Page 112 of 10 Rings I Hate About You
Her muscles locked around my fingers, abdomen shaking, back lifting off the mattress, and I held her through all of it—stayed with her, kept the pressure constant, rode out every pulse until the big waves gave way to small ones and the small ones gave way to trembling, and the trembling softened into something loose and wrecked and beautiful.
She tugged at my hair. Not gently.
I lifted my head. “Two,” I said.
She shuddered as I eased my hand free, watching me the whole time with that hazy, undone expression that was doing things to my self-control I wasn’t going to act on.
“Two?” she managed.
“Two down.” I held her gaze and drew my fingers slowly into my mouth.
Her eyes widened just the tiniest bit.
I swirled my tongue, tasting her release. Imprinting her scent and her taste onto me.
I wasn’t going to forget this.
“Two to go,” I said, my gaze holding hers.
“Why is that so fucking hot?” she asked with a moan.
I grinned and didn’t answer. Some things didn’t need explaining.
Slowly, I began kissing my way up her body. Her hip first—where I learned she liked a little bite—and then the soft curve of her stomach, which she didn’t move to cover.
Earlier, when she undressed, I’d seen a second of hesitation in her eyes. Not shame. Not embarrassment. But a blaze of defiance. Like if I didn’t want her body with each roll, dip, lump or bump, I could just fuck off.
I had no interest in being that guy.
“You couldn’t be more perfect than you are right now,” I said, pressing my lips to the center of her stomach. “Never will I take for granted that you’ve allowed me to honor your body as it was meant to be worshiped.”
My nose trailed upwards, finding the stretch marks low on her belly—a pale cluster against her flushed skin—and I dragged my teeth slowly along them. Felt her breath catch. Felt her go very still—the particular stillness of someone waiting to see what you’ll do next.
I took my time. Brought my lips to each one. Let her feel that I wasn’t passing through on the way to somewhere better.
This was where I wanted to be.
When I finally looked up, something had shifted in her face. She wasn’t going to say anything about it, and neither was I. We both understood.
I moved higher—running my hands up the sides of her ribs, until she dissolved into a squirming giggle that cracked the tension like a window being thrown open.
“Ticklish?” I asked, deeply pleased with myself.
I wanted us to have fun tonight, too.
“Especially there,” she said, still laughing, trying to twist away.
“Noted.” I filed it next tothe spot on her neck,the inside of her left thigh,and the sound she made when I?—
Focus.
I ran my fingertips slowly up her sternum, and she stopped laughing.
“I’ve neglected these,” I said, a low growl to my voice, as I admired her peaked nipples. Her breath went shallow. “We’re going to fix that. Do you like them played with?”
She nodded.
“Words.” I kept my hands perfectly still and watched her register that I meant it. “Tell me what you want.”
