Page 83 of Fire

Her hands that clutched at his arms and his cupping her face were the only things keeping her upright as her legs grew weak. Need for him filled her. Stronger than she’d ever felt before. An ache so deep, she throbbed with wanting.

She heard a broken whimper but was so consumed in the moment, it didn’t register that the needy entreaty had come from her.

But Blake must have because his hand left her face so his arm could capture her behind the knees, lifting her off the floor to be cradled in his arms. He walked them to the bed, laying her down, his hand reaching under her skirt, this time to rip her panties down her legs.

He stared down at her while he unbuttoned and pulled the zipper down on his pants, freeing himself before placing a knee on the bed. His lips were back on hers less than a second later.

Almost frantic in her need to get close, she clawed at his shoulders, her fingers slipping on the fabric of his shirt. Distantly, her brain tried to tell her something. It took a moment, but the thought finally penetrated the fog.

She was now pushing at him instead of pulling, until he lifted himself, looking dazed. She scrambled from beneath him, sitting up. “No, we do it right this time.” At his confused look, she stood from the bed and fisted the flaps of his shirt. “This comes off.”

He was already shaking his head as his hands came up to cover hers, holding them immobile.

“Yes. I love you. That means everything about you. No more hiding.”

Blake released her hands only to grip her upper arms. “We do this, we do it my way.”

Ignoring the dominance hardening his eyes, Gwen shook her head. “No. For once in your life, give up control. Let me loveyou.”

His jaw tensed, and his eyes drifted to a spot over her shoulder. “I don’t think I can.”

Her fingers touched his cheek, gaining his eyes back. “Do you trust me?”

He tried to conceal it, but she heard the soft sigh before he finally admitted, “Yes.”

“Then stand up and close your eyes.”

He hesitated, but he did it. But instead of taking off his shirt, she kissed the line of his exposed chest. She’d surprised him, she could tell from the way his stomach muscles fluttered and his sharp intake of breath.

“Has no one ever kissed you here?”

His answer was a gruff rasp. “No. I’ve never unbuttoned my shirt for anyone but you.”

Her tongue darted out to taste the smooth skin between his pecs. She loved he had no hair until the small strip under his navel. Her hands slid under the flaps of his shirt, over his ribs, up to his shoulders, her lips following as far as she could reach to just under his collarbone.

Gwen spread her hands the expanse of his shoulders, down his arms, taking the shirt with until it was removed and she had hold of his hands.

“Keep your eyes closed.” Giving Blake’s hands a squeeze, she moved around to his back. The scarring wasn’t any prettier with her second viewing. The raised welts of the diagram filled the whole area of his back, leaving only the section above his shoulder blades unmarred. You could tell the scar was old and given to a boy still growing—the lines bulky and blurring into each other at the corners.

Not wanting to startle him, she warned, “I’m going to touch your back.”

He stiffened as though preparing himself, but he didn’t say anything, so she took that as a cue to proceed.

Starting with just a fingertip, she traced the circumference of the circle that enclosed the pentagram before laying a gentle kiss at its center. She closed her eyes to halt the flow of tears, and whispered, “I hate the pain you must have endured.”

“It’s nothing compared to what I’m enduring now. Your teasing is about to drive me crazy.” He started to turn, but she put a restraining hand on his arm.

Knowing she was pushing him to his limits, she still lingered, pressing her front to his back and wrapping her arms around him. His hands covered hers, squeezing them tightly when she placed another soft kiss on his back.

She came back around to his front, trailing her fingers along his torso as she went. Hooking the waistband of both his pants and underwear with her thumbs, she slid them down his legs, kissing a line down his chest and over his abs as she fell to her knees in the process. She unlaced his shoes, and he stepped out of them as she removed his socks and he kicked out of his pants, planting his legs in a wide stance.

She took him in hand.

“Can I open my eyes?ThisI want to watch.”

“Yes.” Gwen looked up at him and smiled at how quickly his eyes popped open.

Heat blazed in their depths as she flicked her tongue out, lapping up a drop of precum.

---