MARC BLEW OUT a harsh breath as Brooke acceded to his demand and slowly stripped off her thermal shirt, peeling away that soft, warm layer of material, baring her pale, firm breasts to his gaze. His heartbeat thundered in his chest, in his ears, and a hot rush of blood surged to his groin, increasing the pressure behind his fly.
She wasn’t overly large, but perfect in size to match her slender hips and those long, shapely legs of hers encased in form-fitting thermal leggings. As he watched in silent appreciation, her breasts grew full and taut, and her rosy nipples peaked. His hands itched to plump that flesh, to draw those tight crests to his mouth and use his lips and tongue to taste her.
He remained seated, with his hands clasped over his updrawn knees, unable to believe that she was actually following through with his shocking request, which had been a sexy, shameless dare he’d fully expected her to back down from at the last minute. True, he wanted to do all those things he’d told her, but he never thought she’d allow him, or them, to go so far.
And now that she was holding up her end of the bargain, the game was over and the ultimate seduction was about to begin. He’d promised her pleasure, in a very explicit manner, and that sensual gratification was something he could deliver, even if it meant sacrificing his own physical desires in the process.
In some ways, he was grateful that he didn’t have any condoms with him. Touching her so intimately was risky enough to their emotions, but he suspected being deep inside of Brooke would be too intense an experience, and more complicated than what either of them agreed to.
But, Lord, how he wanted her. More than was wise. More than was ever possible. In ways that defied his mind and the restrictions he’d put on his heart and emotions.
Their time together in this cabin would have to be enough to satisfy his craving for her.
He lifted his gaze to her softly flushed face, ready to proceed with the fantasy he’d woven. “Everything comes off, Brooke.”
The top dangling from her fingertips dropped to the ground, and she drew a deep breath that caused her breasts to tremble. Dampening her bottom lip with her tongue, she hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her leggings and pushed the stretchy material over her hips, then bent to drag the pants down her thighs and long legs. Straightening, she kicked them aside, leaving her clad in a pair of pink silky panties trimmed in lace. Without hesitating, she slid those off, too, and stood before him gloriously naked.
Desire gripped him hard, overwhelming him with the fierce need to possess her as his. She was beautifully sculpted, and he took his time looking his fill. With the firelight flickering behind her, her skin shimmered with a vibrant warmth. The hair spilling across her shoulders looked soft and feathery and golden. His gaze trailed lower, over her shapely breasts, her curved waist, then stalled at the soft curls concealing softer, sensitive folds of flesh.
He thought of all the various ways he planned to give her those orgasms, and wondered how he was going to be able to touch her, feel her response as he brought her to that exquisite peak, listen to the sexy sounds she made as she climaxed, and not embarrass himself in the process.
Gathering every ounce of willpower at his disposal, he lifted his gaze to her face. His heart squeezed tight at the barest hint of insecurity he detected in her eyes—she obviously wasn’t used to being so openly scrutinized. By the time he was done with her there would be nothing left of her inhibitions.
Shifting more comfortably against the couch, he straightened his legs and widened his stance, creating a space for her in between. He crooked his finger at her, and eased the tension in the air with an irresistible grin. “Come over here and sit between my legs.”
She hesitated for a split second, then glided toward him, the sway of her breasts, the sensual movements of her hips and thighs, mesmerizing him. At the last possible moment she turned around, just quick enough to give him a tantalizing glimpse of her smooth, rounded bottom, before lowering herself to the flannel sleeping bag between his spread thighs. She sat straight, not touching him, her spine too rigid.
He ran his fingers down the silky skin of her back. She shivered in response, but didn’t move. “Sweetheart, in order for this to work, you’re going to have to scoot closer, lean against me, and relax.”
She glanced over her shoulder, the smile touching her mouth relieving him. “It’s very disconcerting to be completely naked, while you’re fully dressed.”
Resting his wrists on his knees, he merely shrugged. “This is my fantasy,” he reminded her. Also his barrier of clothes acted as a safety precaution, a way for him to keep his perspective on the situation without losing complete control.
She settled more fully against his chest, until her buttocks nestled against his rock-hard groin. She placed her arms on his thighs, but kept her knees bent and closed primly.
That wouldn’t do at all.
