Page 32 of Promise Me, Katie (Bennett Sisters #1)

“Now, remember, you can always tell me to stop.”

“Why would I want you to stop?” Katherine asked, her body humming with anticipation.

“You’ll see,” Matthew said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Now before we start, I want you to know that I would never do anything that breaks the trust we have.”

“I know,” she said, unable to hide the smile on her face or calm the racing beat of her heart. “Our trust will never be broken.”

“I like your faith in us,” he said, then ran the tip of his finger down the length of one arm, causing her to shiver in response. When he reached the palm of her hand, he raised it to his mouth and kissed her with a gentle pressing of his lips.

“Oh, Matthew,” Katherine cried out, drawing in a sharp breath, her body arching upward as every part of her tingled from the sensation of his touch. Desperate to see his handsome face, her eyes flew open, and she gazed up at him longingly. “Please let me look at you.”

“Shhh…” he soothed, pressing the softest kiss to her wrist. “You said you trust me.”

“I do trust you,” she insisted, though she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off of him. She wanted to see everything he was about to do to her. But instead of continuing, he laid her arm down and backed away.

“Then relax and close your eyes,” he whispered, waiting for her to submit. “I promise it’ll be better this way.”

Eager for the return of Matthew’s touch, Katherine closed her eyes once more and lay as still as humanly possible. Each nerve in her body teetered on the edge of excitement as she waited for him to begin again.

When she felt him come closer, a warm, tingling sensation rippled over her flesh, and her breath quickened in anticipation. For Katherine, it felt like forever before Matthew continued, but it was well worth the wait once he made contact with one soft, simple touch.

Slow and deliberate exploration followed, revealing places she never knew could feel so good.

From the surprisingly sensitive inner crook of her elbow to the curve of her shoulder.

Across one collarbone to the other, then back again, stopping to make a circle at the base of her neck before running a single finger down the center of her torso between the valley of her breasts.

“Oh, Matthew…” Katherine arched upward again as he made the journey to her belly button, skimming along her tummy to the rise of one hip. Then, from her cotton-covered hipbone to the soft, exposed skin of her upper thigh. Eventually, moving down to her calves, then the bottom of her tingling feet.

Along the way, Matthew seemed to be making mental notes of her response to certain places and then began a new journey from her feet all the way back up to her face.

This time, giving those extra sensitive spots even more time and attention.

Using not just his fingertips but also his lips, his tongue, and even his teeth, he lingered even longer than she thought she could bear.

And her mind reeled from each intimate, exploring touch as the attention he paid to those parts of her body straddled the line between mind-blowing bliss and tantalizing torture.

Everywhere he explored seemed to be just a teasing taste of what he ultimately had in store for her, leaving Katherine wanting her very own turn to explore Matthew’s body. To touch him, kiss him, and feel his response to her hands and mouth all over his beautifully muscular form.

But along with the desire to make him feel just as good as he made her feel, she was desperately fighting to keep her eyes closed.

“Shh… relax, Katie,” he said, soothing her back into the same stillness as before. It wasn’t easy to calm herself in those moments, but Matthew waited patiently for Katherine to come back from the edge of insanity and into his patient exploration.

Finally, he spoke again, his voice warm and deep with desire. “Do you like when I touch you like this?”

When Katherine responded with a silent nod, he insisted, “Tell me.”

“Yes, I do like it,” she hurried to say. “I’ve always liked it when you touch me.”

“And what about when I kiss you?” he said, pressing his lips against the side of her neck.

“Oh yes…” she gasped. “I like that very much.”

“I’m glad,” Matthew said, using his teeth on the same spot, making Katherine eager to cross the line they both promised not to.

Trembling from his attention, she knew her resolve was being tested by the unexplainable sensation she only wanted more of. Yet, even as her body trembled, she knew what she wanted had to wait.

“Please, Matthew,” she begged, her heart pounding inside her chest. “Please stop. I can’t take it anymore.”

Surrendering to her plea, Matthew sat back and studied the heaving motion of her chest, the pink of her cheeks, and the fullness of her slightly parted mouth.

“Are you sure?”

He lifted her arm and kissed the place where he felt her racing pulse.

“Please stop. I truly can’t take any more,” she said, opening her eyes. “I want you so much it hurts.”

