Chapter 10
She slid her hands over his shoulders. The flannel was soft beneath her touch, the man under her palms solid and rock steady.
She ran her hands down his chest. Felt the strength and the stillness.
The anticipation.
It was a delicious thing, touching him again.
A feeling that brought things to life inside her, that terrified her.
She was afraid. Afraid of the feelings she couldn’t control. Afraid that if she opened the box, she’d never get it closed again.
Afraid that if she let him in and showed him all the broken things that were left of her life from before the war, he would walk away. That he’d finally leave her alone.
To face the world without him.
She leaned closer. Inhaled the warm, spicy scent of his skin. Smelled the fire and the heat as she pressed her lips to the edge of his mouth. Flicked her tongue out to press against the seam of his lips. Felt the shudder run through him as she explored.
Knew that he wouldn’t move until she was ready.
Each touch of her lips to his skin ignited a fire in her. Flicked the latch off the box and weakened her hold on the darkness inside her. It was a gamble, a risk.
She could do this. She could give in to the need, to the desire without completely losing control over everything she’d struggled to keep locked away.
A rasp of teeth against his earlobe. His hands gripped her thighs then, kneading gently. A gentle movement beneath her in the ever so slight rocking of his hips.
She wanted this. Wanted him.
Her fingers danced down his chest, flicking the buttons open on that flannel shirt. The turtleneck came untucked easily.
“I love your chest.” A throaty whisper, her voice thick. She leaned down, pressing her lips to the soft hair on his stomach. He was still but the quiver beneath her lips gave away the tension he struggled to control.
She looked up at him. Loved the sight of him watching her, his eyes heavy lidded and dark. His breath came in short huffs.
Heat flooded her. She loved the idea that he was watching her. That she could use her lips and her tongue and her fingers to tease him, to touch him.
To tell him with her body what she could not speak.
She couldn’t explain why she’d left. She couldn’t explain to him the lack in her or find the words to describe it. Losing her best friend shouldn’t have destroyed her like this. She should have been stronger, should have fought harder to keep the depression from consuming everything. Going to war should not have utterly dismantled everything she’d thought she was.
But it had. And her denial, her stubborn denial had compounded everything.
She stroked her thumb over the soft hair just above the waistband of his pants. He licked his bottom lip, his body tense.
“Sam.” A plea. A prayer. Maybe both.
She nipped him there, just above his jeans. Scraped her teeth over his skin and felt his stomach jump beneath her lips. Felt the answering heat deep in her own belly.
She’d missed this. Missed touching him. Missed feeling him beneath her. Missed the pleasure of sliding her body against his.
Missed feeling.
She opened the button on his jeans, her eyes locked on his. Slowly, so slowly opened the zipper.
His lips parted. Anticipation. Arousal. Maybe both.
She narrowed her eyes at the slow smile that spread across his mouth. “What are you thinking?” She pressed her lips to his belly.
His lips quivered. “It’s been a long time since you inspected my bits and pieces.”
She swallowed hard and pushed his pants open. The tip of his erection rested against his groin. Teasing her.
It had been so long since she’d done this with him. Since she’d taken him in her mouth and tasted him.
Brought them both so much pleasure with something so simple.
She urged his pants down. He lifted his hips, and she slid them down farther, exposing the thick length of him. She hesitated, curious now that he’d brought it up.
“Here,” he said. He slid her finger over the soft skin at the bottom of his sac near a rough, ragged scar.
“I wouldn’t have found that,” she whispered.
He shrugged. “Now you know.”
There was more there. Unsaid things that could wait.
Because he was right in front of her. And she wanted to lose herself in the sensation of touching him. Of feeling his body tense when she used her mouth on him.
She watched him carefully. Lowered her lips to press a soft kiss on the tip of him where he was moist and smooth. Savored the warm smell that was uniquely and completely his.
She took him in her mouth. Sucked on him gently. Heard his shuddering sigh of relief or pleasure or both.
She cradled him where he was soft as she swirled her tongue over his length. Felt his gasp when she dragged her teeth gently over his tip before kissing him gently there once more.
He reached for her then. He urged her up until she was in his lap once more, his mouth feasting on hers. There was no restraint in his kiss now. No patience.
Only hunger. Raw and powerful and filled with needful things.
“Why am I always naked and you always have clothes on?” His words were a murmur against her mouth a moment before he feasted on her again. One hand gripped her hip as he rocked against her. Sparks simmering in her belly exploded in full-blown, wild pleasure.
Tighter. Higher. Harder. Until she thought she would snap from the pressure. “Patrick, please.”
