“This one right here,” I whisper, kissing just below her left shoulder blade. “I’m going to call this one fortitude.”
A shudder ripples through Jenna’s body, and I don’t know if it’s from desire or angst. But I don’t stop.
Tracing the skin almost over to her ribs, I circle an area with the pad of my finger. “This area I’ll call strength, vulnerability, and triumph.”
Jenna’s breath comes out in a rush, a sound of pent-up pain within. My heart clenches, but I keep going.
Drawing my hand down over her ass, I palm one cheek. The skin is pinkish with a rough texture. “Your ass is slamming, Ms. Holland.”
I squeeze and bend my lips to brush over her shoulder, and Jenna actually giggles. I smile against the scarring there.
Stepping into her backside, Jenna can’t doubt how much I want her by my hard length pressed into her. I wrap an arm around her chest, palming one breast. I move my other hand around to her stomach and slide it down so my fingers play between her legs. Jenna tries to squirm away and then leans into the pressure I’m creating. Her head falls against my shoulder, and she mewls with need. I’m so aroused by her trust and her beauty—scars and all—that I’m afraid I’m going to embarrass myself.
Afraid I’ll blow the minute I sink inside her.
I spin Jenna around to face me, crushing my mouth down on hers and hauling her against my body. I pick her up under her ass, only to take two steps toward the bed to toss her onto it. She gasps as my hands go to her ankles, and I pull her to the side of the mattress until her butt is hanging off the edge.
She struggles up to her elbows to watch me as I drop to my knees. Her eyes widen as I drape her legs over my shoulders and spread her apart. I glance up her body, my eyes locking with hers. “You might want to lie back and get comfortable,” I advise with a sinister smile. “I’m probably going to be here awhile.”
“Oh God,” she mutters and flops against the bed. I grin as I put my mouth to her, quelling her body with my hand to her stomach as she jerks and writhes.
I settle in, ready to show Jenna just how much I adore every part of her.
Jenna bucks under my tongue, and I make her come hard, just as I’d wanted. Then I do it to her all over again until she’s begging me to fuck her.
I’m insane with need by the time she quiets from her last orgasm, and she’s as loose as a rag doll as I flip her on the bed. I haul her to her hands and knees, crawl onto the bed behind her, and drive into her wet warmth with a groan of relief.
Jenna’s back arches. “Oh God, Gage… that’s… that’s…”
She can’t finish the thought as I move in and out of her, hands gripping her hips. Her head bows as she pants through the pleasure, and I stare at the network of scars on her back.
Running my hands along the imperfect skin that I find incredibly beautiful, I slam into her harder and harder. Her absolute trust in me and the way she’s submitting herself for my perusal makes me feel almost feral in my need to have her.
As my orgasm builds, I wrap my arms around her stomach and lift her up before bracing a hand on the headboard. I hold her tight to me as I drive into her over and over until I unload into her body with a roar of satisfaction. Jenna cries out again, and I feel the tremors of pleasure flowing through her as we share this beautiful connection.
I fall down to the bed with her, rolling us to our sides. Still planted inside, I gather her close.
I am fucking lost to this woman.
CHAPTER 22
Jenna
I wake up slowly, not wanting to leave the cocoon of warmth and safety I feel in slumber. The bright light coming through the wooden blinds refuses to let me fall back asleep, and I realize I’m spooned in front of Gage, his arms wrapped around me. His breathing is deep and steady, and I’m so comfortable that I want to drift off again.
Last night was pivotal.
I showed Gage my scars, and he cherished them.
Not only that, he was as attracted to me as ever, if the things we did were any indication. He was insatiable, but so was I. He made me feel so comfortable in the butterscotch glow of the side table lamp.
Gage stirs, his arms tightening around my midsection. We’re naked, having fallen into an exhausted sleep in this very position. His chest pressed to my scarred back, pelvis to my scarred bottom, and legs threaded through mine. I feel the hairs on his legs on my unmarred flesh, though not on the damaged parts.