He jerked back abruptly, his breathing ragged.
Her stomach quivered madly but she knew the drill. Here came the part where he wanted his. She swallowed a lump of disappointment because the Big Bang was right there, hovering out of reach with the heat of ten thousand suns. But asking was embarrassing. Asking was vulnerable. Asking was admitting to wanting, to craving, to being helpless, weak and exposed.
To needing.
“I’m selfish.” He nudged her legs further apart, milking her tender sweet spot. “Wanted to see your face.”
“Oh. Okay.” That’s it. Her heart was going to burst. At least she’d die happy. “I assumed you were done.”
Laughter rolled through his chest. “Hell no. I could do this all night.” He leaned back in, using his lips, tongue, and the lightest love bites to show her hypersensitive knot of flesh that he was a man of his word.
She lost track of how many times she broke apart as he pushed his fingers in and out, keeping the perfect, rhythmic suction on her clit. All the cheesy magazines in the grocery store checkout lanes touted how-to headlines about attaining multiple orgasms. Pepper never felt greedy in that department, one did her fine, and anyway she normally took over from the guy anyway, relying on her own handiwork with customary efficiency.
When she finally returned to her senses, or whatever was left of them, he spoke.
“Pepper.” He made her name sound like a life raft. “Thank you.”
She half sat, attempting to rearrange herself and realized quickly that was a pointless endeavor. Her nightgown top slunk around her waist and the bottom skirt hiked to her hips. She shimmied free. “I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
He scrubbed his hand through his hair, making the ends stand out. “It’s been a long time.” He cleared his throat. “Probably not cool to admit that.”
“Yeah. Consider my illusions shattered,” she said. He didn’t look tragic though, or needy. Simply relieved.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m making this weird.”
“Not weirder than the situation already is.”
He was quiet a moment. “I’m not always the nicest guy.”
“But you’re a good man.” She reached out. “And if you want to be a bad boy tonight, I won’t tell.” He’d knocked her reservation loose. Her inner sex kitten prowled, ready for banter and a lot more bedding. Why did people refer to this feeling as an itch? Nothing remotely scratchy happened inside her. This was a throbbing, rich pulse.
He gripped her hips, his fingers branding her skin. “Let’s find a better use for that smart mouth.”
His tongue swept through the seam of her lips, demanding, claiming, left her twisting, writhing. Every indiscernible plea met with a ruthless chuckle, a deep, smooth rumble that fed the fire lapping between her legs. His hands roamed her silhouette, as if he needed to memorize her outline for future sculptures. No dip or flare escaped attention.
He stood and stripped in a steady, assured motion. Normally she glanced away for this part, got busy studying sheet wrinkles or the back of her hands. Anything to avoid the awkward wang unveil. But tonight was about one thing—getting her perv on. Might as well embrace it. Keep her gaze lasered to the lean, hard lines of his body. The typography tattoo on the forearm.
Stay true.True to what?
“You’re staring,” he said, taking a condom from his wallet. He was as aroused as she was, the hard length of his cock rising against his flat stomach.
“I know.” She poked out her tongue. “Why should you be the only one who gets to take their time looking?”
“Troublemaker.” He rolled the condom over his big crown before drawing her into his lap.
“Guilty as charged.” She threw her arms around his neck, legs encircling his narrow hips, toes curling as his own legs formed the perfect cradle for her ass.
“Pepper I…Shit. It’s been awhile.” He rocked into position. “I’ll try to be gentle.”
“Who wants gentle?” she purred, opening wider, giving an all-access pass. Warning: Gentle pressure against sensitive wet skin may cause involuntary writhing. She ached to be filled. “For the love of all that’s holy, get inside me.”
“Yes ma’am.” He pushed inside with that broad head. Not all the way, but beyond the point of retreat. This was happening. Inch by inch she stretched, opening for him. The only thing breaking the silence were short, ragged breaths and the telltale mattress squeak. Her skin’s hypersensitivity was maddening. This experiment had gone haywire. She had expected good, the chemistry had been there, but she never anticipated blowing the roof of the laboratory.
“Hurry.” She needed him to move, to drive away unwanted attachments and remind her body of the deal. This was a fling, not a forever.
Two deep frown lines creased his forehead as he peered into her face. She closed her eyes. Secret sex heightened everything. She slid her ass forward, rocking, begging, but he didn’t rush. Instead he tortured her with each slow grind until he was fully inside, embedded to the root. Only then, chest to chest, heart to heart, did he pause.
“Rhett.” Her knees bracketed his hard torso.
