Geronimo (A Songbird Novel) Read online

  It thumped onto the floor and jolted me into action.

  I surged across the room, grabbing his face and kissing him with everything I had. His strong arms encircled my waist, lifting me off my feet as his tongue lashed against mine. Our kisses were hungry and loud as whatever pent-up passion we’d had locked within us could no longer be contained.

  He lowered me to my feet, his hand traveling up my back and holding the nape of my neck. I deepened the kiss even more—somehow it was possible—yet I still couldn’t kiss him hard enough. He moaned into my mouth, igniting the dormant embers within me. They sparked and flamed as I tugged at his shirt.

  “I’ve missed you too,” I murmured between desperate kisses, yanking off his shirt and throwing it onto the ground. Running my hands up his naked chest, I kissed his pecs, then lightly sucked all the way up to his shoulders. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

  “All the time,” he puffed, flicking up the bottom of my summer dress and palming my thigh. “It was crazy.”

  I giggled into his mouth. “Perfect for us, then.”

  His laughter hit my neck, sending my senses into overdrive as he kissed the tender skin. He lifted me off the floor and spun me around so I could sit on my desk. This was when being a neat-freak came in handy. My desk was basically bare, allowing plenty of room for sexy little trysts. Not that I’d ever had one on my desk.

  Giddy excitement made me smile as I wrapped my legs around his hips and my breasts squished against his rock-hard chest.

  I was already pulsing with desire, but it skyrocketed the second my wet cotton briefs brushed against his erection.

  Common sense left me for good at that point.

  I completely forgot that I was in my classroom. It didn’t even occur to me that having sex on my desk wasn’t the most natural thing in the world. My frantic hands went for his trousers, unbuttoning them and yanking them down. His impressive manhood, so hard yet smooth, brushed against my thigh, and I nearly came on the spot.

  It’d been over a year since I’d had sex, and Harry’s touch ignited me.

  “Please tell me you have protection,” I whimpered into his mouth.

  Pulling away from me, he bent down and dug into the pants around his ankles, rising with a foil-wrapped square and a triumphant smile.

  “I was being optimistic.”

  I laughed and snatched it off him, unwrapping it with my teeth and sliding it on. His breaths were heavy in my ear, sending even more sparks flying through me. The second he was wrapped, his lips hit mine again. The kiss was the most intense yet, his hot tongue plunging into my mouth as he held my head with a trembling hand.

  I raised my hips, bumping against him with an urgent need that was borderline embarrassing. He snickered and pulled back, removing my underwear with a painful slowness. His eyes were on mine as he flicked the panties off my ankle and dropped them to the floor. Lightly brushing my skin with the backs of his fingers, he drew a line from my knees to my center. His hazel eyes were bright with desire as he ran his fingers around my opening then plunged inside.

  My head flopped back and I let out a moaning kind of gasp as I gripped his arm to keep myself from falling. He leaned me back, gently sucking my neck and sending me to a new plane of pleasure. My pencil holder and stapler hit the floor with a bang but I didn’t even flinch, too busy whimpering and mewling as my body took flight. Slipping his fingers out of me, Harry trailed his hand down my thigh before he hooked it under my knee and gave me what I’d been craving.

  I cried out as he pushed into me.

  His broad length owned me, filling me to my very core, stealing my breath and making me dizzy. It was impossible to stay quiet as he thrust in and out. His fingers dug into my thighs when I pulled my legs up, giving him easier access. He groaned and clenched my butt, thrusting harder and faster.

  Our sexy song changed as we built to climax together. My whimpering moans blended with his, increasing in volume and intensity until we both let out a final shout. Harry leaned over me, gripping my shoulder as he jerked inside me a few more times.

  Floating down from the high was nearly ethereal. I felt weightless as I blinked my fuzzy eyes and returned to earth. My limbs were limp and useless, my thighs slapping onto my desk as he moved away from me and cleaned himself up.

