Without any further hesitation, he reached for me, pulling me closer to him as his mouth found mine. An eager moan echoed through the room when his tongue brushed against mine. My hands roamed across the ridges of his chest as he deepened the kiss. He lifted himself from the bed, settling between my legs as he continued to explore my mouth with his tongue. I’d never felt such a strong desire for a man. With just a simple touch he sent a surge of heat coursing through my body, burning me to my very core. He made me feel craved, wanted beyond belief. When he looked at me, I wasn’t worried about the imperfections of my body or my lack of sexual experience. I could see the yearning in his eyes and I’d never felt so beautiful.
Without saying a word he pulled his t-shirt over his head, tossing it aimlessly onto the floor. My eyes were instantly drawn to the colorful ink that marked his body and I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to touch him. He watched silently as I studied the intricate designs of his tattoos, brushing the tips of my fingers along his flesh. The artistic details were meticulously precise, obviously having taken hours upon hours to complete. I was utterly enthralled by them but was suddenly pulled from my trance when I noticed the large knotted scars hidden beneath the ink. There were so many scars…. too many to count. I looked up at him, my mind filled with questions but the words were stuck in my throat. He remained perfectly still as I continued to run my hands over his chest, feeling the various gnarled grooves on his skin. When my fingers reached his back, I gasped in horror. “Griffin?”
“Happened a long time ago, Wren,” he said. His smile was almost prideful when he said, “Battle wounds of sorts.”
“Someone hurt you?” I asked quietly, my voice trembling.
“Like I said, it was a long time ago,” he said, giving me a thoughtful look. “Can’t change the past, and I wouldn’t even if I could. Every scar, every mark on my body is a reminder that I survived. Just living through it made me who I am.”
I lifted myself from the bed, throwing my leg over him and carefully resting my knees at his sides as I straddled him. I lowered my head and pressed my lips against one of the larger scars that marked his chest, kissing him softly. He clearly had been through hell and back and just the mere thought of what he might have been through tore at my heart. Whatever had happened to him, he’d managed to come out on the other side with a strength and compassion that I couldn’t begin to comprehend.
“If these scars made you who you are, then I am thankful for each and every one of them,” I whispered. I continued kissing and caressing each of the raised welts along his skin. When I brushed my tongue across his nipple, a deep growl of approval escaped his body.
His hands reached for the back of my neck while his fingers tangled tightly in my hair as he took control of the kiss. My hips automatically rocked against him, feeling him thicken beneath me as he devoured my mouth, deepening the kiss. Desire for this man was running rampant through me, and I was losing what little control I had over my body. Any inhibitions I might have had completely washed away when he moved his hands to the hem of my t-shirt, pulling it over my head. He let out a deep breath as he took my bare breasts in his hands, holding them firmly while brushing his thumbs across my nipples. I loved the feel of his hands on my body, every touch sent me soaring into a new level of ecstasy. I felt his erection throbbing beneath me, and I was quickly becoming desperate to have him inside me.
A hiss escaped his lips as I reached down, slipping my hand into his boxers. His breathing became short and strained as my fingers wrapped around him, in a matter of seconds, I was flipped around, lying flat on my back with the weight of his body pressed against me. His mouth dropped to my ear, the warmth of his breath sending goosebumps down my spine as he whispered, “So damn perfect.”
I felt my underwear sliding along my flesh as he eased my panties down my legs. A needful moan vibrated through his chest as he gazed down upon my naked body. A devilish grin spread across his face while he settled his hips back between my legs making my entire body tremble with need. He lowered his face to my neck, the bristles of his beard tickling against my skin, as he nipped and sucked along the contours of my body. My hands dropped to his waist, pulling at his boxers to no avail. He chuckled into the crook of my neck as he lifted his hips and eased them down his legs. Seconds later they were on the floor next to his abandoned t-shirt, and his mouth was back on mine. A part of me wanted to slow down, savor the moment, but I was too far gone and just couldn’t restrain myself. I wanted him, needed him. My legs spread further to accommodate him, my hips shifting up toward him as he rubbed himself against my clit. My entire body ached for him, nearly to the point of pain.
“You sure about this?” he asked.
Unable to even string together coherent words I nodded, praying that he wouldn’t stop.
“Need the words, Wren. Once I have you, I’m not letting you go.”