Page 45 of His Ruthless Match (Below #3)

JARETH

I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the afterglow of fingering Eva in front of perfect strangers, but we couldn’t keep our hands off each other all the way to her door. The elevator ride had been excruciatingly slow, full of stolen kisses and soft laughter that only ratcheted up the tension.

By the time we stepped into her quiet hallway, something about the hush of midnight and the discreet lights illuminating the plush carpeting made every touch feel amplified.

Eva dug around in her purse for her key. I stood behind her, my hands firmly on her hips, my body practically pressed against hers. The scent of her perfume drifted up to me, and I inhaled it like it was a drug I’d been craving for days.

She pulled out the key and slid it toward the lock. I dipped my head to kiss her neck, and she shivered. The hair on the back of her neck rose under my lips. Her hand trembled, causing the key to scrape the doorframe.

“God, Jareth.” A strained laugh escaped her. “Let me unlock the door, or we’re going to spend the entire night in the hallway.”

“Is that such a bad idea?” The soft skin on her neck tasted faintly of salt and something sweet. And fuck, she smelled as good as she tasted. Her scent had driven me insane from the day I met her.

She pushed me away so she could get the key into the lock. The moment the lock clicked, she cast a mischievous grin over her shoulder. I had to fight to keep my composure because a single look from her had me ready to do whatever she wanted. It was reckless, and I couldn’t bring myself to care.

The door swung open, and Eva reached back, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt. She yanked me inside with a force that took me by surprise. I almost lost my balance, but the adrenaline and desire coursing through me kept me upright. I kicked the door shut.

“Lock it,” I insisted, my protective instincts kicking in.

Despite everything, I was still hyper-aware of potential danger.

The threat to her never wandered too far from my mind.

I had forbidden myself from giving in to what my cougar and I wanted more than anything in the fucking world, but I’d been stupid to think I’d be able to resist her for long.

Her hands slid around my waist, under my jacket, tugging at my shirt. When her fingers brushed my skin, my entire body ignited.

“Lock the door, Jareth,” she teased in a mock-serious tone.

I somehow managed to extend my arm, feel for the deadbolt, and turn it.

The mechanical clack reverberated through the quiet penthouse.

Satisfied, I pivoted back to her and was rewarded with a forceful kiss.

She pressed her mouth to mine with a hunger that set every nerve on fire.

I kissed her back just as fervently, the heat of it making me dizzy.

We stumbled into the kitchen, bumping into walls, nearly knocking over a sleek glass vase on a table in the hallway.

“If you break it, you’re going to have to replace it,” Eva muttered.

I laughed against her lips, lost in the swirl of her taste, the heady mix of tequila and something indescribably Eva.

The kitchen lights were dim, just the ambient glow under the cabinets.

It set the marble countertops gleaming. In one swift move, I lifted Eva, setting her on the cool marble.

She squealed in surprise, then immediately leaned in for another long, searing kiss.

Her arms twined around my neck, pulling me close until our chests were flush.

Between frantic kisses, I wrestled her blazer off her.

The crisp white blouse and black pencil skirt that clung to her hips looked criminally sexy.

“Somebody’s eager,” she teased, biting her lower lip as she looked at me.

I took a half step back, admiring the way her skirt rode up her thighs. “You have no idea,” I managed, my voice rough and full of desire I could barely contain.

Her blouse buttons practically taunted me. I slowly undid each button, my gaze riveted to the slivers of skin that was revealed to me. She smelled like lavender and cinnamon. The aroma was intoxicating.

“Why do you smell so damn good?” I murmured, lowering my lips to her throat. She tipped her head back in silent permission. I kissed the hollow of her collarbone, loving the little shiver she gave.

“Secret formula,” she teased. “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

I huffed out a laugh, though the sound quickly shifted into a groan when she wrapped her legs around my hips and pulled me closer.

The friction of her body against mine made my heart thunder.

I was already rock-hard, and the way her skirt slid higher, inch by inch, threatened to annihilate the last scrap of my self-control.

