From This Moment On Part 13

This was what he'd miss most, he realized as he slid his hand over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and felt her heart beating strong and fast. Not just her incredible body, not just her pa.s.sion, not just the way she was always ready for him to take her like this...but how pure, how sweet she was.

The unexpected flood of emotions for Nicola had him losing hold of the shreds of control he still held. Knowing he barely had thirty seconds left before he exploded, he slid his hand down from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to cover her c.l.i.t. She gasped as his fingers slipped and slid over her wetness and then she was pushing back into him in wild jerky movements that told him it was safe to come, because she was already there.

Together, Nicola helped him greet the day with more pleasure than he'd ever known. And as her climax drew his out, he could no longer deny the truth: She now held a piece of his heart.

Whether he wanted her to or not.

Nicola looked at Marcus over the small round table by the window where they'd just devoured pancakes and sausages and a huge bowl of fruit. How was it, she wondered, that eating breakfast together could feel as intimate as making love?

Probably, she told herself, it was simply that she hadn't shared a leisurely morning-after like this with a man in a very long time. Ever, really, considering Kenny had always been too hung over to wake up much before noon.

Although Marcus worked in the wine industry, she couldn't picture him drunk. It was just one more thing about him that made her feel safe.

Suddenly wanting him to know how much she appreciated him, how much she was enjoying their stolen, secret hours together, she said, "I know how much you must have to do at your winery." She reached for his hand across the table, thrill b.u.mps moving up her arms when he threaded his fingers through hers. "Thank you for spending this time with me."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," he said, and then, "What do you normally do on your days off?"

She bit her lip. "I don't know. I haven't had many since I started singing." Especially this past six months after her heart-well, her pride, actually-had been broken, it had been easier to focus all her attention on her music and her career.

"It's the same with me. Like you said, the vines demand a lot of attention."

For all the obvious ways that they were different, Nicola was surprised to realize they weren't at opposite poles on all fronts.

She grinned at him. "Aren't we sad, two workaholics who can't figure out what to do with a beautiful day off?"

He pulled her onto his lap. "I can think of a good half-dozen things."

She giggled as he nibbled on her neck, ridiculously tempted to spend the entire day in bed with him. Especially when he was being playful like this. She turned her face to meet his as he lifted his mouth to hers and sank into the sweetest kiss anyone had ever given her.

"How about I take you to one of my favorite places?"

Marcus had struck her, from the first, as a very private person. His offer meant even more to her because of that.

"I'd love that." She hated having to remind him, "The things is, most places I go get pretty crazy."

"I know. Don't worry, I think the spot I have in mind will be perfect." He brushed his finger across her lower lip, sending shivers through her. "It's very remote."

Her voice was barely more than a breath as she said, "Remote is good." Images of those half-dozen things they could do to each other somewhere remote had her blood running even hotter than it already was.

She was about to press her lips against his when he murmured, "If I kiss you again, we might never leave the hotel."

"Okay."

A split-second later, his hands were in her hair and he was pulling her mouth down to his. Starved for each other, she moved herself so that she could straddle him in the chair. He was big and hard between her legs and it was pure instinct for her to rock against him as they made out.

It was the first time she'd been in control of their lovemaking and just as much as she'd loved obeying each of his sensual commands, she loved this too, loved knowing that she was driving him crazy with her mouth, with her hands on his chest as she ran them beneath the long-sleeved shirt he'd put on after their shower. An incredibly sensual shower that should have kept her sated at least until the sun went down.

Only, her need, her desire for Marcus, knew no rational bounds. Fortunately, she thought with a smile, he seemed to feel the same way.

She broke their kiss and said, "I'll be right back."

Slipping off his lap, before he could catch her, she went to get a condom. When she returned, she was pleased to note the surprise-and desire-light his eyes at the fact that she'd stripped out of her clothes.

Still shy with her nakedness, it was the pleasure in Marcus's eyes as she moved toward him that made her bold. He reached for her as she came closer, but instead of getting back on his lap, she slowly dropped to her knees between his.

