by Anne Rainey
He could see her trying to speak, but nothing came out, only a slight murmur of sound in the quiet room. He cupped her chin in his palm and stroked her lower lip with the pad of his thumb. “Do I real y need to repeat myself, Gracie?”
“You make me breathless,” she admitted, her voice shaky, husky. “I can’t think straight when you kiss me, touch me.”
“Do you think it’s any different for me?” Damn, if only she knew the power she held over him with nothing more than a smile. And her courage.
It amazed him to realize al she’d been through, and she had yet to fold under the pressure. Two jobs, a drunken ass for a father, and some warped asshole taunting her day and night. Her fortitude astounded him.
Wade felt himself becoming even more aroused, his jeans too constricting. He forced himself not to rip them off his body. He needed the barrier between them or he’d never hold out. Somehow Wade managed to tamp down on his desires. So sweet, her body would hug his perfectly. Their lovemaking would be that much sweeter if she were completely engulfed with pleasure. He wanted to watch her beg for him, watch her buck in wild abandonment.
Ruthlessly, Wade pushed aside his mounting lust and lay down on the bed next to her. He touched his teeth to her neck. Biting down gently, he felt Gracie’s body shudder in reaction. She began to twitch and rub against him, and he knew she was on the brink of a climax. Son of a bitch, he hadn’t even gotten to the good part yet! He suckled her skin, letting her rub her body along the length of his. Al owing her to enjoy the experience as much as possible. The taste of her smooth skin, so much like cream, tore at his control. She would wear his mark. It was strange, the need to see it there. To know he’d been the one to put it there. He’d never needed that sort of confirmation of ownership before. It was downright primal the way he felt about Gracie.
Wade almost lost control, sucking too hard. Gracie moaned his name, pleading to be taken. She grabbed onto his forearm, her nails digging into his skin. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her spreading her legs, al but inviting him in. Fuck, it was sheer torment not being able to drive his cock into her!
He removed his mouth and careful y lifted his head, caressing the purplish mark with his gaze. “You’l have a hickey. Do you mind?”
“The only thing I mind is that we’re both stil dressed.”
He chuckled. “Such a demanding little thing.”
His lips lightly touched her cheek before he started on the buttons on her blouse. Within seconds he had her naked, the pretty rings piercing her breasts beckoning to be licked. “I fucking love your nipple rings, Gracie.” He dipped his head and sucked one turgid peak into his mouth.
“Oh, God! That feels so good. I missed your touch, Wade.”
He flicked her nipple with his tongue once more before using his hands to cup and plump her tits together. Wade groaned as he nuzzled the pil owy softness of her breasts. He squeezed both with his hands, first kissing one then licking the other, relishing their ful ness. He nestled his face in the val ey between, and she whimpered. Wade inhaled her sweet scent, deliberately driving himself mad. She was a powerful mix of heat and aroused woman.
He didn’t think he could wait another second to be inside of her. He reminded himself that his goal wasn’t to rut, but to give Gracie as much pleasure as possible. He wanted to give her something she couldn’t get with any other man. If he pleased her wel enough, she’d stick around.
And she’d want him, again and again, the way he wanted her.
Wade’s palm traveled down her body, coasting over the bruises on her torso before reaching her tiny bud. “Mmm, look what I found.” She moaned, and he watched her twist and thrash as his fingers continued their torture. “Be stil . I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
“I can’t. It’s impossible to stay stil when you do that, Wade.”
He ground his teeth against the need clawing at him. “Then I’l stop. I won’t have you reinjuring yourself.”
“Don’t stop. I swear I’l try to stay stil . Just, please, don’t stop.”
He heard the desperation in her voice. He felt the same wild drive as she. Stil he pushed for a more solid answer. “You’l tel me if there’s pain?”
“I promise I’l tel you,” she breathed out.
Wade knew it wasn’t going to get any better than that. He’d just have to watch her closely for any signs of discomfort. She’d been hurt enough; he’d not be adding to her pain. In fact . . .
“You remember I mentioned to you about having very specific ideas?”
