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My heart beat nervously as I stared across the room at Eric. He’d been acting strange the whole evening, and he’d barely spoken a word during dinner. He’d congratulated me, of course, and seemed to be truly happy for me. Yet... something seemed off.
I rolled the hem of my shirt between my fingers as Eric built up a fire in the large stone fireplace. He stood and wiped his palms on his thighs, a movement to me that appeared agitated, nervous.
His gaze shot to me, the green of his hazel eyes boring into me. “Will you help me grab some firewood?”
“Sure.” Pushing down my anxiety, I stood from the couch and approached him. I stepped into my boots, and Eric held the door for me as we moved out on the porch. The cold air hit me like a punch to the gut, freezing the air in my lungs. I briskly rubbed my arms as Eric looped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.
Tipping my head up, I gazed at the stars shining brightly in the winter sky, only two tiny wisps of clouds marring the endless black expanse. Once upon a time we had a discussion about thermal energy, and the memory brought a smile to my lips.
I tipped my head up to him. “Going to be cold tonight,” I said teasingly.
Eric looked at me, but he didn’t smile. His expression was solemn, and it kicked my pulse into a rapid tempo.
“What’s wrong?” I whispered. A thousand thoughts flooded my mind, none of them good. My breaths came stilted and shallow, my lungs threatening to hyperventilate as I contemplated his reaction. Eric was serious, but this... I’d never seen him so stoic before. Fear flashed, rendering me motionless. Was he leaving me?
Eric turned to face me more fully, an emotion in his eyes that I didn’t recognize. He lifted his hands and cupped my face, his long, strong fingers cradling my neck and jaw. His head moved in a jerky motion as he stared intently at me, and he tenderly brushed his thumbs over my cheeks. “You are everything right with the world.”
Relief cascaded over me, pushing away the fear as I took in the love in his eyes. His hands slid down my neck, over my shoulders, and coasted along the length of my arms until he took my hands in his. “I love you more than anything, and I want to spend every day making you happy.”
Even when he bent to one knee in front of me, it didn’t fully click until he began to speak. “I had a whole speech prepared.” He let out a self-deprecating little laugh. “I recited it to myself a thousand times over dinner, and now I can’t remember a damn word.”
My lips parted into a little O, but no sound came out. My eyes misted over, and I pressed my hands to my lips as Eric released me to withdraw a little black box from the inside pocket of his jacket.
“I’m no good at this, so I’m just going to ask. Jules... Will you marry me?”
Eyes wide, I opened and closed my mouth, but nothing came out. It was literally the last thing I had expected, and surprise halted the words on my tongue. Finally, I managed a shaky nod.
Eric stared up at me and quirked a brow. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice breaking on the word.
Eric grasped my left hand where it still covered my mouth and brought it to his lips. He pressed a kiss to the back of my fingers before slipping the ring on. Still holding my hand, he climbed his feet and pulled me into his arms. “You sure about this?”
His quiet words jerked me from my stupor and I threw my arms around his neck, a huge grin overtaking my face. “Yes!”
Eric caught me as I threw myself at him and wrapped my legs around his waist. Our mouths fused together in a heart stopping kiss, and I felt him moving toward the front door.
I lifted my head and peered at him. “I thought you needed wood?”
He shook his head as he shifted me lower so I could feel his erection pressing into the vee of my legs. “Got it right here.”
A silly grin curled my lips, and I crashed my mouth to his. Without breaking the kiss, he shifted me in his arms to open the front door, then kicked it closed behind us. His hands slipped beneath my bottom, his long fingers stretching down and brushing my center through the material of my pants. His hair was too short to pull, so I settled for raking my nails across the base of his scalp. I wiggled against him, and his low growl rumbled across my lips. His arousal between us seemed to grow impossibly thick and hard, and I rocked my hips against his.
He paused with one foot on the bottom step. “Keep it up, and I’m going to fuck you right here.”
I grinned. It wouldn’t be the first time we’d made love somewhere unconventional, but I imagined the hard treads weren’t exactly conducive for sex. “I’ll be good.”
