CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Talia hadn’t planned on cross-examining Lennox on his dating history. Especially since it probably wasn’t the best time for it, not after tonight’s discussion of the risks he and the other SEALs might face during the op. But she’d decided to stop messing around and ask the question she’d worried about all along. Namely, was it possible for a woman to get used to the dangers a SEAL lived with every day? In her mind, if there was a woman out there who could do it, then she could too.
The answers he’d given her hadn’t been as clearcut as she’d hoped, which was why she’d asked him if he thought she could do this. His answer—that he thought she could, that he hoped she could—had been her undoing. Because she’d been looking for any reason to give in and be with him.
The kiss was slow at first, almost tentative. Then she stopped thinking and gave into the moment, melting into Lennox’s arms as he pulled her onto his lap, slipping one of his strong hands into her hair while the other lightly caressed her hip and thigh.
“Yes,” she moaned against his mouth as his fingers tightened in her hair.
He must have liked the sound of her moans, she thought with amusement. At least she assumed that was the reason for the growing hard-on in his jeans.
She wiggled her hips a little, giggling at the groan that rumbled up through his chest at the movement. When she’d stayed after everyone else had left, she hadn’t necessarily thought about ending this evening in bed, but maybe that would change.
She realized then how liberating it was now that she’d finally decided to give into the part of her that wanted this.
Wanted him .
Lennox gently caught her lower lip between his teeth, giving it a playful tug. Talia moaned again. She’d never had a guy do that before. The sensation was surprisingly nice, thrilling even.
Then he started trailing kisses along her jawline and down her neck, his teeth grazing the skin there. The sounds she made then were positively animalistic.
Apparently, she liked to be nibbled all over.
She buried her fingers in his short hair to get a good grip, holding him in place and silently encouraging him to keep going. She squealed softly in pleasure when she felt his teeth gently tease the skin below her right ear, tingles racing across her body to settle deep in her core.
Lennox took his time caressing her neck with his mouth, nibbling his way up and down, seemingly knowing exactly where her most sensitive spots were located. In between little love bites, he’d move his mouth back up to hers, his kisses taking her breath away.
A few moments later, Talia found herself sitting back on his thighs, gazing into his smoldering eyes as her lips tingled from his thorough ravishing.
“Maybe we should take this somewhere else,” he murmured, the corners of his mouth edging up in a sexy smile.
She returned his smile with a playful one of her own. She sincerely hoped he meant the bedroom. “Do you have a particular place in mind?”
But Lennox surprised her by reaching around her to grab the mugs from the table behind her, placing them in her hands. “I was thinking about the kitchen.”
Okay, she hadn’t seen that coming.
Grinning, he stood, lifting her in his arms at the same time. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him but couldn’t do anything with her hands since she was too busy holding the coffee mugs. Fortunately, Lennox took care of that, one of his arms wrapping around her back while the other reached under her, his big hand cupping her butt in the most delicious way.
When they reached the kitchen, he turned slightly sideways so she could put the mugs in the sink. After she did, Talia expected him to turn and finally start that long-awaited trip to the bedroom, but instead, Lennox only moved far enough to gently set her butt on the nearest countertop. Then he slipped his hands down to her hips, remaining between her spread legs, the beginnings of a mischievous smile crossing his face.
“I was thinking,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her again, “since we’re in the kitchen, what do you think about a snack?”
Talia stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. That had to be the cheesiest line she’d ever heard. But at the same time, she had to admit to being curious as to where he was going with this.
“I could go for a little nibble,” she said against his mouth. “What did you have in mind?”
“This,” Lennox answered softly, kissing his way down her neck again.
But he didn’t stop there, instead, continuing to work his way along the collar until he reached the first button of her shirt. He paused as his hands reached up, lifting his head to gaze at her questioningly, wanting to make sure she was okay with what he wanted to do.
Pulse skipping a beat, Talia locked eyes with him and simply nodded.
Lennox deftly undid the first button, pulling her shirt open so his warm mouth could continue pressing gentle kisses over every inch of skin he could reach. She didn’t realize he undid the second button until she felt his tongue tracing across the upper slope of her breasts.
The rest of the shirt’s buttons followed until his mouth reached her stomach. She couldn’t stop herself from sucking in a breath when his teeth grazed the skin above her belly button. She’d never realized how good something like that could feel.
With Lennox’s help, Talia slipped off her shirt and then her bra. He kissed and nibbled every inch of skin as it was revealed, his mouth finding erogenous zones she didn’t know she had.
Lennox caught her eyes again as he reached for the buttons of her jeans, once again waiting to make sure she was okay with where this was going. She nodded without a moment’s hesitation. She’d never wanted to be with someone more than this. Yes, being in a relationship with him would be complicated—and probably scary at times—but being with him like this was never going to be hard.
She had to hold on tightly to the edge of the countertop as he pulled off her jeans and panties. Her clothes barely hit the floor before he was between her thighs again, his hands grazing slowly up her legs as he spread them wide. He pushed her knees back until they were pressed against her shoulders, and she leaned her head back against the cabinet as she balanced carefully on her butt.
Lennox stepped closer until he was between her upraised knees, leaning in with one hand resting on the cabinet above her head, his face close enough to feel his breath on her cheeks.
