Page 120 of Into These Eyes
“Don’t think. Just the truth,” I rasp, barely touching my lips to the shell of her ear. “Tell me why.”
Again, she doesn’t hesitate. “Because it felt right. Natural. There were no words. Only … instinct.”
I slide my fingers between hers and curl them under until the tips are touching her palms.
“I also have instincts that feel right … natural … that are wordless,” I whisper, nuzzling that delicate spot behind her earlobe, my heart slamming against her back. “Should I act on those instincts?”
She trembles, and I don’t know if it’s with anticipation or fear. Releasing her hands, I ever so slowly run my palms up her arms as my fingertips graze the soft, sensitive flesh of their undersides.
Drawing in a sharp breath, she presses into my chest, seeking more contact.
“Yes,” she whispers. “Yes, you should.”
I spin her around. Our eyes collide with feral need. Before either of us can take a breath, I grasp the back of her head and crash my mouth against hers. Holding nothing back, I unleash all my pent-up hunger on her. It’s unshackled and unpractised, exploding with such starving intensity, it scares even me.
Yet she clings to my shoulders, her fingers digging in hard and pulling me closer, not pushing me away like she probably should. There’s nothing romantic about this kiss. It’s raw, animalistic, driven by my need to devour and possess her. And I haven’t even started on her body yet.
As my lips grind against hers too hard, as my tongue ravages and our teeth clash, I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her onto the cool stone countertop.
Just as her knees part for me, she gasps and jerks away, the back of her hand flying to her mouth.
Breath blasting from my lungs, I freeze, wondering how I’ve fucked this up.
Then her hand comes away from her lips and I see the small red smear left behind.
Oh shit. I’ve hurt her.
Dread slams my heart to a stop. Releasing her, I step away and grip the back of my neck.
“Jamie … I’m so sorry,” I manage to croak.
“It’s fine,” she says through rapid breaths. After pressing the back of her hand to her swollen, ravished lips, she pulls it away and inspects it again. “It’s already stopped bleeding.”
As my heart starts up again, I drag a hand down my face and turn away, too ashamed to let her look at me.
“Donotshut me out,” she demands, throwing my words back at me.
Reluctantly, I turn and face her. She’s still on the counter, knees slightly parted, fingers gripping the edge of the stone on either side of her thighs. Her harsh breaths rock her body back and forth a little. Everything about her posture tells me she hasn’t closed herself off. But those beautiful eyes stare at me with a million questions.
“I’m a fucking beast,” I tell her. “This is what sixteen years deprived of touch has done to me. J, I’m sorry.” I swipe a hand through my hair and break eye contact. “I meant to … do that differently.”
“Gavin …” When I meet her stare, she holds a hand out to me. “I think you should kiss it better.”
I stand motionless, completely bowled over by this woman’s kindness and understanding. Taking hesitant steps, I grasp her hand. Her grip tightens with reassurance as she draws me in until I’m standing between her parted thighs.
“Let me see,” I demand softly.
She pouts out her bottom lip and I can’t help but smile, letting go of the dread curled inside me. Thank fuck I haven’t ruined everything.
Gently, I cup her face in my hands and ease her bottom lip down with my thumb. There, just inside, I see the tiny cut. And she’s right, it’s no longer bleeding.
Relief, mixed with a coiling, primal need sweeps through me as I press my forehead to hers. “I screwed that up. I wanted to—”
She places a finger over my lips. “Don’t tell me. Just show me.”
When her hand drops away, I lean back a little, watching her eyes search mine before they drop to my mouth. My heart races with anticipation. And fear. Terrified I’ll fuck this up again. But I won’t let that stop me. I move in and feather my lips over hers. “I’ve wanted this for so fucking long, J.”
And then I capture her bottom lip between mine, gently drawing it in with a soft, tender suction. Christ, it’s plump and delicate, and so warm. Apart from her kiss last night, it’s been so damn long since I’ve done this. It’s vaguely familiar, yet completely new. As she kisses me back, I drink in the divine sensations we’ve both been deprived of for almost half our lives.
