Page 36 of It’s Only Love (Citrus Pines #1)

“You know most of it,” he said, his hand stroking up and down her arm.

“I know it from her side, but I would like to hear about what things were like for you. Tell me more about you.”

She felt him shift against her. Was he uncomfortable? Did he not want to talk?

“I want to talk about you instead. What made you leave town so suddenly?” he asked gently.

Her stomach flipped. She didn’t know if she was ready to talk about this yet.

Did she want to open herself up and be vulnerable with him.

Was she ready for that? She couldn’t expect him to share with her if she didn’t open up in return.

That was how trust was built and she struggled to trust anyone, having had it broken so irreparably in the past. She wanted to share pieces of herself with him and learn about him in return.

But this was meant to be casual and if she had any hope in hell of keeping it that way, she couldn’t give away those pieces of herself.

“I would rather not talk about that,” she replied quietly, aware that didn’t give them much to talk about now. He didn’t reply at first and she wondered if she’d ruined everything. But after a moment he started talking, not about him and Taylor, but about his career.

He told her about his days at college, then about launching his first business, which happened to be an ice cream truck, and how he ended up going bankrupt. Then he’d taken a part time job in a garage to keep himself busy while he had a break, reassessed, and figured out where he went wrong.

“I felt like a complete failure,” he said. “I let everyone down, my employees, my mom and myself. I didn’t try again for another year because my confidence took such a beating.”

Christy stayed quiet, just letting him tell his story. It was so nice listening to him speak, his words lilting and soothing her, relaxing her until she could feel her eyes drifting closed.

“I managed to get a deposit together, and with some help from my mom, I got a loan to buy the garage. I have her to thank for everything, I couldn’t have done it without her.”

She smiled sleepily at his words. “I’m sure you would’ve done it; your determination is impressive. It just might have taken a little longer, that’s all.”

He kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes in tired bliss.

He continued to stroke her arm and she listened to him talk about his first year as the owner.

At some point, she was aware she was being lowered down to the rug and felt a blanket being placed over her.

He murmured in her ear that he would be back.

She reached out for him in her sleep, but he was gone.

Sometime later she came awake to the sound of the crackling fire, flames licking, embers popping. She looked around and realized she was alone.

“Dean?” She heard a shuffling outside the living room in the hallway and felt a hint of panic until he popped his head around the doorway. He smiled at her as he kicked his shoes off and came to join her on the rug.

“I just went to check on Taylor as she closed up.” As he sat next to her, he nuzzled into her neck, nibbling the sensitive skin.

Her eyes drifted closed, and goosebumps broke out over her skin.

He pulled back and met her stare, his eyes wild and alive, a hint of wickedness flirting in the depths.

He dropped his gaze down and took a deep breath, nostrils flaring.

She followed his stare and saw the blanket had fallen to her waist, the robe parting to reveal the curve of her breast. She looked back at him, his expression serious, his eyes holding hers with an intensity that had her fighting a shiver.

He arched an eyebrow as though asking her, challenging her to decide what happened next.

She was torn. They could end this now, she could leave, and they wouldn’t speak of this again. Or she could give in to her instincts, have the night of passion his eyes were promising and deal with the consequences in the morning.

As though he sensed her dilemma, Dean said in a gruff voice, “Once wasn’t enough.”

Her mind made up, she reached for him. Their mouths crashed together in an urgent, passionate kiss that stoked the flames of her desire.

She didn’t think she would ever get enough of him.

His tongue played at her lips, begging to be let inside.

She parted them and he rolled his tongue against hers, stroking, both of them moaning at the touch.

The kiss slowed as he tilted her head for deeper contact.

He pulled her against him and curled an arm around her and laid her gently on the rug.

The kiss continued slow and sultry, his tongue meeting hers in lazy strokes, taking his time, savoring.

He nipped tenderly at her mouth, then took her bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling softly before coming back for another soul-searing kiss.

