Long Road Home(37)

He pulled from her long enough to shimmy his jeans down and kick them away. He turned his gaze back to her, and she shivered at the intensity in his eyes.

“You’re beautiful, Jules. More beautiful than ever.”

She smiled half in amusement, half in self-conscious discomfort. She’d never looked worse, but she imagined he thought she looked beautiful because he hadn’t seen her in so long. She understood. He had never looked more beautiful to her than in this moment. Naked next to her in front of the fire.

He began at her navel, kissing lightly, raining a trail of fire from her abdomen to her br**sts. She sucked in her breath when his tongue swirled around first one nipple then the other. She closed her eyes and groaned aloud when he finally pulled one into his mouth.

An unbearable need blossomed in her stomach and spread to her groin. One only he could sate. Gone was the terror and shame of long ago. This was a man she had waited forever for.

His hand parted her thighs, and he stroked soothingly over her tender flesh. His fingers performed magic, and she began to move beneath him, wanting more.

He kissed her again, his tongue delving deep into her mouth, staking his claim.

“Are you all right?”

She didn’t trust herself to speak so she nodded. His fingers pushed her hair from her forehead, tucking it behind her ears. He looked at her with such love and acceptance, she wanted to cry. How would he look at her when he learned of her betrayal?

Her breath came out in a shaky jerk.

Manny’s gaze softened even more.

“Don’t be afraid, baby. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

She didn’t correct his assumption. She couldn’t.

He kissed her lightly, tenderly, and the aching in her heart increased tenfold.

She reached out to touch his chest, her fingertips glancing over the hard muscles and light smattering of hair. He rolled onto his back, coaxed by her hands. She followed him, eager to explore more of his body.

He groaned. “I’ve dreamed of you touching me.”

Encouraged by his response, she followed her fingers with her lips. She inhaled deeply, letting his scent envelop her senses. His taste danced a slow waltz on her tongue, warm and comforting.

She paused for a moment when she saw the evidence of his arousal. Hard and erect, yet when she touched it, it felt satiny and smooth.

“God, Jules.”

His voice came out tortured, ragged.

She smiled, enjoying her power over him. She bent to kiss him there, but he caught her shoulders.

“Don’t, baby. I won’t last if you do.”

He pulled her up his body until her head was even with his again. Then he rotated over her, his length covering hers. He supported himself with his hands so his weight didn’t crush her, but she felt every inch of him.

For a long moment he simply stared down at her, his gaze stroking over her flesh just as his hands had done just seconds ago.

“I love you.”

She stared at him in shock, too overwhelmed to respond, her heart nearly bursting from her chest.

And still he stared as if willing her to accept the words. His eyes were dark with emotion. Love. She couldn’t deny it. She didn’t want to. He loved her.

He waited silently, allowing her time to absorb his confession, to accept that he wasn’t simply going to have sex with her. Her chest tightened, painful with each breath she tried to let loose.

She lifted her hand to cup his cheek and then smoothed her thumb over the lines under his eyes, over his cheekbone and then down to his jaw. She wanted so much to tell him she loved him. Adored him. Always had. But it seemed the ultimate betrayal when she planned to turn her back on the love he offered so unconditionally.

But she could show him.

Her hands wandered down his body, over his broad shoulders and then to his chest, coming together in the hollow where she could feel the steady beat of his heart.

“Show me,” she finally said. It was all she could say.

He closed his eyes and when he reopened them, they were bright with desire. Worry for her. And love. So much love that she felt it wrap around her and invade her soul.

He nudged her legs apart with his thigh and settled his heavy erection against her opening. She hooked her ankles around his waist, encouraging him, wanting him.

He closed his eyes again and the muscles in his neck strained and bulged as he began to slowly ease his way into her body. He was so exquisitely tender, so reverent that her eyelids burned with unshed tears. Didn’t he know that she trusted him? That she knew he’d never hurt her?

She wrapped her arms around him, wanting him closer, wanting the security of his big body so close to hers. And she hung on, burying her face in his neck, her eyes squeezed shut against the emotion building in her heart.

“I love you,” he said again, as if he knew just how much she needed to hear the words.

He slid his arms underneath her, gathering her as closely as she held him. Their bodies were meshed so tight that there was no space between them, no point of separation. They moved as one, finding their rhythm as he stroked in and out of her in long, tender thrusts.

At intervals, he paused and kissed her hair, her temple, her cheek, any part of her he could reach with his mouth. Her heart melted a little more because she knew how close he was to his release and yet he waited for her, wanting her to be with him.

And then he’d begin again, driving her mindless, bringing her ever closer to something she wasn’t sure of. But she wanted it. She wanted it more than anything.