His smile brightened everything further. “Hi.”
He stepped in front of me, cradling my face in his hands as I pushed up onto my toes to seal his lips to mine. His hands swept over my hair, my neck, and up and down my arms. Like he couldn’t stop touching me, couldn’t decide where he wanted to stop, or if he ever did. When his palm stroked down the length of my back, my whole body shivered and I clutched him tighter.
“I never thought I’d feel like this for anyone or be with anyone this way again. I never thoughtI’dfeel…”
“Feel what?”
“Real,” he whispered.
His lips found mine, and he swept his tongue inside my mouth as if he couldn’t wait to taste me.
A shiver ran down my spine, the familiar thrum of electricity between us going all the way to my toes. Wrapping my arms around his neck felt effortless, aligning every inch of my body with his—as natural as breathing.
As we explored each other with that kiss, I never wanted to let him go. Never wanted to break our connection.
I wanted more but couldn’t get close enough.
Pulling back, I reached for his shirt. As he raked his gaze over me, I undid the buttons one by one before I peeled the material off his skin carefully.
He swallowed deeply and watched me as I slipped the shirt off his shoulders. Letting me take my time. And trusting me.
The tattoo on his right shoulder surprised me, and I forced myself not to be distracted by the expanse of tan skin I exposed, but my eyes lingered on the definition in his lean, muscular frame. I traced the cut of his abs and the line of his oblique muscles leading down to his pants. Looking first before touching him with my hands, and then finally, doing it all over again with the press of my lips.
I wanted to explore every inch of him, find every memory his body held onto, the pain lingering in his bones from bruises that had faded a long time ago, so I could kiss them all away.
Shirtless Kingston ranked up there with barefoot Kingston, because the trust in his eyes as I undressed him was vivid, bright, and so real it stole my breath.
Even with the bandage still on his chest.
It was smaller now. Healing.
But still, at the thought of what his father had done, my heart ached, jaw tightening as I tried to stop myself from crying. I ranmy fingers over his skin near where he’d been marked, my voice trembling. “I hate how much he’s hurt you.”
He cupped the back of my neck. “He can’t hurt me now. Nothing can, while I have you in my arms.”
A tear slipped down my cheek.
Cradling my head, he kissed away the tear, and then found my lips again. As he deepened our kiss further, his hand skimmed along the edge of my shorts until it rested at the small of my back. Fingers playing over my skin, they slipped under my shirt.
But, ever the gentleman, Kingston didn’t push forward without pulling back first. “I don’t want to rush a single moment with you. But…I’m liable to lose myself in you right now.”
“Then, do it.”
I leaned forward and kissed his chest, and Kingston took me at my word. He guided us back until my knees hit the bed, and then he climbed onto it first. We shared a secret smile as I took his hand, letting him help me up, and meeting him in the center, where we knelt and kept going.
Together.
We peeled away every piece of his clothing, and then we did the same with mine. He held on long enough to let me take him in my hands, and I swallowed hard at the sight of him, reveled in the feel of him in my hands.
Ready for me—waitingfor me.
I stroked slowly, trying not to rush. Delighting in each and every stuttered breath. Then, mine quickened.
When he removed my shirt, he took the same time with me. Staring at me like I was a work of art. Trailing kisses from my collarbone to my breasts. And sliding down the straps of my bra. All so he could take me in his mouth, lave his tongue over my lace-covered nipple.
As his other hand tugged down the cup on the other side, teasing with every roll and light pinch, until pleasure zinged down to my clit. Sliding his hands down to my panties, he eased them past my hips. I kicked them away, growing eager now. Still unable to stop touching him.
He pulled away only long enough to grab a condom from the bedside table, before kneeling in front of me again. Kissing me long and slow. Slipping one hand between my legs. And finding me ready for him as he ran his fingers over my sex and eased one inside me.
