Chapter 24 24
Their kiss grew vibrant and steamy, yet held a tenderness they'd shared only once, moments before he left fifteen months ago. It was a small taste of the man he'd been back then, of the woman she'd been, and that the moment could be recaptured hadn't escaped either of them.
Stefan eased back, drawing in needed air and pressing his forehead to hers. "Don't say anything."
"I wasn't going to."
"Yeah, sure."
"Except…" Her eyes teared a bit as she tipped her head back and swept her fingers up over his jaw, across his brow. "I missed you, Stefan. I really did."
He groaned and held her, rubbing her spine, then whispering, "I hate that you had to be alone, Alana."
"I didn't miss you because of Juliana. I missed the man I hadn't had the chance to know," she said, loving his arms around her, feeling safe and cherished.
Stefan's throat tightened and he kissed her again, gently, with a tenderness that spoke of hidden emotion and not need. It didn't scare her. The old feeling of distrust didn't rear its head and warn her off. Alana just let herself feel, without thoughts of marriage and their baby and what the future might bring. Emotions flowed within the fraction of time suspended just for them. She touched his face, his lips, pushed at his hair.
He kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, sank his fingers into the auburn mass of curls spilling down her back. She was so incredibly beautiful and strong, and Stefan knew there was more between them now, at this moment, than there had been since they'd shared a bed fifteen months ago. He brushed his mouth back and forth over hers softly, and when some teenagers on skateboards came flying around the curve of the stone walk, he scooped her out of their path.
"Reckless kids," he muttered, then asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, my hero, I am," she said, smiling.
Stefan's gaze prowled her features and something inside him seemed to fill and fill, until the pressure in his chest ached. It left him stunned.
"Oh, dear, I think my shoe's a casualty, though."
Stefan stared at her as she bent to pick up her maimed sandal. He took it, deemed it salvageable enough for the walk to the car, then bending to his knee, he slipped both shoes on her feet.
Alana held his gaze, feeling the air charge with a current she couldn't name. Didn't want to examine. "Come on, Sir Galahad," she whispered. "Let's go home."
He stood, grasping her hand and tucking it in the curve of his elbow.
"Galahad had pure thoughts, Alana. I don't."
Laughing, they strolled toward home.
A few minutes later they stood on her porch, the door half-open. "Do you want to come in for coffee?" she asked him.
"If I come inside, I'll want more than coffee." His gaze raked her hotly. "And more than one kiss."
"I see. Then in that case I guess a nightcap is out of the question, huh?"
"Yes, it is," he growled, backing her up against the doorjamb. "Because I can barely stand not having you, Alana, and if I come in with you…”
He stopped talking and kissed her hard, closing his arms around her and pulling her body flush against his so there was no doubt in her mind what he meant, what he wanted.
“Come in then, Stefan,” she whispered hotly.
Stefan bent close, his lips caressing her delicate ear. The cascade of fine tremors down her neck slammed steel through his spine. She turned her head so her lips grazed his. Her stare lifted to his and then dipped back to his mouth. His fingertips pressed into her waist.
“Are you sure?” he asked, even though he was sure he'd punch something if she said no or changed her mind.
She leaned back, eyebrows lifted. “Yes,” she whispered, and the desire in her voice made him harder, “I don't want to think about anything else. As long as we end the night with you inside me.”
“Oh Alana,” Stefan groaned. He lifted a tendril of hair from her neck and wrapped it around his index finger.
“But it's just sex.” Alana added, her lip trapped under her teeth for a moment. Then she moved closer until the length of her body pressed to his, her hard nipples grazing his chest, the heat between her legs scorching his thigh. “No talks about getting married during or after,”
Stefan bit back a groan and rubbed his erection into the soft mound of her belly. He didn't like it, but at the moment he'd agree to anything as long as it ended with him deep inside her.
She lifted onto her tiptoes and he bent lower to meet her halfway. Her lips feathered his neck as she whispered, “Just for tonight. Everything goes back to normal in the morning,” ’ She peeled back, challenge blazing in her mesmeric stare.
“Alright,” Stefan agreed. If he had just tonight with her then he'd take his time, savour every sexy inch of her, glut himself until he was spent and sated and his head straightened out. His fingers curled over her hips, the fabric of her dress bunching in his grip. The way his body coiled to the point of bursting, he could tear the damn dress in two. “Now let's get inside,”
________
“Goodnight, Mr Maynard,” Diana said just as Alana returned to the sitting room after checking up on their sleeping daughter. “Have a good night, Alana,” she added,
“Goodnight, Diana,” Alana responded, and they both watched as the door closed after Diana.
Still a few feet from each other, they stared at each other in silence for a while. Then still saying nothing, Stefan turned to lock the door after Diana. When he turned to face her again, the heat in his eyes was so bright she could feel it.
He headed straight for her and as soon as he was close enough, he swooped on her, hauling her up with an arm around her waist and his hot and greedy mouth, demanding an uninhibited kiss. Alana clung, losing herself to the thrusting power of his tongue sliding over hers and his strong arms banded around her back, connecting them from shoulder to thigh. Her head spun. This was happening.
Stefan released her. “You sure about this?” he asked for the second time that night.