He was still pulsing within her, his hips still moving, slower than before, but each movement over her sensitized tissues elicited a tiny spasm that quivered through her belly.
He found her mouth again and kissed her roughly, not as gently as before. His breath was ragged and each breath blew hotly into her mouth.
He let out one last groan and then went still inside her. His hips were pressed solidly to hers, arms wrapped around her, holding her against him. He lowered his forehead to rest on hers and nibbled delicately at the corner of her mouth before peppering kisses over the bow of her lips.
“Fantasy had nothing on the real thing,” he said in a lazy drawl.
He sounded like a completely satisfied male. His eyes gleamed in triumph. Then he grimaced and regret shadowed those formerly satisfied eyes.
“Need to get rid of the condom,” he said in a low voice. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”
As if she were going anywhere.
She lay sprawled on the bed, her entire body humming in satisfaction. She was deliciously drowsy but she didn’t want to fall asleep because then her night would be over. They still had a few hours yet and she wanted to make the most of them.
She watched as Steele rose from the bed, enjoying the view of such a perfect male specimen in the nude. His muscles rippled as he turned to dispose of the condom. He was still hard, even after his release. And so beautiful he made her teeth ache.
When he turned farther, she caught a glimpse of the tattoo on his left shoulder. She hadn’t noticed it before. She’d been too focused on everything else. Now, curious, she leaned forward, straining to see in the dim light.
He turned back after tossing the condom and cocked his head to the side.
“What’s up?”
“Your tattoo,” she said in a low voice. “I was looking at it. Didn’t know you had one.”
He paused but then nodded. “Yeah.”
When he didn’t say anything further, she sat up, trying to get a better look.
“Can I see?”
He sat on the edge of the bed and then turned so she’d get a better view.
She stared in earnest, absorbing the intricate pattern. A dove with wings outstretched as if landing, talons extended and curled around a blazing arrow. Clutched in the beak was a long-stemmed rose, and a single teardrop was falling from the eye of the dove.
Below the blazing arrow were two words. Never forget.
She reached her finger out to trace the edges of the design. There was something remarkably sad and tragic about the tattoo. A knot formed in her throat and she glanced up to check his reaction.
“What does it mean?”
He was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on a distant focal point in the room.
“Just something I don’t want to ever forget,” he said quietly.
Sensing the subject was a sore one and also closed, she let it go. Instead she knelt up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She pressed her cheek to the top of his head and held him tightly.
He reached for one of her hands and pulled it to his mouth, kissing the inside of her palm.
“Like being here with you,” he rumbled. “It’s nice. The quiet. You wrapped around me. Me being able to touch and smell you. Never thought it would happen.”
“All you had to do was ask,” she said against his head.
His body shook with silent laughter. “I was convinced if you had any clue how lascivious my thoughts were that you’d have my balls. And since you’re usually in a position of power patching up our wounds, I really didn’t want to piss you off.”
She smiled. “So tell me, Mr. Badass, we’ve got a few hours until you pull out. What are we going to do with them?”
He swiveled in her hold, wrapping his arms around her as he dragged her onto his lap. He molded his mouth to hers and thrust his tongue past her lips, delving deep.
“I promised you multiple orgasms,” he said against her mouth.
“Mmmm, so you did.”
“I’m a man of my word. I never go back on my word.”
“I can see that.”
“Then know you’re going to have many more orgasms.”
“God, I hope so.”
He chuckled and kissed her again. “I like your enthusiasm.”
“Know what I want?” she asked.
“What’s that?”
She leaned in until her lips brushed over his ear. “I want to taste you. You may have fantasized about how I taste, but I’ve had just as many fantasies about having your c**k in my mouth and making you wild for me.”
His entire body went rigid. He stiffened, his grip on her almost painful.
“I didn’t think I could get any harder,” he muttered. “Jesus, Maren. If you had any idea how long I’ve wanted my dick in your mouth.”
She grinned. “Does that mean I get to fulfill my fantasy?”
“Oh hell yeah,” he breathed. “I’m all yours. Do with me whatever you want.”
CHAPTER 6
MAREN was awake the moment Steele slid from the bed. One minute she was snuggled deeply into his arms, her head resting against his shoulder, and the next she was wide awake as he slipped away.
Her heart was heavy with regret. She so wanted to hold on to this moment forever. She didn’t want it to end. She’d savored every single minute with him, but now he was preparing to leave, and things would go back to the way they’d been before.
She would barely exist in his world. She would return to being ignored. No words and definitely none of those earth-shattering smiles she’d enjoyed for the past several hours.