God, help me survive this sweet torture.
“What happened here?” She traced one of the scars.
“Cleat injury.”
“That must have been extremely painful.”
“When you’re caught up in the moment during the game, you hardly notice.”
She met his gaze before rolling her eyes. “Spare me the machismo.”
He chuckled. “Okay, then. Yeah, it hurt like a sonuvabitch after the adrenaline rush was over. Took eight stitches to patch me up, and I missed the bowl game while recovering.”
“I would have thought you’d have been happy to be on the sidelines, as much as you disliked playing football.”
He shook his head. “Nope. If I’m gonna do something, I give it my all. When I played, I didn’t hold anything back.”
She rinsed off the soap and reached for the towel.
He brought down his hand and halted her. “Don’t.” The command sounded lame to his ears, as if he didn’t really want to stop her, but his cock felt hotter than a firecracker and ready to explode.
She stared at him, a hurt look in her eyes. “Luke, I know your body better than you think. I’m not going to run screaming from the room at the sight of your…penis.”
Hell, she could hardly say the word without cringing. He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “Cassie, we’re going to take this intimacy dance in baby steps, just the way you taught me to tango. You being in here with me is a helluva giant leap. I love you for it, but I don’t want you having regrets because I misread a cue or we went too far, too fast.”
She rinsed her hands under the spray and reached up to pull his face toward hers. Just before their lips met in the tame kiss he had planned, she said, “Kiss me. Hard.”
Damn it, Cassie. What are you trying to do to me?
He needed her to get out of here and give him a little time to…cool off. Wouldn’t be the first time he’d taken matters in hand to relieve his ache for her.
But if she was ready to ramp things up a bit, he wouldn’t deny her. The lady asked to be kissed—hard. Choosing to do things his way, he slowly pushed his body against hers until his lower body pinned her against the wall. Her eyes widened, no doubt at the feel of his erection. Was this a trigger? Or had she come to her senses? Would she tell him to get the hell out of here? He prepared himself to back off when she closed her eyes, relaxed her body, and pursed her lips.
Jeezus.
He leaned in. Her breasts pressed against his chest as her breathing became more rapid. Shit. She was as turned on as he was.
“Cassie, open your eyes.” She did so, blinking in confusion. “Tell me what you want.” He needed to hear her say the words before he jumped to the wrong conclusions.
She nibbled her lower lip, making him even harder. “I said it already. I want you to…kiss me. To take my breath away.”
Good thing he’d checked in with her. Just a kiss. A hard kiss. He’d almost let his mind run away from him. But he planned to give his little lady what she wanted.
“If you need me to stop, push my hands away.”
She seemed confused until he took one of her wrists in each hand and pinned her hands to the wall above her head. Her pupils dilated. Jeezus. With a groan, he ground his lips against hers, unable to start out sweetly like all the other times they’d kissed.
She asked for hard.
He needed to enter her mouth as fast as possible, before she put the brakes on the kiss. When he reached out with his tongue, her mouth opened for him.
Jeezus, take me now.
* * *
Her stomach did a weird drop when he held her hands above her head and pressed her to the wall with his body. Was that the Ka-thunk Kitty mentioned?
Cassie did not think her body could ache for him any more than it did, but when he took control and began kissing her, she melted. Asking for what she wanted made her uncomfortable, but she decided to show him with her acquiescence she wanted this—and more.
His tongue slipped between her lips and teeth, tangoing with hers again, only this time the movements were much more deliberate, forceful. How could he turn her on by being forceful? And yet, letting him take control gave her a sense of freedom.
She moaned and ground her lower body against his erection. She pulled away instantly, not wanting to give him the wrong impression, but his kiss set her pelvis grinding against his of its own volition. Her sex ached to be touched and she rubbed herself against him as best she could. Would he understand her need?
More. She wanted more.
Do not stop, Luke!
Her lungs felt as if they would explode, and she turned her head to break contact and gasp for air. His kisses moved down the column of her neck, not featherlike but hard. At the juncture of her neck and shoulder, he sucked on her skin, bringing her nerve endings to the boiling point.
She wanted him.
But what if she failed him in bed? She pushed against his hands. He pulled away immediately, breathing as fast as she did. Unable to meet his gaze, she reached for the door.
“Wait. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
Her face flushed hot. “I cannot.”
“Yes, you can.” His breathing became more regulated.
Refusing to look at him, she answered in a whisper. “If I stopped there, would you be disappointed in me?”
He grinned and lifted her hand to kiss her palm, igniting the fire once more. “Sweet Pea, you never disappoint me. Surprise the hell out of me sometimes, like coming in here and asking for a hard kiss, or asking me to dance with you. But you have never disappointed me.” He reached out to turn off the faucets. “Why don’t we dry off and go snuggle in bed a while? We need to slow things down some.”
She nibbled at her lower lip before a firm sense of purpose came over her. “No, Luke. I came in here because I want to return a small portion of the love and affection you have shown me.”
Luke traced his finger down her cheek to her lips. “Darlin’, you make me feel loved every time you sigh, lean into me at night, or prepare a feast for supper.”
