“Sue me,” he choked out. “Just don’t stop.”
Natalie had never done this before, had always thought it would feel somehow demeaning to…perform like this, for a man. Only now did she realize it was the exact opposite. The power was heady, in fact. And seeing him like this…she wanted to see him stroke himself for real. He’d done it once, one stroke, but she wanted more. Just picturing it made her entire body blush and heat at the same time.
“Take off your pants,” she instructed.
His eyes widened a bit at the harsh command. But she was so needy now, she didn’t care. As long as he complied.
And he did.
Not as slowly as she had, but no less provocatively. He all but ripped them off—jeans, briefs, socks shoes, everything.
“Shirt, too.”
Gone.
She was shuddering with need. He was rock-hard for her. “Don’t—” She had to gulp air. “Don’t stop what you were doing.”
He grinned now, and there was something almost primal about it. “I won’t if you won’t.”
Could a person faint from pleasure overload when she wasn’t even being touched? She wasn’t sure, but she might find out.
He touched himself, watching her as he did so. She swallowed hard as he wrapped his fingers around the pulsing length and slowly moved his hand up, then down.
She raised her hands to her breasts. His deep groan as she fingered her own firm nipples was one of the most gratifying sounds she’d ever heard.
She somehow managed to climb to her knees again, the trembling in her limbs so strong, she felt almost clumsy with it. His smile was bold, encouraging, the desire in his eyes so wondrous a thing that she almost climbed on him right then. But this wasn’t over yet.
She turned her back to him and slowly slid her panties down over her hips. She bent forward just slightly and heard him gasp. It made her bolder, so she slid them down to her knees, then kicked them away, affording him a complete view of her most intimate self. It wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen up close and personal before, but somehow, displaying herself for him this way made it seem far more intimate…far more erotic.
His stroking increased and his hips were moving, as she peeked over her shoulder at him. And somehow her hand ended up between her own legs. She wanted to push him further, harder, higher. She let him watch her stroke her fingers along herself.
“Dear…God…Natalie.” His groan was more a growl this time, his jaw clenched so hard, his throat so tight, she thought he was about to burst. And perhaps he was.
She crawled to him, moving between his legs.
“Oh,” he grunted as she replaced his hand with hers. “My,” he managed to say as she lowered her head. “God,” he finished on a long, satisfied groan, as she took him deep into her mouth.
His hips rocked hard against her, but she didn’t care. She’d never felt so strong, so sure, so…sexual.
Then his hands were on her shoulders, pulling her up. “Now, Natalie, for the love of Christ, now.” He all but plunged her on top of him.
She shrieked as he filled her, thinking she’d never felt such a rocketing sense of pleasure in her whole life.
“Hold on.”
She gripped his forearms, and he gripped hers as he moved beneath her. She wasn’t even sure who rode who, and she didn’t care. Moans filled the air—hers, his, she lost track. She was panting, screaming, writhing. Her climax was right there, just beyond her reach. He’d move her back, then pull her up tight, knowing just where to rub and just what to do to prolong it.
Until she couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed his hand and shoved it between them, pushing his fingers where she wanted them. Her climax was so powerful, she swore she saw stars.
She fell against his chest, mind and body swimming. But he wasn’t done yet. He rolled her to her back so she was beneath him.
“Roll over,” he said, his voice barely more than a rasp.
Her body was still clenching from the aftereffects, and he was still deep inside her, setting off sparks with every breath. She didn’t understand what he wanted—hell, she couldn’t have told him her own name at that moment.
So he did it for her. She whimpered when he pulled out. “But—”
Then she was on her stomach, and his hands were on her hips. “You liked being on your knees before.”
She almost came again, just hearing him say that.
Then he pulled her back onto him, and she shuddered so hard she thought she might come. He pushed into her, again and again. God, he was so deep. Then his hands were sliding up her waist as he bent over her. She braced their weight on her hands, then cried out as his fingers rubbed her nipples. “Oh God, oh God.” She’d thought herself wrung out, but Jake always seemed to realize there was one more waiting.
