More Than He Expected (7 page)

Gwen sighed and shook her head. “Okay, fine. You win. What do
you want me to say, Alex?”

“I want you to admit that you want me.”

Her jaw tightened, her dark eyes glittering with the night
lights. “What does it—?”

She started to argue, but Alex cut her off. “Say it,” he
demanded.

“I want you,” she said, but there was more irritation than
passion behind her words. He wanted her to say it as though she meant it. And
she would before the night was over.

Alex stood and suddenly walked off the edge of the pool,
splashing into the water, jeans and all. Gwen leaped back in surprise, but she
didn’t have her protective moat any longer. Alex lunged at her, wrapping his
arms around her waist and pulling her close.

“What are you doing?” she gasped.

“Say it like you mean it, Gwen.”

Her eyes widened and she squirmed uncomfortably under his
scrutinizing gaze. “It doesn’t matter. I already told you I’m not interested in
another fling,” she argued.

“So you’ve said, but you’re deluding yourself.” He looked down
and noticed the hands pressing against his chest. “You’ve taken your chastity
bracelet off.”

“The chlorine is bad for the silver,” she sputtered. “It is not
some subconscious invitation.”

Alex smiled. She could say all she wanted, but he took it as a
sign. “You and I both know there’s no point in spending this whole trip denying
the fantastic connection between us.”

She immediately stilled, her breath catching in her throat.

“I know it would be easier if I just went back into the house
and never touched you again. But I don’t want to. It might be selfish, but I’m
not ready to give up what we have yet. I can’t stop thinking about how badly I
want you, Gwen.”

He didn’t wait for Gwen’s response. Instead, he brought a hand
up to her face and cupped her cheek. Her chocolate-brown eyes were still wide
with surprise, but now a faint smile curved her full lips. That was all the
invitation he needed. He leaned down to her, lifting her easily from the water
that made her feel light as a feather.

When his lips touched hers, a surge of white-hot need knifed
through his body, but he fought to control it. He wanted Gwen, but he didn’t
want to rush this. He needed to take it slowly and help her navigate her way
back to trusting their sexual chemistry.

Gwen’s mouth was soft and hesitant at first. She opened up to
him slowly, her silky tongue gliding along his lip and teeth, teasing him. It
took every ounce of restraint Alex had not to crush her against him and devour
her with his mouth. Instead he let his tongue seek her out, tasting her,
savoring the feel of her in his arms. She was like a rare wine. He wanted to
take in her scent, let the flavor of her roll around in his mouth so he could
truly appreciate it, and commit her to his memory.

His hands moved down the slick contours of her body. They
glided over the cool silk of her skin, teasing him with her soft contrast to his
hardness. Stepping back through the water, Alex moved them to the edge of the
pool. Without his mouth leaving hers, he lifted her up to sit on the edge and
erased the disadvantage of their height difference.

Gwen gasped as her backside met with the cold concrete, but she
quickly recovered by opening her thighs and tugging him closer to her. The
chilled pebbles of her breasts dug into his chest and echoed the heat of his
arousal that pressed into her bare thigh.

Alex dipped his head to lick a drop of water that traveled down
to the hollow of her throat. The sharp taste of it mingled with the salt of her
skin, tempting him to run his tongue along the soft curve of her neck. She
tipped her head back, her fingers lacing through his hair and urging him on.

He wanted her. Every touch, every taste, every soft cry that
escaped her lips demanded that he have her. His fingers tugged at the bow of her
bikini top. The blue scrap of fabric came away in his hands, and he dropped it
on the concrete with a satisfying, wet thump.

Alex paused to look down at the delights he’d uncovered. The
full, pale breasts that had teased him from her dress earlier in the day were on
display for him at last. The creamy ivory skin was firm and flawless, the
strawberry-pink tips hard and reaching out to him.

He slowly brought his palms up to each, letting her sensitive
nipples graze across his rough hands in lazy circles. Gwen sighed and closed her
eyes, leaning back on her hands to arch them up to him. Finally, he pressed into
them, cupping each breast and letting the pad of his thumb brush the tips until
Gwen whimpered. It was only then that he let himself taste them. He sucked one
nipple into his mouth, then the other, teasing and tugging with his teeth and
tongue until she was squirming against him and clawing gently at his back.

“Alex,” she whispered, an edge of need in her voice that he’d
longed to hear again after all these months without her. That was the very thing
he’d wanted from her earlier.

He answered with his hand, slipping it between her thighs and
stroking her through the wet fabric of her suit. He could feel the shock wave of
his touch as it rocked through her body. Her hips bucked wildly against his
hand, the cry escaping her lips making his erection throb painfully as it grated
on the rough, wet denim of his jeans.

