But he couldn’t deny the heat surging through his veins at the mere sight of her lush nakedness or what lurked in his heart…Emeline. Maybe she had always been there waiting to be uncovered. Wayward curls strayed across her cheek. He brushed them away, stroking her skin. “We do this my way, or no way at all,” he rasped.
“Fine.” She grabbed his face and rose to meet him.
He took her hands and removed them. One at a time, he stretched her arms as far as they would go. “No touching. I touch you. You take it.”
“Huh?” she barked.
“You are not allowed to move or touch me.”
Doubt clouded her gaze, but then she shrugged and a shrewd look overtook her face. “Funny how you begged me to touch you before?” The memory of her hands on his skin, stroking his burned flesh to life, made him crave for more.
“You want me to touch you right now.” A smug smile lifted her lips.
“Funny thing about begging…it can cut both ways.” He inhaled slowly and caused his shirt to rub her nipples. They puckered. “Do you agree to my terms?”
She scrunched her brow and twisted her lips into a mulish smile which only made her more alluring. “Are those the only terms or do you have more up your sleeve?”
“Would you like more terms?”
“I agree,” she said quickly.
Avery lifted his weight off her and braced himself on his hands. He watched her wary gaze as he lowered his body, careful not to touch any part of her. She expected roughness, a grinding kiss, and a hard, fast lay. That was the last thing on his mind.
He brushed his mouth across her forehead, pressing light kisses onto each temple, rubbing his stubbled cheek against the curve of her delicate jaw. When she turned her head to capture his lips, he pulled away. “Tsk, tsk. You moved. Now I have to start all over.”
She growled. “Why can’t you just do what I want you to?”
Her childish waspishness irritated the hell out of him. Any other time, he wouldn’t tolerate it, but she needed to be taught a lesson. “Tell me to stop and I will, otherwise, be quiet. Your participation is not necessary.”
He kissed her before she could answer. A succession of light pecks to her mouth that gave her no chance to speak. And when she turned her head to finally get a word out, he covered her mouth completely. She groaned, her retort lost to the thrusts of their tongues. He explored her mouth, delving deeper, then pulled back for tiny licks along her lips. His hand stroked the graceful column of her neck. She tilted her chin allowing for greater access of her neck and mouth. Yet, she fought him. Her tongue battled his for dominance. In response, he lightened the kiss and retreated to the corners of her mouth.
“What are you doing?” she rasped.
“Kissing you.” He moved to her jawline, licked his way down to the pulse beating at the base, and sucked, ever so gently. She grabbed his head and pressed him to the area.
He took her hand and placed it back on the bed. “You refuse to obey the rules.” He shook his head while studying her furious face.
“Obey? Did you really say obey?” She huffed.
He nodded. “Yes, so now we must start over.”
A snarl, growl, groan, all three ripped from her throat.
“You want to stop? Say the word and we’ll stop, Emeline.”
Her lips snapped shut—until he kissed them. Then they parted and returned his kiss with equal measure. Their tongues twined, glided in a slick dance that left him panting and her trembling, gripping the sheets.
She’d learned. Time to move on.
He let his hand skim down and up her flank, pausing for long moments at the curve of her hip, her tiny waist, the underside of her full breast. A throaty sigh eased from her mouth to his and he breathed it in, let her longing mingle with his. He palmed one of her breasts, basked in the heavyweight, and circled the nipple with a single finger.
Emeline twisted the cotton sheets. He brought his head to the rigid nipple and blew a stream of hot air across the tip.
She arched off the bed, a single word burst from her lips. “Hell-OOHH.”
He knew what she wanted and obliged by laving the hard peak and pulling it into his mouth. Butterscotch again. He could get diabetes just from sucking on her flesh.
“God, yes.” She cried and arched to receive more.
A rosy glow crept under her skin and the heat of her assailed his senses. Her desert rose scent wafted from her. As she burned, so did he.
“Move again and I will have to start over.” He licked his way to her other breast to give it the same special attention, while his hand traveled south. He ran his fingers over her abdomen, dipped into her bellybutton.
