Crave (Splendor Book 2) (21 page)

For the remainder of the drive to his house, they were on their best behavior, their linked hands the only parts of their bodies touching. They talked about work, his trip, the weather forecast for the weekend, which was supposed to be pleasant and warmer than was the norm for this time of year.

Tessa’s interest was piqued. “Can we have breakfast out on the terrace? I don’t mind if it’s a little cool in the morning, do you?”

He smiled at her indulgently. “Not at all, darling. Especially since the terrace is nicely sheltered from the wind. Not to mention all the patio heaters I have outside.”

She beamed at him. “So, it’s a date, then? Will you let me cook for you again?”

Ian brushed his thumb over her lips. “If that gives you pleasure, then, yes, of course. But you’re going to spoil me very quickly if I allow you to keep doing things like that.”

“I like doing things for you,” she told him guilelessly. “And you deserve to be spoiled, especially after everything you’ve done for me. Has no one ever done that for you?”

“Spoiled me, you mean?” He shook his head. “Not that I’ve lived a deprived lifestyle by any means. But my parents were determined that my brothers and I not grow up to be pampered, snobbish brats so we weren’t overly indulged as children. As far as another woman spoiling me - I can honestly say that you’re the only one who’s ever offered to do so.”

Tessa smiled in delight. “Once again I’m very happy that I was the first for you in some small way.”

Ian’s expression was one of incredible tenderness, so much that it made her heart soar. “Tessa, you have no idea how many firsts you’ve already given me. When the time is right, I’ll tell you exactly what they are.”

They arrived at his house moments later, not giving her an opportunity to quiz him about his mysterious comment. And then, almost the very second the front door was shut behind them, she wasn’t given the chance to do anything but submit willingly to his very urgent desires.

“Hurry,” he urged, leading her up the stairs to his room. “It feels like four years since I’ve had you instead of only four days.”

Clothes were shed in between hungry, passionate kisses, a trail of coats, shoes, shirts, and other garments left in their wake as they fairly stumbled into his bedroom. Tessa was still wearing her lingerie and shoes as he all but flung her onto the bed, while he was splendidly nude save for his snug-fitting black briefs. Her blue eyes grew round and huge as he swiftly divested himself of his last remaining article of clothing, baring his truly magnificent body to her eager gaze, the sight of his massive erection causing her to pant in anticipation.

She hadn’t expected him to be gentle, given the near-desperation of his earlier kisses, but she still cried out in shocked surprise as he fisted one hand in her panties, yanking them down her legs, just before surging as deeply inside of her as possible with one masterful stroke.

“Ah, ah, oh, my God,” she wailed, feeling the head of his cock battering against the tip of her womb. “Ian - oh -”

Her voice trailed off as he began moving inside of her roughly, his voice low as he uttered a series of brusque instructions.

“Lift your legs up onto my shoulders. Yes, like that. God, that’s good.”

“That’s it, love, wrap those beautiful long legs around my neck.”

“Ah, Christ, you’re so damned tight. I’m not going to last long this first time.”

Just when Tessa didn’t think he could possibly fill her even one more inch, couldn’t get any deeper inside of her, he slid his hands beneath her buttocks and lifted her several inches off the mattress. At his first hard thrust from this position, she came instantly, sobbing out his name as the pleasure rocked through her body.

He continued his hard, almost brutal thrusts until she heard him curse vividly, “Jesus, fuck,” and then he was coming uncontrollably, his body jerking over and over. Tessa gazed up at him, spellbound by his erotic male beauty - his dark hair damp with sweat, his eyes tightly shut as he continued to spill himself inside of her. Even as she felt the hot, sticky bursts of semen begin to trickle down her inner thighs, he was still coming, still filling her with his seed.

He groaned as he collapsed on top of her, crushing her much lighter body into the mattress as he buried his damp face against the side of her neck. She stroked his head soothingly, her lips touching his temples and brow. They remained just that way for several minutes, until the weight of his heavily muscled body was too much, and she began to gasp a little for air. Ian quickly slid off of her onto his side, drawing her close.

“Sorry, sorry,” he murmured, his hand tilting her head back. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? Not just now, but, well, before when -”

“No.” She gave him a brief kiss. “You didn’t. But I think I might have seen some stars there for a few minutes.”

