“When you tap into it correctly?” Playful mischief blazed in his eyes.
She laughed out loud at the pun, nearly spewing wine across the table. A full-blown teasing smile encompassed his gorgeous face sending a rush of heat all the way to her toes.
“Look at you, making jokes and all.”
“I have a great sense of humor. Occasionally.”
Warm silence swirled around them.
Ember couldn’t help but feel like she’d just chipped away a small section of the barrier guarding his self-preservation. One thing she knew for certain was that Nash Harris bore a stern inflexibility that made most people run for cover in his presence and that his smiles didn’t come easily. Of the two brothers, jokes and laughter were traits gifted to Sam.
“Tantric yoga expands the connection and mindfulness between a couple, spiritually and physically. It helps deepen their bond with each other and the universe.”
“So, basically sex for tree huggers.”
“Sure, okay. I guess if you have no concept of yoga then it might seem like just sex.” Sweet laughter bounced in her chest. “It’s more about learning how to breathe as one, focusing on the flow and rhythm. Two souls simply being in the moment, together, with no distractions, being mindful of each other’s needs.”
Their eyes connected across the table. The busy world around them began to fade into white noise, her focus drawn to him like gravity. The sea of blue staring back at her reached deep inside her heart and swallowed her whole.
A cautionary tickle tapped at her subconscious.
She opened her mouth to continue, but her tongue felt as if it’d been wrung out and tied in a double knot.
Ember cleared her throat. “Have…have you ever tried yoga? It’s great for relaxation, plus helps to get in touch with your inner spirit.”
“Relaxation is foreign to me and I don’t need to dig up my inner spirit. It took me a long time to bury her.”
Humor coated his tone, but Ember saw right through the façade. She studied him with solemn eyes. Inner turmoil and sadness hid in the shadows of his features. Nash dropped his gaze to the basket of bread on the table, ripping a chunk from the warm narrow loaf. Searching for more insight, she followed the movement, greedily wanting another peek into the window of his soul.
The air around him thickened.
Making a joke was one thing, but he wasn’t the kind of man to share his feelings. The longer she observed him, the deeper the groove creased between his brows.
Nash could tell she was studying him, and he didn’t like it.
He didn’t like it one bit.
Ember didn’t know the story hidden within the sea of blue, there was definitely something there, but she respected his space.
Holstering her curiosity, Ember lifted her glass. “Cheers.”
“What are we celebrating?” he asked, clinking his glass to hers.
Raising the glass to his lips, tension began to slip from his eyes turning them soft and pliant.
Sexy.
“To an hour of good wine and great company.”
“I’m on board with that.”
One hour turned into four. Throughout dinner she caught him staring, drinking her in, causing her to shift in her seat as a slow burn flourished inside. They’d polished off nearly two bottles of wine, a five-course meal, a chocolate tart topped with toasted peanut crumble, and endless conversation.
They barely scratched the surface, but each managed to avoid the subject of cattle and oil.
It was after midnight when they left the restaurant. Streetlamps cast an amber glow on the empty sidewalk and the sound of her heels clicked along the concrete. Nash took hold of her hand tangling his fingers in hers. Neither spoke, but a giddy grin filled the apples of her cheeks and a heavy dose of happiness radiated from every pore.
Entering the high-rise, Nash acknowledged the security guard with a quick nod before ducking into the elevator. Ember leaned her back against the cold obscured mirrored wall preparing for the ticklish free-fall in her tummy. Nash mimicked her move, resting a hip on a thin aluminum handrail.
He dragged his fingers over the perfectly trimmed stubble on his face. The scruff added a ruggedness to the façade of civilized apparel. The complete opposite impression he’d left in the darkness of her bedroom the night before.
His gaze coasted over her from head to toe, searing deep beneath her skin, looking as if he wanted to eat her alive.
“Come here, you.” His raspy whisper curled through the confined space. Clasping hold of her wrist, he tugged until the front of her body pressed tightly to his.
