As crazy as it sounded, I knew what Reece needed to do. When everything had happened with Charlie, there was so much pent-up frustration born out of helplessness and the only outlet had been painting. Sometimes that wasn’t enough, and I’d fill the bathtub up, slip under the water and scream. That frustration had grown to horrific levels, once Charlie started to slip away into what was nothing more than a husk of a living person.
Reece had felt that tonight.
Life was there one second, gone the next. Like a train running off the tracks. He hadn’t been able to do anything to stop it. He bore that same frustration, that same helplessness I felt with Charlie, and I understood that need . . . that almost instinctual drive to remind yourself that you’re still alive.
Reece kissed me again, and if I thought he’d turned my senses inside out before, I’d been wrong. This kiss left me weak in the knees and wanting on a level that was almost painful.
His hands slid into my hair, deftly undoing the bun. My hair fell as he dragged his fingers over my scalp. He tilted his head, taking the kiss deeper. As he dragged his hands down, over my arms and to my waist, I gasped into his mouth.
A deep sound rumbled out of him as he lifted me up. My legs curled against his waist, like they’d been itching to do since forever. Whispering his name, I looped my arms around his neck.
“I’ve got to get you to a bed,” he said, and he started walking. “Or I’m going to take you right here on the floor.”
I shivered, probably more excited by that prospect than I should have been. I pressed a kiss to one corner of his lips and then against his jaw as he walked us back to my bedroom. My fingers slipped over the soft brush of his hair and then to the taut muscles of his upper back. There was so much power in him.
Stopping long enough to flip the bedroom light on, he sat me down so that I was on my knees on the bed. Heat flowed into every cell as he stepped back, tugging his shirt out of the tactical pants. I was almost panting as he lifted his shirt over his head, and dropped it onto the floor.
God, he was beautiful, every square inch of him, from the way his muscles tightened along his stomach to the way his biceps flexed as he undid the belt.
So I told him as I settled on my haunches. “You’re beautiful.”
A half grin appeared. “Beautiful?”
“Yes. You’re beautiful.”
Leaving his belt, he clasped my cheeks and tilted my head back. When he kissed me this time, it was soft and sweet, like a benediction of sorts. It worked me up just as quickly and fiercely as his harder kisses did.
Reece straightened once more and proceeded with his personal strip show, which I wished I had hundred-dollar bills for. I’d be waving those suckers like a crazy person.
Grinning, he undid the button and then the zipper. He paused long enough to toe off his boots and his socks, then off went his pants and boxers.
He was . . . wow, I couldn’t even think as I drank him in.
“Up.” He wiggled his fingers.
I rose up onto my knees. His eyes met mine as he reached for the shirt and then tugged it off. The only thing left on me was a pair of boy-short undies. If I had been smart, I would’ve definitely grabbed something sexier. Like the lacy black thong I had. But oh no, I was wearing pinstriped boy shorts. Didn’t seem to matter I quickly realized.
His hot gaze tracked over me. “Now this . . . this is beautiful, Roxy.” He reached between us, smoothing his thumb over the puckered tip of my breast. “Not me. You. All you.”
My back arched, and I reached for him, where he was swollen and hard, but he caught my wrists, shaking his head. “I want to touch every part of you with my hands and my mouth.” He dropped my wrists and ran his fingers across my breasts, lingering on the aching tips. “Especially these. And I want to taste you.”
Pulse pounding, I wet my lips as he gently pushed me backward, guiding me onto my back. “I especially want to taste you here.” Reece lowered his hands, dragging them down my stomach. Between my thighs, he cupped me with one hand, and my back came straight off the bed. “Yes. This. I really want to taste this.” He knew what he was doing when he rubbed through the thin cotton. “But I can’t wait.”
“Don’t wait.” I lifted my hips.
His eyes flared with heat and then he pulled my undies off. And here we were, both of us in the buff. We’d been to this point before, but we didn’t make it far. My stomach dipped. I needed to tell him about that night, but how could I do that right now, after what he’d dealt with tonight? After he said he needed me right now?
