High Passion

CHAPTER 8

Alisha sighed contentedly. Slipping into the water was like immersing in liquid relaxation. “God, that feels good.”

“I envy Marcus his hot tub every single day. For that matter, I envy the current SAR class, who can use this every single damn day.” Devon slid lower and rested his head on the pool edge. He’d closed his eyes, and Alisha didn’t fight the urge to look him over closer. To admire his smooth facial features. With the lights dimmed she didn’t need to hide that she was staring. He’d probably had more than enough women tell him he was good looking over the years. While she’d thought he was attractive when they were in school, he’d begun to mature in the past couple of years, the movie-star looks shifting into something she found very attractive. At least that much she’d admit.

“You did well in the challenge.” Devon spoke without opening his eyes, stretching his legs across the small pool they were sharing. His shin bumped hers, and she resisted jerking away. She also stopped herself from rubbing back. Bonus.

“I’d say I did great. Notice we beat you?”

He lifted a hand from the water, water droplets splashing them both. “I meant in terms of being afraid. I didn’t see a thing.”

“It’s a pool, Devon. It’s no big deal.”

He cracked one eye open. “Yeah, well, excuse me for being happy with a little proof. You didn’t see yourself freak down in that cavern when the water covered us.”

His words caused an instant response. No matter that the water surrounding her was hot enough to make her sweat, she had goose bumps.

Devon shot upright. “You shivered.”

Oh hell. “So what?”

He narrowed his gaze. “Does thinking about the water crashing in on you make you nervous?”

Picturing it brought another shudder, but she wasn’t about to apologize. “Come on, Devon. You telling me you can think of being totally covered with water, tied to a wall, and it doesn’t upset you the least little bit? Because I call bullshit.”

He placed one hand on the pool deck to the side of her head and the other on her shoulder. “Hey, I love the water. And tying up people is what I do for a living.”

“Being tied up. Not the same thing.” His gaze burned a path over her, his fingers red-hot on her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

His gaze moved as he trailed his fingers down her arm. “Making sure all your vitals are good.”

Then she was lifted across the short distance separating them and rested in his lap. She barely had time to lift her gaze from the water’s surface to his face before his lips met hers, and she really couldn’t breathe.

He was kissing her. Hot mouth over hers, lips moving with a demand for her to respond. She opened her mouth to protest, and he slipped his tongue past her teeth, and another set of shivers took her, this time for far better reasons than fear.

He was kissing her.

He had one hand wrapped around the back of her neck, his palm wide and warm as he controlled her position. The other hand rested on the hip he’d used to tug her into his lap. His fingers were spread wide over her bare skin, his thumb stroking the edge of her swimsuit.

Under her palms she discovered she was fondling his muscular chest, fingertips exploring him as if she’d been waiting for this opportunity for years. Which she had, but damn. All the casual touches and fully clothed contact hadn’t prepared her for this. She’d found carved living marble, his heartbeat registering hard enough she felt it through her fingertips.

He was kissing her . . .

She leaned into him, slipping her hands around his body and pressing their torsos together. She wasn’t sure which was hotter—the hot tub water or his skin. Not to mention her skin, her breasts, and between her legs. She’d caught on fire and he wasn’t putting out the inferno, but feeding the flames.

And his mouth. God, after one hit she was addicted. Slow and languid caresses, yet commanding enough she couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. He thrust his fingers into her hair and pulled her head back slightly, stretching her neck. Then he kissed his way to the spot at the base of her throat.

When he put his teeth to her skin she gasped.

And came to her senses.

Alisha jerked upright, dragging her hands from where she’d had her fingernails dug into his back. She straightened, all too aware she was in his lap and he had a hard-on. There was no ignoring it, she was all but sitting on it, the rigid length pressed against her butt cheek.

He held her trapped as she met his gaze, his desire clear in the blue depths.

“What . . . what are you doing?”

It was his turn to take a deep breath, his chest rubbing hers until he slowly released his grasp and she squirmed away. “Do I really need to explain what a kiss is?”

If her mind hadn’t been whirling with confusion, she’d have made a snarky crack in response. As it was, all she seemed capable of was staring in shock. “But you kissed me.”

