Truly, Madly, Whiskey(36)
“So, that scorching-hot kiss was holding back? Holy shit, Bear. Now I’m building you up in my mind to epic proportions you can never live up to.”
His eyes smoldered. “Wanna bet?”
She didn’t want to bet; she wanted to find out. “Is this a ploy? I have to endure these types of embarrassing, in-my-face compliments or sleep with you? And when we sleep together, what then? The sweet stuff stops? Like a catch twenty-two?”
He laughed. “What goes on in that beautiful mind of yours?”
“You don’t want to know. Trusting is a little hard, even when I don’t want it to be.” She pushed to her feet, her heart beating a mile a minute. “I’m going to put these in water.”
He followed her into the kitchen. “You’re wrong, Crystal. I want to know what you’re thinking about and what you feel. I want to know everything about you.”
He stood behind her as she filled a vase with water, and his arms snaked around her belly. He was gentle and comforting, wiping away the fear of the unknown.
But as he lowered his mouth beside her ear and whispered, “Talk to me, baby,” the desire climbing up her limbs created anxiety all its own.
She set the vase on the counter and leaned her head back against his chest.
“I’m not used to hearing those things, and I don’t know how to trust them. But I trust you. And the hardest part of all of this is that I’m not a weak person, and not knowing how to handle this makes me feel like I am. And that’s frustrating, because what I really want to do is kiss you. I want to turn around and have you lift me up onto this counter and kiss me until I can’t see straight like they do in movies. I want to wrap my legs around your waist without having to worry about if you’re worried about me, or if I’m worried about me.”
She turned around, her pulse racing, and said, “I just want to go with what I feel and stop thinking, and maybe that will help me accept the rest.”
In the next second she was sitting on the counter, Bear’s wide hips between her legs, his mouth swooping down over hers. The first touch of their lips was like jumping off a waterfall, and then she was soaring through the air. Her arms and legs circled him, embracing her freedom, her passion, her affection for the incredible man who was possessing more of her by the second. His hands moved like wind over her back, into her hair, down her arms, coming to rest on her hips. She felt his resistance, and she fell harder for him for holding back.
She grabbed his ass, letting him know she wasn’t afraid, and thank God, he slid his hands to her butt and did the same, bringing their bodies together. She was barely breathing into their kisses, lost in the pleasure of allowing herself to feel their heat—and enjoy it. Damn, did she enjoy it. I’m not broken. A rush of titillating energy whooshed through her, like nothing she’d ever experienced. Not even in their kisses. She was breaking free. Really, truly allowing herself to leave the past behind. The realization slammed into her, and she drew back from the kiss, panting and smiling and laughing like a crazy person.
She was crazy. Crazy for Bear Whiskey.
“I want to kiss you forever” rushed from her lungs.
She grabbed his head, plastering her mouth to his again, and felt him smiling into their kiss. He lifted her off the counter, never breaking their connection as he took a few steps, slowing to deepen the kiss. Her back met the wall with a thunk, and lust spiked up her spine. Her eyes flew open, and he drew back so fast it filled her up with him even more.
“I liked it,” she assured him, feeling as shocked as he looked. “That was intense and freaking hot. Like a shot of…Whiskey. I want more Whiskey, please.”
The gratified smile staring back at her reached all the way up to his eyes, turning to liquid fire as he took her in another incredible kiss. He carried her through the living room and sank down on the couch with her knees straddling him. She’d expected him to lay her down, to dominate her without thinking, but she realized he was giving her an escape. Giving her control. And in doing so, it made her want to give up control.
He pushed his hands into her hair, his mouth moving along her jaw, to the tender spot beneath her ear. “Sweet as sugar,” he whispered.
In the next moment he was devouring her neck, sending shivers of lust skittering through her entire body. She closed her eyes, reveling in the illicit pleasures she’d wanted for so long. Inhaling the heady scents of leather and potent male, she focused on the feel of his tongue, his lips pressing hard against her skin, the scintillating graze of his teeth. He was hard beneath her, and when his mouth moved along her bare shoulder, her nipples pebbled tighter, burning with anticipation.
Eyes still closed, she followed the length of his arm down to his hand and brought it to her breast, whispering, “Touch me.”
He claimed her in another passionate kiss as he caressed her, teasing the sensitive peaks through her shirt. Tingling heat seared down the center of her body, pooling between her legs and drawing a long, low moan from her lungs. She moved his hand beneath her shirt, earning a heady groan from Bear that obliterated all her thoughts. His big, rough hand covered her breast, and she arched into him, wanting to feel his desire everywhere. He kissed her harder, rocking beneath her to the same rhythm she ground her hips, and when he took her nipple between his fingers and thumb, lust streaked all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes.
“Oh God that feels good.” She writhed against him, resting her forehead on his and using his shoulders for leverage.