“Oh, damn, Linc. Harder.”
His fingers squeezed her side tighter, and he did as she asked. He took her with a steady rhythm, hammering into her until she forgot where they were, her name, everything but the building euphoria inside her and the knowledge it was Linc causing the feelings.
Slipping his hand farther around her, his fingers found her clit and strummed the tight bud until she exploded, her body stiffening as the waves kept pummeling her. Linc kept up the stroking until she was wrung dry. Then he thrust in and out, hard, fast, until he found his release.
They collapsed together onto the bed, her breathing ragged, his coming in desperate gulps. Finally he rose and disappeared into the bathroom, returning quickly.
He pulled down the covers and helped her climb beneath them. Although she was sticky between her thighs, she didn’t care as she snuggled against him. For now, wrapped in his arms, she felt safe. And wanted to hold on to those feelings while she could.
* * *
Linc held Jordan in his arms, silence surrounding them. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her fragrant scent. She’d taken him by surprise and though he’d planned to join her in bed and urge her to talk about her feelings, he hadn’t been able to deny her what they both needed. But with their physical desires sated, it was time to deal with her past.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Amazing,” she murmured. “Want to do it again?”
He let out a low chuckle. “Later. Right now I want to talk.” His cock didn’t like that answer, and from the way Jordan stiffened, neither did she. But he wasn’t going to let her ignore him.
Rolling her onto her back, he propped an arm up, and lying on his side, he met her gaze. If he had to wait an hour for her to respond, he would.
“About what?” she asked at last.
“How you felt being with Aurora last night. Watching her give birth. Holding the baby. I don’t want you to bury it all inside. It’s not good for you.”
She shifted toward him and her big blue eyes met his. “I was happy for her, of course.”
He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
Her sigh echoed around the room. “It hurt. Is that what you want to hear?”
“I want to hear the truth.” And then he intended to comfort her.
Closing her eyes in resignation, she began to speak. “Back when I found out I was pregnant, I was petrified. I mean, I’d had a plan. Go to college, find a job, and make money supporting myself in the business world. All of a sudden, those plans were in jeopardy. The baby’s father, my boyfriend, wanted nothing to do with us. And there might have been a time or two I wished it hadn’t happened.” A tear leaked out of her eye, and Linc brushed it away with his thumb.
Her eyelashes fluttered and she looked at him. “But I never meant I wanted to lose my baby.” Her voice cut off, a choking sound coming from her throat.
“I know that,” he rushed to assure her. He’d never once thought she blamed herself for her miscarriage. Needing to touch her, he pulled her back into his arms. “And it wasn’t your fault.”
“Mentally I know but in my heart I feel guilty.”
He stroked her hair as she gathered the courage to continue.
“I was so happy for Aurora,” she said into his chest, moisture from her tears coating his skin. “But at the same time, I was faced with what I lost.”
He held her as she let out the pain she’d been holding back while being strong for Aurora.
After a while, her trembling subsided and she pulled back. “I’m okay. Thank you.” Her cheeks were red, her eyes glassy, but she wasn’t an ugly crier. In fact, she was appealing with her heart out there for him to see.
“I hope you feel lighter,” he said.
She nodded. “But don’t expect me to thank you,” she said with a wry twist of her lips.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He let out a low laugh and then decided they’d had all the discussion she needed.
Lying beside him, he breathed in the mixed scent of sex and her floral fragrance and he got hard all over again. She met his gaze, and he saw the second she became aware of his renewed desire. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes dilated, and suddenly they were on the same page.
She pressed his shoulders back and crawled on top of him, sealing her mouth over his. No way would he argue. He grasped the back of her neck, holding her in place as they kissed, her soft, wet pussy sliding over his abdomen.
“Fuck,” he muttered, breaking their kiss, his focus on the warm feel. “Grab a condom,” he told her. “Top drawer.”