He stilled then. Cupped her cheeks and sipped at her lips. Bringing them both back from the edge of mindlessness.
Her body protested at the edge of the cliff, needing, craving the release he’d brought her so close to.
She arched against him. “Please.” Her words were almost a sob. “I need you,” she whispered.
He took his time stripping her naked. One piece of clothing at a time, inch by inch.
Felt her shiver beneath his touch as he traced the pad of his index finger over the smooth skin of her belly.
Her skin glowed in the firelight. The flames and the heat licked at her even as he used his tongue to follow his fingers. Her body was tense, her muscles tight with a lithe tension. He slipped his palms over her ribs, urging her arms up, over her head. She parted her thighs, urging him home as he leaned over her. He nuzzled her nose before lifting his hips away from the contact they both craved.
She scowled at him. “You know, for a man who hasn’t been with a woman in a long, long time, you’ve got remarkable staying power.” She arched beneath him, a beautiful, fire-licked goddess.
He smiled, trailing his fingers down the underside of her arms. Tracing the edge of her breasts. Her nipples puckered beneath his touch.
He ignored her taunt. “You’re so beautiful, Samantha.” He’d waited for this. Hoped for it. Hoped that it would be the miracle they needed to put their relationship back together again. This alone time, this precious moment when it could be just him and just her. The storm outside was far away.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I may stop speaking to you if you don’t get your damn pants completely off and…”
He covered her mouth with his, cutting off her words with a kiss meant to drive them both closer to the edge. “I want to go slow. I want to remember every detail.”
“Can we do the remember-every-detail thing in a few minutes?”
He splayed his palm over her belly when she moved to sit up. He shook his head. “My turn,” he whispered before placing a kiss at the soft center of her belly.
She bowed her back off the blanket with a quiet gasp.
It was good, so damned good to see her like this.
The fact that he’d almost lost her made it all the more sweet.
He nuzzled her belly for a moment, then traced his fingers beneath the edge of her panties.
She made a sexy sound deep in her throat.
She wasn’t used to lying back. She was not a submissive, passive lover. She took as much as she received. He knew that, and he damn sure was going to enjoy this for as long as it lasted. Tonight, though, was for her. For them.
He slipped her panties over her hips, exposing her to the heat of the fire. She was beautiful and swollen and glistening wet.
He wanted to feast on her. To use his mouth on her and tease her in all the ways he’d learned she liked.
He could suckle her where she was swollen. He could stroke her gently and feel her arch beneath his touch. He wanted to do everything and nothing all at once. He was content for a moment just to see her spread out before him, evidence of her pleasure glistening on her thighs.
He slipped the pad of his thumb along the seam of her body. A caress that was barely there. Her heat radiated against his skin. His thumb came away slick and warm.
“Tease.” A choked whisper.
He licked his bottom lip, finally daring to meet her gaze. His eyes locked with hers as he slid his thumb into her heat, circling her where she was so, so swollen. She didn’t look away as he stroked her softly. Her lips parted, though, and her breath came in quick, quiet gasps. She tensed as he continued to slide his fingers over her body. Gently, so gently. Driving them both wild with the simplest touch.
He leaned down, blowing against her skin where she was exposed to him. Felt her frustrated gasp. He smiled at her. Kept stroking her until she met his gaze again.
Then he took her in his mouth. Suckled her where she was swollen and sweet and…
Dear lord, she almost came right then. The pressure spiraled wide the moment his tongue connected with her, and he felt the tension wind up beneath his touch. He ached for this woman.
Her fingers were fists in his hair the moment she created the wave and started to come. She arched beneath his touch, offering herself completely, surrendering to the pleasure of his touch. It was beautiful, watching her body bow off the floor, to feel her shudder in her release.
The orgasm still shivered through her body as she urged him up until his erection was poised at the edge of her heat. “Now. I need you.” She kissed him, hard and fierce. “I need you now.”
He was there, just there, her silken wetness surrounding him. No barriers. No fear. Nothing but the tight, wet heat of her body surrounding him, urging him deeper. He gripped her hands, dragging them over her head as he slid inside her, inch by inch. Her body engulfed him, clenching around him tightly in that first touch of being home, really home.
He moved then, slowly finding the rhythm that pleasured them both. Moved when her fingers tightened in his. Drove them both closer to the edge until her body tensed and the wave cascaded over them both. Until her pleasure burst again, crashing over him, sending him spiraling out into the darkness beyond the storm.
And in the aftermath of it all, he held her close. Because there was nothing else he’d wanted more.