Page 25 of Forbidden Kisses
“So it’s settled.” He glanced around. “Is your mom sleeping?”
Grace pressed her lips together, really trying not to cry right now, but there were so many emotions swimming inside her and the dam couldn’t stay strong forever. “She moved out.” Her voice cracked. Crap. “It’s for the best, really. She’s helping Mrs. Smith, who is newly widowed. And Mrs. Smith is willing to help her.” Grace offered up a smile, which fell flat. “It’ll give my mother some purpose other than waiting for the afternoon talk shows to come on. And she really hates depending on me so much.”
“I see.” Jack leaned a fraction closer.
Grace held her breath and her tears at bay. His cologne lingered in the space between them. She wanted him to touch her almost as badly as she wanted him to move away.
He lifted his hand and wiped one tear off her cheek. She hadn’t even realized it’d slipped away. Embarrassment swept over, but it couldn’t compete with the strong desire heating her body. Jack’s gaze flicked to her mouth and everything inside her buzzed with dangerous need for the man in front of her.
“Jack,” she whispered.
“Grace,” he said, reminding her of the morning they’d kissed in her bedroom as teens. That’s where their budding relationship had left off. His hand swept a lock of hair behind her ear and then slid behind her neck, reeling her toward him at the same time that she melted into his arms. She had no walls or defenses tonight. She was too tired for that, and too consumed by her sudden desire.
She lifted her mouth to his, meeting him halfway. A little whimper left her as their lips touched ever so slightly. Then his arms tightened around her and her mouth opened. The kiss erased everything except this moment between them. Nothing else mattered—not the tournament or her mother’s move—only this kiss that she’d been waiting to happen again since she was fifteen years old.
She pressed into his hard body, sliding her arms up around his neck. Stumbling around, they finally landed on the couch with her straddling him.
“Okay, Captain. Where are we going with this?” Jack asked, pulling his mouth from hers and trailing his mouth down her neck. Grace could hardly think as she pressed her body against him. His hand traveled up from her waist and disappeared under the hem of her shirt. He caressed her skin, his hand awakening every cell in its path. It had been so long since she’d been with a man, and now her body remembered why she needed one. And not just any man. She needed this one.
“My bedroom,” she whispered.
Jack’s eyes heated as he pulled back and looked at her. “Are you sure?”
“Very,” she said, breaking into a laugh.
He caught her laugh with a kiss and then sat up with her still straddling him. Planting his hands on her backside, he stood with her legs wrapped around his waist, kissing her all the way as he carried her to her room. He laid her down and climbed over her.And, oh God!The heavy weight of his body on hers felt bone-achingly good.
I could turn back now, her mind reminded her. It was a distant voice that she could barely hear over her screaming hormones. She didn’t want to turn back, though. Her mother had told her to “get a life,” so that’s exactly what she was doing. Either that or she was screwing up her life royally for one night of pleasure.
Chapter 7
Jack didn’t want to rush any part of this moment. It’d been coming since he was a horny kid with a crush. A crush was just based on something superficial and temporary, though. Grace had carved out a piece of his heart a long time ago and kept it.
He buried his face into the crook of her neck as he pressed his groin into hers. They were still clothed, and if things were going to go any further, that’d have to change. He didn’t want to rush Grace.
He pressed his eyes shut, cursing in his head.
“What’s wrong?” Grace breathed against his cheek. “Why’d you stop?”
He lifted his head and looked at her. Skin flushed, hair mussed. He liked seeing her like this. “I want to make sure you aren’t going to regret this.”
“Can we talk regrets afterward?” Her lips curled at the corners.
She was too special to him to mess this up. “I want you, Grace. I would never regret a single moment with you. But I need to make sure you want this, too.”
“Trust me, I do. No regrets,” she whispered. “Now stop talking and strip.” She sat up and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it onto the floor.
He reciprocated by pulling her top off as well, his eyes feasting on the skin above her breasts. Skipping a turn, he wrapped his arms around her body and unclasped her bra, letting it fall in her lap. He traced a finger along the side of one round breast. “So beautiful,” he said, his voice rough on the edges. Then he leaned forward and kissed the soft curve of her neck. As he leaned, he urged her body to lay back down. Her hands went to the button of his jeans and unfastened it. He shifted out of them, continuing to kiss her. He’d been with women before where the first time together was awkward, more like fumbling around and going through the motions. With Grace, however, it was like they were dancing and they already knew all the steps. Her every move complemented his.
She pushed his boxers down past his waist and he did the rest until he was fully naked.
“Your turn,” he said, removing every article of her clothing until there was nothing but smooth, beautiful, touchable skin. He traveled down her body, sprinkling kisses in his wake, taking note of how she reacted to each kiss. Some made her arch and moan. Some kisses tickled her. He wanted to take inventory for the future, which he knew was dangerous thinking. He and Grace could never have a future together. At least he hadn’t thought so. But he hadn’t thought they could have this, either, and yet here they were.
She tugged his body up. He did what she wanted and hovered back above her face. “Do you have a condom?” she asked.
“In my wallet. Hold on.” He grabbed his wallet out of the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the shiny package. Always prepared, but he was in no way prepared for tonight with Grace. A moment later, prepared in the physical sense only, he climbed back over her body. She clung to him hungrily, pulling him in as he rocked against her soft spot once, twice, three times a charm.
She moaned as he pushed inside her. The moment reached deep inside of him as well. His heart kicked painfully in his chest. This was more than sex and he knew it, and whether he wanted to contemplate it right now or not, some part of his mind was going there, ensuring that he did this thing right. Because this was his chance, probably the only one he’d get with Grace. If he failed, her walls would go up, higher and thicker than ever.
