Sonia didn’t remember wedding ceremonies taking so long. She stood with Nate, impatient to leave, even though she was glad to see Jax so happy.
She couldn’t believe she’d never appreciated before how hot Nate was—now that she knew he was leaving for Boston, she didn’t want to waste a single moment.
She couldn’t wait to get him back to her place. He hadn’t agreed or disagreed, but he hadn’t moved away, and the gleam in his eyes was more than promising. She kept her hand on Nate’s arm and stood close beside him. She could feel his heat and smell his cologne, and his arm was all hard muscle. Her anticipation rose with every passing moment.
“And the groom may kiss the bride.”
Everyone cheered as Jax and Pierce shared a kiss. Jax threw her bouquet and Farah almost caught it—it bounced off her hands and Elizabeth caught it. She waved the flowers in triumph, then gave Brandon a significant glance. Jax’s son just grinned, so the fact that he and Elizabeth weren’t married couldn’t have been an issue for them. Or maybe they had plans. Sonia had more interesting questions on her mind.
People began to chat and circulate, everyone pausing to congratulate Jax and Pierce. Since they couldn’t have a meal together, Reid had prepared meal kits for everyone to take home. He was launching a new service in partnership with Hunter’s brother-in-law, which meant he got razzed for using them all as guinea pigs. Apparently, there was an instructional video to go with the meal kit. Sonia didn’t listen to the details as the whole process of distribution delayed their departure.
She wanted sex, sex, sex—not whatever kind of chicken was in the meal kit.
“You really want that coffee,” Nate teased, his eyes twinkling. “I didn’t think you drank the stuff.”
“Not often,” she admitted, holding his gaze because she knew they weren’t really talking about coffee. “But it’s time to rediscover what I always loved about it.”
Nate inhaled sharply. His eyes were the most gorgeous color of hazel, a hundred shades of green and gold mixed up together with a bit of brown. They were thickly lashed and more expressive than Sonia had noticed before. They’d darkened when she flirted with him and he was watching her with a heat that filled her with conviction that she’d made the right choice.
Better late than never.
They finally left the club together, each carrying a meal kit, and Sonia didn’t care who noticed. Nate also had a laptop bag that Jimmy had given him, probably for his new job. It was a reminder that he’d be leaving town for good, but Sonia didn’t want to think about that. Boston wasn’t that far. They could keep in touch if they both wanted to.
Outside, Nate put the food boxes in the trunk of a new lime green Mustang. It was parked at the curb close to the doors and shone in the sunlight.
“This is your car?” Sonia was surprised. She’d been sure Nate had a sensible car, an economy sedan that was a few years old. This seemed too flashy, like it was borrowed from his evil twin.
But it did match his new look.
“This is my car,” he said with satisfaction. “Always wanted one, so it was time to indulge. The Corolla was ready to give it up anyway.”
“Living in the moment?”
His grin was quick and wicked enough to make her heart skip. “Something like that.”
He swept open the passenger door for her and Sonia got in. The interior was black and still had that new car smell. She hesitated only a moment before she took off her mask and put it in her purse. It felt good to be without it.
She felt a little nervous as she watched Nate walk around the back of the car. She hadn’t ever taken a guy back to this apartment and she hadn’t initiated a hook-up in years. It would have been more nerve-wracking if she hadn’t been completely confident that she was safe with Nate.
He got in and started the engine, then did a double-take when he noticed she’d removed her mask. His gaze lingered on her lips. “Pink, of course,” he murmured, which made no sense to Sonia, then started the car. He took off his own mask and tossed it on the console. “Going wild?” he asked in a teasing tone. “Or do you trust me?”
“Both. There’s no social distancing in the car, and you are coming to my place where there can’t be social distancing. It’s only six feet in any direction.”
He laughed a little. “I remember it being a bit bigger than that.”
“But not much. I’m double-vaxxed,” she added. “Aren’t you?”
Nate nodded as he pulled away from the curb. “Of course. And tested weekly for the job at my uncle’s place. Interacting with the public, you know.”