He smiled. Not the full-out cocky grin she’d seen so often when they competed with each other. This one was different. More sensual. Teasing in a way that made her ache inside.

“I want to kiss you again.”

A zing shot through her, like catching hold of a live wire.

He leaned forward and crowded her. “If I’m being honest, I want to do more than kiss you.”

Honest made her heart pound. “Devon. Stop.”

He did, instantly pulling away and reseating himself opposite her.

Fleeing seemed over the top and unnecessary, even though her heart rate was higher now than when they’d been racing. “I don’t understand. I mean . . .”

His expression grew darker, not in a frightening way but as if he wanted to consume her. “What’s so difficult about this, Alisha? It’s been hanging over us for years. Maybe now, while we have to spend a bunch of time together, would be a good opportunity to stop fighting what we’ve known all along. We’re attracted to each other.”

“But you kissed me.”

This time he cracked, amusement spreading across his face. “Yes, Alisha. I did. And you kissed me back.”

“I didn’t want to kiss you.” Lie. Total lie, but the words spilt out from habit if nothing else. Denying their chemistry was too ingrained for her to toss it away this quickly.

“Bullshit.” Devon leaned away and rested his arms on the pool edge, his biceps flexing. “You weren’t complaining a moment ago. And right now, I’d bet what you’d really like, if you were honest, would be for me to start all over again and not stop.”

She caught herself with her mouth gaping open, and quickly closed it. “You are one arrogant, cocky bastard, aren’t you?”

“Stopped you from hyperventilating.”

Shit.

Alisha pressed on the hard tiles under her fingers, curling her fingers around the edge. “You kissed me to distract me.”

He nodded, then briefly shook his head. “Your pulse was rising and your breathing was accelerating, but I kissed you because it distracted you and because I wanted to like crazy. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the first day of our first class together when you walked in late and we got stuck as partners using the oldest mats in the gym.”

The memory returned far too quickly. “Gee, I’d have never have known it. I seem to recall you being the center of some kind of Devon in the middle huddle, with all the girls using you as the football.”

He pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the poolside, water running down his torso and leaving a glistening layer shining on his skin. “You remember that day far different than I do, then. I remember partnering with you for stretching. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to hide a hard-on in climbing gear?”

She couldn’t stop it. Her gaze involuntarily fell to his lap, where evidence of his erection formed a mound in his board shorts.

She slipped out of the water, suddenly far too heated to stay in one place anymore.

“Alisha.”

She wanted to hide, but . . . Lifting her head to meet his gaze was nearly impossible, but she’d done far more frightening things over the years. Far more frightening than to acknowledge she knew he was hot for her.

That she was hot for him?

But there was a huge deal breaker between them in spite of her raging libido. Her chin rose until they were eye to eye. “You’ve always had a ton of girls in your pocket, Devon. I’ve never been interested in being simply another toy you play with.”

He nodded slowly. “I don’t blame you.”

“What would Lana think of us fooling around?”

His shock seemed genuine, replacing the lust. “Lana who?”

She bit back a laugh. “I saw her in your truck the other day.”

Comprehension lit his eyes and the familiar, teasing Devon was back. “Oh, when I drove her to the grocery store because her car was busted. Were you jealous?”

Embarrassed was more like it. “Don’t make me regret this, Devon.”

“Regret what?”

They were on opposite sides of the circular hot tub, feet dangling in the water. The entire width of the pool separated them and yet she swore she still felt his touch. Bubbling and splashing carried on around them. Everything else had vanished in the wake of this new challenge.

A bit of defiance stiffened her resolve, only this time in Devon’s favour. Vincent had shown up in her new backyard, so to speak. Unannounced and uninvited.

He was the last person she wanted to be involved with.

Devon had already proved he was a fine distraction. Maybe seeing him wouldn’t be the worst mistake she could make. If she was careful, and didn’t get her heart involved. Would it really be so bad if she let loose a little and satisfied the ache he created inside?