Ian chuckled. “I know the feeling, love. Except I think I was in another solar system entirely. God, the way you make me lose all control, Tessa - that’s never, ever happened to me before.”

She ran her hand up and down his arm, squeezing his bulging bicep along the way. “It’s hard to imagine you ever losing control. At the office you’re always in total command, everyone’s more than a little intimidated by you.”

He captured her roving hand, running his tongue over the knuckles. “Ah, but I don’t have a mostly naked, entirely tempting goddess to entice me into losing control there. Well, I do, but you’re not -”

“Mostly naked there,” she finished. “Except for one very embarrassing time.”

He laughed in recollection. “I have to keep the door to my washroom closed most of the time, you know. Otherwise, every time I look in that direction all I can see is the vision you made standing in the doorway that night, these gorgeous breasts almost spilling out of that bra. Speaking of which.”

Tessa gasped as his hand slid up her bare hip past her ribcage to squeeze one breast. In the next moment she’d been tumbled onto her back and he was straddling her thighs, his gaze locked hotly on her breasts still encased in the black lace bra.

He dipped a finger into her deep cleavage. “I’ve been imagining you all day long in this bra, you know,” he told her huskily. “But no fantasy is quite as remarkable as the real thing. Let me see you now, Tessa.”

He unhooked the bra with ease and peeled the cups away, baring her full breasts. Their groans were simultaneous as he filled his palms with her warm flesh, his fingers plucking the nipples into even harder peaks. She whimpered as his caresses grew more aggressive, his fingers twisting and pinching the nipples, his large hands palming her breasts roughly.

“Do you like this?” he asked in a voice that demanded a reply.

“Y-yes,” she breathed. “S-so good.”

Ian slid down her body, his lips tracing a hot path from the base of her throat down between her breasts. Then his tongue was licking a slow, deliberate circle around one reddened nipple, causing her back to bow off the mattress, her hands clutching at the sheets.

“Easy, love,” he soothed her, stroking her hip. “You’re so responsive, Tessa, so naturally uninhibited.”

“Ummm.” She sighed in bliss as his mouth closed over her nipple, sucking it until she was squirming. He shifted his lips to the other breast, while his hand slid down over her quivering belly into the soft nest of her pubic hair. Two long fingers thrust deep inside her slit, where she was still sticky from his very recent orgasm.

“You’re all creamy from my cum,” he purred in her ear, his thumb brushing over her clit and making her thrash wildly beneath him. “It feels as though I’ve marked you, claimed this tight little pussy as my own.” His fingers thrust as deeply inside her as they could reach. “And you are mine, Tessa, make no mistake about it. You belong to me now, and I’ve no intention of letting that change.”

“Yes, yours,” she sobbed as he continued to arouse her, the thrust of his fingers and the rasp of his thumb twin assaults on her already over-stimulated senses. She cried out almost plaintively as he brought her over the edge yet again.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, holding her tight. “You’re magnificent when you come, Tessa. It makes me want to see how many times I can bring you that sort of bliss.”

She felt limp and replete, almost boneless, as her arms twined loosely around his neck. “Okay,” was all she could manage in response.

Ian gave a low laugh. “Perhaps just one more, hmm? Then I’ll get us fed so we can keep our strength up. After all, our weekend has barely begun.”

Tessa was so lightheaded and sated from her most recent orgasm that she didn’t think it was possible for her to even move, much less make love again. But then Ian was gently rolling her onto her side, his hard body spooning hers, and she gasped when he eased inside of her from that position.

“All right there, love?” he hummed, even as he lifted her leg to wrap around his hip. “You’re not too sore, are you?”

“Mmm, no.” She expelled a breath as he slid in and out of her, gently this time, as though he were savoring each slow, careful thrust.

“You feel so good, Tessa,” he groaned. “God, I’ve never felt this much before, felt like I could keep fucking you for hours. It’s perfect, you’re perfect.”

He grasped her chin and tipped her head back just far enough so he could kiss her long and hot, his tongue sweeping lazily through her mouth until she was mindless with the pleasure.

Her climax this time was as gentle and tender as his lovemaking had been, but no less satisfying. Ian held her within his arms for a long time after he came, until they were nearly falling asleep.

