Romance The Ice-Breaker

"It feels like I'm abandoning my child in daycare for the first time," she confessed, smiling ruefully at Alex. She'd been very careful with her schedule on Tuesday morning after her dinner with Joel and Julia. Other than making sure the assistant managers and shift supervisors were up to date on everything, she hadn't needed to be there that morning. It had been a personal thing, to make herself feel more comfortable about not working for several days. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to keep herself from dropping by in another few days as well.

"It'll get easier," Alex assured her with a smile, reaching over to lay his hand on her thigh.

She suppressed a shiver at the contact, laying her hand overtop of his. When she felt him try to pull his hand away, she held on, keeping his hand where it was. She saw him glance at her but she kept her face forward, smiling as the warmth from his hand seeped through her pants.

Definitely not going to be able to hold off much longer, she thought.

They'd only known each other a short while but Alex ignited her body in a way she'd never felt before. It was foolish to jump into anything so quickly and she'd been holding off for that very reason. She wasn't the type of girl to date around, she never had been, and she liked Alex. She wanted to be sure they knew each other before taking that next step. Now, she didn't know if it was the time they'd spent together already, or her giddy sense of freedom at having nine days off that made her want to climb inside his clothes.

"What's going on in there?" Alex's deep voice broke through her thoughts and she turned her head to see him smiling at her.

"What?"

"I can practically see you thinking," he said and chuckled, the sound going straight through her. He squeezed his fingers on her thigh, sliding his hand infinitesimally higher. Kaitlyn let him, liking how his touch felt.

"I was just trying to think of what would look good on your walls," Kaitlyn lied and smiled at him. "You're going to want movie posters or something, aren't you."

He laughed and shook his head, facing forward as the light before them turned green. In another few minutes they were parked and walking into the mall. Kaitlyn smiled and gladly let Alex take her hand as they walked inside. She felt like she'd won the lottery and all they were doing was holding hands, like any normal couple in the city.

Normal couple, she repeated to herself and bit her bottom lip, sneaking a glance at Alex. Are we a couple? She liked to think so and since Alex had been calling her every day since they'd run into each other in Joel's lounge, she thought he'd agree.

They hit the big department stores first, Alex giving careful consideration to every piece Kaitlyn suggested. He didn't want too much, afraid of making his place look cluttered. She agreed, more of a minimalist person herself. As they worked their way from store to store, Alex ended up selecting just one or two pieces for each room. They left the mall behind and Kaitlyn laughed all the way back to his house over the fact that he'd refused to try another stop.

"I've got all I need," he told her firmly.

Back at his house, Alex offered her something to drink and she gratefully accepted. She'd eaten lunch around eleven that morning and was starting to feel hungry.

"Do you want to go out for dinner?" she asked and drank almost half the bottle of water in one long sip.

Alex smiled at her and downed some of his own water. "I didn't think you had this kind of energy."

Laughing, Kaitlyn nodded in agreement. "Must be the vacation. Why? Are you too tired to go out now?"

He shrugged and Kaitlyn moved past him to open the fridge. "Why don't we see what we can make here," she suggested and laughed when she saw the nearly empty interior of his fridge. "Wow. Nothing but beer and condiments. How do you even survive?"

"I order in a lot," he told her, a sheepish smile on his face.

Kaitlyn looked over at him and grinned. "Well, I guess we can do that. But tomorrow, we're going to the grocery store."

"When did you get so bossy?"

"I've always been bossy," she replied, which was the truth. "I just know you well enough now that I'm showing my true colors." Pausing, she shut the fridge door and gave him a shy smile. "Do you still like me?"

Instead of answering out loud, Alex set his bottle of water down and stepped close to her, crowding her against the front of his fridge. She sucked in a breath as she looked up at him, watching his eyes darken just before he bent low to kiss her.

