They helped each other undress, piece by piece, moving silently, slowly, almost as if in a dream. Where before they'd just tossed their clothes aside carelessly, these they folded or draped carefully over a chair while accessories were left in a neat pile on the dresser. When they both stood before each other, naked, Shelby broke the solemn mood by turning toward the bed and giving Noel an impish grin back over her shoulder."You know," she murmured, "We never got around to using those silk scarves. How about it? You want to tie me to the bedposts?"No red-blooded male could resist that. Noel didn't even try. He gave her a wolfish grin. "Yep." His already-rigid cock got even harder as he thought about how to arrange her for maximum enjoyment. "Lie down in the center of the bed.""Okay." She pulled back the covers and scrambled up onto the mattress. "Now what?""You'll find out." He padded over to her nightstand and drew out the pile of scarlet silk, carefully sorting each of the lo
Noel was trying to kill her. Death by incredible sex.Shelby felt him shift and knew he was reaching for something else. She wiggled against her bonds, but she wasn't bothered by them a bit. Having him go down on her while she couldn't see or move had been erotic as hell and she couldn't wait to find out what he was going to do next."Oh!" This time she recognized the object he used to trace circles around her nipples. The jade dildo was cool to the touch and had a distinctive shape. Next he laid it on her belly and rolled it down to her groin before running the tip along the creases of her thighs. Her pussy clenched, wanting to be filled. The toy wasn't as big as Noel, but she knew they'd get to that as well and having him fuck her with the dildo first would be fun."All this lovely cream," he whispered as he ran the object between her swollen folds. "All for me." With exquisite gentleness, he inserted the tip of the dildo into her pussy and eased it all the way inside. He stroked
Shelby woke in her own bed, in her own apartment - alone. Noel had been wrong. She was stark naked. Without him in the bed beside her, she was also cold.Sunlight filtered in between the slats of the blinds, so she knew she'd slept deeply. A glance at the clock told her it was after ten. Wow, she hadn't slept that late in ages. Good thing today was a holiday. Her brown tweed suit - the modern version - was draped over the one chair in her bedroom, looking just as if she'd taken it off the night before. Her purse was on her dresser, just like always.Had it all just been a really elaborate dream? The bottom fell out of her stomach at that idea and she squeezed her eyes shut. Surely not.Before she could panic further, she heard her cell phone chirping out a Christmas carol. Quickly, she scrabbled for her purse, biting her lip when the phone display showed an unknown caller."Hello?""Hey there, sweetheart. You get home all safe and sound?" Noel's voice was as silky as melted chocol
Part 2: Like Bunnies"Are you sure you don't want company up at the cabin?"Ostara Holiday looked up from her desk at her sister Summer's concerned expression."No," Star said, shaking her head with a fond smile for her older sister's mother-hen tendencies. "I really, really just need some time to myself.""But Saturday is your birthday. You shouldn't be alone on your birthday. A girl only turns thirty once."Star shuddered. "Don't remind me, please." She didn't know why she dreaded the big three-oh quite so much, but she did."Infant," Summer scoffed from her own point of view at the advanced age of not-quite thirty-two. Her sky-blue eyes studied Star carefully. "If you're sure you'll be okay, honey, I'll back off. But if you need anything, promise us you'll call."Star gave her sister a three-fingered salute. "Scouts' honor. Now let me double check those Halloween card proofs then get the hell out of here for my long weekend.""All right." Summer was the director of marketi
Theo's nagging guilt turned into terror as he rounded a bend in the back road leading to the cabin. There was Star's lime green hybrid, nose down in the deep ditch alongside the road."Son of a bitch." His stomach clenching, he parked his SUV on the shoulder and got out to check Star's vehicle, breathing a deep sigh of relief when he saw that everything was switched off and there was no sign of Star, or her purse, which she never went anywhere without. She'd been well enough to get out and walk. Thank god.He climbed back into his SUV and started toward the cabin, going slowly enough to watch for any movement along the side of the road.There. He stopped and peered through the rain at the movement.It wasn't Star, just a bunny.But what was a walnut brown, lop-eared rabbit doing out here in the woods? Native cottontails were light, mottled brown with perky ears - this had to be a lost pet. Worse yet, it was clearly dragging itself along without the use of one of its back feet.He
Star slumped back against the cushions. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck."Theo's lip twitched just a touch in his square, masculine face. "Well, we could, but we should probably shower first." Then he shook his head and rubbed his hand through his hair. "Sorry - that was inappropriate. I've got to admit to being more than a little freaked out right now.""I understand, believe me." She had a horrible feeling that something very strange was going on, and she had no idea what to make of it. "Do me a favor and help me over to the doorway.""Why?""I want to test a theory." She swung her legs over the side of the couch and held out a hand. Theo immediately helped her to her feet and supported most of her weight as she limped across to the door, the blanket wrapped around her torso and trailing behind them. "Now open the door.""Honey, it's wet and cold out there.""Just humor me, okay?"Theo shrugged but did as she asked. Moving out of his arms but holding one of his big, strong hands in he
