Chapter 4
FOUR
JAYDE
The naked want in Reese’s eyes is my undoing. That, and the truth in his words when he admits that he wants this—me—as much as I crave him.
His mouth on mine, a kiss that begs as much as it dares, seals the deal.
I push open the door and it swings wide, the two of us stumbling inside even though we’re far from tipsy. No, we’re stone-cold sober and desperate for each other.
The kind of desperate that makes for popped buttons and torn undergarments.
The kind of needy that results in clashing teeth and dueling tongues.
It’s the rough and tough recklessness I shared with my ex, the kind that allows me to get so caught up in the moment, too consumed to process thoughts, to feel things.
But that’s not Reese’s style. He kicks the door closed behind him and grasps my wrists, tightening his hold until I meet his eyes. “We don’t have to rush, Jayde.”
I could cry right now. His eyelids have sunk to half mast, hooded and wanting. His breathing is erratic, his erection rubbing against my hip as he shifts his weight. He wants me but he wants all of me.
Didn’t he say as much?
Not just the night, the moment, the experience.
He wants the complicated thoughts and messy feelings, the realness I’m too damn scared to show anyone because, what if it’s not enough? What if I’m not enough?
Before I can fully come to terms with the answer to that question, Reese kisses me again. His lips are soft, his mouth is full, and it takes mine in gentle sips and sweet caresses.
A thrill, mixed with nerves, races down my spine. My hands curl around Reese’s bulging biceps, whether to hold on or shake him off, I’m not sure. Because I’ve never felt like this before. Like his touch could seep past my skin, until his fingertips graze my soul.
He angles his head, deepening our connection, coaxing me to relax. And little by little, I do. My grip on his arms eases and I melt into him like a puddle, without a shape.
Reese walks forward, keeping my frame pressed against his, until the backs of my knees meet the bed frame. He pulls back once, his hand cupping my cheek, his eyes boring into mine.
“You are so beautiful, Jayde DuPree. The most authentic person I know.”
My mouth drops open and emotion, too heavy and cumbersome to sift through, floods my chest, crawls up my throat, and pricks the corners of my eyes, threatening tears.
The corner of Reese’s mouth hitches upward but his eyes remain serious, rooted to mine. “Don’t look shocked. I know you, Jayde. I know the parts that matter.”
Then, his mouth is on mine again and this time, I close my eyes and absorb everything he’s giving me.
My hands drop to his hips, my lips part, and I arch into him, wanting him to take every part of me and devour it. Reese’s kiss turns salacious and the moan that falls from my mouth is so wanton, my ears burn.
I fumble with his belt buckle as he trails a path of kisses, open-mouthed and hot, down my neck. When his lips meet the neckline of my dress, his hands are expertly untying the crisscrossing straps behind my neck, and I’ve popped the button on his shorts.
Our hands make quick work of our clothes and when my dress ripples down my body, Reese’s inhale is filled with pure adoration. His green eyes nearly glow as they drink me in, standing in a lace, nude thong and nothing else.
As his eyes caress my skin, I finish the last buttons of his shirt and push it off his shoulders, so he’s only wearing a pair of boxers, his cock rock hard and straining against the soft material.
I drag my palm along the length of him and he draws in a sharp breath, his eyes locking onto mine.
I do it again, wanting to elicit the same reaction but this time, he’s ready for me because his hand lifts and with the gentlest of touches, he strokes the underside of my breast, his finger curling up to graze my nipple.
I bite my bottom lip and his eyes flare.
Our breaths are the only sounds in the quiet room. We’ve barely done anything and yet, this is the most intimate, erotic exchange of my life. It’s the most tender a man has ever handled me before and that alone makes it more real, more meaningful.
My heart hammers in my chest as I dip my fingers under the waistband of his boxers, my fingertips meeting his hot skin. The tip of his dick twitches against my hand and I nearly pant. He’s hot and so very big, my thighs tighten, heat pooling between them, in anticipation of what’s coming next.
But Reese doesn’t quicken his actions. He steps closer, a full, decisive step, and bends his head to draw my breast into his mouth while his other hand fondles me with slow, exploratory strokes, that have me arching into him, greedy for more.
The faster I move my hand, the tighter I grip him, closing my palm around his shaft while tugging his boxers down, the slower, more purposeful his movements become.
He presses featherlight kisses around the edge of my nipple, the tip of his tongue flicking over the pointed bud for a beat before he drags it away.
I drop down to the bed and he follows, kicking off his boxers and lying next to me, his head propped up by his hand, like we have all the time in the world.
All the time. I suppose we do.
“Reese.” I turn into him, reaching for his cock again.
He smirks, slipping his hand down the front of my panties and dragging one finger through my folds, already slippery, soaking, for him. “Yeah, baby?” he whispers, stopping just shy of my clit and repeating the movement.
I shudder, closing my eyes, jerking my hand up his shaft. “Please.”
“Hmm?” He blows a breath over the sensitive skin of my neck before giving my shoulder a nibble. His fingers continue playing between my legs, slow and steady, working my body up.
My thighs begin to shake, already near release because, fuck, it’s been a minute and, why is he still looking at me? With hooded eyes and a sexy smirk and a look that says, we have all the time in the world, Jayde, just enjoy this.
“Reese,” I murmur again, my voice huskier than I’ve ever heard it.
Reese inserts two fingers, pumping them slowly while his thumb grazes, it fucking grazes, over my clit, teasing without giving me the pressure, the release I need.
“Tell me, Jayde.”
I work a swallow, my throat dry. My body is so tight, my limbs all arching into Reese, my body wanting to be fucking swallowed by his if I can just come, just feel, just—
“Let go, baby,” he encourages. He moves his mouth over mine and draws me into a passionate, deep kiss that leaves me whimpering. Then, he places the softest kiss to the corner of my mouth and his thumb presses against my clit. I nearly scream.
