“Ellie,” he whispered.
Her eyes fluttered open.
“Look at me, El.” He kissed her again, and her eyes drifted closed again. “Look at me.” He needed to know she saw him and that she was thinking of him and not allowing herself to sneak away to her silent place. He wanted her to remain right there forever, with that hazy lust in her eyes and her feet digging into the mattress, her fingers clawing at his back.
“More,” she whimpered.
He felt her inner muscles pulsate just before she closed her eyes and his name spun from her lips as she clutched at him, breathing in short, hampered breaths.
“Yes. Yes,” she called in one long whisper.
Dex followed her over the edge, his body shuddering against her. Years of love carried his sweet release on and on. Sweat glistened off their bodies as they both gasped for air, satiated, spent, and together.
Finally together.
Chapter Fifteen
SUNLIGHT STREAMED THROUGH the curtains and streaked across Ellie’s body as she lay on her side against Dex. He knew last night was a gift, something to be treasured but not counted on. He’d heard his phone vibrating in the middle of the night and he hadn’t wanted to separate himself from Ellie. He knew that whatever it was, it would get him riled up, and for just one night, he wanted to be fully hers. He had his whole life to be owned by the PC gaming business. He had no idea how long he had with Ellie.
Ellie’s alarm sounded at seven thirty. She stretched her arms above her head and pushed her butt back, grazing Dex’s thighs. She stiffened—so did he. She whipped her head around and Dex felt a slow smile grace his lips. He’d expected her to startle.
She was Ellie, after all.
“Hey,” she said in a raspy, sexy voice that sent a jolt of lightning to his groin.
“Hey.”
“Did you sleep?” she asked.
“A little.” He ran his finger down her cheek, figuring he had about sixty seconds before she bolted from bed. He’d spent all night preparing for her quick retreat. He accepted that he couldn’t hold her back from whatever she needed to do. Even if that meant leaving him. Even if it would kill him to let her go. When she rested her head on his stomach, he drew his eyebrows together in confusion. She kissed his stomach and slid her hands up along his chest. Christ. He had no hope of hiding his desire.
He’d waited so long to love her, to touch her, and to be loved by her. Last night he felt like he was the luckiest man on the planet, and when he woke up and she was still beside him, he allowed himself a moment of revelry before remembering not to count on her. Now he fought against himself. He wanted to count on her.
Her eyes scanned his face. He watched, waited, telling himself not to be disappointed or hurt. Easier said than done. She lowered her lips to his chest again, and he had to run his hands through her hair. God, he loved the way her thick hair felt tangled between his fingers, the wild way it wiggled at the ends, like spiral curls that were too tired to hold their coil. He loved the way it framed her face when she hovered above him—like last night. Holy hell. Just thinking about it got him hard again.
He had to stop noticing things about her. Dangerous territory.
She inched up his body and placed her soft, perfectly bowed lips on his. He closed his eyes, breathing harder now, trying not to give in to his desires. Ellie was like a frightened deer. She might think she wanted to poke the bear, but when he reared up, she might take off into the woods and never look back.
“Open your eyes,” she whispered.
He did, and damn if her green eyes weren’t a breath away.
“I’m not running,” she said. She held his gaze. Her voice was serious, strong. But Dex knew better than to fall into her all at once. He’d done that and been burned. This time he had to try to keep his armor intact.
She reached beneath the covers and wrapped her fingers around the length of him. “Mmm.”
His armor didn’t stand much of a chance. Her lips found his stomach again, and she dragged her tongue down his body, then sucked her way lower. Dex closed his eyes again, felt her hands press on his thighs.
“Open your eyes,” she whispered. She locked eyes with him, hovering above him. “I don’t plan on running, Dexy.”
That was more than she’d given him in the past, and he clung to it like a security blanket.
When she lowered her mouth and took him in, he groaned. He’d never last with the promise of staying on her lips and her hot, wet mouth driving his thoughts to her naked body. She dropped lower, licking his balls and pulling a growl from deep within his lungs. In the next breath, she was straddling him, and she slid down upon him.
