Chapter 47
Jesse
Jesse couldn’t control her ragged breathing as Hal dipped his head and covered her lips with his. She whimpered into his mouth and kissed him back ravenously, releasing her hold on his shirt to bury her hand in his hair. It was soft, and she could feel the heat coming off his skin.
Hal increased the fervor of his kiss and pressed her back a little into the couch as he devoured her. Jesse allowed her eyes to close, and she held tightly to him to keep from falling backward. Again, he roughly broke off the kiss, and she opened her eyes to see him looking over her face.
“Are you drunk?” he asked her roughly, his hand moving from the back of her head to cup her face. His eyes were restless as they searched her face.
“No …” Jesse answered him breathlessly, shaking her head hastily back and forth. She saw Hal’s eyes narrow and knew he barely believed her.
“Really,” Jesse insisted, horrified at the thought of him withdrawing from her now when she was already so worked up and desperate for his touch.
Hal searched her face, his expression still disbelieving, but after some examination, he seemed to relax a little. His grip on her side softened, and he gently ran his hand up her ribcage, inspiring a rush of tremors down her body.
“I’m sorry …” Hal whispered, leaning his head forward to rest it against hers. “I just don’t want to take advantage of you …”
Jesse blushed and felt a feeling of tenderness well up in her stomach.
“I know…” Jesse said softly, moving her hand to cup his cheek in her palm. She repeated his motions from earlier, feeling the stubble on his cheek as she traced her fingertips over his skin. She heard him release a soft sigh as he nuzzled his face into her hand.
For a while, they remained that way, and Jesse fought to maintain control of her body’s fiercely powerful desire. Hal’s eyes opened a little, and they looked at her with a mixture of wariness and want.
“I don’t want you to think that I just brought you here for …” Hal trailed off, seeming to be searching for just the right word. “For this …”
“I know,” Jesse said again. “And that’s not why I came over either … it’s just …”
Jesse trailed off, and she bit her lip as her body once again reminded her of just how much she ached for Hal’s touch. It was proving difficult just to sit there with him and hold a coherent conversation when all she could think about was the throbbing desire between her legs.
“I know …” Hal sighed, and she felt his grip on her side tighten again. Jesse gasped softly and gripped Hal’s shoulder, involuntarily arching into his hand. She saw a flash of hunger pass through Hal’s eyes, and it served to inspire a pang of desire in her stomach.
Jesse could only pant shakily and squirm under his touch. For the moment, words were beyond her, and she could only look up at Hal, hoping that her eyes could relay what she craved.
“Jess …” Hal sighed softly, his voice sounding almost pained. “I want you …”
Jesse nodded frantically and tried to clear her head enough to respond to him verbally.
“I want you too …” she managed to say. She moved her body closer to him and rested her hand on his hip, gathering up the hem of his shirt. Hal gasped as she ran her fingernails over the bone of his pelvis, and she felt goosebumps rise up along his skin.
Hal seized her wrist and pinned it to her side. He let out a growl as he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his mouth against her, once again ravishing her with a searing kiss. Jesse squirmed helplessly. Every inch of her seemed to be on fire, and she nearly wept as she felt his teeth softly bite on her lower lip.
Again, though, it seemed to be over all too quickly, and Jesse groaned a little as he pulled back. Hal took in a shaking breath and shook his head, seeming to be trying to collect himself.
“Okay, okay …” Hal finally spoke, his voice sounding calmer. Jesse’s stomach clenched, and she feared that he was about to call the whole thing off. All she could do was hold her breath and wait for him to say whatever was on his mind.
“I want to do this,” Hal said, “but not if you feel like this is happening too fast. I don’t want you to get caught up in the moment and do something you’ll regret just because your body wants it right now.”
Jesse listened, and she was torn between a feeling of relief and panic. All in all, he was right. She didn’t want to act hastily and end up feeling ashamed of her actions. At the moment, though, her body was urging her to throw caution to the wind. Still, the rational part of her mind knew that what Hal was saying was true, so she slowly nodded.
