Made to be His ( The Archer Family 1)

The only thing left to do was give in.

Chapter 8

She leaned back, closing her eyes and deadening all of her senses to everything except his touch. His calloused fingertips stopped just short of the hem of her dress and she sighed, willing him further but not daring to ask for more.

"You're so beautiful," he said.

And that was the biggest turn on of all. Being beautiful had never felt important to her. She'd repeated to herself over and over that it didn't matter. That looks would fade, but the substance she had was enough. But none of that changed how wonderful it was to hear it. Like she'd been starving for it without knowing, and now her hunger had finally been satiated.

Opening her eyes, she propped herself back up and wrapped a hand behind his neck.

"You mean it?" In other circumstances, she might have been ashamed of how vulnerable the words sounded, but not now. In this moment, she only cared about the answer.

"Absolutely," he said. And then his lips were on hers, warm and soft.

She'd imagined this a hundred times in college and even more since then. Probably every time his name had so much as entered her mind, but nothing compared to the actual feel of him. The kiss was less harsh than it had been before. It was all tenderness and no hesitation, and she gave into it without thinking.

His tongue parted her lips and she gave over to his kiss, sweeping her tongue along his until they tangled with each other.

The electricity of his touch surged through her body, and she could feel herself responding, growing wetter by the second. No matter how deep the kiss became, she wanted more. Had to know what it was to taste him, to touch him, to feel every hard muscle of his body. She'd waited too long for this to leave anything to the imagination.

She nibbled at his bottom lip for a long moment, then released him from the kiss and stood, reaching for the hem of her dress.

"You're sure nobody is going to come in here?" she asked, pulling at the skirt, but not lifting it away completely.

"Positive. They have little charity events here all the time. Nobody will think twice about the lights" It was an effort not to smile at his swollen, red lips. She'd done that. And it was only just the beginning.

"Let me help," he said, getting to his feet and crossing the space between them.

Before she had time to respond, his arms came around her back and he was unzipping her, the rough pad of his thumb tracing her spine as the dress gave way. Goose bumps rose on her skin, the thrill quickly reached a fever pitch as blood thrummed in her ears.

And when he'd finally unzipped the thing completely and pulled it away? All the last of her inhibitions went with it.

He sucked in a breath and stepped back. "Wow."

Or so she thought. Her chest tightened at his appraising gaze, and she held her breath before asking, "What?"

"Turn around in a circle."

Her eyebrows furrowed, but she did as he asked, spinning where she stood.

"Slower." he said.

She slowed her steps.

"You have the most incredible body I've ever seen," he said.

The thrill of his words shot straight between her thighs and she sighed with appreciation.

"Take off your bra," he said.

"Suddenly you're giving the orders?" She offered him a half smile, hands on her hips. "You're still completely clothed."

He didn't respond to her. Instead, he repeated himself. "Take off your bra."

The words were huskier now, but there was no disobeying him. She unclasped the hook in one smooth motion and exposed her breasts to the cool, evening air.

"Now your panties," he said.