*“So how about it?”
Belle grinned at him over the lip of her nearly empty wineglass. Her dark brown eyes glittered in amusement from behind the jewelled cat mask.
Dante did his best to hide his answering smile. If only she knew where his mind went with that one. Then again, maybe not.
“How about what?”
He couldn’t see much of her face, but he could tell she was teasing him.
Her husky laugh ricocheted through his blood. She jerked her head in the direction of the temporary outdoor dance floor. “Dance with me. You promised. Plus you need to save me from Sleaze Guy over there who keeps trying to touch my ass.”
Dante frowned and looked over to the other side of the dance floor. “You never said he was creeping on you. You want me to go sort him out?”
“No. Just come dance with me.” She leaned up to his ear as if pretending to kiss it. He managed to control the shudder that ran down his spine at the thought. The sweet fruity scent of her grape bubblegum lip balm swirled into his lungs and fried his synapses. “If I hang off you for a while and you pretend to be into it, he’ll leave me alone.” She patted his bicep. “You’re way bigger than he is. Built. He won’t want to mess with Aquaman.”
He nodded and gestured toward the dance floor. “After you.”
She grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her. The tail of her cat costume flicked then settled into a hypnotic twitch with the sway of her hips. He couldn’t pull his gaze from her delectable ass.
How in hell was he going to get through this with her hanging all over him? The entire world would see how she affected him. Well, all of the Crossing, anyway.
It would be pure torture and perfect bliss all rolled up in one gorgeous package.
Purple PVC. Damned glittery purple plastic.
She stepped onto the crowded dance floor. The Cow was full to overflowing with characters from the cute to the grotesque. The massive smile on her lush mouth drew his gut into a tight knot. Blonde and dark brown hair feathered across her forehead, her super-short pixie cut shaping around her face.
She slid her arms up around his neck and pressed herself hard against his front.
His eyes nearly rolled back in his head at her imprint against him.
Shit, hell, bugger, and bastard!
Every single curve and hollow of her front rubbed him. He closed his eyes to try to get some semblance of control.
You’re in public, idiot. Settle the hell down!
“Bloody hell, Dante. Relax a little. At least pretend to like it. He’s watching. Put your hands on my butt or something.”
He slid his hands down her waist to cup her butt and pull her against him. He dropped his head to her neck so that no one would see his face. He couldn’t help it; he squeezed the flesh beneath his hands and nearly moaned.
“You’re lucky we’re friends, brat.”
She chuckled into his chest. “Isn’t that what friends are for? Getting each other out of sticky situations?”
“Sure is,” he murmured. “I require payback one day.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just make him leave me alone and I’ll do whatever you want.”
Oh, sweet Jesus. Kill me now.
Image after image of exactly what he’d get her to do to pay him back barraged his brain. The beat changed and she tightened her arms around his neck, her belly rubbing across his crotch, tight and slow.
He sucked in a desperate breath. He had no hope now of hiding his reaction.
“Dan?”
“What?”
“Is that … Um …” She twisted her hips and rubbed against him again.
He bit off a curse. “Of course it is. What do you expect when you’re plastered all over me? I’m not made of stone. You rub against me like this and things are gonna react.”
“Oh.”
Her response was quiet, but somehow he still heard it even with the music blasting. How could he reassure her that he wasn’t being a creeper himself?
“Don’t stress about it. It’s a small price to pay to keep you from being groped.”
Belle breathed deeply, her breasts pushing into his chest. “But … I want to be groped.”
Dante pulled back, shocked.
Belle frowned and swatted his chest. “Not by him, you goose. I’m not trying to make him jealous. Just because I don’t want to be manhandled by some jerk doesn’t mean I don’t want to be hit on or touched at all.”
Dante blinked a few times, not quite sure what to say.
“Then … who?” he managed.
If she had her eye on someone here tonight, he’d about combust in a fiery ball of anger.
And jealousy. Let’s not forget that.
She let out an exasperated sigh and shrugged a shoulder, not looking him in the eye. She doodled a finger across his chest, right over his heart. “I want to have sex tonight.”
