Phoenix Burning (8 page)

Alex didn’t need to hear anything else. He closed the distance between them in three strides, sweeping her into his arms and taking her mouth in a wild kiss. She tasted sweet, like sunlight and passion.

He slid his tongue across the seam of her lips until she opened. Sliding it inside, he mated it with hers and kissed her with the same rhythm he longed to feel when he thrust his cock into her hot cunt.

“Bedroom?” He prayed she lived above her shop because while he didn’t want their first time to be on her prep table, he was willing to consider the possibility.

“Upstairs, first door on the left.”

He put an arm beneath her knees and picked her up. Maneuvering her up the narrow stairs took some concentration, mostly because she was busy kissing his neck. Her mouth teased its way down the line of his jaw, laving the hollow of his throat, nibbling his chin, and working its way up to his ear. When he finally found her bedroom, he tried to set her down gently though his muscles were turning to jelly with every touch.

He gazed down at the pixie in the middle of the double bed. “Are you sure this is what you want, Emory?”

“You’re the only thing I want, Alex.”

Her words nearly undid him. He ground his teeth and fought for control. Focusing everything on Emory, he wondered why it had never been so important to please his partner.

Carefully bracing his weight on his arms, he settled his body on the bed beside her. He kissed her slowly, until she was questing for more. He helped her out of her outer shirt, tossing it aside and resting his hand on her belly. She made tiny noises of pleasure in her throat when they kissed, the sounds driving him mad with desire.

She stopped to wrestle with her camisole and he pulled her hands away. “Let me.” Lowering the straps, he pulled the soft cotton down just far enough to bare her breasts.

They were pale perfection. Twin mounds tipped with soft pink nipples that puckered when he blew a soft stream of air across them. She gasped and arched her back when he took the first one in his mouth.

He suckled lightly at first, then harder when she moaned at the contact. He nipped the beaded tip before letting it go and giving the other equal attention. She buried her hands in his hair, fingers lightly scraping his scalp and making his cock bulge against the confines of his jeans.

“I need you naked, love.” He unfastened her cargos and slid the camisole to her waist. “Lift your hips for me.”

Her hips came up and he slipped her clothing off in one tug, underwear and all. Her sandals had gone MIA on the stairs and she was now naked before him. Her dark eyes fluttered open, an expression of embarrassment crossing her face before she tried to close her legs and cover her breasts with her hands.

Gently tugging her hands back to her sides, Alex shook his head. “Don’t ever hide from me, love. You’re absolutely gorgeous.”

“No, I’m not. That woman last night, she was gorgeous.”

Alex was used to reassuring women about their physical appearance, but her tone was nothing he’d ever heard before. She was quietly stating what she felt to be fact. No demurring, no fishing for compliments. Taking her hand, he pressed her palm to the erection that was nearly ripping open the front of his jeans. “This doesn’t lie. And it proves I find you utterly irresistible.”

Her brown eyes went wide, her other hand reaching up to draw his face down to hers for another kiss. Alex complied, sinking into the sweetness of her mouth even as his hand delved into the nest of close-cropped dark curls between her legs.

She whimpered when he slipped his fingers into her slit. It was damp with the evidence of her arousal. Her legs fell open, baring her pussy to his exploration. Lightly tracing her folds, he straddled her clit with two fingers and began to rub tiny circles around the sensitive nub.

Creamy fluid spilled from her entrance, soaking his fingers and telling him she enjoyed his touch as much as he enjoyed giving it. “I’m going to put my fingers inside you, love. Is that all right?”

Her fingers clutched his biceps. “Please, Alex!”

Pressing into her slick channel, he marveled at how hot and tight she was. If he couldn’t get her to relax, he was going to hurt her when he tried to penetrate. First one finger, then two, then three sliding in and out of her sleek heat, with her knees bent and her voice crying out for more.

He wanted her to climax, thinking that an orgasm might help her accept him inside her body more easily. Her eyes were closed, her hands restlessly grasping her sheets as he spread his fingers to stretch her channel as wide as he dared. He could feel her body hovering at the edge of release, but she was fighting it.

