So many horrible and painful things had been running through his mind this morning that the one bright spot in all of this ugliness hadn’t been immediately apparent. Jessie had had to point it out. By losing the genetic tie to the man he knew as his father, he’d also lost the genetic tie to Jessie. They were free, nothing more than…step-cousins. And not even that, since his parents were no longer married. They were ex step-cousins. And he could live with that.
Kai could scarcely believe that the woman he’d wanted for months, the woman he’d quite possibly been waiting for his entire life, was now available to him…with no guilt, no disgust, no regret. The joy in his heart made all of the earlier ache evaporate. The sting of betrayal was still there, but he shoved it deep down. He’d deal with that pain later. Right now, he wanted to feel something…incredible. Something life-altering. Kai wanted to show Jessie how much he loved her, how deeply entrenched she was in his heart.
Kai opened his mouth to answer her, but a knot of emotion closed off his throat. Swallowing, he tried again. “I’d make love to you every day, if you’d have me.”
As she gave him a love-filled smile, her eyes began to water. “I’ll have you,” she whispered, softly laughing on the end. The heat in the low sound radiated throughout every part of him, melting the residual chill in his body. He finally felt warm again.
Hating to be apart from her, Kai’s mouth returned to Jessie’s. Their lips never parting, he shrugged the unneeded blanket off his body. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he encouraged Jessie to stand with him. Walking backwards, he led her to the hallway, to her bedroom. The memory of their previous slipup heated his blood, but unlike before, the flashes of desire were welcome; he couldn’t wait to touch her soft skin again.
Jessie’s arms slipped around his neck as she shuffled forward, following his steps. It was difficult to walk backwards, especially in a house that he didn’t have memorized. It was even more challenging with a gorgeous woman sliding her tongue along the roof of his mouth. Kai couldn’t help but close his eyes and groan. He also smacked right into an end table. Laughing as they broke apart, Kai involuntarily sat down on the edge of the table. Jessie took the opportunity to straddle his thighs and press her chest into his face.
Crooking a grin, Kai leaned down to kiss a soft mound through her jacket. Jessie bit her lip then ripped off her jacket. Kai’s mouth started to widen, but then he froze mid-smile. Not satisfied with just her jacket, Jessie also stripped off the tight sweater she was wearing. Desire shot right like a lightning bolt as he stared at the bounty on display for him. And…dear God…she was wearing black lace. He was instantly hard as she dug her hands through his hair and forced his lips to the swell of snow-white skin above her bra cup. Damn, he loved it when she was aggressive.
Cupping her backside as he tasted the sweet flavor of her flesh, he pulled her hips into his. She let out an erotic groan when she pressed against his readiness. Kai loved that he couldn’t hide how much he wanted her, loved that she knew just how much he ached for her. And he really loved the moan she made when she lowered her hips to his and ground against his erection. Kai felt his body throb and had to remind himself to be patient. Taking her on the end table in the living room was probably not what she had in mind. Although, with the desperate way she rubbed against him, the location might not matter much at this point.
Grunting, Kai stood with her. No, he was going to do something that he had been wanting to do for a while now. He was going to take his time. Kai resumed their trek to the bedroom, only now Jessie was the one walking backwards. Jessie had a lot less trouble traversing her home blind, and didn’t bump into anything. As the shuffled along, Kai’s hands traveled down her neck, to her chest, to her jeans. He started unfastening them, and with Jessie’s help, halfway down the hall they were halfway down her hips. Jessie shimmied them all the way off while simultaneously kicking off her shoes. By the time they were at her bedroom, she was free of the denim, and all she was wearing…was black lace.
Kai stopped and stared at the beautiful woman before him once they were both inside the door. Smiling, he reached behind himself and pulled the door shut. With just their breaths filling up the space in the quiet room, they reunited.
Kai’s wandering fingers slid over the bare areas of her body, highlighted in that wondrous lace. Jessie’s hands slipped under his shirts, lifting them up. Kai helped her stretch the multiple pieces of fabric over his head. Jessie’s breath quickened as he was slowly exposed. Lips parted, she lightly trailed her fingers up his skin. Every time her fingernail grazed him, it sent electricity shooting through him. Her lips lowered to his chest and Kai closed his eyes as her tongue swirled around his nipple. His body twitched as the throbbing ache grew painful. He needed her. So much.