Page 15 of Queen of Diamonds
“It’s only fair.” She took his hand and put it on her breast, showing him that hers was wildly beating, too.
He roamed his gaze over her, pausing on breasts that looked as if they’d be a perfect fit for his hands, and he couldn’t wait to have those pert nipples in his mouth. Her skin tone was a light brown, and he wondered if she was of Latin descent. Although her high cheekbones suggested American Indian. That was a possibility as Florida was the home of the Seminole tribe. Actually, as he studied her, he realized there was something familiar about her, but exactly what, he wasn’t sure.
“Stop staring at me and get busy,” she said, wrinkling her nose at him.
“Not my fault you’re a feast for a man’s eyes.” Especially one coming off a dry spell of over a year. He rolled them over onto the bed and smiled down at her when she giggled. Then her eyes locked on his, and he could swear that sparks of fire were dancing in the air between them. She sucked in a breath as she stared up at him, and he could tell that she felt the connection, too.
He skimmed his hand down the curve of her breast, then flicked his thumb across the nipple, watching in fascination as her eyes softened, then fluttered closed. He did it again, and then lowered his mouth to hers. She moaned when their tongues tangled, sending his blood racing south. If he lasted five minutes, it was going to be a miracle. Because he feared that was a distinct possibility considering how long it had been, he took his time giving her pleasure with his mouth and hands.
Her sweetness was intoxicating, and he could get addicted to her taste. He inhaled her scent deep into his lungs, memorizing it. By the time she was begging him to make love to her—because that was what was happening between them—he’d learned every inch of her body. He’d soaked up her sighs and moans when he’d made her come… twice.
“Please, Rand,” she said through heavy breaths.
“Yes.” He fumbled for the box of condoms with one hand while crashing his mouth down on hers, kissing her hard and deep. He pulled away long enough to rip the condom open with his teeth and roll it on before picking up where he’d left off because kissing Kinsey was his new passion.
She wasn’t shy about touching him, and her hands left a trail of fire over his skin as she explored his body. “You have magic fingers, Kins, but I’m going to embarrass myself in a minute if you keep that up.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one.” He moved between her legs and rested on his knees. The picture in front of him—Kinsey with her hair spread over the pillow, those smoky eyes, and the tongue she swept over her lush bottom lip as she stared back at him—was a fantasy he’d never thought to want, but now feared he was going to crave.
She crooked a finger at him, inviting him in, and it was the best invite he’d ever received. “It’s been a while, so I’m apologizing ahead of time,” he said as he slid into her. She felt too good, and he stilled, closing his eyes in an effort to gain control.
“Stop saying you’re sorry.” She wrapped her legs around his thighs and pushed, encouraging him to move.
He decided control was overrated. This time would happen fast, but they had all night and he’d make it up to her. She combed her fingers into his hair, and he buried his face against her neck, scraping his teeth along her skin. A shudder rippled through her, and when she moaned, he found her mouth, swallowing a second moan.
Her scent, her taste, the way she perfectly fit him was almost too much. A sensory overload after a year of not knowing the touch of a woman. He found his rhythm, and once she matched his movements, it was as if they’d made love many times before. It had never been like this, this feeling that he’d come home to a beloved place he hadn’t known to miss.
She looked up at him with eyes that snared him with the heat in them, and holding her gaze, he increased the pace of his thrusts. She tilted her hips up as if welcoming him, and he was lost. With each stroke into her, she tightened her inner muscles around him, sending him to the edge. And those little sounds she made were driving him crazy.
“Now,” she said.
“Now,” he echoed. He scraped his teeth over her shoulder as he thrust harder. The urge to mark her, to claim her as his was strong, and to keep from doing just that, he claimed her mouth instead. She arched up, her body going taut, and when she grabbed on to his arms—digging her fingers into his skin as if she needed him to keep her from flying away—the thread of control he’d been barely hanging on to broke.
Sweet Jesus, that was incredible.
“I’m crushing you,” he said when he could form words again.
She shook her head against his shoulder. “You’re not.”
“Au contraire, pretty sure I am.” He could feel her breasts pushing against his chest as she tried to breathe. Rolling them over, he kept his arms around her so that she wound up spread over him. “There. Better.”
“That was…” She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. Mischief danced in her eyes. “Good.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Just good? I’ll show you good, woman.” He tackled her, and her laughter was the sweetest music. After a time of taking turns to find perfect spots on each other’s bodies to kiss, he was ready to go again. Unbelievable. She’d somehow turned him into a randy boy.
Not much later she was begging for mercy, and only when she admitted that making love with him was amazing did he relent and give them what they both wanted. She snuggled up to his side, and once his breathing calmed and he could think again, he thought maybe he’d been wrong to think that he would never love again. Not that he loved her or was even sure he might someday, but the contentment settling in a heart he’d thought was dead and the instant connection he’d felt with her gave him hope that his healing had begun.
“Thank you for telling me about Zoe,” she said, her voice sounding sleepy.
He’d thought she had fallen asleep, but at hearing her say his daughter’s name, he smiled against Kinsey’s hair. He almost let her comment go, but he wanted to share what had happened earlier today. Mostly because he believed Kinsey had helped in a way he couldn’t explain.
“This afternoon I went into her room for the first time in months.” He wrapped a ribbon of her hair around his fingers. It was like playing with strands of silk. “And for the first time I smiled when thinking of her.” He didn’t say,instead of crying and screaming at the universe for taking my little girl away from me.He also didn’t tell her about the episode at the restaurant when he’d picked up the pizza. That wasn’t the first time something like that had happened. The sight of a child, especially a little girl, was a reminder of what he’d lost. He avoided children whenever possible.
Kinsey lifted onto her elbow and stared down at this man who was breaking her heart. “It took me a long time to be able to smile when thinking of my mother, but when it happened, it was the best feeling in the world. My memories of her are special, and I wanted to feel happy when remembering our time together.”
She leaned down and brushed her lips over his. “I’m glad that’s beginning to happen for you. Zoe would want you to smile when thinking of her.”
