Authors: Shelly Alexander
She swallowed.
Reason Two: No one’s seen you naked since Gabriel, and you know how well that went.
His finger traced her collarbone and cut a line down the center of her chest. Tugging down the zipper in the front of her dress a few inches, his finger caressed the skin between her breasts.
“Does that bother you?”
She shook her head, another breath lodging right under his fingertip.
“I’ve wanted you since the first time we met.” His gaze started at her eyes and traveled down to her feet. He ate her up with his stare. “Even with your giant curlers and creepy puppet slippers.” His finger caressed farther down until it connected with her bra.
Heat thundered through her veins.
“Even after I found out why you’re here.”
Reason Three:
You have fake boobs!
Fear lanced through her and stabbed her in the gut.
“I don’t care about the surgeries you’ve had,” he said like he read her thoughts.
She tried to steady the tremors that coursed through her. It wasn’t too late. She could still bolt for the door. “Um, here’s your phone.” She held it out, trying to delay so she could think this through.
Without taking his hungry eyes off her, he grabbed the phone and tossed it onto the lonely chair.
“This won’t change my professional decisions,” she said, but he put a palm at the back of her neck and hauled her against his firm chest. Hard. Male.
All mine.
For the next few hours, she reminded herself.
“We’ll see about that,” he said and captured her mouth with his.
Reason Four:
Wait. What was three again?
She melted into him because he tasted so freaking good. Felt so good molded against her. Angling her head, he deepened the kiss.
Oh, to hell with four.
One arm slid around his neck, and the other hand caressed his jaw. Hard and masculine just like the rest of his beautiful body, with just the hint of stubble. His curious hands explored her, leaving a trail of heat everywhere they touched. Traversed the curves and valleys of her body until every cell blazed with frustrated desire. Just about the only place on her body his hands didn’t seek out were her breasts.
When his mouth left hers, she wanted it back. Fisting a handful of his soft hair, she pulled gently, trying to guide his lips back to hers like a heat-seeking missile locking on to its target. He laughed against her throat, then nipped at her earlobe. A jolt of desire shot through her, and she let out a small but urgent moan. Her head fell back.
“Blake.”
He cupped her bottom, pulling her against an awe-inspiring erection. She laced one leg around his thigh.
“Blake, what?” His voice ragged, his heavy breaths caressed her moist neck and sent convulsive shivers through her from head to curling toes.
“Blake,
yes
,” she whispered.
In one fluid movement, he cupped her bottom with both hands and lifted her. Her legs instinctively clamped around his waist. As he carried her into the bedroom, she rested her forehead against his.
“I won’t touch you anywhere you’re not comfortable. It’s your call, not mine.” His voice was soft, kind. Loving. No wonder most of Red River’s female population threw themselves at him. She nodded and closed her eyes.
The bedroom was empty except for an old brass-framed bed. Shades up, the full moon filtered into the room and lit half of his face as they walked past the window. She stroked his illuminated cheek with her fingers, the light stubble prickling the tips. Gently, he lowered her to the bed, the springs creaking their approval.
Heart thundering, she settled back into the soft quilt.
It had taken every ounce of courage she possessed to undress in front of Gabriel after the first surgery. Shirtless and alone, she’d spent a good hour looking at her scars in the mirror before letting him into their room. Staring at her reflection, she’d felt like the bride of Frankenstein, all pieced and sewn together with body parts that didn’t belong to her. She’d finally let him in, expecting loving words of encouragement and soft caresses of acceptance. Instead revulsion and pity had flashed in his eyes. His rejection was a kick in the gut, causing more emotional scars than those left on her body.
Blake’s thoughtfulness and gentleness were already so different than Gabriel’s actions. But what about when she took her clothes off and Blake saw her in the buff? Sure, the finished product didn’t
look
like mutilated flesh. They looked pretty real, until you got up close and personal. Then they reminded her of a kindergarten paper doll that had different body parts cut out and glued together that didn’t actually belong.
Thank God the light was out.
He lay next to her on his side and splayed a hand on her tummy. “How much feeling do you have left?”
