And then he kissed her because he couldn't stand it any longer.
The tension building inside boiled over.
TWENTY-FOUR
Their kiss was all heat and urgency and grasping hands and swallowed gasps. And Maddie thought that it was beautiful.
She felt light, untouchable, like nothing could hurt her, even Caleb.
"What I feel for you scares me," he'd admitted. And Maddie had felt happiness as though it was a declaration of love. Perhaps she was naive. More than likely she was. She didn't know anything about romantic relationships, but it didn't stop her from surrendering herself completely to his kiss.
This is what she'd needed to hear … some kind of quiet affirmation that he felt something for her. That he cared for her. That he wanted to be with her. And those sweet words hung in her mind like an exquisite painting that brightened up an entire room.
When she'd finished up the last of her work, she'd felt a nervous uncertainty in the pit of her stomach. For almost a half hour, she sat there, knowing that she should tell him that was she done, that her debt to him was paid off. But every time she was on the verge of saying those words, the words that would sever what little ties they had to each other, her throat would close up. The regret had already began to swamp her, regret for letting another chance with Caleb slip through her fingers. She'd have no reason to see him again. And she was far from ready to say goodbye.
So, as his palms slid up the material of her lavender blouse, bunching it up as he went, she let him. All she could do was helplessly arch into him. She never wanted to stop kissing him. It felt too good. He felt too good, pressed up against her, all hard muscles and intoxicating warmth. The moment his hands slipped under her blouse to feel her skin, he groaned and her heartbeat officially spiraled out of control. Her breath came out in gasps and pants and finally she had to turn her head to the side to get air. But Caleb didn't stop kissing her.
Those firm, pouty lips that she loved travelled down her jaw to nibble on her neck. The tip of his right ear brushed her cheek as he leaned down, sucking on her sensitive flesh like he wanted to devour her, and she turned her face and gently bit his earlobe.
Caleb shuddered. "Oh fuck." He stood, his eyes blazing, and he reclaimed her mouth in a punishing kiss, pushing her blouse up higher until his hands brushed the satin cups of her bra.
Their teeth clashed together, the intensity of their kiss surprising Maddie. She loved it. She felt out of control, reckless, young. Was this the way her girlfriends had felt whenever they'd become obsessed about a man? This all-consuming, completely crazy need? Because surely she'd die if Caleb ever stopped touching her.
And when his fingertips pushed underneath her bra to stroke the heavy flesh there, she had to ask herself … was she ready for where this moment would eventually lead?
A part of her wanted to shy away, to laugh with nervousness. The other part recognized that this was it.
She wanted him.
She wanted this.
She would take whatever he had to give because she'd waited a long time.
And it had always been him …
She shut down stray, worried, warning thoughts and just let herself feel. The strokes he gifted her breasts sent shivers down her spine and a rush of warmth pooled between her thighs. It was like every nerve-ending in her body fired to life. Everything was intensified. Every brush of skin, every quiet desperate sound, every taste of his tongue was heaven.
When he got impatient and reached down to tug off her blouse, she helped him. And after a flick of his fingers, her bra joined the small pile on the floor next to them.
He hissed out a breath when he saw her nipples pucker. For a moment, she felt self-conscious as he stared down at them. She'd never been naked-or at least half-naked-in front of anyone before. She liked her body well enough. She was an average weight, not too too big or too skinny. Her stomach was soft, as were her hips, thighs, and arms. Not jutting bones or harsh angles.
"Mmm," Caleb murmured, brushing his thumb over her nipples. Maddie gasped, feeling stabbing pleasure shoot between her legs. Caleb leaned forward to capture her lips again as he pinched her flesh gently. "Such perfect tits, princess," he growled against her lips, cupping her breasts. They fit perfectly in his palms.
"Oh," was her only response as he played with her … relentlessly.
And when he ducked his head to suck on her nipples? All she could think was oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!
Foreign pleasure assaulted her. His lips brushed over the sensitive peaks, teasing, and then he'd make her stomach tighten when his teeth scraped the delicate flesh. It was maddening, a perfect combination of the sweetest pleasure and dark pricks of pain. The space between her thighs was throbbing by the time he'd finished and returned to her lips, but his fingers wandered … down … down … down.