Stay Beautiful (2 page)

A fireplace! Violet was so damn glad to see that. Her room
hadn’t had one. Jonah’s room was small and simple, not so different from hers
other than the addition of the fireplace and the lack of a second bed. She’d
expected to be nervous. This wasn’t at all like her. Surprisingly, she was
feeling daring. Besides, nobody would ever know but the two of them. What she
did here would stay here.

She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror across
from the bed. The secretive smile curving her lips caused her to do a double
take. It felt nice to shake off the good girl and let her inner bad girl out.
She didn’t do it often.

Accepting the glass of champagne Jonah held out to her, she
watched him move about the room. He was tall and with that shock of dark hair
and those golden brown eyes, he was more than a little attractive. Even though
he was dressed in casual attire, jeans and a t-shirt, she’d sensed he was a
mature professional. Or at least that’s what she told herself. Why else would
she have so impulsively thrown herself into his arms to escape another man?

“Leave them open.” She stopped him before he could close the
blinds. It was dark outside now. The snow continued to fall against the
backdrop of night, illuminated in the glow of the street lights. “I like it.
The way the snow looks. It’s beautiful.”

Abandoning the blinds, Jonah turned the TV on for a quick
news update on the weather. “You are beautiful, Violet.”

“Oh please, stop. You already got me up here. You don’t need
to sweet talk me.”

“But what if I want to? I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t
true.”

A protest formed on her lips but she held it back. If he
wanted to spend the night whispering sweet nothings, who was she to stop him?
Hell, she was going to enjoy it.

He joined her where she sat perched on the end of the bed.
Their eyes were on the screen where the newscaster updated the weather. The
snow could continue all night. According to meteorologists, the city had
already received more snow than had been anticipated. The good news was that it
appeared to be slowing.

“I guess it will be a miracle if the airport is open
tomorrow,” Violet commented when the commercials began to play.

Jonah turned the TV off and gestured to the fireplace. It
was electric but that was fine with her. The flames still jumped and danced,
catching her eye.

“Let’s just enjoy our artificial fire and worry about
tomorrow when it gets here.”

“I like the sound of that.”

His hand was warm against her cheek as he pushed the hair
from her face. Violet leaned into his touch. Excitement began to build deep
within her. They kissed, a slow meeting of lips. Jonah delved deeper into her
mouth, his tongue tangling with hers.

There was a passion in his kiss that stole her breath. He
smelled good, like rain and fresh laundry. It had to be his cologne, but she
didn’t care. Staying behind after the wedding was starting to look like a great
decision after all. The other single bridesmaids had joked constantly about
hooking up with the groomsmen. Violet hadn’t been interested. Boy would they
love to hear about this.

Heat spread through her body accompanied by a pleasant
tingle. The combination of alcohol along with the thrill of being there with
him gave her a giddy rush. Jonah’s lips found the pulse in her neck and she
sighed.

“You smell so good.” His breath was hot against her skin. “I
can’t wait to taste you.”

Violet’s heart pounded, echoing in her ears. She didn’t
protest when Jonah relieved them both of their champagne glasses. She wanted
both hands free for this. After depositing the glasses on the small
bistro-style table, he turned off the light, leaving them with only the glow of
electric flames.

His arms went around her and she welcomed him eagerly. Jonah
pulled her down with him so they lay side by side, facing one another on the
bed. Kicking her boots off onto the floor, Violet stroked a hand down his strong
jaw.

Capturing her hand, Jonah pressed a kiss into her palm. “If
there is anything I can do for you, anything you want, don’t hesitate to say
so. I want to make this a snowstorm you’ll never forget.”

“It’s already a storm I will never forget.” She laughed
softly as he kissed her.

Jonah slipped a hand beneath the hem of her sporty tank top.
The material was tight with little give to it. It was easier to simply strip it
right off, which is what he did. Violet trembled slightly when she lay there in
her pink bra. The hunger in Jonah’s eyes was brilliant, lit up by the fire.

