Page 21 of Pick Yourself Up (Heroes to the Core #3)
Up, Up, And Away
A mber fluttered her eyelids open, not wanting to miss a single moment. “Gray.” Her voice was barely audible and so full of need, she should have been embarrassed.
She wasn’t, not with Gray.
His sexy, dark eyes glittered with desire and affection.
“I think I’m floating.”
His grin was feral. “Good. You’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Beautiful. So damn beautiful.”
She felt it. “I’ve never felt beautiful before, but you make me believe it.”
He grinned and kissed her until her knees wobbled again. Still?
She pressed her hips restlessly against his. “More.”
With a chuckle that rumbled across her skin, he kissed the spot just below her ear. “You sure?”
That made her laugh. “So sure. I want you, Gray. All of you. And I want to see you fly, want to feel you inside me when you do.”
His entire body shuddered, and she had to grin. She’d never felt sexy or powerful. Sex had always been fine. This was something else. Something on another plane.
All because it was Gray. The man she loved. A man who treasured her. A man she treasured right back.
Gray brought his mouth back to hers, and she poured her feelings into the kiss. It was too early to tell him she’d fallen in love, but she hoped to convey the depths of her feelings with her kiss.
He growled into her mouth and then moved her slowly backward until her legs bumped into something. The bed. The hideous old-fashioned wooden bed was covered with carvings of creepy snarling woodland creatures. A bed that would have to go.
But the bed was the only one in the house with a mattress. And sheets. Which she’d cleaned a few days before and put on the bed. She’d stashed condoms in the matching hideous nightstand.
“Boots, gotta get rid of the boots.”
Amber groaned at Gray’s words. “Why are we wearing work boots?”
He laughed and trailed his lips down her body, stopping at her breasts. Then he poked her with one finger, getting her to sit on the bed.
He reached for her boots, but she poked him back. “Do yours. I’ll do mine. We’ll be quicker.”
He grinned and then groaned when she bent over to reach for the boots.
His hands cupped her breasts that hung down freely. “You’re very distracting, Amber.”
She managed a shaky laugh. “You too, sexy man. Hurry.”
Gray growled, then yanked at his laces. When he stood to kick off his boots, she watched him stretch up. All those muscles flexing and bunching.
She forgot all about her boots when his hands moved to his jeans. He shoved them down his hips and kicked them off, leaving him in black boxer-briefs that highlighted the erection straining the material.
She reached out and cupped him, running her fingers over the soft material. He groaned. “Holy hell, Amber. I’m about to lose my shit here and you’re still wearing boots.”
When she laughed, he squatted down and took care of her boots for her. Then he kissed her until she was flat on her back on the bed.
His hands moved to her hips. “Lift.”
She lifted her hips, and he slid the jeans down her legs, taking her panties with them until she was bare.
Gray rose to his full height and his eyes trailed over her body. His expression made her feel beautiful and desired.
Loved.
He shucked his briefs and then reached for his jeans, probably for a condom. She pointed at the nightstand. “There are some in there.”
That feral grin returned. “I love that you’re prepared. That you want this as much as I do.”
“I do. Hurry, Gray.”
But he didn’t. Eyes locked on hers, he ripped open a condom and slid it on, making her want to do it the next time. His erection pulsed, and she reached again. Her touch had him pulsing in her grip and she tightened her hands.
With a deep groan, Gray dropped his head. “Can we do that next time? I’m not going to last with you making me crazy like that.”
She liked the sound of that, but he groaned again and then lowered his hands to pick her up and set her in the middle of the bed. Then he dropped on top of her, keeping his weight on the arms he braced on either side of her.
Their mouths crashed together and her body revved even higher. How was it possible to go higher?
The kiss turned desperate in the space of a heartbeat. Hands turned greedy, and soon she was panting. “Now, Gray, now.”
He shifted and pushed into her slowly. So slowly.
The pressure built with each movement, and she clutched him closer.
When he was fully seated inside her, he dropped his head to her shoulder and sucked in deep breaths. Having this strong, sexy, wonderful man as out of control as she was felt incredible.
He lifted his head and locked his gaze on hers.
Slowly, he pulled back, then thrust forward. Deeper. Again and again until her heart expanded.
Eyes locked on hers, he changed the pace, varied the rhythm until she wasn’t aware of anything other than him.
When the thrusts became deeper, harder, more desperate, he kissed her again. “Together, Amber. Together.”
Her body reacted to the gruff order, and she felt the orgasm building like a lightning bolt.
When she burst into flames, he shouted her name and flamed with her.
G ray had never had sex like that.
He’d thought he’d had good sex before—even excellent sex.
He’d been wrong.
One time with Amber had blown his mind. Maybe it was having his heart involved. Maybe it was just her.
Whatever it was, he was addicted. Watching her shatter was addictive, and he wanted to make it happen a million times.
And then start over again.
When enough strength returned and his brain functioned properly, he shifted his weight to roll off of her.
Her hands squeezed him tightly, and she moaned softly. “I wish we didn’t have to move.”
He chuckled and kissed her again. “Gotta deal with the condom, but I’ll be back in a minute.”
The attached bath was old but scoured clean. He disposed of the condom and hurried back to find Amber pulling up the quilt that had been folded at the bottom of the bed.
He yanked it out of her hands and tossed it back. “Not yet. I was too desperate earlier, and I want to see you.”
She smiled, and he watched that pretty flush extend from her face all the way down to her breasts. He lay beside her, propped his head on one hand, and used the other to trace the curves of her body. She smiled but tried to reach for the quilt again.
He leaned over to kiss her nose. “You’re gorgeous, Amber. Please don’t cover up.”
Her flush deepened. “It’s hard.”
He frowned at her. “What is?”
She rolled her eyes with a self-deprecating smile. “Being naked in the light. It’s the middle of the afternoon, Gray.”
He grinned and trailed his finger along her torso, enjoying the shivers that rose on her skin.
“You’ve never made love in the middle of the day?
Wait. Don’t answer that because I don’t want to know.
If I know, I’ll have to follow up and beat the crap out of anyone lucky enough to have seen the way your skin shimmers. ”
Her eyes widened as she grinned. “You wouldn’t beat up anyone.”
He faked a growl. “Wanna bet?”
He captured her laugh with his mouth. His body reacted instantly, but with one orgasm down, he was more in control.
This time, he wanted to touch everywhere. See every reaction.
He slipped down her body and leaned back on his heels, looking her over. She’d admitted to being uncomfortable in the light, but he wanted to prove to her how gorgeous she was.
“Gray?”
He shifted his gaze to her eyes and let his appreciation show, answering the question implied in her words. “Just admiring the view. Planning my next moves.”
She laughed, and he stroked his finger up her leg, from her toes up to her inner thigh. Her breath shook, and her eyelashes fluttered.
He repeated the motion on the other leg. Followed the pattern with his teeth and his tongue.
By the time he reached her thighs, she was trembling and grasping the sheets.
“Hang on, Amber, I’m just getting started.”
He licked her core, and her body arched into him.
“You taste amazing.”
He experimented, finding out what she liked and how she reacted. When she shuddered with another cry, he lifted his head to watch and slipped his fingers inside her to stretch out the orgasm.
Her body quivered, and her fingers flexed and released the sheets. When her eyes fluttered open, he moved to capture her mouth again.
He reached for another condom, happy she’d added a new box to the nightstand.
When he ripped it open, Amber took it from him. “My turn.”
Hell, yeah.