Chapter 14 #2
“Oh.” She glanced down, saw she still clutched the to-go bag in her hand. “Dessert.”
A dark brow lifted. “Dessert? Like what?”
“Cheesecake.” She set her purse on the floor by the doorway and turned to head back to the kitchen. “I’ll go put it away.”
“Wait a minute. What kind of cheesecake?”
She turned back around to face him, surprised he asked. “Uh, lemon raspberry cream.”
“I love cheesecake.” His expression read sweet young boy, yet the glow in his eyes was undeniably hungry, aroused male. “Got a fork in that bag?”
“I think so.” She opened it, saw the black fork in plastic wrap nestled inside. “I do.”
“Well, come here and share it, then.”
Jane went to him, admiring his lean physique.
He wore navy blue flannel pants and nothing else, and all of that exposed, warm male skin left her momentarily speechless.
Good thing he didn’t say anything, just offered his hand and she took it.
She settled herself next to him, her booted feet hanging off the edge of the mattress.
Chris took the bag from her and opened it, peering inside, and she caught the gleeful expression on his face. He pulled out the plastic container and popped the top off, admiring the generous slice of cheesecake.
“You went to one of my favorite restaurants.” His gaze met hers, so serious, his mouth a straight, firm line.
“I love it, too. I haven’t been there in forever.” She pulled the wrapped fork from the bag and opened it, then handed it to him.
“Me neither.” He glanced down at the cheesecake then back up at her. “This looks good. I’ve never tried this kind before.”
“It’s new.”
“You want some?” He dug the fork in, slowly cutting off a small bite and then offered it to her.
She nodded.
Smiling, he held the fork in front of her and gestured for her to open her mouth. She did and he went to feed her, then yanked the fork away, popping the bite in between his lips instead. She watched, indignant, as he put on a big show, chewing and making all sorts of noises.
“That was delicious,” he said once he’d swallowed.
“I’m sure.” She shook her head. “Thanks for sharing.”
He laughed. “It’s what you get for going there without me.”
“I didn’t choose. It was up to Chloe.”
“Yeah, blame poor innocent Chloe.” He forked up another bite. “Excuses, excuses.”
She wondered at his playful mood. “Are you going to share this time?”
“Are you worthy?” He held the fork in front of his lips, nibbling on the edge of the cheesecake, and she watched. Transfixed by the sight of his lips, the way the creamy cheesecake lightly coated them.
Goodness she was tempted to lean over and lick them clean.
“I think so,” she answered, sounding breathless.
His lips curved and he tilted his head toward her, the fork poised between them.
She caught the rich scent of the cheesecake, lemony creaminess and tart raspberry tickling her nose.
She sniffed loudly and parted her lips, touched the tip of her tongue to her bottom lip, and she heard his sharp inhalation of breath.
“Please?” She blinked up at him, put on her most innocent of expressions, and couldn’t help but marvel at her own audacity.
The man brought out a different side to her, a side she didn’t even know she had.
Chris dabbed the bite of cheesecake against her mouth once, then drew away. She licked at her lips, the creamy, fruity taste dissolving on her tongue. His eyes darkened.
“More?” His voice sounded strained and she smiled, proud of herself. She could definitely give as good as she got.
“Yes.” She waited, smiled when he brushed the bite against her mouth, leaving behind a dollop of cheesecake. She licked at it again, the yummy taste almost more than she could stand, all of it heightened by the teasing way she was being fed.
It was arousing. She’d never played with food before in a sexual way and she liked it, even though it was torturous.
This time when he brought the bite back to her lips, he kept it there.
She opened her mouth and he gently pushed the fork between her teeth.
Wrapping her lips around the tines, she took the bite clean from the fork, savoring the sweetly tart taste, the crunchiness of the graham cracker crust. A low murmur of approval sounded deep in her throat, and his lids lowered, giving him such a sexy look she almost choked on her cheesecake.
If he continued to look at her like that, she wouldn’t be able to eat another bite. She’d want to save room for him instead.
“You missed some of it. Right…there.” He leaned in, his lips touching just the corner of her mouth, and when she felt the sweep of his tongue there, she almost melted into the bed. “Got it,” he said as he pulled away from her, smacking his lips.
Okay, this was too much, too heady for her tired, still-a-little-buzzed mind to take. She watched him, caught the devilish glint in his eyes, took in all of that exposed, tanned skin, and she held out her hand, an idea forming in her mind.
“How about I feed you?”
He sat up straighter, handing over the container and fork. “I’m ready when you are.”
She bet he was. Carefully, she cut off a small bite, forked it up, and then brought it close to his face. His lips parted, his gaze never leaving hers and she flicked the fork, the cheesecake falling off and landing right on his pec.
“Whoops. I dropped it.” She could barely keep the smile back and wanted to laugh when she saw him glance down at the mess on his chest. She set the fork into the container. “Guess I’ll have to clean it up.”
Jane bent over him, swiping her tongue at his chest as she licked up the dessert. The ragged groan that escaped him urged her on and she licked again, loving the taste of the sweet bit of cheesecake and the salty, earthy taste of man just beneath.
He clasped his big, warm hand to the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair.
With his other hand he took the container from her, setting it on the bedside table.