Wrong or right, there was no way I wasn’t going to be here for him.
Reece placed a knee on the bed and came over me in a way that reminded me of a great panther stalking its prey. His arms flexed as he lowered his mouth to mine. I reached up to touch his face but halted.
“Touch me,” he ordered softly. “I like it when you touch me.”
“My fingers are covered with paint,” I said between kisses. “I’m sorry.”
He caught my hand, threading his fingers through mine as he captured my mouth in another deep, scorching kiss. “Don’t apologize. It’s you. It’s sexy as hell.”
I had no idea how my heart kept beating as he then brought the hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss against the center of my palm. God, he had me in that moment, he truly had me.
Lifting his mouth to mine once again, his tongue delved against mine. Red-hot pleasure whipped through me as he slipped his hands under my arms and lifted me up, placing me so I lay down the center of the bed. Never once breaking contact between our mouths. The strength in him was mind blowing, actually electrifying.
His body settled over mine, and I could feel the hard length of him pressing against my hip. His kisses running deeper, more urgent, and as he lifted his head, he nipped at my lip. His voice was thick with need when he spoke. “Do you have a condom?”
“Yes.” I nodded as I ran my hands over his shoulders and upper arms. His skin was fantastic, smooth like satin stretched over steel. I imagined that was how the bronze statue of Andrew Jackson felt. Absolutely flawless. “There should be some in the top drawer of the nightstand.” The moment that came out of my mouth, I worried what he’d think since it was obvious that I had a stash of condoms. “I can get—”
“No. I’ll get it.” He kissed the tip of my nose and then my forehead, the sweetness of the act almost overshadowing the relief easing the tension in my neck. He didn’t care at all. Didn’t stop to even wonder why. The man was perfect.
Really perfect.
Because as he planted a hand into the bed next to my head and lifted up, his muscles did all kinds of amazing things. He stretched over me and to the side, and I was fascinated with how the muscles along his sides moved. I barely heard the drawer open over the pounding of my heart. Never before had I been so aroused.
“Thank God you’re prepared.” His rough voice sending a wave of light shivers over me as he reached into the drawer. “Because I’m not—oh fuck yeah.”
My brows pinched. “Are you that excited over a condom?”
“No. Hell no.” He stretched further and shifted, raising his hand. My gaze fell to what he held. “I’m excited about this.”
“Holy shit,” I muttered. In his hand was my trusty and often handy vibrator. How in the fuck did I forget my vibrator was in the same drawer? Face burning, I stared at what had been my boyfriend for a while. And it was one of those really nice ones. A Rabbit. And it was pink—hot pink. “I need a bridge to jump off of. Now. Right now.”
One side of his lips curved up. “No. I love this. I love the idea of you using this.” That grin turned into pure wickedness. “And we are so going to use this.”
My eyes widened as parts of my body got all kinds of excited about that. “Now?” I squeaked.
“You’d like that, huh?” He dipped his head, kissing me quickly. “Not tonight. I need to be in you, but we’re so going to use this. That’s a promise.”
“I like that promise,” I admitted, flushing to the roots of my hair. No guy I’d ever dated had shown any interest in using toys during sex. I didn’t even know that a guy would be down for that.
He chuckled deeply. “I bet you do.”
Reece returned the vibrator to where he’d found it and then rolled onto his side, condom in hand. He paused after ripping the foil off, his blue eyes finding mine. “Do you ever think of me when you use that?”
The truth burst out of me as I rose onto my elbows. “Yes.”
“Fuck,” he grunted.
My avid gaze watched him roll the condom on with a quickness that was rather impressive. Then he placed his hand along my jaw, tilting my head back. When he kissed me this time, it was slower, languid and sensual as he guided me back down. Part of me expected him to climb on and get to the point. I wouldn’t complain if he did either, but that wasn’t what he did in spite of his words.
