Lost in thoughts of the past, her mind wavered between how wonderful it felt to be with him, and the dangers of rekindling old memories. Torn, her emotions won out and she pushed all rational thoughts aside.
She felt so hot and needy that the sensations clawed at her skin. It had been too long since she had felt this type of connection. Holding him closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave in to the feelings that raged within her.
Shane was the first to pull away and Crystal was mortified. In a matter of minute, she had gone from wanting to get as far away from him as possible; to needing to feel him naked and moving against her—inside her.
“Don’t you dare back out on me now.”
Unable to hold his gaze, she looked away. While her thoughts remained disjointed, she had already made up her mind. “I’m not going to back out on you.”
“Good, because if you tried, I don’t know how I’d do it, but I’d have to change your mind.”
Standing with her in his arms, Shane moved over to the fire and slowly lowered her to the thick rug. Crystal caught her breath when he followed her down. It was like their first time all over again, her having feelings of uncertainty, but wanting him all the same.
“I can see your indecision, so. I’ll go first. I want to make love with you. Now all you need to do is tell me you want the same thing.”
He waited for a reply. When it didn’t come, he kissed her and she kissed him back. The way they touched each other was as though they were attempting to make up for the time they had spent apart. One minute the kiss was hard and demanding. The next, a gentle brush that pulled at her heart. By a seemingly mutual consent they pulled apart.
“You still haven’t answered me, Crys. Do you want this—me?”
She knew Shane, and so understood that before he would go any further she would have to make him believe she was in complete agreement on what they were about to do.
“Yes, I want this—I want you.”
He stood and drew her to her feet. He pulled his sweater over his head and discarded it. Her gaze moved up his now naked chest to his eyes, and a feeling she couldn’t identify surfaced. Somehow she couldn’t stem the sense that something wasn’t right. There was a shadow at the back of his eyes that, try as she might, she couldn’t identify.
“Shane, are you sure you want to do this?
“I’m sure. It seems to me you’re the one who’s got all the doubts. Tell you what, I’ll just keep undressing and you can stop me if you change your mind.”
Toeing off his shoes, Shane reached for the button to unclasp the top of his jeans. Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled them off, taking his socks with them. Standing before her in a pair of navy briefs that left nothing to the imagination, her gaze roamed over his body and the changes the passage of the years had formed.
He was still slim. But his chest was deeper, harder, his muscles more defined. Black hair still matted his chest. Her gaze followed the decreasing line of hair until it disappeared at the top of his briefs. The hard shape of his arousal pushed against the material and even as she looked, he cock twitched and grew.
“Wanna see some more?”
Her eyes flew up.
“Not in a talkative mood are you. That’s alright though, I’ll take your silence as a, yes.”
Before she could fully comprehend what he was saying, he was completely and unashamedly naked. Unable to take her eyes off his thick, engorged shaft, Crystal watched as it appeared to pulse with sexual anticipation.
The glow of the fire bounced off his skin and she had an almost overwhelming urge to touch him. To run her fingers over his body in the way he used to love. But the man standing before her looked enticingly familiar, yet at the same time, he seemed a stranger. So she stilled her fingers.
He must have sensed something of her disquiet because he was now standing so close she could feel his warmth.
“Why don’t I help you?”
He made no sharp movements, but he was true to his words. He took his time as he folded to his knees. First he lifted one foot and then the next. How removing a pair of socks could be so erotic, she would have to consider at another time.
Without standing, he placed his fingers beneath the band of her borrowed sweatpants. Almost as though he couldn’t help himself, he cupped her backside and rubbed his palm against her skin, before he continued to ease the material down her legs and she stepped out of them.
He was so close Crystal wanted to put some space between them. Before she could act on her instinct, he stood and gathered the hem of her borrowed jumper.
“Raise your arms, Crys.”
She did as he said, and to her mind everything appeared to be taking place in slow motion. She didn’t have any fresh underwear to put on after her shower, so with that one move, she too was naked.
Unsure of where to look, Shane removed the decision as he pulled her against his body. Sucking in her breath, flesh met flesh. Warmth against heat and he felt perfect.
Wrapping her arms around his neck Crystal held on tight. Uncertain, she thought she felt him hesitate but dismissed the thought when he nudged her face to the side and took her lips in a fierce kiss.
His hands returned to the globes of her backside and his fingers bit into her skin. Pulling her apart, his touch slid down. When he encountered her wetness, his grip tightened even further. Using his innate strength, Shane raised her up until she was standing on her toes. Slightly bending his legs, he settled her on the underside of his erection and moved her back and forth.
The feel of his hardness rubbing against her was almost overwhelming. Rational thought eluded her. She was so sensitive she knew this stimulation alone would be enough to break her into a thousand pieces—but he stopped her.
This time she understood his expression and it shocked her. It was blatant fury. Gripping her hips, he moved her lower body until they were no longer touching.
“What are you doing?” Crystal asked dazed while attempting to make sense of what was happening.
