Chapter Nineteen – Elliott #2
“This?”
“You letting me be here.”
She stepped closer again, lifted both hands to his face, and kissed him with such tenderness his heart ached for her.
“I want you here,” she whispered.
That was all he needed.
Elliott stepped forward and took her face in his hands. The simple truth of her words—I want you here—ignited a fire deep inside him. He kissed her slowly, deeply, feeling her answer with a soft sigh against his mouth.
His hands moved to the hem of her shirt, lifting it slowly.
Rachel raised her arms, letting him pull it over her head, her hair falling back around her shoulders.
The sight of her standing there in her bra, moonlight coming through the window and laying pale light across her skin, made his breath catch.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, bending to press his lips to her collarbone.
He kissed his way down, his mouth tracing the soft curve above her bra. With trembling fingers, he unhooked the clasp, letting it fall away. Rachel’s breath quickened as he cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing over her nipples until they tightened beneath his touch.
Elliott lowered his head, taking one nipple into his mouth.
The warmth of her skin, the quiet sound she made, the way her body responded to him so readily sent heat straight through him.
He circled the sensitive peak with his tongue, then grazed it lightly with his teeth, drawing a gasp from her that only made him want more.
Her fingers were at his shirt now, tugging impatiently at the buttons. He straightened to help her, watching her face as she concentrated on undressing him. When she pushed the fabric from his shoulders, her palms slid over his chest in a way that made his heart beat harder.
“I’ve been thinking about this all day,” she admitted, her voice low as her hands explored him.
“So have I,” he said.
Her fingertips traced the lines of his abdomen, then moved lower, brushing against the front of his jeans where his hardness strained against the fabric.
They undressed each other without hurry, taking their time. When they stood naked in front of each other, Elliott guided her backward until the backs of her legs met the edge of the bed.
He lay down first, then drew her gently with him. They faced each other in the dim light, and Elliott took a moment simply to look at her—this woman who was the center of his world.
His fingers traced down her body, over the curve of her waist and the flare of her hip, then between her thighs. Rachel’s eyes fluttered closed as he touched her intimately, finding her already slick with want. He watched her face as he slid one finger inside her, then another, moving them slowly.
Rachel bit down on her bottom lip, her hips rocking against his hand. The sight of her pleasure, the small sounds she tried to swallow, was almost more than he could bear. Elliott curled his fingers, finding the place inside her that made her gasp.
She reached between them, her fingers wrapping around his hardness, stroking him with just enough pressure to make his breath hitch. For several moments, they stayed like that, touching each other, building the tension between them until Elliott wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on.
He shifted, moving to settle between her thighs, but Rachel placed her hands on his chest and pushed him gently back. With a small smile, she guided him onto his back.
“Let me,” she whispered, moving over him.
Elliott’s hands settled on her hips as she straddled him. She took him in hand, guiding him to her entrance, then slowly—so slowly he had to grit his teeth—she sank down onto him.
The sensation of her heat closing around him was almost overwhelming. Rachel stayed still for a moment, adjusting to the feel of him inside her. Her hands braced on his chest, and her eyes locked with his, dark and full of desire.
Then she began to move, rocking her hips in a slow rhythm that had them both breathing harder. Elliott sat up, wrapping one arm around her back to steady her as she rode him. His mouth found her breast again, tongue circling, teeth grazing lightly as she kept that same slow, deliberate movement.
“Elliott,” she breathed, her fingers threading through his hair.
He caught her mouth with his, his tongue sliding against hers in the same rhythm as their bodies.
Her inner muscles tightened around him, making him groan against her lips.
The knowledge that they had to stay quiet, that this moment was theirs alone in a house with sleeping children, somehow made everything sharper.
Rachel’s pace quickened, her movements growing more urgent. Elliott’s hand slipped between them, his thumb finding the sensitive bundle of nerves at her center. He circled it gently, watching her face as pleasure built in her.
His own control was slipping. The bear within him pushed hard, wanting more, faster, deeper. Elliott gripped Rachel’s hips, guiding her as he began to thrust upward to meet her.
The change in angle made Rachel gasp. She buried her face against his shoulder, her teeth sinking into his skin to muffle the sounds she couldn’t hold back. The sharp, sweet pain of it pushed Elliott closer to the edge.
Her inner muscles clenched around him as she came, her body shuddering in his arms. The feel of her release was enough to send him over with her. Elliott pulled her tight against him as he thrust upward one last time, emptying himself deep inside her with a groan he barely managed to keep quiet.
For several heartbeats, they stayed like that, locked together, trembling and breathless. Elliott could feel Rachel’s heart pounding against his chest, matching the hard rhythm of his own. Slowly, carefully, he lowered them both to the bed, still joined, not ready to give up the closeness just yet.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Rachel shifted slightly, her lips against his ear as she murmured, “I love you too.”