Chapter 30
GRAHAM
I felt her tense, and my gut clenched. I hadn't premeditated saying it, but now that I did, I didn't want to take the words back.
But my gut clenched tighter when Lori looked at me with uncertainty.
Had this been too fast? Damn it, that was how I felt, and I saw no reason to hold back.
I took it as a good sign that she wasn't pushing me away, but I didn't like the stiffness in her posture.
"You're amazing, and I feel so close to you that I don't want to be without you. "
"That's so sweet." She swallowed, and I could swear I felt her becoming tinier by the second, like she was folding in on herself. I kissed her hard, hoping she felt the same way about me. I wanted her love—I needed it. There were no two ways about it.
"Can you say it again?" she whispered when I moved my lips to her cheek.
It dawned on me that she wasn't used to hearing the words—at least not from anyone she wasn't related to.
"I love you, Lori Connor." I peppered her neck with kisses.
"You deserve to be loved." I moved to her cheek, and repeated, "You deserve to be loved.
" I took a deep breath and went on. "If you don't feel the same, I don't want to rush you.
I'm okay with whatever you can give me right now.
But I at least want to know if you imagine you could love me one day. "
I wasn't sure what I'd do if she said no. Part of me wanted to take anything she had to give me, but if she didn't see this going where I did….
"I do love you. I just… I hadn't expected this."
She ensnared me in the circle of her arms, crushing her lips to mine.
Something seemed to expand in my chest as relief and joy overwhelmed me.
I felt Lori smile against my lips while I was kissing her, like she couldn't contain herself.
Life couldn't get better than this. She loved me.
I wanted our lives to be so entwined that she'd never be able to shake me off.
I thought I couldn't get involved emotionally anymore, but I'd been wrong.
"Hey, want to see my bedroom?" she whispered. We were still standing in the living room, wrapped in each other.
"You want to take advantage of me, Ms. Connor?"
"Why, no. Of course not. I'm a lady. I was rather hoping you'd take advantage of me, Mr. Frazier."
We broke out in laughter. Lori tried to shush us.
"We'll wake up Milo."
We did our best to keep our voices down as we hurried to her bedroom.
"Wow!" she exclaimed once I'd closed the door. I'd arranged scented candles throughout the room. Fishing the lighter out of my pocket, I lit up each one, then turned off the lights.
"Any other surprises planned?" Lori asked in a husky voice.
"Lie down and you'll see."
She tilted her head. "Want me naked?"
"Very naked. And on your belly."
I watched her take off her dress and underwear then remove the cover on the bed. She cocked a brow at the large beach towel I'd laid out.
"Lie down on the towel on your belly," I instructed.
When she was flat on the bed, I took out the massage oil from the nightstand, poured some in my palms, and then worked her upper back, pressing on her shoulder blades. Then I moved onto the middle her back, rubbing along her spine.
"Mmm… you're so good at this. Why do you have to be so good?"
"To drive you crazy."
"When did you think all this up?"
I lowered my hands to her ass, kneading each cheek with great care.
"Last week, when you were running around on adrenaline. Thought you could use some relaxing once it was over."
"Are you even real?" she whispered.
I slipped a finger between her folds until I reached her clit, to prove how real it all was. She gasped.
"How was the event?"
"You want me to talk now?" she protested.
"Why? Is something distracting you?"
I pushed her ass in the air and strummed my fingers on her clit. When she bit into her pillow, I undid the buttons of my jeans. Watching pleasure consume her was the best foreplay. She came so hard that her entire body spasmed.
I held her until she calmed down, then flipped her on her back.
I was so hot for her that I could barely see straight, so I kicked off my clothes and underwear.
Lying on top of her, I explored her mouth.
I was controlling the kiss, and in the slow dance of our tongues, I showed her how I was going to love her tonight.
She fidgeted, rubbing her soft skin against me.
I turned my attention to her breasts, flicking my tongue over one nipple, then the other. The skin on her breasts turned to goose bumps. Her arms were covered too. I slid my hands to cup her ass and found some there as well.
"Do you have goose bumps on your pussy too, babe?"
"Why don't you check?" she rasped out.
The answer was a resounding yes.
"Graham," she whispered when I descended to explore her body.
I brought a hand to her pussy, and my eyes crossed when I felt how wet she was.
I feathered my thumb in circles over her clit, feeling her press her feet deep in the mattress.
She pressed her forearm over her mouth, but I still heard her groan.
"Oh, God. Graham." Her muffled voice set me on edge. I was dying to be inside her, but I wanted a taste first, so I settled my head between her legs, focusing on her clit with my tongue and my thumb.
Lick. Stroke. Lick. Stroke.
I licked her until her legs trembled, and then I couldn't wait anymore. But when I reached to the nightstand for protection, Lori shifted into a sitting position.
"Not yet."
She gripped my erection, and my hips buckled. Lori took her hand away, clamping her lips around the tip then lowering her mouth on me.
"Lori, fuuuck. Stop or I won't last."
She showed no signs of stopping, but I pulled back when my balls tightened almost painfully. I slid protection on and then positioned myself between her legs, teasing her by rubbing the crown against her inner thigh. Pleasure pulsed through me, and I wasn't even inside her.
"Graham, please."
I moved the tip down to her entrance, sliding it in an inch before pulling back and dragging it up to her clit. Lori brought both hands to her breasts, touching her nipples. I leaned over and licked where she'd touched. At the same time, I buried myself inside her to the hilt.
She gasped. "Graham, I need—"
"I know what you need."
She was tight and warm around me, and I knew I wouldn't be able to go slow.
We both needed it hard and fast. She pressed her heels just under my ass cheeks as we both moved ferociously.
We kissed each other's groans until the very end.
In that moment, I wasn't sure I even knew my own name, let alone if we'd been loud or not.
We held onto each other until our ragged breaths turned to laughter. Lori pressed her forehead against my shoulder, speaking into my chest.
"That was intense," she murmured between fits of laughter.
"You could say that."
After we cleaned up, we slipped under the covers, and I could tell Lori was going to fall asleep in a matter of minutes. I, on the other hand, felt wide-awake. She blinked slowly, clearly making an effort not to drift away.
Kissing the tip of her nose, I said, "Go to sleep, Lori."
"Aren't you tired?"
"No."
I shifted her so that she could use my chest as a pillow. She sighed contentedly, shifting even more, half straddling me.
"I've always had troubles falling asleep," she murmured. "But not when I'm with you."
"Then go to sleep. I'll hold you."
She was out in seconds, and her shallow breath was tickling my chest. This, right here, was all I needed to be a happy man.