She giggled. He brushed his thumb over her birthmark. A shudder ran through her and his body responded with one of his own. He suffered as much as she did, wanting her hands on him, needed her touch on his damaged skin, yet he wouldn’t give in. This was about her, not him.
Avery eased down her center. Braced on one elbow, he slid his hand up the outside of her smooth thigh. Her legs parted. He fell between, thankful he hadn’t stripped. To have her hot skin melded to his would be his end. For this, he needed all of his wits cooperating and his passion for Emeline on lockdown.
He circled her belly button with his tongue. Her stomach undulated in a sexy little roll which brought his mouth in contact with her birthmark. A shock zinged through Avery and went straight to his cock. His breath hitched, thoughts scattered. Emeline jerked as if she felt the same.
“Please,” whimpered from her. She writhed on the bed. Then quickly ceased as if afraid of the punishment, but she couldn’t stop her body from shaking.
And he couldn’t stop the pounding need to possess her. To crawl inside her heat and let her fire take him because for Emeline, he’d gladly burn. He would pour gasoline on himself, strike a match, and dance in the flames.
Avery concentrated on the crease where her leg and hip joined. He licked that sensitive line until she shouted his name in frustration and yanked his ears.
“Behave or I will start over.”
Instantly, Emeline obeyed. She had no idea he had no intention of giving her what she wanted. He ignored his throbbing dick which challenged his thoughts and called him a liar. The rigid flesh between his legs wanted to drive into her until nothing was left of either of them. Not this time. He would rein in his desires, hold them in check even if he died on the vine, waiting for her to open her eyes and see how much he loved her.
He lifted her rear, giving him a bird’s eye view of everything he desired. Her scent seeped into him, his lungs, skin, DNA. He blew a stream of cool air through her curls and slipped his tongue between her slick folds. She bucked, rode his tongue.
The taste of her drove him insane. He gripped her thighs, spread her wider and forced himself to go…slow, savoring her sweet flesh as if it were his last meal on earth. Pulling, sucking, and thrusting into her body, Avery relished every taste, every spasm rung from her.
She shuddered, her body tensed. A guttural sound escaped from her throat and she cried out. Her folds clenched around his tongue. She clasped his head, keeping him in place as her orgasm swept through her. He didn’t mind her breaking the rules. There should be no rules for what they did to each other when their bodies merged.
Avery ripped off his shirt and sweats in quick succession while Emeline collapsed, sated, and panting on the bed. Their gazes met. The anger once swimming in the depths of her eyes had dissipated, replaced with a brimming certainty.
He lost himself in their depths and stretched over her, bringing their bodies flush. Soft breasts pillowed against his chest. Abdomen to abdomen, the shaft of his cock stroked her outer folds. She rocked her hips, chipping away at his resolve.
He gritted his teeth, holding onto his control by a frayed thread. “Tell me what you want, Emeline.”
A strangled sob slipped and she stilled. Anguish replaced the passion in her eyes. “I don’t want to h-h-hurt anymore. I don’t want to fee
l anything else anymore. Can you understand that? I failed him. I. Failed. Him. The only thing I tried really hard to do. And I failed.” Sorrow etched every inch of her face. “Now, I just want all of it to go away.”
And reduce us to nothing. Me to nothing? Hell no.
“Know what I want? You.”
She sniffled and gave him a smoldering kiss. “And I want you.”
The darkness expanded in his chest. Only it wasn’t darkness coursing through his veins. But something more dangerous. Something that made him yearn for the impossible. “You’re mine, every sinful inch of you belongs to me.”
He glided inside her wet sheath. Her softness stretched and welcomed him home as she planted her heels on the bed and arched her hips to receive all of him. He moaned, lost himself in the pleasure. Emeline moved, she set a hard and fast pace that would have this over before it began.