“Lucky you. I’ve been self-isolating for months.”
Nate grinned and she was glad she could see his mouth again. He had a great smile and the sight of it, combined with the mischievous glint in his eyes, made her heart skip. He was so handsome. How had she missed it? “Why does that sound important?”
“Because it is.” Sonia raised her hands. “It’s the key to everything.”
She was referring to her new attitude—and her shoes—but Nate’s smile faded.
“I thought so,” he said, sounding grim as he put on his sunglasses.
“What does that mean?”
Nate frowned and drove. She wished she could see his eyes. The streets were almost devoid of vehicles and he hit the gas when they turned onto Fifth Avenue. The car’s engine roared as they raced down the street. They were going to be at her place in record time, so if she wanted to talk, the moment was now. Sonia watched his left hand on the wheel, admiring his strong fingers, and noticed how deft he was with the Hook.
She didn’t want to be surprised when they got naked and inadvertently hurt his feelings, so she stole a look at it. Would he take it off? Was it cold? Nate had always worn a prosthesis, for as long as she’d known him, and he didn’t expect anyone to treat him differently because of it.
She wished a bit late that she’d never traded places with Katia on Valentine’s Day. She and Nate might have gotten together months ago.
“It means,” he said finally. “That I’m driving you home and that’s it.”
Sonia was startled. “But I thought…”
“You invited me in and that’s great. I’m flattered, but here’s the thing, Sonia, I’m done with sympathy sex.”
She bristled. “I’m not offering sympathy sex.”
“Sure you are. You don’t mean it that way, because you’ve never had to put up with it, but you don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to make any amends for what Katia did on Valentine’s Day…”
“I am not offering sympathy sex,” Sonia repeated.
Nate flicked a glance her way. “I’m done with compromising, Sonia. No freak shows, no sympathy sex and no pity fucks. No more. So, thanks, but no thanks. You can’t fix the fact that Katia was a jerk. I don’t expect you to really understand and that’s okay…”
“Because you think I’ve never had sympathy sex, and that’s where you’re wrong,” she said, interrupting him furiously. Nate’s eyes widened but he didn’t say anything. “Let me tell you about sympathy sex,” she said, giving him a poke in the arm. It was like jabbing a rock. “When it’s a pity fuck, your partner never looks at you. He never meets your eyes and he never looks at whatever part of your body he finds repulsive. If he finds all of you repulsive, he closes his eyes. He doesn’t call you by name, and you might as well be—” she made a sound of frustration “—an inflatable doll for all the interest he has in your pleasure. And when he’s done and he leaves, you feel filthy and used. You want to take that twenty minutes back or scrub it off, but you can’t and so you feel awful about yourself. You hate yourself almost as much as he hates you. That loathing is what started it, after all. That’s why you allowed it to happen, but sex is supposed to make you feel better and pity sex does exactly the opposite. It makes you feel worse.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes and Sonia knew she’d said too much. She felt stupid then and turned to look out the window, blinking back tears and wishing she was home already.
She’d screwed that up beautifully.
“Okay, you do understand,” Nate said finally. “I don’t know how that can be, but that’s exactly what it’s like.”
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know,” she replied tightly.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He shook his head but kept his attention focused on the road. “Just because I can’t imagine a place in which you wouldn’t have your pick of every guy there doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist.” He stopped at a light and looked at her, peeking over his sunglasses, and her heart melted when his voice dropped low. “I’m sorry, Sonia. I was wrong.”
Sonia didn’t know what to say. The car’s engine purred, sending a vibration through her seat that did nothing to keep her mind out of the gutter. Her place was less than two blocks away. She wasn’t going to invite him in again, not yet, so she changed the subject.
“You’re different,” she said when the light changed.
“No,” Nate said without looking at her. “I’m finally the same again.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s the snap.”
Sonia still didn’t understand. “What’s the snap?”
