Chapter 6

6

ALLIE

D amon is one of the most thoughtful men I’ve ever met. I can’t tell if he realizes he’s doing it or not, but he keeps doing little things that are super healthy for me. Like fixing me a small snack the second we got to his beautiful house. Serving sparkling water instead of wine. Suggesting we go to the basement, where it’s cooler.

Not to mention, the man can cook. I’ve heard horror stories from friends and family about men who can barely make toast without burning it. Damon made a fantastic meal, and his house is spotless. Sure, it’s a bit plain, and could use some art and pops of color. But it’s comfy and casual, done mostly in brown and green. Almost forest-y, if that’s a word.

He fixes us another couple of sparkling waters, this time with lime slices, and we go down to his basement. “This is amazing,” I say, looking around at the huge but cozy room. There’s a gigantic squishy L-shaped couch, a large flatscreen TV, and a few small tables with side lamps that Damon switches on.

“There are blankets, if it’s too cold,” he says, pointing to the end of the couch.

I sit down in the center, so he can decide how close he wants to get. Just as I’d hoped, he sits between me and the L-section, so we’re nice and close.

“Wow, it’s fantastic down here.” I grin up at him. “Air conditioning is amazing, but there’s something about naturally cool underground air.”

“I know, right? It’s ridiculously cozy when you’re a bit chilly and need heavy blankets, even in the height of summer.”

I love how easily he laughs. I haven’t lived in Old Hemlock Valley very long, but I’ve seen plenty of giant mountain men around town. They’re all polite and friendly enough, but they seem like quiet loners. Damon is the opposite, bright and chatty. I like that.

We watch a stupid summer fun movie, and I feel my body finally relaxing completely as I snuggle into Damon’s side.

“Ah, nice,” he says with a contented sigh. “I can feel you unclenching.”

The last of my shyness dissolves and I reach out to drape my arm across his chest. “It’s so chilly in here, and you’re so warm against me. It’s a magical combination that…I don’t know… It feels like all my muscles are just softening.”

The heel of his hand rubs gently around my lower back. “You’ve had a lot going on, Allie. New town. New job. Your first mountain heat wave and all these air pressure changes.” He hesitates for just a second. “A new relationship.”

He grins at my snorted laugh. “If that is your super smooth way of asking if I want to be serious…” I flutter my eyelashes at him. “The answer is yes.”

His lips brush my forehead. “Good. Might you be open to a master plan of relaxation for the rest of the night?”

“I’m definitely open to listening to the plan.”

This time, there’s a hint of something naughty in his eyes when he flashes that gorgeous smile at me.

“I could do something that should relax you entirely. It would probably only take twenty minutes or so. Then I could crank the air conditioning, and you could spend the night in my arms, and hopefully get an incredible night’s sleep.”

His hands move lower, caressing my hip and across my stomach. I already know that whatever he wants to do, it will be incredible.

“That sounds like an excellent plan – except, of course, I don’t know what you mean.”

His answer is to kiss me, slow and dreamy and deep. Our mouths melt together as my hands clutch at him, caressing and examining every thick muscle I can reach. The kiss takes on a life of its own, breathy and unsteady, until I’m pretty sure we’ll be going to the bedroom very soon.

But Damon surprises me by flipping me gently onto my back. His hand slides under my shirt, then he grins. “I like that you don’t wear a bra.”

“I can’t, during heat waves. I mean, you try wrapping an elastic band around your lungs when it’s a million degrees out.”

He laughs. “Fair point.”

His eyes light up at my soft gasp when he pushes up my shirt and tank top, then drags his tongue slowly across my nipple. My back arches, eager for every touch as his strong hands move slowly across my breasts.

Thank goodness I’m lying down: my knees would have buckled instantly. My nipples are so puckered they’re going to start to ache soon. My thighs press together as I suddenly feel overly sensitive between them.

“So hot, baby,” Damon groans, switching to the other side. This time he pulls my nipple into his mouth, his palms still caressing and exploring my skin.

It feels as if he’s starving for me. As if he’s been waiting for me to appear for a long time. My thoughts swirl and tangle as he kisses a long, looping trail down my stomach.

