Their slick bodies glistened with salty sweat and felt clammy together. The room smelled. She smelled too… of them.
Wow. There were no words to describe the things Ross did to her and a foggy, sensual memory of unprecedented ecstasy that was totally amazing and glorious made her smile.
But now he was on top of her and that was even better. It turned out to be better than any sex she even imagined having. They didn’t just fit well, they fought and struggled with each other, giving and taking like a competition. Everything two bodies could do together was what they took and gave to each other.
Who knew sex could be so great with Ross?
The most apathetic man she ever met knew all about her body and how to make her feel those delights? Oh, all those things. She was so sated her body felt like soft rubber.
Placing her hands on the bare plane of his back, Jody felt odd to be taking the simple liberty. Never mind all the liberties he took with her. Directly. Without any preamble or buildup. Jody never had a man go after her like that. Take and take… and give so generously. To her. For her. About her. From Ross. The self-proclaimed asshole? How could that be? None of it fit. She rubbed him.
Feeling him, she was loving how nice he felt.
What now?
Countless pickups from bars happened in her early twenties and she never stayed over night. She never took guys to her place either. The constant presence of security never allowed her to worry about her safety. But now? Good lord. Bar hookups were relegated to relics of her past. She felt too rusty. And her heart kept interfering now.
She usually understood the difference between casual sex, which offered a wonderful release, and sex with baggage, which was when her feelings entered the equation. That only happened twice. Only twice did Jody experience what people refer to as a traditional boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. They lasted for a few months, and she ended them. The guys were both too clingy. Too needy. Not good enough for her. She had her reasons. Being resolute, she never looked back.
Now? Here she was with a man she never expected to get along with. Lacking her usual defenses, she wasn’t sure how she felt about him now.
But maybe she wouldn’t leave this time.
She trailed her light fingertips over his back, going along his spine, rubbing the bump of his shoulder blades, from one side to the next, swooping down the deep indentation of his lower back to his spine and back up again. His body shuddered under her touch. She was pretty sure he liked it. In fact, he stilled as if he feared she’d stop if he moved. Or was she reading too much into her encounter with the too handsome, too insecure, blustering jerk whom she also found something new and different with? This was not at all usual.
Now, what words to use? She needed the right ones. She had to strike the right tone. Which was… what? Casual and fun? Interesting and intriguing? Special? Mind-blowing? Physically, duh. She should go with that. But wasn’t it something more?
No. Yes. Why the indecision? She wasn’t usually so wishy-washy. What to do next?
“Ross?”
“Jody?”
She smiled and something warm filled her. He copied her unsure, inquiring tone. It was cute and welcoming so she hoped he was amused and not annoyed or filled with regret. If he chose to say, get out, slut, I’m done with you, was that what she feared? Kind of. It would hurt. Even though such doubts rarely afflicted Jody.
She had them now. Stoked by this man. But why? Puzzled, she rubbed him absently.
“I can’t breathe very well.”
He lifted himself off her and she released him from her arms. “Grow into a full-sized person and it won’t be so hard.”
“You didn’t complain downstairs.”
He choked on a laugh. “Do you mean that figuratively or literally?”
She realized what he meant and slapped his back. “I meant downstairs from this loft.”
“Right. No, I don’t mind. It’s like sleeping with an elf. We all have our fetishes.” He tickled her side and she almost forgave his crude words. Unsure of his reaction, and wondering if his crude words, casual attitude and soft tickle meant anything, she all but curled into him.
“I am no one’s fetish.”
“You could be mine,” he said softly as he rolled onto his side. She stared at him because his tone was so unusual. It almost sounded sincere. Genuine.