“It’s that moment when you’ve had enough, when you snap.” He snapped his fingers to punctuate that, then turned left. “You bend and bend, trying to accommodate something or someone, then finally you just can’t do it anymore. Snap!”
Sonia recognized that situation. “What were you trying to accommodate?”
“Ending up back in my uncle’s store again, just like Flatiron Five Fitness had never happened to me. The job at the club was so awesome that I was blown away to get paid to do it. But then there was the pandemic and the club closed.”
“And you didn’t have a job?”
“Oh, I had a job. I went back to work at my uncle’s hunting goods store. It was where I was working before F5F. But that wasn’t where I wanted to be. If I was going to circle back, I wanted to circle back to before I lost my hand. I wanted to know that the world was mine for the taking again and that every day would be a new adventure. I wanted to be waiting to be called up for training for the Marine Raiders and counting the minutes.”
That was what he meant by being finally the same again. Sonia wished then that she’d known him before he enlisted.
“I was grateful for the job with Uncle Jed, but I wanted more. Even when he talked about training me to take over the business, I felt trapped instead of happy. I had to do something to change the situation. Jax called around then wanting me to make instructional videos or host a podcast but that’s not for me. I asked her what Pierce was doing. Silver Fox Security. I just had to hear about it to have the snap.” He nodded with satisfaction. “Getting this job with Pierce is a dream come true.”
Nate was so decisive that he seemed like a different person. He parked at the curb in front of the brownstone where Sonia had her studio apartment and left the engine running. “Home sweet home,” he said, then swung out of the car. He opened her door for her. “Take care, Sonia.”
She took his hand and got out of the car, but didn’t walk away. Not yet. She had to try to make it right. “You were offended when I said you were sweet.”
He looked at her over his sunglasses, his gaze intent. “It’s kind of dismissive, don’t you think? It definitely means that the person in question isn’t of real interest.”
Sonia shook her head. “But sweet and hot is an irresistible combination, like chocolate and peanut butter.”
“Despite the fact that you’ve been resisting just fine.” Nate held up his hand, making a zero with his finger and thumb. “Zero openings in two years, Sonia. That’s a pretty good indication of disinterest. And now suddenly you want me to believe it’s all changed.” He shook his head. “I’m not that dumb. Maybe it’s not about Katia, but it’s not about me either.”
“But it wasn’t disinterest,” she said, knowing she had to tell him the truth. “It was fear.”
Nate took off his sunglasses and really looked at her. He was deadly serious as he studied her. “Fear? How is that even possible?” He held up a hand. “Wait. Ten minutes ago, I would have said you couldn’t have been afraid of anything that would happen, but then you explained sympathy sex to me. What could you possibly be afraid of?”
“Nothing,” she said and believed it in that moment with all her heart. “Not anymore.”
She reached for his shoulder but Nate took a step back. “Well, good,” he said gently. “I’ll get your meal kit from the trunk.”
Sonia didn’t want him to leave, but she didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t expected him to turn her down and her confidence had taken a big hit. Nate closed the trunk and returned, one meal kit in his hand.
“I wish I’d known you before,” she admitted without intending to.
Nate’s smile flashed. “No, you don’t. You wouldn’t have recognized me. I was the king of one-and-done, so you wouldn’t have been interested in me then either.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means you’re looking for forever, Sonia, and everyone at the club knows it. No flings, no hook-ups, no drunken intervals after parties for you. You’re the romantic, patiently waiting for your handsome prince to swoop in and carry you away.” He smiled. “F5F’s own Cinderella. I hope the dude turns up soon, for your sake.” He offered the meal box.
He was going to leave.
“What if I’ve had a snap of my own?” Sonia asked.
Nate’s brows rose. “Excuse me?”
“I’m making a fresh start and I want to celebrate. That’s why I’m trying to do something about this, about you, today. It’s real, Nate, even if I’m not very good at making that clear.” She slid a hand over his shoulder and around his neck, looking into his eyes. “Come upstairs, Nate. I want lots of sex and I want it now.”
