Rising, Freestyle

Chapter Two

Rope Gun: Slang title for the climber who does all the leading.

Melanie pivoted in front of the mirror, frowning in dissatisfaction. She smoothed her hands down the second T-shirt she’d layered on. Unless a person knew exactly where to look, no signs of her accident showed. Of course, that equaled no skin visible anywhere, which meant she wasn’t very sexy, and therein lay her dilemma.

There had to be some kind of rulebook she’d neglected to read that could guide her through this situation, but the feverish heat pulsing through her veins and the ache between her legs continued to distract her. A girly-girl she wasn’t, but surely even she could manage to pull together one outfit that was a little less “here I am, I’m covered” and a little more “here I am, want to uncover me?”

She changed clothing five times before she forced herself to stop.

In a few short minutes, Derrick James had turned her on and left her revving on high. Although she was embarrassed at her emotional outburst, it hadn’t seemed to bother him. On the contrary, he must have had getting close to her on his mind before that moment. Guys got turned on fast—she knew that from too many years of close contact in confining quarters when her co-ed team had traveled to competitions. But Derrick? He had struck her as far more mature than the trigger-happy youths on her climbing team.

And the way he’d kissed her? Okay, the idea of being in someone’s bed hadn’t been on her agenda for a long time for a lot of reasons. After her last horrifying experience, she was not only afraid of his reaction, but her own. She didn’t want it to all be a bunch of motion with no grand finale. The fear she wouldn’t be able to relax enough to enjoy sex haunted her, and she wasn’t the type to fake an orgasm for anyone, especially herself.

After the lust-inspiring grope they’d shared, she wasn’t that concerned Derrick wouldn’t be able to get a response out of her.

But would he be able to handle what her body looked like under her clothing? And was she really ready to let anyone see the scars? The lingering pulse of interest said she might be willing to find out.

She walked back to the climbing center, the air warm enough she didn’t need a jacket with the long-sleeved shirt she wore like protective armor. Hiding from the stares of other people on the street had become second nature to her by now—and took far less energy.

Five minutes later the pounding pulse of a rock beat shook her before she even laid a hand on the door. She slipped inside and leaned on the wall, taking a slow look around to see who was climbing on Thursday night.

Families, youths and couples all filled the place with noise and laughter. Derrick had done a great job making the center somewhere for more than the elite to gather. She smiled as a dad belayed his son up the closest wall, the little guy maybe five years old and clinging like a gecko as he chatted excitedly.

Except when the kid breezed past the marker line where she’d frozen, Melanie turned away in disgust. Yeah, whatever. Next time she’d force herself to go higher. There had to be an end to fear at some point, right?

She spotted Derrick roped into a harness, lead belaying one of the stronger climbers. The biceps in his arms showed nicely as he fed out the rope a portion at a time, watching his partner closely. Adam swarmed up the wall, smooth and rhythmic in his motions. She was far enough to the side Derrick must have seen her, at least in his peripheral vision, but he did no more than wave a finger, his gaze fixed on the climber.

Adam reached to clip his rope into the hook of the next carabiner on the overhanging wall and missed. Melanie’s stomach tightened in a rush as the young man fell. A split second later she fought for breath—the rope Derrick held that attached to Adam’s harness had jerked him to a safe stop well above the ground. Good-natured laughter rang through the room as Adam was lowered the remaining distance, shaking his head sheepishly.

Derrick clapped hands with him and pointed at the holds, probably suggesting something different to try the next time. Adam nodded and the two unroped and separated. Derrick headed directly for her.

“You okay?” The concern on his face was touching and annoying at the same time. God, even watching another person fall made her stomach roll.

“Just a little shaky. Think I need some food.”

He undid the straps securing his waist belt. She tried not to stare in fascination at his hands working directly over his groin. Part of her wanted to reach out and volunteer to help him, any way she could. When she dragged her gaze higher, he tossed her one of his spine-melting smiles, his own interest shining in his eyes as he looked her over.

“I need to wash the chalk off my hands and put my belt away, then we can head out.”

It wasn’t that much later they were on the sidewalk, forced into close side-by-side proximity as newcomers brushed past them to enter the facility.

“You sure you can get away?” Melanie asked. “It looks busy tonight.”

“I’m fine. There’s enough staff on, and I usually take off Thursdays and work the late shift Friday and Saturday.”

