Page 67 of Finding Forever

He finally breathed. A deep, relieved exhalation into her mouth, gifting her with air that he stole from her again a mere second later.

It was a soft, tentative exploratory touch… his lips tender and reverent as they learned hers. Fern was the breathless one now, waiting in hushed anticipation to see what he would do next.

His hand left her waist, coming up to palm her face, as he held it still, using his thumb to tilt her chin slightly, changing the angle of her head so that he could lick at the seam of her mouth. Understanding what he wanted from her, she parted her lips obediently.… She felt more than heard the hushedgood girlhe muttered… and thrilled at the praise. Then she gasped in gentle shock when he licked at the prominent rise at the center of her cupid’s bow, beforesuckingit into his mouth with a gravelly purr of satisfaction.

It was the sexiest sound she’d ever heard, and she was proud to be the cause of it. She wound her arms around his neck, burying her hands in his hair as she pulled him even closer.

He was still plucking and licking at the peak of her cupid’sbow, before gently scraping his teeth over it. The gesture sent a wave of unfamiliar erotic and exciting sensations careening through her body, which tore a ragged moan from her throat. She tilted her head back, in the hopes that he’d stop toying with her and deepen the kiss.

He complied with a harsh groan, his tongue flowing into her mouth like lava, scalding everything in its path, as it forged a path of chaotic devastation through her neural pathways. Everything she felt was confusing and new and a little frightening. But Cade’s steady, familiar presence kept her grounded, and she tightened her arms around him, terrified she’d lose herself completely if she didn’t.

He turned slightly—a minor adjustment—and he was on top of her. Fern wasn’t even sure how it happened, but her thighs were spread wide to accommodate his presence between them. The wonderful, hard length she’d felt pressed against her earlier was now throbbing eagerly against her mound.

Even through the layers of his clothing and her embarrassingly soaked panties, she could feel his heat, and she raised her knees to cradle him more fully, planting her feet on the mattress to lift her pelvis and frantically, almost wildly, rubbed the aching, hungry part of her against that deliciously throbbing part of him.

He tore his mouth from hers, and she made a soft sound of protest and lifted her head to follow him.

“Fuck, Fern… stop,” he whispered urgently, his eyes feverish as they focused on her face. “Slow down. I’m going to?—”

He made a soft, agonized sound that surprised her because of how helpless and vulnerable it sounded. He levered upright and tore himself away from her. Leaving her laying there, aching, throbbing,hurting… empty. Legs spread wide, T-shirt pushed up to just below her breasts, chest heaving with her excited pants.

Confused, she sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes, watching him, as he sat on the edge of the bed, his back to her, and shoulders defensively hunched.

His breathing was ragged, harsh.

He looked like a cornered wild animal. A messy swathe of black hair covering his eyes as he stared fixedly down at the floor.

“Cade?” She tentatively reached for him, placing a hand on one of his broad shoulders and was gutted when he flinched away from her.

“I just need a moment,” he muttered. “You… that?—”

“Did I… Did I hurt you?” she asked uncertainly.

He laughed. The sound was soft, tormented and utterly devoid of humor.

“No, Fern, you just took me by surprise is all.” Despite the aggressive way he’d flinched away from her, his voice was soft, almost gentle. “I need a moment to compose myself, okay?”

“Okay.” She hated how meek she sounded and drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on top of her knees and watched his tense broad back pensively.

“I liked the way you kissed me,” she offered tentatively and his head whipped around, the movement so fast and unexpected it shook her. His sharp, brooding eyes pinned her to the spot, but unlike Cade, Fern didn’t flinch away. She kept her gaze steady. She was finding that she was made of sterner stuff than she’d ever known.

“Did you?” His eyes took on a predatory gleam and now his upper body swiveled toward her as well. He planted his palm on the mattress, as he leaned toward her… and Fern wondered if he was trying to intimidate her into backing away and recanting her statement.

Well, if that was what he wanted he was out of luck.

“Yes. I thought you did too? Why did you stop?”

The corner of his lip lifted in an oh-sowickedlopsided smile.

“Because,temptress”—ooh shelikedthe sound of that old-fashioned word very, very much—“you nearly made me come in my pants.”

She lifted her head, her mouth falling open as she stared at him in wonder. He was now fully turned toward her and had repositioned himself until he was crouched, on all fours, on the mattress in front of her.

He prowled—it was literally the only word applicable for the predatory movement—toward her. She uncurled her body from its defensive ball, straightening her legs, as he crept up their length, his hands and knees planted on either side of them.

He didn’t stop until his face was an inch away from hers, at which point he lifted his hands and knelt in front of her. Knees planted on either side of her hips as he straddled her lap. He lowered himself slowly, showing off the impressive strength of his solid thighs by hovering his butt just above her lap.

His broad chest was in her face and he cupped her jaw almost roughly to tilt her head up. The angle gave her a crick in the neck, but she wasn’t about to complain. She found that she kind of liked his uncompromising bossiness in certain situations.

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