As always, his kiss swept away all rational thought. She held onto his arms, loving the feeling of his muscles bunching and relaxing beneath her touch. He parted her lips deftly with his tongue and swept inside, turning Kaitlyn's knees to jelly. The arm around her waist kept her on her feet and it was all Kaitlyn could do to remind herself to keep breathing. She met his tongue with a tentative stroke and, when she felt his arm squeeze her, she did it again.

He broke away from her lips and pressed his forehead to hers, breathing hard. Before she could draw enough breath to speak, he was kissing her again, moving so that he had her pinned more firmly against his fridge. She felt the hard muscled length of his thighs pressing into hers and raised herself to her toes when his arms lifted her. Helpless in his grasp, she slid her hands to his shoulders and weakly circled their broad width.

This time, his kiss was ruthless, stealing her breath clean away and making her body sing in response. He twisted his mouth over hers, tasting and teasing her. She felt his fingers open against her back and then he was pushing his hand beneath her shirt. When his fingers brushed her bare skin, she jerked against him and gave a tiny moan when she felt the rigid length of him pressing into her abdomen.

With a strangled sound of his own, Alex tore his mouth from hers and stared at her. His expression must have been a mirror of her own bewilderment. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Alex kept his hand splayed across the slope of her lower back and she held onto his shoulders, still shocked by the throbbing muscle against her stomach.

As though realizing his physical state, Alex flushed and took a deliberate step back. He lowered his hands to her hips and swallowed hard, the muscles in his jaw flexing as Kaitlyn looked up. She straightened in front of him, dropping one hand to pull the bottom of her shirt down self-consciously.

"Are you..." Alex began but stopped, his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and tried again, smiling at her. "Are you hungry?"

God, yes, she answered silently, licking her lips and recalling just how he'd tasted to her. "Sure," she said out loud.

Chuckling, Alex dropped a kiss on the corner of her mouth, careful to keep some space between them. Then he turned and opened a drawer beside the fridge. He listed the places nearby that delivered and let Kaitlyn decide. She chose pizza and they decided on a large pepperoni and mushroom.

While they waited for the pizza to be delivered, Kaitlyn followed Alex around his house as he hung his new pictures. He used her to make sure everything looked straight and then they did one more walk-through once everything was done.

"It looks great," she told him, touching his arm as he scrutinized the picture he'd hung in the kitchen.

He smiled and nodded. "Thanks for all your help."

"Of course. Men need a woman's perspective for this sort of thing."

He chuckled and bent to kiss her just as the doorbell rang. After digging into the pizza, they decided to watch a movie upstairs. He had one couch upstairs but Kaitlyn was more than happy to settle back against him as the movie started. She told herself she wasn't going to fall asleep this time.

However, her body seemed to have a mind of its own and she felt her eyes growing heavy as comfortable warmth settled over her. Alex was cradling her against his chest and the steady thump of his heart under her head was hypnotic. He eased his palm up and down her bare arm and the room was very dim, the only light coming from the television in front of them.

When Kaitlyn's head lolled to one side, she jerked back to full awareness. She sat up straight and looked down at Alex, who gave her a curious smile.

"Sorry," she mumbled and touched her cheek, still warm from his body. "I was falling asleep."

He chuckled and sat up beside her. "I know." He eyed her and gave her a playful wink. "I should be insulted."

Laughing, she shook her head and laid her hand against his chest. She leaned close, smiling as she watched his eyes darken. "Don't be. I can't seem to help myself around you. You make me feel so relaxed."

Alex grasped her hand and drew it up to his lips, pressing a warm kiss to the underside of her wrist. She followed the movement with her eyes, shivering when she met his hot gaze. Sitting back, she pulled her hand away and smiled at his pout.

"I need to use the restroom," she said. "Do I have to go back downstairs?"

"No, go ahead and use the one in my room," he told her, waving a hand in that direction.

She thanked him and walked away, grateful for any excuse to put some distance between them. She may be hot, and more than ready for him to jump her, but it was disorienting being so close to him. As she shut the bathroom door, she looked over at the big tub and smiled. She chewed her lip, considering and then decided she didn't have anything to lose.

