Chapter 16
Aiden opened his eyes. Fatigue threatened to pull them closed again, but the bright sunlight filtering through the curtains made him stay awake.
Memories of the previous night rushed through his mind. The fire. The moment he’d realized Dez was missing. Louise frantically running toward him.
Fuck.
He’d never forget that helpless feeling.
He turned onto his side and faced Dez. She lay with her ass sticking out so that his cock lined up perfectly with the space between her thighs.
Her hair spilled onto the charcoal-colored pillowcase, exposing her bare back.
At some point in the night she must have stripped.
Not that he minded one bit. He’d cranked the heat before bed to chase away their chill.
He slipped his hand around her middle and pulled her closer. She let out a sigh and relaxed further. The only thing that stopped his insanely solid dick from finding its way to her slit was his briefs and her panties.
After the night they’d had, he hated to disturb her. But he couldn’t not touch her. With his hand beneath the covers, he let his palm open onto the silkiness of her belly. So perfect. If he could wake up to Dez like this every morning until he was one hundred, he’d die a happy man.
She wiggled a bit, snuggling her face into the pillow more, as if she wanted to bury herself in sleep.
He needed her. Even if only to assure himself that she was here in the flesh and their survival wasn’t some fucked-up dream.
He inched his fingers up her abdomen until they touched her full, fleshy breasts.
He forced down a moan as he found her nipple and ran the pad of his thumb in a circle around the bud until it turned hard.
He felt her body temperature rise. She squirmed and then slowly rolled to her back. Her dark eyelashes flickered and her eyes opened. The sunlight caught the green and yellow tones, stealing his breath.
She was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever laid eyes on.
“Hey,” she said, her voice thick and husky.
“Hey yourself.” He filled his palm with her breast and brought his mouth down to her nipple.
She gasped. Her hand swept to the back of his neck, holding him in place. “Oh my god,” she squeaked.
He eased his fingers down her body and slipped his hand into her panties to her parted thighs. As he stroked his middle finger between her folds, heat and wetness coated it. Lord, have mercy.
His cock ached with the need to dive inside her.
A sweet moan caught in her throat. He pulled his hand away and grabbed her underwear to push it down her legs.
She kicked them off when they reached her ankles.
Shifting toward the end of the bed, he hooked his elbow under her knee.
Her sex glistened inches away. Her round, now fully awake eyes stared up at him with desire.
Her cheeks were a rosy pink, and her breasts were free and on display.
“You drive me crazy,” he said, as he lowered himself to nestle between her legs.
She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, and the action did all kinds of shit to his libido. He pressed his lips to the inside of her thigh, kissing lightly.
Her head tilted back, exposing the long column of her neck. “You drive me . . . crazy, too,” she said on a breath, her voice thick with arousal.
He brought his mouth to the full, throbbing lips between her legs and moved his tongue over her folds, tasting every inch of her.
Dez’s hands fisted into the sheet at her sides. Heavy pants came from her chest, every exhale making her breasts jiggle.
Need started a frenzy inside him. He brought his mouth to her clit and flicked his tongue over her delicate pink flesh. Her back arched sharply, thrusting her sex forward and allowing him more access.
Gripping her hips in his hands, he hugged her close while her wetness filled his mouth. He’d wanted to taste her again, and the second time was even better than the first without alcohol clouding his memory.
Her stomach hollowed as her legs parted further. Her mouth opened and a deep, primitive cry escaped her throat as her folds pulsed against his lips. Her wetness turned thick, and he sucked on her satiny tissue until her moans subsided and her body went limp.
He swiped his tongue over her again, and she quivered and grabbed his shoulders. “Come here.”
He grinned and pressed his body on top of hers.
They fit as if they were molded perfectly for each other.
Everything about Dez made it seem as if he’d carved her with his mind, manifested her from his deepest desires.
Smoothing his knuckles over her temple, he pressed a kiss to her forehead then to her lips. “Not sure if I said good morning yet.”
She giggled and her eyes opened to find his. “I’d say that’s the best morning greeting I’ve ever had.”
“I didn’t want to wake you.”
Her eyes glowed and one eyebrow inched up. “You can stir me like that anytime. No problem.”
He threw his head back on a laugh. God, she made him so fucking happy. “Good. ’Cause I could get used to starting the day off with you in my bed.”
