And Lexi… well, she thought she was in love with me. She did some questionable shit as a result, things she probably didn't even think she was capable of doing. It's hard to go to that dark place, even for a little while. That she went there with Savannah—that she tried to take me from Savannah—weighs heavily on her. It hasn't been easy for her to accept the fact that she's capable of doing something like that to someone she cares about. But neither Savannah nor I can make that any easier for her. It's something she has to work out for herself.
I don't tell Savannah that though. It'll only make her feel worse, and she feels bad enough already, like it's her fault all of this happened. As strong as my girl is, she's the most vulnerable out of all of us. She's been abused and discarded, neglected and hurt again and again by the people who should have protected her. All these months later, she's still in therapy. And she's so much stronger than she was, but I doubt the pain she's experienced will ever fade entirely. It kills me that I can't carry that burden for her. I would in an instant if I could.
"I wish she'd talk to me," she whispers.
"Give her time, beautiful girl."
We stand there for long moments, just holding one another, and then Savannah pulls back with a watery smile. "You made dinner."
"I did."
"Thank you." Her smile widens and she leans forward, pressing her lips to mine.
I groan when I feel her tongue swipe across my bottom lip, all thoughts of her past, Lexi, and the media forgotten. My tongue meets hers and I attempt to pull her closer, but she slides out of my arms before I can even think of deepening the kiss.
"Later," she promises when I narrow my eyes at her. "We should eat."
"We should." I let my gaze rove over her slowly, taking in the way her dress hugs her curves, and her creamy skin. More tendrils of her dark hair have come loose since this afternoon, strands curling around her face.
She's radiant.
"You are so fucking gorgeous," I say, shaking my head, trying for the millionth time to figure out how I got so lucky.
Her cheeks flush and she bites her bottom lip, her eyes riveted to my face as I stare at her. And that look on her face, like she needs me as badly as I need her, sends every good intention I have flying out of my mind. My cock hardens, heat racing through me.
"Jared," she moans, shifting restlessly when she notices me readjusting myself. When she bites her lip again, looking at me with those big brown eyes, I lose it.
"Fuck the food," I mumble, reaching out to grasp her arms, dragging her toward me. Her body collides with mine, crashing into me as I crush my lips to hers, kissing her hard.
She moans into my mouth, her hands curling into fists in my shirt. Mine are all over her, touching and caressing as I devour her mouth.
"Goddamn," I growl, tugging her bottom lip between my teeth and biting gently. She tastes so good and feels even better.
Her fingers slide down my chest, fumbling with the buttons of my shirt, but they aren't coming undone fast enough for me. I need her hands on my bare skin. Now.
Leaning back, I jerk the shirt over my head, letting it fall. I'm so worked up, my breath comes in harsh pants.
Savannah's dark gaze dances across my shoulders, my chest, and down my abdomen, raking like fire.
Christ, how does she do this to me? One look from her, one touch, and I'm completely undone… out of my mind. It's hard, so hard, to go slow with her when every part of me screams to rip her dress off, bend her over the table, and take her hard.
"Jared, I need you," she whispers as I clench and unclench my hands, fighting for some semblance of control so I don't scare her. I will never hurt her like that bastard Toby McKee did. Never.
"Jared." Her lips caress my name. Something flickers across her face, there and gone so quickly, I don't have time to figure it out. And then she sinks to her knees in front of me.
Before I can even attempt to comprehend what she's doing, her hands are on me, tugging my zipper down and slipping the button of my slacks loose. She immediately delves her hand into my boxers, wrapping her fingers around my cock.
"Fuck," I groan, throwing my head back. Her small hand is warm around my dick, causing a heated rush of pleasure to twist through me. When I feel her lips wrap around my length, pulling me into her mouth, fire explodes in my veins. Her mouth is soft and warm and Jesus Christ, she's looking up at me with so much love and trust in her eyes, I couldn't ask her to stop even if I wanted to do so. And I don't. I so don't want her mouth off of my dick.
