His touch slid down my belly to the edge of my leggings. “Do your panties match?” He flicked his gaze up to mine, and I had a feeling he might cry if I said the wrong answer. I nodded, and he gave me a wicked grin. “Show me?”
I couldn’t resist that smile. They were rarely given, and it felt good to know I could make him happy. He wanted me, wanted to see me in just my skimpy bra and panties and more, but he was still letting me decide. To set the pace.
I climbed from his lap, stood before him. With my hands at my hips, I shimmied out of my leggings and pushed my socks off at the same time. When I stood back up, he looked his fill, his penetrating gaze roaming over every inch of me. I felt exposed, vulnerable, but at the same time, cherished.
Leaning forward in the seat, his arms came around me like steel bands, pulling me into him, so his cheek rested between my breasts, his hands at the small of my back, but his fingers angled down over the curve of my butt. My hands flew to his shoulders. The feel of his hot skin against mine had me gasping. His lips brushed the inside curve of one breast before he pulled back enough to begin kissing me. The under curve of my breasts, across my belly, my navel and around. He didn’t once touch my nipples, and I was growing impatient. Antsy. Needy. His mouth was hot, fierce and gentle at the same time. Little licks spread heat and then coolness as he dampened my skin. I had no idea when I threaded my fingers into his hair and began to press him closer, but the whimper of his name had him lifting his head.
“Yes?” he asked. His eyes held such promise, such intense need I could only give one answer.
“Yes.”
With his arms still banded about me, he stood and lifted me up, carrying me into his bedroom. He seemed to like carrying me around. It made the differences between us so obvious. I wasn’t short, but I felt small and feminine in his strong arms. He laid me on the bed, lowering himself to hover over me, keeping his weight off me with his hand beside my head.
The light wasn’t on, so the room was bathed in a soft yellow glow from the other room. I could see Reed clearly, but part of his face was in shadow. It had only been a week, and only a few hours of that in each other’s company, and yet I wanted him. I wanted this.
“I’ve never done it like this before,” I admitted.
His eyes roamed over my face.
“Missionary?”
“When it means something.”
He sucked in a breath then lowered his body, so we touched from chest to hips. Shifting my legs, I made room for him to settle between my thighs as he kissed me.
With the soft bed at my back and a very solid Reed on top of me, I was just where I wanted to be. I felt safe. So very safe. And he was right. There was nothing between us.
21
REED
Fuck.
She was so soft, so sweet, so perfect beneath me. Reaching up, I carefully worked the tie from her hair, so it was loose across my pillow. My fingers were blunt and clumsy, afraid to snag all that silky softness. I breathed in the scent of strawberries. I met her eyes, held them.
Yeah, this fucking meant something.
“No more running, princess.”
Her pink tongue darted out, licked her lip. “No more running,” she whispered.
“I’m here, yeah?”
She gave a slight nod. “Don’t… don’t leave.”
I stroked her hair, this time catching it in my grip and tugging lightly, so she couldn’t look away. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She frowned, and I pushed on.
“I want everything from you. Everything. The difference between me and your family is that I’m not going to take. I want you to give it to me. Yeah?”
I was a selfish fuck. I wanted every bit of her. Her body, her mind, her heart. Her soul.
“You’re not like them,” she whispered. “You’re not anything like them. You’re giving yourself in return.”
I couldn’t resist, leaning down and kissing her forehead. “That’s right. You’ve got me. The good and the bad. The stuff you don’t know about.”
Her hand came up, cupped my jaw. “I know you’re good.”