True North (15 page)

“
You love me.” With that he smashed his mouth against mine with a kiss that completely possessed me. I closed my eyes and fell into the sensation, as if I’d gone over a cliff into the sea. But instead of crashing to the jagged rocks below, I soared over them, flying without wings.

I knew that he could feel the difference, the acceptance in my body language. I had so succumbed to his power that when I wriggled my wrists, he let them go and I wrapped my arms around his neck fiercely, tightly, frightened that I’d open my eyes and he wouldn’t really be there, that this was just one of a thousand dreams I’d woken up from, cold and alone.

Next thing I knew he picked me up, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. He cradled my ass in his arm and pushed his center into me as my back was held fast against the wall. I had never felt anything like it. I moaned into his mouth and he gripped the back of my head to keep my mouth on his so I couldn’t pull away. His tongue searched my mouth, invading me with sensations that rocketed through my entire body and heated my most intimate places.

I brought my tongue to his and it was like an electrical shock I couldn’t get enough of.

He lifted his chin the slightest bit without letting us separate and said, “I love you, Olivia Morrissey. I’ve never loved anyone but you.”

I opened my eyes to find his.

“
I’m so, so sorry,” he cried. Tears were streaming down his face, and he wiped them against mine.

“
I want you, Jake,” I breathed. “I want you now.”

He kissed me again, harder, and groaned against my tongue, sending a vibration coursing from my mouth down between my legs like nothing ever had. He pulled me from the wall, carried me across the room and laid me on my bed.

My head hit the pillow and his chest pushed irresistibly against my breasts. I loved it.

A funny thought hit me. “How did you know?” I panted.

“
Know what?” he got out between ravenous kisses.

“
That this … was my bed?” I managed.

He smiled centimeters above my lips. “My pillowcase.”

We laughed and kissed at the same time, and it was beautiful and delicious to swallow his laughter.

“
Tell me you’re mine, Livie.”

“
I’m yours, Jake. Forever. I’m yours.”

He smiled brighter and dove his lips and teeth into my neck, alternating little bites and sucking with tickling from his tongue. My body was going wild. His hand drifted up underneath the hem of my tank top, his fingertips igniting my flesh as he massaged my ribs until he reached my right breast.

He paused for a second, and I kissed him harder, urging him further. His fingers caressed my nipple first before his hand held my whole breast, gently squeezing it. I got lost in the frenzy taking me over. I rolled my hips up into the hardness bulging against his jeans.

“
Oh, Livie,” he moaned against my throat. He lifted my shirt and set his hot mouth over my nipple, which was still trapped under the lacy black fabric of my bra.

I was delirious. The feeling was mind-blowing and I found myself arching my back to keep him there.

“
Please don’t stop,” I begged.

“
I’ll never stop,” he promised as his left hand floated up to my other breast.

“
Oh my God!”

He pinched one nipple between his fingers while he sucked the other one into his mouth, despite the fabric.
I was on fucking fire!

“
HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED IN HERE?” Lara’s voice cracked in surprise. “OH SHIT! I’m sorry!!!”

Yep, she’d noticed us.

I hoped she’d just turn on her heels and head back out, shutting the door behind her, but no such luck.

“
Livie, are you okay?” Her voice was full of concern.

“
Am I screaming for help?” I couldn’t stop myself.

“
Um …” Poor thing was dumbfounded. Never seen me here with a guy, ever, and now I was half naked.

“
Meet Jake,” I said with the wave of my hand while I was still pinned under his gorgeous hard body.

“
This is Jake!?”

“
Yeah,” Jake said.

“
Holy fucking shit!” she freaked.

“
Nice meeting you too,” he replied.

“
Oh, I’m Lara, Livie’s roommate.” She automatically stuck out her hand to shake his, but his was attached to my tit.

“
Um …” He looked at me, not moving his hand at all, and stifled a laugh.

Lara saw where his hand was stationed. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”

The three of us busted up laughing.

“
It’s okay. I mean really,” I assured her. “How were you supposed to have known?”

“
Yeah, right!” she agreed then blurted, “Livie’s
never
had a guy up here before!”

“
Thanks, Lar.” I waved. “Had enough to drink?” I mumbled.

But the statement wasn’t lost on Jake. He was still looking down at me. “Never?”

“
We’ll talk about that later.” I pushed him up a little and he deftly rolled off of me and to a sitting position. He reached over me, grabbed my pillow and put it on his lap.

“
I am sorry,” Lara whined another apology and looked away.

I nodded and fixed my shirt.

“
What happened to the room?” she asked.

“
I had a problem … with my painting,” I confessed.

“
Looks like. I’ll help you clean it up,” she said.

“
Me too,” Jake offered.

I looked up at the abused canvas that had been drying on my desk and it suddenly looked pretty amazing to me.

Chapter 12

“
Come On Get Higher”

Matt Nathanson

We cleaned the room together, even threw the blankets into the washer downstairs—couldn’t really sleep under them while they were wet with paint.

Jake and I kept looking at each other and smiling. We were covered in paint and there were some choice evidential finger and handprints in some intimate places on my white tank. At one point he whispered in my ear that I’d better not wash that shirt because he wanted to keep it.

“
Now what?” It was about midnight when we’d finally finished.

“
Well, Mr. Hottie-pants can’t stay here. Dorm rules,” Lara quipped.

“
Cute,” I said.

“
You’re
the one who told me how hot he was and, damn, is he ever,” Lara sing-songed as she spread clean sheets over her mattress.

Jake didn’t skip a beat. “You told your dorm mate I was hot?”

I blushed and he smiled happily.

“
I’ve got a place a couple miles from here. Do you want to grab some things and come stay with me for the weekend?” he asked me.

