“For two seconds?”
A shrug. His gaze drifted over her face.
Her heart melted. “Well, since you’re here, let me clean that wou—” She blinked as she parted his open shirt. “Oh…never mind. I’ll just clean this mess off, then.”
She snagged the hand towel from the rail, wet it, and gently wiped away the gore from his completely healed chest.
“Happy?” he asked.
“Beaming.” But meeting his amused stare, she rolled her eyes and tossed the towel into the hamper.
He pushed back the hair from her face and brushed her mouth with the gentlest of kisses, and her breath caught. They had kissed before, but this…this felt so different.
Tender. Warm.
His mouth caressed hers, then he licked the seam. While she loved it, he was driving her crazy with these tormentingly gentle touches. She wanted hard. Fast.
Her aching body demanded it.
She wrapped her fingers around his fiery hair, lifted onto her toes, and sucked on his lower lip.
He growled, eyes flaring with heat. “Why do you steal my kisses?”
She huffed. “We’re still kissing the person we like.”
“Like?” An eyebrow rose. He scooped her into his arms, startling a shriek out of her, and strode for the bedroom, dropping her on the bed. “Let’s see how much Ilikeyou then, shall we?”
She raised onto her elbows, her heart careening in her ribs as he crouched near her legs. He removed her boots and dropped them. Leaving her socks on, he undid the button on her jeans, his warm fingers brushing the skin of her stomach, and she shivered. His brow furrowed. “You are cold.”
Heck, she didn’t know anymore, not with the prickling energy of her awakening powers and that spiraling, carnal heat burning her up inside. He reached for the zipper.
“Lore, wait.” She grasped his hands, her gaze searching his. While she wanted him more than her next breath, it would kill her if he had regrets after. “You sure about this?”
“I wouldn’t be here, trying to get your clothes off, if I weren’t.”
Strangled laughter burst free. Heck, why was she denying herself this momentary happiness? Her worries would still be there, waiting with arms stretched wide. Then she shut it all out.At least she’d have these memories. And that infernal heat that caused her core to throb, aching for fulfillment, would hopefully end.
She lifted her hips and wiggled out of her jeans.
“Whatever internal fight you won, I approve.”
Nia rolled her eyes, and that hint of a smile she was starting to watch for appeared as he slid her jeans off her legs. He grasped the hem of her pink sweater and removed it too, leaving her in her cotton underwear.
She sat up, pushed his shirt off his wide shoulders and down his powerful arms, and dropped it aside.
Still hunkered down, he cupped her face with one hand and trailed his mouth along her jaw to her lips, then he kissed her with the same kind of hunger that was tearing through her.
His tongue found hers, and he drew it into his mouth, sucking and licking. His other hand wasn’t idle. Nope, he lowered the cups of her lacy bra and squeezed her breast as he trailed his lips down her neck to her chest.
His mouth fastened on her nipple. He suckled, then tugged.God,she whimpered, feeling the pull all the way to her core. He rolled her sensitive nub with his thumb, strumming her desire.
She grabbed his hair and kissed him. With a low growl, his tongue slicked over hers, and she shuddered. Need swamped her. And all she could do was let him explore her whichever way he wanted, because this man—this angel—was already worming his way into her heart.
Without breaking their sensual kiss, he moved and sat on the bed, pulling her astride him.
“Wait.” She reached between them for his zipper. But he shook his head, and the next minute, his pants were gone, leaving him naked under her.
And her cotton-covered core settled against his hardening sex. He grunted, his mouth back on hers.