Gently hooking his bare feet against the inside of hers, he drew her ankles a good twelve inches apart, opening her to him, and letting the heat of the fire warm every inch of her naked flesh. She didn’t resist, but the gooseflesh rising on her skin was enough to indicate her brief bout of self-consciousness.
Starting slow, he spanned her waist with his hands and brushed his fingers along her belly. She flinched at that sudden contact, and an unpredicted swell of tenderness filled his chest. Despite the sexy bargain they’d struck, he wanted this to be good for her. The best she’d ever experienced.
“Close your eyes, Brooke,” he murmured, grazing his mouth against her ear. “Just focus on your body, and what you’re feeling.”
Listening to his advice, she let her lashes fall and relaxed her head against his shoulder. He sensed the last of her nerves drain away, and her limbs grew heavy and complacent. Taking advantage of her acquiescence, he nuzzled the side of her neck at the same time he cupped her breasts in his palms and kneaded the firm flesh. He flicked his thumbs over the nipples that had stiffened for him, then rolled those tight, velvety crests between his fingers, wishing he could do the same with his tongue.
A throaty moan purred in her throat, and she reached up and tentatively pressed her hand to his stubbled cheek. She rolled her head to the side, giving him greater access to the column of her neck, and he placed a hot, openmouthed kiss just below her ear.
She gasped, and squirmed restlessly against him. Deciding she was ready for him to move on, he flattened his palms and slid his hands down her quivering stomach then along both of her thighs, leisurely stroking the skin the fire had heated. Slowly, languorously, he petted her, drawing out the pleasure, heightening her need, strumming his fingers everywhere except where she burned the most for his touch. His thumbs met at her juncture, grazing the soft downy hair there, tantalizing her with the promise of something far more exquisite.
She turned her head toward his and opened her eyes. Her irises were a dark, aroused shade of blue, and unbridled sensuality etched her expression. “No more teasing, Marc,” she said, her voice husky with impatience. “Touch me, please.” Her hand slid from his cheek around to the nape of his neck. Her fingers tangled in the strands curling against the collar of his shirt, and she inexorably drew his mouth to hers. “Touch me now.”
Their parted lips met, and she clung to him, drawing his tongue into her mouth. He let her dictate the pace, and followed her lead into a slow, deep, hot seduction. One kiss melted enticingly into another, and he surrendered to the sweetness of her mouth taking his.
And then he touched her intimately, where she was wet and eager and so incredibly primed. At his first gliding stroke, her groan vibrated against his lips. After all the mental stimulation they’d endured, along with his physical caresses, he knew she was beyond ready and right on the edge. Knowing there was much more to come beyond this initial release, he didn’t bother drawing this climax out, which would have been pure torture for her.
With one hand splayed on her stomach, he deepened his exploration, rubbed his callused thumb over her swollen, needy flesh, once, twice…the third time sent her straight into the realm of pleasure. Her orgasm hit her fast and furiously, the buildup so intense her entire body convulsed. She wrenched her mouth from his as a lusty cry ripped from her throat. Burying his face against her neck, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and held her as waves of pure, blissful fulfillment engulfed her.
With a final shudder and a repleted sigh, she slumped back against his chest, her breathing as ragged as his own. Though a pulsing, throbbing need settled low, Marc couldn’t deny the sense of masculine satisfaction he experienced in making her come apart for him.
A log on the fire settled, sending sparks filtering up the chimney. Outside, the storm howled and snow-flakes pelted the windows. Inside, they were in a world all their own, where there were no rules, or boundaries, or anything beyond their own sensual desires.
He placed a tender kiss on her temple, and watched her mouth tip up in a positively delightful smile. “I take it that felt good?”
Her head rolled on his shoulder, and she tilted her face up to his. The wonder in her gaze did enormous things for his ego. “Mmm, that was absolutely decadent.”
He chuckled and laced his fingers with hers, preparing for the next installment in his seduction. “One down, several more to go,” he murmured wickedly. With her hands secured beneath his, he placed her palms on her breasts and squeezed her fingers gently around the plump flesh.
Her eyes widened. She sucked in a startled breath and resisted fondling herself. He could feel her heart beating erratically in her chest, and the pulse at the base of her throat fluttered madly. “Marc…” The tremor in her voice relayed her uncertainty.
