Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
T he drive to Antonio’s house seemed to take forever, but the wait made Scarlett want him that much more. Their day definitely hadn’t gone as planned. Yet walking and talking with him shed a light on just how much she enjoyed being in his presence. He was so easy to be with, even if this next step in their relationship was a little scary.
But with the magnetic connection between them, Scarlett felt ready. Besides, his potent kisses had her body pulsing with need, yearning to have his hands and mouth all over her. They couldn’t turn back now.
“Are you sure about this?” Antonio asked the moment they entered his kitchen from the attached garage.
She glanced at him and didn’t miss the heated desire in his eyes. Reaching for his belt buckle, she started undoing it. “I have never been more sure about anything in my life.”
This was new for her. Not sex, but the boldness of taking the lead. Anxiousness rumbled inside of her, and Scarlett felt as if she was going to leap out of her skin. When she realized Antonio hadn’t said anything else, her hands stilled on his belt, and she met his eyes.
“Tony, don’t overthink this. I want you. You want me. I say let’s get naked and do what comes naturally, but if you’re—”
Scarlett shrieked in shock when he suddenly lifted her onto his right shoulder and stumped out of the kitchen. She burst out laughing . Where had this caveman behavior come from? It seemed a little out of character, but it was turning her on even more. If he was like this in the bedroom, rough, tough, and unpredictable, they were going to have a blast.
Yikes! She held on to the back of his shirt, praying he wouldn’t drop her, but he carried her as if she weighed nothing.
“Is this your way of showing off how strong you are?” she asked as she held on tighter while he climbed the stairs. “Or are you trying to make it clear who’s in charge?”
She yelped, then laughed again when he started jogging up the rest of the stairs without responding. Watching the floor go by from her upside-down position was making her dizzy, but still, excitement bubbled inside of her.
Once in his bedroom, Antonio didn’t give her time to glance around and check out his space. The moment he set her on her feet, he crushed her body to his and took her mouth with a hunger like no other.
Yes! They were doing this. With each stroke of his tongue, liquid heat pooled between her legs, and Scarlett had to squeeze her thighs together to keep from squirming. Part of her wanted them to take their time and explore each other’s body. The other part of her, though, was totally open to a quickie.
His drugging kiss and the way he held her close with his large hands gripping her ass stirred her inner temptress. She wanted him more than she wanted her next breath, and her hands went back to his belt. Without breaking their kiss, she finished unfastening it, then went for the clasp on his pants.
Was she in a hurry? Yes. Did Antonio seem to care? No.
Still kissing her, he gripped her hands and moved them behind her back as he ground against her. Scarlett moaned with pleasure at the way every part of their bodies touched, but their clothes were in the way.
“Tony,” she mumbled against his lips.
“Hmm,” he said, breaking their kiss and moving his mouth along her jawline, her cheek, and working his way down her neck, all the while maintaining the hold on her hands.
Her senses reeled and her thoughts spun out of control. They were still fully dressed, but his mouth on her heated skin was doing wicked things to her.
“I want to touch you,” she said, moaning as they continued grinding against each other. “All of you. Like… without clothes on.”
“That’s what I want too,” he said and kissed her. He finally released her hands and started unbuttoning her blouse. “Let’s get you out of these clothes.”
“Great minds think alike,” she said and tugged his shirt out of his pants. Their hands were all over each other, and they made quick work of getting undressed until they were standing before each other naked.
Heat raged through her at the sight of him. Even knowing Antonio had an incredible body underneath his clothing, Scarlett hadn’t been prepared for the pleasure of seeing him undressed. Between his chiseled chest and rippling muscles, there wasn’t a lick of fat anywhere on his body. Her gaze went lower. Long, thick, and hard, his penis stood at the ready, and the way her body yearned for him, Scarlett knew without a doubt their first round would be quick. She didn’t require foreplay or an exploration of their bodies. She just wanted him inside of her. Now.
