by Missy Jane
I startled and looked down into his piercing hazel eyes, realizing I had stopped kissing him while lost in the memory of kissing him. Only me.
“Nothing. Sorry.”
I smiled and lightly bit his lower lip before making my way down his jaw with small bites. He squeezed my hips and pulled them down to meet his, giving me no doubt he was very aroused.
“I want to make love to you,” he whispered.
“Yes…”
I found a spot on his neck to taste and sucked it between my lips. I’d never marked a man before—hadn’t ever wanted to—but I wanted to see evidence of our passion on his skin. He didn’t seem to mind as he held me tighter, with both hands pressing into my back.
“Now, Elle…I want to make love to you now.”
I bit down lightly on a spot just beneath his collar and sucked the skin until it warmed in my mouth.
“Fuck,” he groaned as he slid his hands down to my ass. “I can’t take much more, baby. I need you so bad.”
I released his skin and kissed my way back to his mouth, plunging my tongue in deep. He sucked on it and thrust his hips up harder, hitting my core with delicious friction.
“Yes…yes, okay,” I panted.
Without another word he stood. Unsteadily at first with me in his arms, then with a little more confidence as I hugged his neck. I clung to him as he made his way through the house and to the master bedroom.
His room was nothing new to me. I entered it at least once a week to put away his clothes, even though he swore I didn’t have to do laundry. Being carried into the room in his arms was so different from slipping in quietly while it was empty. The cocoon of his masculine presence left me feeling protected and free. For the first time in a very long time sex wasn’t a chore or duty to get over with as quickly as possible. I pushed thoughts of every other time I’d been touched out of my mind and concentrated solely on him.
“I love you, Hank.”
His perfect lips split into a knee-melting grin as he placed me on the bed. He didn’t let go right away, but leaned over to press a chaste kiss to my lips. “I love you too, Elle.”
The sincerity in his gaze warmed me from the inside out and I didn’t protest when he stood. He pulled his shirt off in one swift tug and went to work on his boots. I sat up and pulled off my tennis shoes and socks, tossing them onto the floor beside his clothes. When I grabbed the hem of my shirt he stopped me.
“Whoa, now. Not so fast. I get to do the rest.”
I raised one brow in challenge and leaned back on my elbows. “Oh yeah? Says who?”
He unbuttoned his jeans and lowered the zipper, momentarily frying every cell in my brain. “It’s my room so what I say goes. At least…the first time.”
A giggle escaped my throat and I gave a slow nod as he slid his jeans to the floor.
“Okay, I’ll let you go first.” His boxer briefs tented enticingly forward, arresting my gaze until he sat at my side.
“First things first,” he said. “Gotta get rid of these shorts. Lay down, baby.”
I settled onto my back and held my hips off the bed as he slipped my shorts off. He left my panties alone and slid my shirt up over my breasts.
“Mmm, I like black lace.”
Suddenly I was nervous and laughed to hide it. He kissed my belly, which only made me laugh more.
“Aha, I found a ticklish spot.”
“Oh my god, no! Don’t you dare.”
Of course that’s exactly what he did.
Sex with Declan and the one other guy before him had started out as an experiment and turned into a chore. Never in my life had I had fun while naked. I knew for a fact I’d never laughed like I did beneath Hank’s fingers. He was laughing right along with me as I tried to reach his sides and only succeeded in exposing more of my body to him.
“S-stop…oh go…stop…”
I finally slipped away from him and rolled to the edge of the bed. I would have gone straight over the side if he hadn’t grabbed the back of my shirt.
“Whoa!”
We wound up laughing and panting in the center of the bed, me cradled securely in his strong arms.
“Damn, baby. I almost lost you there.”
Another small laugh escaped as I looked up at him. “N-no…never. I’m yours.”
The amusement melted from his expression and he gently brushed the hair off my face. “Yeah? Promise?”
“Yeah. I promise.”
“Then marry me.”
Shock twisted my tongue and I simply gaped for probably a full minute. He frowned and shook his head as if I’d answered.
“Now don’t start thinking of reasons to say no, Elle. You know we’re good for each other. We’ve both admitted to loving each other and we’ve lived together for months now with no problems. The way I see it, you just need to move your things in here and sleep in my bed every night. That won’t change much.”
“You want me…forever?”
His smile returned slowly, and he nodded before kissing the tip of my nose. “And ever and ever, baby. ’Til-death-do-us-part kind of forever.”
“Oh, Hank.”
Emotions swelled in me until I thought I’d burst. I pushed him onto his back and straddled him, pulling my shirt off before he could protest.
“So, is that a yes?” he asked.
I laughed and started kissing him until he forgot the question.
We wrestled to be on top but I’m pretty sure he let me win. By the time we were done I was finally naked and his boxers hit the floor soon after. I ran my palms over his muscular chest and through the thin pelt of hair to his abdomen. He’d grabbed a condom and handed it to me. I tortured him by rolling it on as slowly as possible.
“Damn, baby, if you don’t behave this first time isn’t going to last much longer.”
