The Strongest Steel (20 page)

Trent put his arms around her waist, pulling her between his legs until her thighs touched the stool. “The ‘or something’ sounds promising.”

His lips brushed hers as his hands roamed over her butt, giving it a squeeze for good measure. His tongue brushed across hers, stroking the tip gently. Man, she tasted so freakin’ good. All sugar and spice.

Harper reached up to slide both hands into Trent’s hair. She could mess it up all she wanted, the feel of her fingernails softly dragging against his scalp worth whatever damage she did to it.

A groan resonated deep in his chest as she leaned into him and he felt her sexy smile against his lips.

“You have that effect on me,” he murmured against her lips.

A loud buzzing came from the kitchen, and Harper moved her lips from his. Ovens, he hated them.

Over dinner he learned so much more about her. She hated horror movies, loved Christmas, and had been junior chess champion in her school.

She was also a natural flirt. The way she held his eyes while he talked to her about setting up Second Circle with Cujo, laughing at the stories of their mishaps along the way. Stroking his arm with her fingertips as he took a break to drink his wine. He’d been hard since the moment he’d walked in and seen that dress clinging to her delectable curves.

It was clear she was still avoiding details about her past and had outright set him straight twice when the topic had veered too close to where her hometown was and what she did before she’d moved to Miami.

He knew enough of what happened but didn’t pretend to understand why she had felt the need to run. The guy had been put in jail—so why had she still felt so threatened and scared afterward? So terrified that she’d left her whole life behind.

“That was the most impressive home-cooked dinner I’ve had in a really long time, Harper.”

“Glad you enjoyed it. There are leftovers you can take home for tomorrow.” Harper got up to clear the table.

Trent put his hand on her wrist to stop her. “My mom would kill me if she knew I let you cook for me
and
clean up. Sit. I got this.”

He watched as she carefully picked her glass up by the stem, gently swirling the rich, blood-red wine around in the bottom. The way her lips opened to sip and the soft moan as she savored the wine made him groan. Shaking the thought, he gathered the plates and rinsed them under the tap before returning to his chair. When had his life turned into a fucking romance novel?

*   *   *

“So I gotta ask: After a meal like that, what’s for dessert?”

He looked at her intensely. Maybe it was the wine, but Harper felt a sudden surge of confidence. “Me?”

Trent spluttered as he sprayed his red wine across the tablecloth. Wow. Was it that crazy of a suggestion? Had she misread the situation? It wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe this was too fast for him. Or too serious or something. Embarrassment engulfed her.

“Never mind,” Harper said, trying to stop the burning in her eyes from turning into tears. Trent was still coughing. Getting up, she laid her napkin on the table and headed to the kitchen.

“It’s chocolate molten lava cake,” she called back over her shoulder, hoping he couldn’t see the mortification on her face.

Harper’s breath was stolen from her lungs as Trent grabbed her arm. “You surprised me is all. Don’t ever think for one minute I don’t want you. Ever.” The burn of his gaze heated her insides. “Going slow has been killing me,” he said, his voice low and husky. His lips crushed hers as he lifted her into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and pushing her up against the living room wall.

“Getting you naked is all I have been able to think about since that night on the beach.”

His strong arms held her up like she weighed nothing. Gripping his flexed biceps, Harper leaned her head back against the wall as his mouth blazed a trail down her neck.

A shiver brushed through her as his fingers pushed her dress up higher, stroking the soft skin of her inner thigh.

Her body was all sensation.

“I love touching you, Harper. You’re so soft.”

“I’m nervous,” she confessed quietly.

Trent leaned in and kissed her gently. “Don’t be, baby. It’s just you and me, right? When we walk into your room, don’t let anyone else come with us. I want you to myself tonight.”

Still carrying her, he strode into her bedroom.

As he lowered her to the bed, Trent knelt down between her thighs, pausing to run his fingers through her hair.

“Tell me if you need me to stop.” His eyes were searching hers, looking for permission to continue. He was devouring her with just a look. Unable to put words to the myriad of feelings consuming her, Harper just nodded.

