Midnight Run

Chapter Eleven

That night, alone in her old bed in her parents' farmhouse, Nora tossed and turned for hours. When sleep finally overcame her, she was swept into a dream about Kingston.

Pebbles hit her window, calling her to lift the sash, and sleepily, Nora swung her feet out of bed and crossed the floor. When she looked down into the moonlit yard, his familiar smile beamed up at her.

Her heart started to beat faster. "What are you doing here?" She whispered, leaning over the sill.

"I'm here for you, hon," came the soft reply.

Nora swallowed. "How are you going to get up here? My parents--" She paused. There was something about her parents that she was struggling to remember, but it danced at the corner of her memory, just out of reach. "I don't—" she tried again.

The words had barely left her mouth when she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, and Nora exhaled sharply. Kingston chuckled, turning her to face him. "You were saying?" His eyes were alight with expectation, and Nora felt her body begin to tingle in response to his intense gaze. He tipped her chin toward his and leaned forward, pausing an inch away from kissing her. His breath was hot on her skin, and Nora tried not to shiver at the delightful sensation. Kingston's mouth curved into a slow, sure smile, and he inched a little closer.

Nora licked her lips, her heart racing. She'd fantasized about sneaking a guy up to her bedroom when she was in high school, but the couple of boys she'd seriously dated had been just as polite and well-behaved as Nora, and no one ever made her act on her fantasy. Until now, she thought, studying Kingston's lips hovering close to her face.

Tentatively, Nora closed the distance, bringing her lips against his with a gentle sigh. The kiss was long and deep, and Nora felt the soles of her feet begin to dissolve into the floor.

Kingston's lips were thick and smooth, and with each kiss, Nora melted a little bit more. He murmured her name against her mouth, and heat flooded Nora's body as she reached for him, tangling her fingers in his hair. Gently, he ran his hand along her neck, her collarbone, her shoulder, stroking her skin in smooth, sure movements.

Nora shivered and pressed her body against his, beyond caring that her thin night shirt offered little in the way of a barrier between them. Somehow, his shirt was already off, and Nora's hands slowly began to trace the thick muscles across his shoulders. His arms tightened around her hungrily, and Kingston trailed his lips down her jaw before coming to rest at the hollow of her throat. A low moan escaped Nora as his tongue flicked delicately against her skin.

Just when she thought her knees were about to give out, Kingston lifted her up and in one swift motion deposited her on the old twin bed. Gently, he pressed his lean body beside her, and Nora slid over to accommodate him, her heart racing. She tried to deny the knot of longing that had formed in her stomach, but every inch of her being was acutely aware of his flesh against hers.

Never taking his eyes from her face, Kingston slid one of his hands deliberately up her leg, the fingertips skimming over her bare skin like water. Nora's breath caught as his hand slipped under the hem of her nightshirt, and gently, he started to stroke her inner thigh. A shudder passed through her, and Kingston exhaled loudly in response, stroking faster. His other hand cradled her head gently, and Nora leaned back, arching into Kingston's touch. She felt as fragile as glass, as if one more touch could shatter her.

The tips of his fingers brushed against her, asking permission, and Nora wrapped her arms around him, pulling him down on top of her. His weight shifted gently against her, his hands still tracing lines of fire across her body, and desperate need welled up in her. Nora opened her eyes and studied his face; the perfect line of his jaw, the generous, wide mouth, before coming to rest on his steady gray gaze. Her hands started to move of their own accord, stroking down the length of his spine before coming to rest at the elastic of his briefs. Slowly, cautiously, Nora slid her fingers under the waistband, and Kingston ground his hips into her in response.