“You’re playing with fire, Aubrey. I’d like to make it to my apartment in one piece.” His lips brushed hers before he released her, gunning the bike through the green light.
Realizing she could do this to a man, excite him by just being herself, gave her a wonderful sense of feminine power, something she’d definitely never felt before with any man. Heat blossomed low in her body, the vibration of the bike between her legs adding to the delicious arousal flooding through her.
She tried after that to keep her hands still, but her fingers refused, moving restlessly over Caleb’s stomach, up over his chest. She hugged herself to him, hands splayed wide, his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.
Caleb finally arrived at a small white-framed house set back from the street. He pulled up the drive and parked in front of a small garage then turned off the bike.
“Home sweet home.” There was a definite note of pride in his voice. She slid off the bike, the sensation of movement still lingering in her legs.
He went up a short set of steps onto a small porch and unlocked the back door, holding it open for her. She walked inside and Caleb followed, turning on an overhead light.
Aubrey found herself in a small but neat kitchen. Spice racks lined what little wall space wasn’t covered with paintings. There were dozens of all sizes, adorning almost every vertical space, including the fronts of the cabinets.
“Is this your work?” She moved closer to examine one and discovered it was a nude, a pretty red-haired girl sitting in a chair, legs demurely crossed, wearing stiletto heels. Tattoos covered her upper chest and arms, detailed and colorful. Aubrey looked at the next painting and the one below that. All were of the same girl in various poses. A sudden, unexpected pang of jealousy pierced her heart. That was the last thing she wanted to feel now, here, with Caleb.
She turned quickly away only to find Caleb looking down at her, the corner of his mouth turned up in an amused grin.
“Let me take that.” He held out his hand and Aubrey realized he was asking for his jacket. She shrugged out of it and he hung it on the back of a nearby chair. Glancing at the painting Aubrey had turned away from, Caleb pointed.
“This is Stephanie, a client at the tattoo shop. She’s also a dancer, one of the reasons I use her as a model. She has excellent muscle memory; she can hold a pose for what seems like forever. Her boyfriend comes along sometimes, tries to get her to laugh or move. But she’s a professional; she never moves.”
“Was it that obvious?” Aubrey shook her head, looking at Caleb from beneath lowered lashes.
“The little green monster sitting on your shoulder? Sort of.” He moved toward Aubrey, his hands resting on her shoulders. She turned her face up to his, meeting his gaze.
“We don’t know each other, and it’s probably a little unnerving to find a roomful…actually a houseful…of paintings I’ve done, almost all of them female nudes. It’s an honest reaction.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. It was still tied back but strands had escaped, framing her face.
“There’s no one in my life right now, Aubrey. I wouldn’t do that to you or myself.” He leaned down, his lips softly brushing hers, his fingers moving over her face, sliding back to cradle her head. Before he could continue, Aubrey pulled back just enough to speak.
“There’s no one for me either, Caleb. The guy at school…he’s just a friend.”
Caleb smiled. “Glad we got that straightened out.” He murmured the words against her neck, his breath warm against her skin. He kissed her softly behind her ear and she melted a little in his arms, her knees going weak. Her hands had crept back to his chest, back to exploring the expanse of t-shirt that covered him.
And then it was all too much again, but this time, too much anticipation. Aubrey was suddenly ready for whatever was going to happen. She pushed against Caleb’s chest, tentatively, then harder. He pulled away from her neck, his brow furrowed.
“You okay? Too much, too fast?”
Aubrey took a breath, the words tumbling out. “No, not enough. Not nearly enough.”
Caleb’s eyes widened and he struggled to suppress a smile. “You’re full of surprises.”
“But I…it’s not like I do this all the time, I mean…” She gave up, shrugging.
He stepped back, keeping her the circle of his arms.
“Aubrey, you don’t need to explain yourself. You want what you want…the same thing I want. And I never keep a lady waiting.”