“I want you too, Katie,” he said, his gaze filled with longing for her.

“Please, Matthew, I’m begging you to stop.

” As her heart pounded in her chest, her eyelids fluttered, and she had to turn her face away.

She couldn’t look at him. Her defenses were down, and her self-control was crumbling.

She felt weak and vulnerable. And though it was exciting, at the same time, it was frightening how desperately she wanted him.

How much she wanted to feel his touch and see his blue eyes and teasing smile.

But her strength was strained to the point of shattering.

“I can’t be strong anymore. Please, you have to help me to be strong. ”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Matthew said, laying down beside her and wrapping her up in his arms. “Forgive me for pushing you.”

“It’s okay,” Katherine finally breathed, her voice ragged and raw. “I’ve never experienced anything like that. It was overwhelming.”

“Too overwhelming?”

“Maybe...”

“We don’t have to do it again if you don’t want to.”

“No!” she all but shouted at him. “I’m sure I could get used to it.”

Matthew’s deep laugh filled the air. “So could I.”

Katherine smiled against his chest and snuggled even closer.

“Are you ready to sleep now?”

“Yes and no,” she admitted. “Part of me is tired, and the other part of me is wide awake.”

“Trust me, I understand.”

“I like your kisses so much,” Katherine said, reaching up and touching the scrape of whiskers as she stared at Matthew’s mouth. “And I like your lips. You have the most amazing bottom lip.”

Matthew laughed again. “No one’s ever told me they liked my lips before, let alone my bottom lip.

“Is that weird?”

“Not at all,” he said, giving her a gentle kiss. “I like your lips too.”

Katherine beamed with happiness. “I’m looking forward to the day when it’s my turn to kiss and touch you like that.”

“So am I,” Matthew said. “But it’s late. We should get some sleep or tomorrow will be rough for both of us.”

Katherine sighed, letting her eyelids close. She felt utterly and blissfully content. And with the weight of Matthew’s leg thrown over hers, it made her feel protected and wanted, while the warm, woodsy smell of his skin and the sound of his breathing eased her to sleep.

But then she heard his whispered voice rousing her from a dream.

“Katie, wake up. I need to talk to you.”

Once Katherine opened her eyes and adjusted to the light of the bedside lamp, she saw that Matthew had gotten dressed. And the concern on his face frightened her. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Libby.”

Instant panic and fear gripped Katherine’s heart. “What’s wrong with Libby? What happened?”

She was throwing back blankets and heading for the closet to get dressed before Matthew could stop her.

“It’s not what you think,” he said. “I’m sorry, I should’ve explained better.”

“Then what is it?”

“I think my folks are having trouble getting her back to sleep.”

“How do you know? Did they call?”

“No, but I woke up and saw the lights on next door.”

Katherine’s gaze shot to the open window, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted you to know I was going home to help.”

“Of course you are. Go.” She leaned in, giving him a quick peck. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Actually, I was hoping to come back later. But I understand if you’re not comfortable leaving the door unlocked.”

Katherine searched inside the top drawer of the nightstand, then pulled out a spare set of house keys and placed them in the palm of Matthew’s hand.

“The bigger brass key is for the front, and the smaller silver one is for the deadbolt on the back.”

“Thanks.” Matthew smiled and kissed her forehead.

“I’ll be here waiting.”

“Waiting for what?” he teased.

“Go!” she laughed, returning to the warmth of her bed. “And give Libby a squeeze for me.”

“Will do,” Matthew called out over his shoulder.

As Katherine listened to him hurry down each stair to be with his little girl, her heart swelled with admiration. The love and commitment he felt for his daughter had her wishing he’d been Addison’s father, too.

But the moment the thought entered her mind was the same moment her stomach twisted into a knot of regret. “God, forgive me,” she said. “That was so wrong of me.”

When she tried falling back to sleep, she couldn’t. She tossed and turned and, eventually, left the warmth of her blankets to kneel down and pray. Lowering her head, she realized she hadn’t prayed in years.

“I know it’s wrong to wish Matthew was Addison’s daddy and not Max.

I want to believe he loved her, but sometimes I feel like he didn’t care about her at all.

I’ve been so angry at him all this time, but I’m tired of being angry.

It’s too much. It’s exhausting. And I can’t do it anymore.

Please take away this anger inside of me. ”