Just One Touch - Leo & Jasmine (Crossroads Book 16)

by Melanie Shawn

“I don’t want you to go.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  “Jasmine,” he gritted out. “We can’t do this.”

  He knew what they both wanted, but he also knew that ideas tended to seem a lot better at night than they did in the morning. He wasn’t going to be something that she regretted.

  “Why not?” Her question came out clear and bold as she straightened her shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. “Are you attracted to me?”

  “I think that’s pretty obvious.” His eyes dropped to where his cock looked like it was doing an impression of the Kool-Aid man trying to burst through the wall of his jeans.

  Her lips parted and the corners pulled up as her eyes glimmered with mischief. He thought he’d seen every smile that the beauty in front of him had, but this was a new one. This smile was reserved for special occasions, shared only with someone in an intimate setting. And it had just graduated to his favorite smile.

  Jasmine licked her lips as she inhaled slowly through her nose and exhaled through her mouth like she was fortifying herself for what she was about to say. He waited, wondering, hoping, wishing that whatever it was would lead to him being able to touch her, to kiss her, to do the things he’d been dying to do to her since the first moment he saw her. Still, in the back of his mind, he didn’t see a path to that destination.

  “Since the first time we met,” she hesitated, and he saw indecision swimming in her eyes. He waited for her to go on, expecting her to bail on the entire thing and tell him that he should probably go. But with her next breath, she dove right into the deep end. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I tried to write it off as a silly crush, and it probably is, but no matter what I do, I can’t seem to shake it.”

  “The feeling’s mutual,” he assured her. “It’s been driving me crazy. You have been driving me crazy. I keep telling myself that you’re off-limits, that nothing can happen between us, but I just can’t stay away from you. Case in point, I’m here tonight.”

  If this was confession time, he figured he shouldn’t hold anything back.

  She grinned as a flare of determination lit in her amber gaze. “Good. And you said that you’re single, right?”

  “Right.”

  “I’m obviously single, and won’t be dating anyone for at least the next decade. So, what I’m proposing is that we enjoy each other’s company tonight and get it out of our systems.”

  “Get it out of our systems?” He didn’t see how that was possible, but he also didn’t want to argue with her because somehow, she’d managed to find the path that he hadn’t been able to see through the forest of reasons why this was a bad idea.

  “Yes. Once we act on this,” her hand waved between their bodies, “sexual tension, that will break it and we’ll be able to go on with our lives. I think once we release some of the pressure, it will be like taking the first bite. The law of diminishing returns will kick in.”

  “The law of diminishing returns?” he repeated.

  “It’s a scientific fact.”

  He seriously doubted that was the case, but his body was screaming for him not to overthink it. Arousal was shooting through him like bullet trains, zipping around his circulatory system. The verbal foreplay was hotter than any that he’d ever experienced, but he was still worried about tomorrow.

  And the next day.

  And the next year.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “Yes. For so many reasons, yes. I’ve only ever been with one person and I just want to erase him from—”

  That was all it took. Hearing her talk about being with someone else, even if it had been her fiancé, made something snap in him. He cut her off, cradling her face in his hands and claiming her in a kiss.

  As his lips touched hers, the explosion of sensation just about knocked him right back on his ass. It wasn’t that there was so much passion behind the kiss. Not yet, at any rate. It was just the softest of brushes, lip against lip. But it was, in a way, even more powerful because of how gentle it was, how tender, how almost timid.

  The electricity it sent shooting through him was a genuine physical jolt, and it sent him over the edge, almost unable to control his movements or harness his thoughts.

  Instinct took over. Something he hardly ever allowed instinct to do. But at the moment, he had no choice. His rational brain, his executive functioning, had decided to take a little trip to the Bahamas, leaving his instinct as the only game left in town to run the show.

  He deepened the kiss, driving his tongue into Jasmine’s mouth, pressing against hers as they moved together. She moaned a little, quietly, a desperate little exclamation, and he felt the vibration of it in her mouth and lips at the same time the sound hit his ears.

  That was it. That was the moment of no return, and instead of ruining it by over-analyzing, he leaned into it. Let go of all thoughts of the future, and what this might mean, and just surrendered his brain to his body entirely.

  Fuck, she was so soft. Her lips against his, her skin beneath his fingers, her tongue against his tongue. Every part of her was warm and soft and welcoming, and he felt—for the first time in a long time—that he was exactly where he was supposed to be, and with exactly who he was supposed to be with, as well.

  That feeling alone was almost as warm as her sweet mouth.

  Almost.

  Sliding his hands down her neck, he felt her pulse pounding as he brushed past and it sped his own heart rate up, as well. His fingers raced to free her body of clothing, and he felt her hands on his body, doing the exact same thing.

  He moved his head down, following the path of his hands, peppering light kisses on her neck as he continued to undress her. She whispered words of encouragement, telling him how good it felt as he kissed his way down her chest and reached the sweet mounds of her breasts just as he smoothly pulled her bra away from her body.