“That must interfere with your social life.” Oh, that was smooth, Mel. Not. Way to sound as if she was digging for information. Which she totally was, but still. She didn’t think he had a regular girlfriend, not with the way he’d kissed her. He had asked her out, but before she dove into anything, she’d like to know a little more about the big picture. Their private lives were not a subject they’d discussed over the past weeks.

“I get plenty of time for friends. The gym is closed at nine those days, and five on Sundays, so it’s not like I’m there until two a.m. or anything.” They dodged a group of skateboarders hanging out in a circle on the corner of the street. Derrick pulled her closer to his side as a few of the gang turned and eyed her.

The touch of his fingers as he kept hold of her trickled tiny rays of heat up her arm and into her body, and she suddenly wished she’d been brave enough to simply wear a tank top so he’d be touching her skin.

Hmm, skin on skin. Another item to add to the collection of things she’d like to try again. Soon.

They were in the restaurant in two minutes flat—one of the joys of small-town living. Derrick pulled out a chair for her on the deck built along the main street. In the winter, Main Street was an eclectic shopping vista, with cozy coffee shops to hide from the weather. In the spring and summer, the town turned the downtown lane into the center of attention, with multiple outdoor sitting areas and the ever-present buskers providing street music for tossed coins.

“How are you enjoying living here?” Derrick leaned back in his chair. He was seated beside her, his right arm close to hers as he placed the menu back on the table. The hair on his arm brushed the back of her hand and her nipples tightened.

She was a sexual time bomb waiting to be triggered. She blew out a breath, ruffling her bangs, then smiled at him. “It’s been great. My brother told me this was a fun town to visit, but a little crazy to live in. He’s right.”

“You see a lot of Kane?”

She shook her head. “I had dinner with him and his roommates when I first moved, but he’s been gone pretty much ever since. He’s got a full schedule of wilderness trips booked until the end of summer.”

They chatted for a little longer until their order was taken. Light conversation about what she’d done in school, about him and the house he was renovating even farther up the steep slope of the mountain than where she lived. All the while she admired him—his dark hair with the slightest bit of unruly curl at the ends hung loose, brushing his shoulders. He had the darkest irises, somewhere between brown and black, and a jaw that made her want to turn down dinner and just nibble on him for a while.

A climber’s body—lean muscle, not bulky—every movement he made coordinated and smooth. He wore a T-shirt that clung to his biceps, fit snug to his chest. Heck, it was tight enough when he shifted position she swore she could make out the ridges of his six-pack. She knew he had one—she’d rounded the corner the second week at the gym when he’d stripped off his shirt and pumped out a set of chin-ups to the rising cheers of his climbing mates. She’d had to wipe away her drool.

Their food arrived and they both reached for the salt at the same time, bumping hands. He laughed and gestured for her to take it first, his strong fingers with neatly trimmed nails catching her eye as he picked up his burger and bit into it heartily.

Melanie attacked her own multilayered wrap, juice from the spicy barbeque sauce escaping to trickle down her chin as the flavours burst over her tongue. He caught a drip from the corner of her mouth and that electric pulse returned. Harder. Hotter. Their conversation faded away to nothing as the sexual tension at the table rose tenfold. Every bite, every swallow. Flames licked her skin, and there wasn’t enough of a breeze in the air to cool her off. She grabbed her water glass and purposely looked in the opposite direction, needing a second to regain control.

“What would you like to do after dinner?” Derrick rubbed the back of his knuckles against the thin fabric of her shirtsleeve provoking an instant rush of desire. “There’s a movie we could catch, or we could go for a walk along the lakeside.”

There were a whole lot of unspoken questions in his tone.

What was her agenda for the night? Going to a movie was safe, in a way. At the most they’d be able to do a little necking like teenagers, but they wouldn’t get to talk. And while more kissing with Derrick was on her list, if they were going to take the interlude they’d started any further, they definitely needed to talk. “I’d like to walk, if you don’t mind.”

Thirty minutes later they slowly strolled the boardwalk curving the perimeter of the park. On their left, the lake spread out, lazy ripples undulating on the surface as the occasional kayaker floated past. Melanie reached for his hand and snuck her fingers into his, and he smiled, squeezing lightly and letting her set the pace.

Enough of keeping secrets. If she was going to do anything more than kiss him, she had to tell him. Part of facing the future, right?

“You know my brother pretty well?”

