His hands glided over her sweat-slicked skin. “Fine by me. I happen to like where you are right now.”
So did she...a little too much. Gradually their breathing slowed and she drifted off.
* * *
Damian awakened hours later and stared down at the woman cuddled next to him with the sheets twisted around their lower bodies. His gaze lingered over her exposed naked body bathed in the morning sunlight peeking through the partially open curtains. He couldn’t get enough of her. After that second round, their first attempt to shower had ended with her hands braced against the wall as he entered her from behind. Then they wound up in one of the chairs before showering again and falling asleep.
Something was happening between them—something more than sex. He had felt it when they made love and during their conversations. Troy had been right. Damian couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled and laughed so much. He and Karen had a lot of things in common—everything from music to sports to food. Though they talked, they hadn’t let their guards down enough to discuss more personal topics. Other than what she revealed to him over lunch, he still didn’t know much about her. Had she been married before? What did she like to do outside the classroom?
Over the past two days, the parts of him that had lain dormant for so many years surfaced and burst free. When he was younger, he had hiked, sailed, danced, laughed and enjoyed life. Karen was the first woman who seemed to possess the same zeal for life as him. The other women he dated wouldn’t have been caught dead doing any activity that required more than lifting a wineglass to their lips. The other thing that crossed his mind was her calming presence. For as long as he could remember, he’d be lucky if he slept for more than two hours at a time. Last night he had slept five hours straight without any of the restlessness that usually plagued him.
Damian glanced over his shoulder at the clock. He still had a couple of hours before meeting his friends. He eased out of her embrace, slid off the bed and headed for the bathroom. She stirred for a moment and then turned over and settled down. While in the bathroom, he found a new toothbrush and toothpaste in a gift basket on the counter. After finishing, he returned to find Karen awake and propped on her elbow. She had pulled the sheet up, covering her amazing body.
“Good morning,” he said with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”
“Good morning. I did. How about you?”
“It was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.”
She stared at him curiously, then asked, “Are you done in the bathroom?”
He nodded. His eyes were riveted to her lush curves as she passed him, and his body reacted in kind. He was sitting up in bed with the sheet draped across his lower body when she returned.
Flipping the cover back, he patted the space next to him. “Come join me.” She scooted next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her. Damian tilted her chin and kissed her. “Now, that’s a good-morning kiss.”
“Mmm, I agree.”
“Are you going to be busy tonight with your friends?”
“We didn’t really make any concrete plans. Why?”
“I want to have dinner with you,” he said while nibbling on the shell of her ear. “We only have a couple of days left on the cruise, and I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”
“In that case, okay.”
“Seven good for you?”
“Absolutely.”
Damian lowered his head and kissed her again. He had only meant it to be gentle—a kiss sealing the date—but the moment he touched her lips, he was lost. He tumbled her backward on the bed and deepened the kiss while his hands roamed possessively over her body.
“Don’t you need to meet your friends?” Karen murmured against his lips.
“Mmm-hmm. I have plenty of time for them. Right now I just want to concentrate on you and this beautiful body of yours.”
He reached for the last condom on the nightstand, quickly sheathed himself and slid into her sweet warmth. He wanted to take his time, but the way her muscles tightened around him and the sound of her calling his name in that sexy voice were his undoing. Afterward, they both collapsed against the pillows trying to catch their breath.
“That was...” she started.
“Yeah, I know. Beyond incredible,” he finished as he laced their fingers together. Everything about this woman turned him on, and he wouldn’t mind staying this way for the rest of the day. He wondered what Troy and Kyle would do if he backed out of their excursion.