The Next Season (novella) Read online

  ‘Oh Shaun,’ she sighed—the sweetest sound on the planet—as he ran his hands over her naked body, reacquainting himself with each tender curve.

  ‘You feel so damn fine,’ he said, lowering his head to take one sweet nipple into his mouth. He sucked a breath in and then flicked his tongue over the bud.

  She moaned, her chest arching up into his mouth and her hand closing around his pulsing erection. He wanted to focus on her pleasure, to bring her to a shrieking release before enjoying his own, but the way she touched him caused mega-distractions. He felt like a high schooler on the brink of losing his virginity—all fumbling hands and desperation. Just like he’d felt that first time.

  Concentrating hard, he moved his mouth lower. Her hand fell away from his cock and then anchored itself in his hair as he kissed a delicate trail from the underside of her breast, over her smooth belly and down between her legs. Although she was no longer touching him where it mattered, his hardness grew stronger as he pushed her legs apart and kissed her. She gasped as he flicked his tongue over her clit, licked, sucked and more. She tasted so damn good, better than anything and anyone before, and the sounds she made as she quivered and shuddered, coming in his mouth, almost drove him over the edge. As teenagers they’d experimented but they’d never done this before.

  Things were different now. They were different. Older, wiser, all that shit, which meant they could indulge each other’s pleasures without things getting complicated. Hopefully.

  As his thoughts tried to intrude on what they were doing, Zoe spoke—‘Wow, wow, wow’—and then tugged on his head, drawing him back up towards her. He didn’t need any encouragement to meet her mouth with his as he laid her gently down and settled his body above her. The feel of her soft breasts against his hard chest only aroused him more. He held her close, their kisses growing hot again as his erection burned, begging him to put it to use. Sensing his need, Zoe wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust upwards so his cock nudged at her entrance.

  ‘Holy fuck.’ He sucked in a breath, desperate to plunge right inside her but remembering the need for protection. ‘Condoms,’ he hissed, rolling off her and diving towards the bedside table to retrieve one.

  The moment he turned back, she snatched the small foil packet from his fingers, tore it open with her teeth and then, using both hands, rolled it slowly down over his cock. She pushed him onto his back, climbed up atop him and their eyes met. The heat and want he saw there echoed his own, the air between them crackling. They moved at the same moment—she sunk down and he thrust upwards—both of them vocalising their contentment as he entered her.

  He watched, mesmerised as her head fell back and she moved above him, the sight of her exposed neck and chest more erotic than anything he’d ever seen. He cupped her breasts, his thumbs flicking over her taut nipples as he drove in and out.

  ‘You’re so tight, so hot, so—’

  She lowered her head and silenced him with a hot, urgent kiss. He crept his hands down her body and around to cup her buttocks, drawing her against him as they both shuddered towards release.

  Afterwards Shaun wrapped his arms around Zoe and held her close, feeling her heart beating in time with his as they caught their breath. Reluctantly, he slipped out of bed to deal with the condom but returned quickly. She smiled as he drew her once again into his arms, pulling her close until she rested her head against his chest. It’d had felt sensational being inside her but just lying with her, snuggling, felt pretty damn fine too. Neither of them said anything for a long while, but he couldn’t help grinning as they lay there.

  This autumn fling idea might just have been the best plan Zoe had ever conceived.

  He wasn’t ready for another relationship and neither was she. They both had heads to sort and plans to make, but that didn’t mean they had to be celibate while they did so. They would both be able to think better if they weren’t in a permanent state of sexual frustration.

  And he wouldn’t let her break his heart again, because this time he knew the score from the start.

  But they should get a couple of things straight before they went at it again.

  He loosened his grip on her slightly and moved his head so he could meet her gaze. ‘I think you just blew my mind.’

  Her lips burst into a smile that made his heart warm. Miraculously he felt himself harden again. ‘Ditto.’

  He grinned back. ‘This fling idea of yours… I think I’m going to like it.’

  ‘I’m glad.’ She pressed a quick kiss against the side of his neck and it was all he could do not to ravage her once more.

  ‘Just one thing…’

  ‘Uh huh?’ She bit her lip, waiting.

