Chapter 6: Better than bread pudding

One of the perks of New Orleans was that it was such a party town, the girls I picked up could pretend to be completely bombed, wasted out of their minds. They could justify having sex with me, a random stranger. The truth was, I never slept with anyone who was too drunk to make a rational decision, and I never messed with their minds to persuade them, either.

But Joss was a whole different game. She was the difference. She wasn't making any apologies about the clear truth that she wanted this as much as I did. And that was both cool and a little scary.

In the short cab ride back to her hotel, she didn't cling or lean on me. Instead she sat just close enough that I could inhale her scent, an intoxicating mix of oranges and cinnamon, and she touched the inside of my arm with the tip of one fingernail, running it up and down my forearm, making my heart pound. I shifted in the seat, holding back from laying her down right there.

I didn't even realize we'd arrived at the St. Marie until the door next to me opened. The uniformed attendant stood aside, waiting for me to exit. I reached into my back pocket for my wallet, but Joss laid her hand on my arm.

"Don't bother. The doorman will take care of it." She smiled at him as she followed me out of the taxi. "Thanks, Eddy. Give him a nice tip, please. It was a short ride."

I briefly considered taking the stairs—anything to get to a bed quicker—but Jocelyn headed right for the elevator, and I thought it would be probably be rude to pull her up the steps by the arm. To my relief, the doors of the elevator opened as though they had been waiting for us.

There was no one else in the car, and as soon as the doors slid closed, I backed Joss against the wall, gripping her wrists together above her head. I covered her mouth with my lips again, this time pouring all of my pent-up desire into the kiss. She made a little noise in the back of her throat, and that was it. I dropped the bag that held our bread pudding and used my free hand to pull her hips into me, grinding against her center until she gasped into my mouth.

"Rafe—the doors—" I glanced back and saw that the elevator had reached her floor, and the doors stood open. I dragged her into the hallway and to her door. As she fumbled for the key card, I swept the red hair off her neck and devoured the milk-white skin there. Each taste only made me want more—and more.

The green light flashed on the lock, and the door swung open. Joss stumbled inside, pulling me with her. We didn't bother with lights. I tossed the bag onto the coffee table and ripped off her sweater.

"This dress...has been driving me crazy all night." I muttered the words against her ear, sucking the lobe into my mouth as my hands slid beneath the silky material.

"Then—ahhhh—you better get rid of it." Joss wriggled just enough that one sleeve drooped down her arm. I tugged it down further and did the same on the other side, so that her arms were pinned and her breasts were freed.

And dear God in heaven...what breasts they were. I wasn't a total boob guy in that those were all that drew me to a girl, but I liked them as well anyone. But Joss...she was glorious. That was the only word that came to mind. I lowered my mouth to kiss one pink tip, swirling my tongue around until it stood stiff. Jocelyn moaned and arched her back as I moved to the other side, using my mouth on one and my fingers on the other.

We were both panting when I licked my way back up to her lips. I forced her mouth open and plunged my tongue inside, stroking against hers, giving her a preview of what I intended to do eventually...elsewhere.

Thinking about that made me move toward the bed. I backed Joss there slowly, and when her legs hit the mattress, I lowered her until we were both horizontal.

"I can't move my arms," she murmured against my jaw.

"And I'm okay with that. Just lay back and feel." I found the edge of her dress and eased it up to her waist, exposing a tiny pair of lacy pink underwear. With one hand still cupping her breast while my thumb teased the nipple, I used the other hand to skim along the top of the lace, darting just underneath it again and again, while never quite touching her core. I slid down her body until my head was between her legs and glanced up at her, pausing a moment to make sure she was cool with this.

Her head was back, eyes closed. Her chest heaved with short breaths, and one of her hands groped to clutch at my hair, caressing. I took that as a go sign.

I covered the lace with my mouth, nipping gently and using my tongue to probe. She was wet beneath the barrier, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold out. But I went on anyway, torturing both of us, until she was writhing under my lips. Then I used one finger to ease the panties out of my way and let my tongue touch her bare for the first time.

At the first thrust, she shrieked, calling my name and gripping my head even tighter to her. As if I planned to move away...no, I don't think so. I ran my tongue to the tight little center of her nerves, just letting the tip circle it, and then sucked, hard.

She fell apart, crying out and raising her hips off the bed, her hands clutching at the bedspread beneath us. I took advantage of her position to pull off her underwear completely and unbuttoned my pants as I kissed my way back up to her face.