Burying his face in her ample cleavage, Jonah made a little
sound of contentment. His lips and tongue sought to devour her as he tugged one
strap down her shoulder. One hand reached inside her bra to discover the
contours of her breast. He pushed the fabric aside to expose her nipple. The
warm, wet touch of his tongue to the sensitive bud sent fire racing through her
veins to heat her loins.

Violet gasped when Jonah swirled his tongue over the rigid
peak. The tingle that started between her legs grew into a throb. She barely
noticed the hand he slipped behind her until he’d freed her from the confines
of the bra. It quickly joined her top on the floor.

There was a flurry of sensation as Jonah’s hands covered her
mounds while paying each nipple loving attention in turn. He rolled her so she
lay flat on the bed beneath him. He made his way down her body, licking and
tasting her. His tongue found a ticklish spot near her stomach and she squirmed.

Goose bumps rose up on her skin as he ran his fingers down
her body to the waistband of her leggings. In one slow, smooth motion he
stripped them from her. Immediately Jonah’s attention was on her black cotton
panties. They were cute and comfortable but if she’d known she’d find herself
in this situation, she would have worn her favorite thong. It was quickly
evident Jonah didn’t give a damn about the panties. He just wanted what was
inside.

He reached to peel away her underwear but she stopped him
with a hand. “Wait. I want to see you too.”

With a nod and a sly smile, Jonah stood beside the bed and
began to disrobe. Violet sat up so she could touch the firm expanse of his bare
chest. A light dusting of hair disappeared below his jeans, teasing her. She
tried to take in every part of him, to make note of every inch. The last of his
clothing fell away and for just a second she thought she might blush.

There was no doubt he was a fine creation. Strong and firm
without unnecessary bulk, Jonah was all man. Very much so. Violet’s gaze
wandered over him, a smile curving her lips as she admired him for the work of
beauty he was. Before she could open her mouth to tell him how gorgeous he was,
Jonah was on her, tugging at her panties with an exciting surge of aggression.

His sudden impatience was infectious. The moment his fingers
caressed the delicate place between her thighs, Violet ached for more of him.
He stroked her damp folds, running a slick finger up over her throbbing pink
pearl. Any last control she possessed dissolved when two fingers delved deep
within her.

Moans of absolute pleasure filled the room. Violet clung to
Jonah. It was almost too much. She didn’t want it to stop but there was a sense
of urgency creeping up in the back of her mind that demanded she have his
gorgeous cock inside her.

The man seemed to read her like a book. His free hand
disappeared beneath a pillow only to produce a condom, which he easily slipped
on.

“Smooth.” She couldn’t resist giving him a teasing grin.

Jonah’s laughter was low and comforting. “Hey, baby, I’m
prepared to please you all night long.”

Their lips met and Violet lost herself in the heady
sensation of having him between her legs, ready to claim her. There was a
delicious pressure as he entered her tight sheath. She was happy to let him set
the rhythm, moving to match his thrusts. Slow and deep, he forced cries from
her that Violet barely recognized as her own.

The strength behind his thrusts was enough to make her cry
out. The rush of splendor that spilled over her was exquisite. Every breath
filled her with the scent of him. Jonah touched her face, forcing her to meet
his eyes. It was unnerving to have this stranger above her, commanding her body
as he gazed down at her through intense eyes. The thrill of the entire scenario
captured her in an exhilarating high. Though she told herself it was just the
kind of thing she would never do under normal circumstances, she knew that part
of her longed for the adventure. No regrets.

Jonah grabbed her leg and guided her over and up onto her
knees. He entered her from behind, driving her forward from the impact. He fell
down over her, his chest pressed to her back. The touch of his lips on the back
of her shoulder sent a tremor through her. There was a level of intimacy in the
action that warmed her insides.

Violet reached back with one hand to slide her fingers into
his thick hair. It caused her balance to become unstable and Jonah quickly put
a strong arm around her waist to steady her. A sheen of perspiration formed
between their bodies, creating a slick layer that caused them to cling that
much harder to one another.

Their shadows caught Violet’s eye. She couldn’t help but
watch the orange glow of the firelight dancing on the wall as their silhouettes
moved as one. It was captivating and somehow more sensual than a mirror could
ever have been.