“That is not what I mean. You must be so frustrated after all the times you’ve had to pull away. Including now.”
She glanced down and saw his penis was no longer erect. As nervous as she was about touching him, the shower seemed a safer place to explore than in a bed.
She met his gaze. “I want to finish washing you.”
“You did a fine job already, darlin’.”
She reached out quickly before he could stop her this time and yanked away the towel. Not looking at him, she reached to turn the spray on again and picked up the soap.
“Lock your hands behind your head again.”
He followed her instruction and she soaped her hands, finally becoming bold enough to look at him. His penis had already begun to stiffen when she reached for it, but continued to grow in her soapy hands as she washed and massaged him.
Her hands reached under him to wash his testicles.
“Careful, there. Not too hard.”
She grinned up at him. “Sorry. I will try to be gentle with you, Luke.”
He groaned. “You know you’re driving me a little crazy, don’t you?”
His words empowered her. “I hope so. That is what a wife should do, no?”
“My wife can do whatever the hell she wants with my body.” He grinned, and she went back to work.
She probably washed him long after he was clean, but rather than stop she began to explore his penis further. When she flicked her thumb across the notch at the head, his penis jerked toward her as if seeking her out. Surprised, she did it again with the same reaction.
With his hands out of the way and no chance of him grabbing her head, she rinsed off his privates under the spray. “Now I wish to explore you with my mouth.”
“What?”
He looked a mixture of confused and aroused. “Oh, not there!” How could he think her ready for that? She must be becoming more used to him touching her bec
ause the thought did not seem as abhorrent as it might have yesterday, or even this morning.
She leaned toward him and placed her tongue against his nipple before tracing circles around the areola. When she sucked the nipple into her mouth, it was as hard as stone. A heaviness in her lower parts made her tingle as she placed her hands on his sides and took his other nipple between her teeth and nipped him.
“Jeezus, Cassie!”
She pulled away, horrified. “I did not mean to hurt you!”
His quick grin told her she had not hurt him at all. “You keep exploring and I just might explode all over you.”
When his meaning became clear, she decided he might be right. They should wait and continue this in bed. She crouched down to place a quick peck on the notch of his penis, just to watch it jerk again.
Standing, she kissed his lips and opened the door. Before she exited, she turned and smiled what she hoped was an alluring smile. “I will be waiting for you in bed.”
She grabbed a dry towel to take with her, wanting to put some distance between them while she prepared herself for him.
When he left the bathroom, Luke crossed the bedroom with a dry towel around his waist. She wondered why, because she had already seen and touched him. Probably afraid she would freak out otherwise. He walked over to the window and pulled the drapes closed, darkening the room.
“No, I think I would prefer some light.” Monsters lurk in the dark. She wanted to be able to look at his beautiful body and stay in the moment. She hoped he would find her body sexy, as well.
After reopening the drapes, he crawled between the sheets. She automatically turned onto her side with her back to him, as she had every night since they had married. Her heart thumped loudly in her ears.
Wait. This is Luke. He will not hurt me.
Was her body’s response fear? No. Definitely arousal. If she intended for tonight to be different from the nights they had lain chastely next to each other in the cabin and in Peru, she needed to open herself to him. Dancing and showering with him had lowered some major intimacy barriers. Time for another step.
Was she moving too quickly? Probably not by Luke’s standards, the poor, frustrated man. Taking a deep, relaxing breath, she tried to calm any lingering fears. When he curled his hard, warm body against her back, he glided his hand along her exposed arm. His calluses seared her skin causing her nipples to pebble.
“Relax for me, Sweet Pea.”
She nodded rapidly, but the lump in her throat kept her from speaking. She held her body rigid until the strain began to hurt muscles she did not know she had.
“Deep breath, baby girl.”
She did so and forced herself to relax.
“That’s it. You’re safe now.” His voice was calm and reassuring.
She truly did feel safe. Luke made no move to touch her breasts or genitals, allowing her to relax a little more. “Thank you, Luke, for taking such good care of me.”
“That’s what I’m here for, darlin’.”
“No, you are more honorable than most men would be.”
Don’t think about other men now and ruin this sweet moment.
Not wanting to shut him out any longer, she maneuvered onto her back and stared into his smoldering gray eyes, but she kept the sheet over her breasts. “You always have had a gentle way with me. I appreciate that…”
“Do I hear a ‘but’ in there?”
She shook her head. “No, not really. I do not think I would like you to be forceful, although Kitty described it as a wonderful release to let Adam take over like that.”
He chuckled. “You girls telling tales about your men?”
She grinned. “We are just trying to figure you guys out.”
“Ah, I see.” He took his index finger and raised it to her face, tracing an imaginary line from her temple, down her cheek, and to her lips. Her skin tingled where he touched, and her lower abdomen grew heavy as if her womb had tightened. She had not been aware her body still had sexual wiring, but she had learned since their first night in Peru that the rape had not severed all feeling in that area.