He nodded, his thumb brushing the back of her knuckles with a light, teasing touch. “We’ve worked together over the years. When Kane’s arranged wilderness excursions with rock-climbing components, I’ve come along and coordinated. I do occasionally hang out with him, Jack and Dara for kicks. Great guy, lots of fun.”

“Did he ever tell you about my accident?”

Derrick pointed off the main path to a bench facing the water. “He’d said you were a top-ranked climber, but you’d had a fall. Never mentioned much more. That was also about all you told me when you came in and asked for private lessons.”

Melanie shifted uneasily, ignoring the open spot next to him on the bench. She’d prefer to be on her feet for this one. “I guess I don’t want a lot of sympathy, but…”

She sighed. Damn fall. Of all the stupid things to be worried about right now.

“What’s wrong, Melanie? How can I help?” He reached forward and grabbed her hands and tugged her toward him. His knees were spread wide and she stepped into the protective circle of his body. The warmth from his torso and the sincerity in his eyes helped a lot. “I’m interested in you. Not just as a client.”

He slipped his hands around her hips and suddenly fingers touched bare skin where her shirt had ridden up in the back.

“Wait…” She pulled back and his face fell.

“Sorry. I thought you—”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…” Damn. She dragged her hand through her hair. Pull in your courage. It shouldn’t be this tough.

He tugged on her arm again. She plopped onto his knee and clutched his shoulders for balance. Slowly, as if expecting her to run away again, he leaned his head toward her and their mouths connected.

Melanie dove in wholeheartedly, letting the arousal that had simmered all afternoon come to a full boil. Yeah, she still needed to tell him about her scars, but just in case she scared him off, she was going to store away one last session for future fantasy material.

As her willing lips meshed with his, the strumming in his body kicked up a notch. Thank God, it wasn’t that she didn’t want him. Derrick adjusted her on his lap so he could lean back and let her full weight rest against his aching groin. She had to be the most emotionally volatile woman he’d met in a long time. Frightening thought in some ways, but he liked his woman to have both the fire to stand up to him, and the mental strength to submit. It was never the cool and in-control ones he enjoyed the most. Whatever psychological turmoil had Melanie in its grip, he was more than content to see where this thing between them led.

She wiggled, her lips leaving his to dip into the scoop of his neck as she squeezed tight against him. Her small breasts rubbed his chest, her tight nipples visible as he glanced down at her dark, long-sleeved T-shirt. He ran his hands up her back, careful to stay over top of the fabric, and swore lightly when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra.

The heat in his body kicked even higher. Three weeks of watching and wanting to touch her. Yeah, he was ready for this to go a whole lot further than simply kissing.

They had enough privacy here to get into a moderate public display without getting arrested. There were only the joggers at his back who could spot them, and they always seemed intent on the end of the trail. He clasped her hips and lifted her across him. She helped by raising her knee, coming down to straddle his thighs. Off in the distance, a cheer rose from the parents watching their children at the soccer fields.

She scraped her fingernails down his shoulders as her tongue continued to dip into his mouth. He captured her taste, the warmth of her wet lips, and another pulse of desire raced through him. This much contact wasn’t nearly enough. He lowered his hands back to her hips to grind her over him, connecting the ridge of his bulging erection with her crotch. She moaned in approval.

Derrick tore his mouth from hers and dropped his head to her shoulder, stilling their frantic gyrations and dragging in a breath to control himself. “I want you. Let me take you home.”

She stiffened, but her fingers continued their teasing touch at the base of his skull. “I want that too, but…”

He cupped the back of her head and held her tight. Maybe it would be easier if she didn’t meet his eyes. Maybe it was the wrong time of the month, as if that wasn’t the most awkward question ever. “But what? Not a good time right now?”

Melanie out-and-out laughed, leaning back to display a smirk. “Oh God, sorry for making you ask. No, it’s nothing like that, but I am…embarrassed.” Her words tumbled out in a rush as if she had to say it quickly, or not at all. “I’ve got scars from the accident. I wasn’t sure what you’d think of them.”

All the tension that had built in him as he’d considered the dire reasons she could have for putting him off slipped away in a smooth eddy of relief. “I’ve got a few scars of my own. Thirty years of rock climbing and outdoor adventures invites wear and tear on the body. I don’t think there will be a problem.”

“Yeah, well…that’s what someone else told me too. Only it was a problem.”

Shit. As soon as she uttered the words she’d gone as rigid in his arms as a tightly coiled spring. Suddenly he understood. “Is that why it’s been so long since you’ve had sex? You think guys don’t appreciate what you look like? Or did some ass insult you and you never tried again?”