Pushing the suit aside, he slipped one finger inside the hot,
aching entry to her body. He could feel her muscles contract around him,
tightening and straining against the invasion. Slowly, he pumped into her, the
pad of his thumb brushing her sensitive nub with the apex of each stroke. Gwen
writhed and thrashed her feet along the surface of the water as her climax built
inside her. She was a wild and passionate woman, and he’d sorely missed that
while he was gone.

He watched her face with anticipation, waiting for her body to
stiffen beneath him. “Say it,” he whispered.

“I want you, Alex!” she cried out a second before the first
wave hit.

Satisfied, he captured her mouth in a kiss. Alex swallowed the
strangled cry of her orgasm, his body absorbing the violent shudders and jerks
until, silent and still, Gwen collapsed beneath him.

“Now, that wasn’t so hard to admit, was it?”

Gwen tried to look at him crossly, but she didn’t have the
energy. She was still trembling, her breath coming in short gasps, when Alex
scooped her off the edge and carried her out of the pool. He stood her upright
near the row of lounge chairs, reaching down to wrap the towel around her
shoulders.

Once he was certain she was steady on her feet, he left her
side to retrieve her bikini top and slowly made his way back. His soaked jeans
hung heavily on his hips, threatening to sag to his ankles if he moved too
quickly.

Alex wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her back to
the house. He gripped his waistband to allow them to move faster through the
tile kitchen, slowing once they reached the carpet that would absorb the water
dripping from their bodies.

Inside her room, he shut the door behind them and flipped the
lock. When he turned back, Gwen had flung off her towel. With a bold,
mischievous glint in her eye, she approached him and gave his jeans a solid
tug.

As expected, they slid right down without resistance, freeing
his erection to jut out to her. Gwen knelt down, letting her hot breath linger
on the tip for just a moment before continuing down and helping him step out of
the soggy clothing. She carried it and her swim top into the bathroom, tossing
them in the sink with the bottoms she had still been wearing.

When she returned, she was completely naked. Her hair hung
around her shoulders in dark, wet, blond cords. Her cheeks were still rosy from
her orgasm. She stopped a few feet away from him, watching him through the damp
clumps of her eyelashes. Gwen seemed almost embarrassed, although it was a
little late to be shy. He’d seen her naked a dozen times and had never been
disappointed.

But then, it occurred to Alex that things were different this
time. The changes in her body might leave her feeling insecure. She probably
wasn’t as appreciative of her new curves as he was. How could she not see how
beautiful she was?

Alex reached out his hand to her and pulled her toward the bed.
If she couldn’t see it, he’d just have to show her.

Six

G
wen let Alex guide her to the bed. He
tugged back the sheets for her to slip between them, then joined her there. A
chill from the pool had set in once they came into the air-conditioned house.
The warmth of the blanket and Alex’s body near hers felt heavenly, chasing away
the gooseflesh that drew up across her skin.

The blanket also made her feel less exposed. True, her swimsuit
had done little to disguise her blooming pregnancy, but somehow standing naked
with Alex’s eyes on her had made her extremely self-aware.

The last time they were together, she was at her all-time
lowest weight after months of exercise and carb deprivation. She didn’t want to
look like a sausage stuffed into a pink, satin casing at the wedding. Now her
body was about as different as it could be. What if it bothered him more than he
thought? What if he changed his mind? It was a worry that crept into her brain
without her permission. She tried to chase away the negative thoughts. Alex’s
desire for her was quite obvious the minute she’d tugged at his pants, and it
hadn’t wavered. The same firm heat pressed into her hip at that exact
moment.

Gwen forced herself to relax, letting her body sink into the
pillows. Alex pulled up along her side, the heat of his skin running the whole
length of her body. He propped on one elbow and looked down at her. There was a
softness in his expression she wasn’t used to seeing. Most often there was humor
or mischief or desire. The longing was still there, but it was laced with a
tenderness that made her chest tight.

His fingertips brushed across her forehead to push a damp
strand of hair away, then softly grazed along her jaw to her mouth. “You’re so
beautiful,” he said.

She swallowed a denial when his thumb stroked her bottom lip
and stole the words. She wanted him to kiss her again. To cover her body with
his and make her forget about all her worries and anxieties, if just for
tonight.

He hadn’t offered her more than that. But right now, that was
all she needed. Some physical contact with a man she didn’t have to worry about
complications with. If she had thought for a second there would be anything more
to it, she wouldn’t have given in. But Alex was not a guy to stick around. If
she wanted more, he’d be the worst possible choice. But sex between them should
be easy and gratifying. There was absolutely no reason why she should deny
herself the pleasure any longer.

His mouth found hers and she opened to him once again. She
relished the silky slide of his tongue, the way he could coax a low moan from
the back of her throat. His lips migrated to her jaw, settling in to feast on
the sensitive curve of her neck. He nipped and sucked at her skin, sending
throbbing impulses through her whole body.

