Touch of Fire

Nicole glimpsed him in the mirror and jumped.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She dabbed her mouth with the hand towel. “It’s all right.”

“I’m…not sure what to do.”

“About?” She patted her face dry with the towel.

He hesitated before answering. “The sleeping arrangements.”

“Do you have any moisturizer?”

“Men don’t moisturize.”
When she responded with a raised eyebrow, he caved. “In the medicine cabinet, nothing fancy mind you.”

“Of course not.” Nicole retrieved the bottle from the medicine cabinet, poured a dollop into the palm of her hand, and began to apply it to her face. Before she could finish the lights went out, shrouding the space in darkness.

“Power failure?” she asked nervously.

His heart was hammering in his chest. “No. I—I can’t do this with you looking at me.”

“Do what?”

“I want to sleep in my bed,”

Nicole leaned back into his chest and tilted her head to the side. “I can take the couch.”

“You don’t have to.” Garrett resisted the urge to run his finger down the length of her neck.

“No?”

“I feel like I’m suddenly back in junior high. My heart is beating so hard I swear it’s going to break my chest. I can walk through fire, but I can’t bring myself to…”

Nicole turned around. She was trapped between his body and the bathroom counter. “To what?”

“To touch you. I so want to touch you.”

“You’ve already touched me, many times.”

“Not in the way I want to now.” Garrett stepped backwards, retreating toward the door. “I promised Mrs. Thompson that I’d pick her up from the hospital. It’s getting late. I should—”

Before he could finish his sentence Nicole crushed her lips to his in a smoldering kiss.

Caught off guard, Garrett stumbled back into the bathroom door. He gasped as he heard it slam, concerned momentarily that it might have woken Sam. Then he felt Nicole’s tongue brushing across his lower lip, begging entrance. She pulled his head in closer, weaving her fingers through his hair. It had been so long and she tasted so sweet. For a moment he was overwhelmed with grief and sadness as he realized that he had almost forgotten how good it felt. How essential it was to be touched. How deeply satisfying it was to feel wanted.

Nicole deepened the kiss and Garrett’s cock hardened instantly, straining against his jeans. Her tongue began to rhythmically stroke his. He felt like he was on the verge of losing control, and it felt wonderful. Garrett wrapped one arm around her waist, slipped his other hand around the back of her neck and then pulled her flush to his body. He reveled in the feel of her, her little gasps and moans, the panting sounds she made as he turned, pressing her against the door, pushing her knees apart slightly so that he could get even closer to her. He felt as if he were about to explode as she broke off the kiss and began to claw at his t-shirt, pulling it out of his jeans.

“Nicole, wait, I’m—”

“So help me, if you say you’re sorry I’m going to punch you in the nose.”

“Hardly!” He leaned down and kissed her neck all the way down to the spot that was his favorite on a woman.

Just as she reached again for his shirt, he stepped back, his breathing ragged, his voice low and raspy, filled with desire. “It’s just that I’m going to be late if I don’t leave now.”

“The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back.”

Garrett turned on the light.

“I don’t want to go,” he admitted, daring to look her in the eye. “Promise you won’t move while I’m gone? I want to pick this up right here.”

Nicole caressed the side of his face. “I’ll be waiting.”

“I—”

She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “I’m not her, Garrett,” she whispered.

“I know.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “And, amazingly enough, I don’t want you to be.”