Dante stopped moving altogether. Say what? They stood there at the edge of the dance floor, people moving all around them, ignoring them in the dim light.
“I want it to be with someone I trust.” She finally looked at him. “Someone like you.”
He couldn’t breathe. Literally.
He managed a gasping breath. “Me?”
She bit her lip and nodded, then straightened her shoulders as if steeling herself for rejection.
Like hell.
“Yes, you. Dan, will you spend the night with me?”
He grabbed her hand and hauled her off the dance floor, through the wide-open double doors that led to the rear moonlit bistro courtyard, then beyond the edge of the tiny party lanterns that swung in the light breeze. He spun her to face him.
“Are you serious? I mean, are you really asking me to have sex with you?”
Belle crossed her arms tight. “Of course I’m serious! Do you think I’d say something like that just for kicks? I want to spend the night in bed with you—how much clearer can I be? I just want to have a good time, you know? Nothing serious. Just fun.”
In bed. With Belle.
All night.
She mistook his silence for reluctance.
“You seemed into it before, so I mustn’t turn you off completely. I know you haven’t had a girlfriend in forever, so surely an offer of sex is a good thing? And I need the practice.”
The last was said quietly, her beautiful eyes looking anywhere but at him.
“I’m not saying no, B. I just want to make certain that you’re sure.” He frowned. “What do you mean, you need the practice?”
She fidgeted with the sleeve of her costume. “You know I can count the number of guys I’ve been naked with on one hand, and have a few fingers to spare.” Belligerent anger radiated from her and flashed in her eyes. “I’ve never quite gotten around to … that.”
That?
“For the love of cheese! Do I have to spell it out for you? I’m thirty-two next month and I’ve done everything but the damned deed, and I’m over it.”
Everything but the …
Good God.
“You’re still a virgin?” he breathed.
She held his gaze. “Yes.”
“But, what about Zane?”
She blinked, uncomprehending. “What about him? That was ages ago. Like I said, we did stuff, but when it came to actual penetration it just …” She held up her hands. “It didn’t work. It was awkward and I wasn’t comfortable with it being him.”
Zane, the bastard, had told everyone within earshot of how good she’d been. It had eaten at him for months.
Lying prick.
“How did I not know this? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I? It’s rather pathetic.”
He shook his head and grabbed her shoulders. “It is not pathetic! If it wasn’t right, it wasn’t right. Simple. It’s not like it’s a milestone you have to tick off in a book by a certain age.” He lifted her chin with a finger. “And you want it to be me?”
She nodded. He searched her eyes in the dim light. No apparent apprehension or doubt.
Tenderness washed through his blood. They’d been friends forever, sitting next to each other the very first day of kindergarten all those years ago. He’d forgotten his favourite crayon and had been upset about it. She’d given him her whole brand-new pack and told him to choose a new favourite.
She was his favourite. She always had been.
“Yes.”
Relief flooded her face. She threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered into his neck.
Dante closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her. He’d do anything for this woman. She’d just offered him heaven and was thanking him? He almost laughed at that.
“Small problem, B. I don’t have anything with me.”
She pulled back. Her mouth widened in a sexy grin. “I do. Back in the room.”
A surprised laugh burst out. Fair enough.
She grabbed his hand again and walked down the outside pathway that led to the road. She strode out onto the pavement, the heels of her high boots clacking sharply in the cool night air. She glanced around then jumped onto the road, pulling him behind.
They reached the opposite kerbside. Dante jerked her around to face him. He gripped her chin and bent forward.
Finally, after all this time, he would get to kiss her, and she would know he meant it. Not like the last supposed joke kiss, as amazing as it had been.
Her lips parted. He wasn’t sure who gasped louder as their mouths tangled. Awareness coalesced with rising need. She touched her tongue to his lip and he almost lost his mind.
Not here. Not in the middle of the street, dammit!
He pulled back to look at her in the moonlight.
Her nervous laugh echoed up the empty street. She stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to his again. “You taste nice.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s you.” He licked his top lip to prove a point. “Yep. Grape bubblegum lip balm.”
