Page 81 of The Murder Club

Bailey gasped as his hand cupped her breasts. His touch was gentle, but there was nothing gentle about the pleasure that seared through her. It felt like lava flowing through her blood.

“I’m not special,” she muttered.

He scowled down at her. “I get to decide. And to me you are . . .” He paused, his gaze moving to where his thumbs were stroking her nipples to sensitive peaks. “You are exactly what I need.” He once again bent down, nuzzling a path of caresses over her forehead. “This beautiful face.” He brushed his mouth down her nose before tracing her lips with the tip of his tongue. “These kissable lips.” Bailey released a strangled groan as he continued to explore every inch of her face while his fingers lowered to unzip her jeans and tug them downward. “These eyes that hold a kindness that draws people to you like bees to honey.” He kissed her eyes shut as Bailey kicked off her shoes and eagerly helped him dispose of her clothing. As she lay back, she caught him gazing at her with an oddly tender smile before he released her hair from the bun on top of her head and threaded his fingers through the tangled strands. “This hair that refuses to be tamed.”

A chuckle was wrenched from her throat. She’d never been a woman who spent hours on her hair and makeup, and working as a nurse had solidified her appreciation for comfort over fashion.

Thankfully, Dom didn’t seem to mind.

“Untamed is one way to—”

Dom claimed her lips in a kiss of sheer demand, silencing her teasing words as her brain shut down and her body ignited with a blast of desire. As if she’d been struck by lightning. Every nerve was shrieking in pleasure, demanding a fulfillment that could only come from one man.

Stretching out next to her, Dom wrapped his arms around her, pressing her tight as the friction of their naked flesh sparked low moans of anticipation.

“I’m obsessed with holding you in my arms and drowning in your scent. Of tasting your sweetness.” He swept his lips along the line of her jaw before trailing a path of kisses down her arched throat. “Your breasts . . .” he breathed, stroking his tongue over her nipples as his fingers parted her legs to seek out her most sensitive spot. “Your hidden secrets . . .”

Bailey trembled, wrapping her leg over his hip as her passion spiraled ever higher. “Dom.”

He continued to pleasure her as his mouth moved to press between her breasts. “But more than all that, I’m captivated by this.”

Bailey tangled her fingers in his hair, moving her body against his in a silent plea for more.

“My heart?”

“Your ability to offer love without manipulation,” he clarified, his words unsteady as she reached down to wrap her fingers around his thickening erection. “To care for others without expecting anything in return.”

Bailey smiled as she stroked her fingers down his arousal. It was true. They’d both built shields over the years to protect their shattered hearts, but somehow, together, they’d found the means to overcome the wounds of the past and connect in a way that healed them both.

Did that mean they could find a way to forge a future together? That was a conversation for later. Much later.

“That’s enough talking,” she groaned, rolling onto her back and urging him on top of her.

Dom chuckled, readily settling between her spread legs. “I’ve always been a big believer in action speaking louder than words,” he growled, piercing her with a slow, delicious thrust that brought a cry of bliss to Bailey’s lips.

Chapter 17

Dom squeezed Bailey tightly in his arms, her head resting on his chest as he stroked through her hair, troubled by the unease that settled in the center of his heart. The sex had been epic, of course. In fact, it’d been whatever was beyond epic. Each soft stroke of Bailey’s fingers, each brush of her lips and each groan that had been wrenched from her lips had torqued his pleasure until he’d shattered in an explosive climax. But he’d already known that sex with Bailey was going to be spectacular. He’d been fantasizing about her for months.

What he hadn’t expected was how vulnerable he would feel as they snuggled in the soft bed, the world outside blocked by the heavy curtains and closed door.

Since coming to Pike and spending time with this woman, his soul had been blasted wide open. And that wasn’t an exaggeration. Over the years he’d developed a protective shell to keep people at a distance. He was never going to be like his mother, who allowed her heart to be trampled on a regular basis.

But allowing Bailey beneath his defenses left him feeling exposed, as if his nerves were scraped raw. And it didn’t help that Bailey had barely said a word since their last bout of lovemaking. He’d like to think she was speechless with pleasure, but there was a gnawing fear deep inside him that she might regret what had happened between them.

An unbearable thought.

“You’re making me nervous,” Dom at last broke the silence, telling himself that the truth couldn’t be any worse than what he was imagining. “You aren’t usually this quiet.”

She stiffened. “Are you implying I’m loud?” “Never loud, but I love the sound of your happy chatter.” Dom paused, patiently waiting for her to tilt back her head to reveal her wary expression. “It reassures me that all is right in the world.”

She studied him as if seeking some sort of reassurance. “Is it right?”

Unease pierced his heart. He wanted this woman glowing with the same joy that bubbled through him. The fact that she wasn’t only added to his profound sense of vulnerability.

“Are we discussing what just happened in this bed?” he bluntly demanded. “Because I’m going to tell you up front that making love to you has turned my world upside down.” He stroked his fingers through her hair, his voice raw with emotion. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be the same.”

A shaky smile curved her lips. “Me too.”

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