Brayden spread his calloused fingers over her thigh, gripping Scarlett to him. “Someday you’ll open the borders, and then I’ll come to Soleil. When I do, what’s the first thing you’ll show me?”
Scarlett bit her lip as she touched his collarbone with the tips of her fingers. She could happily spend hours examining every inch of his body now that he was close enough to touch. “I’dloveto take you to Lilac Beach. I could teach you to surf, if you want.”
“I’d love that,” he whispered.
“Before anything happens, I get a birth control shot every three months,” she blurted out. “I got one two months ago, so I’m still covered. And Alastair and I were only ever with each other. But maybe you didn’t want to know that.” She covered her face with her hands. “Goddess, I’m sorry. Was that an overshare?”
“It’s okay,” said Brayden. “Intimacy is built on transparency, and I want that with you. And just soyouknow, Ihavebeen with people other than Alastair.”
Scarlett smiled in spite of herself as she slapped his shoulder playfully. He chuckled, grabbing her hand and kissing her palm.
“Okay, in seriousness, I haven’t been with anyone since you started talking about coming here to visit a few months ago. As of my summer solstice doctor’s appointment, I’m also clean. Although, fun fact—as a phoenix, I can heal from all things,including venereal disease. But I get the checks because we have to see the army doctor biannually anyway.”
“So who was the girl from a few months ago? Anyone I know?” She’d meant the words to sound casual, but it came out jealous. “Sorry, I shouldn’t ask that.” She rolled off his chest and onto her side, facing away from him so she wouldn’t have to see his reaction.
Brayden pressed himself into her back as he grasped her chin gently and forced her to look into his eyes. “Hey, no one has ever meant more to me than you do. You were just thousands of miles away. And taken. I stopped seeing other girls the day you came up with a plan to get here. I’ve been waiting for you, hopingthiswould happen as soon as we met.” He gestured to his bed. “And not just this,” he said quickly. “I used to fantasize you’d come to visit, fall in love with Clair de Lune—and with me—and never leave.”
He wanted her to love him? His fantasy was so similar to hers… Scarlett’s embarrassment melted away as their gazes met.
“I don’t usually get jealous,” she said. “It’s such an embarrassing emotion.”
Brayden slid his arm around her waist and pulled her back into his chest. “Well, it looks adorable on you,” he whispered in her ear. He was silent for a moment before he went on. “I’m flattered you’re jealous, and for what it’s worth, I’d love to travel back in time, punch Alastair in the face, and take his place as your first everything.”
“Would you?” Her voice purred with pleasure.
“You have no idea how obsessed I am with you. You want the truth?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“I want you so much I can barely act normal around you, and these little scraps of cloth you’re wearing to bed?” He tugged at her shorts. “I want to be the only one you’ve ever worn them for.I’m dying to bury myself inside you so deep you forget there was ever anyone else.”
Her breathing became jagged, and a surge of need rose in her. “Jealousy is adorable on you too,” she whispered. “And if it makes you feel better, these are brand-new pajamas.”
Brayden shifted, something hard pressing against her arse. She ground herself into him and was rewarded with a quiet groan. Brayden tightened his arm around her, brushing the peaks of her breasts through her silk camisole. The heat that had been building since they’d gotten into bed spiked white-hot in her. It was an ache she didn’t want to ignore.
Scarlett slipped her hand behind her back and ran it over the thick length of him, covered only by a thin layer of cotton fabric. Brayden groaned as he pressed himself into her palm. Scarlett thrilled at his response. It made her feel powerful, him wanting her so. The heat continued to build. Her breasts were heavy with need.
When Scarlett withdrew her hand, Brayden stilled, but when she pulled the silk camisole over her head, he let out a low, rumbling growl. She moved his hand to her hypersensitive breast and pressed her arse into his erection.
Brayden kissed her throat while he fondled her breasts.
What if I can’t finish with him?
Scarlett wanted things with Brayden to be different. She’d had an orgasm; now she wanted to come with him. It would break her heart if she couldn’t. But the pleasure was already building, begging her to detach from her racing mind, so she shoved the depressing question aside and let herself be in the moment.
The way he rubbed her nipple… He was running his thumb over it so slowly, but the sensation was creating so much heat in her that she let out a moan, surprising herself.
“You like that?” he asked in a throaty voice.
“Yes—it’s perfect. But I also want you inside me,” she saidsoftly.
He slid away and moved lower on the mattress. Brayden waited for her permission, and once she’d nodded, he slid off her pink shorts and nestled himself between her legs. She ached at the sight of his brown hair tousled from where she’d run her fingers through it. Threading one arm under her leg and resting his hand on her stomach, he used his other hand to graze his fingertips over her inner thigh, toward her entrance, and she gasped as he inserted one finger. It slid in easily, and she shivered with pleasure, gripping his forearm as he increased it to two.
“You’re so perfect,” he murmured, staring between her legs as he touched her.
Scarlett clenched around him and ground herself into his hand as he moved his fingers in and out of her slickness. Need built up in her body, and she let out another quiet moan.
At first, she watched as he touched her, marveling at how focused he was on her body, in no rush to find his own pleasure. He withdrew his fingers, but before she could protest, his tongue was on her, and she gasped, shocked by how good it felt.