Reece trailed the tips of his fingers down my throat, over the tip of my breast, and his lips chased those fingers. He blazed a path of hot kisses and nips that had my nails digging into his shoulders. When he reached my breast, he lingered and he sucked and nipped, licking to soothe the erotic mix of pleasure and a decadent bite of pain. And as he moved to the other breast, his hand drifted over my stomach and between my legs. I spread them, giving him access to what we both wanted. My breasts were heavy and aching as he eased a finger inside me, wringing out a keening whimper.
“Oh yeah, you’re already ready.” Reece rose up again, dipping his chin so he looked down the length of our bodies. Molten lava swept through my veins as he watched what he was doing to me.
The combination of the physical touch and the sight of him almost sent me over the edge. I couldn’t think as he teased me with his touch.
“God, I love the way you feel.” He slipped another finger inside, and my hips jerked in response, my toes curled. “I bet you could come just like this.”
I gripped his wrist, not stopping him, but to hold on. The feel of his tendons moving against my palm drove me crazy. He was so right. I could feel the tension coiling low in my stomach. I don’t know what it was about him that made it so easy for him to work my body. It was like he had a secret map that gave him every step necessary. It had never been like this before. A lot of times I’d never even get this aroused by the time everything was over and done with.
My gaze flicked up to him, and for a second I couldn’t breathe. He was still fixed on watching what he was doing, and yeah, that alone was hot, but I knew he didn’t see the moment where I think my heart might have imploded. I wanted him on a physical level. Heck, I’d wanted him for as long as I could remember. I was physically attracted to him, but it was more than that. It ran a hell of a lot stronger than that, and what Katie had said about how I felt about him might not have been too far from the truth. Pressure clamped down on my chest as I stared at him.
I’d be lying if I said this didn’t go beyond lust. I’d be lying if I said the history between us didn’t matter. It did—to me, at least.
Reece could break my heart.
Then he did something with his thumb that blew all thoughts out of my head. My back arched and my hips rose, pushing against his hand. He chuckled as he eased his hand away from me.
“I’ve got to get inside of you.” He rolled on top of me, the tips of my breasts sensitive as they brushed against his hard chest. Every part of me was heightened. Each brush of his fingers I felt throughout my entire body.
I tucked my legs against his hips and I felt him between my thighs. This was finally happening. Part of me couldn’t believe it and half expected him to fall asleep.
Staring down at me with eyes so blue they didn’t seem real in that moment, he curved his right hand around my hip. I shivered as our gazes held and I looped one arm around his neck.
Without breaking eye contact, his hips thrust forward, and a small cry escaped me. There was a quick bite, a feeling of pressure that wasn’t painful, that told me that no matter how good that vibrator was, it had nothing on Reece.
“Damn.” Reece rocked his hips as I hooked my ankles, delighting in the groan that shook his entire body. He was still for a moment, both of our chests rising and falling rapidly. He was seated deep, and I could feel him in every breath I took.
Then, with his gaze locked with mine, he slowly pulled almost all the way out and then he slid back in, dragging the motion out. I clenched his arm as he shifted his weight to it. He cupped my breast, his thumb circling the sensitive bud.
I was lost in his eyes, lost in the way his body was making me feel. His body trembled with restraint. “You have no idea how badly I just want to fuck you,” he said, giving a little shake of his head.
Which was what he had warned he wanted to do, but he was holding back. I stretched up, kissing him. His lips parted, and my tongue spiked against his. “It’s okay,” I whispered, my lips brushing his as I spoke.
His forehead rested against mine as he pumped his hips slowly. “Roxy . . .”
“Fuck me,” I told him softly. Those two words burned my body in many different ways.
Reece groaned as his hips reared up and then slammed back down. His mouth found mine as whatever control he had completely snapped. He moved furiously, the rhythm almost impossible to keep up with.
