Hidden Impact (Safeguard #1)(50)

His hands came up and gripped her upper arms with a light, firm pressure. She placed her own palms on his waist and leaned her forehead against his chest.

“The car.” He paused and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. “When we couldn’t get you out of it. I just about died inside.”

She’d been frightened. Very. But thinking more about what Gabe might’ve seen in the past, she wondered what nightmare possibilities had gone through his head when her seat belt jammed?

“I’m here. I’m okay.” She rubbed her face into his shirt, breathed in the earthy smell of him. He was her safety.

“I just...” His heart rate was picking up, the beat of it a strong rhythm against her ear. “I need to know you’re here.”

She nodded. Not sure she understood.

His hands started to roam, rubbing and massaging up and down her back and arms. Everywhere he touched came alive under his palms. He was checking for injuries, she realized, but this was so much more intimate. Careful.

In a sudden movement, he had her by the waist and boosted her up to sit on the kitchen counter. It surprised a gasp out of her and he stilled, looked into her face. She bit her lip and gave him a small smile.

This was okay. “Caught me by surprise, that’s all. Nothing hurt.”

“Good.” The tightness around his eyes and mouth relaxed a little.

Returning to his inspection, he started with her thighs and worked his way down each leg. His touch still firm, massaging and waking up her senses until her awareness of him was at an all-time high. She swallowed hard when he got to her right ankle.

“Swollen.” He carefully removed her shoe and sock, taking a closer look.

“I twisted it when we walked away from the car. It doesn’t hurt.” In fact, the swelling had to be minimal. “Honestly, I’ve walked off worse just turning wrong in the kitchen. It’s fine.”

He bent and kissed the side of her ankle anyway.

Fire ran up her leg and to her core. Her breath caught. She swallowed hard.

He straightened then and cupped her face in his hand. “That was closer than it should’ve been. I should’ve taken better care of you.”

She leaned into his palms. “You saved my life. Kept me safe.”

The smile he gave her was sad somehow. She wanted to take it away and replace it with a different kind of emotion.

And right now, she wanted nothing more than for him to touch her more. Her skin was hot all over. She’d never felt so alive than with him in the past couple of days, and need had built up inside her until she was wet. Telling him was an option, but she preferred decisive action.

Gripping either side of his waist, she spread her knees and pulled him in until his hips were snug against her. He let her, his dark gaze burning into her and his hands sliding to her neck in a slow caress. She wasn’t alone in her desire—that much was obvious in the hard ridge of his erection inside his jeans.

“Kiss me?” She whispered the request.

Fire sparked in his eyes and he bent, capturing her mouth in a kiss so deep she decided air was a frivolous requirement. He cupped the back of her head with one big hand, encouraging her to tilt for even more access. His other hand swept down her side and back up to cup one of her breasts. She let out a needful groan, squeezing her thighs around his hips and running her hands over the hard planes of his chest.

He shifted his embrace, his arms circling her hips and lifting her. She locked her legs around his waist and grabbed onto his shoulders, still caught up in the hungriest kisses she’d ever experienced. A tiny part of her mind noticed he was carrying her to the bedroom and approved. What they were about to do would’ve broken health codes in a professional kitchen. The newer, wilder part of her mind pointed out that it wasn’t a professional kitchen and wondered if it wouldn’t have been great to stay right where they were.

Any thoughts scattered as he let her down on the bed. He stepped back and peeled off his shirt. Her mouth went dry, then watered as he unbuttoned his pants and set his erection free of both pants and boxer briefs. Oh, she really didn’t mind the change in location.

Getting to her hands and knees, she stalked him across the bed. He stilled and watched her approach. Still bold with the wild streak she’d found, she reached out and wrapped her hand around the length of his cock. He groaned, stepped closer for her.

Stroking the soft skin along his shaft, she parted her lips and took him into her mouth. His hand buried into her hair but didn’t push her, so she took her time swirling her tongue around his tip. The taste of him, the smoothness of his skin. She opened wider, taking as much of his length as she could, and then withdrew, sucking as she did.

He groaned and his fingers tightened in her hair.

Peeking up at him, the storm in his eyes warned her things were going to escalate very soon. Her nipples tightened and wetness grew between her thighs in response. But first, she was going to suck him again. And she did. She took as much of him into her mouth as she could, until his head bumped the back of her throat, and she sucked gently as she backed away. If it was at all possible he got harder, bigger. She licked the length of his shaft and turned her hand to cup his balls, running her fingertips over the superthin soft skin there.

“Maylin.” He was short on breath. “You’re going to make me come.”

“Mmm.” She ran the tip of her tongue along the underside of his shaft. “Is that a bad thing?”