‘Don’t,’ she whispered. ‘Leave them on.’
She couldn’t do it. No matter how hungry he got he wouldn’t be able to ignore the puckered flesh and shades of red. She knew that.
Distract him—quickly!
She loosened her hair from the tie that held it in place so that the dark strands tumbled over her shoulders and bust. She tossed the tie to one side, not even looking to see where it landed. Giving her head a little shake, she felt her hair fall about her.
‘Holy hell.’ His mouth formed an appreciative O. ‘I can honestly say I’ve never seen a more exciting sight in all my life.’
‘Is that so?’ She cocked her head to the side, allowing her hair to brush over her hardened nipples as they pressed against the lacy fabric that contained them. A tight clenching sensation in her stomach sent heat spiralling down to the juncture of her thighs.
‘You’ve knocked finals off the top of the list.’
He reached for her, drawing her waist to him with one hand and using his other to gather her hair and pull it over her shoulders. It slipped down her back, the ends tickling the bare patch of skin above the waistband of her French knickers.
‘No other woman has ever come close to that.’
‘I’m sure I’m not like the girls you’re used to,’ she said, her voice raspy and low.
She was shaking on the inside. His reaction excited and terrified her. She knew he would be a practised lover, far more experienced than her, and she could only hope it wouldn’t show.
He ran a fingertip over her collarbone before dropping his hand to cup her breast, his thumb and forefinger gently rolling a taut nipple through the thin fabric. ‘You’re nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced before.’
Jasmine’s head rolled back as pleasure shot through her veins, heating every inch of her body in rapid succession. Grant’s touch was equal parts gentle and insistent, his expert movements slowly eroding her fear. If she didn’t have him soon she’d burst.
She reached for the hem on his jumper and pulled it off—along with his T-shirt—in one swift movement. He was the perfect specimen of male health, muscular and lean. She ran her hands down the front of his chest, admiring the freckles that scattered across his skin to where his tattoos finished. The colourful intricate lines spread up towards his shoulder and down over the top of his arm. She traced the outline of the psi symbol woven into the design. Running her hands down his chest, she brushed her finger over his nipples and continued down to the waistband of his pants.
Hovering, her hands trembled above the tell-tale bulge of his excitement. She hooked a finger under the waistband of his pants and brushed the taut skin there. A shudder rippled through him as her hands continued their exploration, coaxing him gently as she went.
‘Good Lord, you’re a tease.’ A frustrated growl rumbled low in his throat. He pulled her to him, cupping her buttocks with both hands so that she was pressed against him as hard as possible. And hard he was, the thick length of him digging into her lower belly.
Without warning Grant leant forwards and scooped Jasmine up, her legs dangling over one of his arms as she wound her own arms around his neck for support. Their lips met as he walked to her bed, and her hands found themselves once again amidst the thick mass of his golden hair. His mouth was urgent now, lips rough and probing against hers.
Dropping her to the bed, Grant stripped completely to reveal the full extent of his arousal. Reaching for him, she felt her breath catch in her throat. Her fingertips brushed the silky strength of his erection. He was magnificent. Hotter than anything she could have dreamed up on the nights she spent alone in this very bed.
‘I need you, Grant,’ she whispered, grabbing his hips and pulling him down to her. ‘I need you inside me.’
‘Not yet.’ His lips skimmed over hers and found their resting place around a tight, sensitive nipple. He pushed the strap of her bra down so that he could remove her breast from its delicate confines. Jasmine’s back arched at the sudden intensity of pleasure that pooled within her. His tongue flicked against the sensitive bud, heightening her excitement so that behind her closed lids all she could focus on was the heat of his mouth on her.
His hand trailed down the plane of her stomach, dancing lightly over the lacy knickers to her bare knee above one of her socks. He smoothed his hand back up, letting his fingers skirt the edge of her underwear. He let out a throaty laugh against her breast as she squirmed beneath him.