He had no doubts that she’d touched herself before—she’d admitted as much when they’d answered those survey questions—but a certain male intuition told him she’d never done so in front of another man. Excitement escalated within him at the thought of being the first to share and witness such an erotic act.
Lifting one of her hands to his mouth, he lapped his tongue across the center of her palm and over her fingers, dampening the surface. “I want to show you how much pleasure you’re capable of experiencing, all the different ways you can enjoy your body, and I don’t want you to hold anything back. Be greedy, Brooke.”
He dragged her slick hand back over a taut breast and administered the same provocative treatment to her other palm. She moaned and rubbed her thumbs over her beaded nipples, arching into her own touch, her reserve rapidly fading.
“Yeah, just like that,” he praised, his voice thick and rough as he watched. “It’s just you and me and hours stretching ahead of us. Whatever feels good, just do it.”
This time around, she offered no resistance when he gently skimmed her palms lower, over her ribs and abdomen then along the inside of her thighs. Fingers still entwined, he splayed her hand at the apex of her legs and trailed her fingers along the moist, silky cleft in between.
She flinched at the direct contact, and whimpered, telling him she was still sensitive after her recent orgasm. “Soft and slow,” he whispered. Determined to give her more, he directed her touch, applying a delicate, rhythmic pressure with her fingers to that responsive bud, until he was no longer instructing her and she’d found her own personal rhythm that rekindled the acute sensations.
Her face was flushed, and her hips undulated against her caressing fingers. Her breathing deepened, grew choppy, and within moments her climax beckoned.
The eroticism of the act shook Marc to the core. Feeling primitive and predatory, he filled his hands with her breasts, then bent his head and sank his teeth into the flesh between her neck and shoulder, claiming Brooke with a passionate love bite.
That’s all it took to release the floodgates a second time. The breathy, intimate sounds she made nearly had him coming right along with her.
Before she had the chance to float back to earth, Marc moved around her, pulled her all the way down on the sleeping bag and straddled her hips, careful to keep his weight off her. She was weak and so dazed in the aftermath of experiencing such luxurious pleasure all she could manage was a drowsy, satisfied smile. Her hair was dishevelled around her face, and her hands rested beside her head in complete and open surrender.
Returning her smile, he gently ran his fingers over her breasts and teased the pretty tips with featherlight strokes. “Ready for more?”
She bit her bottom lip, arching restlessly into his hands and the thighs bracketing her hips. “Yeah,” she said, thrilling him with her easy capitulation, and her trust.
Burning up from the inside out, he yanked his shirt over his head. Her hands followed right behind, skimming up his hard, jean-clad thighs, and fluttering over his taut belly, exploring unabashedly. Her finger dipped into his navel, then followed the dark trail of hair that whorled southward and disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. Glancing up at him with a hunger that stole his breath, she moved her flattened palm lower and massaged the fierce erection begging for freedom. Unable to help himself, he groaned and thrust against her splayed hand.
Every muscle in his body flexed and strained toward the heady, tingling sensation coursing through his blood. Knowing his control was too close to shattering, that her touch threatened his good intentions, he grasped her wrists and stretched her arms above her head.
Their faces were inches apart, and he dropped a soft kiss on her lips, then allowed a sinful grin to ease across his features. “This is where we improvise on the padded handcuffs.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but she issued no protest when he leaned over her, wrapped his shirt sleeves around her wrists, and tied the ends to the leg of the coffee table. She’d agreed to “anything goes,” and he’d told her there was no saying “no,” but he found himself searching her expression for the slightest hint of hesitation or objection, and found none. Her eyes were bright with anticipation, eager for whatever he had planned.
He lowered his head and started slow, with long, deep kisses that thrilled and aroused. Tongues tangled rapaciously, damp lips slid silkily, and beneath him he felt her grow lethargic and pliant. Finally, he moved on. His lips glided over her jaw, then down her throat, searing her skin and blazing a hot, moist trail to her breasts.
He brushed his lips across her nipples, teasing her, tempting him, then flicked his tongue over the stiff crown, tasting her for the first time. Her sharp intake of breath echoed in his ears, along with the whispered word “Please.”