She was surprised how quickly she responded to him. After their
encounter at the pool, she would’ve thought she was sated enough for one night,
but she was wrong. It had simply lit a fire to dry kindling and was now building
to a crackling roar of desire.

Alex’s hand reached out to her beneath the blankets. His palm
was a searing heat against her cool skin, blazing a trail along the curves of
her body. The glide of his fingertips was electric, the sizzle warming her
blood.

“Are you still cold?” he murmured against her throat.

Not when he was touching her. “No,” she said, kicking at the
covers.

He flung back the rest and returned to feasting on her skin. As
he traveled down to her breasts, Gwen was stunned by how sensitive they’d
become. Just the brush of his fingertips across her tight nipples sent a sharp
throb of need to her feminine muscles, tightening them into a delicious tug of
pleasure.

Alex growled low against her skin, the vibration tickling and
teasing at her.

The haze of pleasure thinned for a moment when Gwen realized he
was moving down her body. She tensed when his hand came to a stop resting on the
swell of her stomach. Would that be too much reality for him to ignore?

Gwen held her breath; her eyes squeezed shut so she wouldn’t
see his reaction. It wasn’t until she felt the moist heat of his kiss searing
across her belly that she was able to release the air trapped in her lungs.

Alex’s hand moved lower, stroking the inside of her thigh. Her
muscles jumped beneath her skin with anticipation of his touch. His lips
followed his fingertips, her thighs gently quivering when his warm breath
brushed across her exposed core. His first taste sent a bolt of pleasure through
her body that arched her back off the bed. He waited until the shock waves
passed before stroking her again. Gwen held her breath, trying to swallow the
cries he coaxed from her, but it was too much. He had her dancing on the edge of
coming undone almost instantly.

“Alex,” she whispered.

He hesitated a moment, his tongue darting out one last time
before sliding back up the length of her body. Alex hovered at the entrance to
her body, his golden eyes gazing deep into her own. Then he slowly entered her.
She couldn’t help her eyes closing as she savored the feeling she’d missed all
these months with him gone.

“Damn,” he groaned against her lips. The rest of his body was
stone still as he hovered, buried to the hilt. His arms started shaking with the
strain before he allowed himself to pull back and drive into her again.

Gwen pulled her legs up to cradle him, easily riding the waves
of motion that corresponded to the swells of pleasure building inside her. She’d
been so close to the edge before that it didn’t take long to reach it again, but
she wasn’t ready to give in to it. It had been eight long months since she’d
given in to her desires. Having Alex in her bed again was an unexpected fantasy
she’d never thought she could indulge. This moment needed to last a lifetime in
case it was their last. She wasn’t about to rush to the finish line, even if
every nerve in her body demanded release.

She opened her eyes, trying to memorize the lines of strain
across his brow as he fought for control. Gwen wanted to remember the sound of
his ragged breath and the salty taste of his skin.

It wasn’t until Alex stilled that she realized he was watching
her, a look of curiosity on his face. “You’re thinking too much. I’m not doing a
good job if you’re able to focus like that.”

Gwen smiled, reaching up to his face and pulling him to her
lips for a kiss. “You’re doing a great job,” she reassured. “I’m just trying to
make it last.”

“The good thing about orgasms,” he said with a wry grin, “is
that you won’t run out. You can always have another.” At that, he thrust hard
into her and elicited a surprised cry of pleasure from her throat. “And
another.”

“And another,” she repeated, hooking her ankles around his hips
and squeezing him until he groaned.

From then on, there were no more words. Gwen gave into the
sensations, clinging to him as they drove hard toward their climax. She buried
her cries in his shoulder when she came undone, the hard shudder of his own
release coming soon after.

When she finally caught her breath, she looked up to find Alex
hovering over her, his brow furrowed, his eyes wide with unexpected panic.
“What’s the matter?” Gwen asked, her voice hoarse.

His jaw dropped open in shock and he just hung there, mute,
until he could gather the words. “We didn’t use a condom. I forgot. I was too…”
He shook his head and cursed.

Normally, Gwen would’ve launched into full damage-control mode.
How could they forget something as crucial as that? But then she remembered she
couldn’t get pregnant and a good portion of the panic subsided. “That’s okay,”
she said, brushing a strand of golden hair from his face.

“No, it isn’t,” he insisted. “I always wear a condom.
Always.”

There was a touch of alarm in his eyes that worried her. “I’m
already pregnant, Alex. And it’s a little late for this conversation, but I was
tested for everything under the sun before the in vitro procedure. What about
you?”

Her question seemed to jerk him from his thoughts. He looked
down at her and nodded, clearly realizing she was right, yet still obviously
concerned. “I get a full panel of testing every six months, without fail. Never
so much as a false positive.”

