Finding Faith (Return of the Dragons)

“Lunch sounds good,” she finally replied. “But there’s one room in your home you haven’t shown me yet, and I think we should check it out first.”

Brow furrowing, he cocked his head. “Which room? I’ve showed them all to you except…” his words trailed off as he realized what she was saying. “Are you sure, Liv? We don’t have to if you’re not one hundred percent sure. I can wait. I’ll wait forever for you if I have to.”

God, this man. He could make her melt with the words he said. “I’m positive. I’m ready, Cody, and I don’t want to wait longer. I want you too much.”

He searched her eyes for a long moment, and then he grinned slowly. “Well, never let it be said that I won’t give my lady what she wants.”

Heart leaping as he placed a quick kiss on her lips, she followed as he took her hand and led her up the stairs, her heart fluttering madly.

There wasn’t an ounce of fear or hesitation inside her as he pulled her into his bedroom. Just anticipation and desire that were nearly overwhelming her.

The moment he kicked the door shut behind them, she leapt into his arms. Catching her with a muffled chuckle, he immediately began kissing her again. But there was no slow start as he eased her into it this time.

No, it was all instant passion and deep kisses as they plastered their bodies together. It was like they were trying to devour each other, and neither of them seemed capable of keeping their hands in one spot for long before exploring more.

One of Cody’s hands slid down her side, his thumb brushing against her breast, and she moaned into his mouth, twisting his shirt in her fists. He started backing her up slowly as his hand paused at the hem of her shirt, before slipping under to rest on her skin.

Olivia’s whole body felt like it was tingling and burning simultaneously as his hand slid up. The roughness of his calloused hand on her bare skin felt amazing, and she thought she was prepared after that. That she knew the level of heat and desire she could feel when he touched her.

But she was wrong—in the best possible way.

He cupped her breast, and even through the fabric of her bra, it sent sensations zinging through her that had her breath catching. He squeezed gently, massaging the fullness, before lightly pinching her nipple, and she dug her fingers into his sides, her head falling back.

Taking advantage of her position, he trailed his lips down her throat and passed her collarbone before her shirt halted his progress. Impatient to have that barrier between them gone, she pulled back and yanked her shirt off.

His breath caught as he saw her standing there with only her bra as a barrier, but she didn’t give him time to do anything about it. Needing to feel them skin to skin, she pulled at his shirt, growling with frustration when it became clear that he was too tall for her to get it off of him without help.

Giving her a knowing smile, he reached behind him with on hand, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and tugged it over his head. Swallowing hard as she caught her first glimpse of him, she trailed her eyes over his broad shoulders, muscular chest, and the six-pack she wanted to trace—with her fingers or tongue, she didn’t care which, so long as she got to trace it.

He had a gorilla tattoo on his left pec, and she reached out to touch it with a smile, intending to explore once she did. But he pulled her back into his arms, and she gasped into his mouth as their chests pressed against each other.

Like he was reading her mind and knew how desperately she wanted all barriers between them gone, he unclasped her bra as he kissed her. Placing his hands on the straps, he slowly trailed his fingers down her arms, pulling her bra off as he went.

A shiver danced up her spine at his soft touch, and her core tightened as he pulled back, gazing at her with fire in his dark eyes. She’d never felt more vulnerable, yet more powerful, as she did in that moment.

Swallowing hard, he met her gaze. “Fuck, you’re even more beautiful than I imagined, Olivia.”

The raspy quality of his normally smooth voice wrapped around her, raising goosebumps on her skin. “So are you.”

His mouth quirked on one side. “I’m not beautiful, Liv.”

Smirking, she walked closer, placing her fingers on his shoulders before trailing them slowly down his chest all the way to his jeans, following their progress with her eyes. Raising her gaze, she met his eyes. “Sexy, then. Sexy as fuck, sexier than any man has a right to be. Seeing you like this right now, feeling your touch, it all makes my blood feel like molten lava is flowin

g through my veins.”

His brown eyes took on a faint red hue, and she smiled when she saw it. Maybe it should freak her out, but it didn’t. If anything, it amped her up even more.

There was part of her wondering where all this boldness came from, because she’d never been like this before. And she never would have expected it after everything that happened, and the deep fear she had of trusting men after that ordeal.

But the rest of her already knew the answer. It was Cody.

With him, she had no fear or unease. She had no worry, and nothing to hold her back from being unapologetically her.

He accepted her unequivocally, without reservation.

He still looked off balance from her words, and she found that she liked it. Wanting to keep it that way, she reached down and flicked open the button of his jeans, smiling when he gave a strangled groan.

Grabbing her wrists, he held them in one giant hand, the other grabbing her hip and pulling her into him. “What’s the rush, sweetheart?”