Page 13 of One Night Forever
I stand up, throwing money down onto the table and offering my hand to Arabella. She takes it, her fingers trembling slightly as they intertwine with mine. As we walk out of the restaurant, I can feel the tension radiating from her body. I give her hand a gentle squeeze, hoping to reassure her.
The cool night air hits us as we step outside. Arabella shivers, and I instinctively wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She stiffens for a moment before relaxing into my embrace.
“There’s no pressure, baby,” I promise her as we walk toward the hotel.
We’ve made great progress tonight and I’m not going to ruin that by pushing her to do anything she’s not entirely comfortable doing.
She’s here with me and ready to move forward and that’s all that I’ve wanted since the night that I brought her home. I’m just praying that after our talk, things are finally looking up for us both.
CHAPTER 7
Arabella
I’m trembling as we enter the hotel room. He held my hand the entire way back here from the restaurant. I adore that he’s making me feel wanted and that he’s not afraid to show me that he wants me. I’m just terrified of what could happen if things go wrong. But after our talk, I’ve realized that life’s too short to hold back, he’s right, a relationship takes a lot of work and looking into his eyes, I knew that I was willing to put in the effort; I was just scared of losing everything I’d worked so damn hard for.
His hand moves to the lower part of my back, just above my ass. The heat from his touch is like a lightning bolt hitting me. He opens the door to our hotel suite, and I step into the room, turning, I see him closing the door all the while watching me.
“You really do look gorgeous, baby.”
I feel my cheeks flush at his compliment. My heart is racing as he steps closer, his eyes never leaving mine. There's an intensity in his gaze that makes me feel weak at my knees.
"Thank you," I manage to whisper, my voice barely audible. I’m still reeling from our conversation at the restaurant. I'm shocked that I opened up to him. That’s not something I’ve everdone before with anyone, but Tanner has a way of making me feel safe. I knew that I could trust him with the deepest part of my life, one that’s affected me until this day.
He reaches out, his fingers gently caressing my cheek. I lean into his touch, closing my eyes for a moment. When I open them again, he's even closer.
I swipe my tongue along my lip. God, I want him. I really need him. It’s been so damn long and once was never enough. It was never going to be enough. I’ve been pulling back and erecting a wall between us, one that he’s knocked down to the ground. He’s giving me no reason to not trust him.
“Tanner,” I breathe as I press closer to him.
I catch my breath, my heart racing as his fingers trace small circles on my back. He leans in close, his lips brushing my ear as he whispers, "Are you sure about this?"
I nod, unable to form words. The anticipation, the fear, the excitement - it's all swirling together inside me. His eyes are dark with desire, but there's tenderness there too. He cups my face gently with his free hand.
We can take this as slow as you need," he says softly. "I'm not going anywhere."
Those words unlock something in me. All the doubts and worries start to melt away. I rise up on my toes and press my lips to his, finally giving in to what we both want. He responds immediately, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me flush against him.
The kiss deepens, growing more urgent. My fingers tangle in his hair as his hands roam my body. We stumble backwards towards the bed, shedding clothes along the way. When the back of my knees hit the mattress, I pull away slightly, breathless.
"I want this," I whisper. "I want you,” I tell him, knowing that he’ll be worrying.He’s without a doubt one of the best men I know, despite being an asshole while we’re working.
His grin is cocky as hell but damn if it’s not sexy too. "I want you too. All of you."
He positions himself at my pussy, his gaze on me as his tongue swipes along my pussy lips. I gasp at the sensation, my fingers gripping the sheets. Tanner's eyes lock with mine as he slowly runs his tongue along my folds again, sending shivers through my body. I bite my lip, struggling to keep quiet as he explores me with his mouth.
His strong hands grip my thighs, spreading me wider as he focuses his attention on my clit. I arch my back; lost in the pleasure he's creating. It's been so long since anyone has touched me like this. So long since I've let anyone get this close.
"God, Tanner," I moan as he slips a finger inside me. He curls it just right, hitting that spot that makes me see stars.
He lifts his head, his lips glistening. "You taste amazing, baby. I could do this all night."
Before I can respond, he dives back in, licking and sucking, the noise of him tasting me fills the air. I'm trembling now, so close to the edge. My hips rock against his face as the pressure builds.
"Please," I whimper, not even sure what I'm begging for. This is too much yet nowhere near enough.
Tanner seems to know exactly what I need. He slides a second finger in, pumping in time with the movements of his tongue. It's too much. I come with a cry, my body shaking as waves of pleasure wash over me.
He works me through it gently, only pulling away when I collapse back onto the bed. I'm panting, my skin flushed, as I try to catch my breath. Tanner moves up my body, pressing soft kisses along my stomach, between my breasts, and finally capturing my lips. I can taste myself on him, and it ignites something primal within me.
