Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
NATALIE
I couldn’t tell you which one of us moved first. All I knew was his hands were in my hair and my mouth was on his. There was no hesitation in our kiss, no more holding back. I was going all in.
He shifted his weight above me as I sank into the kiss. His stubble scraped against my mouth as he continued stroking his tongue deliberately against mine. I allowed him to take control and quiet all the doubts in my head. Weeks of wondering and wanting all led up to this moment.
His lips skimmed down my neck, teasing and nipping while my fingernails dragged along his shoulders. My breath was erratic, and I found myself drifting into a place I never wanted to come back from.
“Are you sure you’re ready? Once we do this, there is no going back,” he asked, patiently waiting for my answer.
I allowed his words to hang in the air for a minute. This wasn’t just about tonight. It was about everything that would come after—the feelings, the commitment, crossing this line with him would change everything .
I looked into his eyes and saw the vulnerability as he silently pleaded with me to take the leap with him.
“I’m ready.”
He reached out and cupped my face gently. “No more going back and forth, promise?”
I realized at that moment that I didn’t want to. “I promise.”
His thumb traced gentle circles along my cheek. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured. I want this to be your choice.”
All I could think about was how much I wanted this. “I’m not going to change my mind. I’m sure.”
With that, he captured my mouth and kissed me. It was soft but quickly deepened, becoming more urgent. “I’ve thought about our night together a lot. I might not remember much, but I remember enough.” His hands slid down my waist, anchoring me to him as if he were afraid I would change my mind.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “I’ve thought about that night too, but this is going to be different, there were no feelings attached.”
“You’re right, which is going to make this even better.”
I closed my eyes, because there was something so raw and honest in his expression and it was too much to acknowledge. I just wanted to lose myself in his touch and block out his words.
His hand moved up underneath my top, and he paused. “Look at me, Natalie. I don’t want you hiding from me or trying to pretend this isn’t happening.” My eyes fluttered open as his hand moved to my breast. His thumb rolled against my nipple before giving it a tug. I moaned in pleasure as his mouth met mine in a hot and greedy kiss. His lips sucked and teased; every inch of me was on fire. He might not remember everything, but I sure as hell did. It was the most intense encounter I ever had. That’s why adding feelings to this was risky. But he was worth it, and I was pretty certain I wouldn’t be able to stop this right now, even if I wanted to, which I didn’t.
Rhett nudged my legs apart and crawled over the top of me with a devilish grin. With one swift movement, my shirt was tugged off, and his mouth was on my breast.
“I’ve missed these tits.” He sucked one nipple into his mouth while palming the other one in his hand. “I’ve been dreaming about them,” he whispered, pressing his cock in between my thighs. “Every time I close my eyes, I see them.”
“I’ve been having a few dreams myself.” I groaned while he slid my shorts off.
“Yeah?” He lifted his head, a slow smile crawling on his mouth. “Tell me.”
“How about I show you instead.” I ran my hands along my breast, loving the way he watched me. Everything was sensitive, so I tried easing some tension by bucking my hips forward and sliding myself along his cock. The build was soft and slow, and I was on the brink of losing my sanity. I’ve never gotten this close so fast.
He brought his mouth to my ear. “I swear to God, Natalie. You’re like an addiction that consumes my every thought.”
I knew the feeling. He was on my mind every second of the day. He had no idea how much space he took up in my head.
His mouth found mine as I continued to push my hips against his. This kiss was all tongue and teeth. I never wanted it to stop. I arched off the bed as he continued to suck and nip in places that were already sensitive. I spread my legs wider, encouraging him to keep going .
“Jesus. Look at you. I want to touch you, everywhere. I want to watch you. I want to feel everything.” He lifted me up and turned on his back, never once taking his eyes off mine.
I leaned over the top of him and pushed my hands onto his strong shoulders . There was nothing between us but bated breaths and hungry pants.
I wrapped my legs tightly around his thighs. “You’re talking too much.”
He laughed and opened his mouth to suck on my finger. “Just trying to convince you to give me a real shot.”
“You know the rules. One month. That’s all I can promise.” It was a reminder to me more than him.
“I told you before. Your rules suck.”
A breath shuddered out of me when he grabbed the base of his cock and dragged it along my opening. The back-and-forth movement along with the deliberate pressure had me whimpering in pleasure.
“And for the record, every line you draw, I plan to cross, and every rule you make, I plan on breaking, so do your best sweetheart.”
“You need to stop saying things like that.” I threw my head back when he rubbed the tip of his cock in slow circles along my folds.