My hand around his cock releases it to grip the bedding. I throw my head back, squeeze my eyes closed, and come harder than I ever have in my life. Spasms wrack my body as I convulse around Reese’s fingers. He’s pumping faster now, letting me ride the wave of my orgasm, drawing it out longer.
“Oh my God,” I gasp, coming down from the most intense sexual experience of my life.
Reese moves into my line of vision, his eyes studying my face, his fingers still inside me, my walls still trembling against them.
“I’m falling for you, Jayde,” he says the sincerest words while we’re in the most intimate of positions and my heart lurches.
“Please fuck me, Reese,” I nearly beg, unable to be any more real than that.
He chuckles. “It’d be my fucking pleasure, baby.”
Then, he slips his fingers out of me and uses my arousal to coat his shaft, working himself over for a few pumps.
My eyes nearly fall out of my head because—Lord, is everything he does erotic in its intimacy?
Reese rolls on a condom and lines up at my entrance and thrusts inside, inch by inch, allowing me time to adjust for his size.
His hands, sticky with my want, lace with mine and he moves our joined hands above my head as his body shadows mine.
Once he’s buried inside me, he begins to move, and my eyes roll back in my head.
“You’re so wet for me, Jayde,” he moans.
“I want you, Reese,” I tell him, my words coming out between gritted teeth.
It’s happening again. The tightness in my nipples, the heat between my legs, the coiling of nerves and aching of limbs. Reese drops one of my hands to brush my hair out of my face.
“Wanna see you. Always want to look at you,” he grits out.
I force my eyes open, force myself to meet his gaze and fall into the depths of his eyes, two pools filled with more want and care than I’ve ever known.
“Please, Reese, don’t stop,” I cry out, my body so tight, my release so close.
“Come for me, Jayde. Break for me, baby.”
His words are my undoing and I come hard, again, as he chases me into release.
When we’re both spent, sated, deliriously happy, Reese rolls onto his side. He grips my leg and hooks it over his hip. His touch is soft and caressing and my body is putty in his hands.
“You’re it for me, Jayde,” he whispers, kissing me chastely.
He looks at me for a long moment, so long it’s as if he can see all the way to my heart, read the hurt that lingers there from too many bad breakups.
After a moment, his mouth hitches into a half-smirk and he shakes his head, telling me that they don’t matter.
That he’s here now, and he’ll take care of me.
Want me and care for me and give me all the things I’ve been missing out on. Security. Stability. Love.
“You’re it,” he murmurs again before sliding from the bed and going to the bathroom to clean up.
I roll onto my back and stare up at the peaked ceiling. “Fuck,” I mutter. What the hell was that?
What am I supposed to do?
Reese Keller just made fucking love to me and I—what?
I want him to do it again. And again and again and again and again.
But how long will he want me for? Don’t we have an expiration date? In my past relationships, there’s always been one.
But what if this time, it’s different? Reese is different than any man I’ve ever been with before.
What if this time, it’s for real?
My heart twists in my chest, a phantom pain I feel throughout my entire being.
What if it’s not?
When we wake the next morning, the sun is shining, the blue ocean is calling, and the day is bright and full of promise.
I stretch and my body protests, sore in the best way possible, as I swing my legs to the side of the bed and stand.
“You ready to hike?” Reese calls out.
I drag my hand over my face, narrowing my eyes at him. He’s already up, showered, probably worked out—
“I went for a run this morning. You have to see the sunrise here, Jayde. It’s incredible. So many colors…” He walks toward me.
Of course, he did. A run and a sunrise.
“What?” He laughs at my expression.
“You really are fucking golden,” I quip.
His laughter grows and I can’t help it, I chuckle with him. Because I promised him this weekend and so far, it’s outpaced my expectations.
“I’ll hike,” I groan, but deep down, I want to. I want to spend every second of this weekend wrapped up and lost in Reese. I don’t ever want to wonder what if, even though now that I’ve had a taste, I know losing him would break me.
“Get dressed.” He taps my ass lightly. “There’s coffee and a smoothie—”
I wrinkle my nose.
“I knew I should have gotten a bigger coffee,” he mutters to himself.
I swipe the to-go cup up and bring it with me to the bathroom. While inside, I take stock of my reflection in the mirror.
For the most part, I look the same. I mean, it’s not like my appearance is drastically different or anything. But I frown, leaning closer to my reflection. My eyes are brighter, my cheeks pink and healthy, and I look fucking happy.
The type of happy the BHH girls rock on the regular. Effortlessly and thoroughly happy.
“Get a fucking grip,” I scold myself, turning away from the mirror to pee.
I dress in a black bikini and tug on black drawstring shorts and a tight, neon blue crop top. I braid my hair into two long pigtail braids, the blue strands popping. I grab two towels to pack and head into the living room of the suite.
“Wow.” Reese does a double take when he sees me. “I swear, only you could make hiking look sexy.”
I grin. How can I not? The man says the sweetest things, but he means them too.
“Towels?” I lift them higher in the air.
He takes them from me and stuffs them into his backpack. “I got sunscreen and hats—”
I cough on my laughter.
He narrows his eyes. “You don’t want to burn.”
“Right.”
“Don’t forget your sunglasses.”
“Okay,” I say, moving to my purse to grab them.
“I just called the concierge, and our picnic is ready.”
“Great.” I bite the corner of my mouth.
“This is going to be fun, Jayde,” Reese reminds me.
“I know,” I say truthfully.
I’m beginning to realize that anything with Reese is fun. Because he’s caring and considerate. Because he’s thoughtful and trustworthy.
Because being with him makes me want to laugh and smile and fucking glow with happy vibes.
And that makes me mushy and excited. And scared as hell.