Chapter 7

Seriously. How does Jace manage to kiss me with his entire body?

The way he clutches me to him feels so possessive. His rough palm caresses my lower back firmly, his warm touch flowing straight through the material. Every time I shudder, I feel a slight answering growl in his throat. He"s like a wild animal, aching to let his true nature out.

Jace has talked about his friends in town, but a tiny part of me wouldn"t be that surprised if I"m the first person he"s spoken to, I mean really spoken to, in years. He just has that isolated, almost feral look in his eyes sometimes. But even with the wildness, I feel comforted somehow by the way his massive arms hold me so solidly.

His lips move slowly against mine and then our mouths open as he kisses me more deeply, his tongue gently exploring as if he"s trying to bond us together. A tidal wave of lust hits me square in the center of my chest. Then lower. Much, much lower. My hips begin to squirm. Of course I"ve been curious about sex for ages, but I"ve never been presented with the opportunity to explore it with a hot guy that I trust.

Jace is everything I could"ve dreamed of for that, and then ten times more.

A deep shiver runs through me as I realize I"m rubbing shamelessly against the thick erection rising between us. His groan makes me smile against his lips. "You"d better not tease me right now, beautiful. It"s been a long, long time."

I gasp as he scoops me up in the air, carrying me to the bedroom. The room is stark, minimalist, and full of big, heavy wood. Kind of like Jace himself, I think with a silent giggle. I can"t stop myself from pressing against him. Knowing that I"m making him hard is lighting a fire inside my soul. Jace"s hunger is a fire spreading to me as he lays me across the bed, kissing and caressing as if he never wants to stop.

Good. I don"t want him to, either.

His massive, muscular frame covers me, cages me, making me feel safe and sheltered. A warm hand glides up my side, and I realize my dress has slid all the way up. The rough denim of his jeans against my bare legs feels incredible.

"Can I take this off?" His deep voice is questioning, yet it sounds like a command, not a request.

"Please do." I eagerly help him pull it off. He licks his lips wickedly when he sees I"m not wearing a bra, stretched across his bed in nothing but dark green cotton panties.

A fluttering, strained sound bubbles up from my throat as he kisses up my stomach, caressing my sensitive breasts. Then he wraps his lips around a nipple, licking and sucking just hard enough for it to feel like a slight pinch. My fingers thread through his thick hair, holding him close as he groans against my skin, almost growling.

Jace feels hungry for me, like a wild animal that hasn"t been fed in years. The idea sends a thrill zipping up and down my spine, and I tremble as he switches to the other side. The way he moves so slowly, gauging every reaction I make, tells me that ultimately I"m in charge, even though he"s taking control of me. His kisses become lighter, dancing up my throat to catch my lips before darting south again.

I"m so lost in what"s going on that it takes me a second to realize that my panties are being pulled away from my ankles. Momentary shyness overtakes me, my knees moving to pull my thighs together as he shifts lower. Jace glowers, yet his eyes are twinkling. "I want to taste you right now. Yes?"

I"m already nodding as he parts my legs wide, getting into position. He stares at my open pussy a moment before dragging a finger slowly through the center. "So soft and sexy," he murmurs. His rough fingertips part my skin, skimming slowly along every dip and fold until I"m melting.

I adore the feeling of him taking control of my body. It"s as if he already knows how I want to be touched.

His thumbs spread me open, then I stare in astonishment as Jace winks before slowly drawing his tongue straight along my crease. My fingers tighten in his hair as my hips shake, calves tightening around his broad back. I hum along with another soft growl in his throat as he begins licking me, kissing me, moving his mouth over my most delicate flesh.

I"m afraid I"ll tear out his hair, so I move my hands to the blanket under me, hanging on for dear life for fear I"ll float away.

"Relax, baby," he commands me, staring deeply into my eyes. He"s so gorgeous. No – mesmerizing. I can"t stop staring at every expression that crosses his face. "Can you come for me?"

"I"ll try."

My belly flutters, nerve endings straining as warmth floods every inch of my body. Once again, he gives me that smile that I feel is deeply special and only for me. I definitely get the impression that he"s a bit of a grouch with the outside world. That he doesn"t let many people in. I already feel closer to him than I have with anyone else in my life. Which is wild – how bizarre to think that at one of the lowest points in my life, I would find a man who has the potential to be… I can"t even think about that yet.

My spine arches as his tongue flicks gently against my clit. It feels swollen, my entire pussy open and wet.

"You"re delicious," he murmurs against my skin. "Now, close your eyes and let go."

There"s no way I can shut my eyes: Jace is too sexy not to look at as he"s focused completely on my breathing, on the way I squirm and writhe under him. One thick arm scoops under my thigh to hold me in place. His hot, agile tongue begins to dance lightly around my clit without quite touching it, occasionally brushing straight through my pussy lips.

Every single nerve inside me tightens and twists as I stare into the eyes of the man who already seems to want to care for me and protect me forever. Then I"m falling over the cliff, thrashing as waves of bliss tumble through me. My weak cries make him lick flat against my clit while he holds me down, draining every single drop of pleasure from me.

Finally he pulls back, wiping his mouth dramatically with the back of his hand. "Now that"s what I call a perfect bedtime snack."

We laugh together, then he stands up and rolls his shoulders. "Just so you know, I never sleep in anything but my shorts. You can wear what you like, or stay naked, as long as you sleep curled up in my arms tonight. Yes?"

"Yes."

I use the bathroom, then slip one of his t-shirts over my head for a baggy nightgown. I would have expected him to want more, yet Jace seems to have decided that that"s all we"re doing tonight.

He kisses me softly as I snuggle into his bed, then arranges the blankets around me. "Sweet dreams, my sweet girl."

As I drift off, I wonder if he"s just being charming, or if there"s actually a small chance I could be "his girl". I"ve learned the hard way that I should never get my hopes up. That things always happen to ruin the best laid plans.

But a girl can hope, can"t she?