Page 58 of Chain Me Knot

I don't want to pull away.

Our laughter fades, and the air develops another charge between us. Phoenix's expression shifts, playfulness giving way to an intensity of another sort. His eyes drop to my lips, then back to mine.

“Emma,” he says, my name rough in his throat. His hands on my waist tighten slightly, but still so careful, so controlled. “I would like to kiss you right now.”

The waves lap around our thighs, but I don’t notice the cold. Not with the heat of his body so close, not with the way his thumbs stroke small circles through my wet clothes. His fingers send little sparks through my skin, leaving a trail of heat where he touches.

He ducks his head, his gaze trained wholly on me. “Would that be okay, Tough Girl? If I kiss you?”

The question hangs between us, heavy with possibility. His scent made sharper by salt spray wraps around me like a warm blanket. I know, with absolute certainty, that if I say no, he'll accept it. Will step back and that will be all right. The choice is completely mine.

Maybe that's why I don't want to say no.

Maybe that's why I nod.

Maybe that's why I tilt my chin up and whisper, “Yes. Please. Kiss me, Phoenix.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Emma

The warmth of his lips is a searing heat against the cool ocean spray that coats our skin. His mouth is soft, a gentle brush of lips over mine. It's not a demanding kiss, but one that asks for permission, that seeks consent. A question whispered against my mouth, and I answer with a soft sigh, my lips parting for him in answer.

His tongue dips in, a tentative exploration. It's a dance, a slow, sensual waltz of tongues and lips. He tastes like the sea, salty and invigorating, yet there's a sweetness to him too, a hint of coffee and honeyed-amber.

My hands, clutching at his shoulders, slide up to his neck, my fingers tangling in the wet strands of his hair. I feel the strength in his neck, thecorded muscles that flex beneath my touch. His arms tighten, pulling me closer. He’s all heat and hardness and the desire unfurling inside me blossoms.

A wave crashes against us, the force of it making me stumble. Phoenix lifts me against him. My feet leave the sandy bottom, my body pressed against his chest, our lips still locked. The kiss deepens, becomes more urgent, more desperate. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, exploring, tasting, claiming.

His hands roam over my body, one sliding up my back to tangle in my wet hair, the other splayed across my lower back, supporting my weight. I arch into him, my body seeking more of his touch, more of his heat. His heart pounds against my chest, a steady rhythm that matches the beat of my own.

His mouth leaves mine, trailing kisses down my jaw, my neck, my collarbone. Each touch is a brand, a mark of possession that sends a thrill of pleasure through me. He nips my neck, a gentle tease that sends goosebumps skating over my skin. His tongue follows, licking, tasting, exploring.

The waves crash around our thighs, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is the heat of his mouth, the strength of his arms, the way he makes me feel simultaneously safe and wild. Free and anchored. Claimed and choosing. I don't want to stop. I want to stay here, in this moment, with him.

His long fingers mold to my nape while the other slides down my back, cups my ass and pulls me closer. His hardness throbs against my stomach, evidence of his desire.

I moan into his mouth, a sound of pure pleasure swallowed by his kiss. He responds with a soft growl, a sound of raw need that sends another wave of heat through me.

This…this is what I always imagined kissing would be like.

I wrap my legs around his hips, my body seeking more of his touch, more of his heat. I respond to his touch, my core clenching with a need I can't ignore. Wetness, hot and thick and nothing like the water coating us, gathers between my thighs.

I need more. More than his hands and his mouth. My abdomen clenches with an ache that throbs in time with my heartbeat. I need more… Need…

Phoenix's hands grip my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh as he pulls my hips against his.

Yes…this…

I grind my core against his erection, a soft moan escaping my lips as the sensation sends a wave of pleasure through me. His hardness fills the emptiness between my thighs and it drives me wild.

His mouth rips away from mine, but not far. Just enough to speak, though our lips stay touching. “Take anything you need from me. Take all of me, if you want.”

A delicious thrill races through me alongside burning arousal. My head is clear. What I feel is all want and need and desire. Not the heat haze that normally drives me to do these things. The clarity allows me not to hate myself as much, but here, now with Phoenix, there’s no guilt.

No self-hatred.

Just absolute need to take what he so willingly offers.

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