‘Yes. I think we could.’
Alistair pulled the keys from his pocket. Along with the key to his room was a master key that would open all the access doors to the building. Putting his arm around her, he led her along the dark path to the door closest to them, which led almost directly to his room.
As soon as they were inside, she flung her arms around his neck. It took an almost superhuman effort to walk the few steps to his room, but somehow he made it, closing the door behind them. He felt the warmth of her body against his, and kissed her again. His limbs begin to shake and Alistair forced himself to think straight.
‘Raina... Unless you have condoms...’
‘No, I don’t. We can improvise, though, can’t we?’ She licked her lips. Raina had a point. Just the thought of what she could do with her fingers and her mouth was driving him crazy.
‘Wait...’ He couldn’t let her go, even for a moment, and he kissed her all the way to the bathroom door. Flipping open the cabinet, he found what he was looking for. ‘I told you this place had everything.’
She snatched the condoms out of his hand, st
anding on her toes to whisper in his ear. Yes. He wanted to be inside her, too. And yes. For a very long time. His blood felt as if it was starting to boil.
‘You’re sure, Raina?’ He had to know. He had to hear her say it.
She took his head between her hands. ‘Yes. I’m sure. Is that enough for you?’
More than enough. He hoisted her up into his arms and made for the bed.
* * *
The one thing that Raina had always really liked about Alistair was that as soon as he kicked the bedroom door closed behind him, that easygoing nature of his changed. When he made love, there was no hesitation and no compromise. He understood the fine art of taking it to the limit.
The door was already closed, so there was no kicking needed. But there was a bed. As she clung to his neck the years apart seemed to fall away.
He laid her down, undressing her. Letting each scrap of clothing fall to the floor in a calculated act of give and take, which left her shivering with pleasure and anticipation. When he pulled his shirt over his head, disregarding buttons as an unnecessarily indirect route to what they both wanted, Raina smiled.
‘You’ve always been beautiful, Alistair...’
He gave a low growl of humour. ‘A little older. You, on the other hand, don’t get old. Just more exquisite.’
‘Older suits you.’ His body was a little heavier, but every inch of it was muscle and strength. He’d been taking really good care of himself while she’d been gone.
She wondered whether he’d take the hearing aid out, and he did. It was the one thing he didn’t fling aside, laying it carefully on the table beside the bed. Then he lay down beside her, holding her tight against the taut strength of his body.
‘I want to hear you, Raina. Every breath. Every word...’
That meant face to face. Staring into each other’s eyes as they made love. Looking for the clues that told them that they hadn’t forgotten how to nurture sensation until it exploded between them, out of control.
‘I want to hear you too, Alistair.’
He eased his body over hers, and Raina clung to him, feeling his hand move across her thighs and between her legs. So gentle, and yet with the ultimate promise of such fierce pleasure.
The one thing that never changed was the bond that had been forged in their eyes. Alistair’s gaze never left hers as their bodies moved, and he saw everything that she felt. It was a precious link, born of necessity, which became a thing of delight.
‘What you said, Raina... About having me inside you for a long time...’
‘That’ll be next time...’
He grinned down at her, watching her face as he moved. Raina wound her legs around his waist, twisting her body, and he groaned. Everything they’d ever had together, pleasure and loss, anger and love, melted together and drove them on.
She felt the orgasm begin to build. He knew, and she knew that he was close too. Suddenly there was only Alistair, and the unstoppable joy of completion. He cried out and she held him tight.
He kissed her, laying his forehead against hers, while they both got their breath back. Then he chuckled, rolling onto his back, taking her with him in an embrace.
‘I never thought we’d do that again.’ Finally he spoke.