Page 88 of Texas Splendor
“God, you’re beautiful.”
His voice sounded as thick as molasses, and his gaze spoke more eloquently than his words. Her fingers trembled as she ran her hands over his wide shoulders and along his broad chest, knowing that she was on the verge of sealing forever the vault that held old promises. One movement, one touch, one word … and they could never return to what had been.
“Tell me again,” she whispered.
“I’m only thinking of you, Loree,” he said, his voice ragged, his breathing uneven.
She smiled warmly into the face of the man she loved. “No, tell me you love me.”
“I love you.”
She wrapped her hand around his, took a step back toward the bed, and watched his lips spread into a slow, seductive smile. Another step back and she sank onto the bed.
Austin tore his shirt over his head and dropped his britches to the floor. She watched the moonlight play over the hard muscles of his body before he stretched out beside her on the bed.
“Now, you gotta tell me,” he said as he nipped on her earlobe and swirled his tongue around the shell of her ear.
“I love you,” she whispered as her body curled.
“Ah, Sugar, I’m gonna make you damn glad that you do.”
His promise carried assurances that she didn’t doubt. “I’m already glad.”
He rose up on his elbow. “Everything is gonna be better, Loree. Everything.”
He lowered his mouth to hers with a renewed urgency. She touched her hand to his chest and felt the hard steady pounding of his heart. Where once he might have lain over her, now he only pressed his body against her side, his warm hand gliding over her stomach to the juncture between her thighs.
She moaned as his fingers imitated the action of his tongue, sweeping, plunging, warming, heating. She ran her hand down his side, dug her fingers into his lean hip, and rolled to her side, needing him close, knowing a moment of regret with the realization that her swollen stomach would never allow him to be as close as she needed.
Need spiraled through her, desire flamed. She trailed kisses over his face, his dew-covered throat and chest, wanting him as she’d never wanted anything. He fell onto his back and tugged on her hand. “Come here, Loree.”
His shoulders rolled off the bed as he leaned up slightly and put his large hands on either side of her hips, guiding her until she straddled him. She watched the shadows and moonlight caress his magnificent body as she wanted to and knew a moment of doubt. Keeping one hand planted on her hip, he cradled her cheek with the other and held her gaze. “Stop me if I hurt you.”
She trailed her gaze along the length of his body to the place where her body met his. She wrapped her fingers around him. He groaned and she felt a tremor wrack his body. Cradling her hips, he lifted her and eased her down as easily as the dawn met the day until they were one.
He released a long deep sigh. “Oh, Sugar, you feel so good.”
She rolled her shoulders forward. “So do you.”
Chuckling low, he threaded his fingers through her hair, bracketing her face between his palms. “I don’t want to hurt you, so I need you … to do the ridin’.”
She wished she could double over and kiss the furrows between his brow. He looked as though he were afraid he might have disappointed her. But how could he disappoint her when he loved her?
She ran her hands over his chest, along his side, leaned forward slightly, circled her hips, and relished the sound of his sharp intake of breath. He had given her so much: the power to love him, the power to satisfy him.
Keeping her eyes trained on his, she began to rock her hips. His hands glided to her breasts, the long fingers that she loved taunting and teasing, and she realized he had not relinquished all power.
Unbridled sensations ripped through her, and she felt as though he played her as easily as he played his violin. The sensations rose until her body went taut, and she uttered a cry of ecstasy.
She heard Austin’s guttural groan as he shuddered beneath her, and into the stillness that followed, she heard their harsh breathing. Supporting her shoulders, he gently rolled them to their sides, his body never leaving hers. He threaded his fingers through her hair, his palm resting heavily upon her cheek as though all strength had been drained from him. Beneath her hand, his heart thudded.
Her lips spread into a contented smile and she sighed. Then her smile disappeared and her brow furrowed. “Austin?”
“Mmm?”
“What little black bugs?”
“What?” he asked sleepily.
