Page 40 of Cryptic Curse (Bellamy Brothers #7)

DANIELA

H awk’s lips touch mine. Gently at first, and then he slides his tongue into my mouth.

We’ve kissed before.

Hell, he gave me an orgasm with mere words last night.

But this kiss…

This kiss is leading somewhere.

Somewhere I desperately want to go.

Somewhere I’m desperately afraid to go.

Hawk’s phone starts vibrating loudly in his jeans pocket. It knocks me out of my thoughts and I break away with a jerk.

“You okay?” Hawk asks, his blue eyes etched with concern.

I nod. “Yeah. I’m good. It’s just… I’ve never…”

“Daniela…”

I eye his cell phone. “Do you want to answer that?”

He pulls his phone out of his pocket, checks the caller ID, and rolls his eyes. “Nothing that can’t wait.” He returns his gaze to me. “But Daniela, if you want to wait to do this, I understand.”

I hold up a hand. “No. It’s not that I don’t want this. I do. I mean, I truly do.” I rub at my forehead. “It’s just… I don’t want to disappoint you.”

He laces his fingers through mine. “You could never disappoint me.”

“I may not be a virgin, but I’ve never… I’ve never done anything like this because I wanted to.”

He touches my cheek, trails a finger down my neck, leaving heat in its wake. “I wish I could change all of that for you.” Then he stands, rubs a hand over his face. “If I could crush every man who abused you with my bare hands, I’d do it in a minute and gladly spend my life in prison.”

I reach for him. “Please. Sit.”

He returns to his place next to me.

“I wouldn’t want you to do that,” I tell him. “I wouldn’t want you to spend your life in prison because of me.”

I know he means what he says, though. His brother spent time in prison, so Hawk no doubt knows what incarceration is like.

“I’d do it, though,” he says, “and I swear to God I’m not just saying that. I’d avenge any woman, Daniela, and especially you.”

His eyes are filled with a combination of rage and sorrow. And I believe him. I believe he would avenge me if he could.

“Your father was a monster,” he says. “I hope you know your worth, honey. I hope you know how much you mean to Vinnie, Raven, and Belinda.” He clears his throat. “How much you mean to me .”

I grab him then, bring his lips back to mine.

Again, the kiss is gentle at first, but then he invades my mouth, and I respond. I tangle my tongue with his, wanting, in this moment, to taste every part of him. I run my fingers through his gorgeous black hair, scrape them over his stubbled cheeks, grip his broad shoulders.

Am I ready for this?

Does it truly matter?

Because I want it.

I want it with this man. Because in a way, this will be my first time. And I want it to be with Hawk Bellamy.

Just as I think we’re about to cross that line, Hawk pulls back from me, his breath heavy and ragged.

“Daniela…” He casts me a tentative look. “If we’re going to do this… I want you to be entirely sure. I don’t want you to have any second thoughts.”

“I’m sure,” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper.

He searches my face for a moment.

Is he looking for hesitation? Apprehension? Because there isn’t any.

With a nod, he stands and holds out his hand to me. I take it and let him pull me up from the couch and lead the way upstairs. Right as we reach the landing, his cell phone vibrates again.

“Are you sure you don’t want to get that?” I ask. “Whoever is trying to reach you is certainly being persistent.”

He shakes his head, grinning. “It’s probably just spam, honey. Once these companies realize they’ve gotten a Bellamy number, they’re relentless.” He squeezes my hand and leads me up the final step of his staircase and into his bedroom.

His master bedroom is vast and luxurious, the large bed at its center looking all too inviting. He turns to me and gently cups both my cheeks. His kiss is soft yet passionate, each brush of his lips assuring me of his desire.

Slowly, Hawk unzips my dress and lets it pool at my feet.

He steps back to admire me, his gaze taking in every inch of my body.

I shiver under his scrutiny, but not from the chill of the air conditioning.

The way he’s looking at me, as though I’m the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, sends my nerves skittering.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispers, stepping closer to pull me into his arms again.

He glides his hands over me, tracing the curve of my waist and the swell of my hips. With each touch, he ignites a fire I’ve never felt before. It’s a desire born not out of obligation or fear, but out of genuine want.

He guides me toward the bed and gently lays me down.

He undresses himself, revealing a sculpted body honed by years of ranch work.

Perfect pectorals, bulging biceps, and an ass you could bounce a quarter off of.

He joins me on the bed, pressing his body against mine.

His skin is warm and inviting as it makes contact with mine.

And his cock.

It’s huge.

It’s hard.

And it doesn’t frighten me.

