At the end of the kiss, she’s trying to hold back. “Arms up.” I say, giving her the room to make a choice, tell me if it’s too much.
Sadie tells me yes when she doesn’t hesitate, lifting her hands from my shoulders and holding them above her. Her lips pull up one side, like she’s daring me; one I’m happy to accept.
My fingers find the hem of her shirt, soaked and sticking to her skin. Slowly, I pull it up and off of her.
She grabs her elbows like she’s trying to stay warm. Or maybe she’s trying to hide behind them? Sadie’s wearing a black bra and she’s fucking gorgeous. Her eyes go to the floor. Fuck, maybe she’s embarrassed?
I step closer and hook two fingers under her chin, lifting until she’s looking at me. Her lashes flutter like she’s bracing for something.
“I’ve dreamt of this moment,” I admit quietly, honestly.
“You have?” Her voice comes out breathy, unsure, like she doesn’t quite believe she could be the thing haunting anyone’s thoughts.
“Obviously.” My mouth curves, but my gaze doesn’t soften. I let myself really look at her—at the creamy stretch of exposed skin, her tense shoulders, the way her forehead dips again like she’s trying to fold in on herself.
I lift her chin once more, this time stepping in so close my nose nearly brushes hers. My voice drops. “Don’t do that. My sunshine girl.” I press my forehead to hers for a beat. “I don’t want you hiding behind anything. I want all of it.”
She inhales in short, shaky breaths, eyes flicking up to mine and then holding there. Something shifts—fear giving way to want, uncertainty softening into trust.
“Sunshine girl?” Sadie asks, and she’s fucking beaming, the nickname landing perfectly.
I move before she can retreat, placing a kiss at her collarbone. Just one. Slow. Reverent. My hands brace on the counter on either side of her thighs, boxing her in without trapping her. I trail my mouth across her skin, following the line of bone and heat, each kiss deliberate, unhurried, until I reach the top of her breasts.
My tongue tastes her skin, warm and familiar already, and I feel her react—feel it in the way her body leans toward me without her even realizing it. My hands slide to her thighs, fingers digging in like I need the anchor.
I lift my mouth and move up, lips brushing her ear as I whisper, “Are you okay with this?”
Her hands move to her back and she unclasps her bra, pulling the fabric from her and tossing it. She props herself on her hands, leaning back a little, showing off.
“That’s my girl,” I murmur while dipping down, putting a nipple in my mouth. Immediately her hand finds the nape of my neck and she pulls me even closer.
One of my hands grips her waist, feeling her muscles flex and flinch underneath me. I love feeling her respond to me this way. I use the other hand to pinch the nipple I’m not tasting. The contrast between rough and soft causes Sadie to moan through the pinching as my tongue laps at the other.
My dick throbs against my briefs. I step back, pick her up off the counter and hook my fingers in the waistband of her leggings. I start pulling them down before she starts to help.
A black lacy thong is staring at me as I’m on my knees to help get her naked. Fuck. She tries to hide the shiver.
I stand, taking off my pants, and her eyes jump to me straining against my briefs.
“You can’t look at me like that,” I joke.
“I just… I mean—” She pushes her lip through her teeth. “You’re—”
I don’t let her finish. I step in and kiss her, slow and deep, stealing the words right out of her mouth. Then I trail my mouth up her neck, unhurried, deliberate, until I reach her ear. I bite gently at her earlobe, enough to make her gasp.
“Take your panties off,” I murmur. “Get in the shower.”
She listens. She always does.
It takeseverythingin me not to drop to my knees right here and ruin us both on the bathroom floor. Instead, I force myself to breathe, to watch as she slips past me and steps into the shower.
Steam is already curling through the bathroom when I step inside. She’s standing under the spray, arms wrapped around herself again—not hiding this time, bracing against the heat. Water beads on her skin, tracing paths I want to memorize. I peel off my briefs and step in behind her, the door pulling shut with a quiet finality.
The water hits my shoulders, hot and grounding, and she leans back instinctively, her spine finding my chest like it’s always known where it belongs. My hands come to her waist, steadying the two of us. I can feel her warming up, melting into me.
“Still okay?” I ask, low, close, my mouth near her temple.
She nods, breath hitching as my thumbs brush slow, reassuring circles into her skin. I hold her, facing the water, and when she’s no longer shivering, she turns to me.
