“Right.” There was an adorable splash of red on his cheeks.
Minutes later, camera in hand, they were sneaking across the great room and down the hall to his room. She kept waiting for panic to set in—or to start second-guessing her decision. But his hand held hers, their fingers threaded, fitting together. This didn’t happen to her. Men didn’t blindside her this way. Or send an electric current through her body. But Ash did.
Whatever hesitation he might have felt evaporated once the door closed behind her. When his hands cupped her cheeks, she slid her arms around his neck. Lips locked, bodies straining, they made their way across the room to the bed. She kicked her boots off, almost tripping, but he caught her.
Her hands tugged the red flannel shirt from his pants to slide beneath the thick fabric. His skin was warm and smooth under her fingertips.
He had her shirt unbuttoned in no time. Once it was open, he sat on the bed and tugged her between his legs. “Damn,” he moaned. His arms slid around her waist as he nuzzled the skin between her breasts. Wet kisses, the slide of his tongue along the edge of the cup...she wanted more. She reached behind her to free the clasp and shrugged out of her shirt and bra.
His breath powered out of him, one hand reaching up to cradle her full breast. His thumb caressed the peak before his mouth took over. His tongue brushed against the nipple, again and again, causing the throb between her legs to build. Her fingers twined in his hair. She pulled him closer as she arched into him. On and on, he lavished attention on every inch of each breast—driving her out of her mind with want.
His nose trailed along her side while his hand continued to tease and play with her breasts. The stroke of his tongue tracing her belly button was sweet torment. A soft moan tore free from her throat, causing him to look up at her and smile.
That smile. Her fingers tugged his hair and she bit her lip. Yes, she was enjoying this. Oh, so much. But then, so was he.
He unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them down her hips. She stood before him in nothing but her pink “It’s Sunday” underwear.
“It’s Friday,” he said, glancing up at her. “Those have to go.” With a grin, he tugged them down.
She was laughing when her panties went flying across the room.
“Better,” he said, his gaze devouring her. But he wasn’t touching her. The longer he stared, the more nervous she became. “You’re beautiful, Renata.” His words were magic. She felt beautiful standing there. When his gaze finally met hers, the want coursing through her veins grew unbearable. She lifted his hands and placed them at her waist, needing his touch as she tilted his head back and bent to kiss him.
* * *
He wasn’t sure how they’d ended up here, but he was feeling like the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet. Tonight was theirs and he was going to savor every minute he had with her. She set him on fire. The feel of her hands sliding over his body. The soft moans and broken sighs. The stroke of her tongue against his. The slide of her silky hair falling over his shoulders. She made him remember he was a man. A living, breathing man with very human wants and needs.
He stood, the sensation of her naked breasts against his chest kicking up his heart rate. He might want to make this last, but his body wasn’t going to make it much longer. It had been too long.
His flannel shirt joined hers somewhere on the floor. Boots, jeans, boxers, too. He didn’t give her time to inspect him, though. He bore her back on the bed, groaning at the feel of skin on skin. He kissed her, his lips sealing tight and his tongue delving into the heat of her mouth. He lost himself in her. Her scent, her touch, the brush of her thigh against his hip... He settled between her legs but kept right on kissing her.
She met him, kiss for kiss. She arched and clung, her hands kneading his back and hips.
He couldn’t wait, couldn’t stop himself. He ended their kiss to watch her. When he slid deep, her reaction almost pushed him over the edge. Her moan, the way her head fell back and the sheer tightness of her body. He thrust once then stilled, breathing hard and fighting for control.
Her eyes fluttered open. Bright blue, even in the light of his bedside table. Her gold hair fanned across the white sheets. Her breasts shook with the power of her breathing. Her body cradled him deep, throbbing for him. Everything about her was vital. Beautiful. Healthy. He didn’t want to think about Shanna now. Didn’t want to remember how cancer had taken the pink from her cheeks and laid waste to her body.
“Ash,” Renata whispered, her hand pressing against his cheek. “Kiss me.”
His gaze held hers as their lips met, needing her to block out the rest. She smiled against his lips. When he arched into her, sliding deep, her moan dragged him firmly back to the present.
Tonight was about this. Living now. He was damn well going to take advantage of it.
Her fingers ground into his hips as he thrust into her again and again. And every time he fought to make sure it wasn’t the last. When she fell apart beneath him, he watched, mesmerized. She turned into the pillow to muffle her cries but he nudged the pillow aside. He wanted to hear her, to know that he’d given her pleasure. It was all he needed to find his release. Pleasure poured over him, drowning him in her. She did this to him. She gave this to him. She made him feel for the first time in so long.
He collapsed beside her on the bed, the sound of ragged breathing filling his room.
When he looked at her, her eyes were closed. But there was a smile on her face. He was smiling, too. Eventually, she looked at him, covered her face with her hands and giggled.
He laughed. What else could he do? She kept surprising him.
“This is...was...” She spoke through her hands.
“You said ‘wow’ earlier.” He watched her, curious.
Her hands slid down to reveal those blue eyes. “That was when you kissed me.”
He rolled onto his side, propping himself over her on his elbow. “Can’t wait to hear how you describe this then.”