Nerds Like It Hot (Nerds, #6)(23)
Author: Vicki Lewis Thompson

"Now I guess we just shove it in," she said.

She would never know how that innocent statement got to him. "Right." Somehow he leaned over, painful though it was, and helped her push the mattress up tight against the door.

"There you have it," she said.

"Yep." He gazed at the expanse of mattress and imagined all the things that could take place there. But she wanted candlelight, wine, and flowers. Poetry, even. He was a little scarce on those things.

"I suppose we should get a sheet."

"Uh-huh." He couldn’t seem to move from this spot at the end of the mattress. That cushy surface had such potential.

"Want me to get a sheet?"

He decided to go for broke. Gathering his courage, he looked at her. Then he took her hand. She was trembling. "Gillian, I don’t need a sheet. I don’t need anything but that mattress … and you. Please … join me."

Her lips parted as she sighed. "That was beautiful."

Victory!

"Then you will?"

"I would love to, but…"

"But what? What’s wrong now?"

"The mattress blocks the bathroom door."

"So what?" He was a desperate man. "We can worry about that later!"

"I don’t think so. You took the condoms in there. I didn’t see you bring them back out."

Seventeen

GILLIAN HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. AS IF he were a man possessed, Lex grabbed the end of the mattress and hoisted it straight up. He scraped the overhead light in the ceiling of the entry way in the process of shoving it flush against the door, but he didn’t seem to notice. The effort reminded her of footage she’d seen of people lifting cars in a rush of adrenaline.

Breathing hard and holding the mattress steady with both hands, he glanced over his shoulder at her. "Can you open the door, now?"

"I would think so." She managed not to laugh. He’d been so quick to remedy the problem, but he probably wouldn’t appreciate having her laugh at his effort. "Yes. Yes, I can."

"I left the condoms on the counter. I’ll hold the mattress while you get them."

"Right." She hopped over the sill. "So you want me to bring both of them?" She knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from him.

"God, yes."

His response thrilled her to her toes. Eagerness was so good for the ego. And maybe his comment about not needing anything but a mattress and her wasn’t quite in the same league with "a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou," but it was close enough to suit her.

He’d tried to be romantic, as romantic as an Aries like Lex could be, and she would give him points for that. Truth be told, if she didn’t get to make love with Lex tonight, she might combust. No matter how many times she’d told herself that it was a mistake, when confronted with the actual man and a convenient mattress, she couldn’t help herself.

It wasn’t a perfect union. She still thought her Marilyn look was a significant element in their relationship. But if she considered the fact that they’d be saying good-bye in two days, did it matter?

Whether he was romantic enough, or stack on blondes, or right for her in every respect—so what? She would never ask him to ride off into the South American sunset with her. No one should be asked to cast their life aside like that, especially someone as terrific as Lex. Besides, Dante needed him in their PI partnership.

And the other thing, the concept she didn’t want to examine too closely, was the possibility that she wouldn’t ride off into the South American sunset, after all. Mafia hit men were usually effective. If her days were numbered, then she deserved to have some fun before she bit it.

"Hey, did you find them?" He sounded a little weary, as if he might be getting tired.

Whoops. She’d been standing in the bathroom thinking while he was supporting the mattress and waiting for her to reappear with condoms. "They’re right here." She scooped them up, stepped over the sill, and closed the bathroom door. Then she moved back so he could lower the mattress.

With a sigh of relief, he let the mattress slide to the floor. In no time they were standing side by side at the end of their little strip of paradise.

She turned and handed him the packets she’d picked up on the counter. "Your condoms, sir."

"Gillian, I just want to say—"

"Don’t say anything." She crouched down and crawled onto the mattress. Once there, she lay back and held out her arms. "Just come here and make us both happy."

LEX FIGURED HE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING right to deserve this. He was very unclear on what constituted a romantic gesture, but by accident he must have made one. Maybe heaving the mattress on end so that they had condom access had done the trick.

