by Morgan James
Warm hands slid over the curve of my hip and around my back. He expertly popped the clasp on my bra, then slid the straps off my shoulders, gently coaxing it down until my breasts were exposed to his view. A shuddering breath left me as he cupped them in his huge palms, testing their weight, a reverent look on his face. Suddenly, my head felt too heavy for my neck, and it lolled to the side as his thumbs flicked over the sensitive peaks thrusting toward him. I let out a sigh as he rolled one tip between his thumb and forefinger, and I arched my back to get closer.
His hands dropped away as his head drooped against the space where my shoulder met my neck. “God, I want you so bad. But if you’re not ready...” He trailed off, then pulled back to look at me.
I knew it was wrong. I was still technically married, even though things had been over between Steve and me for months—years, even. Whatever was happening with Gavin was different, stronger... more potent. He did something to me that I didn’t understand, and I wanted... I didn’t know what the hell I wanted. I wanted his addictive kisses. I wanted him to keep touching me. I wanted him to never stop.
Unable to speak, I met his dark gaze and nodded my permission to continue. The air left my lungs in a rush of excitement as he yanked me against him, and I wound my legs around his waist. Although he was only a few inches taller than my own five-nine frame, he carried me from the room like I weighed nothing at all. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I clutched at the back of his head and pulled him to me. His lips fused with mine as he made his way down the hallway toward my bedroom like he’d done this hundreds of times before.
The thought froze me for a moment. He probably had done this very same thing, more times than he could count. He was successful and gorgeous; what woman would turn him down?
But I had no claim on him. Shoving the irrational jealousy and disappointment away, I fell into the kiss and allowed the pleasure to pull me under.
I didn’t realize we’d reached my room until his arms loosened around me and the cool fabric of the sheets grazed my back. Propping a knee between my legs, he levered himself over me, caging me in his arms. I curled my fingers around the lapels of his shirt and nipped at his bottom lip as he started to pull away.
He returned the favor, capturing my lower lip between perfect white teeth. I arched upward, needing to feel every hard inch of him against me. He obliged by settling his heavy weight in the cradle of my hips, the hard ridge of his arousal pressing against my stomach. My hands wandered down his spine and beneath the hem of his shirt, exploring the hot flesh of his lower back.
A low whimper left my mouth when he lifted away from me again, and he let out a strained chuckle. “Right here, babe. I’m not going anywhere.”
His fingers skimmed over the outside of my thighs then slipped beneath the waistband of my pants. Thank God for yoga pants. The stretchy black material gave way as he yanked it downward, and I shimmied my hips free. They landed on the floor with a whisper, but his eyes never left me.
Clad only in my underwear, I shifted under the scrutiny. “What?”
His intense stare was broken by a single blink. “You’re so beautiful.”
My cheeks heated, the compliment warming me to the tips of my toes. I’d never been considered beautiful. As tall as most men, I was lean and willowy, resembling a teenage boy more than the mature woman I was. I lacked the curves other women seemed to have in abundance, and I’d agonized over my nonexistent breasts for years. Steve had told me more than once it didn’t matter to him, but I’d caught him ogling women with huge boobs more than once when we were out at bars and restaurants. Turned out it had mattered more than he’d let on. Libby had a perfect pair of lab-manufactured double Ds, something I was sure he very much appreciated.
Gavin didn’t seem to suffer from the same affliction, though, and my hips bucked off the bed as he fastened his mouth over one rosy peak. Any memory of my ex-husband dissolved under the pressure of Gavin’s mouth as he used his lips and tongue to tease the tip to a firm point.
Hooking one finger in the waistband of my thong, he began to inch the silky material downward. I lifted my hips in offering, and he coasted down my body, trailing gentle kisses over my stomach as the material slowly slipped down my legs. As soon as my feet were free of the garment, I sat up and reached for the fly on his slacks. I freed the clasp, and he stepped from the material as it pooled around his feet.
He leaned over me, pressing me into the bed with the weight of his body. “You ready for me?”
