Page 19 of Protected By the Mountain Man

A groan tears from my throat.

She takes advantage of my parted lips and thrusts her tongue into my mouth. I don’t back down from the challenge, whipping my tongue with hers. My blood runs hot as I think of how I intend to make her scream with pleasure before this night is over, if she’ll let me.

One hand finds the zipper of my jeans and caresses the bulge within.

I think she’ll let me.

I think she’ll beg for it.

I smile wickedly against her mouth.

Mariah feels my lusty grin and pulls back, searching my face with questioning eyes. “What is it? Have I done something wrong?”

Clasping her close to my chest, I shake my head. “You’re doing everything right.”

Sudden doubt creases her forehead. “Are you sure? I—I’m not being too forward? Ruining everything?”

I grab her by the shoulders, squeezing gently. “I’m positive. I haven’t felt like this in a very long time, and it’s all thanks to you.” I pop a single eyebrow and swivel my hips against hers. “Can’t you tell?”

Her worried pout smooths into a smile as the expression in her eyes turns hard and hungry. “I feel it. I feelyou. And I want you.”

I lower my face to her neck and nibble at the soft flesh I find there. “All in good time,” I murmur, raking her skin gently with my teeth.

She shudders, and when she speaks her voice is strained with arousal. “But I need you, Ace.” She hooks a leg around my waist, grinding her opening against my cock through our jeans, and I almost lose it right then and there.

I pull back, gulping deep breaths to steady myself and my twitching, eager shaft. “I want you so badly, Mariah,” I growl.

She traces my cheek then rakes my beard with light fingers. “I want you too.”

“But…” I have to grapple for control of my breath, my body, my voice. I focus on Mariah’s face, her flushed cheeks and delicious mouth. “But,” I say again, resolve firming, “won’t you let me love you first? Before Imakelove to you?”

The change that comes over her face is subtle, but I don’t miss a bit of it. Her eyes widen. Her forehead, creased with the frustration of unmet desire, smooths.

Holding her, I feel the muscles in her body loosen. Not all the way, but enough that I know that she’s heard me. Enough that I know that she feels safe.

“Yes,” she breathes, all the tension gone from her voice now, replaced by trusting anticipation. “I will let you.”

“Good,” I growl. I can barely get the single syllable out from around the lump in my throat that springs up at how much she trusts me.

Sweeping her off her feet and wholly into my arms, I carry her to the couch. I sit her down, unbutton her jeans, and, unable to keep the wolfish grin from my face, say, “Take off your pants.”

The fire returns to her eyes, but her muscles stay loose and languid as she peels off her jeans and panties and settles back where I set her. I touch a single knee with one light hand and she swings both thighs wide.

“Love me, Ace,” she whispers, running a light thumb over my lips before leaning back. “Love all of me.”

I don’t wait for a single second.

I lower my face to her glistening opening and take my first taste of the feast waiting for me there.

Mariah

Ispread my legs and Ace’s nose flares. His jaw ticks when he realizes my juices are coating my slick folds and running down my legs. I want him more than anything else — including my next breath of air.

“Jesus, Mariah,” Ace groans as he lowers his mouth onto my opening. I shudder as he drags the flat of his tongue upward. He does it so lazily, almost like he has all the time in the world as he’s tasting a vineyard’s finest wine or a five-star meal.

All I can do is whimper, arching my hips upward in a silent plea for more. His beard rubs against my core, and I’m forced to bite down on a moan before it erupts into the apartment, waking Billy.

I’ve never been so desperate for my child to sleep deeply as I am at this moment.

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