Chapter 7 #2
James’s hands moved to my shoulders, gently sliding down my arms to my wrists. He took my hands in his, their warmth contrasting with the coolness of the night air that clung to my skin. He guided me toward the couch, his grip both reassuring and passionate.
As we sat down, James positioned himself behind me, his body pressed closely against mine. He wrapped his arms around me, his fingers splaying across my stomach in a comforting embrace. His breath was warm on the back of my neck, each exhale sending a soothing, tickling sensation across my skin.
I nestled into his embrace, loving the steady rhythm of his breathing against my back.
He began to kiss the nape of my neck, his lips brushing in slow, deliberate movements that made my skin tingle.
His hands roamed softly, tracing patterns across my stomach and sides, creating a sensation of closeness and intimacy.
My mind drifted back to James’s reaction to Sean. I tilted my head slightly and whispered, “Were you jealous?”
His hands paused in their gentle stroking along my arms. “When?”
I giggled softly. “Just now, with Sean.”
He sighed deeply, his breath warm against my skin. “When you’re with another man, even a good guy like Sean, I seem to…struggle with it.”
I sat up a straight, and brushed my nose over his. “You know you have nothing to worry about, right? You’re the only man I love.”
His expression softened, and he gave me a smile so warm it made my heart clench. I relaxed back into his arms, back into the comfort of his touch as he traced his fingers over the scars on my arm.
“Sean seems like a good guy, though,” I ventured, as I tried to keep the mood light.
James nodded slightly. “He is. I think you’ll like him even more when you get to know him a bit better,” he said, a rare hint of warmth in his voice.
“Really?” I smiled. A flutter of happiness surged at the thought of James finally connecting with someone outside his usual circle. “Why?”
James continued tracing lazy circles on my scarred arm. “Well, for starters, he drinks more Scotch than the both of us combined.”
I snorted, unable to hide my amusement. “Impossible.”
“Sweetheart,” he said, a playful glint in his eyes, “He’s an Offensive at Crown, which is based in the Scottish Highlands. It’s literally the birthplace of Scotch. Trust me, it’s possible.”
I imagined the untamed allure of the Highlands?and the taste of their Scotch?and discerned a sense of wistful longing. “Sounds like a dreamy place.”
James leaned in and brushed a soft kiss on my forehead. “We’ll go visit soon.”
“I’d love that,” I whispered, my mind immediately drifting to fantasies of James and me exploring some romantic setting?and drinking their Scotch?against the rugged beauty of Scotland.
“There is…” He trailed off, a note of hesitation in his tone.
“Yes?” I prompted, sensing the shift in his demeanor.
“There is something I need to tell you.”
I squeezed his hand, reassuring him whatever it was, we’d be okay, even as my curiosity piqued. “Sounds serious.”
“It is,” James replied, his voice growing more somber. “It’s about what I’ve been doing at Crown these past few weeks.”
He filled his lungs with air, exhaling slowly, before he explained. “We weren’t only hunting and fighting the Radicals who attacked Crown. I informed Sean, and Caden Colt about what happened at Coastal, and they agreed to help find Logan Stark.”
I frowned, confused by their willingness to assist. “Why would they agree to that? Caden Colt has never even met me. And Sean didn’t either until tonight.”
James shrugged. “They hate Radicals. You should’ve seen them during battle. They’re not just Offensives, fighting together. It’s more like they’re this huge family. Every loss was so incredibly traumatic for all of them. This fight, it’s personal to them.”
My heart ached at the thought. “I feel for them,” I said softly. “But still, they don’t know me.”
“No, they don’t,” James agreed. “But when I told them you were sedated, and what they did to your arm, they were outraged.”
I swallowed hard as the memory of the violation stirred a shadow of unease deep within me. I shifted slightly, trying to dispel the discomfort. “So, what did you guys find?”
James’s frustration was evident as he spoke.
“Not much. We started searching for a Logan Stark from Area 4,” he began.
“But we couldn’t find any Radical or magus who’s ever been the First Offensive in that Collective.
Area 4 is a small one in Australia, mostly made up of Healers and Historians.
I was surprised when you mentioned that was who he claimed to be, but now I’m pretty sure he lied about his identity. ”
Which made sense, and I could see the determination burning in James’s eyes. He reached out, cupping my cheeks between his hands, his gaze intense and unwavering. “I promise you, Emma, I will find that son of a bitch and make him pay for the hurt he caused you.”
Emotion tightened in my chest, and I swallowed hard, struggling to hold back the lump now formed in my throat. Overwhelmed by the raw emotion in his voice, I closed what little distance there was between us, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that was both urgent and fierce.
I shouldn’t have questioned him. Shouldn’t have doubted him.
James responded with equal fervor, his arms wrapping around me as if he could shield me from the world’s pain. His lips moved against my own with a slow, deliberate rhythm, as if he was trying to convey everything he felt through contact.
He tilted my head slightly, his kiss becoming more exploratory, more sensual.
I craved the heat of his body pressed against me, the firm but tender pressure of his hands guiding me closer.
As his tongue found mine, he deepened the kiss with a devouring hunger, and a searing heat unfurled through my limbs.
His hands slid from my face to the back of my neck, his fingers grazing my skin with a tantalizing caress.
As James’s hands roamed lower, his thumb brushed against the sensitive curve of my nipple through my clothing.
The unexpected brush sent a thrill through me, making me gasp softly into his mouth.
He responded to the sound, his kiss growing more urgent, more desperate, as if he was trying to anchor himself to me.
Unable to resist the heat pooling between us, my hands slipped beneath the hem of his shirt, exploring the firm warmth of his chest. The feeling of his skin against my fingertips was electrifying.