She couldn’t control her body’s reactions, she was a quivering mess as he continued to kiss her, not touching anywhere else, just her mouth.

When she was practically sobbing with need, he pulled back, his mouth swollen and his hair standing on end from where she plowed her fingers through the strands.

His eyes were lit with arousal, his face glowing in the light from the fire.

His deep breaths tickling her face, not breaking eye contact he moved his hands to the knot on the robe.

She felt her old panic rear up inside and his hands stilled.

“Hey, none of that,” he murmured as though sensing where her thoughts were heading.

He continued undoing the knot, and she felt it give way.

He opened both sides of the robe, baring her to him.

He didn’t break eye contact with her as he stroked his fingers across the bare skin of her waist, over her rounded stomach, her flesh pebbling under his touch.

The more he explored, the calmer she became, until he began to dabble at the waistband of her panties.

Her breathing grew labored as she felt her body readying for him.

She grunted in disappointment as his hand moved away, his husky chuckle turning her on even more.

“Patience,” he teased as he bent his head to nip her earlobe.

His hand trailed up to her breast and stroked over the sensitive skin.

He pulled back to look in her eyes as he stroked his thumb over her nipple.

She cried out in pleasure as he pinched the hard tip between his thumb and finger.

He shifted his weight and she felt his lower half press into her side, the length of his hard cock hot like a branding iron.

He stroked over her nipple again and again, taking his time, all the while holding her stare with that hot, intense gaze of his.

He trailed his hand over the flare of her hip.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” The sincerity in his tone, his expression so open and honest, caused a lump to rise in her throat and in that moment, she believed him. She slowly nodded, satisfaction flaring in his eyes.

“Good,” he grunted, and expertly worked his hand beneath her panties and thrust two fingers inside her wet heat.

“Oh, God,” she moaned, rolling her hips, trying to move against him.

“Christ,” he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.

She continued working herself against him, desperate to find her release.

Little moans working their way out of her throat as he thrust his fingers inside her and began to rub her clit with his thumb.

He removed his hand and she started to protest, but he pulled her panties down her legs and settled his weight between her thighs.

He was going to use his mouth on her. She’d never had that before, had always wondered what it would feel like.

He looked down at her, and she felt his warm breath caress her sensitive skin.

He lifted his eyes to hers, gave her a delectable smirk and lowered his head.

When she felt his tongue part her folds, she gasped, her hips lifting to meet him.

He licked over her bud slowly, torturing her, her hands fisting the rug underneath her, her breath rasping out of her.

He moved his tongue down and pressed it inside her before returning to slide over her clit.

He thrust a finger inside her, working it in and out while his tongue whipped back and forth.

Her climax was suddenly upon her and Christy could feel her entire body tensing, ready for release.

Dean was watching her intently, she knew he wanted to watch her fall apart, but she couldn’t maintain eye contact with him while doing that.

It felt like too intimate a connection to have with him when she was trying her hardest to keep this casual.

She closed her eyes as her body tightened and then released, her muscles clenching on his fingers as little explosions wracked her body.

When she came back to earth, he covered her body, dropping kisses over her chest, shoulders, and down her arms, soothing her.

Despite the intense orgasm she’d just had, she wasn’t ready for this to end.

She placed her hand on his chest, forcing him flat onto his back and she rubbed herself against him.

His body tensed as she placed hot, opened mouthed kisses across his chest, tasting the soft skin covering his hard muscles.

She stroked her tongue over the peak of his nipple, the muscles of his chest bunching under her touch.

She wanted to commit his gorgeous body to memory, to pull out and pore over when she was back in the city and missed being in his arms.

“Christy…” he warned, but she placed her hand over his lips to silence him. She wanted to worship him without him trying to distract her. She worked her way down his chest, laving her tongue over the dips in between his abs, trailing her hand down to rub over the bulge in his pants.

“Christy,” he groaned, then grabbed her hand to stop her and tried to sit up .