He reached up, capturing my hand. Like before he brought it to his lips and then threaded his fingers through mine. He pressed our joined hands to the mattress as he ground his hips against mine.
Acute pleasure pounded through me. I kicked my head back, squeezing his hand as the tension coiled tighter and tighter. Unbelievably, his pace picked up and the headboard smacked against the wall. That and the sounds of our bodies drove me over the edge.
I came with a sharp cry that echoed throughout the room, my body shuddering around his. The release kicked the air out of my lungs. The pleasure came in waves, tossing me up until I thought I’d float right through the ceiling or that my bones would turn to mush.
For a wondrous moment, I knew how I could capture this . . . this feeling on canvas. It would be a sky shaded in violets and deep blues—blues that matched his eyes. It would be the sky moments after a tumultuous storm.
Reece dropped his head into the space between my neck and shoulder as he let go of my hand. Sliding his arm under my lower back, he lifted my hips off the bed. He moved over me and in me feverishly. When he pressed in as deep as he could go, his breath was against my ear. He grunted out my name as his body spasmed, his embrace tightening until there wasn’t any space between us, and I held on, running my fingers through the soft ends of his hair. I held him as that storm passed, as my pounding heart slowed.
Many moments passed before Reece rolled onto his side. His arm was still around me. He was still in me. “Sorry,” he murmured thickly. “I was probably crushing you.”
My cheek was plastered against his chest. “I didn’t mind.”
His other hand found the way into the dense mess of my hair and cradled the back of my head. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. Quite the opposite,” I murmured. “It was . . .”
“Fucking perfect?”
My giggle was muffled. “Yes, it was fucking perfect.”
He tipped my head back, and I blinked my eyes open. He was grinning down at me in a way that twisted my insides into delicious, little knots. Dipping his head, he kissed me softly. “Let me take care of this, okay?”
I bit down on my lip as he pulled out. He swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood, and I got a great view of a perfect male backside. He disappeared out into the hall, and I all but sprawled across the bed. A cool breeze drifted over my bare legs, and it must’ve been coming from the closet, but I was too exhausted to reach down and pull the blankets up or shut the door.
Closing my eyes, I let out a sated sigh. My muscles were absolutely useless and there were parts of my body that were slightly sore, but it did nothing to detract from the wonderful happy buzz that was trilling through me.
“Beautiful,” Reece murmured, returning to the bed. Placing his hands on either side of me, he nuzzled the stretch of my neck not covered with my hair. “Is there any way I can convince you to sleep like this every night?”
Another silly giggle wiggled its way out of me as I peeled one eye open. “Maybe.”
“If I ask nicely?”
“Sounds about right.”
He tugged the comforter out from under my lax body and then the bed dipped under his weight. A huge part of me expected him to make a quick exit at this point. I guessed because I wasn’t sure what we were doing, what he thought we were doing, so I was surprised when he pulled the cover up over us and then rearranged me so my back was pressed against his chest.
This was . . . it was good, and I thought it had to mean something more than just hooking up or needing to work out his frustrations.
Sleepy, I looked over my shoulder at him. He’d turned the light off upon his return, but I could make out the sharp slope of his cheekbone. “Are you doing okay?”
He didn’t respond for a moment and when he did, he proved that he got what I was asking. “A lot better. Sorry to come into your house like that. It’s just that . . . seeing lives end for no real reason and not being able to do anything to change it doesn’t get easier.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” I wiggled around so I was facing him. His eyes were open and there was a soft smile on his face. “I’m glad that I could . . . that I could be here for you.”
“Me, too.”
“I know it has to be hard.” Before I could think about what I was doing, I placed a quick kiss against his lips. “I wish it was different.”
The arm around my waist tightened. “Me, too.” He kissed my forehead. A moment passed as my eyes fell shut once again. “Make you a deal? If you let me borrow some eggs in the morning, I’ll make you a kickass omelet you’ll be wanting me to make every morning.”
I grinned as I snuggled close. “Then it’s a deal.”