Walking back out to the other room, she stood shyly in the doorway and smiled at Alex as he flipped through his movie selection. "Hey, Alex?"

He looked over and grinned when he met her eyes. Straightening to his full height, he turned and walked towards her. "What's up?"

"This may sound like a strange request," she said, looking down. "But I just have to ask."

"Go ahead and ask me anything," he encouraged, coming closer. To her, his voice sounded husky and she had to fight the urge to laugh out loud.

"Can I use your bath?"

He drew back and gaped at her. "My... bath?"

"I told you it was strange. It's just, you have such an amazing bathtub and I've always been a bath person but my apartment has the shallowest, crappiest tub you can imagine."

Alex stared down at her, a muscle working in his jaw. Kaitlyn kept her face serious, kept herself from giggling like a ninny. "You want to have a bath." He paused and she nodded. "In my bathtub."

"Can I? I promise to make it up to you."

He barked out a laugh and turned away from her, running his hands through his hair. "Christ almighty, gorgeous," he groaned.

Kaitlyn had to cover her mouth to contain her mirth. His reaction was stronger than she'd expected but it was still going according to her plan. "Please, Alex?" She resisted the urge to take his hand, knowing that if she touched him, her sexy plan would go down the drain.

"All right," he grumbled, giving her a lopsided smile. "I'm going to go downstairs while you do. Just... just let me know when you're done." Without another word, he walked away.

Letting a little giggle escape at last, Kaitlyn watched him go before darting back into his bedroom.

She shut the door and turned the water on over the tub. She watched it filling for a minute before looking around. Running her hands over the towels, she bit her lip, anticipation making her feel weak. First, she began to undress, carefully folding her clothes and placing them in a neat pile on the counter. She swept her medium-length hair into a ponytail high on her head, leaving several short strands sticking out around the nape of her neck. Last, she grabbed a towel off the rack and bent to check the water in the tub.

The drawback to these gigantic tubs was how long it took them to fill up. It left Kaitlyn with far too much time to second-guess herself. She perched on the edge of the tub and dipped her feet into the water that filled the bottom half. Her thoughts wandered until the water reached her calves then she turned her mind to how she wanted to arrange herself.

God, Kaitlyn, you're being ridiculous! she told herself, stifling another semi-hysterical laugh.

Her mind was racing and her heart was pounding furiously. When she held a hand up before her eyes, she saw her fingers trembling. All over, from head to foot, she was vibrating. She hadn't been so worked up since she'd gone through puberty. Oh, she'd had lovers as an adult, a couple good ones, a couple not-so-good ones, but Alex felt different. She didn't know what it was about him but she liked it. In spite of her frazzled nerves, she liked what he did to her.

As the water at last neared the top of the tub, Kaitlyn turned the taps off and drew in several fortifying breaths of the steamy air. Then she stood up and crept to the door, holding the towel closed at her chest. She opened the door a crack and peered out, then leaned her head around the side, listening. She thought she could hear him moving downstairs.

"Alex?" she called. Clearing her throat, she tried again, louder. "Alex?"

Alex paced around his kitchen aimlessly. He wasn't even aware he was doing it, focused instead on keeping his thoughts innocent. Not that it did any good; all he could think about was Kaitlyn naked, reclining naked in his big bathtub, naked as the steamy water softened her skin and made her... wet.

God help me, he thought, dragging his hands through his hair for the tenth time since she'd asked to use his bath.

He should have refused her. So far, they'd always been honest with each other, if somewhat more than playful at times. She would have blushed and maybe made some joke back at him. Then they would have sat back down on the couch and Alex would have held her close, not caring if she fell asleep or not.

He'd take that over this God-awful torture any day.

Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, he could hear her voice crying his name. Groaning, he sagged against his kitchen island and covered his face with his hands.

"Alex?"

There, he heard it again, and this time he knew he wasn't imagining things.

