Chapter 11 #2
Sliding her hand through his arm, she smiled slightly in anticipation of what was about to happen between them and could hardly wait.
He was so damned edgy and was practically jumping out of his skin.
And if he wasn't careful, he was going to jump all over her, and it would be over in minutes.
He wanted more than minutes. He wanted an entire day exploring her lush curves, tasting and savoring her.
So, in order to keep his tremendous passion on a leash, he had to detach himself from her.
Shoving the doors open, he entered the foyer, shrugged out of his jacket, and headed toward the stairs.
"Would you like something to eat?"
It was Saturday, and the housekeeper was off.
"No."
"I could-"
"If you're hungry, go right ahead." Christ! He was behaving like a bloody bear with a sore head.
"I'll just get something to drink."
"I'll be in the bedroom. Take your time. I have some calls to make." It was a damn lie, but he had to say something, and this would give him time to compose himself.
He went straight to the closet to change. Donning a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, he stoked the fire. She was right, he mused, glancing out the window. It had started to snow, fat flakes pinging against the window.
He would take his time, he decided. He would take his time with her. She had been through a hell of a lot and just had a break. It was cause for celebration.
They should have champagne. Turning toward the recessed bar, he pushed the knob, waiting until the counter slid forward. Selecting a Dom, he plucked out two glasses and was pouring the bubbly when she came in.
"Celebration," he explained briefly at her lifted brows. "Here. Sure you're not hungry?"
"I'm sure. It's snowing, and Mrs. Holt left some cocido..." She stopped to savor the word, her lips curving slightly. "She left it in the warmer for us to have today. It's almost lunchtime. There are sandwiches-"
"I'm not hungry!" he snapped it out, causing her to stare at him as if he were a madman.
"I apologize," he muttered, taking a healthy swallow of the champagne.
"I came up here determined to try and be calm.
I figured by the time you appeared, I would be in a state of mind to deal with you, with this, with what I'm feeling.
But I was dead wrong." He drank some more and wandered over to the fireplace.
He stood there looking into the hypnotic flames before turning to face her.
"I'm usually not this nervous or jumpy. But I've never felt this way before.
I want you." He shook his head. "That's such a tame way of saying it.
I'm craving you. I don't want food, Indigo.
If I don't have you right now, this second, I'm going to go mad. Do you understand?"
While he was speaking, her heat had started and had now spread until she was almost consumed. Her knees were weak, and the hand holding the glass shook. Taking a deep breath, she put it onto the nearest flat surface before she ended up spilling it.
"Yes." She had to clear her throat. "Yes."
"So?" Putting his glass on the wide marble surface of the mantel, he started toward her, banked fires making his tawny eyes golden.
"So, have me. Now, right now. I had every intention of taking another shower and slipping into something scandalous."
"No need. I'm only going to rip it off you anyway."
"So, it's a good thing I didn't bother-" She stopped talking as he came to stand in front of her.
"I need something to take the edge off." Lifting his hands, he fisted them into the mass of coils that was her hair and yanked her head back. His mouth swooped down to take hers hungrily. Indigo felt the jolt straight to her toes. Her lips parted, giving him full access, and he took it.
He was craving her, and though he was baffled by the incredible hunger, he went with it and deepened the kiss.
His free hand went around her waist like a steel band, pulling her flush against him.
He was already hard, throbbing, feverish with the need to be inside her.
The kiss was endless and had her going weak.
She clung to him for balance, her legs unsteady.
When he finally ended the kiss, he was shaking.
"Now," he whispered thickly.
"Now," she repeated, her lips throbbing, her body flushed with heat.
He needed no further bidding. He undressed her hurriedly, his hands roaming over her naked flesh as he removed each layer of clothing.
His mouth touched her forehead and trailed down to her cheek and her ear, where he toyed with the lobe.
His fingers brushed against the pulse beating madly there before he touched his mouth to the shivering flesh.
"Brant," she whispered, her fingers brushing over his chest. "Now."
