Chapter 20
Troy’s lips moving against hers, his hands roaming everywhere on her body, inspired a wildness in Alison that was completely new. She was wanton in that moment; there was no other word for it. Inhibitions flew out the window. There was no window, in fact, because windows led to the rest of the world, and the rest of the world simply didn’t exist.
She needed this. She needed him. There had been a simmering heat between the two of them since the moment they’d met, and in some corner of her brain, the clock had been ticking down each second until this inevitable moment.
Now that it was here, she could hardly contain her excitement. And her pleasure. Oh, God, the pleasure. It flowed through her veins like lava—hot and slow and languid but steadily building to a pressure-releasing explosion.
She couldn’t get over how strong his arms felt around her, and how tiny and delicate she felt in them. She’d always been independent and adventurous. She’d never been the type of person to want to feel “safe.”
But, she couldn’t deny it—with Troy’s arms around her, she was enveloped in a cloud of comfort and safety that she wouldn’t have traded for anything else in that moment. She felt free, like she could just relax and be, and Troy would take care of everything else.
She didn’t need to be strong anymore. She didn’t need to hold up that exhausting façade. She could rest in Troy’s strength and trust that he’d protect her with everything in him.
It was that very trust and freedom that left her totally uninhibited and unfettered with him. There was not even a hint of self-consciousness in her manner as she thought about taking off her clothes and taking off his. Of using her body to give him pleasure and accepting the pleasure that his body gave her in return. With Troy, it wasn’t about how things looked, or performing perfectly, or being “good.” It was about one thing and one thing only—connecting with him and expressing her feelings for him, and there was no wrong way to do that. Everything about it was right.
He plunged his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch, and she returned the gesture. She felt so connected when they kissed like this, like they were more than just two people sharing the act of a kiss. It felt like their lips, their tongues, were conduits for the energy that flowed back and forth between them like a river.
In this moment, she could see blowing up her life to chase the feeling that was consuming her right now. She understood the compulsion people felt to follow someone halfway across the world if the opportunity presented itself—she was pretty sure if Troy asked her to get on a plane with him tomorrow to Timbuktu, she would cheerfully agree. It was like being under a spell, and she was in no hurry for the magic to be broken.
Troy, in his insistent but unhurried way, slipped his fingers underneath the hem of her blouse and then up her torso, leaving white-hot trails of tingling flesh in his wake. She tore her mouth from the intoxicating kiss just long enough to moan and whimper, and then she was on him again like a panther.
She was so wet and ready for this to happen. There was a heavy, deep throbbing that had taken residence low in her belly, and it was a constant reminder of the need to feel Troy there. It was all she could do to control herself. She had a strong urge to desperately beg him to skip all of the lead up, as insanely good as it felt, and just take her upstairs and ravage her right then and there.
She knew that wasn’t what she really wanted—when she looked back on the memory of this night, the first time she and Troy were ever together, that wasn’t the special connection she would wish to treasure in her heart forever.
But God, it was sure as hell what her body wanted.
Troy grabbed her shirt by the bottom hem and whipped it off of her body so quickly that it left her head spinning. She suddenly became hyper aware of every sensation in her body. The breeze on her newly exposed cleavage, the featherlight tickle of each strand as her hair settled back down her shoulders—every whisper of anything against her skin just served to ratchet up her arousal even more.
Troy’s eyes took her in from top to bottom, raking over her and drinking in what he saw. The hunger and raw animal lust smoldering behind them made her weak in the knees, and she actually had to reach out to grab a chair to steady herself.
That made him grin, and he took the opportunity to step forward and sweep her up off her feet. She gasped at the sudden weightlessness, but it didn’t take her long to get used to it. The fact that Troy could handle her so effortlessly, as if she weighed no more than a doll, only highlighted how strong he was and how delicate she felt in his arms.
God, she never thought of herself as the kind of woman who’d be susceptible to the charms of “a big strong man” protecting her and taking care of her—but, apparently, that just meant she hadn’t known herself very well because HOLY. FUCK. This was the hottest thing she’d ever experienced.
Troy stared straight into her eyes, as if he was looking beyond the dark orbs and seeing straight into her soul. Finally, he said, “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are in my eyes?”
“No,” she whispered. It felt like a strange response to her, but it was certainly honest.
“I see you, Alison. I see more than just the beautiful actress and singer the world sees. You show me more than that—your compassion, your incredible heart. It’s an honor you let me in. And, goddamn, it’s so fucking beautiful.”
She melted against him. Troy was full of surprises. It seemed like she learned something new and amazing about him every day… and now she knew he was skilled at eloquently speaking from his heart.
She felt like she’d had this thought about so many things that he’d done tonight, but damn, even if it wasn’t original it applied again—this was the hottest thing she’d ever experienced.
“Oh, Troy. I’m feeling so many things right now, and I want to put them into words that are just as lovely and heartfelt as the ones you just said to me. But the only thing I can think of to say is—please just take me upstairs right now. Make love to me. I need to feel you inside me.”
He groaned and closed his eyes, then kissed her, hard and passionate. When he drew back, his gaze was consumed with lust and his voice was raspy as he said, “Damn, baby. That’s the best thing you could’ve said to me. It was beautiful. Trust me.”
She giggled as he carried her up the stairs, and her laughter was tinged with just a touch of hysteria. She couldn’t believe this was really about to happen. Troy’s hands were going to be on her body, everywhere. Troy’s lips were going to explore her secret folds. And then he’d push himself inside of her, connecting them more profoundly than ever before.
She couldn’t wait.
When they finally reached her bedroom, he slowed his pace slightly as he walked across the room and carried her to the bed. He planted kisses all over her face and neck, speeding up the beating of her heart until she thought it might pound right out of her chest.
Her breathing had evolved to nothing but a shallow pant, to the point where she felt like she could barely get enough oxygen. Unless, of course there was another reason for the way her head was spinning at the moment. Which was very possible, of course—she was just having a very difficult time using reason or logic at the moment.
He laid her down gently on the mattress, brushing her hair back from her face and then leaning down to continue his pattern of soft kisses across her chest.