Crave (Splendor Book 2)

by Janet Nissenson

  “I’ve never felt like this either, you know,” he confessed. “Never had such spectacular sex, or come so hard that I think I might have blacked out for a few seconds. And I’ve never, ever felt so much like a man before.”

  Tessa pulled his head down to hers and kissed him. “You’ve probably already noticed that I’m not very experienced,” she told him uncertainly. “I’ll tell you about - well, my marriage at some point so you’ll understand what I mean.”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Only when you’re ready, darling. And I rather like that you’re inexperienced. I’d be very, very happy to teach you a great many things. Would you like that, Tessa?”

  She rested her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist as she gave a sleepy nod. “I’d love that,” she murmured, just before closing her eyes and promptly falling asleep.

  Ian gave a low chuckle as he covered them both with the duvet, then pulled her close. “Guess we aren’t going to try for that record dozen times after all,” he whispered to her. “Never mind, love. There’s always tomorrow.”

  ***

  Tessa woke reluctantly, semi-conscious as she was of being warmer and more comfortable than she’d ever felt in her life. As her eyes opened sleepily, she blinked in disorientation, her sleep-fogged brain taking some time to fully realize where she was. She was definitely not in her own bed, for the mattress cushioning her body was much firmer and plusher than her own, and the pillowcase beneath her cheek smelled crisper and cleaner than her own sheets.

  And then she had to stifle a little gasp as she realized exactly where she was – curled up trustingly against Ian Gregson’s warm, muscular body, her arm draped over his torso, and her head tucked next to his. Ian - who less than two days ago had been her rather intimidating, completely out of her league boss - and who was now, by some quirk of fate, her lover.

  Tessa’s cheeks flushed when she recalled just how intimate they had been - the things he had said to her, the way he’d touched and kissed her, how thoroughly he’d possessed her. As if on cue, she felt an unfamiliar soreness between her legs, the muscles there definitely not used to the sort of physical, demanding sex she’d engaged in. The tentative, mostly fumbling attempts she and Peter had made at having sex had been nothing like what she had experienced a few hours ago in Ian’s arms. She’d been right in her assessment of him all those months ago - he was definitely a master in the art of seduction, knew everything there was to know about pleasing a woman and making her fall to pieces in his embrace. He had rocked her world clear off its axis, and she knew that nothing would ever be the same for her now. He had awakened her, brought her the sort of bliss she could never have imagined, and she was already spellbound by him, knew she would willingly surrender herself to him whenever he asked.

  Her eyes slowly grew accustomed to the darkness of the room, lit only by the glow of numbers from the digital bedside clock, and from the streetlights that cast a gentle beam through the slat of the window shutters. She gazed longingly at the handsome face in repose next to hers, his strong, masculine features sexy even as he slept. The lines of his firm mouth were softer now, and she noticed the dark stubble across his cheeks and chin. She was so used to always seeing him clean shaven that it was a surprise to realize how dark his hair really was. Tessa resisted the urge to press a kiss to his cheek, or run a finger over his lips, not wanting to wake him.

  And then she belatedly became aware of another urge, and carefully slid out of bed to use the bathroom. Shivering without the heat of the duvet or Ian’s body, she looked around for something to wear and decided on his white dress shirt that had been tossed carelessly by the foot of the bed. The rest of their things were scattered haphazardly around the bedroom, and the sight brought a smile to her lips. She knew from the extreme tidiness of his office and from what she had seen of his house that he must be something of a neat freak, and that this disarray of clothing was certainly not the norm for him.

  She buttoned up his shirt as she padded into the bathroom, one room she hadn’t seen as yet. Tessa was in awe of its size and extravagance – all white granite counters, marble floors and walls, and modern fixtures. The walk-in shower was enormous, more than big enough for two people, as was the sunken tub. She wondered if he would ever make love to her in either of those places - or both - and then blushed anew as she realized where her train of thought had led her.

  ‘God, one night with him and you’ve turned into some sort of nymphomaniac!’ she scolded herself.

