Was the experience with Neve on an entirely different plane, one that lived in the stratosphere? No, sex was an earthy thing. He was used to earthy. He wasn’t used to whatever this was. Had nocluewhat this was.
Gradually, dragging air into his lungs, he became aware he lay atop Neve. Yes, he needed to breathe. Needed to breathe to stay alive so he could feel that sensation sweep through him all over again. If he was to make love to her again—and he planned to over and over, as long as his body cooperated—he was going to be reduced to mere nucleons. He couldn’t think of a better way to dissolve and become particles of star stuff.
Somehow, she had wriggled her hands from his grasp, and her fingertips danced over his back, into his hair, raising goose bumps on his bare skin. Little sighs fell from her soft lips as they trailed sweet kisses along his shoulder.
He raised his head, ready to send a smile from his eyes deep into hers, but stopped short.
What the…?
Blood decorated her chin and his shoulder where she’d kissed him.
“Neve, your chin opened up!” He touched it with his finger. “Goddamn it, that’s my fault!” He rolled off her, grabbing his gym shorts as he stood on wobbly legs. He came at her with the shorts to clean off the blood.
She propped herself up on an elbow, and a smile tugged the corners of her mouth as she pushed his hand away. “It doesn’t hurt. You don’t need to use your shorts. I’ll just go clean up in the bathroom.”
“Let me clean it up. I’m the one who did it. Besides, I need to re-glue it.” He held out his hand to her, but she hesitated. Her eyes shifted from the covers to the floor, and the flush on her cheeks from their lovemaking deepened to a crimson. She peered over the side of the bed, as if searching for something.
It hit him. Shyness had overtaken her. His heart turned a little gooey. He was infatuated with the bold woman she’d been when she’d seized him—literally—but he was also besotted by shy Neve. Sweet Neve. Funny Neve. Doctor Neve.
Leaning over her, he slid his hands under her arms and hoisted her to her feet. He began steering her toward the bathroom.
“Reece, I need to put something on,” she protested.
“No, you don’t. Besides, you’ll get blood on anything you put on.”And I really want to look at you.
In the bathroom, he flipped on the light and was immediately transfixed by their reflection in the mirror. She stood in front of him, so much smaller than he, her pale skin gleaming gold against his tanned tone.
With one hand, he cupped her chin, and the other rested on her hip. “Neve, look at you. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Evenhecould hear the reverence in his voice.
Her blush deepenedeverywhere. She craned her head to look at him, obviously embarrassed. Yeah, he was enraptured by embarrassed Neve too. “Um, my chin?”
It occurred to him she needed to see herself the wayhedid, so she would understand how gorgeous she was. But he wanted her comfortable, so he sat her on the counter, her back toward the mirror, and wet a cotton ball he plucked from a clear jar. He dabbed at her chin, straining to keep his eyes from drifting down her body. She sat obediently, her hands flitting now and again as though she wanted to cover herself.
“I like you like this,” he murmured, hoping to reassure her.
“Bloody, you mean?”
“No, naked,” he chuckled. “I like you naked. That dress you wore in Vegas was killer, but this is by far my favorite outfit on you.”
A skeptical hmph escaped her.
He grabbed some more glue from his kit and soon had her wound cleaned and closed. “I’m really sorry. Does it hurt?”
“Stings more than anything.” Her fingers feathered over his shoulder. “We need to clean you up too.”
“I’ll let you do it.” Impulse had him cranking on the shower.
Her eyes widened. “Are you … taking a shower?”
“Yeah. So are you.”
“But …”
Amused, he took advantage of her obvious befuddlement and prodded her under the spray, where he adjusted the nozzle so he took the brunt of the water on his back. “Turn around. We need to keep your chin dry.” He spun her gently, wrapped an arm around her middle, and pulled her back against his front.
God, that felt good! He let out a groan of contentment as he held her to him, relishing the feel of her skin against his as warm water sluiced over them. His dick agreed. Not even ten minutes had passed since he’d emptied himself inside her, yet his cock was already perking up.
His free hand closed around a bar of soap. “You first.” His voice was surprisingly husky. Starting at her shoulders, he worked the soap down her spine to the flare of her waist, pausing to inspect the dimples above her drool-worthy ass.
