Page 47 of Heart of a Hero

Wild horses couldn’t have dragged me away. I stripped hastily, barely registering my clothes hitting the floor before I was reaching for her. Our lips crashed together, tongues tangling urgently as I walked us into the billowing heat.

The first touch of the water on my overheated skin was a shock, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of Nora’s slick body pressing against mine. I couldn’t get enough, my hands roaming greedily over every dip and swell. She was a drug and I was already hopelessly addicted, desperate for my next hit.

“Dawson, please,” Nora begged, arching into me.

I kissed a trail down her throat, tasting the drops gathered in the hollow of her collarbone. Lower still, swirling my tongue around a beaded nipple until she cried out sharply. My fingers skimmed over her stomach to tease through the wet curls at the juncture of her thighs.

Nora’s head fell back against the tile with a soft thunk, eyelids fluttering shut as she spread her legs wider in silent invitation. I groaned at the first brush of slick heat against my fingertips, my own eyes nearly rolling back in my head.

“That’s it, darlin’,” I encouraged hoarsely, circling her swollen clit. “Let me make you feel good.”

Her only response was a whimpered gasp, hips instinctively rocking into my touch. I teased her pussy as Nora arched against my hand, seeking more. I obliged, sinking my finger into her welcoming heat. She was so tight, so perfect, her inner walls fluttering around me like butterfly wings.

“Dawson,” Nora panted, nails digging into my shoulders. “I need… oh God, I need you.”

I captured her mouth in a searing kiss, swallowing her moans as I worked another finger inside, stretching her gently. Nora moved with me, meeting each thrust, chasing her pleasure with abandon. In that moment, I understood true beauty -- the sight of her lost in bliss, uninhibited and open, trusting me completely.

“I’ve got you,” I promised against her lips. “I’ll always take care of you, Nora.”

Tenderness welled up within me, so intense it bordered on pain. This incredible woman had burrowed under my skin, into the very fabric of my soul, and the vulnerability of it shook me to my core. I wanted her with a desperation that defied reason. Wanted to protect her, cherish her, worship her with my body until she never doubted her worth again.

“Please, Dawson,” Nora begged, teetering on the edge. “Make me yours.”

I curled my fingers just so, finding that secret spot that made her shatter with a keening cry. She clenched around me, shaking apart in my arms as I worked her through it, prolonging her ecstasy. Pinning her to the wall, I kissed her fiercely, trying to pour every ounce of my love into her, branding her as mine.

Her fingers tangled in my hair, tugging me closer as she rode out the waves of her release. I groaned into her mouth, the sting of her nails against my scalp only fueling my desire. Nora’s tongue danced with mine, hot and needy, matching the roll of her hips against my hand.

I broke away to trail open-mouthed kisses along her jaw, down the slender column of her throat. Her pulse fluttered wildly beneath my lips, betraying the effect I had on her. Pride surged through me, knowing I could unravel her so completely.

“You’re so beautiful,” I murmured against her skin, nipping at her collarbone. “I can’t get enough of you.”

A breathless laugh escaped her. “I never want you to. I want to feel you, all of you.”

Her words hit me like a shot of adrenaline, setting my blood on fire. I withdrew my fingers, ignoring her whimper of protest. I captured her wrists, pinning them above her head with one hand. “Patience, darlin’. I want to take my time with you.”

She made a sound of frustration, but it quickly turned into a moan as I ducked my head, taking her nipple into my mouth once more. I swirled my tongue around the dusky peak before drawing it between my lips. Nora cried out sharply, fingers sinking into my hair again, holding me to her. I lavished attention on her sensitive flesh, suckling and nipping until she was writhing against me, desperate for friction.

I drew back just enough to watch her face. Her eyes locked with mine, dark with hunger, silently urging me on.

Kneeling at her feet, I pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses up her thighs, painting a meandering path to where she needed me most. Nora’s fingers dug into my shoulder as I nuzzled her, inhaling deeply.

“You smell divine,” I growled, nipping at her hip. “I bet you taste even better.”

A flicker of doubt surfaced through the haze of lust. Nora had just survived something traumatic -- was I taking advantage of her vulnerability? I wanted her with every fiber of my being, but I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her or pushing for more than she was ready to give.

I rested my forehead against her hip, struggling to steady my ragged breathing. “Nora, baby… We don’t have to do this. If you want to stop, just say the word. I would never pressure you.”

She threaded her fingers through my hair, tugging gently until I met her heated gaze. “I don’t want to stop. It wasn’t clear enough I want you, need you?”

With a groan, I surged to my feet, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss. She met me with equal fervor, all sweet, seeking touches and breathy little moans that set my blood on fire. I wanted to lay her down and worship every inch of her body, to brand her as mine in the most primal way possible.

But I held myself in check, determined to take things slow, to make this good for her. Nora deserved so much more than a quick, rough tumble. She deserved to be cherished, adored. And that’s exactly what I intended to do.

I gentled my touch, my kisses, pouring all the tenderness and reverence I felt into each caress. Nora melted against me, pliant and trusting, a precious gift I swore to treasure. I knew I would do anything, be anything she needed. Not just tonight, but always.

I wanted a future with her, wanted to build a life together. It was too soon, too much, too fast, but I couldn’t deny the truth of it. I knew people wouldn’t understand, would claim what we had wasn’t real because we hadn’t known each other long enough. But I knew plenty of couples who had proven that theory wrong, and Nora and I were about to be another one.

Because I was never letting her go.

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