  She took care of her needs swiftly, and then took an extra minute or so to wash off her makeup and rinse out her mouth, using the toiletries she found in one of the cabinets.

  Tessa left the bathroom and walked over to the bank of windows, peering out through the wooden shutters at the dark, stormy night. The grand house was so well insulated that the sounds of wind and rain were barely discernible, but from what she could see the storm was quite fierce.

  “Is everything all right, love?”

  She whirled at the sound of Ian’s sleepy, sexy voice. He had risen onto one elbow, the duvet slipping down to bare his arms and chest, and she couldn’t help running her gaze longingly over his heavily muscled torso. He was so beautiful, so incredibly strong, and - well, just so male - that it made her throat close up to look at him.

  “Yes, it’s fine. I just needed the bathroom. I’m sorry if I woke you,” she told him, walking back towards the bed.

  “You didn’t wake me,” he assured her. He smiled as his gaze flicked over her body. “Nice shirt. It looks much better on you than it does on me.”

  Tessa laughed. “I disagree. I hope you don’t mind my borrowing it.”

  His eyes twinkled at her mischievously. “Not at all. Though now I’m jealous of the shirt, even more so than your coat, because this is actually touching your bare skin.”

  She placed her hand in his as he extended an arm towards her. “I may not give this back. It smells like you, after all.” She turned her face and inhaled deeply of the soft fabric.

  Ian smiled. “You like the way I smell?”

  Tessa nodded. “Yes, very much. I used to wish I could just bury my face against your chest and inhale your scent.”

  His thumb brushed over her knuckles before he drew her hand to his lips. “So you were attracted to me at least a little?” he asked thoughtfully.

  “More than a little. I confess to having quite a crush on you for a very long time.”

  Even in the dimly lit room she could see how his eyes darkened at her confession. “Is that a fact? Well, it seems as though both of us spent far too much time pining for the other. We’d better start making up for lost time then, hadn’t we?”

  Tessa’s breath hitched at the barely restrained passion in his voice, and the way his eyes dropped to her breasts. Her nipples were hard and poking against the fabric of the shirt, and all she could offer in response to his very pointed question was a brief nod.

  “Take the shirt off. Slowly.”

  Her fingers were trembling as she did his bidding, unfastening one button at a time until they were all undone. She slid the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

  Ian made a feral sound as he threw the duvet off his body, then swung his long legs over the side of the bed on either side of hers, effectively trapping her between his thighs.

  His hands swept up to cup her swollen breasts. “Just so you know,” he murmured in a husky voice, “I am obsessed with these perfect tits. They can expect to receive a great deal of attention from me.”

  “Ahh.” She let out a long, low moan as his thumbs brushed over her ultra-sensitive nipples. Her moans grew louder as he pulled on the taut buds, twisting them between thumb and forefinger.

  “You like that, love?” he rasped. “Your breasts are very sensitive, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, yes,” she cried as he bent his head and took a nipple in his mouth, sucking hard. She slid her hands into his hair, silently urging him to continue. He move
d to the other breast, his tongue flicking over the nipple again and again.

  Ian buried his face between her breasts, his tongue tracing a line up and down her deep cleavage. His hands slid around her hips to squeeze her buttocks, and then he swiftly hauled her onto the bed. He lay on his back, pulling her astride him, her thighs straddling the outside of his legs.

  “I want you again,” he told her raggedly. “As you can plainly see. You’re not too sore, are you, love?”

  Tessa licked her lips as she glanced down and saw for herself just how aroused he was - his long, thick cock pulsing and fully erect, practically begging to be touched. Tentatively, she reached down and ran a hand lightly over his throbbing length, almost recoiling at how hot and hard he was. But even that faint touch was too much for Ian, his breath hissing out savagely as he grasped her wrist, stilling her motion.

  “Not now,” he bit out. “Christ, you’ll have me coming in your hand in ten seconds if you do that.”

