Keeping her eyes on mine, she grabs the hem of my shirt, her fingers skimming my skin. I gasp, and she pulls my shirt over my head, dropping it next to the bed. Standing, I pull her up with me, my fingertips trailing across her stomach just above her waistband. She shivers, making my erection twitch.
I try to steady my breathing as I unbutton her jeans and drop back to my knees, sliding the denim down her legs. She grasps my shoulder, steadying herself as she steps out of them. She’s not wearing anything underneath. Gazing up at her, I kiss her softly at the apex of her thigh. Her lips part, her face turning slightly red.
Grinning, keeping my eyes on her, I kiss the other side, lashing my tongue against her skin. She moans, running her nails across my jaw. Her skin is like silk as my hands run up the back of her legs, kneading her as my tongue moves back across her skin.
“Dresden,” she whimpers.
Smiling against her skin, I trail kisses up her stomach, between her breasts, to her neck. She tilts her head, her fingers popping the button of my jeans. My teeth graze her earlobe, my fingers unhooking her bra and trailing across her back, the smoothness disrupted by her scars and new wounds from tonight.
“You’re beautiful, Lily. You always have been.”
She presses her lips to my collarbone as her hand slides inside my jeans, steadily grasping my erection.
“Oh, god,” I moan as she moves her hand up and down my shaft, pushing me to a place I really shouldn’t go with her.
She removes her hand and pushes my jeans and boxers from my hips, letting them fall to the floor. Her breathing is erratic, coming in puffs from her lips. Desire and need flood my body as I claim her mouth with mine, tangling my fingers in her hair and pulling her against me.
She wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me back with force. I walk forward until her legs press against the bed. Keeping my lips against hers, we sink onto the mattress. Kneeling between her legs, I kiss down her neck, across her collarbone to her breasts. Her back arches as I take her nipple into my mouth, teasing it with my tongue.
She tastes heavenly.
Moans and simpers escape her lips, hardening my erection further, as I move to her other breast, sucking and teasing her. Her legs tighten against me, her hips rising as she tries to find friction. She’s wet and wanting— it takes all my self-control not to bury myself in her.
“Please,” she begs as I move my lips back to hers.
“Look at me, Lily,” I whisper, my voice husky.
Our eyes lock and I sink into her, very slowly, my arms shaking with the effort to restrain myself. She cries out softly, raising her hips again, her nails digging into my biceps.
“Dres,” she moans, throwing her head back as I pull out and sink into her again.
I can’t hold back any longer. This is wrong on so many levels, but my ability to give a fuck seems to have disappeared. Hitching her legs up, the back of her knees suspended against the crooks of my elbows, I rear back and slam into her, hard.
She screams, trying to arch her body to meet mine. My desire takes over, our rhythm quickening. My release is getting close and her legs tense as she continues to moan and simper, begging me with her body.
Leaning down, pushing her legs up further, I press my lips to hers, gently biting her bottom lip. She clasps her hands around my neck as I continue to slam into her.
“I’m going to come, Lily.”
She scraps her nails down my back, and we both convulse, succumbing to energy-draining orgasms at the same time. I growl against her lips, stilling finally, my breathing ragged, my heart beating furiously. Slowly, I pull out of her and shift to lie beside her, pulling her into my arms.
She nuzzles against my chest, wrapping her arm arou
nd me. I should feel guilty, but I don’t. She’s my best friend, my solace, and deep down, I love her. It’s not being in love, not like with Shannon. It’s different, but it’s there.
“Thank you,” she whispers, her breath tickling my skin.
I chuckle. “I’ve never had a woman thank me for sex.”
She chuckles and it’s musical. It’s been over a year since that sound has come from her. “I wasn’t thanking you for the sex.”
“What were you thanking me for then?”
“For being here. For not giving up.”
I place my finger under her chin and tip her head up, forcing her to look at me. Leaning down, I plant a soft kiss on her lips. She runs her fingers across my cheek, cupping the side of my face.
“I needed comfort tonight and so did you. I’ll always be here, Lily. You mean more to me than you know. You and Blake will work this out, you belong with him, and I belong with Shannon. But right now, we’re both hurting. No one else calms me the way you do, Lil.” I kiss her again. “I don’t know what the hell we’re going to do come tomorrow. But I do know that I love you, in my own way. And I’ll move heaven and earth to keep you out of the darkness.”