Avery brought her knee up, forcing her to wrap a leg around his waist and drop her other one by his side. He pressed deep inside her heat. She gasped and stilled. Their hearts and breathing synced beating and hitching at the same time. In this second, everything crashed together.
He looked into her hazel eyes and was lost and found at the very same second. Her gaze was kindling to his soul. She kissed him, soft, tentative brushes of her lips. Time slowed, froze—until he drew out of her body and returned home. His rhythm excruciatingly slow, provocative. Each thrust he delved deeper, stretched a little bit further. Claimed what he desired more than anything else in the world.
She cried out, a sexy, breathy sound and moved against him, tilting her hips to his thrusting body. Avery gripped her pelvis and his mouth latched onto her chocolate nipple. His pace measured until he plunged home at the last second, nudging her cervix, and brushing her clit at the same time. He coaxed every ounce of rapture from her body. With each stroke, he willed her to share the love burning in his veins.
Her breathing turned choppy, sporadic. Her head tipped and her back arched, giving him complete access to every part of her. He took advantage, dropped her hips to the bed, and pinned them there. With fine-tuned circular movements, he ground their pelvises together. A deep shudder ran down the length of her and she looked at him. Her eyes were wide and wild. Her chest heaving with each pull of air.
He didn’t expect her to cradle his face and draw him to her. Didn’t expect the frantic kiss she blazed across his lips. Didn’t expect the words that slipped from her mouth and planted themselves inside his soul.
“Love me,” she pleaded. “Give me all of you.” Her hand dropped to his damaged shoulder and caressed each ridge, each dip, and pucker. This time it was his head that fell back. And his hips surged forth, thundering with a wild frenzy. Stroke after torturous stroke, he gave into the dual sensation of Emeline’s hands on his burned flesh and her velvet core sheathing him. Gave into the darkness rushing out of his soul to the surface of his skin for her touch.
Her body fisted around his shaft. A spasm rocked her and she locked her legs around his hips. Avery leaned into her, changing the angle of his descent. He palmed a breast, squeezed the nipple, and kissed her hard. She convulsed into a chain of spasms.
He held onto her, stilled her thrashing body with his own. Somehow, he ignored her harsh breathing, which teased his skin, her rigid nipples scoring his chest, and beat back his undeniable need to come. Sheer will kept him from exploding.
He pressed kisses to the vein pulsing at the base of her throat and waited until the erratic beat slowed and licked his way over her jaw to her swollen lips. He captured her mouth with all the pent-up love bursting in his heart. Her arms rose and twined around his neck. Lick for lick, nip for nip, mind-bending thrust for thrust, she returned his kiss.
He lost himself in the moment, the brush of her tongue, the scrape of her teeth, the feel of her in his arms, the dream fulfilled. She rolled him. Their positions shifted. His surprise ended on a hard gasp as she settled on top on his throbbing dick. Avery fisted the sheet and groaned. Pain and pleasure melded into one enticing ache.
Emeline rose above him. Never had he seen anything so glorious as her tousled hair, her jutting nipples, and the blazing heat overflowing in her eyes. They snared his soul in a trap he had no desire to escape.
She lifted her hips, creating unwanted daylight between them, then did an excruciating slide down and ended with a rocking grind.
His mind slipped. His body followed. “Eme.”
She moved, met each of his thrust with equal fervor, until they merged with one mind, one intent. He boiled, all of him. She leaned over and cupped his face. “Come for me, baby.” Her voice ended on a strangled cry. Her walls constricted, locked around his shaft.
Reason fled as her body possessed him, owned him as no one ever could. He clamped onto her hips, his body constricting tight as a fist. And released. Wave after wave of spasms slammed into his gut, rolled through him. Unparalleled pleasure wrecked him, destroyed him, and finally reformed him. His cry of deliverance was swallowed by her mouth, along with her name.
He came back to himself with one thought.
“I am so fucking in love with you.”
She lifted her head from his chest, her eyes startled, tears brimming.
“From the first moment I saw you I was lost.”
“Don’t promise me forever, Avery, ‘cause I don’t believe in it,” she sobbed.
