13. Daphne

13

DAPHNE

My entire body was spasming with aftershocks as Harlan pressed soft kisses up my body and along my collarbone and neck. That release had been one of the most powerful I'd ever known. Typically, I have to concentrate to reach orgasm. I have to actively block out any noise or thoughts in my head. But with Harlan, it had been totally involuntary. He'd played my body like a professional puppet master.

His masterful skills only increased my desire and my need. Even though I'd just come, I wasn't nearly done with him. I wanted more. I needed to feel him. I ached for him to be inside of me.

Acting on the animal instinct he inspired, my nails scraped down his back until I reached the waistband of his sweatpants. I hooked my thumbs in them and pushed them down his hips. Using my feet, I was trying to slide them further, but Harlan took over. He stood and pulled them the rest of the way down and off his legs.

"Wow," I breathed as he straightened back up.

He was truly an Adonis.

"This isn't the first time I've seen you naked." My confession sent a thrill racing through me.

His brow furrowed. "It's not?"

I shook my head. "I saw you taking a shower outside and…" I licked my lips as I remembered how he'd taken himself in his hand. A blush ran up my cheeks.

"And what?" he asked, his chest rising and falling in short breaths.

"And you were pleasuring yourself."

My admission caused his dick to jump up, as if it knew we were talking about him.

"I didn't keep watching," the assurance tumbled out of my mouth.

"Why?"

"I felt like a pervert."

"Did you want to watch?" he asked.

I nodded.

A low groan rumbled from his chest as he took himself in his hand and stroked up and down two times. "I give you full permission to be a pervert with me any time."

I smiled as he lowered himself back on top of me; when he positioned himself at my opening, he froze.

"What?" I whispered.

"Protection," he gritted out.

"Oh." In the thirteen years I'd been sexually active, I'd never forgotten about protection. What was this man doing to me?

"Fuck." He rested his forehead against mine for a beat before he lifted his head and stared down at me, wearing a bad-boy half-grin that had me tingling in places his mouth had just been.

"What?" I asked, wondering what had caused his sudden change in demeanor.

He stood and crossed the barn. I watched as he opened a cabinet and took out a first aid kit. When he opened it, he removed a box of condoms.

Right. He probably brought women out here all the time. But if that were the case, wouldn't he have remembered that he had condoms in the first-aid kit? Did it even matter if he did do this all the time? It's not like I wanted anything other than tonight. Even if I did, this was all we had.

When he turned back around, he stilled. "What's wrong?"

All my life, people have told me that whatever I feel is broadcast on my face. I used to get in trouble for my expressions rather than anything I said. I remember getting slapped for literally saying nothing at the dinner table because my father didn't like the ‘tone of my face.'

I shook my head, trying to mask my inner dialogue. "Nothing."

Harlan opened the box and pulled out a single package. "Weston found these after class. They're not mine. I've never hooked up out here, or with one of my students, for that matter."

"Don't. You don't have to…" I shook my head, feeling a little silly that he'd noticed my expression and somehow read my mind. This was a one-night stand. Not a relationship. "You don't owe me any explanation. It's fine."

"I know it is. I'm just telling you because I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me. A lot of people think they know me, but they don't."

I'd always been good at reading people. I don't know if it was a skill I was born with or one I'd developed trying to keep the peace at home, but I was good at it. During college, I'd cleaned up in an underground poker ring on campus. My winning streak in those weekly games had allowed me not to have to work a part-time job. I'd planned on using that skill as an investigative journalist, but my career path had taken me to an unexpected destination.

I watched as Harlan bit the corner of the wrapper with his teeth and then made quick work of rolling it on. My eyes were fixated on his large hand as he slid the protection down his impressive girth. His hands were ginormous, and yet, in comparison to his erection, they didn't look it. I'd seen it before, but this was the first time, I was really looking at it and not admiring his entire body.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he questioned. "We can stop."

I lifted my gaze to meet his, and I realized he must have seen my trepidation.

"No." I shook my head. "I mean, yes, I want to do this."