  With shaky, puffy breaths, I slowly slid off the desk to retrieve my underwear. I nearly fell over trying to pull them back on, but Harry caught me against him, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me onto his knee as we toppled into my chair.

  “Well, that was some hug.” He smiled. “I must drop in to say hello more often.”

  Heat radiated from my skin and I rested my forehead into the crook of his neck while he laughed.

  “What just happened?” I whispered.

  I could feel his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed and gently placed his hand on my thigh. “What we obviously both wanted.” He kissed my forehead. “I came here with no expectations but, Jane, if you’ll let me love you…”

  I popped up to look into his eyes. Resting my hand on his cheek, I brushed my thumb over his stubble and nodded.

  His smile was like a beacon, lighting up my dim classroom and filling me with unchecked joy. We just sat there grinning at each other like teenagers who’d just discovered the wonders of sex.

  Finally Harry cleared his throat and patted my thigh. “Now, as much as I love your classroom, I don’t suppose you have somewhere else I could stay tonight?”

  I snickered and bit my lips together. My head bobbed erratically, shooing away the nervous energy pumping through me. He was spending the night at my apartment…in my bed. Not even the quiet murmurs of uncertainty firing through the back of my mind could stop that.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Harry

  My eyes popped open and I sniffed in a breath. The chair with my clothes draping over it was highlighted by the morning sun. The crack in the curtains allowed a perfect beam of yellow to shine across the wooden floors.

  Rubbing a hand over my weary face, I rolled over the rumpled bed and looked through the sheer curtain to spy Jane standing in front of the stove. She was wearing nothing but a baggy T-shirt. I could just spy the curve of her butt beneath the cotton hem.

  Bacon sizzled in the fry pan she was holding, and the smell of brewing coffee, plus the stunning view, helped rouse me completely.

  Quietly shuffling to the edge of the bed, I slid beneath the four-post curtain then tiptoed across to the guitar I’d spotted the night before. I wasn’t the world’s best player, but I was good enough to strum out a tune, and I thought it’d be the best way for Jane and me to start our first full day together.

  Romance was the perfect way to a girl’s heart, right?

  We hadn’t talked much the night before—too busy exploring each other’s bodies—and I was looking forward to spending the day with her. Reliving a little of what we had in Europe. I didn’t want to waste a second of my limited time.

  I had just over a month until I had to return for Nan’s ninetieth birthday. I couldn’t get out of it. It would be the first time in years that her entire family would be together, and I had to be there.

  Not wanting to let anyone down, I promised Mum I’d show, and then asked her to drive me to the airport.

  At that stage, I still hadn’t known if Jane would accept me or not. And I still didn’t know if she’d be okay with me living with her for several weeks. We had so much to talk about, but all I could focus on was the fact she’d let me stay at all.

  A huge grin dominated my face as I thought about her ready acceptance in the classroom.

  Quietly lifting the guitar from its perch against the wall, I nestled it across my chest and wandered into the room, strumming the opening riff to “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”

  I barely made it through the first line of the first verse when she whipped around to face me, her green eyes bulging at the sight of me in tartan boxer shorts, playing her a love song.

&nb
sp; “What are you doing?” she snapped.

  Her sharp tone made me falter and my voice broke over the second line.

  Sucking in a breath, she closed her eyes and made a fist as if fighting for control. “Can you put that down, please?”

  Her tight voice made me frown, and I slowly lowered the guitar.

  Storming toward me, she avoided eye contact while plucking the instrument from my hands and carefully placing it back.

  I ran my fingers over the dining chair and smiled at her when she returned to the stove top. “I didn’t realize my singing was that bad.”

  She snickered and scratched her forehead with shaky fingers. “Sorry, I just…” She picked up the tongs then swallowed and laid it down. Turning off the gas, she slowly turned to face me. Her lips pushed into a sad smile, and she still wouldn’t look me in the eye when she murmured, “That guitar is very precious and no one ever touches it.”

