Chapter 9
Too soon,
Too soon.
A voice in Draco’s head chanted the words of caution, even as his hand slipped beneath Cate’s shirt to caress a breast. He needed to prove he was worthy of the long haul, not just a hit and run. He’d hurt her. He couldn’t stand it if he hurt her again.
Draco’s conscience warred with desire.
Desire won.
Draco bent, clasped the rounded globes of her buttocks and lifted.
Her legs wrapped around his waist, pressing her sex against his swelling cock. His lips left hers to claim her neck and lick a path to the thumping beat of her pulse at the base of her throat.
Cate moaned, and her head rolled back, exposing more skin for him to taste and flick. He carried her into the small bathroom, kicked the door shut, and sat her on the narrow countertop, then spun to turn on the shower and adjust the temperature.
When he turned back, her gaze captured his, and her hands rose above her head.
Draco reached up to capture her wrists in one hand, holding them together while he trailed his other hand down the length of her arm.
Cate shivered the way she always had when he got to a spot that tickled.
Her little shiver was like a blowtorch to his rising desire, sending red-hot flames through his body.
Releasing her wrists, he gripped the hem of her blouse and dragged it up over her head before tossing it aside.
She wore a black lace bra that plumped her small breasts, making them ripe for tasting.
Intrigued at the prospect of running his tongue over the lace, he leaned over her and captured one of her nipples through the lace of the bra and gently nibbled it until it hardened into a tight round bud.
Cate reached behind her back and unhooked the bra, letting the straps slide off her shoulders.
Draco moved, allowing the sexy black bra to slide free of her body, revealing those tight, perky breasts he hadn’t been able to forget.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he whispered against her skin, flicking his tongue out to tease the rounded bud. “Say no, and I’ll back off.”
“I’m sure. One night. Skin to skin. No commitment. No regrets. No guilt.” She cupped his face in her palms. “And it doesn’t have to mean anything.”
Her words made his heart ache. His actions had made her feel that way. Now she was so intent on a one-night stand that she’d use that premise to walk away.
“No,” he said and backed away.
Cate blinked. “No?”
“You’re wrong. This is wrong.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “What if I want more than one night?”
“How many do you want?” she asked. “One? Two?”
Draco puffed out his chest. “A hundred. No, a thousand.” He waved his hand.
“Unlimited.” He palmed her cheek and brushed his thumb across her lip.
“And it has to mean something, or no way.” He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss into her palm.
“It has to mean everything because I can accept no less.”
Her eyes rounded, and her brow puckered. “What if I can’t do that?”
He stepped back, his hands falling to his sides.
“Then I have more work to do to earn your trust. And, like you, I don’t give up easily.
I also learn from my mistakes. I thought you didn’t mean enough to me, that I wasn’t the commitment type.
I left Virginia sure you were better off without me.
I was wrong. You meant more to me than I was able to admit to myself.
I want more than one night. I want so much more.
I’ll get you there, eventually.” He started to turn.
Cate reached out. “Okay.”
Draco frowned. “Okay? Okay what?”
“Okay.” Her fingers curled into his shirt sleeve. “I lied.”
She shook his head. “I want more than one night, too. I want it to mean something.” Tears welled in her eyes but didn’t spill over. “I just don’t want you to feel trapped.”
“Trapped?”
“When you left without saying goodbye, I thought I’d run you off. That I’d been too much too fast. Like I’d thrown myself at you.”
“Oh, babe.” He closed the distance to pull her off the counter and into his arms. “You were perfect. I don’t know what was wrong with me.”
“Make love to me now, Draco,” Cate said. “Then we can spend all the time we need to sort things out.”
He rested his cheek against her hair, his thoughts jumbled, his heart aching. With what?
Love?
Was that it? Was he afraid to tell her he loved her?
Her fingers moved between them and worked the buttons of his shirt one at a time.
He kissed her forehead. “I want you to trust me.” He brushed his lips across the tip of her nose. “I want you to respect me in the morning.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” She ripped open his shirt and shoved it over his shoulders and down his back. “Don’t I trust you with my life already?”