She knew what he meant without having to ask, and the fact that he’d cared enough to ask made her heart ache with gratitude. Still, she hesitated. “Not much on top.” Her voice shook a little. “I can feel more over the ribcage.” She swallowed, because her mouth had gone dry. “You know, under my arm.”
“Do you still have pain?” His hand slid up her torso to the zipper. It whizzed as he tugged it all the way to the bottom of her minidress. The soft knit material fell away, exposing her bra and panties. The moonlight cascaded across her legs, leaving the rest of her in shadows. For that she was grateful. With a wiggle of each foot, her flat Mary Janes thudded against the hardwood flooring.
“Some.” She pointed just right of her breastbone. “Right here.”
He placed his hand back on her bare tummy, fingers spread wide. An intimate warmth ignited under his palm and spread through her. He leaned in and kissed the spot she’d indicated.
“Can you feel that?” he whispered against her skin, and placed another wet, warm kiss in the same spot.
Her skin pebbled and everything inside her tightened with arousal. Not so much from the kiss, because she had no feeling in that spot, but because of his tenderness, his gentle thoughtfulness. She nearly had an orgasm right then.
“Not much,” she breathed out. “But it’s still nice.”
His hand drifted up her torso, detoured around her breast, and slid her sweater off one shoulder. His mouth moved to the flesh just above her breast. “That?”
More moist kisses caressed her, and her head bobbled up and down like a puppet on a string. “I can feel that a little.” Her words came in heavy breaths, and she clutched at his shoulders.
He moved to her shoulder, tugging the lace bra strap away. Hot breaths against her skin made her want to scream, but she bit it back, letting his essence, his touch settle over her. When his mouth touched the small indention between her collarbone and shoulder, she couldn’t hold back the whimper that clawed to get out. He smiled against her shoulder. “You can feel that.”
“Yes,”
she breathed out.
Gently, he dislodged her arm from his neck and threaded his fingers through hers and pinned her hand to the bed above her head to give him better access. His mouth traveled downward, around her breast, over the side of her bra, to her ribcage just under her breast and arm. When he suckled the skin, tracing the well between each rib with the tip of his tongue, she arched violently against him.
“Oh, God,” she gasped, barely able to speak without screaming.
“This spot seems to be your favorite. So far.” He suckled down her top rib again.
With her free hand, she grabbed for the hem of his shirt. Wanted to feel his bare chest against her, but he’d sunk too low, so she threaded one set of fingers through his hair. “Yes,” she said, her tone urgent. “I like that spot.”
Releasing her hand, he dropped lower, his tongue and lips working their magic along her side all the way to her waist. She couldn’t breathe.
“You’re so damned sexy,” he said, just before nipping at the skin around her belly button. “You drive me crazy.”
She wanted to tear his clothes off and look at him. But at the moment, her brain couldn’t command her hands to push him off of her. Not with his mouth and tongue exploring her . . .
His soft kisses lowered to the triangle between her thighs. Warm, moist breaths through the thin lace that rubbed against her made her insides clench and beg for more. Now both hands anchored in his hair.
“Blake!”
Her voice was urgent, demanding.
“Blake, what?” He teased her. Taunted her to the point of cruelty.
“Blake,” she rasped out, and swallowed.
“More.”
When his mouth left her, an empty coldness covered the spot where his moist warmth had been, but only for a moment. He stood and had his shirt unbuttoned and discarded by the time she could raise up on both elbows to watch him. He kicked off his hiking boots and retrieved a wallet from his back pocket. With a toss it landed on the bed.
Holy jeez, he was beautiful. Hard. Sinewy.
She drank him in shamelessly while he unbuttoned his Levi’s. A muscled chest and sculpted arms flexed against the moonlight. The sight of his hardened body turned her insides into liquid fire, heating her all over again.
But nothing prepared her for the final revelation. When his pants and boxer briefs fell away and he kicked them to the side, she drew in an inspired breath.
Awe-inspiring indeed.
He held out a hand, and she took it, rising off the bed.
“Now you,” he said, and slid his hands under the edges of her gaping sweater dress. He pushed it down her arms, and it swooshed to the floor when she pulled the sleeves over each hand. His eyes raked over her, and his breath turned ragged. “I knew you’d be this gorgeous.”