  He paused for a moment, taking in the beautiful sight of her sun-kissed skin, tipped by stiff pink nubs. It was gorgeous, an awe-inspiring spectacle, and it caused his throat to close with lust.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered against her skin as he extended his tongue and flicked those lovely tips. They stiffened even further under his tongue’s attentions, and her fingers tangled in his hair at the back of his head, pushing his head forward.

  He sucked her breast into his mouth entirely, swirling his tongue around her nipple, and switched back and forth from one to the other until she was writhing under his mouth. Then, grasping her waist and pulling her closer, he swept her up in his arms as he stood.

  She gasped and wrapped her legs around his torso, burying her face in his neck. As he passed the bathroom he caught their reflection in the mirror. The image of him holding her in his arms, her body wrapped around him looked…right. Like they belonged together.

  And they did. Even if it was only for one night.

  * * *

  Jasmine’s head spun as Leo carried her toward the bed, such a kaleidoscope of sensation running through every last part of her body that she couldn’t find a way to anchor herself. Not that she was even sure she wanted to. It was kind of freeing, in a way, this complete abandon. She lost control entirely, and the total acceptance of that fact was like a drug.

  It had started with the first touch of his hand to her trembling skin before he lifted her wrist to his mouth. Well, in a way, it had started way before that—all the way back to the first time she’d met him. That had been the beginning of the slow loosening of her grip on control.

  But, as for tonight, the instant he’d made contact was the instant she’d known it was all over for her. And in a very out-of-character move, but one that she was enjoying immensely, she had surrendered to that notion pretty much immediately.

  She’d even been emboldened by it. Never before in her life had she been so blunt with her desires. With Corbin, she’d never felt the freedom to express herself for fear of judgment. But everything was different with Leo. With Leo, she felt like the b
est version of herself. There was not an ounce of insecurity or doubt when he looked at her. So, she’d voiced exactly what she was feeling and what she wanted to happen.

  And damn, it had paid off.

  They’d barely gotten started and she’d already been more satisfied by their encounter than any she’d had before. When the feeling of him flicking the hard tips of her nipples had slammed into her like a freight train, she wasn’t entirely sure she could maintain consciousness. And she wanted to. She wanted to be fully present to enjoy every tiny nuance of this amazing night, and to commit every freaking second to memory.

  And now…well, now things were about to get even more intimate. Because now they were about to get into bed.

  Leo laid her down on the bed and began finishing what he’d started in the front room, undressing her with a mix of urgency and gentleness that caused a whole new wave of butterflies and lightheadedness to swarm throughout her body.

  Everything he did was magic.

  She wanted to undress him, as well. Hell, she’d been wanting to see his body without the pesky interference of clothes since pretty much the first time her eyes had feasted on him. But she was too caught up in riding the wave of pleasure he was creating for her with every new place on her body he touched. That was all her brain had room for.

  He pulled her jeans down her legs, bringing her panties along with them. Then he lowered down to his knees beside the bed. Starting at her neck he kissed and licked his way down her body, finally stopping when he reached the vee between her legs. He pushed her knees apart firmly and she arched her back and groaned when the air hit her newly-exposed folds.

  She was so wet, and now so vulnerable, spread out before him like that. It was a little unsettling to be that vulnerable, sure…but, damn if it wasn’t also hot as hell.

  A moan vibrated from the back of her throat as she fisted the comforter in her hands, trying to anchor herself to the mattress. He ran his roughened fingertips along her inner thigh, causing her legs to tremble with need.

  The restlessness was almost too much to take, the way it sent shivers through her muscles and made her feel like staying still was an impossibility. Like moving on to the next step, the next thing, the next level was everything. The only thing.

  “Please,” she begged as she thrust her hips up, trying to speed along the inevitable moment when he covered her with his mouth. He chuckled, and the sound was low and husky when it hit her ears. It made her feel even more vulnerable than she had before.

  And also even more wet.

  “I’m just trying to prolong the first taste, because you know it’s the best,” he teased, his voice raspy.

  She smiled at his playfulness even as her sex clenched when he said the word “taste” and she imagined what it would feel like for his tongue to lick her in her neediest place. She tried to summon enough brain power to form a retort, but before she could he lowered his mouth and started working his tongue up and down her slit, and all of her thoughts were lost in that.

  He fixed his strong hands firmly on her hips, holding her close to his hot mouth and stilling all of the restlessness that had filled her only seconds before.

  She didn’t know what it was—maybe all the buildup, maybe his skill… maybe just her overdeveloped hormones—but she felt a deep and powerful orgasm building inside her from almost the second his insistent tongue touched her delicate flesh.

  When he started working it in circles around her engorged nub? That was game over.

  Needing to touch him, to feel even more connected to him, her hands flew to the back of his head and fisted in his thick hair. She arched her back as she let out a wild cry. She’d never been this free, and this consumed by pleasure so intense, it took her right out of both her body and her mind. It was a revelation.

  Her body convulsed and she let it. She heard gasps echoing through the room and realized they were coming from her. She didn’t try to quiet herself. For the first time in her life, she felt completely comfortable being totally unguarded. There was zero hint of self-consciousness anywhere in her.

