FallingforSharde_MLU (3 page)

She tried to steady him, but he was too big and heavy. He fell, taking her with him. He slammed onto the snow with her on top of him. “Damn! What more could possibly go wrong?” he demanded furiously.

From where Sharde lay, sprawled between his legs, things were perfect. She lifted her head and looked down into his eyes, laughing.

He frowned. “Exactly what amuses you about our present situation?”

Her smile widened. “You’re awfully cute sprawled in the snow like a six-foot plus snowman.”

His eyes danced with amusement and he laughed. “You’re nuts, Sharde.”

“Yes,” she admitted, softening her voice. “About you.”

“Same here, toots.”

“No.” She touched his face. “I really meant that,” she whispered.

He arched a brow. “So did I. You know I’m nuts about you.”

To her delight, he clamped a hand on the back of her head, brought her mouth down to his, and brushed his lips against hers.

At least, she later decided he’d only intended to brush his mouth against hers. But not one to waste opportunities, she parted her lips, touched the tip of her tongue to his, and planted a long, moist, hungry kiss against his mouth.

He stiffened under her, his hands moving up to push against her shoulders.

Determined to make the most of this unexpected opportunity, Sharde pressed closer between his legs, thrusting her groin against his, and deepened the kiss. She greedily sucked his tongue between her lips and into her mouth.

As he shuddered against her, she kissed him slowly, deeply. She did it repeatedly, tasting the surprising sweetness of his lips and the moist heat of his tongue. She poured all her pent up desire and hunger for him into the demanding kisses, trying to overwhelm his senses. She kept her lips pressed tight and close to his, not giving either of them a chance to take a deep breath between kisses. Within moments, his lips moved against hers and his hands slid from her shoulders to her back to hold her close. Only then did she move her mouth away from his so she could rain a series of warm, nibbling kisses against his face.

“Jeff...”

He sucked in a deep, gasping breath. “Sharde! What the hell are you doing?”

His voice came out brusque and low.

A smile curved her lips. She finally had his attention. She curled her fingers in his hair and stared down into his eyes. “Thanking you for saving me from a nasty fall.”

“By kissing me until I hardly know who I am?”

“Hey! Is it my fault you have such sweet, luscious, kissable lips?”

“What?”

She bent her head and sensuously outlined his mouth with the tip of her tongue. “Hmmm. Your lips are warm and they taste sweeter than wine. A woman could get a natural high from kissing you alone.”

“Sharde–”

“Shhh. Talking now is not in my game plan, handsome.” She slowly licked his lips before finally pressing a last long kiss against his mouth. “Thank you.”

He stared up at her, his eyes almost black.

The silence between them stretched on for several moments, during which time neither of them moved. Then, without any warning, he rolled them over. When they came to a stop, she lay on her back in the snow with him between her legs.

He was aroused. She could feel the unmistakable bulge pressing against her. The breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered so wildly she could barely breathe. With the snowing pelting down, stinging her face, she stared up at him, her lips parted, her arms holding him close.

“Jeff...” she whispered his name, her voice clearly conveying her raw need. She slid a hand down to cup his buns.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Sharde?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

His eyes narrowed. When he spoke, his tone shattered any illusions she’d been nursing about him sharing her feelings. “You think I want to play house with you?”

The anger in his voice cooled her ardor. “You’re aroused,” she whispered.

“I’m human, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’ve clearly taken leave of your senses!”

Her mouth worked, but no words emerged.

He pulled away and exploded to his feet.

She lay staring up at him, disappointment and hurt rushing through her. She’d overcome her natural inhibitions and thrown herself at him only to discover he didn’t want her. Tears stung her eyes and tightened her throat.

He reached down, took her hands, and pulled her upright. Without waiting to see if she followed, he turned and made his way to the cabin.

She brushed the snow off her clothes. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she wrapped her arms around her body. Maybe that would keep the hurt tucked away inside her. If she managed that, she could pretend he hadn’t just ripped her heart from her body and tossed it into the snow like so much refuse.