Her gaze widened, and he felt her stiffen. She slowly nodded.
Reaching over, Wade pul ed a pair of handcuffs out of his end table drawer and held them up for her to see. “I want to handcuff you to the bed. Wil you let me?”
“Um, I’ve never—”
He flicked her nose. “I figured that out by the look of horror on your face, baby. But you trust me with your body, remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I’d cut off my own hand before I’d ever harm you, sweet angel.”
Her gaze softened as she looked him over from head to toe. Smiling now, she said, “On one condition.”
Damn, she was way too quick with the game. “A condition, Gracie? I thought we agreed you’d submit to me.”
“It’s a smal favor. You wouldn’t begrudge me that, would you?”
The little minx. She knew he would do whatever she asked. “What’s the favor?”
“I want you naked.”
“That’s the favor? I need to be undressed or you won’t al ow me to use the cuffs?”
She nodded, a grin lighting up her entire face. It turned his heart to mush to see her dropping her defenses with him. “You drive a hard bargain, but I suppose the payoff is worth disrobing.”
“Thank you.” Gracie touched her lips against the warmth of Wade’s mouth. Heaven. It had to be heaven; nothing else could feel so good, so right. She let herself flow with the desire that coursed through her body. Nibbling and licking at him, playing the way she’d wanted for so long.
Taking her time, she built his excitement before al owing him entrance to her mouth.
Wade’s probing tongue arrogantly pushed its way into the soft opening and took her on a ride. Her breasts tingled and ached. She felt her nipples harden in anticipation of his ministrations. But he seemed content to linger on her mouth, taking his time to explore every tiny recess.
She pushed against him, shamelessly, tel ing him without words how desperate she was to feel him, skin to skin. Wade continued to tease and torture. She wanted more. Everything. Now.
Deciding to move him along a little faster, she let one of her hands drift down his back, caressing the muscled firmness of his buttocks through his jeans. She heard him emit a low growl. A warning, she knew. Feminine satisfaction wel ed up. Lazily, Gracie moved her hand over his hip until she cupped his hard cock. Grasping him through the unforgiving material, she squeezed and pumped, slowly massaging his length.
Wade broke the kiss on a curse and slid off the bed. Standing over her, his gaze snaring hers in a sensual trap, he stripped out of his clothes with quick efficiency. Gracie watched him unabashedly bare himself for her, and one thought kept skittering through her mind. This man—this flawlessly constructed man—was hers. At least for tonight, he was al hers. She would damn wel make the most of every second they spent together. Because if there was one thing she knew, it was that life was unpredictable and tomorrow could bring al sorts of trouble. Today was for them alone.
“I intended to give you the slow loving you deserve, baby. But damn if you don’t go straight to my head. I can’t seem to muster an ounce of self-discipline with you.”
Gracie rose to a seated position and smiled, hoping to look tempting, al uring. She wasn’t certain she pul ed it off; she’d never tried to look al uring before. “I don’t want slow and easy. I want you wild, and every bit as eager as me.”
Not waiting for an answer, she let her uninjur
ed hand slide over her stomach and rib cage to her aching breasts. She squeezed one soft orb and plucked at the ring piercing the nipple. Wade’s gaze darkened, nearly black with desire.
“Fuck, you’re playing a dangerous game, Gracie.”
“I’ve been playing it safe for too long. I’m tired of safe.” While his eyes roamed pleasingly over her bare body, she slowly, deliberately trailed her fingers downward. When Gracie reached her swol en clitoris, she let out a sigh. Sliding her index finger back and forth, she teased herself to a fever pitch. “Come closer to me,” she whispered, her voice husky with arousal.
Without a word, Wade stepped forward. The movement put her mouth in direct line with his jutting cock. God, the man was big. The sheer size of him had her pussy wet and throbbing. She needed him fil ing her, taking away the cold and replacing it with blazing hot passion. With the same finger she’d used to caress her clit, Gracie touched the tip of his fat cock, enthral ed when a pearl of moisture emerged. Her gaze shot to his.
