I rinse out the shampoo and finger-comb her hair before I twist it and pull it over her shoulder.
Her fingertips press into the top of her thigh and her throat bobs with a heavy swallow.
“Tell me how you’re feeling,” I murmur.
“Nervous, desperate, turned on,” she whispers.
“It’s okay to want some relief.” I sweep my fingers down the side of her neck. “But if you want me to stop at any point, just tell me, okay?”
“Okay.” She nods once. “But I already know I’m not going to want you to stop.”
“Tell me where you want me to touch you.”
Her hand drifts up, fingers brushing over her nipple. “Here would be nice.”
She sucks in a quick breath when I circle the other nipple and pinch it between my thumb and finger, tugging gently. I move in closer, my chest pressed against her warm back, and bend until my mouth is beside her ear again. “How’s that, Avery? Does it feel good?”
She makes a deep sound, almost like a purr, as she arches into my touch.
“Is that a yes? Or a no?”
I start to move my hand away, but she whispers, “Yes. It’s a yes. I want more. Please.”
“I should keep touching you?” I drag my lips along her skin, biting gently when I reach the base of her neck, tasting her skin for the first time. She’s sweet and warm under my tongue. Addicting. Enthralling.
“Yes, please.” Her hand comes up, fingers twining in my hair as she tips her head, giving me better access to her neck. “I like that. Do it again.”
“Which part? This?” I tug her nipple. “Or this?” And drag my teeth across her skin.
She groans. “Both.”
I nibble my way up her neck. “What now?”
“I want you to make me feel good.”
I allow my fingers to travel slowly down between her breasts and over her stomach. “Like this?”
She bites her bottom lip. “Yes, please, exactly like that.”
“Avery.” I circle her navel and her muscles jump and tighten, but this time it seems more like anticipation than uncertainty.
“Mmm.” She shifts her hips, and the fingers still twined in my hair tighten as I take her earlobe between my teeth and tug. I slide my free hand under her chin and tip it toward me.
My lips sweep across her cheek until I reach the corner of her mouth. She stills and sucks in a quick breath. “Declan?” She drags her tongue across her bottom lip, so soft and full and inviting. Wisps of uncertainty float away as her gaze lifts to mine.
“Can I kiss you? Would that be okay?”
“Please. Yes.” She tugs on the back of my neck, pulling me closer.
I brush my lips over hers, tentative at first. At the same time I ease my hand lower, dipping between her thighs.
Her mouth opens on a gasp, and I slant mine over hers, sliding my tongue inside, stroking against hers in the same rhythm as my fingers swirling around her sensitive skin.
“Oh, that’s…” Her nails dig into the back of my neck, and she rolls her hips. “Yes, please. Don’t stop doing that,” she murmurs against my lips.
I chuckle and continue to tease her, taking my cues from the way her soft moans grow deeper, her lazy hip rolls become jerky, and her sounds grow needier.
“It’s not going to be enough. I won’t be able to finish,” she groans into my mouth, biting my bottom lip.
“Hey.” I disengage from the kiss, thumb smoothing back and forth across the edge of her jaw. “We have nothing but time, and I promised I’d take care of you, and I will. Tell me what you need so I can give it to you.”
“I need more.” She almost seems apologetic, which I don’t quite understand.
I press the heel of my palm against that sensitive, swollen nub and curl my fingers.
I’m rewarded with a gasp of surprise followed by another sweet moan.
And then it clicks: This is what Avery meant about hitting both buttons at the same time.
“Is that better?” I shift, kneeling on the edge the tub, and nip along her jaw again, amazed at how natural it feels to be like this with Avery. I love how soft she is, how we both seem to give ourselves over to the intimacy of it.
“Yes, so much better, thank you.” She skims my forearm, following a thick vein all the way down.
She covers my hand with hers, pushing down, grinding harder against my palm.
“You need more, still?” I murmur in her ear.
She bites her lip and nods, hand curling over mine.
“You tell me when it’s enough, okay, baby?”
She nods, her hand still covering mine, adding pressure. We kiss and move together, Avery rolling her hips, her body pliant and liquid, her hums and gasps tell me she’s getting closer. And then she goes rigid; a low, primal moan bubbles up and breaks free. She shifts to grip the edge of the seat, forearm taut as she struggles to maintain some kind of control over her body.