They crossed another street and headed toward the lake. She turned sharply and hurried down Mallory-Jayne’s short driveway. Dante craned his neck to see the tastefully lit hotel sign beneath the branches of the huge kurrajong tree to his left.
They went through the side door that Mallory-Jayne got all guests to use after nine PM and hurried into the ancient elevator. The steel cage rattled as he pulled it down. They stood side by side, not looking at each other while they rode up the single floor to the guest room level.
Belle pulled a key and her lip balm from the top of her boot as they came to her room. She stepped into the room and motioned him to follow, the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth.
He followed, flicked the door locked behind him, and watched fascinated as she stepped backward until her legs hit the end of the bed.
The massive, king-sized bed.
Holy crap. I have Belle in a hotel room.
Sure, they’d gotten ready in that same hotel room. But that was before she’d propositioned him.
The enormity of what they were about to do hit him. He almost couldn’t comprehend it. He’d wanted to do this for so long, he wasn’t sure if it was real.
She turned and pointed to her neck. “Can you help me out of this thing? I can’t reach.”
*
Belle turned and pretended she was confident and casual, and not shaking like jelly inside.
It’s Dante.
She kept repeating it over and over. Her best friend. The man she’d crushed on and lusted after for more years than she could remember, even after she’d given up on him ever returning the favour. He was the one she wanted to go to bed with, and here he was—finally—looking like he wanted her, too.
He’s here, isn’t he?
She shook her head to get the nagging voice out of her head. She didn’t need to second-guess things tonight. She wanted to feel. Kissing, touching … sex, if it came to that.
She desperately wanted it to come to that.
To have him as her first, she shivered at the thought. Even if he decided he couldn’t go through with actual sex, just having him there and touching her would be beyond her wildest fantasies.
Warm fingers touched her neck, then lowered the zipper all the way down, coming to a stop on the curve of her ass. The sides of the vinyl fell wide open, her back bare and begging to be touched.
She tried to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry.
A single dim lamp illuminated the room, its yellow glow hiding the front of her body in moving shadow. Gentle fingers stroked her spine. Goosebumps erupted and spread like wildfire over her entire body. He continued down to the hollow of her back, then lower to where the zip ended.
She felt him move, then the heat of his body radiated into her. He kissed her shoulder blade, making her jump.
“You smell like musk Lifesavers,” he murmured. “Fucking delicious.”
Belle huffed out a laugh. “The powder. I had to cover myself in it to get this damned costume on. Vinyl isn’t an easy fabric to get into. Is it a fabric, or plastic?”
“You’re babbling, B.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Mmm hmm. You are. You only babble when you’re nervous.” He licked the spot he’d just kissed, making her gasp, and pushed the creaking vinyl from her shoulders. “Are you sure about doing this?”
“Yes. I’m sure.”
Oh, hell yes!
“Don’t be nervous.” He pushed the costume down her arms and tugged the sleeves from her hands. “You’re in control here. You want something, I do it. You tell me to stop, I stop. Got it?”
She nodded and he peeled the costume from the rest of her body. She stepped out of the boots and the legs of the skin-tight vinyl, suddenly self-conscious. She’d matched the colour of her knickers to her costume, minus the glitter.
He’d never seen her naked. In a bikini, sure, but there was still a layer of thick fabric in one of those.
“Breathtaking,” he whispered.
She quickly peeled off the silicone breast cups and forced her shoulders to relax. She wanted this, had asked for this. Being uptight and weird about it was pointless.
Dante still stood behind her. His mouth dropped to her neck. She gasped and tilted her head without thinking. He nuzzled her skin. The goosebumps were back. They erupted all over her. He grinned into her warm skin.
“What else tastes like grape Hubba Bubba?”
Belle laughed. Time to test him on his word. “Why don’t you find out? If it doesn’t, I’m sure you could improvise. My lip balm is on the bed there.”
“Do you like to be licked?” He slid his warm hands beneath her arms and cupped her breasts. She bit her lip to stop making a sound. “Here?”
