Page 62 of No More Heartbreakers

I wanted more.

Sitting in his lap as I was, I became aware Aric was also ready for more. The pressure of him felt so good, so right against me.

As he shifted his attention from my mouth to my jaw to the side of my neck, I couldn’t keep from squirming from the pleasure of it.

He responded with a primal-sounding noise from deep in his throat and lifted his hips. Then he slid me off his lap and eased us both down onto the open chaise, covering me and pressing his thigh between mine.

I thrilled at the delicious alignment of our bodies, his so hard and powerful above me, mine trembling and growing heavier every minute with lust. I pressed up, unable to get close enough to him.

Over our heads, wind blew the tops of the pine trees, making a soothing shushing sound. The heat from the fire warmed one side of my face and body as the cool night air kissed the other side.

The setting, the surrender, the pleasure of Aric’s kisses and his touch were making me wild with desire for him.

Hale, with all his kindness and tenderness, had never made me feel this way. I hadn’t wanted someone like this since… well, Jason. He’dobviouslyhad vast experience, and while he’d been a jerk, he’d been a skillful one.

I shivered in spite of the fire and Aric’s warmth.

No. I pushed the encroaching panic away. This wasn’t Jason. This was sweet, patient Aric who’d helped me, been open with me, who’d given me no reason to distrust him.

And he clearly wanted me. His touch roamed over my body as if he needed to verify that I was actually there, real and not a fantasy.

He slid a hand under the hem of my sweater. The sensation of the skin-to-skin contact made the rest of my body insanely jealous of my waist and stomach.

His touch ventured higher, and I became desperate to feel every part of Aric’s body in contact with every part of mine. As soon as possible. Before the fear could return and ruin this perfect feeling.

“Let’s go inside,” I whispered.

SIXTEEN

The Wrong Thing to Say

Aric pulled back and looked at my face, seeming simultaneously excited and wary. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Yes, let’s go—inside, to your room.”

He didn’t argue. He got up and pulled me to my feet, taking my hand and leading me toward his apartment, walking so fast I had difficulty keeping up with the pace of his long legs.

Thor left his spot near the fire pit and trotted after us through the door, then bolted up the staircase past us, nearly knocking me into the stairwell wall.

“Somebody’s ready for bed.” I laughed nervously.

“Yeah. Thor seems pretty eager, too,” Aric said, looking back at me with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

He continued up the stairs and waited for me at the top, flipping on the light switch.

“Well, this is it.” He gestured toward the open kitchen and living room space as I emerged from the staircase.

It was tasteful and neat, obviously furnished by Mrs. Deering. I gave the room the barest glance then slipped my heels off and began unbuttoning Aric’s shirt.

He stood stock still, every muscle tensed, letting me do it. His breathing sounded like he’d climbed fifty floors worth of staircases instead of one.

“Your place is…”

His shirt fell open to reveal a densely muscled torso, the powerful body of an athlete. “…very nice,” I finished my sentence, no longer caring about the lovely décor.

The beauty in front of me was much more compelling. Unable to keep myself from touching him, I put my palms against his tight abdomen. No texture had ever felt better than his skin, hot and smooth, stretched tautly over the segmented hardness underneath. My hands skimmed up his body to his chest, hard and lightly covered with blond hair.

Aric’s eyes flared with heat, and I swore I heard him growl. He picked me up, sliding his hands under my bottom as I wrapped my legs around his waist. Kissing me deeply, he backed into the living room until his legs hit something.

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