by J. H. Croix
I’d tried here and there to fit dating into my too busy life. The last guy—a debonair finance attorney I’d met at a legal function—had seemed like a good bet. I figured he might actually understand my dedication to my work. I quickly learned he had skated by on charm both professionally and personally. He was mildly amused at my passion for my career and had no problem acknowledging he’d chosen finance law for the money. He’d also made it clear he had no interest in anything other than casual sex with no strings. While I’d be the first to admit my life didn’t leave much room for a serious relationship, I wasn’t running around looking to fuck all the time. Our first date came to a screeching halt when he jammed his tongue down my throat in the cab after our dinner date.
I spun to face Ethan, just as he paused. I could tell he sensed my hesitation. Ugh. I hated this. This was precisely why I was annoyed I’d focused so hard on studying during college. I hadn’t meant to end up a virgin at twenty-nine, most certainly not. It would have been much easier to lose it in a drunken night of partying in high school or college, like so many friends I knew. Not me though. It wasn’t that I judged those who chose to party like that, but I’d had goals and I didn’t let anything get in the way.
I opened my mouth to speak, but since I didn’t know what to say, I snapped it shut. His hands were warm against my waist. He eyed me, his teasing gaze fading.
“This doesn’t have to go any further,” he said suddenly. “I might want you like mad, but nothing happens that you don’t want.”
If I knew anything with certainty, it was this—I wanted Ethan, I wanted this, and I didn’t want to stop. Those thoughts galvanized me. I shook my head forcefully.
He stared at me. “You’re going to have to be clear, luv. I don’t know if you’re shaking your head because you don’t want this, or something else.”
“I want you. I want this,” I said, the words coming out fiercely, rough and raw between my ragged breathing and racing pulse.
His gaze darkened. “Okay then.”
He curled his fingers over the waistband of my skirt and slid it over my hips. It fell in a quiet rumple around my feet. As I kicked it out of the way, he set to undoing the buttons on my blouse.
“Let’s get these pesky clothes out of the way first,” he murmured, his voice sending a prickle up my spine.
I was still slightly chilled from my rainy walk home. When the cool air drifted against my skin when my blouse fell open, I shivered. Little did I know that would lead to Ethan moving like lightning. In a flash, my blouse was tossed aside. Before I had a chance to form a thought, he peeled off his shirt.
One look and my mouth watered. It wasn’t like I didn’t know he was cut. But… Oh. My. God. He probably missed his calling and should’ve been a model. His skin was like caramel and every inch of his chest and abs was muscle. He had the lightest dusting of gold hair on his chest that narrowed down to a point past the waistband of his jeans. Which I really, really wanted him to take off. He obliged in a matter of seconds. The rest of him was just as yummy as his chest. There couldn’t have been an ounce of fat on him. He was nothing but lean and muscled everywhere I looked. His fitted black briefs did nothing to hide his blatant arousal.
Mere seconds had likely passed since I’d shivered, but with Ethan nearly naked in front of me, I wasn’t thinking too clearly and had completely forgotten I was chilled. He hadn’t however. In a flash, he’d tugged me to the bed and was stretching out beside me. He was like my own personal furnace, and it was simply delicious. I could’ve burrowed into him and been perfectly happy to stay there for days. He was warm all over, his skin sleek and hot.
In a matter of seconds, my chill was chased away as he began mapping my body with his hands and mouth. I went from being cold, damp and tired after a long day at work to so hot and bothered, I could barely think. I tumbled into the headiness of being with him. Fire roared through my body, and liquid need throbbed at my core. I couldn’t get close enough and was busy greedily touching him everywhere I could. He paused with his lips between my breasts and flicked his thumb under the clasp of my bra. My nipples tightened further at the feel of the cool air against them when the silk slid away.