That was a relief. And at the same time a touch disturbing. How
many women had he charmed into bed that he was tested so often? It was a good
thing she didn’t have fantasies of keeping Alex. It was an impossibility.

Fortunately, he was smart about it, so their stupidity wouldn’t
put both her health and the baby’s in jeopardy. A nurse should know better, but
apparently being in Alex’s arms made her lose all her good sense.

Gwen sighed and patted his arm reassuringly. “Well, it wasn’t
the smartest thing, but I think it will be okay just this once.” Using
protection the “next time” was left unsaid. The only thing that could bring down
the postorgasm buzz faster than the “oops, no condom” discussion was a clingy
woman talking about the future.

Alex’s jaw relaxed and he gave a short nod before leaning down
to kiss her. Gwen noticed there was still a tension there, but he was trying his
best to hide it. She remembered how diligent he was with birth control the last
time they were together. For both of them to forget…

He eased onto his side, dropping against the mattress. His arm
snaked around her and gently pulled her back to his chest.

She snuggled into him, trying not to think about the
implications of his slip and the fact that he’d positioned himself so she
couldn’t see his expression. He hadn’t immediately rushed back to his room, so
maybe she was making something out of nothing. Gwen tried to focus on just being
with him, and before long, she fell asleep in the protective warmth of his
arms.

* * *

It was still early morning when a beam of sunlight
stretched across the bed and into Alex’s face. It pulled him from the
comfortable fog of sleep. His eyes fluttered open, looking around for a moment
in confusion at the whitewashed furniture and blue comforter before he
remembered where he was.

Gwen’s bed.

Easing his head up, he saw her unruly, dark blond curls and her
arm draped across his chest. She was still asleep, her breathing soft and even
as she cuddled against him.

Alex needed to leave if they were going to keep last night a
secret from the rest of the house. He didn’t want to go. He wanted to pull up
the duvet and sleep away the rest of the afternoon with her in his arms, but
that was just a pipe dream. If it was daylight out, he should’ve returned to his
room a long time ago. Will always got up early, although there was no sense in
tiptoeing around him. He didn’t know much about the other guests in the house,
but he certainly didn’t want any of them to see him dash, half-naked, to his
room.

All he had were his jeans. Alex swallowed a groan when he
realized they were a soaking wet heap in Gwen’s bathroom sink. When he had come
downstairs the night before, he was after a drink and some cake. If he’d thought
for a moment he’d end up in the pool or Gwen’s bed, he would’ve planned
accordingly. And he most certainly would’ve brought a condom.

The memory of the slipup slapped him in the face and made sure
he was good and awake now. God, he was an idiot.

No condom. How could he forget something that important? He had
never had sex without one before. He wasn’t about to get snared like his father.
Not once, not even one time in all these years, had he allowed himself to get so
wrapped up in a woman that he could let something like that happen.

Alex wasn’t quite sure why it bothered him so badly. Gwen
couldn’t get pregnant with his child. They both vouched for being healthy.
Nothing should come back to bite either of them. What was it, then, that left
him with a pool of worry in his stomach?

It was just one more thing. One more difference between Gwen
and every other woman he’d ever been with. Since he’d first met her, she’d
gotten through almost all of his well-fortified defenses. She probably didn’t
even know it, but she had. He never would’ve sought her out again, much less
made love to her, if she hadn’t gotten under his skin.

Gwen had penetrated his brain, occupying his thoughts and
dreams over the last months. Making him think of nothing but having her back in
his arms again. She’d pierced his physical defenses last night, getting closer
to him than any other woman had. Without the barrier of latex between them,
their joining had been so different. It didn’t just feel different; it was
almost as if it meant more than he’d ever intended.

The sound of birds chirping outside the window declared it was
officially morning and distracted him from his worries. He glanced over at the
nightstand and the clock sitting there. It was just after six. He definitely
needed to get back to his room, jeans or no. Alex picked up Gwen’s wrist and
slowly eased out from beneath her. She grumbled sleepily for a moment, then
curled into a ball in the warm spot he’d left behind and fell back asleep.

Alex struggled to swallow a lump in his throat as he watched
her sleep. Her ash-blond hair was a tangle across the pillowcase, her pink lips
still swollen from his kisses. Just the sight of her like that made his chest
tighten.

Typically, the morning after was uncomfortable for him.
Sunlight always brought a cold dose of reality with it. Seeing a woman sleeping
or just after she’d woken up had always seemed too intimate to him. The sex…
that was just sex, but the reality of a woman without her carefully crafted
facade was a line he didn’t like to cross. It felt like relationship territory.
He preferred to leave before the veil of fantasy slipped away.

It was different with Gwen. He wasn’t uncomfortable watching
her like this. Not even after realizing he was playing with fire. He was
overwhelmed with the urge to surprise her with breakfast in bed. He wanted to
make her pancakes and kiss her maple syrup–flavored lips.