Chapter Seventeen
I looked up into her beautiful blue eyes, I could see the concern she was feeling and I wondered if I'd let her see too much of my pain. I wasn't entirely comfortable with letting anyone see this much of me, but somehow Echo made it feel safe and kissing her felt like a natural extension of the emotion she was drawing out of me. She tenderly returned my kiss, and I couldn't stop myself from turning and wrapping my arms around her waist. She slipped her arms around my neck and ran her fingers through my hair, as the intensity of the kiss grew deeper.
I'd never wanted a woman this much in my life, and yet I knew it was wrong. She belonged to someone else and it was wrong of me to be tempting her away from him. I knew I should stop, but she didn't pull back and the longer we kissed the more obvious it became that she wasn't going to pull away. I was confused and aroused, and in the end, I gave into the latter feeling and followed it.
Her body was soft and warm and her fingers were soothing as she combed my hair with them. I pulled back and looked into her eyes, they were bright and shining and as she held my gaze, I could feel the need rising and, afraid that I wouldn't be able to hold back, I looked away.
"Ryan," Echo said softly. "Look at me."
"I can't," I said looking out at the balcony. "It's not right, and I can't."
"But I want you to," she whispered as she leaned down and gently kissed my lips. "I want to."
I groaned loudly as I felt her lips brush across mine again. I hesitated for a moment, and then reached up and slid my hands deep into her thick golden hair and pulled her to me. I ran my tongue across her bottom lip and heard her moan softly as she kissed me more insistently. I wanted more of her; so much more, but I was afraid that if I moved too quickly, she'd be scared off, so I focused on exploring her mouth.
I ran my fingers through her hair as I gently pushed her lips apart with my tongue and slid it between them. I felt the low moans coming from the back of her throat and vibrating against my tongue as I slowly probed. Her tongue met mine and I felt the soft roughness pushing back as her fingers played with my hair. I could feel the need building, but I held back waiting for a clear sign.
"Ryan," she moaned into the kiss. "Oh God, Ryan..."
"Mmm hmm," I murmured as I ran my fingers up her cheek and sunk them in her hair again and again.
"Please?" she moaned.
"Please what, Echo?" I replied as I traced a light path down the back of her neck and then back up to her face. I could feel her need and I knew she wanted more, but I didn't know exactly what she wanted. I knew what I wanted. I'd been stiff since she walked out of the bathroom dressed for the funeral, but the thought of this beautiful woman asking me for what she wanted pushed my arousal to a new level.
"I want...I want....I need...,” she moaned trying to get me to read her mind. I kissed her deeply, my tongue swirled around hers as she let loose a long low moan.
"Tell me what you need," I whispered into her lips. "Tell me everything you need, and I'll give it to you. All you have to do is tell me."
"Oh God, Ryan," she whimpered as she moved her hands down to my chest and began running them across my bare skin. The sensation drove me closer to the edge of desire, and I gripped her head and kissed her hard as I sat up and swung my legs around, positioning her between them before I ran my hands down her back and cupped her perfectly round cheeks. Her eyes widened, but she didn't pull away.
"Is this what you want?" I asked as my hands caressed and gently squeezed her bottom. "Tell me, Echo."
"I need you, Ryan," she said breathlessly. "I just need you."
"Wrap your arms around my neck again," I said. I knew that she was giving me as much as she could, and as soon as she had done what I asked, I stood up and lifted her off the floor. I made a sharp turn and set her down on the sofa. Her eyes were wide as she watched me kneel in front of her and gently pull her nightgown over her head. I smiled as I ran my hands down her body and then back up to her breasts. They were full and heavy and her nipples were already erect, I watched her as I captured them between my fingers and gently squeezed. She sighed and arched her back as she reached out and grabbed my forearms.
"You like that, do you?" I said softly as I increased the pressure and was rewarded with a moan. I could see her pushing her hips forward in a subtle attempt to find relief for the ache between her legs. I knew the feeling, my erection was painfully pressing against my shorts, and I had to fight to keep from thrusting forward and grinding it against her.
"Ryan, Ryan, Ryan," she chanted. I knew she was somewhere on the outer edge of arousal, I could feel it. I could smell her desire and I knew that if I slid my hands down between her legs, I'd find that her panties were soaked through. I bent forward and gave her a long slow kiss that made her groan and spread her legs wider.
"You want it, don't you?" I whispered as I ran a line of kisses up her cheek. "You want me to take you over the edge?"
"Oh God, yes!" she cried as she grabbed my hand and shoved it between her legs. I smiled as I broke her grip and moved her hand up over her head. Somehow doing it this way eased my guilt about her connection to Mando, which faded into the background as I looked up at her.