Caleb stepped back, taking her hand, leading her down a short hall toward the front of the house, then up the stairs into his bedroom.
She stood by the bed while he turned on a small lamp, casting the room in a soft glow. The room was just as neat as the kitchen, no stray clothes on the floor, the bed made. He came back to where she stood, closing the space between them, looking down into her eyes. His hand went to her hair, caressing the nape of her neck.
“Take this down for me.” His voice was husky, eyes dark as he tugged gently at the knot of hair at her neck. “It was the first thing I noticed…you tossed it back over your shoulder and the sun caught it.”
Aubrey reached back, undoing the band that held her hair. Her first thought was to find a mirror, check to see just how tangled it had become riding behind Caleb. But she’d no sooner shook out her hair than Caleb ran his fingers through it.
“Like silk…” He cupped her head again, pulling her to him, his mouth finding hers. She knew what to expect, or so she thought.
But this kiss was so gentle, so tender, it took her breath away. His lips were so soft against hers she thought she must be imagining the kiss. But she wasn’t imagining the heat that the kiss ignited, deep inside, heat that spread slowly outward.
He held her as if she was a fragile vessel, his fingers tracing the line of her cheek, down her jaw. Then they moved lower, sliding along the edge of her shirt, against her neck, along her collarbone. Each brush of his fingers left a trail of fire across her skin before they moved on.
Aubrey was enthralled by his touch, standing with her hands against his chest, clutching the fabric of his shirt. Her fingers resumed the exploration she’d started on the motorcycle, moving over Caleb’s chest, the taut muscles beneath the shirt, his body heat warming her hands.
His hands slid lower, down her sides, around her back. His lips were still caressing hers but there was a shift, subtle but distinct, the intensity between them slowly building. Aubrey squirmed beneath his touch, her body reacting, aching for more.
Caleb broke away from the kiss, looking down at her, eyes dark. “We have all night, Aubrey.” His voice was low and his words clicked in her mind. She did have all night with this man, all night to explore and be explored, to take and give pleasure. There was no ticking metronome counting off the minutes, no deadline to meet. It was just her and Caleb and the night, all the hours until tomorrow.
Aubrey returned his gaze and smiled. “But still…I think we can do away with this.” She tugged at the edge of his t-shirt, pulling it up his torso. His lips curved into a sensuous smile and Aubrey drew a breath as he slowly pulled the shirt over his head.
She found the answer to her early questions. Caleb’s chest was broad, the skin smooth beneath her fingers. Impulsively she leaned forward, her lips against his chest, tongue flicking out briefly to caress one hard nipple. She was rewarded with a low moan and her body answered with a resounding thud of arousal.
Caleb took her by the shoulders, pulling her up to him, to his kiss. This kiss was anything but gentle. It carried all the force of his passion and matched Aubrey’s rising tide of arousal.
His hands moved down her back, cupping her, pulling her hard against him and for the first time, she felt the heat and swell of his erection pressing against her stomach. She moaned softly, her hips flexing forward in response, a longing ache mixing with the heat inside her.
Aubrey pulled away from Caleb, taking a step back. He regarded her a moment, one eyebrow cocked. She held his gaze as her finge
rs began undoing the buttons on her shirt, but then her eyes slid lower, over his torso, down to the straining bulge at the front of his jeans.
She pulled her gaze back to his face, meeting his eyes, taking in his sexy smile. Under any other circumstances, she’d have died of embarrassment getting caught staring at a man. But Caleb apparently enjoyed being looked at and she certainly was enjoying looking at him. It made her feel brazen, free in a way she’d never felt. It made her want to show off her body for Caleb.
With exquisite slowness, she pulled the garment from her shoulders, her bra-covered breasts exposed. With any other man, she’d have been shy and embarrassed, but under Caleb’s hot gaze, she felt a wild feminine power rise up. With a shrug of her shoulders, the blouse hit the floor.