‘Who’s the tease now?’ she panted, gripping the bedspread and bunching the thick material in her hands.
With continued gentleness he kissed his way to her other breast and removed her bra altogether. Discarding the scrap of lace with one hand, he toyed with the scalloped edge of her knickers near her inner thigh. Jasmine gasped as his fingers brushed over her sex. She’d reached boiling point, her blood simmering while he stoked the fire within her. He touched her with an unhurried enjoyment, each stroke, kiss, lick doled out with a lazy sensuality that made her head spin.
He peeled back the waistband of her kickers and removed them slowly, all the while watching as he revealed her inch by inch.
‘Stunning,’ he murmured.
As he lay down beside her Grant possessed her mouth, leaving her dizzy through lack of air. He dipped a finger into her core, rubbing his thumb gently across the tight bud at her centre. Jasmine let out a cry. His teasing had wound her tighter than she’d ever experienced. Tighter than she’d thought possible. Her body ascended slowly to climax and she revelled in the exquisite torture of pleasure a hair’s breadth out of reach.
‘Please, Grant.’ She grabbed his face with her hands, forcing him to look at her. ‘Don’t make me wait.’
Jasmine reached over to the drawer in her nightstand and fished around for a condom. There had to be one in there—surely she hadn’t thrown them all out. Her fingers moved about the drawer as the sound of their breathing filled the air.
Please.
Mercifully, her fingers brushed the crinkled edges of a condom packet. She handed it to Grant and he tore it open. Lying back, Jasmine felt her stomach flutter with anticipation as he took care of their protection. He paused before slowly lowering himself to her, nudging her legs apart with his thighs.
His hands were on either side of her, his face hovering above hers. At this angle his golden hair flopped forwards, the too-long ends brushing his forehead. She’d never wanted a man so badly as she wanted him right now.
She bit down on her lower lip as he filled her completely, the sensation sucking the air from her lungs. She adjusted to the thickness of him and his face burrowed against her neck. The weight of him pressing her into the bed was exquisite—terrifying and all-consuming.
‘Jasmine...’ he groaned. ‘You’re so damn...’
He trailed off as he moved inside her, slowly at first, giving her time to adjust. His hands roamed her, stroking up and down the lengths of her arms, tangling themselves in her hair, cupping the sides of her face as he kissed her. Gathering speed, he bucked his hips against her hot, wet centre. She tilted to meet his thrusts, giving him greater access. Complete access.
He slipped one arm beneath her lower back, drawing her body to his as he pushed back onto his knees and pulled her up so that she straddled him. He bore the weight of her and she moved her leg so that there was no pressure on her ankle.
Upright, Jasmine was exposed as she met him eye to eye. From her vantage point she could watch everything about their lovemaking, from the stark contrast of his tanned, freckled skin against the porcelain of hers to the way his shoulders tensed as she rode him. His eyes were half open, heavy-lidded with desire, and his thick lashes fluttered as she moved her hips in a circular motion.
She lowered her head and pressed her lips to his shoulder as she leant against him, her breasts flattened against his chest. They were fu
sed, moving with a harmony she’d never experienced before. Perhaps this was the way it felt when there was no agenda other than lust.
He ran his hands up and down her sock-covered legs. Her breath caught as his fingers brushed over where her scars were hidden beneath nylon and cotton. She studied his face for any change but he appeared not to have noticed. Relaxing, she brought her face to his and planted a hot, open-mouthed kiss on his lips. He tasted mildly salty from where a thin sheen of sweat coated his upper lip. Responding immediately, he kissed her back with force until her lips were bruised and puffy.
He shifted to be properly beneath her, while she writhed on top of him. She felt incredible, with the blatant adoration in his eyes urging her on, urging her to open up to him. She ran her palms over her body while she continued circling her hips, brushing her hands over her own breasts and flicking her hair over her shoulder so that it dropped down to where his legs extended underneath her.
