His gaze followed my hand as I covered myself and then rose to meet mine. My face burning with embarrassment, I snapped my hand away and covered my breasts with my arms.
“Raquel.” He shook his head.
I pressed my fingers to my mouth, longing for his kiss.
His voice was deep and penetrating. “If I come back in…”
Leaning forward, I nudged the door open for him.
Slowly and deliberately, his fingers wrapped around the top of his towel and he pulled it away, letting it slip to the floor, exposing him. The ridges running along the shaft’s wide girth, its enormity, and the way he caressed its length with a firm hand left me mesmerized. A sigh escaped my lips as I studied the purple head, watching his masterful strokes and yearning to feel its power.
I licked my lips…
“We take it slow,” he said softly.
My gaze rose to meet his. “Yes, kisses…foreplay.”
He shook his head. “Us. I meant us.”
Us.
That was more than I could have hoped for, dared to wish for, and as he opened the door farther and came toward me, I raised my mouth to his and let out a soft moan as he captured me in his arms. His kiss was gentle and soothing, so different from the way he’d kissed me before, loving and yet possessive.
He reached down and gripped my wrists, walking me backwards until my back met the tile. Then he raised my arms above my head and pressed his body to mine, his kiss pressing into the curve of my neck and sending shivers through me.
He nipped my bottom lip, his tongue darting into my mouth as his warm body trapped me deliciously.
“It’s not enough,” I whispered.
“Want me inside you?” His voice was husky.
“More than anything.”
Astor let go of my wrists and with a gentle motion ran a fingertip along me, circling my clit. I shuddered in response as tingles of bliss shot through me.
His gaze blazed with passion as he lifted me up.
I flung my thighs around his waist, crying out, needing him in me more than my next breath. When I felt the first thrust I buried my face in the crook of his neck, ready to take all of him and bracing for the discomfort.
Astor gave a fierce shove and slid all the way in, filling me completely. I felt myself stretch painfully, accommodating his maddeningly large girth. As his hips shoved forward again he let out a moan and then withdrew slowly, only to push farther inside until I felt him so deep that a burst of pleasure flooded through me and my toes curled.
“Ready?” he said huskily.
It was going to be the passion we needed.
Cupping my buttocks to hold me in place, his fingertips digging into my flesh, Astor pressed me against the tile in a long, deep thrust and then eased out slightly, lifting the pressure momentarily. Then he became wild, fucking me furiously like a brilliant piston and sending wave after wave of pleasure though my body so intense all I could do was dig my fingernails into his back and hold on, never wanting these sensations to cease.
This position felt incredible, with my pelvis tipped upward to meet each strike so he grazed my clit. I became lost in this moment, lost in him, pleading with whimpers for what he was already giving me.
My thoughts obliterated into nothingness as I shuddered through a raging orgasm.
“You feel perfect,” he muttered. “So real.”
He raced toward his own climax, shuddering as he spilled his heat with such intensity that it sent me over the edge again, my cries drowned out by his groans.
Stillness came, and the only noise was that of the falling water and our breathing. This was the serenity in life I’d craved but until now had failed to find.
He pulled away to look at me and his warm smile made me feel cherished. It nudged out all that had gone on before between us, all the tension, all the confusion, all the doubt. When he eased me off him I moaned with need and it made him smile.
“Let’s continue this in the bedroom,” he said.
In a flurry of movement, he tugged me from the shower and grabbed two towels, drying us both off. Then he took my hand, interlocking our fingers, and led me out of the bathroom toward the bed. His bed.
A trickle leaked down my inner thigh, but I didn’t care because he’d marked me with his essence and the thought of it made me swoon. This was evidence of us as a couple and that made my heart soar. This was the passionate lovemaking I had craved but never found.
Astor pushed me gently onto the bed, on my back, and then stood between my legs. He saw the white trail on my thigh and ran his hand over it, his lust-filled gaze finding mine.
“Sometimes words are not enough,” he said affectionately. “So we find other ways.”
I didn’t feel self-conscious about my nakedness and I wasn’t pre-occupied with the change in our relationship…all I cared about was enjoying this intimacy. I refused to think too much or explore those dark recesses of my mind that were filled with doubt.
Astor kissed the arch of my foot and then slowly moved up to my ankle. He pressed his full lips all along my shin and then his mouth found my inner thigh, causing me to squirm with pleasure.
Before I could protest, his tongue began flicking my clit, his two fingers slipping inside me and working me back into a writhing frenzy. It felt wild and messy and out of control and I sucked in deep breaths, trying to endure the rising fragility of my heart at this level of surrender—what had once felt like a forbidden intimacy.
Finally, I wasn’t sad for all that had gone before…all the heartache and betrayal that had led me to him. It felt glorious in its exquisiteness.
Astor rose and flipped me over, facedown, and his right hand came down hard on bum. I yelled my delight at the shock of the sting as he gripped my hips on either side and entered me once more, owning my pussy with each fierce blow. His right hand reached around to strum my clit, sending jolts of pleasure to my very core. He brought us both to that place of forgetting once more, and we tumbled into a seeming abyss.