He held her, but not so tightly she couldn’t glance up at him.
The devilish look was long gone. The expression on his face was now one of stark, raw need, and her breath caught at the sight.
“You surprise me, Jane. Each and every day we’re together you surprise me.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Oh, yeah.” He stroked her hair, his fingers tugging on the ends, and she closed her eyes in bliss. “It’s a very good thing.”
Something had shifted between them tonight, sending them straight into un-chartered and completely welcome territory.
Chris had known ahead of time she was off shopping with Chloe Dawson and he’d told himself he would leave her alone.
Let her get that one-on-one time with her friend she’d told him she needed.
He’d spent the evening alone, eating delivered pizza, watching crappy TV, and nursing a lone beer. Curious what she might be doing, what she wore, what she smelled like. But then he remembered her mentioning her parents were keeping the kids overnight.
So he’d called and invited her over. Decided to make a sexy game of it and waited for her in his bedroom. He loved the way she quietly appeared in his doorway, her dark jeans making her legs look endless, the cream-colored sweater she wore emphasizing the soft curve of her breasts.
It had been fun, teasing her with the cheesecake.
And then she’d taken it to the next level, licking at his heated flesh, her wet, slick little tongue raising havoc within him.
Stripping her naked, admiring her pretty body before he made love to her.
He’d imagined this moment more than once.
Jane, in his house. In his bed. Smiling, laughing, moaning, calling out his name…
“That was amazing.” She lifted her chin, the little smile curving her lush lips beautiful, dreamy.
“Definitely.” He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, exhaling slowly when she snuggled close, her tousled hair in his face, her cheek resting against his chest. It felt so good, having her here with him.
Since he’d spent so many nights at her place, he was eager to show her where he lived.
At first, he didn’t understand that need.
He got it now. He wanted to reveal a piece of himself, a piece he didn’t often share with others. He wanted her to know all of him and was ready to lay himself bare at the altar of Jane.
She’d grown so comfortable with him that she hadn’t covered her skin with the blankets, despite the cool air. He barely even noticed the scars anymore, and he didn’t really care. They were a mark, a part of her, a memory of what she’d suffered, what she’d gone through before she came to him.
And he was so very, very thankful that she’d come to him.
He let his gaze wander over her naked, pale skin, and he could tell that she’d gained a few pounds since that first night they’d spent together.
The accident, the months of being in a coma, the burns she’d suffered and the recovery time she’d been through, all of it had made her bone thin.
He liked to believe her happiness helped with her weight gain, and that he’d brought her some of that happiness.
“What are you thinking?”
Ah, the question more than one woman in his past had asked him, usually at the worst moment. A question that usually struck panic within his soul, because he knew she wouldn’t want to know how he was plotting to get away before things got too deep.
“I’m thinking how beautiful you are,” he answered truthfully.
Jane glanced up, offering him a sweet smile. He’d never been with a woman who looked at him as if he hung the moon, who depended on him, yet who also took care of him as Jane did.
“You’re staring,” she whispered, and he remembered when she’d said that to him before, the night in the movie theater right before he’d kissed her.
“I love looking at you,” he admitted as he threaded his fingers through her dark, tangled hair.
Her eyes slid closed and she nuzzled his chest with her cheek.
He stroked her back, curved around to tease her front, resting his hand on her chest. The pounding of her heart beat against his palm, a steady ba-boom that reminded him she was a flesh-and-blood real woman, a woman with faults and strengths and loves and hates. A woman much like him, yet different.
So different. She was good for him. He’d let her in despite his old habits of never revealing himself, and he’d shared everything with her. And she had stayed, exposed herself right back, and he’d be damned if he could turn her away now.
Not when he loved her so much.
Overwhelmed, he gathered her closer, his heartbeat matching the rhythm of hers, her legs tangled with his.
She was a soft, warm bundle, slim arms holding him close, damp lips pressed against his skin.
She felt so good, so right in his arms. And he was consumed with the need to tell her how he felt, how much she meant to him.
“It wasn’t so bad, was it? Letting go?” he said instead.
“What do you mean?” She wouldn’t look at him, her words muffled against his chest.
“You know, shedding inhibitions, letting loose. You let go for me tonight, Jane. And you enjoyed it.” It was a major step for her, he knew. After all, this was a woman trying to regain control of her life.
Lifting her head, her intense gaze met his. “I loved it when you lost control, too.”
“I love you,” he admitted, the words just spilling out. He immediately stilled.
Her eyes went wide, unblinking for several long beats, her body frozen. He couldn’t believe he’d said that. Too soon, way too soon. But then she smiled. A smile so sweet, so full of love and affection and hope, that his heart threatened to crack open and spill all over the place at the sight of it.
“I love you, too.” Her voice was soft, a mere whisper, and he swallowed her words, kissing her and himself stupid, drunk with his love for her.
They moved as one, eager for each other as he pressed her into the mattress.
He took her hands, entwining his fingers with hers and brought her arms up and over her head.
Holding her captive, both with his hands and his gaze, as he made love to her again, possessing her.
Making her his and loving her with a fierceness, an intensity he didn’t know he had.
All of it brought forth by the love of this one woman.
Jane.