twenty-four
When Danny tightens his hold on my waist, I have to grip the counter to stay standing, as he kisses me like no one has before. It’s tender and sensual, and despite our clear mutual lust, he goes slow. He takes his time and somehow makes me take mine. Our lips touch and play off each other, and I love how his arms move to wrap around me in the most caring of embraces. There is feeling in this kiss, something I’ve honestly never had before. And while that terrifies me, it also ignites me; then my tongue is in his mouth, and I’m silently begging him to kiss me harder.
So, he does. And he also slides his touch down my lower back and keeps going until he’s reached the backs of my thighs, and he lifts me up onto the island. This is when his breathing starts to get slightly ragged, and he soon has to pull away from my mouth. But fortunately, he moves his lips to my neck, down the cut of my shirt, his mouth so hot and wet as he tastes my skin. When my hands go to his back, I grip down so hard that I’m sure I’m drawing blood, yet I can’t let go.
“Danny…” I breathe out his name and pull up the hem of his shirt until he pauses only long enough to yank it over his head and let it drop to the floor.
Even though I’ve seen him shirtless countless times, I’ve never been able to touch him, to savor the feel of his skin, and to press my hands against his muscular build the way that I’ve been dying to. So, now, I’m the one to take my time, to draw out all of these firsts between us. It takes more self-control than I knew I had, but I like how he watches as I walk my fingers over his biceps and shoulders and how I lower my hands over his chest and abs. The way he inhales sharply when I move even lower and cup the front of his jeans. How he sounds when I stand and tease my hold up and down, letting him know that I want more.
I whisper, “Take me upstairs.”
He doesn’t hesitate to put both hands under my ass, and he lifts me from my spot. My legs wrap around him as he carries me past the dining table and to the bottom of the stairs. Then, he holds me there. I love how he is unable to make it to the bedroom and needs to pause, crushing my back against the wall as he kisses me deeply again, making me feel how much he wants me. The way that I crave him is unparalleled. I’ve never wanted or needed anybody like this.
Somehow, my feet find the floor, and I push his hands away and drag him up the stairs, but before we can even reach the landing, he stops us and tears off my shirt and tosses it aside. His bare chest presses against my back.
Danny reaches for me again, trails his fingers just under my bra, and then grazes his lips over my shoulder, and it’s enough to make me scream. “I’ve wanted this from the first moment I saw you walk toward me just weeks ago,” he whispers in my ear. “And I want to give you everything.”
“I have no doubt you will. And same,” I say, my voice shuddering.
“Also no doubt.”
It’s a real possibility that my legs are going to give out, so I turn and drop against the steps, and he leans in and starts kissing my neck. His tongue is hot against my skin when he rips away my bra, and I can’t help but shudder when his lips graze over my nipple and he begins to suck ever so gently. This kind of arousal is like nothing I’ve felt before, and I brace myself for more by putting a foot against the stair banister. And when he begins to suck harder and when I gasp and make the wooden railing snap and crash to the first floor, we both laugh lightly and fumble the few last feet up the stairs into the bedroom.
As he backs me up further into the room, I stop him and begin slowly kissing his stomach and chest inch by inch, and I lure him toward the front of the bed as I undo the button on his pants. While I might be desperate to be with him, taste him, pleasure him, this is not something that I want to rush. This is something to be savored. I lower his zipper fully, ease down his jeans, and feel how hard he is through his boxer briefs.
“You’re killing me,” he moans while I smooth my hand up and down.
“Just as you’ve been killing me.”
“Fair enough.”
When I’ve teased him enough, when he’s as breathless as he’s already made me, he touches my shoulders, leaning me back against the mattress. The way he looks at me while he gets my shorts off is both decidedly heated and equally loving. I inch up the bed as he moves over me and sinks his tongue into my mouth, and we kiss and let our hands roam until I’m squirming and lifting my hips up against him.
I can’t stand this any longer.
“Schroeder, I need you,” I practically plead.
He pushes onto his arms. “Do you have condoms? ’Cause if not, I bought some on the way over. Not to be presumptuous, but I was wondering. Hoping.”
“I also stopped at the store tonight after I dropped you off.” I smile and run my hands through his hair, unable to stop playing with the copper pieces that have been lightened by the sun. “Wait. So, webothbought condoms in town tonight?”
“I’m sure nobody noticed.” He nuzzles his mouth against my neck.
“Oh, I’m sureeverybodynoticed,” I say with a laugh.
“Yeah,ofcourseeverybody noticed. But I don’t give a fuck. The only thing I care about right now is you.” He pushes up again and runs a finger over my cheek. “God, you’re so beautiful.”
I can’t think of a reply because no one has ever said anything like this to me, but he doesn’t give me a chance anyway because he is now slowly crawling down my body and soon lowering my underwear. When he drops his mouth between my legs, I can only groan as he starts moving his lips and tongue so perfectly. As though he intrinsically knows what I need, what I like. And then he responds to the sounds I make, figuring out what is going to drive me over the edge and then giving me even more. He tightens his hands over my thighs as he builds my pleasure until I can tell that the intensity I’m feeling is going to take me over, and I take his hand in mine and squeeze while I writhe against his mouth.
I am breathless and dizzy when my body starts to shudder over and over.
Danny kisses his way back up to me, and I roughly push down his briefs.
“That was…” There are no words, and I end up letting out another groan.
“Yeah?” He brushes back my hair. “Good?”
“Beyond.” My voice is shaky as I continue to catch my breath. “Nightstand. Now.”