He glanced up, his eyes hooded, before dipping his head and swirling his tongue around a nipple. I moaned when he closed his mouth over it and bit down lightly. He settled his weight over me—oh my god, it felt good—and set to make me wild. He kissed, licked, sucked and nipped at both of my breasts, blowing softly when he drew away. All the while, I could feel every inch of his hard, hot length against my core through the layers of his briefs and my silk panties. Pleasure spiked through me with every subtle shift of his body against mine.
His weight shifted as he made his way down my body, dusting kisses over my belly and pushing my knees apart. I was fairly certain I could now conclude it was possible to climax without a single touch where it was supposed to matter. That’s how far gone I was. I could feel the moisture between my thighs, and my channel was throbbing. When he dragged a finger across the wet silk, my hips bucked and I almost came. I didn’t think I could take much more.
“Ethan…” I murmured on the heels of a moan.
“Hmm, luv?” he murmured in return, his lips against the sensitive skin on the inside of my thigh sending another jolt of pleasure to my core.
“I need…”
My words ran out when he curled his hand over the edge of my panties and dragged them off swiftly. Before I could catch my breath, his fingers were sinking inside of me and his mouth was on me. With his fingers teasing and stretching me and his tongue tracing wickedly around and over my clit, it was a matter of seconds before my climax wracked me. I came in a noisy burst with shudders rolling through my body with such force, I was nearly limp when they subsided.
Ethan slowly drew away, and I instantly missed the feel of him when he leaned off the bed. He snagged his jeans. Confused, I looked up to see him kicking off his briefs and tugging a condom out of his wallet, which fell to the floor with a thump when he tossed it aside. Of course, his cock was as perfect as the rest of him. I’d had a sense he was well-endowed, but the sight of him gave me a flicker of anxiety. Overriding that anxiety was the yearning to feel him inside of me. It didn’t matter that I’d just had an explosive orgasm, all I could think about was how much more I wanted.
He stretched out over me again, his weight to the side. He brushed my still damp and tangled hair away from my face, his gaze going somber. “Now would be the time to tell me you want to stop,” he said, his voice taut, but clear.
I shook my head, and his mouth curled at one corner. “Luv, I don’t know what that means. You’ll have to tell me.”
My heart felt tight in my chest, and a flash of uncertainty rose inside. I wasn’t uncertain about this moment. No, it was the feelings Ethan elicited. I kept expecting him to be cavalier and to behave like the player he was portrayed to be in the media. Yet, he wasn’t that way with me. Even when he was teasing and flirting and trying to get under my skin, he wasn’t mean-spirited or cavalier. I’d have expected him to look at me as a conquest to be had, but that’s not how I felt. Not at all. Beyond the hot rush of pleasure at simply being with him, every moment felt incandescent—lit with an intimacy that shimmered around and between us.
He arched a brow, and I realized I hadn’t answered. With my heart beating wildly and heat rolling through me, I swallowed and found my voice. “I don’t want you to stop.” My voice came out rough and raspy. Inside I felt hot, liquid and needy. All I wanted was him to stop talking and sink inside of me.
“What do you want?” he murmured, his eyes still on me.
My heart tripped and my belly executed a slow flip. He wasn’t going to let me do anything other than make it perfectly clear. “I want you,” I finally said over the thundering beat of my heart.
He held my gaze for another moment before nodding, His eyes dipped down, everywhere they landed sending slivers of pleasure under the surface of my
skin. In a flash, he rolled on a condom and eased his weight atop me. He met my gaze again. Something between concern with a hint of uncertainty flashed in his gaze. I could feel his cock against me. I was slippery wet and the feel of it hot and hard there sent little shocks of pleasure through me. I was restless and didn’t want to drag this out. I dragged my tongue along his neck—he tasted salty with a hint of the rain we’d walked through.
He curled his palms in mine and adjusted his hips before pausing. That wouldn’t do. I wanted this part done and over with. I curled my legs around his hips and arched into him. I should’ve known he wouldn’t let me run this show. He held still, although his cock sank a little further inside.
