Instead of allowing it, he gently nudged her back on the bed and knelt between her parted legs. He tugged her down to capture her mouth, then her neck, her chest, her stomach, encouraging her to lie back on the soft sheets.
‘I need you,’ she groaned. ‘Now.’
He dipped his head to kiss the spot between her legs he hoped would please her.
‘Oh my god.’ She let out a squeal. ‘You have the most amazing mouth… And your beard… Oh god, you’re killing me.’ Soon she was bucking up against his face, and he worked harder with both his lips and his fingers as her moans intensified, sounding almost pained as she sought her climax. She groaned long and luxuriantly, tugging painfully at his hair as she urged him on, then let out a shivering cry that made him smile.
He rose up to look at her, his eyes more accustomed to the dark. Her head was thrown back, eyes closed and pantingthrough aftershocks of pleasure. He pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.
‘You’re a beautiful woman.’ He breathed the words against her skin, punctuating them with kisses to her soft skin. ‘Inside and out.’
In a flash of movement, she sat up and pushed him over, so he was on his back again. ‘That was hot as sin, but I’m so not done with you.’ She pressed her hands to his shoulders, pinning him down. Her breasts hung forward, rosy and perfectly shaped, teasing him.
He had no desire to deny her anything. ‘Then you need to let me be entirely unsexy and wholly protected.’
‘Oh, hell. How could I forget after all the prep I did?’ She clambered off him and ducked down in the vague half-light, searching for something on the floor. Sam lay back, breathing heavily and listening. When she returned, she’d already started opening the packet. ‘Allow me?’ she asked. ‘Or would you rather do it yourself?’
‘I…’ What a question. ‘You go ahead.’
As she touched him, he inhaled, not letting the air out until she was done. But she wasn’t finished Slowly, she lowered her lips to him. ‘Oh, god.’ He closed his eyes. ‘Clara, please. That’s good, but if you want more from me, then you’ll have to stop.’
She giggled, then looked up, smiling. ‘Ooh, I’m not sure what I’d rather have now.’
‘Come back to me.’ He took hold of her hand and tugged her closer. She straddled him again, this time positioning herself to take him. He was determined not to cause her any hurt and so slowly pushed inside her, then paused. She bent over and kissed him, lowering herself onto him as she did.
‘I want this,’ she said. ‘I really want it.’
‘Me too.’ He breathed hard, aware they were now joined together. The tight heat of her engulfed him, and he movedinside her, slowly at first, then again and again. It felt so good, and she was moving with him, moaning and smiling.
‘Yes.’ She moved herself faster. ‘I love this. You have such a hot body. I can’t believe how fit you are.’
He let out a little laugh, matching her movements, but he was still trapped under her, and he needed more freedom.
She looked like she was about to come undone again, and he sat up, moving closer and drawing her into him, so they were face to face, so intimate and close. He kept thrusting, but now he could kiss her too, and hold her, though it was breathy and frenzied. His combined efforts did the trick, and she convulsed around him.
‘Oh god, Sam.’ She cried out. ‘I love you so much. So much. This is too much… Oh god.’
The words pushed him over the edge too, and he found his own release deep and satisfying. His breathing and heartbeat became ragged, and he rested his forehead in the crook of her neck. He wanted to tell her he loved her too. That was what he felt right here, right now, though he knew better. It was lust and happy hormones talking. This was just friends having some fun. And it had worked wonders. His body felt more sated than it had in years. Maybe ever. He closed his eyes, soaking in the moment, wanting it to last as long as possible.
Chapter Nineteen
Clara
Clara stirred as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains. She blinked slowly, her mind gradually piecing together where she was. The solid warmth of Sam’s body against her back, spooning her, his arm draped protectively over her waist, brought a rush of memories from the night before.
For a moment, she held her breath, afraid to move in case she burst the bubble of contentment. Sam always had a way of making her feel safe, but this was like being a in a cocoon of tranquillity.
He stirred behind her, his breath tickling the nape of her neck as he mumbled a sleepy ‘good morning.’ Clara rolled over to face him, her insides turning to jelly at the sight of his tousled hair and the soft smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
‘Morning.’ She ran the pad of her thumb over the stubbly beard that covered his cute little dimples, and the two of them lay for a moment, simply gazing at each other. Clara’s fingers traced the lines of Sam’s face, and he gently increased thepressure of his hold on her hips. The morning light caught flecks of silver in his blue eyes; it reminded her of the sea.
‘Listen,’ Sam said, his low, raspy voice tickling her. ‘About last night…’
‘What about it?’ He wasn’t going to say he regretted it, was he? Or that alcohol had pushed them into it.
‘I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen.’
‘But?’
