Page 29 of Stone (Claimed and Protected #3)

A single moan slipped past my lips and I was rewarded with him swirling his finger around my clit several times. The deep throb continued until my core was on fire and I was breathless with stars floating in front of my eyes.

He pressed two fingers inside, thrusting several times until I was at the point of orgasm.

But he pulled away, replacing his hand with the reed.

I was shocked, rising on my toes and tossing my head over my shoulder.

His actions were filthy, overtly sexual, and the way he rubbed the reed across my pussy lips was more exciting than I would have ever believed.

Within seconds, I was humping the switch, jutting my hips back, begging him to continue.

He chuckled, the dark sound reverberating through me. “A hungry little girl.”

“Uh-huh.”

“A bad little girl.”

I laughed halfheartedly and nodded.

“Then I need to continue teaching you a lesson.” He smacked the reed against my pussy lips and I was floored at my body’s reaction. Agony mixed with ecstasy in a dance of insanity that I wanted more of. He repeated the move two more times before resuming the spanking.

I couldn’t stop tingling, my vision foggy and my pussy dripping juice down my legs. I clawed the tree, meeting every strike by pushing my hips back. It was crazy, but I was more alive than ever before.

He didn’t stop, crisscrossing swipes on my upper thighs. I tossed my head from side to side as my body moved in a crazy dance of seduction. He rubbed the reed against my pussy lips again and I threw my head back, issuing several ragged moans.

“Three more,” he stated, his authoritative voice still sending tingles down to my toes.

The pain was different than before. While still electric, sending pulses of agony throughout my muscles, I was lost in the sweet abyss of desire, confusing yet real.

The whooshing was blocked out by my moans, every sound fading into nature’s music with the ocean and light breeze whistling through the thick foliage.

When he was finished, he tossed the switch aside and I hugged the tree, pressing my face against the rough bark. My legs were trembling, butterflies churning in my stomach.

Stone fingered the marks on my bottom, every touch a gentle caress. “You can’t just run away from me, Dani. Not only is it dangerous, but I will always find you.”

So much of me hoped he was right about hunting for me.

No matter our differences, I wasn’t ready to lose him again.

He pulled me into his arms, wrapping them around my waist. My bottom throbbed, but the feel of his hard cock pressing against my bruised skin was exhilarating.

“You feel good in my arms.” He nuzzled his face against my neck, his hot breath creating pulses of electricity.

I fingered his arm, rubbing his skin with endless circles as I tried to find the right words.

At this moment and with every other one when we’d gotten close, I couldn’t find them.

Maybe there truly was nothing that could capture our real feelings.

A tear slipped past my lashes, a feeling of despair unsettling.

“What are we doing, Stone? I don’t understand any longer. You want me, you don’t. I need you and can’t imagine losing you again, but I know we can never retrace our steps or bring back what we’ve lost.”

“I don’t know, Dani. I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but there isn’t one.”

“Then what do you want? Can you answer me that?” I felt ridiculous asking him the question when I couldn’t answer it myself.

“I want what’s impossible. I want the clock turned back so I could make new decisions, but that’s not how life works.

Life is cruel and heartless, unforgiving if even a single mistake is made.

Life is a series of missed opportunities and moments of sheer anguish that could easily eat you alive if you allow it. ”

His pain was evident and I took in what he was saying.

Not judging. Not arguing. Just… allowing him the freedom to feel safe with me, something I had a feeling he hadn’t done with anyone for a long time.

I closed my eyes, feeling another prick of tears that highlighted my weakness and inability to compensate for his despair.

Or my own. All while the intense heat throbbed between my legs.

“Do you want me?” Please, say yes. Please.

“You deserve better than what I can give you.”

“That’s not fair and it’s not true.”

“Dani…” he whispered and rubbed his thumb across the underside of my chin. He slanted his mouth over mine and I gripped his shirt with both hands, allowing my eyes to plead with him.

His sigh was heavy and he backed away, letting me go. I was certain he was pulling back into the locked box he always headed into the second he was challenged. He ran a hand over his jawline, studying me with the same intense eyes. Neither one of us knew where to go from here.

There were too many ghosts holding us hostage.

How many haunted moments had I felt over the last few days? How many questions had formed in my mind with no answers? How many nights had I wanted to invite him into my bed if for no other reason than to have him hold me?

And how many times had I wanted to talk about sharing a future together? Too many to count. I took a step away, leaning down to collect my bikini bottoms. Now I felt the heat of embarrassment.

A slight yelp escaped my throat when he lifted me off the sand, cradling me against his chest. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I can’t do this any longer, Stone. I don’t have anything left inside. Either you want me, or you don’t.”

“I should let you go. I should stay away from you, but I find myself glued to you, craving you. All I can think about is being with you.”

“What are you saying to me?” The words were barely audible, the harsh whisper all I could manage.

“I’m saying that I’m not done with you yet.”

Whereas our hunger had been off the charts before, every moment of passion rough and eager, as he turned me around, I sensed his hunger was controlled.

He cupped both sides of my face, allowing his eyes to dart across mine with fine precision.

While he knew me, had explored every inch of my body, the stark piercing gaze was more soulful.

Perhaps he was searching for answers as I’d done with him.

He edged closer and I gripped his forearms, tilting my head as much as his possessive hold would allow. “I don’t want this to be over.” Admitting my true feelings hadn’t been my intention, but my heart told me too much time had passed, too many secrets kept between us.

The way his fingertips brushed across my face was also different than before. “Then we won’t let it be.” He lowered his head slowly, holding his lips only centimeters from mine.

“I’m afraid.”

“Of what?” Stone seemed surprised.

“That you’ll end up hating me.” I wet my lips as he slipped one hand under my hair, squeezing my neck.

His chuckle was seductive even as his forehead creased. “That’ll never happen, baby.”

“Why are you the perfect man?”

“I’m far from perfect,” he stated, his voice low and husky. “That’s what I’m afraid you’re going to discover, and then you’ll hate yourself.”

In my eyes, he was the perfect man and that had been the problem. No man had ever been able to hold up to the standards he’d established so long ago.

“Never. Please, kiss me. Just kiss me.”

“Oh, Dani.” He dropped his head all the way down, skimming my lips with the tip of his tongue.

“I want this. No, I need this. Don’t stop. Just please don’t stop.”

After he cursed under his breath, he captured my mouth, holding our lips in place as I pressed my palms against his chest.

Whether or not this was life altering was yet to be determined, but I knew what we were sharing was no longer a casual fling or a need to rekindle memories from the past.

As expected, every inch of my skin was tingling from his hold.

At that moment I wanted nothing more than to study him, to use the spectacular shimmer of sun along with my artistic talent so I could capture every inch of the man standing in front of me.

I wanted to capture his essence, his brawn and prowess for all eternity.

Because I knew once he learned what I’d done, the painting would be the only thing left of our time together and the love that had never died.