She bit her lip, then nodded. Pulling at her ankle until her butt was at the edge of the bed, he knelt down on the floor and pressed a kiss to the inside of one thigh, then the other.
And managed, just barely, to put up a block when she tried to close her thighs and push him out. Not happening. He raised his brows at her, questioning if she wanted him to stop. The blush that covered her throat and cheeks was adorable, but she simply closed her eyes and laid back.
He let his tongue work along the seam of her panties, dipping under every so often, then back out again. Her thigh muscles quivered with every wet pass of his tongue, but she stayed silent. When his fingers pulled back the edge to reveal her core, the quivering upgraded to shaking. He blew cool air against her hot flesh, and smiled as her entire body jerked.
But, she didn’t make a sound. Damn, she was good.
The first long lick changed things. It was a soundless sound, if that made any sense. As if the entire scream had lost steam while she breathed heavily. A sound only a dog could hear, but he knew existed. He took another leisurely lap, and she clamped a hand over her mouth.
Yes, she was good. But he was better.
He focused on her clit, and that made her thrash her head around the bedspread like a fish on dry land. One hand clutched the bedspread as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded. While he circled, sucked and nibbled, she bucked and rolled beneath him.
He inserted one, then two fingers into her warm heat, groaning himself when he felt how hot she was, how wet, how undeniably ready for him inside her. The knowledge that he wouldn’t get more than this taste tonight made him want to beat his head against the bed rail. This was about her, though, and he could resist. He’d been resisting for weeks. He wouldn’t lose his mind over a night of delayed pleasure.
Crooking his fingers, he stroked her inside and out, watching her body, listening for the hitches of her breath. He forced himself to examine every vibration, every twitch. Focus on how warm her skin was beneath his palm while he held her stomach down. Notice the clenching of her muscles beneath his hand, the way she grew even more wet around his fingers, tightening in pulses. Every nuance of her existence was a clue that told him without any words exactly what she liked, what she liked more, and what was the best of all. When he found that best of all, he gave it everything he had.
And then she came, with the most gloriously silent orgasm he had ever had the privilege of watching. Her long, slender body writhed and moved with such grace, even under the power of a climax, that she took his breath away. Her face was a study of pain, though he knew she felt nothing remotely negative. It was the price of holding back vocally that twisted her face.
Kara’s body finally relaxed, and she sprawled on the bed like a woman who had run a marathon. Replete, sweaty, utterly exhausted but with a sense of true accomplishment. The satisfied smile that tilted the corners of her mouth made him ache with the longing to crawl under the covers with her and hold her all night long.
Not now. Not yet. Sometime soon.
He kissed her once more, had the pleasure of watching her twitch in response, then settled her lacy underwear back in place. He laid down beside her, taking in the way her creamy skin was still flushed and a little splotchy, but in a cute way. Her eyes were closed, with those blond lashes spiky against her cheeks. But he was surprised to see a silvery trail of what had been tears that led from the corner of her eye down into her hair.
“Hey.” He kissed the wetness, then brushed another over her cheek. “You okay?”
“No,” she whispered, smile fading. “Not really.”
Worried, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him. She didn’t sob, didn’t heave. But he felt more dampness against his neck. “I . . . I didn’t hurt you, did I? If I did something, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I—”
“No, of course not.” Her voice was low, but strong enough. “It’s just how you . . . you know. How I didn’t say a word and you still managed to . . . you know.”
“Make you come?” he said, laughing a little when she winced. “You can say it, I won’t tell anyone.”
“Not just that. But how you . . . I don’t know. I’m being stupid.” She rolled back on her back and wiped at her face, hiding her eyes. “Ignore me. I’m just having a moment of stupidity.”
“No, you’re not. If you feel something, it’s not stupid.” But she seemed to need to grapple with whatever it was solo. He hoped that changed in the future. “I should get going. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He kissed her forehead and stood, shaking out one leg a little and adjusting the front of his jeans. This would make for an uncomfortable drive home.
She glared at him from bed. “You’re leaving? We’re not finished.”
They were for now. “Tonight was yours.” When she just stared at him, he grinned. “I believe the phrase you are searching for is, ‘Thank you, Graham. I’ll miss you.’”