Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
T racy could hold her own with Adam. Verbally sparring with him had always been fun. But this time their debate had real-life consequences.
She also wasn’t rock-solid on the subject matter. She hadn’t mentioned that her recent climax was the best she’d ever had. Probably wouldn’t mention it.
But she was damn curious about how he’d rate his. He was eating faster, possibly because he was eager to get back to their bed by the fire.
So was she. But a little more information would be helpful. “Since you’ve said one week might not be enough to get this out of our system, I assume you had a good time a while ago.”
He stopped eating and gave her a look hot enough to set her sweatpants on fire. “Very good.” He took a breath. “Scary good.”
“Oh?” The slight roughness to his voice made her shiver in anticipation.
“Maybe it’s the forbidden fruit thing my sisters are hung up on. Maybe it’s the way you teased me, something I wasn’t expecting, but I… I’ve never wanted someone that much. When I came it was like this explosion all around me, shaking me like a ragdoll. I’ve never felt that before.”
“Me, either.” Whoops. She’d been so entranced by the description of his climax that the confession just slipped out.
“I wondered about that. It sounds like you pick guys based on their character and cleanliness, but?—”
“Those qualities are important to me.” Her chin lifted.
“Absolutely! But if you’re not physically attracted to this person….”
“I tried to be. I tried really hard because they were all so nice. I appreciated many things about them, but?—”
“I don’t think that works very well.”
“Why not? It’s the whole point of Beauty and the Beast. ”
“Are you saying these guys were ugly? Because Sean’s certainly not?—”
“They weren’t ugly at all. They just weren’t… sexy.”
“Which is a whole other issue. Beauty learns to look past appearances and falls for the Beast, but she wouldn’t have unless they had chemistry out the wazoo.”
“I never thought of it like that.”
“It’s obvious when they dance. She’s not thinking he’s got horns but he’s really nice. We could be friends. She’s thinking those horns make him look smokin’ hot and I want to do him.”
That made her laugh. And stirred her up. “You’re saying this chemistry thing isn’t something you can manufacture?”
“Not that I know of. It’s either there or it isn’t.”
“Then how do you explain…” She swept a hand to encompass both of them. “This?”
“I can’t. It came out of nowhere, which tells me we should be careful, because it might disappear just as fast.”
“Which would be for the best, right?”
He hesitated. His head said yes but his heart wasn’t so sure. “I think so. But suppressing it sure didn’t work.”
“So here we are.”
“Here we are.” He held her gaze. “Am I right this is the first time you’ve made love with someone you’re attracted to?”
Her face heated. “Yes.”
“Different, huh?”
“Way different.”
“Want to do it again?”
She gulped. “More than you know.”
“Good.” He pushed back his chair. “Much more of this talk and I’ll be ready to take you right here on the table.”
“Ouch.” But she would have let him. Or on the floor, the counter, or up against the wall. She stood, her legs trembling as he came toward her.
“Table sex isn’t as fun as it looks in the movies.” Taking her hand, he started toward the living room, his long legs eating up the distance.
“I wouldn’t know.” She had to skip to keep up, which was tricky when excitement made her shaky and breathless.
“Am I moving too fast?”
“Nope.” She sucked in air. “I’ve just never… race-walked to bed… before.”
“Then it’s about time.” He winced as they rounded the sofa.
“Are you in pain?”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s what I get for talking about sex at the dinner table.” Releasing her hand, he tugged off his socks, followed by his sweatshirt. Everything landed on the growing mound of clothes on the sofa. “Next time I’ll wait till we’re horizontal.”
“But who wants to talk then?” She got rid of her socks and sweatshirt but struggled with the knot in the drawstring.
“Good point.” Pulling a condom from his pocket, he put it between his teeth and shoved down his sweats.
Glowing embers illuminated what she’d been too involved to admire the last time — six-foot-four inches of broad- chested, muscular cowboy ready for action. She forgot about the drawstring.
Taking the condom package out of his mouth, he paused to glance at her. “Trace?”
“I’m having a chemical reaction.”
He made a low sound deep in his throat, dropped the condom package and crossed to her. “God, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” She gazed up at him. “For what?”
“Rushing you. Again.” He pulled her into his arms. “You just told me this is your first time with someone you actually want and I’m barreling ahead like this is a timed competition.”
She ran her hands up his warm chest. “But I like that you’re in a hurry. It means you really want me, too.”
“Oh, I do.” He nibbled on her lips. “But I don’t have to be in a hurry to show you how much.” His kisses moved to her throat, then to her breasts.
The swipe of his tongue over her nipple created shock waves that rippled all the way to her toes. His warm breath on her damp skin made her quiver. Gripping his broad shoulders, she leaned back, arching into his caress.
“That’s it,” he murmured. “Soak it in.” He raked his teeth lightly over her breast and closed his mouth over the tip.
Shuddering from the intense pleasure, she closed her eyes and abandoned herself to the sensations he created with every kiss, every touch. He moved lower, crouching as he made short work of the knot in the drawstring. The oversized sweats dropped to the floor.
“Lift your foot.”
She obeyed his soft command.
“The other one. Good.” Throwing the sweats over his shoulder, he sank to his knees, leaned down and bestowed moist kisses along her inner thighs. “Delicious.”
When he cupped her tush and began a far more intimate invasion, she gulped. “I can’t… I’ll fall…”
He tightened his hold. “You won’t.” His breath tickled in a most distracting way. “I’ve got you.”
“I hope so.”
“Trust me.”
And she did, even when she was shaking so hard she could barely breathe. Her climax slammed into her like a gale-force wind and still he kept her upright, his grip steady.
Her reentry was slow, and he stayed with her until she no longer gasped for breath. Her head was still spinning when he swept her into his arms and laid her on top of the quilt.
She was vaguely aware of foil ripping. How had he located the condom so fast when he’d dropped it without looking where it landed?
But somehow he’d found it right away, and moments later he moved over her, leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “May I?”
“You’re asking?”
“Yes, ma’am. You might need a rest after that.”
“I need you.”
“That makes me a lucky guy.” He thrust deep and groaned. “So lucky.” His strokes were gentle, completely different from their first time together.
But they were equally effective. As her core tightened, she wrapped her arms around him and matched his rhythm. Ah, this was good . “In case you can’t tell, I’m?—”
“I know. I can feel it.” He dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. “Open your eyes, pretty lady.”
She looked up at him and there was that smile, the one that made her heart turn over.
“You’re beautiful.” His voice grew husky. “You’ve always been beautiful. I don’t know why I?—”
“Shh. Live in the moment.”
“It’s a fantastic moment.”
“Yes, it’s…oh! Adam… Adam.” She gasped in wonder as she felt her body opening like a flower to the warmth of the sun… opening in wave upon exquisite wave, bringing tears of joy and cries of delight.
His gaze intent on her, he kept moving until at last he took a deep breath and pushed home.
The strong pulse of his climax brought new tears. Nothing in her entire life had felt so perfect.
Leaning down, he kissed her damp cheeks. “Hope those are happy tears.”
“They are.” Her throat was clogged with emotion. “That was… incredible.” Persistence wasn’t Adam Bridger’s only superpower. Not by a long shot.