She kneels in front of me. She gently clasps her hand around the bottle, trying to pry it away from me.
Her other hand rests on my thigh, and I suddenly ache with a startling need.
“Please don’t run away, not when I feel closer to you than ever. There’s no shame in feeling vulnerable after such a painful experience. I won’t think less of you. I’ll still be here.”
I let go because right now I’m too weak to fight my way out of a wet paper bag. Her compassion undermines my determination, and my tears flow. Damn it, I’ve never cried in front of any woman.
She whisks the bottle from me, then lowers her head onto my lap and encircles her arms around my back.
Suddenly I’m no longer thinking about Mama. The weight and warmth of Lindsey’s body affect mine. I want to bury myself in her and make everything else disappear. She’s what I need, like air and water. But I can’t have her; she made that clear the other week.
“Lindsey, please go. I can’t have you here and not have you. I know you’re trying to help, but you’re asking too much from me. Don’t stir up something you can’t finish.”
Instead of pulling away, she looks at me and strokes my thighs. “I want to stay here with you.”
My eyes scan her face. “You’re sure?”
She nods.
The heat in her eyes dissolves my restraint. Before she can rethink her decision, I yank her up against me and claim her mouth with a growl. I’m completely overwhelmed by the softness of her lips, the scent of her skin, and the taste of her.
My breath comes fast and hard. Hers speeds up as well. I lie back onto the bed, bringing her with me. When I loosen the knot of her hair, it falls around her face and I bury my hands into it while eagerly crushing her lips to mine. My hands run along her neck, down her back, and around the curve of her hips and thighs.
Her breath catches, sending shock waves of pleasure through me. Lindsey. My greedy hands and mouth seek every part of her, desperate to make her mine. I’m ravenous for her.
All that matters now is us.
She wants me, too. Every mew, gasp, and moan she utters pushes me closer to the brink. I roll over and she squirms beneath me, her arms hugging me tightly. Desire courses hot and heavy through my body.
I open my eyes. Her hair’s tangled, her lips are swollen from our kisses, and she’s panting and groping for me. The sight of her arousal sends shivers across my skin.
“Lindsey.” Her name rumbles from deep within my chest.
I force myself to slow down, to savor the feel of her and the affection in her eyes while I kiss her—slowly, deeply.
Her hands tremble as she unbuttons my shirt. I can barely breathe when I realize she’s undressing me. Fascinated, I watch her fingers undo each button, her chest rising and falling in anticipation.
She’s surrendering to me, and the realization that I’m about to make love to her nearly knocks me out. I moan and kiss her harder when I feel her touch against my bare skin. I’m torn between the need to take her now and the desire to make this last a lifetime.
Slowly, I unzip the side of her dress. Within a minute, she’s lying beside me, wearing only her frilly underwear. I feast on the sight of her. My hands roam the planes of her waist, her thigh, her breast, and up her neck to her jaw. She’s the most beautiful woman I know, and she’s about to be mine.
Finally.
Raising myself above her, I kiss her neck and then trail my tongue down between her breasts and onto her stomach. She arches her back and threads her hands in my hair. Oh, God, she’s perfect. The slow rise of her spine and each muffled response hurl me closer to heaven.
Her hands fumble with my pants, but soon enough they fall to the floor. When her hand reaches under the elastic of my boxers, I shudder and then notice her smile in response to her own power.
Her playful grin teases me, so I remove her bra and take her breast in my mouth to regain control, to make her submit. My hands are free to fondle the rest of her, after removing her last stitch of clothing. She fists the sheets.
Her restless legs kick as she arches and thrusts her hips forward, seeking more of my fingers and mouth.
“Oh, Levi. Yes . . . yes.”
Jesus, she’s so responsive. I’m shaky from yearning, and afraid I won’t last one minute once I’m inside her. Just the sound of her voice makes me want to explode.
I stroke her skin, memorizing each hollow and slope of her body. Lust rages through me and I press kisses along her thigh. She sucks in her breath and it muddles my brain.
With each caress and nip and tickle, her tension builds. She shifts her hips and rakes her fingers through my hair until I bring her to a shattering orgasm with my mouth.