Chapter Six

Lily rolled onto her side and inspected the four large posts used to create the massive bed. Made from raw timber, each corner had a tree with one limb going across to the other pillar, creating an arch over the sides of the bed like a canopy. An engraved piece of wood made up the head and footboard. The intricate design was partially hidden by plush decorative pillows at the top. She ran her hand over the wedding ring pattern of the quilt beneath her.

Sebastian apparently appreciated nature and liked having his house filled with objects made from natural materials.

Scanning the rest of the items in the room, she had to admit she found the decor appealing. The walls were a soothing oak color, and the dark mahogany furniture stood out against the fairer background. The large picture window had bright red curtains and let in the sunlight from outside. Nearby a huge doublewide chair sat with a matching ottoman, providing the perfect place to sit and read.

Finishing her assessment of the room, she turned and stared at his handsome face. How long would it be before he’d be off the phone? A frown tugged the corner of his mouth downward, revealing his displeasure with the person on the other end of the line.

Sebastian had indicated he’d have to talk to the caller sooner or later. Maybe, a friend, relative, or business associate?

“Why didn’t anyone call sooner?” He remained silent for a few moments before saying gruffly, “We thought she left it on the seaplane. Did Bruce not find it?”

Instantly alert to the possibility of something happening at home, she rose onto her knees. A wave of unease filled her, and she studied the intense expression on his face. “What’s going on?”

Showing no signs of hearing her, he stared off into space. “So what do you want us to do now?”

His unwillingness to answer or even look at her sent a chill through her. The heat from their lovemaking only moments ago dissipated quickly. She shivered with a sudden awareness. She nibbled at her lip and considered slipping back into her clothes.

Grabbing a pillow to cover her nakedness, she hugged it tight against her chest.

“Okay, we’ll talk later.” He hung up the phone.

The moment his gaze met hers, the bottom dropped out of her stomach. Something bad had occurred, and he didn’t have a clue how to tell her. Fighting to remain calm, she tightened her arms around the pillow and prepared herself for the blow to come. A thousand horrible possibilities flashed through her head, but she shoved them aside. “Just tell me.”

He sank onto the bed beside her and slipped his arm around her waist. “That was my boss. He talked to Bruce a short while ago. Apparently, Mark had a heart attack this morning and—”

“Shit, and they couldn’t call me because I turned off my phone on the plane.” She threw the pillow against the headboard. “I planned to check in with them once we arrived here but my purse—” She started to rise.

Sebastian tightened his hold and tugged her against his chest. “Bruce has your purse, but…Mark didn’t make it.”

She blinked, uncertain she’d really understood what he’d said. “Mark is dead?”

“I’m so sorry. The paramedics couldn’t revive him.” He leaned back, drawing her across his body. “Rex is making arrangements for us to fly back to California tomorrow.”

She scowled at the man. Guilt similar to the one she experienced when her parents died washed through her. She had neglected to protect them by not picking them up at the airport. If she had been driving, she might have prevented the accident that killed them.

Now, she’d failed Mark, too. He’d taken high blood pressure medicine for years. She’d enrolled in CPR courses every year, in case he had an issue. Only, she hadn’t been there when he needed her. Instead, she had been off on a vacation. She closed her eyes and worked to clear her mind.

The soft caress of Sebastian’s flannel shirt over her breasts awoke her nerve endings. Her nipples tightened, reminding her of the reality of lying next to a man. His seductive strength bled through her pores, jogging the memory of how she’d come apart at his intimate touch. Grief warred with arousal, followed almost immediately by shame.

What kind of woman was she? How could she be thinking about making love when the most important man in her life was dead?

She clenched her teeth and worked to draw in her next breath. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. “Sebastian, you need to let me up so I can get dressed.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best plan.” He held her tighter. “You’re hurting with the loss of a friend, confidant, and mentor. You want only to hide inside yourself and lick your wounds.”

Irritated by the fact his assumptions were correct, she wiggled to get free. Her legs opened wider, and his thick thigh wedged between them. She tried to ignore the pronounced swelling of his erection pressing against her belly. “How can you say what I feel?”

