Page 62 of Trouble Walked In

She sucked in a breath. “Me too. But it’s too cold for this.”

“I can help with that.” He sat back and pulled his shirt off. His chest muscles rippled as he threw the shirt into the corner of the daybed. The lights played with the peaks and valleys of his torso, creating shadows that made his muscles stand out even more.

Renic was solid and real. The kind of man a woman could cling to without feeling like she’d break him in half.

When she realized he was watching her while she assessed his assets, she looked away, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

Renic laughed. “I’m not. I love that expression. It suits you. You’re welcome to look anytime.”

She glanced back at him. “What expression?”

“Lust.” He reached for her hands. “Come here.”

He helped her sit up, then pulled her forward until she settled onto his lap, her legs straddling his waist. His arms went around her, and in seconds he had her bra undone.

The straps fell, and he pushed her bra down to reveal her breasts. The cold slapped them awake.

He stared like they were the first pair he’d ever seen. “Finally. You have no idea how much of a tease it was last night, not being able to see you. I mean really see you. Like this.”

A warm flush crawled up her core and settled somewhere in her heart. Between the fairy lights and the night and his hands on her body, she’d never felt as attractive as she did right now, in this moment. She arched her back in silent offering.

He made a strangled sound and cupped her breasts beforekissing them one at a time. His lips and breath lingered over the tips for so long she thought she might explode.

“Renic. I didn’t bring…” She gasped as he sucked a little harder and teased her with a gentle nip of his teeth.

“I did,” he mumbled, then moved on to the other side.

She leaned back and gripped his legs for support.

“Mmm. Perfect.” Renic ran his hands down the length of her stomach, sending sparks of excitement to places lower down. “Absolutely perfect.”

His fingers played with the top of her jeans, dipping down into them here and there, tantalizingly close to areas she wished he’d explore further.

She groaned. “You’re a tease.”

He busied himself with pushing the fabric down a fraction of an inch at a time. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Yes. No. Oh God.” She gasped when his finger brushed an extremely sensitive spot.

He chuckled, then moved his hands up her body, pushing her bra and shirt off her shoulders and down her arms. She tugged them the rest of the way off, eager to have nothing between them.

He kissed her, a chaste tap on the lips, then whispered, “Lay back for me?”

“Only if you join me.”

“Count on it.” He flashed a wicked grin that sent another thrill racing through her.

She leaned back. Renic eased her the rest of the way down until she lay with her head on one of the pillows, her back against the cushion, and her breasts exposed for his review.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for.” Renic looked at her with hungry, feral eyes. His hands traveled over her, kneading and massaging and teasing until sparks ignited underneath her skin.

He took her mouth with his. Then he helped pull her jeans off with slow, deliberate movements, punctuated by kisses along the way. She grew impatient with his progress and started to pull off her panties. He grabbed her hands to stop her before she got very far.

“There’s no need to rush,” he said.

“The hell there isn’t.” She didn’t think she could stand it if he treated her underwear the way he did her jeans.

“We have all night. Let’s take our time.” He kissed her again, deep and slow. His hands deftly shifted the thin fabric inch by inch, down, down, down, until he pulled them off and flicked them aside.

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