I just reached her neck when Joss turned, throwing me off balance and onto my back. She sat up on her knees, red curls swirling at her shoulders and over her breasts. One small wriggle set her arms free, and she tossed the dress off into the darkness. My eyes had adjusted so that I could see the predatory smile on her face.

"My turn," she whispered, and grabbing the top of my shirt, she pulled so that buttons went flying. Any protest I might have made was lost when her nails skimmed over my chest, down my stomach and beneath the waistband of my new gray pants.

"Lift up." She leaned over to kiss my cheek, her nipples teasing against my chest. I complied, and she shimmied the pants and boxers off me completely, raising her eyebrows as she saw the clear evidence of my want.

Joss slung one leg over my waist, straddling me. She bent to rest her elbows on either side of my arms, kissing me with the same wanton passion I'd felt just a little earlier. I reached up to palm her breasts as they swung over me, and she shifted to bring the nipples closer to my mouth.

Pleasuring her while she sat on top of me was a new sensation for me, and I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold back. I didn't have to ask, though; she straightened and moved her hands between my legs.

Her grip was light but firm as she ran her fingers up and down my length, circling the head and cupping me beneath. My vision tunneled, and I gripped her waist.

"I know." She shifted again, this time so that she just poised above me. "I want you inside me just as much as you want to be there."

"Condom—my pants." I managed to get the words out against every instinct that screamed NOW.

"I've got one." She reached to the bedside table and pulled out the small paper packet. Once she had me covered, she didn't hesitate again, lowering herself onto me until I filled her.

Her tight sheath pulsed against me, and then she began to move, rocking back and forth for a moment. She raised her hips until I was nearly out of her and then slammed back into me. Twice more of that, and I was gone.

"Joss—oh, God—I'm—" My body tensed as every sensation centered there, where our bodies joined. She cried out, too, and I felt her orgasm explode around me. She fell onto my chest, both of us damp and breathing hard.

I rolled over so that Joss lay next to me, both of us on our sides, and smoothed her hair away from her face. It took a few minutes before I could breathe enough to speak.

"Do you think that bread pudding is still good? I'm hungry again."

She laughed, her body quivering against mine. "Pretty sure it is. Want me to go get it?"

I eased away. "No, stay here. I'll do it." I stood and stretched, aware of her eyes on my body.

"There are plastic forks in the bag, and I have bottles of water in the mini-fridge if you want one."

I opened the container and unpacked the forks, nabbed us water and climbed back into bed. Joss plumped the pillows up and scooted to sit against them.

We ate in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, I couldn't remember feeling this relaxed with a girl since—well, since I didn't want to think about when. Joss shook her hair back, to keep it out of the whiskey sauce, and I felt desire stir again.

Twice was unprecedented for me. Usually, I felt trapped and claustrophobic the minute it was over, and I did what I had to do and got out of there fast. But now I dipped a finger into the pooled sauce and trailed it between Jocelyn's breasts.

A smile curved her lips. "What was that?"

I leaned to touch my tongue to the dripping sauce. "Something sweet and sticky. Can't just leave it here, can I? I've got to take care of it."

She leaned back and rested a hand on my head. "Absolutely."

I woke in the half-light of early morning. We hadn't bothered to close the heavy drapes, and I could see the outline of the city against the gray sky.

Joss lay next to me, red hair spread across the white pillow. Her eyelashes fanned against the paleness of her cheeks, and her lips parted as she breathed deeply in sleep.

I had never stayed this long. And I had never had such reluctance to do what I needed to do. Part of me wondered...did I need to make her forget? She wasn't the typical needy girl I screwed and then erased. I didn't know for sure, but I sensed Joss wouldn't cling, wouldn't cry when I didn't call. If I didn't call.

No. This was as much for me as it was for her. Last night had been so incredible that I might be tempted to repeat it. And then eventually something would get fucked up, and someone would be hurt. I couldn't deal with that. I couldn't risk it.

So I climbed carefully out of bed and pulled on my boxers and pants. My shirt was kind of beyond help, but I put it on anyway, tucked it in and hoped for the best.

Once I was ready to leave, I stood near the door and faced the bed. I closed my eyes and reached into her mind, past the slumber. I took the memories of the past twenty-four hours and made them disappear. She would never recall losing her wallet, meeting me or anything else that had happened between us.

And then, before I could change my own mind, I left, closing the door silently behind me.