I wrap my hands in her hair, gently guiding her up and down. My eyes are riveted to her as she sucks me deeper into her mouth, twirling her tongue around the head of my cock, and then she pulls back before doing the same thing all over again.
The sight of her lips stretched around my dick is hot, so fucking hot.
Making me crawl to you on my hands and knees to suck your dick wasn't enough for you? Forcing me to let you sodomize me while I cried and begged you to stop wasn't enough? Leaving bruises on me and making me hate myself wasn't enough?
I jerk backward as the memory of her screaming those words at Toby McKee intrudes, yanking me out of the fog she's dragging me into with each swipe of her tongue, and plunking me back down in reality.
I can't do this. I can't let her do this. She shouldn't be on her knees, not for me, and definitely not like this.
"I-" she starts to say when I pull away, but I don't give her time to finish.
Reaching out, I pluck her up from the floor and crush her to me, trying to calm the furious churning of my stomach and my hammering heart. I still want her, desperately, but she deserves more than a quick fuck in the middle of the kitchen.
"Jared?"
"Shh," I murmur, tucking my cock away and striding out of the kitchen with her in my arms. She wriggles once and then relaxes against me, her head on my shoulder as I make my way toward our bedroom. Once inside, I lower her to the floor, letting her get her feet underneath her.
There's a question in her gaze when she looks up at me, but I don't give her time to ask it, instead reaching out to cup her cheek. She nuzzles her face into my hand, placing a kiss on my palm.
"Do you have any idea how perfect you are?" I ask, my voice little more than a raw whisper. "Or how much I love you?"
"I love you too." She presses her lips to my palm again.
I stare at her for a long moment, breathless. How did someone like me end up with someone like her? Someone so good? God knows I don't deserve her.
"Are you– Is everything okay?" she asks, worry flickering through her expression.
"Everything's perfect."
"Then why–?" She breaks off, blushing.
Wariness whispers through me when she glances away, avoiding my gaze. I tug her toward me, wrapping my arms around her again. Closing my eyes, I breathe her in. I love how she always smells like vanilla and sex. The scent is like a drug to me. Every part of me craves it.
"Why what, baby?" I ask when I can think through the haze in my mind.
"Why did you stop me?" she asks, her voice muffled. "Was I– Was I not good?"
Ah, fuck.
Her hesitant question fractures me, breaking me into little pieces. I swear to God, if I ever see Toby McKee again, I will kill him for everything he did to her, for forcing her to doubt herself and how much pleasure she gives me. I can't breathe when she touches me, yet she still doesn't understand. Nine months later, she still doubts the power she has over me.
Tilting her head back, I force her to meet my gaze. "You were amazing, beautiful girl," I tell her, my eyes locked on hers so she knows I mean every word. "I thought I was going to lose my mind when you wrapped your lips around me, but you don't belong on your knees in the middle of the kitchen floor, Savannah. You deserve more than that."
"Oh." She frowns as if she isn't sure what to make of that.
"Let me show you," I whisper, walking her backward toward the bed.
When the backs of her knees strike the
mattress, I lower her, following her down with my lips on hers. She kisses me hesitantly at first, and then grows bolder as I nudge her legs apart and settle between them, my body covering hers.
Her arms come around me. Sighs of pleasure tumble from her as I nibble on her lips, sweeping mine back and forth before deepening our kiss, and then backing off again. I do it over and over, one hand tangled in her hair, the other wrapped around her hip, until her sighs turn to moans and she writhes beneath me. Every little wriggle presses her more firmly to me, her breasts against my chest, and her pussy against my cock.
"You have no idea what you do to me, do you, baby?" I ask, leaning back on my heels to strip her dress from her body. My fingers dance across her ribcage, exploring her skin, before I lean down and wrap my lips around her nipple through her lacy bra.
"Oh!" she cries out, arching beneath me.
I bite gently, and then do the same thing to her other nipple.
"Christ, you're stunning," I whisper, tugging her bra from her body. I can't look away from her.
