After a brief nap, Nick woke up to the exquisite pleasure of holding Jess cradled in his arms. Her naked skin was like heated silk beneath his palms. Her soft, gentle breaths were a warm delight against his neck. Her smell, an intoxicating blend of musky womanhood, wreathed his senses.
Before his cock could grow too excited by the sensation of being buried in her snug sheath, he woke her with a gentle shake. Her eyes fluttered open and met his, and she gave him a glorious smile. Nick subdued a groan of pure pleasure.
"Jess, we've got to get up," he murmured. "Dad and Leslie are bound to come looking for us soon."
Jess considered telling him then that they were alone in the cabin. She wanted nothing more than to languish in bed with him, but she was supposed to be ignorant of their parents' elopement. She squashed the urge and slid off Nick, allowing him to rise. He stood up and turned away, refastening his jeans before retrieving her discarded clothes and handing them to her.
"Here, put these on," he said, turning away again.
The sight of her breasts, the nipples swollen and rosy from his mouth and hands, sent hot blood pounding through his cock. He went into the bathroom and splashed cold water over his face as he tried to subdue his urges. He wanted nothing more than to seize her, claim her as his and tell all the men in the world to 'back off -- this one's taken!' It took several minutes to bring his breathing under control. By the time he returned to the bedroom, Jess was fully dressed, brushing her fingers through her hair to restore some semblance of order.
"What time is it?" she asked with a small yawn.
Nick retrieved his watch from the dresser. "Ten forty. They're probably wondering why we're still asleep."
"Maybe," Jess said, turning away to hide her guilty blush. "Why don't you go first? I'll wait a few minutes and then make an appearance."
Nick nodded and slipped out the door, closing it soundlessly behind him. As soon as he was gone, Jess went into her own room to tidy her appearance. She brushed her hair until it shone and wound it into a casual knot, securing it with a large clip. She looked at her reflection and grinned.
"So far, so good," she whispered. "Just maybe he'll open up once he realizes we're alone."
Jess made her way to the living room and found Nick staring out the large front window. When he heard her approach, he turned with a puzzled frown.
"Dad's car is gone. Did they say anything to you about going somewhere today, maybe into town to buy supplies?"
Jess shook her head. "No. In fact, when I asked Mom whether she needed me to bring anything from the store on my way up, she told me they had stocked all the supplies we would need for the week."
Nick's frown deepened. "I wonder where they went," he muttered.
"Maybe they left a note or something," Jess suggested.
Nick glanced around the living room. "There's nothing here, and I didn't see a note in the kitchen."
He went to his dad's bedroom and looked inside. The bed was neatly made, and his glance shot to a sheet of white paper, folded tent-like on the dresser.
"Anything?" Jess asked from behind him.
"Yeah," he said, crossing the room to retrieve the note.
Jess followed, and she leaned against him as they both read their names scrawled on the front of the note. They exchanged a glance before Nick unfolded the paper and they read silently.
Dear Nick and Jess,
We apologize for not telling you about this in advance, but we've decided to elope. It was a spur of the moment decision. We hate to disrupt the holiday we had planned to spend with the two of you, but we want to start the New Year as husband and wife. We hope you will understand and be happy for us. We love you both and hope you will enjoy the rest of your vacation in our absence and have a very Happy New Year too! We'll be in touch soon.
Lots of love,
Mom and Dad
"Well, I'll be damned," Nick said softly. He laughed ruefully, shaking his head. "I've got to hand it to him. The old man's still full of surprises."
Jess grinned, relieved that he wasn't angered by the elopement. "Had they told you they were getting married?" she asked.
"No," he said, "but any sane person could tell from seeing them together that they were headed for the altar sooner or later."
"Yeah. I have a good feeling about their marriage," Jess murmured, placing her arm around his waist. "I just know they will be happy together. Don't you think so?"
Nick met her gaze, and his heart pounded against his ribs. For the first time, it dawned on him that they were completely alone in the cabin. Jess was looking up at him expectantly, waiting to hear his opinion about their parents' match, and all he could think about was the feeling of her hand curving around his side. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat before replying.
"Yeah, I hope so."
Jess smiled at him briefly before turning toward the door. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. How about I make us some brunch?"