Then Damon looks up at me with bright eyes, waiting until I nod. My hips automatically lift up, making it easier for him to pull off my jeans and underwear. Then he reaches up to take off my tops completely.

He pushes the coffee table out of the way, kneeling in front of me on the couch. His hand caresses my leg, trailing his fingertips along my inner thighs as he spreads my legs open. “I’ve dreamed of doing this ever since the first second I held you.” His head shakes briefly. “Well, not when you fainted. The first time you looked up at me and smiled, happy that I was there to take care of you.”

That thought should not send twisting pulses of desire straight through me the way it does. Why is him wanting to care for me so unbelievably sexy?

I’m becoming overheated again, but for once it’s okay. He spreads my legs apart, leaving one across the couch and draping the other over his shoulder. From the way he stares into my open, naked pussy, I honestly believe he’s been dreaming of this moment for some time. It’s hard to keep from squirming, I’m so curious about what he’s actually going to do to me.

It comes out of nowhere. One moment Damon’s kissing slow, meandering circles around my hip bones, the next his tongue is sliding straight through my innermost folds. My gasp bounces off the ceiling as I grab his shoulder with one hand and the couch with the other. I’m floating, falling, lost in space as he licks gently across my most sensitive skin.

It’s not just all these intense feelings flooding my system, both physical and romantic. It’s Damon himself. His nostrils slightly flared, his hands gripping my skin, spreading me open with his thumbs. The flash in his darkened eyes as he drags his tongue slowly around my swollen clit. My inner tunnel is clenching, and he hasn’t even touched it yet.

“So hot,” he murmurs, his warm breath, making my heart flutter. “So beautiful. And all mine.”

That sounds possessive bordering on obsessed, but to my surprise I love it.

My fingers wander a path up into his hair, gripping firmly as I nod again. He smiles, the very tip of his tongue flickering around my clit as my entire body shivers. Somehow, he knows exactly how to touch me. How to hit every button and ignite things inside me I’ve never felt before.

“So delicious, my sweet little Allie. Please, baby… Come on my tongue. Let me feel you.”

He hoists my thigh a bit higher on his shoulder, breathing across my sex before diving in again with gusto. As he enthusiastically laps and sucks, I feel an unsteady tension gathering between my navel and my knees. As if my entire core is tightening up. I begin to tremble.

“That’s it,” he murmurs, barely slowing down. “Give it to me, gorgeous.”

I will give this amazing man anything he wants. He wants me to climax? It’s not like I could stop even if I tried.

Just as I start to blank out from the pounding of my heart in my ears, Damon moves a thick fingertip to prod at my entrance. Oh wow, I’m soaking wet. It makes his eyes grin.

His tongue laps against my oversensitive button again and again while his gaze remains locked onto mine. I’m positive that I can read his mind as he stares into my soul. He wants to feel me completely lose control and come. I’ve never wanted anything more, either.

His finger pulses a bit deeper, then I feel his tongue swirling faster, causing an electric jolt of pleasure to slam through my body. I barely have the air to cry out as the climax rattles through me. Damon grins, keeping up the pace until the waves of pleasure slowly recede and I fall back against the couch.

“Delicious, baby. I truly mean it.” He kisses all the way up to my lips, and my arms and legs twine around him.

I’ve never thought about when the right time would be to have sex, or under what kind of circumstances. But I know in my heart that Damon is definitely the right man.

“Bedroom?” I ask, still breathing a bit hard. “Oh, and… I’m on the pill. I’ve never needed it before, but you know…just in case. I mean, what’s one more pill a day?”

Damon slips my tank top back on, then helps me up to step into my panties. He grabs my t-shirt and leggings and turns off one of the side lamps. “Yes, we’re going to bed, but just so I can hold you all night. You know that I want you, angel. I mean, damn… ” His gaze drops to my barely covered breasts and his grin turns devilish. “But we’ve just met, and I want you to be super comfortable with me before we go there. Okay?”

Wow. That’s gotta be the nicest refusal anyone’s ever heard. “Okay. I get it. But there will at least be snuggling?”

“Hell, yeah. Constant snuggling. With you, gorgeous, I’m going to be the Snugglemaster of the Universe.”