Chapter 33

Iknew this was stupid and not the best decision, but I wanted him. He felt so good under me. He tasted delicious and I truly wanted to devour him. I wanted him more than I ever wanted anything.

The moment was perfect. His apology was sincere. He made me feel seen and valued. He knew that he was wrong not to tell me. It was a mistake. He owned it. It wasn't like he lied. It was more like a sin of omission.

And now, we were here, at this beautiful lake, him baring his soul and trying to make things right. I appreciated all the effort he had gone through. I saw him for what he truly was—a flawed man who had made mistakes but was willing to own up to them. He was trying and that meant everything to me.

"I'm not a perfect man," he said. "But I'll always strive to be the best man that I can be, for you."

I looked at him again and saw the honesty in his eyes. That was enough to stop me from holding back. I kissed him again, sliding my hips forward. His hands, strong yet gentle, traced a path up my spine and cradled the nape of my neck, pulling me ever closer. With each passing second, I could feel myself succumbing to the warmth spreading through me. He planted a trail of kisses down my neck. I dropped my head back, exposing my neck to him.

"I need you," I murmured.

"I'm right here," he said against my throat.

I let out a soft gasp as he gently bit down on the sensitive skin there. My hands came up to clutch at his shoulders. He growled a low rumbling sound that seemed to echo through me, setting off a million little fires.

He kissed me once again until I was dizzy with desire. He shifted, sitting forward and turning until I was on my back and he was over me. His lips and teeth slid over my jaw and toward my neck. I moaned, reached down, and slid my hands under his shirt. My fingertips collided with his hard abs. My nails scratched at him as the passion got the best of me.

"Patience," he whispered into my ear, his breath leaving a trail of goosebumps on my skin. I could do nothing but nod in response, lost completely in the feel of him, the taste of him.

His hands explored the line of my body, tracing curves and valleys until I was writhing beneath him. Every touch felt like electricity through me, sparking desire where I never knew it could exist. His hand journeyed up to cup my face, and his thumb brushed gently against my bottom lip. "You're beautiful," he murmured, his gaze trapping mine.

His words made me feel vulnerable yet empowered at the same time. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Yes."

He kissed down my front through the fabric of my dress. A moment later he was lifting my dress up to my waist. His gaze was both intense and tender, a flame that filled me with an intoxicating longing for his touch. He carefully pulled my panties down and put them to the side on the blanket, then kissed the top of my thigh. I was new to the world of sex, but I wasn't so na?ve that I didn't know what he was about to do.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," I breathed out.

He kissed my inner thighs and moved up, his touch sizzling on my skin. I gripped the blanket, my breath hitching as my body anticipated the feel of him. He ran his fingers lightly over me, his touch eliciting a spark of desire so hot that it left me breathless. His tongue touched me gently, exploring slowly. My fingers gripped his hair, lost in the sensations he was awakening in me.

"Relax," he murmured against me.

I tried to comply, but my body was a coil of tension ready to snap at any moment. Every touch of his sent shockwaves of pleasure through me, his fingers and tongue skilled in ways that I could barely comprehend. His mouth on me was pure heaven, the heat from his tongue spreading a warmth that radiated to every part of my body. The coil inside me twisted tighter and tighter with each stroke, each flick.

"More," I whispered, my voice choked with desire. He seemed to understand exactly what I meant, applying more pressure, moving faster. My heart pounded in my ears as his mouth moved without relenting. I gripped onto him tighter as all too soon, that coil snapped.

My back arched off the blanket and a soft gasp escaped my lips as I felt a pulse of pleasure so intense I thought I might shatter. His hands held me steady, his mouth not relenting as he coaxed me through wave after wave of ecstasy. My body quivered, the sensation completely overwhelming. It felt like every nerve ending was sparking to life in waves of pleasure that took my breath away.

His fingers brushed a gentle pattern on my lower belly as he slowly retreated. He kissed his way back up to my lips while I was still trembling from the aftershocks of what he had led me through.

"I should have warned you," he said against my lips with a hint of humor hiding the deep heat in his eyes. "I can be quite intense."

His lips melded to mine again, a soft echo of what had just transpired.

"I think I would like it if you had less clothes on," I said with a smile.

"I agree."

While he quickly stripped out of his clothes, I sat up and pulled my dress over my head. Archer ripped open a condom and quickly rolled it on. I marveled at his gorgeous body. I had so many questions about his tattoos, but that was a conversation for later. Even though I just had a powerful orgasm, I craved another.