Lifting her breast, he enclosed her in the heat of his mouth and suckled gently, then more urgently, until she moaned long and low and writhed beneath him. She was sweet and warm and irresistible, and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her.
In time, his hands and lips moved lower, scattering kisses along the slope of her belly and sampling the curve of her hip with his tongue. He made a place for himself between her legs, and with a gentle touch to her bent knees, she opened wider for him, giving him free rein to her body, and every sensual secret she harbored. His nostrils flared as her feminine scent played havoc with his senses and provoked raw, primitive instincts no other woman had ever roused in him.
The emotions caught him off guard, made what he was about to do with Brooke more than just simply satiating physical urges. Need consumed him. The strong, undeniable sentiment clawed at his insides, squeezed tight around his heart, making him feel desperate and impatient.
He glanced up at her face, knowing this wasn’t only his decision to make. Blue eyes dark with passion boldly stared back. Without any doubts, she knew what he wanted, knew his intentions, and craved this ultimate intimacy as much as he did.
Brooke tugged on the bonds restricting her arms, aching to touch Marc. As he devoured her with his smoldering gaze, she’d never felt so vulnerable—or so connected—to a person in her life. A storm raged between them, a sensual tempest that excited as much as it frightened because she feared she wouldn’t survive the emotional impact.
At the moment, none of that mattered. The ache spreading through her body couldn’t be denied, nor could the soul-deep hunger he’d awakened. They’d come this far, and she’d given him everything else. He’d stolen more than any other man ever had, had given so selflessly in return, there was no reason not to trust him with this, too.
“Anything goes,” she whispered, giving him the consent he sought.
He needed no more encouragement. Eyes turning slumberous, he slid even lower, curved her legs over his broad, muscled shoulders, and settled in for an un-hurried exploration. His dark head moved down, and he pressed a sizzling, openmouthed kiss against the quivering skin of her inner thigh. She gasped as his stubble chafed her, and shivered and moaned when he soothed the burn with his hot, wet tongue. He nibbled leisurely on her thighs, lapped her skin, and spent an inordinate amount of time discovering erogenous zones she never knew she had.
She thrashed and moaned, begged and pleaded, frustrated by her inability to thread her fingers through his hair and direct his mouth to a more explicit kind of touch.
But he knew. His fingers caressed her slick folds first, seconds before his hot breath washed over her and he laved her with the velvet heat of his tongue, feasting on her as if she were some sweet, rare delicacy for him to enjoy and savor.
Despite her husky pleas, and because he knew he could, he took his time and learned everything about her body. The feather-soft stroke of his tongue that made her whimper, the teasing flick that drove her mad, and the gentle suckling that pushed her closer to the edge.
The assault became more than she could bear, and he seemed to sense that, too. Without preamble or further preliminaries, he spread her with his thumbs and pressed his mouth hard against her, rasping her sensitive flesh with his tongue, over and over, then delving deeper, making love to her the only way possible. Two fingers slipped within her tight channel, filling her, touching off a whole new series of sensations as he ruthlessly pushed her higher. The contractions in her womb built, then exploded, catapulting her straight over the precipice. Her hips shot upward, and she screamed as she came in a fiery, liquid rush that shook her entire body.
With a low, primitive growl, he reared back to his knees and fumbled with the snap on his jeans, then struggled to lower his zipper over his straining sex. The muscles in his abdomen rippled with his abrupt, anxious movements, and he cursed the thermal underwear he’d put back on after his shower, which now provided a frustrating hindrance.
Startled by his abrupt change, and uncertain of what he meant to do, she attempted to capture his attention before they went further than either of them intended. “Marc?”
The caution in her soft voice was unmistakable, and he immediately lifted his head, his gaze dragging up the length of her, from her splayed thighs, to her breasts, and all the way up to the shirt that still confined her wrists. Pure, male instinct glittered in his eyes, and his chest rose and fell with deep breaths.
She drew a steady breath, though her limbs still quaked. “I thought you said you didn’t have any protection with you.”
He closed his eyes as a shudder wracked his body. “I don’t,” he said, seemingly struggling with some internal battle. When he looked at her again, his expression was a curious blend of agony and hope. “I just want to feel you against me, with nothing between us. Will you let me do that?”