“
You bet your ass she does!” a buzzing Lara answered for me. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen her smile so much! It’s always Jake this and Jake that. Damn, she’s got it bad!”

“
LARA!” I protested.

According to the grin on his face, Jake was fully enjoying himself.

“
I’d love to,” I told Jake.

“
My bike’s out front,” he said.

I grabbed my pack and threw grabbed few things from my drawers into it. I put on my jeans and a sweatshirt and a coat.
Bike,
I thought and pulled on a hat and gloves.

Jake put my pack over his shoulder. “Again, it was good meeting you, Lara.”

“
Likewise.” Lara gave me a hug and whispered into my ear, “I’m really happy for you.”

I was shining like a star.

We walked downstairs and got to his bike. He gave me his helmet, and I almost couldn’t believe this was really happening. The rush of cold air on my face, him here alive and well next to me, and the reality that we’d just confessed our love for each other. I laid my head on the back of his shoulder and held a little tighter, relishing the feel of him.

We pulled into a high-rise apartment building in the middle of the city. It was dark so I couldn’t get a good descript on it, but it was upscale with underground parking, which Jake parked his bike in. He put down the kickstand and got off first, put my pack on his shoulder and scooped me off the bike, carrying me like a bride.

“
What are you doing?” I weakly protested.

“
What I’ve always wanted to do.”

“
Carry me into an apartment?”

“
Hold you. Get used to it, because I’m not going to let you go for the entire weekend.”

Oh my God!
I could’ve melted in his beefy arms, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I rested my head against his chest as we rode the elevator to the twelfth floor. He fumbled with the keys, trying to get to the right one for the door, but he refused to put me down. He finally got it, kicked open the door, flicked the light on with his elbow and carried me inside.

My eyes squinted at the intrusion of light. Jake carried me into the bedroom. The place was huge compared to my dorm room. Sometimes I forgot about the money at his disposal.

“
It’s a great place,” I said.

“
Yeah, it came fully furnished so I didn’t have to do anything.” He sat me on the plush bed. “Don’t go anywhere! I’m just going to lock the door and get us a couple of drinks. Are you hungry?”

“
No.”

“
Okay.” He watched me as he hurried out of the room, like I might disappear. He didn’t take long to come back with two dark beers.

I took a sip of mine and unbuttoned my coat. Taking it from me, he hung it on a hook behind the bedroom door.

“
When … why … did you get the apartment?” I asked.

“
I wanted to be close to you,” he answered simply.

He wanted to be close to me.

“
We should get cleaned up.”

I laughed lightly. I was still covered with dried paint. “That’s a good idea.”

“
Shower’s that way.” He pointed.

“
Thanks.” I got up and started to walk across the room, but I could feel the weight of his eyes. I stopped and turned my head. “What are you doing?” I smiled.

“
Watching you walk. It makes me high,” he answered.

I slowly pivoted around and tried to walk as sexy as possible. I swung my hips and lifted my arms to pull my hair off my shoulders and let it cascade over my back.

I heard an audible sigh, and a moment later, Jake grabbed me from behind and swung me around to hold me against him as he carried me in a hug to the bathroom while he kissed me feverishly. One of his arms secured me to him as his other arm extended to follow the walls.

When he got me there he swept his arm over the thick marble counter near the sink, pushing all of his stuff into the sink, and sat me on top of it. He pushed between my legs and moved his lips to my ear. “Tell me you love me again.”

“
I love you, Jake,” I breathed.

He growled and pulled my tank top over my head. “I love your body covered in paint. You’re so beautiful.”

I took his cue and gripped his black, now-painted-on t-shirt and worked it over his head. I went breathless. He was so defined, and he was covered in colorful tattoos on both arms, like sleeves, and on the left side of his chest. They looked like a story I wanted to read, but Jake wasn’t slowing down for the view.

“
Don’t move.” He tore himself from my neck and regulated the water in the large brown and cream colored elegant tile shower. His body was so amazing. His muscles rippled with each movement of his torso and arms, and I was mesmerized.

He came in closer, nipping at my bottom lip while he pressed his chest into my bra. My nipples hardened at his pressure.

He dug his fingers into my hips, drew my center into his hardness and grinded himself against me. “This is what you do to me, Livie.”

The heat pooled between my thighs and I knew I was becoming wet.

“
Let me wash you.” It wasn’t a question.

The idea of being completely naked and exposed like that in the shower, in front of Jake made me suddenly very shy. I tried not to show it, but Jake must have heard me try to swallow my fear. I tensed.

“
Are you okay?” Jake’s voice was ragged.

“
Um …” I tried to speak, but I was breathless. I hadn’t been so scared when he was on top of me on the bed, but this was full-on nudity. What if he didn’t find me as attractive as he thought I’d be? What if I died of embarrassment?

He pulled back just a little and tried to get a take on my expression, which I was trying to manipulate but failing.

“
You want this, right?” he asked, sort of confused.

“
Yes,” I panted. “More than anything.”

He smiled again. “Good. Me too.”

“
I don’t think I can do the shower … thing,” I blurted nervously. “Why don’t you let me shower, then I’ll meet you back in the bedroom?”

His brow creased. I wished he wouldn’t study me, but no such luck. He looked like he had a question on his lips but was holding it in.

“
Okay,” he said finally. “I’ll wait for you.”

I smiled, relieved. “Okay, I’ll be quick as I can.”

He moved back, and I jumped down from the counter. He didn’t leave though.

“
You’re still here,” I teased.

He looked so serious, he was scaring me. He closed the distance between us and stroked his thumb over my cheekbone. “Livie?”

“
Yeah, Jake?”

“
Has anyone … seen you … naked before?” he asked carefully.

Did his sister count? Or the girls at school in the locker room?

I wasn’t sure where this was going. I bowed my head, feeling inexperienced.