Part-Time Wife (20 page)

"It does a lot for me, too." His voice was hoarse.

Keeping her head back, she leaned toward him so that her breasts brushed against his chest. The faint touch of her taut nipples was a pleasing form of torture. She swayed back and forth, keeping her balance by resting her hands on his shoulders. Suddenly she stopped and stared at him. Her green eyes widened.

"Oh, Craig, I'm not on the Pill anymore."

Birth control. Protection. He should have thought of it before. He grinned. Who'd had the time?

"I've got some condoms upstairs," he said, sliding off the bed.

She stood up and shook her head. "You stay right here. I'll get them. Where are they?"

"My nightstand. On the left side, top drawer."

She started out of the room, then glanced over her shoulder at him. "While I'm gone, feel free to take off the rest of your clothes."

He watched her leave, then did as she requested, quickly pulling off his socks, then stepping out of his trousers and briefs. Once that was done, he didn't know whether he should sit on the side of the bed or lie down.

He glanced at himself and frowned. His arousal was so
obvious
. He didn't want to scare her off. He was still worried about the size problem. His finger had slipped inside her easily enough, but this was a little … larger.

Before he could figure out what to do, she'd returned with a small box of condoms. She touched the top. "Unopened."

"I just bought them."

She moved to the side of the bed. "I'm glad."

He'd settled on a sitting position. When she stepped in front of him, he was glad. He took the box from her and set it on the nightstand, then grabbed her hips and lifted her onto his lap. She straddled him, his arousal trapped between their bellies. She wiggled and he almost lost his control right there.

"Damn it, woman!" he growled.

She giggled. "I love it when you talk dirty."

He stared at her. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Fishing for more compliments?"

"No. You just spent a week in bed. I don't want to overdo it."

"I'm a little tired, but I think I can stay awake for another five or ten minutes."

"It'll take longer than that," he said.

She smiled. "Not if I do my job right."

He raised his hand and touched her cheek. "I didn't think you'd be like this."

"Like what?"

"So comfortable with yourself and me. You don't mind being naked."

She surprised him by blushing. "I'm not normally like this. You make me feel comfortable." She shrugged. "Maybe comfortable isn't the right word. I can see that you want me. The way you watch me makes me feel very attractive and feminine."

"You are."

"Shut up and kiss me."

He obliged her. He tilted his head and pressed his mouth against her. She opened for him immediately and took him with a passion that sent his control into the next dimension. Suddenly he had to touch her everywhere, be with her, in her. Damn it, she was already wet and naked. What more did he want?

He touched her back, her thighs, her breasts, then fumbled for the box of protection. Even as he was sliding back on the bed, he ripped the box open and pulled out a condom. He was shaking so badly he could barely open the package.

Once he was stretched out on the mattress, she rained kisses on his chest.

"You're not helping," he said, trying to smooth the latex sheath over himself.

She wiggled against his thighs and licked a damp circle around his belly button. "I'm not trying to."

At last it was in place. He looked at her. "I want you on top. You'll have more control."

She nodded, then raised herself up on her knees. He reached his hand between them and placed the other on her hip. Inch by inch, she lowered herself on him.

He watched her face, trying to judge if he was hurting her. She closed her eyes and smiled. If her look of pleasure was anything to go by, he fit just fine. He let go of his worries as he guided her down. Every part of him focused on the damp heat surrounding him. Her body stretched to accommodate him, sliding slowly, caressing him like a benediction.

When she would have rocked her hips, he stilled her with his hands. "Not yet," he groaned, between clenched teeth.

"I told you it wouldn't take but five minutes," she murmured, her tone teasing.

He told himself it was because it had been so long, but he knew it was also about Jill. As his gaze focused on her face, then dropped lower to her breasts, he knew it was specifically about her.

The thought should have scared him to death, but strangely, it didn't.

He released his hold on her hips and she began to move. He helped her find the rhythm. As they rocked together, her body continued to stretch around him, allowing him to go deeper. He arched up, filling her until she took all of him.

"Do it," she said.

Her permission was all he needed. His mind cleared of everything but the need for release. He thrust against her quickly, moving up and down. She matched his movements, adding friction that would send him over the edge.

He tried to focus on her, on her head tilted back, on the sleek, pure lines of her neck, on the way her breasts swayed and bounced, on her hands splaying and releasing. He could feel her muscles tightening as she took pleasure in their joining. The pressure built inside him. He wouldn't be able to hold back.

He reached his hand between them, then slipped his thumb into her damp curls. He touched her most sensitive spot and pressed, allowing her to find the rhythm that would please her most. She caught her breath. He pressed harder. Instantly her body began to ripple and clench. It was all he needed. The world disappeared into a rush of pleasure so intense he lost contact with everything but the feel of her body around him and the sound of his name on her lips.

When he finally focused again, Jill sagged against him in contentment. "I could die a happy person right now," she said.

"I know what you mean."

She snuggled against him like the kitten she compared herself to. "Hmm, I can hear the vibration of your voice through your chest. Say something again."

He stroked her short hair. "What do you want me to say?"

There was no answer. He raised his head. Jill was stretched out on his chest, her eyes closed, her breathing even. Exhaustion had caught up with her.

