More Than Words: A Novella

by Avalon, Lilly

  Well then.

  He pulls back, but our mouths are only an inch apart. “Damn it, Dana. Your lips are luscious.”

  A shiver runs through me. In all my dating years, nobody has ever said that to me. Then again, I’ve never been with a man who had a vocabulary and knew how to use it. “I could kiss you all night.”

  He runs his fingers through my hair. “Would you?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  We should slow down. We should quit while we’re ahead. Before the clothes come off. We could go back, couldn’t we? We’re pragmatic enough, right? Trouble is, one taste filled my senses and we’ve already struck the point of no return before even getting started. Despite the nagging in my head, now that we’re here I don’t even care. Not one bit.

  He grips my hair and brings our foreheads together. “Yes,” he answers.

  “Maybe I will,” I whisper, pressing my lips back to his.

  Chapter Five

  The second my lips touch his, he takes over. His lips are like sin, blistering hot against mine. I’ve never been kissed like this before—with such passion that it overpowers all my senses. He tangles his tongue with mine, and I grip his shirt in response. The throbbing between my legs increases, begging for release. I know that I shouldn’t. It’s just supposed to be kissing, carefully exploring the boundaries. Not crossing them.

  But I can’t help myself.

  I scoot closer until I press against the hardened ridge under his jeans. I grind against it, and the pleasure surges.

  Landon tears his lips away. “For someone who doesn’t have much experience, it certainly feels like you know what you’re doing.” His voice is hoarse.

  “I’m just going with it.”

  “Your instincts are impressive.”

  “I graduated at the top of my class.”

  “You’ll be on top in this class.” He gives me a lopsided grin, pulling us back until he’s lying across my bed. He pulls me down to his chest, our noses touching. “If you keep grinding against me like that, I may not be able to hold back. I don’t know how much research you’re planning on doing tonight, but you might want to give me an idea now.”

  Right…research. That’s what this is. Where do I want tonight to go? How do I want it to end? My desire for him has deepened and, just like him, I don’t think I can restrain myself any longer. Everything that’s happened so far tonight has been with clothes on and I’ve felt more pleasure from that than all my other experiences combined.

  I answer him by reaching down and tugging his shirt. He sits up long enough for me to remove it and toss it to the floor. It’s the first time I’ve seen him without a shirt and, damn, have I been missing out. The hard planes of his chest are impossible to ignore…or keep my hands off. I touch him, discovering how amazing it feels to run my hands over his body. Not to mention how sexy chest hair is when it’s on him. He looks more rugged than boyish now.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t enjoy this so much,” he teases, reminding me of my words from earlier.

  “It’s not my fault you look like sex on a stick.”

  He laughs out loud, and it creates a gentle rumbling between our bodies. I sit back up, taking off my own shirt while he stares up at me, hands behind his head. I give him a shy smile. “Are you enjoying the show?”

  Landon grins, sitting up again to place his hands on either side of my ribcage. “Obviously. May I?” he asks, slipping a hand back to the clasps on my bra. I nod slowly, and his fingers make quick work of getting it off. The cups fall away, exposing my breasts for his eyes to feast on. He stares for a moment, taking it all in. A hand covers one of my breasts, while the other holds on to my waist. “Exquisite.”

  I sigh as he squeezes gently, my nipple hardening under his palm. He does the same with my other breast. I bite my lip and close my eyes. The way it feels holds me like an embrace. It spreads through me, from my core to my fingers and toes. His touch is delicate, treasuring. I can’t get enough. “More,” I say, not even knowing the word was on the tip of my tongue until I said it.

  Before I can process it, his mouth is around my nipple, sucking and licking. My fingers delve into his hair, holding tight. He teases the tight bud, swirling his tongue around it. It almost becomes too much, so I pull him away and shove him back down, pressing our bare chests together. With eyes full of desire, he says, “There’s my tigress.”