  Tessa used her free hand to caress his chest, loving the feel of his hot skin and hard muscles. “But I want to touch you, too,” she pouted. “Just like you did to me earlier.”

  He captured her other hand, too, holding both of them immobile by her sides. “I want that, too, darling,” he murmured. “More than you can possibly know. I’ve dreamed of your hands on my body, of you kneeling before me, my cock in your mouth.” He lifted his head off the pillow, high enough to give each of her nipples a brief lick. “But not now, love. I seem to lose all control when I’m near you.”

  She began to rock her pelvis back and forth against him, trying to free her hands. “It’s not really fair, you know. Maybe I should have just done what I wanted to you while you were sleeping.”

  He chuckled. “And maybe someone is becoming very bold and needs a spanking because she’s such a wicked girl.”

  Tessa let out a squeal of surprise as he gave her a quick smack on her right buttock. But any further protest she might have made faded away at his next feverishly murmured words.

  “Take me inside you, Tessa. I want you on top this time, riding me. Have you done this before?” he asked in a husky voice.

  She shook her head. “No, never. But I want to. Very much. Let me do this, Ian.” She lifted her hips, reaching eagerly for his erection.

  “Easy, love,” he admonished, his hand guiding hers as she somewhat awkwardly positioned the tip of his penis at the slick entrance to her body.

  Tessa gasped as he slowly, gradually, fed his cock inside of her an inch at a time, until she was fully impaled. She remained completely still for long seconds as she gradually became used to the feel of being so completely filled.

  Ian’s hands grasped her hips, his voice gentle. “All right there, love? Am I too deep?”

  “No, no,” she protested, afraid he would withdraw if she said yes. “You feel so good. It’s so good, Ian.”

  His hands caressed her thighs, her ass, slid up her ribcage to squeeze her breasts. “Move with me now, Tessa. Here, like this. Up and down, slowly. A little at a time. Yes, just like that, love.”

  He guided her movements with his hands on her hips, showing her what he wanted until she took over and began to ride him in a near frenzy, posturing up and down on his cock frantically.

  “Jesus,” he panted, his hips pistoning wildly in an attempt to keep up with her pace. “You’re going to kill me for sure, love. I’m very sadly out of practice as I’ve already told you.” His big hands gripped her hips, forcing her to slow down. But by then both of them were breathing raggedly, a fine sheen of sweat misting their bodies. Tessa’s moans increased in frequency and volume each time he guided her up and down on his cock, lifting her up until only the tip remained inside her, and then lowering her with maddening, exquisite slowness until he was once again fully sheathed.

  “God, those sounds you make,” he breathed. “I’ve never heard anything so damned sexy before. I’m more than tempted to see just how loud I can make you moan.”

  “Oooh,” she whimpered as he rubbed her clit with the pad of his right thumb, while twisting her nipple with his left fingers. Without his hands guiding her movements, she picked up the pace again, grinding against his hand as she felt the now familiar approach of another orgasm. He was stimulating her in too many places at once, overloading her pleasure centers, until it was all too much to take, and she was calling out his name over and over as she quivered with sensation, still riding him hard.

  Tessa barely heard Ian swear softly before he clamped down on her hips again, holding her still as he pumped himself inside of her, finding his release. His hands fell limply to his sides as if in surrender, and she slumped down to lay on his massive chest, her hands tangling in his damp hair.

  “If you do manage to kill me,” he whispered hoarsely a few minutes later, “at least I’ll die a very, very happy man.”

  ***

  She yawned sleepily as she woke reluctantly, stretching her arms and legs in opposite directions, luxuriating in the feel of the plush mattress beneath her and the softness of the bedcovers over her. They felt so good, in fact, that she gave in to the twin temptations and snuggled deeper into the pillow, fully intending to fall back asleep.

  But then a low chuckle made her stir again, as did the warm hand caressing her bare shoulder. “You are a little sleepyhead, aren’t you, love?”

