Page 20 of The Player

“Shh,” he whispered against her lips before claiming them in a kiss that was both passionate and tender.

She felt herself melting into him, the world narrowing down to the firm press of his body against hers. In his embrace, in the midst of their enemies, she’d found an unexpected oasis of safety, and she allowed herself to sink into the feeling, to be enveloped by his strength.

“You’re beautiful,” Seth murmured, his voice rough with need and each word laced with awe. “Are you with me, Hope? Is this what you want? Do you know what you want? Shit. You’re in no shape to give informed consent. Come on, baby, let’s get you in your nightie and ready for bed.

Hope laughed. He was so cute. Why had she never noticed how adorable he was? Well, it was hard to get past all those gorgeous muscles and masculine swagger. His concern for her was the most soothing balm to her soul.

“Seth, I am in full possession of all of my faculties. So much so that if you don’t agree to fuck me, I swear I’ll go find an all-night chemist shop and buy a vibrator and make you watch while I get myself off.”

That ought to convince him he wasn’t about to take advantage of her, at least not in a way she didn’t want him to. Stripping out of his clothes, he joined her on the bed and then did something unexpected: he kissed her belly, sending a flutter of butterflies dancing throughout her system. A shiver raced up her spine as he moved lower, parting her thighs with a gentle dominance that belied his fervent gaze.

“I’ve been dreaming about eating your pussy for years.”

“Years?” she laughed.

“Just go with me on this, will you?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll behave.”

“See that you do,” he said with mock severity, “or I’ll spank your gorgeous ass and not in a way you’ll like.”

“Oh, you might be surprised what I like,” she teased.

He grumbled something she couldn’t quite make out as he began to explore her nether region with his tongue. Hope sighed. She remembered this from that aborted night in London. She’d have to remember to apologize to him for that but not to Fitz. He was still a bastard.

Seth’s hands were a soft whisper against her heated skin, grazing her nipples and sending waves of pleasure coursing through her. She basked in the feel of him. Something about Seth made her forget everything else and just revel in the feelings—both physical and emotional—he evoked in her.

Hope moaned quietly, her hands fisting in the sheets. The tension within her coiled tighter, each pull of his lips drawing her closer to the same precipice he’d sent her over earlier in the night. He was patient, methodical, and relentless in pursuit of her pleasure and surrender.

“Seth,” she gasped, her voice breaking on his name.

“Come for me, Hope,” he murmured between kisses, his voice raw with desire. “I want you to come undone for me.”

And she felt it, the build-up of something monumental. With shaky hands, she reached for her own nipples, pinching them to ramp up the maelstrom brewing within her. Seth slapped her hands away. “You don’t touch yourself without my permission. You belong to me, Hope.”

A part of her brain said she should disabuse him of that notion, but the other part of her brain that was enjoying the way he made her feel told her to just shut up and let him have his way. As long as he could make her feel the way he did, she really didn’t care. The growl that rumbled from Seth vibrated against her core, his dominance stoking the fire within her even further.

“Seth, I, I can’t…,”

“Yes, you can,” he assured her, his dedication to her pleasure unwavering.

The world narrowed down to the sensation of his mouth, the mastery of his touch, and the overwhelming certainty that she was about to shatter into a million pieces. And when the orgasm overwhelmed her, it was like a supernova went off inside her, dazzling and all-consuming. Her back arched off the bed, every muscle tensed as wave after wave of ecstasy ripped through her body.

“Seth,” she cried out, a testament to the wonder he had coaxed from within her depths. It was amazing, a revelation that left her breathless and clinging to the remnants of the earth-shattering bliss—now and earlier in the evening.

As the aftershocks of her climax subsided, Seth’s movements became a languid crawl up her body. Her hands reached between them, finding him hard and insistent. She wrapped her fingers around his length. His breath caught as Hope began to stroke, a rhythmic pull that matched the still-rapid beating of her own heart.

“Seth,” she murmured, feeling the raw power of his need pressing into her palm. “I want you. All of you.”

The corners of his mouth lifted in the half-smile she had seen him bestow on so many others. Directed at her, it was filled with promise before his lips crushed against hers. The kiss was a maelstrom, devouring any remnants of restraint. There was only the two of them, the heat of their bodies entwined and the thundering pulse of desire that demanded fulfillment.

The head of his cock nudged the entrance to her core. With a strong, sensual push, he entered her, causing her to gasp in wonder. The fullness sent ripples of pleasure coursing through her.

“Seth…” The word was a sigh, a prayer, as she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper. He moved within her, each thrust punctuated by a shared breath, a shared heartbeat. They moved in sync, a dance as old as time yet as fresh as the new desire blooming between them.

The world outside their bedroom ceased to exist. Nothing could touch her here, not the shadows of past doubts nor the whispers of former pain. In Seth’s arms, entwined with his soul, she felt invincible.

Their pace and rhythm increased as he began to pound into her, a crescendo of motion and emotion that spiraled tighter with every thrust. The heat of his body created an inferno that promised to consume them both. Hope clung to Seth, her fingers digging into the cords of muscle along his back, each movement driving her closer to the edge yet again.

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