Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

T hey didn't make it to the front door of her room. Instead, they stumbled onto the balcony, shoved open the sliding door, and tangled in the sheer curtains before tumbling into the room.

Abby padded through the darkness and flicked on a bedside lamp, surprised Judd hadn't followed her in.

"Forget something?" He asked.

Turning, she saw him leaning against the door frame, arms folded, looking super sexy with water dripping down his bare chest. Her gaze dipped lower, drawn to the bulge in his shorts and he straightened, proud and confident.

By the size of that bulge he had every right to be.

"Um…let me see…I forgot to clean up?"

She darted a quick glance around the room, wishing she'd had the foresight to tidy a bit. Not that she'd expected them to sprint into her room via the open balcony door—she'd assumed he'd take charge and make the first move and they'd use his room for their ‘honeymoon' night—but now they were here, she couldn't help but wish the piles of clothes draped over chairs, not to mention her underwear hanging on a string to dry in the bathroom, would disappear.

"Unless you have a stash of condoms, I'm going to have to make a quick detour to my room and meet you back here?"

She muttered a curse that had him grinning.

"Give me two minutes." He held up two fingers and she crossed the room in a second, pushing down one of his fingers.

"Make it one," she said, slanting her lips across his in a blistering kiss designed to make him hurry back.

"Thirty seconds," he said, gently easing her away before vanishing through the curtains, leaving her touching her mouth in awe of the havoc his lips could wreak.

As Abby raced around the room shoving clothes into the wardrobe and kicking shoes under the bed, she expected the doubt demons to start giving her grief. Instead, wild elation filled her at the thought of picking up where they'd left off on the beach, though this time she had every intention of satisfying him before she lost it completely again.

"Made it with a second to spare. Miss me?"

Abby swivelled in the bathroom door, her arms filled with bras and knickers, and she quickly dropped the lot onto the nearest chair, her mind blank as Judd advanced towards her, fire in his eyes, a wicked smile playing about his lips.

"Well, did you?" He stopped less than a foot in front of her, the heat radiating off his body beckoning her to close the short gap between them and lose her mind.

She couldn't remember the question as the green flecks in his hazel eyes glowed like sparkling emeralds in the dim light cast by the single lamp.

"What would you do if I had a first floor room rather than a ground floor bungalow?" She almost smacked herself for saying the first ridiculous thing that popped into her head.

He shrugged. "Simple. I'd climb the trellis like Romeo."

"How very apt. Ill-fated lovers…" she trailed off as he leaned towards her, powerless to stop the incoming sensual onslaught, knowing she didn't want to.

"We're not ill-fated. As for the lovers part…" He brushed a kiss across her lips before she could move, a soft, sensual touch that left her desperate for more. "I aim to remedy that starting now."

His lips slid across hers again, firmer this time, but she craved more. "This is our wedding night," he said. "Considering we did the bride and groom thing today, pretend or otherwise."

Wedding night …a reminder of all that had happened today. Sure, they'd play-acted a wedding for the camera but no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she couldn't forget how good it had felt having Judd by her side, holding her close, staring at her like a beloved bride.

It had felt way too good; which is why she had to forget about the day completely and immerse herself in this moment, with this man, and focus on the night ahead no matter what the morning may bring.

"Wedding night, huh? Well, then, let's make it memorable." Her teasing smile made him groan as he covered her mouth with his and pulled her into his arms, effectively wiping all thought from her mind.

Perfect. Abby didn't want to think anymore. She didn't want to rationalise, contemplate, or wonder how right or wrong this was. For now, she wanted to feel, to explore, to create magic with the one guy who made her melt with a simple smile.

Threading her arms around his neck, she arched towards him, inviting closer contact. Judd moaned deep in his throat, accepting her invitation with the consummate skill she'd come to expect from their kisses and explosive passion on the beach.

His tongue eased into her mouth, slow and languorous, urging her to join him in exploration. She met him half way, eager to sample what he had to offer, playfully nipping at his bottom lip between her teeth and sucking lightly.

He tightened his grip in response and broke the kiss, his mouth roving over her face with precision, scattering light kisses over her skin, notching up her craving for him to unbearable.

"Judd?"

"Hmm?"

His mouth nibbled its way down her neck, leaving a scorching trail to her breasts which threatened to spill out of her bikini top the longer she pressed against him. Not that she cared. In fact, she wished he'd speed up the process by untying the strings around her neck and relieving the deep-seated ache he'd started the moment he first kissed her.