"Nicola?"

His voice was raw, almost hoa.r.s.e, as he said her name and her hands trembled as much with desire as uncertainty as she went to unzip his pants.

He took her hands in his. "You don't have to do this."

She met his gaze head on. "I want to." And she did, wanting it so much it shocked her.

His low groan at her honest response had her nipples peaking beneath her thin T-shirt. Praying that he wouldn't be disappointed with her technique-or lack thereof-with his help, she managed to pull his pants open and his boxers down to reveal...

Oh G.o.d. He was beautiful, but so big. Bigger than her brain had computed, even though she'd seen him, felt him inside of her, more than once already.

She reached out to touch him, to stroke her fingertips down the soft skin covering such incredibly hard heat.

"Jesus, that feels good."

Nicola was so focused on exploring Marcus, she barely heard him as she wrapped her hand around him. He bucked up into her fist and her mouth actually watered at the sight of a drop of pre-come appearing on the top of his p.e.n.i.s.

Without thinking, she bent forward and licked it off. On a loud groan, his fingers came to her hair. She knew he could have taken control of things, could have turned the tables on her and held her there while he took his pleasure in her mouth, but even though she was realizing a part of her would be pleased by that dominance, this time around she was glad that he was letting her take things entirely at her own pace.

His skin was clean and salty all at the same time and she realized one taste wasn't nearly enough. A moment later, she was running her tongue up his shaft like it was the most delicious popsicle she'd ever tasted, but even that wasn't enough. She wanted him inside her mouth. All of him.

But before she could open her mouth wide to swallow him down, Marcus finally took control and lifted her up from her knees to straddle him again.

"I wasn't done," she protested, boldly adding, "I wanted to make you come with my mouth."

At that he pulled her mouth down to his and kissed her hard. She was so lost to his kiss she was surprised to realize he'd put on the condom until he pushed into her, so hard and fast she gasped against his lips.

He stilled inside her, asking "Kitten?" and she realized he was still worried about hurting her.

She replied first by rocking her hips closer to his, then by saying, "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."

And as they both found the peak and jumped off one more time, it really was.

When they were about to step out of her hotel room a short while later, she steeled herself to deal with what needed to be dealt with.

"Why don't you go down first and I'll meet you by the side entrance?" She lifted her baseball cap and big sungla.s.ses out of her bag. "I'll be wearing these and an oversized shirt."

Fifteen minutes ago she'd been warm and safe in his arms. Now she was coldly strategizing how to get out of the hotel without being seen together. And she hated it, hated being able to see the contrast so clearly.

"I don't like doing things this way, Nicola."

"I don't either, but-" She sighed, shook her head. "What do you think about Smith's life?"

"He's done well for himself. I'm proud of him."

"Yes, but do you envy him? Have you ever wished you could be on TV and have women asking for your autograph?"

"h.e.l.l, no."

She'd known that would be his response. "I know you hate having to hide like this, but you'd hate what would happen to your life if we did it the other way even more."

Marcus stared at her for several tense moments. "I'll meet you downstairs."

She watched him leave, the door closing a little too hard behind him, and she had to swallow past the lump in her throat. She hated that he was upset, but she knew she had to stand firm with him about not letting anyone know about their relationship.

Not because she had any more fear that he might be using her like her ex had. Marcus clearly had zero interest in fame or bright lights. And she was pretty sure he didn't need the money that selling their story of "sinful nights" would bring in.

Unfortunately, her fears were of an altogether different sort now.

She was very much afraid that she was going to make the mistake of falling in love with him if she wasn't super careful about keeping a big, thick wall up around her heart.

The thing was, Nicola would have claimed him as her boyfriend in front of the world in a heartbeat if she thought their relationship had any chance of working out. But she knew better than to believe in that fantasy. She and Marcus were having great s.e.x. Lots of it. Of course they would connect during all that intimate skin-to-skin contact, with all the hours they were spending together.