“Zoe,” he murmured, his voice dark.
I lifted my head from where I’d been meandering up his neck. “Hmm?”
“Let’s not make this worse than it needs to be.” His features were tight, and I sensed he was holding on by a thread. So I endeavored to snap it.
“Let’s get it over with.” I spurred a heel into his buttock, which was nothing but muscle and barely even dented.
He chuckled and eased a little further inside. Only then did it start to burn. I was all about barreling through it, so I arched into him the next time he sank further in. On the heels of burning pain, he surged inside of me to the hilt and held still. My body had tensed in reflex, and my breath hissed.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice tight.
“Uh huh,” I managed with a nod. I was. It was tight and he barely fit, but the pain was already easing.
Without a word, he dipped his head and started dusting kisses along my neck and over my breasts. Between a few moments and the delicious distraction, the burning sensation faded and my body relaxed again. Somewhere along the way between kisses and nips that sent shivers all over, he began to move, setting a slow, easy pace. The effect was only to drive me wild with need. With every stroke, my channel clenched around him. I was hot all over and caught up in chasing after another release.
Once the pain faded, the delicious stretch of him inside me felt so good, it was like a drug. I tumbled into nothing but sensation, the pull and slide of him inside of me, his hands gripping mine, and his eyes burning into me. Pressure spun tighter and tighter until he freed one of my hands and reached between us. Just a swirl of his thumb on my clit and pleasure burst in a ray through me. Shudders hit me so hard, I could barely breathe. I felt him tighten and cry out roughly before he relaxed against me. He shifted his weight to my side, which I didn’t like. I wanted him fully inside of me and every inch of him against me.
“Why’d you move?” I asked between heaves.
His low chuckle reverberated through my body. “I don’t want to crush you.”
I opened my eyes to find his teasing gaze waiting. My heart tripped again and my breath hitched, but I kept my head. “I’m too big. You won’t crush me.”
Another chuckle reverberated. “Ah, excellent point. Okay, I shall take that as permission to crush you whenever I want.”
My chest felt tight and a rush of emotion rolled through me. I didn’t know what it was about what he said, but it made me feel funny and want things I didn’t expect to want with anyone, much less with Ethan.
Chapter 13
Ethan
The subtle glide of silky skin against my leg woke me. For a beat, I was disoriented, my mind hazy from sleep. The warm body curled against me was puzzling and then my brain came back online. Zoe was draped over half of my body. I couldn’t help but grin. One of her legs was curled over mine with her foot tucked between my calves. With her head resting against my shoulder, her palm on my chest and my hand curled under her and cupping her bottom, I could feel all of her lush curves against me. This had to be about the best way to wake up. Ever. I’d never considered what I was missing by always skipping out after sex. Of course, this was Zoe and that made it all the better. I’d yet to even care to think about waking up beside someone. After last night, you’d have needed physical force to get me out of her bed.
Her breathing was steady and even, gusting softly against my shoulder. I’m not sure if my cock was hard when I was asleep, but it was now. I couldn’t recall waking up hard since I’d been a randy adolescent. My mind spun back to last night. My early mental gymnastics about being responsible for Zoe waving goodbye to her virginity had turned out to be a waste of mental energy. I couldn’t have guessed how bloody amazing it would be to be with her though.
If my body had its say right now, I’d roll her over and sink right back inside of her. Yet, I didn’t think that was the wisest idea, given she was likely sore. There was that and the fact I hadn’t a clue what to do with my feelings. Feelings. Not something I thought much about. Oh, I cared about people. My mates were like family to me, and I’d do anything for them. I’d take a bullet for my sisters and my mum and dad. But the whole idea of seriously being involved with a woman had never occurred to me. I was too busy having fun. I’d watched Liam fall like a rock falls from the sky for Olivia and chalked it up to random chance. Liam and I had once been far more alike when it came to women. He was a freewheeling playboy until Olivia came along. Now here I was with Zoe curled against me and feeling like my heart had tripped and fallen on its ass. I had to wonder what was in the water here in the States.
