A smile blooms on his face. "Would you mind sleeping next to an almost-naked man, Dani?"
"D-define almost nak-ked," I manage to stutter.
"I'll lose my jeans and stay in my boxers." After a small pause, he adds, "I'll keep the t-shirt."
"Lose the shirt, too," I say mischievously then hide under my cover, drawing it up to my chin.
"I don't mind if you look, you know," he says with a grin.
"I think we already established that."
"This is the second strip you get from me in two days. That's quite an achievement, Dani Cohen."
"I didn't look the first time, so that doesn't count." My bold and flirty words surprise me.
"Ah, you took a good peek while we were in the water."
"No more than you."
He laughs. "I didn't take a peek. I took an eyeful, especially when you got dressed."
I gasp, feigning indignation. "So there I was, trying to help you, and you were spying on me. You're an opportunist, did you know that?"
"Only when the opportunity is worth it." He grabs the hem of his shirt with his hands. "Ready?"
I nod, a little spasm shaking me. When he reveals his torso, I let my eyes drink him in. The supple muscles of his abs. . .The defined lines starting from his sides, shaped in a V that goes downward, disappearing into his pants. I linger on those as he removes his jeans, petrified to look further down, even though he's wearing boxers.
"You can breathe now, you know," Damon says, and I realize I've been holding my breath. I let it out with a laugh. And just like that, he puts me at ease. I still feel my cheeks heat when I glance at the bulge in his tight boxers.
“Aren’t you hurting from the fight?” I ask.
“Just a little sore. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I got used to the pain. I almost don’t feel it anymore.”
“I can take care of you.”
“I’m fine, really.”
I lie on one side, resting on my elbow when he slides under the covers with me. He kisses me slowly, his hands entangled in my hair. Then, without notice, he flips me on my back completely, interlacing his fingers with mine, spreading my thighs apart with his knee. I become hyper-aware of everything touching me: the silky sheets underneath me, the rough skin of his fingertips. When he kisses me anew, heat gathers almost instantly between my thighs.
"Dani," he grits, his raspy voice intensifying my shivers. "I love your smell. Can I kiss you here?" His lips feather gently over my collarbone. He moves the blanket, and I suck in a lungful of air as a chill reaches my dripping wet panties.
"Yes." My voice comes out in a whisper, breathy and needy. His next touch sets me on fire. Damon traces the shape of my collarbone with his lips and tongue. I immediately feel every inch where our bodies touch: his knee between my thighs, pinning me against the mattress; his hands laced with mine. My hips arch involuntarily, meeting his. His right hand lands on my hip, sliding slightly under my t-shirt. I wince and he removes it, leaving me feeling cold and empty.
"You can keep your hand there." I'm taken aback by the protest in my voice. I don't recognize the stranger who says the next words. They’re barely a whisper, but they come out of my mouth. "You can move it further up, if you want to." It must be the heat between my thighs that turns me into a stranger.
Damon pauses, inching away from me. "Don't tempt me like this, Dani." Caressing my cheek, he says. "I'm here to take care of you tonight and kiss you, nothing more."
"I thought guys always want more." I bite my tongue. Why the hell did I just say this to him? I’m grateful he isn’t pushing me, after all. A foreign need awoke in me tonight, it's true, but I know I'm not ready for this.
He looks amused. "I didn't say I don't want more. There will be plenty of time for more. I don't want to rush you, even though I’d love to kiss every inch of your skin. I would start here..." He trails his finger down my collar bone, and then to my right breast. I bite my lip, not breaking eye contact. As he trails his finger down to my knees, I wish he would kiss me. I’m not sure if that would bring relief or more torture, but he doesn't do it. "Then I would kiss you here." Now he drags his fingers from my knee up and up on my inner thigh. When he gets to the point where his fingers touch the edge of my very short shorts, a violent quiver shakes me. We both suck in our breaths.
"Damon." I fist his smooth hair in my fingers. The void between my thighs fills with more heat.
"I will make love to you soon enough, Dani. And it will feel so good." There is so much delicious promise in his voice. "But not tonight, not here. I want you to be ready for more." His lips nip tenderly at my neck and shoulders. I revel in the feeling, losing myself. His tongue darts into my mouth again, plunging with ferocity; it makes me think how that elusive ‘more’ would feel.
Our hips touch, the friction between us inciting a feeling like I’m blooming from the inside—or possibly combusting. The air between and all around us seems to consist of sparks. I feel them shimmering on my skin. I’m convinced I could extend my hand and catch the sparks. As if feeling where I need his touch the most, Damon tugs my shorts upward ever so slightly. I regret wearing panties underneath my shorts. A whimper escapes my lips. The shimmers that were floating on my skin are now bouncing on my nerve endings, threatening to burn. As his fingers trail near my tender spot, the realization that my panties are soaked hits me. God, he knows what he's doing. His fingers hum just at the edge of my panties, but he feels how powerful my body's reaction to him is. I know because a deep groan reverberates from his chest and a spasm rakes him hard, completely undoing both of us. He cradles my face with his hands, kissing me deeply, urgently. His breathing pattern changes to frantic. My pulse slams and reverberates through me, making it impossible for me to think straight. Just when I think his resolve will crumble, Damon breaks off his kiss.
"Whoa."