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” I lifted my chin at Gavin, daring him. I didn’t have to wait long. One thick finger moved to the tiny nub at the apex of my thighs, and I bit my lip at the sharp bolt of pleasure that streaked through me. He rubbed in a tiny circular motion, pressing ever so gently before slipping inside. More surprised than anything, I gasped at the sensation. My legs fell open, and my breath came in pants as he dipped in and out, sliding a second finger inside. He lubricated the folds with my arousal, gently rubbing my clit in a circular motion. I lifted my hips, moving with him, the friction pushing me closer to the edge with every stroke.
A soft cry ripped from my throat as he sank his fingers deep.
“Come for me, baby.”
His thumb pressed down on my clit, and another hard thrust of his fingers sent me spiraling upward in a shower of stars.
“Oh, God... Holy...” I couldn’t even string together a coherent sentence, my mind was so jumbled with pleasure.
Gavin chuckled. “Well, that was fast.” I lifted a hand to flip him off but promptly let my arm drop back to the bed, exhaustion pulling at my limbs.
He kissed my stomach. “Don’t worry, red, it’s great for my ego.”
Cocky asshole. “Like you need that,” I scoffed as I twisted away from him.
Shame turned my skin hot, and I fought to sit up, to put distance between us. I should have known this whole thing was a huge mistake. I was nothing more than another conquest for him, an emotionless sexual attachment. This would be the last time I ever laid eyes on him. I wouldn’t even have to see him in the office anymore; they would mail the final paperwork to me, and it would be like we’d never known one another.
He caught my hips as I tried to scoot out of his grasp. “Where you’re concerned? Hell yeah, I do.”
I lifted a brow, irritation causing me to lash out at him. “Why would my opinion matter? Don’t get the reinforcement you need from your other women?”
His eyes narrowed. “I don’t give a damn about other women. The only one I care about is you.”
My heart lurched in my chest at his words. He seemed so earnest, and I immediately felt contrite. “I’m sorry. I just...”
“Forget about it.” One hand slipped beneath my hair and cupped the back of my neck. “Let me make you feel good.”
His lips came down on mine, soft at first, then more forcefully as he rolled his tongue over mine. Tension drained from my muscles, and my head dropped back as he kissed his way over my jaw, scraping his teeth along my throat, sending tingles of pleasure to the tips of my toes.
The fingers curled around my hip slid downward, caressing the flesh of my inner thigh before once again moving upward. I jumped when he found the moist folds of my center and slipped one finger deep inside.
He let out a little chuckle, and the rumbling vibration shot straight to my core. He pulled his hand free, then straightened. Still suspended on my elbows, I watched through lowered lids as he stripped out of his underwear and socks, then scooped up his pants and pulled a gold foil packet from a pocket.
I lifted a brow, and an unrepentant grin split his face. “Wishful thinking.”
I wasn’t going to complain. I hadn’t been with a man since Steve and I had last shared a bed. I sure as hell didn’t have any condoms lying around, and I appreciated the gesture. We were both adults here; we knew what we wanted. And, right now, that was each other.
He rolled the condom over his stiff erection and placed a knee on th
e bed between both of mine. His intense gaze met mine, silently asking if I was ready. If I told him no, he would walk away right now. I gave a jerky nod and hooked my feet behind his thighs to pull him closer.
He happily obliged with a low chuckle. “Patience, gorgeous.”
He braced his hands on the mattress beside my shoulders, and I felt his arousal brush my sensitive folds as he lowered himself over me. My hips lifted of their own accord, inviting him in. His lips covered mine, and he swallowed my gasp as he thrust hard, seating himself deeply inside me. The sensation was almost overwhelming, bordering on painful as he stretched every inch of me.
He didn’t give me time to adjust, just pulled out and slammed back in again, stealing my breath. My already heightened awareness tipped me over the edge, and the sensation within me boiled over, rocketing toward another orgasm. I clutched his shoulders as heat raced through my body, and I let go on a silent scream. Gavin pumped into me several more times before emptying his seed into the condom with a ragged groan and slumping over me.
