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  A warm, naked body at his back had his eyes flying open. Firm breasts pressed against his back, soft hands slid around his sides to splay over his stomach.

  Alaina nipped his shoulder blade. “I thought you might like some company.”

  His cock liked that idea. Despite the powerful orgasm a short time ago, it immediately responded to the feel of Alaina’s body.

  “I like your shower.” One hand slid up his chest, the other slid down to wrap around his shaft. “The jets are very…invigorating, aren’t they?”

  Rye laid his hands over hers. “Your touch is invigorating.”

  “Apparently so.” She gripped him more firmly, moved her hand up and down as he grew harder. “I like the way you feel in my hand.”

  He arched his hips to drive his rod against her palm. She abruptly released him and stepped back so she no longer touched him. “How about if I wash your back?”

  Wash his back? That wasn’t what needed attention right now.

  Rye looked at her over his shoulder. Her wet hair lay over her breasts. Water rushed over her arms, down her stomach and through the auburn curls on her mound. Her hard nipples peeked between the strands of her hair.

  She looked so sexy, she stole his breath.

  She picked up his washcloth and squeezed a generous amount of liquid soap on it. “Lean your hands against the wall and I’ll wash your back.”

  There would be time for him to take her in every position he could imagine. For now, he would do as she said. Leaning forward, he rested his palms against the wall.

  She ran the soapy cloth slowly over his shoulders, under his arms. It passed over his shoulders again before she dragged it down his back in a figure eight motion. It continued over each cheek of his ass, then between the cleft. Rye clenched his buttocks when she passed over his anus.

  “Did I hit a sensitive spot?”

  She passed the cloth over his anus again. He moaned at the combination of her rubbing that bundle of nerves combined with her rubbing her breasts across his back.

  The cloth disappeared, to be replaced with her soapy fingers. She circled the tender hole, over and over. Rye spread his legs another few inches to give her more room.

  “You like this, don’t you?”

  “Yeah.” One finger pushed inside him. “Jesus, Alaina.”

  “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No,” he croaked.

  She added a second finger and started pumping them in, out, in, out. He’d been with women who enjoyed anal play, but they hadn’t returned it to him. He’d never realized how incredible it felt.

  When she pushed her fingers even deeper, Rye lost it. Spinning around, he grabbed her wrists and pinned her against the wall. He ground his cock into her stomach as he gave her an open-mouth, tongue-dueling kiss. She returned it, wrapping one leg around his hips to pull him closer. Rye bent his knees so his cock slid between her legs. He pumped his hips, sliding his hard flesh against her silky folds.

  The whimper from her throat had him ready to fuck her, when he realized he wasn’t wearing a condom. He ended the kiss and buried his face in her neck. “We have to stop.”

  “What?” Her voice sounded as breathless as his. “No! Don’t stop, please.”

  He lifted his head to look at her. “I don’t bring condoms into the shower.”

  “Oh.” She closed her eyes, the disappointment evident on her face. She soon opened her eyes again and looked directly into his. “I haven’t been with a man in almost two years. What about you?”

  His gaze passed over her hair, her face. She was so gorgeous. “I haven’t been intimate with anyone in several months.”

  “Then there’s no reason why we have to stop.”

  “Birth control?”

  “I get a shot every three months. I had one two weeks ago.”

  Rye studied her eyes. They were open and stared into his. He believed her. For the first time in three years, he was going to take a chance and trust a woman.

  Bending his knees a bit more, he thrust into her pussy. Alaina dug her fingernails into his shoulders and threw back her head. Rye gripped her thighs and lifted her so he could thrust deeper. The water poured over them, steam billowed around their bodies. He thrust, circled his hips, thrust again. Her soft skin touching him, those incredible breasts pressed to his chest, her warm breath in his ear…everything combined to drag him closer to a climax much sooner than he wanted. Alaina needed to come before he found his release.

  And he knew exactly what to do to help her.

  Rye pulled out of Alaina and dropped to his knees. He spread her labia with his thumbs and swiped his tongue the full length.

  “Rye.” Her voice came out shaky. Her fingers tangled in his hair. “That feels so good.”

  Auburn curls covered her mound, but her labia were shaven smooth. Her swollen clit peeked out from beneath its hood, cream oozed from her channel. Rye licked the entire length again, then settled his mouth over her clit. He flicked it with the tip of his tongue, stroked it, sucked it. He speared her pussy with his tongue before returning to her clit.

  She gasped. “There. Yes, there.”

  He knew she was close by her harsh breathing, the undulation of her hips, the way she spread her legs for him. Rye ran his tongue up and down the folds, across her clit. She shivered each time he touched the sensitive area.

  Grabbing handfuls of his hair, she held his head in one place. “Lick me there. Right there. Yes!”

  He surged to his feet and kissed her while he thrust inside her again. Her pussy pulsed around his cock as she came.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his neck, parted her lips for his tongue. He began to pound into that tight, wet channel that fit perfectly around his shaft. Her kisses turned hotter, more demanding. Rye gave her everything he could, driving her up the shower wall with every pump of his hips. His balls tightened, drew up close to his body. He wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.

