Page 98 of Keller

I clock the curve of her neck, the way she smells, like soap, the soft rhythm of her breathing, and I'm about to jump out of my skin.

I turn toward her.

She feels the movement and looks up. Her eyes find mine in the dim light.

I don't rush, leaning in slowly and brushing my lips against her shoulder, testing the waters, my need for her touch palpable.

Quinn leans down slightly, and I rise to meet her mouth. I taste the faint salt from dinner, the sweetness underneath. My hand finds her jaw, thumb tracing the line of her cheekbone.

We stay there for a long moment. Just breathing, feeling, and absorbing each other.

When I pull back, her eyes are half-closed. Her lips slightly parted.

"I want to taste you." My voice comes out low and rough. "All of you."

Quinn's breath catches. I watch uncertainty flicker across her face. Her body tenses slightly beneath my palm.

"Keller, that's not normally my thing. I?—"

"Trust me." I hold her gaze, letting her see everything. "Tonight is about you. Just let me take care of you."

She searches my face for a long moment. Whatever she finds there seems to settle something inside her.

"Okay."

The word lands softly in the space between us.

I ease her back against the couch cushions, moving slow enough that she can stop me at any point. My hands find the waistband of her sweatpants, and I pause, looking up.

She nods ever so slightly. I can tell she's nervous, so I take my time, earning her trust.

I slide the fabric down her hips, over her thighs, past her ankles. Drop them to the floor beside the couch. Her t-shirt rides up, exposing the soft curve of her stomach.

I press my mouth to her hip bone. Her skin jumps beneath my lips. I trace a path inward, tasting clean skin and warmth.

Quinn's fingers find my hair, and they rest there, not pushing or holding. So I keep going.

I part her thighs and settle between them. Take a moment to look at her. The neat strip of dark hair. The glistening pink folds are already swelling under my attention.

"Beautiful." I breathe the word against her inner thigh.

She shivers.

My tongue finds her center. One slow stroke from bottom to top. Her hips buck off the cushion.

"Dear god."

I press my palm flat against her stomach, holding her still. Then I focus.

Her clit pulses beneath my tongue. I circle it slowly, learning the pressure she responds to. Light flicks make her gasp. Firmer strokes pull a moan from deep in her chest.

I slide one finger inside her. Tight heat grips me instantly. I curl upward, searching, and find the spot that makes her thighs clamp around my ears.

"Oh, Keller." Her voice breaks on the words. "I've never?—"

"Shhh," I whisper against her delicate folds. I add a second finger, working them in a steady rhythm while my mouth stays locked on her clit. I suck gently, flicking with the tip of my tongue.

Quinn's breathing turns ragged. Her fingers twist in my hair. Her hips start moving against my face, chasing the sensation. She's no longer inhibited, no longer letting her fear hold her back.