One Night to Risk It All(45)

“I want you,” she said.

“I know.”

“I mean...get off the bed.”

“I don’t take orders.”

“You should take these. Now get off the bed.”

He obeyed, standing close, and she moved over to the edge, on her knees. “I want this.” She lowered her head, her heart hammering hard. And she realized she really did want this. She wanted to taste him. Not because it would pleasure him, but because she wanted it. Wanted him in her mouth. Her tongue flicking out to taste the head of his shaft.

Strong fingers gripped her hair, gently pulling her back. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know.” She met his eyes. “I want to, Alex.”

His hold on her loosened and she bent down again, taking him into her mouth. The sharp hiss of his breath, the tenseness in his whole body, sent a sharp pang of pleasure straight to her stomach.

She was so very aware that this was Alex. The past wasn’t with them. There was nothing shameful tied to what she was doing for him, because she wanted it. Because it wasn’t selfish taking and coercion on his end.

“Stop, Rachel.”

“Why?”

“We’re savoring, remember?”

“I know I am,” she said.

He growled and she found herself flat on her back. He had one arm wrapped around her, the other cupping her chin. “You push me to the edge of my control.”

His kiss was hard, demanding, his tongue sliding over hers, the slick friction sending a wave of lust through her body.

“I’d hate to see you out of control then,” she said, panting as they parted. “I’m not sure I could take it.”

He chuckled, the sound void of warmth. “Perhaps not.” He tightened his hold on her and repositioned them so that they were on their sides with him behind her. “Then again...I might be able to do good things with my loss of control.”

He cupped her breast with one hand, turned her face toward him with the other and kissed her lips. She could feel his erection, hard and hot against her back.

He took his hand from her breast and positioned himself at the entrance to her body, testing her before sliding in deep. She let her head fall back against him, tasting him as deeply as she could in her current position.

His hand drifted between her thighs, stroking her clit as he thrust inside of her. He held her to him, his arm tight over her chest, his breath hot on her neck as he whispered dark, sensual words in her ear.

Alex liked to talk dirty. And he did it so well. Telling her how good she felt and all the things he wanted to do with her, in explicit detail.

She was hot all over, pleasure coiling low and tight inside of her, breathing a near impossibility.

“Come for me,” he said. “You wanted to. Now you have my permission.”

It shouldn’t have been sexy. But the words, low and husky and so commanding, pushed her over the edge. A hoarse cry escaped her lips as he thrust into her one last time, pleasure pounding through her like a wave, enhanced by the pulse of his shaft as he found his own release.

She lay back against him, breathing hard, her body tingling with pleasure, her lungs burning. Her heart was pounding hard, and it hurt. Because it felt heavy, swollen. She couldn’t begin to put a name to what it was, only that it made her feel happy and desperately sad at the same time.

She wanted him. In every way. Wanted to have this, to keep him with her. And she knew that it wasn’t going to happen. She’d refused him. And he was young. He would meet someone new. He would make a family with her. He would do this with her.

And she could only think of one thing to say.

“I’ll marry you, Alex.”





CHAPTER TEN


ALEX WAS SURE that he hadn’t heard her correctly. He was having a hard time hearing at all, since his blood was still roaring through his ears and his heartbeat was louder in his head than any sound in the room.

And yet he had heard it.

She had agreed to marry him.

And for some reason, instead of feeling like all the pieces were falling into place, he felt a bit like he was falling apart.

“I am glad to hear that, Rachel,” he said.

“It seems like a weird conversation to have right now.”


“No, I think a man should be flattered if a woman decides, after sex, that she will in fact marry him. Better than last time. After which you told me you didn’t want to talk about it and stormed off.”

She cleared her throat. “Um...it’s just...all very confusing.”

He shifted, holding her soft, curvy body against his. He put his hand on her stomach, as he’d done that night two weeks ago. It was still flat. No sign yet of the baby she carried. If it weren’t for the scan earlier, he would hardly believe she was pregnant.

“And now it isn’t? What changed your mind?”

“If I say the orgasm will you run away?”

He could have laughed at her candor—if his chest didn’t feel like it had a pile of bricks on it. “No.”

“Well, it wasn’t that. Not really. But it is partly this. I can’t imagine trying to raise a child with you. Seeing you. And having it not be like this and I thought... I just thought, and I’ll be perfectly honest with you, how if I didn’t marry you there would be other women. That you might have a child with someone else. I don’t want that, Alex. Which brings me to the next part—if you marry me, I’m the only woman you get.”