Fuck. She was so damn sexy. He moved swiftly up her body, framed her face with his hands, and kissed her greedily.
He moved down and unzipped her jeans, carefully taking them off. His mouth went dry at the sight of her in nothing more than black lace panties. Her skin was flushed, her lips glistening from their kiss, and her hands—those delicate, feminine hands—were pushing her panties off. He helped her slip them off, then came down between her legs. He ran his hands over the tops of her thighs, then brushed his thumbs over her damp, dark curls. He kissed her inner thigh, noticing her hands fisting in the couch cushion as her hips bowed up. God, what she did to him, wanting him so much it made him ache.
His thumbs slid to the creases between her legs and her sex, opening her for him. Her flesh glistened, and the scent of her arousal was intoxicating. The first stroke of his tongue brought her sweet, divine taste. She moaned, her thighs falling open further. He teased her with his tongue, tasting and taunting, reveling in her quickening breaths and arching hips. He licked circles around her swollen clit and slid two fingers deep inside her velvety heat. A long, low moan escaped her lips. He sucked her sensitive nerves into his mouth, his fingers furtively seeking the pleasure point that would send her over the edge. Her heels dug into the cushions and her thighs tightened. He pushed them open wider with his elbows, allowing him to use his fingers and mouth more adeptly, stroking her up, up, up.
“Sam!” she cried, her body thrusting and shaking.
Her sex pulsed around his fingers as she rode out her climax. As it began to ease, he replaced his fingers with his tongue, and teased over her clit, sending her right back up to the peak.
“Sam!” she cried again—and he fucking loved hearing his name sail uncontrollably from her lungs as she shattered against his mouth, drenching him with her arousal and giving herself completely over to him.
Waves of aftershocks jerked her hips off the couch. Sam laved her swollen sex with his tongue, kissing her most sensitive lips, before sliding his fingers back inside to bring her up to the verge of another intense release. Just as he felt her body shatter, he lowered his mouth to her again.
“Sam, Sam, Sam. God, Sam.” She grabbed his head, thrashing hers from left to right as her climax crested. He stayed right there with her, savoring every pulse, every sexy noise, her sweet taste, until she fell limply back and her fingers unfurled.
He gathered her in his arms and kissed her neck, her chest, her cheek, and finally her mouth. She returned the kiss with the energy of a sated lover, languid and tender.
“I want to thank every woman you’ve practiced on before this day.”
He smiled because he understood she meant it as a compliment, but his heart hurt knowing the thought of him and anyone else was on her mind. But why wouldn’t it be? Wasn’t that exactly why she’d wanted to take things slow?
Her eyes came open, full of regret. “I can’t believe I said that. I’m sorry. I hate thinking about you with other women.” Her lips curved up in a sleepy smile despite the hurtful thoughts she must have had, and it made him fall even harder for her.
He kissed her softly. “I know you do. I hate thinking about you with any other man. But we’ll have no more of that. I’m yours and only yours.”
**
A RELIEVED SIGH escaped Faith, but Sam’s eyes shuttered, making her nervous again.
“I’m sorry my past is hurtful.”
“You told me you don’t apologize for your past,” she reminded him, confused by his change of heart.
“No. I said I’m not ashamed of my past, and I’m not. Beauty in imperfection and evolution, remember? I’m evolving. We’re evolving. But I am sorry if it makes you feel bad, or sad, or angry.” He kissed her softly.
She wanted to start calling him Honest Sam, because he didn’t even try to soften the blow of not feeling any shame about his past. Not that she thought he should be ashamed. As he said, and she had at first disbelieved, he wasn’t a cheater because he hadn’t ever committed. There could be no shame in exercising his freedom.
“It doesn’t make me any of those things,” she assured him. “Just a little jealous and maybe intimidated.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’m jealous of every man who’s touched you before me. And I’d like to throttle whoever hurt you. But you shouldn’t ever feel intimidated. No one could hold a candle to you.”
She traced the line of his jaw with her finger, feeling safe enough in his arms to be just as honest as he was.