But the fact was that on Monday she would go back to her life and he would go back to his. The last thing she needed was visual reminders of their time together or interviewers asking her what had happened to the gorgeous businessman she'd been seeing.

Yes, she wanted to protect Marcus from the circus his life would become if he were linked with her.

But she needed to protect herself, too...and remember to prepare her heart for their inevitable goodbye on Monday morning.

Chapter Fifteen.

Marcus had spent a lifetime being fair. After breaking up at least a thousand fights between his brothers and sisters, he'd always a.s.sumed he was skilled at seeing all sides of a problem and a.n.a.lyzing it without getting emotionally involved on either side.

So then, what was his problem where Nicola was concerned? She didn't deserve his anger, his frustration over the sneaking around stuff. It wasn't her fault that she was famous. She'd given him the chance to walk away from the complications of fame the night before and he hadn't taken it.

He needed to get over himself, and fast, before Nicola drew into herself any more and disappeared completely on him long before they ever said goodbye on Monday morning. He could feel her closing herself off more with every mile they covered in his car as they crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge, heading north into Marin. And the fact was, he hated losing his connection to her even more than he'd hated having to be in G.o.dd.a.m.ned stealth mode leaving her hotel room to go pick her up at the VIP side entrance.

He reached for her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes were big, surprised, as she turned her beautiful face to his. "Marcus?"

"Will you forgive me for being an a.s.s?"

He was glad, so d.a.m.n glad, to see her full lips curve up slightly at the corners. "There's nothing to forgive."

He lifted her hand to his lips, pressed a kiss to the palm. "There is. I won't do it again."

He kept her hand on his lap, pulling her closer to him. They were too far apart in his car. She belonged on his lap, curled up against his chest, where he could stroke her hair, where he could keep her safe, where she could relax and let go of the stress of her high-pressure life for a little while.

"That night in the club," she said softly, "you didn't sign up for this. I'm the one who needs to apologize for not being upfront with you from the start. I should have apologized a long time ago for letting you believe I was just any girl."

"You could never be just any girl. And it has nothing to do with the fact that you're famous." His hand tightened on hers. "You're very special, Nicola. Very, very special."

Didn't he realize he couldn't say things like that to her if he didn't want her to fall head over heels for him? Lord knew the spectacular s.e.x was bad enough. Now he was telling her how special she was...

Worried he was going to say something else even sweeter-and knowing d.a.m.n well the wall she was trying to build around her heart didn't have a chance of holding out against much more-she decided his family seemed like safe ground.

"Speaking of special," she said, "I'd love to hear about your siblings. Even with just three kids in our family it was really loud and crazy in the house I grew up in."

"Loud and crazy is dead on," he agreed, lighting up the way he did every time he talked about his family.

One day he was going to be the most spectacular father. Husband, too. She tried to ignore the pangs of longing in her chest at those unbidden thoughts, along with the shot of jealousy that hit her over the lucky woman who would share those things with him. But somehow, even knowing she was being ridiculous to feel those things for a man she'd only known three days didn't make her feel any differently.

"Lori said she's a twin. Are she and her sister really similar?" Marcus laughed at that for long enough that she said, "I'm taking that to be a no."

Still grinning, he said, "Their nicknames are Naughty and Nice."

"I take it Lori's Naughty?"

"And Nice, a.k.a. Sophie, is a quiet, mild-mannered librarian."

"Do they get along?"

"Sure," he agreed, "except for when they don't."

She managed to remember enough of what she'd read about Smith's life over the years to say, "They're the only girls in your family, aren't they?"

"Yup."

"It must have been ugly when Lori and Sophie started dating."

"They've started dating?"

He looked so serious that she almost believed him for a second. Laughing, she said, "How many potential boyfriends have you had to beat up?"

"Enough that they should still be celibate."

Still laughing, she said, "Tell me about your brothers."

A few minutes later, her brain was reeling as she tried to put together the fact that there was a firefighter, a pro baseball player, a movie star, a photographer, and a whiz with cars all in one family.