Impossible as it seemed, an electrifying thrill ignited deep in her belly. She smiled invitingly, and nodded. “Yes.” After everything they’d shared today, she couldn’t refuse his request. Didn’t want to, because she yearned to feel him, too.
She watched him shove his pants and thermals over his hips and eagerly divest himself of the restricting garments. Naked and inflamed, a gorgeous, masculine work of art, he moved over her, bracing his arms at the side of her head to support his weight. Gradually, he lowered his body…chest to lush, swollen breasts, taut stomach to plush belly, muscular legs to the welcoming cove between her thighs. Finally, he flexed his hips, nestling his arousal firmly, intimately between her legs.
They both groaned in unison at the exquisite pleasure that washed over them.
He raked his fingers through her hair, and dragged his thumb across her bottom lip. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything more perfect.” Awe infused his voice.
Her throat grew tight. “Me, either,” she said, knowing it to be true.
He moved, sliding his hard, pulsing shaft against her slick, feminine folds. Her breathing hitched, and she arched into him.
His gaze darkened, and a cocky grin canted his mouth. “Feel good?”
“Yeah,” she admitted, beyond being bashful. “For you, too?”
“Incredible.” He bent his head and kissed her cheek, her jaw, then nuzzled her ear. “The only thing that could feel any better is being deep inside you.”
With his words, she experienced a profound sense of emptiness, a loss she couldn’t account for. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
He met her gaze and shook his head. “No apologies, Brooke. This is the next best thing.” He dragged a hand down her side and cupped her bottom, tilting her hips so the next time he thrust he created a delicious, breathtaking friction.
She gasped, and he growled deep in his throat, the sound vibrating against her chest. “You’re so warm, and soft, and wet.” His gaze turned hot and possessive. “Move with me, Brooke. I want to feel you come, just like this.”
She wriggled her hands, wanting freedom to indulge in this experience without restrictions. “Untie me, Marc. I want to touch you.”
Reaching up, he slipped a finger in the knot, and the soft shirt sleeves unraveled, setting her free. With a sigh and a smile, she closed her eyes and caressed the taut slope of his back, his toned buttocks, and back up his muscular arms, learning the feel of him. Every time he moved, sparks of heat skittered through her, and she suddenly couldn’t get enough.
Tangling her fingers in his silky hair, she brought his mouth to her parted lips and kissed him in a brazen manner that would have shocked her if he hadn’t already shed her of her straightlaced demeanor. There was nothing demure left, and she reveled in the sexual abandon that was hers. Rocking with the steady movement of Marc’s hips, she embraced the sheer erotic sensation of sleek, male flesh gliding provocatively along the hot, liquid center of her. Impossibly, another swell of tension coiled inside her, tighter and tighter…
With a raw curse, Marc jerked back, and Brooke mourned the loss. Before he could completely leave her, she wrapped her legs around the back of his thighs, holding him hostage.
Their harsh breathing mingled, and she ignored the savage frown creasing his brows. “Where do you think you’re going?”
His jaw clenched with restraint. “I’m too close.”
She caressed a hand over his cheek and smiled seductively. “So am I,” she said, her meaning clear.
Despite the severity of the moment, a glimmer of amusement sparkled in his eyes. “Greedy wench.”
“Your fault,” she murmured. With the strength of her limbs, she drew him as close as possible, arching upward to deepen the contact, to increase the incredible friction. “You did promise me multiple orgasms, and I want them all.”
A low, strangled moan caught in his throat, and he gave up the fight, surging strong and sure, and with deliberate purpose. His lips crushed hers, and he took control of their kiss, slanting his mouth over hers, again and again. Sensation spiked through her blood, centering between her legs, and she slid her body sinuously, erotically against his in a rhythm that matched the thrust of his tongue, the frenzied pumping of his hips.
Brooke’s climax built, and she writhed frantically beneath him, clawing at his back to get closer. He held her mouth captive, swallowing her moans, pushing her toward yet another stunning, unparalleled peak. The feelings he evoked were too intense, too strong…and she couldn’t deny the sensations that exploded within her, or her lusty response.
A guttural groan ripped from Marc’s chest as he rode the crest with her, wringing every drop of pleasure from her body. At the last possible moment he raised up and over her, sliding his throbbing manhood against her soft belly. Tossing his head back, he ground his hips into her, over and over, shuddering with the violent force of spilling his own release.