Jonah moaned softly in her ear. The sound of her name as a
breathy whisper on his lips was intoxicating. It was hard to believe that after
tonight she would only hear that again in her memories.

When her knees could no longer hold her, Jonah sat back on
the bed and pulled her onto his lap so that she faced him. Sitting upright left
the control in Violet’s hands, although the position limited her movements.
Jonah was buried deep within her while they stared into each other’s eyes. She
could have gazed into him like that forever.

The strange intimacy between them got under Violet’s skin.
Wasn’t a one-night stand supposed to be a night of physical gratification? As
she moved on Jonah’s hard shaft, she found that by allowing him in at all,
she’d opened all the doors. Whether or not she ever saw him again, something
was changing in her tonight. It felt like being set free from chains she hadn’t
realized she’d bound herself in. She embraced it.

A dizzying wave of euphoria crashed over Violet. The power
in the orgasm that racked her was astonishing. Burying her face in Jonah’s
neck, she inhaled his musky scent and muffled her cries against his smooth
skin. She felt him shudder, felt him twitch deep inside her. His arms tightened
around her and together they fell back against the small mountain of pillows.

Violet felt as if she were glowing. Jonah pressed moist
kisses to her neck and face. She smiled and struggled to catch her breath.

“Sorry.” His low murmur was full of sex. “I didn’t mean to
rush. I just couldn’t wait to get inside you.”

A glance at the bedside clock revealed that it was early
yet. Violet snuggled in against him, determined to take advantage of every
moment of this little escapade. “It’s barely past midnight. Plenty of time to
take it slow during round two.”

“And round three and four.” Jonah chuckled when she gave him
a playful jab.

The afterglow was nice. It was a feeling that would be
priceless if one could bottle it. Violet waited until it began to ebb before
excusing herself to the washroom. She brought her purse, toying with the idea
of sending a quick text to a friend or two. No. It would ruin the fun of the
mystery. For now, it was her little secret. She could tell the girls all about
it when she got home.

Jonah looked up with a brilliant smile as she emerged
wrapped in a hotel bathrobe. “I hope you like fresh fruit. Room service is
bringing some up. More champagne too.”

“Oh, that sounds good.” Violet bounced onto the bed with more
flare than intended. She couldn’t help the excited rush that coursed through
her like electricity. “Hey, I think the snow is stopping.”

A loud knock on the door startled them both. Jonah hurried
into his pants before opening the door. Violet wandered over to the window,
peering down on the white city below. The flakes still fell, but gentler now,
not so thick. It was going to stop soon. Part of her was sorry about that.
Passing the time with Jonah was most definitely fun but it was more than that.
She genuinely liked him.

Jonah joined her at the window, a chilled bottle in his
grasp. He leaned in close to nuzzle her before glancing out at the night sky.
“It’s kind of beautiful, huh?”

“It is.” She nodded and turned to follow him back to the bed
where a fruit platter sat atop a pillow. “You seem used to the snow and cold.
Where are you from anyway? Northern state?”

“New York. We get our share of ugly winters. Maybe not as
bad as it gets elsewhere but it ain’t no Florida, that’s for sure.”

“Ah, New York. Nice city. I’ve visited a time or two. It’s a
great place for doing business and creating art. Which you should do more of.”
She gave him a pointed look.

Jonah scooped some whipped cream up on a finger and dabbed
it on the end of her nose. “Yeah, yeah. What about you? Do you do anything like
that? A hobby or something?”

She laughed and felt like a school girl when he leaned in to
kiss the dollop of cream from her nose. “I like to sing in the car when I’m
alone. Does that count? I’d never torture anyone I know by making them listen
to me.”

“So that means we should go to the bar and hunt down a
karaoke machine.”

“No karaoke machines. But a trip downstairs could be nice.
We could take a walk. Maybe even outside in the snow for a few minutes.”

The fruit platter was divine after such strenuous activity.
The champagne had to be expensive. Violet loved the way it bubbled on her
tongue as she drank.