In any event, he was gazing at a vision in black satin and lace, and she wanted him. She did look a lot like Marilyn in that pose, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. She’d made it very obvious that he wasn’t supposed to be attracted by all the Marilyn stuff. And he wasn’t, not really.

But a body like Gillian’s didn’t come along every day, and although he loved the way her mind worked, right now it wasn’t her mind that had him tossing aside the condom packages so he could pull off his T-shirt and shuck his boxers.

"Oh." Her eyes widened as she stared at his equipment.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all." She swallowed. "I’ve just… led a sheltered life."

He froze. "Tell me you’re not a virgin." Fate wouldn’t be so unkind. He’d been to bed with one virgin in his life, and he didn’t recommend it. Some rudimentary experience with male anatomy was a huge help when embarking on this course of action.

"I’m not a virgin." Her smile turned into a sexy little chuckle. "But I’ve never been with a man who had such an embarrassment of riches. You’re very well hung, Lex. And that’s kind of cool. I didn’t know I’d be so blessed."

Lex blushed, and of course looked down at his cock. Then he glanced up again, quickly, not wanting to be caught studying his own penis. "I think I’m in the normal range."

"If that’s the normal range, I’ve been seriously deprived."

"Seriously, I’m not that special." He’d never been into comparisons, which seemed stupid to him. You had what you had, and so what? Yeah, a couple of women had remarked on his size, but he’d put that down to pillow talk, the kind of thing that women said to make a guy feel studly.

"You look special from here. And I’m even taking the angle into consideration."

"You’re nattering me." And he had to admit he loved it.

"No, I’m not. That’s one gorgeous package."

How could a guy not feel special with comments like that? "Guess it’s time to wrap it, then." Feeling very manly, indeed, he picked up one of the condoms.

"Not yet." Her color high, she beckoned to him with both hands. "C’mere."

"You mean … wait on the condom?"

"Yes, please." She laughed softly. "I can’t believe I’m being so assertive. I’m never assertive in bed. But I want… I want to touch you."

"Okay." He sounded so calm, when inside he was going crazy. She wanted to touch him, fondle him, maybe do some other things, things that he certainly hadn’t expected on this first night together. But he wasn’t going to argue.

As he crawled onto the mattress, his heart beat like an engine about to throw a rod. "Where do you want me?"

"I think. .. sitting with your back against the door. That will give me the most room."

She needs lots of room. He wondered if he’d pass out from anticipation. All he’d expected was regular sex and the chance to bury his face in her glorious br**sts. But no matter what she did with all that room she wanted, he wouldn’t come. Coming first was not a good thing, especially after a woman had been so complimentary about a guy’s package.

Following her directions, he sat at the head of the mattress and leaned against the cold metal door. He hadn’t realized how hot his skin was until it touched that door, which felt like ice. But he didn’t say a word about the cold door. A cold door was nothing when a woman was looking at your c*ck as if she’d just been served a banana split.

"Impressive," she said. Propped on one elbow beside him, she let her hand hover over his erect penis. "May I?"

"Uh-huh." Most definitely. Dive right in. He was shaking, which made his c*ck quiver the tiniest bit. But then she wrapped her fingers around it, and the quivering didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that he had the urge to come now, and she had barely started.

"So silky." She stroked her hand up and down.

"Mm." He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. Watching her massage him, her lace-covered br**sts brushing his thigh as she stroked, added another challenging dimension. So until he got himself under control, he wouldn’t look at what she was doing.

Her voice dropped to a sexy murmur. "I can see why men like to masturbate. This feels good to me, and I’m not even the owner."

Oh, God. He hadn’t counted on her saying that kind of thing to turn up the heat. He could stick his fingers in his ears, but that didn’t fit his image of a sexually evolved guy.

Somehow he had to get her to shut up. at least for a little while. "Don’t.. ."

"You don’t masturbate?" She used her thumb to rub the underside of his penis, right near the top, where it counted. "Of course you do. With this beauty between your legs, you’d be a fool not to."