"This is the best," she whispered, as his hands slid around her back, found the first string, and tugged on it hard, before untying the knot at the base of her neck in record time.

"And it's about to get a whole lot better, sweetheart."

She didn't doubt it for a second, ripples of longing shooting through her as the bikini top slithered down her torso and plopped in a wet heap at her feet, bringing her breasts in exquisite contact with his bare chest.

"You feel incredible," he murmured, his fingertips grazing the undersides of her breasts as he cupped them, weighed them, before skimming his palms across her erect nipples.

Her head fell back as an electrifying sensation shot from his hands to the deepest part of her, now throbbing with need. She burned, heat streaking through her veins, and as Judd's mouth enclosed a nipple and he flicked with his tongue, she melted.

"Wobbly knees, huh?"

"Wobbly everything," she said, as he kissed his way across to her other breast, repeating the delightful torture of licking and sucking her nipple as he eased her back onto the bed.

He propped on his side, his fingertips skimming her body, skirting around her breasts, teasing her, until she could've begged for more while his steamy gaze followed the slow, lazy movement of his hand.

"You're so beautiful."

She reached out to trail a finger down his cheek. "Guess you've never seen me like this, huh?"

Raw, powerful passion flickered in his eyes, turning them from familiar hazel to molten caramel in a heartbeat.

"You've always been beautiful to me, Abby," he said, lowering his lips to hers, kissing her slower and deeper this time, a soul-drugging kiss that made her wish to prolong this perfect moment forever.

A stupendous kiss.

A kiss beyond her wildest dreams.

But it didn't affect her half as much as the way he said her first name, with tenderness, in comparison to his usual teasing ‘Weiss'.

She broke the kiss to cradle his face and stare into his eyes, hoping he could read how important this was to her. "I want you,"

There was no turning back now.

He scanned her face as if seeking reassurance and she smiled as she slid her hands into his hair, tugging him towards her.

"Now."

His answering grin lit up his face, making her heart flip-flop more than ever. "How can I refuse an order like that?"

"You can't," she said, surging upwards to plaster herself against his body, her hands sliding down his torso, frantically tearing at his shorts, desperate to feel all of him.

"Let me help you with that." He slipped the shorts down his legs and tossed them over his shoulder, where they landed on the fancy chrome lamp by the bedside.

They laughed and Abby could hardly believe how special this was. She'd had sex with previous boyfriends and it had been fun, but nothing like this extraordinary feeling of being totally in sync with someone, completely at ease despite the enormity of what they were about to do.

Sex could be great, but it could also be awkward, stilted, and a purely physical act, yet sharing a laugh with her best friend who was about to rock her world made it all the more momentous.

"Better take that off before it burns," she said, itching to close the short gap between them and rub her breasts against his chest.

His grinned and slipped a finger under the elastic of her bikini bottoms. "You talking about this?"

"Your shorts off the lamp, wise guy."

She rolled her eyes, her laughter fading as he slid his finger along her hip before withdrawing. Her breath hitched as he moved away from her to grab the board shorts, giving her ample opportunity to study the breadth of his shoulders, the smooth, tanned expanse of skin, and the shift of muscles beneath the surface.

Gorgeous, and having permission to explore his body was something she'd never dreamed possible.

Until now.

"All fire hazards taken care of. Now, where were we?"

"Right about here," she said, taking hold of his hand and guiding him back to her bikini bottoms while leaning forward and brushing her breasts across his chest. "As for fire hazards, I don't know about you, but I'm burning all over."

"Same here," he murmured, yanking the bottoms down in one smooth movement, his hand grazing her and sending her into meltdown as she arched towards him.

"Wow." His reverent whisper thrilled her as he stared at her, his fingers trailing up her thighs with torturous patience, inching higher and higher at a snail's pace, making her grit her teeth with the erotic torment of it.

As he shifted his gaze upwards, lingering on her bare breasts before shifting to her mouth, she tingled all over like he'd touched her on each and every one of those sensitive spots.

They locked gazes and her breath caught at the depth of desire in his eyes. She wanted him so badly and it looked like the feeling was entirely mutual.

"Judd?"

His penetrating stare hadn't flickered, and she hoped he wasn't having second thoughts. She'd moved way past that stage, around the time he first touched her bare skin.

"I'm just admiring the view," he said. "It's the photographer in me."

She smiled and crooked her finger at him. "This model appreciates the sentiment but she's done working for the day. It's play time now."