He nipped my bottom lip and carried me up to the loft bedroom without another word. As soon as we reached the foot of the bed, he set me on my feet. His hands grasped the hem of my sweater dress and drew it hastily over my head. It landed on the floor with a whisper, but I didn’t even notice as he dropped to his knees. His hands went to one boot and he tugged it off before moving to the other. They, too, landed in a heap by the closet, and he began to attack my leggings. He delved inside the waistband then drew them down my hips, trailing kisses over my flesh as it was revealed to him. I pulled one leg free, then the other, and stood before him in only my bra and underwear.
“Turn.” His voice was husky as he made a circle motion with his finger, and I bit back a smile as I followed his instructions. I made a full circle, then faced him again. He loved sexy underwear, and I hadn’t yet had a chance to surprise him with these. The red lace panties had ties on each side, much like a bikini. Three little bows ran vertically, like a ladder, connecting the material of the front to the back. As each bow came untied, the panties became looser, just like unwrapping a Christmas present.
His eyes were hot and dark as they moved to the laces on one hip. “New?”
“Mhmm...” I hummed out a response as he leaned forward and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to my hip bone. He trailed lower and took the tie of one bow between his teeth, then pulled. My hands moved to his head as he loosened the second, then kissed his way across my stomach and performed the same actions on the other side.
His fingers trailed up the backs of my legs, and I shivered as goosebumps rose in their wake. It wasn’t from the cold—oh, no. Everything about Eric was hot and hard, and he made me feel things I’d never experienced. I was a virgin when I showed up three months ago, and I’d dreaded ever being with a man. But Eric... He was so much more than I could have ever asked for. He was my first lover—and he would be my last.
He glanced up at me as the remaining two ties pulled loose, and the fabric slowly slid from my body. My bottom bumped the bed as he gave me a gentle shove, and I collapsed backward as he’d intended. Propping myself up on my elbows, I watched him pull my hips toward him so I was suspended just over the edge of the mattress.
One eyebrow ratcheted toward his hairline, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a sexy smirk. It was a look I loved on him, because it meant he was about to get his way. It also almost always led to an immense amount of pleasure for me. He pushed my knees apart, and I bit my lip as his hands coasted up the inside of my thighs. He stroked and massaged his way upward until he finally found my folds. Using his thumbs, he opened me to his perusal. His tongue darted out, and I jumped as he flicked the sensitive nub, now completely exposed.
Eric let out a rusty chuckle. “So sexy.”
One thumb slid through my slick entrance, and I could feel the wetness there. I closed my eyes against the sensation and let myself drift. I let out a soft hiss as his mouth came down on me and he lapped at me with long, languid strokes. Fisting my hands in the bedspread, I braced myself against his onslaught.
His hands roamed my body, stroking and teasing just like his tongue. One slipped northward and circled my nipple through the fabric of my bra. Pulling the cup down, he plucked and tweaked the tip until I was writhing beneath him. An electric current shot from my breast all the way down to my core, and each stroke of his tongue against my most sensitive spot stoked the fire within until wildfire roared through my veins.
He knew I was getting close; two huge fingers sank deep inside me, filling me up and stretching my inner walls. I let out a whimper and sank my teeth into my lower lip as he withdrew his fingers then thrust deeply. He sucked hard, and the push/pull motion sent me over the edge. My back arched, and a keening cry ripped from my throat as pleasure slammed into me, exploding in a shower of stars.
He rubbed gently through the slick folds, drawing out my orgasm until I collapsed, boneless and sated. I felt his fingers leave me, and he slowly prowled over me, kissing and licking his way up my body. His mouth landed hard on mine, and I tasted myself on him as his tongue slid between my lips.
I pulled my knees up to grip his hips as he settled his weight over me, his erection prodding my entrance. Flattening my hands on his chest, I pushed him away—no easy feat, considering he weighed damn near twice what I did.
He pulled back and arched a brow. My only answer was a gentle shove to his shoulder, and he fell to his back, pulling me with him. I slithered my way down his body until I was settled between his legs, and I smiled up at him. “Your turn.”