She let her hands roam freely, covering him from his shoulders to his thighs, touching everything in between, while her heart rate sped up, her breathing accelerated and her skin heated in the breeze from an open window.
The traffic below was a steady hum. Caleb’s breathing rushed past her ear. His phone pinged, but they both ignored it. The outside world meant nothing right now.
He took her hand, led her the few steps to the bed and swept back the covers.
She sat down on the crisp sheet, and he gently eased her back.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” she said.
“I so agree.”
His hot, heavy body covered hers. His hand closed over her breast, and the most intense, exquisite sensation zipped from her nipple to her abdomen.
She gasped.
“Good?” he asked, and he did it again before waiting for her answer.
She gave a small moan, and her hand clenched his shoulder, holding on to him as an anchor while the world began to spin around her.
Her hips arched, and she pulled him to her, watching his expression as their intimacy increased.
“Oh, Jules.” His gray eyes darkened to pewter, and his free hand moved to the small of her back, tipping her to him.
Her entire world shifted to the touch of his body. He was hard and hot, and tantalizingly close. Nothing mattered. Nothing existed. Her primal brain clamored for the release he could bring.
She flexed, and he groaned, and their bodies melded together in perfect unison. He didn’t pause in his motion, sliding in and out, gaining speed, then slowing down, then speeding up again.
She clung tight, letting him take her higher. Her legs wrapped around him. Her mouth sought his. And when they finally had to breathe, she kissed his neck, licking, tasting, drinking in the complex flavors that were Caleb.
Her hands gripped his back. He covered her breast. He kissed her mouth, probing deeply with his tongue while his thrusts grew harder and faster.
She felt herself float, go disembodied, beyond controlling her actions and reactions. She let it go, curled against him, felt the rush of desire hit a crescendo. Then she cried out his name, and his body stiffened. His guttural rasp echoed in the room as convulsions of pleasure overtook them both.
It took long minutes for Jules to spiral down. Caleb’s weight felt good. The warmth of his body was comforting. His breathing was raspy. She liked it. She also liked the solid beat of his heart that seemed to sync with her own.
“Should I move?” he asked, twirling his fingers through her hair.
“Not yet.”
There was a smile in his voice. “I have to say, we’re batting a thousand here.”
“Maybe we should hold really still and stay quiet.”
He chuckled. “Before we can mess anything up?”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
“There’s absolutely nothing I want to fight with you about.”
“Good.”
He cradled her face and gave her a tender kiss.
She couldn’t help but think that this was perfect. They were perfect in this moment, and all was right with the world.
“Can we just stay here forever?” she asked.
“It’s worth a shot.”
* * *
Holding Jules in his arms, Caleb had lain awake for a long time. For a while, he’d actually hoped she’d have a change of heart, and this could be the start of something between them.
But eventually, he’d fallen asleep, and in the morning she was gone. The door between the two rooms was closed tight.
On the drive back to Neo, he’d tried to broach the subject of their night together, but she’d cut him off, citing the terms of their deal. It was obvious, even now, three hours later, that she intended to stick to her guns.
He’d managed to retrieve her purse and cell phone. That, at least, earned him a smile.
She scrolled through her messages. “Six calls from my dad.”
She pressed a button and put the phone to her ear.
Caleb knew he should walk away and give her some privacy. But his curiosity won out. While the engineers combed through the building, and the electricians and gas fitters readied their gear to get to work, he stayed put.
“Hi, Dad,” she opened.
There was a pause.
“She did? She didn’t need to call you.” Jules glanced Caleb’s way. “Everything turned out fine.”
Caleb could easily guess the other side of that conversation.
“On business. I came here on business.”
The voice on the other end was indistinct, and Caleb couldn’t hear any words, but the tone was obviously impatient. Part of him wanted to take the phone and tell Roland Parker to back off already. Roland might be bitter about his upbringing and want to forget all about Whiskey Bay, but Jules didn’t. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She was an adult, and she didn’t have to explain herself to him.