Page 84 of Fire

“Put it in your mouth.” The command came out a growl.

He was bending the rules by directing. They both knew it. But even though his jaw locked and his fists clenched, he kept his arms at his sides, so she rewarded his effort.

Slipping her lips over the head and squeezing the base, she guided him into her mouth.

Slowly.

Applying pressure with her tongue as her mouth traveled the length of his shaft.

“Fuck yeah. Take it all in.”

He knew he was asking the impossible, but she regulated her breathing, relaxed her throat, and drew him in until her lips kissed her fist.

Then she slowly pulled back off.

He made a sexy as hell noise between a growl and a groan, and she rolled her eyes to find him watching her mouth with eyes so heated, it was a wonder she didn’t ignite right there on the spot.

She gave him a slow, mischievous smile.

“Stop teasing or this game you’re playing ends now.”

From his tone, she could tell he was serious, and, not wanting to stop, she dropped her eyes and got busy. Concentrating on technique, she sucked him in deep while keeping in time with her fist. In her periphery, she saw his fists clench tighter, the knuckles turning white, and she hastened her efforts, knowing he was getting close.

Blake’s hand grabbed the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair, stopping her movements. “I don’t want to come in your mouth.”

She’d give him that.

Slowly sliding off, she licked her lips then stood, giving him her back. “Unzip me.”

The fabric around her body loosened by degrees until he came to the end of the zipper. And then his hands slid into her dress, coming to rest on the flat of her stomach. He pulled her to him.

“My turn,” he whispered in her ear.

One hand went down, covering her, capturing her heat, while the other went up, cupping her breast through her bra. His hands didn’t move, he just held her like that for a long moment, his heart pounding against her back, and his breaths drifting across her ear to caress her cheek.

“I’ve never made love to a woman. Never wanted to. But I do with you.” He buried his face in her neck, felt his lips against her skin, his chest expanding as he breathed her in. “I’ve never felt clean. I’ve never felt worthy of love. And I sure as hell never thought anyone could love the real me. That you do breaks my heart and mends it all in one breath.”

Her own heart clenched at his confession. Somehow so much more personal than the one he’d made not so long before. A tear fell down her cheek, followed by another on the other side, silent, but not any less heartfelt.

“Please don’t cry.” He turned her in his arms, cupped her face and brushed at the wetness. “It hurts to see your tears.”

She raised her hands, gripping his forearms through the fabric of her dress, needing to touch him. “I’m sorry.” Even as she apologized, another tear fell. “I can’t seem to stop. Your pain is mine.”

He shook his head. “No more pain. For once in my life, I’m happy. Took me a while to figure out that’s what I feel when I’m with you, but now that I know, I never want to give it up. I’m addicted to that feeling. You’re the balm to the fire that rages inside of me, that blisters and scars everything in its wake. You soothe and heal and fill me with hope. And I’m going to do everything in my power to give you that same feeling in return.”

“You already do. No matter how much you pushed me away, my heart wanted to run to you. It knew what my head refused to see, you’re the love of my life. And even if you try to push me away again, I will fight to keep you.”

He shook his head again. “I’m not going anywhere.” And then as if to prove his point, he kissed her with the harsh claiming she’d grown to expect. The merciless attack on her senses, devouring her mind, body, and soul.

With little effort, he had her dress gone and pooled at her feet. Her bra followed next. His hands explored everywhere—the shape of her breasts, the flat of her stomach, the curve of her hips, the swell of her ass—as though he didn’t want to stop touching her, as though hecouldn’tstop touching her, leaving her feeling worshiped and cherished.

Maneuvering her back a few steps, he told her to sit, and once she planted herself on the edge of the bed, he knelt before her.

Reverently, he paid homage to her. It started with a light kiss on her ankle as he removed first her right shoe and then her left. It continued as he trailed more kisses up the length of her leg, stopping to nuzzle the spot behind her knee before following the path of her inner thigh.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in her scent before encircling her hips and palming her ass, pulling her to his mouth so he could feast. And he did, his tongue and lips finding all her sensitive places, leaving her panting and writhing and wanting so much more.

And he gave it to her. Climbing on the bed, he grasped her under the arms, pulling her to its center before covering her, her legs falling open to cradle him. Up on his elbows, he cupped her face between his hands, staring down at her as he slowly—oh, so slowly—filled her.

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