I heard her swallow, a thick movement, along with a soft intake of breath.
I was affecting her.
Inching just a little farther south, I played with the waistband of her satin pants, slipping just beneath them, like I was thinking—like I was planning… on going lower.
I felt the beat of her heart against my side. It was racing, thumping heavily in her chest. Leaving my fingers just inside her pants, I glanced at her. I caught her hazel stare with mine and a small wave of tenderness filled me.
It was a feeling I wasn’t really used to and I shut my eyes against it. But even as they closed, I could still feel her. I could feel the satin of her skin, the pounding of her heart. Without thought, I leaned down, placing my lips against her hairline, breathing in that fresh and calming scent.
I allowed my mouth to linger, to graze her forehead as I pulled back. Her hand tightened on my waist and then began to move, sliding upward toward my chest and settling right above my heart. Her fingers twisted in the soft cotton of the shirt, and I swear it was like an open invitation to her waiting lips.
I RSVP’d to that invitation instantly.
Moving swiftly, I rolled over her, pinning her body into the mattress, and swooped down, claiming her mouth with mine.
An electric jolt of satisfaction cracked through me like a lightning bolt in a storm. I increased the pressure, pushing us together even closer, taking in the feel of that heart-shaped mouth, rubbing my lips over hers, creating a delicious friction between us.
She groaned lightly and I swept my tongue insider her mouth, slipping past her teeth and brushing against the roof of her mouth. The palm of her hand flattened against my shoulder, pulling me even closer.
I kissed her, our lips melding together, and I didn’t break contact—not even for a second. It was as if our lips were two magnets that couldn’t stand the pull another second.
My hips moved of their own accord, surging forward, rocking against her core. I was so hard that it was almost painful. My body cried out for release, and in that moment, I could only think of one thing: burying myself so deep in her body and pounding away until I poured every last ounce of desire out of me and into her.
Below me, Charlotte gasped, breaking our lips apart and staring up into my eyes. Her breathing was heavy and with every indrawn breath, her chest would push against mine. The desire in her eyes was undeniable. All thoughts of this woman being frigid completely vanished and raw hunger took over.
On my way to capture her lips, a loud beeping broke through the moment.
“Oh!” she said, wiggling out from beneath me to roll over and hit a button on the alarm clock beside the bed.
I collapsed on the sheets and shoved my head into a pillow.
Sleeping with Charlotte was not in the plan.
Being turned on by Charlotte was not in the plan.
For once, I was going to have to keep it in my pants. How the hell was I going to keep it in my pants when it was straining to get out?
“Max?” a voice to my left asked softly. I felt her timid touch on my shoulder.
I flipped over, staring up at the ceiling. “What?” I asked gruffly.
“Never mind,” she replied, withdrawing from me and the bed. Just before she slipped out completely, I rolled and caught her wrist.
“I’m not mad at you. It’s the alarm I’m mad at.” I was an ass before. Usually I wouldn’t care, but I had to live with her for a little while longer and she didn’t know it, but she’d been through enough already. Finding out my brother was dead was going to be enough for her to deal with.
I didn’t want her to think she had done something wrong, something that made me not want her. The truth was if that alarm hadn’t gone off, I would likely be deep in her right this moment. The realization made my teeth slam together. I couldn’t remember the last time I wanted a woman so badly.
She glanced over her shoulder. Some of her hair had fallen out of that ridiculous bun she put it in yesterday and framed her face. “It’s okay.”
I thought about brushing the blond strands away so I could see her eyes better. I didn’t. I didn’t trust myself to touch her at all right now.
She got out of the bed and I watched her as she went to the wooden dresser and pulled out what looked like black pants and a spandex top. Definitely not clothes to go be a lawyer in. Glancing at the clock, I realized it was just six a.m.
I remembered the gym I saw on the first floor when I came in yesterday.
A workout sounded like a pretty good idea right now. If I couldn’t have sex, I could run my tension off on the treadmill.
My thoughts stalled when she began unbuttoning her top. I should look away.
I should look away right now.
To hell with that. I wasn’t looking away.