AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His hand smoothed up my side and down my arm before retracing its path, stroking over my hip and down my thigh. Touching me everywhere he could reach. Caressing, soothing, claiming. Whatever he was doing, it felt amazing.
I’d only stay a little while longer. No reason to hurry off. There was still plenty of time to go back to my place and try to get some sleep.
My breathing slowed to match Donal’s as his chest moved against my back, expanding and contracting. The steady, slowing rhythm lulling me into a deeper state of relaxation.
Any minute now, I’d get up and go.
Any minute…
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
DONAL
For someone with insomnia, Tess slept like the dead.
Not only had she fallen asleep before me last night, she was still out like a light when I woke this morning. Her head was resting on my chest, using me as a pillow while her arm clutched me like a cuddle toy.
I didn’t mind one single bit.
It’d been a long time since I’d woken up with another person in my arms, and even longer since I’d actually appreciated the feeling. Wendy and I had long ago fallen into the habit of retreating to opposite sides of our king-size bed. Most nights, we hadn’t touched at all. Even when we were still having sex, we’d only cuddle for a few minutes afterward before rolling apart to fall asleep in our own separate spaces.
This was a lot better. Yeah, my arm was sort of numb and I couldn’t change position. Tess’s hair was tickling my chest, and I was pretty sure that wetness I could feel meant she was drooling on me. But I didn’t care. All those minor discomforts were nothing compared to the feeling of waking up with Tess’s body pressed against mine and the scent of her on my skin.
I lifted my free hand and trailed my fingers over her arm, unable to resist touching the acres of soft, beautiful skin on display. Gently, I stroked my fingertips along the curve of her shoulder blade and down her spine. She slept on as I traced each of her ribs. Only when I followed them around to the swell of her breast did she stir, making rumbly, sleepy noises as she came awake.
“What happened?” she muttered, rubbing her eyes.
“As far as I can tell, you had two fantastic orgasms and promptly slipped into a coma in my arms, right after insisting you’d never be able to fall asleep here. And then at some point in the middle of the night you climbed on top of me and started drooling.”
“I’m not drooling.“ She swiped at her mouth and frowned when her fingers came away wet. Hastily, she wiped the drool off my chest. “Clearly you drugged me. What was in those Manhattans?”
A laugh rumbled through my chest. “You mean the Manhattans we barely touched before you seduced me?”
“I did not seduce you.”
“What else do you call showing up without any underwear on and ordering me to kiss you?”
“It wasn’t an order. It was more like a suggestion.”
“It was a good suggestion. I don’t mind you giving me orders like that.” I cupped her jaw, urging her face toward mine for a kiss, but she turned away at the last second so I ended up kissing her cheek instead.
“Morning breath,” she mumbled, covering her mouth with her hand. She started to roll away, but I caught her with my arms.
I wasn’t ready to let her get away yet. Once she got out of bed, things might change. I didn’t know what would happen with us after this, and I was a little afraid to find out. For now, I just wanted to stay right here in this moment with her for as long as I could.
“Tess.” I nudged her cheek with my nose as I plucked at the hand blocking my access to her lips. “I don’t give a fuck about your morning breath. Please kiss me.”
She let me pull her hand away, her softening gaze belying her argumentative words. “What if I care aboutyourmorning breath?”
“I’ll make it worth your while. I promise.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as my lips ghosted over hers in a closed-mouth kiss. The little half moan, half sigh she let out and the way her hand curled around the nape of my neck told me she wanted me to keep going. So I did.
Taking my time, I pressed a soft, firm kiss to each corner of her mouth. When I moved on to her top lip, she strained toward me and our noses bumped as she tilted her head for more. But I wasn’t going to give it to her. Not yet. She was going to have to wait for it. Instead, I flirted with her bottom lip, sucking at it gently before grazing it with my teeth.
She was full-on squirming now, and when my tongue darted out to lick her lower lip, she made an impatient noise in the back of her throat. Smiling, I angled my head to cover her mouth with mine, giving her the pressure she wanted. Her lips parted for me, and I slipped my tongue past her teeth.
The kiss grew harder as our tongues twined together, delving deeper. It went on and on, Tess meeting me stroke for stroke as we battled for dominance. When we finally parted, her eyes were hazy and we were both breathing hard.