Archer returned to me, his form a sculpted perfection of masculinity that had my breath hitching in my chest. He leaned over me, and his hands cupped my face again before he kissed me. The taste of him was intoxicating. I couldn't help but meet his eagerness with my own.

His lips left mine to trail kisses down the hollow of my throat. I threw my head back, baring my neck to him once again. I could feel his smile against my skin before his teeth raked gently over the soft spot on my collarbone. He knew exactly where to touch me to drive me wild.

My hands found his waist, fingers digging into the firm flesh there, grounding myself in the reality of his presence. His body was as hard as marble, his muscles rippling beneath my fingertips. I ran my hands over his back, tracing each dip of muscle, each curve. He groaned, a low guttural sound that sent a jolt of pleasure through my body. I scraped my nails over his back and down his sides to grip his firm ass.

His breath was hot on my neck as he nibbled and kissed his way down to my breasts. My fingers tangled in the tousled locks of his hair, pulling him closer. His mouth found my nipple, tugging gently before swirling his tongue around. His usual stubble scraped over my flesh as he moved to the other, eliciting a violent shiver of pleasure. I bit my lip, my breath hitching in my chest. Darkness was falling around us, wrapping us in our own little cocoon by the water.

His hand found its way between my legs again. His fingers slid over me, rubbing my overly sensitive nub. The sensation was almost too much, my body already a live wire. But I reveled in it, my hips rising to meet his touch unconsciously.

"Archer," I whispered, my voice heavy with need. His name tumbled from my lips like a prayer.

He slid his body over mine, lined his cock up with my opening, and slowly pushed in. I gasped as he entered, my body stretching to accommodate him. The sensation was a strange mix of pleasure and a tiny bit of pain, but I embraced it all, wrapping my legs around his waist to pull him deeper.

"Damn," he groaned. "So fucking good."

I let out a gasp when he shifted. "I like this."

He chuckled. "Good. That's my goal. I want to pleasure you. I want you to crave me the way I crave you."

"I do," I whispered. "Trust me, I do."

His movements were slow and measured, each thrust sending waves of euphoria through me. His lips found mine again as he continued to move inside me, the rhythm of our bodies matching the beating of our hearts. I ran my hands down his back, gripping onto his shoulders as the pressure within me began to build once more.

Every stroke of him inside me had me seeing stars, literally and figuratively. My body spiraled toward another peak. His lips traveled between my mouth and my neck, leaving a trail of kisses that set my skin on fire. His groans were heady and intoxicating, his pleasure evident in the rhythm of his movements and the deep, rasping sound of his voice.

"Slow… slow," I whispered between gasps.

Archer followed my plea. His thrusts became a slow grind that had me arching beneath him. He draped one of my legs over his shoulder, changing the angle slightly so that every movement hit a spot inside me that had me crying out in pleasure.

His hand reached between us again, his fingers finding that overly sensitive spot. As his fingers began to move in time with his hips, I felt an impending explosion that threatened to consume me. I reached up, pulling him down to me so our bodies were pressed flush against each other. The taste of his sweat was on my lips as I savored the intimate closeness.

He knew exactly how and where to touch me, gentling when the edge became too sharp, then pushing further when I pleaded for more. "I can't!" I cried out.

I could feel the orgasm on the brink. It was like looking down from the highest waterfall and preparing to dive.

"Let go, baby," he growled. "Give it to me."

My body responded, arching and writhing underneath him, the pleasure ripping through me in waves. Each was more powerful than the one before, causing me to cry out his name in a voice that was both tortured and full of ecstasy. His body stiffened above mine as he thrust deeply one last time, his low groan of satisfaction mingling with my cries.

Panting heavily, he rolled to the side and pulled me into his arms. Perhaps it was reckless, but I couldn't deny the attraction I felt toward him.

"No more secrets, no more hiding," he said. "Just honesty and trust."

"Agreed," I murmured. "Are you busy tomorrow night?"

"Nope," he replied. "What did you have in mind?"

"I'd like you to come to dinner at the big house with my friends."

"The big house?" He chuckled. "Sounds intimidating. That's old slang for prison."

I laughed. "It's just a silly nickname for the house because it's so big and there are just the three of us. I'd love for you to come. You can meet everyone. We like to cook big meals and just sit around and hang out."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is Jameson going to interrogate me about stealing your spices or cutlery?"

"I'll make sure Jameson behaves himself," I assured him.

"Then I'll be there," he replied.