He squeezed her hand. “I hate to admit it because I’m still mad that you kept this from me, but I’m beginning to understand why. I was fixated on joining up, but I would have stayed with you had Iknown.”
“But can you honestly say that you wouldn’t haveresentedus?”
He shook his head. “Idon’tknow.”
As Rachel listened to the patter of snowflakes on the window, she wondered how they could move forward. They’d both been hurt by the choices they’d made. But could they find a way to rebuild their relationship? Did he evenwantto?
She turned to ask him. In the same moment he twisted to face her. His lips were only a few inches away and she needed something to take away the pain. A deep longing rose up from her soul as she searched his face for any sign that he also needed to be comforted. What she saw in his eyes stole herbreath.
He leaned closer. “Can you forgive me forleaving?”
She studied the gentle look in his eyes before responding. “Can youforgiveme?”
As he brushed a kiss across her lips, she sighed. It felt as if the whole world sighed with her. His hands glided across her thighs as he reached for her. She leaned into him and let him lower her tothebed.
Unlike the other night, he didn’t tear at her clothes. Through the softness of her jeans, he caressed her hip. Through the warmth of her sweater, he caressed the curve of her breast. And through the heat from his lips, he slid his tongue inside to claim her in a soul-shatteringkiss.
She wanted to weep with relief. Even though he hadn’t expressly forgiven her, he showed her how he felt with every smooth touch and passion-filled kiss. It didn’t take long before he had her wet, panting, andneedy.
When she tried to reach for his jeans, he grabbed her hand. “Not yet. I want this to be allaboutyou.”
“But, I need you,” shemurmured.
“I needyoumore.”
She whimpered as his hand slid under her sweater to trace a trail of fire across her flesh. She arched against his hard chest while struggling to take a breath. Every inch of her body sang with desperation. She wanted him, God how she wanted him. But he took his time. As he slowly undressed her, passion pooled in the pit of her stomach and swirled in wildjubilation.
He pushed her sweater up and then dropped down to kiss the curve of her trembling belly. The soft plane of flesh jiggled as she drew a shakybreath.
“Shh… let meloveyou.”
She clasped the sheets in her hands and twisted as his warm lips traced a path through the valley of her breasts. His tongue flicked out to slide across the edge of herlacybra.
“Sit up,” hewhispered.
She did. He tugged the sweater over her head and unclasped her bra. When it slid down to reveal her full breasts, it was his turntomoan.
“You’re so beautiful. I don’t know why I ever left you. I wasafool.”
“We both were,”shesaid.
Naked from the waist up, she lay back against the pillows. His lips reaffirmed their connection with every kiss, every nip, and every brush across her skin. When his mouth closed over one turgid nipple, she lost control. “Brady,please.”
He responded by unbuttoning her jeans. She reached for the zipper and tugged it down. As she wriggled out of them, he helped. He grasped her panties in his teeth and winked salaciously before dragging them down to her ankles. She giggled and laced her fingers in hisluscioushair.
Already wet and ready, the second his tongue found the inside of her thigh, shetwitched. “Oh.”
“I’m dying totasteyou.”
She spread her thighs. Hot breath blew across her needy sex. When his lips grazed the silky slit, she moaned. His tongue slid against her in a long, luxurious stroke that left her shaking withdesire.
When his tongue found her clit, a shockwave of pleasure rushed down the insides of her thighs and curled her toes. She grabbed a pillow and pressed it over her face to keep from screaming. He lavished her pussy with drawn-out kisses and scorching caresses. Each pass brought her closer to the precipice of absolute ecstasy. She shivered and twisted her hips to one side. It was too much, too intense. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She’d been a fool to let go of the man attached to such a skillful tongue. What the heck had she beenthinking?
As he captured her clit between his lips, she screamed. Cascading ripples of pleasure rushed out like an exploding star. Rolling waves of release flowed over every inch of her body until she fell slack against the bed. She couldn’t move anything except the hand which held the pillow. She shoved if off her face and lifted her head to look at Brady. The expression on his face was somewhere between self-satisfied andlusty.
“Come up here,” shewhispered.
He crawled up to kiss her. The sultry taste of her juices on his lips inflamed her desire. She wanted to taste him. She pushed his shoulders and rolled him onto his back. Slowly unbuttoning his shirt, she left a trail of kisses inherwake.
