Darkest Caress (12 page)

Liv bit her lip when he stroked his free hand over the side of her face, down her throat to her chest. He trailed his hand over the curve of one breast, bent to kiss her there. His lips muffled her rising moan when he grasped the turgid nipple between his thumb and forefinger, rolling with gentle pressure. She struggled against his grip but he held her down and followed the path his hand had taken with his mouth. His palm moved lower, over her smooth belly to find the strip of hair covering her sex.

Liv made a choked sound and tensed, quaking in his grip.

Daegan whispered soothing words against her soft skin, glancing down at his hand between her legs before licking one distended nipple.

“Oh, God,” she wailed, arching up as she grabbed handfuls of his hair.

Ah, love.
Immediately he closed his lips around the tender peak and sucked, giving her more. Relishing her uninhibited response.

She made a choked sound, clutching him tighter.

He wished he could take more time with her, but he didn’t want her to endure this any longer. “Easy,” he whispered against her nipple, sucking with light pressure. Below, his fingers gently grazed over her swollen labia.

Liv bucked and called his name. Daegan steeled himself then drew a deep breath, kept her pinned down. Aware of his enhanced strength, he was careful not to bruise her delicate skin when he brought both her arms over her head. His fingers manacled her wrists in a firm grip and pressed them into the mattress, silently telling her he was in control. Giving her permission to abandon any remaining inhibitions she had. Demanding she give in to her need.

She was hot and wet where he touched her sex, more than ready for him. Gritting his teeth, he slid a finger into her body, slowly, firmly. Slick, soft heat engulfed him. Liv gave a throttled cry and clenched around his finger while he bit back a groan, dying to push his cock into her.
Not yet,
he told himself. Not yet. She needed this release first. Needed to be able to trust him to relieve her while she was helpless like this.

Preparing to stroke his thumb over her swollen clitoris once, he focused on her face, memorizing every single detail. She stared up into his face, waiting, her gorgeous hazel eyes alight with passion. Holding her beneath him, he slid his thumb slid upward to gently graze the tender nub.

The instant he touched her there, Liv threw her head back and groaned, her expression full of sensual agony. Her inner muscles clamped around his finger rhythmically as she rode him, taking her pleasure. The cries that tore from her throat were desperate, full of relief.

Holding her in place, he maintained gentle pressure on her clit while she rode the waves of release. When she groaned and fell back against the mattress, only then did he remove his hand. Christ, she was beautiful. It shook him. His heart knocked crazily against his ribs as he released her wrists and gazed down at her flushed face.

Releasing a breathy sigh, Liv opened those stunning eyes to gaze up at him. Her body was calm, a sated, almost dreamy expression on her face, her hands open and relaxed above her head. Then she smiled tiredly and reached up to cradle the side of his face with her palm. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Daegan had no words, so he slid his hands into her tangled hair and kissed her. His body hurt for relief, but seeing her like this was more than worth the pain. He nibbled gently at her lips, tugged the lower one with his teeth. In answer she hummed and stroked her hands lightly over his back, tracing the muscles on either side of his spine.

She kissed him with a languid passion that made his head spin while she caressed his tongue, sighing longingly into his mouth. His fingers tightened in her hair as he moved atop her, settling the bulge in his jeans against her damp mound. She opened for him, winding her legs around his waist. Her implicit trust almost made him lose it.

Inhaling harshly, he lifted his head and shook it, fighting back the tide of sexual hunger roaring inside him. He couldn’t get enough of her. Didn’t know if he’d be able to contain the lust clawing at him if he took things any further.

After a moment Liv tensed beneath him, her eyes widening. His heart twisted at the edge of fear he saw buried in them. “It’s happening again,” she said shakily.

“I know. It’s okay.”

“Is it always like this?”

“Like what?” He smoothed her hair back.

“This intense.”

Her words made his skin prickle with alarm. “For some it is.” And then they could only hope to hell the match was a good one. Because if it wasn’t…

Don’t. Don’t even go there.

Liv shifted beneath him, seeming more relaxed with him than she’d been earlier. “Why?”

