Page 19

Hardball Page 19

by V.K. Sykes


* * *

Because her mind had dissolved into silly putty under Nate’s onslaught, it took Holly a few seconds to realize what the astonishing man was up to. As he slowly pivoted on his heel, making a full circle while pulling his belt through the pant loops, she realized he was starting some kind of parody of a cheesy male stripper act. She’d endured one at a bachelorette party once, and it had embarrassed the heck out of her at the time.

But she wasn’t embarrassed now, because this was obviously intended to make her laugh and calm her jittery nerves. Nate Carter, she was coming to learn, was not only handsome and funny, he was considerate, too.

And the freaking epitome of masculine grace. Her hands itched to touch his broad shoulders and muscled arms, and caress down his brawny chest and his classic six-pack abdominals. The man was a southern girl’s sexual fantasy come to life. It didn’t seem possible he could actually be there with her.

When he completed the pirouette, his zipper was down, and he was swinging the belt around his head in a cowboy motion. Bumping and grinding, humming the stripper tune and looking like he actually knew what he was doing, he let go of the belt and shucked the pants to the floor. If he felt the slightest bit self-conscious or awkward, she sure couldn’t see it.

Dumbfounded, Holly started to giggle. Even the startling bulge in his briefs—which would have unnerved her a bit under other circumstances—seemed a trifle ridiculous as he gyrated in front of the bed.

She raised herself into a crossed-legged sitting position, stifling her giggles. Then she inserted two fingers into her mouth and gave a loud wolf whistle, something she’d been able to do with great success since she was a little kid.

That stopped him dead in mid-gyration for a moment, but then he laughed.

“Very impressive, Doctor,” he said. “You’ll be great to have in the stands the next time I pitch.” Then he went back into his act, and Holly started to clap in time to his goofy, off-tune humming.

With the pants pooled around his ankles, he stepped out of the left leg and deftly twirled the trousers with his right foot before firing them across the room.

“Go, go!” she cheered as she collapsed onto her pillows, unable to hold back her laughter.

He’d stripped down to his briefs, and the tight cotton looked ready to shred as his erection stretched the fabric. Nate spun again and pushed the briefs slowly down, still grinding away as he gave her a spectacular view of his tightly muscled butt. With a flourish, he flung the underwear across the room where they snagged on the shade of her bureau lamp.

Holly stilled on the bed, her laughter dying as he turned to face her. His cock thrust out from a crisp nest of dark hair. It was so big and thick and, well, insistent, that it made her weak just gazing at it. But weak in a good way, even though it did make her nervous again.

The rest of him was equally impressive. Six foot five worth of solid muscle, all hard and firm. Her medical mind unexpectedly kicked in, whispering that he must have a great body-mass index. There wasn’t the slightest hint of flab on him anywhere. Just wonderfully sculpted man-flesh. His deep tan only heightened his sex appeal. Except for the area defined by his tan lines, his entire body seemed the same, uniform bronze color.

She raised her eyes to meet his glittering, hot gaze. It made her skin prickle, made her limbs weaken, and made her so, so wet between her thighs. Then he smiled, and the breath snagged in her chest. Slowly, he descended on her, like some sex god, powerful and totally intent on business.

As his mouth covered hers, she drank in the hot brandy taste of him, pulling his probing tongue into her mouth, savoring the silky slide of wet warmth. His body came down on hers, pressing her into the mattress. The sensation of him caging her, surrounding her with that incredible body, stormed through her, inflaming the hidden folds of her body with an aching need. She could feel her panties getting soaked as she readied for him.

“How was the show?” Nate whispered as he lowered his head to blow cool air over her nipple. She shivered as the hard little bud grew even stiffer.

“Not exactly what I was expecting,” she finally managed. “But just perfect.”

“The start of a perfect night,” he murmured. “Just enjoy, Holly, and let me take care of you.”

“O…okay,” she stuttered.

It was about all her brain could manage as her swollen nipples throbbed and she squirmed upward, giving him a silent message. With a low hum, he flicked his tongue over her nipple, and soon had her writhing in pleasure. His long fingers grasped her breasts, gently kneading them as he licked and sucked as if he would never stop. She let her mind drift, giving herself over to the building arousal settling deep in her core. Almost unconsciously, she pushed her pelvis against his erection, shivering at the electrifying sensation that danced between her thighs.

He growled around her nipple, and then pulled away with one last, hard suck. She whimpered in protest. But when she realized he was moving down to the sensitive flat of her stomach, the waves of excitement, pleasure, and nerves sky-rocketed. She’d never been that much into oral sex—it made her feel too exposed—but she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. It just felt so good as he worked his way down, his tongue expertly flicking her shivering skin as he moved lower and lower.

It was making her crazy with a disconcerting mix of lust and anxiety, and Holly expected him to pull her panties down quickly and cast them aside. But he surprised her again. With his face still pressed into her taut abdomen, he slid them down, but only two inches or so.

His lips and tongue were instantly on the newly exposed skin, just above her hairline. The heat of his breath felt as if it would melt her from the outside in. He tickled and played with her, finally snaking his deft fingers inside the panties and through the drenched tangle of her curls. Holly drew her legs up wide, moaning, her body wanting more of him, all of him. She was ready for him to be inside her.

In a flash, the panties were gone, so smoothly that she hardly felt them as they brushed her legs. Then his tongue touched her tender flesh, and her senses exploded. Every cell in her body seemed to flutter to the rapid beat of her heart, and the wild sensation coalesced in the bundle of nerves throbbing beneath his tongue.

The feel of his hot tongue sliding languorously across her folds was sensual torture. As she arched her spine into the waves of pleasure, he slid his hands under her, firmly cupping her bottom and tilting her hips. She sobbed with excitement, feeling completely out of control but, for once, not caring.

“That’s it, baby,” he murmured. “Let yourself go.”

He pulled her to him, his strong fingers gripping her cheeks hard enough to drive her crazy but not hard enough to hurt. He licked into her, parting her folds with the hot thrust of his tongue. He teased her, flicking in and out, pushing her to the edge of satisfaction. She writhed under him, wanting more. Her clit ached unbearably for the touch of his tongue, and when he finally found the swollen bud, sucking it gently into his mouth, her orgasm exploded like a starburst behind her eyelids. Contractions rippled out from her womb in luxurious, deep spasms.

Quickly, Nate moved up her body and held her tight as she shuddered in exquisite release, kissing her neck, her cheek, her ear. Holly began to laugh softly as the spasms faded, tears welling in her eyes.

“Are you laughing or crying, gorgeous?” He nuzzled the corners of her mouth, sharing the salty taste of their lovemaking. “I’m not sure either reaction does much for my ego. I’m kind of a delicate flower, remember?”

Now, she had to laugh harder. She gazed into his amused eyes, taking his strong, stubbled chin in her hands. “It’s just the release of tension. I’ve never felt anything like that in my life. I don’t know what to say.”

“So don’t talk, then,” he said with a seductive grin. “Just enjoy.”