Page 9 of Just a Little Promise

That response felt like a punch in his gut, but he decided to spin her reply in a different direction. “So, you’ve decided to become a nun then?” he teased, blatantly bringing up the topic of sex.

“I didn’t say that.” She was grinning at him, but she also paused a moment, as if she wanted to be careful about what she said next. “Would it be nice to have an orgasm with something other than my vibrator? Of course,” she said, not shy about admitting she had desires before her expression turned more serious. “But having a man in my life isn’t a necessity. And honestly... I’m not the same girl I was when we were dating.”

Fanciful. Optimistic. A hopeful romantic. There was no denying that part of her personality had changed, because he could see it for himself. She’d taken a chance on a dream with a man she thought she could build a life with, and she’d lost.

The heartache in her eyes wrecked him, and before he could stop himself he reached out and gently smoothed a silky strand of hair from her cheek. “I wouldn’t expect you to be the same girl.”

She tipped her head toward him just slightly, as if leaning into the warmth of his touch on her face. “The truth is... getting involved with any man again scares the crap out of me,” she admitted in a soft voice. “I don’t trust easily anymore.”

What had that asshole done to her? The rage Tripp felt toward her ex that was bubbling beneath the surface was real, and he had to forcibly push that anger aside because there was no one to unleash it on.

As for his sweet Skye, he desperately wanted to erase all that pain and heartbreak. So, he put his hand on the table in front of her, his palm up, his gaze holding hers steadily.

“Do you trustme?” he asked. It was a daring question, and a huge risk, one he knew might come with an answer he didn’t like, considering howhe’dhurt her.

She stared at him for a long moment, then a slow, gradual smile touched her lips as she slid her soft palm along his. “Yes, I trust you,” she whispered.

He felt the breath leave his lungs, because his greatest fear was that he’d contributed to her apprehension about men. He wasn’t sure what, exactly, they were talking about anymore—sex? Something more?—but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t willing to part ways with her yet and he hoped she felt the same.

He wove their fingers intimately together, and she let him. “Would you like to go back to my place where it’s quiet and we can be alone?” Realizing how that sounded, and not wanting her to think his invitation came with any strings attached—even though he’d love nothing more than to feel her beneath him again—he added, “We can have a drink and just talk and relax—”

“Yes, I’d like that,” she said before he could finish.

Relief poured through him. That was all Tripp needed to hear, and he didn’t waste any more time getting them out of there.

Chapter Three

The Uber rideto Tripp’s place was quiet, but in a way that reminded Skye of how effortless and uncomplicated it was to be with him. The connection between them was still strong, and neither felt the need to fill the silence with idle chit chat. In fact, the lull in conversation was so comfortable that she had to resist the urge to snuggle up against him in the back seat and lay her head on his shoulder, just like old times.

He was still holding her hand—he’d only let go once when she’d slid into the vehicle—and she couldn’t deny that she felt safe and secure with him. She’d meant what she’d said when she’d told Tripp that she trusted him. Their past was painful and messy, but he’d always been honest and he’d never intentionally hurt her, which was more than she could say about her ex-husband.

Agreeing to accompany Tripp back to his place had been a surprisingly easy choice, and she’d given her answer knowing where things would most likely lead... right into his bed. She’d witnessed the hunger in his eyes when he looked at her at the bar, and that heated lust made her own body come alive. And while she knew he truly had no expectations once they entered his apartment, she’d already made the decision to indulge in her own desire for him.

Seeing Tripp again, and spending time with him, made her ache for the exquisite satisfaction she knew this man could give her. And if she were honest with herself, she’d missed him so much. She’d relied on her battery operated boyfriend to take care of her needs for years now, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t crave physical contact and intimacy. After everything she’d endured in her marriage, tonight she desperately wanted to feel desirable again, and Tripp was the only man she trusted to take those liberties with her body.

He wasn’t a random stranger. He was familiar and safe, and she knew exactly what to expect with him. Great orgasms and a night filled with sinful pleasures. And, he knew what she enjoyed in the bedroom—that edge of male dominance that was always tempered in a way that never crossed the line. Unlike her ex. Tripp’s touch—no matter how assertive he might have been in the bedroom—had never made her feel afraid or uncomfortable.

She was going into this situation with a clear head and the choice being hers. She was far from wanting a long term commitment from any man. This was all about physical pleasure, for them both. No strings attached—a scenario that Tripp was plenty familiar with.

They arrived at his residential building—an impressively upscale complex located in downtown Manhattan—and with his hand still clasped in hers, he walked her through the lobby to the elevator. Once inside the lift, she could practically feel the sexual tension vibrating between them, though Tripp did nothing more than hit the button for his floor and remain a complete gentleman, much to her disappointment.

The entire ride up, all she could think about was the many times they’d ridden the elevator to his tiny studio back in Boston, both of them unable to keep their hands and mouths off each other the entire way. By the time they reached his apartment, they’d been wild and desperate to fuck against the nearest surface. That same eager anticipation swirled through her now, and by the time they entered his place and he closed the door behind them, she was ready to take what she wanted.

She stopped just inside the living room area, and so did he, finally releasing her hand. Tripp glanced at her, and they stared at one another, his head tipped slightly to the side. No words were spoken, but his dark, sexy gaze glimmered with silent questions she was prepared to answer by making the first move.

For the first time in years, she felt daring and sensual, and she embraced the bold woman emerging from her cocoon. Tossing her purse onto the nearby sofa, she stepped toward Tripp and smoothed her hands up over his chest. He wore a white dress shirt, but the heat of his skin and hard muscles beneath made her body clench with need.

His breathing escalated as he watched her through hooded eyes, clearly waiting to see what she intended as she continued to slide her hands up around his neck, then stood on the tips of her high heels so that her mouthfinallybrushed across his—soft and seductive and enticing. She touched her tongue to his bottom lip, and was rewarded with a low, guttural groan from him that sent a thrill through her.

It was all the invitation he seemed to need as he gripped her hips. His fingers dug into her curves and held on, guiding her backwards until he had her pinned against the nearest wall. The length of his strong, hard body pressed intimately to hers, reacquainting her with the size and length of his cock as that solid ridge of flesh dug into her stomach—also reminding her how much bigger and taller he was than her. Unlike Jack, his height and strength made her feel safe and protected, not threatened.

Once Tripp had her where he wanted her, he framed her face in his hands, and like a man starved for a taste, he dipped his head for a kiss and consumed her, eliciting a soft, helpless whimper from her throat. He stole the sound from her lips, drinking from her deeply, hungrily, as if he were trying to make up for all the lost years between them. He slid his tongue against hers, exploring her, ravishing her, and she twined her fingers in his hair and let him do what he did best when it came to sex.

Take control.

The hot kiss went on for what seemed an impossibly long time before Tripp slowed it down, his lips softly nuzzling hers as they shared deep, gasping breaths. Her entire body was unbearably aroused, from her tight, sensitive nipples, to the heat swirling in her belly, to how her panties were soaked to the point of being ruined.

He finally lifted his mouth from hers, his touch on her face gentling, which contradicted the fierce, possessive gleam in his eyes. She licked her bottom lip and shivered at that intense look, and a low, warning growl rumbled in his chest.

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