Sidonie’s arms were around his neck, her breasts pressed flat against his chest. She wrapped her legs around his hips. The crescendo was building, leaving her no control over anything. She was part of something huge, magical. Their mouths clung, their kisses became more desperate, biting, and then, just when she thought her body would break in two with the building tension, it broke apart into a million tiny pieces on a wave of orgasmic pleasure, robbing Sidonie of every rational thought. She was flung high into a place she’d never dreamed existed.
Alexio’s powerful body thrust one more time and he broke free of their kiss and shouted out as his release swept him up too, seconds behind her.
Sidonie realised she was trembling in the aftermath and was horrified. She tried to pull away from Alexio but he only dragged her closer, wrapping his arms around her until the tremors ceased. She felt more than a little overwhelmed. Alexio pulled his head back and looked at her. She was almost afraid to look at him—afraid he might see something she wasn’t ready to expose yet.
‘Sidonie...?’
Reluctantly she looked at him and his eyes were molten, still. It had an instant effect on her body. Already. She felt ashamed. How could she want him again so soon?
He was frowning now, pulling away from her, and she tried not to be acutely aware of her nakedness, of feeling vulnerable.
He rested on one elbow. ‘Did I hurt you? You weren’t innocent?’
Sidonie came up on one elbow too. She shook her head, her hair falling forward. Alexio brushed it back and something about that small gesture heartened her. ‘No,’ she admitted huskily. ‘I’ve been with a couple of guys. In college. But...it was never like that...I didn’t...’
She stopped and went puce, looked down at the sheet. Predictably Alexio tipped her chin up again, not letting her escape.
‘You didn’t...what? Come like that?’
Sidonie shook her head, mortified to be talking about this when she imagined that his usual post-coital repartee must be far more sophisticated. Still, she was stuck now.
‘No,’ she got out. ‘I mean, I’ve...come...before, but not during sex. Not with a guy.’
Alexio’s voice seemed to drop an octave and it sent shivers of sensation right to her core. ‘You mean you’ve experienced it when you’ve...?’
‘Done it to myself. Yes...’
Sidonie glared at him now, beyond embarrassed, and not remotely mollified by the way his eyes had darkened suspiciously. ‘Can we stop talking about this now?’
Sidonie reached for the sheet, trying to tuck it around her, but Alexio swatted her hands away and pulled her into him, making her gasp when tender flesh came into contact with his fast reviving arousal.
‘I’m glad you told me,’ he said gruffly. ‘And those guys were idiots.’
The embarrassment drained away, leaving Sidonie feeling the effects of their lovemaking again. Her body was sensitive all over, but sated in a way that was truly wicked.
With awe-inspiring strength Alexio scooped her up and took her into the bathroom with its black-tiled shower. He put her down, keeping an arm around her, and leaned in to turn on the powerful spray. Then he walked her into the shower, following right behind her.
It was pure bliss to have steaming water pounding her skin and then Alexio’s big hands, soapy, running all over her body. Over her breasts and belly, down between her legs, across her buttocks. His touch wasn’t overtly sexual, but she could see his erection and her body hummed with satisfaction, ready to flare fully back to life if only she wasn’t feeling equally ready to crawl into a small space and sleep.