43. Chapter 43
Nick
Iknow she’s awake. I can feel her tracing her finger up and down my jawline, the soft touch almost reverent.
I can feel the quiet change in her breathing, the way it hitches slightly as her fingertip brushes the corner of my mouth.
But I stay still, eyes closed, letting her trace my features with her finger. I love the way she touches me.
I know her feelings from yesterday must be hitting her hard right now, and I want to be that calming presence for her. I will lie here, still and quiet, for as long as she needs.
Eventually, I feel her lips brush softly against mine, tentative at first. I can’t help myself this time.
I kiss her back as her lips brush against mine again and again, each time a little bolder than the last. Her hands tighten around my arms, her nails digging in slightly as I move my hands down her body, stopping just above the curve of her ass.
She is still wearing my shirt, and I can feel the warmth of her skin underneath.
I open my eyes slowly then, unfocused at first, but sharp the second they find hers. We stay here, close enough I can feel her breath change against my face and the rapid rise and fall of her chest against mine. No questions. No hesitation. Just awareness settling between us like a held breath.
She doesn’t look away. Neither do I.
Heat flushes over me, and I understand exactly what she’s asking without her having to say it. My arms tighten around her, pulling her closer until there’s no space between us.
I press a kiss to her jaw, then her throat, feeling her body respond instantly beneath me.
She tilts her head back, giving me more access, and I take it, my mouth trailing down the soft skin of her neck.
I linger for a moment, sucking gently until I feel her gasp and her hips flex against mine.
The moment feels almost unbearable in its intensity.
When I lift my head again, my gaze drops to her mouth, then back to her eyes, asking without speaking.
She nods once, and that’s all it takes.
I roll us gently, my body covering hers, my weight pressing her into the mattress.
I slide my hand into her hair, tilting her face up and kissing her deeply and unhurriedly.
She meets me fully, her body arching into mine, her hands fisting in my hair as if needing something to hold on to.
Our kiss grows heavier, slower, charged with everything we aren’t saying.
I can taste her, feel the softness of her lips, the way her tongue moves against mine.
I pull back just enough to grip the hem of her shirt, and she lifts her arms, letting me pull it over her head.
She is bare underneath, and the sight of her—flushed and wanting, looking at me like I am everything—nearly undoes me.
I run my hands down her sides, feeling her skin warm beneath my palms, watching goosebumps rise in the wake of my touch.
“Beautiful,” I murmur against her collarbone, kissing my way across her chest.
She arches into me as I take her breast in my mouth, my tongue circling her nipple until it hardens. Her hands come up to my shoulders, her nails dragging down my back. I groan at the sensation.
I move lower, kissing down her belly, and she trembles beneath me. I reach for the waistband of her panties, and she lifts her hips, helping me slide them down. She is already wet for me, and I groan at the sight of her.
I settle between her thighs, and she gasps as my mouth finds her. I take my time, my tongue exploring every part of her, learning what makes her cry out, what makes her hips buck toward me. I hold her down, keeping her exactly where I want her. She grips the sheets, her breathing ragged.
“Nick,” she gasps, my name a plea. “Please.”
Sliding two fingers inside her while my mouth continues its work, I feel her walls tighten around me. Her orgasm comes quick and intense, her body convulsing as she rides it out. I don’t stop, drawing out every bit of pleasure from her.
I hope my touch conveys everything I’m feeling, my mouth and hands reminding us both that she’s here. That I want her. That she’s safe enough to be chosen like this in the clear light of morning, vulnerable, open, and completely mine.
I crawl back up her body and position myself at her center. She’s still trembling from her orgasm, her eyes hazy with pleasure. I push into her slowly, letting her feel every inch of me. The feeling of her around me, tight, warm, and perfect, nearly makes me lose it right here.
“Fuck, you feel incredible,” I groan, burying my face in her neck as I start to move.