A breathy murmur of consent sighed from her. He moved around her and dipped his head to close his mouth around her nipple. She gasped and jerked against his mouth. He tugged slightly as he let go, then licked. Her hand slid into his hair as she swayed a little.
“Hmm. A slight tang of serious sweetness.” Dante straightened and looked at her for the first time since they’d entered the room. The intensity in his blue eyes was enough to heat her blood to boiling point.
He leaned down slowly and spoke, his mouth taunting her, just far enough away that it wasn’t touching hers. “Not as strong as here of course, but enough transferred from my mouth to give you that fun ’80s flavour.”
He leaned in at that last bit and Belle thought her skin would liquefy from the heat of his mouth. The tip of his tongue teased her lips. She parted for him, desperate to taste him properly.
He cupped the back of her head and devoured her. She gripped his costume in her hands, the material twisting between her fingers. The more he kissed her, the more desperate she became. She couldn’t think of anything other than his destructive mouth.
He grazed his hand down the front of her skimpy knickers and pressed one knuckle into her. “How about here? Do you like to be licked here?”
She gasped loudly.
Oh God. His hand was there, right where she wanted it, wanted him.
He pulled that amazing mouth from hers and knelt, kissing down her trembling body as he lowered himself to his knees. He hooked a finger around the edge of the lacy fluff she’d decided were her knickers for tonight and moved it sideways. A rumble of a growl left him. He leaned in and tilted his head. Her eyes closed as he stroked the tip of his tongue over her.
She jerked against his mouth. His hands clenched her hips at the sound that left her mouth, holding her in place.
“Dante!” Hell yes.
He stroked again, this time pressing deeper. His tongue flicked over that tantalising nub of nerves. She cried out and grabbed his shoulders, her breathing suddenly ragged, her knees about to give way.
If they didn’t move to the bed soon, she was certain she’d melt in a puddle on the floor.
“I detect a definite hint of grape,” he whispered.
He pulled back and looked up at her, denim-blue eyes glittering in the lamplight. “Where are the condoms?”
She pointed behind him. He shoved himself to his feet.
“Bathroom. In my toiletry bag on the vanity.” She grabbed his arm as he turned to go. “Hurry.”
Dante closed his eyes and breathed deep. “I haven’t done this for a while, so I may be rusty. It might require more than one attempt to get right.”
His joke had the desired effect. She puffed out a laugh and relaxed some more.
“I’m sure I can suffer through until you find your mojo. I have a whole box. There’s some of that lube stuff in there, too. Didn’t know if I would need it.”
Something sounding suspiciously like a groan left him. He spun away and hurried to the bathroom before she could question it.
Belle dropped her knickers to the floor, yanked back the blankets and sheets and slid into the bed. She pulled the sheet to her chin, then rolled her eyes at herself.
What was she doing? She wanted him to think she was irresistible, not some nervous little virgin scared of a big, sexy man with a magnificent …
Dick.
Belle’s mouth dropped open and she couldn’t help the awed sigh that fell from her lips.
Wow.
Dante walked toward the bed, stark naked. She swept her gaze down his body and tried to swallow.
Holy crap.
“Magnificent” was an understatement. Sculpted muscle moved and flexed as he walked closer. Every part of him drew her gaze; every part of him more delicious than the last.
Broad shoulders, a muscled chest to die for that led to a washboard stomach, lean hips, and that cock.
She sucked in a desperate breath.
It jutted from his hips so very hard, so very thick and lovely. And she was going to get to touch it. Touch him.
She’d wanted this for so long, it was almost impossible to think it was really happening.
He placed one knee on the bed beside her hip. “Is this okay? Can I get in with you?”
Belle nodded, unable to speak. She scooted over and lifted the sheet for him.
Dante climbed in, faced her, and stroked her cheek. “Lie down for me.”
His whispered words sent shivers chasing all over her. She lay back, her shoulders and head on the many pillows that graced the bed.
He slid the small tube and a sheet of condoms under the edge of a pillow and rested his head on his fist, propped up on his elbow beside her. Butterflies swamped her belly. She smiled then gave it up as a bad joke, the smile coming out all wrong and wonky.
