Page 72 of Crossing Paths
He smiled right back at her, not at all embarrassed by his uncharacteristic verbal stumbling. “You’re more stunning than I could’ve ever imagined.”
Even though she could feel her face heat, she didn’t look away. Her heart felt full to the point of being stretched, as if it would burst with one more sincere word from him. Not wanting to risk it, she looped her hands behind his neck and tugged him down. This time, he allowed her to pull him into another kiss.
This one felt different. It was as hot as fire, as usual, but there was a sweetness to it as well. Leaving her mouth, he kissed along her jaw and down her throat, interspersing nips with gentle touches of his lips and tongue. She never knew which would come next, wicked or soft, so by the time he reached her collarbone, she was quivering with anticipation and raw need.
He wasn’t stopping though. He scored the tips of her breasts with his teeth before soothing them with his tongue. Shifting lower, he laid a path of kisses across her belly and then nipped at her hip bone. Norah realized she was making small, needy sounds, and a part of her was surprised. Her default was silence, but apparently not while Dash was exploring her body with his mouth.
Even when he shouldered his way between her thighs, hiswide bulk pushing her legs so far apart her muscles ached pleasantly with the stretch, her earlier shyness didn’t return. Despite the newness of the experience, the awkwardness she’d expected just…wasn’t there. All she felt was fiery need and eagerness for the next touch, the next kiss, the next teasing nip as those dark, dark eyes caught hers. She liked this, liked everything they’d done so far, and she hadn’t expected to. It shouldn’t have surprised her so much, she thought. After all, she’d liked pretty much everything she’d done with Dash. He seemed to be the key to her comfort and pleasure.
“You okay?” he asked, his breath hot against her center.
She was pretty sure she couldn’t be any more okay. “Yes.”
His mouth tipped up, his usual crooked smile holding more than a hint of wickedness. “Good.” Lowering his head, he gave her an open-mouthed kiss, showing her how very wrong she’d been. She could be much, much more okay.
Her orgasm wasn’t quick this time. Instead, it lasted for what seemed like forever, a suck or nip or lick from Dash sending her pleasure to crest again just as she thought it was receding. Norah was pretty sure she screamed as she came, but she wasn’t at all abashed by it. Even if the sound made Mr. P call the cops and tell them someone was being murdered at Norah’s house and an entire SWAT team came crashing through her bedroom door, she didn’t think she would care. She felt too good to be bothered by anything.
Dash crawled up her body, and she gave him what was certainly a dopey grin. He looked positively smug as he kissed her quickly and then got off the bed.
“Wait…” Her brain struggled to function in its floaty post-orgasmic state. “Where are you going?”
Leaning over, he kissed her again, a little longer this time. The flame in her belly reignited, jumping back to instant life like a smoldering campfire. “I’ll be right back.”
Grabbing his towel, he wrapped it around his hips and then slipped out the door, moving in his usual ninja-like way. Still feeling like her muscles were all overstretched and floppy rubber bands, she managed to push up onto her elbows, still confused as to why Dash had left. Before she could cover herself with the towel still wedged underneath her or even come up with a few worst-case scenarios to explain his disappearance, he was back, carrying his bag.
Closing the door behind him with his elbow, he dug something out and held it up.
“Ohhh,” Norah said as she recognized the small packet. “Good planning.” She couldn’t believe she’d completely forgotten about condoms. She scolded her practical side for missing that. Although in her defense, she hadn’t expected a group run would turn into a shower together and then sex in her tiny bedroom.
Tossing his bag into the corner, he gave her another one of his crooked smiles—which seemed to be coming a lot more frequently lately—and yanked his towel free. When he basicallyleapton her, she made a sound that was shockingly close to a giggle. Then he was kissing her again, their hands roaming freely, and she forgot everything else.
Since he had the condom, she expected him to get right to business, but he didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Instead, hetouched and kissed what felt like every inch of her body. Then he flipped them so she was on top and offered himself up for exploration.
Explore she did. She marveled at the differences between his body, so solid and hairy and rough, and hers. At the same time, there were surprising similarities, like the silky softness of the skin of his belly and the way kissing him right behind his ear made him shiver, just like it made her. His obvious desire for her fueled hers, and by the time he rolled on the condom under her fascinated stare, she was more than ready.
Holding her hips, he helped her ease down over him. The feel of him inside her was like nothing she’d ever experienced before—the stretch, the dull ache, thefullness—and she stilled, processing it.
“Okay?”
The word was just a breathless grunt, and she focused on his face. He looked…almost desperate, which strangely made her smile. Experimentally, she moved, lifting her hips a little and then lowering back down again, and he groaned, his fingers working on her hips as his eyes rolled back in his head.
Every nerve inside her was awake. It wasn’t just the physical sensations though, as incredible as they were. It was the sense of power, euphoric and addictive, that she was able to make him feel such intense pleasure. Not only that, but her focus was pinpointed on this, how each drag and bump of their bodies against each other felt. All the anxious thoughts that seemed to spin continuously in her brain were just…gone. Everything was so simple, just her and Dash, joined together.
She began to move more quickly, goaded by his grip on her hips, harder and deeper until she was coming yet again. Her body clenched around him, the feel of him inside her driving her higher. It must’ve triggered something in Dash too, since he made a growly sound, and then she was spinning as he flipped them over.
She’d thought her climax was easing, but this new angle shot her right back to the top of the roller coaster. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on for dear life as he drove into her and yet another wave of pleasure crashed over her. His muscles tensed under her gripping limbs, and he let out a long groan. Even in the throes of sensation, she still smiled at the sound.She’ddone that. She’d made him feel so good, made his muscles turn to Jell-O just like hers had.
His weight sank her into the mattress, heavier and heavier until she changed from feeling warm and secure to just a bit squished. Her arms were still wrapped around him, and she couldn’t imagine letting go anytime soon, so she patted him lightly on the back, tapping out like they were sparring.
He immediately raised his head, his eyes heavy-lidded but alert enough to figure out what she was silently telling him. “Sorry,” he said, lifting off her.
She immediately felt cold and exposed, and she worried he was going to leave, but he didn’t go far, just settling on his side next to her. The small bed forced them to stay close, and Dash angled his body, gathering her against him so he partially covered her without squashing her into the mattress.
They were both quiet then, but the silence held none of theawkwardness Norah dreaded. She floated in a comfortable daze, drifting but not asleep as one of his hands played idly with her hair. It was just…nice.
Of course it ended too soon. In the quiet, the squeal of the screen door was obvious. Dash stiffened, his muscles taking on that vibrating readiness as he moved off the bed and quickly dropped the tied-off condom into her tiny trash can. Grabbing a pair of sweats out of his bag, he yanked them on.
“Molly?” Cara’s voice carried up the stairs and through the closed bedroom door. “Norah? I know someone’s home, since the alarm’s set for occupied.”