"I'll be staying with you," he murmured.Her spine stiffened and she stared down at the floor of the tub. Damn, even his big feet were sexy. "I don't think so."Theo sighed. "I know things might - no, will - get awkward, but, Star, I can't leave you alone. If by some sick twist of fate this is real, and if you did change inside the house, you'd be so vulnerable - I couldn't have that on my conscience. Not as your former lover, not even as a family friend." Tenderly he rinsed the suds from her hair then picked up a bar of soap and began to wash her skin. Everywhere he touched, she felt as if she were on fire, and the wetness between her legs had nothing to do with the water.She wanted to argue, but he was right. Besides, nothing had ever felt quite so good as standing here with him. She even forgot all about the dull throb of her ankle. "Okay. Thank you."Then she made the mistake of looking up. He was staring down at her, his lids heavy, his lip caught between his teeth. Her hands
"You don't have to stay," Star said as she reached out and snagged another smaller towel to wrap around her hair. "Just call one of my sibs to come up.""Probably a good idea," he agreed. He wished - but no, nothing had changed between them. Even though the chemistry was still as strong as ever, their fundamental differences were just too big to overcome.Neither of them spoke as they finished drying off. After wrapping a towel around his waist, he turned to see Star tucking in the end of the one she'd tied sarong-style above her breasts, covering her to her hips. "Ready."She nodded and let him lift her into his arms. He carried her into the room he knew she shared with her sister and set her down on the big lower bunk. This was the bed they'd used when he'd spent stolen weekends here with Star. She hadn't been able to handle using her parents' bed for a lovers' tryst, so they'd used hers, even though it was really too small for someone Theo's size. His cock hardened again at the m
Sam watched Evie survey the last few kids out and about. He was just about to turn off the lights and call it a night. Time for one last interlude with the woman he loved. Her song had haunted his mind all day. Likely it would the rest of his life.He saw the young teen walking alone and heard the car come around the corner far too fast. In the moonlight, his heart lurched as he saw Evie start to run.Sam vaulted the porch rail and nearly caught up to her just as she shoved the kid out of the path of the car.He was just close enough to see it strike her, to see her beautiful face as she screamed and fell.The car screeched to a halt and the driver burst out of the door as Sam frantically searched for Evie, calling her name.But all trace of her was gone. No blood marred the pavement.The kid picked himself up off the grass and turned. "What the fuck?" Eyes wide, he looked up at Sam. "Dude, you saved my life. But I could have sworn it was a chick."Sam swallowed hard. He remembe
She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "Me too, Sam. I don't regret a moment, not for myself. Knowing you was worth a hundred-year wait. But you...you have to go on living. Promise me you'll try to find someone. A kind woman who can make you laugh again, who can share your life, maybe give you a family to fill this old, lonely house.""I can't promise that." He wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb. "After you - I don't know that any other woman would ever measure up."No, this couldn't be happening. It was all right for him to care about her, and it was fine for him to have broken her heart. She'd given it freely. But Sam had so much life ahead of him. "You have to promise to try. The Fates wouldn't be so cruel, Sam. There's a living, breathing woman out there for you somewhere. Please don't give up." She sniffled as more tears spilled down her cheeks."Don't cry anymore, Evie." His voice, already hoarse, cracked. "I promise, sweetheart. I'll try. Just maybe not right awa
It was Evie's last day and he wanted it to be perfect. He'd offered her the option of doing anything she wanted. He loved handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, but he'd happily skip this year if there was something else she wanted to do.As it turned out, Evie's preferences were pretty simple. They spent the hours from midnight 'til dawn in bed. Then he showed her the joys of shower sex, taking her up against the wall with the water spraying all around them. He shaved her legs for her because she wanted to look more modern, if only for him.And that led to his carefully shaving her all the way up, until her luscious pussy was as bare and pink as could be. Of course he couldn't resist diving in to taste then filling her so she could feel the difference without hair.Then he finally let her get dressed. They were both moving gingerly when they made their way down the stairs for brunch. He hadn't had a workout like this since - well, ever."I have a birthday gift for you," she told