She left without waiting for his answer. Nick hesitated before following her. His mind was racing. It would definitely be safer for his heart and better for his sanity if he got away from Jess. Without their parents to act as buffers between them, he didn't like to think how deeply he would fall for her. It would be better to cut his vacation short and return to the city. Having reached a decision, Nick took a deep breath and followed Jess. He found her in the kitchen, pulling leftovers from the fridge.
"There's plenty of roast beef left. Would you like a sandwich?" she asked, still rummaging in the crisper.
"Sure," he said absently. "Listen, Jess, since Dad and Leslie are gone, I'm going to head back to the city."
Jess closed the fridge and looked at him. Her eyes were wide and vulnerable as she searched his face. She approached him and hooked her fingers through his belt loops, tipping her head back to meet his gaze. When she spoke, her voice was soft and feminine, tempting him with her fragility.
"Oh Nick, please don't go. There's no reason why you and I can't enjoy the week here at the cabin."
Nick was finding it hard to draw a deep breath. "I really don't think that's a good idea, Jess. As it is, we've taken a couple of chances. We both know that if I stay, there's a very real possibility that you will end up pregnant."
Jess glanced briefly at his mouth before stepping even closer, until her breasts brushed against him enticingly. "Would that be such an awful thing, Nick?" she whispered. She met his eye. "I really do want a baby, more than anything. I've already told you that I wouldn't expect anything from you that you aren't willing to give. I'll take full responsibility, and you'll be free to walk away if you want. I'm quite capable of providing for a child. I'm not going to trap you or anything."
He wanted to shout that she had already trapped him, body and soul! Conceiving his child would only give her one more hold over him, one that made the others even more binding. He had survived losing her once. Would he be able to survive losing her again if he spent the entire week making love to her? He would never abandon his own child. If she conceived, their lives would be irrevocably linked. Was he willing to risk that?
Jess stretched up and kissed him on the mouth. Her lips were moist and pliant, playing against his until he wrapped her in his arms and deepened the kiss. As he savored her response, his instincts for self-preservation were blaring. Run you fool! She's already broken your heart once. Get away from her before she turns it into hamburger meat!
As if sensing his resistance, Jess began to trail kisses down his neck, slipping her hands under his shirt to caress his chest with her palms. He clenched his eyes against the pleasure she was evoking and bit back a groan.
"Please stay, Nick," she pleaded softly, nibbling on his earlobe. "I'm not asking for forever, just a week."
Her softly voiced pleas were the ultimate temptation, curling through his body, ensnaring his mind with the possibilities. Was there even a remote chance that he could convince her that she did want him forever? The prospect was tantalizing. Nick had never wanted something so badly.
His rational mind was screaming for him to end this -- now! She's a man eater. She'll gobble you up, just like before and leaving you bleeding, you idiot! It took you ten years to recover. If you pretend she's yours, even if it's only for a few days, you won't ever get over her. Get out while you can!
Jess felt the fine tension that began to invest Nick's muscles, as he prepared to end the kiss. He was going to reject her again! She couldn't let him walk out of her life for a second time. She would never recover, and her hopes for future happiness or a family of her own would be forever shattered. Do something! Convince him, before it's too late!
She whimpered, returning to his mouth as she grasped his hand. She didn't care about her pride. She didn't care about anything other than tempting Nick to stay with her, even if it was only for a few days. She guided his hand into her panties and let him feel how badly she wanted him. Nick gasped, spearing his fingers deep as her fluid coated his hand once again. Her pussy was hot and throbbing against his fingers, and she mewled again as she thrust his hand deeper, encouraging him to claim every inch as his own.
Nick gave up the battle to resist and plundered her tender flesh. He really had no choice. Her offer was too enticing. Jess had haunted him for years. She affected him like no other woman ever had or ever would. She was offering her body to him on a silver platter. Walking away wasn't a possibility.
Nick accepted that knowledge with a groan and feasted, filling his other hand with the heated curves of her bottom as he delved inside her. Nick released her mouth and snared her gaze, breathing raggedly as he searched her eyes. He watched the play of emotion over her face as he continued to stroke her innermost recesses. He took a deep breath and released it as a shuddering sigh.
"Okay, Jess. You win. But I have one condition."
