Page 27 of Shaded Amethysts
23
Gage
Ialmost couldn’t believe my eyes or my ears. They must have been playing tricks on me. I blinked rapidly, but Avery was still here with her steady gaze locked onto mine and making promises of staying by my side.
Needing further verification, I said, “But I’ve told you so many shameful secrets. How are you still here?”
“Because you’re the bravest, strongest, and most loyal man I’ve ever met,” she answered, sounding perfectly sincere.
Backing up her words, she leaned forward and lightly brushed her lips against mine.
My mouth fell open both in surprise and delight over the magnificent tingling sensation of having this wonderful woman kiss me. I’d pictured this moment so many times, but even in my wildest dreams, I’d never imagined that she might willingly be here with me after learning the terrible truth.
Although I didn’t fully understand her easy acceptance, I wasn’t going to question my good fortune. Lifting a hand, I cupped her cheek and deepened the kiss. When she moaned into my mouth, I became lightheaded from the rush of blood to my lap.
It had been a long time since I’d been intimate with anyone, but this was too important to rush. I wanted to savor every kiss, touch, and tender moment with Avery.
As she pressed kisses along my cheek just above my beard, I said, “You’re so beautiful inside and out.”
She graced me with a sexy laugh before murmuring, “I was just thinking that about you.”
It was my turn to laugh then. “Hardly.”
Avery tipped back to look deep into my eyes. Her voice sounded completely sincere when she said, “You are impossibly sexy, handsome, and built, plus you have a generous and gentle soul.”
“I’ve never been accused of any of that before,” I told her, unable to hide the broad smile that arose from her kind words.
“Then, evidently, no one has taken a good look at you, or they would see what I see––the greatest man I’ve ever known, except perhaps my Dad.”
My eyebrows drew together. “Don’t you have a brother?”
“Yeah.” She tapped her chin as if giving it some serious thought. “Alex is okay, but he’s no Gage Tavish.”
I couldn’t stop the deep bellow of laughter, and I didn’t want to. When I moved to kiss the soft column of her neck, I made sure my whiskers only brushed lightly against her skin as I whispered the words, “You’re absolutely delightful, Avery Biggs.”
“Mm,” an appreciative noise emerged from her throat.
“Do my whiskers hurt?” I asked, concerned that I might leave her delicate skin raw and red.
“No, I like it,” she assured me.
Her words surprised me yet again. I leaned back to look down at her. “Really? I was thinking about shaving it off, but I won’t, if you want me to keep it.”
She ran the back of her index finger along my whiskers before saying, “One of these days, I would like to see what you look like under all of this hair. Surprise me with it.”
I nodded my agreement before brushing my thumb over her lower lip. “You know what I think?”
“What?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“I think that lips are made for kissing––especially when you finally find the right lips.”
With that, our talking stopped for the night as we explored, caressed, kissed, licked, and loved each other’s bodies. For the first time in my life, I discovered how wonderfully different sex could be when it was with the right woman. We experienced the pure joy that comes with fully connecting mind, body, and spirit with another human by making love.
24
Avery
Gage’s passionate lovemaking had me feeling things I’d never experienced before and screaming so loud in the throes of pleasure that I was quite certain I never wanted to meet his neighbors. I hoped this rundown apartment building had exceptionally thick walls, but doubted that was the case. They were probably paper-thin, which meant his next-door neighbors knew that I cussed like a madwoman when I came.
