Page 102 of The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

Mesmerized, she savored the warmth that spread within her. “Well, if you insist, then who am I to argue?” Still, she hesitated. “How does this work?”

“You place your trust in me. You can stop this whenever you want. You can tell me whether it’s working. You have to tell me what feels good and what feels uncomfortable. Does that make sense?”

Ohhh. She nodded. “Do you really think it will work?”Please let it work.She’d never prayed before, but she’d do it now.

“Don’t focus on the end goal. Tonight is a journey of exploration. I’m hoping you’ll be so caught up in the experience you’ll let yourself go. Let yourself go and know I’ll be there to catch you.”

When he phrased it like that, it became clear she had to trust. She knew in her mind what her heart had known all along. Rusty was her soul mate. The other side of her. The yin to her yang.

The first move was hers. She grabbed the hem of her ratty old T-shirt and started to pull it over her head.

He stilled her hand. “Slow down, sweetheart, we’ve got all night.”

He was right.

Of course, she’d figured if they could get it over with, then everything would be okay. She gazed into his eyes. “What happens next?”

He eased her away from him and gently lay beside her. He gave her a once-over, taking in the clothes she wore every night to be as unattractive as she could be. For a moment, she wished she wore something sexy. Her new lingerie or the negligee from her honeymoon. Yet, the way he looked at her made her feel decidedly feminine. He eyed her like he planned to devour her, and her cheeks grew warm, a blush overtaking her.

As he continued to watch her, she shifted and tried to keep from prompting him. What on earth was he waiting for?

“You need to get used to me looking at you.” He was answering her unasked question. “I get to admire your body as well as your mind.” He quirked an eyebrow. “I’m hoping that, when it’s your turn, you’ll reciprocate.”

Reciprocate.He was suggesting that there’d be a time when she could explore him.Huh.That thought wasn’t as scary as it had once been. But, for now, she’d let him take the lead.

He gazed into her eyes. “I’d like to kiss you now.”

“I’d like that.”

As he moved in for a kiss, her eyes drifted shut. He pressed his closed lips against hers. Once. Twice. The third time there was more pressure and she opened to him on a sigh. His tongue swept along hers. She responded to his leisurely exploration, winding her arms around his neck and pulling him even closer. Something curled deep in her belly and it expanded into want. Into need.

In response, he eased his lips from hers.

She groaned in frustration until he pulled her earlobe into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth. The unexpected action caused her to gasp as pleasure spread through her. Such a strong reaction to such a simple action.

He pressed a kiss below her ear. Then another to her jaw. He brushed his cheek against hers, letting his stubble tease the sensitive skin.

“I want…”

“What, Remy? What do you want?”

“More, Rusty. I need more.”

He grinned against her neck. “I’m taking my time. I want to make sure I don’t miss any pleasure points.”

Pleasure points? Was that what he was doing? He was discovering what she liked. Instead of asking for verbal cues, he was taking her physical ones. Which was a good thing, because when he kissed her neck like this, articulating anything except a long moan was impossible.

His hand drifted down, grazing her side.

Despite the T-shirt, she felt his touch. When he reached the hem of her top, curiosity overrode nerves.

Then he slipped beneath the fabric and laid his hand across her stomach.

She giggled.

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. “What’s so funny?”

“Your hand—it’s a little cold.”

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