Nocturne(79)

My whole body shook at the words, because I hadn’t either. I brought my lips back to hers, and our mouths opened, tongues exploring. I was overwhelmed by the sensation of her body touching mine. Her breasts were warm and swollen against my bare chest, and as my left hand slid down to the curve of her back, she pressed her entire body hard against mine. My breath was ragged, and I was utterly overwhelmed by the emotion, the sensation, of having Savannah Marshall in bed again after all these years.

She let out a small groan as my hand slid down to cup her ass, and I pulled her tighter, the pressure of our bodies together almost too intense to bear. I wanted her clothes off right then and there. We had a crazy, confusing, frustrating moment where our bodies were too close to each other to manage getting clothes off, and I literally had to tear myself away from her to get up on my knees. I kissed her as I felt at her back, trying to find the zipper for her dress.

“Under my arm,” she spoke through clenched teeth, lifting her arm to expose the zipper.

I unzipped her dress, loosening it enough to slide the entire dress up and over her head, and then I found myself sitting back on my heels, staring at her, my heart beating even faster. Her skin looked almost porcelain. Incredibly smooth, flawless. Like her.

In that moment she stared up at me. Vulnerable, but strong. Here was someone who understood who I was on so many levels. Who I’d loved since I first laid eyes on her.

Here was the woman I’d hurt, badly. The woman I’d promised to walk away from, because of worry about my career. And her reputation. The woman who I lost, because I didn’t fight for her. And even though she was right here in front of me, it didn’t feel entirely real; everything had the texture of a dream.

But it wasn’t a dream.

She reached for my belt, her hand pressing against me, and I groaned, closing my eyes for just a second. I eased out of my pants, and our bodies were back side-by-side again, and now I felt her skin against mine. I hooked a leg around hers, tangling our limbs, and slid my right arm underneath her shoulder.

She brought her lips to my neck, just below my ear, and I involuntarily sucked in a breath. She continued kissing, down my neck, then to my chest.

“I love you.” As her lips formed her words against my skin, my back arched and I let out a groan.

The feeling of her breath and her teeth against my skin was almost unbearable. I couldn’t take just being next to her any longer. Nudging her back slightly, she raised her knees, allowing me to settle between them as I stared down at her. With her hair scattered around her, I wanted to drink her in. To savor every essence that made her who she was. Shifting my gaze to her eyes, I found them slightly clouded with tears. But she looked happy. Content. Right.

“Are you okay?” I asked, taking a hand and brushing a strand from her face.

“Always,” she whispered, sliding her hands to my buttocks, pressing her fingertips into my skin. Giving me unspoken permission.

I shook my head slightly as I leaned down to kiss her. “God, you’re exquisite … ”

With those words, Savannah let out a soft moan as I slowly slid inside her. She opened up her body for me and I was humbled by her trust, given everything we’d been through. Everything I’d put her through. Suddenly I wanted to touch her everywhere at once. I didn’t want a single inch of my skin to be separated from hers.

“Oh …” She closed her eyes and rocked her head back on the pillow as her mouth formed around the word. My eyes traced along the smooth line of her neck, her jawline.

“Mmm,” I moaned onto her breast as my tongue desperately circled her nipple, feeling it get harder under my touch.

I moved faster, pressing my forehead into her chest. Beads of sweat rolled down my cheek and onto her skin.

“Hey.” Breathlessly, Savannah grabbed the sides of my face and hunted my eyes, perhaps looking for answers to five years of questions. “Go slow. I don’t want this to end.”

Slowly she lifted her hips, and lowered them again, teaching me how to move with her. I couldn’t look away from her as I waited for her to close her eyes again. She didn’t. I slid into her carefully, and backed out at the same cautious speed, watching her eyelids react to my motion. As I watched her reactions, my own body responded. Minute after minute I watched her as I felt every curve of her body move against mine. Making love to the only woman I’d ever loved.

As if sensing my need for more, she dug her fingernails into my shoulder blades and grazed her teeth against my earlobe. “Roll over.” Intense authority tore through her whisper, and I complied.

My view of her was paralyzing as we repositioned our bodies and Savannah straddled my hips. She ran a hand through her hair to move it out of her face, and it cascaded in careless waves over her breasts. Reaching up, I brushed her hair over her shoulder and let my hands slide down her arms, working their way to her calves. As she began to slowly rock, I arched my back in response. Trailing my fingers up her calves, her hips, her waist, soaking in every inch of her body. Committing every curve to memory.

My hands reached her breasts, cupping them, my thumbs grazing over her nipples as I stared at her in humble worship. Her head dipped to the left, as she moaned.

Biting her lip as she pushed harder against me, she commanded, “Harder.”

I worked my fingers deeper against her breasts and she threw her head back for a moment, exposing her neck. I wanted more than anything to sit up and run my tongue from the base of it up to her ear, but feeling her hips circle against me kept me in place.