She hesitated a brief second, then launched herself into his embrace. He brought her to the bed and let her cuddle into him, stroking her hair as she cried.
“She’s in a good place,” Sam said of her twin. “You know she’s getting help, not out on her own, where she could possibly hurt herself.”
Nicole hiccupped in an attempt to catch her breath, and she managed a small laugh. “I know that. I do. I guess—” She trailed off, obviously not wanting to explain.
“Come on. Let it out.” His hand cupped the back of her head, urging her to talk to him.
She sighed. “I let myself start to think about the possibility that she’d come out whole and healthy, ready to live her life. And maybe then I’d have someone there for me always. Like sisters are supposed to be. Like family is supposed to be.”
He heard the hurt and disappointment in her voice and ached for her. “I get it. But you’re making solid friends in Serendipity, right?”
She pushed back, turning to face him, propping herself up with one hand. “I am. It’s still new, but I feel comfortable and welcomed.”
“What about your friends at home?” he asked, curious about her past life.
“They’re all caught up in the social scene I grew up in. I kept up appearances when I was working for Tyler’s mother’s campaign because I needed their support, but after I broke off the engagement and moved away . . .” She shrugged. “I didn’t keep in touch with them and vice versa.”
He reached out and rolled her on top of him. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt that hiked up on her t
highs. And though he had on a pair of cargo shorts and a soft T-shirt, he was suddenly hot and felt overly constricted in his clothes.
“You’re brave, do you know that?” he asked, focusing on what was important and what she needed from him now, not his body’s aggressive demands.
“If you consider running away brave.”
He brushed her hair off her face. “I consider walking away from a life that didn’t suit you brave. Same with picking up and starting over in a new place.”
Her eyes warmed at his compliments.
“And holding all your problems inside? That’s pretty—”
“Stupid. Do not say brave.” She grinned, and he knew he’d broken through her sadness.
“Since you had your reasons, I suggest we let that one go.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“For what?”
“For not letting me get so deep into my own head that I forget all the good things in my life. And Sam?”
“Hmm?” With her body bracketing his, her scent teasing him, her feminine warmth arousing him, he was finding it harder and harder to concentrate.
“You’re one of those good things.” She tugged at his T-shirt and he shifted, helping her yank it over his head.
He tossed the garment onto the floor. She pulled at his shorts next, and those followed the same path. He removed her shirt too and discovered that she was nude beneath it.
“Oh, man,” he muttered, taking her in. Pale breasts stood in contrast to the rest of her now-tanned body, and he groaned at the sight.
He reached out and tweaked one nipple, and she responded with a soft moan. His cock twitched at the sexy sound. He maneuvered himself into a sitting position, intending to suck that tempting peak into his mouth, but she scooted down on him instead.
“My turn,” she murmured, and leaned close, swiping the head of his cock with a lick of her tongue.
He swore. Her pleasuring him was not what he’d had in mind when he set out to make her forget her troubles, but from the hazy look in her eyes, she was wholly focused on him and nothing else. So mission accomplished, he thought, falling back against the pillows at the same time she enclosed her mouth over his aching shaft and sucked him deep.
Buried in the moist recesses of her mouth, he felt the suction all the way into his balls before she released him, licked her way back to the tip and started all over again. He just might die if she kept up the rhythm. He’d never gone from zero to sixty so damned fast.
His orgasm threatened and everything inside him knew it would be the most explosive one he’d ever had. Maybe it was the way she focused on her task, licking and eating at him like he was the tastiest treat. Or maybe it was the way she gave of herself in the process. He’d placed a hand on her back and her entire body shook, letting him know she was enjoying this as much as he was. But he had the scary feeling that the only thing that mattered was the fact that it was Nicole selflessly giving him all those things, at a time when he should have remained focused on her.