I traced the defined ridges of his stomach, then moved to his chest where his heartbeat quickened beneath my touch.
James’s hands moved along with purpose. His fingers deftly worked the buttons of my blouse, and each movement sent thrills of anticipation through me.
With a few swift motions, he pulled my top away, tossing it aside.
I responded by eagerly tugging his shirt over his head, revealing his toned torso.
Our breaths quickened, mingling with the heat of the moment.
A week ago, I’d been scared of moving forward. Now, all I wanted was him.
With trembling fingers, I reached behind me to unhook my bra, the clasp giving way with a soft click. James’s eyes fell on me, widening in awe as he took in the sight of my bare skin.
For a moment, he simply stared, his expression one of reverent admiration. Then, with a voice husky with emotion, he muttered, “You’re fucking gorgeous.” The sincerity in his tone made my heart race even faster, and I could see the depth of his words reflected in his face.
James’s lips traced a path from my neck to my exposed nipple, and his warm breath sent a delicious ache curling through me.
When he took it in his mouth, a gasp escaped me, my body arching instinctively toward him.
The sensation was intense, each light graze of his teeth on the sensitive peak making me shiver with a mix of desire and vulnerability.
His hands held me close, his grasp both firm and reassuring, grounding me in the overwhelming wave of sensations.
As I noticed the hardness of his arousal pressed against my stomach, an instant flush of heat spread through me. My pulse quickened, and my breath came in uneven gasps. The thrill of his touch and the undeniable proof of his desire against me heightened my own need.
My hand ventured below his waistband, my fingertips brushing the top of his erect cock. James groaned, the sound resonating with his clear desire, fueling my own.
“Fuck, Emma,” he whispered raggedly, “you’re going to make me lose control.”
I smiled wickedly as I continued to explore James’s arousal, my fingers tracing along the length of his dick. “Finally,” I replied softly.
Each stroke was met with a shudder from him, and his groans were growing more insistent.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous and soft,” he rasped, “I can’t get enough of you.
” His hands roamed over my body, yanking me tighter against him, igniting every nerve, then sliding beneath my own waistband and finding their way to the sensitive folds of my core.
His motion was both tender and eager, fingers gliding over the damp material of my underwear. He took his time, exploring the contours and responding to every subtle shift of my body. “You’re already soaked for me,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire.
When he pulled the fabric aside and his fingers finally made contact with my bare skin, a moan escaped me, and wave after wave of pleasure ran through me.
His thumb found my clit, circling around, making me tremble throughout my entire body while I matched his movements, my hand working with a careful, deliberate pressure that elicited throaty groans from him.
James’s fingers moved with purpose, and I felt the first pressure as he slowly pushed one finger inside my entrance. The sensation was electric, a deep, satisfying fullness that made me arch my back in response. “Fuck, you’re tight,” he groaned. “I can’t wait to feel every inch of you.”
His finger explored eagerly, finding its rhythm, and then he added a second finger.
The stretch was intense and delicious, pushing me closer to the edge with each thrust. The combination of his fingers inside me and his thumb working on my clit created an overwhelming, all-encompassing bliss ripping cries from my throat and shudders from my body.
All of it was building to an unbearable crescendo, and I still needed more. As his thumb continued its maddening circles on my bundle of nerves, my body tightened, and my breath came in short, sharp gasps. “James,” I moaned, trembling with need, “I’m so close.”
His eyes were locked onto mine, burning with a primal hunger as he watched my reactions. “Come for me, sweetheart,” he urged softly, his voice thick with emotion. “Let go.”
The moment his words reached me, a wave of euphoria crashed over me. My body tensed and shuddered as my orgasm hit, a powerful, pulsing release that swept through me with an intensity I couldn’t control. My moans became incoherent cries of ecstasy, my entire being consumed by him.
James’s response was immediate, his need building to a breaking point as he took in the sight and sound of my climax. His gaze darkened further, his pupils dilated with raw intensity, and his hands found their way to my shoulders, holding me steady as he gently urged me downward.
“I need to be inside of you,” he murmured, his words a low growl that sent another shiver through me.
I obeyed, lowering myself to my knees in front of him, my hands tracing his thighs before reaching for his already hardened dick.
His deep inhale filled the room as my lips wrapped around his shaft, his taste salty and unmistakable.
I worked slowly at first, savoring the way his body tensed, his grip on my hair tightening with every passing moment.
“Sweetheart,” he groaned as I took him further, hollowing my cheeks and flicking my tongue against the head of his cock. His hips bucked slightly, the restraint he tried to maintain slipping away as I increased my pace.
It didn’t take long. The combination of my hands and mouth sent him spiraling, his breathing growing ragged and uneven.
With a guttural moan, his release came in hot, pulsing waves, and I swallowed eagerly, the salty warmth a reminder of his surrender to me.
His hands relaxed in my hair before he guided me back up, pulling me into his arms.
We laid there for a moment, with his body pressed against me, both of us trembling in the aftermath. His lips brushed against my forehead, soft and reverent, and his whispered words lingered in the air between us. “You undo me.”
He buried his face in my neck, and I could feel his ragged breaths hot against my skin. We held each other close, our breathing gradually returning to normal, the intimacy of the experience leaving us both with a sense of completeness and satisfaction.
As I rested my head on his shoulder, James’s fingers traced soothing patterns on my back, his voice a soft whisper in my ear.
“I never want to let you go,” he murmured, his words filled with a deep, heartfelt emotion that made my heart swell.
I nestled against him, feeling utterly safe and cherished.