Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(38)

He pulls himself up so I have to release his neck, and he drops his lips to mine. ‘You stay here, I’ll sort the bath.’ He jumps up and takes his jacket off as he goes to the bathroom.

I hear the water start running and I turn onto my side, feeling content and tranquil. He makes me feel like this and it’s these times when I know why I’m here. It’s how attentive, loving and tender he is. Perhaps living with him wouldn’t be so bad after all. But then I give myself a quick reminder that I’m currently on Central Jesse Cloud Nine. I won’t be thinking like this once I’ve not conformed to one of his demands. It will come, and it might even be about all of this moving in business.

He strolls back into the bedroom, and I lay back and admire his incredible gait. This man has a serious walk. Reaching up, he pulls his tie loose and throws it on the nearby chaise lounge, and then starts working his shirt buttons. He lets it hang loose and leans down to take his shoes and socks off. He’s bare foot with his trousers resting on those glorious, narrow hips, his shirt open, revealing the sharp lines of his chest. I could sink my teeth into him. He would probably enjoy that.

‘Enjoying the view?’

I look up and find green pools studying me. That look alone renders me a soaking wet mess. ‘Always.’ I answer. My voice is throaty. I didn’t mean it to be, it’s just what he does to me.

‘Always,’ he confirms. ‘Come here.’

I slide myself off the bed and slip my heels off.

‘Leave the dress.’ he demands softly.

I pad over to him, keeping hold of his hypnotising eyes, his arms hanging loosely at his side as he follows my progression. My heart is ricocheting off my rib cage, and I part my lips to let subtle streams of air escape, watching him as he slowly runs his tongue over his bottom lip.

‘Turn around.’

I obey and slowly pivot away from him. I feel his palms rest on my shoulders and the contact, even through my dress, zaps my nerve endings to life.

He leans down and rests his mouth near my ear. ‘I really like this dress.’ he whispers, and I clench my eyes closed to ride out the quiver that travels through my entire body. Both of his hands travel inwards until they arrive at my nape. He gathers my hair and places it over my shoulder, and then slowly draws the zip of my dress all the way down.

I flex my neck muscles in an attempt to control my overwhelming need to shake off the shudders that he’s instigating, but I give up when I feel his lips rest against my upper back, his tongue gliding up to the nape of my neck. Every fine hair stands on end, and I arch my back in response to his long, hot stroke.

There is a certain degree of torture to this. I want it to stop so I can gather my scattered senses before I say something I don’t mean like, Yes, I’ll move in with you.

‘I love your back.’ His lips vibrate against my skin, generating even more shudders. He moves his mouth back to my ear. ‘You have the softest skin.’

My head rolls back onto his shoulder and my face turns into his neck. He adjusts his head so his lips find mine as he hooks his hands into the front of my dress and pushes it down my body.

‘Lace?’ he asks.

I nod my answer, and his eyes sparkle with lust as he kisses me gently, like I’m glass. Our tongues slip and slide over each other with little effort from either of us, and I lean back onto him for support. I’m relishing in his gentleness and soft touch.

His hands find my breasts and he pinches my nipples through the lace of my bra, elongating them to firm peaks.

‘See what you do to me?’ He grinds his hips into my lower back, demonstrating exactly what I do to him, before dropping a chaste kiss on my lips. ‘I’ll die loving you, Ava.’

I know how he feels. I don’t see a future without him in it, and I’m excited and apprehensive about it all at once. It’s the unknown. He is still unknown. I need more than his body, his attention…his challenging ways.

He yanks the cups of my bra down, exposing my breasts, and skims the flats of his palms over the tips of my nipples. ‘You and me.’ he breathes in my ear, sliding one of his hands down my front and straight to the apex of my thighs.

My knees wobble when his hand cups me over my underwear, a deluge of liquid fire descending on me, my hips rolling forward against his hand to get more friction.

‘Do I turn you on, Ava?’

‘You know you do.’ I pant, and then moan as he thrusts his hips forward.

‘Wrap your arms around my neck.’ he says quietly. I reach back and link my hands behind his neck. ‘Are you wet for me?’

‘Yes.’

He hooks his thumbs in each side of my knickers. ‘Only for me.’ he whispers, dragging his tongue lightly down the edge of my ear.

‘Only for you.’ I agree quietly. I need nothing else except for him.

I feel a sharp tug and a tear, and I look to see my knickers hanging from his index finger in front of me. He lets them slide off the end of his finger and takes his other hand to my hip.

I jerk slightly, and he laughs in my ear. His fingers shift as his big hand wraps around my hip, spreading from my front to my back, his other hand hovering in front of me.

‘What shall I do with this, Ava?’ He flexes his good hand in front of me. ‘Show me.’

My hammering heart does nothing to regulate my short, sharp breaths. I want that hand on me. I remove my arm from around his neck and reach forward to take his hand, slowly guiding it down to the inside of my thigh and flattening his palm against my flesh with my hand over his. I feel him trembling faintly. I’m glad it’s not just me who is so affected by these encounters of ours. Or is he shaking because he needs a drink? I can’t even think about that. He doesn’t need alcohol if he’s got me. Well, he has me.