Alex cursed. ‘Emma,’ he said, in a rough, strangled way. ‘I’m out of protection.’
She wasn’t meant to come over tonight after all.
Emma pulled away to look into his eyes, which were darkened with need. ‘I don’t care. I want you, Alexander.’
Cradling her head in his large hands, he gazed at her intensely. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes. I promise.’
‘I trust you,’ he said, and kissed her once more.
Picking her up bridal-style, Alex carried her to his bedroom and laid her down on the king-size bed. Holding himself up over her, he kissed her softly.
‘I’m going to ask you again. Are you sure about this?’ Alex whispered.
‘Yes,’ she replied, wanting him heart and soul, and in that very moment she couldn’t think of anything else.
His fingers went to the ties on her blue wrap dress. Pulled on it slowly. It unravelled, the fabric falling away slightly. His lips moved to the exposed skin of her side while his hands pushed the rest of the fabric away. Trailing open-mouthed kisses across her stomach to her hip, and then up her body and over her shoulder, he peeled the dress away. She never took her eyes off him.
Alex helped her out of her dress and tossed it aside.
Her bra was next.
He sucked her clavicle, teeth nipping at her earlobe.
‘You’re so damn beautiful,’ Alex said on a breath, and her heart stuttered.
He kissed her neck.
‘Intelligent...’
He sucked her nipple into his mouth and drew a moan from deep within her.
‘Kind...’
A kiss above her belly button.
‘Determined...’
His mouth came to her sex. He traced his tongue slowly through her slickness.
‘Perfect.’
‘Alexander...’
It was part moan, part sob. He wanted to hear her say it again. It made him feel like Icarus, flying too close to the sun. And she had become the sun. The centre of his world.
With his tongue and his hands, he worshipped her. He was focused on her. On being in this moment. On getting to love her in this intimate way that slightly terrified him—because what if he could never let go after tonight?
Her fingers sank into his hair as her hips bucked beneath him, but he didn’t slow down. He kept going until his name was an incantation on her lips as she came apart. Waves of pleasure rolling through her.
The apartment became silent.
Emma’s eyes were tightly shut, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He kissed her everywhere. Along her thighs, over her belly, on her neck. Until she caught her breath. Then Alex could wait no more.
He pulled away, standing at the foot of the bed. Grasping the front of his shirt, he ripped it in opposite directions, sending buttons popping off and clattering to the floor in a shower. He divested himself of the rest of his clothes and then he was hovering over her, holding himself up on his arms.
Their gazes locked together. Alex leaned his forehead on Emma’s and slowly sank into her. His moan was guttural. Being careful, disciplined, was who Alex was, so he had never done this before. What they had was so powerful, what was one more first between them?