She hung her head. “Walked out on me in disgust.”

Rage flashed inside, along with a deep need to take apart the guy one piece at a time.

“He was an idiot.” He cupped her chin and waited until she looked him fully in the eye. “I swear there’s nothing about your body that can make me not want you. You’ve been driving me crazy since the minute you walked through the door of my club.”

She raised a brow. “Even though I’ve worn nothing but long pants and full sleeves since day one?”

Derrick smoothed a hand down her cheek, reveling in the heat she exuded. “It’s not just about the way you look. Your stubborn determination to learn to climb again is more of a turn-on to me than seeing you in a skimpy pair of underwear with flawless skin. The way you move makes me hard. I smell your skin, and I’m ready to beg you to touch me.”

“God, you’re good.”

He trailed his fingertips down the front of her shirt, scraping a nail over her nipple and smiling as it popped up to poke the fabric. “It’s the truth. You tell me—any of your injuries affect what we can and can’t do when we get naked?”

Her nipple fascinated him, and he continued to play with it, teasing lightly in circles, pressing the tight nub with his fingers. It took a minute for him to register she hadn’t responded. He glanced up to see her pull her mouth shut and a red flush staining her cheeks.

“When we get naked, there is nothing we can’t do.”

He let his satisfaction show. “Then there’s nothing to worry about. Will you come home with me? So we can do the naked thing?”

Melanie straightened her back, but her smile was nothing but naughty. “Oh, yeah. If you’re sure, I’d like that very much.”

It normally took him fifteen minutes to walk home from the park. With all their pauses to kiss each other, they didn’t make it to the gate of his backyard for thirty. Once he yanked the stubborn thing open, she was back in his arms and he had her pressed against the solid wood, their mouths together again as he gave in to the need to massage her breasts through her shirt.

The compact mounds just filled his hands, her nipples spearing into his palms. A growl escaped, tearing from his lips as his desire broke free. He bent over and nipped at the hard peak through the thin material and she moaned. Moisture from his mouth soaked her shirt, and he sucked right through the fabric, making her squirm. It wasn’t enough, not nearly. It took all his will power to draw away, staring at the wet circle left behind. “I want to taste you, everywhere.”

His voice had dropped a level, dark and lust-filled. Behind his jeans, his cock pressed the fabric to its limits, his balls tight to his body as she writhed against him.

“Not outside. Please?”

Of course not. Not considering she was concerned about showing herself in the first place. The thought of seeing her totally nude in the sunlight did crazy things to his groin though, and there was no way he could walk right now. He propped his hands on either side of her head and gave her one last needy kiss before pulling back.

“Inside.”

He unburied his keys from his pocket and dangled them in front of her. Melanie grinned mischievously, snatched them from his fingers and ducked under his arm. She ran down the back path and halfway up the stairs to the deck before he could follow. He chased her with an exaggerated roar. She fumbled at the lock before popping it open and slipping inside with him right on her heels.

The back door opened onto the kitchen, but she darted through into the next room, dodged around the couch and coffee table and scrambled for the stairs. He slowed, letting her remain ahead of him.

She paused at the top of the landing and leaned over the railing to beam at him. “Shall I make myself at home?”

His cheeks ached from grinning so much. “Please do. Anywhere you want to go is fine with me.”

Melanie disappeared around the corner, and he stomped his way after her, deliberately loud as he took each step, loving how her responding laugh echoed off the walls. He slowed as he reached the door of his bedroom. Every nerve in his body wanted to grab her and bury himself deep, but his brain was getting the biggest kick out of the whole chase scene.

He hadn’t had a lover he could play with in a long time.

She waited on the far side of his mattress, the curtain half-drawn behind her. Backlit, her hair tumbled around her, a halo of shimmering highlights. “Am I being too forward?”

“You ended up right where I wanted you.” Time to start the naked business. If she was uncomfortable, he’d do what he could to help her. He reached for the bottom of his shirt and stripped it from his body. Admiration painted her face as her gaze dropped over him, lingering on his abdomen and the front of his jeans. Staring at her as he continued, he popped open the top button. She bit her lower lip, her hips wiggling from side to side, her arms wrapped tight around her.

