Page 56 of Troy Story
As he took her hand and led her to his room, a naughty thrill surged through her. She felt like a teenager sneaking around with her boyfriend while his parents were out.
Compared to her cluttered dorm-style room, Stuart’s was tiny, almost monk-like. As she expected, he kept it tidy. His double bed was neatly made, covered with a navy comforter. The nightstand beside it held a box of tissues and a worn paperback copy ofThe Iliad. And his suitcase, messenger bag, and hiking boots were lined up beside the tall wooden wardrobe that stood against the wall. If she opened it, she suspected she’d find his clothes hanging in a row, arranged by color.
Stuart shut the door behind them. “Let me close the blinds and switch on the fan. It’s kind of stuffy in here.”
He lowered the window blinds and angled the standing fan so it faced the bed. But when he turned to face her, all her blissful buzz vanished. She rubbed her bare arms, suddenly anxious. Though she’d never felt inadequate with any of her partners before, none of them had built her up the way Stuart had. What if she didn’t live up to his fantasies?
Pushing aside her doubts, she closed the distance between them and locked eyes with him. The warmth she saw set her at ease. What was she so worried about? Even if tonight didn’t match his erotic daydreams, they’d still have fun together.
With a flirtatious smile, she reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Over the years, she’d seen him shirtless plenty of times, but she’d never had the liberty of touching him freely, except when she’d lathered him up with sunscreen.
She ran her hands along his bare chest, relishing the feel of his firm muscles. Leaning in closer, she placed soft kisses on his shoulders and collarbone, his skin warm beneath her lips. She inhaled the familiar scent of his body wash, the same woodsy mix of cedar and cypress that he’d used for years. When she ran her tongue along the curve of his neck, he sucked in a breath and tangled his hand through her hair, sending spirals of heat racing through her.
She smoothed her fingers along a sturdy bicep. “You’ve been lifting, haven’t you? The Stuart from last year wasn’t this built.”
“This is going to sound like a total cliché, but after Shelby and I broke up, I needed to get out of my head. I upped my gym workouts a lot.”
“It shows. Not that I didn’t appreciate your body before, but this is next-level.”
Eager to explore further, she unzipped his shorts and tugged on them until they fell in a heap around his ankles. But as she reached for his boxers, he gently took hold of her hand. “Not until I get to see a little more of you. It’s only fair.”
“You know how much I love playing fair.” She removed her tank top slowly, then unclasped her bra and tossed it aside.
The fan blew a gentle breeze across her nipples, making them perk up. He was looking at them with such undisguised longing that she trembled in anticipation. The heat from his gaze ignited a fire inside her, dousing her earlier inhibitions. She undid the button of her shorts and eased them off her hips; her panties followed seconds later. And then she was totally naked, facing her best friend, without a hint of shame or insecurity.
He regarded her in awe, like she was a precious treasure he’d just uncovered. “You’re so beautiful. You have no idea how much I want you.”
“Oh, I think I do.” Taking a step closer, she looped her arms around his neck and ground her body against his. The feel of his hard length pressing into her made her ache with need.
When he kissed her, she tasted red wine on his tongue. They stood suspended in time as he devoured her mouth with kisses so deep and passionate that she could barely keep upright.
Still kissing her, he maneuvered her over to the bed. As she stumbled back against it, she pulled away. She hated to break their connection, even for a second, but she wanted to make sure they were prepared. “You have condoms?”
“Top drawer of the nightstand. But we won’t need one yet.” He leaned over to pull aside the bedding, then lowered her onto the thin cotton top sheet. Standing over her, he gave her a roguish smile. “There’s a lot more I want to do to you first.”
Her pulse raced at the thought of what he wanted. He straddled her body, pinning her down while his lips burned a trail along her neck and shoulders, lingering in the hollow of her throat. He took his sweet time arousing her. Tweaking her nipples, then sucking on them until she gasped with pleasure. Placing soft kisses on her stomach and hip bones. Brushing his beard along the inside of her thighs as his lips came tantalizingly close to the center of her desire.
By now, she was wet with longing, craving release, but she let him set the pace. She wanted him to be in control, acting out the fantasies he’d spun in his head.
When he placed his fingers between her legs and stroked her, she let out a cry. He stopped quickly. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. It feels good. Just touch me there. Right there.” She guided his hand until he’d hit the perfect spot.
“Better?” He started stroking her again, slow circular movements that built up the friction inside her until she could hardly bear it.
“Yes. Like that.” She tensed up, her breath suspended, her muscles tight. And just when she was almost there, so close she could feel herself cresting that delicious wave of pleasure, he lowered his head and used his tongue, licking and sucking and finding her sweet center. She moaned his name, begging him to continue. “Please, Stuart, please, please, please.”
And then she was completely and utterly lost. She cried out again, long and loud, as the sensations surged through her, like the rush of a roller coaster on a downward plummet. He kept going, letting her ride that high again until she climaxed a second time in a wail that stole her breath away.
She tugged on his hair, forcing him to stop until she’d drawn in a lungful of air. She’d never felt like this, so breathless, so out of control, her whole body thrumming with sensation.
“Wait. Stop,” she said. “I need a minute to recover.”
He released her gently. “I can wait. But we’re not close to being done yet.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Stuart loved that he’d made Dusty beg. For once, she’d relinquished all control and let him take the reins. And he’d loved every minute of it, especially the way he’d made her cry out in passion. No shame, no filter, just a breathy wail of joy. Like she’d been waiting years for that orgasm. Having her naked beneath him was sexy as hell. But hearing her moan his name? Even more of a turn-on. By now, he was aching to enter her, but he wanted to wait until she was ready.