He removed his hand from her pussy and shucked out of his clothes before lying back down. Holding her close, he pressed a kiss to her temple. He loved the feel of her skin next to his, the heat of her body beside him.

“I can’t take the waiting, Alex.”

Her voice was hoarse. Was she in pain? “I don’t want to hurt you, love.”

“You won’t hurt me. I promise. Please fuck me. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

He stared down into her dark eyes. “Then don’t wait. Come for me, Emory. It’ll make this easier.”

“I can’t.”

Alex had met a handful of women who couldn’t come until they’d experienced penetration. He began to wonder if she fell into this category. Taking a deep breath, he got to his knees. Fumbling in the pocket of his discarded jeans, he found the condom he always carried inside his wallet. He ripped the package open and pulled it out. She watched while he smoothed it down his shaft.

“I’ve always wanted to see a guy do that.” Her wry tone made him laugh. “It usually happens so fast I miss it.”

“It’s a waste of time, but a necessary one.”

“And now?”

He positioned her knees carefully, placing the head of his penis at her slick entrance and telling himself to go slow. “Definitely not a waste of time.”

She giggled until he began to press into her tight pussy. “Oh!”

He stopped. “Am I hurting you?”

“God, no! It feels amazing!”

Relief made him giddy. Pushing forward, he felt her body welcome him deeper. Her muscles flexed, embracing him with each gentle press until his shaft was fully seated and his head was pressed against the sweet spot deep inside her body. She trembled around him, her muscles poised on the brink of orgasm.

Moving in gentle rhythm, Alex began thrusting in and out of her wet heat. He held her hips in his hands to maintain a steady pace. Her breasts bounced gently with each new stroke, nipples pouting for attention. Alex dipped his head and lipped them each in turn until she was gasping and he was fighting the urge to cum.

Still she managed to stave off her climax. A fine sheen of perspiration covered her delicate features. Her brow was knitted in fierce concentration, her teeth clamped on her upper lip. She looked as if she were in agony.

Slowing his momentum, Alex reached up and brushed his fingers across the puckered skin between her eyebrows. “What’s wrong, love?”

She opened her eyes, her desperation on display. “Nothing. I want you to come inside me, Alex.”

Her body seemed to believe her words. God knew his body believed her. But something didn’t fit. He could feel her orgasm building, winding its way through her muscles. The tension had her strung so tight he could barely move inside her. But instead of the fluidity that told him his lover was ready to fly over the edge of bliss, she was in rigid lockdown.

She began to rock beneath him, grinding his cock inside her pussy until he thought he might implode from the need to let go. Forcing his libido back under control, Alex listened to her breathing. Measured, calculated, she was gasping and moaning in the perfect imitation of orgasm. Damned if she wasn’t faking it.

If I didn’t believe it was for my benefit, I’d be insulted.

“Come, Alex. Come inside me!”

“No.”

She stilled and her eyes flew open, surprise apparent in her expression. “Why not?”

He hissed as he pulled out of her pussy. “Not until you tell me why you’re trying to fake an orgasm.”

She looked like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I wasn’t faking.”

“I know the difference, love.” He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “A lot of men don’t. But I do.”

“Oh.”

Now Alex was the one in agony. He flopped to the bed beside Emory and closed his eyes. His balls were tightly clenched, his seed fighting for release. Several deep breaths had him hanging on by a thread. She snuggled up beside him and rested her head against his chest. The feel of her warmth tamed his arousal, and he wrapped his arm around her slight frame.

“Are you angry?”

“No.” He rolled away from her.

He left the bed and headed for a smaller door in the corner of the room he correctly guessed led to a bathroom. Safely out of sight, he disposed of the condom and washed his hands. His dick was still hard, bouncing against his belly as if it were trying to pummel some sense into him. He stared into the mirror above the sink.

I am so far out of my depth here. Maybe walking away would be better for both of us.

A ready excuse on the tip of his tongue, he stepped back into the bedroom. He hadn’t noticed any details before. The tiny space had been carefully decorated to reflect its owner. Hand-sketched images of lilies and roses hung on walls painted shades of lavender and yellow. Leafy green plants spilled from hanging baskets near the two tiny windows. It was innocence and hope, just like the pixie who called it home.