  When she was finally able to open her eyes and focus again, she saw Leo standing over her, a pleased grin on his face. Some might even say self-satisfied, she thought, with a small smile of her own. Well, that was fine. He’d freaking earned it.

  But then his smile dropped. And so did Jasmine’s stomach. A wave of insecurity hit her. No man, besides Corbin, had ever seen her naked. He’d said that he’d been thinking about her. If his thoughts were anything like hers, they were dirty. Maybe she hadn’t lived up to his fantasies.

  “What? What’s wrong?” She rose up, resting on her elbows.

  “I don’t have any protection.”

  Relief that the issue had nothing to do with a sudden lack of attraction on his part washed over her, until she realized that she didn’t have any either. But then something dawned on her.

  “Well, we know you can’t get me pregnant.” She chuckled. “And I’m clean. I got tested for everything after…you know.” She didn’t want to say her ex’s name and ruin the moment.

  “I haven’t been with anyone for over six months and I get tested regularly because of my work.”

  “Your work as a professional gigolo?” she joked.

  He smiled. “Well, that and all the travel.”

  As they stared at one another, they silently agreed to forego protection and a flitter of excitement tickled her core.

  With the decision made, Leo unbuttoned, unzipped, and pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down before stepping out of them. When he stood up again, Jasmine’s mouth watered at the sight.

  His body was a masterpiece. Her eyes wandered down his body, taking him in, visually exploring the work of art he was. She scanned across his wide shoulders and along the span of his muscular chest, then dipped her gaze lower, traveling along the chiseled grooves of his sculptured abs.

  She continued her optical journey down his muscular thighs before doubling back to his thick, hard shaft standing proudly at attention. When her eyes landed on his straining erection jutting out from his body, it jumped as if he was saying hi to her.

  She smiled as Leo took a step closer to her. Her arms flattened and she lowered down as he climbed onto the bed with her, his knees in between hers, pressing her legs apart and opening her up to him yet again.

  He stared down at her, hovering above her as he brushed a strand of hair off of her forehead before he lowered his face down to hers and kissed her gently. When he drew back, he whispered, “Are you sure about this?”

  “Oh, yeah,” she breathed in response, barely even able to get the two words out.

  With that, he moved his arm between them and positioned himself at her entrance. She felt his engorged head pressing against the slit of her sex. He began running the tip of his cock along the seam of her sex, up and down, each time increasing the pressure. With each pass her inner walls clenched with need, already building toward her next orgasm.

  “Please,” she begged in desperate frustration. She didn’t want to go up and over the edge until he was inside of her.

  She watched as his jaw tensed and he pushed himself inside of her. Slowly, he thrust into her, inch by inch giving her body time to adjust to the invasion until finally he filled her completely.

  Her walls stretched to their limits, causing a stinging sensation that walked a thin line between pleasure and pain. But as he held himself still, the scales tipped toward pleasure and she spread her thighs farther apart, wanting all of him. When she did, he groaned roughly as he slid deeper inside of her.

  His head rested on her forehead as he started moving in and out of her, slowly at first, then building speed as she rocked up to meet him again and again.

  She wrapped her legs around him, dug her fingernails into his back, begged him to go faster and harder—she was more forward and wild than she’d ever dreamed of being. There was just something about him. Something that set her free.

  His muscles flexed benea
th her touch as his body enveloped her completely. He began kissing her neck, nipping the skin just below her ear causing jolts of ecstasy to shoot straight between her legs.

  She closed her eyes, wanting to remember every second of this encounter. The sound of his labored breathing, the feel of his weight on top of her, the smell of his cologne, the sensation of his stubble rubbing against her neck, the tingling thrill of her nipples brushing along his chest.

  All of it. She wanted to memorize all of it.

  It didn’t take long before she felt herself reaching her climax. It overtook her at the same time she could feel it overtaking him, and she knew that whatever happened between them from here on out, everything had changed. It was all different now. Because she was different. She would never settle for less than this. If she was going to be with someone, this was how she wanted to feel, which meant she’d probably be alone for a very long time.

  He rolled onto his back and took her with him. One leg was draped over him as she laid her head on his chest. He ran his hand up and down her back. Being like this, laying naked with him as he caressed her was the safest she’d ever felt in her entire life. The sensation of his fingers running up and down her spine was lulling her to sleep. She’d almost drifted off when she felt his breathing change and his body begin to harden against her cheeks.

  She lifted her head and looked in his eyes in disbelief that he was ready for round two.

  “You ready to test your theory?” he asked as his palm cupped her backside and squeezed.

  “What theory?” She couldn’t think with his cock pressing so close to her sex.

  “The law of diminishing returns. Let’s see if the first taste was really the best.” With that he flipped her onto her back and spread her legs apart.

  She giggled and then gasped as he began licking, kissing her, and touching her.

  She was wrong, these results weren’t diminishing. If anything, they were stronger. And like a drug, she wanted her next hit. She was scared that if she wasn’t careful, she could easily get addicted to this. Addicted to Leo. And there was no rehab for love. She’d have to go cold turkey.