Sweet Temptation (Sweet #4)(49)

Fear, excitement, joy and trepidation all went a little nuts on her. But still she wasn’t about to make any assumptions. And not only that, but what she was almost assuming scared the shit out of her.

“How permanent?” she asked cautiously.

He slid his hands down her body again, cupping her ass as he hauled her up. Now on his knees, he drove relentlessly into her, the force of his thrusts making her br**sts jiggle uncontrollably.

“Shit, I love it when they do that,” he muttered as he lowered his mouth to one straining peak.

He devoured her br**sts, moving from one plump swell to the other. There wasn’t a part of his body that wasn’t touching hers. His hips met the backs of her thighs, and his balls slapped the crack of her ass. He rode her hard, and when he was hopelessly deep, he lowered himself back to her, gathering her tenderly in his arms.

“Very permanent,” he said gruffly. “So permanent that you’ll never doubt how much I love you and how much I want to be with you.”

“I think I could go for that,” she said softly.

He paused and looked deep into her eyes, and for the first time she saw vulnerability that took her breath away. He was worried. He was as scared as she was.

Feeling shattered, she reached up to touch his face. Her fingers smoothed over his forehead, down his cheeks and then over the roughness of his goatee.

“I want forever, Julie. Marriage. You tied to me, legally, emotionally. The whole nine yards.”

Her heart fluttered in panic, but at the same time a tidal wave of sheer joy swamped her from head to toe.

“My ring on your finger,” he whispered as he swept her lips into another kiss.

“I like jewelry,” she murmured.

“And I like you. Naked.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She followed suit with her legs, curling them around his waist.

“Ah damn I love it when you wrap yourself around me,” he groaned. “You’re so damn warm and soft. I love how you feel.”

“I love the way you make me feel,” she said seriously. “You make me feel beautiful, Nathan.”

He scowled, his brows drawing together until he looked positively ferocious. “You are beautiful. You’re f**king gorgeous. I swear to God I can’t breathe around you sometimes.”

“You have to stop or, swear to God, I’m going to cry.”

“Ah hell, anything but that.”

He gathered her tight, holding her so that no space separated them. Flesh against flesh, her br**sts molded to his chest, her body curved around his.

His hips flexed, his body arched as he thrust into her, keeping a leisurely pace.

What she’d said was true. He made her feel so very beautiful. No man had ever made love to her the way Nathan did. Sure, they had hot, dirty sex, and she loved every minute of it, but just as many times he took things so slow and loved her so sweetly that it was all she could do not to burst.

Her chest ached. Her soul ached. She couldn’t live without this man. She didn’t want to.

Just jump.

Take the leap.

Fly.

And she did. Straight into his arms. He held her tight as she burst into a million tiny pieces. Love and warmth flooded her. She soared. She floated. He was there to catch her.

“I love you,” she said brokenly as her orgasm splintered through her groin.

He buried his face in her neck, kissing the tender skin just below her ear. “Ah, I love you too, honey. So damn much. Hold on to me, baby. I’m coming.”

She arched upward, gripping him tightly. Her nails dug into his back just the way he liked, and then she slid her hands down to his tight ass and cupped him as he pumped into her body.

His teeth sank into the column of her neck and an agonized groan burned over her skin. His entire body tensed over hers, and his warmth flooded her.

He collapsed onto her, driving them both into the mattress. She lay there, holding him, stroking his back up and down. He didn’t stir right away and she was content to lie there, with him in her arms.

She kissed his muscular shoulder and then ran her hand over his bald head.

“Stay,” she begged when he started to move away.

“Don’t you know, honey? I’m never going anywhere.”

He kissed her again and then rolled to his side, carrying her with him. He was still buried inside her, and their limbs were all tangled up like some crazy knot.

“I love you,” he said gruffly. “That ain’t going to change. Ever.”

She smiled against his chest and for once didn’t begrudge the shimmer of tears that welled in her eyes.

“You know, Tucker, I think I just might believe you.”

CHAPTER 23

Micah balanced the tray and headed up the stairs toward the private rooms. He’d mentioned sleep, but he knew he wouldn’t sleep until he’d had Angelina again. Far from sated, his entire body ached with unfulfilled need.

When he pushed open the first door, he saw her draped naked across the bed, her long hair fanned out. Her arms were folded, her head resting at her wrists as she lay on her belly.

He hardened all over again.

She looked up when he entered, but she didn’t move. She simply waited.

He set the tray aside, knowing the sandwiches would keep. In a matter of seconds, he had his jeans off, and he strode toward the bed, eyeing the delectable curve of her ass. He’d take her there later, when he had time to prepare her. For now, he wanted inside her so badly that the need consumed him.