Page 20 of Just the Wrong Twin

“A little padding is always a good thing. It chafes against my skin if I wear it all day.”

“Are you going to take it off?”

“I wasn’t planning to.” Nate looked over his shoulder at her, wondering what she was thinking. “Unless the Hook bothers you.”

Sonia shook her head, her hair swinging and her eyes glowing. “No,” she said with refreshing resolve. “You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think a person is more than their scars.”

Nate smiled, unable to hide his relief. “Not all scars are visible.”

“No,” she agreed. Sonia continued tracing the path of the harness to the middle of his chest, then stopped to look up at him. “You’re really bulked up,” she said softly. “More than I remember.”

“Not much to do in lockdown other than pump more iron.”

She flattened her hands and spread them across his chest, watching their progress with a smile that got him right where he lived. “The harness looks really strong.”

“It is. I had them reinforce it.” Nate shook his head. “I don’t need to be racing someone up the rock-climbing wall, wondering whether my hand will fall off.”

“No, you need to be able to count on it,” she said, as if she understood.

“Exactly.”

She left her hand over his heart and Nate felt it pound beneath her palm. Their gazes met once more and that heat flared between them. She leaned against him, her breasts colliding with his chest, satin against cotton, and Nate felt his throat work. His heart leapt beneath her hand as she touched her lips to the pulse at his throat.

Nate waited then, motionless, his entire body aflame.

If she stepped away, he wasn’t sure he’d survive, but he sensed the uncertainty in her. He couldn’t explain it, but he had to give her the chance to choose.

* * *

Just the factthat Nate let Sonia choose, meant there was only one possible answer.

It was as if he intuitively understood how new and different this was for her, as if he guessed that she didn’t know how to make love. She wasn’t a virgin, not by a long shot, and she certainly wasn’t innocent, but she’d never felt cherished like this.

She’d never felt so appreciated and treasured.

It was the most seductive sensation in the world.

She stretched up and kissed Nate’s ear, just the way he’d kissed hers. Slowly, using her teeth a little, waiting until he caught his breath. She could feel the heat emanating from him and the tension in his body. She teased one nipple, just as he’d teased hers, and liked how readily it responded to her touch. She could feel his heartbeat accelerate and hear his breath catch. She twined her fingers into his hair again, unable to resist the silky feel of it, then slid her other hand down to caress his erection.

Nate inhaled sharply, his arms locking around her waist again and lifting her to her toes. She stretched up to whisper in his ear, liking that she could torment him as readily as he did her. He was enormous and so hard. Sonia stroked him slowly, feeling his entire body go tense. “Don’t you like that?”

“It interferes with slow,” he said tightly and Sonia smiled.

“You have to tell me what you like,” she said, caressing him.

“Can’t you tell?”

“Sometimes, but I’m curious.”

“Again.” She heard the smile in his voice and felt his fingers slide into her hair. “Isn’t there a saying about curiosity killing the cat?”

“Not this one.” She kissed his mouth then, a kiss that took half of forever. “I’m glad you let your hair grow a bit longer,” she confessed, her lips against his neck. “I’m glad you snapped back to the real you.” She kissed him again. “And I’m glad you came to the wedding today.” He smelled so good and felt so good. And he was right: it was potent to take it so slow, to savor every caress.

“So am I. I like surprises when they’re good ones.”

She smiled at him, flattered, and knew what she was supposed to do next. “How about this one?” She was going to drop to her knees and push down his briefs, but Nate beat her to it. She’d hesitated, just a heartbeat, and he’d noticed.

He caught her around the waist and swung her into his arms, grinning down at her gasp of surprise. “Your turn for a surprise,” he said as he deposited her on the bed.

---