Free Shooting for the Stars by Sarina Bowen

them.
    Bear was not even conscious of his decision to move. It was only after he found himself scaling her body, catching those soft swells in his own hands that realized that he’d been had.
    Quick as a striking serpent, Stella’s legs wrapped around Bear’s ass, her heels digging in to pin him close to her body. “Men,” she cooed, squeezing his body with strong legs. “So predictable.”
    In answer, Bear said: “Hrrmhaah.” Because it wasn’t possible to be eloquent with a boob in his mouth. He sucked the tip into a pebbled point, his tongue swirling around the wine-dark nipple. Stella gasped and held him even more tightly.
    He lifted his head, and then they were kissing again. If he could, he’d stay forever in her sweet mouth. For the first time tonight, she relaxed into the kiss, letting him take the lead. Bear tried to slow down. He made an effort to appreciate each languorous slide of his tongue against hers. But his pulse was racing, and Stella’s curves underneath him were more than he could withstand. She’d parted her legs a little ways, which meant that the base of his shaft settled between her legs. The slick softness he felt there was making him half mad with desire.
    Finally, Bear’s self-control was dragged right to the brink as Stella slipped a hand down between their two bodies, gripping him with her fingertips.
    For the second time tonight, he grabbed her hand away from his dick, pinning it over her head. Then he caught her other one and did the same. Securing both of her wrists with one of his hands, he propped himself up on the other elbow and looked down to watch her face. What he saw there did nothing for his patience. Stella’s cheeks were flushed a deep red, and her swollen lips moved as she panted for him. “Bear,” she groaned.
    He tilted his pelvis, the tip of his dick teasing her entrance. “You want this?”
    “Right now,” she whimpered.
    Again, he teased her with a glancing slide of his aching cock. “I don’t know. Let’s do rock, paper, scissors to decide.”
    But the joke fell flat. Because there was no way to disguise how badly he wanted her. Their desire for each other was so palpable that it was hard to believe they’d avoided doing this before. Bear dropped his mouth to hers once again, giving Stella the slowest kiss he was capable of delivering. “Give me one second, buddy. I need to gear up.” He rolled off of her and grabbed his jeans from the floor. Unfortunately, his wallet felt suspiciously thin. He swore under his breath.
    No condom.
    “I won’t get pregnant,” Stella said quietly.
    Bear did not look at her, because the sight of a completely naked Stella lying ready for him to…  
    The image was too much. He didn’t ask any clarifying questions, because he was not going to take chances tonight. He was already a little awestruck that they were having this conversation. And no matter how careful Stella was with the pill or whatever, taking a risk with her was out of the question.
    Bear strode over to a wooden console against the wall, where he’d noticed some miniibar items. He pushed aside a wrapped package of playing cards, a six-dollar lip balm and… found a three pack of condoms.
    “Hallelujah,” he grunted, ripping one open. And here he’d thought fancy hotels were overrated. With shaking hands, he sheathed himself.  
    Stella watched him from the bed with a gleam in her eye. “Latex covers rock,” she said.
    “You did not just make that joke.” He chuckled while his heart thumped loudly against his ribcage.
    “So what if I did?” she teased as he lay down again on the bed. Stella raised her arms, reaching for him. Now there was a sight to file away in his brain forever.
    Bear did a horny version of the military crawl, hyper-aware of everywhere they touched. He braced himself above her. The heat of her body, the smooth brush of her breasts, the flutter of her pulse at her neck… The whole experience was something he never thought