He half rose into a sitting position so he could snag the covers. She didn't stir. He pulled the sheet and light blanket over both of them, then glanced at the clock. They had a couple of hours until the boys had to be picked up at school. He wrapped his arms around her and listened to her heart beating in time with his.

* * *

When she awoke it was night. Jill blinked in the darkness. She distinctly remembered it being daylight when she'd last been awake. She'd taken a shower and then—

She froze, terrified of the memories crashing in on her. She'd behaved like a wanton, throwing herself at Craig. Oh, Lord, what must he think of her?

She lay very still, trying to figure out if she was alone or not. This bedroom was at the back of the house, so there wasn't any streetlight filtering through the drapes to help. She listened for breathing, but didn't hear any but her own. Finally she shifted to see the clock and bumped into something very warm and very naked in her bed. She winced.

"It's nearly
midnight
," he said.

"Oh, my. How long have I been asleep?"

"About eight hours. I guess I tired you out."

She didn't have to see him to know he was smiling. She could hear it in his voice. A blush flared on her cheeks. "Oh, Craig, I'm sorry."

He reached for her and pulled her against him. Arms and legs tangled together until he settled back with her head on his shoulder and his arms around her.

"What are you sorry about?" he asked.

"I—" She could lie and say she was sorry for falling asleep like that, but somehow she didn't think he would buy it.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked.

"Yes. I feel great. Renewed, in fact." She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Make love?"

She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his bare skin. "I threw myself at you. I don't even want to think about it."

He chuckled. "I do. In fact, I can't seem to think about anything else."

She buried her face in his side and moaned. "I can't believe I used you the same way everyone has used me. Just to get what I wanted. I'm slime. I'm lower than slime. I'm silt sludge that aspires to be slime."

He drew away from her for a second and clicked on the bedside light. Then he fluffed up the pillows and pushed them behind him so he was sitting up.

"Number one," he said, looking at her. "No one did anything they didn't want to do, least of all me. I'm glad we made love, Jill, and I'd like it better if you didn't have any regrets, either."

"But, I—"

"No. You didn't. You didn't throw yourself at me or coerce me. I haven't been with a woman in a long time. I thought that part of me was dead. I'm glad to know it's not."

"But—"

He smiled. "You worry too much. Can't you just be happy it felt so good?"

"But isn't it going to be awkward now? What will we say to each other? How will we act in front of the boys? Doesn't this change everything?"

 
"No."

She waited but he didn't say anything else. "That's it? Just 'no'?"

He winked.

"Damn it, Craig."

Without warning, he slipped down the mattress and grabbed her, hauling her close. "I love it when you talk dirty," he said.

She wanted to resist. She wanted to have a rational conversation. They couldn't just ignore what had happened. Then his fingers trailed across her breasts and she thought that maybe they could.

"I don't want to hurt you if you're sore," he murmured against her breast.

"I'm fine." She ran her fingers across his chest, savoring the contrast of cool hair and warm skin. She lingered over his heart and felt the rapid pounding.

"You're sure?"

She reached her hand down and touched his arousal. As she'd hoped, that shut him up.

They moved together in a dance of desire, taking what they'd already learned about each other and applying it to make the sensations more intense, the pleasure more incredible. When he moved to shift her on top of him, she shook her head.

"I want you on top," she said.

"I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

"I'll be fine," she said. "I trust you."

As he knelt between her thighs and slowly entered her, she wondered how long it had been since she'd trusted anyone, let alone a man. Then he withdrew, only to thrust inside her again; and the question was forgotten in the magic of the moment.

* * *

Craig was gone when she woke up. She vaguely remembered a quick goodbye kiss before he left for the station. She rolled over and stared at the clock. It was going to ring in ten minutes, then she would go wake up the boys. Ben was probably already up. He'd told her that he was walking without her. She was proud of him. He'd lost most of the weight and he looked terrific.

She sat up and turned off the alarm, then reached for her robe. Before she could stagger into the bathroom, the phone rang. She had an extension in her room. She reached for it, smiling in anticipation, knowing Craig had called to say good-morning.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hi, uh, it's Jill, right?" The unfamiliar voice sounded panicked.

"Yes, this is Jill Bradford."

"Great. I'm Kyle. Craig's youngest brother. Is he there?"

"No, he's left for the station."

"Oh, God. Okay. Damn. Um, could you tell him—" Kyle drew in an audible breath. "Oh, God. It's
Sandy
. She's having the baby. Now. Soon. We're leaving for the hospital now and if you could tell him." He swore again. "She's had three, so this is no big deal for her, but I don't think I can go through this. Anyway, tell Craig to hurry."

He hung up without saying goodbye.

She stared at the phone for a moment, then dialed the station. She was put through to Craig immediately.

"I already know," he said. "Travis called. Look, I don't want to take the boys out of school. They missed too many days being sick. Pack enough for everyone for the weekend, then after you pick them up, swing by the station and get me. I'm glad we've nearly wrapped up that case with the elderly drivers so I can take the weekend off."

"Weekend off? I'm confused. What's going on?"

He chuckled. "Sorry, Jill. This is all new to you, isn't it?
Sandy
's having her baby. We all have to be there. It's a Haynes brothers tradition. We're
always
there for each other."

"Which means?"

"We're going to Glenwood."