Page 25 of Intangible
“It’s fine, I don’t have to have fancy-smelling water.” Thayer laughed as he pulled a towel off a shelf running under the counter.
“Wait!” Memphis reached into a small closet next to the door, pulling out a pink bag. “All they had was Himalayan sea salt last time I was at the store. It smells pretty good.” Thayer just smirked at him. “Okay, I’ll be in the living room if you need anything. Take as long as you want.” He backed out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Thayer started the water before she slid her clothes off. Sinking into the hot, salty water, she sighed as the stress of the last month eased out of her body. Yeah, running away to Memphis had been a very good decision.
Chapter 9
Memphis didhis best to clean up, but knowing Thayer was sitting in his tub with water lapping around her naked body made it very hard to stay focused. He had never met another woman he wanted as bad as Thayer Kent.
In no way did he want to take the chance she was suffering from some need to get close to him because he had rescued her, though. It would be unforgivable of him to take advantage of the situation. But how would he know the difference between want and obligation?
Adjusting his painfully swollen erection, he concentrated on finishing the dishes. Twenty minutes later, he was reading his newest library book when Thayer emerged from the bathroom.
“Fuck me,” he growled as his gaze worked up her body from her bare feet to the wet hair brushed straight down her back. Her face was scrubbed clean of any makeup, her soft blue eyes watching him.
She had on the flannel shirt he had wrapped her in when he found her in that cellar. It hit mid thigh, showing off her long brown legs to perfection. His thoughts waffled between hoping she had on shorts under it and praying she had on nothing.
“Um. Do you have a hair dryer?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’ll get it for you.” Memphis jumped off the couch, wishing he had put on jeans to help hide his straining cock. He couldn’t seem to control it when she was around.
Fishing the hair dryer out of a drawer in the small cabinet in the bathroom, he turned to take it to her. He ran right into her, where she had followed him on quiet feet.
“Thanks,” she said, reaching for the hair dryer.
“Let me help you,” he rumbled with the dryer in a death grip. Wasn’t he just giving himself a talk about why he should leave her alone not half an hour ago? “Here, hop on the counter.” With strong hands wrapped around her waist, he picked her up.
Plugging it in, Memphis began to hold out strands of hair as he worked down them with the dryer. How had something so trivial as blow-drying her soft blond hair become such a turn-on? Maybe it was the fact he was standing between her long tan legs, close enough he could feel her breath on his neck.
His heart began to race when he felt her slowly ease her hands beneath his shirt, finding his tight stomach with her fingertips. Memphis froze as she ran her hands higher to his pecs, making his breath hitch. He knew he should step back. As much as he ached to touch her, it was too soon. Nothing good would come from this. But as hard as he tried, he couldn’t turn her loose.
Pushing his shirt up, he heard a possessive growl come from deep inside him as she ran her tongue over his chest. Turning the hair dryer off, he set it on the counter before wrapping his fist in her hair, pulling her head back. For just a moment, he took in the raw look of lust on her face before pressing his mouth against hers. His tongue pushed into her mouth as he took what he wanted, capturing her moan as it escaped her lips.
She tasted like innocence. What was he doing? He needed to get away from her before he pressed her against the door and took everything he wanted from her. She had run to him looking for comfort and he was taking advantage of her.
“Goddammit!” he growled out before stomping out of the room. If he could just get some fresh air, maybe his brain could catch up.
She found him standing on his front porch, his hands on top of his head, his fingers interlocked in his hair. Memphis turned to look at her. If he was going to put the brakes on this, he could at least have the balls to look in her eyes when he did it.
“You should go back inside. It’s cold out here.” Turns out, pulling the brake was much harder than he thought. He stared up at the stars for a minute before looking back down at her. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I don’t want you to think I would take advantage of…”
“Blah, blah, blah. Cut the bullshit speech, Memphis. I’ve listened to enough of them by now.” He jerked his head back at her words in momentary shock. He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her to continue.
“Dad, Knox, the doctors, now you? Everyone thinks they know what’s best for me. Well, what if what’s best for me is you?” Thayer said, poking him in the chest with her finger. “Just tell me you don’t want me. I’ll pack my shit and go home tomorrow. I won’t bother you again.” She shivered when she looked up at him. Memphis had lowered his arms while she spoke, fisting his hands at his sides.
“Thayer,” he growled out, watching her shiver. What was he thinking, letting her stand outside in the cold in nothing more than his shirt? He had never had the primal need to protect someone rise up in him like it did when he was around her. Not even when he was still doing search and rescues in the military.
She was standing inches away, her beautiful face turned up to him in defiance. Taking her arm, he pushed open the door, pulling her inside.
“Message received,” she said, pulling away from him. Everything in his soul told him he should let her go, but he somehow couldn’t fool himself into believing that. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pushed her back against the door.
Bracing her against the door with his body, he bent down, taking her mouth with his. His tongue swept in, exploring as she melted against him. When neither of them could survive on the air left in their lungs, he pulled back.
“Am I just something you need to work out of your system to move on?” he asked. He had been a part of several one-night stands before, but this was different. He watched as she considered his question.
“I don’t know. I hope not, but I honestly don’t know,” she answered.
“Then please don’t ask me to do this. Once I bury myself in you, I won’t be able to let you go. You deserve better, Thayer.” She pushed him back with her palms on his chest. She studied him closely, running her gaze down his body until she stopped on his hard erection, straining unhampered in the sweats.
