Sweet Affliction [Sweet Awakenings 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) (20 page)

He was floored. Utterly shocked. They’d kissed for a matter of minutes. He had barely begun to touch her and lose himself in how enticing she felt when she gave into his touch and found release.

He would be lying if he didn’t admit that it boosted his ego about ten notches and filled him with an insane amount of vigor. Primal needs consumed him, wondering what it would feel like to be surrounded by her as she screamed his name and pulsated around his cock.

Lifting his head, he met her gaze. Her eyes were locked on his while her breaths still came hurriedly. The fire he saw raging in them minutes before now seemed to leave a trail of glowing embers still hot and burning beneath the surface while being calm and at peace. He knew it would only take a small wind of encouragement to blow those glowing orbs into balls of passionate fire once again.

“Say something,” he urged her.

“Why me?”

Her whispered answer surprised him. Out of all the things she could say, he wasn’t expecting that.

“Why you what?”

“Why do you keep doing this to me? You know…Obviously you can tell that I want you. You know I feel things when you…”

“Shh…AJ, what is this about?”

He hated how he felt her body tense and become distant, not in location but in emotion. His body was dying for her. He knew if he kissed her and stopped her from thinking that he could have her right back where he wanted her, but he couldn’t do that to her. How she felt, hell, everything about her mattered to him.

He stood upright, slowly removing his hand from her panties. His finger, still wet with her juices, filled his nostrils with a primal aroma. He tried with everything he had to block the part of his brain from responding to the sweet smell while he trailed his hands up her arms, across her shoulders and finally cupped the side of her face.

“Talk to me. Tell me why you keep doing this. You know the feeling is mutual, AJ.” He glanced down to his rock-hard cock and looked back up at her. “I don’t believe you can’t feel that and know how desperate I am for you.”

Her eyes. The ember was gone. Now they were just brown. The heat was gone, and instead he saw something cold, something fearful. He hated when she was scared.

“What is it? Jesus, trust me. Please,” he pleaded with her.

“I’m afraid.”

He knew it was true, but he hated hearing it. It deflated his ego and attacked his pride. He wouldn’t hurt her. Even in the end Liam knew that to be true and he had barely spoken to the man. AJ and he had…It hit him then. They really didn’t know each other. Sure she’d spent days caring for him and been his only means to contact the outside world, but she somehow managed to seep into his senses and provoke every instinct he had.

She was his. He was hers. They belonged together. He didn’t know how the fuck it happened, but it did nonetheless. It pained him she didn’t see that.

“Sweetheart, I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to listen good because never have I ever meant something so much. Okay?”

He waited until she nodded her head, agreeing with him.

“I won’t hurt you. Not now, not ever. You have no reason to be afraid of me.”

“That’s easy to say, but…”

“No. No buts. I said it, and I meant it. I would sooner die than be the cause of any amount of pain you feel. You and I will be together. One way or another.”

The room went dead silent. He couldn’t even hear the sound of her breathing. She just stared at him, as though she was looking for signs that he was trying to bullshit her.

“Trust me.”

Her eyes closed, and she shook her head. “You make it sound like it’s so easy.”

“Look at me.” He waited for her eyes to open before he continued. “You know I’m not lying. You know. Stop listening to your head. Listen to your heart and tell me what you want. Tell me that you want me as much as I want you. Tell me you believe me. Hell, tell me anything.”

“I want you to make love to me.”

Silence loomed over them. She stood there looking into his eyes, wishing she hadn’t said it aloud. It didn’t make sense to her that her subconscious gave into him so easily. That wasn’t her. She had distanced herself from many men ever since William, the one man who she ever allowed to get close to her. The only man she ever let into her heart.

His calming blue eyes were so inviting, they made her want to soak into them, losing herself in tranquility. She hated how he was able to make her succumb to him so easily with the smallest of touch. The way his gentle touch had brought her so quickly to release could have been explained by the two years it had been since she’d had sex, but something told her that time had nothing to do with the power Nick Slater held over her.

If he didn’t say something soon she would die of mortification. She allowed herself to be exposed to him, not just in the physical but her innermost self, and then she admitted to him what she wanted most. How could he just stand there staring at her with his intense eyes that seemed to hypnotize her?

“AJ.”

Oh God
. His voice was just as effective as his stare, as his touch. She knew she should say something, but it was impossible. No words would do justice to what she was feeling. She was positive any attempt she made at intelligent conversation would come out like her sounding a rambling fool.

“If I take you back to that bedroom”—he brushed a thumb over her lower lip as he spoke—“I will do just that. I won’t be able to pull away and stop this time. I want you too much.”

What could she say to that? There was no argument from her. She wanted him just as much and knew that any fight she put up could be quickly defeated by his kiss. The truth was she didn’t want to fight him. She wanted him. Not just to make love to her, but all of him, everything he had to offer.

“I understand.”

“Do you? Because I’m on the edge, sweetheart. If we take this any further I won’t be able to hold back.”

Oh how much she understood just what he meant. It was inexplicable and went against everything she believed in, but her head was losing the war with her heart and body. The past days had been horrible. If she learned anything at all from her recent experiences it was that life is too short and can be snatched away from you whether you’re ready to say good-bye or not.

She tilted her head up and pressed her lips against his. There were no words that would be sufficient to tell him how she felt. She would give into him and give him all of herself. Selfishly she had to admit she was doing it as much for herself as for him.

