Inked in the Steel City Series(45)

“It happened seven years ago,” she continued. “Our mother was driving, and she was high. The car clipped another vehicle, veered off the road and rolled down a bank.” Familiar anger coursed through her as she told the story as briefly as possible, leaving out the weeks she’d spent in agony at the hospital by Jess’s bedside, feeling guilty for coming away from the disaster with just cuts, bruises and a fractured wrist when Jess’s life had been changed so drastically. Their mother hadn’t felt nearly guilty enough, and so Mina had borne the burden, feeling bad enough for them both. “That’s why I wanted custody of Jess. She spent a lot of time in foster care after that – well, we both did at first, but I was a lot older and only had to spend a year in the system – and I couldn’t stand to see her shuffled around.”



“I’m sorry.” Eric pressed a kiss against her temple and Mina closed her eyes, willing the angry tears that had sprung up to go away. They always came when she thought about the accident.



“No, I’m sorry,” she said. “This isn’t very romantic.”



“I asked,” he said. “Besides, I’d wondered why you have custody of Jess.”



She frowned.



He slid down the mattress, keeping his hands on her body and not stopping until his face was level with her hips. Slowly, he kissed his way down the winding trail of her scar. The raised flesh was numb, but she could feel his lips on her skin beside it, hot and soft.



“At one point I thought I’d have it tattooed over,” she said, her stomach fluttering as he continued with his kisses, “but all the artists I went to said that the scar tissue was too thick.”



“They were right,” Eric said. “But it doesn’t matter. You don’t need to cover it up. You’re perfect.” His fingertips fluttered against the inside of her thigh, inciting an ache in her core.



She sucked in a breath when he raised his hand to touch her delicate panties, his fingers trailing over the lace, brushing her clit. It tingled in response, aching as she remembered his tongue gliding over it. “Eric…”



He gently gripped the wispy material and pulled, baring one hip and then the other, until she was barely covered. She arched her hips, letting him whisk the lace away and toss it to the floor with the rest of her clothing.



“You look amazing.” He pressed his fingers between her hips again, brushing her clit and the slick folds below. Her core tightened, and her eyes went automatically to the bulge at the front of his jeans.



“What about you?” She placed a hand on the fly and undid the button. All the muscles in his torso tightened as she pinched the zipper and pulled it down. She rose to her knees, trying not to betray the way they tried to give out on her as he let each one of his fingers trail over her clit before pulling his hand away. Seizing fistfuls of denim and cotton, she slid his pants and underwear down, pressing herself against him so that her nipples hardened against the warm planes of his chest.



“God, Mina.” Eric groaned as she reached below and wrapped her fingers around his erection, trailing her tongue down the side of his neck. He was hard and throbbing in her palm, as smooth as she’d imagined. After a last kiss she leaned back, looking down at the sight she’d been imagining for weeks. Despite the fact that she already held him in her hand, a fresh wave of arousal rolled through her as she saw him. His cock was every bit as thick as she’d suspected after that night in Hot Ink, when she’d felt him, just for a moment, through the cover of his jeans. It was perfect, just like the rest of him, and her pussy slickened and tightened at the thought of it inside her.



He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him, smoothing a hand over her ass and squeezing as he sought her lips with his. He kissed her hard and she did the same to him, nipping his lower lip with her teeth and thrusting her tongue against his. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it any longer, he lowered her against the mattress, his hips grinding maddeningly against hers. The tip of his cock skimmed across her belly as he flexed his hips, supporting himself on one elbow as he cupped one of her breasts with his free hand, lowering his head and teasing the nipple with his tongue.



She sighed, arching her hips and reveling in the way his cock pressed harder into her belly, sending anticipatory pleasure rolling through her middle. He closed his mouth around her nipple, drawing it in as he caressed the swell of her breast. She writhed against him, her breath escaping in a rush. He stopped much sooner than she would have liked, but only to press his lips against her other nipple, biting it lightly before he drew it into his mouth. Dampness crept down the insides of her thighs, leaving her impossibly wet and ready for him. “Don’t stop,” she said when he pulled away and began to rise.