Page 148 of One Wild Wish

“Still so demanding.”

“Stop talking and start licking.”

I chuckled, then blew a stream of air over all that wet heat. Her hips kicked and knees trembled. I ground my own hips into the mattress, trying to tame my desire, but being with Ainsley, smelling her arousal, pungent and sweet, had my blood pounding.

I kissed her, exactly where she wanted me. I thrust my tongue into her, grinning as she pushed into my face. I wanted her to ride me, steal her pleasure. Submerge in my own. I held her open and flicked my tongue, working her in a steady rhythm, then pulled back, teasing her, taunting her. She nearly yanked out a fistful of my hair. When her frustrated groan dripped with hunger, I finally gave her what she demanded. Taking my fill, I licked and sucked until she bucked, little shocks shaking her pelvis.

Eventually, she pushed me away. “If that’s a form of religion, consider me a convert.”

I lifted onto my knees. “I love tasting you. Could do it all night.”

Her hooded gaze hovered over my dick, which jutted out toward her, hard and flush. “Sex now.” She gripped my length, giving it a solid pump. Fuck.

I sheathed myself in record time, then pushed into her. I lost track of time, of space. There was no shattered glass by my bed, no divorce looming over me. No financial issues or impossible conversation on the horizon. There was just us, fitting together. Her hands were on me, messy kisses traded, my thighs slapping against hers as I lifted her up, pushing deeper.

Breasts bouncing, she clutched the sheets as I drove into her. I watched where we were joined—me sinking in and out, tight wet heat circling me. Desire blasted up my thighs, driving me from hard to titanium.

She bit her lip and pulled me closer, wrapping her legs around my waist. “You feel amazing.”

“Heaven,” I agreed.

Eyes locked, we rode the high until we crashed. She tipped over first, clenching so fucking tight around me I shot off like a firework, calling her name as the high pummeled through me. We were both shaking slightly, breathing hard. A thin sheen dotted her brow, and I could feel condensation on my lower back, where her fingers danced. My head was hazy.

“Owen?”

The quiver in her voice had my awareness creeping back. “Yeah?”

She pulled my hips farther into her, keeping us joined. “I never thought I’d meet someone like you.”

Her face softened, trust and something more blooming…and my heart reared. I wasn’t sure if it wanted to gallop closer to her or canter away, but this moment wasn’t right. What I was keeping from her tainted it, corroded the beauty of her admission. My answering silence also had her frowning.

I kissed her lips, then pulled out and dealt with the condom. She was on the move, too, probably unsure why I was freezing her out. We got dressed in a distracted hurry. I mumbled something about our dinner. She didn’t glance my way.

This was her pattern: have sex and close down. Get dressed and get gone.

I’d stopped asking her to stay over, the rejection stinging more with each rebuke. Except her confession just now could have been her reaching for a lifeline. If I’d asked her to sleep with me for the night, she might have said yes.

I paused in my doorway, one foot toward getting plates and the Indian food she’d brought and letting us go on like this. Staying in this space where we had unreal sex and laughs, not the intimacy I craved, but no risk, either. My other foot was stuck in my room. Stuck in my past.

Just plain stuck.

It was time to offer Ainsley the honesty she deserved.

As I opened my mouth to do just that, finally sit down and spill the truth, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it from my dresser and tapped the screen.

I’d seen a symphony of expressions cross Ainsley’s face, from erotic rapture to stressed claustrophobia to simple joy. Her flaring nostrils and widening eyes were none of those things.

I stepped toward her. “Something wrong?”

The phone shook as she angled the screen my way. “Why don’t you tell me?” Her usual raspy voice thinned and cracked.

Cupping her outstretched hand in mine, I read the text that had my girl upset.

From one woman to another, you should know that Owen cheated on his wife while they were married.

Fucking hell . Jaw clenched, I pulled the phone from her and checked the number. The D.C. area code had me nearly dialing Tessa and yelling at my ex, but the familiar number wasn’t hers. It took a second for it to click, to realize who’d decided to upend my life.

Goddamn Caroline. But why?