  A powerful feeling comes over me, making me brave. I kiss him hard, and he responds by wrapping his arms around me, holding me close. His kisses become rougher, insistent. I start to rub against him again, and he growls. I pull away, getting off his lap. He seems concerned for a second, then he sees me unbuttoning and yanking off my jeans and he hurriedly does the same. I slip off my panties. Before he kicks his pants off the bed, he pulls a condom from his pocket.

  “You had one in your pocket?” I ask, my jaw dropping.

  “A good man is always prepared,” Landon replies with a shrug.

  I shake my head and reach out to pull down his boxers. His erection springs free and I gasp. Holy moly. How will we even be able to…?

  “Don’t worry, I’ll fit,” he assures me.

  I pull his underwear off the rest of the way. “How can you be so sure?”

  “Trust me.” After putting on the condom, he pulls me on top of him. I let out a yelp and a giggle, which causes him to laugh. “Hey, stop the laughter or we won’t be able to get down to business.” He settles me right in front of his erection.

  Am I about to have sex in a position that’s not missionary? “You want me on top?”

  He nods, his topaz eyes ablaze with arousal. “There would be nothing more beautiful than watching you come while on top of me.”

  It’s the dirtiest thing a man has ever said to me…and…I like it. I really like it. It’s also invigorating, the idea of it, but I’m still a little bit unsure of myself. I bite my lip. “Help me?”

  “Here,” he says, moving me up and forward. “Just use your hand to guide me in.”

  I reach down and follow his instructions. When my fingers touch him, he sucks in a breath. “You okay?” I ask as I gaze at him.

  “I’m perfectly fine. You touching me is just…beyond enjoyable, that’s all.”

  I blink a few times in surprise. “Oh.” I line us up and press down so that the tip of his cock is inside.

  “That’s it,” he says through a hiss. “Now ease down all the way.” His hands are gripping my hips, holding back from pushing me down himself.

  Not wanting to wait any longer, I press down until he’s fully sheathed inside of me.

  Oh my…this is…I can’t believe…

  My eyes close, and a sound I’ve never heard before comes out of my mouth. It’s like a cross between a squeal and a moan. It’s very primal and unlike me. Then again, I haven’t had a man this far inside me. And I can’t believe the man inside me now is Landon.

  I finally look down at him, and his gaze is on me. “Wow,” he rasps, his fingers digging into my hips.

  “Yeah,” I gasp.

  His hand brushes along my jaw. “You ready?” I nod. “Because you control this. Remember that.”

  I nod again. Bracing myself with a hand on each side of him, I lift up, and then press back down again. A rushing swirl of pleasure increases every time I move against him. “God, that feels amazing. You feel amazing.”

  He lets out a light laugh. “I don’t think you need to work on your dirty talk.”

  I giggle. “That wasn’t dirty talk.”

  He shakes his head. “Nope, that was straight-up dirty talk. I liked it. A lot.” He pulls me down for a kiss, long and lingering. His hands slide over my body from my legs up to my breasts then back again. I hold myself up, increasing the speed. He assists by thrusting upward, meeting me with every downward stroke.

  My previous lovers were nothing compared to Landon. Everything about him—from his lips and hands to his hard length buried deep inside me—is better than anything I ever could have
imagined. The books are right about sex after all. It feels like a train speeding toward oblivion, a rushing river pushing me toward a waterfall. The pleasure builds in intensity like never before. It’s practically unreal. I don’t know how much longer I can hold on before it explodes.

  “Dana,” he says in a throaty voice. He brings his hand up to my face. “Are you—”

  “Yes,” I pant. “Almost…there…”

  He reaches his other hand between us and presses down on my clit. The dam bursts open at that, shooting the tingling sensations in every direction. It flows through my entire body, pulsing like a current. I cry out his name, gasping for breath. He thrusts into me one last time and releases with a low moan. My elbows give way and I fall onto his chest, floating away with the feelings I never thought I would get the chance to experience.

  Chapter Six

  A minute later, Landon whispers in my ear, “I need to take care of the condom.”

