Tonight, he intended to make a start. If she could trust him physically, at least they were on their way.
He adored how she’d gone soft against him, her whole body dependent on his strength. He picked her up, her slight weight no problem for him at all. He could carry her around all day, not letting her feet hit the ground until her unique skills were needed.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked softer than she normally did. This was a look only he’d seen. He knew it instinctively. This was a side of Lila she wouldn’t share with anyone but a lover.
“Are you taking me to bed now?” And her voice was soft, too.
He loved how no-nonsense she could be, but damn that dreamy voice hit him square in the gut because he’d been the one to get her here. He’d been the one to chase that haunted look from her eyes and replace it with the satisfaction he saw there now.
“Oh, yes, chère.” Even he could hear how deep his natural accent had gotten. “But don’t think you’re going to get everything you want. Not yet. Not until I’ve had my fill.”
“You’re an obnoxious man.” But the words were said with a sigh that let him know she didn’t mind his obnoxiousness.
She might tomorrow when she realized he wasn’t going to be put back in the neat and tidy box she’d placed him in. But that was a problem for another day. The good news was he would sleep in her bed tonight. He would wake up next to her and if all went right, she would find herself in his bed tomorrow night.
He would greatly prefer his house since he could easily carry her through his hallways.
“Sorry,” she said as he tried to get around a stack of plastic containers. “I think those are his collectible action figures. They’re toys still in their boxes.”
“You need to have the world’s largest garage sale,” he muttered. They were definitely going back to his place tomorrow night.
The good news was the bedroom was neat and tidy. She’d replaced the LSU blankets and pillows with pretty, feminine bedding. Like the woman herself, the décor in the bedroom was lovely and restrained.
He laid her out on the bed and eased off her sneakers and socks. He was going to take his time, lavish every inch of her with his appreciation. He brought her foot to his lips and gently kissed the arch. He should be in a frenzy to have her, but he couldn’t give in to that side of his nature. Tonight she needed to be worshipped for the goddess she was, to understand that she was worthy and should expect his every tender care.
“You’re going to drive me crazy.” She looked up at him but made no move to push him along.
“I’m planning on making you so crazy you sleep like a baby tonight.” And crazy enough to stay with him, but he couldn’t say that yet.
“I don’t feel tired anymore.”
He gave her other foot the same treatment, taking it between his hands and rubbing strongly before kissing every toe. He kneaded the arch of her foot and was rewarded with a long groan.
Billie Holiday floated through the ramshackle house, lending an air of dreamy seduction. Time seemed to slow down, cocooning the two of them. He didn’t think about anything but this woman. She was his to please, and that was all that mattered.
He pulled at her scrub pants, dragging them down her body and tossing them away. She was left in nothing but a pair of white cotton underwear that was already damp from the orgasm he’d given her. They could go, too. He pulled the underwear from her and she was naked and laid out for his delectation.
The sweet scent of her arousal filled the air. He breathed her in, dropping to his knees in front of her. He took her ankles in his hands and rubbed upward, easing the tension from her calves. He let his hands and his mouth work her flesh, strong caresses and gentle kisses. He took his time, moving slowly and making certain he didn’t miss an inch of her sweet skin. He was an explorer and he would map her, noting every curve and freckle, memorizing how she shuddered when he licked the backs of her knees, how she squirmed and sighed when he gave her a nip. She was incredibly responsive, and she was true to what she’d promised him. Her hands had fisted in the comforter as though she needed to hold on to something, but she hadn’t moved, hadn’t tried to take control.
The trust she was placing in him made him determined to pay her back.
He dragged her down the bed, putting her in the perfect position for what he’d wanted to do all night. All night? Damn, he’d wanted to get his mouth on this woman from the second he’d seen her. Even as she’d been running away from him, he’d thought about how much he wanted to get to know the woman with big intelligent eyes.