To be honest, I felt a little lightheaded with anticipation. I wasn't sure what had gotten into me. Or where this walk on the wild side was coming from. I'd never had a one-night stand before in my life. I'd always had long-term boyfriends and then Kale, who was basically a long-term situationship.

This was the first time I'd be having sex with someone I knew wasn't going to be in my life. The thought of that made me sad. Not the sex part, the not seeing Harlan again. But it also made me feel even more desperate to make the most of the time we had together.

Which probably contributed to making this encounter that much hotter.

He laid down next to me on his side, so he was facing me. I watched as he placed his hand on my thigh just above my knee, then slowly, sensually slid it up my thigh. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers dipped between my legs and ran up and down my opening.

"I want to make sure you're ready. Nice and wet for me."

As much as I'd always prided myself on being vocal in intimate situations, I found that as I tried to assure him that wasn't going to be a problem, no sound came from my mouth. All I could do was nod as the roughened pad of his middle finger grazed my swollen clit.

He pressed a soft kiss to my mouth, then my chin, then my neck, then he covered my nipple with his lips and nipped my beaded flesh with his teeth. The sharp sensation shot straight between my legs, and it continued to tingle as he flicked his finger along my sensitive bud.

I'd just had an incredible orgasm and did not think my body was capable of another. But within seconds, I felt the tension of bliss building low in my belly.

"I'm ready," I panted, wanting him to fill me up.

He shifted, moving above me—his erection cradled against my sex as his hips burrowed between my thighs. My legs fell even farther apart as he reached between our bodies. The warmth of his breath washed over my cheeks as he gripped himself, lining his crown up to my opening.

My hands held onto his biceps as I watched him run his engorged tip up and down my feminine folds. With every pass, my breath grew more and more shallow. My hips began to roll of their own accord, my body signaling I wanted more.

His breathing was labored, and his body was tense as he continued teasing us both. Just when I thought he was finally going to give us both what we desired most, he stilled as he lifted his head, and his eyes met mine.

"Are you sure this is?—"

"I want you to fuck me," I stated in clear terms, leaving no room for any confusion or doubt.

His nostrils flared as his signature half-grin appeared on his lips once more. I braced myself as he once again positioned his swollen crown at my slit. The pressure of his thick head against my slit sent a shock of bliss swirling low in my belly. He removed his hand and then pushed inside of me in one forceful thrust.

The sensation of his intrusion overwhelmed me. My back arched, pressing my shoulder blades into the blanket-covered bale of hay as my body adjusted to his size. This was the first time I'd ever been with someone as girthy as Harlan, and the sting was initially uncomfortable, but soon the sensation melted into bliss. I'd never walked the thin line between pleasure and pain, but that was exactly the tightrope I was on now.

Harlan's fingertips dug into my flesh as he gripped my hip, tilted it up, then pulled out, and pushed into me once more. Again and again, he drove inside of me, stealing my breath and making me want to beg for more. My body was a glutton for punishment and pleasure.

"Yes, fuck me. Yes," I breathed. "Harder."

In the back of my mind, I knew that I was going to be sore tomorrow, but I didn't care. I wanted all of Harlan. I wanted him to give me everything he had. I didn't want him to hold back because we didn't know each other, or because he was afraid he would hurt me.

He started giving me exactly what I was asking for. His speed picked up as his body slammed into me, and soon, I felt my release crash into me with an uncontrollable shudder of pleasure. The tension that had built low in my belly exploded as tingles spread through me. I lost myself in the rolling waves of ecstasy until the final ebb washed over me.

As I recovered, Harlan turned so he was on his back, and he pulled me on top of him. I rested my head on his chest, and I could feel his heart pounding against my cheek. Neither of us moved to get up. Harlan's hand ran up and down my bare back, and I felt his lips press against the top of my head. I'd never felt more satiated in my life. Every cell in my body was singing with satisfaction.

Forget this town being emotional quicksand; I was in danger of falling in Harlan's dick-sand.