  “Okay.” I nodded, desperate to ease the tension radiating off her.

  Her cheeks began to tinge red as she gripped the counter behind her and looked to the floor.

  “Who did it belong to?”

  “I…” Her expression crumpled, so I filled in the gap for her.

  “Ah, the guy who broke your heart.”

  Her fragile expression morphed to anger. It flashed across her face, her green glare dark as it hit me in the chest.

  I inched away from it, wondering what had happened to our night before. The carefree laughter, the all-consuming passion. I’d expected to wake up to a lighthearted Jane, not what was facing me.

  Wishing I was wearing pants so I could slide my hands into my pockets, I had to suffice with crossing my arms. Forcing a soft smile, I used the calmest tone I could, hoping to coax the truth from her.

  “I can see how much it still hurts you, so why do you keep it?”

  Her eyes glassed with tears, her anger making way for a deep sorrow. I recognized the emotion on her face. I’d felt it myself, and it made me start to question my assumptions that the guy had simply ditched her.

  With a soft sniff, she slashed a finger under her eye. “To remember the good times, I guess. Sometimes when I wake in the morning, I roll over and see it there and I remember a moment. One of the good ones before everything turned to shit.”

  I got it.

  I completely understood.

  That was why I kept my photo of Tammy…and all her beloved books. Each morning when I gazed across my room to her little bookshelf, it did one of two things: filled me with despair…or gave me a moment. Those were the days I lived for—those sweet memories that filled me with bittersweet nostalgia.

  “Sorry,” Jane mumbled. “I don’t want to ruin the morning. I’m always melancholy when I’m over-tired.”

  I gave her one of my rare blushing grins as I relived the reason for our exhaustion. Her cheeks flamed red, hiding all her freckles. She spun away from me and grabbed the toast out of the machine. Flicking the lid off the butter, she started to spread it to the edges—her perfect buttering routine.

  A soft smile lit my lips as I watched her hands.

  Noticing my phone on the table, I picked it up and found The Police’s version of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” Jane stilled as the music filtered into the room.

  She wouldn’t turn to face me, so I slowly approached her. “This song will forever make me think of you.” Stopping behind her, I gently flicked the hair off her neck then placed my lips into the crook. “You’re magic to me, Jane, and all I want to do while I’m here is give you good memories that you can wake up to.”

  Her shoulders relaxed and she pushed back against me, leaning her head on my shoulder so I could nip the end of her nose with my lips.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry.”

  She reached behind her, teasing the curls at the nape of my neck with her elegant fingers. “You didn’t. I shouldn’t be so sensitive.”

  “You’re allowed to have your treasured things. And I promise, I won’t touch it again.”

  Her eyes warmed with affection, and she returned to buttering our toast. I bent down to rest my chin on her shoulder, my hands finding their way beneath her shirt. With a mind of their own, they traveled to her breasts, cupping them then giving them a gentle squeeze.

  A husky moan escaped her, and she thrust her butt back into my growing erection.

  “Give me a sweet memory now, Harry,” she whispered, tugging at my boxers.

  I massaged her breasts a little harder, running my tongue from her shoulder to her ear. Sucking her lobe into my mouth, I pinched her nipples, rolling them between my fingers until her knife clattered to the bench top.

  She gripped the edge, pressing her bottom back against me again.

  I dropped my shorts in one swift move, my erection nestling between her butt cheeks while I reached for the box of condoms at the end of the counter. It was a stretch, and we both ended up snickering as I tried to claim them without losing my position.

  Wrestling one free, I tore it open with my teeth and quickly wrapped myself before scrambling beneath her shirt again. Her nipples were still erect, and I teased them until she was panting and quivering beneath my touch.

  Spreading her legs, she rose to her tiptoes and leaned forward, pushing against me and silently telling me to get on with it. I obliged with a smile and she gasped as I slid home, my mind going fuzzy. Gliding my hand down her body, I thrust into her with a grunt, determined to make this her best memory ever. It didn’t take me long to find her sweet spot, and I was soon stroking her with my finger as well. She let out a cute, whimpering moan as I teased her, rushing her to orgasm while I continued to plunge in and out of her.