"Alex? Are you there?"

"Yeah?" he called back, already heading up the stairs.

"I think there's something wrong with the fixtures," she told him and he paused near his bedroom door, not wanting to just burst in.

"Oh. OK, I'll come have a look." He tapped on his bedroom door before entering. "Are you decent?" Please, please have some clothes on, he begged silently, not sure if he'd be able to stop himself from having his way with her if he found her naked.

Her soft laughter reached his ears and he pressed a closed fist to his eye. "I'm in the bathroom," she replied.

OK, not exactly a confirmation of her state of dress but he didn't think she'd let him parade in if she wasn't. He walked into his room and felt the brush of steam against his skin as it leaked from the barely open bathroom door. He walked over, tapped again on the door - to be polite - before pushing it wide open.

He stopped short just inside the doorway, his body frozen in place as his eyes took in the sight before him.

She must have had the water on full hot as she filled the tub, because steam had already misted the mirror over. He saw the steam first, curling over the edge of the tub and over her knees - her bare knees. Gradually, he took in the rest of her, bare thighs resting on the porcelain edge of the tub and bare arms holding one of his towels around her body. She held the corners of the towel in front of her and looked over her right shoulder as Alex entered the bathroom. The towel dipped down in the back, revealing the full expanse of her creamy skin from shoulder to waist.

Alex sucked in a breath and blinked, almost afraid the vision would disappear. His eyes met hers and she grinned, a glow in her eyes that had him hardening instantly.

"You... said... you... what's the problem?" he stammered, trying hard not to move.

Kaitlyn bit her lip and lowered her lashes. Alex took a step closer before he even knew he was doing it. "The problem is that I was in here alone," she murmured.

Again, all Alex could do was stare. She'd caught him completely off-guard and he wasn't even sure he could recite his own name if asked at that moment.

Then her words sank through the fog of his desire and a slow smile spread across his face. He watched her eyes pop open wide and then she smiled back. As he continued to stare at her, she lifted one hand and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him closer.

"Can't have that," he muttered and closed the distance between them with two long strides. He lifted her into his arms, choking back a groan when the towel slipped from her grasp. She laughed and didn't struggle against him as he covered her mouth with his. He carried her blindly out to his bed, glad when he didn't run into the wall.

As he laid her down on the bed - she was wonderfully naked - he knelt beside her, drinking in the sight of her.

"You're just going to waste a good bath?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows.

He nodded mutely, incapable of speaking. He'd always known she was gorgeous, it's why he called her by that endearment, reminding her every time. Here and now, naked, pink from her knees down from the hot water, she was more than gorgeous. She was breathtaking. Apparently his avid scrutiny was making her uncomfortable because she drew her knees up together and rolled to one side, hiding her face against a pillow.

Oh no. She wasn't going to get away that easily.

Alex stretched out beside her, forgetting that he was still fully clothed. He pulled her into his arms and sighed when she went willingly into his embrace.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, brushing delicate kisses over her forehead and down her cheek. He cupped her jaw in his hand and kissed her on the mouth, parting her lips with his tongue and sweeping inside. She moaned, her fingers fisting in his shirt and her body arching back over his arm. He groaned into her mouth to feel her breasts pressing against him.

Wrenching himself away from her, he raked her naked form with his eyes before meeting her foggy gaze again. "I don't want to rush you, gorgeous," he murmured, still so close that their breath mingled.

"I know," she whispered and smiled, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt.

"I want you so badly," he added and kissed her again, losing himself in her warm, soft mouth. She lapped at his tongue with hers, teasing and tracing his lips until he again broke the kiss with a sharp breath.

"Take your shirt off," she demanded breathlessly, and he complied with a grin.

Leaning away from her, he went on to pull his jeans open, shoving them, and his underwear, over his legs. She reached for him, hauling her body over his before he'd pushed his pants all the way off. He laughed and caught her close to his chest, happily kissing her back when she sought his lips with hers.

