Heart Desires Read online

  Would he taste as delectable as he smelled? Or looked. Or even sounded? “That doesn’t bode well for the woman you’re meeting.”

  “Probably not.”

  She cleared her throat. “So tell me more about why your sister needed to set you up.”

  Even his chuckle had a masculine edge to it. “Cari is hopelessly in love with her husband and feels everyone should be in the same state of euphoria.” He shifted to his side, offering Devlynn a perfect view of his muscled chest through the thin fabric of his shirt. “She doesn’t believe me when I say I am happy alone or that when I’m ready, love will be there.”

  “Are you happy? Alone, I mean?”

  “Most days. Are you?”

  “Sometimes. My work keeps me busy, and I don’t have much luck finding men worth dating. I’ve almost quit trying.”

  “Maybe that’s what you should do.” He brushed a curl off her cheek and the rough texture of his finger proclaimed him a working man. “If you quit trying, maybe you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.”

  Raw need simmered through her with the compelling rasp of his husky voice. Her own blind date didn’t stand a chance, which made her nervous. What if the guy was really perfect? Her friends claimed that Madame Evangeline guaranteed uncanny compatibility. Perhaps Erik just seemed so damned sexy because it had been too long since she’d felt a man’s touch. She drew in a deep breath, and his cologne coaxed her to climb onto his lap and forget about the nameless, faceless guy in Vegas, something she couldn’t do. “You suggested the man I’m meeting will be the rebound guy. What if I didn’t want that? What if I wanted to start with a clean slate?”

  An eyebrow quirked above one gorgeous gray eye. “I’m not sure what you’re driving at.”

  Blood rushed to her cheeks as she leaned toward him to whisper, “I was thinking maybe we…you and I, that is…maybe you could help me get the whole rebound sex out of the way and clear my palate for my date. That way I could give him a fair shot.”

  Dammit to hell and back, is she fucking kidding me? He swept her hair off her forehead with a single finger and fire sparked in his gut. Her tongue swiped over her full mouth like a practiced courtesan, but uncertainty clouded her pretty face. “I was hoping Vegas guy would be the rebound. That way I could be your next potential ex.”

  Her eyes dropped to her lap again before she turned toward the window. “Never mind. That was really crude of me.”

  “Wait a minute.” Had he just rejected the most desirable woman he’d ever met? Not to mention telling her he wanted her to have sex with another guy? Had he lost his flipping mind? “I didn’t say that.” Would she hit him if he touched her? He slid his hand beneath the blanket and caressed her waist. “Come on, angel, look at me.” She remained rigid beneath his touch. “Please?”

  Devlynn glanced over her shoulder. “What?”

  “How about if I’m both?”

  She turned toward him. “Meaning?”

  “I’ll play rebound guy.” He slid his hand over her hip and down her thigh before caressing upward again. Desire swirled in her gorgeous blue-green eyes as he palmed her flat stomach. “Then if the loser you’re supposed to meet doesn’t live up to your hopes, I can be the man with possibilities. What do you say?”

  “It could work, I suppose.”

  Tugging the blanket over both of them, he settled a pillow beneath his head and grinned at her. “I feel like I should at least know your full name. Where you’re from originally. Something beyond Devlynn.”

  “Okay.” Her pulse fluttered in her throat, but her expression gave little away, as if contemplating screwing around with someone she knew absolutely nothing about wasn’t batshit crazy on both their parts. “My full name is Devlynn Lissel Connors after my father Devon and my mother’s maiden name. I was born, raised, and educated within a fifty mile radius of Tacoma. My family still lives there, has done so since the area was first settled. And, I’m a bit of a workaholic.”

  When she seemed to run out of things to say, he took her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “Tell me something I couldn’t find out on Facebook.”

  He grinned and she smiled back, but a light flush tinted her cheeks. “Let’s see, you know I’m dumb enough to have signed up for a potentially sexual blind date, which doesn’t make me the brightest crayon in the box, perhaps, but I make a good living and I own my own home. I don’t have a pet, but I hope to rescue a Greyhound some day if I ever have a big fenced yard for it to play in. Oh, and my girlfriends and I can sing nearly every cheesy song from the seventies and eighties at karaoke night without looking at the lyric screen. How’s that?”