Her sex clenched with need at the way Antonio’s gaze took her in. He had barely touched her, and already he was awakening parts of her body that were starving for attention. It was impossible to miss the lust radiating in his dark eyes.
“Wow,” he said huskily. “My imagination didn’t do you justice, Scarlett. You’re perfection personified.” He didn’t take his attention from her as he pulled back the covers on the bed. “I have wanted you from the moment I saw you at your sister’s birthday party last year, and now you’re mine.”
Scarlett’s heart was beating so fast, and a mix of emotions swirled inside of her, but the main one was impatience. “I am, and now that we have that out of the way, what are you going to do with me?”
“Oh, I have a few things in mind.” One of his rare smiles and those adorable dimples made an appearance, and he pulled her against his hard body.
Damn, he felt good, Scarlett thought seconds before he lifted her and laid her on the bed. She had never been one of those women who liked being carried around by a man, but that had changed as of today. She had a feeling every experience would be different with Antonio.
He climbed onto the bed and gathered her in his arms before covering her mouth with his. The kiss started tenderly but as their hands roamed each other’s bodies, an electric jolt arced through her. This man. Their relationship might have started slow and steady, but within the last few hours, Scarlett felt closer to him than she’d felt with any man in a long time. And she was here for it. She wanted him. She wanted all of him.
“Damn, you smell good,” Antonio murmured against her lips.
He kissed the corner of her mouth, then her chin, and as his chest grazed over her sensitive nipples, Scarlett sucked in a breath. His lips seared a path from her collar bone to the swell of her breasts, on down to her stomach as he whispered his love for each part of her body.
Pleasure pulsed through her, and heat sizzled along her spine with every feather-like kiss over her skin. The delicious torture of this man’s lips on her heated flesh sent her arousal to new heights and had her groaning with pleasure.
Goodness. Scarlett’s thoughts stalled. She squirmed beneath him as he worked his mouth back up her body, taking his time as if determined to kiss, lick, and touch every inch of her.
“I’m in love with these,” he said of her full breasts as he stroked one of her sensitive nipples with his talented tongue.
She gasped and her insides quivered as he sucked one of them into his mouth. An electric current surged through her from her nipples to the tips of her toes. Considering how long it had been since she’d been with a man, at this rate, it wasn’t going to take much to make her come. Especially when one of his hands slid intimately down her body until he reached the apex of her thighs.
Multitasker ? Check.
Hard, hot, and quick. That’s what she wanted this first round to be, but before she could voice her request, Antonio pinched her clit. Scarlett cried out, but it caught in her throat when he slipped a finger inside of her, then another.
“Ohhh.” She slammed her eyes close and gritted her teeth as pleasure pulsed through her. Unable to control her hips, she bucked against him and rode his hand as he pumped his fingers into her. Pressure continued building inside of her as the pad of his thumb teased her clit. Her senses were on overload.
“Tony. Oh my… goodness, Tony, I…”
“You like that?” he crooned close to her ear.
“Y—yes, yes. Oh yes,” she gasped, and she fisted the covers while squirming, struggling to hang on as he continued to pleasure her. She couldn’t take much more.
“Okay. Okay, Tony, I—I… Oh my… I’m coming… arghhh !” she screamed as her muscles tightened.
Omigod. Omigod. Omigod . Her orgasm hit hard, rocking her to the tips of her toes as she vibrated with pleasure. It was like free-falling over a cliff at rapid speed without a care in the world.
Scarlett’s breaths came in short spurts while she fought to get air into her lungs. She barely registered Antonio shifting on the bed until she heard a drawer open and then the sound of foil ripping. Bone-weary, she watched him through half-opened lids as he moved back to her and quickly sheathed himself.
Not giving her time to come down from her high, he nudged her legs apart and positioned his large body between her thighs. Raw lust clawed through her. The man was beautiful inside and out.