“Lick it up, sweet angel.”
Yes, good idea, she thought. Angling her head, Gracie took him into her mouth. She could only manage a few inches; his cock was much bigger than that of any man she’d ever been with. She swirled her tongue around the bulbous head and tightened her lips. Wade cursed and grabbed the back of her head.
“Little tease. Suck harder,” he ordered.
Gracie kept her eyes trained on his and took another inch into her mouth.
“Gracie.”
Her name, thickly garbled, was al that emerged from his lips. His fingers burrowed into her hair as if he was afraid she’d disappear if he didn’t hold on. Loving him this way somehow seemed even more intimate than intercourse. Being able to bring such a powerful man as Wade to climax with just a lick of her tongue stimulated the very core of her femininity.
Gracie lifted her hand and cupped his sac, squeezing gently. Wade’s eyes shut, and he threw his head back on a groan. Gracie al owed her hand and tongue and lips to play for another minute before sliding her mouth off him. She gave a loving kiss to his tip, then sat back. Later he could come in her mouth. She’d swal ow every salty drop, too. For now, she needed him to be inside of her, fucking her.
Wade cupped the sides of her head in his strong hands and leaned close. “I can’t decide whether to fuck your mouth or fuck your pussy.”
Gracie smiled and tried to lighten the mood. “How about my pussy. First.”
He didn’t smile; if anything he grew even more intense, as if ready to pounce. “You’l drink my come,” he said, his gravel y voice unyielding,
“after I bury my cock in this lovely little cunt. The thought of spurting my come al over your tongue, your teeth, down your throat . . . Christ, what you do to me.”
He grasped onto her waist and moved her to the center of the bed, then placed first one knee then the other on the mattress, and crawled toward her. “You need to be tied to the headboard.”
Butterflies flitted through her stomach at the reminder of the handcuffs. She’d hoped he’d forgotten about that little detail. When he picked them up and attached one to her good wrist and snapped the other over one of the iron bars that made up the headboard, she shuddered.
“Lay your other hand above your head, out of the way. I don’t want to accidental y hurt it.”
She did as he said, but curiosity over just how bound she was had her wiggling experimental y at the handcuffs.
Wade stroked her cheek with his fingers and whispered, “You can’t loosen them, sweet angel. Only I can. Trust me?”
Trust a man? She’d never had reason to trust a man before. Not any of the few men she’d slept with; not even her own father. Wade wasn’t like any other man she’d ever known. He was good, deep down hero-type good. She knew he’d never bring her harm. She took a deep breath and nodded.
He smiled and moved on top of her, keeping his weight on his forearms. “Knowing you’re wil ing to submit to me, to let me be in charge, it does things to me, Gracie. I want to love you, for hours. Just love this pretty, curvy body and take you clear to the moon. Then when you come back down to earth I want to do it al over again.”
Gracie felt his words clear to her soul. If she wasn’t careful she was going to fal . Head over heels, madly, deeply in love with Wade Harrison.
And that was the scariest thing of al .
12
Wade slipped down her body and kissed her bel y. Her body was so attuned to his touch; she came alive in an instant. As he made his way between her legs, she groaned. “What are you doing?”
“You got to taste me; now it’s my turn.”
He pushed her legs wide and stroked a finger over her labia.
Oh, hel , that felt good. “I-I thought we were going to make love.”
“Hush now. Let me play with this soft little pussy for a bit.” As he glided his tongue in between the swol en lips of her sex, Gracie gave in and let him have his way. When his mouth leisurely licked up and down between her swol en folds, Gracie lost al reason, bucking against his face.
“Oh, yes! Please, Wade,” she pleaded. He hummed against her wet clit, wrapped his arms around her hips, and clutched her bottom. She melted. She tried to wriggle free, aching to open her thighs for him, to give him better access, but he held firm.
“Be stil ,” he growled an instant before he sank his tongue deep, in and out, tongue-fucking her. He laved at her, as if starved for her flavor.