He stroked her cheek with his bent knuckle. “At any point, no matter what, if you feel uncomfortable or even the tiniest bit unsure—tell me. I’ll stop immediately. I want to make this as good as it can be for you.” His hand continued down her neck, his knuckles gently brushing her skin, turning her inside out with anticipation.
“Okay.”
His lips hitched at the side. “So, what exactly have you done? Or should I be asking what haven’t you?”
A small laugh left her. “Haven’t. Everything besides penetration—front or back.”
A surprised bark of laughter left him, seemingly involuntarily. His eyes sparkled, but an underlying enthusiasm seeped through his expression. “Well, B, that might be a discussion for another day. Keep that one open as a raincheck.” His gaze took in her face, neck, and lower. His expression tightened with hunger.
He likes looking at me?
The realisation sent shivers all over her body. His knuckles grazed the side of her breast and she had to bite her lip to stop the gasp reaching his ears. He brought his hand back up, this time over her nipple.
She sucked in a fast breath, inadvertently bringing her flesh into contact with his again.
“Nice?” he murmured.
She nodded against the pillows.
“I must say, you have the most gorgeous tits I’ve ever seen.”
He cupped the softness and her eyes closed. His thumb touched her nipple, barely there, the sensation so arousing that she squirmed.
“And I really love that you like me touching them.”
Her eyes flew open at the touch of his tongue to it. His lips closed over her and she arched into his mouth. She grabbed his head and held him there.
Now this was what she was talking about!
Dante moved a little and tasted the other side. He moaned softly into her flesh.
“You taste so good.”
His hand had been stroking her side and stomach while he licked. He slid it between her thighs and cupped her gently.
Belle pressed against him.
“Have you come while being fingered?”
“Mmm.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Yes,” she breathed. His long finger slid between her folds and dragged slowly upward to stroke. She pushed into the pressure and moaned.
His finger slid down and pushed inside her. Her eyes flew open to connect with his.
“There you are.” He sucked in a shuddering breath and closed his eyes momentarily. “You’re killing me here. You feel so freaking good, so responsive. I need …” He let out a pained chuckle and shook his head. “So, where were we? No penetration. Okay.”
He seemed to shake himself to ground his thoughts.
“I’m not a complete innocent, Dan. I have a small vibrator at home. I use it. So I know how it’s going to feel.”
Dante’s grin widened. “Now that’s an image I want to keep.” He slid a second finger into her to join the first and rocked them slowly. Belle couldn’t help reacting, moving against his hand, a small moan leaving her. “But I can tell you now, I’m going to feel a hell of a lot different to your little toy.”
He pushed back suddenly and shoved her legs apart. His mouth replaced his fingers, his hand going to her upper thigh to hold her still as his tongue delved deep.
“Oh!”
She grabbed at the sheet beneath her and twisted it tight. Her body jerked and arched; she couldn’t seem to control her reactions. “Dan, I …” Her words faded on a loud moan as his tongue hit her clit.
She shoved her hand into his hair, unable to think of anything else bar touching him, feeling that exquisite torture as he licked and sucked at her.
Dan. Her Dan. Mouth between her legs.
She’d imagined it so many times in the past that she couldn’t process the excruciatingly delicious reality.
She whimpered. She couldn’t help it. Tendrils of liquid fire built beneath his tongue.
“Please,” she whispered. She pulled on his hair. Dante looked up, eyes dark with pleasure. “I need you.”
His expression tightened, eyes glinting with intent. He knelt between her legs and leaned over to grab the strip of condoms and the small tube of lubricant that peeked out from beneath the pillow near her head.
Shaking hands tore into the condom packet. Belle watched in mute fascination as he rolled it down that impressive length.
He really was nothing like her toy. For one, he was so much bigger.
Nerves swamped her—good nerves. He was going to be inside her, a thing she’d never thought could happen.
“Belle?”
She tore her gaze from his erection to his face. His tight, pained expression sent heat flooding south. Extreme need stared back at her.
“Use this.”