  “Of course,” I say, lifting myself up. As he heads to the bathroom, I pull my legs up and wrap my arms around them. My mind has barely begun to process what just transpired, but it’s slowly sinking in—seeping into my coherent thoughts and enlightening me. I just had sex with my writing partner. Not only that, but I want to do it again. And again. Research or no research. Boundaries be damned.

  When Landon returns to my room, he lowers his brows. “Is everything okay?”

  I nod. “Yeah, everything’s okay.”

  I stare straight ahead at my fully lined bookshelf as he comes over and climbs into the bed. He sits next to me, pulling his knees up like mine. He’s quiet for a moment, and then he asks, “Do you regret it?”

  “Regret what?”

  “What we just did.” I can feel him looking at me.

  I meet his gaze and shake my head. “No, not at all.”

  “Then, what’s wrong?” He shifts so he’s facing me more.

  “I never knew sex could be like that.” My fingers splay over my chest, a fluttering right underneath them threatening to burst forth.

  “Like what?”

  “So…” I hold out my hand as if to grasp for the right word. “So sensational and spectacular.”

  It finally hits him what I’m getting at. “Wait a second, Darling.” He takes hold of my hand and looks me in the eye. “Are you telling me…?”

  “Yeah…that was my first…orgasm.” I whisper the last word. I’ve never told anyone that before, not even Ivy. I never thought having an orgasm was that big of a deal. At least, not until now. I get what the hype is. Oh boy, do I get it.

  He frowns and sighs. “It’s not right.”

  “What’s not right?”

  “That you’ve spent all these years not enjoying sex the way you could have been.”

  “I just always assumed there was something wrong with me.”

  He squeezes my hand. “There was never something wrong with you—only those other men. You deserved better. Hell, the fact that they couldn’t even bring you to orgasm from missionary pisses me off.”

  “Why?”

  “Because missionary works…it…” His face tightens, nostrils flaring. “It makes me want to…”

  “What? It makes you want to what?”

  He leans over, his face right in front of mine. “Show you,” he growls. “I want to show you.”

  Landon wants to…again? My heart leaps at the thought of it, despite my doubts about the position. “Maybe you should.”

  “Are you sure?” The conflict in his eyes is apparent. He probably worries that he’s crossing a line. Once is one thing, twice is another. Twice is a completely different ball game.

  “Well, I haven’t heard the bell ring, so class isn’t over yet,” I tease with a smile, stretching out my legs.

  He smirks. “I did change the lesson plan, didn’t I?” He takes hold of me, laying me out across the bed on my back. He slips between my legs and I feel his erection pressing against my thigh.

  I look up at him with wide eyes. “Wow, already?”

  “Like I said,” he murmurs, trailing a fingertip across my lips. “It’s a natural reaction to you.”

  Heat blooms in my cheeks and at my core. “Do you have any more condoms in that pocket of yours?”

  “I have one more.”

  “Just one?”

  “You’re lucky I brought two. I didn’t even expect to use the one.”

  “Well, thankfully I have a couple in my purse.” I give him a wink.

  He raises an eyebrow. “Just how many times are you going to take me, Darling?”

  I pretend to think it over. “I haven’t quite decided yet…but as many as I can, Sinclair.” My hand cups his face, bringing him closer for a kiss. He complies with a soft moan. Within seconds, I’m hopelessly lost in his kiss. “I never knew research could be so much fun.”

  He caresses my breast. “I have to say, this research is more enjoyable than it was earlier.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “It doesn’t give me blue balls.”

  “Oh God, I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t need to be anymore.” He kisses down the column of my throat to my breasts. Then he keeps spreading kisses lower…and lower…until he’s there.

  I jerk back, but he grabs my legs, holding me in place. “What are you doing?” I ask with a breathy gasp.

  He stares up at me, unblinking. “You think you’re going to be able to write your story without at least one scene where Michael tastes Melodie?”

  I twitch, but he keeps his grip firm. “This isn’t even part of the lesson,” I argue.