He held the back of her head, tangling his hand through her hair. He yanked the hair elastic free and smiled apologetically when she yanked her mouth away with a startled sound.

"You could have asked," she muttered.

Chuckling, Alex pulled her head down and kissed her temple. "I'm sorry," he whispered and slid his lips across her cheek to kiss the corner of her mouth. "I'll make it up to you."

"Mmm," she murmured and opened under his seeking tongue.

He kicked his legs, jostling them both as he removed his jeans altogether. Free at last, he rolled, pinning her under him. She stared up at him, her face flushed, her eyes so darkly green in the light pouring from the bathroom. Looking away from his face, her eyes flittered down his throat, over his shoulders to his chest. There, she placed her palms flat and slid them out.

He watched her hands move over his body, holding himself off of her and giving her room to touch him. Her touch was soft, taunting, and it raised the hairs on his arms. She slipped her hands around his ribs to his back and then down until she was lightly scraping her nails across the top of his ass.

"Oh Christ," he moaned and kissed her, pressing in fiercely and swallowing her sound of surprise as he claimed her.

Drawing her bottom lip between his teeth, he nibbled and then licked the same spot. She gasped, her mouth falling open as he did it. Grinning wickedly, he thrust his tongue inside as he slipped his hand down her side, digging his fingers possessively into her hip. She jerked against him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close. The move caught him by surprise and he fell on top of her with a gasping laugh. Their lips parted and Kaitlyn met his cloudy gaze with an impish smile.

"When did you get so demanding?" he asked breathlessly, brushing a kiss on her lips before moving lower.

As he sucked on her throat, she sighed and tipped her head back, letting him have more room. "I told you before," she murmured. "I've always been bossy."

He nipped the skin where her neck curved into her collarbone and she gasped, her arms squeezing as tight as she could. Lifting his head, he put a hand against her cheek and met her eyes. "I think I like it when you're bossy," he told her.

She laughed and shook her head. "Liar."

"I'm not," he insisted and kissed her to punctuate his remark.

"All right," she breathed when he released her. "Then kiss my neck again."

He obliged, dropping his head as he stroked her jaw with his thumb. Using his hand, he tilted her head back and lapped at her warm skin, savoring her sweet scent. She shuddered as he traced swirling patterns over her skin with his tongue. At first he just used the tip of his tongue, teasing her with gentle strokes. Then, when she squirmed beneath him, he pressed his tongue flat and started to suck at the pulse point just under her chin.

Lifting his head, he smiled at her. "How's that?" he asked smugly, seeing the color high in her cheeks.

"Good," she replied, her voice hoarse.

"Now what?" he asked, his hand tracing similar patterns on her naked hip.

"Now what, what?"

Laughing, he squeezed her waist and rested on one elbow just to her side, easing some of his weight off of her. "Now what do you want me to do?"

She giggled and pressed a hand to her cheek. "You like me being bossy?"

"I told you I do," he said and meant it. He liked her no matter how she wanted to let him, but following her orders was intriguing. He wondered how far she'd take it and he wondered how long he could go without taking over.

She bit her lip and Alex's eyes flicked to her mouth. He swallowed as he watched her teeth capture the soft pink skin. Her hands moved to his shoulders again, looping loosely behind his neck.

"I want you, Alex," she whispered, drawing his gaze back to her eyes.

"What?"

"I want you," she repeated, flushed either from his attentions so far or from embarrassment, he didn't know. "I can't think straight right now and I don't know what I want, except that I... just... I want you."

Well, he could work with that.

He covered her mouth with his and slid his hand down her back until he was cupping the softness of her bottom. He felt her leg brush against the outside of his thigh and moved his hand lower, pressing his fingers into her soft flesh. She moaned into his mouth, her fingers splaying against his shoulders as he left hot tracks down the side of her thigh until he was grasping her knee. Shifting, he pressed her down as he moved between her legs.