  He chuckled. “Superficial, and slightly odd, but telling.” The fact that she came from an apparently stable family, had a job that she cared enough about to let it obsess her at times, liked animals, and could laugh at herself said more than he had hoped to learn. Desire rose in direct proportion to how perfect he found her. Did she have a clue how adorable she was, or that he could see through her attempt at nonchalance? “Are you sure you’re up for this, Ms. Devlynn Lissel Connors?”

  She swallowed hard and shook her head. “You haven’t told me anything about you, yet.”

  He laughed and flexed his hand on her waist with feigned indifference, but his heart pounded to the same wild staccato that fluttered in her throat. “Twelve years in the Army National Guard, three tours of active duty overseas so far. I’m currently a recruiter, and I intend to be a career man so I get my full pension. My folks died four years ago in a car accident so my sister, her husband, and their son are the only family I have left.”

  “I’m sorry.” A natural tenderness flowed from her that tugged at his heart and his body, driving desire even higher.

  “Don’t be. I didn’t mean to make you sad.” He leaned in to brush a kiss across her cheekbone as he slid his hand down to tighten into the curve of her delicious ass. Enough chit-chat. He wanted to see her in the throes of passion. “Ready then?”

  Her eyes widened. “Right here?”

  “Did you have somewhere else in mind?”

  “No, but there are people all around us.”

  “I’ll be discreet.”

  Biting her lower lip, she glanced over his shoulder.

  “See? Everyone with a clear view of our seats is sleeping.” The quiet plane meant he might get to follow through. A seven a.m. flight guaranteed that most had been up way earlier than usual. “You can still back out. Nothing you don’t want, angel.”

  The male flight attendant stopped to glare, before putting his hand on the back of the seat and leaning in to whisper, “I’m sorry, sir, but whatever you’re thinking about doing under that blanket…don’t.”

  Devlynn’s cheeks flamed, sending Erik into defensive mode. While he had every intention of bringing his delicate seatmate to a shattering release, the little prick had no right to embarrass her or make her uncomfortable. “I beg your pardon?” He sat up, pulling the blanket with him to hide the evidence of her effect on him. He patted her shoulder and turned to the attendant. “I was rubbing her stomach. My wife is in her first trimester and her breakfast isn’t sitting well. I would appreciate it if you would bring her some ginger ale or soda water and keep your nasty and ill-conceived opinions to yourself.”

  The man’s face flashed his disbelief, but he nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Do that.” Erik wanted to laugh at the flustered attendant, but he was too worried that Devlynn would back down from her offer. As soon as he had a can of ginger ale in his hand, he turned to grin at the gorgeous girl who lay staring at him. Both hands were tucked under the pillow. “Here you are, angel. Sip it slowly.”

  He spread the blanket back across both of them again and grinned as she wrinkled her nose.

  “I hate ginger ale.”

  With a laugh he took it away from her and swallowed a generous swig moments before the female attendant walked past. “Excuse me, miss. Would you throw this away for us? My wife
’s afraid she won’t be able to keep it down.”

  “Of course.” The woman looked across to Devlynn. “Can I get you anything else?”

  Her blush darkened. “No. Rest usually helps.”

  “All right. I’ll tell the staff not to disturb you when they come around with the beverage service.”

  Erik smiled. “That would be very nice of you. Thank you for your help.”

  Chapter Three

  Devlynn’s heart thundered in her chest as Erik settled down and faced her. One arm tucked beneath his head to add to his innocent appearance, the other crept beneath the blanket to caress her waist. His wide shoulders blocked her view of most everything behind him.

  Was she really going to do this? Was she going to play sex games with a virtual stranger in full sight of a plane full of people? Yes. The fact that her mind didn’t even hesitate should have scared her shitless. It didn’t. Nothing seemed odd or out of character when Erik’s big hand slid upward.

