Page 81 of Always, Axel

I ducked my head into his chest, reveling in his strength and warmth. When we entered his room, he closed the door and locked it. Leaning against the door, he dropped his head back, staring at the ceiling before he exhaled a long breath. “Fuck, Natalie. You scared the shit out of me. Don’t ever do that again.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. I was pushed into the pool.”

“I know. I could murder that bitch.”

I touched his face and teased, “Let’s not joke about death right now.”

“I’m not joking.”

His arms were trembling beneath me, and his face tight with anguish. “Axel?”

Axel

I could’ve lost her tonight. I could’ve fucking lost her. This whole experiment was supposed to be fun, right? If so, why did I feel like someone had bludgeoned my chest with a baseball bat? Seeing her almost die was torture. I was fucking shaken over what had happened.

“Axel?”

I couldn’t find my words.

“I’m here. I’m all right. And I should thank you for saving me,” she rasped, her voice husky as she leaned up and ran her lips over my cheek, lingering for several hazy moments.

I froze against her, fighting how her touch affected me. She’d never initiated any kind of kiss. Neither had I. Even a kiss on the cheek was too personal for me. Far too personal, borderline dangerous, and I knew it could potentially ruin me, changing the landscape of whatever I told myself we were. I steadied my voice. “I don’t need your gratitude, Hardcore. It should’ve never happened to begin with.”

She paused as her lips lingered on my skin before she withdrew. “You can put me down now. I’m fine.”

“This is not fucking fine,” I growled, drawing her close to me again. “None of this is fine.” Before I could think, before I could stop myself and consider what I was doing, I cupped her cheek, knowing I was going to break my own resolve. Because I wanted this. God, I wanted this. Without a fucking regret, I slammed my lips on hers and did what I’d wanted to do for too damn long… I ravished that mouth.

She tasted like the promise of heaven. A first drink of water after a grueling workout in hundred-degree weather. That first drop tasted so good, you’d do anything to have another taste. Beg for it. Kill for it.

She moaned against my lips, and I coaxed her mouth open, wanting to taste all of her. And when she did… fuck. I dove in like a desperate son of a bitch who’d dreamt about tasting her… in every way. Except now it was reality. However, I was doing everything backward with her because I’d already kissed her pussy, and now I was devouring her mouth. Either way, I was a winner.

Her hands curled around my neck, pulling me closer. She swirled her tongue around mine, driving me mad, and gnashed her teeth against mine in her desperation. It was wild; it was unsophisticated. She had no guile, no stakes in trying to fuck with me. Yet it was the hottest kiss I’d ever experienced. “You wanted to know what it’s like, didn’t you? How is this for your first kiss?” Yeah, I went there because I’d seen that on her bucket list, too.

“Not bad,” she gasped. “But I’m still mad that you snooped.”

“I didn’t snoop. It was laid out in front of me to see.” I cupped one of her tits in my hand, and she curled into me like a damn kitten. “You wanted me to see it.”

“Careful, your arrogance is showing again.”

I smiled before I plunged into her mouth again and lowered her to her feet. I sucked on her bottom lip, nipping it softly. She sighed against me and gripped my head, drawing us closer as she kissed me back. Holding her face between my hands, I deepened the kiss, relishing her taste. I didn’t think I’d ever get enough of her. Which I knew would ultimately be a problem. It was a big problem. I knew it was, but I’d take my chances.

“Damn, you taste so good.”

“You taste good, too.” She smiled against my mouth and followed my lead, tugging on my bottom lip with her teeth. I loved her playfulness and feistiness. She was quickly sinking into me, and it wasn’t only physically.

“Did I make the cut?” I teased, running my lips over the corner of her mouth. “As your best kisser?” I trailed my mouth over her cheek, addicted to the taste of her skin, wanting to kiss every part of her face like a depraved man who’d been denied food for weeks.

“I think so,” she said unsteadily. “But you’re my only kisser.”

“Damn right, I am.” I kissed her forehead, moving down to one brow and then the other. Not stopping, I kissed her eyelashes and finally traced a path down the center of her nose, kissing the diamond stud at the tip of her nostril. I wanted to touch and taste every inch of her body. Have the pleasure of experiencing all of her firsts.

She accused me of being caveman-ish. Yeah, I was. The caveman in me wanted to flex my possessive chest, carry her away, lock her up with me, and spend twenty-four hours making her scream my name in ecstasy until she lost her voice.

However, I held back because I didn’t want to just take from her. How the hell I went from swearing her off because she was a virgin to this, I’d never know. In fact, I’d deliberately tried not to rush her into sex. Besides her insisting on doing me a solid the last time we were in my room, I hadn’t attempted to persuade her to return the favor. Unfortunately, I was about to have a goddamn torn ligament in my wrist and a chaffed dick from all the blue ball nights and hand jobs I’d given myself. But, god, I wanted her; I wanted her so badly that it was painful. No lie.

Drawing my lips to hers, I kissed her like she was my last meal. I ran my hands over her breasts, squeezing them together under her fitted blouse that was held together by buttons and laced at the top. I tugged on the bow centered between her cleavage, unlaced it, and trailed my mouth down her neck, inhaling that intoxicating scent of vanilla. On impulse, I licked at her skin, desperate to inhale her skin again, her taste, and drew my teeth into her skin, sucking both hard and gently. I couldn’t help it. I wanted to consume her. She arched into me as her nails dragged down my back.

Releasing her skin, knowing it was going to leave a mark, I kissed her delicate skin that I marred, making her mine. I wanted more. I needed to taste more. Drawing my fingers over her buttons, I started to unbutton them one by one, slowly, regardless of the beast in me wanting to rip her shirt apart. When I released the final button, I spread her top apart, admiring how her full tits strained against her plain white bra.

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