A pixie currently huddled in the middle of the bed, rocking back and forth with her face buried in her knees. Any desire to extricate himself from the situation died at the sight. She was obviously hurting.

He sat on the bed, wondering what he could possibly say to make it better. “Are you all right?”

Emory had made a complete fool of herself while naked in bed with a near stranger and
he
wanted to know if
she
was all right? “I’m so sorry, Alex.”

His brow furrowed, his pale eyebrows drawing together. “Why are you sorry? If a man completely fails to pleasure a woman, that’s his problem. Not hers.”

The idea that he could possibly think this was his fault was shameful. She had to set him straight, tell him the truth. “It isn’t you, it’s me.”

“That’s a bad line no matter when you use it.”

It was so odd to see him sitting on the edge of her bed. His body was utter and complete perfection. Every line, every groove and cut of his muscles was on display. She hadn’t known a man could be so beautiful. Handsome yes, but not on par with a classical Greek statue. “What I’m trying to say is that I don’t orgasm with anyone. It wasn’t anything you were or weren’t doing.”

“You’ve never climaxed. Never?”

She headed off his next question. “Not even by myself.”

“Why not?”

How could she explain her emotional hang-ups to someone like Alex, who always seemed so self-assured? He’d brought her more pleasure than anyone else had ever managed. She’d tried having sex a total of three times before Alex. Each had been disastrous, the last one ending when her partner declared her a total nut job and left while still trying to pull his pants back on.

O babes, O babes, if you were mine

All alone and lone

I'd dress you up in silk, so fine

All down by th’ greenwood side

The song slipped through her mind, taunting her. Her mother might have wanted something better for her children, but in the end the only legacy they’d inherited had been pain and emotional turmoil.

He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I’m not trying to pry, Emory. I just want to understand.”

“I guess I’ve never been very good at letting people get close to me.” That was an understatement of epic proportions, but she didn’t know what else to say. Unloading all of her baggage at once would probably make him the second guy to grab his clothes and bolt.

There was a lot of thinking going on behind his intense blue gaze. She wished she could read minds. Did he think she was insane? Was he angry that she’d tried to fake an orgasm? She was still reeling from the knowledge that he could tell the difference. That was something she’d never experienced before. Her other potential bedmates had gone through the foreplay and she’d faked an orgasm or two just to keep them interested. It’d always worked like a charm. Maybe if she’d tried to fake one during foreplay? Except that Alex was different. Wasn’t that what had drawn her to him to begin with?

The silence was growing heavy. She felt the need to absolve him of any sort of responsibility for her problem. “You can go if you want.”

He made a low sound in his throat. Before she could respond, he’d wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down into the bed. He dragged the rumpled duvet over their bodies and she snuggled into his warmth. The spicy male scent of his skin enveloped her senses.

“I know I’m not your first.” He tilted her chin up and she found she was unable to look away. “Did your other lovers not notice or not care?”

“Both?”

“Fuckers.”

The unexpected venom in his tone made her laugh. “There were only three tries before you. And not all of them made it to the finale.”

“Meaning?”

Embarrassed, she wanted to look away but couldn’t. “Sometimes I have these spells. I guess you could call them panic attacks. I kind of freeze up. It happened the first two times before we got very far. The last time it happened in the middle. I think he thought I was crazy.”

She could see him mulling this over, probably wondering when she’d go catatonic on him and he’d need to cut and run. It was something she’d wondered herself. What made Alex different? Instead of triggering the darkness, he brought the light.

There was still something bothering her about their failed romantic interlude. “I feel bad that I left you hanging like that.”

His arms tightened briefly. Cupping her cheek, he ran his thumb across her lower lip. The contact sent a riot of chills across her skin and a jolt of heat to her pussy. She abruptly wanted more. She wanted his cock back inside her, thrusting deep, hitting that sweet spot that brought such intense pleasure. Even though the lack of completion had started to grow almost painful, she wanted to feel as close to him as she had when they were locked together.