I gasped when he shoved two fingers inside. My body tightened around his hand while he rubbed and pressed, searching for that bundle of nerves that would send me over the edge. “It’s the truth, and the sooner you stop fighting this, the quicker I can convince you to take a real chance on us.”
“What do you think I’m doing right now?” I moaned at the sensation that was filling me all over.
He cursed under his breath and buried his finger deeper. “I told you before, I want more than just your body.”
His fingers moved in and out while his tongue devoured mine. He was a man possessed, and all I wanted to do, was hold on for dear life and never let go.
“You’re so fucking wet.” His finger slid in and out. “Stop denying yourself this. I can give you whatever you want. Just say the word.”
I gasped out when he pressed his thumb against my clit. Holy fuck. I was coming from his hand alone—in a matter of seconds. He continued gliding in and out as I squirmed against him. What the hell was he doing to me?
“Are you on the pill?”
I opened my eyes, feeling my heartbeat pound in my ears. “Yes.”
He touched my face. “I went to the doctor when I got back from Vegas and haven’t been with anyone since you. I don’t want to stop to grab a condom, especially if I don’t need one.”
My mind buzzed with so many questions. I never had sex without protection, and despite only knowing him for a short period of time, I trusted him more than anyone. Maybe I had lost all common sense, and maybe I would regret this, but I wanted him so badly that I would have to deal with the consequences later if I had to. I needed him inside me.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?” He dipped his head forward, his eyes searching mine. “I need you to tell me what you want me to do.”
“I want you to fuck me. Right here. Right now. You don’t need to leave this bed. I trust you. The question is, do you trust me?”
His eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite explain, and in the next second, he flipped me over, lined himself up, and thrust inside. There was no resistance on my end as he slowly moved in and out. My body welcomed every inch he was giving me. I was taking it all as he filled me over and over again. I wrapped my legs around his back at the same time he buried his head in the crook of my neck. He swirled his hips, finding a different angle, making me arch into him.
Each stroke was harder. Each thrust was deeper. The bed banged rhythmically against the wall. The mattress squeaked. Rhett was wild and untamed. He wasn’t being gentle or sweet; he was wound too tight and was one second away from unraveling inside me. My body tightened around his. Each fingernail was leaving an imprint on his back. The sensations inside me were on the verge of pouring out. I called out his name as he thrust faster. He was driving me out of my mind, making it impossible to think about anything else.
His hands dug into my hips as he increased his rhythm. Jesus Christ. He was not letting up. My vision blurred, and everything tingled. He pushed inside one last time, and I threw my hands around his neck, needing something to hold on to.
He rocked himself against me. So many promises and unspoken words hung in the air. I was close and ready to give him anything. He adjusted his hips and started picking up the pace.
“Oh, God.” I sunk my teeth into his shoulder to stifle my scream. The strongest orgasm I’d ever had in my life came spiraling through me.
“That’s it, baby.” He braced the weight of his forearm beside my head. “I’m going to make you feel so good. You will never want to leave me. I will ruin you for anyone else. In the end, there will only be me. ”
My name was on his lips as he followed me over the edge. I could feel his warmth spread inside me. Wave after wave rippled out of him. His body shuttered before it went completely still. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was open. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.
He pulled out, rolled on his back, and threw an arm over his eyes. Heavy breaths came from his mouth as we both lay there for a moment.
My fingers ran lazily up and down his arm, silently reflecting on what just happened and what this would mean.
He pulled me toward him and played with the opal pendant hanging from my neck. “I don’t want this to have an expiration date, Natalie, so I’m laying all my cards on the table. I want you. I want this. I’m going to fight for us, so be warned because I don’t plan on losing.”
I wanted to tell him that he didn’t have to fight for me, because he had already won, but I knew that would change everything and I wasn’t ready to admit that yet.
Instead, I tucked myself into his side, listening to the steady beat of his heart. “I want to try and see where this goes, but I can’t commit to anything more than this right now.”
He twisted a strand of hair around his finger. “Tell me what’s stopping you from taking the next step? Even though you don’t say it, I know you have feelings for me.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “I do have feelings for you. They’re the type of feelings that can do damage to my already fragile heart.”
He cupped my face. “You don’t think I’m scared?”
“You’re scared of me?”
“I’m scared that once you get those divorce papers, you’re going to leave me. And it terrifies the hell out of me that I might never feel this way again. ”
I rested my head on his chest. “Let’s take things one day at a time,” I said, entwining his fingers with mine.
I wasn’t going to allow myself to think about anything else tonight. Instead, I curled into his side and allowed him to pull me closer and forget about the world around us.