The gratified smile staring back at her reached all the way up to his eyes, turning to liquid fire as he took her in another incredible kiss. He carried her through the living room and sank down on the couch with her knees straddling him. She’d expected him to lay her down, to dominate her without thinking, but she realized he was giving her an escape. Giving her control. And in doing so, it made her want to give up control.
He pushed his hands into her hair, his mouth moving along her jaw, to the tender spot beneath her ear. “Sweet as sugar,” he whispered.
In the next moment he was devouring her neck, sending shivers of lust skittering through her entire body. She closed her eyes, reveling in the illicit pleasures she’d wanted for so long. Inhaling the heady scents of leather and potent male, she focused on the feel of his tongue, his lips pressing hard against her skin, the scintillating graze of his teeth. He was hard beneath her, and when his mouth moved along her bare shoulder, her nipples pebbled tighter, burning with anticipation.
Eyes still closed, she followed the length of his arm down to his hand and brought it to her breast, whispering, “Touch me.”
He claimed her in another passionate kiss as he caressed her, teasing the sensitive peaks through her shirt. Tingling heat seared down the center of her body, pooling between her legs and drawing a long, low moan from her lungs. She moved his hand beneath her shirt, earning a heady groan from Bear that obliterated all her thoughts. His big, rough hand covered her breast, and she arched into him, wanting to feel his desire everywhere. He kissed her harder, rocking beneath her to the same rhythm she ground her hips, and when he took her nipple between his fingers and thumb, lust streaked all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes.
“Oh God that feels good.” She writhed against him, resting her forehead on his and using his shoulders for leverage.
He gathered her hair in his hand and sealed his mouth over her neck, sucking and kissing and driving her out of her mind. She’d dreamed of this—of him—but her dreams hadn’t come close to how incredible he felt. He slanted his mouth over hers again, urgent and ravenous, thrusting his tongue to the same pulse as his hips rose beneath her. When he squeezed her nipple, she couldn’t stop the stream of moaning, mewing noises coming from somewhere deep inside her. He caught her lower lip between his teeth and gave it a gentle tug.
“Ohgod” slipped out. “Again,” she pleaded.
He did it again, and then dipped his head, reclaiming her neck in an act of divine torture. She panted, caught up in the overwhelming sensations coursing through her. His hand dropped from her hair to the top of her ass, applying more pressure to their exquisite friction. Yes, yes, yes. She rocked harder and lowered her mouth to his neck, getting her first taste of his salty skin. She was powerless to resist her desires as she licked and sucked, earning another hungry groan from Bear, and several uttered curses.
“I need my mouth on you, baby. But—”
No buts. Not now. Not ever. Not with you. “Yes. Yes.”
She couldn’t lift her shirt and unhook the front clasp on her bra fast enough. She guided his mouth to her breast and held him there, feeling triumphant in the depths of her trust in him. This was what she’d longed for. The ability to let go and the courage to allow herself to feel her desires, to experience the pent-up passion she’d been running from all these months. This was right.
His mouth ignited her entire body with each hard suck. She held on for dear life as bolts of pleasure tore through her. She rode him hard, the clothing between them amping up her desire. When he moaned, it vibrated through her chest, making her hotter, wetter, greedier. She was utterly lost in him, and she never wanted to be found. She wanted to live in this magical haven of Bear forever.
Heat climbed up her limbs, burrowing into her chest, burning deeper and deeper. Pressure mounted at the juncture of her thighs, taking her up, up, up. She hung on the edge of a cliff, barely breathing, her entire body throbbing, on the verge of exploding, and then he tightened his hold, possessing her so completely, she spiraled over the edge, free-falling into a world of Bear.
Chapter Eight
CRYSTAL COLLAPSED AGAINST Bear, whispering, “Wow, wow, wow.”
Bear held her tight, kissing her cheek as her heart calmed. “I’ve got you, baby.” Watching her come, feeling her surrender to their passion, was so fucking hot he’d nearly lost it.
“That was amazing. Intense. How did you do that without…?” She rested her cheek on his shoulder. “We’re definitely doing that again.”
“And again and again,” he promised. “But you don’t have to build me up, babe. It’ll be even better as we get closer.”
She mouthed, Better? Her eyes widened, and understanding dawned on him.
“Have you never…?”
She shook her head, embarrassment pinking up her cheeks.
He kissed her again, tender and sweet, and hopefully reassuring. “Not even… self-pleasured?” he asked gently.
“God, this is so embarrassing. No, I haven’t flicked the bean, and not because I’m screwed up. I’ve had sex before, in college, but it was never particularly enjoyable. And even though I know pleasurable things are possible, I just never wanted to try to do that by myself. And then I met you, and I thought about you so much, I wanted to try, but…Let’s just say that every time I thought about it, like really thought about going there, I worried I wouldn’t be able to, you know. And I didn’t want another bad thing associated with that part of my body. So I never tried.”
“Oh, baby.” He hugged her. “I promise we’ll make up for all the orgasms you’ve missed.”
She laughed. “You’re so generous. I’ve missed a lot. Like, hours and hours’ worth.” She wiggled her bottom.
“Let’s not do that right now.” He lifted her off his lap, drinking in the curious and sultry look in her eyes. The combination made him want her to continue moving her fine body all over him, but he already felt like a volcano ready to erupt, and it would be torturous to have to stop again.
“Jesus, babe. Don’t look at me like that.” He rose to his feet, adjusting his painful erection.
She pushed from the couch and wound her arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. I’m not ready to, you know, but I can offer you a fashion magazine and the privacy of my bathroom to relieve that pressure.”
“Christ,” he uttered. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”
“I was being serious. It’s not like I have recent experience to draw from. I’ve never even had a man in my apartment. I don’t know what couples do at times like this, but I feel bad leaving you all revved up with no finish line in sight after the way you set my world on fire.”
He kissed her again. “Baby, you don’t have to do anything about it. I’m not an animal.”
“Your name suggests otherwise.”
He laughed softly. “I’ve waited eight months, and I’ll wait eight more, or a hundred more, if that’s what it takes for you to be ready.”
She glanced at the bulge in his pants, brow wrinkled. “You sure you don’t want that magazine?”
He slapped her ass.