The width of the bed separated them. He unzipped his jeans, pushed them from his hips and stepped free. He knew his cock strained against the front of his boxer briefs. Hell, he’d probably already left a wet spot on the fabric after all their fooling around. Melanie once again seemed to square her shoulders. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and shimmied it upward, slowly exposing her smooth belly with a flash of a jewel at her navel. The outline of a rib, then those perfect little breasts were bare to him, and his mouth watered. He wanted to cover the dark circles with his lips and suck them until she moaned in ecstasy.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

The words burst free—unplanned, unrehearsed—and she choked out a cry. It was somewhere between laughter and pain, and as he searched her face for the reason, she pivoted, twisting to expose the left side of her torso.

Ribbons of stark white showed against her skin, plastering her arm and shoulder, her breast. Her rib cage was covered, and the scars marked her all the way down to disappear under the edge of her soft cotton pants. The lower they dropped, the more extensive the damage, the single lines meshing into crosshatches and batches of uneven dips and valleys where the skin and muscle had been torn away prior to healing.

“Shit—that must have hurt.” He sat on the bed, patting the place beside him then reaching a hand to her. She joined him hesitantly, crawling over to bury her face in his neck, her body shaking against his.

“Sorry, I thought I could do this. I thought I was strong enough, but I’m still freaking out.” Her voice was a whisper, and he carefully wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

“Shh, it’s okay. Tell me what happened.”

“I slid. Thirty feet free fall down the wall, most of it jagged granite. The rocks were sharp enough they cut my clothing away, and shredded my harness. By the time I landed, I had broken four ribs and my left leg, dislocated my shoulder and had lacerations from wrist to ankle. A concussion that put me out for a couple of days. The rescue crew was amazed I hadn’t broken my neck. They figured my flexibility and muscle strength saved me.”

“You survived because you’re strong.”

Melanie shrugged, her ear resting on his chest. “My life changed.”

He smoothed her back with tiny circles, caught in an erotic torture as her bare breasts rubbed his chest. Damned if he’d move ahead until she was ready, but shit, he hadn’t lied. Just the smell of her skin made him hard, and now holding her half-naked body in his arms? Screw the scars, he wanted her badly.

So tell her.

“I understand why you’re afraid, but…” Maybe actions would speak louder than words. He caught her hand and pulled it between their bodies, pressing her palm against his cock where it rose between them. “Does it seem as if I’m turned off at the thought of being with you?”

Melanie laughed again, this time a short gasp. She’d been on the verge of tears, and that was not where he wanted this to go. He would wait as patiently as possible. Of course, while he waited, he could make it clear he had no objections to her body whatsoever. He lay back on the bed and took her with him, draping her over his chest and continuing to stroke her warm skin. She squirmed and her gorgeous tits pressed tight to him again. His cock jerked against his briefs. Her temple was within reach, so he kissed it. Then with a little roll they were side by side and her lips were once again accessible.

Kissing her breathless seemed the best way to get her mind off what wasn’t an issue. Not tonight. Not with him. And kissing his way down her body to her breasts was the next natural progression. He held her gently, thumb and forefingers creating a half cup to press the mound of her breast upward. A slow lick over one tip, the hard point wonderful against his tongue. When she moaned, he tore his gaze upward to make sure she was still on board. Melanie struggled up on her elbows, shaking her head slightly.

“What?” He moved his other hand to play with her nipple.

“It really doesn’t bother you?”

“Kissing you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being deliberately obtuse. My scars.”

“They don’t bother me.” All he wanted was to touch her. To get back to what they were doing. He wasn’t ignoring her pain, or the damage the accident had done to her mind and soul, but wanted to show her the fears about her body at least were groundless. He leaned in and took her nipple into his mouth again, the one on the side where the scarring was. Working slowly, he skimmed his fingertips along the sides of her torso, touching and teasing her skin. Slipping his fingers under the waistband of her pants, he pulled them away.

He slid down the mattress to dip his tongue into her belly button and play with the tiny purple jewel nestled there. All his senses were heightened as he tasted her. The sweet scent of her soap clung to her skin and turned his exploration into an olfactory delight. He planted kisses along the top of her panty line, stroking the side of her body in long sweeps, cupping her ass. She rolled one hip upward, and he snagged the edge of her underwear and dragged it down, exposing her sex to his sight. Oh yes, this was what he’d been waiting for.

Nudging her legs apart with his shoulders, he settled between her thighs, swirling a fingertip between her curls to open her.

“Please.” Melanie lifted her hips higher, and he rewarded her with a slow swipe of his tongue.