His voice broke on the last word, as if it was something he desperately wanted her to do. Technically she didn’t need it, and she knew he knew it, too. She took the tube and squeezed some into her palm.
“More.”
She squeezed out another healthy dollop and dropped the tube to the bed beside her.
Dante sucked in a huge breath. “Rub it on me.” She looked up into his beautiful blue eyes. “Please. I need you to touch me.”
Heat spread up her cheeks.
Oh, yes. Touching every part of him was high on her bucket list.
She leaned up on one elbow and reached forward. She wrapped her fingers around his thick, straining length, marvelling at how he felt. The gel on her hand smoothed over him as she stroked down, hard.
“Fuck!” He bit the word out, hard and sharp.
Her stomach cramped at the desperation in that one word. She reached the base of his cock and stroked back up to his tip, nice and slow. The well-defined muscles of his stomach tensed and clenched at the friction of her hand on him.
He was beautiful.
He shoved her back into the bedding and leaned down, eyes intense. “I can’t wait any more, B.”
She cupped his face. “Then don’t.”
He kissed her, his tongue meeting hers, tangling. He lowered his hips and rubbed over her.
Belle gasped against his mouth.
So, so good!
The pressure of his thick length on her had her bucking against him. He reached between them and pressed himself to her entrance.
“Is this okay? It’s not too fast for you?” He spoke against her mouth.
Belle slid her hands down his chest and around to his back. She scraped her nails lightly over his tensed back. The skin shivered, goosebumps flaring out from beneath her fingertips.
“Not too fast.”
He nodded slightly and flexed his hips. Just a small amount, just enough to feel the thick pressure of him, right there.
Their rapid breathing tangled, and he stilled.
“Why did you stop?” Belle whispered.
Dante cleared his throat. “I don’t want to hurt you. I want to give you time to get used to how I feel on top of you. How I feel here.”
He pushed again, a little harder. Belle sucked down a deep breath. Okay, she could get that.
He lifted his head. It was as if he stared into her soul. She couldn’t break his gaze even if she wanted to. She gripped his back.
“I need you inside me, Dan. Please just do me.”
A tortured groan ground out of him and he thrust hard, pushing deep. Belle cried out, eyes wide. Her entire body tensed, rigid. Her thighs gripped his hips, as if unsure whether to hold him to her or to try to push him away. Her nails dug deep into his sides.
“Breathe. Just breathe,” he gasped.
She gulped in a breath, realising she’d been holding it. Belle closed her eyes for a moment and held tight to his ribs to ground herself. She felt so … full.
“You were right,” she managed.
“About?”
She opened her eyes to see him watching her carefully. Her heart wanted to explode at the care and concern on his face. She knew how difficult this would have to be, holding back, keeping still. That he forced compliance on his own body, when it must be screaming at him to go for it, flooded her in a warmth so complete that she didn’t want to move, ever.
“You don’t feel anything like a vibrator.”
Dante’s face fell apart in a massive laugh. His shoulders shook and he hung his head, his face to her shoulder. “Bloody hell, B. You’re gonna kill me, I’m sure of it.”
She needed to move. She loved how he felt on top of her, but something in her demanded movement. She shifted her legs to get more comfortable, the odd feeling making her twitchy.
Dante gasped. “You’re making it hard to keep still, brat.”
Belle slid her hands down his back, watching changing expressions ripple over his face as her hands moved lower. She gripped his ass and pulled.
“Stop talking already.”
Dante bucked and groaned, then started to rock, so very slow, so slightly. Extreme concentration furrowed his brow. “Yes, ma’am.”
He dropped his mouth to her neck. Shivers ricocheted from the contact. The pressure of fullness started to ease a little with his small movements. She skimmed her hands lightly over his skin and up his back to his shoulders. He moaned into her shoulder and nipped, then licked the spot.
Belle ran her mouth over his jaw. “I’m not going to break. Make love to me like you would anyone else.”
He licked up to her ear and tugged on the lobe. “You aren’t anyone else, and I refuse to treat you like you are.” Open-mouthed kisses moved their way down her neck to her shoulder.
