Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Rowan stared up at Bodie, heart thrashing, nerves singing in anticipation.
His hair looked wild, the ends spiked up in every direction from her running her fingers through it, the blonde highlights streaks of warm grey in the darkness.
He smiled, and the world shifted. Spun faster until it matched the jumpy feeling in her stomach.
It seemed like forever since she’d been with a man, too entrenched in finding her father to allow herself that luxury.
And god knew Bodie wasn’t some random guy.
In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted anyone like this.
As if it was a physical need, like breathing, only hotter.
Deeper. And she knew, once she surrendered, a piece of her heart would belong to him.
That she’d need his if she ever wanted to be whole, again.
Bodie tsked, lowered until every inch pressed against her. “I haven’t even had a chance to touch you, yet, and already you’re worried. I think that’s a record.”
She tilted her head, inhaling when he pressed an open-mouth kiss to her neck, lightly nipped at her skin.
“I’m not worried, it’s just…” The words trailed into a moan as he shifted his weight onto one side, smoothed his hand up her ribcage, his fingers dancing across her skin, stealing what little breath she had.
He chuckled against her neck. “Just what?”
Another moan clawed free. Rougher than before as he teased her breast, sparked needles of heat across her skin. “I need…”
A kiss below her collar bone. “Need what?”
Her voice keened into a wail as he sucked at her flesh, burning all that need into white-hot desire. “You. I need you… God.”
She arched into his touch, eating at his mouth when he claimed her lips, one hand tangled in his hair.
She fisted the ends in the hopes of keeping him right there, kissing her as if she needed the contact to breathe, only to have him tsk, again, as he slowly moved down her body.
He peppered kisses across her ribs, tracing the line with his fingers and tongue until he’d settled between her thighs, his broad shoulders wedging them apart.
His body flexed with every small movement, created deep shadows across his torso.
The man was impressive. With bulging muscles and a dusting of hair across his chest, he looked every inch the warrior she knew he’d been. Hell, still was. Add in the beard, the scattering of scars, and the Hollywood-good looks, and she was more than smitten.
He cocked his head to the side, drawing a single finger through her drenched flesh. “And I need to watch you give yourself completely to me. No holding back. No half-measures.” He silenced any retort with a hint of penetration. “Deal?”
She met his expectant gaze, fire burning beneath her skin, every muscle strung tight. “All of me, for all of you.”
He snorted. “You’ve already got all of me, Rowan. But… actions do speak louder…”
He dropped his mouth to her skin, licked the length of her, then swirled his tongue around the top. Nearly sending her over from that one pass. She arched her hips, tried to increase the pressure, but he draped one muscled forearm across her torso, held her still.
Did he know what that did to her? The light restraint?
How he’d taken complete control? Like when he’d tugged on her hair while she’d been devouring him.
She wasn’t sure if it was the easy weight, or just the freedom to fully feel, but it stole her breath.
Had her chanting his name. She’d never considered herself submissive, but here, with him, giving up a bit of control spun the room.
Though, she had a bad feeling it was Bodie, not the loss of control.
That he could be tied to her bed and still command the scene.
He obviously noticed her reaction, nipping at the inside of one thigh. “Good to know.”
She frowned, pushed up onto her elbows. “What’s good to know?”
“That you trust me enough to let me take control. That you know I’d never take advantage of that. Of you.” He increased the pressure on her hips as he slipped his finger inside her. “You might want to hold on.”
She inhaled as he started up a steady rhythm, licking and sucking until she collapsed on the bed, fingers curled into fists, heat spiraling through her core. She grabbed his arm, loving how his muscles flexed every time she moved. How every flick of his tongue pushed her closer to the edge.
Time drifted, sped up, then slowed down as he brought her to the edge only to ease back — pause as she recovered — before starting again.
Over and over, until she thought she’d explode.
Just vaporize right there on the bed. Break into a thousand pieces.
She’d already plotted her revenge — all the ways she’d bring him to his knees — when he growled against her flesh, the added sensation nearly undoing her.
Bodie shook his head as he gazed up at her. “Fight it, sweetheart. I need more time. More of you.”
She cried out, panted through the next few strokes. “Then, you need to stop. Hell, vanish because simply being in the same room…”
He shifted, hit that sweet spot…
Everything imploded.