A twinge of timidity twisted with feelings of sureness.
Nash had many layers hidden within, but there was no denying that this man was in total control. He was calm, collected, and confident, exuding a type of power and dominance she’d never tasted.
And she liked it.
She liked it a lot.
Her pulse hammered wildly beneath the pressure of his fingertips. The rush of each inflated breath expanded her lungs with a painful burn. Ember couldn’t force herself to look up at him. She’d never experienced such an intense reaction to a man. There was nowhere else she’d rather be, yet she was terrified that if she looked deep into his eyes, his soul, that she’d either want to run like hell or never want to leave. Both conclusions were equally frightening.
Nash looped a hand around her mane, allowing the loosely knotted braid to cascade over one shoulder. The back of his knuckles brushed the slope of her breast as he rubbed a lock of hair between his fingers.
Short, jumpy exhales floated from her parted lips.
He eased his fingers into her hairline, palms molding the contours of her face. Her eyelids feathered shut as he tilted her chin upward. The moist heat of their accelerated breathing danced over the flesh of their cheeks. Even in the muted darkness, she sensed the burn of intense examination for what seemed like forever. When she dared to open her eyes, he gazed down at her, blue heat volatile in its strength, until she wilted against his sturdy frame.
Coasting a thumb along the edge of her jaw, he gently pinched the tip of her chin between his finger and thumb. “Miss Thompson, you have the sweetest, most beautiful lips I’ve ever tasted.”
“Nash.” Her soft murmur was saturated with anxious abandon.
Ember opened, welcoming the hot, deep glide of his tongue as he took her mouth in a luscious kiss. The solid length of him pressed against her navel. The intimate connection ignited a bone-melting inferno that spread through her blood, bringing fire to the surface of her skin. Lifting her palms to his chest, she let them trail downward, pressing, touching, lazily investigating every compact muscle strung tight with desire.
Dropping her hand to his trousers, she circled over the taut bulge before fumbling with the button. Nash ripped his mouth from hers, stealing her hand from his cock, leaving Ember floundering in embarrassment.
Noting the groove of disappointment notched between her brows, he brushed his nose to hers. “No need to give George, the security guard, a show. I’m not sure his heart could take it.”
Ember inconspicuously looked from corner to corner searching for hidden lenses. The lift gave a subtle bounce and she followed Nash into the empty hallway, anxiously waiting while he entered the code to his apartment.
City lights cast a soft glow over the otherwise dark living room. Drawn to the breathtaking view, she dropped her tote on the coffee table and made her way to the wall of clear glass.
Tall buildings hovered above the sleepy city. Headlights strung together like Christmas lights mapping out the urban grid as if it were a piece of art. The stillness of the room added a distant somberness to the fast-paced metropolis below.
“Wow. I bet this view never gets old.” The words came as a hushed whisper meant for herself.
“Not with you standing there.”
Ember gasped feeling his warm, ragged breath sweep across her bare shoulder. He stood behind her, head bent, t
ouching her with nothing but his lips. A quiet moan swelled in her throat from the sheer pleasure of it. She remained paralyzed in the darkness as he took his time locating the sensitive areas he’d sought out the night before.
Nibbling.
Kissing.
Claiming.
The hands at her sides balled into loose fists, desperately trying to remain still, sinking into the moment of possession, the tender flicks of his tongue bringing unbearable bliss.
Arousal thickened in her gut and below. “Nash.”
His only response, hushed amusement swamped with devilish greed.
The heat of his mouth vanished, instantly leaving her mourning the connection. A small whimper slipped from her lips feeling the faint brush of knuckles at the center of her back as he released her dark hair from its knotted braid. He gently combed his fingers through the thick mane, arranging the wild wavy locks just so at the center of her back.
Uncontainable delight spindled through her body. Her head rolled to the side, craving his mouth on her flesh. His breath filtered through her disheveled hair, but he refrained from touching her. The man stood so close she could feel the heaviness of his energy consuming her space.
