Chapter Fifteen
FLORA
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THE KISS STARTS soft and sweet but quickly deepens into something more urgent.
My hands thread through his hair, pulling him closer. Our bodies mold together. We rise to our knees, seeking closeness. I feel the roughness of the floor beneath me, but it barely registers. My focus is entirely on him. His strong arm burns a band of heat around my waist. The way his other hand grasps the side of my face with a dominating control simmers deep fantasies I didn’t even know I had.
“God, you taste good,” he murmurs against my mouth.
His hands slide down my sides, bunching the material of my dress until his fingers brush my bare skin. Shivers cascade through my body.
I pull back slightly to look at him. His eyebrows furrow at our separation while his taught muscles beg to be freed from the confines of his shirt.
“You’re beautiful.” My voice is barely above a whisper.
I reach out, tracing my fingers along the outline of his material-clad biceps. I revel in the way he flexes at my touch.
With a shared understanding, we begin undressing each other—a slow, tantalizing process filled with playful glances and whispered compliments. The anticipation builds.
With a gentle tug, he grips the hem of my jean jacket. “This is beautiful on you, but I want to see what’s underneath.”
With a mischievous glint, he slides the jacket down my arms, leaning in and kissing my throat. The buttons rattle when my coat hits the floor.
I let his tongue lap my skin until my insides are buzzing.
I lean back and smile coyly. “I need you without this flannel.” I toy with the hem of his long-sleeved shirt before my fingers slide up his chest and push the fabric over his thick shoulders. “This too.” I tug the middle of his white T-shirt.
In one swift motion, he pulls the shirt over his head and tosses it aside.
His body takes my breath away. He’s a sculpted work of art as if the gods themselves had carved him from marble. With each deep breath, his broad chest rises and falls. The soft glow of the mini-lights above accentuates the definition of his muscles. His biceps bulge, and veins run along his forearms. The chiseled V shape dipping into his jeans draw me like a magnet.
“Do I pass the test?” His finger hooks my chin. “I fucking love the way you look at me.” He leans down, capturing my mouth before I can answer.
My hands explore the contours of his body while he slides the dress off my shoulders. The cool air nips my flesh, heightening my senses. He unhooks my bra, and it falls to the pile of clothes pooling around us. My skin tingles with his lingering glance.
His fingertips skim my skin. “You’re stunning,” he says, his rumble low and sultry.
The way his darkened stare travels over me, drinking in every inch of me, all hungry and lusty, sends a thrill of pure desire through me.
“Absolutely gorgeous,” he breathes, his stare savoring the swell of my breasts.
There is a rush of heat to my cheeks, but he doesn’t notice.
“I want to explore every inch of you.” His hand cups the back of my head and brings his mouth crashing on mine. “With no interruptions,” he murmurs between kisses.
“Me first.” I playfully shove his chest.
He tumbles back with a surprised laugh and the most adorable shocked expression on his handsome face. “Maybe you’re the bad influence.”
“Stick around, and you’ll find out.” I nudge him onto his back and straddle him. The sheer size of his muscular frame beneath me is intoxicating.
His hands grip my hips, and his fingernails dig into my flesh. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere.” His drawl is low and lazy and sexy as hell.
My hands wander over the ridges and dips of his broad shoulders. He hisses a beautiful sound, leaning his head back. My fingertips continue a slow trail down his strong arms. His muscles ripple under my touch.
I lean down and brush my lips against his ear. “Do you like that?”
His low growl is the affirmation I need to continue my journey. I explore his neck, basking in the soft stubble that scrapes against my skin. I press my lips to his collarbone. I can’t get enough of his warm, salty skin. It’s rich and masculine and addictive.
I move lower, dragging my tongue down his chest, licking, sucking and nibbling. I shift my weight, straddling him more firmly as I let my hands and lips explore every inch of his rugged abdomen. The roughness of his skin against my soft lips is a delicious contrast that quickens my pulse.
Heat pools between my legs with each kiss, and I ache for more.
I unfasten his belt.
He growls. “Your touch drives me wild.”
My fingers dip under the waistband, brushing his skin. “Let me show you just how wild I can make you feel.”
He lifts his ass as I slide off his jeans. His raging erection springs free, hard, and ready for me. My core throbs, but I don’t want to rush things tonight. No one’s going to walk in on us. We have the whole evening to ourselves.
I rid his pants and wrap my hand around his shaft, feeling the warmth and weight of him in my palm.
His body stiffens at my touch.
