“It’s just me.” She sounded nervous, unsure of herself.
That was his fault and he hated it. He stood there under the pulsing water, wondering what the hell to say. If she touched him now, there was no way he could turn away a second time.
“I . . . could be embarrassing myself here, but when you said you didn’t want to take advantage of me, did that mean you don’t want me?”
“No!” The denial came out harsher than he’d intended. Which earned him a sigh of relief from her. His fingers itched to pull the shower curtain back, to drag her in here with him, but he resisted. Barely. “It’s just been a crazy day. We shouldn’t make any decisions that you’ll regret in a couple of hours.” She’d been through so much and he’d kidnapped her. It was one of the things holding him back. Sure, he’d given her the chance to leave, but it was impossible to forget what he’d done.
“Me?” She sounded incredulous.
He let out a harsh laugh. “Yeah. Trust me—you’ll regret it.” Why would a woman like Karen want him? He’d fucking kidnapped her, held her against her will. Under normal circumstances she probably wouldn’t have looked at him twice. Not with his scar. They were in an intense situation and emotions were high. People made stupid decisions when they were out of their element.
“How about you don’t make decisions for me?” she snapped.
Before he could respond, he heard her practically stomping from the bathroom.
Damn it. He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. He’d only come in here to find some damn relief and get some space from her. Just being near her messed with his head. Quickly drying off, he tugged on his pants and picked up his weapon before hurrying after her. He shouldn’t have run off like a coward, but he’d known what would happen if he stayed.
In the bedroom, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, her body bowstring tight. She looked at him once, then glanced away, the annoyance in her expression clear.
“Karen—”
“Please, don’t. I’m just . . . I don’t want to talk,” she muttered, before lying on the bed, curled on her side, facing away from him.
He told himself to walk away, to head downstairs and get his clothes out of the dryer, or get a midnight snack. Hell, just sleep on the floor. Anything other than what he desperately wanted to do. Instead he stalked to the bed, and made the likely stupid decision to ignore the voice in his head telling him to walk away from her.
She rolled onto her back, staring at him as he crawled over her. Surprise was in her gaze, but she wasn’t pushing him away. It would be so much easier if she did. Because if she said stop, they would. Instead she was looking up at him as though she wanted him as much as he wanted her. His hands were propped on either side of her head as he looked down at her, his body caging her in. There was no fear in her eyes, just a raw, simmering heat.
It floored him that she felt the same attraction. She’d seen his file, she knew what kind of man he was, and she still wanted him. His cock was heavy between his legs and all he could think about was being buried inside her, hearing her say his name as she climaxed.
As he looked down at her, all his previous reasons for keeping his distance seemed pathetic. Maybe in a few hours he’d regret this, but no, he knew he wouldn’t. He could never regret being with this woman. The only thing he hoped was that she didn’t regret being with him.
“Tell me if you want to stop,” he murmured, watching her eyes as he spoke. He wasn’t strong enough to walk away from her. And he knew he wasn’t going to want to stop, so whenever she put the brakes on, he’d stop.
Her lips pulled up into a sensual smile. “You sure? I don’t want to pressure you into anything.” The teasing note in her voice made him laugh.
This woman seriously made him come undone and she wasn’t even trying. As he bent his head, she met him halfway, her lips brushing over his at first, sweet and teasing. He tried to keep it light, but one taste of her and he was consumed with the need to taste all of her.
Fisting a hand in her hair, he held on to the back of her head as he stroked his tongue against hers.
Arching her body into his, she wrapped her legs around his waist and slid her arms down his back, trailing her fingers over his bare skin. He loved the feel of her hands on his body. Her touch was so damn gentle, but he could feel how much she needed him, and that she was holding back. He didn’t want her to ever do that.
Since he knew this might be the only chance he ever got with Karen, the only chance to run his lips and fingers over every inch of her body, this had to be perfect for her. He wanted her to remember this, to burn for him whenever she thought about him. He wasn’t good with words, but he could show her exactly how amazing she was without them.
Reaching between their bodies, he started unbuttoning her pajama top, moving at a frantic speed he knew was probably pathetic, but the need to see her bared to him eclipsed everything else.
He wished he could turn on the lights or see her in the bright daylight, but as he peeled the top open, his mouth watered at the sight of her breasts. Full with hard-tipped nipples. She was definitely more than a handful. For such a lean woman, she had some serious curves and he planned to kiss and stroke every inch of her.
Feeling possessed, he helped her strip it completely off, then tugged her pants down her legs. She was completely bare, a surprise, and it was fucking hot. Though he felt almost desperate with the need to taste her, he gently ran his finger along her wet slit. Her thighs immediately fell open wider, the sight of her spread open for him almost enough to make him lose control.
“I want to taste you,” he managed to get out, his words hoarse.
Her fingers slid through his hair and she arched her hips up in a silent invitation. It was quite possibly the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. He told himself to work up to it, to tease and lick, but he needed to taste all of her so badly he shook with it. There was no way he could reject what she was offering.
Inhaling her sweet scent, he flicked his tongue along the length of her wet slit. She jerked against his face, an erotic moan tearing from her lips as she rolled her hips in that insanely sensual way.
He stroked again and again, avoiding her clit and just using his tongue.
“Tucker,” she moaned, and he knew how much he was teasing her. From the slickness he tasted, he had no doubt how turned on she was, but he wanted more. Wanted her trembling with the need to climax. Some primal part of him wanted to imprint himself in her mind so that she’d never forget him or this night.
Unable to hold out any longer, he slid a finger down her slit as he continued stroking. When he pressed it inside her she nearly vaulted off the bed, her fingers digging into his head as she groaned again. She was so damn tight and all he could think about was how she’d feel around his cock.
“Lick my clit,” she half begged, half ordered.
The demand was the hottest part of it. His erection pressed insistently against his pants, but he ignored the ache. Now all that mattered was Karen.
The sharpest sense of protectiveness and possessiveness welled up inside him as she made herself completely vulnerable with him. He sure as hell didn’t deserve it, but the fact that she’d given herself over to him like this, after everything he’d put her through, floored him.
Narrowing in on her clit, he wrapped his lips around it and sucked on the small bud.
“Tucker . . .” His name came out as a strangled moan, her fingers digging into his head, then moving to his shoulders. Her short fingernails pressed into his skin as he flicked his tongue over her sensitive bundle of nerves.
When she started to close her legs around his head, he pressed against her inner thigh with his other hand.