Page 86 of Stolen Dreams

I set the glass down, tip my head back, and rest it on his shoulder. Roll my eyes closed and hum as fire licks my skin, as every nerve ending sparks to life, as every worried thought vanishes.

How this man turns a string of simple kisses into torturous foreplay, I’ll never know. But I ache for his touch, his lips, his bare skin on mine. The fire that exists between us.

He releases my hip, reaches forward, and cuts off the water. “Let’s go to bed, Fire Eyes.”

Bed.

My apprehension returns, a coiled thread twisting in my stomach. Pulsing. Shaking. Strung impossibly tight.

Speechless, I nod.

Pressing another kiss to my shoulder, he takes my hand and guides us out of the kitchen. Each step up the staircase is a jolt tothe swirling anxiety in my belly. On each inhale, I remind myself this isn’t new. Ray and I have been here—sex.

But this isn’t like before.

Tonight, after we’re boneless, breathless, and basking in our afterglow, I’ll fall asleep in his arms. Buried under linens with his black amber and lavender scent infused in the cotton, we’ll cross off another milestone on our relationship list.

A shiver rolls up my spine, tingles ripple down my arms, and I noticeably tremble as we reach the top landing. Ray tightens his hold on my hand, the only indication he feels the tremor.

We enter his room unhurried. The soft glow of the bedside lamp warm, inviting, familiar. Ray pauses to close the door, the soft click deafening.

My pulse soars and hands quiver.

Ray molds his front to my back, winds his arms around my middle, and kisses my temple. “Relax, Fire Eyes,” he whispers against my skin. “I’ve got you.”

I melt into him. Let his strength and reassurance settle in my bones. Let his words quell my nerves. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and picture my stress withering away. On the exhale, I wrap my fingers around his forearms. Soften against every firm inch of him. Let go of my worries and give in to what I feel.

“That’s my girl.” He sweeps my braid aside and peppers kisses down my neck. “God, I love how soft you are.” Calloused fingers dance over my shoulders in the softest caress before they wander the length of my arms.

A fiery storm simmers beneath my skin. Little sparks crackling under his touch as he traverses my body.

Ragged breath at the sensitive spot beneath my ear, his lips ghost over my rapid-beating pulse. Teasing. Taunting. A delicious form of torture a beat before his tongue darts out and tastes me.

A shiver rolls through me, goose bumps pebbling my skin, arousal pooling between my thighs.

An audible growl vibrates his chest, his hands drifting to my hips, his greedy fingers kneading, possessive. “So responsive.” The tip of his nose skims the shell of my ear. “So beautiful.”

Spinning in his arms, I frame his face with my hands and push up on my toes. Claim his mouth with a ravenous kiss. Show him exactly how responsive I can be.

Eager hands wander the length of my spine and curves of my ass a beat before he hoists me up. My legs circle his waist as his fingers slip under the skirt of my dress, massaging, exploring. On a groan, he breaks the kiss. “I’ll never get my fill of you, Fire Eyes.”

“Me either,” I admit, breathy. My fingers comb through his hair, fist the thick locks, and take his mouth again.

The corded muscles of his arms flex and hug me closer as we cross the room. Pin me to his hips. Rock my core over his hard length with each stride. As he lowers me to the bed, the kiss turns frenzied. Desperate. Libidinous moans bounce off the walls as I dig my heels into his back, craving more pressure. He kisses his way up my jaw, then pushes up to hover above me, those addictive umber irises holding me captive.

An unexpected tenderness softens his expression as he cups my cheek. I don’t dare ask what it means. Not now. But the flutter in my belly says I already know.

Gaze magnetized to mine, he toys with my hair and slowly drifts down the length of my braid. Tugs off the elastic band secured at the end and unravels the thick plait until he reaches my nape. Gingerly combs my locks with his fingers and hums.

On the next breath, his pupils dilate and lips part. His fingers curl into a fist at the base of my neck. And with a swift yank, my head tips back and breathing shallows as my neck is exposed.

A muffled growl floats through the room. “The ways in which I struggle…”

My brows pinch in confusion. “With what?”

He dips down and trails the tip of his nose up the column of my throat and along my jawline. “I want to be sweet with you. Tease you with the barest of touches. Watch you come undone as I move in and out of you, slowly, steadily.” He grazes the angle of my jaw with his teeth. “But I also want to be rough. Knead your curves and mark your skin. Fuck you hard enough everyone in town hears you scream my name.”

My breath hitches and nipples stiffen as arousal drips down my ass.

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