“You’ve been fantasizing about me without clothes on?” she teased.
“Twenty-four-seven.” His arm encircled her, and he traced the length of her spine with his fingertips. “Have you thought about me?” The other hand dipped inside her panties to caress her bottom. She shivered.
Heck yeah
. “No,” she said, her eyes fluttering shut.
“Liar.” His mouth found hers, just as the other hand plunged into the back of her panties and lowered the swatch of lace. With a small kick, they flew in the same direction as his pants. Deepening the kiss, he slid his hands up her back to the fastening of her bra. Heart thumping, she tensed.
He broke the kiss and placed one on her temple instead. Rested his mouth there so affectionately that Angelique’s heart squeezed. Gabriel hadn’t been half as loving and considerate
before
her illness. Afterward, he’d turned into a stone-cold bastard. Kimberly was right. Gabriel had always been a prick, and her illness hadn’t made him that way. It had simply exposed it.
“We can stop.”
That’s all Blake said. Three simple words revealed the depth of his character. The deep well of compassion running through him. The love he had to give to the right person.
They had tonight. That was enough. Had to be. She could never give him what he would surely want in the future if they started a real relationship. Relationships either led to marriage and kids, or they led to heartbreak. She couldn’t risk either. But tonight she wanted to be his.
She shook her head. “No.” Her eyes lifted to meet his. “I don’t want to stop.” A stinging thought paralyzed her for a fleeting moment. Maybe
he
was having second thoughts. “Unless, you do. I’d understand if you did.” She tried to pull back, but he held her firm against his chest. The muscles flexed under her fingertips.
“Does it feel like I want to stop?” Voice husky, he dropped a hand to her ass and pulled her hips tighter against his magnificent erection.
Laughter bubbled through her lips. “I’m just nervous. I haven’t . . . well, it’s just that . . .” She fell silent for a beat. “I don’t want to stop,” she finally said.
His strong hands slid up her back again and found the fastenings. With a quick flick of his expert fingers, the bra was gone, and their bare bodies melded together like hot wax pouring into a mold. Her bare breasts pressed against the hardness of his chest, and she felt . . . sensual . . . like the same woman she’d been before she’d given her body over to be butchered. And she wanted him. She didn’t care how, she just wanted him in her, driving her to the cliff of desire then pushing her over into oblivion. Just this once.
Careful to stay out of the moonlight, she stepped backward, away from him, and grabbed his hand, pulling him with her. His breaths quickened, and he followed her onto the bed. The box springs groaned again, and so did she when his clever hand found her curls and parted them. He stroked, gently at first, as his mouth captured hers. As his thumb circled that small spot between her legs that unleashed fire into her limbs, she squirmed with pleasure. He anchored one of her legs with his to open her to his very capable fingers.
And oh, what excellent fingers.
“Blake,”
she whimpered.
His index finger slid into her while that thumb still stroked the little nodule of pleasure.
“Blake, what?” He pressed his finger deeper.
“Yes!”
Her entire body arced into him. Desperate, before she lost her mind, she grasped his impressive length in one hand and stroked up and down the expansive flesh.
His groan filled the room.
Reaching for his wallet, he retrieved a gold square and ripped it open with his teeth. She took the condom from him and rolled it on. Her hand caressed down his thickness with deliberate strokes while his lips sought out hers. Finally, the condom was on, and Angelique tightened her grip.
With a quick, smooth motion, he had her pinned beneath him, his knees nudging her thighs open. Placing his erection at her entrance, he sank into her just an inch. She clawed at his shoulders, her hips rising to meet him, but he didn’t go any farther.
When she opened her eyes, disoriented and frustrated, he watched her with lust-glazed eyes.
“More,” she whispered. He smiled, triumphant and self-satisfied.
“You’re beautiful, Angelique.” And he sank fully into her with one stroke.
Her entire body convulsed into an earth-shattering orgasm, and Angelique knew she’d never be the same again. The response his body coaxed from hers was mind-bending as he rolled his hips into her, heightening the sensations that exploded inside her.