Devon examined her, top to bottom. Her smooth stomach, the skin showing between the expanse of her swimsuit bottom and the sports bra top she wore. She’d climbed in a top like that. He’d touched her while climbing, but this was much different. This wasn’t about a professional work relationship, this was the two of them finally dealing with the itch that had been driving him crazy forever.

Her, too, if she’d admit it.

Right now, right here, all he needed was for her to agree they would be together. Time was of the essence, especially with that Vincent showing up.

Maybe there was a better way to do this, but he’d expended all his patience in the years leading up to now. “I promise I don’t consider you a toy, but I do want to play with you.”

Her eyes widened, and that pink tongue of hers snuck over her bottom lip.

He stood on the bench of the hot tub, not hiding his hard-on as he paced the perimeter toward her. “I want kisses, and tastes of your skin. I want to touch you everywhere and learn what kind of noises you make when you’re trembling on the edge of orgasm.”

“Devon . . .”

“I want to fool around with you for hours until we’re both so tired we pass out, just so we can wake up and do it all over again.”

The passion in her eyes—the astonishment and longing—increased as he drew closer. His cock was rock hard, tight to his body with the wet fabric of his shorts barely confining him.

He stepped to her side and slipped his hands along her thighs, loving the catch in her breathing as he made contact. Driven on by the flutter of her heart rate at the pulse of her throat, he eased her thighs apart, stepping between them as he lowered himself into the water again so their eyes were level.

Her breathing picked up. His was none too steady, either.

His hands were still on her thighs, so he skimmed them ever so slowly upward. Closer to her sex. Palms cupping the top of her limbs, thumbs dragging on the inside of her soft, smooth skin.

“I want to slip my tongue into you and eat you out until you’re squirming. I want to lick your cream from my fingers after I’ve brought you to orgasm. Then I’ll drive my cock into you until you scream with pleasure.”

He’d lowered his voice, barely audible over the everyday pool noises. But she’d heard. She’d heard every word.

Her bottom lip quivered, moisture shining on it where she’d given in and nervously licked a second ago. She stared at his mouth as if she were starving.

He was. For more of her.

“Yes, Alisha? Do we give in to the heat and make both of us far happier than we’ve been? Or we can go back to being frustrated. You using whatever vibrators you’ve got shoved in your side table, and me fucking my fist, wishing I were pumping into you instead.”

“God, Devon.” Breathless. A mere whisper.

He inched his hands higher, fingertips brushing the edge of her swimsuit, thumbs hovering closer to where he needed to be.

She clasped his wrists, her strong climber’s fingers squeezing tight enough to make him pause.

Devon didn’t give up. “You tell me. You decide. I want you so fucking bad, but I want you to want me as—”

She let go of his left wrist and caressed his cheek, jerking his words to a stop. He was the one who gasped when she shifted their connected hands and brought his fingers over her sex. The dark circles of her pupils were so wide they nearly eclipsed the greyish blue of her irises. They stared into each other’s eyes as he enjoyed the passion dancing over her face.

Alisha leaned forward, and their lips were together again.

Holy shit, yes.

Everything he’d mentioned doing to her was only the tip of the iceberg. Just the start of the adventure he wanted to take her on, but it felt so good finally beginning.

He savoured her. The sensation of her lips moving against his. The pressure as she attempted to get closer.

Even as their tongues touched and retreated, breaths intermingling, he was all too aware of her soft sex under his hand. He stroked his thumb over her suit, a gentle brush. She whimpered deep in her throat and pulled away from the kiss.

The flash of fire in her eyes—no way he wanted to miss experiencing it for the first time.

He pressed their foreheads together, left hand cupping the back of her neck to keep her where he wanted her. “I’m going to make you come, and I want to watch every second of it.”

She swallowed hard and widened her legs in invitation. “Yes.”

Alisha had pulled off her bathing cap earlier, and her long hair tousled over her shoulders, the ends curling around her breasts. She still wore her sports bra, and he wished they were in a better location so he could strip it from her. Leave her naked so he’d see her nipples hiding behind the long blond strands, peeking out with every breath she took. Her skin was smooth, water droplets clinging to her.

“So beautiful.”