  The plate of toast slipped into the sink as she slapped her hand on the counter and started letting out these sexy cries. They fired through me, charging me to an intense, explosive finish. Grabbing her hips, I thrust in deep and hard, holding her tight while we shook against each other.

  I wanted to say something charming and funny, but I couldn’t speak past my thundering heartbeat. All I could do was lean forward and wrap my arms around her, gluing our bodies together. I kissed the back of her head then pressed my cheek against her luscious hair, inhaling her citrus scent and knowing that I’d found my new home.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jane

  I nibbled the edge of my toast, unable to wipe the smile from my face. I kept biting my lips together, hoping it would help, but it didn’t work.

  “On Top Of The World” was whistling through my apartment, a happy, sweet tune to match my insides.

  Unchecked joy.

  I could cross it off my list.

  In spite of my early morning doubts, Harry had once again brought me to a place of complete surrender…and I wanted to surrender to him over and over again.

  I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed sex. Waking up beside someone, having someone send you over the edge like that…having someone to talk to…or stare at across the table.

  I’d missed it.

  Brushing the crumbs from his fingertips, Harry grinned at my hungry eyes. We hadn’t said much to each other since he took me against my kitchen counter. My body was still buzzing from his magic touch, and he seemed unusually quiet. Although the goofy, dreamlike expression on his face told me he was feeling pretty much the same way I was.

  Swallowing down his mouthful, he finished his coffee and then broke our silence. “So, what do you want to do today?”

  My eyebrow peaked and I looked over at the kitchen counter. “What we did about twenty minutes ago.” I leaned forward, drawing out my words nice and slowly. “All. Day. Long.”

  His eyes danced before he let out a growl and leaped from his chair. I squealed and laughed as he scooped me out of my seat and threw me over his shoulder. Tickling my bare butt, he carried me back to the bed, wrestling the curtain out of the way before flopping me onto the soft mattress and diving on top of me.

  My belly bunched with laughter as
he covered me with kisses, and we spent the rest of that Saturday making love, sleeping in each other’s arms, and doing everything we’d wanted to do on our trip but did not have the courage to.

  *****

  Resting my head on Harry’s chest, I traced invisible drawings on his torso while we lay there listening to music. His phone had been going all day, keeping us company as we orgasmed, slept, showered, and then got dirty all over again.

  My body was blissfully sore.

  Brushing my foot up his bare leg, I kissed his chest. I was too tired to talk or do anything more than just soak in his presence.

  His strong body was comforting, like a rock I could lean against.

  “Fireflies” started playing, the magical opening so familiar.

  It made me think of the night we sat under the stars in Barcelona. We’d been on the beach staring up at the vast night sky. The air had cooled our sun-kissed skin, and I’d felt the kind of peace I’d been seeking ever since Blake died.

  It’d wrapped itself around me, gifting me a moment.

  Harry’s arm had been pressed against mine as we marveled at the constellations, the twinkling diamonds decorating the inky black sky.

  “Where were we the night we sat under the stars and tried to name the constellations?” The tips of Harry’s fingers brushed up and down my arm, his husky voice warming my insides.

  I smiled. “Barcelona.”

  “Well done.” He kissed my hair. “This song always makes me think of that. The stars were like—”

  “Fireflies,” I finished for him, propping my chin on his chest and looking up at him. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  He tucked my bangs behind my ear and smiled at me. It was the kind of gaze that told me he loved me. “I’ve always loved that about us.”

  “What?” I whispered.

  “That we think the same. Being with you is just so easy, Janey. It’s like we were meant to be together.”

  I couldn’t respond to that. I’d thought Blake was my soul mate, so how could I be meant for Harry? It didn’t make sense in my head, despite what my heart was trying to tell me.