Trent’s fingers slid gently under the hem of her dress. He licked and kissed his way from her collarbone to the back of her ear. Harper shivered as sensations began to overwhelm her senses.

“It drives me crazy, the way you melt against me, Harper. There are so many things I want to do with you that I don’t know where to start.”

Pulling back from her, he lifted her dress the rest of the way up her thighs and over her head at a painfully slow pace. Kneeling back on his heels, he studied her. A slow, languorous perusal of her body.

Glad she had invested in some new underwear (thank you, Victoria’s Secret), Harper resisted the urge to crumble under his scrutiny and watched as his eyes roamed her body. The way his pupils flared as he studied her black lace bra and thong made it worth the tips she’d spent on them.

“I am seriously one lucky man tonight,” Trent whispered reverently. Her skin broke out in goose bumps as his hands slid up the side of her rib cage, strong thumbs brushing her nipples through the soft, delicate lace of her bra.

“I think I might be the lucky one,” she responded, kissing the side of his jaw.

Harper tried to contain her gasp as he reached around her back and undid the clasp. She felt her blood starting to burn as he leaned forward, licking the top of her breast. Warm fingertips slid the silky straps of her bra down her arms, removing it completely.

She reached up and grabbed the back of his hair, pulling him closer to her as his tongue traced a circle around her nipple before pulling it deep into his mouth, sucking gently.

Harper groaned. He was tonguing her nipple against the roof of his mouth, each stroke driving her mad. She was growing damp with need.

With fumbling fingers, she pulled his shirt out of the back of his jeans and started to undo the buttons. She needed to feel his skin against hers more desperately than her next breath.

His mouth returned to hers, his tongue gliding in and out in a slow excruciating rhythm. As she finished with the buttons, Trent stood and pushed her to the bed. She watched, biting her lip as he pulled his shirt off and started opening his belt.

God had surely never created a hotter-looking man. His abs were throwing shadows in the candlelight as his biceps flexed, pushing his shirt down his beautiful tattooed arms.

“See something you like, Harper?” he said, smiling at her softly. She flushed with embarrassment. He’d caught her practically drooling.

Pushing her shoulders to lower her down farther, he crawled over her, kissing her deeply. His hand reached between them, moving slowly between the valley of her naked breasts, drawing soft circles around her belly button before sliding his hands inside her underwear.

As his fingers reverently stroked her most sensitive parts, a moan escaped her. “Trent.”

“Christ, you’re already so wet for me, Harper. I had great plans for this lasting all night, but I’m not sure how long I can wait to be inside you, darlin’.”

Lifting off her, Trent returned to stand at the foot of the bed to slide her panties down her legs.

Harper was suddenly very aware that she was very naked and Trent wasn’t. Sitting up, she pulled him to her by his belt loops. Oh Lord. He was so aroused.

Leaning forward, she kissed his length through the denim. Hearing Trent groan deep in his chest was the only aphrodisiac she needed.

Undoing his zipper, she lowered his jeans and boxer briefs.

Trent stepped out of his clothes and, kneeling before her, pushed her thighs open.

“You’re glistening, Harper.” His tongue licked straight up her center, making her lift off the bed in pleasure. “Oh darlin’. You taste just as good as I thought you would.”

Trent’s tongue was doing insane things to her clit, licking around it without touching it, then sucking it hard into his mouth. The sensation on her sensitive nub scorched through her.

“Harder, Trent, I’m so close,” she managed to groan. Unable to hold her head any longer, it fell back onto the pillow.

Just when Harper thought she would die from all the sensations she was feeling, Trent slid one finger inside, quickly followed by a second.

“I got you, sweetheart … just let go.”

Lights exploded behind her eyes as an orgasm blasted through her. She rode the intense waves. “Trent,” she screamed as pulse after pulse of pleasure coursed through her veins.

*   *   *

Harper coming apart in his arms and in his mouth was the hottest thing Trent had ever experienced. He knew he was close, but he wanted the moment to go on and on.

Shifting farther onto the bed, he lifted Harper and moved her closer to the headboard.

Her eyes were still closed as the last of her orgasm shivered through her.