When he felt her downy curls against his raging erection, he groaned and lifted his mouth from hers. They were both breathing heavily and Alex looked down to where her chest was rising and falling. Entranced, he watched the movement, watched as her round, pink nipples hardened at the tips. He reached for one, running his fingers delicately over one tip and smiled in satisfaction when he felt her stomach tremble against his.

"How's this?" he murmured, not looking at her as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"W-what?" she asked, sucking in uneven breaths.

Chuckling, he did it again and then cupped the round flesh in his hand. He lowered his head and flicked his tongue over the tip. She jumped in his arms, arching into his grasp and pressing more of her soft warmth into him. He felt her heartbeat against his chest then and closed his eyes, savoring her. He switched to her other breast after a time, stroking his fingers over the damp tip of the one he'd just abandoned. Back and forth he went until she wasn't lying still. Every stroke of his tongue or hand had her writhing.

She was so responsive to his touch, so vocal about letting him know what he was doing right. He loved it, all of it; her sweet warmth, her soft, yielding body, her little mewling moans. He could do this for weeks and never have enough of her.

Then, he couldn't wait any longer.

He slipped a hand between them, parting her thighs. She opened to him so effortlessly that it made his head spin. Drawing his hand up her silky inner thigh, he cupped her center and they groaned together at the sensation.

"God, Kaitlyn, you're so wet," he groaned, hardly aware that he spoke at all.

He felt the breathless rush of her laugh against his forehead and looked up at her. She was flushed, her eyes glassy and dark, her lips swollen and parted. As he stared at her beautiful face, her tongue darted out, sliding along her lower lip and Alex lost it.

Surging up, he brought their mouths together as he buried himself deep inside of her. He drank down her startled cry and teased the spot above their joined bodies. She jerked in his arms, closing her arms and legs around him. Alex sank into her again, sliding his tongue under and around hers until she rose to his touch. Pulling back, Alex planted both his hands on the bed beside her head. Rising, he thrust again, kissing her hard, ruthlessly plunging his tongue into her mouth with each jarring thrust of their hips.

Kaitlyn rose to his movements, moaning and making amazing noises in her throat as she moved. Her hips cradled him and her arms slipped from his shoulders. She stroked down his sides until she was cupping his ass, urging him on.

God, she was so wet, so tight around him. Alex pushed faster, pulling back and sinking so deep. Kaitlyn ripped her lips from his and sucked in deep breaths, her chest rising and pushing against his. He felt her taut nipples brushing against his chest and groaned, lowering his body so he could rub her in return. She moaned, pushing her head back on the pillows, her eyes shut. Her fingertips dug into his ass, pulling him closer. Her legs rose and he felt her heels press into the backs of his thighs.

God, she's beautiful, he thought, his mind barely able to focus on just that.

Then he felt the telltale flutter of her inner muscles and watched her face change. Her lips parted and her eyes flew wide open, like she'd been caught by surprise. She sucked in a breath and then held it, trembling in his arms.

"That's it," he murmured, brushing her face with kisses, lapping at her chin with his tongue. "I want to feel you come."

At his words, she fell apart, a strangled moan ripping from her throat. Her hips pumped up and down, driving him deep. Her hands pressed into the small of his back and he grinned, kissing her as she climaxed. It was amazing, watching her respond to him. He loved that she was this way because of him, because of what he'd done to her.

Lifting himself over her again, he rested on his elbows and kissed her as he moved faster. His tongue drove inside her mouth as he thrust his cock deeper. He claimed her, moving from her lips to her ear lobe, biting down before smoothing it with a kiss. She whimpered and clutched his shoulders weakly as he continued to move, drawing out her pleasure and making her tremble from head to foot.

He sucked on that jumping pulse beneath her chin and laved the spot again and again with his tongue, mindless of his actions. All he knew was that she was still rising to his touch and she was like molten silk around him. He pushed faster, harder, sinking deeper with each pounding thrust. She moaned his name, scraping her nails across his back and probably leaving marks. He didn't care; all he cared about was this, her, their bodies joined and his tensing almost to the point of pain.