“You are the wine in my blood and I want to get drunk on you every day of my life…if you let me.” He continued as if she hadn’t said a word.
Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. Sorrow filled her gaze when he only wanted to bring her joy. He stifled the disappointment and kissed her tears away, took the saltiness inside him.
“Don’t say anything,” he murmured against her mouth. “I needed to tell you, but I don’t need you to say it back.” He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, lifted her chin, and met her watery gaze. “Okay?”
Between broken sobs, she gave a single nod. But he wanted more. So much more it was a dagger in his heart.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Emeline basked in the warmth of the body snuggled next to her. Two days of Avery’s tender care and she knew she could live like this forever. Avery fed her, together they bathed, and made love repeatedly. He told her about the family and how his brother Daniel became Alamut. They talked about inconsequential things, not the future. That distant void needed to remain an uncharted territory.
Instead, he listened to her reminisce about Grand and her parents. The pain was there, probably always would be, but Avery was her harbor in the storm. Funny how she’d never felt safe with any lover. Then he comes along, the one man she should fear and doesn’t. Yesterday he took her back to her home and helped her pack a few things. They both knew she would never return. That life was over in multiple ways.
Last night, he entered the bedroom with a candle blazing on top of a huge slice of cake. “Happy belated birthday and don’t hate me. Grand would’ve wanted you to celebrate,” he said.
Hating him was the furthest thought from her mind. He kept the anguish at bay and kept his promise—though he hadn’t really made one—by bringing a little bit of daylight to one of the darkest days of her life. And she’d nearly ruined it all with her selfish antics.
She’d lied to herself and him. Reduced her passion to a chemical reaction, reduced him to a body part. He saw right through her. Tore through her defenses with a gentle touch and gave her what she needed. Him. They didn’t speak about what he said, or her reaction. Didn’t need too.
His arm pillowed her head while his other snaked across her hip. Quietly, she eased herself out of bed and dressed. Only then did she pause at the edge of the bed and gaze at the man who’d altered her world.
Tears pricked her eyes. She’d read it in books, seen it in movies, thought it didn’t exist, a fantasy sold to women who absorbed the dream into their atoms: Real passion for one human being. The past few days together had reaffirmed a valuable lesson: lie to others, n
ever yourself. She loved him. Yeah, real smart to do the unthinkable, falling in love with the man you were supposed to betray. She hadn’t wanted it, fought it and him with all that she had. In the end, she hadn’t a chance.
Which narrowed her choices down to one.
She never expected him to look so adorable unconscious. For a mighty mercenary, he certainly did sleep like the dead. She should be grateful but wanted to see his green eyes one more time. And taste him one last time. She reveled in the emotion straining the confines of her heart.
I’ve lost everyone I love…I won’t lose you too. This is my mess to fix or die trying.
She hoped he wouldn’t hate her when he awakened. That’s not what she wanted to leave between them. Maybe he would forgive her…posthumously, because chances were good she wouldn’t return from this outing.
Goodbye, Avery.
Knowing she’d never find her way through the mansion without being caught, Emeline went to the French doors. She opened it quickly and slipped onto the balcony. The November air seeped beneath her skin and coated her heart. A single snow flurry drifted toward her, seemed to hang, making sure her brain captured the image, and floated away. She swung her legs over the stone railing and dropped. Air rushed around her and for a brief moment, she was free.
Emeline landed on her feet three stories below the window, crouched, ready to kick ass. Rustling branches and the crackle of dead grass the only things that greeted her.
She scurried down the long length of the house and paused at the corner. A glimpse around the brick edge showed the closed garage. Damn, she needed a car to get off the estate.
A single headlight flared on the driveway and the garage opened. Quickly, Emeline darted inside and rolled beneath the nearest SUV. A motorcycle rumbled to a stop three cars down. Booted feet swung off the bike and stomped to the door leading to the house. Emeline listened to the beep of the security code on the keypad.
Evermore (Descendants of Ra: Book 3) Page 31
