But when he turned around and gave her the full monty, she lost her breath completely. He was beautiful to look at. All defined muscles and hard planes. His cock grew, even as she gaped at it. She’d held it in her hand, so she’d known it was big, but she hadn’t seen it.
“Keep looking at me like that and see where it gets you,” he growled, turning his back to her to reach for a pair of pajama bottoms.
“Where will it get me?” she asked, earning herself another growl. “Because I really, really want to go there. Right now.”
He shook his head. “You’re recovering.”
It was her turn to growl. He laughed and stepped into his pajama bottoms, tucking all that male finery away.
That was unacceptable.
He couldn’t flash her like that and then expect her not to want more. If he wasn’t interested or didn’t want to, that was one thing, but he was. She knew he was. She’d seen the big, thick, erect proof in stunning detail.
She had a feeling that he wouldn’t be easily persuaded with words though, whether out of a sense of honor or whatever. So, she decided not to use words.
Instead, she used her good hand to reach beneath the large shirt she wore—his shirt—and worked off her panties. He stilled, as if he knew what she was doing. Just in case he didn’t, she tossed the panties at his shoulder.
He turned around then, and his eyes were practically glowing. To make sure he really got the message, she slid her feet up and tented her knees. Since he was standing and she was on the bed, he couldn’t actually see what she was doing beneath the shirt, but he knew. She matched his intense gaze with one of her own.
“If you’re not going to do anything,” she said softly, sliding her right hand over her knee and up her inner thigh, “then I will.”
He moved so fast that she barely saw him. One minute, he had been beside the bed, and the next, he was on it, sliding his shoulders under her knees with a fierce, hungry look in his eyes.
“You play dirty, Miss Handelmann.”
“So do you,” she countered, clicking her tongue. “Teasing me like that. I should make you watch.”
His tongue moved along her flesh, sending tremors rippling outward from her center. She dug her fingers into his hair and threw her head back, letting him take over and take her away. He did such wonderful, magical things, and before she knew it, she was coming on his tongue.
“More,” she rasped. “I want you inside me.”
“I’m not sure you’re ready for that,” he mumbled from between her legs, continuing to press tender kisses to her skin.
“I am so ready. Enough stalling.”
He paused and then slowly worked his way up her body, keeping his weight on his arms so he didn’t press against her ribs. “Kate, are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure. One hundred percent. Final answer.”
His face was pained. “I don’t have any condoms.”
“You don’t need them.”
His eyes widened.
“I mean, as long as you’re in good health, we don’t because I am.” She knew she was because she’d had herself tested three times since she’d been with Luther years ago—she had made him wear one—and she hadn’t been with anyone else since.
“I am,” he confirmed.
She believed him; some might call her foolish, but she didn’t think anyone who showed as much care and concern for her as he had would lie about that.
Still, he hesitated.
“I can’t have kids,” she blurted out. “I mean, if you’re worried about getting me pregnant, you can’t, so don’t.”
Silence weighed heavily in the air around them. She hadn’t meant to just blurt it out like that. When she’d imagined telling him, she’d pictured doing so over a nice dinner or while sipping coffee on the couch in front of the fireplace.
He said nothing, frozen in place above her.
She was certain she’d completely ruined the mood. “I’m sorry. I—”
She didn’t get to finish. Chris’s lips came down on her, both tender and desperate at the same time. A few thundering heartbeats later, his blunt tip pressed at her entrance.
“You really were made just for me. I love you, Kate,” he said on a breath and then began to enter her.
She tried so hard to focus on those words, but he was pushing inside her, and it felt incredible. So incredible that she temporarily lost the ability to process what he’d said, concentrating only on the gradual, smooth glide of him going deeper. She surrendered to him, stretching to accommodate his girth and length until he was fully seated inside her.
It was even better than she’d imagined.
“Okay?” he asked.
“Perfect,” she managed.
Then, he began to move. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. With every thrust, she went farther down the rabbit hole. He made love to her with thorough strokes until neither one of them could hold out any longer.
She came at the peak of bliss, and when he followed shortly after, she was quite certain she would never be the same again. She had never felt as one with another person as she did when he looked deep into her eyes as he was pulsing out his release deep inside her.
There were no words for it. So, she tried to pour everything into a kiss instead.
When he pulled out and rolled onto his side, he immediately pressed close against her side and pulled the covers up over them. She’d never felt more complete.
Closing her eyes, she snuggled closer and said, “I love you, too.”
~ * ~
Kate was alone when she woke up the next morning. She gave a careful stretch, her ribs reminding her that they had taken quite a beating and didn’t appreciate the cut-down on the meds. She didn’t care. Nothing could ruin her mood. She was feeling blissfully happy and sexually content.
Bonus: Chris had said he loved her. That was good since she loved him, too.
She could hear the shower running, pleased that he hadn’t gone far.
I could probably do with a bit of a cleanup myself, she thought, remembering how wonderful it had been to feel him coming inside her. If there was an upside to her inability to have children, it was that she could experience that every time without fearing the consequences. Nothing between them, dancing the dance as old as time.
Perhaps that was selfish on her part, but she’d come to terms with her reality a long time ago even if she hadn’t had the courage to tell anyone. It seemed right that Chris was the first person she’d shared that with.
She loved kids, but she didn’t need to have her own to feel complete. She had plenty of love to give.
She had no idea if Chris wanted children though. They would have to talk about it eventually.
Chris emerged from the bathroom with a billow of steam, saw that she was awake, and smiled an intimate I was inside you last night smile, and it wrecked her. Especially when he had a towel slung low over his very talented hips.
“Morning, baby,” he said, his mouth twisting into a smirk. “See something you like?”
Gah. Something inside her melted when he called her baby. “As a matter of fact, I do. Why don’t you come over here and let me show you how much?”
He laughed. “Insatiable, are you?”
“Around you, I do seem to be, yes,” she answered honestly. “Got a problem with that, Mr. Sheppard?”