I nodded.
“Next time.” He winked, dropping his pants to the ground, then tossing them in the corner.
Well, just another thing to be amazed about.
The man didn’t wear boxers.
Or briefs.
Or anything.
“So you never wear underwear?” My breathing picked up as he pushed me back onto the bed, his face a mask of pure concentration and lust.
“Nope.”
“Ever?” I squeaked.
“Nope.”
“Oh.”
“That bother you?” He smirked as he slowly hovered over me, his bronzed chest such a ridiculous distraction I had to blink a few times before I answered.
“Nope.”
With an amused chuckle, he placed a feather-light kiss across my temple and then down the side of my neck. “Relax.”
“I am relaxed,” I argued.
“You’re freaked out.” Another kiss. “Overanalyzing.” His mouth descended to one of my breasts. I hissed out a breath. “And figuratively zipping up that skirt again.”
I whimpered as he sucked. “What was that?”
“There we go.” He blew across my skin.
I gripped the sheets as I tried to keep myself from leaping from my current position and tackling him. Why the torture?
“I love how responsive you are.” He paid attention to the next breast while his hand moved south.
“Uh . . .” It came out in a gurgle as I tried to clench my legs together and scoot away. “So, sex, that should happen.”
“Nope.” Apparently his new favorite word. “You aren’t ready for me yet. Believe me, that’s not ego talking, that’s truth.”
I looked down.
And paled.
“Wow, how exactly did they give you a penis enlargement? Your doctor does great work, really, but that’s not happening.”
“Calm”—his mouth brushed against mine—“down.”
“Says the Viking.”
“Viking?”
“Getting ready to pillage with his giant—” Reid licked my hip as I stuttered out, “Sword.”
“You do realize I’m trying to make this good for you, yet you keep distracting me with your talking. And do you even comprehend how freaking gorgeous you are? Or the hellish amount of self-control I need to keep myself from just straddling you and sinking into you? Hmm? Do you?”
I opened my mouth, but only a croak came out as my cheeks heated with embarrassment. Did he just say sink? Out loud? Apparently I was also a prude. Great.
“Sex should never be embarrassing . . . though I’m sure sometimes it is, because life is. Sex shouldn’t alter the way you feel about someone; it happens because you can’t imagine waiting one more minute.” He whispered, “One more second, without physically sharing the most intimate part of yourself with the person you lo—” He looked away. “The person you care for.”
Did I hallucinate, or had he been just about to say love?
“We need ground rules before . . .”
“Damn, you don’t make things easy, do you Jordan?”
Rhetorical question? The silence got awkward, but when I opened my mouth, he placed two fingers against my lips.
“No talking.” He nodded. “The only words I approve of are, more, Reid, yes, Reid, harder, Reid, Reid, Reid, Reid, Reid, Reid, and if you didn’t get it the first time, you can say my name, only my name. There will be no thinking about PR, no thinking about Otis, or your stupid plant, or the fact that I bring roses because that’s how my mom taught me to date. There will be tasting, lots of touching, and very close inspection of the most intimate parts of you. No pushing me away, not unless I’m hurting you, and you will not close your eyes. Ever.”
“But why would I—”
“Just keep your eyes open, so I can watch you watching me, so that you’re present, so that I can make sure you know exactly who’s making you feel this way.”
He didn’t give me any warning.
His hands moved between my thighs.
I closed my eyes.
And received a swat on the side of my hip.
I jerked my eyes open and glared.
“Feisty,” he teased. “I can work with that.”
And he did.
He so did.
There was no use fighting him as he played me like an instrument, and after about two seconds I was trying to figure out why the heck I was fighting him in the first place.
His hand left.
I leaned up on my elbows.
Just as his head lowered.
“Reid!” I shouted.
“Hmm?” He glanced up. “Sorry, kinda busy, so you’re going to have to use one of the preapproved words.”
He licked my thigh.
Then bit.
“Ouch.”
“Fail!” Reid snickered. “That wasn’t Reid approved.”
His tongue twirled dangerously close to my core; it was like his mouth was flirting with my leg.
My leg liked it.
Every part of me liked it.
“Reid!” I bucked off the bed. His hands moved to my hips and held me down. “More!”
He looked up and winked. “Love that phrase.”