  “Come again,” he said against her lips. “I want to feel your pussy squeeze my cock when you come.”

  Alaina jerked her mouth away from his and buried her face in his neck. Her body trembled, her pussy pulsed around his rod again. This time, he followed her over the edge into bliss.

  His lungs fought for air as if he’d just completed a marathon. Rye locked his knees to keep from falling. That wasn’t easy when his body felt like one big pile of gelatin.

  “Wow,” Alaina mumbled against his neck.

  “Yeah. Wow.”

  She slowly unwrapped her legs from his waist and stood. Rye grabbed her when her legs buckled so she wouldn’t fall.

  “You okay?”

  “Other than having no strength anywhere in my body, I’m great.”

  He rested his forehead against hers. “That was amazing.”

  “More than amazing. How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Get me to come like that?”

  Rye hit the button to turn off the water. Silence filled the stall instead of the rush of water through the jets. “Is there another way you want to come? Because I’m willing to experiment.”

  He grinned while Alaina laughed. He couldn’t remember a time that he’d joked after such an incredible session of lovemaking. His laughter soon faded when he sensed her question wasn’t rhetorical. He reached for a towel and handed it to her, then took one for himself. “You have a problem coming?”

  “Usually, but that hasn’t been the case with you.”

  “Is this where I pound on my chest and give the Tarzan yell?”

  She slapped at him with her towel. Chuckling, he darted out of the stall to avoid the damp terry cloth. He’d teased her, yet it bothered him that she hadn’t found sex satisfying with other men. It couldn’t have anything to do with Alaina. With that mane of auburn hair and curvy body, she should carry a sign to warn men about testosterone overload before she got within twenty feet of them.

  She finished drying her body and stood
with the towel clutched between her breasts. “Do you have a robe I can borrow?”

  He did, but had no intention of giving it to her. He tossed his towel on top of the hamper. “What’s wrong with naked?”

  She gave him a look that clearly said he must be kidding. “You want me to walk around your house naked?”

  “The only walking you’re doing is to my bed. I’m not through with you.”

  A slow smile spread across her lips. “You aren’t?”

  “Not even close.”

  “Well then.” She tossed her towel on top of his. “Naked works for me.”

  *

  Alaina lay on her stomach, her hair covering her face. Her body had been weak after making love with Rye in the shower. It was now beyond weak to completely useless.

  She could hear Rye’s heavy breathing beside her. She managed to peek through her hair to see him lying on his back. His eyes were closed, his lips parted. One hand rested on his chest, as if to keep his heart from pounding out of it.

  “If you…kill me with…sex,” he said between heavy breaths, “who will…finish your house?”

  “Hey, I was ready for brownies and a glass of wine. You started the whole sex thing again.”

  Eyes still closed, he grinned. “Yeah, I did.”

  She would’ve laughed if she’d had the energy. Rye had taken her hand and led her to his bed, where he’d proceeded to give her the long, deep, slow kisses she loved. She hadn’t thought his cock could get hard again so soon, not after coming in the turret and again in the shower. He’d proven her wrong.

  She loved being wrong.

  It hadn’t taken long for her body to react to his touch. Wanting to give him the same pleasure he’d given her in the shower, she’d taken his shaft in her mouth. He’d allowed that for only a few seconds before he pulled away from her, saying he didn’t want to come again before she did. He’d proceeded to use his hands, mouth and cock to make sure she did exactly that.

  What an incredible lover.

  She rolled to her side and rested her head on her bent arm. She looked at him without speaking for several moments, simply enjoying the afterglow of great sex and the handsome man lying beside her. “You recuperate quickly.”

  He rolled to his side toward her, copying her position. “Not usually this quickly. You have quite an effect on me, Ms. May.” He picked up a tendril of damp hair from her shoulder and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger. “You make me feel like I’m seventeen again.”

  “I’m glad you aren’t. That’s way too young for me.”

  He chuckled while pushing her hair back from her face. “I doubt if there’s a seventeen-year-old guy out there who wouldn’t love to get you in bed.”

  “There isn’t a seventeen-year-old guy out there who wouldn’t love to get any gal in bed.”

  “True.” He slid his hand down her back and over her hip. “I’m sorry sex hasn’t always been good for you.”

  She shrugged one shoulder. “It happens. The few lovers I’ve had didn’t know how to push the right buttons.”

  “There’s no excuse for a guy not taking the time to please you.”

  “It didn’t take much time for you to please me at Stevens House. We had sex for, what? Three minutes? I came twice with you.”

  “You’ve never come twice with another lover?”

  “Rye, there haven’t been that many. Four, I think. Maybe five. I’ve never been a very sexual person.”

  “You are with me.”

  Alaina knew he wasn’t ready to hear words of love. Still, his comment deserved a response. “I guess you know how to push all the right buttons.”

  The air in the room seemed to grow thicker. Alaina decided it was a good time to change the subject. “I’m ready for a brownie. How about you?”

  “I think that’s an excellent idea.” He pushed her to her back and leaned over her. “After I lick the crumbs off your breasts, it’ll be time to make love again.”

