She Can Hide (She Can #4)(54)

Abby tumbled into his arms. “Oh.”

“I want you.” Primal need roared from his eyes, and the brilliant blue darkened and sharpened with desire.

He shifted, laying her down on the couch and stretching out next to her. Their bodies pressed together. Heat shimmered from his skin in waves like a sultry day in August. She definitely wasn’t cold now. Her blood heated and flowed through her body as slow and thick as warm honey. The man had hot hands. Those heated palms kept moving. Callused fingertips trailed up and down along her ribs, alerting the skin on her sides that something good was going to happen to the rest of her body. My God, the way this man could make her feel with a simple caress was amazing. Her bones turned to liquid whenever he touched her.

He lowered his head, and she felt his warm breath wash over her face before his mouth even made contact, and she trembled slightly. He kissed her cheek then her temple, right along the nearly faded bruise. When his lips brushed a sensitive spot on her neck, her head automatically fell to the side to give him more room. Her body leaned into his all on its own, quivering in anticipation.

His fingertips stroked her collarbone and hovered over her breast. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? Maybe we should wait.”

“What?” Abby moaned softly. “No.”

Ethan lifted his head to grin down at her. One look at the mischievous glint in his eyes and she knew she’d lost. Or won. She wasn’t sure yet because her brain was now the consistency of oatmeal, but a little voice in the back of her head told her that despite her earlier striptease, now she was the one being thoroughly, expertly seduced.

“Oh, forget it. You win. I can’t hold out any longer.” Ethan dipped his head and caught her nipple in his mouth.

Abby arched back as every brush of his lips on her breast sent warm waves of want rolling through her. Tension built as his hands and lips traveled the length of her torso, not leaving an inch of skin untended. His legs intertwined with hers.

Wait. She ran a foot up his hard calf. “When did you take your pants off?”

“A minute ago.” He stroked a hand up her thigh.

“How did I miss that?” Abby asked. “Are you some kind of magician?”

“You tell me.” His hand was between her legs. What happened to her panties? Oh, who cared? His fingers were nimble all right. They stroked and circled, building her pleasure in overlapping waves, until Abby could barely breathe. She pried a hand off his shoulder, where her nails had left marks in his skin.

“I’m sorry. I scratched you.” She took him in her hand.

“I know,” he hissed. “It’s so hot.”

She stroked him from base to tip. He twitched in her palm. “You find me scratching you a turn-on?”

His body stiffened. “You losing control is a total turn-on.”

“Like this?” Her hand dipped and cupped.

“Jesus.” His erection jumped toward her.

She wrapped one leg over the back of his thigh. “Ethan, now.”

“Yes. Now would be good.” He lifted his head. Their gazes met.

Unexpectedly nervous, Abby swallowed hard to ease the fluttering of her stomach. What was wrong with her? She was no virgin. But something in the back of her mind suspected this was going to be a whole new experience. Her blood had certainly never surged through her veins at this temperature. Nor had every nerve ending in her body ever stood at attention quite like this. Never had a man looked at her as if he couldn’t take his next breath without her.

Her entire body was waiting, anticipating, strung as taut as a tightrope.

Because she also knew to her very soul that sex with Ethan would be more than physical pleasure. They were joining more than their bodies tonight. The last week, they’d been dancing around this moment, this culmination of vulnerability and trust.

“Hold on.” Ethan reached for the floor. He came up with his jeans and fished in the pocket one-handed. He pulled out a foil packet and ripped it open with his teeth. A second later, he settled between Abby’s legs. Wow. The man had magic hands.

He slid inside her, filling her with an aching slowness. The internal stroke set a new bundle of nerves alight. Abby arched backward as pleasure speared her. But Ethan seated himself deeply inside her and held completely still. In the firelight, sweat glimmered on his skin.

“What, now you’re in no rush?” she panted.

“I want this to last as long as possible.” Ethan rested his forehead against hers. “I feel like…” He seated himself deeply in her.

“Like what?” Unable to resist another stroke of pleasure, Abby’s hips rocked. It wasn’t enough. She needed him to move, to finish what he’d started.

“Like I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.”

Her heart stammered.

“But I can’t do it.” Ethan pulled back and slid in hard again.

Abby’s body tensed. His admission sent a fresh burst of heat through her. Pleasure coiled, tighter and tighter with each thrust of his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and bowed backward.

“No. Don’t close your eyes.” Ethan thrust faster. “I want to see you.”

They locked gazes. Tiny dots swirled in Abby’s vision as her body soared and crashed. Energy pulsed through her body. Ethan’s eyes went dark and lost as he followed her over. Breathing hard, he dropped his forehead to hers. Abby could feel his heart thundering against her breasts, mimicking her own racing pulse.