Sweet Addiction (Sweet #6)(47)

For the longest time he remained there, his c**k deep in her mouth as he stroked her hair with loving caresses. Then finally he pulled away and brushed his thumb over her swollen lips.

He tucked himself back into his slacks then bent to retrieve the belt he’d dropped on the floor. Her ass tingled all over again as she relived each and every stroke of the leather.

“Get dressed,” he said softly. “I’ll have the saleslady collect our purchases and send me the bill.”

CHAPTER 21

Ren was nervous and she wished she wasn’t. With Lucas she didn’t worry because …She frowned a moment, feeling disloyal for the thoughts crossing her mind. But it wasn’t like she could turn off an entire year of an intense, close connection to a man she trusted implicitly.

When she was with Lucas, she didn’t fear new situations. She knew with absolute certainty that he would take care of her, make sure she was comfortable and that any fears or nervousness she might experience would be soothed.

With Lucas, she felt confident and at peace both with herself and her role in his life.

Now she was going with Cole to meet his friends and the fact that she was on edge was pretty damn ridiculous. She’d even met Damon and his wife already, though not under the best of circumstances.

But she’d only been with Cole two days. She’d only been back in his life such a short time. Though she did trust him, she hadn’t yet reached the same level of confidence as she had with Lucas. No, Cole wouldn’t hurt her physically, but he’d hurt her emotionally. He’d devastated her and he had the power to do so again no matter how much she wished no man held such power over her.

And well, there was the fact that Cole had been intimate in varying degrees with both women who would be present. If that didn’t make things awkward, she didn’t know what would.

She put on a pink dress that fit her like a dream with just a little swish at her mid-thigh. Enough to make her feel a little sassy and the color set off the dramatic midnight black of her hair and her creamy skin tone.

The hot pink f**k-me shoes were the natural choice, but when put together with the dress, it made her feel like a tart. The Barbie shoes would wait for another night when she didn’t care one way or another what others thought of her.

Instead she went with strappy silver sandals with a clear heel and just enough bling to make her feet sparkle. What girl could resist sparkly shoes? If there was such a woman, it wasn’t her.

She brushed out her hair, applied pink lip gloss and then went in search of Cole. He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and whistled appreciatively as she descended.

His smile brought back so many memories. He looked …happy. And younger. Much like the young man she’d known ten years ago. Only now he was much more larger than life, older, wiser and so damn gorgeous and confident that she went weak in the knees around him.

What would their lives be like now if he hadn’t walked away? Would they have stayed together? Would they be happy even now?

As she got to the last step, he reached up to take her hand and assist her down. He pulled her in close, breathed in the scent of her hair, just like he always used to do, and then he nudged her chin up so he could take her mouth.

And she said take, because that’s precisely what he did. He didn’t kiss her exactly, although that was what happened. But it was the way he kissed her. It was a reminder—a forceful, unmistakable reminder—of his possession. That he considered her his. But at the same time, it wasn’t a sterile, clinical gesture.

It was …sweet. Breathtaking.

Warmth spread through her veins until her pulse throbbed and her chest squeezed for air. All her lip gloss would be gone but she didn’t give a damn.

What woman didn’t want to be kissed this way? Tender. Yet strong, dominant, reassuring. That was the word she was trying to think of. Reassuring.

His touch held a wealth of reassurance. It told her I’ll never let anything touch you. I’ll take care of you. You’re mine.

When he pulled away, their gazes locked and he seemed content to simply stare at her. He touched her cheek with his finger and traced a gentle line over the contours of her face.

“You’re beautiful, Ren. You’ve always been beautiful but there is something mesmerizing about you now. Time has been very good to you. You look …content. Confident. And I can’t tell you how sexy I find confidence on a woman. You look like a woman with nothing to prove and it makes me want to possess you all the more.”

Her cheeks tightened with pleasure at the compliment but also at the sincerity that warmed his eyes. She self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and he chuckled softly, tracing the path of her hand with his own.

“You always did do that when I complimented you. It’s still as adorable now as it was then.”

To cover the fact that she had no idea how to respond, she broke away and performed a sassy twirl and then held up her hands. “Do I look all right? Not going to embarrass you in front of your friends?”

He frowned and then caught her hand. “Never.”

He tucked her into his side and started for the front door. Parked outside was a steel gray Aston Martin. She lifted one eyebrow as he opened her door for her and she slid into the luxurious leather seat.

When Cole slid in next to her and started the engine, she quickly buckled herself but stared over as he pulled out of the drive.