Gasping, he lifted his head and growled wildly as he lost control. Stars exploded behind his eyes and he pumped hard into her.

He came down after what felt like forever and lifted glazed eyes to see Kaitlyn smiling at him. Smiling weakly in return, he lifted his head to kiss her before rolling off to lie beside her. Groaning, they parted and Kaitlyn rolled with him, curling herself against his side. Sleep came swiftly, dragging them both under in an instant.

"It's not working!" Kaitlyn shrieked and leaned to one side, hands flailing. Her move yanked the controller, slapping the gray cord on the carpet yet again.

Alex laughed as he watched from his spot on the couch. Kaitlyn was kneeling on the floor, playing one of his X-Box games and having obvious difficulties. She was wearing one of his long-sleeved plaid shirts, buttoned up crookedly in the front, and nothing else. From her kneeling position on the floor, Alex could see her bare feet peeking out from under the back of the shirt and every time she moved, left or right, he caught a glimpse of her fantastic ass.

"Easy, gorgeous," he told her as she jerked wildly to one side again. "You're going to yank the controller right out of the game."

She hit 'pause' and tossed a pointed glare over her shoulder before returning to the game. Alex merely shook his head and rubbed his chin as he watched her. Normally he was pretty protective of his video games but when Kaitlyn had asked to try, he didn't have the strength to resist her. He hadn't been resisting her all night.

After that first time, they'd slept for a couple hours before stirring. Alex had risen to empty the tub, the water long turned cold, and turned to find Kaitlyn standing naked in the doorway behind him. She'd been a mess, hair tangled and sticking out wildly on the back of her head, lines from the bed sheets all over her body and she'd been rubbing blearily at one eye.

She was gorgeous, just like always. So Alex had surrendered and made love to her again.

Now it was three in the morning and they were both wide awake. Since nothing was on TV, they'd decided to turn on his precious X-Box. Alex found a new hobby the moment Kaitlyn took the controller from his hand; watching her play his game.

It didn't hurt that she was practically naked.

When her character on screen met another untimely and grotesque death, she doubled over with a groan of frustration. Alex bit his lip at the sight of her behind exposed to him and pulled himself off the couch. Hearing him move, Kaitlyn twisted to look at him and smiled as he settled behind her. He put his arms around her and rested his hands over hers on the controller.

"Here," he said. "Let's try again."

She nodded and when Alex glanced down, he could see the firm set to her jaw. Kaitlyn was stubborn and bossy. She was also funny, kind and generous, and a passionate lover. It had been a week since the night in the lounge and Alex still couldn't believe how lucky he was.

The game started up again and this time, when Kaitlyn jerked to one side or another, hands flying into the air, Alex chuckled and steadied her movements. She stopped fighting his hold after a few minutes and laughed when they sailed through the first level.

"See? It's easy," he told her.

She snorted and shook her head as the game reloaded for the next level. "You've just played this game more than I have, that's all." She turned her head and rested it against his arm as she looked into his face. "If I had nothing better to do on my days off, I'd be good at this too."

Now it was his turn to scoff and he dropped a kiss on her lips before speaking. "You don't have days off," he reminded her. "Isn't this your first vacation in... like... ever?"

She gaped and jabbed her elbow back into his ribs, making him laugh.

"Don't hurt me," he cried playfully and secured her in his hold again. "Joel would be pissed if you injured his favorite player."

She gave another unladylike snort before turning her attention back to the game.

Sitting there, so close to her body again, feeling her heart thumping through her back, Alex felt his desire rising again. As the game wore on, there was no way she could miss the growing appendage against her backside. When she gave her hips a noticeable little wriggle, Alex knew she was playing with him.

Well, he could play too.