  He narrows his eyes. “How do you know? All my notes are up here,” he says pointing to his forehead. “Unless, of course, you’re trying to read my mind. In which case, stop.”

  “But—”

  “I know. Nobody has gone down on you before.”

  I flinch. “How did you—”

  “If they had, tonight would not have been the first time you came. Besides, you need to have at least one scene including this. I might as well, right?”

  “You don’t have to do that. Not if you don’t want to.”

  “You don’t think I want to?”

  “I get that this is supposed to be research, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to—”

  “Obligated?” He chokes on a laugh. “Sweetheart, trust me when I say this is something I want to do for you. It’s not just because it’s research.”

  Not just research? Before I can continue my protest, his face descends between my legs. His tongue slides up my folds, my initial gasp turning into a moan. He lifts his head for a second and says, “You taste divine.” He crooks his finger inside and my fingers grasp at the bedding, gripping it tightly to have something to hold onto. His lips zero in on my clit, sucking deeply. My back arches as I soar through a pleasure that jolts me like an electric shock. It releases, and my body shudders through it, trembling as I moan loudly.

  I finally look down at him and find him grinning wickedly. “What?” I ask him breathlessly.

  “Hearing you come is the most beautiful sound.”

  “You might be able to hear it again in a few minutes if you put on that condom.” He lets out a growl and gets up to grab his pants. I grin up at him. “I never had a teacher so excited to help me learn.”

  He slides the condom down his length and climbs on the bed. “It’s not my fault I’m into the subject.” He spreads my legs and settles between them. “We’re going to do a variation on missionary.”

  “What kind?”

  He lifts one of my legs, hooking it over his shoulder. “This kind.” He sinks into me gently, filling me to the hilt. The angle couldn’t be more perfect. This is better than just missionary. It’s like “please God let’s do this forever” position.

  I breathe, “Oh God, that’s nice.” My back is already arching.

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh yeah.” He rocks into me and the friction is beautiful.

  “I’m still leaving the pace up
to you.”

  I raise an eyebrow and touch his lips with my finger. “What if it was up to you?”

  “Do you want to know?”

  “I want to see.”

  A growl escapes his lips, and his grip on me tightens slightly for a second, but he never falters moving inside me. “Don’t tempt me.”

  “Oh, please,” I scoff. “We’ve come this far tonight. School me, teach.”

  “Are you sure?” His gaze holds mine, studying me as if he could find the truth in my eyes.

  I nod. “Do your worst.”

  “In that case…” He pulls out of me and turns me until I’m sitting at the edge of the bed. He stands in front of me and enters me again. I gasp. “Wrap your legs around me and hold on.” I reach back to grasp the mattress behind me as he begins to pump into me, steadily increasing in speed.

  Holy whoa. I just let the lion loose. Or should I say tiger? His strong hands are on my hips, holding on as he thrusts into me, deeper and deeper. I give way to the pleasure building at my core. I stare up into his eyes, seeing something new in them that wasn’t there before. I can’t put my finger on it, can’t find the words. But I know it’s something beautiful. Something wonderful.

  In a matter of seconds, I’m exploding from within. I pulse around him, holding on for dear life as I come back down from my high. I look back up at him, and as soon as our eyes meet, he thrusts into me one last time. Burying himself deep inside me, he releases with a moan, my name a whisper on his lips. The only thing I can think as I watch him is that nothing compares to this moment.

  Nothing compares to him.

  After Landon catches his breath, he says, “Are you up for more research?”

  I shouldn’t be, but I am. “Might as well. Semester isn’t over yet, is it?”

  “Not if you don’t want it to be.”

  I know that we’ve already gone far enough, further than our friendship should ever allow. Yet I want to push the limits, push the boundaries, grasp for more. More would be too much, but I’m reaching for it—begging for it—with open arms. I’m afraid of what will happen to us later. What would happen at the end of this night. What would be lost. Yet somehow, I know it’s too late.