He collapsed on top of her, burying his face against her neck, their damp bodies still entwined, but satiated. Closing her eyes, she wrapped one arm around his back and threaded the fingers of her other hand through his hair, absorbing his warmth, his weight, and inhaling the musky scent of their lovemaking.
A smile found its way to her lips. The heavy beating of his heart echoed hers, and the sheer magic of what they’d just shared saturated her with unbelievable contentment. Nothing had ever seemed so completely natural, so extraordinarily perfect, as this moment. A sense of rightness settled over her, as did the startling realization that the pleasure Marc had given her had not only dissolved her inhibitions, it had stripped her to the very essence of her soul.
SO MUCH FOR willpower and discipline, Marc thought, glancing down at the napping woman cuddled against his side. Obviously, he had absolutely none where Brooke was concerned, and that revelation caused a frisson of unease to sneak up on him and rattle the convictions he’d lived by for the past eight years. He’d meant to give her pleasure, and without a doubt he’d executed that plan in spades, but he’d never anticipated that she’d switch the tables on him and demand his own acquiescence in return.
Resisting her hadn’t been an option and he’d gone wild, surrendering to the most intense, mind-blowing orgasm he’d ever experienced. The connection between them had been extraordinary and consuming, all without even being inside her. Incredible didn’t even begin to describe what they’d shared, and now he was trying to sort through the conflicting, confusing emotions that had swamped him in the aftermath of such an amazing encounter.
The fire he’d rebuilt in the hearth after their sensual love play snapped and hissed at the wood stacked on the grate. A soft sigh escaped Brooke in her sleep and she snuggled closer to him on their makeshift bed in front of the fire. His arm automatically shifted around her shoulders to accommodate her position and keep the warmth of her body next to his. Her cheek rested on his chest, her arm spanned his waist, and a slender leg draped over his thigh, entwining their naked bodies as familiarly as the lovers they’d become.
Except he’d always steadfastly avoided this particular intimacy with the lovers he’d slept with in the past, and for very good reason. In his experience, sticking around after sex gave a woman the wrong impression, and was too easily construed as an invitation to something deeper he had no intentions of offering, not when he knew he lacked the ability to offer that kind of lasting commitment.
But instead of feeling suffocated or antsy to put distance between him and Brooke, he was filled with a tenderness and affection that warred with the subtle warnings slipping through his mind—that he’d fallen deeper, and more emotionally, than he’d ever intended. He’d always secretly desired Brooke, but acknowledging the awesome need she stirred was a very dangerous thing, because nothing could ever come of it beyond their short, private time in this cabin.
No commitments, no promises and no regrets.
They’d established the terms of their brief fling before they’d crossed that line of no return. She knew up front that this was a temporary affair, that a future was impossible, and forever wasn’t something he’d consider. Despite how compatible and in tune to each other they were physically, he had to believe that they’d both abide by those rules and leave this cabin without unrealistic expectations, guilt or other emotional entanglements.
She’d said no regrets, and she hadn’t shown any signs of shame or doubts after they’d made love. Indeed, she’d appeared downright pleased with herself, and the lengths she’d driven him to. As for his own loss of control, that was something he’d be more careful to keep a tight rein on next time.
Snow continued to fall outside and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. The last time he’d glanced at his watch, it had been only half past noon, with the rest of the day and night stretching ahead of them—along with tomorrow, if the storm didn’t abate.
That meant long, endless hours filled with anything their imaginations might conjure. With Brooke having just discovered the sensuality that had obviously lain dormant within her, Marc had no doubt that she was far from done experimenting with him, and indulging in forbidden, innovative adventures.
The thought made him instantly hard and he entertained a fantasy or two of his own. The woman seemed insatiable, and though she’d exhibited a few reservations at first, she’d gradually blossomed, eager to learn and experience the exciting wonders of her body, and his.
She’d pushed him over the edge as no other woman ever had. Now that he knew what she was capable of, he was prepared for her brand of passion and the way she wreaked havoc with his mind. For the rest of their stay he’d give her anything and everything she asked for, and then some, but ultimately, he’d be in control of each situation—mentally and physically.