She needed … something. She needed him moving, not worrying about hurting her. She bent her knee to rub his hip and thigh. His gentle rocking strengthened. Just a little, but noticeably.
Yes.
“Kiss me.”
He lifted his head from the sensitive skin above her breast and brushed his mouth over hers. She opened hers to him. He cupped her head and leaned more of his weight into her, seeming to forget his earlier words to take it easy.
The initial, slight sting when he’d entered her had already faded to a dull throb, one that was fast turning into a demanding ache.
“More,” she murmured against his lips. She arched under him, the ache becoming unbearable. He faltered and jerked in his rhythm.
She grinned against his mouth. That was how she would get him doing what she wanted.
She grabbed his ass and did it again and bucked beneath him. Her breath caught at the odd sensation. Dante gasped and his weight shifted. His tongue dipped into her mouth, his kiss demanding and deep. Belle slid one hand into his hair and held him there, the other plastered to his ass, pulling as he rocked harder.
Time stalled. Belle brought her knees up, wrapped her legs around his hips, and pressed her heels into his ass.
“Fuck, yes!” he growled.
Dante rolled her. She squeaked and laughed as she landed on her back again near the edge of the bed. He leaned all his weight onto one arm, the other grabbing her ass and pulling hard. His head dropped to her shoulder as his body took over any good intentions.
“Belle.”
His moan rumbled into her skin. He let go of her leg and slid his hand between them, finding that sweet nub of nerves.
She cried out and moved with him as his strokes deepened, matching his rhythm. It was almost too much. Heat flooded her. She gasped in air, trying to get enough.
She grabbed at his shoulders, desperate for an anchor. Muscles stretched and contracted beneath her hands. He slammed into her, owning her. His fingers were relentless, knowing exactly what to do to her.
Heat flooded her veins from beneath his hand, spreading like liquid fire through every nerve and synapse, drowning her.
She bucked beneath him, unable to control her body as indescribable ecstasy swamped her.
“Dante!”
He tensed above her, body straining, and roared into the crumpled sheets beside her head as he came hard.
*
Deep shudders wracked his body as he tried to keep his weight off the beautiful being beneath him.
He couldn’t speak. His brain was pure mush. It was hard enough just breathing.
Gentle hands stroked his back down to his ass. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sensation so close after coming. He’d never get enough of her questing hands on his skin. If someone had told him yesterday that this would happen, he’d have laughed in their face.
Belle Davis, naked beneath him, holding his bare ass in her hands.
His Miss B.
He shook his head to clear it. He opened his eyes. Belle looked up at him, a satisfied, contented expression softening her face. She lifted a hand to push his overlong fringe from his eyes. A weird contentment flooded his veins.
“How you doin’ down there?” His gravelly voice sounded odd to his ears.
“Amazeballs.”
He barked a laugh and rolled onto his back beside her in the wrecked bed. He couldn’t stop laughing; the intense engagement of the last half hour—not only physical, but emotional too—finally overflowing and releasing as over-reactive humour.
“You’re a ratbag, B.”
He scrubbed at his face with both hands. His breathing was finally evening out.
How do I go back to normal now, after this? How do I pretend nothing has changed?
Because it had.
He blew out his held breath. Time to think on that later.
He turned his face against the sheets and looked at her. “Seriously, though. Are you feeling okay? Anything hurt?”
Belle rolled onto her stomach and shuffled up beside him, her head resting on her fist. “Not really. I’m sure things will be rather stiff tomorrow, though.”
He raised an eyebrow, not able to hide his grin at her poor choice in words. “I’m sure they will be.”
She looked confused for a moment, then swatted his shoulder, heat rising in her cheeks.
Damn, she looks adorable like that.
“What are you, twelve?” she said on a laugh.
“Possibly.” He sat up, sudden melancholy invading his calm front. “I’m gonna go clean up.” He pointed to the bathroom. “Back in a sec.”
He hurried to the bathroom, trying not to look like he was. He closed the door and leaned against it and blew out a breath.
Why did he have to get all weird, now of all times?