“I agree,” Jesse said softly, though the ache in her legs seemed to grow more insistent even as she spoke.
Hal nodded, and they were both silent for a moment. Jesse was still acutely aware of the grip that Hal had on her side and of his hand wrapped around her wrist. The sensation of his skin on hers, even on such a mundane spot, was enough to send her into a frenzy.
“So …” Hal finally spoke again, looking up at her hesitantly. “Why don’t we just step back and slow things down a little bit. I don’t want anything to seem rushed.”
Jesse looked up at Hal, and she felt a rush of emotion at the tenderness she saw in his face. A smile slowly lifted the corners of her lips, and she nodded.
“I like the sound of that,” Jesse said softly, and she saw Hal smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling a little.
“Me too,” he said softly.
With that, he gently released his hold on her wrist and moved both of his hands so that they were resting softly on her hips, his thumbs gently tracing circles over her skin. Jesse shifted her hands to rest on his shoulders and leaned up so that their lips were once more joined in a much less demanding kiss.
As they kissed, Jesse took up the task of calming herself down. She knew that Hal was right, and it was likely taking just as much effort from him to keep things from moving forward too fast. So, Jesse decided that she would let him take control and lead for the rest of this interaction, even if her body was insistently begging her for more.
She had a feeling that if she was going to be involved with Hal, sexual desires and frustrations were just something she was going to have to get used to.
Having calmed down quite a bit, Jesse began to more fully enjoy the kiss she was sharing with Hal. She appreciated the hint of wine on his breath and the softness of his lips contrasting with his rough stubble. Unthinkingly, she lifted her hand from his shoulder and allowed her fingertips to graze against his cheek, and she shivered at the rough feeling of his stubble.
She felt Hal become more insistent with his kiss for a moment before he calmed once again. She could feel his hands kneading at her hips, and she gently arched them into his touch, encouraging him. She felt her blood still throbbing in her veins, slow and thick.
Hal pulled back from her lips, only to gently pepper kisses along her jawline. She gasped softly and felt a surge of heat as he pressed a kiss below her ear. She moved her hands back to his shoulders and bit her lip as she gathered up the material of his shirt in her grip.
Jesse felt her vision grow foggy, and again she felt as though she was losing her grip on her self-control. She became aware of Hal’s hands slipping lower to caress the curve of her thighs, and she released a soft moan. Hal drew his head back and his eyes searched her face briefly before his head slowly dropped.
Jesse felt his teeth scrape along her collarbone, and she ground her teeth together to keep from begging him for more. He moved slowly and gently, and in her mind, Jesse wanted nothing more than for him to tear off her dress and consume her.
But they were taking it slow. And she knew that was the most appropriate thing to do. It seemed, though, that her body was not so easily convinced.
Jesse didn’t know how she was going to make it through the rest of the evening, but for now she would simply grit her teeth and bear it.
Chapter 48
Hal
Hal had managed
to calm the fire raging in his body, and he was now able to more fully enjoy the way Jesse was reacting to his touches. He knew they would have plenty of time for the hot and heavy later. Now, though, he was going to take full advantage of this opportunity to drive Jesse absolutely insane.
She could not hide the reactions of her body. He felt every shiver and every jerk as his hands ran slowly up and down her thighs. He focused entirely on her, completely ignoring his racing blood. It was far more compelling to listen to the soft gasps and moans that she was trying so hard to conceal.
Hal knew that she was trying to control herself. There was a franticness about her movements that told him she was trying with all her power to keep still and let things progress at their natural pace. He also knew, though, that her body must be positively aching for him.
And that knowledge alone was enough to fill Hal with a devious sense of power that he was all too ready to take advantage of.
Hal moved his hands so that they rested just below her pelvis, his thumbs dangerously close to her sex, so close that he could feel the heat there. He gently circled his thumbs along her inner thighs, and he was rewarded with a shiver that rolled through her body. He couldn’t help smiling to himself.