“I’m not as experienced as they are. I don’t want to disappoint you.” She gasped. “And ohmygod, Sam. You just did all those incredible things to me, and here I am, lying naked in post-orgasm bliss, and I didn’t reciprocate. See? I’m not very good at this.”
She crossed her arms over her chest as embarrassment claimed her. He lowered her arms and ran his hand from the center of her breasts down to her belly button.
“You’re beautiful.” He kissed her again. “And perfectly experienced. Just do what you feel, and if either one of us wants something more or different, we’ll get there together.” He kissed her again, searching her eyes with a tender smile on his lips. “Besides, tonight we’re behaving a little.”
He reached over her, grabbed his shirt, and helped her put it on. “There. Do you feel more comfortable now?”
She silently reached down and put on her panties. “Now I am.”
He chuckled. “I love seeing you in my shirt, but I loved seeing you naked beneath me even more.”
When their lips touched, she felt lighter, more at ease. Everything he said came straight from his heart. She wasn’t used to hearing a man talk about needing to hear her sexy sounds, or lying naked beneath him, but she loved hearing those things coming from Sam.
They lay together for a long time, making plans for tomorrow evening and procrastinating the end to their date. When they reluctantly moved from the couch toward the door, Faith reached for her shirt and Sam caught her wrist.
“I want to think about you sleeping in my shirt tonight.” He gathered her in his arms. “Besides, I need the cold air to cool me down on the way home.” He pressed his hips forward, his arousal still rock-hard. “I hate leaving you.”
“I hate it, too. I feel like we’ve been together for months. How can so much happen in so little time?”
“My mother once said that when soul mates find each other, from their very first kiss they feel like they’ve been together forever.”
Her heart leaped at soul mates. Did he really believe that, or was he just throwing out his mother’s wisdom? The way he was looking at her made her feel like he was wondering the same thing.
“Until tomorrow, sweet one.” They kissed again, and Sam held her hand until he was out the door and their fingertips could no longer touch.
Faith watched him disappear down the steps before going inside. She stood at the window watching as he climbed onto his bike, shirtless, and drove away. Too amped up to sleep, she washed up, then grabbed her laptop and settled onto the couch to check in with the girls on WAC. She felt a little guilty for dating a guy who had the type of reputation that she warned the members to stay away from.
She typed in her password, thinking about Sam. He’d spent no time denying that reputation. Instead, he seemed to put all his energy into showing Faith who he really was. Or at least who he was now.
Several of the threads included comments about how hot and nice Sam was. One member said she’d gladly give up a night to be his plaything. Faith swallowed down the jealousy and discomfort that chased the comment. At least that alleviated her guilt.
She looked for Lira’s posts and read one from this morning. The post began with her feelings of abandonment by her sister and how sad she was for Emmie to have lost her father and her aunt. Faith’s heart ached for her. She was obviously struggling with wanting a clean break and wanting to do the right thing by her daughter.
She continued reading and was surprised to see that Lira was already working for Sam. He’s the most incredible boss, totally businesslike but friendly, too. After he gave me my assignments, which I’m super excited about, he asked how Emmie was taking the split. Faith, if you’re reading this, if all goes well, I’ll be at the Rough Riders barbecue to help out! I hope this works out, and I hope we can see each other if I am!
Faith sat back in shock. Not only had Sam helped her with WAC, but he’d followed through with Lira. That made her feel even better than when he’d helped her connect with Brent. Sam Braden, you really do surprise me.
They were meeting with Brent Thursday evening. Once she had that straightened out, she’d contact the women’s organizations and resources she’d been tracking down and start building a network for the group. She typed a private message to Lira to let her know she was working on finding someone to talk with her and was surprised to see a message from her. Apparently Sam had emailed her a name and number he’d gotten from his sister Tempest, and she’d already made an appointment for a free consultation.
Faith sat back, jaw agape. A week ago she never would have imagined Sam would go this far for a woman he wasn’t trying to hook up with. Now, knowing Sam better than she thought possible in such a short time, as shocked as she was, she had no trouble believing it.