One hand stayed on her breasts, his thick fingers moving from one nipple to the other until she was begging him to finish her. From this position there wasn’t the right friction, wasn’t the right—
And then his other hand slid down over her belly. His hips were like pistons now, the entire bed was rocking. Her body seized up, every muscle tightening, as she silently begged his hand to get there. Now.
“That’s it,” he said, panting himself. “Hold on.”
“Now,” she begged. “Now, dammit.”
And damn him if he didn’t laugh. Breathlessly and with a little groan of his own. “God, you are so tight, so wet, so mine.”
Yes, she thought. God help me, I am. “Jake.” She was pleading.
“I want…to be…together…this time.”
“Just…touch…me.” They were both panting in the rhythm of his thrusts.
“Come for me…Natalie,” he said in a rush. “Now!” And he slid his fingers over her just as he pushed as deeply into her as he could. He shouted as his climax finally thundered through him. Her shout was muffled by the bed as they fell forward, burying him more deeply into her, his fingers pushing into her pulsing wetness, both of them shaking and shuddering, until finally he rolled off her.
Natalie couldn’t move. Wasn’t sure if she ever would. Their heavy breathing filled the room, as did the sultry smell of their bodies. The air was heavy with it. She saw the muslin flutter and remembered the open balcony doors, but was so satiated she didn’t care.
“That is possibly the most satisfied smile I’ve ever seen,” Jake said, his voice gravelly and wonderful.
She turned her head to find him propped up on one elbow, looking at her. “Yours is pretty damn satisfied, as well.”
“Appropriately so,” he said, then sighed and rolled to his back.
“I’m surprised we didn’t get a cheer from the street.”
He laughed. “Are you sure we didn’t? It was so loud in here, we might not have heard it.” He moved. “I could go check.”
Her hand came out to stop him. “Jake.”
He laughed even harder, making her finally move enough to prop herself up on her elbows. She’d been with this man now in every way she could imagine, but not until now had she felt so perfectly comfortable in her own skin around him. What she’d done today, taking control the way she had, at least in the beginning, had changed her. Them. Again. As they seemed to change and grow every time they were together.
Sadness threatened to overwhelm her, as the reality of the fact that this was their last time— No, she wouldn’t do that to herself. Not now. Nothing had changed. Just because everything felt like it had didn’t mean it had.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, forcing her mind back to the moment.
“You.”
“Me?”
He rolled to her and kissed the tip of her nose, then tugged her closer and kissed her mouth. It was a lingering kiss filled with such tenderness that it made her eyes water.
“What about me is funny?” she asked, rolling to her back and pushing her hair from her face, giving herself a moment to clear her eyes.
“You are this unbelievable siren one moment, then so proper the next.”
“What, because I didn’t want you parading onto the balcony in your birthday suit, I’m a prude?”
“Trust me, this street has seen far more provocative displays.”
“I don’t even want to imagine.”
“See?” He laughed again.
But she truly didn’t mind his teasing. In fact, she liked it. Too much. She laid her head down and let her eyes slowly shut. Maybe if she just drifted off to sleep, when she woke up she’d have her sanity back, along with the strength she’d need to walk away from him. Because right at this moment, she simply couldn’t imagine it.
JAKE HELD HER HAND as they walked through the French Market. He was surprised they were both walking and not limping. Explosive didn’t begin to describe what had taken place a few hours ago.
Then Jake had seen the clouds shadow her eyes and decided it might be best to get them up and out. Besides, his plan wasn’t to make love to her until she couldn’t walk away from him. Although, he wouldn’t have minded her using that tactic on him. Except, she didn’t have to. He wasn’t going anywhere. He certainly wasn’t walking away from her and what they might have together.
But he wanted them to spend time together outside the bedroom, the way they had that morning in the museum. He ignored the fact that their trip to the museum had led them directly back to bed. They were combustible. He wouldn’t be surprised if they were still dragging each other off to bed fifty years from now. If he were that lucky.