Hal lingered there a little longer until he could hear Jesse panting softly, and he felt her hand curl into the hair at the base of his head. Finally, he relented and let his hands travel back up over her hips to gently trace along her sides, brushing his fingertips over her ribs, sending wave after wave of shivers over her body.
His mouth, meanwhile, was still devotedly teasing at her collarbones and her shoulders. He alternated between nibbling, licking and sucking. He could feel the heat of her skin and could practically feel the hot blood pulsing beneath. Every now and then, he felt her skin bristle as she was overwhelmed with a rush of goosebumps.
Slowly, subtly, he began to move his mouth lower and his hands higher until he could brush his thumbs along the side of her breasts. Each time he did, he could feel her muscles stiffen in response to the soft touch. He lingered there for quite a long time as he kissed along her chest just above the swell of her breasts. He persisted until she was continually shaking beneath his ministrations, her breath coming in a series of ragged gasps and her fingernails digging into his shoulders.
Hal knew that she was already fighting to keep hold of her senses, and he was determined that before the night was over, she would lose herself completely.
He also knew, though, that the process would take time, and he was nothing if not patient.
With that in mind, Hal drew back to look down into her eyes, and his lips curled into a smirk as he saw the frazzled look on Jesse’s face. She bit her lip as she looked up at him, and he could tell that she was still working hard to take everything in stride. So far, she was not doing a bad job, but Hal knew that she wouldn’t be able to hold off for much longer.
Hal slipped an arm behind her back to support her, and he saw her eyes flick to his hand as he raised it to trace his fingertips up along her shoulder and then down to her chest. He felt her stiffen as he lowered his hand to gently cup her soft breast and barely suppressed a growl of his own as he watched her eyelids flutter closed.
Hal was deliberately slow as he circled his hand over her breast, feeling her nipple against the flat of his palm. He watched her expression subtly change and felt her back arch over his arm, and he took the opportunity to pull her closer. He lowered his head and gently nibbled on the shell of her ear, and she gave him a soft mewl.
“Are you alright?” he whispered into her ear, feeling her shiver as his breath caressed her skin.
Apparently unable to speak, Jesse gave him a soft whimper and a weak nod, her hands moving to grip the muscles of his upper arms.
“Do you like this?” he pressed, and he gave her breast a soft squeeze.
Jesse nodded more fervently, and Hal felt her begin to shift her hips as he teased at her. He shifted his hand so that his fingertips were tracing along the low neckline of her dress and began shifting the soft material down over her skin, slowly but surely revealing her breasts. Hal pulled his head back to watch, and he could see the rise and fall of her chest as she panted. When he finally revealed both of her rosy, hard nipples, Hal felt a bolt of pleasure shoot directly to his cock, which throbbed angrily in his jeans.
Hal situated the dress so that it supported her breasts, and he held his breath as he took in the sight of their perky fullness. His mouth watered at the thought of how it would feel to wrap his mouth around each of her nipples and slowly suck them deep into his mouth. He licked his lips at the thought, and he knew it would not be much longer until it became a reality.
Hal looked up at Jesse’s face, and another surge of heat passed through him at the desperation he saw there. He knew that she wanted him, and badly. He suspected that she wanted him to take her fast and hard, right there and then.
That, though, was simply not how he intended to play this out.
Chapter 49
Jesse
Jesse looked up into Hal’s face, and she could tell that it wouldn’t be long until she was crying simply from the intensity of her desire. It seemed that Hal was enjoying his game of slowly driving her to the breaking point.
She felt a rush of guilt at the thought. She knew very well that he was taking things slow specifically for her sake so that they didn’t end up rushing anything. And she certainly appreciated the sentiment. Now, though, she was aching, and she knew that the only thing that could quench her inner fire was him.
Jesse felt the cool air of the room swirl around her nipples, making them harder than she thought possible. She watched as Hal’s eyes traveled between her face and her breasts, and she thought he looked calculative, as though he was trying to figure out his next move.