  ‘I reckon we should keep a low profile. My family are all gung-ho about me moving on from Melissa and finding Miss Right, and if they got wind of us sleeping together again… Well, let’s just say things might get a little heavy. Neither of us need that kind of pressure.’

  ‘Agreed. And I think illicit affairs are far more exciting than public ones anyway, don’t you?’

  He pulled her close again. ‘I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had one. But I’m looking forward to finding out.’

  In reply, she hooked her leg over his torso and then pushed upwards, rolling over until she was straddling his hips. He sucked in a breath, his erection flaring and zoning in on her like a homing missile.

  ‘Well, hello down there,’ she said, reaching back while grinning seductively at him.

  He offered her a lazy smile and shrugged as if to say, What can I do? She seemed more than satisfied with this reply as she leaned down to meet his lips, her bare breasts pressing pleasurably against his skin.

  If she wanted to be ravaged again…who was he to refuse?

  Zoe lay sprawled across Shaun, grinning like a fool as she tried to catch her breath for the second time that night. Maybe they were crazy to indulge in a fling, illicit affair, few-nights stand—however she wanted to define it—but she wouldn’t regret what they’d just done. Never in her wildest fantasies could she have imagined the friction they’d just caused between the sheets. Her girly bits felt tender from their interaction with Shaun but already she was thinking about making love with him again.

  No. She chastised herself for thinking such a thought. This wasn’t love, this was just sex—fabulous sex between two consenting adults who had incredible chemistry but weren’t in the market for a relationship. Fun sex. Sex without strings. Sex without complications.

  That’s all.

  ‘You hungry?’

  Shaun’s deep, sexy drawl broke Zoe’s delicious reverie and she lifted her head to gaze into his dark eyes. ‘Actually I’m famished.’

  ‘Must be all the vigorous activity.’ He winked up at her and she felt the effects to the very depth of her bones.

  Still, she teased him. ‘Or it could just be that I was run off my feet all day and didn’t have a chance to eat.’

  He snorted, and pulled her back against him. ‘Swept off your feet more like.’

  ‘Get away with you.’ She pretended to be unimpressed by his corny words but inwardly she swooned. It would be all too easy to be swept off her feet by Shaun but she must keep her head. Extricating herself from his delicious grasp, she rolled to the edge of the bed, taking the sheet with her and wrapping it around her body. It was too late for modesty but she wasn’t confident enough to get dressed in front of him.

  ‘What are you going to feed me?’ she asked as she stooped to gather her clothes.

  Still lying naked in bed and not at all abashed by the fact, Shaun said, ‘I do a mean beans on toast. And there’s probably some two minute noodles in the cupboard.’

  She screwed her face up at him. ‘Is that the best you can do?’ The truth was that anything he cooked would make her tastebuds happy. She’d never had gourmet tastes anyway.

  He shrugged. ‘Why don’t you take a shower, get dressed and then I’ll see what I can manage?’

  ‘Okay.’ She pursed her lip
s together, trying not to stare at all his naked glory. Crawling back beside him seemed like a good idea, or better still, inviting him into the bathroom with her to share the shower, but she bit her tongue on suggesting either. If they went another round tonight, she might not be able to bring herself to leave—and that would definitely break the unwritten rules of the common fling.

  Zoe cuddled her bundle of clothes against her and shuffled into the en suite, closing the door behind her. She glanced around, acquainting herself with Shaun’s space. It was a luxurious bathroom—all black and white tiling with a massive shower and a spa bath in the corner—fitting for a man who knew how to make things with his hands. She imagined sinking into the spa with him wrapped around her, and shivered at the thought of exactly what else Shaun could do with his hands.

  A jolt of unadulterated lust shot through her and Zoe steadied herself on the vanity, catching a glimpse of her flushed face and sexed-up hair in the mirror and unable to believe she had anything left in her to even think such thoughts. But today had been beyond special—Shaun had lifted her spirits and made her feel good about herself.

