Nothing Gets Through Ch. 06

© 2009 All Rights Reserved

Lani woke up and blinked. It was so quiet. That was a blessing; Cherie must have either worn herself out or gone somewhere else. It took a minute to realize it was quiet because she wasn't in her bedroom. She turned her head at the sound of rustling sheets and smiled when she saw Dom still sleeping.

He looked a little younger, she thought. Or perhaps it was just that he was relaxed. Surely he couldn’t carry that intensity around with him all the time. It might serve him well in games, but wouldn’t it just wear him down off the ice?

Lani found a clock and saw that it was after nine. She was only surprised it wasn’t later. She'd been so comfortable she thought she might sleep the day away. Since she was awake, she decided to get a shower. After that, she would wake Dom up and say good-bye. Leaving a note seemed . . . well, kind of cheap. She didn't want this to be a one-night stand, and that's what it would feel like if she left a paper on the pillow.

No, she decided as she got out of the bed. She'd let him sleep for now—he probably had practice or something—and then she would wake him up and say good-bye. Perhaps leave her number if he wanted. If she had the chance, she'd tell him she wanted more than this, but she refused to push him on it. She'd gone into this with her eyes open; if Dom didn't want any more, she wouldn't fall apart.

But, she hedged, would he have said such wonderful things last night if all he wanted was a romp in the sheets?

It was a luxury to take a shower with no fear of Cherie or one of her paramours walking in. Cherie wasn't so bad, but once a guy had walked in and was so out of it he hadn't noticed Lani in the shower until he'd practically stepped in the tub. After that Lani had gotten a large "Occupied" sign for when she was using the bathroom. It mostly helped.

She couldn't help blushing a bit as she rinsed her hair. Sex on the first date was definitely not her usual M.O. It had felt so good, though. So natural. No sense in regrets, she told herself. You wanted it, you got it, you might as well enjoy it.

She jumped when the curtain slid aside. "Want company?" Dom asked. Lani couldn’t help it; she blushed. Dom laughed.

"You know, at my place I have a sign on the door to keep people out," she told him.

Dom raised an eyebrow as he stepped in with her, forcing her to move back to make room. "Do I need to worry about you showering with strange men?" He laid his hands on her hips. The thought definitely made him jealous.

"Do you want to?" she asked, staring at him with wide eyes. "Worry about me, I mean?" This wasn't exactly how she'd imagined this particular conversation happening, but couldn't help asking.

"I'm not sure I could help myself." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "So I guess it's good the answer's yes." He lowered his mouth to hers, shifting so that the spray hit him in the back. His kiss was fiercer than he'd intended. When he woke up and she wasn’t in the bed, his first thought had been that he would find her and convince her—with as much kissing as necessary—to see him again. Then he'd heard the shower, felt as relieved as he did when the siren signaled the end of a game, and had gone in.

Lani let out an mmmmm of pleasure as he tightened his arms around her. This was definitely a better way to spend Sunday morning than she usually did—avoiding Cherie and her beaux. Now I have a beau, she thought, and I have him all to myself. She responded to Dom's kiss with her own mix of relief and desire.

"How come I smell coconuts around you?" Dom asked after he took his lips from hers. Still wanting contact, he brushed his lips over her forehead.

"Maybe because I'm from Hawaii." She smiled.

"Really?" He stared at her. "What the hell are you doing here, then?" He couldn’t imagine trading the warmth and palm trees he'd heard about for the freezing winters of the Midwestern US.

"I was washing my hair." Her eyes glinted. "Then I was interrupted."

He smiled slyly. "I'm so sorry. You should let me help you finish."

"I was done with my hair. I could wash yours."

Dom laughed at that and reached for the shampoo. "I'll do it. You'd probably pull a muscle reaching up."

Lani sniffed. "You saying I'm short?"

Dom worked up a lather. "Why state the obvious?"

"You big, hulking athletes." Lani feigned anger. "Think you've got all the advantages." She grinned mischievously.

Dom narrowed his eyes, then leaned his head back to rinse out the shampoo. His eyes popped open when Lani's hand moved over his stomach, then further down.

"I think you've learned how to compensate," Dom sputtered. He braced himself against the wall when Lani moved closer and laid her lips against his chest.

"I manage." Her fingers trailed along the hard length of him. "So, is this a compliment, or did you just wake up like this?"

Dom made a sound in his throat. "It's a compliment that I'm still like this after I woke up. Oh, God, Lani, that feels good." He leaned his head back against the tile and closed his eyes.

Lani laughed as she leaned against him, one hand wrapped around his hardness and stroking him. "Are we in a hurry this morning?" She was reveling in being so forward with him, and in the fact that it felt so natural.

