Chapter 35
It struck me as odd that sharing my deepest thoughts with someone would make me physically needy, but as I looked into Jewel’s eyes across the table, I was suddenly so turned on that I could hardly breathe. I’d heard that real emotional connection was often behind the best sex and the strongest relationships, but I hadn’t believed it until right then.
My jaw tightened and my teeth ground as I wondered if she felt it too. Neither of us were speaking anymore, both just staring at each other completely openly after everything we’d just shared. I didn’t know about her, but that was the first time I’d ever spoken so honestly about my life.
About what would have happened to me if Walt hadn’t taken me in.
About my belief systems and the emotional upheaval of suddenly doubting that my life’s work had been worth doing.
Jewel’s honey-gold eyes roamed all around my face, never leaving it as she zeroed in on my lips. Her own parted just slightly. So slightly that I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t been staring at her as intensely as I was.
I also saw the tiny flare of her nostrils and I grunted, leaning forward and capturing her face in my hands. She didn’t seem surprised, nor did she seem opposed. Instead, she threw her arms around my neck and our lips clashed in a kiss so fiery that it might’ve burned the world to the ground if that had been possible.
Jewel moaned into my mouth, scooting forward on her chair and not breaking the kiss as she climbed into my lap. I spread my legs to support her better, and my arms snaked around her waist as we deepened the kiss.
I angled my hips up, rocking into her from below. One of my hands wrapped around the nape of her neck, gripping it tight to hold her against me. Her tongue stroked my own with hungry licks that made me desperate to feel it on my shaft. Her own hips quickly moved to match my pace.
Panting and not willing to wait, I slid my hands under her thighs and picked her up, carrying her to the small pool room off the side of the patio. I was taking what I wanted, but I couldn’t do it out in the open with Colt sleeping right upstairs.
All I needed was cover in case he should come to the window and a lockable door so he wouldn’t accidentally stumble in on us if he was to come looking. Colten and I hadn’t used the pool room for anything other than storage of the inflatables since we’d been here, but I knew the sliding door was unlocked.
I stopped in front of the door, balancing her weight as I let go with one hand to slide it open.
“Where are we going?” she asked into my mouth.
“I need you,” I murmured hoarsely. “Now.”
Another soft moan escaped her, and instead of asking any more questions, she sealed her mouth over my throat, sucking and nipping at the flesh there in a way that told me she needed me just as much. As soon as the opening was wide enough for us to fit through, I carried her past the door and lowered her onto a pile of outdoor cushions, immediately going back to lock the door once I let go of her.
No lights were on in here, but there was enough ambient light filtering in from the house and garden that I didn’t crash into anything as I strode back to her. Lying on her back on the cushions meant for the lounge chairs outside, she’d propped herself up on her elbows while waiting for me and her gaze tracked my every move as I crossed to her.
All that blonde hair was up in a messy bun on top of her head, her tank top riding up to expose a sliver of her midriff. I bit my lip as I ran my gaze across that inch of skin. Then I lowered it to the loose pair of short shorts she had on.
“Take them off.” I reached for my fly and popped open the button before unzipping. I pulled my shirt off too but left the pants in place for now.
Her lips parted on my harshly spoken command. Eyes hooked on mine, she complied, her hands lowering to the waistband of the shorts before she pushed them off. She left her panties on, shooting me a mischievous smile as she cocked her head and kicked the shorts away.
In the pool of moonlight on the cushion, I could see that her cheeks were flushed, her eyelids heavy as she peered up at me through long lashes. I dropped to my knees between her ankles, wrapped my fingers around each one, and pushed them apart.
Pressing down on them for a moment, I looked back up into her eyes. “Keep them there.”
She dropped her chin in a curt nod, watching. I crawled up to her, gathering the hem of the tank in my hands and lifting it over her head. Her back came up to help the material pass behind it, her arms following until the fabric came free.
