Page 22 of Fractured Dreams

Tex hadn’t moved, still standing there, one well-muscled arm reaching up to the cupboard overhead, the other gripping the edge of the counter next to her hip, caging her in. Eden dragged her eyes up his hard-as-steel chest, up over the strong column of his throat, past the sexy two-day growth and his seductively curving lips to his eyes, flaring hot gold as he looked down at her.

She inhaled the intoxicating scent of soap and mint and man, and that, along with the sheer masculinity of him, hardened her nipples almost painfully. His gaze dropped to see the embarrassing evidence of her arousal visible through the thin white material of her top and when he looked back up at her, the gold of his eyes that had been hot was now scorching.

Eden leaned back against the counter, clasping the edge with both hands, trying to give herself some space so her nipples wouldn’t rub against his chest, but the move only ended up thrusting her breasts up toward him. Tex made a noise deep in his throat and she froze.

His grip had moved from the stack of bowls and he was now grasping the shelf the bowls sat on. She could almost feel the tension in the hard bicep that bracketed her head. His eyes dropped back to her breasts and slowly, almost as if he couldn’t help himself, he used the hand that had been gripping the counter next to her hip to gather up the hem of her top. His knuckles skimmed the soft skin of her stomach as he gradually drew the material upward.

Eden’s pulse was pounding throughout her entire body, and she didn’t dare move, in case she broke whatever spell they both seemed to be under.

Slowly, so slowly, Tex pulled her top up until he’d exposed the underside of her breasts, then he stopped. His expression was inscrutable, but a muscle flexed in his jaw.

Painfully aroused, Eden pressed her thighs together, trying to ease the ache between them. He caught the movement, and it seemed to decide him, because he kept going, tugging her top up from under her breasts, so they bounced slightly as the material came loose. Without a word, she raised her arms so he could pull it over her head, finally revealing her fully to his heated gaze.

“Fuck, Eden.” His voice was low and gravelly at the sight of her full breasts—swollen and heavy with desire, her nipples achingly tight.

He finally let go of the cupboard above her, both large hands moving to span her rib cage, his thumbs sweeping backward and forward over the smooth skin just below her breasts. Eden’s breath caught, her heart beating so hard she thought he could probably feel it through his palms. She turned her face up to his, seeing his conflicting emotions in the dark dilation of his pupils and the muscle still flexing in his tense jaw.

Eden shivered under the heat of his gaze, and he dragged his eyes back up to her face. She wet her lips, not to intentionally provoke him, but because she was almost as nervous as she was excited. Regardless, the action broke his control.

“Fuck it,” he growled, just before his hands tightened and he crashed his mouth down on hers.

Eden’s lips parted immediately, needing to taste him as much as she needed her next breath. He tasted of mint from his toothpaste, and something else, something that told her indisputably that it was Tex kissing her. No one else.

His mouth was demanding against hers. If she’d thought he was conflicted, there was no evidence of that now. His tongue invaded her mouth as if he owned it, and she loved every second, arching up toward him and whimpering under the onslaught. His hands stroked down her waist, around to her ass, pulling her flush against him, and she moaned as he pushed hot and hard and so damn big against her stomach.

At the sound of her moan, Tex made a noise so low and deep it was almost feral and shoved his hands into her hair, tilting her head to give him better access to her mouth. She shuddered with pleasure, rubbing her aching breasts against his chest to try to get some relief.

The kiss was better than she could ever have imagined, but she wanted more, she wanted all of him. Breaking away, she looked up into his eyes, hazy with lust, and begged him, “Tex, please.” She didn’t know if it was the desperation in her voice that did it, or just the reminder of who he was kissing that caused him to pull back with a curse, almost shoving himself away from her as he did.

Shocked, Eden put her hand up to her mouth, fingers lightly touching her swollen lips, still tingling from the feel of his against them.

Tex raked his hair back from his face with both hands, then laced his fingers together behind his head as he stared at her, his eyes stormy as they dipped to her breasts once more before dragging back up to her face.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said, his voice hoarse.

Eden dropped her fingers from her mouth, forcing herself not to cover her breasts.

“Yes, you should have. I wanted you to. I want you to do it again. I want you to do mo—”

He dropped his hands and shook his head, cutting her off. “No. This is wrong. It can’t happen again. Itwon’thappen again.” Without giving her another look, he turned and strode off, leaving her so frustrated and aroused she thought she might actually burst into tears.

Chapter 13

Tex had successfully avoided Eden until it was time to head to the practice session with EoD. It had helped that she’d seemed to be avoiding him too.

Christ, what had he been thinking? After all his resolutions from the day before, all it had taken was her ass pressed against his cock, and the sight of her gorgeous breasts and he’d caved.

And fuck, it had been just as sweet as he’d imagined. He would have kept going too. Would have stripped those tiny shorts from her body and dropped to his knees to taste her, wouldn’t have been able to stop himself after that from taking her right then and there on the kitchen floor. If she hadn’t spoken. Hearing Eden’s voice say his name with that desperate husky neediness had shocked him into realizing what he was doing. How close he’d come to doing exactly what he’d promised himself he wouldn’t.

And he was still slowly losing his mind, hours later, when they finally finished up at the studio. The EoD boys had already packed up and left, so it was just him and Connor remaining.

“Do you want to come back to the house for a drink, or is Eden waiting on you?” Connor asked as he latched his guitar case shut.

Tex didn’t know if she would be or not, but he couldn’t go back there. Not yet. He was still skating on the thin edge of control after that morning. Could still remember her taste, the feel of her satiny skin under his fingertips.

I want you to do more.

That’s what she’d been saying when he’d cut her off.

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