Nick pulled her close and crushed his erection into her belly. He met her kiss and swept his tongue into her mouth. The way he was able to entice her with his tongue was something she had never experienced before. Never before had one man’s simple touch or kiss invoked such arousal in her.

She tugged at the hem of his shirt and slid her hands underneath the fabric, which had spent the past two days annoying her. When he had been lying in bed for days as she cared for him, she was given more than a teasing glance of his hardened chest muscles and the contours of his arms. She ignored the way his naked body made her feel as he had laid there unconscious. Now, being in his arms, having his kiss seduce her, was just more than her restraint could handle.

His abdomen muscles contracted under her gentle touch as she allowed her fingers to explore every inch of him. Sliding her hands around his sides to his back, she dug her fingers into him as he ground his hardness against her.

“Nick, please…”

Her damn subconscious betrayed her again. She was thinking the words but had no intention of saying them aloud.

He pulled his mouth from hers and dropped his forehead against hers. Breathless and apparently as achy as she was, he gave her a warning.

“AJ, you don’t have to say please. I want you, too, but I’m giving you one last chance. If I take you back there, there will be no turning back. I’m barely holding back as it is.”

She understood just how he felt. Sliding her tongue back into his mouth, she showed him how much she wanted him, afraid any more words would betray her once again.

He pulled away from her kiss and held her face in his hands. His eyes searched hers as he stared at her intently.

“Jesus, you’re like the sweetest most sinful indulgence. I could spend hours just touching you, kissing you, feasting on you.”

“Show me.”

Damn her subconscious. It was hyperaware of everything he did to her and refused to allow her secrets from this man.

He didn’t respond to her simple two worded statement, despite the enormity in which she invited. Instead he grabbed her hand and led her back to the bedroom. All but running down the hall, her hand in his, she felt a giddiness at the thought of what was to come next.

Everything that had happened in her past week defied any logic or realm of normalcy. Why should her feelings for Nick be any different?

She refused to allow herself to be fearful of what her future held any longer. No matter what the outcome was, she would give herself to Nick Slater. In body and soul she would submit to his enticement and enjoy what the moment had to offer.

He pulled her in the bedroom and laid her on the bed quicker than she had time to react. In seconds his large body was on top of her, his tongue in her mouth and his hardened cock pressed against her as his hips ground into her.

Her hands pulled at the hem of his shirt once again, frantic to remove the barrier between them so she could feel his warm skin against her aching breasts. She made quick work of her task, and he broke their kiss for a moment to help her with it over his head. Seconds later they were kissing again, his movements more urgent as he reached his hands under her ass and pulled her that much closer to him.

This was it. This is what she wanted. No matter what the future held, she would allow herself this. She wanted to feel Nick inside of her, taking her.

* * * *

Nick pressed back down against her. The feel of her hardened nipples all but injected a deeper arousal into him when they pressed against his chest. Her kiss was driving him mad, and no matter how much he hated to tear himself away from hit, he wanted and needed more.

Pulling away, he braced himself up on his forearms. Pain shot through his side and reminded him of his wound. He hated being vulnerable and having to cater to a part of his body that was hurt, when another part was aching and miserable, but he had to be careful to not hurt it more.

Begrudgingly he got up and off of her. Standing at the side of the bed, he held out his hand and waited for her to take it. When she did he swiftly pulled her up until she was standing before him.

“I want to see you, AJ. All of you.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer. Anything she said he may not have heard. Her perfectly round and plump breasts were still staring at him, the tips darkened and swollen with her arousal.

With his fingers he pulled her tank top and bra straps down her arms. His movements were not graceful or romantic. He was frantic to see more of her.

When her bra and top were pulled down to her waist he was met with the sight of her pretty stomach, tiny waist, and the cutest belly button he was sure he’d ever seen. He wanted nothing more but to kiss it and lick her until she squirmed under his touch.

He dropped to his knees and did just that. He started at her belly button, placing small gentle kisses from her center then in circular motions around it, only to return back to where he started, swirling his tongue around it and dipping inside it.

“Nick…”

“Say it again.” His words mumbled against her skin. He loved her voice when it sounded so needy.

“Nick, please…”

She didn’t have to beg. He’d give her everything she wanted and more.

Her shorts were still undone and hanging on her hips. He grabbed her bunched-up top and bra and took her shorts with it. Quickly he pulled them down to her ankles.

Her ankles. He didn’t know how he’d never noticed how incredibly dainty and sexy they were. Actually, he didn’t know ankles could be sexy at all, but hers were. Her skin was tanned, but he could tell her coloration was usually more fair than dark. With his hands he grabbed the back of each of her calves and felt her small leg muscles. Visions of holding those legs while he thrust inside of her flooded his mind.

Bringing his hands up the back of her legs until he felt the round globes of her ass, he stared at her panties. They seemed to be a complete contradiction of all that AJ was. They were ordinary and practical cotton but with bright pink polka dots. One thing he was learning was that nothing about her was ordinary. He couldn’t help but knead his fingers into her ass cheeks. They felt so perfectly conformed to his hands, almost like they were made for his grip.

Her hands fell on his shoulders, and he looked up to see her looking down at him. She’d removed her ponytail, and her hair was falling freely around her face. She looked…beautiful.

There was no patience left in him. With his hands still resting on her bottom, he pulled the back of them down as his fingertips met with the softest skin he’d ever felt. Continuing to pull them down, he caught sight of the tiny patch of hair he’d felt minutes earlier in the kitchen.