His hand curling over her nape snapped her head up.
“Lauren?”
The rasp in his voice brought shivers. Her own voice was lost in the intensity of his gaze, glittering in a soft beam of light.
In an instant, he had her flat on her back. His muscular thigh crossed over her legs, pinning her down.
Her heart raced.
Confusion took over his expression as he stared at his hand, free of bandages. He curled and flexed his fingers as if surprised to see them moving. Doubt shadowed his features as he lowered them to her cheek. He sucked in a breath. A shaky exhale collapsed tension from his shoulders. “You were really there.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
“Shh.” He traced through the tears leaking down her temple and stared at the wetness on his fingers. “You could never lose me.”
She reached for him.
“No. Wait. He caressed her brow. “Just let me touch you. Please?”
The trace of uncertainty in his voice and the moisture in his eyes made it impossible to refuse. Breathless. Motionless. She willed him with the featherlike stroke down her cheek to her throat to fully believe.
One by one, he flicked open the buttons of her blouse, exposing her plain, white bra. She should have on something sexier, especially picked out for him.
The front closure gave way under his expert touch. He cradled her breast lovingly, like a work of art. “Perfect.”
The pressure of his mouth drawing in her nipple poured heat into her belly. He opened her jeans and slipped his hand into her bikinis. Everything stopped on a breath. Waiting. Aching. He glided two fingers into her sex.
His rumbling moan of approval vibrated into her. “Baby, you’re so wet.”
“Reid…Reid.” Her hips rose with the mantra as she met each stroke. Need splintered into tiny fragments, spreading fire over her skin. Soon, her orgasm uncoiled and snaked up her legs, exploding into pleasure.
She came down from a sensual high to soft kisses over her eyelids, cheeks, and lips. He undressed her slowly, gliding his hands and lips over newly exposed skin. His weight settled over her. Gentleness switched to passion as he swept his tongue into her mouth, consuming air, reason, her soul.
He fit his thick head at her opening. Unhurried, decadent, pulses pushing deeper and deeper.
A part of her felt caught in sensual trap. The other side of her reveled in prolonged pleasure and sensual torture.
He cupped her ass and lifted her higher. Tension flexed the muscles in his arms and chest; every tiny muscle grew rigid in his abdomen. His nostrils flared and the angles of his jaw tightened. The bite of his fingers as he rolled his hips ignited a slow build as he pushed her relentlessly toward climax. He strummed her clit and she tumbled into it.
Her sex stretched around his pulsing shaft, the fullness of him overwhelming her along with the rush of realization. She’d fallen for Reid. Hard and fast. What they had together was messy, complicated, but maddeningly real. He made her ache for him, run toward what she’d avoided and feared. She didn’t want to pull back, see it end, or honor a checklist that kept her from risk. She wanted him.
While lying next to Reid, Lauren teasingly dangled an orange slice in front of his face. Just when he got close enough to take a bite, she pulled it away.
He licked juice from his lips. “Have a little pity for a weak, starving man.”
Weak and starving. Sure he was. They’d spent all day in bed. While they were in the midst of having sex, Celine had knocked softly on the door. She’d left food, clothes, and a note saying they were expected for dinner.
“All right. Since you put it that way.” She moved the slice his way, but at the last minute she popped it into her mouth.
His shocked laugh shot out. “Oh, you’re going to pay for that.” In one swift move, he pinned her down. The heat of his bare chest seeped through her cropped tee. “What’s that smile about?”
“I’m adding your laugh to the list of things I like about you.” The new list she’d started to replace the hell-no criteria.
“Is that so?” His erection swelled through his sweatpants and pushed against her lace-covered sex. “You really need to add something else to that list.”
Desire flooded through her middle. “How do you know it’s not already on it?”
He chuckled. “I just don’t want to be on the list, beautiful. I’m an overachiever. I’m aiming for spots one, two, and three.” He brushed a kiss just below her ear.
“Oh…” Heat flushed into her breasts as he ground his hips.
“And I’m willing to work hard and long to convince you.”
A few key words and she wanted to rip his clothes off.
He rolled to the side. “After dinner.”
Damn. Did they have to hang around for dessert?
Reid leaned against the headboard. “I get the feeling if we don’t show, someone’s going to break the door down.” Lightheartedness faded from his gaze.
“Hey.” She rubbed his arm. “What’s wrong?”