Brianna’s mouth watered at the delicious sight of aroused man and the knowledge that he wanted her badly enough to say to hell with all the reasons why this might turn out to be the worst idea either of them had ever had.
As he pushed into her, moaning from the connection, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. No, it didn’t seem so bad at all. If anything, it was really, really good.
He was big, and the fit tight, which made for intense pleasure as he pushed into her slowly, giving her time to accommodate him before he went farther.
Brianna sank her fingers into the muscles on his back and held on for the wild ride they took each other on. Her better judgment screamed at her with outrage that she was screwing the cranky contractor.
But it had turned out, shockingly, that he wasn’t cranky so much as wounded, and that was something she certainly understood.
God, it felt good to be held and touched and caressed by a man again. For a time, she’d wondered if she’d ever be able to do this with someone else. Noah had answered that question rather definitively. As she climbed toward another incendiary release, she was overwhelmed with relief at knowing it was possible to not only do this with someone other than Rem, but to truly enjoy it.
Noah thrust into her, triggering the release that’d been brewing.
She held on to him as she rode the waves of pleasure that knocked every other thought out of her head. There was only right here and right now. Nothing had been able to wipe her mind clear like sex with Noah had, which was another thing to be thankful for.
Afterward, he came down on top of her, breathing as hard as she was.
“That went well,” he said after a long silence.
Brianna laughed. “Sure did. Maybe we should do it again to make sure it wasn’t a one-off.”
“I’d be down for that. Just give me a minute to recover.”
He withdrew from her and moved to his side, facing her with an arm around her.
“That was the first time I’ve done that since everything happened,” she said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Uh-huh.”
“How do you feel?”
“Other than conflicted about being naked in bed with a work colleague?”
Smiling, he said, “Other than that.”
“Pretty good.” She rested her hand on his arm. “For a long time after, I wondered if I’d ever do that again. I mean, if I couldn’t be with him, would I want to be with anyone else?”
“Took me six months to go looking for it with someone else,” Noah said. “I was numb with shock for so long.”
“Did it help? To get back on the horse, so to speak?”
“A little.” He sighed. “I mean, it doesn’t change what happened, you know?”
“Yeah, I do. And while this doesn’t change anything, it made me feel good, so thanks for that.”
“I aim to please, ma’am.”
Brianna giggled at the exaggerated drawl he affected with the statement. “Maybe it’s a good thing Mrs. H meddled in our business, and then it snowed.”
“Doubt this ever would’ve happened without her involvement.”
“Definitely not. I wanted to stab you, not, you know…”
“Fuck me?”
“Stop! Oh my God. You had to say it like that?”
“What would you call it?”
“Not that.”
“Such a good girl. I need to dirty you up a bit.”
“Didn’t you already do that?”
“Nah, that was just the appetizer. We’ll get dirty on the next round.”
“Um, not sure how I feel about that.”
“Trust me. You’ll like it.”
Brianna was so tired and so sated that she didn’t ask for more info. If he said she’d like it, she probably would. She dozed for a long time before the brush of his lips over her nipple awakened her. At some point, he’d turned off the light, and she had no idea what time it was or if it was still snowing. What did trivial stuff like that matter when Noah was teasing her nipples with his tongue and fingers?
Brianna closed her eyes and floated on a wave of contentment. Right here in this gorgeous room in the most unlikely of places, she felt wonderful for the first time after a very long and harrowing ordeal. Maybe she and Noah would go back to locking horns when they returned to the jobsite. Maybe whatever this was between them would never be more than a snowy interlude at the Pig’s Belly.
If that’s how it worked out, that’d be fine. No matter what happened next, this evening with Noah had given her hope for a future that wasn’t all gloom, doom and crushing disappointment.
He turned her onto her belly and rained kisses down her back. Then he tugged her up to her knees and caressed her bottom with a light touch that made her skin tingle and her clit ache with desire.
She was about to beg him for relief when he pushed into her from behind and nearly made her come with one deep thrust.
“Not yet,” he whispered gruffly in her ear.
Brianna bit her lip as she tried to hold back the need to let go.
He withdrew from her, making her whimper from the loss. “Easy,” he said. “You’ll get what you want if you’re patient.”
“I have no patience.”
“That’s good to know.” He slid his fingers through the liquid heat between her legs, but studiously avoided the one place that burned for his touch. “You need to get some.”
“I’ve never had any.”
He set out to torture her until she was nearly wailing from the effort it took to hold back the release that was bursting to break free.
“Noah,” she said on a sound that resembled a sob. “Please.”
“Is this what you want?” he asked as he drove into her and triggered an orgasm for the ages.
It was so intense, she nearly blacked out from the overload of pleasure that coursed through her body.
Afterward, she felt utterly wrecked. She couldn’t have moved if the place was on fire.
Noah withdrew from her and went to dispose of the condom and retrieve a towel to clean her up.
Brianna didn’t do a thing to help him.
“You all right down there?” he asked, placing a kiss in the middle of her back.
“Mmmm.”
“I need words.”
“Yes, I’m all right.”
“You’re sure?”
“Uh-huh. How are you?”
“Pretty damned good.”
She was glad to hear him say he felt good. That was her last thought before a ringing phone woke her from a dead sleep. She opened her eyes to daylight.
Noah shifted next to her as he reached for the phone. “Hello.” Pause. “Yes, sure, that sounds good. Hang on a minute.” To Brianna, he said, “The road to Butler is still closed, and the snow hasn’t let up. They’re offering breakfast delivery.”
“That’s nice of them. What’s on the menu?”
“Eggs, pancakes, French toast.”
“Oh, pancakes, please. And coffee. Lots of coffee.”
Noah placed the order, requesting an omelet for himself, and put down the phone. He curled up to her and moved her wild hair out of the way so he could kiss the side of her neck. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Like a dead woman.”