He drew the peak into his mouth and sucked. She gasped, her hands fisting in his hair as she swayed on her feet. He caught her and held her steady, but didn’t stop. Not until she wanted more and pushed him back onto the bed.
Braced on his elbows, he watched her brush aside her bra and reach to undo the button of his jeans. There was no more talk of going slow as she tugged off his boots and helped him free of the damp denim. Dropping the pants, she looked up, only to pause at the sight of his erection straining against his boxers.
For the first time since he’d entered the room, shyness overcame her. That night in Colorado, the lights had been out, and she hadn’t actually seen many details in the moonlight. Now, she was curious as hell, but embarrassed, too. He kept watching her, and the blush staining her cheeks intensified.
Colton sat up and drew her into his arms. The heat from his body warmed her all over again, and as his mouth took possession of hers, the shyness evaporated. He carried h
er around to the head of the bed. A slow slide along his body eventually put her feet on the floor. Sure fingers eased under the elastic of her black underwear, pushing them down until they slid past her thighs, and she stepped free.
His boxers were next and, in one swift motion, he stripped the comforter back and laid her down on the bed. Taking full control, he began a slow, tortuous exploration of her body with his hands and mouth. Writhing under his devout attention, impatient for the feel of him inside her, she moaned his name and pulled on his shoulders, urging him up.
Face to face again, he paused, poised above her. Stripped bare of every single defense, aching with need, Kendra’s sense of exposure rocketed to a whole new level. At the same moment he took a breath, clearly intending to speak, she saw her own naked vulnerability reflected in the gleam of his eyes and panicked. She quickly palmed his jaw, placing her thumb over his slightly parted lips.
Words would only remind her of what had been and what wouldn’t be. All that mattered was this moment.
A shake of her head added to her silent plea. Colton’s lashes lowered to conceal a heart-stopping gleam of remorse. Rough stubble abraded her skin when he turned his head to press his mouth to her palm.
You have him now. For this moment. Take what you can.
She slid her hand up to tangle her fingers in his still-damp hair and pulled his head down. Under the guise of passion rising out of control, she poured all her love into the kiss. When finally, he joined his body with hers, the storm outside paled in comparison to the emotion that overwhelmed her at the moment of her climax, followed seconds later by his.
She had only the one other experience she’d consider comparing it to, and to her amazement, this even surpassed that night in Colorado. Was it because they were married? Or because she knew she’d love him until the day she died and she feared this would be the last time she’d lay in the warmth and security of his arms?
Who says this has to be the last time? Tell him you love him.
Her pulse shot right back into overdrive. Would the casual guy who’d never wanted to get married freak out? Or did him marrying her back in Colorado mean he’d had a change of heart?
Colton eased his weight off to lie beside her, his breathing gradually becoming even. For a moment, she wondered if he’d fallen asleep, until he opened his eyes and turned on his side to look at her.
He cleared his throat. “Kendra.”
Her heart dropped into her stomach at his unhappy tone and the serious look on his face. Wishing the lights were off, she squeezed her eyes closed. But his expression remained with her. Somber eyes filled with regret. The eyes of the man who’d left her alone on the steps of the courthouse.
The eyes of a man who didn’t want to be married.
“Don’t.” She absolutely couldn’t bear it if he apologized right now.
“Kendra, I—”
“Please…don’t,” she whispered, her throat constricting painfully. She felt the mattress shift and, sure he was leaving her again, quickly opened her eyes.
She had a split second view of the sheet slipping low on his hips before the room plunged into darkness. She stared into the blackness, wanting to call him back until she realized he hadn’t left the bed, only turned out the light.
A flash of lightning revealed him on his back, arms up behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. She wished she could pillow her head on his chest, listen to the steady beat of his heart and be lulled to sleep. Another flash of light indicated the storm was strengthening and the deafening boom of thunder that followed rattled the windows and vibrated the bed. She rose up on one elbow for a better view of nature’s glory.
“Does the storm bother you?”
With the next lightning strike, she caught a gentle look on his face. She almost lied and told him it did, then realized she didn’t even want to add that little white one to the list. But it turned out she didn’t need to.
“Come here,” he said softly, touching her shoulder.
She snuggled against him just as she’d wanted to, completely conscious of their nakedness. His arm closed in as his other hand tucked her head under his chin before drawing the covers over her shoulder.
She wanted to watch the storm, lying like this next to him, but the steady beat of his heart lulled her to sleep within moments.
****
A brilliant sunrise roused Colton from restless dreams, but when he took stock of his surroundings and the skyscraper skyline through the window, he realized the evening before hadn’t been a dream at all. The crimson sky brought forth an immediate frown.