Brick by Brick

Part Thirty Nine

Chapter Thirty Nine

Joel pulled back, watching closely as Sammy slowly opened her eyes. If he could have preserved a moment it would have been then, her face tilted up to him, relaxed soft, and then the desire, the heat as she opened her eyes. She wanted this, she wanted him. Looking at her now he felt crazy to have ever doubted that. Returning his attention she kept her gaze trained on him, but bit her bottom lip, almost as thought she suddenly became aware of what had just happened...and she had no remorse. It was the sexiest and most enticing combination, innocence and wickedness. He was helpless to it all.

His hand was on her shoulder, and he lifted it to cup her cheek, her fingers burying in her hair, his thumb caressing her jaw.

"You want this? You're sure?"

Lip still snagged in teeth she gave a solitary nod.

"Then we'd better go before I get arrested. I..." he sighed, words failed him. "...shit woman, you have no clue."

That made her smile, a sassy smile, the worrying of her lip suddenly forgotten as she reached for her glass to down the remainder of her drink.

He did the same, the sourness of the whisky a reality check. He stared at her for a moment as she tossed her head back to finish the drink. Did he have a doubt? Morally it still felt awkward, but in every other single way he needed to do this, he HAD to, it was right, perfect.

Standing, he offered her a hand, and once she'd grabbed her small bag, she took it and let him pull her to her feet. Sliding an arm around her shoulders, tucking him into her waist, they made for reception and the key to their room.

Sammy was glad there was a lift as she wasn't sure she'd have been able to control her legs long enough to make it to the third floor, but Joel's hand at the small of her back, the warmth of his body beside her, it gave her the strength she needed.

Since agreeing to come upstairs, Joel had taken over, he was in control. The key card opened the door to the room and he led her inside.

"Drink?"

Turning to look up at him she shook her head, she really couldn't manage another drop or crumb into her tense stomach. "I'm fine."

Taking her hands he tugged her gently until she rotated to face him, "yes. You are. I'm not going to ask if you're sure again...but if you change your mind."

"I won't." The words felt as though they were dragged from her uncooperative throat, but to Joel the smile was warm and so much more. He hid the shudder that threatened to overtake his body, instead sliding his hands up her arms to her elbows and lowering his mouth to savour the taste of her.

All previous kisses disintegrated into nothing, his whole being focussed and was driven by the moment. Her full lips responded instantly to the pressure of his, and he loved that she was confident, that she was as demanding as him. Her teeth snagged at his bottom lip, and he hissed, securing her head, his hands cupping her cheeks, he plundered her lips, moaning as she parted her lips, allowed his tongue to invade, to find her tongue, to play.

He wanted to drink her, consume her, which sounded weird, but as soon as he processed that, deepened the kiss; she stepped closer, leaning her body up against him from shoulder to toe, all those soft curves and long limbs.

His fingers were in her hair and with a firm but not rough tug, he pulled so that her head tilted, her closed eyes lifted to the ceiling and exposed the long slender column of her neck, the soft flesh, the curve of her shoulder and the slope of her breast. His lips made short work of the area, nuzzling, licking and kissing his way around her neck, the lobes of her ears and the prominence of her clavicles.