“I wasn’t expecting you to come tonight,” he admits, pushing himself further onto his elbow. “I was just lying here, wishing you’d show up at my door…”
I eyed him warily, ignoring the way my stupid heart flutters. “And I did.”
He nods, his thick, warm fingers twitching against my thigh. “You did.”
Warmth floods my body, washing over me like solar flares. My head ceases to spin, but the pulsing waves refuse to stop. “Do you want to talk about this afternoon?” I ask, swallowing hard, and he dips his head subtly. In a swift movement, he’s on his hands and knees and closes the slight distance between us. I try not to worry about his arms that are planted on the floor either side of my legs. His gesture is sexual, not violent.
“This afternoon when you came in here all confident and impertinent I decided I was going to finally slip myself between your legs and have you.”
My breath hitches and I fall back on my elbows as he crawls over me, his demeanour as calculated as a tiger. “You were?”
“Oh yes.” He lowers his mouth and kisses the very edge of my lips. God… he smells good. “I was going to be kind and loving… then I was going to bury myself deep inside you. That’s how I wanted to come, but you were being too sexy. Your body felt too good against mine and I couldn’t help it.”
“I was being sexy?” I never thought I’d hear him admit that I succeeded this afternoon.
Kade pulls back slightly, his eyes flaring in front of mine. “I came in my pants, Nine. Fuck yes, you were being sexy.”
“If that’s how you felt this afternoon… how do you feel now?” My head is clear, my mind unhindered by the effect of the pleasure drugs, but my body is working itself into a frenzy. It’s taking everything I have not to wrap my legs around his hips and pull him into me.
“Don’t worry about me.” He plants another kiss on my lips, making them part unintentionally. “I want this to be all about you.”
“What, more nipple pinches and hand slaps?”
He smirks playfully, making my heart slam into my ribs. Why doesn’t he do that more often? It takes years off of him and makes my insides melt like butter. “Only if you ask me to.”
In the next heartbeat, his mouth is on mine, his tongue slipping right in between my lips. The taste of wood smoke and berries floods into me, making me dizzy. As he continues to sensually taste me, I breathe him in. He smells of cherry and musk, a scent I wish I could capture in a bottle. Kade pulls back and our breath collides in hot pants.
“I wanna take you, Nine. I wanna take you places you’ve never been before.”
“Well,” I say, unable to hold a nervous laugh. “The beach is a good start. I’ve never been there.”
He chuckles. “Always sarcastic.” Kade pulls back even more, far enough to let me take in his whole face. His stare flicks between my eyes and my mouth. “Tell me what you want me to do, Sweetheart, and I’ll do it.”
I watch him curiously. Why is he being like this? All kind and not asshole-ish. What has changed between this afternoon and tonight—despite the obvious? The drugs have my body on fire and there’s a building pressure between my legs, even my nipples pulse in agonising rhythms against my dress, but other than that, I feel normal. I don’t feel funnier, happier, angrier or sexier… just normal. Kade, on the other hand, is different all over.
“Are you all right?” I ask, caution lacing my tone.
“I’m better than all right.” His stare falls to my lips again and it stokes something wicked inside me. “I’m happy… even happier now you’re here.”
I’m unable to hide my smile, and dammit, I don’t want to. I want him to see that I like it when he’s nice. “I make you happy?”
I watch him, expecting him to drop the shutters and close me out. He doesn’t.
“You make me a million things.”
“And you mean it?” My voice is low, a heady breath of anticipation. “You’re not playing a game with me?”
Is it possible that he regards me as fondly as I regard him? Is it possible that he wants this as much as I do?
“Telling you whether or not I mean it is easy. I’d rather show you.” He lowers his mouth to my neck and I angle my head, giving him access to my skin. With a smile I barely feel at the base of my throat, he tortuously drags his lips up my skin to the lobe of my ear and I shiver. “Will you let me?”
It’s a no brainer. I want him. I want him in ways I’m supposed to have him and in ways I shouldn’t. I nod my head before my brain even registers his promising words. He crushes a heavy kiss to my lips, sucking the air from my lungs.