Skin.So hot. His abdominal muscles quivered beneath her palms, and his breath hitched.
“Christ, your hands feel good on me,” he said, his voice low and rough.
“You feel good to touch,” she admitted in response.
With an impatient grunt, Mr. Notley released her to pull his shirt over his head. “Then, please, touch more of me.”
A harsh gasp was pulled from her lungs, her gaze fixed on the large black markings on his shoulder and down his bicep. “What is that?” she asked.
The muscles in his jaw jumped, and his throat worked. “A tattoo.”
Juliana blinked, reaching tentative fingers out to trace the dark curves. He flinched as she made contact, but did not pull away. His discomfort was evident in the sudden dulling of his irises and stiffness of his muscles, but Juliana desperately wanted to see more.
The design was intricate, in the shape of some sort of reptilia, with swirls, stripes, triangles, and spots, all pointed and at jutting angles to one another. She traced her fingertips along the artwork, and his muscles bunched.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.And brings to mind the sort of designs one might see on a pirate. She could not voice the thought, however, most particularly in the face of his discomfort. Lord, but it made him all the more intriguing.
He was silent for a moment as he observed her. “You would be the first to believe so.”
Her brows creased, meeting his pained gaze, her palm resting fully over his warm, marked skin. “Surely not.”
Something shifted in his eyes, and in a flurry of movement, they were both rendered nude. Shock rippled through her as she received a glorious view of his thick erection jutting from a nest of dark blond curls.
He was rather larger than she’d thought a man might be: thick and long, with blue veins wrapping around its girth and leading to the ruddy head. She wanted to ask if he was certain they’d fit together, but the heat in his gaze as he looked at her told her that he had no qualms about size.
“You’re…” he said gutturally. “Hell, Juliana, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
She smiled brilliantly at him, and in one smooth motion, he wrapped his arms about her, lifted her, and carefully deposited her on the narrow bed. Leaning on one elbow, he covered her body with his, taking her lips in another hungry, earth-quaking kiss.
Their movements were driven by need: swift and urgent. As overwhelming as it was, their joining felt instinctual,right. The tingle of cinnamon lingered on her tongue as they kissed, and her lungs filled with the unique scent of him.
Using his free hand, Mr. Notley sought and found the most sensitive parts of her body: the curve of her elbow, the underside of her breasts, the dip of her waist… And he teased them with lazy swirls of his fingers before following the movement with his lips and tongue. It was entirely delicious torment. Her skin puckered with gooseflesh, and her muscles quivered in delight.
Juliana moaned helplessly, her body on fire and writhing beneath him. He ground his erection deliciously against her thigh, and she slid her palms down his back, desperate to feel him beneath her fingers.
He found one of her nipples with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth, and Juliana arched off the bed with a gasp as tingles of sensation travelled over her skin. “Mr. Notley!” She clutched at his hair to draw him closer.
“Leo,” he returned, turning his attention to her other breast. “Your nipples are the colour of chocolate milk—and taste just as sweet.”
Another gasp escaped her as he gently scraped his teeth over the sensitive nub. Her abdomen twitched at the contact, and molten heat gathered at her centre. She wanted more, wantedeverythingthat he was willing to give.
With a grunt, he nudged her legs apart with his hand and she willingly moved, opening herself to him.
“Please,” Juliana breathed.
“Please, what?” Leo’s hand slid up one thigh, causing a wave of gooseflesh to spread over her skin once more.
“Touch me.”
He groaned, taking her lips with his as he thrust against her thigh once more.
To her great relief, Leo complied, dipping his fingers between her labium and caressing her there. Her body came alive with sensations, all tingling awareness and pooling desire that sped her pulse.
Helpless in the face of her lust and unable to stop herself, she thrust her hips in time with his ministrations, silently urging him on. Leo delved deeper inside with one finger, and Juliana moaned into his mouth. She clutched at his back, pulling him closer, needing more andmoreof his delicious caresses.
He stroked her in earnest now, finding the little nub that sent sparks of pleasure bursting through her. Dipping and swirling and dipping and swirling, he continued for what felt like so long, but not nearly long enough.
“Leo,” she breathed, arching into his touch.