With a sad smile, he growled, “Because I experienced the same emotions this morning after I learned about Cain. I spent hours reviewing his case notes, working to find a way to ease the pain of losing him.”

The dark compassion in his gaze revealed the accuracy of his words. His friend had been murdered while Mark died of natural causes. The misery must be twice as bad for him. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes, but had I been there, I might have been able to save him.”

“Oh, sweetheart, the outcome would have been the same if you’d been there or not.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “This wasn’t your fault.”

She lowered her gaze to the lushness of his mouth and the strong line of his square jaw. She shivered as he nudged his leg deeper between her inner thighs. Need again sparked through her, but she ignored the call for a physical release. “Sebastian, we should get ready for our trip home.”

“But that’s not really what you want, is it?” He rolled her over and pinned her beneath his hard body. He grasped both her hands in one of his. With the other, he covered her breast. “No. We should finish what we started earlier.”

He lowered his lips to the eager tip. The sheer heat of his mouth set her off, sending spikes of pleasure to her core. He added to her enjoyment by sucking hard on the peak.

Bucking beneath him, she broke her hands free from his grip and buried them in his dark curls. She fully intended to tug him away from her breast, but somewhere along the way, the wires inside her head got crossed. Instead, she held him in place, using the bliss of his touch to fend off the pain of losing Mark.

She swallowed the misery and allowed her traitorous body to enjoy the heavy, masculine weight on top of her for a few more minutes. Granted, she’d love it even more if he shed his jeans and moved a tad to the left. However, she should remember her responsibilities to Mark, the lab, her friends. “Sebastian, we shouldn’t be doing this.”

He released her breast and slid a hand between their bodies. “Why?”

“Because we need to…” Lily struggled to recall what she planned to do once he freed her. And he certainly wasn’t helping, not by blowing on her wet nipple, making it tighten with need and not with the heavenly stroke of his fingertips tunneling through her pubic curls.

“We have all night. Rex said he’d arrange for the seaplane to pick us up early in the morning.” He shifted to her other breast and licked the tip before he covered it with his hot mouth.

Panting to catch her breath, she squirmed against him and provided him enough room to work his hand lower. He cupped her warm mound and slid one wicked finger beneath her delicate folds to toy with her clit. With sudden clarity, she recalled how this man set her on fire with his touch.

Mark’s death would forever alter her life the same way her parents had. Fortunately, Sebastian offered a distraction, a chance to enjoy the moment and not dwell on the agony ahead. Tomorrow, she’d have to face an uncertain future with no—

He withdrew his finger with a reluctant glide and then thrust in two, stretching her, only to retreat again and plunge three deep, filling her to the brim. Intimate muscles clamped around him, and she grabbed at his shirt, knotting the fabric in her hands. “God, Sebastian, can you please get out of these clothes?”

He lifted his head and worked his fingers back and forth in a relentless motion, demanding her attention stay entirely on him. “Easy, honey. I’ll take care of you.”

“But,” she gasped, not wanting anything less than his cock blazing a trail to a wondrous release. She caught his wrist and tugged. “I want to see you naked and have you buried deep inside me.”

“Now, that’s a request no man can resist.” He leaned back and reached over his shoulder, drawing his shirt up and off in one swift move. Without pausing, he rolled off the bed and stood staring at her. “Look at me. You have to understand how much I need you, too.”

Her gaze slid over his broad chest, following the line of dark hair arrowing into the waistband of his jeans. She watched as he quickly unhooked the button, grabbed the tab, and unzipped his fly. White cotton briefs were stretched tightly over his engorged erection.

Without any sign of inhibition, he shoved his jeans and underwear to the floor. After toeing off his shoes, he stepped free of his clothes and drew open the nightstand’s drawer. He pulled out a square foil packet and ripped the condom free from the wrapper.

The sight of his thick cock drew her up on her elbows to get a better view. The round head disappeared beneath the clear rubber as he rolled the condom down the long, solid length. Moisture gathered in her mouth. She swallowed, hard.

