Page 125 of Almost Ravaged

I look over my shoulder and lock eyes with Mercer, then smirk and turn back to Noah. “Maybe this will help.” Popped up on my toes, I grab his face and guide it to mine.

He hesitates, searching my eyes.

“Kiss me,” I whisper, my voice shaky and my hands trembling.

Despite how much I want him, and despite how confident I feel, I’m putting it all on the line right now.

Will he? Won’t he?

Does he want this?

Does he want me?

Gently, I scrape my fingers down his jaw, delighting in the prickles of his facial hair beneath my nails.

Instead of leaning closer, he slumps back against the wall.

My heart sinks, but I’m not giving up. Not yet.

I drape my arms around his neck and lace my fingers, forcing him to look at me. Time slows as I silently plead with him to make a move. To follow through. To dosomething.

“Noah. I want this. I want y—”

He dips forward, his mouth landing on mine.

My brain practically short-circuits.

Noah’s kissing me.

Noah’s lips are pressing against my lips. His massive hand is trailing up my spine. Now it’s cradling the back of my head.

I cling to his frame and open for him, greeting his tongue with a caress of my own.

A choked groan catches in the back of his throat as our mouths fuse together, then pull back in a hot, desperate rhythm.

As he licks into my mouth, his stubble scrapes over my skin and sends shivers dancing up and down my spine.

I try to step back, but Noah tightens his grip and pulls me in until my soft curves meld against his taut muscle and broad frame.

His trepidation has vanished completely, the strokes of his tongue relentless and reverent.

Without my permission, a whimper slips free. After all that hesitation, he’s kissing me like he’s never been so sure about anything in his life.

He clutches the hair at the back of my head and tugs. That simple move causes tingles to erupt all over my body. My nipples strain against the soft fabric of my camisole in a way that sends warmth straight to my core.

Mercer groans behind us, breaking the spell.

Panting, I look back and quickly assess him. I’m well-versed in the balancing act of a three-way, though I’ve never been involved in one that’s developed organically like this. Already, emotions are running high, so a pulse check feels necessary.

Dark, heavy-lidded eyes bore into me. “Hottest fucking thing I’ve ever seen,” he rasps, adjusting himself through his pants.

Floating on his approval, I turn back to Noah. Only to sink back down until my feet are planted on the ground.

The concern from earlier is firmly back in place.

Shit.

I scratch lightly at the short hairs at his nape, eager to make sure he sees just how much I want him and hoping like hell he’s not backing out now. “Last week? In the apiary? I wish you had kissed me like that.”