Colters' Gift (Colters' Legacy #5)(35)

She put a finger to his mouth. “We have all night. Isn’t that what Noah said? We’ll do it all over again.”

He smiled when she turned the words back on him. Then he lowered himself even further as Noah pulled back, allowing him the room. Liam gathered her tightly in his arms and then flexed his hips, driving deep.

Faster and harder. He picked up speed and thrust more forcefully. He hugged her tighter, holding her so close she could barely breathe, but she’d never felt safer or more . . . loved.

Then he buried himself deep and remained there, his entire body quivering, his hips jerking spasmodically. He nuzzled into her neck and his breath exploded against her skin as he lay there panting softly.

Even as Liam covered her, completely possessing her, Noah’s hand found hers where it was sprawled away from Liam. And he curled his fingers around hers, stroking over her palm. Letting her know that he was there. With her. Just as Liam was.

She was touched beyond measure at the gesture. It was symbolic. A silent promise. Tears gathered in her eyes. Had she finally found what she’d searched for for so long?

Liam kissed her cheek and then the corner of her mouth before finally pushing himself upward so she no longer bore his weight. Then he carefully withdrew and stepped aside to discard the condom.

Her gaze immediately went to Noah. She wanted to give him that same pleasure. She wanted it for herself. Their gazes connected and he leaned in to kiss her again, almost as if offering her reassurance.

He crawled off the bed. She watched as he undressed, determined to get a better view of him than she had Liam. She propped herself up on her elbows so she was able to see.

The ripple of muscles was impressive. He wasn’t as thick or as large as Liam, but he was every bit as muscled and toned. Just different body structure and build. Damn but he was so very nice to look at.

When he got his pants off and tore off his boxers, she took his erection, mentally comparing him to Liam. Liam had certainly felt . . . huge. But Noah? Looked huge.

The two men stood at the edge of the bed, Liam’s gaze soft and satisfied while Noah’s glittered with hunger. She shivered, licking her lips in anticipation.

To her surprise, Noah reached for her, turning her over onto her belly. Her cheek brushed over the sheet and for a moment she was too stunned to react.

This wasn’t what she’d expected.

Unease stole over her. For a moment she was too muddled to even realize why she was gripped by such discomfort.

It was instinctive for her to be wary, and to fight. Her first instinct was to fight?

Noah’s hands slid up the backs of her legs and he kissed the cheek of her ass, and then the other, nipping playfully.

She tried to reason with herself. Tried to be calm. This was Noah. Noah would never hurt her.

But the position was a symbol of helplessness to her. And she hated that feeling above all others. She didn’t want to be scared when Noah made love to her.

Then he spread her thighs, and all reason fled. There was no fighting the surge of panic. Her throat swelled with it until she nearly choked.

His grip tightened and in her disoriented state, all she could process was that she was being held down. Pinned. Helpless.

“No!” she choked out around a sob.

Even as the word exploded into the quiet, she was already kicking. The hands left her and she rolled away, against the wall. She put her back to it and curled her knees protectively against her chest.

She put her head down until her forehead touched her knees. All her most vulnerable parts were covered. Her stomach and ribs. Her face was hidden.

Because she knew what happened when she said no. There was always instant retaliation. It was a testament to just how afraid she’d been that the word had even escaped her lips.

Chapter 15

NOAH stared down in horror—and shock—as Lauren curled herself into a protective ball and huddled as far away from him as she could on the bed.

Her back was to the wall. It was a practiced move. It gutted him that this was something she’d obviously had to do before.

He honest to God wanted to puke.

Liam started forward but Noah put his hand out. When Liam turned to glare at him, Noah shook his head.

“I did this,” Noah said in a low voice he doubted Lauren even heard.

“Goddamn it, Noah,” Liam bit out. “You heard what he did to her that last time. He put her on her belly so she couldn’t fight him off, and then he held her down and raped her. She told us she hated that position. What were you thinking?”

Noah closed his eyes. He understood Liam’s anger. Noah was furious with himself. But this wasn’t the time to hash it out with his friend. Not when Lauren was in a protective ball because she was afraid of being hurt.

He held up his finger to Liam and shook his head once more. Then he crawled onto the bed, his gut in knots.

He hesitated, his hand hovering over her shoulder, afraid to touch her. He couldn’t bear for her to flinch away. The idea that she was expecting pain and humiliation instead of the pleasure he’d so wanted to give her made him sick to his soul.

“Lauren,” he whispered. “Honey, look at me please. I’m not going to hurt you. I’d never hurt you.”

Gingerly, he let his hand rest on her shoulder. She tensed but she didn’t flinch away or recoil. Her hair completely hid what little of her face that would have been visible, and he pushed it back, trying anything to calm her panic.