He lay heavily on my chest, covering me from head to toe, and I absorbed the heat from his body. His lips brushed over my collarbone, and I shivered as the tingles of pleasure fanned outward, down to the deepest recess of my body, spurring me on. He was still inside me, and I couldn’t bear to break that connection with him just yet. I needed more time—I needed him.
I protested with a low cry as he rolled us so I lay sprawled over him, and he chuckled at my expression.
“You good?”
I was so much better than good. I hadn’t felt this wonderful in... hell, maybe ever. It was a sobering thought.
I lifted my head to look at him. “I’m kind of on the fence. Maybe we should do it one more time?”
Chapter Six
Gavin
I couldn’t help the grin that spread over my face as I took in her expression, a mixture of hope and apprehension, like she was worried I might turn her down. Like there was even a chance in hell of that. I’d barely just pulled out of her body, and all I could think about was sinking right back in. Everything about her felt so good, so right. I wanted to bury myself inside her and stay there indefinitely.
I’d known it would be good between us, but this? Holy Christ. She turned my blood to fire, made me so damn hard I was ready to go again. I’d spent the past six months digging around in her personal life, yet I didn’t truly know her. All that was about to change, though. Kate and I were about to get as well acquainted as two people ever could, because I wasn’t anywhere near ready to let her go.
“Your wish is my command.” With a low growl, I rolled her to her stomach—and froze. “Damn, red.”
She threw a look over her shoulder, her teeth cutting into her bottom lip, her eyes filled with something akin to discomfort. “Is that a good ‘damn’?”
“Definitely good. I just never expected anything like it. Pandora’s box?” She nodded, and her eyes fell closed as I swept my fingers over her skin, tracing the intricate image that covered the delicate flesh of her back. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
My fingers glided over a particularly gruesome-looking specter. “Does it have some sentimental meaning for you?”
“I’d like to say yes but would be lying if I did.” She lifted one shoulder. “I always liked the myth, and... I don’t know. I like the idea that, despite everything bad, there’s still a spark of hope out there, no matter how small.”
The only color in the image was the small, glowing kernel of hope nestled at the bottom of Pandora’s box. Whoever had designed it had done an amazing job. It looked like the spirits were preparing to lift into flight right off her skin, ready to wreak havoc on the world. It seemed so totally uncharacteristic from the staid, quiet doctor I knew her to be, yet at the same time, it just... fit. “I love it.”
“I’m glad.” She glanced over her shoulder at me, and our gazes met, then held. Her lids lowered slightly, her irises darkening, and her tongue darted out to sweep across her bottom lip. Heat shot through me, spurring me into motion. Tunneling my hand into those long auburn locks, I claimed her mouth. Her lips parted under the pressure, and I swept my tongue inside, tasting every inch, drawing her very breath into my lungs.
With a sigh, I ripped my mouth from hers. Still holding the back of her head, I met her gaze and searched those pretty blue eyes. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
Pushing off the bed, I jogged out of the bedroom toward the front door. Grabbing up the briefcase I’d dropped on the floor on my way in, I fished inside for the string of condoms I’d stashed inside. I felt the telltale coolness of the folded packets, and I snatched them up before racing back to the bedroom. Vindication filled my chest when I hit the doorway and saw she hadn’t moved a single inch.
Hearing my footsteps, Kate threw a curious look my way. I ripped one off the roll and let the others fall to the floor, already tearing the foil open with my teeth.
She flicked a glance at the floor. “Exactly how many times do you plan on doing this tonight?”
“Making love to you?” I clarified.
Her cheeks burned bright pink, and I grinned as she dropped her chin to the pillow.
Fitting the condom over my erection, I clambered over her on the bed and leaned down close to her ear. “I’ve been looking forward to this longer than you’ll ever know. I plan on keeping you very busy for the next several hours.” Her body jerked in surprise as I nipped her earlobe. “Until you’re so exhausted you can’t move or until we run out of protection, whichever comes first.”