Her eyes are wide in her flushed face. Her hair has come loose from its restraint and is a riot around her. Her skin glows in the muted light in the bedroom. I just want to bury myself in her and stay there.
I cup her face in my hands and pull her towards me. "You completely shatter me, Savannah."
"I need you," she mouths, staring up at me with that same look on her face—the one full of love and trust. Her lips meet mine, brushing feather light as she sighs my name and her eyes fall closed, her thick lashes fluttering on perfect, alabaster skin.
Dear God, what she does to me. Every touch sends little jolts racing through my body, electrifying every part of me and setting it on fire. It's the most amazing feeling, like I'm whole when she touches me. Is it like that for her? Do I do the same for her?
God, I hope so.
"Savannah, love," I breathe her name against her mouth and slide my tongue inside to meet and tangle with hers again. Our kiss isn't hurried or frantic. I don't want to rush this. I want it to go on and on.
She seems to know what I need without me saying anything. She returns my kiss in a way that makes it so much more. It's slow and gentle, an unhurried building. Desire and love are so entwined, sparks race along my skin, igniting fires.
My fingertips sweep across her cheeks and down her neck. Her hands find their way into my hair, holding my face to hers as my hands slide across her body, touching her everywhere I can reach. The pulse in her throat pounds beneath my fingers, racing in time to mine as she whimpers and moans, pressing her petite body closer to mine.
It's not nearly enough.
I want her closer, connected to me in every way there is. I want her to know that she belongs to me… that I belong to her.
I kiss my way down her neck and onto her chest, breathing hard through the swell of emotion rising in my chest. Her fingertips dig into my shoulder as I suck a nipple into my mouth and swirl my tongue around it, groaning at the taste of her skin on my tongue.
She cries out and arches, holding me to her as I suck and bite.
"You're so responsive to me," I murmur before kissing my way down her stomach and dipping my tongue into her navel.
She moans, her nails digging into my shoulders as I move on, pressing kisses into her stomach, reveling in the way her muscles contract beneath my lips. I tug her panties down her hips and toss them away, focused entirely on her and the way she cries out for me in that sweet voice of hers.
My mouth sweeps lower, my tongue running across her hipbones until she's gasping, pleading with me for more.
"Christ, baby. I want to keep you like this all night long."
"Show me," she whispers.
My cock twitches at her words, hardening until it hurts. I lift a shaking hand and run it up her leg, spreading her to me. And Jesus Christ, I can't breathe at the sight of her so wet and pink and perfect.
"Oh," she moans when I brush my hand between her legs, barely grazing her lips. "Oh God," she says again, her hips bucking against me as I press my palm to her, feeling her wet heat burning against my hand.
"I need…." I'm unable to finish that sentence as desire rips through me. Crawling down her body, I bury my face between her thighs. She's sweet and salty and so good.
"Jared!" Her legs try to close around my shoulders and then open wider in invitation when I lave her with the flat of my tongue.
Lifting her hips, I go to work, teasing along her clit before pulling her lips into my mouth one at a time and sucking hard. She cries out, clawing at the bed, trying to pull me closer and push me away at the same time. I don't budge, instead taking everything she gives me.
I thrust my tongue into her, fucking her with it until she clamps down on me and screams my name. And Christ, the way my name breaks from her lips, echoing around us, makes my cock pulse and my heart roll.
She comes hard, bucking and writhing. I clamp one hand around her hip, the other on her stomach and hold her still beneath me, not ready to stop yet. I could do this to her all night. Hell, I have done it to her until she couldn't take any more on more than one occasion.
As her orgasm begins to subside, I pull her clit between my teeth and bite gently.
She screams my name again, thrust headlong into another orgasm.
"Jared," rolls from her lips in a delirious chant.
I lean back, watching her contort and twist, riding out the waves of pleasure rocketing through her. I love seeing her like this… love knowing I'm the one who made her feel like this. I brought her to the brink and took her over the edge.