“It helps the couple bond faster. Forces them into intimacy so they get comfortable with each other. Begin to trust each other.” At least, that was how it was supposed to work in theory. Unfortunately things didn’t always go that way in reality.

Shaking off the ugly memories trying to take over, he held her gaze, allowing himself one more firm stroke against her luscious body. Pleasure tore through him like claws, his cock full to bursting.

She pulled in a sharp breath, closed her eyes as the hunger built again. In seconds she was moaning and writhing against his erection. Her hands flailed on his shoulders, moving down to clutch frantically at his hips. He could feel the pressure of her nails through the denim still covering him. Her movements grew wilder, her whole body twisting against the sheets.

With a low growl, Daegan sat up on his knees and grabbed her pajama bottoms from the foot of the bed.

She glanced up at him in surprise when he then snagged both her wrists, brought them back over her head. “What are you doing?”

“Do you trust me?”

She stared at him a moment, then nodded. “Yes.”

His upper gums throbbed mercilessly, and he was careful not to show his teeth when he smiled. If she thrashed around like before she might hurt herself. Besides, he wanted both his hands free for what he was about to do. Because he needed this like he needed air to breathe. “Hold still.”

* * *

Liv shook all over while Daegan held her wrists and tied them to one of the posts with her pajama bottoms. The intense look on his face would have scared her to death, had she not been completely certain he would never harm her. His expression said he wanted to devour her. The tight ache between her legs grew to a fever pitch as he tugged the knot in place, securing her hands above her head. Rendering her completely helpless to his strength and the raw lust she read in his glowing blue eyes.

A primal shiver ripped through her.

He bent to kiss her. “So beautiful,” he murmured against her lips.

Liv lifted her head for more but he moved downward, his tongue laving briefly over a spot at the side of her throat that made her bow up and whimper. Every nerve ending suddenly sizzled to life. Her hands tugged uselessly against the bond, wanting to hold him there. Wanting him to do it harder. “Daegan…”

“Mmm,” he responded, licking and nibbling there. She jerked when she felt something sharp scrape her, couldn’t hold back her startled gasp. More. Whatever he was doing to her neck, she wanted more of it.

Daegan nuzzled her for a moment as if he loved it, too, then seemed to fight with himself before moving lower. She moaned in disappointment and lifted into him, trying to urge him back up to her neck. Instead she felt the warmth of his hands bracketing her ribcage, sliding up to cradle her swollen, aching breasts. His wide palms cupped them together while his eyes consumed her. Another rush of moisture slipped from between her legs.

A soft sigh escaped her when he bent his dark head, caressing the sensitive mounds gently with his clean-shaven cheeks. Her nipples throbbed under his stare, unbearably sensitive. She arched her back, begging silently. He didn’t move.

“More,” she whispered, wishing she could tangle her hands in his thick hair and hold him to her.

As if he’d been waiting for her permission, Daegan let out a deep purr and lowered his head. With reverence he began making love to the tender points. Liv groaned in helpless ecstasy, twisting in his grip, but he held her steady while he pleasured her. Her inner muscles clamped in frustration, her body pulsing with the need to come again. He stayed where he was, teasing until she couldn’t hold back the cries.

He lifted smoldering eyes to hers, releasing one breast to slide his hand to her hip. Liv wiggled and opened her thighs wider, craving his touch there.

“I need to taste you.” His low voice was like another caress. Deep, full of need.

Liv bit her lip then nodded, closing her eyes as she braced for it. She was too far gone with arousal to care about modesty or embarrassment now. All she cared about was him easing the desperate tension in her body. The thought of him going down on her made the fire inside burn even hotter. He was her wildest, most wicked fantasy come to life, but if she was on fire he had to be too. “Want to touch you.”

“No.” Warm kisses trailed down the center of her body. Across her stomach to her navel. His hot tongue delved into it, making her gasp and squirm. Then his strong hands closed around her hips, holding her down tightly. “Don’t move.” It came out more a growl than a whisper.

