Page 79 of Love Undercover
She expected his touch to trail back up, but hesitation flashed in his gaze as he met her eyes. It was like he was asking her again if she was sure. But she’d never been more certain, the soft song of desire singing in her blood.
She nodded. “Make me forget, Chase.”
It was apparently all he needed, and he pulled her closer, brushing the robe off to reveal her entirely to him, the terrycloth puddling on the floor. And even though she felt sure, it made her self-conscious to be so exposed while he was still fully clothed.
She curled in on herself a little.
“No, don’t,” he said, his husky voice bordering on a plea.
She brushed her damp hair behind her ear, glancing up.
“Every part of you is perfect,” he murmured.
Heat blossomed in her cheeks. It had been a long time since a man had complimented her so earnestly. She’d always known she was pretty, and the few men she’d been with made it clear they’d wanted her.
But nothing compared to the way Chase looked at her now, the way his words burrowed deep within her chest and blossomed, spreading like lush vines around her heart.
As if he wanted to prove it to her, his hands moved over her skin, lighting off little fires in her body as he cupped her breasts then took each into his mouth in turn.
Her head fell back as she gasped, fingers tightening in his hair. She came alive with electricity. Like the lightning that streaked across the sky earlier, every nerve lit up with the power and sizzle. Her body was already begging for some kind of friction.
As if he heard that call, his hands made their way downward, fingers slowly moving and circling in a teasing pattern that built up more heat, more tension, more need. His tongue moved over her nipple, concentrating on that movement, and her consciousness left her body as everything focused in on this one thing that was happening to her.
She forgot they were in this questionable motel, that he’d rescued her from a psychopathic criminal only hours before, that she’d ever been in this mess in the first place.
Only his hands and mouth mattered in this moment, only the way her body moved without her permission, reacting to his attention by building higher and higher until her knees threatened to buckle. She went flying over the edge so suddenly, her muscles snapped tight for a split second before the first of the waves crashed over her.
She fell against him, even as the waves continued to pulse, hot and jarring.
His lips made a trail along her neck, gentle and tender like he was savoring her. She’d needed to forget, but it seemed heneeded to be reminded. What it was to touch and be touched, to feel someone’s careful caresses.
She was happy to be his reminder.
Slowly, she came back to herself, the shattered pieces of her knitting back together with every breath she took. Finally, she straightened, taking the hem of his shirt to pull it off, pausing to marvel at what she found underneath. The result of his obsessive cultivation was breathtaking up close. Muscle on muscle. Her fingers traced the lines and edges of every single one while her eyes admired and her lips murmured her appreciation.
She let her fingertips hover over the discoloration along his ribs, a frown pulling at her mouth. Before she could think twice about it, she gently placed her lips against the skin, and he sucked in a breath.
Looking at his expression told her it was not because of pain. Wonder shone in his eyes, and he took her face in his hands so that he could kiss her like he was thanking her.
But it was she who owed him her gratitude. He had those bruises because of her. It didn’t matter that he was the one who’d taken her, brought her into his home. Because he’d done it to keep her safe, to protect her. Everything he’d done was with her in mind.
And he’d come to rescue her. He could have walked away at any point. But when Santiago had threatened to kill her, Chase had tipped his hand. That it very much mattered to him that she stayed alive, that she stayed with him.
She could have dismissed everything before this as simply physical attraction. He had been kind and accommodating, sure. But he was wired that way, even if he didn’t show that side to everyone. Not with having to keep himself guarded in this line of work. But the things he had doneforher, the way he’d fought to keep her safe, showed her this was more.
And so she let his mouth explore her naked body again while her hands worked over him.
Abruptly, he stood, picking her up and laying her back gently on the bed. He worked his pants off, revealing his entire gloriously built body, and she bit her lip as he retrieved a condom. He was mythic. Beyond comprehension as the muscles rippled and shifted with his movements, and she was suddenly even more self-conscious about the softness of her own body.
She worked out regularly, liked to build her strength, feel the improvement in what she could do and how she pushed herself. But she only had so much time, only so much motivation. Health was her biggest focus.
But Chase. His physique was the result of careful application, planned and precise cultivation of strength. There was nothing casual about how he came to look the way he did. She’d seen what built him in the elaborate setup he had at his house. And she’d seen how powerful his strength really was when he’d pummeled that punching bag like his life depended on it.
He climbed back onto the bed, his eyes such a deep green they looked almost black. He kept his gaze locked on hers as his lips skimmed her inner thigh, and she shivered in response.
He worked his way up her body with his mouth, and she began to feel feverish again, her core crying out for the feel of him.
“You’re so beautiful, Sadie,” he whispered against her stomach, peppering the skin with kisses.
