Inside Out - Lauren Dane [64]
He closed his eyes as she touched him. Gentle, hesitant at first, but then bolder, which he liked. Liked that she trusted him. Loved that she wanted him.
“Chinese horned dragons have protective qualities. They’re very strong. Can’t this one produce rain?” She pressed a kiss to his spine.
“Yes. The horned dragon.” He turned, needing to touch her more. “Your pants are still on.”
“You’re pretty bossy for someone who just agreed to let me be in control.” She said it, brow furrowed, trying to look serious. But the wide green eyes taking in his chest and his nipple rings said differently.
“I want to see you. I’m naked here.” And so hard his cock tapped his belly. “You should be naked too. It’s only fair.”
“You’re very full of it.” But her hands went to her zipper, and he could have sworn he felt each click of the teeth separating deep in his gut.
“Holy shit.”
He stared, openmouthed, as she stepped from her jeans, leaving her in thigh-high socks and a pair of boy-short panties with little kisses all over them.
She held her hands clenched in front of what he couldn’t wait to touch. And taste. “Why do you look so stressed?” He kept his voice gentle, even as he took her hands, untangling them and kissing her palms. “You still with me? What’s next? Definitely the panties and the socks. And then the bed, I hope. Though I can do standing up, sitting down, on the floor, over the couch arm, whatever you desire.”
She blushed and in one quick movement slid her panties down her legs and stepped out of them. He hoped she ordered him to do something really soon. Like before he embarrassed himself.
“Bed, I think. For this first time.” She cleared her throat and stood a bit taller. “Yes, that’s what I think. Um, by the way, I don’t need to control every move you make. I’d wager you have way more moves than I could even imagine.”
He laughed as she moved to the bed. Quickly, he joined her, sliding his hands up her legs, from her ankles to her mid-thigh where the socks ended. An intriguing trio of freckles peeked from beneath the top.
“It’s all been practice for this moment.” He wasn’t going to tell her that right then he couldn’t even recall another woman he’d been with. She took up every bit of his attention and memory.
He began to roll down the left sock, leaning down to kiss the skin he exposed. But she stopped him.
“I’d feel better with them on.”
He licked up her thigh, over the crease where thigh met leg, and delighted in her swallowed gasp. “Are you cold?”
“N-no.” A sound came from her, low and ragged, as he breathed over her mound, the sticky-sweet scent of her pussy greeting his senses and laying him low. He rubbed the side of his face up her belly, kissing and licking to her breasts, where he planned to spend some quality time.
“Then what is it?”
“I’d just feel better with them on.” She squirmed, making an adorable squeal when he licked over a nipple.
“Is this about your scars?”
She stiffened, and he regretted bringing it up. Still, now that he’d said it, he had to tread carefully.
“I just want them on. I feel more comfortable with them on. Do you want to have sex or not?”
He rolled to the side and moved up so they could face each other. “I don’t want to have sex when we’re like this.”
She tried to get up, but he put an arm around her waist to stay her. “Let me go.”
He sighed, letting her go. It took every bit of his control to stay there, watching her spring from his bed. “Are you really just going to leave? Now? After all this? We’re building something here, Ella. Don’t be a coward. Not when I know for a fact just how brave you are.”
She stared at him for a long time without speaking and then plopped into a nearby chair. “You don’t know shit about me, Andrew.”
“Bull. I know you, Ella. I know you are strong and smart and steadfast. I know you have scars on your leg and you’re afraid I’m going to see them and judge you. Fuck that. The only person I judge is the man who gave you those scars. And what are scars to me anyway? Huh? Jesus, what do you