“I’m not up for a quick fuck, Crys. I’ve got other plans. By the way you’re acting anyone would think you’ve been on a dick ban. But you don’t have to worry, I’ll make it worth your while.”
While she’d had relationships in the time they had been apart, she always chose her partners with care. But Crystal couldn’t help but think that a quickie would at least contribute to soothe the way her body was reacting to his. But his words and the determination written across his face left her little room for negotiation.
Shane laid her out before the fire and sat back on his knees. As though they had all night, he took his time looking her over. His comments of earlier had been correct, she had gained weight. Sometimes it amazed her just how much her body had changed and she wondered if he was thinking the same.
If he had those thoughts, he didn’t voice them. To Crystal’s mind, it was almost as though he were attempting to relearn or recall who she was.
Swinging one knee over her body he straddled her. As he settled, he picked up her hands, turned them over and brushed his fingertips across her palms. It was such a simple touch, yet it carried a poignancy that caused her breath to waver. Laying them down, he ran his hands up her arms, cupped her shoulders and squeezed. He didn’t linger. His fingers moved to her throat and then roamed down her chest to stop and knead her breasts.
He splayed his fingers. “Your breasts are bigger.”
The feel of his abrasive fingers running across her nipples caused her to hiss in reaction to the sensation.
“I don’t remember them being this sensitive, but I’m not complaining.”
By now, Crystal realized he was speaking his thoughts out loud, and they required no response from her on his voyage of rediscovery.
Bending, he repeatedly swiped his tongue across the fullness of her breast before finally taking the bud into his mouth. When he transferred his attention to its partner, she was already close to hyperventilating.
A nod later, he spanned h
er waist as though his hands were all the measurement he needed to determine the difference between then and now.
Sliding up, for the first time since the start of his exploration, he allowed their bodies to fully touch. Bracing his weight on his arms, by increments, he pressed his chest against hers. When their stomach’s made contact, she at last felt the imprint of his hardness against her.
“You feel good, Crys. Different, yes, but the same Crys with more for me to hold on to.”
Pushing away from her, he paused. As though unable to help himself, he took her hand and placed it around him. When her fingers enclosed his silky hardness, he closed his eyes and pushed into her touch. About to administer what his body so keenly wanted, he abruptly pulled her hand away.
“I’m not sure I understand what’s going on.”
“You will. Believe me, you will.”
He was between her legs and she had a moment’s doubt as to whether she should continue. The thought dissolved as he drew her up, pushed back her knees and opened her up to him.
“Understand now?”
“Kinda… that’s if you ever get around to doing something apart from just looking!”
He took her at her word, and Crystal heard his laughter at her frustration just before he took his first taste. Her reaction was immediate. Pleasure flowed through her body and all rational thought fled. Her nipples tightened and she arched up in a silent invitation.
As his talented tongue went to work in earnest, she swore a silent oath. Tonight she would relinquish all doubts, she wouldn’t think—she would only feel.
Crystal didn’t know what it was about Shane, but from the moment they’d met, it was as though he had ensnared her and she couldn’t seem to disentangle herself from his lure.
He worked her body with an expertise she knew he had acquired during their time apart. The play of a long finger inside her coupled with the feel of his mouth caused her to writhe on a wave of sensation. Perspiration covered her skin. She felt so hot she wanted him to take her over the edge into the pulsing, indescribable euphoria that had eluded her for the past five years.
Another digit joined its partner and stretched her in readiness for him. Her body tingled and throbbed with awareness. This time she hoped he wouldn’t pull back. She felt desperate—needy. She threw back her head. Her body was primed and she reached for that all-consuming feeling that would push her over the edge into nothing but sensual fulfillment.
When it came, the feeling hit with such force, she dug her fingers into the rug as waves of bliss consumed her.
Somewhere in the buzzing of her sub-conscious, she felt his withdrawal. She wanted to call him back, but the words stuck in her throat
“Open your eyes, Crys.”
Giving enough time, she would have done as he asked if he hadn’t pulled her legs further apart and settled between them. The touch of his erection against her core rushed into her awareness.
“Shane, stop!”
“What’s wrong?”
“We need to be careful. Do you have a condom?”
“You weren’t thinking about that before when you were rubbing up against my dick, were you.”
“Do you have one or not?”
He didn’t respond. He just took her hand and fisted it around his erection. When he had sheathed himself, she didn’t know nor did she care. Moving with determination, she eased him towards her.
He slid into her a little at a time and Crystal wanted to watch his expression, to gauge what he was feeling. But the sensation of their intimacy was too much. Her eyes fluttered closed. Her hand sought his back to pull him closer and he didn’t deny her. Pulling back he thrust forward until he was buried deep within her.
“Open your eyes, Crys. I want you to know who’s inside you.”
Without waiting for a response, Shane began to move in earnest. The motion of his body was set with so much determination, her breath hitched in her throat as he built the friction between them.
Something in the way he looked at her caused her heart to miss a beat. He appeared to carry a sadness. Reaching up, Crystal ran her fingers along his left jaw and pulled his head down and placed gentle kisses across his face. She felt him shudder and was stunned to see tears gather in his eyes before his lids closed and hid them from sight.