She closed her eyes and turned her face towards the sky, relishing the sting of sleet striking her skin. He’d made his lack of interest in her ultra clear. Now what was she supposed to do?

“Sharde?” A hand descended on her shoulder.

She shook it off and slowly turned to face him. “I’ll sleep in the SUV.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’d freeze.”

“Then you sleep there.”

“Do I look like I’m interested in freezing to death?” He closed his hands over her arms. “It’s too cold to hold this conversation out here. Come inside where we can talk without danger of freezing to death.”

“Why don’t you go taking a flying leap?”

“What?”

“To hell with you!” She shook his hands off again and walked towards the open cabin door.

Chapter Two

Jefferson watched Sharde walk towards the cabin, slipping and sliding every step of the way. He tensed several times, certain he’d have to risk life and limb sprinting across the slippery snow in an attempt to keep her from falling. He released a breath when she finally made her way into the cabin.

She slammed the door shut. Shaken by what had just happened between them and still aroused, he stood in the sleet. What the hell had possessed Sharde to kiss him with enough passion to get him rock hard? He breathed deeply, running his tongue along his mouth. Hell, he could still taste her hot, demanding lips devouring his mouth.

Who knew she could kiss like that? In the nine years they’d known each other, they’d spent several holidays together before his marriage and after his divorce. During those holidays, they’d exchanged gifts and light brushes of the lips, but they’d never actually locked lips. But damn, she knew how to arouse his passions and make him long for more than just kisses.

He licked his lips again. She’d been many things to him. Office assistant, technology manager, a sounding board, and finally a confidant and friend. He had come to depend upon her levelheaded advice when things went wrong in his personal or professional life. She had never let him down or asked anything of him until they’d sprawled together in the snow.

Although she had personal knowledge of all his romantic entanglements of the last few years, he knew very little of her love life. He hadn’t heard her mention a man or a date in a very long time. He frowned. That probably explained what had just happened. Hell, even levelheaded confidants had needs. She’d just shared one of hers and he’d thoughtlessly rebuffed her. Damn, he was a selfish bastard.

He glanced towards the cabin. He’d needlessly hurt a woman who had been there for him when the two women he’d given his heart to had ripped it into little pieces and tossed it back at him. If she needed sex for sex’s sake, how could he deny her? He recalled the taste of her lips moving hungrily over his. Who was he kidding? Sleeping with her would not be a sacrifice on his part. Any woman capable of putting that amount of heat into a few kisses would be dynamite in bed.

Thoughts of sleeping with Sharde for her sake gave way to a lust for satisfaction for its own sake. After he apologized, he’d need to find a way to get her into his bed. He turned and walked toward the cabin.

He went inside, closing the door on the cold, biting sleet. The interior of the cabin consisted of a large living room with a small kitchen to the right. Two doors dotted one wall of the living room. One door led to a small bathroom, the other to a medium-sized bedroom. With the power off, the fire he’d built in the fireplace provided the only heat. Several kerosene lamps illuminated the interior. He looked towards the kitchen. It was empty.

He hesitated, then shrugged, and walked towards the bedroom door. Silence greeted his tap. He raised his hand to knock again just as the door opened. Sharde stood in front of him.

In the office, she always wore her hair in an unassuming bun. Now it hung long, dark, thick, and glossy, around her shoulders, framing her smooth, brown face. He blinked. Her dark eyes, usually so sedate, sparkled with defiance, making the face he’d always considered just this side of plain look radiant and almost pretty. Almost?

“I suppose you expect me to explain or apologize for kissing you.” She lifted her chin. “Well, I don’t plan to do either. It happened. Deal with it.” She pushed past him and walked towards the kitchen.

He turned to stare after her. He’d never seen this facet of her character. He tossed his gloves and coat onto the living room sofa and followed her into the kitchen. He leaned against the wall, watching as she unpacked the groceries he’d bought.

She turned to face him. “What?”

He shrugged, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets. “Actually, I wanted to apologize. I think you misunderstood what I said.”

“No, I didn’t. You made your lack of interest exceedingly clear. I got the message, so don’t worry.”

