Page 73 of Finding Forever

One broad shoulder lifted and fell in a desultory movement, making the muscles in his chest and abs flex appealingly. Fern licked her lips and swallowed to lubricate her suddenly parched throat.

“Figure it out,” he invited in a hoarse whisper, his taut tone telling her he wasn’t as indifferent as he was pretending to be.

Well then, she thought as her appreciative gaze swept over his beautiful, perfect naked body, pausing at all the places she longed to explore more thoroughly,time to play.

Forty-five minutesafter the most exquisite torture he’d ever experienced, Cade wrapped his arms around his limp, finally exhausted, and thoroughly replete wife, as she collapsed onto his chest.

She’d surprised him. Her sweet, innocent touches had been shy and tentative at first, but that shyness had gradually given way to a brazen, lingering, and thorough exploration that had taken both of them by surprise. She’d used her hands, mouth, tongue, and teeth to touch and taste every part of his body. Loitering at his chest, then licking along the ridges of his abs, until she’d finally lapped at the head of his cock like it was hard candy.

Despite the fact that his massive climax earlier had increased his staying power, the sweet, hesitant suction of her mouth on his length had nearly made him come again. Luckily, her inexperience had saved him from the sheer indignity of shooting his load too early, when she’d shifted her mouth from his cock, to plant a chaste little kiss on his abdomen.

That’s how it had gone for nearly half an hour, with her flitting from place to place, focusing on whatever random body part caught her interest and attention. There was no rhyme or reason to the seduction, her inexperience revealing itself in the lack of coordination, or focus, or knowledge of which erogenous zones to target. But that complete lack of skill had somehow been a lot more erotic than any of the more practiced efforts he’d experienced before.

Funny how things changed. Their first night together, her innocence and lack of technique had been a major turn off but now it edged him to the point of agony.

When she finally, with some aid from him, slid her hot, tightness down his hypersensitive shaft, he hadn’t lasted longer than two strokes. Thankfully, she’d been so turned onit had taken only the slow slide down his cock to set her off, so he hadn’t completely humiliated himself. But he was staggered by just how fast and how hard she’d make him come.

Again.

Now he lay—her slight body trembling in his tight embrace, his lazily throbbing cock still semi-hard and buried inside of her, slick wetness coating their thighs—confused and unsure of what his next move should be.

He couldn’t stay here with her. He had to get up, go to his own room, take a shower… but she was now completely limp, telling him she’d fallen asleep, and he hated to disturb her. Maybe he’d stay for a little while. Let her rest. Then he’d leave.

They both needed to get cleaned up. Her sheets needed changing. They were wet and sticky… it wasn’t comfortable. Say what you liked about condoms, at least there wasn’t this much mess afterwards. Cade was fastidious, he didn’t like how messy—literally and figuratively—sex could be, and this was way out of his comfort zone.

He would normally have left by now, but he couldn’t bring himself to move just yet. He swept a lazy hand up and down the slender, silky expanse of her back, fingers discovering the shallow indentations along her spine. The other was buried in her hair, protectively cupping the base of her skull.

He considered the events of the last couple of hours.

He wasn’t one for regrets. He owned his decisions and his actions. But his feelings about this development were ambivalent at best. This should not have happened. It was bound to complicate matters. It was an uncharacteristically stupid move. He’d never lived with any of his previous lovers, he wasn’t even sure how that would work.

He nuzzled the hair at her temple, enjoying the clean scent of her shampoo and the silky slide of her hair against his skin.

He should leave.

His arms tightened around her for a second, as if in protestof his decision, and then he painstakingly shifted her to the side. He winced when his half-mast cock slid from her pussy, and instantly yearned to be back inside of her snug, welcoming warmth.

He ruthlessly quashed that weak longing, and—once she was curled up on the dry side of the bed—didn’t allow himself a moment’s further hesitation.

He got up. And he left.

Without a backward glance.

Chapter

Eighteen

Waking up alone after the most remarkable night of her life, didn’t do much to dampen Fern’s spirits. Her body ached and throbbed in places she hadn’t previously known existed, and she desperately needed a shower… but she still thrummed with energy.

Everything about the night before had been wonderful. And yes, she was aware that for Cade it had about rectifying a mistake, appeasing his ego and showing her exactly how sex should be, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy theknowing.

She was unable to contain her smile as she bounced out of bed—wincing only slightly when her much-abused muscles protested the movement—and padded her way to the bathroom. It was probably like that for him with every woman. That first time with her had been the terrible exception. She knew that. No wonder he’d been so appalled. She laughed at the memory of his horror upon discovering that her first experience with sex had been so bad. No wonder he’d felt honor bound to rectify that mistake.

She giggled, getting shampoo in her mouth, but she didn’tcare. She feltebullient, as if she could conquer the world today. She didn’t even care that Cade would likely revert to his non-verbal grumpy self today. She was just happy it had happened. And she had zero regrets.

Well, she did haveoneregret.

It could never happen again. She knew that. It was toointimate. And made her too vulnerable. Cade had shown her a different side to his personality last night. A gruffly tender, generous, almost playful side… and Fern was concerned that if she spent too much time withthatguy, she’d lose herself very quickly.

---