She helped him into his en suite bathroom. “Go turn on the shower.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked at her over his shoulder. “You’re giving the orders tonight.”
“Yes.” She drew out the s. “Turn on the water.”
“I’
m at your service.” He steadied himself with a hand against the wall and bowed. After he straightened, it was another moment before he moved to turn on the water.
The pain must be bad tonight if he was using the wall to hold himself up. But she knew better than to ask him about it.
She reached for his shirt, began to slowly unbutton the dark-blue button-down. His hands rose to hers, his fingers clasping hers in a soft but unbreakable grip.
“What’re you doing?” His voice was low and growly and so sexy that her knees actually trembled.
“Whatever I want.” She undid the last button, and the shirt dropped to the floor.
“I’ve always admired that you go your own way. Independence is a beautiful thing.” His dark brown eyes stayed on her.
“I’m dying to get my hands on all these beautiful muscles.” To prove her point, she leaned forward and licked a slow, sultry path down his neck.
He groaned and reached for her, but she stepped back, refusing to let him grab hold.
“So that’s the way this is going to be.” He crossed his arms. “Who am I to stand in the way of a woman on a mission?”
His belt was next. She unbuckled it, then unbuttoned his jeans and slid the zipper down. Slowly, she ran her palm over the front of his black boxer briefs, relishing the hot length of him under her hand.
She dropped to her knees in front of him and pulled off his socks before slowly sliding his jeans and boxers down his legs. He sprang free, hard and thick and so, so long. She paused for a moment, hands trembling, body shaking with a desire she was afraid she’d never be able to satisfy. Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she pressed a long, lingering kiss to his abdomen, right beside his navel, even as she stroked a hand up and down the hot, silky length of him.
“Lyric.” Her name was barely recognizable in the growl that came from his chest, but she relished it. The proof that Heath was as into this moment as she was. That he was on the verge of losing total and complete control just because nerdy Lyric Wright had her hands on him.
This was powerful.
Pushing to her feet, she kept her eyes locked on his as she slipped out of her own clothes. Then she stood there for a moment in the black lace bra and panties she’d picked up from Target because Agent Provocateur hadn’t exactly made it to San Angelo.
“Nice.” Heath’s eyes darkened even more, their pupils growing enormous in the dim light as she stripped down until she was as naked as he was. “I could stand—”
She laid a finger on his lips. “Shhh.”
Not talking was going to be a problem for Heath.
Eyes locked with hers, he slowly drew the tip of her finger into the wet heat of his mouth. He sucked on it for a second, then nipped at her before laving his tongue over and around her finger in an effort to take the small sting away.
It felt so good, he felt so good, that she wanted to lose herself in him forever.
She stood there, enjoying the heat coursing through her body.
Wanting to make him feel as good as he made her feel, she took his hands in hers and pulled him into the shower. He stiffened as the warm water hit him, then relaxed, his eyes going sleepy and his body turning liquid against hers.
Loving the way he looked when he was all tranquil and loose, she ran her hands over his arms, across his chest, down his back to his waist, massaging as she went in an effort to keep him that way.
As she did, he sighed a little, lowering his head so that his brow rested against hers. It was a perfect moment in time. They breathed the same air. What had started out as just sex was becoming something more. This was intimate.
Love and compassion, fear and joy, sadness and determination crashed through her in an inseparable tangle. They were all there in a mixed-up mess that she had no idea how to deal with. All she knew was that she didn’t want to lose him, didn’t want to lose this indefinable closeness they shared.
Sliding her hands slowly up his spine, she threaded her hands through his hair and gently tilted his head back until the shower spray could wash over it.
His eyes sprang open, and she smiled softly at him, reassuringly, before reaching behind him and grabbing hold of his shampoo bottle. She squirted some into her palm and then carefully rubbed her hands together before lifting them to his hair.