Now her body ached for her husband. With Luke, it would be the first time. In truth, this was her first time making love with anyone. She needed to separate the past from this special moment.
“Will you touch me?”
“I am.”
“I mean, lower.”
He grinned. “Tell me what places are off limits.”
Were there any? “I will not know until you try.” She did not want there to be places off limits any longer, though.
“Why don’t I start by giving you a massage?”
Luke gave wonderful massages. “I would like that.” Perhaps it would help relax her tense body.
“Be right back.” The mattress moved as he crawled off and returned to the bathroom. Cassie closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. Relax. Moments later, the sound of soothing spa music came from the phone near the bed. Luke probably didn’t have any New Age music in his playlists so he must have found one on a design-your-own station app. She smiled at his resourcefulness. This would help her to relax more quickly.
“First, I want you to lie crossways on the bed with your head near me and the edge of the bed. On your tummy. We’re going to start with your head, neck, and shoulders.”
Standing at the side of the bed, he placed a pillow near the edge of the mattress and directed her where he wanted her. Tamping down any lingering reluctance, she maneuvered herself into the position he wanted, keeping the sheet over most of her body. His penis was hidden by the towel, thankfully. Why was she still so shy about seeing him naked after their time in the shower earlier? She glanced up at him, and he smiled down at her.
“Lift up on your elbows and move closer to me.” She did so, hanging slightly over the edge. “Lift again.” He gathered her hair and then let it cascade over the edge of the mattress. For a moment, his hands simply played with the long strands. Her scalp tingled in anticipation.
Oh, how he made her feel beautiful. The soothing music filled the air, and she closed her eyes, sinking into the pillow as she let go of any remaining defenses.
Luke’s fingers began massaging her scalp. She melted. “You have no idea how good that feels, Luke.”
“Glad you’re enjoying it, but no more talking. Just feel.”
“Yes, sir.”
He chuckled, and she realized she sounded like Kitty responding to one of Adam’s commands. “Not sir like that. You know what I mean.”
“Shhh. I’m from the South, remember? I know what you meant. Either way is nice, though.” He bent over and kissed her cheek, surprising her but ending the peck before she could turn and kiss him back.
Kitty said he had a dominant streak. He had even said so. Did he want to dominate her at some point? Would she ever be interested in something like that?
To be honest, when he held her hands over her head in the shower, he freed her of her inhibitions. Of course, at the slightest pressure, he had released her. Perhaps if she could not let herself go otherwise, she would ask him to—
His hands massaged her temples. “Stop thinking. Feel.”
She tried to empty her mind of thoughts and to enter into a meditative state. To float.
The pressure of his hands was the only sensation she allowed inside her consciousness. His fingers returned to the top of her scalp, and she sighed. Tension flowed out of her as she sank into the mattress. His hands worked down to her shoulders, and he spent a fair amount of time releasing the stiffness she had stored there.
Without speaking or breaking the mood, his hands focused on the nape of her neck, and she soon relaxed again. Cassie moaned, a mixture of pain and pleasure as he worked on her stress knots. She had no idea she had become so stiff.
Time to let go. She was safe with Luke. Her body floated again as if drifting on a cloud. She never wanted this moment to end. She kept her head down and opened her eyes. Her hair covered his bare feet. She closed
them again and the scent of lavender massage oil perfumed the air. The friction of his hands rubbing together made her realize he was warming the oil before applying it to her skin.
Always so considerate.
When his hands touched her shoulder blades, she flinched, but the oil and the soothing way he massaged her back soon had her moaning in pleasure again.
“You, too, have magic hands.”
“Don’t you forget it, darlin’. Now hush.”
“Just feel.”
“That’s right.”
She heard the smile in his voice and had to grin herself. His lack of seriousness helped her relax even more, and for the next half hour or so, she simply let him knead the tension out of her back, slowly working his way down her spine.
He pushed the sheet down to her thighs exposing her backside…
…cantina music assailed her…
Hands pulled at her skirt and blouse. The sound of a knife cutting through the material made her stop fighting for fear she would be cut as well.
Run!
She stiffened and started to rise.
“Relax, darlin’. I’m just massaging you. Helping you relax.”
Luke. I am with Luke
He removed his hands, but soon she heard him warming more massage oil between them and knew he was about to touch her lower body.
Despite that brief flashback, she wanted him to do just that. Since the shower, she had desired for him to touch her more intimately, but had no clue how to make that happen. Asking outright to be touched a certain way made her extremely uncomfortable.
Luke’s hands firmly stroked her lower back. His fingers pressed into the skin on either side of her spine and moved closer to the curve of her buttocks. She clenched her thighs together, both dreading and anticipating his touch in more intimate places, but he surprised her by walking around to the other side of the bed and lightly traced a fingertip down the sole of her foot.
Her leg involuntarily bolted up at being tickled. Using mind over matter, she relaxed her leg again and let him continue.
“Good girl. I love your self-control. But I also want to see you totally lose control for me before the night is over.”
Nobody's Dream (Rescue Me Saga #6) Page 62