  She laughed at his teasing, but quickly sobered once he left the room. She wanted so badly to tell him how she felt about him. The teenage crush had lain dormant all these years, flaring back to life at the first touch of his hand.

  No, she couldn’t tell him of her blossoming feelings. For now, she’d have to keep them all wrapped up in her heart.

  Chapter Eleven

  April 22, 1937

  Laura is so proud to be tutoring Patrick with his mathematics. She told me she’s sure she can help him improve his grades. I casually asked her where she’s tutoring him. She told me at his home, which means he will be there too, at least part of the time. I asked Laura if it wouldn’t be better to study at the library, where she could have access to other books if she needed them. She said there was a huge library in Patrick’s home that contained all kinds of math books, as well as many others. Her eyes lit up when she said Patrick’s father told her she could borrow any book she wanted for as long as she wanted.

  I fear there’s nothing I can do to stop her adoration of him.

  *

  A day much too warm for late April heated the turret to well into the nineties. Alaina wiped at the sweat over her lip and on her forehead, even though she knew it would pop back in about eight seconds. Rye had suggested she work on the bottom floor where it would be cooler. She’d refused. This was going to be her room and she wanted to work here.

  After taking a long gulp of cold water, Alaina returned to sanding the window seat in the turret. Rye and Dax had examined it thoroughly and declared it could be saved, unless Alaina wanted it torn out and a new one built. So much of the house had to be replaced due to rotten wood that she loved the idea of keeping something original, something that had been built so many years ago. The cushions would have to be replaced, but the window seat only needed to be sanded and repainted.

  Her heart stuttered at the sound of footsteps on the squeaky stairs, somehow knowing it would be Rye before she ever saw him. He stepped into the room, looking gorgeous despite the dirt covering his face and clothes.

  He smiled. “Hey.”

  “Hey.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Other than sweating out every bit of the moisture in my body, I’m fine.”

  His smile faded. “Why don’t you work downstairs where it’s cooler?”

  “Because I’m stubborn and want to work here.”

  He squatted in front of her. A drop of sweat rolled down her temple. He wiped it off with his thumb. The feel of that calloused thumb brought back memories of him swiping it across her nipples and clit so many times over the weekend.

  The temperature in the room shot up another ten degrees.

  “Do you want me to help you?”

  She shook her head. “I want to do this.”

  “I’ll have more of my crew next week, after they get through with the mayor’s house. I plan to hire more workers, but I haven’t had time—”

  She silenced him by placing her fingertips against his lips. “I didn’t expect the house to be finished in a few days. I know it’ll take months. There’s a lot to do here.”

  He kissed her fingertips, then removed her hand from his mouth and held it. “I don’t want you to get too hot.”

  “You didn’t mind my getting hot Friday night. Or Saturday morning. Or Saturday aft—”

  “Okay, that’s enough.” The skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled when he grinned. “You’re bad.”

  “That’s not what you said Friday night. Or Saturday mor—”

  He silenced her this time with a kiss. If Alaina hadn’t already been hot, his kiss would’ve shot her temperature through the roof. She tilted her head and parted her lips when he deepened the kiss. Sliding her hands down his sides, she clasped the hem of his T-shirt to pull it off.

  Rye grasped her hands before she raised his shirt more than a couple of inches. “I don’t think that’s a good idea when there are workers all over the house.”

  “Oh.” One kiss from this man and she lost he
r head. “Sorry.”

  “I’m not. I’m glad you want me.”

  “I think I proved several times over the weekend how much I want you.”

  “Are you interested in proving it again tonight?”

  She struggled not to grin at the teasing in his eyes. “I might be persuaded.”

  “I was thinking about taking you to Boot Scootin’ after we leave here. You haven’t lived until you’ve eaten one of Dolly’s greasy cheeseburgers and homemade fries.” He ran one fingertip up and down her bare arm. “After that, we’ll need to work off all those calories.”

  “I’m all for working off calories.”

  “We’ll leave about six. How’s that?”

  “Perfect.”

  He kissed her again, more gently this time. The sweet kiss affected her just as strongly as his passionate one.

  She really had it bad.

  Alaina focused on his ass in his faded jeans as he walked from the room. She’d dug her fingernails into that tight butt many times over the weekend.

  With a quiet sigh, she returned to her work. She dropped her sanding tool when cold air washed over her. Alaina scrambled to her feet and turned, looking around the turret for the source of that cold.

  The air shimmered a few feet in front of her, reminding her of the way it did over hot asphalt in the summer. Her heart began to pound as something formed before her. She could see a splash of brown at eye level, a bit of blue below that. Transparent features materialized. They were too fuzzy to see them clearly, yet she could make out shoulder-length brown hair, eyes, straight shoulders, small breasts, a tiny waist. She could see the wall through those features, as if she were looking at a…

  Ghost.

  Alaina couldn’t breathe or look away from the figure. The face filled in a bit more, enough so Alaina could see a pained expression. The woman clenched her fists at her sides and squeezed her eyes shut. She threw back her head, her mouth open.