He lowered his gaze to her sex, playing again over the material, rubbing with increasing pressure as the fabric slipped between her folds. The little noises she made added to his pleasure as he adjusted his touch, varied the pressure based on her response.

He glanced around the pool area for a second, making sure they were still alone and his body blocked the instant view of what they were doing from anyone who might enter the area. There shouldn’t be a class for at least another thirty minutes, but he didn’t want to be interrupted by surprise.

No one around—no one to stop them from this moment. Devon slipped his fingers under the edge of her swimsuit and tugged it to one side, exposing her sex.

He nearly swallowed his tongue. “Sweet. Fucking. Mercy.”

Alisha laughed. “You like?”

She was bare except for the trimmed strip of curls on her mound. “When I mentioned eating you out I had no idea. Now I can hardly wait.”

Moisture glistened on her folds, not just the water from the pool, but her arousal. Her desire for him.

He shook his head to refocus and pulled his gaze to her face, staring into her eyes. The corners of her mouth twisted upward slightly as if she had a secret she wasn’t willing to share. Trapping her gaze, his hand returned to her sex, circling her tender core gently. As one finger drifted deeper, her lashes fluttered.

“Look at me,” Devon commanded, his voice soft but clear. Her lids snapped open, her tongue slipping out again to moisten her lower lip. As he continued to caress her folds, a range of emotions crossed her face. Embarrassment passed quickly enough as she caught fire. Caught the need for more. Desire rising, excitement growing. Her breathing quickened as he stroked deep inside.

Devon slipped two fingers into her, pressing his thumb over her clit to continue the assault on her senses. He smiled at the soft noises she made, her face twitching occasionally when his fingers touched a particularly sensitive spot. “Oh yeah, I got you there. Right here, yes?”

He stroked with the pads of his fingers and she squirmed, a deep flush rising on her chest. She released her lower lip from her teeth to pant lightly.

Her eyes glittered as her breathing rate increased even further.

“Devon . . .”

He leaned in and whispered, “Come on, let yourself go.”

Alisha threw back her head as a cry of pleasure escaped her. Around his fingers, her sex squeezed, her upper body shaking as a climax rolled through her. Devon held her, stroking through the aftershocks until she lifted her head and caught his gaze, a brilliant smile breaking free as he slowly withdrew his fingers, caressing her folds and soothing as he left her empty.

“Oh, God, I needed that.”

Devon laughed. He met her halfway, accepting her kiss, wrapping his arms around her as she drove her fingers into his hair and kissed him with wild abandon.

The sound of voices and laughter poured through the change room door as a group of students arrived early and flipped the lights on. Devon and Alisha pulled apart slightly, but he stayed in front of her, tugging her suit back over her sex and stroking softly before removing his hand.

“Good timing.” Alisha’s gaze dropped to his groin, where he was still fully erect and ready for more. “We need to go elsewhere to deal with that.”

“My cock and I would love to find a place to be alone with you.” She flushed so bright that he laughed. “Did I embarrass you using the word cock?”

Alisha swung her legs out of the water and stood. “I’m used to you teasing me, but the sexual notes feel different now. Now that we’re going to . . .”

Hell, yeah. “Now that we’re going to have sex?”

Man, that fire in her eyes turned him on. Funny how it had driven him crazy when for years she’d directed it at him in competition, yet now he wanted nothing more than to see it focused on him while they were both naked and able to channel it into more pleasurable pursuits.

She stood between him and the newcomers wandering onto the deck, blocking him from their view as she held out his towel. Devon didn’t really care who saw that he had a hard-on, but he smiled and accepted her help, wrapping the towel around his hips.

“Where do you want to go? Want me to follow you home?”

Alisha shook her head. “If it’s okay, can I . . . come to your place?”

Devon stepped in close under the guise of handing over her water bottle. He tucked his lips beside her ear and spoke softly. “I have no problems with that at all. And no plans for the rest of the morning. Or afternoon.”

Alisha’s eyes sparkled before she turned her back and walked away. Her ass mesmerized him before he pulled it together and got himself into the change room, rushing through a shower.

It had been a hell of a long time coming, him and Alisha, and he wasn’t going to waste a minute.