Page 44 of One Hotlanta Night
But I don’t say any of those things. Instead, I focus on the dinner he prepared.
“I can’t believe how incredible that was. I didn’t know it could be that good. You’re absolutely amazing with your hands.” As the words leave my lips, my cheeks heat at the innuendo of my words. After that meal… Well, I don’t think I’ve ever truly tasted food until now. What he cooked for me was insane. Delicious. Orgasmic. “I mean—”
Michael laughs softly, running his hand through my hair as I rest my head on his chest. The soft cushions of his couch are surprisingly comfortable, but I wouldn’t trade anything for my prime spot, listening to his heartbeat directly under my ear. “I know exactly what you mean, and you can have it any time you want.” He lifts my head, cradling it in his hands as he looks deep into my eyes and then drops his gaze lower. “And anything else you want, too,” he breathes as he dips his head to press his lips to mine.
His tenderest of touches immediately ignites a fire within me. Our tongues tangle and dance together, ripples of pleasure sending my nerve endings alight. I loop my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He slides his hands down to my waist, grabbing my hips and dragging me over to straddle his lap while his tongue licks across my mouth, demanding entrance.
Parting my lips, I helplessly grant him access, his groan vibrating into me. The sound electrifies me, pulses running the entire length of my body. Every single nerve ending comes alivefrom where our tongues explore each other all the way down to where his hand slips down to cup and knead my ass. He pulls me closer, our chests colliding as one hand tangles in my hair, anchoring my head as the other roams up and down my leg, sending shivers throughout me.
My heart is beating so fast that I can hardly breathe. It’s more intense than any kiss we’ve shared before and I crave more. More of him, his touch, his taste, the way he presses me so close that my entire body is aflame with desire. What little semblance of self-control I came here with is obliterated by the fire consuming us both. Michael growls into my mouth as he pushes deeper, his tongue thrusting against mine, eliciting all sorts of sensations that vibrate down to my core. I suck on his tongue in response, eager for him to feel how I want to touch him elsewhere. How much I want to feel him. He shudders against my mouth. With a gasp, he breaks off the kiss, both of us panting from heat and want.
This connection between us goes far beyond the physical. It’s soul-deep. And I want more.
“Vivian,” he breathes heavily, in sync with my shallow inhales. Cupping my head in his hands, he struggles to regain control as his thumbs gently trace my cheekbones, his fervor tempered by tenderness. “You need to know something. Before I can’t stop,” he rasps. My heart stops for a minute. He wants to have a conversationnow? When we’re in the middle of ecstasy?
Michael strokes my cheeks so tenderly, his eyes locked on mine. They’re darker than I’ve ever seen them, full of hunger and heat and something else. “You need to know I’m falling for you.”
His words freeze me in place.
“You’re so perfect, mi amor,” he continues. “So wonderful, you’re everything… and I want this so badly.“ He shifts his hips, unintentionally hitting that spot that promises how good we could be together as I suppress a moan. “But I need to hear itfrom you. I need to know if I’m the only one feeling this way or if you’re in it with me. For more than just tonight.”
Tucking a strand of the hair he’d been fisting only moments before carefully behind my ear, he looks almost vulnerable, his dark eyes questioning as he steadies himself.
“Because this, for me, is so much more than tonight, and I can’t go any further until I know what you feel, if you want this too… if you’re mine. Completely mine.”
Michael’s gaze grows darker, intensifies, and his grip on my hips tense, fingers trembling. This strong, passionate, beautiful man who’s holding himself back is nervous about my answer. His powerful forearms flex, forcing himself to be still while he waits. But his eyes flit back and forth between mine, uncertainty etched on his face. Like even after the time we’ve spent together, even after he’s made his feelings clear, he’s not quite sure what I’ll say. He’s laying it all out for me, his heart along with his body. Asking me what I want. Asking me to choose him.
Any lingering hesitation evaporates as I finally accept that I want him right back. Body and soul. And yes, for more than one night.
I want all of him.
I desire this man far more than just the way my body responds to his touch. I’m tired of doubting that this could be real, of fighting this attraction that’s unlike any I’ve experienced before. I kept my promise to myself to swear off guys, but it’s time to end my fast. To open myself up to the possibility of a relationship. Not just any relationship. One with him. I’m ready to let him in.