The tension rose. He gripped her, urging an increase in speed. She held him back, teasing him until the last possible moment, dangling the possibility of release over him like a taunt.
But it seemed Grant had other plans. He slipped a hand between them and a sharp jolt of pleasure ripped through her as his thumb connected with her clitoris. He massaged the swollen bud until she was panting. Her breath came in short bursts as she climbed higher and higher. She clenched around him as waves of pleasure rolled through her.
Her climax came hard and fast, causing her to clamp her eyes shut. It felt as if she was bursting apart at the seams. Her whole body shuddered with release and she gripped him so hard she thought she might break him in two. She opened her eyes to stare straight into Grant’s, pushing her hair from her face as she smiled at him.
‘That was...’ she said, still catching her breath. ‘Something else.’ She pressed her lips to his neck, grazing her teeth along the roped muscles. He smelled faintly of aftershave—something woody and earthy. She breathed it in as she murmured, ‘Come for me.’
The words pushed Grant over the edge; he gripped her hips and increased their rhythm so that he could tip himself into oblivion. He cried out her name as he came, his face contorted with ecstasy, and then he fell back against the pillow, sated.
Jasmine watched Grant, and instead of removing herself from him lay down so her body was flat against his. His heart thudded against her chest and the deepness of his breath blew warm on her ear. He let out a mumble of enjoyment as he pressed his lips to her temple.
‘You’re something else.’ Their faces were so close that his eyelashes brushed her cheek.
Jasmine’s chest contracted and pleasure tugged in response to his praise. She’d never felt like this after sex—she’d never felt this deep bonding and connection with another. It was as though she was safe, as if she was even and equal with him.
One night only—that was the deal.
She couldn’t deny the comfort of lying on top of Grant now, and nor could she deny the way her body sang out when he wrapped his strong, thick arms around her. His fingertips traced the lines of her back, causing little ripples of pleasure to run through her.
Against her better judgement, Jasmine wished that time would stand still so she could savour her body against his.
* * *
What a day. He’d gone from ignoring thoughts of the lithe ballet teacher to experiencing her first-hand. Pushing guilty thoughts from his mind, he watched the flutter of her heavy-lidded eyes and the curl of a contented smile on her lips.
Lying back against her bed with her slender body curled up on top of his was the stuff fantasies were made of. He ran his hand down her back, over her pert buttocks, and allowed his fingertips to skim the tops of her knee-highs. So hot... She was like a naughty schoolgirl.
The whole thing had escalated so quickly. He’d had no intention of taking her to bed when he’d offered her a ride home. He’d been noble in his desire to make sure she was safe. But seeing her open up had flicked some kind of switch. She was so incredibly beautiful when she was vulnerable—something he suspected she hated to be.
He’d wanted nothing more than to make her pain go away. Still, part of him worried that he’d taken advantage of her weakness.
She shifted on top of him, rubbing against his lower body and causing him to stir. Hell, they’d barely finished and he was ready to go again. It had been a long time since he’d had sex sober, let alone with someone who wasn’t a random football groupie. She was different in every possible way from what he was used to, and he’d enjoyed it far more than he wanted to. He wasn’t supposed to feel this way.
He buried his face against her neck to block out the confusing thoughts.
‘Once not enough for you?’ Jasmine asked, her voice low and gravelly in his ear. She circled her hips against him.
Groaning, he pressed up against her heat while his lips found hers. Her rosebud lips were pink and puffy, her taste delectable.
‘I get the impression it would never be enough with you,’ Grant said.
Her face hovered inches over him, her lips brushing his cheeks and nose. Grant looked up into her warm brown eyes and lost himself for a moment.
After sex he wanted to run, to put as much distance as possible between him and the woman he’d slept with. He needed to reclaim his space, his privacy. It happened every single time...except now. The usual twitching of his muscles and the restlessness in his hands seemed far away. His eyes weren’t roaming the room; his mind wasn’t formulating an exit strategy. He’d never needed to specify a ‘one night only’ rule before—it was his MO—but the whole concept seemed ridiculous with Jasmine. There was no way one night would be enough.
