It was past time for this to happen.
“What if I told you I’m not hungry for dinner?” she whispered.
Fire rolled through his eyes and ignited something deep within her. “Good.” He swept her into his arms and carried her through the apartment. His gaze stayed steady on her and she brushed a hand over his cheek, nodding her approval. The walls passed in a blur of beige and brown until she was lowered carefully onto a cool cotton quilt, Ryan joining her on his bed.
Around her was dark wooden furniture, the deep mahogany colors of the bedding and the curtains creating a neat and tidy haven. His military background was apparent in the room, softened only by a few personal touches on the dresser and walls. Then she couldn’t see anything as he possessed her lips once again.
Ryan took the lead and demanded a response, nibbling and licking, biting and soothing away the snap of pain that followed. His hands cradled her head, angling to new directions as the whim took him, his tongue in possession of hers, stroking, teasing.
Lighting her on fire.
Breathless, she pushed him away, sucking in oxygen in the hopes the spinning would settle and let her see more than stars swirling around them. He lowered his mouth to her neck, his fingers completing the journey down her blouse, unbuttoning, and pulling away the fabric until her body lay exposed to his assault. Leaning back, he let his gaze fall on her torso. A groan of desire escaped him as he cupped one of her lace-covered breasts in his hand.
“I want you so badly. I want to taste your skin, suckle your breasts, kiss my way down the length of your body until I’m buried between your thighs. You drive me insane.” Ryan grabbed her hand and tugged it to his groin, pressing her fingers against the swell of his cock behind his jeans. “You drive me insane with need for you.”
Max closed her eyes and felt. Felt his lips return to nuzzle her neck before he bit her softly then laved away the pain. Felt his kisses flow down the curve of her bra until he suckled her nipple right through the fabric and she gasped at the lightning that shot from his mouth to her core. Felt his response as he thickened and grew more rigid under her fingertips. She stroked him shyly and he thrust into her fingers, a deep moan escaping him. It was all she’d dreamed of, and yet not enough. Her heart beat wildly as she took in all the sensations.
He shifted her on the bed and stripped off her bra in the same motion. She opened her eyes to see his gaze burning down on her as he dropped slowly to lap at one needy breast and then the other. His fingers pinched lightly, raising the peaks to tight nubs that throbbed with anticipation for the warmth of his mouth to return. He sucked harder and she bit her lip to stop from crying out, grasping his head in her hands to keep him in place.
He trailed his fingers like the brush of butterfly wings over the sensitive skin of her belly, slipping under the waistband of her slacks, under her panties. She sucked in a breath as he cupped his hand over her mound. Liquid trickled from her and she squeezed her legs together, the throbbing pulse too much to bear. An edge of uncertainty arose. He was touching her, intimately. Her ex had never done that, not without her being scrubbed and clean. She wiggled, wondering if the awakening excitement she experienced would fade when he demanded she go shower.
He rose up on one elbow to stare at her and she watched his eyes darken. His hand shifted slightly and slowly one finger pressed into her core. Her chest grew tight and it was hard to breath, so much tension and need were wrapped up in the connection between them and still he pressed farther in.
“Oh, Ryan.” She gasped as he flicked his thumb against her clit. Her passage tightened around his single digit and he swore.
“You’re so wet.” He stroked small circles around the hypersensitive skin at the apex of her mound and she quivered. “You’re so hot. And tight.” He pulled out slowly and pressed in again. His pupils were dark pools, mesmerizing, taunting her to take the next step. She let her legs fall open, unable to stop from pressing her hips upward against his hand. She waited impatiently for his next touch, his next glance to light her further on fire. Maxine was torn between the sheer pleasure racing over her body and the unspeakable embarrassment she felt.
Smooth, even strokes followed as he continued to watch her. He opened her pants with his other hand, freeing more room for him to maneuver.
She couldn’t stand it any longer. “Please.” She wiggled away, her breathing erratic, small puffs of air all she seemed to be able to take. Confusion spread over his face as she crossed her arms to hide her breasts.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m…I…” Steam could be rising from her skin from the extreme heat rippling through her. She couldn’t look him in the eye. “I need to have a shower. I’m not…” That’s as far as she could get before her tongue struck to the room of her mouth and froze there.
“You’re kidding, right? I can’t stop touching you, tasting you.” He dipped his head and tongued his way along her collarbone. “You don’t need a shower. You need to lose the rest of your clothes.”
Maxine panted at his words. He wasn’t going to make her wash? She considered for a moment before twisting her body away. She wanted his touch, wanted everything with him, but… “Please can I have a shower first?” she whispered.
He laughed softly. “You think I’m concerned about—”
“I can’t. I thought I could, but I’ve never made love without…” She blushed harder. It was too embarrassing to think about, let alone talk about. The idea of Ryan touching her without cleaning up first made her squirm.
“Damn it, there is nothing unattractive about you. Not the way you look, not the way you move, nor the way you taste. Anywhere.” He brushed a hand over her mound and she wiggled in an attempt to stop him from touching her. A growl rose from him as he cupped her more firmly. He stared at her for the longest time before nodding curtly. “We’ll hit the shower tonight, but this is something else you need to trust me on. I want you, and we’re not always going to be squeaky clean, fresh from a shower. Sometimes we’re going to get dirty and rough and raw. You need to be ready for it. You need to be ready for me.”
He stared intently until she nodded. Then he helped her off the bed and led her into the bathroom.
Chapter Nine
Ryan peeled off his T-shirt and turned on the taps. He pivoted to help Maxine and found she had already stripped off her slacks and was in the middle of wiggling out of her excuse for a pair of undies. A goddess, naked in his bathroom. She hesitated for a moment before approaching and tugging at the button of his jeans. He fought the urge to take her right then and there, and instead enjoyed the sight. Enjoyed how her flush of embarrassment blended with the rising color of arousal. She slipped his button and zipper open, releasing his cock from the tight confines of his jeans. Commando, he spilled into her eager fingers, his erection growing stronger with the soft tease of her exploration.
He’d had women who were wild cats in the bedroom and ones who were shy, but he’d never had one like Maxine who was such a balanced combination of the two. It was as if she didn’t understand how enticing she was, how erotic her movements were. The way she flicked glances over his body as he reacted to her touch made him hot. The way she nibbled on her lower lip had him thinking up all kinds of things to do the tender curve, and where specifically he’d like to have her place her pouting mouth.