He reached for the button on her trousers and slipped it free. “It’s more than that, and you know it.”
“I promise to respect you in the morning.” She flicked the button on his trousers free and lowered his zipper. “As long as you give me two mind-blowing orgasms.”
“Mind-blowing, huh?” He slid her trousers and panties down her legs, dropping to his haunches to help her step out of her shoes and the remainder of her clothes.
When she did, he rose slowly, pressing kisses to her knees and the insides of her thighs. He cupped her sex and dipped a finger into her slick channel, loving how hot and wet she already was.
Cate gripped his arms and moaned softly as he stroked her entrance. She couldn’t deny that she wanted him. The evidence was coating his fingers.
Draco wanted her so much he physically hurt. His cock was so engorged that if he stopped now, he’d have a severe case of blue balls.
He’d prefer to be on firmer footing with Cate than on a promise to respect him in the morning.
He wanted her to trust that he would not only ensure her safety but also be there for her when this was all over.
He wouldn’t walk away from her again. He wasn’t afraid to commit anymore.
Being away from her had sucked the life out of him.
He’d do whatever it took to make her feel secure and happy.
For a man who’d never considered he was the marrying type, he wanted it with Cate.
Marriage, a house, half a dozen kids...the whole package.
He’d even buy her flowers for no reason and change poopy diapers.
If it had to be in Virginia, he’d work it out with his boss in Texas.
They could take on jobs all over the US.
Hell, they were working a job in Europe. It was just geography.
The only geography he was interested in was anywhere Cate was.
Standing in front of her, he was in awe of her amazing mind and her beautiful body. His cock twitched in anticipation of holding her so close their two bodies would become one.
Patience gone, he shucked his shoes, trousers and boxer briefs, then swept her up into his arms and carried her into the shower.
He squirted shampoo into his hands and massaged it into her blond hair, loving how she closed her eyes, tipped her head back and moaned softly.
He rinsed her hair, applied conditioner and threaded his fingers through the long strands, easing some of the tangles free.
Cate reached for the shampoo.
Draco stopped her by grabbing her fingers and lifting them to his lips. “You first.” He kissed her lips. “All of you.”
Her breath caught, raising her breasts, tempting him to take them in his mouth, but he wasn’t finished exploring her body. He worked up lather in his hands and smoothed the suds over every inch of her body, committing the curves and angles to memory. God, he’d missed her.
He moved her beneath the shower spray, watching the suds run off her shoulders, breasts and down her belly to the juncture of her thighs. Then he cupped her there and slipped between her folds to stroke her clit.
Cate gasped and moved back. “Not yet,” she said. “You’re next.” Her lips curled in a sexy smile. “All of you.”
She shampooed his hair, standing behind him on her toes to reach his head, her naked breasts pressed to his back.
Draco fought down a groan.
Her soapy hands moved over his body, touching him everywhere, following her fingers with wet kisses.
It was pure torture not to pull her into his arms and take her then.
She moved lower, dropped to her knees in front of him and took his cock in her hands.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said through clenched teeth, barely able to breathe with her fingers working over his rock-hard erection. “I’m supposed to be giving you orgasms.”
“I like to make you come. It makes me incredibly hot and horny.” She glanced up at him, her eyes wide and wickedly innocent. “But I’ll stop if you say no.”
“Sweet Jesus, don’t stop now.”
She wrapped her lips around the tip of his dick, gripped his buttocks in both hands, and took him all the way into her mouth.
Draco thought he’d come in that moment and fought the urge, determined to make her come first. He could hold back. He could do it. He closed his eyes and focused.
Cate pushed him back until he almost sprang free. Her tongue darted out, circled his head and then flicked the drop of come from the tip. Then she sucked him into her mouth, pulling hard.
On the edge of coming undone, Draco threaded his hands into her damp hair and held her close, his cock as deep as it would go. Before he lost all control, he pulled out, brought her to her feet and turned off the water.
