Page 24 of Silver Edge
With raging hormones and no cold shower, I decided to head to Bands early and hopefully find a way to break in so I could shower off instead of going to the YMCA. My palms slid against the metal pipe until I reached the bottom floor. The sound echoed and drove a spike into my ear, but I shook it off and turned to find Drake in the far corner of the warehouse propped against a wall, asleep.
Chapter Eleven
I crouched by his side to watch him sleep. He looked peaceful lying against his jacket propped on the wall.He’d spent the entire night here? Why?
His slack jaw told me it was safe to move closer, so I lowered to my hip, my legs only an inch from his strong thighs. The world outside had begun to awaken, with its honking horns and shouts, but inside it remained private, safe. Safer than I’d felt in a lifetime, with no eyes staring at me, no words to confuse me, no threat of being touched.
I inched closer. So close, I saw the stubble on his cheeks. I watched him for a moment, looking for any signs of waking. The only indication he even lived was the soft sound of air releasing through his parted lips. Not knowing what possessed me, I lifted my fingers to his chin. Could I touch such rough, sharp hair? What would it feel like against my fingertips?
My pulse did a pounding cadence, but I leaned closer. After a deep breath, I brushed my nails against his growing beard. It tickled slightly, but didn’t hurt. Folding my fingers, I ran my knuckles along his jawline. His mouth closed and I waited for him to stir, but he didn’t.
This felt good, right, but I didn’t know why. I continued my exploration up the other side to his ear. His breathing changed to a shallow exhale. His bottom lip opened a little farther, as if he needed more oxygen, then returned to its original position. The rose-colored flesh of his lips called to me with the promise of the euphoria I’d experienced last night when I’d kissed him. I longed to feel the pressure of his mouth to mine again. Was it a fluke last time? Would I run screaming from the building with the first hint of contact?
If I wanted to know for sure, now was my opportunity. Even if he was awake, something told me he understood and wouldn’t touch me. I needed this, needed to know if I had a chance to tear free of my life swaddled in fear and rejection.
I hovered near his lips. My heart sped and I halted. Two breaths filled my lungs while I waited for my body to calm. The flutter inside my heart continued, but it encouraged instead of warned against my advance.
I brushed my lips to his. A pleasurable hum radiated down my neck, back, arms, and legs. But no gut-twisting pain sent me retreating from him. My mouth relaxed and we melded together like the melody and base line of a song. Such a simple act, kissing, but the myriad of emotions surging through me were complicated, fresh, new. I savored the moment, allowing myself to feel. Feel a connection for the first time in my life.
I leaned back and saw his hooded eyes, but he didn’t move, didn’t speak. I knew he wanted more, the way his face relaxed and his eyes smoldered. I looked into his eyes and breathed, then pressed my lips to his once more. This time I nipped around the edges, tasting him, breathing him. Enjoying him.
No hands moved to touch me. He was like a sleeping prince waiting to come to life from my kisses. And I obliged.
I raked my tongue along the crease until he parted slightly and I dipped inside with slow, deliberate movements. His chest rose and fell with an exaggerated breath, but he remained still. Every man I had ever been with would have ripped my clothes from my body at this point. Drake was something different. He possessed a control I wish I had, but even now, my body started to heat in warning.
Parting his lips farther, he brushed his tongue against mine, sending a delicious warmth through my scalp and down my spine. With rhythmic accuracy, he found a pattern that made sense to my brain, yet swirled my head. Tender, loving, yet suggestive strokes brought me closer, but I remained a few inches from his body.
My nerves sang a new tune with a brilliant melody, a calm violin concerto that would soothe any savage beast. His tongue was magical, enticing me, drawing me to want more, but he softened the kiss, his tongue delicately dancing along my lower lip like a firefly until he leaned back.
“Wow,” he breathed.
I smiled and sat back on my heels, lowering my head. “Yeah, wow.” My hands hadn’t even trembled, and my body was warm. I’d controlled the inner slut that always ruled and enjoyed a real kiss for the first time in my life. It was magical and I wanted more.
In one fluid motion, I tugged him to his knees and scooted forward until our legs were touching. One of his hands clutched my elbow and he guided me closer. Our bodies flush against each other, I felt his growing need pressing into my stomach, and I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone.
My breasts ached for his touch. I pressed myself against him harder and clutched his hips. He moaned, and I thought I’d lose my mind with need. His tongue continued its exploration while one hand moved up my side. When his thumb brushed my breast, I thought I’d come undone. I clutched his belt and unbuckled it as he tugged the hem of my shirt up.
His hand found its way to cup my breast and I groaned, feeling wetness pool between my legs. I lunged forward, longing to find relief, and he wrapped his arms around me, guiding me to the ground to lay on top of him.
I separated my legs, trying to push myself against his thigh to find some relief from the pulsing in my groin. It only became more maddening. I was reaching for his pants when his hand cupped the back of my neck.
Warning shots fired all over my body. I gasped and shoved from him, shaking with the rush of hormones and the desire to scream at the volts of electricity shooting through me. My neck. Why my neck? I shivered and scooted away, pulling my shirt down and crossing my arms over my chest to hide my erect nipples.
He sat there, leaning back on one elbow, with a massive bulge in his pants, breathing heavily. “Scarlet? What’s wrong? What did I do? If I did something wrong, I didn’t mean to. You just feel so good.” Scooting onto his knees once more, he ran his hand through his hair, lines formed between his brows.
I kept trembling, fighting the inner war of sensory overload that I could never seem to win. Tears flooded my vision, which pissed me off more.
Drake scooted closer. “I didn’t mean to pressure you. I don’t know what came over me. And then you responded and I—”
“It’s my fault. Don’t worry about it. You should go.” This wasn’t going to work. I needed to not do this again. I started rocking, and the tears started flowing.
“Please, Scarlet. Talk to me. What’s going on? My brother was brilliant but had issues. I think you might be a little like him. I mean, nothing like him, but brilliant minds tend to have unique needs. Tell me what you need, Scarlet.”
“I need you to leave.” I traced the X over and over again.
“What is that?”
I clasped my hands together to stop tracing the promise I had made to myself. The one I nearly broke when the first hot guy walked by. I couldn’t do this. I needed to learn how to control myself.