My heart started pounding in my chest at the sight of her like this, left in just a pair of basic, white cotton panties and a simple, sheer bra that allowed me to see her puckered nipples. With her face bare of makeup and her hair in that carefree style, right now, she was just about the sexiest sight I’d ever seen with my own two eyes.
I groaned, dragging my gaze slowly up and down the length of her curvy body before I slid back down between her legs. With my cock begging to be freed and my breathing coming in rough pants, I placed wet kisses on her collarbones. Ignoring her nipples, I kissed a path down her stomach until my lips grazed against the waistband of her panties.
The scent of her arousal made my dick twitch. My mouth watered to get on her, but I ignored all that too, continuing in my mission to lick and kiss every inch of her even as my fingers dug into her legs to keep them still. They kept twitching like she was trying to close them, but I refused to let her, not wanting to give her that relief of squeezing her thighs together just yet.
Her pleasure was mine tonight. As her vulnerability had been. I had this animalistic urge to claim her as my own. To take her heart, her body, and her story and make them mine. To keep her safe from embarrassment, hurt, and worry from here on out.
But that wasn’t really an option.
All I had to give was this. Tonight.
So I was damn well going to make it count.
As I made my way up from kissing her ankles, I ran my hands up her sides and held her hips before placing an open-mouthed kiss right on the front panel of her panties. Her hips bucked, low moans falling from her lips when I licked her through the fabric, blood rushing to my ears at the sweet taste of her.
Hooking my thumbs into her waistband, I finally ripped the panties off and discarded them into the dark, not really caring about having to track them down later. That was later and this was now. Right now, all that mattered was what I was about to do.
Burying my head between her legs, I prayed to the gods of self-control and licked through her wet folds before sucking her clit into my mouth. She let out a keening cry. Her hands landed in my hair and tugged it just hard enough to send little ripples of pain through me as she rode my face.
As worked up as we both were, I knew I was being a little rough and a lot unrelenting, but I didn’t stop licking and sucking her until she came for me, screaming my name as she did it. Before her breathing had even returned to normal, she reached for me, pulling me up and laying a hard, meaningful kiss on my lips.
I groaned. My cock throbbed being way too close to its target like this. I tried to pull away, but she kept me where I was, letting go with one hand to push my shorts over my ass. With her slick heat on my pelvis, I lost the fight, reaching for my pants and more than relieved that I’d prepared for this.
I hadn’t exactly known it was going to happen, but I’d been hopeful. After taking that shower to wash the grease off, I’d stuck a condom in my pocket just in case. My fingers brushed against the foil packet and I yanked it out, breaking the kiss to bite it open before sitting up on my knees between her legs.
She watched me with rapt attention as I rolled the condom on. Then I lay down on my back and she climbed astride me, eyes on mine. She positioned herself right over the tip of my aching cock. Without further ado, she took my hands for balance and sank down on me, immediately making my body beg to thrust.
I gave in without question, trusting her to tell me if she needed a minute. It turned out she didn’t. She was so wet and so ready for me that she started moving with me as soon as I started, keeping the punishing pace I was setting.
As I slammed into her from below, I stared into her eyes and felt my brow furrowing in concentration. The woman felt so fucking good that I didn’t stand a chance, especially not after she took her breasts in her own hands and held them as she fucked me.
“Jewel.” I barely got her name out before her lips were back on mine, her kisses hot, hard, and hungry once more.
“Come for me,” she insisted, repeated the same words I’d said to her before. “Now.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, but I didn’t hold back. Pleasure raced through me, my muscles tight as the orgasm sucked me dry. Jewel moaned loudly, her own features contorted when I opened my eyes just in time to see her come with me.
Thrusting into her a few final times, I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her when she collapsed on top of me. As we lay there together catching our breath after what had been an unexpected, intense encounter, I wondered if she knew just how connected I felt to her in that moment.
And I also wondered if that was a good thing, or if I ever should’ve let it happen at all.