Her chest heaved. Each labored breath saturated with need.
Lifting her hands, she glided them upward coasting over the thin material covering her breasts, resting at the base of her neck. “Nash?”
“Yes?” His was voice nothing more than a wicked murmur.
“Nash, please.” The amount of need in her tone bordered on pathetic. Embarrassment climbed to a record high as she squirmed and floundered with desire. She didn’t care. Ember would do just about anything in the moment.
Lightly grasping her upper arm, he lifted her shoulders, burying his mouth in the curve of her neck. The burn of each fingertip sank into her muscles, bringing her to life. Pulling on the thin corded ribbon at her nape, he untied the halter of her jumpsuit.
Nash nipped at the lobe of her ear. “The view is about to get a whole lot better.”
Giving a final tug, the knit material collected around her waist exposing her breasts. The pale mounds gleamed in the darkness and the cool air turned her hard nipples to painful tight points. Every part of her ached with desire. Her back arched, mindlessly searching for the solid heat of him.
Their focus locked in the reflection of the glass. A hint of smugness gleamed in his eyes.
“My God, you are torturing me. Take it off,” she insisted in a low groan.
The quiet sound of throaty laughter filtered through the darkness. “Just a little.”
Ember licked her parched lips. Nash dipped both hands inside the jumpsuit, splaying his fingers over the curve of her hips, following the long line of her leg until the loose material pooled on the hardwood floor. He’d confiscated her panties earlier in the evening when she was getting dressed, so she stood before him naked and vulnerable.
Embracing her inner Goddess, Ember swallowed what was left of her nerves and spread her legs to hip-width apart. A low groan of want and satisfaction slipped through the darkness as he crouched down behind her, tapping one ankle and then the other, encouraging her to step out of the clothing.
The scorching heat of his breath fanned over her bottom right before he delivered gentle bites to each cheek. Voluptuous delight washed over her sending shockwaves through every muscle, causing her to tremble uncontrollably as he laid a trail of sweet kisses up her spine.
“Fort Worth is never going to look the same.”
He rested his chin on her shoulder. Any amusement that lingered in his eyes vanished, each entranced with the image before them. Thick dark lashes cast spikey shadows atop his refined cheekbones in the muted light.
His arms crossed around her midriff, encompassing her in a full embrace. The rigidness of her spine dissolved against the contours of his chest. One hand cupped the weight of her breast, the other slipped beyond a thin strip of trimmed dark hair, simultaneously primping a tight bud between his fingers while the other skated over her sex, circling with perfection.
Chemistry exploded between them.
She panted breathlessly, bringing her hand to his, increasing the pressure below. Body caught in a pleasure arc, her hips rocked in a repeated upward tilt. Twisting her neck, she hunted for his lips.
Plunging deeper, he pushed two fingers into the softness, ripping a cry from her throat. She went weak, her body clenching around the delightful invasion.
“That’s my girl.”
“Your girl?” she croaked, reservation working through the cracks in her voice.
The tip of his nose traced the shell of her ear, drawing the lobe between his teeth. “Mine.”
The intense manner of authority in his tone was not completely lost to any intelligence still left in her brain. Normally, she would’ve found the possessive term offensive, however the solitary word resonated deep inside her soul, wrapping around her heart like a cloak of comfort, sensually and spiritually.
Her heartbeat pounded in her chest. Though Ember stood before him completely nude, she’d never felt more exposed emotionally.
“You think so, huh?”
He slid her a decisive look as he withdrew his fingers, bringing them to his lips. “I know so.”
“You know what I think?” She spun in his arms, gripping his collar. Fingers clumsy with urgency, she sent the top button of his shirt flying across the room. “I think you’re entirely too dressed.”
Balance lost to four-inch heels, the blades of her shoulders sagged against the window. The cold glass brought relief to her heated state of frenzy. Luscious anticipation hurled between them, lips locked in a long, erotic kiss, working together removing his shirt and pants.