Caleb closed the space between them, his hands reaching out, cupping her breasts. Over the material of her bra, he ran his thumbs over her nipples and she gasped as they hardened at his touch. As his fingers caressed her, she reached back and undid the clasps, the bra falling around Caleb’s hands. He held them for a heartbeat longer, then let the bra fall to the floor.
His hands were immediately back, his strong fingers against her flesh. Her gasp was louder this time as he thumbed her nipples, ending in a tiny cry. When he bent his head to her breast and took one hardened nipple into his mouth, Aubrey thought she’d sink to the floor. But he slid one strong arm around her waist, holding her firmly in place, and she let her head drop back as his tongue flicked over her nipple. He moved to the other, repeating his gestures. As his teeth grazed against her nipple, she cried out loudly, lifting her head, looking down at him.
He broke away, looking up at her. “Sorry…”
She shook her head. “No…again. Please.” The words came out in a rushed whisper.
His eyes were dark, hooded and heavy with passion, lips curved into a knowing smile. He bent his head again and she felt his tongue briefly, teasing, tickling. And then the edges of his teeth, lightly, against her swollen nipple. The edge of pleasure blurred into pain, all her focus on that single point in her body, on what Caleb was doing to her. He pulled away, moved to the other side, and teased her all over again. She looked down, watching in amazement, his dark head against her pale body. Her fingers wound through his hair, holding him gently at first, then clutching at him as the sensations increased.
She was panting by the time he pulled away.
“Oh, God. Caleb…
He laughed, a deep rich sound that set off a little burst of fireworks inside Aubrey.
“Like I said before, you’re full of surprises. What else are you hiding?”
Aubrey shook her head, still breathless. “No idea, but you’re more than welcome to find out.”
She glanced down between them, the straining bulge in his jeans even larger, then back up at Caleb. He nodded at her unspoken request and she reached down with trembling fingers, undoing the button on his jeans. Her fingers brushed against the taut material and Caleb drew a shuddering breath. She looked up at him, smiling.
“Too much, too soon?”
“Hell no. But keep doing what you’re doing. Like I said, we’ve got all night.”
Aubrey slid one hand over the front of his jeans, the other moving over his chest. She stopped at his throat, the pulse in his neck beating beneath her fingers. It was strong and fast, almost matching her own rapidly beating pulse.
Caleb reached up, took her hand, and kissed her fingers. She let him take her index finger between his lips as she slowly caressed him with her other hand. Caleb sucked briefly on her finger and then she felt his teeth, a gentle bite at the tip of her finger.
The pressure increased slightly and she responded by squeezing him. He drew a sharp breath, his hips flexing forward, pressing himself against her, and then he smiled, releasing her finger.
“My turn.” Caleb slid his hands down her sides, reaching for the snap on her jeans, popping it easily. With deft fingers, he had the zipper down before she realized what he’d done. His strong hands pulled the fabric over her legs and she rested her hand on his shoulder as she balanced first on one leg, then the other, kicking her jeans aside.
She was left in her panties and Caleb reached out, his broad hand resting on her stomach. Wordlessly he moved it lower and she watched, breathless as he slid his hand between her legs.
The heat she’d been feeling, all the sensations that had been building were suddenly focused there, where his hand rested. And then subtly, slowly, he curled his fingers, rubbing them against her satin panties.
Her first sounds were gasps, quickly followed by sharp cries. No one had ever touched her like this, in such an erotic way, or elicited such intense sensations in her body or her mind. She felt like she was losing control, her body taking over, moving on its own accord. Her hips rocked forward, her knees bending slightly, all to make it easier for Caleb to do what he was doing to her.
He’d wrapped an arm around her waist again, and he nuzzled her neck now as his fingers explored beneath the edge of her panties. Slowly, deliberately, he touched her, rubbing his finger over her, sliding it deeper. She could feel his body moving against hers, rubbing against her hip, making her take a step back to keep her balance.
