“I know,” I mumbled, pressing her down on the bed. I lifted her shirt and kissed the soft skin on her stomach. “I’m just giving you something to remember me by this weekend.”
I trailed my tongue up her torso to her chest as she panted and clutched at my hair. I sucked on her soft globe until it stiffened into a peak and then moved to the other side. I lightly bit her nipple as she wriggled her hips beneath me.
I kissed and licked the underside of her breast and then moved upward, positioned the skin between my lips, and began sucking hard.
“Ka . . . Kai,” she stuttered. “You’re going to leave a mark.”
After another long moment, I released her breast and then drew back to admire my handiwork.
A bright-red mark began to form on her chest, and she looked down at it in awe.
“That beauty belongs to me,” I said playfully, knowing full well it might’ve been the wrong thing to utter to someone who you were having a fling with.
“Oh yeah?” she said, pushing at my chest. “My turn.”
I didn’t even try to resist as she sprang up and then straddled me. She sucked my nipple ring into her mouth and then sealed her lips on my pec like a vacuum, attempting to leave a comparable mark.
I imagined her lips around my dick in a similar fashion someday and it almost sprang free on its own accord. “Fuck.”
“There.” She pulled away and looked down at my chest. “You are mine, mister.”
My entire body thrummed at her words.
I grasped her shirt and yanked her down toward me. My fingers traveled beneath the material and I cupped both of her breasts, my thumbs resting on her nipples.
My mouth hovered near her lips and my gaze pinned her with a long, unblinking look.
Her lips tentatively brushed across mine, and then she kissed me—slow, gentle, and sensual. I wanted to wrap myself up in her. Get lost for hours. Days. Years.
I’m yours, Rachel. I’ll always be yours.
Chapter Twenty-five
Kai
The doorbell rang and we buzzed Rachel’s friends up. Dakota was in the kitchen making a pitcher of Sangria, and Shane helped by cutting up some fruit. Rachel did little more than pace back and forth like a caged animal, pretending she was busy straightening up the condo so that Dakota wouldn’t question her about it.
Nate was the first to step through the door. We high-fived and gave one-armed hugs. Close behind was a striking girl with blue streaks in her hair and a sleeve of tattoos on her arm. “Hi. I’m Jessie.”
I wondered if Nate was dating this girl, except they weren’t holding hands or even making eye contact. Besides, they seemed as different as night and day.
“I brought an extra friend,” Nate said. “Her boyfriend was headed out of town and I thought she’d like to hang out with all of us.”
So it wasn’t his girlfriend. Was it a hookup or were they truly just friends?
Funny how my mind had immediately gone there.
“Cool,” I said as Rachel introduced herself to Jessie.
“Hey, Nate, come give your cousin a hug.” Dakota waved from the other side of the kitchen island. Shane was slicing limes to put into her red concoction.
Four other people entered the condo. Rachel gave them all brief hugs and then turned to introduce them to us. “These are my friends from college.”
The two girls, a blond and a brunette, were petite and pretty; the two guys they were with towered above them.
“That’s Ella and her boyfriend, Quinn,” Rachel said. The brunette stuck her hand up in a wave and the built dude wearing a TSU baseball cap nodded in our direction.
“And that’s Avery and her boyfriend, Bennett.” Rachel pointed to the blond standing next to a guy whose wavy hair almost matched the color of mine.
“Actually, its fiancé, now.” Avery leaned forward to show Rachel the ring on her finger as her cheeks brightened with a wash of pink. Her boyfriend’s hand curled around her waist in an intimate gesture.
Rachel’s jaw went slack, while Ella beamed.
Rachel finally recovered and then whacked Bennett’s shoulder playfully. “So you finally put a ring on it, asshat.” Bennett grinned.
I could see how easygoing she was with these friends, and they seemed genuinely happy to see her. I couldn’t help thinking that Rachel’s fears were unfounded. Despite the lie she’d told them, I figured they’d welcome her back with open arms.
“Tell them how it went down, Bennett,” Ella said, as her boyfriend, Quinn, slid his arms around her waist.
An emotion I didn’t recognize slammed into my chest. All I could think about was how I longed to be as openly affectionate with Rachel. To reach for her hand. Pull her into my chest and kiss her neck. Put an end to all the secrecy.