I giggled and leaned down to kiss the covered tip of his penis. He groaned and threaded his fingers through my hair.
“That’s all right. So long as you have more than one condom.”
“I’ve got two boxes I bought five months ago. They’ve been waiting as patiently as I have.”
I bit my lip and gently grasped his cock between both palms. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long.”
He shook his head and thrust into my grip. “Don’t be. Worth it. So fucking worth it.”
He pulled my shoulders down until he could reach my breasts with his questing mouth. I gasped and thrust them forward as he suckled one between his lips. My breath shuddered through me when he switched to the other and I grabbed the headboard for balance. He held one breast in his hand and one between his lips. His other large palm cupped my ass lovingly, squeezing it in rhythm to his sucking. I rode him slowly, rubbing my crotch against his, though he hadn’t entered me yet.
“O-okay. Okay, now,” I said.
He didn’t protest as I sat up again to reach between us. I took his cock in one hand and positioned it between my thighs. He grasped my hips and steadied me when I would have plunged. It was sweet torture as he slowed my descent. Finally I was seated fully on him and nothing in my life had ever felt so right. We were made for each other.
“Perfect,” he whispered.
I nodded and started to move, rocking my hips back and forth and riding to my pleasure. He gripped my upper thighs but didn’t try to stop me, just seemed to need the anchor. It wasn’t a position I was used to. Declan had always wanted to take full control. Hank let me use him as I needed and the look on his face told me he was enjoying it just as much.
I placed both palms on his chest and leaned forward to change the angle of his penetration. He groaned and thrust up harder.
“Oh god, yes,” I gasped.
As if that was all he’d been waiting for, he gripped my thighs harder and pulled them wider. I quickened the movement of my hips as he thrust harder.
“Oh, Hank…Hank…yes…”
I just needed a little bit longer, a little more friction to explode like a firecracker. I leaned forward until
I was almost lying flat on his chest, increasing the pressure of my clit against his pelvis.
“Oh my god!”
And that was all it took. He sped up his thrusts and I came until I saw stars. The orgasm sped through my muscles like lightning and I threw my head back on a moan. Hank grabbed my ass in both hands and ground against me so hard I thought I might hurt him, but then he shouted my name and went still.
“Jesus, baby. That…was…amazing.”
All I could muster was a smile, but my face was plastered to his chest so he didn’t see it. That didn’t seem to bother him as he ran one hand up and down my back. We remained that way, panting in each other’s arms, for god knows how long. Finally my skin cooled enough to chill and I shivered.
He rolled onto his side with a groan and I slipped from his chest. I settled onto my back and let my arms fall to my sides. He sat up with a chuckle and leaned over me.
“You all right?”
“I don’t know. I think you killed me.”
“Now don’t exaggerate, darlin’. I’m sure you’re good for at least two more rounds.”
I couldn’t help but laugh and he kissed the tip of my nose.
“Hold that thought and I’ll be right back,” he said.
With a sigh I watched his delectable ass move across the room to his bathroom. He took care of business and returned with a grin on his face. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to do with you.”
Before I could ask a single question, he lifted me into his arms and strode back into the bathroom. I’d never actually been in there and gasped in amazement.
“Oh my god, it’s beautiful.”
“Thank you. This was the first room I redid when I bought this house. I made it large enough for the garden tub and standing shower, then realized it might be nice to have a double sink if I ever found a lady to share it with.”
I rolled my eyes as he set me on my feet.
“Sorry, hon, but you got me instead of a lady.”
He chuckled and pulled me into a heart-stopping kiss that made me forget what the hell we’d been talking about.
“You are my lady, and don’t you forget it.”
“Huh?”
He chuckled again and let go of me to start the water in the tub. With a sigh I tied my hair into a knot at the top of my head and waited. He finally turned to me and held out his hand.
“Ready?”
“Ready.”
I stepped into his arms without an ounce of doubt or hesitation.
Chapter Six
We bathed slowly, washing each other in between tasting and loving. I left more than one mark on his skin and he left a mark on top of each of my breasts. It wasn’t until we were done that I realized it was the first time I’d ever bathed with a man.
“What’s so funny, baby?”
I looked up at him, only then realizing I was smiling. “I think we got more water on the floor than we left in the tub.”
He looked around and laughed. “Yeah, maybe.”
He stepped out and grabbed a towel, holding it open to me. When I held my arms out, he wrapped me up and lifted me into his embrace. Like a cherished treasure he cradled me and walked to his bed. He set me down gently and started rubbing the towel over my skin.
“So…are you ready for round two?” I asked.
His eyebrows lifted and there was definite interest in his gaze. “Maybe.”
“Maybe? How can I change that to definitely?”
He shrugged and opened the towel to reveal all I had to offer. I’d never thought much about my body. I stayed in decent shape just by working at the gym and eating well, but I’d never really felt sexy. The heat in his gaze as he looked me over sizzled my blood. I squirmed and rubbed my thighs together in anticipation of what he might do next.
“That all depends on one thing, darlin’.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
Rather than answer, he stood and gripped my legs, moving me so they hung off the edge of the bed. He kneeled between my knees and spread my thighs.