For a brief moment he pulled his hand away and she heard the sound of the zipper on his jeans. He took her hand, guiding her to him. She took him in her hand, caressing the length of him as he stroked her softly for another moment.
She realized belatedly that he was guiding her back and she let him walk her backward until her legs hit the bed. He straightened and with an easy gesture, picked her up and settled her on top of it.
Caleb stood at the edge of the bed, looking down at her as he slid his jeans over his hips, discarding them, standing naked. She took a long look at him, eyes taking in every detail in the soft light, from his face full with passion, over his chest and flat stomach, down lower, to the obvious evidence of his arousal.
His laugh startled her and her eyes snapped to his face. Although he met her gaze, she had the sensation he’d been doing the same, looking at her lying on his bed, naked save for a pair of gossamer panties. And to make the picture complete for him, to give him what he so clearly wanted to see, Aubrey lifted her hips, sliding the panties down over her legs.
Caleb quickly reached forward, snagging the panties and pulling them down her legs. They disappeared over the edge of the bed.
The power Aubrey felt at that moment was amazing. She felt, for the first time, feminine, sexy, desirable. It was an intoxicating feeling to be looked at by a man with something beyond arousal and passion. Caleb looked at her with admiration and desire, certainly for her physical body, but he made her feel everything about her was worth desiring.
She moved over on the bed and he climbed in beside her. They were in each other’s arms in an instant, bodies pressed together, hands moving everywhere, mouths devouring each other. Now Aubrey wanted all of Caleb, his hands on her body, his chest against her breasts, his muscular thighs against hers. And between them, he thrust himself against her belly, hot and hard, escalating the ache between her legs. She’d been built to a point of no return and her body was crying out for more.
As if reading her mind, Caleb rolled her onto her back, rising above her and moving between her legs. She shifted beneath him, spreading her legs, anticipating what was coming next, excited beyond anything she’d ever known. She moaned deeply, a sound of encouragement. Or so she thought. But Caleb pushed himself up and away from her.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” He looked down, brows furrowed slightly in concern.
Aubrey laughed, covering her hand with her mouth. Caleb’s brows rose in an unspoken question as he watched while she tried to regain control.
“Sorry…I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life, Caleb.”
His face relaxed and he smiled. “I just want to make sure. I’d hate for this to be just me, a guy totally oblivious to what you want, and you wanting to leave.”
&nbs
p; “Do I look like I want to leave?”
“No.” His voice dropped. “You look like you’re ready to be all mine.”
He kissed her then, hard, and she returned his kiss, her arms around his neck as he settled the weight of his hips against hers. She felt him, hard and insistent, seeking entrance, powerful, all masculine energy.
She shifted to give him access to what he asked for, what he sought, what she wanted as well. He hesitated for just a moment and she held her breath. Then he was there, pushing into her, filling her, and she exhaled, the breath turning into a drawn out sound of overwhelming pleasure.
Caleb was far more skilled as a lover than any man she’d been with and now, she let him take the lead, shifting slightly beneath him, letting him set the pace.
Aubrey closed her eyes, letting her hands roam over his back, down to his hips, the muscles flexing beneath her fingers. Then she trailed her hands over the insides of her spread thighs, the skin so soft, finally resting her hands at the place where he thrust against her, intoxicated by the sensations of his body against hers, inside her.
Caleb dropped his head on her shoulder, one hand beneath her back, holding her against him, the other sliding up to cup her breast, fingers finding her hardening nipple, rolling it gently for a moment. They were still sensitive from his early ministrations and she cried out, the sharp sensations a hot counterpoint to the deep throbbing between her legs. He pulled his hand away, but she shook her head, grasping for his hand and pulling it back.
Aubrey lost track of time, of how long they moved together on his bed. Everything in her body came alive, emotions and sensations spiraling higher and higher, and she wasn’t sure how high Caleb could take her or how much more she could take.
She became aware of a change in Caleb, a tension in his body, an erratic movement in his thrusts into her. He lifted his head, his eyes finding hers.
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