After I finished unbuttoning her blouse, I tugged it off her shoulders. Eva grabbed the back of my head and practically shoved my face into her chest. I nearly lost it right there. A startled laugh bubbled in my throat as I buried my face against her soft skin, pressing kisses wherever I could.

“Well, okay then,” I said against her skin.

She responded with a throaty laugh that reverberated through her.

Then her hands were in my hair, massaging my scalp, driving me insane.

Every sense was overwhelmed: the softness of her skin, the whisper of fabric being pushed aside, the faint taste of salt on her neck.

I was drunk on her, on the adrenaline of the night, on the memory of the danger we’d danced with while watching the movie, and now on the absolute relief of having her in my arms. She was half-naked on her kitchen counter, black skirt bunched around her hips, white blouse gone, feet bare because she must’ve kicked off her heels by the door.

It was chaos, but the good kind. It reminded me that I was alive.

Somehow, in the midst of frenzied kisses, I managed to peel the skirt down.

She wriggled her hips to help me and bit my lip in the process.

drawing another growl from me. Before long, she was naked on the counter, her body illuminated by the subtle glow from the LED strip beneath the cabinetry.

Her skin looked luminous, every curve inviting me closer.

I dropped to my knees, letting my hands slide along the outside of her thighs.

She looked down at me with bright eyes, her lips parted.

My heart hammered so fiercely, I thought she’d hear it.

I pressed a kiss to her knee, then moved higher, tasting her skin.

She inhaled sharply when I finally reached my destination.

It was impossible to resist her. Every time I thought I’d found the limit of my desire, I discovered there was more, like a bottomless pit I’d happily fall into.

She murmured my name, her voice low and breathy. The sound made my entire body quake with need, but I forced myself to stay focused and give her all the attention she deserved. Her fingers tangled in my hair again, and she made these small, irresistible noises that had me bordering on delirium.

It felt like time slipped away. Nothing existed except the taste and feel of her, the quake in her thighs, and the way her breath hitched. I circled her clit with the tip of my tongue as I slipped two fingers inside her.

I changed my pace, pulling my fingers from her and dragging my tongue up and down her slit. Eva moaned and spread her legs wider. I slowly lapped my way back up to her clit and sucked gently.

Just when I thought she was going to explode, I flicked my tongue over her clit as I reached up and cupped one of her breasts.

She clenched her legs around me, moaning so loudly that I hoped to hell The Shadow and Vivian hadn’t decided to spend the night in their apartment across the hall because I was sure they would have heard that.

When she finally eased her grip on my head, her body was trembling with aftershocks. I stood, sliding my hands up her stomach until they circled her waist, pulling her close for another deep, languid kiss.

She hopped down and gave me a playful look as she glanced up at me with a playful smirk. Without warning, her hands went for my belt. She fumbled with the buckle, frustration and eagerness lighting her eyes. I tried to help, but she smacked my hand away, which I found unbelievably endearing.

“Don’t rush me,” she teased. “I’ve been waiting all day to get my hands on you properly.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse leaping. “Take all the time you need.”

She slid the belt out with a smooth, swift motion and tossed it away.

Then she popped open the button of my pants and tugged down the zipper.

I couldn’t tear my gaze away as she hooked her fingers in the waistband of my trousers and briefs and pulled them down.

The cool air hit my skin, and I almost cursed from the intensity of relief and arousal all at once.

She slid her hands up my chest, under my shirt, and I helped her pull it off over my head. Then, dropping to her knees, she glanced up at me with an expression so full of mischief and desire that my breath caught in my throat.

“Eva…”

She pressed a finger to her lips, silencing me.

Then she set to work, her hands braced on my hips.

I tipped my head back as she took me into her mouth, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

The combination of her lips, her tongue, her touch was almost too much.

My vision blurred at the edges, and a dizzying wave of lust crashed through me.

I could only stand it for a few seconds before I reached down, gently coaxing her upward. My body shook with the effort it took not to lose myself completely. I cradled her face between my palms and brushed my lips over hers.

“Stand up,” I breathed. “I… I need you.”

She rose, sliding her hands along my sides. “Then take me.”