“You don’t have to lie to me, Eli.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “I don’t lie to women to get them into bed.”
He didn’t have to. The inference was there.
“You know what I see when I look at you, Tyana?”
“What?” she whispered, afraid of what he’d say and yet eager. So eager.
“I see a warrior. A kickass, brave warrior of a woman. I see someone who is my equal. I see someone who is so breathtakingly beautiful that it hurts me to look at you without touching. I see someone who is complex, loyal, who isn’t afraid of anything, and yet I see a fragility that makes me want to take you in my arms and shelter you from every bad thing that’s ever happened to you and make sure nothing ever touches you again. That’s what I see, Tyana. Don’t ever fucking hide yourself from me. I won’t let you.”
She swallowed, let out a shaky breath and swallowed again. “I don’t want to need you, Eli.”
“I don’t want to need you either, sugar, but as my granddaddy used to say, want in one hand and shit in the other and see which gets fuller faster.”
Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. “We’re a fucked-up pair.”
“That we are. But I think we’d make one badass team.”
She frowned. “I already have a team.”
He put a finger over her lips. “Let’s not ruin everything. That’s just me getting carried away with wants and wishes.”
He pulled her toward the bathroom and left her standing on the cool tile while he reached in to start the water. A few moments later, steam gathered and began fogging the doors.
He looked over and held out his hand for her. She stared at it for a moment and then slid her palm over his. His fingers curled over hers and he tugged her into the shower.
For a few minutes they just stood there, letting the hot water pour over them. Then, finally, Eli squeezed shampoo into his hands and began washing her hair. He turned her around so that her back fit into his chest as his hands worked over her head, massaging, working the soap into her hair.
She closed her eyes and leaned further into him, enjoying the feel of his body, hard, muscular against her own.
Soon his hands moved down from her hair and over her body, lathering, touching, soaping every inch of her skin. He gently cleaned the cut on her arm and after he rinsed the soap away, he leaned down and pressed his lips to the wound just as he’d done earlier. Each touch sent her closer to madness as the ache grew between her legs and in her heart.
His fingertips found her nipples and worked them into hard points. He played awhile and then sent his hand seeking lower, down her belly to the apex at her legs. Her knees trembled as one finger slid between her folds. Lightning snaked up her spine when he touched her clit.
“There’s definitely sweetness, sugar. I just have to dig for it,” he murmured against her ear.
She twisted in his arms, her skin edgy and alive, crawling with need. She wanted to touch him and explore the planes of his body as he had done hers. Reaching for the soap, she squeezed the liquid into her hands and then pressed her palms to his chest.
Working in broad strokes, she traveled over his body, pausing over the scars, the tight muscles, the fine line of hair that worked down his midline.
His belly was taut, no softness to him. Her gaze drifted down to the dark hair at his groin, wet and flat against his skin from the shower. His cock suffered from no such malady. It was rigid, distended, as though it were reaching for her.
She wrapped her soapy hands around it and began a gentle massage. He groaned.
With one hand, she worked up and down, from base to tip. With the other, she cupped his balls, working his sac in her fingers as she stroked his cock harder.
He finally reached down and tore her hands away, pulling them up high, over her head and forcing her back against the shower wall. He kissed her hungrily as the water pelted his back. His cock bumped against her belly, burning into her skin. Then as if remembering her injured arm, he quickly lowered her hands and kissed the cut once again.
“I hope we’re clean because I’m taking this show into the bedroom before it’s all over with.”
He reached behind him to shut off the water and then carefully pulled her against him as he backed out of the stall.
They dried quickly, their impatience showing as they rubbed themselves briskly with the towels. Eli reached over with his to give her hair an additional wipe as she dried the rest of her body.
“In the bedroom, sugar. Now.”
They hurried out, and he caught up to her just as she reached the bed. He grabbed her arm and turned her around, her body colliding with his as his mouth met hers in a hungry advance.
He continued to walk her backward until she bumped against the mattress. Then he lowered her down. Her legs dangled over the side, and she started to hoist herself higher on the bed, but he stopped her with a hand.
“Don’t move a muscle, sugar. You’re just right.”
She eyed him curiously as he parted her legs and knelt on the floor beside the bed. A shudder rolled over her body when she saw his mouth was level with her pussy.
Gentle fingers explored, tentative at first, light little touches that coaxed a response from her. They grew bolder, dipping into her wetness, spreading the layers of flesh and teasing the sensitive area beyond.
And then his tongue followed his fingers. He licked at her entrance, running a tight circle around it. Her thighs began to shake as every muscle contorted in response.
“You taste so sweet,” he murmured, the words humming and vibrating against her pussy.
She closed her eyes and surrendered to his attentions. She let everything else fall away and gave herself to this one moment.
Never before had she given up so much control, power, to another person. But for now, she let go of her fear, her uncertainties, swallowed them back with fierce determination.
She wanted this. Craved it with a dangerous urgency.
His body slid up hers and his mouth blazed a trail over her belly, up to her breasts. He cupped her butt in his palms as she cradled his form. His tongue swirled around one nipple, teasing it into a tight point before he turned and did the same to the other.
She felt the hot shock of his erection between her legs. He spread her wider, still cupping her ass and suddenly he was inside her, deep, in one hard thrust.
Her eyes flew open, a gasp escaping her mouth. Hot. So hot. Skin against skin. No latex barrier.
His mouth was against her neck and he nibbled his way up to her ear before he whispered, “Don’t worry, sugar. I’ll get the condom. I just couldn’t resist one taste of you. I wanted to feel your heat surrounding my dick, just you, nothing else.”
He slid back as he spoke, and her pussy rippled around his cock, tugging him. He stroked forward again, and her moan mixed with his growl of pleasure.
“Don’t go. Not yet,” she whispered.
He retreated and thrust again, and she sighed.
“You feel incredible,” he said against her ear. He kissed the lobe, nibbled at it then slid his mouth down the curve of her neck. “I could stay awhile longer, until I get you off, sugar. Would you like that? Do you like the feel of us skin on skin?”
His words, like velvet, brushed over her, stroking soft.
“You told me I wouldn’t have to do any of the work,” she said with a smile. “Making decisions is work.”
She felt him grin against her shoulder.
“Tell me what you like,” he murmured. “Do you want me to touch your clit while I’m pounding into you? Do you want me to stroke your nipples? Do you want me deep when you come?”
She shivered uncontrollably. “Deep. I want you deep. I want your mouth on my breasts, your fingers on my clit.”
He smiled again. “I love a woman who knows what she wants.”