Now he wanted to revel in the feeling of her. It scared the hell out of him. A sigh escaped him as her thighs pressed up against his sides and he watched the way her thick lashes touched each time she blinked. Through the twinges of guilt he was hyperaware of her presence, as though he could notice every miniscule movement. Every breath, every strand of hair as it fell about her.
‘I’m guessing this is a first,’ he said, gripping her slim waist and shifting so they lay side by side. He brought his lips down to her neck and she muttered her enjoyment. ‘Considering I’m a student and all.’
‘You’re the only legal male I teach.’ Her lips gave a small teasing smile. ‘So, yes. Though it’s...it’s been a while for me.’
‘Me too.’
He wasn’t sure why she’d told him that, and he was even less sure of why he’d responded. Part of proving himself to be the reformed and focused athlete he was had meant giving up the partying...and that had meant giving up the girls—at least for the most part. Staying away from relationships had been easy; he didn’t need to be burned twice. But staying away from physical intimacy had been difficult when at first he’d wanted to fill the void of loneliness with something. But being with Jasmine was so much more than scratching an itch.
Part of him wanted to talk to her—to divulge all his troubles and faults, to strip himself bare. But it couldn’t happen. Besides, they’d made a pact.
‘Two peas.’
She looked at him, her eyes shining. But there was something tentative about the way she touched him, something careful in her movements, and that told him she was as unsure as he was.
He pressed his lips together for fear that he might spill out more than he wanted to. There was something powerful about Jasmine—something that made him feel he might finally be able to open up.
Thoughts like that were both dangerous and stupid. He’d done enough damage to his life without baring his sins to someone he had no reason to trust. For an AFL player, or anyone in the limelight, that was practically asking for a front-page news headline: Secret Lover Tells All. And unfortunately there was no statute of limitations on sports gossip. He’d borne the brunt of that before, and he was never going back t
here again.
Hooking her leg around his, she wrapped her foot around his calf and shimmied closer. The soft touch of her fingertips slid over his chest and down towards his stomach. Closing his eyes, he pushed the worry from his mind. Now was a time for pleasure—pure and unadulterated pleasure. As her hand dipped lower it became easier for him to focus on the steady path she drew around his bellybutton towards his growing erection.
‘I think you’ve taught me a thing or two already.’ Grant brought his hands up to her hair, pushing his fingers through the thick glossy strands until he cupped the curve of her head. ‘I’m sure those plié things will come in handy at some point.’
‘You’ll be thanking me when your Achilles’ tendons are strong and flexible.’
‘Flexibility is certainly a plus.’ He struggled to get the words out as Jasmine pressed against him.
‘It does come in handy.’
His body lurched with the image of Jasmine bent in two and he growled in appreciation. ‘I know this is a one-time thing, but I don’t think once will do it justice.’
‘It’s like you read my mind...’
He pulled her beneath him, leaning down to kiss a trail from the gentle sweep of her small breasts to her stomach. He couldn’t help but smile as she giggled when his lips brushed over her most ticklish parts. He continued down to the smooth skin of her sex, his senses sparking at the sharp intake of breath when he pressed his lips gently to the most private part of her. She tasted sweet and feminine and carnal.
Her body opened to his touch, porcelain thighs falling apart and welcoming him. Her hands found their way to his head, fingers tangling in his hair as she gripped him. He traced the line of her with his tongue, enjoying the way she arched to his mouth with such wanton need. She was slick with desire, her body primed for him.
He found the sensitive bud of her clitoris and concentrated his energy there. Her hands were curled into the fabric of the bedspread as she bucked against him, seeking the release he held out of reach. When he paused momentarily she cried out.
Only the Brave Try Ballet Page 12