He stared at her, intrigued. Where had this fascinating woman been hiding the last nine years? “We’ve always been able to talk about anything, Sharde. Let’s not start building walls now.”

She turned the propane-powered hotplate on before looking at him again, a weary look in her eyes. “What is there to discuss? I lost my head for a few moments and–”

“And so did I. And you know what, Sharde? I’d like it to happen again. Are you still willing?”

She turned away from him and began seasoning two steaks. Noting how her hands shook, he straightened and walked over to her. He turned her to face him. “Are you seeing anyone?”

She shook her head.

He clasped her hands in his, bringing them to rest against his chest. “You know I’m not either, but the... interlude in the snow is ample proof that we both have needs that aren’t being met.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and dark. “What’s your point, Jeff?”

“That we should help each other during this dry period.” She frowned and he changed gears. “Or at least for this weekend.”

“Are you saying we should become lovers for the weekend?”

Her voice was low and breathy. Imagining how it would sound moaning in his ear as they had sex made him hard. “It’s a long weekend and we’ll no doubt be stranded here for the next few days. We have to do something to pass the time.”

“What?” She jerked away from him.

Smooth. Very smooth, Calder. That was one of the dumbest things you’ve ever said to a woman.
“That came out all wrong.”

“Did it?”

He closed his eyes briefly. Damn, if she was going to start challenging everything he said, she’d make him nuts. “Yes! I didn’t mean it like it sounded.”

She went back to the steaks. He watched her stab seasoning slits into the steak with little regard for the fact that she was in danger of mangling the expensive meat.

She slung the steaks into the barely warm frying pan, chopped huge hunks of onions and peppers on top, and turned to face him, the knife still in her hand. “Fine.”

He blinked at her. “What?”

“I said fine.”

“I heard what you said. But what did you mean?”

“What do you think I mean?”

“You want to sleep with me?”

She lifted her chin, a hint of rose staining her cheeks. Strange how he’d never noticed that she blushed so charmingly. Her eyes sparkled like dark, beautiful jewels. “Not necessarily you, but with a man? Yes.”

He tightened his lips. “Are you saying any man would do?” He’d never given her love life much consideration, but now the thought of her sleeping around didn’t sit well with him.

“Wouldn’t any woman do for you?”

“No, any woman would not do. I don’t sleep with just anyone in a dress.”

She smiled, revealing an enchanting dimple in her right cheek. “Then isn’t it lucky I’m wearing pants?”

He stared at her in amazement. How had he never realized how... interesting she was? She took him from lust to anger right back to burning lust in a matter of moments. The next few days were going to be a journey of discovery. He planned to enjoy every moment of them.

She put the knife down and walked over to him. Placing her hands against his chest, she leaned into him and pressed a long, satisfying kiss against his mouth. She kissed him with a hunger that sent his cock rapidly expanding along the side of one leg.

He breathed in deeply, inhaling the passion and sweetness of her kiss. She slipped her arms around his neck. He held her close, savoring the lush warmth of her lips. Her body turned to liquid heat. She poured herself into his arms, molding her soft curves against him.

She rubbed against his groin and he nearly lost it. During the last few months of their relationship, Vanessa had been cold. It had been months since he’d been intimate, and he ached for sex.

He stroked his hands over her shoulders and down her back to her waist. Still savoring the hunger of her kisses, he slid his hands under her bulky sweatshirt. He moved his hands up her back and encountered something skimpy and lacey.

His questing hands moved over her back, searching for the clasp. After several attempts, he realized the bra must fasten in the front. Dragging his lips away from her, he stepped back, reaching for the bottom of the baggy sweatshirt.

She shook her head and stepped away from him. “I’ll take it off in front of the fire.”

He cast a quick glance at the frying pan. “What about the meat?”

She turned the fire off and covered the frying pan. When she looked at him, he saw pure liquid lust in her dark gaze. She unzipped his pants. He shuddered as her long, soft fingers found the slit in his briefs and curled around his cock. “Right now I have a taste and need for another kind of meat. Fuck me?”