Rising, he placed kisses on her legs. She was still in her panties and camisole, but from the way Luke’s burning gaze looked at her, it was as if she was naked. Anticipation slowly replaced frustration. How could she be impatient when this fascinating man was indulging himself in her, making her the center of his world? Had she ever been that important to someone?
Now towering above her, Luke slid a finger over her bottom lip and smiled when she couldn’t resist swirling her tongue over his finger.
“Your turn.”
It took a few heartbeats for Sloane to understand what he meant. Her hands were shaking when she reached for him. Her old self would have torn at his clothes, turned everything into an inferno. Luke was pushing her to crave a slow burn, one she didn’t have complete control over.
As gently as she could, Sloane ran her fingers over his hair. Luke closed his eyes and moaned, which made her grin. Her fingers continued down his jaw, scratching at his beard, which made him chuckle. How she loved to see it, that relaxed grin melted something inside her, made her want to see more of it.
He was too tall for her to kiss him, so she moved to his coat, unbuttoning it. When her speed increased, Sloane reminded herself to slow down, to respect the promise she’d made to Luke to follow his lead, his desire.
When she pushed the coat off him, it was impossible not to indulge and run her hands over his muscled pectorals and shoulders, down his arms. Far from unaffected, Luke leaned into her touch, but Sloane took her time, followed his rules, and didn’t rush.
Not breaking eye contact, she undressed him, taking advantage of every patch of skin. It became her newfound pleasure to draw every shiver, explore every sensitive spot, indulge in every moan she could get. Soon, he was down to his briefs, breathing hard under her ministrations as if he’d run a marathon. A slow sheen of sweat gleamed over his forehead, but she couldn’t even gloat, as she was probably just as hot and helpless.
The black underwear strained to contain his erection, and before she satisfied her curiosity by pulling down his briefs, she cupped him. A rumbling hum of appreciation came from him, his hips thrust, pushing him firmer into her palm. He was hot and throbbing, and his reaction made her squeeze her thighs together. From the moment he’d closed the room’s door, she’d wanted to ease the tension between her legs, and he only pushed her further, forcing her to endure it as her need grew.
With his arms against his sides, Luke leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Do you feel as desperate as I do? How would you like me to slide my hand between your legs? Are you as wet as I think you are?”
Her voice was strained when she finally formed a coherent answer. “Why don’t you find out?”
The damn man chuckled when all she could do was pant. Luke took the lead again when he pushed her hand aside and pulled her camisole over her head. Blinded for a second, Sloane didn’t see him capture her one of her nipples before sucking it gently.
Tangled in her camisole, she scrambled to throw it away and take his head in her hands. Caressing, scratching, and pulling a little, it was clear she couldn’t divert his attention until he was good and ready, and as proof, he moved to lavish her other breast.
At the onslaught of sensations, her body began to move and undulate, stimulated by Luke, but restrained by her own mind. While his mouth was busy, rough fingers rasped against her body, down to her hips. She almost didn’t hear her panties being torn from her when Luke bit her nipple hard. The mix of pain and surprise nearly made her snap, but Luke’s slight squeeze on her hip reminded her to stay still.
When he let go of her breast with a popping sound, Sloane prayed he would reward her patience by moving lower, but he straightened and swept her into his arms like a bride. He was a scholar, and although his strength was undeniable, he only touched her with great care, with a gentleness she’d never known before. When he put her on the bed, his mouth returned to hers, more intense although still gentle. It was as if he poured all of his desire into her body, and it was working.
On a silent plea, she opened her legs, but he remained on his side, kissing her, only now his hand caressed every dip and valley on her body before settling between her thighs, cupping her as she’d done to him.
“Wet and trembling. You can’t realize how crazily beautiful and sexy you are right now. I’ve dreamed of having you like this, offered up to me, soft, but so strong. Everything beautiful about a woman is wrapped up in you, Sloane. Don’t you see it?”
Just as she was about to shake her head in denial, a teasing finger traced her sex. “Luke.”
“Yes, darling. I’m here, and I’m all yours, if you follow my lead. I want so much more. Don’t you want more, Sloane?”
“I want more, please. I can’t play this game anymore.”
“Yes, you can, because you’re the most powerful woman I know.”
Sloane was about to say otherwise when the pad of his finger rasped her clit. Her hands went to him as an anchor, her nails digging into his shoulders and arms.
“Easy, my beautiful warrior. Trust me.”
His touch intensified, even if it remained caressing and languid. Deep, rumbly, and so close, his voice had a hypnotic quality that pulled her under his spell even more until she was torn between her own screaming need and her promise to the man above her.
Her willpower slowly eroding, pleas poured from her lips until Luke shifted, sliding his arms around her body and switched their positions as if she weighed nothing.
Now on top of Luke and completely naked, it was clear what he wanted her to do, and it delighted her. In sensual retaliation, Sloane pushed Luke onto the bed and began an exploration of her own. Her heart skipped as her lips skimmed scars and raised skin, a reminder that his past life had been hell, and that for each scar she kissed, there were so many more invisible ones. Could he understand her demons more than she gave him credit for?
Loud grunts brought her back to the flesh and blood man, and how she wanted to offer him the same agony he’d given her. With the most loving touch she knew, Sloane did what she’d never done before; poured her entire soul into him, his pleasure, his moans, what made him tick, get tighter or soften with a sigh.
For the first time in her life, Sloane could push aside what had overwhelmed her for so long, the cravings, and reach calm inside her.
Like a purring cat, she rubbed her cheek on his abdomen, nipping and licking until she reached her prize. Taking her cue from him, she licked his cock over the fabric, looking him up to see her lover staring back, propped on his elbows. Never breaking eye contact, she peeled his last piece of clothing over his hips, freeing him for her to touch.
As she ran her tongue from balls to tip, Luke shook and his jaw clenched. His eyes were bottomless pools of liquid night, devouring her, telling her that he was reaching the end of his rope too.
On her hands and knees, she crawled upward, trailing her mouth over his shuddering body until she straddled his hips. Just as she was about to beg, Luke took her head to pull her down, devouring her mouth, his hands gripping her waist.
It was becoming harder and harder not to lose control, so she filled her mind with the hunger on his face as he pushed up until he rubbed his erection against her slick folds.
Sloane bit back a moan, pushed herself higher and reached between her legs to put the tip of his cock at her entrance.