“What’s the matter?” Crystal asked as she continued to stroke his face.
He hesitated. When he reopened his eyes, his expression had changed, and she knew the moment had passed.
“If you’re asking questions, I’m not doing this right.”
Undeterred by his blatant attempt to distract her, she didn’t get the chance to probe further. He silenced her with a punishing kiss. There was nothing affectionate about the way his lips moved over hers. Pulling back, Crystal saw that the demands he made through the bruising kiss were at odds with his expression. His eyes told her he wanted something from her. She just didn’t know what.
“I don’t understand what’s going on with you.”
“That makes two of us. You’re here with me inside you and all I want to do is…”
“Tell me?”
“Did you ever love me?”
“Of course I did, how can you ask me that!”
“Because I don’t know, that’s why!”
He was furious with her. Their bodies remained joined, yet countless questions, misunderstandings and feelings of uncertainty separated them.
“Is it too late for us, Crys?”
“Yes, I think it may be.” Feeling embarrassed at her answer, she looked away. She was so confused. Maybe her unhesitating admission had been her inner voice of truth.
“You may think it’s too late for us. But I know this much, you’re still here with me inside you, and you’re not pushing me away. So, I’ll give you what you want, and leave you to deal with everything else!”
He flipped her onto her side. Expecting his anger to carry through into their lovemaking, she detected nothing of his irritation in the way he held her. His touch was filled with such gentleness, she gasped.
Her confusion remained, but all rational thoughts were wiped away the moment he began to move inside her. Each stroke of his body was a memory of the past. Of a time when they had loved each other with the abandon of youth.
The poignancy of the memories he evoked were almost too much to bear. This would be the last time they would be together like this. Therefore, while the night lasted, she would take what he had to offer and give whatever he needed.
“I can feel you pulling away from me. Tell me what you want, Crys. Do you want me harder, deeper, faster—just tell me!”
The words whispered in her ear, were almost as though the old Shane was back. He stroked in and out of her with the finesse of a man who knew his way around a woman’s body. His fingers on a constant quest to bring her pleasure.
Her heart began to beat at a tempo that caused her breaths to leave her mouth in rapid puffs. Everything within her tingled. Closing her eyes, Crystal reached up and drew his head towards her. Their lips met in a kiss that was all that she remembered. It was greedy and raw. It was as though they couldn’t get enough of each other. Their tongues danced and stroked. His arm became a band of steel surrounding her. Her hand fisted in his hair. He moved and found her clitoris and stroked. Pressure built and rushed through her body.
He ripped his mouth away. Without warning, he swung her around and onto her knees. Crystal sensed that he no longer wanted their closeness. Now, his every thrust and withdrawal was for one purpose only—to show his mastery of her body.
“You won’t tell me what you want, so I’ll show you what I want!”
He gripped her hips and pistoned into her. She fell forward, her fingers clutching at the rug to absorb the force of his thrusts. The sting of a slap against her flesh startled her and was immediately followed by the soothing rub of his palm. Then came another and another, until her skin smarted from his onslaught. Although distracted by his actions, she couldn’t ignore the
way he worked her body. He was hard and sure and he was driving her crazy.
“Do you like that, Crys? I can tell you do, by the way your pussy jumps and clamps onto me. See what you’ve been missing all this time!”
“For God’s sake, Shane, I want to come!”
“I know you do, I can tell. I remember all the little sounds you used to make when you wanted to come all over me. But I’m in charge and I’m not ready for you to come.”
“Stop it, Shane!”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t think you really want me to stop. You’re so wet I can hear you sucking me in.”
It was as though he was deliberately misunderstanding her words. Crystal wanted to say something else, but he reached around and began to stroke her even as his body bent and pushed her further into the thick rug. That was how he held her as he swarmed her body and her senses.
He had turned into a master of the craft of sex. He knew how many strokes to give before he changed pattern and tempo. He knew how to take her to the edge and hold her there until she wanted to scream. If she had known how, she would have denied him.
“Now you can come. Come all over me, Crys. Ya wouldn’t tell me, but I know this is what you want. Give it to me. I want what’s mine!”
“Shane…”
“Give me what’s mine, Crystal!”
Her climax hit with such force, she pushed her fist into her mouth to stop the cry that tried to force its way from her throat.
“Nah, that’s not gonna work for me. I want to hear you.”
Her body shook and rippled but he didn’t stop. His hands were everywhere, stroking, rubbing, relentless in their knowing.
“Too much!”
“Nah, you can take it. And that’s not what I want to hear.”
She was too sensitized—it had to stop. Knowing it wouldn’t until he reached his climax, Crystal took matters into her own hands. Without warning, she tightened her inner muscles, released and squeezed for all she was worth. The suddenness of the movement caught him unawares.
“Shit, Crystal. Do that again!”
Pulsing along his cock she did as he demanded. His hand and body moved against and within her as another climax rushed through her body. She didn’t know how it was possible, but its magnitude was even greater than the one before, and she screamed out her pleasure.
Crystals Page 13