  Telling herself there would be plenty more nooky where he was concerned, she let the sheet fall to the floor and pool around her feet, then reached into the shower and turned on the water. She showered quickly and then dressed, half expecting to find Shaun still lounging in bed. But when she emerged, irresistible smells were drifting down the hallway.

  Curious, she padded down towards the kitchen, only to be greeted by an enthusiastic Eeyore as she entered. ‘Hey there, big boy,’ she said, leaning over to ruffle the dog’s ears. Judging by the reception, the treats she’d lavished him with earlier had put her back in his good books. She giggled as he licked her bare feet, which she’d just lathered with coconut lotion she’d found in the back of the bathroom cupboard.

  Shaun caught her eye and grinned back. ‘Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks you’re good enough to eat.’

  She rolled her eyes. ‘Where on earth are you getting these corny lines?’

  ‘You won’t complain about my lines after you’ve tasted my cooking,’ he said, turning back to something sizzling in a pan on top of his stove.

  Intrigued, she crossed the kitchen, Eeyore still close to her side, and peered round Shaun to take a look. She inhaled and immediately placed her hand against her stomach as it rumbled with excitement.

  ‘What is that?’ she asked, half panting, half drooling, one hundred percent invested in finding out.

  Shaun laughed. ‘Down girl.’ Then he turned around, put his hands on her hips and ushered her back towards the table. He pulled back a seat and deposited her in it before handing her a Crownie.

  Smiling, she took a sip as he went back to his task. ‘What happened to the beans and noodles?’ she asked.

  ‘As if I’d feed you stuff like that after what we’ve just done,’ he scoffed. ‘You might never come back.’

  She smiled around the bottle, which she’d just lifted to her lips for another satisfying sip. As if. She was already anticipating their next rendezvous, happy to wipe her diary clean—not that it had much written in it—whenever Shaun said the word.

  ‘My wicked plan,’ Shaun continued, still making magic over the stove, ‘is that once you’ve tasted this you’ll be begging for more.’

  Eeyore plonked himself at Zoe’s feet and she rubbed her toes against his warm fur as she drank her beer. She could get used to this. The post-coital beer. The friendly dog. Watching Shaun cook—the way he tossed chicken and bacon through steaming pasta and then poured a luscious creamy sauce over the top—made her insides feel like jelly. It didn’t hurt that he’d only bothered to drag on a pair of low-slung shorts. That meant that she could admire his chest and arm muscles while he finished cooking and dished the dinner up.

  Staring at him, she decided the two sexiest things in the world were men who knew how to build things and men who knew how to cook. And Shaun could do both.

  ‘What?’ he asked, frowning at her as he laid a steaming bowl in front of her.

  She shrugged innocently and picked up her fork. ‘Nothing,’ she replied, not about to tell him any of the head-swelling thoughts she’d just been having. Flings were about mind-blowing sex—not making comments that could be misconstrued.

  Shaun grabbed the last two Crownies from the fridge and then sat down at the table. Smiling at her, he lifted his beer to his mouth and stretched out his legs so that his feet nudged hers. The simple touch set her on fire, warming her from her toes right up to her neck. Trying to concentrate on eating, Zoe wound a few strands of tagliatelle around her fork and slipped it into her mouth. She moaned her approval as the creamy sauce melted on her tongue.

  ‘You like?’ Shaun’s tone sounded choked.

  She grinned, certain his mind had stage-dived to the gutter with her carnal noise. ‘Oh yeah…’ She ran her toes over his feet as she took another mouthful.

  Grinning, Shaun also loaded his fork. ‘I could watch you eat all day.’ His gaze lingered on her lips as he shoved his fork into his mouth.

  She chewed slowly, watching his strong jawline as he did the same. Eating had never felt so erotic. Had to be due to the illicit nature of their relations. Knowing it was all about sex added an element of fun and sauciness to everything they did or said. She wondered why she’d never thought to enjoy a fling before.

  ‘So, tell me about this flower essence thing,’ Shaun asked between mouthfuls.

  She finished hers, took a sip of her drink and then said, ‘Well, it’s basically a natural therapy for all kinds of ailments. The theory is that the dew from flower petals retains the healing benefits of their plants.’

