Page 71 of Duplicity

‘Come here.’ I release her nipple and slide an arm under her head, wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling her against my body. ‘That’s better.’

It is. She’s flush against me, her head cradled in the crook of my arm, her face so close to mine. Don’t get me wrong; I love flipping her over and fucking her from behind. I go crazy when she obeys my commands to crawl away from me only for me to dive on her.

But this is cool, too, even if it’s uncharted territory for me to cuddle a woman while I bring her to orgasm.

She tilts her face up towards mine, a silent plea for my mouth. I bend my head to meet her, parting her lips with my tongue as I hold her close against me, my hard-on flexing against her hip. ‘Open your legs for me, love,’ I whisper against her mouth before diving back into the kiss and using my free hand to stroke her breasts. At this angle they’re almost flat, the taut nubs of her nipples the best kind of fidget toys.

I play with them for a few moments as our tongues entangle and she makes soft noises of appreciation into my mouth. Then I let my hand trail down between her breasts, over the velvety-soft skin of her stomach, to the neat little triangle of fair hair that marks nirvana for me. Her knees are drawn up, her legs parted, one of them resting on my thigh, and I marvel at the intensity ofthis position: of feeling so close to her. Of being able to see every flutter of her eyelids.

When I slide my fingers between her legs, she’s wet and silky, her promised land exposed just for me. I stroke her flesh so, so softly, in awe that this lush, fertile habitat can unearth itself for me, that the female body is such a subtle and intelligent and complex thing. I brush my fingers over the glossy button of her clit and explore the delicate petals that enfold it before circling her entrance.

And all the time, I kiss her.

It’s always been clear to me that the female sex organs are far more complex than the blunt instruments with which we blokes are gifted, but my hyper-focus has never quite zoned in on the intricacies of a woman like it’s doing now. I’m usually thinking mainly about chasing my own pleasure. The woman’s pleasure is more marginal: it’s an ego boost to me and a channel for getting her wetter and the sex hotter.

But in this moment, all I can focus on is exploring Marlowe. Beingallowedto explore her. Having free rein over her stunning, incredible body.

‘How does this feel?’ I murmur against her mouth as I return to her clit with featherlight touches.

‘Like you’re teasing me and teasing me,’ she says with a little gasp.

‘You want it harder?’

‘Yeah, but I kind of like the teasing, you know? It’s making me lose my mind.’

‘That’s very good, baby. That’s exactly what I want you to do. I want you to lose that incredible mind. Just lie back and pay attention to every little touch.’

I hold her more tightly and lift my head so I can watch her face. Her eyelids have fluttered closed again. Her dark-blonde eyelashes lie fanned out against her cheeks. She’s wearing nomakeup today, and she looks wholesome as fuck. I continue to touch her lightly, and with every touch I wonder how it feels to her. How much each stroke teases her. Torments her.

Ignites her.

She writhes beneath me, pushing into my fingertips. Her body is warm and lithe against mine.

‘I’m close. I’m?—’

‘Look at me,’ I order her. ‘Look at me and I’ll give you everything you need.’

She opens her eyes. They’re magnificent. I could lose myself in them. Their huge pupils, their frantic movements, tell me everything I’ve wanted to know. She’s not faking this.She needs it. Right now, she needsme.

‘You’re so fucking beautiful,’ I tell her as I slide two fingers inside her cunt and use my thumb to rub her harder. She’s silken inside.Silken. Our faces are inches apart. I blame the rasp in my voice on the fact that my cock is rock fucking hard. ‘I’ve never been so blown away by a woman’s beauty as much as I was that time I first saw you. Never.’And every time I’ve seen you since.

She arches harder, lifting her hand to grip the bicep of the arm I’m using to get her off as if she’s scared I’ll pull away.

‘I want to tell you something.’ She swallows and looks away. ‘It’s kind of embarrassing.’ I’m not the only one whose voice is strained. Hers is breathy with desire

‘Hey,’ I say, and she looks back at me. ‘You can tell me anything.’ God knows, Marlowe plays her cards close to her chest. If she wants to open up to me, I’m damn well going to make sure she feels safe to do so.

‘No other guy has ever made me come before,’ she gets out. ‘You’re the only one.’

She may be growing close to orgasm, but she also looks like she wants to sink through the floor with mortification. I can tellit’s the truth and I can tell what it’s cost her to share this with me.

I swear, I feel a hundred feet tall. In light of my little moment of insecurity just now, this is the greatest gift she could have given me.

‘You’re serious?’

She nods, her huge brown eyes fixed on me.

‘Well, I’m embarrassed for them. Not for you. Fuck’s sake.’

---