Page 45 of Betting Blind
With my permissive nod, he lowers the tiny scrap of material to the tiled floor. His stare hovers over the sensitive flesh at my center, and I gasp when he leans forward and kisses the area.
“Jack!” I shout, attempting to close my legs, but he grips my thighs, pinning me in place.
“Watch,” he demands. “I’ve been thinking about my mouth between your legs since the moment I saw that mirror.” He flattens his tongue against me, gently at first, then quickens his pace. I have a perfect view of every little sound that escapes my lips, and my watching only excites him further. He licks and sucks until I’m writhing against him, searching for that sweet release only Jack can give me.
My face flushes red with the force of my climax, and he stops to stand, sliding down his briefs. I fixate on him, proud and ready. This man is about to unravel me, and I’m embarrassed by how much I want to beg him to do so.
Picking me back up, the hard length of him rubs against the wetness he’s created as he carries me out of the bathroom and lays me on the bed. I release my insecurities, finding confidence in the way he’s worshiping my body, and I spread my legs before him. “Is this the part where you fuck me proper?”
Crawling over me, he nestles his hips between my legs and grips my jaw, giving it a squeeze. “I love that stubborn chin of yours. I always know when you’re going to give me trouble.”
I laugh. “I would hardly say trouble.”
“Tell that to Tank.”
Our smiles blend into light kisses as he pushes into me, taking his time and letting me adjust to the feel of him. I moan when he fills me completely, wiggling against him greedily. “My imagination doesn’t do you justice, Cassidy.”
I bring him to me, kissing him deeply and absorbing his words like a sponge. My eyes hold his starved gaze as he pulls back, repeating the same motion. He moves gently at first, but as the sensations build, I pick up my hips, encouraging every thrust. I splay my hands over his ink-covered skin, digging my nails in as I chant his name like a long-forgotten prayer.
My heart is soaring, my skin starts to prickle, and every nerve in my body begins firing away. There’s a little bit of pain as I adjust to the size of him but mostly white-hot pleasure, and when Jack brings his mouth down to my nipple and circles it with his tongue, I arch under the weight of his body with a moan so loud it makes my throat sore.
He works me over, sliding in and out with skilled precision before rolling us so that I’m above him, in full control. I don’t hesitate. I ride him hard, taking advantage of every minute of bliss. Our bodies sing without words and dance without structure, giving and taking in the most astonishing ways.
“Jack,” I shout his name when another delicious wave of pleasure thunders through my body. I lean down and bite his muscled shoulder as he grips me tightly, finding his own release with a moan buried into the side of my neck.
My heart is still racing from what we’ve accomplished and the weight of his arms around me, holding me close, feels like a sanctuary. This man has become a whisper in my mind—a thought I can’t shake. He’s the light I search for in the dark and someone worth fighting for.
Someone I can trust.
Chapter 21
Cassidy
The morning sun peeks through a small crack in the blackout curtains hanging in our room. My arms and legs are heavy when I try to move them and rolling my head to the side, I make out the shape of a body draped across me. The weight of Jack snuggled into my side warms me all the way to my toes.
My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, bringing his sleepy form into view. The man was insatiable. Once was not nearly enough, and the things he did to this body of mine should be illegal in at least seven states. A smile curls my lips.
The things I did tohisbody should be illegal in eight.
“Mm.” He stirs, nuzzling his face into my bare shoulder as I lazily trace the outlines of his tattoos. There are no words to describe what I feel for Jack after what we’ve done. What started as a simple agreement zoomed past complicated and has now landed us in unfamiliar territory. As I continue running the tips of my fingers up and down his soft skin, I hope Jack is going to stick around long enough so we can figure it out.
“I have them because of my parents,” he says quietly.
Confused, I still my hand for a moment. “What?”
He wraps a thick arm around me, pulling me in close and rubbing his forehead against me. I try not to laugh at the way the motion reminds me of Jules’s cat, Oliver.
Leaning up on one elbow, he props his head in his hand and lightly traces my bare skin. He’s moody this morning, watching his finger explore the exposed upper portion of my chest with stormy eyes. Cool air hardens my nipples when he slides the silky covers down and teases the swell of my breasts with gentle strokes.
“Ben and I grew up in a toxic environment,” he continues, trailing his touch along my arms absently, as if keeping his hands busy will make what he is about to say easier. “I’ll never understand what we did to deserve the childhood we had. A lot of people have one parent who becomes a problem at some point in their lives, but Ben and I were unlucky enough to have two.
“We were so young, so naïve and vulnerable. I have distinct memories of being deathly afraid of the men who would visit the house late at night. They were dangerous and their shifty eyes always gave me the creeps. Our kitchen always reeked of burned chemicals, and I have haunting memories of my mom, laid out on the couch with a glazed look in her eyes.”
My chest tightens uncomfortably as I fight a wave of tears. How could I have been so lucky to end up with an incredible mother, yet they were given to two parents who didn’t love or care for them at all? It isn’t fair.
“I’m tugging on her clothing—a red pair of pants—and I’m asking her what she’s made me for lunch. My stomach was pinched with hunger, and I remember all I wanted was a can of SpaghettiOs,” he tells me, sharing the too real nightmare.
Reaching up, I run my fingers through the scruff of his beard. I wish I knew what to say, but when words fail me, I run my thumb across his full lower lip and sweetly kiss him instead.