"Uh-uh."

"Good." She slid her body down against his until she could take him in her mouth.

He hissed out a breath as her lips slid over him and her tongue moved back and forth. She moved back and then drew the point of her tongue along the underside of his shaft and she thought his eyes rolled back in his head. Her free hand stroked his abdomen. She smiled to herself when she felt the muscles tighten.

She alternated between using her lips and her tongue to tease him until he gasped that he was close. Once more she took him in her mouth. This time she used her hand to stroke him as well. She felt his fingers tangle in her hair and his body started to jerk. She kept her rhythm steady as he came, not releasing her mouth until he sagged back against the wall.

Reaching down, she scooped up some water and rinsed her mouth. It's not love yet, she told herself. Placing a hand on the edge of the tub, she levered herself up, making sure she didn't slip.

"You okay?" She was unable to keep the grin out of her voice.

"Fan-damn-tastic," Dom said, still breathing hard.

She laughed. She stopped when he fixed his eyes on her.

"You know I can't just leave it at that."

He switched off the water and held her hand while she stepped out. She grabbed a towel but had barely dried her face when he scooped her up and dumped her on the bed, moving over top of her.

"Hey!" she protested. "We'll get the sheets all wet."

"Here's hoping." Dom kissed her deeply.

Lani shivered at the sensation of his warm body against hers as the water cooled off. His wet but cool hands moved over her body and she twisted under him, not sure whether she was trying to get away or looking for more. Slowly, he ran his hands over her breasts and followed with his lips and tongue. When she gave a small whimper, he abandoned the slow approach and placed his mouth between her legs. His tongue darted out and she arched up immediately.

"Dom . . . ." She wasn't what she was asking. He kept one hand on her hip and let the other roam over her, touching as much of her soft skin as he could.

He loved her voice, he loved the sounds she made, and he damn well loved the way she tasted. He couldn’t get enough of that, or of the way her body responded to him. I would have chased her across the state, he thought. Relentlessly, he teased her with his tongue and drove her on. He refused to change his pace or rhythm even when she began to plead for release.

He slid his tongue over her and delved inside, all the while driving himself as crazy as he seemed to be driving her. It was an effort not to just stop, move up, and thrust inside her. He remembered how it had felt to have her completely around him, and he was anxious to do it again. For now, though, he wanted to return the favor she'd given him in the shower. With interest.

Lani wondered if she would pass out from the anticipation. He kept pushing her so close to the edge, then pulling her back. It wasn’t fair, but she couldn't form the words to tell him so. Then, at last, he flicked his tongue and she cried out as she rode wave after wave of pleasure.

Dom reached over for another condom. He had to have her again, to bury himself in her. She had tasted so sweet and felt so good; he needed—craved—to feel her around him again. He rolled the condom on and turned back to her, taking in her half-closed eyes and parted lips.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he murmured, lowering his lips for a gentle kiss.

"When I can think again, I'll let you know," she answered with a half-smile. She slid her hands up his arms to his shoulders, holding him tightly as he thrust inside, and raising her hips to meet him. It was her turn to whisper to him, not that she even knew what she was saying. Whatever it was, it must have been the right thing, as Dom captured her lips again, caught her hips in his hands, and increased his pace. She wrapped herself around him, letting his body carry hers along for the ride.

Dom hoped it would never end, but he could feel himself tightening. He fought off the release as long as he could, slowing down his thrusts and concentrating on the feel of Lani's hands on his shoulders, and tangling in his hair. When she breathed his name and her teeth grazed his skin, his control snapped and he crushed her to him. She shuddered around him and he let himself go, drowning in the pleasure that rolled over him.

They lay for several minutes before Dom had the energy and balance to move and dispose of the condom. He came back to the bed, found that Lani had barely moved, and gathered her to him.

"Do you have to work today?" he asked.

"No," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "But I figured you had practice or something. I was going to shower and then go, but I planned to wake you up first."

"Spend the day with me. Please." He ran his fingers over her arm.

She tilted her head back to look at him. "Are you sure? I don’t want to be in the way or . . . " Dom shook his head.

"I've got the day off. We've had a busy schedule, and now we're taking a small break." He gave her a hopeful look. "But tomorrow we have to go on the road. So please, stay with me?"

Lani laughed. "Is that the new version of 'Hey, baby, my unit's shipping out in the morning?'"

"If it gets you to stay, then yes."

"Sure," she said, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "I just need one thing."

"What's that?"

She smiled. "Another shower. Something interrupted mine." Dom laughed and she yelped when he carried her back into the bathroom.