falling in love with you. See, Stone Adams, I love you. I was half in love with you when I met you, but now–”

It was his turn to be surprised. “What do you mean you loved me before we met and before in bed you said something about waiting a long time?” He was missing a piece of the puzzle and it bugged him. He didn’t like being misinformed.

She bit her lip. “I know racing.”

He nodded. “The Internet is a great place to research.”

“I’ve been a fan for a long time. I knew who you were before Divina introduced us. I’ve sort of been infatuated with you for years, never thinking I’d have the opportunity to get to know you.”

He remained silent, trying to digest what she’d said. He didn’t know what he was feeling–offended, flattered or stalked. He refused to believe he’d been set up. Had Divina known who he was at the casino in Vegas? Had she tried to trick him into marriage to bring home to her sister? He breathed deep to slow his imagination.

“What are you saying? Were you trying to get me in bed so you could say you got it on with Stone Adams the racecar driver?” He felt his heart starting to ache. It wasn’t a feeling he was familiar with or liked.

“No, Stone, I didn’t want to deceive you. I didn’t plan on being Divina, but it was the only way you were nice to me. I had something you wanted.”

He shook his head.

“Let’s go back to the way things were,” she said, desperation evident in her voice. “Forget I said anything.”

“I don’t know what to think,” he said, running a hand over his face, thankful he was pulled to the side of the road. “You say you love me, but do you love me, Stone, or Stone Adams the racecar driver?”

“They’re one and the same. I love both of you. I wouldn’t have been able to make love to you if I didn’t care about you.”

He scoffed. “I guess we should keep driving.”

He inched out into traffic, wondering what it would feel like to have an 18-wheeler run them over. Probably not as bad as he was hurting right now. He wasn’t a wuss, but damn if it didn’t hurt to have Grace tell him she’d been lying to him. He’d taken her to Giovanni’s, proposed to her like it was the real thing. He’d told her things he’d never shared with anyone else. He sucked in a shallow breath.

“Stone?” she questioned.

“Not now.” Short and to the point. He couldn’t say anything else until they were away from one another and he could clear his head. He was enveloped in her scent, trapped in the small interior of his car. Two and a half hours didn’t seem like much, but today it was an eternity.

Chapter 15

Grace was relieved when they pulled into the driveway. She hadn’t known Stone could be so quiet. Even in his sleep he moaned and said unintelligible things. For the last two hours...nothing. Not a word. She was afraid she’d messed everything up between them.

She slid out of the car and followed Stone into the house. “Stone, please talk to me.”

He stopped so fast that she almost ran into him. “I can’t even think around you. I need a few minutes to collect my thoughts. Do you mind?”

Stepping back like she’d been struck, she stumbled into the living room and curled up in a chair. Cocking her head, she eyed the table in the dining room. It was strewn with boxes, tissue paper and items.

“Look at this,” Divina said, coming into the living room carrying a crystal bowl.

“Nice,” Grace said, knowing it was what her sister wanted to hear.
Go away
, she prayed.

“It’s a wedding present for me.”

“Isn’t it a tad early to get presents when the wedding is planned for a month away?”

Divina grinned like the Cheshire cat. “It’s a present for Stone and me. Since I am married to the jerk, I should get all the presents.”

“Good for you.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

Grace wasn’t in the mood for her sister. She wasn’t interested in anything at the moment, other than to sit and feel sorry for herself.

“Want to see what else came for me?”

“No.”

Divina pouted back at her. “Of course you do.”

“What does Hank think about you opening presents for your wedding to another man?”

Divina waved her hand. “He’ll get over it once he sees this great stuff.”

Grace wasn’t so sure, but knowing Hank, he’d probably give into Divina’s whims again. A car door slammed in the driveway. Grace was not even mildly interested in who was at the door.

“Oh, Hank’s home,” Divina gushed. Setting the bowl down on the coffee table, she ran to the door. “Hank, I’m so glad you’re back.” She tried to run into his arms, but he stopped her with his hands on her shoulders.

Grace looked up, curiosity getting the best of her.

“Are they gone?” he asked, stone cold.

“What? Who?” cheery Divina answered back.