Tremors built inside her core when his talented mouth found her clitoris. He suckled the little bud, then took it between his teeth and flicked it with his tongue. Lightning streaked through her bloodstream, and she came total y undone. Clutching the railing, Gracie held on tight as Wade stabbed her pussy with his tongue over and over. Her climax crashed over her, wave after wave, hitting her like a wild thunderstorm. She shouted his name and tightened her thighs around his head in a desperate bid to hold on to the sensations bombarding her body for as long as possible. Only after the last little spasm abated did Wade release her legs and lift his head.
“Your cunt is the juiciest fucking fruit. I want to eat you for hours, baby.” He placed a delicate kiss to her clit, then rose above her. With both of his muscular arms caging her in, Wade whispered, “Are you on the pil ?”
It took her a moment to process his words, her body stil humming with pleasure. When she felt she could speak clearly, she answered, “Yes.
And I’m clean. I just had a checkup last month.”
“Same here. I want to go bareback. Do you mind?”
She yearned to feel him without any barriers. Just Wade, sinking deep and sending them both to the moon, as he’d promised. “I want that, very much.”
“Good girl,” he growled. “Now, wrap those sexy legs around me.”
She obeyed, her arousal already at ful peak. Without another word, Wade placed his cock at her entrance. Slowly, as if afraid of hurting her, he slipped in a mere inch. It wasn’t enough, not nearly. She pushed her hips off the bed. The little move caused another inch to fil her. “More, now. Don’t tease me, Wade.”
“Goddamn,” he bit out between clenched teeth. Without warning he impaled her in one smooth movement. Gracie shouted Wade’s name as her inner muscles stretched to accommodate the width and length of his cock.
“Like a hot little fist wrapped tight around my cock,” he murmured against the shel of her ear. “So damn perfect.”
They fit together as if God had fashioned them that way. One for the other. The notion should have sent fear through her; she didn’t want to need anyone, much less a man. With Wade, everything changed. The instant he pushed inside her body, she knew nothing would ever be the same again.
Riding on a sea of emotion, Gracie let herself go. She began moving her hips in little circles, drawing out their pleasure—aware of each stroke of skin, each time her body clutched around him. Wade’s lips found their way over her cheeks, her eyelids, like a blind man committing each piece of her to memory by the simple touch of
his mouth. When one hand journeyed between their bodies and found the tiny nub of her desire, she moaned loud and long. As her need mounted, her movements became more frantic, driving him farther into her until there was no separating them. She forgot about her bruises, her stalker; al her troubles simply melted away. Nothing mattered except this moment with Wade.
“Look at me, beautiful.” As their gazes clashed, Wade took her clit between his thumb and forefinger and pinched the bundle of nerves. She arched off the bed, coming apart, breaking into a thousand glorious shards. “Now, Gracie,” he ground out. He thrust deep, then pul ed al the way out and slammed into her once more. Hard, fast strokes that had them both sweating and moaning.
“Wade.” His name, nothing more. She wasn’t capable of more in that instant.
“Mine,” he said, his voice as dark and dangerous as the man himself. She could only hold on for the ride as Wade pushed her past pleasure, past contentment to a place she’d never known before. Raw, untamed, it was as if he were staking a claim.
Wrapping one arm beneath her bottom, Wade pul ed her in tighter, anchoring them together. In al his untamed and natural beauty, he slid his cock outward, then shoved bal s deep inside her pussy. “You burn me up, Gracie.”
Watching the dark fires in his eyes burn out of control sent her blood rushing through her veins. Gracie lifted her head and flicked his chest muscles with the tip of her tongue.
“Bite me. Show me some of that fire, pretty baby.”
Gracie licked one nipple, then swirled her tongue around it. She felt his fingers digging into the flesh of her ass, his heart hammering in his chest. She closed her eyes and let instinct take over. His scent was power itself. He pushed his chest against her face, and Gracie opened her mouth and bit down.
“Shit!”
His curse came a second before he began to pound into her pussy. Gracie bit him again, tasting the intoxicating flavor that was pure Wade.