I almost whimpered as Caden broke the kiss, pulling back as his gaze roamed over my face. I didn’t care what I looked like after having cried for the Lord knew how long, because I realized he didn’t see the puffy eyes or tear-streaked cheeks or the remnants of the fading bruises and healing cuts.
He saw me.
Only me.
“Are you sure?” he whispered, his gaze searching mine intently. “Because we can do everything, or we don’t have to do anything. I would be happy to just hold you, to just kiss and play, Brighton. I’m satisfied with you being in my arms.”
Fresh tears pricked my eyes, but I didn’t worry if they fell or not. “That is why I’m sure.” His willingness to wait, to do nothing or anything was why I knew I was ready, why it wasn’t too soon after everything that’d happened. “I need you, Caden. Make love to me. Please?”
“You never have to say please. Ever.” Cradling my cheeks in his hands, he shuddered against me. “All that I am. All that I have. It’s yours. I’m yours.”
Caden kissed me then, and oh God, no one—no one—kissed like him. His mouth moved over mine like he was claiming every hidden part of my heart and soul. My shirt came off. Then his. We stood, our mouths and hands skimming over every inch of exposed skin. His fingers gripped the band of my leggings, tugging them down, along with the panties I wore underneath. I reached for the button on his jeans, hands trembling as I then worked at the zipper. Off went his pants, and then he eased down the tight, black boxer briefs he had on, freeing the rigid length of his cock.
Caden was…he was beautiful. Every part of him, from the broad expanse of his chest and the tightly rolled muscles of his stomach, to the proud jut of his arousal.
So distracted by the sight of him, I hadn’t even noticed that he’d unclasped my bra until his mouth closed over one nipple. I cried out, reaching for those silky strands of hair, but he dropped to his knees in front of me.
His lips brushed over the faint pink scars from two years ago. “Beautiful.” He tilted his head, kissing one of the many almost-healed slices. “You’re so beautiful, Brighton. Every part of you.” He sank even lower, his lips searching and tasting, licking and exploring until his breath danced over my most sensitive area. Then his head shifted, and I felt the wet slide of his tongue along my inner thigh, moving up and up until it slipped inside, swirling and tasting. Each time his tongue thrust in, pleasure became a lightning bolt down my spine. “This is especially beautiful.”
His mouth closed over the bundle of nerves, and my head fell back. There was no slow build of sensation. He knew exactly what he was doing when he dragged his teeth over my sensitive skin, soothing the bite with his tongue before closing his mouth over the turgid flesh. The release hit me hard. Crying out, my head fell back as pounding wave after wave of pleasure roared through me.
Before the tremors stopped, Caden rose. Somehow, we ended up on the bed, his large body settling over mine and then between my thighs. His mouth found mine once more, and the taste of me mingled with the essence of him.
“I waited several lifetimes for you,” he said, brushing the hair back from my face. “I would wait several more if I had to.”
“You don’t.” I touched his cheeks and then slid my hand down the sides of his neck to his shoulders. “You don’t have to wait anymore. I don’t have to wait.”
Caden’s body shifted, and I felt him pressing against me. I lifted my hips, and my breath caught and then held. His gaze snared mine. “This feels like a dream. If it is, I don’t ever want to wake…” His voice choked off as he thrust in, fully seating himself. The pressure and fullness was unbelievable, and the small bit of discomfort faded as he made a sound, a velvety growl. “Sunshine.”
From there, there were only our short, shallow breaths and the sounds of our bodies moving together. His hips rolled and pumped, and I followed, the unbelievable tension building once more.
Caden planted his elbow in the bed beside my head as he shoved his arm under my back and lifted me so my breasts were pressed to his chest. His strength was shocking and wickedly arousing as he moved over me. In me. Each stroke deeper and harder, became more powerful. My back hit the mattress once more. I curled my legs around his waist, and I met each deep and even thrust until I couldn’t any longer, until the pace quickened, and his body held mine down. My body tensed around his, and my blood turned to lava as every part of my body tightened at once, all over again.
“That’s it.” His voice was a heated whisper in my ear.
The most intense pleasure rolled over me in tight, hot waves, and all I could do was hold on as his hips pounded in a tempo that was earth-shattering. Our mouths crashed together His tongue tangled with mine, and the tightly coiled knot of tension whipped through me fiercely, lighting up every cell in my body.
The arm under my shoulders held me in place as he ground his hips into mine. There was one more deep, breath-shattering thrust, and then my name was a rough shout as his body spasmed, his release hot as his hips jerked. My hands glided lazily up and down his sides as one last shudder overtook him.
Caden’s lips brushed over my shoulder and then the line of my jaw. Limp and sated, I watched him through half-open eyes. His hand found mine, and he brought it to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the center of my palm. “I have a very important question for you, Brighton.”
“Hmm?”
He brought my hand to his chest, over his heart. “Can we stay like this for the rest of the day?”
A slow grin tugged at my lips. “Like this?” I asked. He was still inside me, not as hard as he had been, but not remotely soft.
Biting down on his bottom lip, he nodded. “What about all weekend?”
“I would…I would be down for that.” My heart was swelling so fast in my chest. “Though I don’t think we can stay like this.”
“I don’t know.” His hips rocked, eliciting a sharp gasp from me. His grin became downright wicked. “I’m quite happy to be right where I am.”
I started to reach for him when, somewhere from the floor, a phone rang. I looked, brows furrowing. My phone was downstairs. “I think that’s yours.”
“It is.” He bent his head, kissing me. The ringing quieted, and for a few seconds, I got a little lost in him, but then the cell started ringing again.
“I think you should check that.”
“I should.” Caden cursed under his breath. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I whispered.
Giving me one more quick kiss, he eased out of me and smoothly shifted to his feet. My gaze dropped to his ass as he snatched his jeans off the floor.
That was one lovely backside.
Feeling better than I had in, well, longer than I could remember, I rolled onto my side.
Caden had his phone out and to his ear, answering with an abrupt, “This better be important.”
My brows rose, and I started to grin, but I saw the muscles along his back and spine tense. The pleasant languidness vanished.
“I’ll be right there,” he said, ending the call as he turned to me.
“What is it?”
“It’s Benji, Faye’s missing cousin. He came back to the hotel.”
Sensing the hard edge to his voice, unease blossomed. “It didn’t end with a happy reunion, did it?”