Page 40 of Sweet Passions at Bayside
Then his hands were in her hair, his mouth on hers, pushing away all thought. The insanely sensual scratch of his beard made her core burn and ache. When he pressed his entire body to hers, hips, chest, thighs, she stumbled back against the side of the shower stall. She barely caught her breath before he was taking their kisses deeper, and only one thought flashed in her mind.Please let him be right. Let me be capable of not messing this up.
His kisses were rough yet sensual, demanding.Always demanding.She opened her mouth wider, accepting his magnificent assault. His hips ground against her in a dizzying rhythm as his hands caged her in—one around her waist, the other buried in her hair. She’d already come to crave his possessive hold as his hands moved up along her waist. His kisses unraveled her, but his fierce dominationannihilatedher. She’d always wanted a man who knew how tobea man, who knew how totakewithout forcing, how togivewithout becoming too soft, and was sensitive enough to listen and care without losing his edge. Yes, she craved it all, even if she didn’t think she could hold on to such a magnificent creature. But she didn’t worry about that too much as she dreamed about the perfect potent male, because until Dean, she’d never come across a single one.
As their lips parted, a whimper escaped.No!She wasn’t done yet. Maybe not ever if he kept up these mind-blowing kisses. How could she have denied this heat? The passion arcing between them? She grabbed his shirt and pulled his mouth back to hers. Electric currentszinged along the surface of her skin, and her entire body exhaled, like she needed Dean to breathe. His hands were everywhere at once, on her shoulders, arms, hips, trailing up her sides. His heavy palms grazed her ribs, and she heard herself moaning, willing him to take more as he nipped a path along her jaw. Each stinging bite heightened her arousal.
He clutched her hips, holding her exactly where he wanted her. His mouth took up residence in the sensitive area beneath her earlobe, devastating her one openmouthed kiss at a time. The delicious friction between them, coupled with his insistent mouth on her neck, and the firm press of his hands on her hips set off an explosion inside her.
“Dean! Don’t stop—”
The desperation in her voice mirrored the agonizing pleasures tearing through her. She dug her nails into his shoulders as her entire body pulsed erratically. He didn’t relent. His mouth crashed over hers, muffling her pleas as he drove her out of her mind, intensifyingeverything, sending pleasure rippling from her scalp all the way to the tips of her toes.
When she came down from the clouds, she collapsed, spent and sated, against him. He lifted her into his arms, lavishing her with tender kisses as he carried her to the lounger. He sank down, tucking her safely along his side, and covered them with a blanket. Shocked by what he was capable of without so much as touching her in the places she always thought needed it most, Emery was lost in a sea of emotions.
She turned toward him and his leg moved over hers. His arm circled her waist, bringing her into the safety ofhim. He was wearing shorts, and his skin was warm despite the cool temperature. She snuggled closer, awakening her body again. Just as quickly as she reignited, she cringed inside. She’d been so swept up in him, she hadn’t reciprocated.Way to go, selfish.
She pressed a kiss just above the collar of his T-shirt and began kissing her way south. A niggling of worry stepped in, and she froze. Putting her mouth on him ranked right up there with full-on sex. In fact, it was even more intimate. Once they moved past their clothing, there was no turning back.Is there really any turning back now?She didn’t want to turn back, but what if things got awkward? Would they look at each other differently afterward? Would she ever be able to look at him again and not see him naked?
And then there was the other issue she was trying to push to the side. What if when she told Rick and Drake she preferred not to work for them directly—because I want to be with Dean—they got upset because she’d been the one who had approached them about the job in the first place? She could omit the part about Dean, but they’d figure it out. She was horrible at lying. Denial came much easier. But there was no denying her feelings anymore.
She glanced at the house and her stomach clenched.
Being outside, under the cover of night, gave her a sense of freedom and made her feel like everything was okay. She realized she’d felt freer, and like herself, more often today than ever before, and she knew it was because of her deep connection with Dean more than her surroundings. But once they went inside his house, they’d face a whole new landscape, with questions and boundaries that might no longer exist.
Dean tightened his hold. “You feel like you’re deciding if you should bolt.”
“I’m…”Trying to decide what to do.“Not bolting.”
“Darn right you’re not,” he said firmly.
“Don’t tell me what to do.”Darn it.Why did her habits have to be so ingrained?
He shifted his leg off her and waved his hand. “No one’s holding you hostage, doll. If Miss Rebellious wants to sabotage the best thing she’s ever had, have at it.”
Ouch.That stung, but the element of truth buzzed like a firefly. She tried to tease it away. “My, aren’t we cocky?”
He arched a brow, amusement playing in his eyes. “After pleasuring you, I have a right to be.”
She had to agree. “Okay, I’ll give you that. You’re quitetalented.”
He put his leg over her again, and in one move, he was lying above her, his hips between her legs. “You haven’t seen talented yet.”
She knew he wasn’t bluffing, and the hard press of his body made her want to find out. But as much as she wanted him, and wanted to reciprocate the incredible way he’d made her feel, it was more important to know that when they woke up tomorrow, nothing will have changed for the worse. Then they could make clearheaded decisions.
His mouth came coaxingly down over hers, and like a fish to water, her body instantly responded, arching and grinding.
He perched on his forearms, smiling down at her.
“I really like when you do that.” She reached up and stroked his face.
“Kiss you?”
She shook her head. “Smile.” That earned an even wider smile. “You’re always hot, but you’redangerouslyhot when you smile.”
“I’m only dangerous to those who mess with me.” He kissed her neck. “Or anyone who dares mess with you.”
“That made you even hotter.”
“Good. Remember that when we go out on real dates, like in a few weeks, for example.”