Her hips wiggled, lifting slightly toward mine, and I slipped one hand beneath her belly. My shaft nudged her folds, and she arched her back as I pressed forward. Kate tried to push to her hands and knees, but I roughly pressed her shoulders down. “Right here, baby. Ass in the air where I can see it.”
She let out an indignant little huff, and I grinned. Her flesh was so pale, so perfectly flawless, and I couldn’t help the overwhelming urge to mark it. Pulling my arm back, I delivered a stinging slap to her right cheek, then slammed into her.
Kate let out a little shriek, hands fisting in the covers as she glared over her shoulder at me. “What the hell was that for?”
I caressed the pink spot blooming over her pale skin. “Just marking what’s mine, baby.”
“Fuck you.”
Straightening, I pulled out almost to the tip, anticipation singing through my veins. I slapped her left cheek—hard—then drove deep. Kate’s hips bucked under the pressure, and another cry ripped from her throat.
I leaned forward, pressing deeper into her. “I should fuck that sass right out of you.”
“Good luck with that,” she snapped.
Sounded like a challenge to me. Palming her ass in both hands, I swept my fingers over the soft skin before curling them into her hips for better leverage. Heat enveloped me as I slid all the way in, and I bit back an oath as her flesh tightened around me. Over and over, I pulled out and thrust back in, hard and fast. She let out a strangled cry as her flesh tightened around me, trying to hold me in. I dug my fingers into her hips and pounded into her, reveling in her body’s response to me.
“Fuck, baby, you feel so good.”
I could feel every inch of her as her pussy clenched around me, grasping me tight. I didn’t know what it was about her, but no woman had ever made me feel the way Kate did. It wasn’t just the sex—it was everything. The fiery attitude, the streak of witty humor, the explosive chemistry... I loved it all. She was everything I could’ve dreamed of and more.
Her fingers grasped at the comforter as if to ground herself, and I plunged deeper, harder. A feral grin split my face as she cried out, the expression on her face somewhere between pleasure and pain. That look mirrored exactly how I felt. Pleasure, because she was so soft and perfect, and being inside her felt like heaven. Painful, because I felt like I would explode, and I wasn’t nearly ready for it to be over.
“Gavin!”
I leaned forward and bit her shoulder. “Tell me, baby. Tell me what you need.”
“I... Oh, God... Harder!”
Surprise caused me to lose my rhythm, and I discarded it completely in favor of driving into her over and over as hard and fast as I could, intent only on making her come. Her inner walls pulsed around my shaft, and I knew she was close. Heat licked through my balls, and my stomach tightened as I tried to stave off my orgasm. Two more deep strokes later, she shattered with a keening cry, and I let the fire overtake me as I came harder than I ever had.
Kate collapsed limply on her belly as I pulled out, and I had to steel my shaky muscles as I climbed from the bed to dispose of the condom. I tossed it in the trash, then returned to the bed and slid in next to her. Kate turned onto her side as I gathered her close and tucked her against my chest.
“You good?”
“Mmm...” Eyes closed, she let out a little hum of pleasure. “Amazing.”
I dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Me, too.”
I lay there next to her, our limbs tangled together, hearts beating next to each other, and I wondered when I’d ever tire of having her here like this. The only answer I could come up with was... never.
Chapter Seven
Kate
I blinked my eyes open and stretched as the morning sun slid over the windowsill, spilling its golden glow over the dark wood floor. My muscles were deliciously sore and well-used, courtesy of the man whose body heat was radiating off him in waves next to me. I tossed a glance over my shoulder and grinned at the image of him sprawled out. One arm tossed over the pillow above his head, face relaxed while he slept, he was so beautiful it made my heart hurt to look at him. His eyes were closed, but the brown irises like strong, dark coffee had the ability to warm me from the inside out. A faint dark stubble had sprouted over his jaw, and I ached to trace the chiseled contour.