I started to get uncomfortable, so I tried to shut my bloody mind up. Problem was, Zoe was beside me, warm and tempting beyond all reason, and I wanted her like mad. Last night hadn’t done a bit to tamp down my pure lust for her. Rather, it had been like octane fuel to a fire that was already raging. She shifted in her sleep again and her breathing altered. I sensed she was awake, but I knew it when she lifted her head.
The light filtering through the shades in her bedroom was wispy gray. It had the effect of making her auburn hair seem brighter and her hazel eyes stood out against her creamy skin. With her hair rumpled from sleep, all it took was one look and blood shot straight to my already hard cock. As she stared at me, her cheeks flushed. I loved it when she blushed. That’s all she had to do and I was pretty much useless. Bloody hell. If she had any idea the effect she had on me, I was doomed.
The air around us heated as if lit by a flame all of the sudden. When we’d fallen asleep last night after a shower, I’d figured it would be nice to wake up with her and we’d have tea or coffee or something like that. I hadn’t counted on this—this fiery need coming to life the moment we were both awake.
I’d imagined how she’d look sleepy, but my imagination was an utter failure. Her tousled auburn hair, her rosy cheeks, the dusting of freckles on her skin and the feel of her lush body against mine—all of it together felt so fucking good I could hardly breathe. Throw in the way it felt to look in her eyes—unguarded, she was breathtaking. My heart set to thudding against my ribcage as awareness scored me.
I could feel her heart beating against my side, the pace kicking up as we lay there. She bit her lip. Fuck me. When she did that and her teeth dented her plump bottom lip, it made me crazy. The good kind of crazy, but still. I had to remind myself I absolutely could not plan on burying myself inside of her right now, no matter how badly I wanted to. I was no virgin expert, but I had some sense and knew she must be sore.
She cleared her throat, the sound breaking through the weighted quiet. “How long have you been awake?” she asked, her voice husky from sleep.
I began to wonder if there was anything she could do that didn’t turn me on more. I forced my mind to her question, simple enough to answer.
“A few minutes. Good morning,” I replied, unable to keep from grinning when the pink on her cheeks deepened. Hell if I knew why she blushed so often, but I fucking loved it.
She bit her lip again. Oh, that was it. I slid my palm off her bottom—hard to do by the way—and up her spine to tangle in her hair. There wasn’t much space between us, so it took just the slightest movement to bring her mouth to mine. I wasn’t thinking—not at all—and the moment she sighed against my mouth, I slipped
my tongue between her lips and poured the need burning hot and high inside of me into our kiss. She tensed against me for a beat, but when I slid my hand back down her spine and nudged her atop me, she relaxed. Our kiss went wild. Mentally thrown and emotionally disoriented by the effect she had on me, I flung myself into the heat of the physical moment between us. I latched onto it as if it were the only thing that could ground me. Meanwhile, I was like a train running off the tracks, barely hanging onto any semblance of control.
The feel of her full breasts pressed against me and her slick folds sliding over my cock—because it was that perfect when her knees fell to the sides of my hips—nearly made me forget my promise not to bury myself inside of her post haste. When my fuzzy thoughts turned to clambering away from her to find a condom, reality nudged me, hard enough I rolled us over quickly.
That didn’t help matters. At all. Now, my cock was nestled against her drenched core, and all I wanted to do was adjust my hips and sink inside. Condom or no, I had to get myself out of the danger zone. I shimmied down her body, probably a touch rougher than I should be with my lips, teeth and tongue as I made my way down. Bloody hell though, she didn’t help matters between her breathy pants, husky moans and her hands all over me. The moment I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth, I managed to get my mind off of what it would feel like to be inside of her again. Fuck. She tasted so good and when she buried her hands in my hair and arched into me, I sank my teeth in before pulling back to look at her.