An earth-shattering orgasm snatched my breath away, and all I could do was curl my fingers into the sheet, gasping for air.
This passion between us was all-consuming.
He was all-consuming. He had me on my knees, continuing to ride out his pleasure behind me, his hand sliding up and down my spine. He didn’t seem to want our love-making to end either, and was as determined as me to stay locked together as one.
My arms and legs were shaking from enduring all he’d unleashed and I could no longer hold myself up. I collapsed onto the bed.
“Not yet,” he teased, and rolled us over.
With my back against his chest and my thighs splayed over his, clenching him tightly, I felt him reach low and squeeze my clit beneath his palm. My breathing became ragged again, my body yearning for more of this endless pleasure.
But then the sensitivity became too much and I rested my hand on his to pause him.
“Take your hand away,” he whispered huskily.
“I’m not sure—”
“I’ll know when you’re ready again.”
I trembled through his titillation.
“This is where we begin to trust each other, Raquel. Do you think you can do that with me?”
“Yes.” I’ll try.
My hand slipped from his and I brought it up to ease my beaded nipples, soothing the ache.
He pressed firmly against me and the pressure made me throb deliciously as my thoughts drifted, the call of sleep seducing me. In that moment it felt as though he knew my soul and with him teasing my clit just so, bringing on waves of pleasure, he did.
This level of devotion I was feeling was more than I imagined possible. Still, I wasn’t ready to fall so quickly. I’d not let myself be that vulnerable.
I could enjoy this, though. Revel in this enticing man and use these intimate moments to heal that part of me that had been hurt.
The rest of me…my heart and my thoughts, were walled up safe from anyone who might try to ge
t close.
A shiver ran up my spine when I felt his fingertip begin massaging my clit. He was insatiable…the way he played with me felt incredible and with him inside me still, his cock growing harder by the second, I surrendered to the heat burning inside me once more.
When his left hand reached up and squeezed my nipple, he sent me hurtling toward another orgasm and I shuddered violently in his arms. My head crashed back onto his chest as I caught my breath, panting as my heartbeat slowed to normal.
Finally, he lay alongside me, his body’s heat seeping into mine as he kissed the nape of my neck, still deep inside me and throbbing deliciously.
“I didn’t know it could be like this,” I admitted.
“Even more than this, Raquel.” His lips pressed against my shoulder with affection.
Astor had restored my ability to feel…but with the opening of my heart came the greatest risk—I was afraid I was already falling for him. I rolled away from his warmth and buried my face in a pillow.
All this intimacy was forcing my vulnerability to the surface and I couldn’t let him see it. Though from the way his fingers trailed through my hair, I sensed he was weakening, too.
I AWOKE TO FIND MYSELF alone in bed.
Rolling onto my side, I reached for my Chopard and after a quick glance, tossed it back onto the bedside table. We’d slept all night. Or at least I had and it had been one of those deep sleeps that I rarely experienced. Having Raquel here was making a difference.
I ran my hand along the sheets where she’d lain next to me, feeling bothered by her absence. In the past, seeing her gone would have brought me relief, since there’d be no need for small talk as I schemed a way to get her out. But now, with Raquel, I hated thinking that she’d changed her mind about staying and left.
Lifting the sheet, I stared down at my erection.
Last night…
Jesus, last night…the memory of us rolling around and going at it like two crazed lovers came flooding back. I savored the way she’d reacted to me, the way she’d stared into my eyes in awe as I thrust deeper, wanting to send over the edge again and again. It had been all I’d wanted—her writhing in pleasure, her screaming through another climax, her reaction to the way my cock owned her—the need was becoming addictive.
Unfamiliar emotions were stirring deep inside me, and I knew it was the way she responded to every kiss I gave her, every caress, every thrust that made her come in my arms.
Spending time with her was all I wanted to do today.
I could still smell her on me, that erotic scent that sent shivers up my spine. And her taste, God, her taste was exquisite. I could see myself becoming obsessed with this woman.
Both my mind and cock responded with a yes when I heard Raquel moving around in the bathroom.
I climbed out of bed and strolled over to the closed door.
“Everything okay?” I asked, with a quick knock.
Code for let me in so I can see you.
“I’ll be out in a second,” she called back.
Rubbing a hand over my stubble, I walked over to the closet and found a robe, pulling it on and marveling at my level of introspection. I cared what she thought about me. Usually, I’d be proud to show what was on the agenda before breakfast, but with her, I sensed I’d have to traverse all matters of the heart mindfully.
My questions could wait for now. This…this was what we both needed and business could wait.
The bathroom door opened and I stared at Raquel—the breathtaking morning version of her. She’d used my comb on her shiny locks, and now lush tendrils fell neatly around her face. Her mascara had been wiped away, giving her a fresh, natural appearance. She’d wrapped herself in a towel to hide her curves.
I stepped closer. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine,” she said, peering up at me. “How are you?”
“Never better. Come back to bed.”
“Did I wake you?”