I want to be with this man in any and every way possible. His bold, passionate personality has woken up something inside of me. I love how he incites both desire and certainty, and the way we fit together. We’re like a raging bonfire with flames that heat and protect but don’t consume. He must be burning up with need,I can feel him, and how it’s taking every ounce of controlfor him not to take this further. I respect him all the more for it. That he’s not selfish, that he needs to know I’m on the same page, that he’s opening his heart to me and this isn’t some one night stand. I look at him and I see all this and the promise of more in his eyes.
We’ve gone far beyond mere physical attraction. The two of us together, it’s a joining of souls. It’s a desire to be as close as possible with our hearts and also our bodies. His pulse beats more rapidly under my hands, practically shaking while he waits for my response. A muscle works in his jaw as he holds himself rigidly. And those words echo in my head.“If you miss out on this, you’ll miss out on something big.”
He’s telling me with his words, his eyes, and yes, his hands, that he wants all of me. And I know he is strong enough to walk away if I say no. And I really don’t want him to. I want to say yes. So I do.
“You’re not alone in this,” I whisper, holding his gaze steadily, hoping he will read in my eyes all that I can’t find the words for. Hoping he sees that I mean it. That I want him too, everything he’s willing to give me, and not just once. For so much longer than that. I don’t understand how I feel this way; only that I do. When I look at him, I see his desire, his strength, his heart. There’s no second-guessing, no fear or hesitation as I lean closer to kiss him softly. Something inside me clicks into place, and a new warmth spreads through me. I feel safe, secure, and treasured, like I’m coming home. To love.
“Vivian,” he gasps as he takes my mouth and plunders it. All his restraint is gone and in its place is ravenous hunger. He captures my mouth and makes it his, lips and tongue devouring, as he wraps his hand in my hair, bringing me as close as humanly possible. His arm is a vise around my back, molding me to his hardness and plastering me to his desperate desire. His tongue is everywhere, his hands are everywhere, and the crispcitrus scent of his cologne mixed with his body heat makes my eyes roll back in my head. We are as close together as two people can be with their clothes still on, and I’m thinking we need to lose those soon too.
I want to feel his skin on mine and trace every ridge of his muscles that I’ve only seen peeking above his jeans. I want to run my hands over his defined abs and bite small kisses down his torso until I reach the vee of his waist. And I want to find out what he tastes like down below.
I deepen our kiss, sucking on his tongue, and Michael’s groans vibrate deliciously in my mouth. Pressing up to meet me, his heat is intoxicating, the bulge in his sweats hitting that sweet spot between my thighs. With one hand, he pins my wrists behind me, forcing me to arch my back, leaving my neck and chest arched and exposed. I shiver as he holds me in place. He’s so intense, so focused on touching me all over and giving me more pleasure than I’ve ever known before. Growling, he places tender kisses so at odds with the primal sounds of his throat, working from my neck down to the top of my breasts. His other hand grabs my hip almost bruisingly, pulling me flush against every hard inch of him as he rocks his hips up into me.
I need to feel him.Now.
My head falls back in exquisite agony at this burning inferno we’re creating. I’m whimpering, begging, pleading for more. To soothe the throb between my legs that only he can satiate. I’m halfway there, waves of pleasure coiling inside me, and he hasn’t even touched me where I so desperately need him. His kisses become feverish, nipping and biting at my flesh, and I groan as liquid heat burns throughout my body. Only thin layers of fabric separate us, yet he’s so close to bringing me to ecstasy as he grinds against me. His hands and tongue become rougher, his passion matching mine, our bodies moving in erotic rhythm.
Breathless, I break our fervent kiss. If there was any doubt left in his mind, I erase it as I slide my hands up under his shirt, relishing the hard, toned muscles underneath. I can’t wait anymore.
“Your roommate is gone, right?”
In one smooth movement, Michael scoops me up into his arms, causing me to yelp and hold onto his neck. His strong frame has no trouble lifting me up and carrying me bridal style up the stairs. His steps are firm, his eyes fierce on mine, longing, desire, and so much more burning into me.
Claiming me. Like he’ll never let me go.