He was visibly startled, though his eyes brightened. “And anyone will do?”
“No.” She leaned right against him, backing him into the side of the car, and felt him catch his breath. His whole body was taunt and his gaze was hot enough to scorch. “Just you.”
Nate flicked a glance at the building and shook his head. “I’ve seen this movie.”
Sonia smiled. “Maybe you didn’t read the book, though.” She tapped a finger on his chest. “You were with the wrong twin.”
His grin was quick and the sight made her heart skip a beat. “Don’t mix me up with that handsome prince,” he warned.
“One-and-done,” she agreed, knowing his terms weren’t negotiable.
Sonia was sure Nate would still argue with her, so she ended his protests in the most effective way possible—she reached up and brushed her mouth across his, in a slow sexy invitation to more. Sonia wasn’t in the habit of asking for what she wanted, and it had been a long time since she’d initiated anything—but Nate inhaled sharply and whispered her name, proving that he wasn’t immune to her touch.
That was all the encouragement Sonia needed. She framed his face in her hands, backed him into the car, and took the kiss she wanted. Nate was very still for a second, then she heard the food box hit the pavement.
His arm locked around her waist, drawing her closer, and Sonia pressed herself against him, opening her mouth to his kiss. He was all muscle and heat, and even the hard edge of his prosthesis on her waist didn’t bother her. He was a warrior and that was just about as sexy as it got.
“Don’t mess with me, Sonia,” he growled when he could and she stretched up to whisper in his ear.
“Don’t mess with me,” she replied. “I want you naked,” she whispered. “And soon.” She nipped at his lip and Nate groaned, then locked his mouth over hers and kissed her deeply. He tasted like mint and smelled like sandalwood and kissed her like he was never going to get enough—or as if he wanted to warn her that there wouldn’t be any hesitation.
“I like it fast,” she confessed when she had a chance to catch her breath.
“Too bad,” he whispered, those eyes glinting. “I think the first time should always be really really slow.” His eyes flashed before he claimed her mouth again. There was an edge to his kiss, a definite hunger that set her on fire. He slanted his mouth over hers hungrily, demanding more, and his fingers speared into her hair. His kiss went on forever, melting her bones and setting her very being on fire.
If Nate thought he’d scare her off, he was wrong. Sonia had almost missed her chance and she wasn’t going to make that mistake again. She arched her back, opened her mouth to him and surrendered to sensation.
This was what she needed.
No, Nate was what she needed.
She’d prove to him just how much.
How could Sonia know anything about sympathy sex? Nate couldn’t figure it out. She’d never have to compromise, and he couldn’t imagine any guy treating her badly in bed—but the heat of her words proved them to be true. She’d been hurt by somebody who had wanted to be with someone else, shamed and used by some asshole, and Nate wouldn’t have been the guy he was if he didn’t want to make that better.
Or at least help her to forget it.
If he accomplished one thing before he left for Boston, it would be convincing Sonia of how desirable she was.
There was no doubt that she was into their kiss. The little purrs of pleasure she made drove him nuts, never mind the softness of her mouth and the crush of her breasts against him. She was toned, firm but so soft and feminine. He’d always thought of her as being the queen of restraint and self-control, but those little involuntary noises were both unexpected and incredibly hot. She just couldn’t help herself, and that was powerful. He broke their kiss to catch his breath and surrendered to impulse, kissing her ear.
It was just as soft and tempting as he’d always thought it would be. The scent of her perfume was stronger, as if she put it behind her ears, and he was starting to find her suggestion of fast and hard very persuasive.
“Tease,” she said, her voice low and breathless.
Nate pulled back a bit and looked down into her eyes. They were almost indigo and the sight of her little smile, her lipstick smudged a bit, sent a jolt right through him. “I am not teasing,” he murmured then winked. “Fast might be inevitable.”
She stepped back and grabbed his hand. “Then, lock your car. It’s tacky to do it in the street.”
