Page 50 of Bar Down

One of his hands slid up to caress her breast, fingers teasing her nipple in time with the movements of his tongue. The dual stimulation was overwhelming. Her hips moved against his mouth, chasing the mounting pressure.

When he slid a finger inside her, curving upward to find the spot that made her see stars, Stephanie cried out his name. A second finger joined the first, stretching her deliciously as his tongue continued its relentless attention.

The orgasm built with startling speed, tension coiling tighter with each stroke of his tongue, each thrust of his fingers. When it finally broke, pleasure crashed through her in waves, her body clenching around his fingers as she arched off the bed.

Before she'd fully recovered, Marcus was moving up her body, his expression a fascinating mixture of satisfaction and raw need. He reached for the nightstand, retrieving his wallet and extracting a condom.

Stephanie's heart raced as she watched him tear the foil packet. She reached out, taking it from him. "Let me."

Her fingers trembled slightly as she rolled the condom over his length, the intimacy of the act somehow more profound than what had come before. When she finished, she drew him down for a kiss, tasting herself on his lips as her thighs parted to welcome him.

"I need you," she whispered against his mouth, a confession that meant more than the simple words conveyed.

Marcus positioned himself at her entrance, his eyes holding hers as he slowly pushed forward. The stretch and fullness as he entered her drew a long moan from Stephanie's throat. He paused, giving her time to adjust, his arms trembling slightly with the effort of restraint.

"More," she urged, lifting her hips to take him deeper.

He began to move, establishing a rhythm that started slow and measured but gradually increased in urgency as their bodies demanded more. Stephanie wrapped her legs around his waist, changing the angle to take him deeper, each thrust hitting places inside her that sent sparks shooting along her nerves.

Sweat glistened on his skin, the muscles of his shoulders flexing beneath her palms as he moved above her. His eyes never left hers—the connection between them extending beyond the physical, something profound passing in that locked gaze that she couldn't name but felt to her core.

When his hand slipped between them to circle her sensitive bundle of nerves, Stephanie felt herself building toward another peak. Her breath came in short gasps, her body tightening around him as pleasure mounted.

"Look at me," Marcus whispered. "Stay with me."

The intimacy of his request, the vulnerability in his eyes as he said it, pushed her over the edge. She came with his name on her lips, her body pulsing around him in waves that seemed to go on forever.

The sensation of her release triggered his own. Marcus's rhythm faltered, his movements becoming more urgent as he chased his completion. Stephanie held him tightly, whispering encouragement against his ear until he stiffened in her arms, a deep groan escaping as he found his release.

For several moments they remained joined, breathing heavily, foreheads pressed together in the aftermath. When Marcus finally moved to dispose of the condom, Stephanie felt a momentary emptiness that surprised her with its poignancy.

He returned immediately, gathering her against his chest as if unable to bear the separation. His heart thundered beneath her ear, gradually slowing as they lay entwined in the quiet hotel room.

Stephanie traced lazy patterns on his chest, marveling at how natural it felt to be here with him like this. All their professional differences, the contrasting approaches that had once driven them apart, now seemed to complement rather than conflict.

"What are you thinking?" Marcus asked softly, fingers drawing circles on her shoulder.

"That I never expected this," she admitted, pressing a kiss to his chest. "Us."

"Neither did I." His arms tightened around her. "But now I can't imagine it any other way."

The simple honesty of his words warmed her more than any passionate declaration could have. Stephanie tilted her face up, finding his lips in a gentle kiss that held promise rather than urgency.

Later, as sleep began to claim her, the exhaustion of the game, the emotional roller coaster, and their physical connection catching up all at once. The last thing she felt before drifting off was Marcus pressing a kiss to her forehead, his arms creating a sanctuary around her that felt, against all odds, like coming home.

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