I shook my head and gestured toward the bed. As she walked past me, I reached out and grabbed her towel, whipping it off her. She laughed and hurried to get back under the duvet.
Letting my robe slip open, I caught her gaze roaming over my body as she dragged her teeth across her lip seductively.
“Move over,” I said, climbing into bed.
I pulled her close and she rested her head on my chest. This snuggling was what I’d missed earlier when I’d first awoken. It wasn’t something I’d ever allowed myself to enjoy in the past, but she was impossibly huggable and I pressed my lips to her forehead to let her know how I was feeling.
She reached up and traced her fingers along my jaw. “How come you look this good in the morning?”
“I was thinking the same thing about you.”
Her tenderness was something I’d craved without even knowing it. Her affection seemed pure and, even after all my threats, she still looked at me as though she saw a decent man.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked.
“I have everything I need right here.” She wrapped her arms around me and let out a contented sigh.
I traced a fingertip up and down her arm. “Last night…”
Her concerned gaze snapped to mine.
“How do you feel about it?” I asked.
“You mean the part where you saved my life?”
I shook my head, recalling that near disaster. I’d pushed the memory out of my mind because the consequences were too devastating to contemplate. “I meant me fucking you hard, Raquel.”
She giggled. “That’s what I meant.”
“Ah.”
“I know, you’re the big bad wolf and I’d be wise to remember you don’t do relationships.”
“Who told you that?”
“You did.” She held my gaze. “I don’t blame you. Certainly not after all I’ve been through. Life can be…”
“Don’t let the world break you.”
She frowned, as though she wanted to ask me if I spoke from experience.
“This place is lovely.” She studied my face. “Why do you have two homes in South Beach?”
“This is my fuck pad.”
Her gaze narrowed.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding, seriously.” I grinned down at her.
“You better be.”
“Usually the falling power line stuns my lovers and leaves them powerless against my advances. Last night it missed you…a technical glitch.”
She dug her fingertips into my ribs and tickled me.
“I’m joking!” I grabbed her wrists and held them together. “Actually, my neighbor better sell that property to me or they’ll face a lawsuit.”
“Don’t be hard on them.” She eased her wrists out of my grip. “It was an accident.”
“Andrew’s a musician. He’s stoned most of the time so he’s letting the place go. I don’t need him bringing down the value of this area.”
“Still, you’d never sell? It’s paradise here.” She exhaled slowly. “Now I really feel bad you weren’t going to stay.”
“I’d have been fine.”
“Would you have stayed at Bridgestone?”
Hell to the no.
“Haven’t stayed there since I was a boy.” I raised my head to look at her. “I use the stables there because of convenience.” I don’t go in the house.
“Your parents live there?” she asked.
“My mother does.”
“Isn’t that where you grew up?”
I looked at her suspiciously. “I went to live in Cuba for a few years.”
“Why did you leave America?”
Of course, I’d led Raquel into this formidable conversation where my past could be exposed. I chose to breathe through the rising tension and remain silent.
She stared at me. “Astor?”
“I was sent to Havana to round out my education.” I rolled onto my chest and rose up, using my elbows to keep my weight off of her. “Tell me about you, Raquel. I want to know more.”
“
You already seem to know so much about me.”
“I want to savor exploring you.” I dipped my head and drew her nipple into my mouth.
She let out a soft moan.
“And?” I coaxed, planting kisses on her chest and slowly moving lower over her abdomen. I trailed my tongue down over her pelvis, lingering there with more kisses. “I’m curious to hear how you ended up in Dunedin.” I watched her carefully as I spread apart her thighs.
“Um…well…I visited the town and fell in love with the ocean views and the small community and it was the perfect place to…oh, that’s amazing…”
I lapped at her clit, circling it with my tongue, teasing her until her panting was short and sharp.
Pulling back, I rose up to grab her wrists and pin them over her head. “I have a question for you.”
“Ask.”
“Sure?” I used my knees to spread her thighs wider and maneuvered my pelvis so that the tip of my cock slid against her, nudging in a little. The sensation was as much a tease for me as it was for her.
Raquel’s hips rocked against me insistently.
“You want my cock, Raquel?” I cooed into her ear.
“Yes.”
“First, answer this,” I began, my tone dark. “Why didn’t you tell me your store was broken into?” I shoved my cock deep inside her and she arched her back, letting out a long groan that was a mixture of want and panic.
I went balls deep and held her down. “I want to know why you kept that from me.”
HOW DARE ASTOR ASK ME such a question when he was deep inside me…
And yet his forceful thrusts had my inner muscles clenching around his girth as a pang of discomfort morphed into pleasure. My wrists stung as he pressed them into the mattress above my head.
The expression on his face was primal. “I want to know why you kept that from me.”
He knows…
I met his fierce gaze, my body going rigid. “Are you spying on me?”
His quick withdrawal was followed by another thrust as he buried himself all the way in and then remained still, not releasing his ironclad hold on my wrists. The sensual pressure from the way he’d captured me caused me to tip my pelvis in response to the erotic sensations surging through me.
Perfume Girl Page 15
