request shocked her. Had she ever said that before? If she had, she was pretty sure it hadn’t gotten the desired result. When had she learned that, even in bed, she had to be quiet and go along to get along? Whose bright idea was that?
“Mmm, something more.” He leaned back. The next thing Kate knew, her panties had been pulled down and Seth was back between her legs. This time, in addition to his mouth, his fingers began to work her. He stroked up and down and found that sensitive nub again, teasing it with his teeth as he slipped a finger inside her.
The relief was so intense that she could’ve cried. He thrust that finger into her in time with the movements of his tongue and his lips, and it was everything she’d ever wanted and never gotten.
Then, just when she was sure she couldn’t take another moment, he added a second finger and she was lost.
Kate’s grip on his hair bordered on painful, but Seth wasn’t about to do anything to stop the incoming wave of her orgasm. He could take a little pain for her.
She was so beautiful when she came. Her color was high and her eyes were glazed over with lust. And her body? Damn, her body. There was something so lush and gorgeous about her that even though he was inside her, he couldn’t get enough. He had never been this hard for a woman, never this desperate.
“Seth—Seth!” she gasped as her body convulsed around him. He leaned in, putting just a little more pressure against the spot that drove her wild. The noise she made—he wanted to capture it in a kiss and hold it deep inside him, but he didn’t dare let her go.
Her back arched off the wall and then the crisis passed and she slumped, her legs giving out. He managed to catch her before she toppled them both over. “I’ve got you, babe,” he whispered against her breast as he studied her.
For a long few minutes, they stayed in this awkward pose, him on his knees, her half draped over him. She was breathing hard, and he wasn’t much better off.
He needed to move. It was torture to sit on his heels in these boots, torture to keep these jeans buttoned. He needed to lay her out on the bed and show her that had just been a preview of what was to come.
But when he shifted to stand and sweep her into his arms, he realized there were tears running down her cheeks. “Kate?”
She blinked at him. “Seth...” she murmured, sounding almost as confused as she looked.
“Oh, God—I’m sorry,” he said, scrambling to his feet and pulling her into his arms. He crushed her in a hug and then realized perhaps crushing was not the best option right now, so he shifted to make sure he was merely holding her firmly. “I’m sorry,” he repeated.
“What? No—no, you don’t understand.” She sniffed and pulled away, scrubbing at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “That was amazing, Seth. I don’t think... I’m sorry. I’m not upset. It’s the hormones. I’ve never—This isn’t—I...” She trailed off, looking, if possible, even more confused.
Oh, thank God. He hadn’t hurt her, hadn’t crossed the line—hadn’t misread the situation. “So you’re okay?”
She smiled—a watery smile, but a smile all the same. “Honestly, I’m not sure if I’ve ever been better. It was amazing. You,” she said, poking him in the chest, “are amazing. And wearing far too many clothes.”
“I can fix that.” He grabbed the hem of his T-shirt, but she batted his hands away.
“I want to do it.”
“Never let it be said that I don’t give a woman what she wants.” He let his hands fall to his sides as she began to tug at his T-shirt. She was in no hurry, her movements languid and relaxed. Her tears had dried and all that was left was that knowing smile, satisfied and ready for more. He’d put that smile on her face and by God, he’d leave another in its place.
She pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall to the side. “Good heavens, Seth—you’re stunning.”
She skimmed her hands over his chest, brushing his nipples and taking the measure of his waist. He fought to keep the groan from escaping. “I aim to please.”
She paused at the button of his jeans and shot him a look. “What about you? What do you want?”
The word everything popped up in his head before he could think. But he didn’t say that, not out loud. This was short-term, fun. No strings attached. He could have everything, for a limited time only.
For some reason, the thought made him sadder than he expected. He didn’t expect it to upset him at all, frankly. He expected to get lucky and have a good time and call it a day. He didn’t want anything more.
Kate began working at his button fly, drawing his attention back to her. She was simply the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He wanted to burn that ugly black suit and deliver Kate to his aunt Stella, the fashion designer. He wanted to wrap her in vibrant blues and golds and greens. He wanted to see Kate in all of her glory, instead of her beauty hidden.
He pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair and sank his fingers into her locks. “Beautiful,” he said as he arranged her silky hair around her shoulders.
She shoved his pants down and he kicked out of his boots. That left him in nothing but his boxer briefs—which were barely keeping his erection contained.
Kate straightened, a shy smile on her face. He knew she was no innocent, but there was still something unsure about her. Which she only reinforced when she asked, “Now what?”
He didn’t particularly want to think about Roger Caputo right now, but again he had to wonder what the hell had been wrong with that man. Kate was a gorgeous, passionate woman and Roger had just let her go. Was he that damned blind that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him?
If Kate were his, Seth would do everything in his power not just to keep her, but to keep her safe and whole and so blissfully happy that she never had to worry about anything.
Too damned bad she wasn’t his.
“Bed,” he said, having trouble thinking straight. He was personally familiar with the concept of lust—but this? This was different. More intense. He was desperate for her, and he had never been desperate before. Hard up, maybe. But not like this.
She ducked her head and turned toward the king-size bed. But Seth reached out and turned her back toward him. “Wait for me, babe,” he murmured, drawing her in close so that he could feel her breasts pressed against his bare chest. He fisted his hand in her hair. Tilting her face to his, he brought his mouth down upon hers.
He kissed her with everything he had. She made a squeak of surprise but then she melted into him. She tasted so good—he couldn’t get enough of her. And when her arms came around his waist and she slid her hands down to cup his ass, he got even harder.
He wanted to take his time with her—he was taking his time with her—but the intensity of his desire was blinding. He began to walk her back toward the bed, never taking his mouth from hers.
She came
