Twenty-Seven

 

Aidan's hands seemed content to press me close against him. Mine explored his body – or as much of it as I could reach – but I kept coming back to stroke the fascinating fiery hair between us, sprouting between his nipples and trailing down in a narrowing ribbon to where his jeans started. My fingers itched to follow the fire-trail to its end, but the hard denim guarded my way.

I paused between kisses to catch my breath. Please take your pants off so I can stroke you, I wanted to ask him, but it seemed such a strange thing to say. I wasn't sure what his reaction would be, so my fingers stroked as I fixed my eyes on the offending clothing, wishing I could see through it.

"Can you blame me?" Aidan asked.

I looked up in confusion.

"You're beautiful, Bel. And a pretty fair kisser, as well. Of course you've got me excited."

I shook my head. "I was thinking that I wanted you to take your pants off." I smiled to soften my embarrassment, hoping he wouldn't be too shocked.

He gave a snort and jerked his head at me. "You first."

Without hesitation, I dropped my pants and kicked them aside. Standing in front of him, wearing nothing but my knickers, I looked up, a challenge in my gaze. "Now, your turn."

The fervour of his kiss took me by surprise, almost as much as the suddenness of the kiss itself. His fingers wove their way into my hair, sealing our lips together as if he didn't intend to let me go.

My hands fluttered at first until they came to rest on his chest, tickled by the tantalising hair. He wouldn't bare all of it for me. Irritated that I'd done as he asked and yet he kept his jeans on, I tugged at the button, framed by a tendril of tempting, rust-coloured hair.

Aidan's laughter was a vibration between us, but he kept on kissing me as his hands dropped to help mine. The button slipped from my fingers through fabric as I heard the sound of the zip. Denim scratched my skin as his jeans grazed my leg on the way down.

"God, Bel, you're full of surprises, aren't you?" he murmured, his arms tightening around me so I could feel his body was as bare as mine. The slide of warm satin against my belly told me that neither of us was naked yet, but I thrilled at the thought that we would be soon, with all that entailed.

His arms around me as if he was scared I might slip away, Aidan stumbled backwards, pulling me with him in stuttered steps. A kiss, a step, a stroke of his tongue, another step, a breath...Aidan stopped as he backed into the sofa, holding tight to me as he fell slowly onto the seat, breaking my already soft fall with his body.

His hands caressed me as his kisses grew more urgent. He circled my nipples with his thumbs, firm strokes that sent a shiver deep beneath my skin. A sound akin to a sob escaped from my throat, only to be silenced by yet another passionate kiss. I wanted...

More than kisses and somewhere more comfortable, too. Something hard and bony pressed into my thigh, so I shifted and slid a hand down Aidan's body to persuade him to shift with me. My fingers touched his smooth shorts and slid further – to the slit in the front where I met hot, hard skin crowned with hair. Oh.

"Hey, you know what we say back in Ireland, right?" Aidan asked dreamily, his hand closing around mine so all ten fingers were curled around him. "If you rub a man's red groin hair, you'll have amazing luck in the bedroom." He helped me stroke him slowly, once, twice, as if to demonstrate.

I fought it, but I found I couldn't resist. I burst out laughing and lifted my weight from him, placing both of my hands on my own thighs.

Aidan stuck up from his shorts like a grass tree, though a grass tree on fire. His expression held shock and hurt, yet I still couldn't stop laughing.

I climbed off him to stand beside the couch, trying to control my helpless laughter.

I sucked in a breath, a gasp and another deep breath before I could form words. "I don't know where you heard such a strange thing, but down here in Australia, it's stroking a lady that'll bring you luck in the bedroom, if you do it well enough. If not, you'll be stuck stroking yourself." I burst out laughing again.

Aidan's smile started to return. "If that's how it works downunder in Australia, I'll give it a go," he said.

My hands shook as I lifted them to take off my knickers. I hesitated, then strode to the table. Lifting my whiskey glass instead, I knocked back the contents, the burn barely registering compared to the blush I felt rising to my cheeks as Aidan's eyes fixed on me. He looked like he was drinking me, much the same way as I'd drained my whiskey. The alcohol flew straight to my head, so I sat down to deal with the dizziness. Still he stared.

Feeling self-conscious and slightly chilly, I reached for the fluffy blanket that had fallen to the floor earlier and pulled it over me.

Aidan's voice surprised me. "Don't, Bel. You're beautiful. I guess I'm still a little stunned." He knelt on the rug beside me and pushed the fluffy thing away.

I let go of it, a little less nervous now. "No one's ever called me beautiful before," I admitted.

"Then all the blokes you've been with before were either blind or stupid," he declared.

I gave a small smile. You have no idea.

He looked uncertain. "There have been other blokes, right? I'm not your first?"

I laughed outright. "No, you're not my first. I was pregnant once, remember?" My smile felt tight as I tried not to remember.

"Hey," Aidan's said softly, caressing my face with a kiss. "I didn't mean to bring up stuff that'd upset you. Let me help take your mind off it." He grinned. "I may be a bad doctor, but I'm bloody good at anatomy. Are you willing to let me get my hands on yours?" He reached eagerly for my chest, flexing his fingers.

I ripped off my undies, flicking them aside with my foot as his hands gently closed on my breasts.

"Do your best, for I'd like to try for some Irish luck tonight, too," I murmured, my hands doing a little stroking of their own. "Oh, Aidan..."

He chuckled as my thoughts settled on him and nothing else.

Ohhh...bloody good indeed...