He stopped, though it pained him to do so, and looked at her. “Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head on the pillow, her eyes half closed. Roses bloomed on her cheeks and a fine sheen of perspirationglowed on her face, extending down to her neck and chest, which heaved with each indrawn breath. She didn’t answer in words, simply wrapped her strong legs around his thighs, pulling him in deeper, until his body pressed tightly against her.
Jake groaned. He couldn’t help himself. She was so warm, so tight, so wet. He needed a moment, more than a moment, to collect himself and gain control, which was easier said than done as Evie began to move beneath him once more. She may not have done this in a long time, but her body remembered. Her urgency communicated itself to him and he found himself lifting, then plunging into her to fulfill her silent plea.
She whimpered as he glided in and out of her, holding on to his restraint for as long as he possibly could. Her nails dug into his back and her legs tightened around him even more as she moved with him, faster and faster until he thought he couldn’t wait anymore, but wait he would. For her. Until she received her pleasure again, until she cried out his name. The ache of holding back, of waiting, when all he wanted to do was explode inside her, was exquisite.
“Now, Jake!” Her thighs pressed against him as her nails dug into his backside, and then her body was pulsing around him, squeezing the length of him with such power, he nearly cried out himself.
Every muscle in his body tightened as he plunged into her one last time, the force of his release making him groan. His toes curled and a shiver raced through him. At that exact moment came a sense of completeness, not for the act itself, but for how it made him feel. Inside. Deep in his heart.
Hebelonged. With her. With the entire extended family. For the first time in his life, he was part of something bigger than himself. It was a heady feeling, and a curious thought to have at this moment, but there it was, and it made him hesitant to leave Evie’s heat.
He opened his eyes and gazed at her face bathed in the light of the flickering candles, her eyes still half-closed. A small, satisfied smile tilted the corners of her mouth. He dropped a kiss on each corner and slowly withdrew from her, though he was more than reluctant to do so, then gathered her close. “Evie? Are you all right?”
She snuggled up to him and let out a sigh of what sounded like contentment. “Hmmm.” And then she giggled, sounding like a young girl. “Can we do that again?”
He laughed and held her tighter, letting his heartbeat return to normal, then dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Just give me a minute or two.”
Candlelight flickered over Jake’s face, showing the dark whiskers on his cheeks, chin, and over his upper lip as Evie cuddled a bit closer, her head resting on his shoulder, her leg thrown over his—a most unladylike position, and yet she didn’t care. She wanted…no,needed…to feel his warmth, to feel the length of his body along hers. She laid her hand on his chest, the thick hair there tickling her palm as his arm tightened around her, supporting her back, keeping her close.
Who would have thought she’d feel like this? Like she could walk among the clouds, or that making love would make her feel so energized, but completely sated at the same time. And a bit more confident, yet still unsure. She couldn’t believe how daring she’d been, demanding that he kiss her, insisting he touch her. Or how wonderful it felt to have him comply, his hands so gentle as they caressed her, smoothing over her body like he worshipped every inch of her. And still, she had wanted more, wanted to feel him inside her, his fullness stretching her,bringing her to the heights she hadn’t known existed until that burst of pleasure made thinking impossible and all she could do was let herself feel.
God help her, she wanted to experience that again…and again. Did that make her wanton? She didn’t care if it did. Already, her blood was rushing through her veins, just thinking about what they’d done, what he’d made her feel. She smiled as a blush heated her face, and continued her slow perusal.
His eyes were closed, his long thick lashes shadowing his cheek. A silly little grin played on his lips, and his chest rose and fell in a regular rhythm, but she didn’t think he was sleeping. Was he thinking the same thing as she? Did he feel like he could walk on the clouds? Would he want to make love again? Could he?
So many questions, none that she would ever ask aloud, but there was still a way she could find out. She moved slightly, drawing closer, and planted kisses along his jawline while her fingers smoothed through the soft mat of hair on his chest, then lower to feel the hard muscles of his abdomen.
“What are you doing?”
His voice startled her, and she giggled in response. “Touching you. Is that all right?”
“More than all right.” He let out a subdued chuckle but didn’t move otherwise, as if giving himself over to her curiosity. “Do what you will.”
Encouraged by his invitation, unsure of what she was doing, only that she’d loved the things he’d done to her, Evie lifted herself up on her elbow. She gazed into his warm amber eyes as her fingers drew lazy circles across his stomach, then upward to rake through the hair on his chest once more as she leaned over and kissed him, her tongue tracing the outline of his lips before he opened his mouth and allowed her entrance. She kissed him with all the passion and love she had for him, her mouth takingpossession of his, feeling that breathlessness that accompanied the touch of his lips.
Jake sighed when she pulled away to plant soft kisses on his cheek, his forehead, the place where his skin met his hair just above his ear. Her hand slid over his nipple, amazed that it could become hard like hers had. Intrigued, she moved slightly, kissing her way down his neck, across his collarbone, and lower until she could draw that hard nipple into her mouth. She tasted salt and soap against her tongue as she swirled it around and around, just as he had done to her.
Jake whispered her name and started to caress her arms, her back, then sweep up the back of her neck to plunge his fingers into her hair, the heat of his touch searing her deep in her soul.
She glanced up at him and caught the expression on his face…it was a combination of intense pleasure and even more intense concentration. His brow was furrowed, but his eyes were wide open, watching her, the heat in their depths unmistakable.
“Has it been a minute or two?” Was that her voice, so raw, so impatient, so thick with desire? She didn’t wait for him to answer as her fingers quested lower and she wrapped her hand around his hard, smooth length.
He stiffened for a moment then groaned. “I believe it has,” he answered. She heard the strain in his voice as if he struggled to let her explore him.
She straddled him then, impaling herself on his erection and sat still for a moment, allowing herself to adjust to the size of him. Then she began to move, slowly at first, rising up then lowering herself, using the muscles in her legs to control her actions.
His hands were everywhere—finally released from the control he exerted—caressing her face, her throat, her shoulders, her breasts. His thumbs flicked her nipples, drawing them into hard points.
Evie moaned with pleasure as he rose up a little and his mouth replaced his hands, his tongue tenderly swirling around the crest before drawing the taut peak into his mouth and sucking gently.
Blood coursed through her veins, and her heart pounded in her ears as his mouth captured her other breast and her body began to tense, building toward that same explosion as before. And she wanted to feel that sweet ecstasy. She quickened her pace and his hands slid to her hips, guiding her, pushing the rhythm. His eyes were closed now, sweat beaded on his forehead, but that little smile played on his lips. And then his eyes flew open to stare into the depths of her very soul as his fingers found the key to her release between their bodies and pressed hard.
That look was all it took to push her over the edge. Her body tightened, spiraling almost out of control, soaring higher and higher. If heaven was just beyond the stars, she found it. Her climax hit her with such force, she cried out. And still, she kept riding him, her body pulsing around him, feeling the hard length of him inside her. She picked up the pace—faster—harder—until he, too, shouted in satisfaction and filled her with his essence. She fell on him, her mouth once more taking possession of his, her tongue tangling with his.
She sat up, still impaled on him, and gazed into his eyes, her hands resting on his chest, her fingers spread over his hard muscles. She moved slightly, rising up from him, though she didn’t want to. Not really.
