Chapter 20
Twenty
T his was madness.
Esther buried her face in Asher’s neck, inhaling his sweaty, masculine scent as he carried her up the stairs. They’d stumbled inside, where after they removed their jackets, he’d whisked her off her feet, cradling her to his chest. It had sent the last of her misgivings running. Whatever happened in the future, she refused to worry about it now. Edie was right. She needed to live a little.
How could she ever expect to find the happiness her sister had if she never put herself out there? Her introverted lifestyle didn’t really lend itself to meeting men.
Here was one basically dropped into her lap.
And he liked her .
She needed to take advantage of that. Especially since he was stunningly handsome and just as kind.
He turned into her bedroom, flipping on the lights with his elbow before carrying her to the bed.
“You still sure?” His low voice rumbled through her as he glanced down, meeting her gaze.
She brought a hand up, threading her fingers into his hair. “Yes.” Stretching her neck, she kissed him, telling him with more than words just how ready she was.
He moved again, and a moment later, the mattress pressed against her backside. Asher lowered himself next to her, sliding a thigh between hers as he kept their mouths fused.
She gripped the hem of his t-shirt at the back of his waist, twisting the material in her hands. Her knuckles grazed warm skin near his spine. She wanted to feel more. Wanted to feel his hands on her bare skin. She wanted all of him. Everywhere.
Her body clenched at the thought. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. Years. When her last relationship ended, she hadn’t been interested in dating for quite a while. Once she was, no one intrigued her enough to want to get beyond a couple of dates. It had been over a year since she’d been out with anyone.
He shifted, bringing his pelvis into contact with her hip. Esther felt the growing ridge in his jeans and an answering heat pooled in her core. She might not have been on a real date with Asher, but it didn’t matter. She knew what she needed to know.
But the contact brought up another issue. One she hadn’t thought of until now. She pushed him back. “We need protection. I’m not on the pill.” And she didn’t keep that stuff in her house. Her love life sucked, so there was no need.
He rose up slightly and reached into his back pocket, producing his wallet. “I have one, so we need to make it count. And for the record, I don’t sleep around. When I was a teenager, my grandpa and my dad drilled it into me to always carry one. I admit, I used it a couple of times when I was young. Now, though, it’s just a habit to keep one on me.”
“Well, I’m glad. Because I don’t want to stop to go to the store.” She took the wallet, tossed it on the bed, then dragged him back down for another searing kiss.
All talking ceased as their need took over. Esther tunneled her hands beneath his shirt, bunching it up around his shoulders. He peeled it off, giving her an up-close look at what she’d so far only admired from a distance. Fingers trailing over his lean, well-defined muscles, she dedicated herself to learning every inch of his torso.
Deep into her exploration of the ridges and valleys of his abs, she barely noticed her leggings coming down until his fingers slid through the wet heat at her center. She broke away from his lips, moaning as he slicked the wetness over her eager lady bits and found the hidden knot of nerves. Her hips left the bed, chasing his touch.
“Take your top off. Let me see that beautiful body.” He growled, nipping just below her ear.
Esther slid her arms from her sleeves and drew her shirt over her head, leaving her in her lacy pale blue bra.
The hand not teasing her core picked at the lace cup. “This too. Take it off.”
She started to ask why he didn’t do it himself when he speared her with two fingers. All the breath left her lungs on a keening cry.
She understood now. He was a little busy driving her insane.
Arching her back, she wiggled her arms underneath herself—no small feat, since he continued to stroke her inner walls—and unfastened the clasp. The fabric loosened.
Asher hooked a finger between the cups and pulled, freeing her arms as he tossed it over the side of the bed. He latched onto one breast, teasing the tip, even as he continued his mind-numbing assault below her waistline.
Esther writhed on the bed. Her body didn’t know where to go or what to do. With every nip, stroke, and touch, he overwhelmed her senses.
Every thought in her head ceased, making way for the bright light of ecstasy that ripped through her brain and down her nerve endings. She cried out, clamping her knees together, holding his hand in place as she rode the wave.
Eventually, the waves died down, leaving her lounging languidly. Her body relaxed, letting him go. He moved away from her, getting up.
“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.” He unzipped his jeans and shoved the material down his legs.
Some of Esther’s tranquil feeling faded as her body woke up again. He’d exposed thick, muscular thighs and the outline of something she couldn’t wait to wrap her hand around.
Kicking out of his jeans, he hooked his thumbs in the top of his boxer-briefs. In one smooth, fluid movement, he whisked the material over his hips. It fell down his legs to pool on the floor and left her staring at the long sweep of his manhood.
Her body wept, anticipating what was coming. She crooked a finger at him and raised her knees. Fire blazed in his eyes as he put a knee on the bed and crawled between her thighs. Rolling his hips, he brushed through her wetness as he hovered above her.
“Condom.” Esther slapped at the bed, looking for his wallet. He’d better find it fast. Before she threw caution completely to the wind.
One long arm reached past her head, snagging the billfold. He sat back on his haunches and flipped it open, removing the foil packet and tossing the wallet on the floor with their clothes. The wrapper crinkled as he tore it open. A moment later, he’d sheathed himself and was hovering over her again.
“Remember how I said we need to make this one count?”
She nodded, liking where his thoughts were going. She didn’t want vanilla sex. Not if they only had one chance tonight.
“Roll onto your side.”
Esther rolled. He brought her top leg up, letting her bottom leg slide under him as he shifted closer. His hand skimmed her calf as he lined himself up with her entrance and pushed forward. The angle was unlike any other, and it gave him access to her entire body, of which he took advantage. Esther clutched the sheets as his hands roamed over her torso, down to her core to tease her, and then back up, all while he slowly rolled his hips, teasing a different part of her body. She both loved it and hated it; she couldn’t touch him.
Finally, she decided that wasn’t acceptable and bent her top leg, pushing against him. He let her go, and she scooted away, quickly rolling up to her knees to come at him.
“I take it you didn’t like that position?”
She grabbed handfuls of his hair. “It was fine, but I couldn’t do this.” She latched onto his mouth. He locked his arms around her waist and toppled them onto the bed, hauling her over his body to straddle his hips. Scooting up the headboard, he bent his knees, trapping her in the vee he created.
Reaching between them, she wrapped his silken length in her fist and squeezed. His deep groan vibrated her insides down to her soul.
Ready for more, she lifted and swirled him through her folds, then sank down. His fingers dug into her flesh as he gripped her hips. Their moans mingled, echoing through the room. Hands on his shoulders, she held on as they moved together, taking each other to the heavens.
When her climax hit, white spots burst in her vision. He swallowed her shout of pleasure with a soul-searing kiss. Esther grasped his face and held on as her body floated away, carried on a sea of ecstasy and an emotion she couldn’t name. It wasn’t love; maybe love-adjacent. His firm but gentle touch left her feeling cherished and appreciated.
Slowly, she floated down from the planets and the stars, regaining some awareness of her surroundings. But mostly, her mind focused on the man in her arms and the embrace they shared. He continued to nip and suckle on her lips, drawing out the pleasure their union created. She didn’t want to move, but knew they needed to shower and do all the things that needed done before they went to bed.
But for now, she was content to stay here and let the little moments feed the feelings growing deep within.
They’d started something tonight, and she wasn’t ashamed to say she was greedy and wanted more.