“Caleb McGraw, if you don’t open that door and take me to bed right this second, I may never speak to you again.”
The key was in the lock before she could blink. “Yes, ma’am.”
Caleb’s heart threatened to beat out of his chest. So many nights he’d dreamt about this woman. Woken sweaty and shredded and longing for the real thing. Now, here she was, ordering him to make love to her.
If this was nothing more than another dream, he was going to be furious when he woke up.
They took off their shoes by the door, Snow’s coming off first, but instead of moving into the apartment, she waited for him. Caleb made quick work of his boots, never taking his eyes off her. When she put out her hand, he took it and let her lead him to the bedroom. She moved like a woman who knew what she wanted. A woman who wanted him.
He’d had no idea what to say to her in the Jeep, as the girl in his passenger seat seemed like a stranger there for a few minutes. So he’d gone with his gut, assuring her that they didn’t need to have sex tonight.
By some miracle, he’d said the exact right thing.
When they entered the bedroom, Snow dropped his hand and turned on the light next to the bed. He liked the idea of getting to see her as they did this. Snow stopped beside the bed, a look of uncertainty in her amber eyes. As if she’d run out of confidence on what to do next.
Pulling her close and dropping his hands to the small of her back, he said, “You’re perfect,” before taking her mouth with his. He could taste hints of the peach cobbler she’d had for dessert and the strawberry in her lip gloss. For months after she’d left, Caleb couldn’t even look at a strawberry without experiencing an intense surge of longing.
She opened to him with complete surrender, a moan of pleasure escaping her throat. He knew exactly how she felt.
Caleb had decided, when this night finally came, that he’d go slow and make the most of every second, but Snow’s moans turned to bites as she tugged on his shirt with great determination.
“Off,” she said, breathless and impatient. “This needs to come off.”
He pulled the cotton over his head, happy to oblige, and reveled in the feel of her slender fingers gliding through the thin hair covering his pecs. Snow took his mouth again, straining against him as if she couldn’t get close enough. Another sensation he understood well. Drawing the burgundy sweater over her mass of dark brown curls, Caleb threw the garment onto the floor and filled his hands with black lace. He rubbed his thumbs across her nipples and felt them pebble against the delicate material.
“God, I’ve missed this,” she said, climbing onto the bed on her knees. She kissed him like a drowning woman fighting for air, then pulled back. “Am I going too fast? Because this doesn’t feel fast enough for me.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Like I said,” Caleb answered, joining her on the bed, “you’re in charge tonight. We can go as fast or as slow as you want, but if you keep looking at me like that, this could go faster than either of us would like.”
Snow giggled. “Then we’ll have an excuse to do it again.”
“Oh, we’ll do it again,” he said, taking her down to the mattress. “I promise you that.”
Chapter 16
How had she slept next to this man six nights in a row and stayed on her own side of the bed the whole time? Sheer stupidity was the only answer she could think of.
And then Caleb’s lips trailed down her neck and she stopped thinking altogether.
One black strap slid down over her shoulder as his mouth traveled to the swell of her breast. The warmth of his breath sent shivers down her spine as he slowly eased lower and lower. If he didn’t move things along, she feared she might die right there, clinging to his shoulders and melting in a ball of fire.
“Caleb, please,” she murmured, arching her back.
“Please what?” he said as the other strap descended down her arm. “Tell me what you want.”
She hadn’t realized that when he said she was calling the shots, that he expected her to actually call the shots. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know what she wanted.
In frustration, she pushed on his shoulder. “You know,” she said, her nails digging into his flesh. Why hadn’t she taken off the damn bra with her shirt? She needed his lips on her. His teeth driving her crazy. She needed to get them out of these clothes.
Leaning on one elbow, Caleb pressed her curls back from her face and waited. What was he waiting for? Snow opened her eyes to see him staring back at her, desire evident in his gaze.
“Tell me what you want,” he repeated. “Take the lead.”