"Please … don’t… talk." He gasped for breath.

"Ah. I get it. You’re trying not to come, and talking about masturbating makes you want to."

He gulped. "Brilliant deduction."

She slowed her strokes. "I’ll take it easy. I’ve never given myself permission to openly play with a man’s sexual equipment before, but if not now, then, when? And it’s turning me on like you wouldn’t believe."

"Um, you’re… talking."

"I am talking. Sorry." With that she rolled between his legs and scooted up so that her br**sts nestled against his thighs and cradled his twins. "This should keep my mouth shut." And she began to lick.

He reached out and gripped the edges of the mattress. He wouldn’t come, he wouldn’t come, he wouldn’t come.

She paused. "But just let me say that you taste great. Salty. Like a big pretzel, only hard. Yum."

‘ He moaned softly. Heaven help him, every move she made, every comment that came out of her mouth, ratcheted up the stakes. He’d never had sex with a woman who was so verbal, so curious . . .

And then it hit him. He might be turned on by Gillian’s body, but she was driving him insane with her mind. Only someone with a brain like hers would think to say the things she was saying.

He’d thought hav**g s*x with her would be physically incredible, but he hadn’t realized that mental sex would be involved. She was caressing him lightly with her tongue, which made him quiver and struggle to hold on, but he’d bet she could talk him into a cli**x without touching him at all.

Then again, two could play at that game. The only problem was finding enough breath to manage it.

He drew in some air. "That feels good," he murmured.

"I hope so. I’m loving this." She closed her lips over the tip of his penis.

Although he had a follow-up line, he had to take a rain check until he’d regrouped. That mouth of hers could be his undoing. Finally he was able to breathe again. Sort of. "I’ll bet you . . . taste good, too."

She paused in mid-suck.

"Women are so . . . interesting. I love exploring . . ." He took another lungful of air. "With my tongue. Licking those soft, moist. . . folds, and then . . ." This routine could work against him, too. While getting her excited, he was veering closer to his grand finale.

Slowly she lifted her head. Her voice was a feathery whisper. "Then what?"

"Then . . . concentrating on that sweet. . . little center point. . . licking, sucking, until—"

"Condom time!" She wiggled free.

If he hadn’t been so short on air, he would have laughed. Instead he used what little oxygen remained for one word. "Hurry."

"You betcha." She found the foil packet and tossed it to him. "Put this on while I take off my nightgown and panties."

He ripped open the packet. "Panties?" Hadn’t they already done that part earlier? Oh, well. He rolled the condom over his throbbing penis.

"I put them back on." She tossed those at him, too. "This time you can have them for real."

Lex stared at his lap in disbelief. If they’d been playing ring toss, she would have scored with the panties.

"There’s a visual for you," she said.

He glanced up and for the first time was treated to a view of Gillian, undressed. Her lush body made him dizzy with lust. "There’s a better one. You’re—" He cleared the emotion clogging his throat. "You’re sensational."

Dark eyes flashing fire, she crawled toward him, her br**sts swaying gently, her voice husky. "Lex, it seems you’re wearing my panties."

Dazzled by her nak*d beauty, he’d forgotten all about the red satin ringing his cock. He met her hot stare. "It’s your fault."

"They look good on you. Tell me, do you like how they feel?" She reached out and took hold of the panties, rubbing them up and down his shaft.

"Mm. Nice."

"So you like them?"

"I like anything that’s been close to you."

She twisted the panties so they tightened around the base of his penis. "I want you so much I could scream."

"Then it’s time." He took hold of the panties and wrenched them out of her grasp. They ripped as he pulled them away and threw them across the room. In one quick motion he rolled her onto her back.

Panting, she gazed up at him. "How did you know?"

"Know what?" His heart beat fast and furiously as he moved between her thighs.

"That I like this way best of all?"

"Lucky guess." His forearms trembled as he braced himself. "Are you really ready to scream?"

"Yes. Really."