“Good God, Ellie.” His eyes flew open. “Shit. Condom.” He reached for the box in the drawer but not before she moved expertly up and down every inch of him, drawing him closer and closer to the edge. He grabbed her hips and stilled her. “Don’t move.”
She smiled and fought against his strength.
“Ellie, you’re playing with fire.”
“I’m on the pill.” She pushed against his hands.
“Why didn’t you tell me last night?” He was pressing her hips down, afraid to let her move. He was too close to falling apart.
She shrugged. “Just being careful, I guess. I didn’t want you to think I was some kind of tramp for being on the pill.”
“I could never think that of you.”
“I’ve only been with two guys and we always used condoms. The pill was my backup. I didn’t want to take any chances.”
“I always use them. No diseases. I’m clean. But you couldn’t have known that. Why would you chance it with me?”
“I trust you. You’d never put me in danger.” She leaned forward to kiss him, and he stilled her again.
“You seriously cannot move. I’ll lose it.”
Her eyes narrowed with pleasure. She nuzzled into his neck, easing down onto his chest. Her soft breasts pressed against him, and she licked slow circles at the edge of his collarbone, then sucked the sensitive skin.
“Ellie,” he whispered.
Clearly enjoying the control, she curved her lips into a mischievous smile and gyrated her hips as she’d done last night; then she took him in a hungry, deep kiss. Her hair fell like a curtain around them, brushing against his cheek. She arched up and rode him fast and hard, forcefully taking his hands from her hips and cupping them over her breasts. Dex gritted his teeth against the mounting need to come. He sat up, pulling her legs behind him, and rubbed his thumb over her nipple, then took the perfect mound into his mouth. He reached around her and grabbed her ass, helping her efforts.
“Dex,” she whispered. Her eyelashes fluttered, her head fell back, and she grasped his shoulders, calling out an indiscernible cry of pleasure as she tightened around him, drawing out his release. They were chest to chest, Ellie’s body trembling from aftershocks and Dex’s body soaking them up. They crumbled, breathlessly, to the mattress, clinging together like they were afraid of losing each other.
“Who are you and what have you done with my Ellie?” He stroked her hair, unable to calm the worry that she still might leave.
“I think she’s working on sticking around.”
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Ellie left her second interview feeling even more disheartened about finding a job, but at the same time she was counting her blessings. Her bank card had arrived safely and the thief hadn't accessed her account. She’d been out only the cost of her cheap purse and wallet and forty bucks in cash. Not that she didn’t need the cash, but she wasn’t going to let anything steal the euphoria of the evening and the morning she and Dex had shared. She knew better than anyone that she couldn’t change the past. She could only focus on the future. And at that very moment, she was working hard to convince herself that Dex could be part of her future.
She’d always known that she loved him, but when they became one, in that first second of intimacy, she’d felt as though her entire world was becoming whole. She’d never particularly enjoyed sex with the few men she’d been with, and since girls in college had always talked about how great sex was, she’d figured it was her. That she really was incapable of enjoying intimacy. But with Dex, she didn’t have to try. The emotions she had toward him were as real as the ground beneath her feet. And while it scared her, it also gave her hope.
She texted Dex, as much to show herself that she could move forward as to bring a smile to his lips.
How’d your interviews go? He’d had two podcast interviews to hype his upcoming release, and she knew he’d do great. Dex always did well. When he set his sights on something, he accomplished it. He was a strong, honest, driven, and good man. Now she knew just how oh so good he really was. Her phone vibrated.
Great. You?
She texted quickly before flagging down a taxi. Okay, but same thing as last time. Kids don’t seem to be the priority. Keeping funding is the priority. She didn’t like how negative that sounded, so she deleted it and texted instead, Okay. I have another one Thursday.
When he texted back, she stared at it for a long time. Having lunch with Siena and my mom. Are u sure u can’t join us?
Ellie wanted to make an effort with Dex, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to face his family. His family was close. It was one of the things she loved about them. Surely they knew how much she’d hurt him in the past. How could they ever trust her with Dex? How could Dex ever trust her with his heart? How could she ever trust herself with him? Panic prickled her limbs. She took a deep breath and clutched her phone in her palm. If she was ever going to move forward with Dex, she had to take a step.