I rise from the bed, jerking down my pants and boxers before kneeling between her legs again. My hands slide over her, stroking along her stomach and sides as she comes down. Her skin is flushed a dusty pink, her pupils wide and dilated.
"Jared," she whispers, a sexy, satisfied smile on her lips. "Make love to me."
She reaches between us and trails her fingers along my length.
"Christ." My stomach muscles contract and my heart thumps erratically. I pull her closer, my cock settling against her slick center. Grasping her hips, I slide myself inside of her.
"Fuck, baby," I groan, my eyes rolling back in my head. She's so tight, so hot. There's no way I'm going to last.
She cries out and wraps her legs around my waist, pushing me in even deeper.
I let go of her hips, digging my fingers in the sheets in a desperate attempt to not lose it completely and slam myself into her. My control is in tatters, ripped away by the way she moves beneath me, practically riding me.
My mouth descends on hers as she wraps her arms around my neck. I plunge my tongue into her mouth and place my hands on her ass, pulling her up and sliding her down, burying myself deeply inside of her.
"Open your eyes, baby," I whisper, needing her to see me, to know it's me making love to her.
She obeys instantly, her eyes fluttering open to meet mine as I lift her to my thrusts, sliding myself in and out of her.
"Jared," she groans, her eyes rolling wildly. "More. I need you."
"You have me, beautiful girl." I hold her gaze as I love her with my body, with words, with my eyes locked on hers until she's sobbing and trembling in my arms.
"I love you, I love you," she chants.
I growl wordlessly, her words driving me into a frenzy of movement. Gripping her tighter, I thrust deeper, pulling a nipple into my mouth and biting.
"Oh!" she yelps, her body clamping tight around me as she explodes for me again.
I lift her, driving her down onto my cock harder, faster, again and again. Her nails dig into my back before moving up to grip my hair, pulling. And that—feeling her fingers buried in my hair—does it. My muscles lock tight, orgasm ripping through me so ferociously, I can't move. Everything is a rush of sound, a roar of light as I release inside her.
When I come down, she's limp beneath me. I roll so I don't land on top of her, and collapse. My legs, my arms… nothing works right and I've neve
r felt better.
"Can I ask you a question?" Savannah asks later. She's snuggled against me, our reheated plates discarded on the nightstand. Her head rests on my chest, her legs entwined with mine. She runs her hand up and down my side in lazy patterns.
"Mmhmm," I murmur, not opening my eyes. I'm content, happy, enjoying just lying beside her, her naked body tucked against mine and her hands on me. I can't wait to do this for days on end.
"What did you mean earlier when you said I don't belong on my knees? Do you not-?" she breaks off, hesitating for a long moment. "Do you not enjoy that?"
I feel her cheek heat against my chest and frown, tilting my head down to look at her. She's gazing away from me, her eyes locked on the far side of the room. A blush spreads across her face. She sucks her bottom lip between her teeth.
When will this brilliant girl learn that I live for the feel of her touching me, however she wants to do so?
"Look at me, Savannah," I urge her quietly, hooking a finger beneath her chin to draw her face up to mine. Her eyes meet mine reluctantly, worry and embarrassment mingling in her gaze. "I love everything you do to me, baby."
"Okay," she whispers.
I wait for her to say something else, but she doesn't.
"Talk to me, beautiful girl. What's going on?"
"It's nothing. I just-" she sighs. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm enough for you, Jared. You're so gentle with me, so careful. You always focus on pleasing me, and you do. But sometimes I wonder if I'm pleasing you." Her blush deepens to a lovely rose, her gaze flitting away from mine and then back again.
"Ah, sweetheart." I close my eyes for a moment, trying to fathom how she can doubt it. Fucking Toby McKee. I crack my eyes open again, focusing on her. "You more than please me, Savannah. Every time you touch me, I want to lose myself in you. The way you respond to me—the sounds you make, and the way you beg and squirm and pull my hair—is the most erotic thing I've ever experienced, baby."
She's quiet for long moments, processing.
All Cried Out (All Falls Down Book 2) Page 4
