I didn’t wait. I hooked my arms under her knees and behind her back, lifting her against my chest. She let out a surprised laugh but wrapped her arms around my neck to hold on.
“You’re going to break your back,” she murmured against my ear.
“You underestimate me, Sweetness. You’re light as a feather.” I took the stairs two at a time, my boots heavy on the old wood. “And you’re mine.”
The words came out rougher than I meant them to, but I didn’t take them back. Because right now, in this house, with the weight of her in my arms and the taste of her still on my tongue, I wasn’t just kissing Claire Hollister. I was staking a claim.
The bedroom was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the hallway light spilling through the open door. I set her down on the edge of the mattress, my hands already working at the buttons of her dress. She reached for my belt, her fingers fumbling with the buckle.
“Slow down,” I growled, catching her wrists.
She glared up at me, her chest rising and falling fast. “I’ve been waiting years for this. I’m not waiting another second.”
The admission hit me like a punch to the gut. Years. She’d been gone, but she’d thought about this. About me.
I groaned, my forehead dropping to hers. “Claire.”
Her hands slid up my chest, her touch sure now. “Shut up and kiss me.”
I gave my girl what she wanted. This time, there was nothing careful about it. My mouth crashed into hers, my hands tangling in her hair, tilting her head back so I could take the kiss deeper. She moaned into me, her body arching against mine, and I lost what little control I had left.
Her dress came off in a rush. Buttons popped and fabric pooled at her waist before I shoved it the rest of the way down her legs. She kicked it aside, her hands going to the hem of her cami, but I stopped her.
“Let me.”
She swallowed hard but nodded, her fingers falling away.
I hooked my thumbs under the thin straps and dragged them down her arms, slow, watching her face the whole time. The cami joined the dress on the floor, leaving her in nothing but a lace bra and panties. My breath stuttered.
“Fuck, Claire.”
She was beautiful. Soft curves, full breasts, her skin flushed from my mouth and my hands. I reached behind her, unhooking her bra with one flick of my fingers, and then she was bare to me. I didn’t waste time. I cupped her breasts, my thumbs brushing over her nipples, and she gasped, her back arching.
“Too much?” I murmured.
“No.” Her hands gripped my wrists, not to stop me, but to hold me there. “Not enough.”
I groaned, my mouth replacing my hands. She tasted like salt and heat, her skin smooth under my tongue. I took my time, learning what made her breath catch, what made her nails dig into my shoulders. When I finally pulled back, her lips were parted, her eyes glazed.
“Your turn,” she whispered, pushing at my shirt.
I stripped it off in one motion, then kicked off my boots. Her hands went to my belt again, this time with more success. The buckle clinked open, the zipper hissing down. I wriggled out of my jeans as fast as I could, leaving me in just my boxer briefs with my cock straining against the fabric.
Claire’s gaze dropped. Her tongue slipped out and ran along her upper lip.
“You keep looking at me like that, this isn’t gonna last long,” I warned.
She didn’t stop. Instead, she hooked her fingers in the waistband of my boxers and tugged. “Then stop talking.”
I let her pull them down to free my cock. Her breath hitched, but she didn’t hesitate. Her hand wrapped around me, her grip firm, and I hissed through my teeth.
“Claire—”
“Oh, shush.” She grinned at me as she swept her thumb over my head.
I caught her wrist with one hand and reached for my wallet with the other. “Stop teasing me, Sweetness and help me find a condom.”
She flipped open my wallet and handed me the condom I always carried just in case. I took it from her, tearing it open with my teeth. Her eyes tracked my every movement as I rolled it on.
