Nothing In Common Read online

  She was and that made him feel much better. At least he wasn’t the only one tongue-tied. "No, you’re not."

  "You really mean yes." Lila gave him a sheepish grin. "I can admit it."

  "No, really."

  "One thing I respect in a man, above all else, is honesty. I’m making a muck of what I wanted to say. I’m sorry."

  Tom did the only thing he could think of to do. He kissed her again. Her mouth had been half-open in speech when he covered it with his, and instantly the taste of her filled him. Her tongue stroked his, then again. His dick stiffened, hard like iron, and he put his hand to the back of her head to pull her closer.

  Then all at once she was gone, and the only thing he was kissing was empty air.

  * * *

  Lila got off the couch and knelt in front of the shallow fireplace, well-aware Tom was staring at her like she’d grown two heads or something. She needed to do something to occupy her hands and lighting a fire was the first thing that had come to her mind.

  She’d expected him to make some comment, but Tom sat silently. She only had to turn around to look at him, to see his handsome face. Then she’d know whether he was smiling or frowning, whether she’d offended or amused him. Lila wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

  The kiss on the porch had taken her breath away and weakened her knees. Clichéd, but true. The kiss on the couch had left her reeling.

  As she dropped the matches into the nest of kindling she’d already prepared, Lila noticed her hands had stopped trembling. Good. She needed to have her head on straight, especially if she was going to do what she thought she was going to do.

  "I’m not a prude." She kept her eyes focused on the flames. "I’ve had relationships before. Some have been long, others very short. One night even."

  He did not respond. She’d finished the fire, and now could only sit back and watch the blaze fill the fireplace. With one last look to be sure she’d used enough wood, Lila brushed her hands carefully. Then she turned back toward the couch.

  Tom had stretched out his long legs and linked his hands behind his head, but at her words, in went the long legs, down came the hands, until he sat straight-backed on the couch, his hands on his thighs.

  "Do you want me to leave?"

  "No." She put her face on her knees for a moment before looking at him again. "Yes…I don’t know."

  In one smooth motion, he slipped off the couch to sit by her on the floor. Then his mouth was on hers again, his arms around her, and all she could think of was how good it felt to have the heat of the fire against her back and Tom’s heat against her front. She was glad he’d made the move. She didn’t have the nerve. In Tom Caine’s presence she’d been catapulted back to high school, when the thought of kissing a boy had made her palms sweat.

  She was sweating now and not only because the blaze had grown so high behind them. She pushed him gently, meaning to move him a little further toward the couch. At her touch, Tom slid backward onto the floor, taking her with him. She ended up on top of him, their legs tangled, so she became all too aware of the muscles in his thighs pressing against her.

  His mouth opened beneath hers and urged her to respond. She did. His tongue swept her mouth, his lips nibbled and sucked at hers. Tom tangled his fingers into the length of her hair and tugged just gently. Lila moaned.

  Mortified at the inadvertent noise, she broke the kiss but was unable to pull herself away. Tom’s hands clasped her too tightly for that. Her cheeks flushed hotly, matching the heat that had begun to flare in other parts of her body.

  "What’s wrong?" He didn’t let go of her.

  Lila managed to slide off his body so she was no longer in full contact. Not that moving away cleared her mind at all. The scent of him still clung to her, and his taste still tingled in her mouth.

  "I don’t want you to stop."

  Tom smiled. "I don’t want to stop."

  She felt stupid and amorous all at once. Lila shook her head. "I am not in the habit of having casual sex."

  But oh, boy, did she want to.

  He nodded. "You may not believe me, but neither am I."

  She wanted to believe him and searched his face carefully for any sign he might be lying. She saw none, not even the hint of a grin that might show he was being facetious.

  "I want you to be sure you know what you’re doing."

  He chuckled softly. "I’ll try my best."

  That wasn’t what she meant, but she didn’t have the willpower to keep arguing. Not with him, and not with herself. She wanted to make love to him. Her desire was an uphill ride on a roller coaster. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut until the ride was over, but knew she was going to ride the whole way with her hands in the air, screaming with delight.

  Tom, thankfully, didn’t seem to be as bound into thought as Lila was. He tugged her down to him again, seeking her mouth with a passion she soon eagerly matched. His hand came up to cup her breast through the soft wool of her sweater. Her nipple rose, instantly turgid beneath his fingers.

  "Oh, Lila."

  The whisper her name on his lips sent a ray of heat directly to her core.

  She allowed him to slip the sweater over her head and unhook the simple bra beneath. Her hands went to the buttons of his oxford cloth shirt and slipped them open with far more grace than she expected to have with shaking hands.

  His chest was smooth, with just one patch of crisp, curling dark hair in the center. His stomach was ridged with muscle, and another line of the same crisp hair led down past his navel to disappear beneath the waistband of his trousers. Lila wanted to see where that line led. It was the way his hips moved beneath her fingers that prompted her to at last undo the button. His urgency was feeding her own, chasing away the last doubts and reservations she had.

  He kissed every inch of her bare skin, moved his mouth along the soft curve of her stomach and smoothed the elastic waistband of her knit pants over her hips. They were both naked before she knew it, and she was on top of him again. His erection nudged her lower belly, and his chest hair tantalizingly scraped at her over-sensitized breasts until, gasping, she had to pull away. The firelight lined him in gold and orange and shone in his hazel eyes. It bathed his body in the colors of autumn leaves.

  She sat up, wanting to see all of him. Tom lay back and propped his head on one of the sofa cushions. His gaze caressed her. In the flattering firelight, Lila didn’t feel self-conscious. His touch had made her bold at last, and she refused to speculate on whether her thighs looked heavy or her breasts too small.

  She took him in her hand and slowly ran her fingers up and down the length of him. His cock thrummed in her grasp, and the sharp intake of his breath made her smile a little.

  "Lila." His voice was hoarse, filled with longing.

  Suddenly, he tugged her away from him and rolled over her. When she was cradled in his arms, Tom pushed her back gently until her head rested on the cushion. He pressed a rapid line of kisses down over her breasts and stomach. When she saw what he meant to do next, she stiffened.

  "Wait." She hadn’t prepared for this. Hadn’t prepared for any of it, in fact, but the thought of his tongue on her made her feel faint. It would be too much. She would be lost.

  He didn’t listen to her, pushing away the hand she’d pressed to the top of his head. Firmly but gently, he parted her thighs and pressed his lips to the soft patch of hair between her legs. The pressure of his mouth made her bite back a cry. Then, too soon, he found her clit. Tom first kissed the sensitive spot, then stroked it with the tip of his tongue.

  Lila flung an arm across her eyes, unable to watch and not wanting him to see the passion she knew contorted her face. He slipped one finger inside her, and her hips rose helplessly to meet his tongue as it danced along her clitoris. A familiar tension coiled in her belly, growing tighter and tighter until she at last had to gasp his name.

  "Tom!" Lila was nearly mindless with the pleasure his tongue and fingers were working on her.

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