Her eyes went still, and her expression morphed into something cautiously serious. The muscles in his stomach clenched.
He’d screwed up. Put his fat foot in his mouth and scared her.
Her fingers dragged up his spine. “I’d like that.” Her gaze moved away, as if it had taken her great effort to speak the words, then swung back to him, searching his face.
“Yeah?” The question was moot. Stupid even, but the unease in his gut made his brain malfunction.
She nodded, and her fingers touched the nape of his neck. “More than anything.”
His chest burst open. A deep sense of contentment filled him, and images flashed through his mind at warp speed.
He and Dez cozied in front of the fireplace with wine each night.
Her setting up the Christmas tree that he never bothered to buy for himself.
Cooking and laughing in the kitchen together and falling asleep with her every night.
Pure bliss.
“I love you.” The words came out fast and undiluted by fear. Damn, it’d been a long time since he uttered those words to a woman, but now . . . now it was right. Now it was true.
Her eyes sparkled, and a huge smile lit her face. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him close. He inhaled the scent of cinnamon sugar and kissed the spot beneath her ear.
“I love you, too.” Happiness gushed from her lips, and he held her a little tighter.
All he wanted was to make Dez happy.
She pulled away. “Do you have to work today?”
He threaded his fingers into the strands of her hair. “Nope. Hank gave me the week. I’m off until Monday.”
“Oh, that’s great. I’ll need to get insurance stuff taken care of, but other than that I guess there’s not much else I can do right now.”
“There is one thing.” He brought his mouth down on hers.
She lifted her knees and wrapped her ankles around his hips. “I didn’t forget.”
He groaned. “Shoot, I almost forgot something.” He stretched to the nightstand, pulled out a condom, and tore the wrapper. Reaching between them, he slipped it on and then nudged her opening.
Her hands clung to his shoulders while he entered her. She gasped as he sank in deep, and damn if that didn’t turn him on even more.
Her insides closed around his cock as he moved in and out. Hot, wet, and so soft. He caged her slight body between his forearms. Her breath tickled his neck as he moved in a steady rhythm. Pleasure swarmed his body, and it took every ounce of his control to go easy.
With each thrust she grew wetter, swallowing him whole and lighting a fire in his abdomen. Her exhales turned to tantalizing, raspy cries, and it took greater effort to restrain himself.
Her legs squeezed his sides and she dragged her lips over his earlobe, sending a shockwave through his core. “More,” she croaked.
He rocked against her, bringing friction to her most sensitive area. Her pussy tightened around his shaft and for a second, his brain flickered. Jesus.
He pumped into her and his release built until he couldn’t take it. He let out a deep, animalistic grunt as his orgasm ejected from his cock.
Dez clutched him tightly, her hips lifting frantically as her moans mixed with his. Her arms loosened and her fingers dragged down his back. “Oh, my god,” she wheezed as her walls throbbed around him.
Pressure ebbed away from his skull as his pulse slowed. He kissed her shoulder and then her lips, slowly pulling out of her. Rolling off the bed, he discarded the condom then washed up before returning to the bedroom.
He climbed back onto the mattress and Dez plastered her body to his like a magnet. Warmth spread through his insides as he folded his arm around her, hugging her close.
“So,” he said, inhaling her scent. “We’ve got five days off together. What do you want to do? Besides this, of course, because I plan to spend every spare moment in bed with you.”
She tilted up her chin, and her mouth stretched into a smile. “I’m good with just this. Maybe we can break for food.”
A laugh rumbled from his diaphragm. “I’ll make us some lunch. But I also have something else that could fill our time this week.”
“What’s that?”
Hesitation constricted his vocal cords. It was too soon. Definitely too soon. Was he trying to shake the stable ground they’d formed? Christ. He stared into her eyes and all reluctance left his body.
No, this was right. Everything about Dez was perfectly right. “Move in together.”
Her eyes bugged out a little, and she pushed herself up onto her elbow, meeting his gaze.
Ah, shit. He’d jumped the gun.
“Are you serious? I mean, I want nothing more than to live with you. I just want to make sure it’s what you want.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and her fingers trembled.
He swept her locks around his knuckles. “I love you, Dez. I know it’s soon, but you and I feel meant to be.”