As if suddenly emerging from a sensual fog, she realized she’d asked this huge, mountain of man, who probably had more muscles in his pinkie than she had in her whole body, to have sex. The idea should have frightened her. Instead, she found herself offering him one last out. After all, most men considered her a nerd, a woman to debate scientific theories with, not someone to—

She glanced again at his thick cock. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

He stalked to the bed, his powerful body coiled tightly, as if ready to pounce. One knee landed on the bed between her legs, and he leaned forward. The intensity of his brown-eyed gaze made Lily melt.

“There’s nothing I’ve ever wanted to do more.” He placed his hands next to her elbows and lowered himself, forcing her back onto the mattress. The light stubble on his chin rasped against her skin as he buried his face into her neck.

Happy to have him so close, she wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him closer until he rested completely over her. The skin on skin contact soothed her anxiety of this possibly being a mistake. Her eyelids drifted closed, and she brushed aside any expectation as to what she wanted to happen next.

She reminded herself this was merely sex, nothing more. When they were done, she’d get up and head to her room. Then after taking a shower, she’d pack and go to bed.

Sebastian distracted her by nibbling on her neck. He guided his lips upward and wrapped them around her earlobe. His hot breath seared her, and his kisses along her jawline made her shiver.

The excitement building in the pit of her stomach wouldn’t allow her to remain still. She shifted her legs farther apart. The steely length of his cock caressed the outer lips of her pussy. She bit her lip, wanting him to stop the teasing and get down to business. “Please don’t tease me.”

He nuzzled the hollow at the base of her neck, then raised his head and met her gaze. “I take it you want me to dive right in and forgo any foreplay.”

Confused, she frowned. Wasn’t that what men wanted? “Yes, well, I guess I thought—”

A shift of his hips, and the blunt tip of his cock nudged her opening. Arousal swelled within her, washing away her doubts. Her eyes rolled back in her head. She needed him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and buried her hands in his dark hair. “Sebastian, please.”

Dropping his head, he whispered, “You’re right. It’s time for action.”

With a mighty thrust, he tunneled his swollen cock deep, stretching her wide to accommodate his dense girth. Bombarded by wild sensations, she couldn’t decide if they involved more pleasure than pain. Of course, at the moment, she didn’t care. All she wanted was to have him deep inside her, pounding relentlessly.

Gasping for breath, she yielded to the sheer magnitude of his penetration, but she had the unsettling feeling he’d taken complete possession of her body, dispersing with her intelligence and permitting her emotions to rule. Her entire being had melted to the pleasure of simply holding him snugly inside her core. Freed by the concept, she struggled to maintain her equilibrium as well as her individuality.

“More.” He ground harder against her, setting into motion a driving rhythm. Pounding hard and fast, he introduced her to an insatiable passion she’d never known existed. Sex for her didn’t include this consuming heat or the ruthless desire to scream, cry, and beg for him to impale her repeatedly with his thrusting length.

“Sebastian!” His name bursting through her lips surprised her. She’d rarely said anything during sex. This time, with him, she struggled to remain silent and contain her emotions. His hot, slick cock sliding into her demanded a response. She tilted her pelvis a little higher, accepting another inch of the silk-covered steel that rammed into every dark corner.

Heat poured through her, around her, intensifying each thrust. The hard beat had her muscles tightening with each plunge, squeezing his cock with welcome, then breaking down with a painful ache at each withdrawal. She enjoyed the powerful action of his hips, the uncompromising grind of his pelvis between her legs.

Air sawed in and out of her lungs as the tension built inside her. So close to a heavenly release, she sobbed, “Please.”

The message for what she needed must have telegraphed its meaning to him because he answered by increasing his pace, shoving her mercilessly into a pulsing climax. Lightheaded, she rode the waves of her clamping muscles, milking his erection for an answering fall into nirvana. The hot, heavy spurts of his release extended hers, drawing out her pleasure and setting her adrift on a peaceful cloud.

Moments later, he whispered in her ear, and she couldn’t respond. Forty-eight hours with very little sleep had weakened her ability to move. Add in mind-blowing sex to stave off heart-numbing grief, and she was completely wiped.

Gentle fingers brushed through her hair and words fluttered around her. She paid no attention and tumbled into a blissful unconscious state with only one question on her mind.

How could she convince him to make love to her again?