As he hovered above her, Antonio kissed her sweetly, then stared into her eyes. “You’re mine,” he said, the intense heat brimming in his dark eyes held her gaze captive.
“Yes,” she said. In that soul-stirring moment, she couldn’t help but agree to anything he said. “Yes. I’m yours, and you’re mine.”
Not breaking eye contact, he slowly entered her, inch by delicious inch. Scarlett sucked in a breath as her interior walls tightened around his penis. Damn, he was big, and thick, and hard as granite, and she was more than pleased.
Antonio held still for a second allowing her body to adjust to him. He lowered his head and kissed her. “You okay?” he whispered as he eased in deeper.
“Better than okay,” she breathed.
Cupping his handsome face between her hands, emotions suddenly bombarded her. Scarlett wanted to say something. She felt as if she should say something, but the words didn’t come.
As Antonio began moving inside of her, he nipped at her top lip, then her lower one, and Scarlett melted when he kissed her tenderly. She had wondered what it would be like when they got intimate, but being with him like this was exceeding her expectations. Their bodies moved in perfect sync as if made for each other.
“Damn, you feel good,” he said gruffly and picked up speed.
Scarlett met him stroke for stroke as his thrusts grew more intense. She gripped his firm butt, squeezing him as he went deeper and harder and their moans of pleasure filled the quietness of the room.
A growl rumbled from Antonio and pressure quickly built inside of Scarlett, and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled her ears.
“Ohhh,” she moaned, her nails digging into his skin as her release grew closer. A swirl of sensations charged through her as Antonio kept driving into her, but one more powerful thrust and Scarlett lost it. She couldn’t control the outcry of satisfaction that turned her world onto its axis as an orgasm hurtled her to a point of no return.
Antonio cursed under his breath and picked up speed. His body drove into her over and over and over again uncontrollably until his muscles grew taut and he stiffened. And when he roared her name, the boom of his voice ricocheted around the room as his release shook his whole body.
“ Oh, my God ,” he cried out hoarsely and collapsed on top of her.
Scarlett wrapped her arms around his neck as aftershocks shook them both while their chests heaved against one another. Them being together like this was wild, and she was savoring every minute, reveling in the intensity of what she’d just experienced with this man.
Antonio was surprising her at every turn.
* * *
A short while later, after getting cleaned up, Antonio held Scarlett against his body as they lounged together in bed.
“That was incredible,” he said and kissed the top of her head.
“It really was,” she whispered and snuggled closer.
She lay halfway on top of him with her arm across his waist and her right leg over his thigh. He marveled at how perfectly she fit against him. Like she was made for him.
This was what he wanted. Scarlett with him like this all the time. He knew when they got together it would be spectacular, but what they just experienced was beyond his imagination. His body was still humming with pleasure, and he looked forward to another round with her before he took her home.
He could admit to loving what they’d done this afternoon, but what was developing between them was so much more than physical. Their connection was like nothing he had ever shared with another human being, and he had to do whatever necessary to keep her in his life.
“Thanks for playing hooky,” Scarlett mumbled, sounding half asleep. Her head rested on his chest as he stroked her bare back. She sighed wistfully and said, “It’s been an amazing day.”
“Yeah, it has, and I’m planning on us having many more days like this.”
Antonio wasn’t sure if she’d heard him because minutes after he spoke the words, her light snores reached his ears. He lifted his left arm and glanced at his wrist. She needed to pick Bella up from school by three-thirty, and he wanted to make sure they allowed enough time for her to get there.
As he lay with her in his arms, he was more determined than ever to keep her in his life. She hadn’t wanted to discuss their proposed marriage of convenience since leaving his dad’s office, and Antonio respected that. But just because she didn’t want to talk about it didn’t mean the subject was over. Now that he’d had a taste of her, he couldn’t let her go. He also couldn’t accept them being just friends. They were way beyond that. He wanted to be her husband, her life partner.
He just had to figure out how to make that a reality and sooner than later.