Nash kicked out of his boots and discarded them to the side. So engrossed in the vision of steamy male standing before her, body solid and rearing, she barely made out the sound of tearing foil. Before her fingers had time to assist, Nash hooked an arm beneath her knee, and then the other, pressing his palms flat to the window, pinning her back to the glass. Lifting her with ease, he inched her backside up the glass until her center rested on his lower abdomen and his erection wedged between her butt cheeks.
Face to face, the heat of their labored breathing mingled together in anticipation. His blue eyes shimmered brightly in the dull light, illuminating a flicker of arrogance and power.
Daring to peer over her shoulder—forty stories straight down—she panicked throwing her arms around his neck, desperately scrambling, clinging to the dense muscles of his shoulders. The sight below, dizzying.
“You afraid of heights?”
“No. Maybe a little, but this is—”
He slid the length of his cock along the slit between her pussy and backside stealing every thought from her mind.
A grin ticked the curve of his gorgeous mouth as his hips rocked back and forth, sliding the stiff length along the silkiness of her flesh. Caught in the precarious position, Ember was sweating at the roots of her hair and brimming with urgency.
She moaned softly.
“I take it the heights aren’t too unbearable?”
“Nash,” she pleaded, wriggling like a fish on the hook. A very big hook.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
Brows pinching into a furrow, she twined her fingers into the hair at his nape, giving a firm tug. “This isn’t funny. You’re driving me crazy.”
“I’m waiting.”
More arrogance. She was tempted to climb down off his big dick and tell him to…he thrust again, rubbing the swollen ridge against heightened nerve endings, frying every brain cell she possessed.
Except one.
“Nash, please.”
Lifting her just so, he eased inside the wetness. Her mouth dropped open, filling her lungs on a sharp gasp of air.
“You all right?” he asked, his voice nearly inaudible behind the pounding of her heart.
Her only reply, a wobbly nod before her head wilted onto his shoulder.
Giving her a moment to adjust to the fullness, he began a sweet cadence of upward plunges, each one rooting deeper than before. It was stunningly erotic, being forty stories high, legs spread wide, knees hooked at his elbows, feet still adorned in heels bouncing wildly as he drove into her.
Trusting his grip, she relaxed, slipping into a state of bliss. Riding the heat, her muscles contracted, squeezing the thick column inside. Sounds of pleasure rose between them. The vibration in his groan traveled through her like threads of passionate energy, rooting deep into her soul. The connection between them far more than physical, Ember surrendered to an emotional honesty she’d never experienced.
The muscles of his neck and shoulders corded and flexed beneath the tips of her fingers each time he thrust. The strain on his features was the most glorious sight she’d ever seen. Ember clung to his shoulders, demanding his lips with ravenous greed, burying her cries in the kiss.
Voluptuous spasms built in their force sending an electric current from the depth of her core, to the outwardness of her extremities, to the crown of her head in a continuous loop. Radiant energy crashed over her like a turbulent sea of orgasmic pleasure, spindling from her body in slow, jerky convulsions as she came.
She didn’t want to close her eyes from the view of the intensity shadowing his face, but her lids fell heavy to the blissful euphoria.
Palming her bottom securely, Nash drove deep and shuddered, barking out a lengthy groan as he found his own release.
Ember pulled her head up from his shoulder attempting to focus on the pleasure flooding his handsome features, but what she found was something so much more. A deeper, more expansive, look of contentment.
And it thrilled her to the bone.
Sweat trickled down her back, suctioning her skin to the glass. The sweet burn of his ragged breath drifted over her neck and chest. She palmed his face, stroking lazily. He twisted, pressing a kiss to her open palm.
In that instant, something had changed. She wasn’t even certain what it was. It didn’t have a name or a defined sentiment she could slap a title on. It was more like a spark of warmth that radiated outward, growing in brightness, filling her with serenity and opening her heart to a deep sense of solace.
Catching Ember (Buckle Up Series Book 1) Page 17