"Can I trust you to lock your fingers and keep your arms up or do I need to secure you to the couch?" I asked as I grabbed her other hand and pushed it up to join the first one.
Her eyes widened as I cupped her face and kissed her again. Her body softened and she nodded.
"Good because I'm going to make you feel very good," I murmured as I traced a path with my tongue down her neck and across her chest before taking a turgid nipple into my mouth and sucking. I let go and bathed the hard flesh with my tongue before sucking again. Echo was moaning softly as she looked down and watched my mouth moving on her breast. I kissed my way across her chest and gave the same attention to her other nipple. Her legs were spread wide and I could feel her rocking back and forth seeking something to rub against.
I slid one hand between her thighs and lightly brushed my fingers down the center of her soaking wet panties. She cried out and thrust her hips forward to rub against my hand. I smiled as I continued sucking her nipple as I played along the edges of her desire. I wanted to take her as far out on the ledge of desire as I could before giving her the release she wanted so badly. For long minutes I ran my fingers up and down feeling her heat through the thin fabric.
Then in one quick move, I pushed her panties to the side and sunk my fingers between her velvety lips and played in her wetness. She writhed under my touch as my fingers found her hard little clit and began stroking it. I slowly increased the pressure as I watched her face and felt her pushing back.
"More?" I asked as I watched her moving her hips to press up against my fingers.
"Oh God, yes!" she cried.
"Mmmmm," I murmured as I pulled my fingers out and quickly hooked them over the waist of her panties and yanked them down. She lifted her hips and brought her legs together so that I could pull her panties off before spreading her legs wide, placing my hands on her thighs and splaying her open so I could see just how wet she was. I used my thumbs to massage her slippery folds sliding over her clit and teasing the edge of her entrance before I slipped my arms under her thighs and lifted her hips up off of the couch.
She gasped as I bent forward, buried my tongue between her lips and began licking a path from bottom to top. I focused on lapping up as much of her tangy wetness as I could as I lost myself in the sensation and scent of her desire. I held her up with one arm as I slowly worked two fingers into her. She bucked and tried to push them in faster, but I held back and began slowly moving them back and forth as I sucked her clit. She began panting and moaning as I increased the tempo, and it wasn't long before I could feel her muscles clenching around my fingers. I made my tongue into a hard point and pressed it against her clit as I moved my arm back and forth.
Seconds later she moaned my name as her orgasm began. It rolled through her in waves as I stroked and sucked. The intensity of her climax left me with an agonizing erection, but the feeling of her wetness coating my hand as I gently pumped the last bit of pleasure from her made it worth it.
I lowered her back down on the sofa and watched as her eyelids fluttered and then opened so that her blue eyes were focused on me. She looked a little dazed, but that was to be expected. When I leaned down and kissed her she wrapped her arms around my neck and sighed into my lips.
"Come upstairs with me," she murmured as she tried to push herself up off the couch. She fell backwards laughing as she realized her legs were too weak to support her, so I swept her up in my arms and carried her up the spiral steps to her bed and gently laid her down. She grabbed my wrist and in a sleepy voice said, "Stay. Please."
I lay down on the bed, wrapped an arm around Echo. I heard gunfire out in the street and frowned as I lifted myself onto my elbow to see if I could tell where it was coming from. I quieted, so I slipped my arm around Echo again, but this time I felt a sticky wetness covering my hand. I lifted my hand up and saw it was covered in blood.
"Oh shit!" I yelled as I fell onto the floor. "Echo!"
"Help me, Ryan!" she cried as the gunfire exploded around us and the bedroom filled with the smoke from fired rounds. I could hear Echo screaming, but I couldn't find her through all of the smoke. I called her name and heard her screams from a distance.
"Fuck! Where are you?" I shouted as I sat straight up and realized I was still laying on the couch. I was sweating so hard the sheet underneath me was soaked. I shook my head and looked around trying to get my bearings before jumping up off the couch and dropping to the floor to do rapid-fire pushups.
"Are you okay?" Echo called in a voice thick with sleep.
"Yep, just fine," I replied as I pushed myself up off the floor and began pacing in the small space. I needed to get out of the apartment. I needed air. I needed to do something; find out something.
So, I pulled on my clothes, grabbed my keys and phone, and headed for the door. With one hand on the doorknob, I stopped and looked around the apartment. Then I went back into the kitchen pulled out a pad of paper and pen from Echo's junk drawer and scratched a short note. I nodded as I read it, and then headed for the door. This time I didn't stop.