  He cocked his head to one side, listening carefully, and it was such a cute sight that Zoe almost lost her train of thought. ‘A few years back I was having problems sleeping and a friend told me about it. It sounds airy-fairy but I’ve always been a strong believer in the power of natural healing, so I did a course.’

  ‘And it worked?’

  ‘Yep. I went from sleepless nights where I tossed and turned in frustration to sleeping like the dead. Nothing could wake me.’ She chuckled.

  ‘So then you did it for a job?’

  She nodded, comforted by Shaun’s genuine interest. ‘Kinda. I did it from home for a couple of friends and then the message spread through word of mouth. I had to stop when I got busy at the restaurant, but it’s something I’d like to get into again one day.’

  ‘I’m happy to be your guinea pig if you need one down here,’ he offered. ‘I’ve been suffering shocking migraines lately. Is there an essence that can fix that?’

  She smiled. ‘Yes, there are certainly essences that can ease headaches and other persistent pains, however, more often than not we’ll try to look at the cause of the migraines. There’s often stress or other issues and certain essences can assist them as well. I’d start you on holly, oak or angelica.’

  They continued chatting about everything from the other jobs Zoe had done, Shaun’s current projects at Elliot’s and of course their mutual passion of surfing. By the time they had finished their beers and the bowls were empty, Eeyore was snoring under the table. Shaun seemed quite content to sit back and talk all night but Zoe was all too aware that if she didn’t leave soon, she might never want to go.

  Finally, she pushed back her chair, stood and started collecting the empty bowls and bottles. ‘I’d better go. We’re expecting another busy day at Hannah’s café tomorrow.’ She worried she didn’t sound very convincing but the truth was she could very easily stay all night.

  Shaun sighed and stood as well. ‘Leave all this. I’ll do it later.’

  She paused in tidying and they stood not far apart, gazing at each other. He sighed again and then took a step towards her, putting his hands on her face and drawing her close for another mesmerising kiss. Zoe relaxed into him as hands roved and their tongues danced. Only the need for oxygen eventually drew them apart, which was a good thi
ng as things were getting heated. Much more and she wouldn’t be able to stop. Judging by the hardness pressing against her belly through Shaun’s shorts, he felt much the same.

  ‘Ah, shit Zo-Zo.’ He looked into her eyes, still cupping her face as if it were a delicate ornament. ‘I’d better drive you home before…well, we both need some sleep.’

  Right now she’d happily forgo sleep for more of him. Managing to keep this thought to herself, she shook her head. ‘It’s okay, I walked. You’re not that far from Sandee.’

  ‘But it’s dark…’ His brow furrowed and she resisted the urge to reach up and smooth it.

  ‘And this is small town Wildwood Point.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll be fine.’ But damn, his concern for her was cute.

  Still, he frowned as he dropped his hands to capture hers. ‘I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right letting you walk home alone so late.’

  ‘As I said, small town. If someone sees you driving me, we’ll be fodder for gossip over everyone’s breakfast tables.’

  ‘Damn.’ He pressed his head against hers. ‘Promise you’ll message me the moment you get home. I won’t be able to sleep unless I know you’re safe.’

  ‘Deal.’ She couldn’t help but grin at his sweet admission.

  Hand-in-hand they walked to his front door, Eeyore dragging himself off the kitchen floor to accompany them. Before Shaun turned the porch light on, they indulged in one final kiss on the front step and then Zoe reluctantly pulled away.

  ‘Will I see you tomorrow morning in the surf?’ he asked.

  She nodded. ‘It’s a date.’ And then turned to go home, warm in the knowledge it would only be a few hours before she saw him again.

  It was a beautiful warm night, and a light breeze washed over her as she walked the short distance to Sandee’s house. A massive smile sat on her face and she kinda hoped her foster mum was already in bed so she wouldn’t have to make excuses about her late arrival.

  She also wanted to be by herself for a little longer, to relive the magic of the night and to reimagine Shaun’s talented hands roving over her naked skin, knowing that it would happen all over again the moment either of them said the word. Before she knew it, she was at Sandee’s house and although the light on the front verandah was shining brightly, the rest of the house looked dim.