16. Hail #2
She removed my cowboy hat, tossing it toward another workbench as I reached for the hem of her shirt with trembling fingers.
I paused to meet her eyes. The trust I found there, the desire that matched my own, made me dizzy with want.
She lifted her arms, helping me as I slowly pulled the fabric up and away, revealing the perfection of her skin, bit by tantalizing bit. I grinned as I laid her shirt aside.
“You’re never getting that back, you know,” I joked, trying to hide the nervous flutter in my belly.
She laughed. “I don’t care.”
The soft curve of her waist, the gentle swell of her breasts in her simple bra, and the way her skin flushed pink under my intense gaze… Every detail burned itself into my memory. She was art come to life, more beautiful than any sculpture I could ever hope to create.
“Fates, Allie.” My voice came out in a rough growl.
Time slowed as we explored each other. My palms skimmed up her arms, and I marveled at the softness of her skin, the way goosebumps rose from my caress.
Every kiss, every brush of skin against skin felt like I was discovering fire for the first time.
When I found a ticklish spot near her collarbone, and she laughed, I smiled against her skin.
I traced the line of her collarbone with my fingertips, watching in fascination as her breath hitched, her back arching to press closer to my touch.
The small sound she made, part sigh, part moan, sent heat spiraling straight to my groin.
My mouth followed the path my fingers had traced, pressing soft, worshipful kisses along the elegant curve of her throat.
She tasted like sunshine and rain and everything I’d ever wanted but never dared hope for.
Her pulse fluttered, a tiny bird’s rhythm that matched the frantic beating of my heart.
“Hail.”
“Yes, love?” I asked, smiling as she tugged lightly on my hair.
Her fingers tangled in the strands as I kissed down her throat, each touch of her hands against my scalp making my body quake.
I paused to give attention to the sensitive hollow at the base of her neck, my tongue darting out to taste the salt on her skin.
She gasped, her body trembling against mine, and the sound went straight through me like lightning.
“Please,” she whispered, her voice breathless and needy, and I nearly lost all control right there.
I mapped the curves of her body, from the gentle swell of her ribs to the way her waist dipped inward. The soft flare of her hips. Her skin was like the silkiest fabric, warm and impossibly smooth, and everywhere I touched, she responded with little sounds of pleasure that made my blood sing.
When I brushed against the sensitive skin below her breast, she jerked against me with a sharp intake of breath that made my cock throb with need.
“I love how responsive you are,” I said against her throat. I felt her smile against my cheek, her breath warm on my skin.
“Even with my ticklish spots?” she teased, her voice soft and breathy. I pulled back to look into her eyes, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“Especially with that.” I kissed the tip of her nose. “It makes you real, Allie.”
Her breathing came in quick pants that matched the racing of my heart.
I could feel the rise and fall of her chest against mine, could feel the way her body trembled from my touch, responding to every caress like she’d been made just for me.
I savored every moment, every taste, every sound she made.
This wasn’t only physical desire, though the wanting was so intense it made my hands shake with the effort to go slow. This was love expressed through touch.
I kissed the swell of her breast above her bra, and she arched into the touch with a soft cry that echoed in the room. Her fingers tightened in my hair, holding me to her as I gave attention to her sensitive skin, gliding patterns with my tongue that made her writhe against me.
“You’re driving me crazy, Hail,” she whispered, her voice filled with laughter and desire. I smiled against her skin, my hands moving to her back to unhook her bra.
“That’s the idea, love,” I said, helping her slip the fabric off her shoulders. The sight of her bare before me, flushed and wanting and trusting, made my throat close off. I took a moment to look at her, to appreciate how lovely she was. “You s-s-steal all my thoughts, Allie.”
She smiled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
I worshipped her with my mouth and hands, learning every curve, every sensitive spot that made her gasp and arch beneath me.
Her responses were like music. She sighed when I kissed the underside of her breast and sucked in a breath when my tongue found her nipple.
I nearly came from her broken moan when I lavished attention on the other breast. When I took the hardened peak into my mouth, sucking, she cried out, her body trembling beneath mine.
I slipped my hand lower, to the waistband of her pants, and she lifted her hips to help me work the fabric down her legs. I knelt between her thighs, my heart pounding as I looked up at her. “You’re sure about this, Allie?” Raw emotion and desire filled my voice.
She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. “I trust you, Hail. Completely.”
Her words sent a surge of heat through me, and I leaned in to kiss the inside of her thigh.
Her skin was impossibly soft, and I could smell her heat, sweet and heady.
I trailed kisses up her thigh, feeling her tremble beneath my touch, until I reached her center.
She was wet and warm, and I groaned at the sight of her.
I started slowly, using my fingers to part her folds, exploring her with gentle touches that made her gasp.
I found the sensitive bud at her core and circled it with my thumb, watching as her back arched and her breath caught in her throat.
Her hips moved against my hand, her body seeking more contact, and I obliged, increasing the pressure.
When I leaned in to taste her, she cried out, her fingers tangling in my hair. I used my tongue to trace the same patterns my fingers had, licking and sucking gently, feeling her body tense and release with each touch. Her breath came in quick gasps, her hips moving in time with my mouth.
I slipped one finger inside her, then another, moving them slowly as I continued to stroke her with my tongue. She was so tight, so warm, and I could feel her body gripping my fingers as I moved them in and out. She moaned, her back arching off the workbench.
I crooked my fingers, finding the sensitive spot inside her, and she came undone.
Her body convulsed around my fingers, her back arching as she cried out my name, her voice broken and filled with pleasure.
I gentled my touch, slowing my movements as she rode out her orgasm, her body trembling beneath my hands.
Afterward, I helped her dress and sat on the floor with her on my lap. Her breathing slowly returned to normal. I stroked her hair, still unable to believe this incredible female was mine, that she’d trusted me with her pleasure, her vulnerability.
“That was…” Her voice came out soft and wondering.
“Amazing,” I said, kissing the top of her head.
“I was going to say life-changing, but amazing works too.” She tilted her head to look at me, eyes sparkling with mischief and satisfaction.
Life-changing. Yes, that was exactly what this was. What she was. My entire world had shifted the day she walked into my pottery barn, and now I couldn’t imagine existing without her.
“You didn’t…” She pointed to my engorged cock.
“Maybe one day. Not to-today.”
“We’ll see. In fact?—”
Rapid footsteps outside made us both freeze. The intimate bubble we’d created burst. Tressa barked once, her warning signal that someone was approaching.
“Hail? Are you in there?” Dungar’s voice carried through the wood.
“Just a minute,” I called back, helping Allie smooth her hair.
She looked thoroughly kissed, her lips swollen and her skin flushed. I probably looked worse, my hair standing up in all directions from her fingers.
“Pottery lesson?” she suggested with a grin that made my heart skip.
“Very…hands-on instruction.” I couldn’t keep the satisfaction out of my voice.
I unlocked the door to find Dungar waiting with his sheriff’s expression in place.
Tressa moved over to stand in the open doorway, alert, her white ears swiveling at every sound from the street.
“Everything alright?” I asked, though Dungar’s tense posture suggested it wasn’t.
“So far,” he said gravely. “No one’s seen them in town.” His gaze sought Allie’s. “Maybe we won’t see them again.”
“They’ll be back.”
If anyone would know how they’d behave, it was her.
“I also heard from Detective Fernandez. He’ll be ready soon. I’ll set up a time when we can all meet. Until then, be careful.”
If only she was willing to let us hide her until this was over.