It might not have been the most inventive, or even most passionate sex of his life—he’d been too nervous about hurting her for that—but hell, it had been the most explosive.
It had blown his mind.
He disposed of the condom and moved to the vanity to splash cold water on his face. He couldn’t help the goofy grin that kept wanting to surface. Even if she decided that once was more than enough, wow.
He knew he wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous like his brothers were, especially Raph. He was so good-looking he was one step away from pretty. And by all indications he would’ve been more than happy to step in for Dante and take Belle to bed.
Like hell.
He scrubbed the towel over his face more harshly than necessary. She was his Belle.
But she’s not, is she? That nasty, insidious voice piped up in the back of his head.
He shook his head to rid it of that thought. She’d asked him to be her first.
Him.
The goofy grin was back. He’d had no idea she still had her V-card. She told him everything, they both did. Or at least, he thought they did.
For some reason she’d been embarrassed by it, like it was a problem or something. The possessive he-man inside him thought it was pretty damned great.
He rubbed his hands on his hips. Time to go back out. Sudden nerves bounced around deep in his belly. Why on earth would he be nervous now, after the act?
“Because you’re nuts.”
She’d liked his body. He wasn’t so blind that he couldn’t see that. But liking his body and wanting something other than one hot night were two very different beasts.
He opened the door to head back out, all the while willing his body not to embarrass him before he found out if he was staying or headed home tonight.
*
Belle covered her mouth and squeed into her hands like a teenager when the bathroom door closed behind Dante.
Oh. My. God.
She’d already known she’d love whatever he did to her, because, seriously, it was Dante.
But … wow.
Sure, it had been pretty uncomfortable at first. That went without saying. But once she’d managed to relax and get past how weirdly full it felt, he’d rocked her world.
She so wanted to do that again.
She sat up and looked around and scrambled up the bed. She grabbed the pillows that had been scattered by their messing around and tried to straighten the bed into some semblance of neatness, then sat herself smack in the middle and faced the bathroom door.
She let the sheet puddle over her hips, not wanting to look too needy by flailing about on top of the sheets naked.
A laugh bubbled up at that. A wanton sex siren she was not, regardless that Marilyn Monroe was her goddess. She wished she could take a leaf out of that book and have the confidence it took to do so. She’d love to see if she got a positive reaction from him if he found her bare-ass naked and waiting for him, showing it all off.
She tugged up the sheet to cover her boobs then dropped it again. Covered boobs, or not?
She raised her knees instead, slapped a hand over her face, and shook her head. Honestly, anyone would think she was a complete noob at this stuff.
The slight telltale squeak of the opening door brought her head up. She couldn’t help the sigh that left her lips at the sight of him naked.
Perfection on a stick.
Dante obviously heard the lusty sigh. A lopsided grin spread across his mouth, revealing his dimple in one cheek.
Classy, Isabel. Classy as.
Her gaze dropped to his hips. She licked her lips and bit the bottom one at the sight of him.
Maybe he would like to stay the night, after all.
She glanced away, embarrassed to be caught staring. Dante’s weight dipped the bed next to her and his face appeared in her periphery. She had to look at him or make things even more awkward.
“Like what you see, Miss B?”
An answering smile widened her mouth as she looked at him. “You could say that. That’s an impressive set of abs you have going there.”
The cheeky glint in his eyes sent butterflies tumbling through her belly. “Just the abs?”
She tried to hide her grin but failed catastrophically and pushed at his shoulder playfully. “Stop it. You know you’re hot.”
A self-satisfied light entered his eyes. “Glad you think so.”
She had to change the subject. “So. I wanna try being on top. It always looked like fun.”
Dante blinked, blindsided. He sat back on his heels. “You want me to stay?” A tiny thread of uncertainty sounded in his voice.
Surely he hadn’t been worried she’d send him packing?
“If you’d like to. If you’d rather not—”
He threw himself onto his back and spread his arms wide on the bed, his golden skin a stark contrast to the crisp white of the sheets, looking far too pleased with himself. A massive grin engulfed his face.
“Have at it, babe.”