“I wasn’t done,” she said, gripping his ass in her hands as she slid her calf up over his thigh.
“We’re not done,” he confirmed. “I’ve got two mind-blowing orgasms to produce first.”
He snagged a towel and ran it over her body, soaking up the water on her skin, patting and squeezing all her tempting parts.
She stole the towel and worked it over him, running it across his chest and down to his erection, where she fondled his balls and made it even harder for him to move.
Still damp, he swung her up into his arms and carried her to bed, laying her across the duvet.
Cate stretched an arm over her head, arched her back and ran her hand over her torso to her sex, dipping her finger between her folds. “Oh, yeah. I’m ready.” Her smile was a mix of sultry mischief.
His gaze ran the length of her, stopping at that one spot, mesmerized by the movement of her finger, swirling over her clit. He liked watching her pleasure herself.
“You can take over anytime,” she said. “I was just warming it up.”
Draco laughed, surprised at how happy he felt being with her. To Cate, sex had always been a fun exploration of each other and what they liked best. He knew what made her come apart and loved when she lost herself with abandon.
He ran his hands over her legs with a feather-light touch against the insides of her thighs.
Cate’s hips rose as he inched closer to her center.
He spread her legs wider and settled his torse between them, following the path of his fingers with his tongue.
Still, she swirled her finger against her clit, her hips rising and falling in rhythm.
“Let me.” He captured her hand in his, brought it to his lips and sucked her fingertips into his mouth. He could taste her sex on them.
Gently, he parted her folds, first brushing his thumbs across the sensitive flesh. He flicked his tongue over her clit and sucked it between his lips.
Cate raised her knees and dug her heels into the mattress. Every time he flicked her clit, she rose to take it. “More. Please,” she said on a gasp.
Draco deepened his assault on her senses, swirling faster.
She rocked her hips, her breathing growing more ragged by the minute.
Focusing all his efforts on mind-blowing, Draco slid his finger into her slick channel, two more, all the while laying unrelenting siege to her clit.
Cate raised her ass off the bed, stiffened and cried out. Her hips pulsed her release until she collapsed against the mattress.
For a few moments, she lay, breathing hard, her chest rising and falling.
Draco slowed, caressing her clit with his tongue.
“That was...” Cate rolled her head side to side.
“Mind-blowing?” he asked, raising his head.
“Absolutely.” She lifted her head. “What are you waiting for? We’re not nearly done with this round.”
He chuckled. “Bossy much?” He moved up her body and leaned down to take her mouth in a slow, sexy kiss, his dick nudging her entrance, hard and ready to rock.
“Come into me,” she whispered against his mouth. “Now.” Her legs wrapped around him, her heels digging into his buttocks.
“Not yet,” he said, pulling back. “Not ready.”
“You’re such a tease,” she said. “I couldn’t be more ready.”
He leaned over the side of the bed, fished his wallet out of his trouser pocket and found the two condoms he always had on hand. One he laid on the little nightstand.
Cate snatched the other from his hand, ripped it open with her teeth, and rolled it over his engorged member. She positioned him over her, guided him to her entrance, and brought him home.
She was so wet, he slid in smoothly, moving slowly to allow her to adjust to his size.
Then she took control of his hips and set the pace, urging him in and out until the tension built, and he took over, thrusting deeper, harder and faster.
All too soon, he catapulted over the edge into an orgasm so intense, it stole his breath away.
He rode the wave of sensations all the way to the end and then collapsed over her, dragging air back into his lungs.
“Wow,” he said as he rolled to his side, taking her with him. “Mind-blowing.”
Cate laughed, the sound warming him all the way through. “That was so intense,” she said, “I don’t know if I’ll survive another.”
His hand draped over his eyes, Draco held up a finger. “Let me catch my breath. I owe you one more.”
“Really.” Cate rested a hand over his racing heart. “One was convincing enough.”
He drew her close, kissed her forehead and said, “Hold my beer and just watch me.”
And he made good on his promise.
Real good.