Nate had pulled into a legal parking spot, so he locked the car and grabbed the food box, then followed Sonia’s swinging hips as she headed for the steps of the house. That was a view he could have enjoyed forever. Those heels, and those legs. Nate followed her up the stairs to the front door of the brownstone and saw that her hand was trembling when she tried to put the key in the lock.
“You do it,” Sonia said, shoving the keys at him. She took a breath then smiled. “I’m too nervous.”
Nate sensed a warning flag on the field.
“Why are you nervous?” he asked, taking her keys. It was the last chance to turn back, to his thinking. “Isn’t this what you want?”
“Of course, it is, but things always go wrong.”
“What kind of things?” He flicked open the unlocked door.
“Mostly Katia things,” she said with a grimace, then stepped into the house and started up the stairs.
Nate had to wonder what else her twin sister had done, but it didn’t seem like Sonia was going to tell him.
With any luck, that meant it had nothing to do with him.
The foyer of her building was brighter than he remembered. The staircase wound up the middle of the brownstone and there were two units on each floor: one facing the front and one, the back. On Valentine’s Day, he’d arrived at night with Katia, and saw now that there was a skylight in the roof over the stairs. Sunlight angled into it, illuminating the stairs. The ceilings were high, the staircase had a sweeping carved bannister, and there was fancy plaster on the ceilings.
It must have been a real showpiece when it was all one house.
He remembered that Sonia lived on the fifth floor, facing the back, as they started up the second flight of stairs. He was carrying the food box with the Hook and let his hand trail over the bannister.
She pivoted to face him on the next landing, her expression fierce, and he almost collided with her. He put his hand on her waist, looking into her eyes even though he was on the step below. “What happened last time?” she demanded. “With Katia?”
If this wasn’t awkward, Nate didn’t know what was. Was he really going to have to tell her that her sister had tackled him and straddled him, taking off her top... “She must have told you,” he said instead.
“Not Katia. She tends to leave out a lot of detail.” Sonia leaned closer, her gaze intense. “Tell me exactly.”
That was the last thing Nate was going to do. He went for the executive summary. “When we got here, she realized the Hook wasn’t part of my costume and kicked me out.”
“You were Bucky Barnes,” she said. “I saw Meesha’s pictures. You looked so good.”
“Maybe you just like guys in uniform.”
Her smile was quick. “Guilty as charged.” Her eyes lit. “Or Lycra. Either way.”
That made Nate remember Katia’s costume—She-Ra, which hadn’t left a lot to the imagination—which was not what he needed to be thinking about right now. “I’m not wearing either today.”
Sonia ran her hands down his lapels and smiled. “And yet, it still works.” She stole a kiss that distracted him completely.
So did the way her cheeks flushed and her eyes shone when their kiss ended. “You said you switched places with her,” Nate managed to say.
“She went to F5F and I went to her party instead.” Her tone became frustrated. “She always liked switching places.”
“Not you?”
Sonia shook her head. “Part of the reason she convinced me to do it was the costume she had. She almost certainly planned it that way.”
Nate didn’t understand. “How so?”
“It was an awesome Cleopatra costume. She knew I wouldn’t be able to resist.”
“The great temptress of the Nile,” Nate teased and to his relief, Sonia laughed, her usual mood restored.
“We all have our fantasies.” She turned, hiding her smile from him, and Nate was right behind her as she climbed the stairs. He let his hand settle on the back of her waist and she slowed down as if she liked the weight of it there. He spread his fingers so that his hand spanned her lower back and she flicked a hot glance over her shoulder, one guaranteed to get his blood simmering. At the next landing, he moved a little closer, and started tracing circles on her spine with his thumb. He didn’t think he needed to tell her that this was meshing beautifully with one of his own fantasies.
“You’re dangerous,” she whispered.
“I try.”
Her laugh was one of surprise. “If this is the real you, I wish you’d snapped back sooner.”
“You and me both.” They smiled at each other for an endless moment and the temperature seemed to rise all around them. They ascended the next flight of stairs side by side. “What’s the fantasy about Cleopatra?” he asked.
