Page 80 of The Beauty and the Boxer
Dozens of scars, some white and razed, someflat and purple, covered his taut chest muscles, that rippled androlled as he moved. Her hand came up, as her fingers trailedagainst the scars and scrapes that had all healed long ago.
“What happened?” she asked, as he grippedher hand.
“I used to get into fights.”
“Boxing?”
“No,” he said with a half smirk. He leanedin and kissed her deeply as his hands began to pull at the edges ofher chemise. “Take it off.”
Feeling suddenly shy, but determined,Meredith grabbed her chemise by her hips and pulled the fabric upover her head. As she stood there, completely nude save herstockings, she felt more exposed and safer than she ever had. Hiseyes swept over her hungrily as he took a tentative step towardsher. With a single pull of the ribbon atop her head, her ambercolored hair fell around her shoulders. Jack hissed an expletivethat made her blush before his hand was on the back of her head,his other on her hip as he pulled her toward him. He kissed her ashe moved her about the room, laying her on a thick carpet that laybefore the fireplace.
Meredith felt both drunk and electric, as hekissed down her body. His tempo had slowed and she felt as if hewas suddenly taking his time as his hands moved down her abdomen,kissing and licking his way down. His hand came up to the center ofher thighs, feeling her wetness as she gasped.
He rolled then, moving his hips to line upover hers as he did and though she was ready for him, hehesitated.
She looked up and saw something she hadnever seen before in his eyes. Something close to fear, but thenwhy would he be frightened?
“Jack,” she purred, pulling him close toher.
“Are you sure? About this?” he asked, histone close to shaking.
“Yes,” she said firmly as the hard length ofhim pressed against her opening. “Yes, Jack, please. Please.”
In a single movement he was in her. It hadbeen years since Meredith had lain with a man, and the sweet,painful push surprised her. Jack’s head dropped, his foreheadleaning against hers as his eyes closed.
“Merciful god, Meredith,” he choked as hebegan to move. “My god.”
Meredith was suddenly desperate, urgentlyneeding him to continue moving, but he was torturous as he heldstill. Unable to stop herself she pushed up, urging him to rollover as her legs dropped to either side of his body. She movedforward, grinding against him as she sought a pleasure she hadn’tfelt in so long.
With each move, he inhaled sharply, untilhis hands found her hips and held her in a vice like grip, movingher in a preciously slow sort of way until it became quicker. Awave of heat crashed over Meredith as she found her release, herhands on his chest as he began to move beneath her, faster andfaster, until he pulled her up and off him. His mouth found herbreast and suckled her as the warm liquid of his seed fell on hercalf.
They held onto each other for a long timebefore either moved. When Meredith’s heart finally stopped racingand returned to its regular beating, she pulled back, only to findthat he wouldn’t release her from his arms.
“Jack,” she whispered into his ear as shekissed his neck sweetly. “I have to go.”
He didn’t move.
“Where are you going?”
She kissed his ear.
“Please,” she said. “Let go.”
With much regret he pulled away from her andshe felt a distinct need to push against him and seek the comfortof his arms. But she had things to do. She needed to return to hersister’s home and then, first thing tomorrow, she would return tothe Swan on Stokes and give Clyde his money.
Money that Jack had given her. Should shetell him that he was the single reason she would find freedom? Butno. He would try to handle it and she couldn’t let him clean up hermess, even if he was funding it. She needed to handle it on herown.
As if he were reading her thoughts, hespoke.
“I could help.” He seemed completelycomfortable being nude as he came up to her and although they hadjust made love, she blushed. “Let me help you, Meredith.”
She felt herself pulled in two differentdirections. She wanted his help, to tell him everything, but a partof her knew that Jack might very likely try to hurt Clyde and whileit might be satisfying to do so, she wanted Clyde to disappear fromher life as quietly as possible. She needed to do this on herown.
“You already have. It’s almost over,Jack.”
“What is?”
She shook her head and hurriedly finishedbuttoning up her dress.