  Tessa’s eyes flew open to find Ian gazing down at her, his handsome features filled with amusement. She shivered as he ran one long finger over the bridge of her nose down to her lips. His stubble was even darker and heavier this morning, his hair mussed, and she thought how incredibly sexy he looked this way - quite a change from the suave, elegant man who strode through the office with such authority. He looked wilder, rougher, but at the same time softer and more approachable.

  “Good morning,” she murmured, as his hand cupped the back of her head.

  “Good morning to you, too, love,” he told her, just before claiming her lips in a sweet, searching kiss.

  “Mmm.” She turned into his arms willingly, rubbing her naked breasts against his chest, and loving the indrawn hiss of breath he made at the contact.

  “Easy, darling.” He gently broke the kiss and eased her head onto his shoulder, keeping her wrapped in his arms. “Otherwise, you’ll have me waking you up a bit more, uh, enthusiastically shall we say.”

  Tessa snuggled even closer against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I wouldn’t complain about that. In fact, you can wake me that way whenever you like.”

  Ian gave her butt a pinch, eliciting a yelp of protest from her. “What a saucy little imp you’ve become rather quickly,” he teased. “What’s happened to the shy young girl who usually blushes when I simply tell her good morning?”

  She caressed his steely abs, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “You turned her into a woman practically overnight,” she confided. “A woman who’s becoming increasingly obsessed with you.”

  She gave a cry of surprise as he tumbled her onto the mattress, his big body looming almost intimidatingly over hers. She gulped as she noticed the way his eyes had darkened, and the smoldering look on his face.

  “Then we make quite a pair, love, because I’ve been completely obsessed with you since the first time we met,” he said raggedly. “And I’m beginning to fear that my obsession with you is only going to get stronger.” Ian gave her a quick kiss before reluctantly sliding out of bed. “But if we don’t get up and about now, I fear we’ll never leave this bed today. How does a shower sound before I take you out for breakfast?”

  Lazily, she buried her face back into the pillow. “Not nearly as good as staying here in this bed with you all day. Why can’t we do that instead?”

  He laughed heartily, bending over to nuzzle her neck. “Because I’m an old man, darling, and I need food if I’m going to have enough energy to ravish you again. Now, time to get up, you lazy wench.”

  Tessa shook her head in protest, pulling the duvet over her body. “I don’t
think I ever want to leave this bed. It’s the most comfortable one I’ve ever slept in.”

  “It better be, considering what I paid for it. This is a Hypnos mattress, it was handmade and custom designed. I’m very glad it passes Sleeping Beauty’s high standards,” he teased. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You do like to cuddle, don’t you, love? You were practically on top of me when I woke.”

  She felt her cheeks grow warm as she gazed up at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I, um, did that.”

  “Hush.” He gave her a lingering kiss. “Remember, the word sorry is no longer in your vocabulary. And I wasn’t complaining, Tessa. Far from it. I’d love nothing better than to wake up with you snuggled against me every day. I was just marveling at what an affectionate little thing you are.”

  Tessa gave a little gasp of surprise as he scooped her into his arms without warning, and carried her into his opulent bathroom. She was delighted to discover the floors had radiant heating, which helped to keep her nude body warm as Ian turned on the shower taps and gathered up towels.

  Once inside the huge granite shower that boasted dual showerheads, Ian wasted no time in pulling her into his arms. He backed her against the wall, his voice rough as he asked, “Is making love in the shower going to be another first for you?”

  She shivered despite the blissful warmth of the shower spray. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He nipped her earlobe teasingly. “You might have to make a list of these so-called firsts for me.”

  Tessa groaned as his hands slid down her back to cup her ass. “It might be a long list.”

  His lips moved down the side of her throat. “I was hoping you’d say that. And I’d be very happy to add anything you might forget to such a list.”

  He released her momentarily so that they could each wash their hair. Tessa was surprised to find the same shampoo and conditioner that the stylist at Neiman Marcus had used yesterday, wondering how they had just “magically” appeared, but she didn’t question Ian about the coincidence.