“Just who she was.”
“A dead Egyptian queen?”
“A legendary seductress who could get any man she wanted and hold onto him forever.” Sonia sighed as if she thought that was out of the question for her.
Which was the interesting part to her, the seductress or the forever bit? Nate could guess. “Like Marc Antony?”
“One look and he was lost. I’d love some of that magic.”
Had the sympathy sex been with some asshole who had broken her heart? Nate felt a familiar protective urge rise again. “Don’t underestimate yourself.”
She smiled. “You’re being sweet again.”
“Just honest.”
“I know my limits. I’m no temptress.”
“Aren’t you?” They reached the next landing. Nate took a step closer and slid his hand up her back in a proprietary gesture. She shivered and leaned against him, her lips parting. He speared his fingers into her hair, capturing the nape of her neck, then bent to kiss her lightly. She shivered, melting against him in a way that made him halfway forget they were still in the foyer. “I find you tempting,” he whispered and it was all true. “You smell good.”
“So do you,” she whispered.
He flicked his tongue across her earlobe then grazed it with his teeth. “You taste good,” he murmured, pulling back to look her in the eyes. “I’ll bet you taste better somewhere else,” he whispered.
Sonia inhaled sharply, her gaze locking with his. “You don’t have to do that.”
That asshole! Nate hoped he never found out who it was.
“What if I want to?” He leaned closer and whispered in her ear again. “I like it, a lot.”
Sonia shivered and leaned closer again. “Why?”
“Oh, it’s sexy,” he murmured, his lips against her ear. He could feel the flutter of her pulse and her quick intakes of breath. “I’ll be able to feel your heart race and your body get hotter. I’ll taste you getting wetter and feel you getting more aroused. I’ll be able to make sure it lasts and lasts until you think you can’t stand it anymore.”
“You’ll make me crazy.”
“That’s the idea,” Nate promised, then stole a lingering kiss.
Sonia caught her breath and backed away abruptly, looking both excited and flustered. The air crackled and sizzled between them, then she quickly pivoted. She seized his hand and tugged him onward.
“We’ll give Celeste a heart attack,” she whispered, indicating the door to a unit that faced the front of the house. Nate saw two shadows beneath the door and guessed that this Celeste was the building busybody.
Sonia hurried up the next flight of stairs, those heels clicking.
Nate followed, enjoying the view and the feel of her hand in his. He would not think about stairways to heaven.
On some level, he was still expecting everything to go sideways when Sonia unlocked the door to her apartment. But she smiled at him, then stepped inside, welcoming him with a gesture. Nate followed and closed the door, then locked it behind them. When he turned, she was watching him, her eyes bright.
“Here we are,” she said, sounding uncertain.
Nate would wait for her to make the first move.
He put the food box down on the kitchen counter and looked around as if he had all the time in the world.
Her place was bright but not sunny at this hour of the afternoon, and tidy. There was a single bed against the right wall. A wardrobe stood almost in the corner to the right and a dresser placed closer to the door did double-duty as a console table. He remembered the big window opposite the door, and the floral chair in front of it that looked like an ideal place to read. The kitchen was a compact galley built into the left wall, and there was an island counter with a pair of stools beside it. Beside the kitchen was a door to what had to be the bathroom. The ceiling was high with plaster moldings and a ceiling medallion, with a sparkly chandelier hanging from it. The floors were hardwood and Sonia had a red and gold kilim rug on the floor. It was small but cozy, just the way he remembered it, but brighter than it had been at night. He noticed now that there were strands of fairy lights all around the room close to the ceiling, at least three circuits of them.
“You said before that you liked my place,” Sonia said. She was closing the blinds, so he figured she had nosy neighbors on all sides. That made the room shadowy but not dark. “You asked about available units.”
“I didn’t see it much that night, but I did like it. Efficient but with a bit of style. Close to the club.” Which wasn’t of any importance any more. Nate refused to regret that things changed—he was looking forward to working with Pierce too much for that.
