Dots flickered across his vision until he realized he’d been holding his breath. It rasped free with a ragged curse — just the first syllable or maybe only a grunt. But she understood. Released him long enough to kiss his injured side before returning, taking him to the brink with the next slow descent.
He closed his eyes, but the image of her on her knees, teasing him until he thought he’d have a stroke, followed him. Accentuated how her hair felt even softer than before, her mouth, hotter. Every touch an electric jolt straight to his heart. She swallowed with him lodged deep, and he damn near exploded.
Bodie snapped his gaze to Rowan, held hostage by the rhythmic motion as she eased back, then plunged down, each stroke cracking more of his resolve. He tugged on her hair with every intention of telling her to stop until her gaze met his, her obvious pleasure stealing his breath. She tilted her head, looking as wrecked as he felt.
That did him in. Had him thrusting his hips, doing his best to meter his strokes, but it was hopeless. The heat, the pressure, her needy little moans that echoed through the room — they fried his brain. Had him reacting purely on instinct.
Rowan hummed, the added vibrations sending him over the edge. He tugged on her hair, again, mumbled something unintelligible, then gave in. Heat spiraled down his spine, pushed him over the edge as her name tore from his chest, the room exploding into a wash of white.
Just like the flash bangs, only more.
More heat, more light, more her.
Rowan made a few more passes, finally easing him free as his heart pounded frantically against his ribs, an odd buzzing noise filling his head. He came back to himself minutes, maybe hours later, one hand still clenched in her hair, the other palming the bed. What he suspected was the only reason he hadn’t fallen face-first onto the floor, likely landed on her in the process.
The air around him finally settled, the room shifting into view as he pried open his eyes, took stock. Rowan stared up at him, lips slightly swollen, eyes practically glowing. She seemed more than pleased with herself, a smug smile slowly curving her lips.
Bodie released her hair — it took three tries and him physically watching his fingers in order to get them to work — but he managed, lowering his hand onto the small of her back when she stood, moving easily into his embrace. He held her tight, one hand at her neck, the other her waist until his pulse returned to normal, his chest no longer squeezed tight.
She laughed against his skin. “Now that was definitely worth remembering.”
“It was worth so much more, I…” How did he say he’d never come that hard, that fast, and not let his feelings slip out? Sure, he’d told her he was all-in but now…
All-in didn’t feel like nearly enough.
Bodie cupped her face, pressed his mouth to hers in a lingering kiss. The kind that clearly stated he had no intentions of letting her slip away. Rowan closed her eyes as he rested his forehead on hers, savored the intimacy of the moment.
He breathed in her scent, the hint of winter rain in her hair, then grabbed her shirt, drew it over her head. A flick followed by some shoving, and her pants dropped to the floor with a light thud. Rowan lifted her arms and bent forward as he eased her sports bra over her head, then shimmied her panties down her thighs.
Less than a minute, and she was naked. Nothing but soft skin and promise passing beneath his hands.
He smoothed back her hair when they finally parted, dropped a kiss on her sexy mouth, then turned and lowered them both to the bed. Scooting her to the middle, he spread out her hair as he braced his weight on his elbows. “You comfortable?”
She traced her thumb along his jaw. “Perfect.”
“Good, because now that you’ve taken the edge off, we can slow it down. Make love.” He dipped down and kissed her. “Best settle in, sweetheart, this could take the rest of the night.”
Chapter Fifteen
Rowan stared up at Bodie, heart thrashing, nerves singing in anticipation. His hair looked wild, the ends spiked up in every direction from her running her fingers through it, the blonde highlights streaks of warm grey in the darkness. He smiled, and the world shifted. Spun faster until it matched the jumpy feeling in her stomach.
It seemed like forever since she’d been with a man, too entrenched in finding her father to allow herself that luxury. And god knew Bodie wasn’t some random guy. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted anyone like this. As if it was a physical need, like breathing, only hotter. Deeper. And she knew, once she surrendered, a piece of her heart would belong to him. That she’d need his if she ever wanted to be whole, again.
Bodie tsked, lowered until every inch pressed against her. “I haven’t even had a chance to touch you, yet, and already you’re worried. I think that’s a record.”
She tilted her head, inhaling when he pressed an open-mouth kiss to her neck, lightly nipped at her skin. “I’m not worried, it’s just…” The words trailed into a moan as he shifted his weight onto one side, smoothed his hand up her ribcage, his fingers dancing across her skin, stealing what little breath she had.
He chuckled against her neck. “Just what?”
Another moan clawed free. Rougher than before as he teased her breast, sparked needles of heat across her skin. “I need…”
A kiss below her collar bone. “Need what?”
Her voice keened into a wail as he sucked at her flesh, burning all that need into white-hot desire. “You. I need you… God.”
She arched into his touch, eating at his mouth when he claimed her lips, one hand tangled in his hair. She fisted the ends in the hopes of keeping him right there, kissing her as if she needed the contact to breathe, only to have him tsk, again, as he slowly moved down her body. He peppered kisses across her ribs, tracing the line with his fingers and tongue until he’d settled between her thighs, his broad shoulders wedging them apart. His body flexed with every small movement, created deep shadows across his torso.
The man was impressive. With bulging muscles and a dusting of hair across his chest, he looked every inch the warrior she knew he’d been. Hell, still was. Add in the beard, the scattering of scars, and the Hollywood-good looks, and she was more than smitten.