Coiled in on itself, then detonated.
White-hot fire that shattered her control. Sent her headlong into release. She fisted her hands, prayed she hadn’t yanked out all his hair, as the room faded, a warm haze settling over her.
She drifted, chest heaving, body shaking until Bodie kissed her forehead. She pried open her eyelids, inhaled at the way he looked at her as he went to his elbows, again, the comforting weight of his body over hers renewing all the heat she thought had dissipated.
He traced her cheek with his thumb. “We’re definitely doing that again because… Damn.”
Rowan smoothed her palms across his ribs and along his back — dug her fingers into his broad muscles. “Make love to me.”
He simply smiled, kissed her as he slowly inched inside, the sheer pressure rolling her eyes. He dropped his forehead to hers, his breath hissing out past clenched teeth. “God, Rowan.”
She arched against him, urging him closer until she couldn’t move. Something inside clicked, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this was what forever felt like. If he was half as lost as her. “Me, too. So, move. I need…”
He grunted, jaw tensing. “I just need a minute. If I start now…”
“You’ll what? Make me see stars?”
“I might lose control. You need gentle. Loving. And all I can think about is how much I want to pound you into this bed.”
She palmed his jaw. “I’m not fragile, so screw gentle. All I need is you, loving me.”
He closed his eyes, breathed, then captured her mouth. Kissing her like he’d been handed a black ops mission. That their lives depended on how strongly she reacted. How much she surrendered.
Her lungs burned by the time he finally let up, started moving. Slowly at first, his gaze locked on hers until she inhaled, pushed her head into the mattress.
That set him off. Had him lifting enough to get more leverage, increase his pace. Hard. Fast. Until everything blurred into the shade of his skin. All the heat rippling beneath hers.
She tried to meet each stroke, barely holding on when he shook his head, paused.
Heavy pants sounded around her, his smile nothing short of lethal. “Not yet.”
Bodie dipped his shoulder, rolled them across the bed until her legs straddled his, the new position allowing him to hit that spot. He ran his hands up her body, teasing every sensitive area until he palmed her face. “Your turn.”
And just like that, she fell a bit harder. Gave him more of her heart. She braced her weight on his shoulders, nodding toward his leg. “Your thigh.”
“Trust me, it’s fine.”
“You might not feel that way in the morning.”
“If you’re still in my arms, I’ll care even less about my damn leg. Now, are you going to move, or am I plastering your chest against the wall so I can watch your ass cushion every thrust?”
Her breath caught before she lowered over him, her hair surrounding them. She’d definitely fallen for him — more than she wanted to admit. “You’re the one who said you wanted this to last all night, so… relax, tiger. I’ll get us there.”
He grunted, fisted his hands against her thighs, then blew out a deep breath. Low. Raspy. She circled her hips, smiling at how his jaw clenched, eyelids fluttering as she slowly rose along his length, paused at the top, then eased back down.
Another guttural moan, as if she’d hurt him — though, based on how his chest heaved, every muscle strung tight, she doubted it was physical.
Rowan rose again, stopped before he could slip free then lowered. A bit faster. Harder. The deep penetration tipping her head back. Challenging the modicum of control she’d clawed back.
She must have pushed him to the edge of his because he levered up, trapped her between his chest and his thighs. She leaned in, wrapped her arms around his back, a breathy, “Yes,” bursting free when he shifted, started pumping from below.
Bodie tangled his hand in her hair, held her still as he ravaged her mouth. “You’re just so fucking beautiful.”
She held on, tilted her hips, shouting his name when he hit that spot, again.
Tipped her over. Everything washed into heat and desire and something deeper.
Truer. Bodie kept moving, pushing her through a couple more peaks before he stiffened, emptied in a series of jerking thrusts.
His mouth locked around her shoulder, every inch touching.
Rain started and stopped against the skylight before everything settled enough she opened her eyes.
Bodie stared back at her, resting his forehead on hers as he drew lazy circles along her back. He smiled, seemingly breathing her in. “Now, that was memorable.”
She grinned. “I believe the word you’re looking for is epic.” She brushed her lips over his. “Though, if you want to try and top it later…”