The deep command made her quiver. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the post above her hands, every muscle drawn tight in anticipation of the first touch of his mouth. Her sex was drenched, a sob forming in her chest.

His hands tightened around her hips at the same instant his hot breath touched the top of her mound. She made a choked sound and turned her head aside, the need painful and sharp. Daegan inhaled deeply, growled low in his throat as though he loved the scent of her arousal. Liv felt the flush in her face grow hotter. She trembled in his grip, waiting. Praying he’d make the burning pressure inside her go away.

He dipped his head then his soft, warm tongue caressed her most sensitive flesh.

Her whole body jerked. A high sound tore out of her as she raised her hips, frantic for more. Daegan held her steady, taking her apart with slow, tender strokes of his tongue. He cherished each fold, every millimeter of her most intimate flesh before closing his lips around her pulsing clitoris. The air whooshed out of her lungs as he began sucking tenderly, lightly flicking his tongue against her.

Over the roaring in her ears, she distantly heard her own wild cries, the soft, wet sounds his mouth made against her. She writhed beneath his loving tongue, ready to shatter. Then he pushed two fingers into her body with firm pressure and pulled them almost all the way out. Again. Again.

The specific friction ignited the charge deep inside her. A crescendo of pleasure peaked then shattered. The tender motions of his mouth never stopped while she screamed and bucked through the agonizing waves of release.

She fell back against the damp sheets, utterly exhausted. Daegan moaned and licked her one last time, a slow, lingering stroke that made her tired muscles clench. Removing his fingers from her body, he slid his arms around her waist and buried his face into her belly like he never wanted to let her go.

Her heart turned over in her chest, a lump filling her throat. She tugged against the knot holding her captive. “Untie my hands,” she said unsteadily. “Let me touch you. You’re hurting.” The ache inside her had receded for now, but she still felt empty. She wanted him to fill her, drive her over that high peak again while she held him close and reveled in his power and tenderness.

Daegan reached up to undo the knot holding her wrists. When she slid her arms around him he burrowed close for a moment, nuzzling that sensitive spot on the side of her neck.

Cradling him, Liv sighed and tipped her head back to give him more access. “There,” she whispered. “Right there…”

Beneath her hands, Daegan’s muscles twitched. He snarled softly then pulled out of her embrace. She made a sound of protest and resisted, but he rolled her onto her side, pulling her back into the curve of his body. His massive erection pressed hard against her buttocks.

She wriggled in his grasp. “Daegan—”

“No.” His deep voice was rough as he stilled her movements with an iron hold.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” His arm tightened around her ribs. She could feel the tension in him, the pent-up sexual energy he was fighting to control.

“I want to touch you.”

“Don’t. Just lie still.” His voice was rough with lust.

Liv frowned and relaxed against him, wondering why he was struggling against this so hard. He was protecting her from something, she was sure of it. But surely he wasn’t worried about hurting her? “Why won’t you finish it? I want to feel you inside me.”

A light shudder sped through him, the hand wrapped around her ribs tightening. “You need to sleep.”

She
was
tired. But not tired enough to ignore the hard length pressed against her buttocks. “I want to please you.” It made her hot all over again to think of it.

Daegan pressed his face against her hair, his unrelieved hunger clear in the residual tension in his muscles. “You already have,
mo ghrá
. But I need you to sleep now.” He placed a firm kiss on the crown of her head. “Trust me, you’ll thank me later.”

She didn’t understand the strange words he’d used, but his tone made it clear they were an endearment. It soothed her. With a sigh she closed her eyes, letting the delicious, heavy languor steal through her body. She was safe, warm, and her body seemed to finally be sated. It was strange, but she
did
trust him.

Confident that he’d take care of her, Liv allowed the dark wave of sleep to pull her under.

* * *

Rick Bennett parked his Harley in front of the bar then headed inside to meet his contact. The dark place smelled of stale beer, already full with the regular Friday night crowd. Mostly other bikers, a few wannabes. He spotted his contact in a booth at the back and nodded to the clean-cut, well-dressed man. Guy stuck out like a sore thumb in a place like this.