"Soon, darling," he said thickly. "I want to take my time. I want to savor every inch of you. Just let me-" He backed her toward the steps and helped her to mount them.
Pushing her back onto the bed, he bent to remove her boots, tossing them aside. She eased up so that he could remove her slacks.
"Get in."
When she slid between the sheets, she edged up to the pillows and watched with bated breath as he took off his clothes.
She almost suspected that he had an excellent body.
But seeing it for the first time, she felt her breath catching.
His body was a smooth golden brown, the chest wide, with a dusting of hairs darker than the hair on his head.
The muscles in his arms and chest flexed with his movements.
His stomach was flat, washboard flat, and... Her breath soughed through her parted lips as she encountered the evidence of his desire. Her eyes flew to his, her body already vibrating.
He climbed in beside her and immediately reached for her. His fingers skimmed between the valley of her breasts. Using one finger, he flicked at the front clasp and watched as it parted to reveal her generous flesh.
"Beautiful," he murmured thickly. He palmed the flesh, thumb rubbing over the already tight bud, his eyes watching her reaction.
"So beautiful." Bending his head, he tugged at the nipple, rolling it between his teeth and sending her into glorious agony.
Her fingers clutched at his thick hair as she held his head to her flesh. He took it into his mouth, suckling and savoring, fueled by the taste of her. He wanted more. If he stayed for hours, it would still not be enough. He wanted days, weeks.
His hand drifted to her quivering stomach, wandering down to palm her. He felt her through the flimsy lace, his body reacting to her heat. She was hot. Sliding her panties aside, his fingers delved in to find her moist and hot. He wasn't going to last.
Switching to the next breast, he gave it the same thorough treatment until Indigo wondered if it was possible to go mad from pleasure. There was every likelihood that she was going to die before this was over.
Rearing up, he got rid of his underwear and moved on top of her.
"I don't want to hurt you," he told her harshly. He was balanced on his hands, his body almost straining toward hers.
"You won't." She slid her hands over his chest, loving the feel of his warm skin and the muscles flexing at her touch.
"Tell me if I am. I can't wait," he rasped. Lowering himself, he eased into her, his teeth clenched as he entered her moist warmth. She was incredibly tight. His body jolted in shock at how tight she was. Almost like a virgin.
Reading the expression on his face, she admitted, "It's been a very long time."
"Why?" he asked thickly.
"It's... the problems I was having didn't... it was too much."
He inched in some more, her tightness sheathing him like a vise.
"You're completely wonderful," he told her with a heartfelt groan as he went in even deeper. Clasping her face between his palms, he lowered his mouth to hers, his thrusts slow at first until she started to move. Then the tight hold he had been keeping on his control shattered.
His mouth devoured hers hungrily as he drove into her.
His heart felt as if it was going to explode inside his chest. His control was in shreds for the first time in his life.
He had been with too many women to count and had always been pleasantly sated, but never like this.
Nothing in his life had prepared him for this.
When she stiffened, he increased the pace to help her achieve the shattering climax that had her digging her fingers into his back and shoulders, her body writhing beneath his.
Gripping her hips, he lifted her body for one final thrust, his breathing erratic and shallow.
The climax tore through him like a raging storm, leaving him gasping for breath, and it was endless.
Lifting his mouth from hers, he stared at the woman he thought he had rescued and realized that he had underestimated her.
The aftermath of the intensely powerful climax had him collapsing on top of her weakly, his body still shuddering.
It took him a few minutes to move to the side, conscious of the fact that he was crushing her.
For another few minutes, he just wrapped his arms around her as he fought to get his breathing under control.
He had never been in love. Yes, there had been a few instances when he had toyed with the idea of making things permanent, but he had quickly come to his senses.
He had never been in love, he mused, but he was pretty sure that this was it.
He had fallen in love with his wife. Tipping his head down, he wondered how to say it.
Was it too soon, or should he wait until they were not so overcome with emotions?
Clearly, this was an intense moment for both of them.