She was so mesmerized by his gaze that she didn’t realize he was moving until she felt his fingers tracing gently along her left leg, leaving a trail of heat all the way from her knee to the top of her inner thigh. Her breath froze in her lungs, knowing exactly where those fingers were heading.
It occurred to her as Lennox teased her mercilessly, that she was sitting completely naked on a countertop in his kitchen, while he hadn’t taken off one article of clothing yet. For some reason, Talia found something incredibly sexy about that.
“Don’t tease me,” she murmured when he lightly caressed her with his fingers.
Taking her pleas to heart, he slid his finger inside, making her tremble with pleasure.
“That feels so good,” she moaned. It was like he had a road map straight to her G-spot. “Don’t stop.”
“I won’t,” he whispered, his voice close to her ear.
His mouth captured hers as his fingers plundered her body, pushing her toward the edge faster than she would have thought possible. She already felt that familiar tingle deep in her core that promised something mind-blowing was on the horizon.
“Yes…yes…yes,” Talia chanted, pulling her mouth away as Lennox’s fingers started moving faster, making her squirm in pleasure as her breathing got more erratic and out of control.
Just when she thought she might pass out from lack of oxygen, he began making little circles with the heel of his hand into her clit. The combined sensations sent shockwaves through her core, making her whole body shake.
The orgasm hit her hard and fast, muscles contracting so strongly that her head thumped back against the cabinet behind her, vision going white, pleasure as hot as fire ripping through her.
The intensity of her climax was just starting to ebb when Lennox pulled his hand away. But before she could even think about complaining, those wonderful fingers were replaced by something even more amazing.
His mouth.
Coming right down on her clit.
After the orgasm she’d just experienced, that part of her body should have been too sensitive to even think about touching anymore. But somehow, having his mouth on her turned out to be the most perfect sensation ever, nudging her right back into another climax. Or maybe it reignited the one she’d just had. Regardless, it was awesome!
If he hadn’t been holding onto her legs, she probably would have fallen right off the counter. As it was, he simply held her in place and licked her until she exploded.
When Lennox finally stood up, Talia felt like one big noodle.
“Don’t move,” he murmured softly.
Not that she was rational enough at the moment to understand what he was saying anyway. She leaned back against the cabinet and tried to get her mind to stop spinning. By the time she realized he’d slipped out of the kitchen, he was back, pulling his T-shirt over his head and moving toward her with the grace and intensity of a panther. When he started unbuckling his belt and she saw the small foil packet in his hand, she knew exactly why he’d disappeared and where this was going.
On the kitchen counter no less.
That would be a first.
She was so wrapped up in those thoughts, she missed Lennox’s striptease, only realizing he was completely naked when he moved close to the counter. Her breath caught in her throat. He was an absolute specimen of male perfection.
Lennox was muscular, but in that wiry, swimmer kind of way, with broad shoulders, sculpted pecs, abs, and thighs. He was so gorgeous, it was difficult not to stare. Then she saw his erection and everything else—as amazing as the whole package was—took a backseat. Seeing how excited he was as he rolled on the condom turned her on all over again.
As Lennox closed the last few inches between them, she noted that the counter couldn’t have been at a better height for this. When he slid into her, it stole her breath away.
“Yes,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist to lock her heels behind his back. “You feel so perfect like that. Don’t move, please don’t move.”
“You don’t want me to move…at all?” he asked with a soft chuckle, leaning into her and driving himself a little deeper. “Just stay right here, the rest of the night?”
At first, that seemed like a wonderful idea as her body spasmed delightfully around him but a few seconds later, it became impossible to ignore the insistent demand that was building in her core for him to thrust.
“Yes…yes…please move,” she babbled almost incoherently, one hand coming down to grasp his hip, encouraging him to do exactly what she’d begged for.
“Like this?” he whispered, pulling out an inch or two before plunging back in.
The sensation that little bit of movement produced felt incredible, but she wanted more.
Needed more.
She draped her arms around his shoulders, dragging him close enough to kiss. “Harder…faster…deeper.”
She thought he might tease her again but as their lips come together in a scorching kiss, he did as she asked.
Over and over and over.
Again, and again, and again.
Talia broke the kiss. She had to, since it was impossible to moan, pant, and kiss all at the same time. A moment later, she had to release her hold on Lennox to grip the edge of the countertop.
She didn’t expect to come close to climaxing again. It simply wasn’t how her body usually worked. So she was surprised when she felt those familiar tingles make an appearance again. She let go of the countertop with her right hand, sneaking it down between their bodies until her fingers found her clit. Then she started making firm little circles.
When her orgasm hit, it hit hard.
She clenched her legs around him so tightly it lifted her butt right off the counter, her body held up by the one arm under her and Lennox’s grip on her hips. He grunted hoarsely, burying himself as deep as he could go as he came. Knowing that she had made him feel that good made her orgasm that much better.
They stayed like that for a long time, catching their breath before Lennox leaned in to kiss her.
“What do you think about moving things into the bedroom for round two?” he asked huskily.
She nibbled his bottom lip. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”
Although, they might need to recharge first. Then again, she thought as Lennox picked her up in his arms and walked toward his bedroom, from the shiver of anticipation that coursed through her, maybe they wouldn’t need to wait at all.