“Hawk,” I whisper, digging my fingers into his gorgeous biceps.

“Yes, Daniela?” He leans over me, his blue eyes piercing into mine.

“I want you.” I voice the words with as much certainty as I feel.

His lips curl up and he strokes my cheek. “I want you too, Daniela.”

He kisses my forehead, my cheeks, trailing slow kisses down my neck and across my collarbone. His lips find mine again in another fiery kiss that leaves me breathless. I could get lost in this man, in his soft kisses and warm embrace.

His touch is firm but gentle as he explores me.

He stops to concentrate on my breasts.

The sensation is electrifying. I arch my back, pressing against him. He takes the hint, his mouth replacing his fingers. He swirls his tongue around my hardened nipple, sending waves of pleasure through me.

“Oh, Hawk,” I whimper.

He continues to lavish attention on my breasts while he drifts lower with one hand. He traces a path down the center of my stomach, making me shudder.

He stops at the edge of my underwear, looking up at me for approval.

I nod.

Slowly, he removes my underwear, his gaze never leaving mine.

He spreads my legs, touches me.

There.

“Hawk,” I gasp out, clutching at his broad shoulders.

This is nothing like the violating touches of the men in my past. This is different. This is Hawk. A man who cares only about my pleasure, not his.

Slowly, he makes his way down my body, planting soft kisses over my stomach and hips. He looks up at me with a reassuring smile, his eyes asking for my consent.

I nod.

His touch is delicate but confident. It’s clear he’s done this before, but not like those men who used me. Hawk is different. Every movement of his is for my enjoyment just as much as his own.

I gasp at the sensation, gripping onto the sheets beneath us. His touch sets my whole body aflame as he navigates his way around me expertly.

“Hawk,” I breathe out in a moan, arching into his touch. He looks up at me once more, his eyes full of desire and admiration.

“You okay?” he asks in a husky whisper.

“More than okay.”

Each movement is thoughtful, every kiss and touch designed to elicit pleasure. He slides his fingers between my legs, following with his tongue.

Oh, God…

I arch, grasp the linens, cry out, as he sucks at me. First gently. Then not so gently, like he’s feasting on me.

I’m so close. So close to where I was last night, when?—

He stops.

Looks up at me from between my legs, his chin glistening.

“Hawk, please…”

“Oh, baby. Don’t you worry. But I’ve got to get inside you.”

He moves from the bed, slides on a condom, and then…

He thrusts into me.

I gasp.

He’s large. So large. But I’m wet and ready, and it’s nothing like the painful invasions of my past. It’s slow and gentle, filled with the kind of warmth and kindness I never thought I’d associate with this act.

Hawk takes his time, building a steady rhythm that has me gasping in pleasure. His eyes are locked on mine, filled with an intensity and devotion that takes my breath away. I wrap my legs around him, urging him deeper. His movements become more urgent, more passionate.

He quickens his pace, thrusting, thrusting, thrusting…

Until I gasp as an orgasm rips through me.

“That’s it, baby. Come for me.”

His words spur me further into the climax.

I never imagined it could feel like this. Like I’m complete.

That I want him inside me.

And God, I do.

As my climax rolls away, another takes its place.

Another.

Another, another, another…

It hits me like sunlight after a storm—sudden, blinding, warm in places I didn’t know had gone cold. My chest feels too big for my body, like it’s stretching to hold something that finally fits.

Everything feels sharper. Brighter. My heart’s beating fast, but not from fear—no, this is joy, raw and wild and crackling in my veins.

For a second, nothing hurts. Nothing’s wrong. I’m just here , and it’s enough . More than enough.

I want to laugh. I want to run. I want to tell someone, anyone, that this moment matters—because it does. It so does.

“That’s it, baby.”

From somewhere around me, Hawk’s voice. His low, rich, and perfect voice.

And more elation. More lightness in my limbs, like gravity’s loosened its grip just for me. More electricity humming beneath my skin. My thoughts are sharp and fast, but they don’t scare me—they dance, leaping from one joy to the next like a song I never want to stop hearing.

More freedom. More yes . More of that wild, unstoppable feeling that anything— everything —is possible. I want to bottle it. Hold it. Live inside it forever.

Because in this moment, I’m not weighed down by what I’ve lost or afraid of what’s coming. I’m just…complete.

Overflowing.

As if all the empty places in me have been filled with gold.

Until finally, he pushes into me so hard I’m sure he’s touching my very soul.

Every last contraction of his release fills me with joy.

In my heart, a truth forms.

No matter what happens—whoever is trying to threaten me—Hawk and I can face any kind of cryptic curse and untangle it together.