Sleepily, Tessa heard Ian give a little groan, and then she felt his lips caressing the nape of her neck while his hand stroked her shoulder. She sighed in utter contentment just before burrowing her face deeper into the pillows.

The amusement was evident in his voice. “Trust me, love, a nice long nap with you cuddled up against me sounds like heaven. But we need to eat something, Tessa. You’ve been, ah, burning a lot of calories lately and need to keep your strength up. Especially,” he added lasciviously as he rolled her onto her back, his big body looming over hers, “since the night is still young.”

She giggled in response, twining her arms around his neck. “Okay. After all, I have to keep up with you somehow. And here you were afraid I’d be the one wearing
you
out.”

Ian’s hazel eyes twinkled down at her merrily. “As I said, love, the night is still young. Come now. Let’s have a shower and then I’ll order dinner. Is Chinese food all right with you? And not,” he added in a mockingly stern voice, “from that greasy spoon in your neighborhood. If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to order from a place where I’m confident I won’t get food poisoning.”

“It’s not
that
bad,” she assured him as he helped her sit up. “Though I’m pretty sure anyplace you recommend is going to be fine. You have amazing taste in everything, Ian.”

He pulled her from the bed and gave her a quick kiss. “Especially in women,” he murmured against her lips. “Or at the very least, in
this
woman.” He squeezed her waist before ushering her into the bathroom.

They took a quick shower, with Tessa noticing that Ian somewhat intentionally kept a distance between them as they washed up. It was probably a wise move on his part, she thought ruefully as she washed, especially since she was definitely a little on the tender side. Her body, and in particular her private parts, was still not quite used to the domineering, possessive way in which he made love to her. But there was no way she would ever ask him to hold back, to take things slower or more gently. Not when she could see how much pleasure it gave him, and certainly not when he returned that same pleasure to her tenfold.

After drying off and wrapping one of those plush, oversized bath sheets around herself - he seemed to have an endless supply of them - Tessa followed Ian inside the cavernous walk-in closet to where her clothing was stored. For a relaxed evening at home, where they planned to eat takeout and watch a movie, she pulled out clean lingerie, a pair of comfy yoga pants, and a thermal top. Tomorrow morning they had an appointment to meet with Marlene Brennan at Neiman Marcus so she could try on more clothes, and she sensed that Ian planned to buy out half the store for her.

She was just about to drop her towel and begin to dress when Ian opened one of his dresser drawers and exclaimed, “Ah, I nearly forgot about this. Here, love. A little surprise for you, one that I think you’ll enjoy.”

Tessa glanced at his outstretched palm, frowning in bemusement when she saw the tiny laminated card. “What is it exactly?”

Ian smiled. “It’s an I.D. card, believe it or not, a very compact one to be sure. You scan it whenever you go to a class. This is the yoga studio that you like, isn’t it?”

She studied the tiny card that she now realized would clip to a keychain, and gasped in surprise as she recognized the SF Flow logo embossed on it. “Oh, my, God, yes! You - you got me a class card there? Ian - that place is so expensive. I only went there twice, and that was because Julia got me a free pass.”

He smirked. “Darling, I can very easily afford something like this, trust me. And it’s not a class card - it’s an unlimited membership, paid up for an entire year. You can go to a class whenever you like, as often as you wish. Ah, and I picked up a few other things while I was there, though I’m afraid I harassed the desk clerk just a bit. I only had a few minutes to spare, and wanted to make sure I was getting you only the best. I think the young woman was very happy to see me leave.”

Tessa shook her head. “Somehow, I doubt that. I would have to imagine that female sales clerks are more than happy to assist you no matter the circumstances.”

Ian gave a careless shrug. “Well, I’m not so certain about that, especially when it was very clear that I was buying these things for the special woman in my life. If you don’t like these, Tessa, or the size isn’t right, go ahead and exchange them for whatever you prefer.”

She stared in disbelief at the half dozen brand new yoga outfits that were now hanging in her section of the closet - an assortment of pants and tops, all in coordinating colors, and all with the price tags cut off, naturally. But she knew that everything sold at the SF Flow store was expensive and top of the line. As was the brand new black yoga mat and a purple print mat bag that rested against a wall of the closet.