Page 33 of Fall Surprises
"Come on." Gus set me down but kept hold of my hand. "We're leaving."
We ran through the rest of the maze, past witches and zombies I barely registered. Outside, the cold air did nothing to cool the fire under my skin.
In the truck, Gus drove with single-minded focus while I tried not to combust from wanting him. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel, jaw clenched like he was fighting for control. When his other hand found my thigh, thumb stroking through my jeans in a rhythm that made thinking impossible, I nearly came undone right there.
"If you keep doing that, we're not going to make it back to the inn," I warned.
"We'll make it." But his hand tightened on my thigh. "I want you in a bed, Sam. Want to take my time with you."
At the inn, we barely made it through the side door before he pressed me against the wall, kissing me breathless.
"Your room," he said against my lips.
"Too far."
"Sam—"
I fumbled for the drawstring of his pants. "Please. I can't—I need—"
He caught my hands, held them still though I could feel the effort it cost him. "Not against a wall. Not our first time." His voice was wrecked. "I want to see you. All of you. Want to taste every inch of you. Your room. Now."
We stumbled up the stairs, trying to be quiet and failing spectacularly when I tripped and he caught me, both of us dissolving into muffled laughter. At my door, my hands shook so badly it took three tries to fit the key in the lock.
The second the door closed behind us, we crashed together. I yanked his jacket off, attacked the hem of his shirt, quickly pulling it over his head with his help. He was slower, deliberate, running his hands under my sweatshirt, palms hot on my bare skin.
"I wanted to hate you." I gasped as his thumbs brushed the undersides of my breasts through my bra. "You were so arrogant, so stubborn—"
"And you were so controlled, so determined not to let anyone in." He pulled back to look at me, his hands framing my face with unexpected tenderness. "But then I saw you with your hair down, laughing in that leaf pile, and I was done for."
I pulled my sweatshirt over my head, watched his eyes darken as he took me in. "Still want me?"
"Want you? Sam, I'm desperate for you."
We moved toward the bed, shedding the rest of our clothes as we went. His torso was all lean muscle, with a dusting ofdark hair I immediately needed to touch. My hands mapped the planes of his chest, feeling his heart race under my palm.
When my bra came off, he made a sound that was almost pained. "You're so beautiful. Been driving me crazy for days, watching you coordinate this circus in your perfect little outfits, wondering what you looked like underneath."
"And?"
"Better than I imagined." He lowered his head, took one nipple into his mouth while his hand covered the other breast. The dual sensation made me arch against him, fingers tangling in his hair.
We fell onto the bed together in a fumble of eager hands and breathless laughter.
"Smooth," I teased.
"You try maintaining dignity while this desperate," he shot back. Then he was over me, skin to skin, and the laughter died. His weight felt perfect, grounding me even as every nerve ending sparked to life. When he kissed me again, it was deeper, more intense, like he was trying to memorize the taste of me.
"Still sure?" he asked, fingers tracing my jaw.
Instead of answering, I wrapped my hand around him, watched his eyes roll back as I stroked once, twice.
"I'll take that as a yes," he groaned, then caught my wrist. "But ladies first."
He kissed his way down my body, taking his time, finding sensitive spots I didn't know existed. When he settled between my thighs, looking up at me with wicked intent, I nearly combusted from anticipation alone.
The first touch of his tongue made me cry out, hands fisting in the sheets. He was thorough, patient, learning what made me gasp, what made me shake, building me up until I was begging incoherently.
"That's it," he murmured against me. "Let go, Sam. Let me hear you."
