“The closest I’ve gotten to a harem was one drunken night on leave when the Murphy twins ended up in the back of my truck after a night at the local bar. Not saying I didn’t enjoy it but trust me, juggling more than one woman isn’t my style.”
“Okay.” She shifted a bit and nearly dropped her wine glass.
“We’re on the same page,” he murmured, reaching for her. Faith didn’t resist and he pulled her up into his arms, his mouth close to her ear. “I tasted you last night and I have no problem keeping this exclusive.” He dipped his head and ran his tongue along her collarbone, grinning to himself when he felt her shudder.
“Until the end of the summer,” she replied, breathless.
His answer was to cover her mouth with his. She was warm and soft. He tasted the red wine on her lips and smiled against her when her arms crept up to his shoulders.
“You taste amazing,” he murmured before deepening in the kiss. His tongue explored while his hands cupped her butt and held her in place, and when he finally came up for air, she was limp.
Carefully, he pushed her back onto the sofa. The sight of her mouth, swollen from his kiss, and her nipples taut against her T-shirt heated his blood to a fever pitch. She fell back onto the cushions, and he leaned down. He kissed her again. And again.
And again.
God, she tasted good.
Gus kissed her until she moaned and squirmed beneath him, and then he kneeled on the floor, between her legs, andmoved down her body, gently caressing her breasts through the material of her shirt before slowly rubbing the hard nipples.
“God,” she gasped, straining upward. “Don’t stop.”
“God has nothing to do with this,” he murmured before hiking up her T-shirt. “And I promise not to stop.” She was perfect — not too small and not too big. He closed his mouth over her nipple and used his tongue to bring her closer to the edge until she writhed and moaned against him.
Then, he continued his trip south.
Gus kissed and licked every inch of skin he saw and when he reached her waistband, he felt her tighten and try to close her legs. He glanced up. Her face was flush, those eyes of hers big and luminous. The splatter of freckles across the bridge of her nose was pronounced, and her mouth, still swollen from his kisses, was parted, the tip of her tongue just visible.
“Do you want me to stop?” he asked, dropping a kiss to her stomach.
“I don’t . . .” She bit her lip and exhaled.
Instantly concerned, Gus rested on his elbows. Her smell was intoxicating, and he tried his best to keep his shit together. “It’s up to you, Faith.” It would kill him to stop, but he would do it.
She slammed her eyes closed and shook her head. “I’ve just never . . . I mean . . .” She swore and looked down at him. Her lips trembled. “No one has ever, um . . . done that to me and I . . . well, I don’t know what or how . . .” Her voice trailed off when he smiled.
Gus wasn’t exactly shocked — he knew there were men who weren’t interested in taking care of their women as much as they were interested in taking care of their own needs. But Gus was an explorer. He was a lover of the female body — and had no inhibitions when it came to doing whatever he could to bring them pleasure.
Truthfully, there was nothing more beautiful than a woman letting him explore her most intimate places. And having them come because of his mouth only heightened his desire and need.
This situation right here? It excited him because he’d be the first to show Faith how good it could be. But she had to be comfortable with it.
He gently tugged on her waistband. “Up to you Faith.” He dropped another kiss onto the exposed flesh. “Do I keep going? Or do you want me to stop.”
She inhaled a ragged breath, and he felt her tremble under his fingers. “You’ve done this a lot.”
“I have,” he replied. “I’m pretty good at it.”
“Just pretty good?” she asked breathlessly.
Game. On.
“Pretty good is a modest description.” He nipped at her thigh. “Up to you, sweetness.”
She looked straight at him, those big eyes of hers luminous, and her answer was to slowly raise her hips so that he could tug her boxers all the way down. Once Gus had them off of her, he took a minute to appreciate the naked beauty in front of him. Her breasts rose and fell with her rapid breathing and a thin sheen of sweat shimmered across her skin.
“You’re not what I expected,” he murmured. Gus wasn’t an angel. He’d been with a lot of women, and they came in all shapes and sizes. He was an equal opportunity lover. If there was a connection, he was in. But Faith was different. And it was that difference he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
He moved closer for a better look. Her soft belly. Her gentle, rounded hips. The apex between her trembling legs. All those things made the situation between his own legs a bit of a problem, but the hunger and need to see what she looked like when she came superseded anything else — his discomfort, his need — and he reached for her.