Jesse knew that if it weren’t for his arm supporting her back, she would have fallen back on the couch by now. He looked down into her face, and he watched her carefully. She saw him lift his hand, and her stomach lurched in anticipation as he slowly lowered it.
When she felt his fingertips brush over the tip of her aching nipple, she could no longer keep herself quiet.
“Ah!” she cried out in a sob and buried her fingernails in his arm. “Hal! Please!”
She heard Hal release a soft chuckle and looked through blurry eyes to see a smile on his face.
“Shh,” he hushed her, and to her dismay, he moved his hand away from her nipple.
“No!” Jesse immediately protested, taking hold of his wrist in her hand and holding it in place. “Please, please don’t stop …”
“Hey, hey …” Hal soothed her, his voice soft, moving his head forward to place a soft kiss on her lips. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you …”
Jesse nodded at his words and worked to calm herself down. She felt Hal slowly lowering her so that she was laying down on the couch and gasped as he straddled her thighs, allowing her legs to stretch out along the couch.
“There,” he said softly, gently running his hand over her face. “Better?”
Jesse didn’t respond. It was already taking too much of her willpower to keep from releasing a senseless stream of pleas for him to go on. She could only look up at him, anticipation clawing in her belly as she softly rubbed her thighs together with the hope of alleviating the ache in her sex.
She watched as Hal looked up and down her body and could clearly see the desire in his eyes as he drank in the sight of her naked breasts. Jesse knew that her skin was flushed with a mixture of excitement and some embarrassment at being so exposed for him. Her nipples, though, were the focal point of her attention. They were like two pinpricks of raw sensation, and she knew even the slightest touch would have her nearly jumping off the couch.
It seemed, though, that Hal had other intentions.
Jesse watched and shivered as he slowly dragged his hands down her sides, and even down over the swell of her hips, then even lower, until he reached the hemline of her dress. Jesse’s breathing sp
ed up as he began to pull the material up her legs, and then even higher to reveal her panties.
Jesse flushed a little as he stopped to trace his fingertip over her lower abdomen just above the waistband of her panties. He did not linger long, though, and he continued to raise the dress until Jesse had to raise her arms to allow him to remove the garment entirely.
Hal gently laid out the dress along the back of the couch so that it wouldn’t wrinkle. The small gesture was nearly lost on her as she realized that she was nearly entirely exposed to him. She blushed as she saw Hal’s eyes travel down over her body and felt suddenly very self-conscious, moving her arms as though to wrap them around her chest, but Hal took her wrists in his hand and gently pinned them on either side of her head.
Jesse looked up at him and saw a gentle smile on his face. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss, and she kissed him back.
“Don’t be self-conscious …” he murmured softly as he lifted his lips away from hers and began to place soft kisses down her neck, trailing even further down.
Jesse began to squirm a little, but Hal’s grip on her wrists kept her from getting very far. He moved lower, and she could feel his lips travel down her sternum. She shuddered as she felt the rough stubble on his jaw brush against the side of her breasts. She watched him breathlessly, and he looked up at her, a dark mischief flashing in his eyes.
Jesse’s stomach tightened as he moved his head to the side, his lips trailing against the fullness of her breast until they finally brushed up against her nipple. Jesse felt a rush of wetness between her legs, and her back arched up off the couch as she gasped.
Undeterred, Hal drew it into his mouth, gently sucking on it. The sensation was at both times gentle and completely overwhelming, and Jesse arched up into his mouth. When he unsheathed his teeth to gently nibble at her, she whimpered. He gently released his hold on her wrists and traced his hands down, one lingering at her breast and the other moving to rest at her hip.
All the while, his mouth did not rest. Jesse felt herself slowly unraveling as he nibbled, sucked and licked at her, and then moved to the other breast to repeat the ministrations. His attention to her breasts, however, did little to reduce the ache between her legs, and she found herself arching her hips up into the air, hopelessly seeking out friction.
Bedroom Rodeo: A Billionaire Romance Page 57