“What do you?—”
This time I’m the one to cut the words off with my mouth, giving a searing kiss before I pull away to repeat. “Do. You. Trust. Me?”
“Yes.”
My grin splits my face, joy at hearing it and lust at wanting to show her just how much her trust will be rewarded. I’ve never been the one who took charge in the bedroom, Steph was always too controlling for that, but something about Rachel—the way she looks at me like I’m capable and strong makes me want to prove that.
Walking to her bathroom, I tug Rachel by the hand to ensure she follows. Droplets leave a trail over the wood floors but I don’t care right now. We’ll deal with it later.
She’s got a massive and deep claw foot tub and I send up a silent thanks to whoever owns the building because this is perfect. I would have made a shower work but this . . .
Drawing the bath, hot water pouring from the tap and filling the tub, I pour a little bit of the bubble bath under the spray. Foaming, the steam fills the room and makes my glasses even more useless than the rain did.
She giggles at the sight of my lenses fogging up and carefully removes them from my face to set down beside the sink. Stepping closer to her, I crowd her against the countertop, the shadow of us in the foggy mirror doing something dangerous to me. I sweep her wet hair over one shoulder and bend down to press my lips against the curve of where it meets her neck.
Rachel's breath catches, her hands splaying out on the counter and I thread my fingers over hers, raising one to loop around my neck. Kissing against the pulse point in her wrist, the rush of water behind us and the intoxicating feel of her against me making it really hard for me to take it slow the way I’d like to.
“I’ve been dreaming about this, about you. Even today while we were working. Your legs in those shorts . . .” The words are a rasp against her ear lobe.
“You’re not the only one.” She pulls her hand out from under mine and runs her fingertips over my forearm. “These have been on my mind for weeks. It’s embarrassing how much power your forearms have over my thinking ability. Your hands too.”
As much as it pains me, I glance over at the tub and step away to shut off the water before it gets too high. The air is thick with steam and desire, and I can’t believe this is happening right now.
Without saying anything we close the distance between us, her hands in my hair and our mouths tasting. My hand snakes up under her tank top, palming her in my hand. Swiping the pad of my thumb against her nipple, I relish the taste of her moan. Rachel doesn’t stay still for long, tugging at my shirt, urging me to lift it over my head once she’s reached as far as she can at her height.
The fabric hits the floor with a wet thud, closely followed by her tank top joining the fray so that she’s in her nearly translucent bra. I’ve never been more grateful for a summer storm. Kissing down her neck, over her collar bone, she tastes like rain. Sinking down to my knees before her, my mouth blazes its way down her body.
My lips against her stomach have her sucking in a breath and I grip her hips in my hands before pressing my forehead to her abdomen.
“What are you doing to me?” I whisper, lost.
“No different than what you’re doing to me.Please, Bryce.”
No more prompting needed, I slip her shorts down her hips and kiss every inch of newly bared skin. Her hands grip my hair and the closer I get to the apex between her legs, the tighter the pull.
“You’re so beautiful,” I say. Staring up at her from my knees, her face flushes. Her nipples strain against the sodden material that hides nothing anymore.
Rachel’s hand drifts down to cup my face, her thumb stroking over the stubble of my cheek. “Your turn.”
I rise with great reluctance, desperate to taste her, but there will be time for that later if I have any say in the matter.
When I was younger I might have been more self conscious about my body, but I’m beyond the point of caring. My cock is achingly hard and I’ll leave it up to Rachel to decide whether she finds me attractive or not—forearms notwithstanding.
She bites her bottom lip, hands skating over my chest and shoulders. “Fuck.”
I take it as a good sign, pressing myself against her body until the heat of her is flush with my front. Sampling her, tasting the salt on her skin dulled by rainwater and steam, I plant kisses along her jaw until I reach her ear.
“I’m going to take my time with you. Until you’re needy. Until you ache for me to fill you.” It’s a promise, laced with a little bit of that danger she’s stoked in me. There’s a darker edge than I’m used to because I’ve wanted this for so long and the prospect of getting something I thought I never would . . . it leaves me fraught—desperate for all she’s willing to give and anxious that this is the only time I’ll have her.
As complacent as I am—as willing to go with a stronger opinion—she makes me want to call the shots. Rachel makes me feel more. Better. Sure.
She moans at the words and I take it as an invitation to continue. Unclasping her bra I suck just beneath her ear, making a small mark before I speak. “I don’t know what this is. I’ve never felt it this keenly—this need—and I’m asking you to promise me that you’ll tell me if any of this is too much. I haven’t been with anyone since . . .”
I let the confession hang between us. “In fact, I’ve only ever been with her and one other person in college. So when I say the thought of you has plagued me for weeks, edging me to the brink, it would be an understatement. I just want to make sure you are fine with this before I lose my head and the last shred of my self control.”
She laughs, breathy, and I feel it against my mouth. “You still have self control? That makes one of us.”
Rachel steps back a little, breaking the contact of my mouth against her neck so she can look me in the eye. “I’m a big girl, Bryce. I can handle it and you. I’ve had partners of both sexes, in case my bi pride dress wasn’t enough of an indicator. But I’m responsible. I get checked regularly. I’m on birth control. And I want this—with you.”
