As She Fades(38)

I rubbed up against him, wanting to feel it. Feel him. The groan that came from his chest sent shivers through me, and I held on to his hair and tried to get even closer.

His right hand slid down my thigh, then jerked it up by the knee until I was open to him. Until his hardness was pressing where I needed it most. I cried out against his lips and moved my hips so that the friction from the contact gave the pleasure my body was aching for.

“Fuck,” Slate muttered against my lips as he broke the kiss and began pressing a trail down my neck and toward my chest. My breaths were short and gasping with each inch he drew closer to my breasts. I wanted this. I wanted it with Slate. I didn’t care anymore about who he’d been with before. I just wanted him.

“Vale,” he whispered as he lifted his head to look up at me. I couldn’t speak so I just met his gaze. “Get in my car.”

I nodded, but my legs weren’t sure they could work. Slate picked me up and walked back to the dark area of the parking lot to his Jeep. Stopping at the passenger door, he dropped me back to my feet and pressed me up against the cool metal. “Let’s get something straight. I’ve wanted to fuck you since the moment I laid eyes on you. The fact I didn’t was out of respect, not lack of desire. You’re different.”

Oh.

Then his mouth was back on mine and his hand was at my shorts, unbuttoning them with smooth efficiency. We were in a parking lot at my place of work, and when my shorts began to slide down my legs, I waited until they hit the ground and stepped out of them. Slate fell to his haunches and picked them up, then ran his hand up my bare leg until he reached the top.

I held my breath as he leaned in and kissed the pink satin of my panties. That was something I’d never done with Crawford. We had just had sex a couple of times. Like everything else with Slate, this was different. It was life-changing.





CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

SLATE MOVED ME against him as he opened the door behind me and then backed me up before picking me up and setting me in the seat. He slipped my panties down and tossed them onto the backseat, then placed a hand on each of my knees and slid them open. Exposing me to him. Something else I’d never done.

“I gotta taste you,” he said with a hoarse whisper, before lowering to his knees and sinking his head between my legs. The first swipe of his tongue had me crying out his name and grabbing his head. That was unlike anything I’d ever had. I wanted more.

The more he kissed me there and ran his tongue in places that ached for him most, the more desperate I grew. His name was the one thing I managed to cry out as my body sped tighter and higher toward release. I was willing to accept anything if I could feel like this.

Just as I thought I was going to scream and pull out all Slate’s hair, my world exploded and the release shot through me. I was left trembling as he kissed up my stomach, then pulled me into his arms. “You enjoyed that.” His voice sounded pleased and I gave a weak laugh.

“Yes.” I stated the obvious.

“I did, too. And for now I’m going to let that be enough.”

Wait. What?

“Don’t be mad. I like you all soft and relaxed in my arms. I’m taking it slow with you, Vale. You are different. I don’t want to treat you like the others. I can’t. My feelings … I just … I can’t.”

Could this be enough? Being with him like this and knowing he was with other girls, too? The idea of him touching someone else like he’d just done to me was breathtakingly painful. I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“I can’t, either,” I said, pulling away from him. “That was amazing … but I can’t be with you this way and know I’m one of many.”

Slate sighed and took my face in his hands. I liked it when he did that. It was like he was claiming me. Telling me he cherished me. Wanted me. “You are the only one. I haven’t been with anyone in two weeks. The more I’m with you, the more I want to be with you. Just you. I can’t even stand being near other girls because they aren’t you.”

I wanted to believe that. It was beautiful. But it was a lie.

“I know about your date tonight.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I figured. But did you know I canceled it this morning after I kissed you and dropped you off? I didn’t want it. I just wanted you.”

Oh.

He pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “It’s just you, Vale. For the first time in my life I’m not looking. I found what was missing.”

My heart squeezed and I felt tears sting my eyes. I didn’t want to cry, so I buried my head in his shoulder and inhaled. I felt safe. But more than that I was happy. Complete. And he wasn’t Crawford.

“Are you crying?” he asked, his voice sounding amused.

I shook my head, thankful no tears had fallen, and then looked up at him. “No.”

He smiled down at me. “You’re so fucking gorgeous it’s distracting. Getting past all that and finding out you’re beautiful inside. That there’s this world you see through your eyes that I want to see. And I get to when I’m with you.”

“Thank you,” I said, emotion clogging my throat again.

“For the epic pleasure, or for being completely infatuated with you?” He was teasing me again.

“Both,” I whispered, feeling my cheeks heat up from his blunt descriptive words.