Chapter 44 Sleeping With Him
Nicholas unlocked their room and stepped aside to let Alyssa enter. “After you,” he said, flashing her a charming, panty-dropping smile that instantly had her on her guard. Ignoring his charm, she walked inside but sadly couldn’t control the strange flutter that started deep in her stomach. It seemed as if a thousand butterflies were dancing around inside her. She headed straight for the closet to take out her pajamas when she heard the door click shut.
The situation was completely different in the aircraft than now. In the congested space of the aircraft, they had somehow just whiled the time away, whereas now, in the cozy bedroom, the seual undercurrents between them couldn’t be missed.
“I need a shower!” announced Nicholas, as he unbuttoned his shirt. Alyssa dashed into the washroom to change quickly without casting a single glance at him. She couldn’t afford to look at his smoldering hot body, as all her resolutions to stay away from him would crumble to dust.
“I’ll just take a minute,” she said, closing the door just when his shirt fell to the floor and his fingers went to the buttons of his trousers. Her cheeks flamed red seeing the hard, smooth muscles of his chest. He had the most stunning body she had ever seen, and it would be a lie to say that she didn’t want to touch him and feel the ridges and planes of his body. How would she stop herself if he attempted to kiss her again? It had been so long since they kissed and she knew deep in her heart that she wanted to feel his lips on hers again. However, she wasn’t sure that this time they could stop at just a kiss!
“God, help me resist him,” she whispered to herself when there was a knock on the washroom door.
“Are you talking to yourself? Open up. I’m waiting for a shower,” said Nicholas from the other end. Alyssa’s cheeks flushed with color, hearing him just outside. Was he standing there with his ear stuck to the door? Did he hear what she had just said? She rolled her eyes and quickly freshened up and changed into her pajamas.
Opening the door, she saw Nicholas waiting a few feet away, wrapped in a towel. She instantly looked away from him as her mind started conjuring up images of his naked body wrapped against her own. Maybe this was a terrible idea indeed. She should have stayed in her room and prayed all night to keep the ghosts away.
“Took you long enough. What were you doing while changing?” he asked with a wink. Her mouth hung open at his implication. Couldn’t any good thoughts ever come to his head?
“Not what you’re thinking.” Nicholas chuckled and went inside the washroom to take a shower while she went towards the dresser to brush her hair. She could hear him turn on the shower and it was torture to listen to him showering. Her mind wouldn’t stop dreaming about him and she climbed onto the bed, but her glance fell on the extra cushions arranged there. Quickly arranging them in the middle to form a great wall, she finally sank into the bed to sleep. Covering herself from head to toe to block Nicholas out, she squeezed her eyes shut to sleep. She knew it wasn’t working, as she could hear Nicholas emerge from the washroom and roam about the room. She was dying of curiosity, wondering what he was up to, yet she didn’t pull the duvet down to check.
At last, the bed dipped and she could feel him lie down on the other side of the great wall. A laugh escaped his lips, causing her to roll her eyes. So he was laughing at the wall she had built!
“It isn’t funny!” she muttered from under the duvet and he laughed all the more. To her horror, he pulled the duvet off her head, taking her by surprise. What was he up to now?
“What are you up to, Nicholas?” she scolded him, turning her head to glare straight into his eyes glinting with excitement.
“Nothing, I was just trying to relax you.” Alyssa searched his eyes and saw the hunger in them. It aroused her too, and her eyes wandered down to his body. He looked good even in a plain black tee shirt and a pair of charcoal gray sweatpants.
“I’m relaxed already. Good night, Nicholas. I think I’ll shift to my room tomorrow.” With her own wayward thoughts, Alyssa knew she wouldn’t be able to stop him if he kissed her. In fact, she was stunned by her own desire for him.
“That room is already booked. In fact, the hotel is fully booked now for the Formula One Grand Prix night.” Alyssa’s eyes widened, as she hadn’t thought of that at all. So it only meant that she was stuck with him in this room for the next three nights!
“Oh, wow! Then I guess I’m stuck here,” she said, closing her eyes to sleep.
“Don’t lie. I know you want to stay here with me,” he said, his eyes glittering as if challenging her to deny it.
“Go to sleep, Nicholas, if you want to get any work done tomorrow,” she said, not going into an argument with him. Their arguments never got them anywhere and could continue all night. She tried to pull the duvet back over her head, but Nicholas held on to it tightly, preventing her from doing so.
“Do you mind, Nicholas?”
“Yes, I’m not eating you up. You don’t need to cover your head. You’ll die of suffocation.”
“So, will you stick to your promise?” she asked, looking him in the eyes.
“What promise? That was for the flight. Yes, I promise I won’t touch you, but if you make a move towards me, I won’t stop myself,” he said, his voice a hoarse low rumble that caused goosebumps to erupt on her skin. She smiled with relief, since she knew she would never make a move towards him.
“Good night, Nicholas,” she whispered, finally closing her eyes to sleep.
Nicholas watched her for a while and wondered why he ever made such a promise to her. He wanted to devour her, make love to her, yet here he was lying on the same bed with her, but at arm’s length. Heat pooled inside his body and he lay there stiffly, his mind restless and battling with his heart. He could hear her even breathing and knew she was sound asleep. Why couldn’t he sleep the way she could? He sat up and pulled the tee shirt off his body and threw it on a chair near the bed.
Finally, he closed his eyes, yet even after an hour, he couldn’t sleep. How would he face the business conference tomorrow?
Suddenly Alyssa stirred and rolled to her side, her arm sprawled in front of her, missing Nicholas by an inch. Nicholas’s eyes opened wide, and he turned to face her. The duvet had slipped off her body, making her look like a water nymph in her ocean-blue shorts and crop top. With her creamy smooth stomach and long, never-ending legs exposed to his eyes, he was mesmerized. If only he could touch her! He sighed, remembering his promise to her. He was too much of a gentleman to give in to the temptation. His promise meant more to him.
As if to grant his wish, Alyssa again stirred and made herself cozy, throwing and kicking the great wall. Nicholas watched her with his breath stuck in his throat. He didn’t place the cushions back in their place. Why would he? He just prayed that the torture ended soon and he could catch up on a little sleep.
Alyssa soon scooted closer to him and placed her arm around his torso, making him freeze. Should he wake her up? He waited for a few minutes for her to wake up and yell at him for taking advantage of her, but despite everything; she slept soundly. Her hand went to his hair, and she started stroking them slowly. Her soft soothing touch soon made him drowsy, and he gave in to the temptation and pulled her closer. Wrapping her in his arms, he embedded his face in her neck and soon fell fast asleep.
A kiss on his jawline and his lower lip woke him up in the wee hours of the morning. His eyes widened to see Alyssa sprawled all over him. Her soft lips kissed him while her eyes were still shut. Was she kissing him in her sleep?
“Nicholas,” she whispered, stroking his bare chest, his abs, his shoulders, going up to his neck, her breathing erratic. Nicholas’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. Was she dreaming of him? His breath hitched, and he closed his eyes as his friend down there grew harder every second. How would he resist her now? His mind battled with his body when her thigh suddenly brushed against his throbbing shaft.
“Fck, Alyssa. You’re driving me insane!” he muttered under his breath, grabbing her chin and tangling his fingers in her hair. He crashed his lips to hers in a wild kiss that brought Alyssa to her senses, waking her up totally.