“Look at me, Harper. I want to see you the first time I slide into you, sweetheart.”

He swiftly pulled on the condom and settled himself between her thighs. Pushing her thigh back with his arm, he rubbed himself along her wet entrance.

“Come on, darlin’, don’t hide from me now.” He needed her to know whom she was with. That she was safe with him, that he’d protect her.

She was dripping for him and while it was killing him to not just thrust into her warmth, he wanted her prepared for him emotionally as well as physically.

Harper was writhing against him. “Now, please, Trent.”

“What do you need, sweetheart?” he asked softly, continuing the steady slide against her outer lips.

“I need…” Her eyes widened as she let out another soft moan. Christ, that sound alone was going to make him explode before he’d even sunk in an inch.

“Tell me,” he insisted, needing to hear her say it. Needing to know that this was okay for her. Needing to know she knew it was him.

“I need you in me. Now, Trent.” Relief coursed through him as he heard his name and felt the sting of her nails in his ass, trying to pull him deep inside her.

With his next thrust, he slid in, groaning at the erotic sensation of Harper clenching around him.

“Look at me, Harper. I need to see you.” Her hooded eyes opened as he withdrew until only the tip of his head remained before pushing deeper inside her.

Harper’s eyes were darker than he had ever seen them, swimming with passion and wide open as he withdrew and pushed himself back to the hilt.

Trent paused, balls deep into Harper and embraced the raw feeling of possession. It really had been a long time for her. She was so tight around him, there was no way this was going to last. It felt too fucking good.

He could feel her fingers digging into his skin, grasping for purchase as she encouraged him to take her. The burning need to pound deeper and deeper until Harper let go, coursed through him.

Harper moaned and he felt her clenching around him, tightening the already narrow channel until he feared for his own sanity. Losing himself in the strength of Harper’s release, he found his own surging its way out of him with explosive force.

Unable to hold his own weight a moment longer, he collapsed, his head pressed tightly against Harper’s shoulder.

Holy shit. If that wasn’t the most perfect moment of his life, he didn’t know what was. Trent’s heart was still pounding out of his chest as he continued to twitch deep inside Harper. He savored the sensation of finally being exactly where he wanted to be.

“I totally intend to move off you when I get some feeling back in my legs,” he mumbled into the pillow.

“No rush,” Harper responded sleepily.

Trent’s muscles twitched as he lifted onto his forearms and looked down at her. Her skin was flushed from their lovemaking and her eyes were heavy lidded, a very satisfied look reflecting back at him. Her lips were swollen from the intensity of their kisses. And she had a serious case of bed head. All in all, she looked like a woman who was very satisfied.

“That was amazing, sweetheart,” he said, leaning down to take advantage of those soft lips one more time.

Her fingers were stroking up and down his spine as she spoke. “I’m not sure I can find the right words…”

As much as he didn’t want to move, he had the condom to deal with. Grabbing her hips with both hands, he slowly pushed deep inside her one last time with a groan before withdrawing. Feeling her tighten, he watched her pupils flare and a saw a slow smile cross her face.

When he got back to the bed, Harper was sitting up, holding the sheet across her breasts.

“You can hide them, but I still know you are naked under there.” He reached for the sheet at the corner of the bed and tugged hard, eliciting a squeal from Harper as she tried to keep herself modestly covered.

“STOP IT!” She laughed as the blanket eventually fell to the floor.

“Oh no, I have waited way too long to enjoy your hidden pleasures,” he said, diving onto the bed next to her and rolling her onto her back for a slow, languorous kiss.

Running his fingers along the curves of her side, Trent let out a self-satisfied moan.

In his imaginings about how the night would go, it had always ended up in bed, but the reality of their lovemaking way exceeded his dreams.

He rolled onto his back, insanely happy when she curled against him, laying her head on his shoulder.

“Was that really okay for you?” she asked shyly, burying her head farther against his neck.

“You couldn’t tell?”

Harper was silent for a few moments. “I don’t have that much experience. My ex, he … he told me … well, I’ve been told I was … that I wasn’t much … fun, I guess.”