It took a little experimentation for Evie to find the motion that worked best - not that anything felt bad with Sam inside her and his hands on her breasts. Finally she settled on an up-and-down movement, with her hands braced on his shoulders. His cock rubbed her in just the right spots. She felt herself going higher, tighter than ever before.When Sam took one hand off her nipple, she almost cried out at the loss. She watched him lick his index finger and wondered what he was about to do, though she was so caught up in fucking him she really didn't care. She was close, so close to her climax, and she trusted him implicitly.He reached behind her and placed the tip of his finger on her anus, pressing it just a tiny bit inside the tight opening.Evie gasped. "Sam?""Do you like it?" he rasped.It was odd, but not unpleasant. She nodded, still riding him frantically. "Good," he grunted, thrusting up hard into her cunt at the same time as his finger pressed harder, up to the first k
"Want to light a fire tonight?" he asked as they rounded the last corner and approached their house. "We could make love on that rug in front of the fireplace.""Oh yes," she breathed, beaming up at him. A few minutes later she sat on his sofa sipping wine while he built a fire in the old brick hearth. She kicked off her shoes and socks, even removed her jacket and sweater, and waited for him in just her jeans and camisole, her hard nipples rasping on the silk as she watched the flex of his strong muscles underneath his snug knit shirt.When he was done, he went to wash his hands, returning in nothing but yet another pair of colorful cotton undershorts. He set a small bundle on the hearth then watched as Evie stripped off her jeans and joined him on the fluffy cotton rug.This time, she took the initiative, dropping to her knees in front of him and taking his face between her hands as she kissed him.He tasted of strawberries and wine and smelled faintly of his lemon-scented soap a
They settled Ghengis in his crate and made their way up the stairs. Sam laid out the clothes he'd bought then shaved and brushed his teeth, changing into a clean shirt and jeans while Evie watched. His ghost was quite the little voyeur. Then at the stroke of midnight, he met her in the hallway and this time it was he who pulled her down the hall to the bedroom - after a long, spine-tingling kiss.He swatted her backside playfully when she groped his cock. "None of that, woman. Not yet, at least. Now we're off to see the world." There was so much he wanted to show her, and so little time."Fine." She tugged off the nightgown she'd worn during the day and studied the garments on the bed. "You have excellent taste, Sam. I suppose that goes with being an artist." It took just seconds for her to pull on the silky bikini underpants and camisole. Slender as she was, she didn't need a bra.She eyed the jeans with delight. "I wore my brother's old trousers only once when I was little - my fa
Evie let Sam help her from the bed. He had been bigger than her fingers, and her body was fully corporeal this time. There was a bit of tenderness between her legs, but sex with Sam had been worth every pang and twinge. He sat her on a stool in the bathroom with a glass of water while he disposed of the used condom then filled his oversized bathtub with water. The scent of lavender and vanilla perfumed the room as fluffy white bubbles foamed up in the tub."Here." He watched while she bundled her hair into the now-familiar plastic clip then handed her two small brown pills from a plastic bottle. "These are pain relievers. They may or may not work on you, but they shouldn't cause any harm.""Thank you." She swallowed the tablets, marveling at how far medicine had come since she was alive. Willow bark tea had done some good but it had tasted horrible. These pills she couldn't even taste. "It doesn't hurt badly - and I don't regret it for a moment." He hadn't asked but she'd learned to
"Let's make sure it was worth the wait." Sam kissed Evie again, taking back control and making sure she knew just how much he wanted her. He pushed down her shorts then his and pulled back from the kiss just long enough to lift her top over her head. Once they were both naked, he cradled her head in one hand and her ass with the other as he kissed her until neither of them could breathe."Oh yes," she moaned against his lips when they came up for air.Evie sagged toward the bed, and Sam eased her down to the sheets and gazed at her, her pale skin glowing against the burgundy silk. He'd lit the candles again, their glow adding a burnished gleam to her skin and hair. Soft jazz played in the background and the scent of vanilla perfumed the room. The setting was as perfect as he could make it, though not as perfect as Evie. He lay down beside her and kissed her again, this time with all the reverence he was feeling.Her response was electric, sending jolts of pleasure through his skin a
He spent awhile working on his computer but couldn't concentrate. Forcing himself to wait until eleven to start preparing, he gave up trying to work. Instead, he spent a while sketching Evie in various poses, including some he'd only imagined, like outside on a rope swing under a willow tree. Finally, with just an hour more to wait, Sam went upstairs, put the new silk sheets he'd bought onto his bed and arranged the roses he'd smuggled into the fridge before she'd come into the kitchen. He had a pair of silk pajamas for her to wear between her appearances this time, and had carefully hand washed her own garments so they'd be ready when it was time for her to leave. He left a bottle of massage oil warming in a sink of hot water and went back downstairs to prepare her treat - a lightly baked wheel of brie with an apricot glaze and a warmed baguette. A crisp white wine waited in the fridge.Tonight he had an hour and a half. He was still determined not to take her virginity until tomorro