6. Eloise
Atlas moves with unexpected intensity, erasing the distance between us until his words and his kiss blur together in my mind. Time unravels as his strong arms bind me to him, as my name carries into my mouth and changes into a moan. His kiss drives all the thoughts from my mind, and it's a good thing his body is holding mine steady because my knees threaten to give out. My skin tingles as if nothing exists except him and his firm, warm lips.
This is no tentative exploration. This is not a shy foray into testing boundaries. This is possession, a fierce declaration that makes me breathless and needy and suddenly unwilling to exist apart from his touch. It’s impossible, overwhelming, and yet it feels so perfectly right. His fingers weave into my hair as if claiming everything I am, and I respond without thought or restraint, giving him every soft sound and eager answer he demands. The dizzy rush of it makes me forget to breathe.
Minutes, hours, entire lifetimes—none of it matters. All that exists is the magnetic pull between us, the singular sensation of being entirely his. I’m drifting through the fire and thunder of Atlas, every part of me weightless and unconcerned, except where his warmth meets mine and the collision sends me spiraling. I tighten my hold around his neck, desperate and wanting, barely knowing where my body ends and his begins.
He's solid and real, more than a memory and so much better than any dream. It’s like the past never happened, like every heartache and disappointment was just preparation for this consuming kiss. I thought I knew what to expect, but nothing prepared me for the wild storm of emotions that threaten to consume me as his mouth demands more and more. He kisses me like it’s a vow, a promise that echoes all the way to my fingertips.
We collapse onto the couch in a glorious tangle of breathless energy and tangled limbs before I even realize we moved from my bedroom to the living room. Atlas laughs as my hair falls over his eyes and as my body lies undignified in a heap on top of him. I'm lost in the sensation of everything. I can't tell if my heart is pounding from the kiss or from how I feel when he says "forever."
"I can't believe this is happening," I mutter more to myself than to him. "I thought..." I don't even know what I thought.
He interrupts, "You thought I'd give up that easily?" There's no hesitation, and the way he brushes my cheek with his thumb makes me dizzy all over again.
He gives me a look that makes me feel like I've landed on some new, wondrous planet. "Not a chance, Eloise." He tests out the sound of it again, softer. "Not a fucking chance."
We're supposed to be serious, I think, but there's a catch in his voice and a light in his eyes that makes it impossible. I'm breathing hard and unable to decide if it’s from how close I am to Atlas or how far away I feel from any kind of sense. The warmth of him, the possibility of him, of us, makes me too lightheaded to worry. I let the truth and surprise fly. "I really like you," I say, knowing it sounds so pathetically unworthy of the thundering rush inside me.
"Good." He grins. "That's going to make this easier."
"This?" I ask, an easy giggle escaping my lips.
Atlas pulls me closer, like it's the most natural thing in the world, and says it again, like it's the only word that matters. "Us."
"Us," I repeat, loving the way it feels, the way it scares and thrills me.
His lips envelop mine, igniting a surge of electricity that shoots down my spine like a bolt of lightning. His tongue explores my mouth with an urgency that makes my mind melt into a blissful haze.
Time seems to dissolve around us as he hungrily claims my mouth, each kiss more consuming than the last. I press my tongue against his, a dance of desire, while his fingers weave through my hair, pulling me closer with a possessive intensity that sends shivers cascading through me.
He pulls back and lays his forehead against mine. "Wow, you make me forget everything." He smiles softly, and I’m worried he’s about to step away from me.
I reach down and give his hardness a little squeeze through his gray sweatpants. “Don’t stop now.” A shiver runs through his tall, muscular body. Oh, wowza. His cock is big and thick. “I want you.” Hopefully, that’s clear enough for him.
“Are you fucking sure?” He throws his head back and groans.
“Couldn’t be surer.” He lifts me up against his chest and rushes to my bedroom.
He sets me on my feet, and my hands shake with anticipation as I reach up to cup his face. My fingers dig into the rough and masculine stubble on his jaw, and I pull him down to my level. “I want you.” Our lips collide in a messy kiss that’s all teeth, tongue, and desperation. My tongue, tentative at first, slips past his lips, and the moment it touches his, it’s like a freaking spark in a gas station.
He groans, deep and guttural, his hands flying to my waist to steady himself. His obvious enjoyment spurs me on. My tongue tangles with his, exploring every inch of his mouth like I’m claiming it as mine. I’m clumsy but he doesn’t seem to mind. I slide my sleep shorts down my legs and kick them off.
His hands slide down to my ass, squeezing hard enough to make me gasp into his mouth. Electricity flows down my spine as I arch into him, my body pressed so tightly against his that there’s no mistaking the size of his erection. My nipples are hard little peaks against his chest, and I can feel the thick, throbbing length of him pressing into my stomach.
I break the kiss, panting with my lips swollen and glistening. My eyes lock with his, dark and hungry, and I don’t say a word. His hand slips between my legs, where my panties are soaked through. He rips my panties down my legs, and I fumble a little before kicking them away. My eyes roll back when he finds my dripping center.
“Fuck,” he mutters, his voice rough with need. “You’re so fucking wet for me.”
I don’t answer. Well, I can’t since his touch has stolen my ability to speak. All I can do is moan as his fingers start to move, circling my clit with a precision that makes my knees buckle. I’ve never felt anything like this before, and it’s overwhelming in the best possible way. My hips buck against his hand, desperate for more, and he gives it to me, sliding two fingers inside my wet opening. It’s a tight fit, and I bite my lip to keep from crying out as my inner muscles stretch around his huge fingers.
“Goddamn,” he breathes, his forehead resting against mine. “You’re so goddamn tight.”
I whimper, my nails digging into his shoulders as he slowly pumps his fingers in and out of me. It’s too much but I don’t care. I’m so close to the edge of an orgasm. But I’m not ready to let him take control just yet.
With a sudden burst of courage, I push him back onto the bed and climb on top of him. His eyes widen in surprise, but he doesn’t stop me. Instead, he watches with a mixture of awe and lust as I strip off my t-shirt.
“You’re fucking perfect,” he growls and reaches up to grasp my tits. My head falls back, and I gasp his name as he slowly plucks my nipples, sending my pulse into overdrive.
I scoot back a little and push down his gray sweatpants as far as I can. His cock springs free, thick and veiny and leaking pre-cum. I hesitate for just a moment before wrapping my hand around it, marveling at how hot, heavy, and silky it feels in my palm.
“So are you,” I whisper, my voice trembling with need.