He shuddered as her cream hit his system. Too good to stay slow, he covered her with his mouth and ate greedily. Tongue dipping in, then rising to torment the hard nub of her clitoris. Driving in hard until Melanie grabbed his head and called out her pleasure. It happened far too quickly, so he carried on feasting. He brought up one hand, slipping a finger into her core to enjoy the pulses of her orgasm that rocked on and on. Languid pumps followed as he continued to lap and suck her sensitive clit.

She dug in her heels and ground against him, and he willingly gave more. Two fingers now, stroking the front of her passage until she shook. Derrick pulled away and leaned on the bed, his fingers moving constantly as he looked into her face. Two bright red spots flushed her cheeks and her eyes were half-lidded. Pleasure streaked her face when he brought the heel of his hand in contact with the top of her mound. He moved to kiss her again.

Her fingers twisted in his hair, her tongue tangling with his. The taste of her pleasure passed between them, and she arched, rubbing against him like a cat.

She broke the seal between their lips. “I want you inside me.”

Oh, yeah. Derrick kissed her one last time then reached over her into his side table. Her warm hands were busy at the elastic of his briefs, stripping off the fabric and enveloping his cock with her tight grip. He rolled to his back and let her play, watching with delight as she explored his length, stroking and caressing with her fingertips.

“You okay?” he asked.

She shuffled closer, kneeling half over him as she turned her bright eyes in his direction. “I’m wonderful. I want more.”

“So do I.” Every firm stroke brought him that much closer to finishing, and he wasn’t ready yet. He grabbed her wrists in his hand and stilled her caress. “You’re driving me mad.”

Melanie smiled and leaned over to nab the condom. He took the opportunity to swipe at her breast as it came within reach, and she paused, moaning as he suckled. “That feels so good.”

He smiled around his mouthful, nipping the tight tip. She gasped and pulled away, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

“I like your body, Melanie. All of you. You are one nice package.”

She raised a brow and sat back, the condom wrapper tossed to the floor as she held his cock in her hand again. Ball-breakingly slow, she rolled the latex down his shaft. “Speaking of nice packages.”

They laughed together before he tipped her chin up. “You want to be on top? It’s been a while.”

She answered by dropping to the mattress and tugging his shoulders. “You do all the work this time.”

He had no objections with that at all. He covered her with his body, the warmth of her skin teasing him. The expression in her eyes enticing him on. Then the tip of his cock slipped through her folds, and the raging heat of her body surrounded him. He squeezed his eyes closed, fighting to restrain his eagerness. One slight rock after another, he forced his way into her tight passage. Melanie drew her knees wider to the side, opening space for his hips as they meshed together. It felt so fucking good as pleasure slid down his spine and pulsed in his balls.

He hovered over her, allowing their bodies room to rub as he thrust in, slowly at first. Unhurried and deep, his cock slid into her passage as her cream spread over him. His ability to resist melted and he sped up, switching to hard and fast thrusts. Each plunge better than the last, each drive slamming their groins together. His balls slapped her body, her peaked nipples grazed his chest. When she dragged her fingers down his back, he swore and pounded in wildly. There was an inferno blazing between them, and he wasn’t going to stop until they went out together in a burst of pleasure.

Derrick leaned on one arm and slipped a hand between their torsos to find her clit, pinching in time with his thrusts, and Melanie screamed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her heels digging into his butt. She hauled him into her core, and as her orgasm squeezed him, he released all control and exploded into the condom. His balls pulled up, his cock jerking again and again until she’d drained him completely. The room spun, and there was a loud roar in his ears that blocked out all other sounds. Her panting breath hit his cheek, and he took in the scent of sex filling the room.

He could handle more of this. A lot more.

Derrick collapsed to the side, his arms quivering with reaction to the intensity of his release. “Holy shit, that was…” Words escaped him. His brain was mush. She cuddled in closer, his cock still buried in her body, and let out a contented sigh.

“Oh yeah, it was.”

They stared at each other, satisfied and sated. “Round one?”

Melanie raised her brows. “I’m game for more, once I can move.”

Exactly. He kissed her forehead and just lay there. More in a minute. Right now he needed to get some blood back into another part of his body before his limbs would operate. He lazily ran a hand over her naked torso, both the smooth and the scarred. She tensed, but only for a second, before leaning into him and relaxing.

Derrick smiled against her hair. Yup. There were some things said more clearly with actions than could ever be said with words.