  Slowly, he ran a knuckle from her breastbone to her waistband and back up. “I wish I could see you.”

  His voice had dropped so low she had to strain to hear him. She swallowed hard, forcing down her rising anticipation long enough to speak. “Me, too. See you, I mean.”

  His smile flashed wicked and hot. “You’ll have to be my eyes.”

  “How?”

  Cupping her right breast in his palm, he circled the tip with his thumb. “What color are your nipples?”

  Going without a bra had been a really bad idea. The thin cotton of her T-shirt provided little barrier between her sensitive flesh and his calloused fingers. Her nipples puckered uncomfortably taut. “Do you really expect me to answer that?”

  “Yes. Unless you’d rather I pulled back the blanket and took a peek myself.” His hand slipped away and tugged at the hem of her shirt, pushing it upward in tiny increments that did not disturb their covering. “Tell me their size, too. Do they cover the tops of your sweet little tits or are they tiny like chocolate kisses made to melt in a man’s mouth?”

  A groan slipped from her lips as she imagined his lips on her.

  Erik grinned. “I know your tummy hurts. Just breathe, baby.” Leaning closer, he pretended to brush a kiss over her temple while he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “You’re going to have to be quieter than that, Devlynn. No one with half a brain will believe your sexy sounds are caused by an upset stomach.”

  Closing her eyes against the overwhelming being in front of her, she whispered, “Maybe this is a bad idea.”

  He tweaked the aching tip of her breast before moving on to enclose the other in his hot, talented hand. “Do you really want me to stop, or do you think that’s what you’re supposed to say?”

  No man had ever lit a fire so fast with so little effort. When she didn’t answer, he tugged gently on her nipple, reminding her of his presence. As if she could forget.

  “What color?”

  A flush swept over her, heating her skin. “Brownish-pink. About the size of a quarter when relaxed.”

  “And right now?”

  She bit down on her lip to keep from crying out as he pulled again. “A nickel, maybe.”

  “I want to taste you, to roll your nipple on my tongue until you can’t hold back your cries and your body weeps for me.” His hand wandered down her bare stomach to play with her waistband before flipping her snap open and sliding her zipper down. “Are you wet already, angel? Do you want my fingers inside you?”

  She could only nod when his hand edged downward, his broad palm caressing as he explored the small patch of curls at the juncture of her thighs.

  “Blonde?”

  Again she nodded and his hand crept lower, his long fingers sliding between her wet folds, parting her while he stroked then sank into her eager slit. She shuddered when he fingered her with aching tenderness.

  Passion blazed in Erik’s stormy eyes. “Damn, you feel so good, so ready. I need to be inside you, but I want to watch you come first. Show me how you quiver.”

  She teetered on the edge as she fought for control and his questing fingers pushed deeper, pressing upward until he hit a spot that made her body jump. “You can’t be inside me. Did you forget our audience?” Her breathy whisper embarrassed her. How could she be so susceptible to his touch?

  “We’ll find a way. You’re so damned beautiful, I have to have you.” He shifted closer to the edge of her seat. “Touch me, Devlynn. Lay those long fingers over my dick.”

  She hadn’t touched him for fear of knocking the blanket loose, but his plea sent flames blazing through her. Careful not to move their cover, she reached out with her right hand and found the front of his jeans, running her nails up and down the swollen ridge of his thick cock beneath the fabric.

  With an almost inaudible groan he leaned into her touch, his fingers delving deeper, pumping in and out of her sensitive pussy. “Come, angel.” He wiggled his thumb past her protective hood and circled her clit while he studied her face, adjusting the pressure until she could barely hold out. “You’re so tight, so warm and perfect. Give it to me.”

  “Oh God, kiss me so no one hears, Erik. I can’t be quiet.”

  His mouth closed over hers in a demanding kiss as she squeezed his full cock and allowed the power of the most incredible orgasm of her life to wash over her in decadent waves.

