Page 31 of Friar
Something flared in his eyes -- relief, desire, a flash of vulnerability quickly masked.He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against my stomach, his breath warm through the thin material of my shirt.I felt the slight tremor in his hands as they tightened on my hips and realized with a start that he was nervous.This strong, confident man who had faced down his entire club for me was trembling at the thought of being with me.
The realization emboldened me.I ran my fingers through his hair, cradling the back of his head as he breathed against me.“I want you,” I repeated, more firmly this time.“I want this.”
He looked up, and the raw emotion in his eyes stole my breath.Without breaking our gaze, he pulled me down to sit beside him on the bed.His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of my lower lip.
“I’ll go slow,” he promised, leaning in to replace his thumb with his lips.
The kiss was different from the ones we’d shared at the overlook -- deeper, more certain, with an underlying hunger that made my skin flush hot.His hand slid from my cheek to the nape of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair as he guided me backward onto the bed.
I went willingly, my body melting into the mattress as he followed, careful to keep his weight from pressing against my stomach.The sheets beneath me carried his scent, surrounding me with the essence of him as his lips trailed from my mouth to my jaw, then lower to the sensitive spot where my neck met my shoulder.
My hands found their way beneath his shirt, exploring the warm skin and hard muscle of his back.He made a sound low in his throat, something between a groan and a sigh, when my nails scraped lightly along his spine.Encouraged, I grew bolder in my exploration, learning the map of his body with curious, eager fingers.
He was equally attentive, his touches reverent and questioning, always watching my face for the slightest sign of discomfort or hesitation.When his fingers brushed the slight swell of my stomach, I tensed momentarily -- a reflexive insecurity about my changing body -- but he must have misinterpreted, because he immediately withdrew his hand.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, guiding his palm back to the curve of my belly.“Just… new for me.Being touched there.”
I saw something profound in his gaze before he bent to press a gentle kiss to my stomach through my shirt, a gesture so tender it brought tears to my eyes.
“Beautiful,” he murmured against the fabric, his breath warm against my skin.“All of you.”
He pulled me closer and nuzzled his face into my neck, his stubble tickling my sensitive skin as he inhaled deeply.“You smell so good,” he murmured against me.
As if he couldn’t resist any longer, he leaned back onto his knees and slowly slid my jeans and panties down over my hips and thighs.“So fucking beautiful.”
Our gazes met once more and I saw a mixture of lust and reverence shining back at me.He ran his tongue teasingly along the edge of my folds before dipping inside me.I gasped loudly at the unexpected intrusion but couldn’t help but beg for more when he plunged his fingers deep inside me as well.He took control completely; I was nothing but putty in his hands.
The combination of sensations sent shockwaves through my body; it felt both painful and pleasurable at the same time.Using his tongue, he teased my clit and I could feel myself getting closer to the edge.
“Fuck!”The word escaped from my lips before I could stop it.It sounded harsher than I intended but only seemed to fuel his desire as he continued relentlessly until finally I exploded with an ear-splitting scream that echoed off the walls around us.
I didn’t even get time to catch my breath before he was helping me out of the rest of my clothes and tugging off his own.Then he settled over me, the weight of him pressing me into the mattress.His gaze locked with mine as he slowly sank into me, his cock stretching me.He closed his eyes briefly, a shudder raking his body.
“I won’t break,” I told him.
“I promised you slow.”
I cupped his cheek.“I just wantyou.I don’t care if it’s fast, slow, or somewhere in between.All that matter is that it’s you and me.”
He smiled faintly and pressed his lips to mine as he drew his hips back and surged forward again.He kissed me hungrily as he drove into me again and again.I could feel that intense sensation building once more, and just as I started free-falling into another orgasm, I felt the heat of his release inside me.
I raked my nails down his back, feeling the urge to mark him as mine.He groaned and pressed deeper into me.Looking up at him, I wondered how I’d gotten so lucky.Sure, I hadn’t gotten to this point by conventional means, but in my heart, I felt like I was meant to be with Friar.
Afterward, we lay tangled together, my head on his chest, his heartbeat strong and steady beneath my ear.The lamp cast a golden glow across the rumpled sheet and our entwined bodies.He traced lazy patterns on my bare shoulder, circles and spirals that left tingling trails along my skin.
“You okay?”he asked softly, his voice vibrating through his chest under my cheek.
I nodded, too content to form words.The physical pleasure had been intense, but it was the emotional satisfaction that left me feeling boneless, complete in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
He stroked my hair, gentle fingers combing through the tangled strands.“No matter what happens with the baby,” he whispered into the quiet room, “I want you to know I’m here for both of you.Whatever the test shows.Whatever comes next.”
I pressed a kiss to his chest, right over his heart, letting the steady rhythm of it lull me toward sleep.My last conscious thought before drifting off was one of profound gratitude -- for the motorcycle ride that had brought us to the overlook, for the confession under the stars, for this man who had chosen us when he could have walked away.
Right now, in this moment, with this incredible man, I felt truly, completely safe.Here, in Friar’s arms, in Friar’s bed, in Friar’s life.Home wasn’t a place, I realized as sleep claimed me.It was a person.And against all odds, I had found mine.
Chapter Twelve
Cheri
