Page 23 of The Hero's Bride
She pulled back and looked up at him, eyes glowing. “Kissing you feels like freedom,” she whispered. “I haven’t felt that in so long. It feels like skipping along the path home after school, knowing when I got there, I could do anything I wanted before I had to help my mother make dinner. I didn’t appreciate that freedom. Maybe that’s because I never expected to lose it.”
Her words, everything that had been taken from her, gutted him. “That will never be taken from you again. Not while I’m breathing.”
She shook her head, an expression of distress evident on her beautiful face. “No. Please don’t say that. My freedom is not worth your life. I could never be truly free if something happened to you while you were defending me. Kissing you, having time to just feel after not knowing what was going to happen to me…it’s precious.”
He couldn’t deny this woman anything. Being able to make her feel alive and free, to let her be in control and have autonomy over her actions was precious to him, too. He leaned closer, pausing to give her time to object. She surged forward, diving back into the kiss. Heat flashed in his gut. This kiss was no easy exploration. A fuse had been lit, and they bonded together with magnetic force. Her delicate lips were a contrast to their crude efforts to get closer. Any ounce of finesse was abandoned for something raw and real. She worked her small hand between the gap in his robe, spreading her fingers over his chest. His breath seized at her touch as an ache pulsed through him.
“You can touch me, too,” she said leaning back. Her robe had loosed enough to see the lush curves of her breasts.
Even through the thick material of the robe, her nipples were hard and strained. How he wanted to suck each bud into his mouth. Give her pleasure she’d never experienced before. Her pupils were blown out, the black eclipsing her green irises, and her lips were swollen from their heated kisses. Eyes never leaving hers, he caressed the sides of her breasts, reveling in her silken skin. Her breath quickened, warm against his face. His hands ached to explore her body with abandon, but even though she wanted his touch, he wasn’t about to lose control. This was about her.
When he continued to stroke her breasts, she arched against him. His calloused hands moved over the swollen tips, and she gasped. He lowered his head, sucking one point into his mouth. Her short nails dug into his scalp, as he continued to lick and tease. He could feel her body tighten, and wondered if he could make her shatter from this alone. Her thighs clenched together tightly, and a light sheen of sweat coated her skin.
“I want to give you more,” he said grazing his teeth over her sensitive skin. He dipped his hand beneath the robe, trailing to her mid-thigh before stopping. “Can I touch you? Is this okay?”
“Yes, Mason. Please.” The sound of his name spoken breathlessly from her sweet lips made the base of his erection throb. He continued to taste her skin, working his hand closer to her center. When he gently stroked her slick folds, she gasped. More when he centered his attention at the small bundle of nerves between her thighs. She rocked against his fingers, gasping for air.
“Easy, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” Need was a living, breathing thing curling through him. Not to bury himself inside her, but to be the one to bring her over the edge. Her body tensed, eyes half closed with pleasure before her entire body began to tremble. He continued to stroke, prolonging her pleasure before easing her down from the orgasm slowly. She continued to breathe with her eyes closed as he drew her body into his embrace.
“You are so fucking beautiful, but Thalia, when you break apart like that for me? Absolutely gorgeous.”
A blush worked up her cheeks and her eyes fluttered open. “I thought I disappointed you. Why didn’t you… You haven’t…” She stumbled over her words, finally trailing off into silence.
“Just because I kiss you. Because I touch you, doesn’t mean what we’re doing has to end in sex. What you just gave me? The trust you placed in me by allowing me to bring you pleasure? That’s a gift. One I won’t take for granted.” He kissed her deeply. “Make no mistake, Thalia. I want to make love to you, if and when the time is right for both of us.”
“When will the time be right for you?” Curiosity piqued her gaze as she stared up at him.
“When you know with your heart and soul that’s what you want too.” Before he opened his mouth and bared his soul, he gave her a quick kiss and sat up. “It’s almost noon. We should expect the FBI soon, and I’d like to make sure you eat and feel comfortable before they get here. I’m going to run a bath for you, and I’ll take a shower down the hall.”
Her eyes lit the moment he mentioned the bath, and he grinned, glad there was something he could do to put her at ease before the interview. He crossed the room into the en suite and turned on the taps, adjusting the water so it was the right temperature. He noticed the scented bath salts on the side of the tub and sprinkled one liberally into the water. The sweet scent of sugared lemons rose with the steam. Once the bath was filled, he turned off the faucet. When he entered the bedroom, Thalia was sitting on the side of the mattress. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and he immediately thought of how silky and thick it had felt between his fingers.
“Take your time.” He crossed the room and placed a kiss on her head before grabbing his clothes. Although he wanted more time with her, he purposely paced out of the room, wanting some distance to regain his equilibrium. He was prepared to take the coldest shower of his life after the morning he’d shared with Thalia. He walked into the bathroom and slid open the glass door of the shower. Bracing one hand against the wall, he turned on the water, quickly stepping beneath the spray. He shampooed his hair, and as he stood beneath the overhead rain shower, thoughts of Thalia filled his head. The way she moved against him. The satin feel of her skin. Soft gasps of breath in his ear.
Unable to quell his erection, he gripped the base, working his hand up and down as he thought of the way Thalia looked with her head thrown back in pleasure. The weight of her breasts filling his hands. Her fingers exploring his chest. It wasn’t long before an ache built in his lower back and his orgasm ripped through him. He took a few deep steadying breaths before quickly washing and turning off the taps. He stepped out and tugged the nearest towel off the warming rack and hoped that Thalia would find the same comfort. After he dressed, he made his way into the kitchen.
Sully stood in the doorway of the suite with one hand on a metal rolling cart. “Thanks. I can take it from here,” he said to the hotel staff. Sully passed the man a wad of cash before the worker thanked him and left the room. The bitter scent of freshly brewed coffee combined with savory and sweet breakfast items wafted through the air.
“Thought I heard you guys starting to stir.” Sully lifted his chin and pulled the cart inside, then closed the door and secured the dead bolt. “I ordered a bit of everything.”
He scanned the number of silver-covered plates and raised a brow. “Jude joining us?”
“No, but he stopped by before he hit the gym to see how Thalia was doing.” Sully wheeled the cart closer to the dining room table. “He wanted us to let him know when the FBI agents got here so he could sit in on the interview.” Sully placed cups out on the table and set a carafe of coffee and hot water in the center. “Is Thalia up? I noticed you didn’t sleep in your room last night.” Sully shot him a questioning look.
“No, I didn’t,” he said leveling his gaze over the top of the dining room chairs. “Thalia asked me to stay in her room. The hotel, the opulence of it, makes her think of the Day estate.”
“Shit.” Sully paused with one of the trays in his hands. “I didn’t think of that. Is she okay?” He put the platter down in the middle of the table and straightened.
“Yeah, now that we know it makes her uncomfortable, we can adjust our travel arrangements.”
“Like you and I would choose a hotel like this,” Sully scoffed. “If it’s safe and clean, that’s all I care about. I can’t go anywhere in this suite without knocking over a vase of flowers or some glass trinket.”
Light footfalls sounded and Sully’s gaze moved behind him. He turned as Thalia walked into the room and felt as though he’d been sucker punched. Her damp hair was loose over her shoulders, and she’d changed back into his shorts and a shirt. They needed to get her some clothes before the next leg of their journey but for now, she appeared relaxed, skin fresh and glowing after the long bath. When their eyes met, her cheeks raised with a smile. One that was brighter than the sunlight flooding the room from the wide floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Just in time to eat.” He grinned as she approached.
She pressed her hand to her stomach. “I am hungry.”
He pulled out a chair, then moved to the seat next to her.