  Erik lifted his head to enjoy the remnants of her release as it quivered through her body. Before he’d touched her, he’d toyed with the idea of getting her off without worrying about his own pleasure. That weak-assed attempt at nobleness faltered to its knees as soon as he sank his fingers into her sweet heat. Her orgasm had destroyed it all together. Her inner muscles milked him too hard and too well to pass up the chance to be inside her.

  She turned her face into her pillow to hide the last of her reaction, cheating him of her pleasure. Easing from her, he wiped the evidence of her passion on the blanket before he righted her clothing and nonchalantly stroked her shoulder. “Do you feel like you’re going to be sick, baby? Do you need to go to the bathroom?”

  She peeked at him from beneath gold-tipped lashes. “Maybe.”

  Her fingers continued up and down his painful cock. “Go. I’ll check on you in a little while.” He brushed a kiss over her cheek and whispered, “I’ll be there as soon as I can move this blanket without everyone knowing how much I need you.”

  She stood, keeping her eyes down. The blanket fell over his lap as he sat up to give her room to pass. Bending close she touched her lips to his ear. “Don’t be long.”

  How the hell was he supposed to get his dick to relax knowing she waited for him? He closed his eyes and sorted through his latest recruits, which would be good soldiers or officers and which were only in it for college tuition. He counted sheep and repeated his five-year-old nephew’s stupid jokes in his head. Nothing helped.

  “Sir?” He looked up at the concerned face of the female flight attendant. “Your wife has been in the restroom for a long time. Would you like me to check on her?”

  That did it. If someone else knocked, would Devlynn let decorum overcome passion and return to her seat? He struggled and found a bit of restraint. “No, she’ll feel terrible if she thinks she bothered you. I’ll go.”

  Slipping down the aisle, he avoided the knowing glare of the male attendant and knocked softly. “Devlynn, are you all right, angel? Let me in.” The latch clicked and he slipped inside the small cubicle and locked the door behind him. The space was tinier than he remembered airplane bathrooms to be.

  Only a few inches separated them and she leaned against his chest. “What took you so long?”

  He grinned and wrapped his arms around her, spinning until he could sit on the stool, leaving her on her feet facing him. “My dick wouldn’t cooperate. I’m here now.” She didn’t protest as he stripped down her jeans and lifted one foot free so she could spread her gorgeous legs in the small space. He used his knees to urge her wider and bent to stroke his ton
gue over her clit.

  Devlynn’s soft whimper encouraged him, and her fingers laced through his hair, pulling him closer. “Oh…so good.”

  Nectar, thick and clean, teased his seeking tongue as he feasted. He held her tight, fingers digging into her curvy ass. She gasped and writhed against his mouth. His cock shot back to full mast. He sucked and kissed the succulent flesh hiding her core before he reluctantly pulled away.

  She looked down at him and grinned. “Ready to switch places? Seems only fair.”

  Did she mean she’d take him in her mouth? The thought of her beautiful lips wrapped around him almost overpowered his need to be inside her, but not quite. Shaking his head ‘no,’ he stood and lifted her onto the narrow sink. He could barely stand in front of her, but he didn’t care. Within seconds he had rolled a condom over his straining cock. “Invite me in, Devlynn.”

  Spreading her thighs, she caught his dick and pulled him closer, guiding the head to her wet slit. “What are you waiting for? I can’t take much more.”

  Burying his moan against her throat, he sank into her impossibly snug channel and strove for patience, offering time for her to adjust. He bit down on her shoulder in an effort to control the animalistic need to claim her, hard and fast.

  She flexed her hips with a sigh. “Erik, please.”

  “I’m trying to, angel.” He grinned as she blushed. “Ready?” Her nod set him free. He reared back and plunged deep, driving in and out of her willing body until the quivers started and her orgasm stroked his cock. She cried his name and he crushed her mouth beneath his, capturing the rest of her sexy whimpers before anyone else could hear. Struggling to prolong the intense pleasure, he continued to rock her against him. Her orgasm shuddered through them both, and he could not hold out. His dick demanded relief. His spine stiffened and white flames burned his balls, shooting through his limbs and out his cock while he clutched her close and prayed he would be more than rebound sex.