He surged forward, kissing her belly as he gently coaxed her legs apart.
It was hard for her to let go. He had to be so careful. Patient and persistent.
She finally opened to him, but he couldn’t say she’d surrendered. He still felt her wariness as he kissed slowly up the inside of her thigh and the tender hollow at her groin. Caro vibrated, gasping, and slid her fingers through his hair, but it was too short for her to grab onto. Maybe he should grow the hair an inch or so longer. Just for this.
Concentrate. He scattered a few more kisses to distract her. It was good to have more light, to see a fuller range of those rosy pink shades of her slit. He spread her folds out wide, and let the taut little bud of her clit pop out.
She drew in a sharp breath. Noah stopped, and slowly sank two of his fingers between her labia to stimulate that sweet spot deeper inside. Never forgetting her clit. Circling that with his tongue, around . . . and around . . . ahhh. Big reaction. Yes.
Hang on, girl. More coming.
He loved the taste and feel of her. So sweet and slick and responsive, reacting so intensely to every caress. Opening more and more as she slowly relaxed.
He held her hips in place, licking up her juice. Suckling that taut bud with tender care. He drew back whenever she got too close to finishing, then started again. Over and over, until she lost her patience and just grabbed his head and kept him exactly where she wanted him. Insisting that he finish what he started. Exactly when she said so.
He did, delighted. She gasped with shocked pleasure as her orgasm racked her.
Noah caught her quickly in his arms and held her very tight so that she wouldn’t bruise herself on the rim of the tub.
Afterwards, he settled her on his lap, her head cradled against his chest. Her loose knot of hair had unraveled. It trailed out in the water, clinging to him. He loved it. He wanted to make her come again. Take her away from the violence in her past. Make her fears for the future disappear. Just float here together untroubled. So close.
The minute she opened her eyes, he knew he hadn’t entirely succeeded.
“Don’t panic,” he urged. “Everything’s the same as before.”
“No, not the same. That wasn’t normal. Not my normal.”
“Give it time,” he said. “You’ll get used to it.”
Mistake. She went instantly tense in his arms.
Time for a fresh distraction. He stood up. “Let’s get you warmed up.”
He helped her out of the tub and toweled her gorgeous body off slowly and lovingly before drying himself. Then he took her hand, pulling her back to the bedroom.
The room was chilly in contrast to the steamy bathroom. Caro stretched herself out on the bed, displaying himself, arching and stretching with a sensual smile as she scooped up her wet hair and arrayed it behind herself, spread over the pillow. He flipped on the bedside light and rolled on another condom. In case she wanted to watch.
Apparently not.
“Hey,” she said. “The light?”
He forced himself to subdue a flash of anger. “Really? You still can’t bear to look at me?”
“That’s not it.”
“No? Then what’s the problem?” He slid under the sheets, and slowly rolled on top of her slender body. “Do you need to pretend that I’m someone else to get off?”
She pushed him up with both hands. He went along with it, lifting his upper body and stayed like that, poised over her. “Is this better?”
She gave him a slap that wasn’t playful. “No.”
He went still. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No,” she whispered. “I’ve never wanted anyone like I want—” She stopped herself. “Never mind.”
He’d have to be satisfied with that. “Doing it from behind is great,” he said. “Doing in the dark is fine. But I want more. I want you to know who’s inside you. Who’s making you come. I want you to see me. And know me.”
“I don’t know you,” she said wildly.
“Yes you do. You know me better than anyone ever has.” The words tumbled out without a second thought.
“Noah,” she said nervously. “That’s a scary statement. We met today.”
“Can’t argue with that. ” He shrugged. “But so what? We’re doing fine. Why stop now?”
She closed her eyes. “All right. Face to face,” she conceded. “But lights off.”
He twisted around promptly to snap the light off. Good thing she didn’t know about his night vision. But this game they were playing was more about her perceptions than his. Besides. The dark brought out the colors of her sig that much more strongly.
He pushed her legs wider, settling between them. Her hands lifted to brace against his chest. Her nails dug in, a little more than he would have thought necessary to keep him at bay. He liked it. A lot.
“You’re angry,” she said.
Damn. There was no masking anything from her. “I guess I am,” he admitted. “Happens. But not often.”