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Esther’s stomach did a pleasant swoop as he bent to kiss her. His long fingers caressed her jaw, and he tilted her head for a better angle, savoring her like an expensive delicacy.
She was struck all over again by how gentle he was. How careful. She wondered if it was because he was afraid of hurting her, or because he was afraid of being hurt.
A rush of guilt pooled in her stomach. Her hands tightened on his arms, pulling him closer. There was too much fabric between them. Craving connection, she went to work on the buttons of his shirt.
Heat radiated from his skin as her hands smoothed over his torso. She found the steady thud of his heartbeat and pressed her lips to it. As she breathed in the familiar scent of him, affection welled up inside her, burning the back of her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, wound her arms around his waist, and rested her cheek against his bare chest. Her breath hitched traitorously as she hugged him tight.
“Hey.” Gentle hands slid across her back in soothing circles. “What’s wrong?”
“I missed you,” she said, her voice coming out rough. “Sometimes it felt like I couldn’t breathe, I missed you so much.” She clung to him like gravity didn’t exist. Like he was the only thing keeping her from flying into the empty vacuum of space.
“Shhh.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I’m here now.”
She clutched him harder. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“You didn’t lose me. I’m not going anywhere.” He gently loosened her grip, turning her a little in his arms. “Look at me.” He put a finger under her chin to tilt her face up.
She blinked at him, overwhelmed by what she read in his expression—but also ashamed of her sudden outburst of emotion, and embarrassed she’d thrown a wet blanket on what had been heading toward being a very hot night.
He bent down and kissed her on the lips, with so much tenderness she thought her heart would burst. “You have me. If you want me.”
Unwinding her arms from his waist, she reached up with both hands to cradle his face. “I want you,” she said, solemn as an oath.
His pulse jumped under her fingertips. He blinked at her through those incredible, glossy lashes, and his lip betrayed the minutest hint of a tremble. “Good.”
He was so beautiful. It hurt to think about how much she’d hurt him. How she’d tried so hard to push him away. She threaded her fingers into his hair and pulled his face down to hers so they were nose to nose. Forehead to forehead. “I didn’t mean to break your heart.”
She felt him shake his head. “It doesn’t matter, as long as I get to have you.”
“If it helps, I broke my own heart too.”
He pulled back, eyes softening, and reached up to caress her cheek. “I don’t want your heart to be broken. I just want to make you happy.”
“You do.”
Uncertainty clouded his face. “Really?”
She pressed her fingers to his brow, smoothing out the creases. “No one’s ever made me this happy before.” She watched the skin around his eyes crinkle before she kissed him. Slow and deep. Trying to pour everything in her heart into it. I care about you, her lips whispered silently. I need you. I love you.
They spent a few dreamy minutes just kissing. Enjoying the feel of each other, and the taste. Her hands found their way back to his shirt and she eased it off his shoulders. His bare arms wrapped around her, radiating warmth and security. She sighed happily at the sensation.
His hands roamed over her back until his fingers found the zipper of her dress. She arched against him as he tugged it down. Breathing heavily, he eased her dress off one shoulder, and then the other. She could feel him holding himself back, his urgency evinced by his strained, jerky motions as he worked her dress down her body.
When he got it down to her waist, he paused and exhaled a long breath, his eyes burning brighter as they devoured her. She helped him out by shoving her dress down her hips, letting it pool on the floor at her feet. Her hands moved to his pants, enjoying the way his stomach muscles flexed at her touch. Working quickly, she unfastened his belt and pants, shoving them down his legs.
He toed off his shoes and socks, stepped out of the jumble of fabric at his feet, and grabbed her, pulling her against him. Their bodies sparked with heat everywhere their bare skin came together.
Tender hands caressed her. His palms moved over her breasts, then glided down and around, cupping her backside. Her breath caught as she was lifted off the floor. She twined her arms and legs around him, and he carried her into the bedroom.
Jonathan halted at the foot of her bed, frowning at something over her shoulder. “Move, cat. I need the bed.”
Esther laughed as he spun them around and sank down onto the bed with her in his lap. Over his shoulder, she saw Sally Ride dash away as the mattress bowed under their combined weight.
Jonathan buried his face in the crook of Esther’s neck, and she sank her fingers in his hair, arching against him. His hands smoothed over her thighs, and his mouth traveled down to her cleavage, exploring with his tongue.
Just when she was starting to get impatient for more, he reached up and unclasped her bra, allowing her breasts to tumble free. He sucked in a ragged breath and cupped them in his palms. Then his hands slid down her body, and he was lifting her up again, laying her down gently on the bed.
Standing over her, he yanked down his briefs. She squirmed in anticipation as he stooped to drag her underwear down her legs. His hands glided over her skin, sending her into a frenzy of desire. She tugged at him, pulling him onto the bed with her. Needing to feel him. Wanting him everywhere.
