actually touching.
When she was writhing, begging him to penetrate her, even reaching between her legs to assuage the ache herself, forcing him to grab her wrists and pin them behind her back, he finally stilled. Took stock. His cock was straining against the fly of his jeans, and every breath he dragged into his lungs was like fire.
'Gideon,' she gasped. 'Please.'
Pain was mingled with arousal in her voice, and he frowned. He wanted her out of her mind, yes, but not pained.
'Need the edge taken off, angel?'
'Gods, yes.'
Releasing her wrists, he flipped her back over and finally allowed himself to do what he'd wanted to do all along. Taste her fully, deep and thrusting, as if his tongue was possessing her. Instantly she screamed, hips bucking up, meeting him, sending him even deeper.
'Yes, yes, yesssss!'
Her orgasm rocked her, her skin like fire, her knees clamped against his temples, her fingers fisting the sheets. He swallowed every drop of pleasure she gave him, her sweetness better than ambrosia as it flowed through his veins, branding him, delighting him.
Only when she stilled did he raise his head, licking at his mouth as he sought her gaze. Every drop belonged to him, even those. Her eyes were at half-mast, her chest quickly rising and falling in shallow succession, and her arms and legs draped at her sides as if they were too heavy to lift. Never had a woman looked more sated. And never had he experienced more pride. He had done this. He had given this to her.
The sunlight she'd created caressed every inch of her, adding a golden tint to her skin. At the base of her neck, her pulse hammered wildly. Her nipples were darker now, as if blushing under his scrutiny.
'Thank you,' she rasped. 'Thank you.'
'My pleasure.'
Perhaps she heard the pain in his voice, because she eased up on her elbows, gaze roving to his straining erection. 'Want me to take care of that?' she asked huskily. ''Cause, darling, it looks so good.'
He almost choked on his own saliva. 'Not yet.' Barely audible. Not until she was out of control again, desperate for him.
'A lie, I hope.'
'Truth. Kind of. I just need a little more of you.' Gideon lowered his head and flicked the tip of his tongue over one of those beautiful nipples. He plucked at the other, not wanting it to feel left out.
This was his woman. His darling. Every moment with her was precious. And torturous. Gods, he hurt. Will be a man. Will act like a man. Will last for her.
When she was once again arching against him, and shit, rubbing that sweet, wet spot against his shaft, causing it to pulse and lengthen as never before, he slid his fingers down her stomach, past that tiny tuft of dark, silky hair and into her sheath. Wet again, dripping. Ready.
Sweet heaven.
Gideon pulled from her, severing all contact. He ripped at his clothes, gentleness not even a concern. Soon the material lay in tatters around him, and he was back on top of his woman, her legs opening for him, her black gaze glistening like polished onyx.
'Ready?' A croak.
'Beyond.'
'I'm gonna hit you so deep.' He positioned her legs on his shoulders, so that her calves were pressing into his back, and then fed his cock into her opening. He didn't press inside, though. Not yet, not yet, not yet. He already wanted to explode. You gotta calm down.
'What are you waiting for? I need it!'
If he had to do fucking math equations in his head, he was going to last. 'Just...need...to...breathe.'
'But I'm already starting... Gideon! I'm coming.'
Just the thought of him being inside her sent her over the edge? Fuck, yeah! He thrust to the hilt, slamming forward with a single rocking of his hips. Those warm, wet walls closed around him, tight as a fist, squeezing him just right. Shit, the pleasure. Once again, it was almost too much. Especially since her second orgasm was causing her to pump against him. But he chewed the inside of his mouth, drawing blood, and began to move.
Once, twice, yes, yes. So good. So damn good. He kissed her, tongue mimicking cock, thrusting, retreating, thrusting. Her hands found their way to his ass, her nails cutting past skin as they urged him forward, deeper. This was it, what he'd craved his entire life.
'You are...everything,' he told her.
'Gideon! I love...I love...this.'
Was that what she'd meant to say? He wasn't sure, and even the thought that she might love him excited him so much that he went caveman. Claim her. Fully.
'Scarlet!' Hard, deep, so hard, pistoning in and out, feeding his cock to her over and over again, riding the waves of her climax so very hard that he sent her body spiraling into a third.
She clutched at him, practically jerking the seed out of him in the next instant.
The release was so intense, so mind-numbing, he actually saw stars winking behind his eyes as his every muscle petrified to stone. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, could only feel. And then he collapsed on top of her.
'Now that's stamina,' he panted however long later.
A laugh escaped her. A true, honest-to-the-gods laugh, and it delighted him to his soul. Was more satisfying than even the sex, causing his chest to constrict. She didn't laugh enough, but by the gods, she would laugh in the future. He would make sure of it. A vow he would see through with his dying breath and every one in between.
Gideon rolled to his side, pulling Scarlet into the curve of his body. 'I want to marry you. For real.' It was a need. 'But I already told you that.'
She stiffened, tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. 'Yes, but...'
'No buts,' he said with a shake of his head.
'But you're overlooking the fact that I'm a liability to you. I think I had decided to stay with you. Right now I can't even remember my name. But what if you're hurt because of me? I would rather die—'
'Actually, I've overlooked nothing. I just don't care.' His arms tightened around her, this precious treasure he wouldn't give up. 'I want you in my life, and that's all there is to it. I want to pledge my life to yours like the warriors of old pledged their lives to their kings. And there's no better time, either. I can proclaim the truth right now.'
The thick, oppressive silence that followed razored him.
Still, he gave Scarlet the time she needed to digest his admission and come to grips with what he wanted. No way would he pressure her. That would make him a little too much like that bitch NeeMah. But gods, he wanted to. He wanted to force the issue with every possessive instinct raging inside him.
'I don't understand this, Gideon.' A tortured whisper.
'What's to understand? I love you.' So easily admitted, after he'd fought it so long. How foolish he'd once been.
'But you could do better,' she said, agonized.
But, but, but. He was sick of that stupid word. 'Do better than you?' He rolled back on top of her, smashing her and holding her in place. 'There's no one better than you. You are ugly and weak and I never get aroused just by thinking of you.'
Her lips twitched, but she fought her amusement and never gave him a full-on grin. 'What if you later regret this decision?'
'I won't.' He'd never been more certain of anything in his life.
'Are you sure? Because there's no undoing it once it's done.'
'That's the best thing you've said all day. Even better than 'yes, yes, more.''
Still no full-on grin, but there was now a twinkle in her dark eyes. 'Yes, but how can you know you won't regret it? I mean, what if my aunt screws with my memory again and—'
'Every couple has problems, angel.' He cupped her cheeks, forcing her gaze to remain locked with his, to probe deeply, to perhaps catch a glimpse of just how much he meant to her. 'We'll deal with it.'