Releasing her hands, he trailed his fingers up her arms, drawing the sleeves of his shirt higher. He felt her intake of breath and glanced down to see her fingers falter on the controller. Chuckling darkly, he moved his hands higher, leaving the sleeves alone. He cupped his hands on either side of her head, rubbing his thumbs into the soft base of her skull. Her head fell back and a moan slipped from her lips at his firm touch.

"Careful," he murmured, putting his lips close to her ear. "You'll die again."

Her attention snapped back to the game but Alex continued to toy with her. He lifted her hair and planted kisses up and down the back of her neck. She shivered and he smiled against her skin, turning his head and nipping at the joint of her neck and shoulder. She gasped again and the controller rattled as her hands shook.

Opening his mouth, Alex suckled at the warm, sweet spot just behind her right ear and slid his arms around her waist. He lifted the edge of his shirt and teased the crisp curls between her thighs before moving higher. Cupping her breasts, he massaged them and played with the rapidly hardening tips, all while continuing to suck on her neck.

"You're going to leave a mark," she gasped out and he lifted his head to laugh against her ear.

She shuddered and he splayed his hands flat over her firm breasts.

"It's only fair," he replied. "Since you've marked me." He was referring to the red welts she'd left on his back from both their earlier sessions. Not that he was complaining. He liked the idea of physically marking each other. It was so... primal.

A breathless sigh escaped her as he gently pinched her taut, perky nipples and the controller fell from her hands. It clattered to the floor and the low sound from the TV pronounced her dead again. She didn't seem to care, lifting her arms to reach behind her, sliding her fingers through his hair. He nipped at her ear lobe and pulled his hands from beneath the shirt.

He guided their bodies then, pulling her to her knees and pushing his boxers down far enough that his aching member sprang free. She jerked against him and groaned when she felt the hot press of his cock against her bottom. Moving his hands down, he spread her thighs and stroked between them, growling low in his throat when he felt the slick folds of her body.

Breathing hard, he stroked her, bottom to top and back again, teasing her opening with one wet finger before retreating. She moaned, making inarticulate pleas and he grinned, pleased that she was so helpless to his touch. Earlier, she'd tried to be bossy but when it came to this - her body damp to his touch and his body hard between her legs - she was nothing but a whimpering mess.

"Tell me you want me," he ordered, his soft voice taking the edge out of his words.

Her breathless laugh turned to a moan as he slid his finger between her lips and wriggled it as deep as he could.

"Kaitlyn? You have to tell me."

She shook her head feebly, her mouth opening and closing as she sucked in air. He stroked her faster, sliding his finger out and rubbing her all over. He teased her, never quite coming close enough to give her release. She dropped a hand to cover his, forcing his fingers to do her bidding. As she did that, Alex guided himself into her from behind.

He entered her slowly, savoring her low moan as she arched against his body. Her hand froze over his and her fingers clenched in his hair. Alex pushed again, sliding his hard length deeper inside of her. She shuddered and he felt her fingers flex over his where he still played with her.

"You do want me," he hissed and pulled back almost to the point of leaving her.

When she protested, Alex chuckled, holding himself still. Her hand moved from his, sliding around to grasp his hip. Her other hand dropped from his head and she did the same thing on his other side. Alex looked down at her, bowing away from him, her shirt riding up over her bottom. Alex's breath caught when she moved back, sliding her body over his cock.

Something inside of Alex's mind snapped and he forgot about his desire to make her beg. He moved both his hands until he was holding her around the waist and then he started to move. He pushed in and groaned as she pushed back against him. Bunching the fabric of her shirt, he thrust again and again until she was panting helplessly. He moved a hand down to stimulate her again. She cried out, coming around him.

Alex let go then, really let go, and pounded her body with his until he felt every muscle tense up. With a low groan, he came, pumping his hips against her bottom over and over until he was spent. They slid to the floor with identical sighs of satisfaction, landing in a tangled heap. Alex reached up and swept her hair out of the way so he could kiss the side of her neck.

"I think I died," she murmured, jerking her chin at the television.

Alex laughed and nodded. He'd died too, then come alive again under her touch.​