Page 48 of Home Ice

It is very hard to look away from someone when you have your arms and legs wrapped around them, but I do my best. "Nothing. I didn't mean to say anything."

"No one has ever eaten that exquisite pussy before?"

I could tell him that no one has ever gone down on me before. It would be the truth. Tyler flat out laughed at me the one time I asked if he would. Brant would never know it's not the entire truth.

"Lily, you've never orgasmed before at all?"

Fuck."That's not true. I—why are you smiling?"

As soon as I call him on it, he stops trying to hide it, and his lips curl even more. "Don't get me wrong, every other guy you've been with is a fucking fool to not appreciate you the way you deserve. But I love knowing I'm the only person who's ever made you come."

"You're not the only person. I've done it for myself many times. Too many times maybe." Especially in the last month after meeting him.

"That doesn't count." He looks so proud of himself. Normally, I would shoot his ego down, but after what he just did, his ego can soar wherever it wants. God knows I'm still floating. "You'd better believe I'm going to make up for all the orgasms you've missed. Once you're healed. For now, though, we're going to watch movies all night, and you're going to let me wait on you hand and foot while you rest. Don't even try to argue."

"I liked the way we sat together on my couch the other day. Maybe we could do that while we watch those movies?"

He doesn't say a word. He just sets me in the middle of the couch and sits right beside me, his body against mine. I stretch my leg out and lean back into him. Then I lace my fingers through his and pull his hand to my lap.

CHAPTER 32

DO I NEED TO TELL YOU HOW TO HOLD YOUR STICK?

BRANT

"Good morning." That sweet voice confirms I wasn't dreaming last night. I've been awake for a few minutes but too scared to move in case she wasn't really here. I didn't even dare open my eyes until a few seconds ago. But now those two words are all the conformation I need, so I roll over to face her.

Her hair is in a bun on top of her head. Or it was when I took her to my bed last night. There are strands hanging loose all over now. I sweep one away from her forehead and tuck it behind her ear. Then I just stare at her. The amazing girl I've fantasized about for the last month is inches away. And she's wearing one of my old t-shirts. She's only a few inches shorter than me, so it doesn't hang like a dress the way it would on some girls. But that makes it so much hotter because it shows more of those amazing legs. "Good morning." I hear the smile in my voice, and it would be embarrassing if it didn't make her smile too. I would do anything to make her smile. This has to be the afterglow people talk about. I always assumed it was bullshit, but this feeling is far from it. "How's your ankle? Do you need more ibuprofen? Water? Anything?"

"Didn't you get enough of that yesterday?"

Enough taking care of her? I don't think that's fucking possible. "I just want to make sure you're comfortable."

She kisses me. A quick press of her lips against mine that doesn't last nearly as long as I wish it would, but the way I'm feeling this morning, no kiss would be long enough for me. "Thank you, but I'm fine."

I wish she really were fine because there is so much I want to do to her once she is. I knew once I started last night, it would be hell to stop. Maybe a couple of years ago, I wouldn't have stopped. But I won't be the one to make her ankle any worse than it already is. Even if it meant a night of agony for me.

Every time she shifted even a centimeter on the sofa last night, I felt it. All the energy from that movement went straight to my cock, and I was hard all damn night. I tried everything I could—I even mentally replayed the show I watched last week about how sauerkraut is made, for fuck's sake. But nothing worked. I did my best to hide it from her, and I even thought at one point she didn't notice it pressing just above the crack of her ass. Then she reached back, slipping her hand between us, and wrapped her fingers around me. She worked me for a few seconds before I stopped her. If I didn't, I would have come right then, and I don't want my first time with her to end up making a mess in my shorts like a fucking teenage boy who can't control himself. Shit, I'm hard from just remembering it.

Lily props her head on her hand and watches me. The morning light brings out all the shades of brown in her tattoo. The tattoo that breaks a little of my heart every time I see it. "Will you tell me about that?"

She goes still when she realizes what I'm looking at. "What is there to talk about? I'm sure you already guessed why I have it." She pulls in her lower lip and bites down.

I reach for the hand, and she lets me take it. Her head settles back on to the pillow as I pull it closer to me. I kiss the inside of her wrist and then work my fingers between hers. I need her to know that I'm here. Really here. "You don't have to tell me. It's your story, so you get to choose who you tell it to. I just wondered why it's a snake."

Her eyes flick to our joined hands and then back to me. "Because snakes symbolize rebirth. I obviously didn't die, but it kinda felt like I was given a second chance maybe?"

"I'm very glad you didn't die." I pull her hand up and take the tip of her finger between my lips, pulling it into my mouth before letting it go. "I don't know what I would have eaten yesterday if you weren't around."

And there it is, her eye roll. "You are both gross and stupid."

"You didn't think that last night."

She shakes her head, but she smiles. I do too.

I kiss her wrist again. My lips move along the length of the covered scar. "Why a rattlesnake?"

"People are scared of them because they don't understand them. Rattlesnakes just want to live their lives, but when they feel threatened, they stand up for themselves. They can be fierce when they need to be. So it reminds me I could be fierce too, if I need to be."

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