“It’s felt a bit small lately,” she admitted. “Especially having it be my entire world for three months.”
“I’ll bet.” He reached for the light switch on the reading lamp but she stopped him with a touch.
“I like it dark,” she whispered and Nate frowned.
She liked it dark and she liked it fast.
He had to wonder whether she liked sex at all.
Maybe that guy had left a legacy.
Sonia took off her hat and moved past him to the wardrobe. Nate was surrounded by a cloud of her perfume and everything tightened within him. He turned to watch her, not hiding his appreciation. She put her hat on a shelf in the wardrobe and he set his sunglasses on the table by the door, along with his car keys. She held up a hanger. “Give me your jacket,” she said and he did, watching her hang it up. She closed the wardrobe door and stood there facing it, as if she didn’t know what to do next.
Had she lost her nerve?
Nate could help with that.
Sonia hesitated. Once in her apartment, all of her old doubts assailed her—and they weren’t helped by the memory of her most recent encounter with Nick on Valentine’s Day. She was keenly aware of Nate behind her and how his presence seemed to fill her small apartment. When they got naked, would he take one look at her and run?
Or worse, laugh?
Sonia closed the wardrobe door, her heart thundering with the dread that he might be disappointed.
Then she felt Nate move closer.
Slowly.
Not like he was stalking her. More like he was savoring the moment.
Sonia glanced over her shoulder to find Nate close behind her, blocking out the light. She caught her breath as his fingertip landed on the back of her neck. He traced one of those little circles on her nape, his touch warm and leisurely. She shivered with pleasure.
“No rush,” he murmured, then touched his lips to the same spot. His kiss was as light as a butterfly and heated her to her toes. When he straightened, she knew he was watching her. She looked up to find his gaze warm, and she watched his lashes sweep down to hide his eyes. He slid his fingertip across her shoulders, easing her hair aside and over her shoulder.
“Like silk,” he said quietly, as if she was a marvel. Sonia could barely catch her breath when he smiled just a little bit. His finger slid down to the top of the zipper, making little circles all the way, his gaze following his gesture. Sonia was mesmerized, watching him as the heat grew between them. When his finger was at the top of her zipper, he flicked a glance back to her eyes. His eyes were all greeny-gold and his expression so intense that she couldn’t take a breath.
“Like some help?” he asked, his voice a low thrum.
“I can manage,” she whispered, breathless.
“Of course, you can. But I’d really like to help.” His smile flashed. “Some things are more fun together,” he murmured, then started to slide the zipper down. Sonia could feel the pad of his thumb against her spine and his breath on her shoulder and thought her bones might just melt.
When her back was bared to his view, Sonia tensed a little. She’d chosen lingerie that disguised her scars, a bra with a wide band and hip-hugger panties, but the very fact that Nate was so close and so attentive made her fear what he would see, even in the shadows.
And how he would react.
Her heart was jumping.
But Nate’s eyes lit and his brows rose when the back of her new bra was revealed. “Surprise,” he whispered.
“What’s a surprise?” she asked quickly, fearing the worst.
“Ivory satin.” His eyes were twinkling again. “I was thinking you’d be one for practical white cotton.”
“Usually, I am. Today is special.”
“It sure is,” he agreed warmly then slid the zipper down the rest of the way.
Sonia felt the air on her skin before Nate bent again to kiss her nape, trapping her gently against the wardrobe. The contact was exquisite. Nate’s hand landed on her waist then slid around her, his palm warm against her skin and his fingers splayed. He touched his lips to her shoulder, reverently, and then her neck, his hand rising to cup her breast. The way his thumb slid across her nipple made her gasp with pleasure. The peak was taut already and she was wet but he was still fully dressed.
“Glad I’m not the only one interested,” he murmured, closing his finger and thumb around her nipple and teasing it through the satin. Sonia heard herself moan a little and pressed back against him. She felt his erection against her hip and wanted more. She wriggled her shoulders and her dress fell to the floor. She heard him catch his breath, had a doubt, then his little growl of pleasure made her smile.
