Lord, he had a wicked mouth.
And she freaking loved it.
She lay trying to catch her breath as he kissed a path between her breasts, down her stomach, and licked circles around her belly button. His tongue lapped over it and delved inside. He sealed his mouth over it like it was her mouth, or her promised land, and holy moly, what that did to her! She was going to pass out from pleasure, she just knew it. Her body vibrated with anticipation as he curled his fingers into the waist of her panties and skirt, his eyes flicking up to hers.
Her nerves came alive as she lifted her hips, giving him the approval he sought. He slowly stripped off her bottoms, kissing the skin he bared all the way down to her ankles. His jaw tightened and his eyes drifted slowly up the length of her, hovering over her sex, then lingering on her breasts. His chest heaved with his every breath as he crawled over her body, perching above her, and kissed her softly.
He brushed his nose along her cheek, whispering, “I’m so lucky to be yours.”
She melted like butter in the sun. It was such an intimate comment, it made their connection feel even more special. He kissed her again, light as a feather, and stepped from the bed to strip off his jeans and socks, his eyes never leaving her. She was lost in her own visual devouring, drinking in the tattoos snaking down his abs, over the broad head of his cock breaching the waist of his black boxer briefs. If desire were a drug, she’d be wasted. Her eyes trailed down the rigid outline of his shaft, over the tattoos decorating his muscular thighs as he crawled onto the bed, settling on his knees between her legs.
Their eyes locked as he ran his hot hands down her hips, trailing kisses in their wake. He kissed his way up her inner thigh, and her nerves caught fire. Her eyes closed, and he nipped at her sensitive skin, bringing them open again.
“I want to see the pleasure in your eyes. Keep them open.”
Lord have mercy…She met his hungry gaze, trying to ignore the heated blush crawling up her chest and neck as he splayed his hands over her inner thighs and opened her to him. He dragged his tongue along the very heart of her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin, earning an appreciative guttural sound from him. He lowered his mouth over her sex, and holy mother of…Her eyes closed, her hips moving with him, as she ground against his mouth, whimpering and moaning. Every slick of his tongue brought a jolt of pleasure, a rock of her hips. When he pushed his fingers inside her, finding that secret spot with laser precision, and used his mouth on her other sensitive bundle of nerves, she bowed off the bed. Scintillating sensations built up inside her with every stroke and glide of his tongue, every graze of his teeth. He quickened his efforts, and she nearly shot through the roof, crying out his name. She covered her mouth, clamping it closed to keep from waking the girls, and he didn’t relent. He continued his masterful ministrations as she surrendered to the ecstasy consuming her, until she collapsed to the mattress, limp as a rag doll, her body jerking with aftershocks.
He kissed his way up her body, slowing to suck one of her nipples, sending her overly sensitive body into another frenzy of explosions. Then he gathered her trembling body in his arms, raining kisses over her cheeks as she tried to get her brain to function.
“How’s my girl?”
“I can’t…move,” she panted out.
He laughed softly and kissed her. “You don’t have to.”
She snuggled closer, loving the feel of his body against hers. He nuzzled against her neck, pressing a kiss there, and whispered, “I just found my new favorite pastime.”
She buried her face in his chest, unable to stop grinning, and said, “And I thought sewing was fun,” earning a rare, rumbly laugh.
TANK AWOKE TO the sound of Junie whimpering at three in the morning. Leah was fast asleep beside him, her beautiful mane spread across the pillow, his T-shirt billowing around her body, one butt cheek covered in blue panties peeking out. He slipped quietly out of bed, pulled on his jeans, and went into the girls’ room.
Junie was curled up around Mine, whimpering in her sleep. Tank sat beside her and brushed her springy curls away from her face. He caressed her forehead, soothing her back to sleep, and glanced at Rosie, sleeping with Boo on her pillow. His thoughts turned to River, and the accident came roaring back, bringing with it the agonizing terror that had gripped him as he’d seen the truck slam into their car and the “No!” that had torn from his chest as the car had careened into the water. The rush of relief that had swamped him when he’d dragged Leah and the girls up to the surface returned. He could still feel the burning in his lungs as he’d fought to save River.
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and lowered his face to his hands, gritting his teeth, wishing he could bring the girls’ father back.
Their father.
It was hard to believe that young boy he’d tried to save had already been through so much and had brought these precious girls into the world. He looked at the girls, damn thankful they were safe, and his father’s words came back to him. Was fate a thing? Had the universe known Leah would need the girls as much as they needed her? Or that Tank hadn’t just saved the three of them but that they had rescued him? Was there a universal plan that they didn’t have knowledge of? Was that fate?
He’d thought his need to protect his family had been the strongest emotion he’d ever feel, but man was he wrong. His need to protect Leah and the girls was brutal, and the other, softer emotions that had been pooling inside him and now filled him to the brim were even more visceral. With that realization, something else came into focus. The loss he felt from Ashley’s death couldn’t be half as devastating as what his parents felt for their loss. How had they managed to put the well-being of the rest of their children ahead of their own despair?
He pushed to his feet, and he didn’t have to look far, because the amazingly strong woman watching him from the doorway had done the very same thing for those two little sleeping beauties. His feelings for Leah bubbled over as he put his arm around her and kissed her cheek, whispering as they went back to her room. “Junie was making noises in her sleep, but she’s okay.”
“You should have woken me up.”
“You needed to sleep.” He sat on the edge of the bed, knowing he needed to go out to the couch, and not wanting to.
She stepped between his legs, and he wrapped his arms around her, feeling her heart beating against his cheek as she kissed the top of his head. She ran her fingers through his hair, and damn that felt good. She felt so fucking right in his arms, stirring all those emotions he’d been trying to tamp down. He ached to be closer, but he knew she was tired and forced himself to stand. “I’d better go out to the couch.”
She slid a finger into one of his belt loops, holding his gaze as she pressed her sexy lips to his chest. She continued kissing his chest, her shaky hands moving up his torso as she slicked her tongue over his nipple, teasing the piercing. Heat streaked to his balls.
“Christ, Lee.” He grabbed her ass, holding her against his erection so she could feel what she was doing to him. She teased one nipple with her mouth, the other with her fingers, driving him out of his fucking mind. He reached over with one hand and closed the door, bringing her eyes to his. Her tongue darted out and circled his nipple. He gritted his teeth. “Fuck, baby, don’t stop.”