Five Ways to Fall (Ten Tiny Breaths, #4)(82)

A deep, throaty laugh spills out of her, her muscles clenching, making her constrict around me.

“How about you hold off on the laughter until after,” I tease, gritting my teeth. And then I’m kissing her, happy to have her tongue in my mouth again as I push in slowly, sliding a hand under her hips to lift and angle her the right way.

It’s not long before there’s no trace of humor in her features, her eyes burning into mine, her slick body slipping against mine, her breathing getting raspy as we rock against each other, picking up speed and intensity quickly. Sharp nails dig into my shoulder blades as she demands, “Deeper,” and I groan, knowing I won’t last another minute like this.

I lift her body and spin around to lie back and enjoy the view of a naked Reese riding me.

Fantastic. This has earned you a whole extra thirty f*cking seconds, maximum, dumbass.

When I watch those natural teardrop-shaped breasts bounce like only real ones can and her fingers weave through mine, resting against her thighs, I cut that down to an extra ten seconds, maximum.

And when her first cries sound out not long after, I know I won’t even make it that long.





Chapter 25




REESE





I’m cradled in a set of powerful arms before I’m even conscious. It takes a few blinks and missed heartbeats to focus in on the gorgeous face and the smile staring down at me.

“Time to get up.”

“Who let you in here?” I croak, feeling my scowl form, the fact that I’m completely naked and he’s fully dressed not lost on me.

“This is my room, remember?” He sets me back down on me feet. “Come on. It’s almost eleven. ”

“Sure, okay.” I crawl back into bed and pull the covers up over my body. They disappear just as fast. “Pervert,” I mutter.

“We’ve got to hit the road.”

“I think it’s better for all parties involved if you give me another hour,” I mutter, rolling onto my stomach. This could very well be his way of getting me out of his bed. Right now, I don’t care. We didn’t fall asleep until well after five this morning.

There’s a long pause.

“Stop staring at my ass,” I mumble into the pillow.

I feel strong, hot hands run up the backs of my legs. “I can’t help it.”

“I thought you were in a rush.”

“I only need five minutes.”

“Don’t I know it.” I smile, earning a stinging slap across my left ass cheek.

“Are you complaining? Because you sure weren’t complaining last night. Not the first or the second . . .” Ben tempers his weight as he lies down on top of me, his mouth against my ear, “. . . or the third or the—”

I turn my head to steal his words with a hard, quick, close-mouthed kiss. Then I roll back and face the other way to hide my wide grin. The one that would tell him how much I’m not complaining about last night.

Last night was . . . unforgettable.

“Well, I could use those five minutes now for something more enjoyable, like brushing my teeth,” I lie as his hand slides between my legs and into me.

“Huh, well then what’s this?”

I reach around to smack him haphazardly. “You’re such a romantic.”

“Don’t even pretend romance is your thing,” he shoots back. His weight disappears suddenly. When I dare glance over my shoulder, his shirt is already off and he’s working on his jeans. With the speed of a well-practiced expert, he has a condom on and is back on top of me again in seconds, his arousal pressing up against my thigh as a hand slides under my stomach to force me onto my knees. I don’t know that Ben has a favorite position yet but he certainly struggles to last long with this one, I learned last night.

“What are we doing?” Shit. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. I just . . . I figured that after he got what he wanted last night, he’d already be losing interest.

A big, confident smile splashes across his face. “What does it feel like we’re doing?” I can’t tell if he knows what I truly meant and is just avoiding the question. But then he stalls to lay a kiss on my shoulder blade. “I’m heading up to the grove today. The tangerines are a couple of weeks early and Mama’s got a bunch of orders to fill. Do you want to come? I’m staying overnight.”

The grove? A blip of excitement jumps in me. I’ve caught myself thinking about Wilma and that house often these last few weeks—while staring out at the busy Miami streets, or sitting in Jack’s modern but plain suburban home—wondering, hoping to visit again.

Now I have the chance and it’s because Ben has invited me.

Two elements that I find equally thrilling.

“I’ll let you drive the tractor,” he offers in a taunting voice, as if he’s trying to entice a child with a candy bar.

I don’t answer with words; I simply peek over my shoulder at him, letting him see my genuine smile.

It earns one in return—a soft, boyish one as he looks me over. “But first . . .”



“Sorry we’re late, Mama.” I watch as Ben scoops his mother up and whips her around before laying a kiss on her cheek, just like he did the last time. I’ll admit . . . it makes my heart swell. “Reese takes forever to make herself pretty.”