“Fuck—” He leans his head back, and his eyes flutter closed. “Flora...” His fingers dig through my hair.
I glide my hand up and down, enjoying his sharp intake. Then I lower her mouth and tease his sensitive tip with a lick and flick of my tongue.
His moan echoes through the attic, bouncing off the walls and lighting my insides. I take my time. My tongue traces along his soft and velvety length. Each teasing stroke drives him wild. I relish in the power I hold over him, enjoying every little sound he makes and the way his fingertips dig into my scalp.
“Good lord, woman, you’ll be the death of me.”
Before he finishes his sentence, I take him inside my mouth—inch by inch. My tongue swirls and teases. Each movement coaxes a deeper growl from his throat.
“Just like that.” There’s an urgency in his breath that consumes me.
I quicken my pace faster and bolder. The sight of his pleasure fuels my own. I push further, losing myself in the rhythm. The sounds of our breaths mingle in the room. I feel the tension building within him and wonder if he’ll come into my mouth.
Before I know what happens, Thorn is up, and his arm scoops my legs. My heart flutters and I let out a surprised gasp as he effortlessly lifts me into the air and puts me on my back.
“My turn,” he growls so damn sexy.
I laugh and love his playful grin. It’s so much like the one he wore when we were younger.
“And this isn’t going to be just a taste.” His promise ignites fire inside me.
Our lips collide, rough and hot and hungry. The intensity takes my breath away. He peppers my skin with soft, hot kisses at my jawline, down my throat, and collarbone. Every kiss leaves a stamp of heat that further ignites my body. His tongue traces the outline of my cleavage. I gasp when his mouth envelopes me, and I arch my back, craving more.
“That’s right, sweetheart. Tell me what you like.” His breath is hot against my skin.
He worships one breast, then the other. With a lazy gaze, I watch his eyelids close. His tongue alternates between licking and swirling, drawing moans of pleasure from my lips. When he flicks his tongue over my sensitive peak, I almost can’t handle it.
I clutch his shoulders. “Thorn...” My desperate plea carries through the attic.
“Yeah, baby?” He bites my nipple, and I buckle.
“It feels so good.”
He dips lower, sprinkling kisses down my abdomen. When his lips finally make contact with my most sensitive spot, pleasure surges through me, overwhelming and all-consuming.
I gasp.
I moan.
I do several little sounds I can’t control and don’t want to—don’t need to with Thorn.
His breath is warm against my womanhood. He drags his tongue along my wetness, and the world around me vanishes. My lower lip stings when I bite down on it. Each movement of his mouth on me sends waves of pleasure radiating from within, building and intensifying until I feel like I might burst.
“Just let go.” His raspy voice makes my heart race. “Come for me, baby. I want to watch.”
And with that, I surrendered completely. A rush of heat floods my body and explodes into bliss. I crash over the edge, calling out his name. Waves of ecstasy wash over me, each sensation amplifying the next, leaving me breathless.
As I come down from the pleasure washing over me in tidal waves, he’s there. His copper-brown eyes watch me, a satisfied smile playing on his lips as he rips a condom open and rolls it on.
He settles between my legs, the tip of his solid erection pressing my entry. He doesn’t push in right away.
He loves my damp hair to one side. “That was incredible.”
At this moment, I realize how much I love him—I never stopped loving him.
I stroke his cheek. “You’re incredible. You did all this for us—for me.”
His thumb softly rubs circles along my temple. “Yes.”
“No one’s ever treated me the way you have.”
“That’s a shame. They don’t know what they’re missing.” He kisses my nose.
“I love you, Thorn.” A small chuckle creeps up my chest. “That’s very cliche to say after you gave me that sensational release.”
His smile widens. “It is. How can I trust you mean it?” he teases.
“Because I never stopped loving you.”
His hands cup my face. “I’m lying here with a raging erection, yet to succumb, and from the bottom of my heart, I’m telling you, I never stopped loving you, Flora Rowe. I wasn’t raised to believe in happily ever afters or soul mates, but you are both of those things to me.”
I reach up and kiss him. Slowly, he enters me. Our eyes lock. He takes his time like he’s savoring and cherishing our intimacy. Each thrust resonates with love and passion, more profound than any connection we’ve ever shared. His pace quickens, and every thrust mounts pressure in my core.
Just when I think I might lose myself completely, I feel him tense. A deep groan vibrates through him as he reaches his peak. The sensation of him pulsing inside me sends me spiraling into my second climax.