Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(55)

Chapter Sixteen

“So bad it hurts, Krista,” Sean’s voice was husky and labored.

His breath dusted her face. His sensuous lips barely touched the corner of hers for a split second. She could feel his erection against her hip. His arms constricted, but then they loosened again.

“But I won’t. You are emotional right now. That would just make you more confused. It would further complicate things. I don’t want the chasm between us any larger. I can barely get around it as it is.”

Krista didn’t like that answer. It was probably true, sure, but she wanted him. She wanted to feel like she was home again. Like she was safe, and loved, and protected from the harsh winds of the world she found herself in. Him in her body had always made sense. He had always made her feel wanted, beautiful. She didn’t think about how he pushed her away, or his fear. Instead, she slowly felt up the inside of his shirt, tracing each abdominal muscle. She could hear his breath coming faster. She nuzzled into his neck and kissed him slowly and softly, then nipped him.

“Oh, Krista.” He moaned as his hands slid down her back slowly, finding their way to her butt. His arms constricted again, smashing their groins together, his hard bulge pressing deliciously.

She cupped the back of his head and brought his lips closer to hers. She hadn’t opened her eyes, and didn’t bother now. She trailed kisses across his cheek and found his mouth. Wasting no time, she opened those lush lips with hers and slid in her tongue with needy thrusts. He tasted of spearmint and coffee and Sean. She flicked and played her tongue off his as he ground her groin into him, gyrating slowly.

She was in ecstasy. She’d forgotten how good he felt. Better than anybody she’d ever been with. Just a small kiss had her heart hammering. He let her lead, breathing heavily as she kissed and stroked, leading him to the bed. He went like a trusting lamb, unable to say no, unable to stay strong.

That was when they heard a key in the lock. Dawning was slow for both, but finally they came to their senses, Sean first. He grabbed Krista’s arms and pushed her away regretfully. The effect was like dousing Krista in cold water. She blinked and looked around confusedly before finally grasping the severity of the situation—Janice was just about to walk in with god-knew who and she was grabbing Sean in all the delicious, but wrong, places. She was doing exactly what the whole company thought she did to get to where she was.

She looked at Sean. His eyes were filled with lust and regret, but he stepped away marginally, giving them more room. He took a big breath as Janice walked in, who stopped abruptly.

“I’m sorry,” Janice said, surveying the scene and looking flustered. “Sean, you shouldn’t be in here.”

“I know,” he replied, still looking deeply into Krista’s eyes. He was trying to will her to understand something. She figured it was lack of control. “Krista was chosen to be dunked and had a hard time of it.”

“Oh, I was afraid of that!” Janice said, bustling over. She found a towel, tore Krista further away from Sean, and wrapped her up in a motherly sort of way.

But Krista didn’t need her mom right now, she needed Sean. If not Sean, then alone time to sort out her feelings.

She struggled out of Janice’s pitying grasp. “I’m good you guys. Really. I have to get changed. Sean, where should I meet you?”

Sean’s eyes were sea green infernos. She had seen that look many, many times. It was taking everything he had not to take two quick steps and carry her away. Krista broke out in a sweat, mostly because she wanted to let him. “Sean!”

He blinked twice, saw Janice and her looking at him expectantly, and flushed a bright red. “Geegee, we’re paintballing after lunch. You might wear your yoga pants. Or running pants. Or whatever you’ve got.”

~*~*~*~

Krista turned and headed to the bathroom. Sean walked stiffly away—he had to go find Tory. And get some space. He’d almost given in and it would have been the second biggest mistake he’d made with her. He would have given in, and she would have gone running. You couldn’t push Krista when she wasn’t ready. She just froze up. You had to coax her out, and if you did, the rewards were plentiful.

Sean made his way upstairs to the suites where Tory had his room and make-shift office. All the VPs could have had suites as well, but Sean wanted to stay near Marcus and Krista. He wanted to be one of the team until everyone was gelling smoothly. All the other VPs thought he was stupid for it.

The door to Tory’s room was opened by Ron.

“Hi, Sean. Come in. I was just finishing up.”

The room was large and luxurious. The outer room looked like a living room. There was an entertainment system, couches, and a recliner, with a bar area off to the right. Further in was an area for a mini-office with a desk and chairs, and visitor chairs. Tory was sitting there, his laptop opened in front of him.

At the back of the suite was a large arched doorway that showed an enormous king size bed with four-posters and a million perfectly set pillows. There was probably a gigantic bathroom in there somewhere as well as a walk-in closet.

The allure was space. That’s all it was, more space than the room he currently had and hardly used. Sean had a house for that. It wasn’t worth missing Marcus’s random tid-bits about what people had said to him in passing. Information was worth more than a big bathroom any day.

“Sean, come in,” Tory said as he looked out over his laptop. “I was just talking to Ron about the gravity of Blake’s comment. It was one of five comments Krista could easily sue us for.”