Page 51 of Drift
I drew in a slow breath, every muscle coiled tight, the words hitting harder than I expected.
She’d given me her trust. Just like that.
I leaned in, stopping an inch from her mouth, close enough that my breath stirred her hair. One hand slid to the small of her back, the other under her chin, forcing her to hold my gaze. Her pulse jumped beneath my thumb, and her throat worked once, a small sound caught there.
“I’ve wanted you since the first time you looked at me like I was the only safe thing left. You know that?”
The truth came out before I could stop it, low and guttural.
Her lips parted on a soft inhale, and that tiny break of control nearly wrecked me.
You don’t deserve her softness. Take care with it anyway.
I leaned closer until my mouth brushed the shell of her ear. “I don’t have the patience for slow tonight. Not gentle either. It’s gonna be hard. Rough. Fucking real. You still want this?”
Her breath hitched, then she nodded, small and certain. That one move hit harder than any yes I’d ever heard.
It was the trigger I didn’t know I was waiting for.
20
DRIFT
Ikissed her jaw first, a slow scrape of stubble against her skin, then the corner of her mouth. Not quite what she wanted—just enough to make her chase me. And she did.
Her hands found my wrist, her fingers tightening to drag me closer instead of pushing me away. My palm flattened over her hip, my thumb brushing the hem of her shirt. Rough calluses met smooth skin. Fabric whispered up her side, the sound loud in the quiet. Our breaths tangled—half groan, half laughter, that edge right before control snapped.
I caught her mouth again, deeper this time, tasting the heat she’d been holding back. My free hand came up to frame her face. I dragged my thumb across her lower lip, watching it tremble. “I want to feel every inch of you under my hands.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine, and she whispered, “Then stop talking.”
I smiled. A low, dangerous curve that matched the intent in my eyes.
Then I toed off my boots before I gripped the hem of her shirt and dragged it upward, slow enough to feel every tremor that passed through her. The fabric slid over her ribs, catching for abreath against the swell of her breasts before lifting free. Goose bumps followed my hands. She raised her arms, and I peeled the shirt off, tossing it aside without looking away.
The sight of her stole the air from my lungs. I palmed the round curves of her tits, filling my hands so perfectly. My thumbs brushed over the flushed peaks until her breath broke on a soft sound.
“So fucking perfect,” I rasped.
Her skin was warm against my hands, smooth except for the racing beat beneath it. I let my fingers trail around to her back, unclasping her bra in one practiced motion. It slipped down her arms and hit the floor, quickly forgotten.
Her tits bounced with each choppy breath, and my tongue tingled, remembering how her nipples felt in my mouth.
Her hands found the zipper of my cut and dragged it down. The leather fell from my shoulders with a whisper of rustled fabric. Her fingers caught the bottom of my shirt next, tugging until I helped her, ripping it over my head and letting it drop to the floor.
Her palms spread over my chest, tracing every ridge and scar, paying special attention to the birds inked low on the left side of my abs, her touch equal parts wonder and possession. The look in her eyes said she wanted this as much as I did.
I dropped my gaze to the button on her jeans, and heat licked up my spine at the knowledge of what was beneath. My cock throbbed, straining my grip on my control.
My thumbs hooked into the waistband of her pants and panties, and I paused just long enough to catch her gaze again. Her pupils were blown wide, her breath shallow.
Her fingers tightened on my shoulders as I roughly dragged the denim and cotton down together until she stepped free, bare feet brushing the cool floor.
When her fingers went for the button on my jeans, they shook with urgency. She fumbled, and I caught her hand and guided it, the corner of my mouth lifting in a crooked grin.
“Impatient?”
Her eyes flicked up. “You started it.”
