Page 76 of Begin Again

Kaden kissed my mouth, my throat and then glided downward with his lips. He paused at my breasts, pushing the robe a little farther apart, until they lay bare in front of him. He looked at me, a question in his eyes, but I could only bite my lips. That was enough of an answer for Kaden, and he lowered his head, depositing kisses all over my torso. I arched my back and swore I could feel his smile on my skin before he encircled one of my nipples with his lips. I groaned. His let one hand drift down my body until he was at my hips. His touch was the perfect blend of powerful dominance and unbearable gentleness. I longed for release. I longed forhim, though I knew it was probably the worst time to throw our rules overboard. But I wouldn’t destroy the beautiful moment by thinking too much about what it meant. It felt way too good for that.

“If you keep this up I’ll jump on you, like it or not,” I panted.

Kaden caressed my breast with his tongue before looking at me through his thick, black lashes. “It’s not about liking it or not liking it.”

“Which means?” I asked, breathless.

His lips moved against my skin. The tingling inside my belly was getting intense. “It means my self-control has its limits.”

I hoped that meant he’d finish what we started. As if reading my mind, he let his hand wander over my hipbones and inward. But instead of touching me where I wanted it the most, he took his fingers down over my thigh to my knee. Then he drifted back to the inside of my thigh and pushed it gently open. His breath caressed my breasts. My own breathing was choppy, and when Kaden stroked the sensitive skin between my legs, my moans echoed off the walls.

“Do you want me to beg you?” I groaned and took his face between my hands so he would see me.

His eyes expressed pure desire. Obviously he was having to pull himself together to keep from taking everything he wanted.

“That would be nice for a change, wouldn’t it?” he whispered, and again I felt the rough stubble of his beard, this time against my breasts.

“Less talking, more… ” I forgot what I’d wanted to say when his hand found the right place. My breath was shaking, and I clutched his arm.

“More what?” he growled.

“More… of that,” I gasped, as he circled his thumb over my most sensitive spot.

I was about to explode. Kaden put his mouth on one of my nipples and sucked on it. I pressed myself against him and as he groaned in agreement I felt it in my whole body. His thumb was moving faster, and I threw my head back. Stars were bursting around me. As the sensations rolled over me in waves, Kaden kissed me passionately, thus catching the hoarse cry that emerged from my throat.

Breathless, I sank back into the pillow. My body was limp, my limbs heavy. Kaden pulled his hand back and straightened my bathrobe. I watched him through half-closed eyes as he tied the belt into a bow. Then he lay down beside me.

“Rules only half broken,” I whispered and turned to face him. “How’s that for a compromise?” Now a powerful sleepiness overtook me; my eyelids fluttered closed. It was as if all the adrenaline had been flushed out of my body.

“The second-best deal I’ve ever made,” he agreed, in a soft voice.

I didn’t get to ask him what he meant by that. My breath was already slowing down. With his hand on my hair, I fell asleep.

A knock awoke me. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. Judging from the reddish rays filtering in through the window, the sun was setting. Dinnertime.

The door to our room was ajar and Kaden was wheeling in a cart with food after tipping the hotel staff. He’d thrown on his shirt but his hair was so disheveled that he couldn’t have been up for long.

Kaden brought the cart into the room and closed the door. I stretched out, sighing. My arms and legs still felt heavy; each movement was in slow motion. But I felt fantastic. It had to be because of Kaden’s presence. I no longer felt incomplete, and even my rage at my mother had faded. Instead, an exciting, tingling sensation coursed through my body.

Kaden took the lids off the various dishes and platters and sniffed the food. My stomach began to growl. With an amused twinkle in his eyes, Kaden faced me. When our eyes met I had to think of everything his mouth and fingers had been doing with me just a few hours ago. I felt hot and a throbbing sensation spread between my legs. I averted my eyes. The danger of my losing control and jumping on Kaden was too great.

“No.” He walked around the bed and knelt on the mattress, which sank under his weight. Then he put two fingers under my chin and lifted it. “Let it go.”

“What?” I croaked.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He leaned forward and placed his forehead against mine. “Don’t withdraw from me.”

I closed my eyes. Kaden stayed where he was, and after a moment I swallowed hard and nodded. I stopped trying to put up my inner walls again and instead enjoyed the moment of closeness. Leaning forward, I brushed my lips on his. Kaden sighed and stroked my cheek with his thumb.

“Could you please put something on now? All I can think of is your naked body under this thing,” he whispered, tugging at the belt of my bathrobe.

I nodded, smiling, and slipped out of bed. Kaden’s gaze burned on my back, and took all my will power not to turn back toward him. I picked out a pair of leggings, an oversized sweater and underwear from my travel bag and disappeared into the bathroom. I let the bathrobe fall from my shoulders. My skin was sensitive, and I still felt Kaden’s lips on my breasts. I buried my face in my hands.

It wasn’t as if I regretted anything. The opposite was true. I just felt anxious about my own desire for him. If he hadn’t drawn a line I would’ve gone all the way. That’s how much I wanted him.

That wasn’t good at all.

I got dressed and ran my fingers a few times though my disheveled hair before getting up the courage to leave the bathroom again.

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