“Before we do anything else I’m going to taste your slice of heaven.”
The breath rushed out of my lungs as he licked a slow line up one thigh. He placed a closed-mouth kiss flat against my core before licking down the other thigh. I fought to keep my hips still for his play.
“Oh…Jesus…”
He took his time lifting me to an orgasmic high that left me soaring for long minutes.
I called out his name as the pressure slowly started to build low in my belly.
“Yes…yes…”
His hazel eyes peeked at me over the expanse of my body.
“Yes!”
I came hard, soon pushing on his shoulders to stop the overload.
“Oh god, Hank. No more…I can’t take…no more…”
He rose and used my towel to wipe his face before leaning over my limp form.
“I probably should have made you wait but I just couldn’t help myself,” he said.
I had no idea what he was talking about and was too sated to care. The glorious erection nudging my hip caught my attention and I slipped one palm around it. He groaned and closed his eyes for a heartbeat before they sprang back open.
“No, baby, not yet.”
He pulled back and I sat up to reach for him. “Why not? I thought you had more condoms.”
“I do, but you never answered my question.”
True confusion filled me as I watched him straighten and cross his arms over his chest. How he could stand so calmly while obviously aroused baffled me to no end, but I had no idea what he was talking about.
“What question?”
Rather than answer he turned away and went to his dresser. My confusion continued to grow as he rooted around in a drawer before returning to the bed. He went down on one knee, held up a small velvet box and opened it for my inspection.
“Elle Jean Woodard, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
As a little girl I had fantasized about all kinds of ways my true love would propose. Of course, it had never included a naked, fully aroused man built like Hank, but who was I to complain? I jumped off the bed, snatched the box out of his hand and dropped on top of him. He laughed as he threw his arms around me and fell onto his back.
“Of course I’m going to marry you, Hank. You think I’m dumb enough to let the best thing that’s ever happened to me get away?”
He shook his head and hugged me tight. “I don’t think you’re dumb at all, baby. Just a little stubborn maybe. But I wasn’t going to take no for an answer for long. I figured I’d weaken you with mind-blowing sex until you were too tired to argue.”
I laughed until tears streamed from my eyes and he carried me to the bed. “God I love you, Hank.”
“And I love you too, Elle. You know I would have waited forever for you.”
With a sigh I snuggled into his arms as I opened the box to inspect my beautiful ring. “I wouldn’t have made you wait forever.”
“No?”
His grin didn’t quite hide the doubt in his eyes and guilt assailed me. Why had I waited so long for this wonderful man? At first it really had been because I needed to heal, but then it turned into something else. I slipped the ring onto my finger and he took the empty box from me, placing it on the bedside table.
“I have a confession to make.”
He raised one brow and waited while I summoned all the courage I had hidden somewhere inside to confess everything.
“I, uh…for the past few days I thought you had moved on. I thought you were seeing someone.”
The hint of amusement in his gaze disappeared and an uncharacteristic frown wrinkled his brow. I took a deep breath and tensed for his anger but he surprised me with a kiss instead.
“That certainly explains a lot.”
“It does?”
He nodded and moved over me, settling comfortably between my legs. It was immediately obvious all our talking hadn’t dimmed his arousal one
bit.
“Yes, it does. I noticed you growing distant and there was that one night I got home late.”
The memory of that night sent a flush to my face and I turned away. “Yeah.”
He ran the fingers of one hand through my hair a couple of times before cupping the side of my face. He looked into my eyes and there was no anger in his gaze.
“What happened that night? I was so ready to make love to you and I thought you wanted it too.”
“I did, but…”
“But?”
I took a deep breath and confessed the rest in a rush. “I smelled perfume on your hand and you were late and I got upset.”
True surprise lit his face before he threw his head back and laughed. “Perfume? On my hand?”
I nodded.
“Oh, baby. Gloria bathes in the stuff. All I did was shake her hand when she met me at the restaurant. I’m so sorry.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the true regret in his tone. It immediately erased the slight fear and the memory of pain from that night.
“It’s okay. I know better now.”
“If you really thought I’d found another woman, why didn’t you just ask me? I can’t believe you thought I could possibly want anyone else with you here.”
“I know. I should have asked. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to know…you know?”
He nodded and kissed me again, lingering at my mouth as he nipped and tasted. After a few minutes I was squirming against him.
“You’re it for me, Elle. I knew it the moment I first kissed you. I hope you realize that.”
For the first time tears stung the back of my throat and I truly felt what he was offering me. I nodded as I tried to find my voice. “I know…you’re it for me too.”
“Good.”
He next kiss was a little harder, a little desperate and a whole lot of what I needed from him. I met it with equal fervor and wrapped my legs around his hips.
“Hang on. Not yet.” He grabbed a condom from the bedside table and ripped it open with his teeth. I grabbed the package and pulled it out to take care of business myself.
“Oh, I love this part.”
He chuckled as I rolled the condom down his length and then smoothed my hands back up the shaft. I cupped his balls in one hand and squeezed the head gently in the other.