She spun in his embrace and reached for the buckle of his belt. Nate stepped back, catching her hand in his and pressing a kiss into her palm. “No rush,” he repeated, still in that sultry whisper. “Unless you’re going somewhere.”
“Not me.”
“No hot date tonight?”
She laughed at his feigned surprise. “Not me.”
“Not me either.” His gaze held hers as he reached out and cupped that breast in his hand once more. It felt bolder to have him caress her while he watched her and Sonia might have felt exposed with someone else. But Nate’s eyes were so mesmerizing in all their hues of gold and green that Sonia couldn’t look away. His thumb worked its magic, teasing and caressing; her mouth went dry and she felt her lips part.
She could hear the distant sound of traffic and the creaking of the house. Someone somewhere was running water, maybe to have a shower. Her apartment felt like a safe haven from the world and its troubles, a little sanctuary for two. Her throat was tight and her heart was pounding. She felt as if the world had stopped, or that there was no one left in it but Nate and the fire in his eyes.
And the warm persistence of his thumb.
She didn’t want to blink and break the spell. She didn’t want to move away or even breathe. She wanted him to move on but she didn’t want him to stop. He pinched the nipple a little and she gasped, making a little involuntary sound of pleasure.
“That’s hot.” Nate moved closer, his gaze burning.
“What?”
“That sound. It’s like you can’t stop yourself.” His finger and thumb slid into the satin cup, and he rolled her nipple between them, watching her intently the whole time. His skin was a little rough, especially the side of his thumb, his hand strong and warm, his caress both gentle and provocative. Sonia gasped and arched her back, wanting more, wanting him to know how much she liked it.
“Tease,” she whispered and her voice was husky.
He arched a brow. “Isn’t that the point? The tease? The temptation?” He was tormenting her on purpose, lavishing attention on that nipple, then stopping. That just made her want to tackle him and get to it. Sonia caught a glimpse of his smile, then Nate crushed her against the wardrobe again and bent to capture that taut peak in a kiss. She was trapped and didn’t want to break free as he used his tongue and his teeth to drive her crazy. She closed her eyes and hung on to his shoulders, loving how he deliberately left her tingling and desperate for more.
“The first time should always be slow,” he murmured against her skin. “Really slow. So slow that you want to scream out loud to get on with it.”
Sonia smiled. “I’m there.”
“Not nearly,” he said and turned his attention to the other nipple with a leisure that made her ache. “Wait and see,” he whispered against her skin. Sonia wasn’t sure she could bear it. Nate took his time with that one, too, clearly intent on bringing both nipples to the same level of arousal. He looked between them, comparing, and moved from one to the other until Sonia knew she couldn’t stand it any more. She was sizzling with need and ready to have him inside her.
If he did that slowly, she might die of pleasure.
“The second time has to be fast then,” she insisted in a husky whisper.
Nate flicked her a look, watching her as he teased that nipple again. He moved to unfasten the front clasp of her bra but Sonia stopped him with a touch.
He didn’t persist, but moved his hand back to her waist. She felt his fingertips slide lower, fluttering over her stomach and moaned a little, knowing his destination.
“We have to compare and contrast,” she managed to say as he crushed her slowly and deliberately against the wardrobe. His knee was between her legs and she was on her tip-toes, his weight supporting her there so she felt like she was floating. It was completely perfect to feel the hard lines of his body trapping her against the wood.
“Compare and contrast what?” he whispered, his voice a low rumble and a vibration that she felt.
“Fast and slow.”
“You won’t just trust me?”
Before she could reply, Nate’s fingertips eased beneath the elastic of her panties and slid into her wet heat. He held her captive against the wardrobe, but she knew she could make him step back with a single word or touch. His mouth closed over her nipple again, working it to a peak through the satin, and his fingers caressed her with slow persuasiveness. It felt so good. Sonia parted her legs, tipped her head back and closed her eyes, powerless to protest.
This was pure paradise.