Game of Love (12 page)

He groaned. “God, I’ve wanted this forever.” With his hands on her cheeks, he kissed her again, his tongue loving every crevice of her mouth. He tilted her head just enough to open her mouth a little further and deepen the kiss. He slid his lips to her chin and kissed along her jaw, then nibbled at her earlobe, sending shivers up her spine. He pulled her shirt up and off, exposing her black lace bra.

“Ellie.” He said her name like it was golden, something to be cherished, before lowering his lips to the crest of her breast.

Never had she been loved the way Dex loved her. Bruce had taken her as if he were in a hurry. She pushed that thought away and concentrated on the smooth, hot strokes of Dex’s tongue, which were slowly stealing her sanity. He unhooked the front of her bra, freeing her breasts and cupping them in his hands with a low groan. He brought each nipple to a firm peak with the pads of his thumbs before lowering his mouth to each and bringing Ellie so close to coming apart she could barely breathe.

Without a word, he took her hand and brought her to his bedroom. She pulled at his shirt, and with one arm, he reached over his head and flung it to the floor. Ellie sucked in a breath. She’d seen Dex without a shirt on, had slept against him last night, but experiencing him while every nerve in her body was on fire brought a whole new level of exhilaration. Her body ached to know what he felt like inside her. She brought her mouth to his nipples and smiled as they pebbled beneath her tongue. She planted kisses down the center of his body—and oh what a fine body it was—between his hard abs, to the dip at the waist of his low-slung jeans. He tangled his hands in her hair and drew her back up, taking her in another greedy kiss, a kiss so deep and passionate that her knees weakened.

He unbuttoned her jeans and drew them down, then freed himself from his pants, kissing her as he pulled them down, groping her breasts, touching every inch of her body, making her crave more of him. He lowered her to the edge of the bed and pushed her legs apart, settling himself above her.

“Condom,” she whispered.

“Not yet.” He kissed her again, his whiskers pressing into her cheek and upper lip. An intense combination of pleasure and pain shot through her. She arched into him, and he slowed the kiss to a sensual, affectionate sharing of emotions.

She moaned when he lowered his teeth to her neck, then gently sucked the sensitive skin until her legs tingled with the force of a thousand needles. His hard length pressed against her belly. His back felt so good beneath her palms, strong and virile. His lips moved down her neck to her breastbone, where he sucked and licked until she was panting for more.

“Dex,” she begged.

“Not yet.” He lifted his head and met her gaze. “Just in case you show up only once every four years, I want to love you like you deserve to be loved. I want to love you so you want to come back.”

She heard the pain behind his words, and she buried her hands in his hair and drew him up to her, kissing him hungrily. “I always want to come back.”
I do! Oh my God. I really, truly do!

“Then I want to love you so you’re begging me not to let you leave.” He moved back down her body and slid his fingers into the thin thread of her thong just below each hip. “God, you’re beautiful.” He kissed the curve of her hip, first one side, then the other, before pushing her thighs apart and lapping at the sensitive skin beside the tiny swatch of fabric that covered the part of her that was throbbing with desire. She arched up, desperate for more contact. He slid his finger beneath the fabric and stroked her. She couldn’t stifle the whimper of pleasure. Years of pent-up emotion tumbled forward. She sucked in a breath at the contact, and he let out another sexy groan, nearly sending her over the edge. He moved the fabric to the side and licked her gently. The first swipe of his tongue sent her arching up. He held her hips down to the mattress, pinning her beneath him, then slid her thong down and tossed it aside.

Now completely naked, she lay beneath him, her eyes closed, as she memorized the feel of his big, capable hands sliding down her hips to the outside of her thighs, the feel of them as they slid beneath her ass. He lifted her up, giving himself better access to drive her insane with that crazy talented mouth of his and heightening all of the tension she’d been repressing. Just when she was on the verge of coming apart, he slid his fingers into her and her hips rose off the bed, his name sailing from her lips like a prayer. He licked and thrust, sending shocks right through her. She clenched the mattress in her fists and gritted her teeth as he teased to her peak and held her there, then brought her down slowly, until every tiny pulse felt like the last and the next sent another shock of heat through her.

She grabbed at his shoulders. “Dex.” His name was one long, hot breath. “Dexy, please.”

In one swift move, he flipped her body over and inched up her legs, kissing the curve of her ass, then dragging his tongue up over the arc of her cheek to the dip beside her spine. His touch was so erotic, so full of love, that she wanted to stay right there forever, surrounded by the safety of him. When his chest pressed against her back, the initial shock of skin against skin caused them both to suck in a breath. She lay beneath him, completely trusting in him, without an ounce of fear of what he might do. He ran his hands up her sides, then kneaded her shoulders and the base of her neck. He trailed soft kisses down her arm, and the remaining tension in her limbs fell away.

He nuzzled against her neck and whispered, “You can be sure of me, Ellie.” Then he sealed that promise with a kiss. Gathering her thick hair in his hands, he moved it to one side; then he nipped at her neck. “Be sure of me. Take me for granted. I’ll never leave you.”

She closed her eyes, accepting his words, relishing in them, and wishing reality would never creep back in.

He slid beside her, his hard length pressed against her side. He turned her head gently to face him and took her cheeks in his hands. He looked deeply into her eyes, and she felt her heart open even more. “I love you, Ellie. I always have, and I know I always will.”

I love you, too
. She kissed him, unable to get her mouth to function in any other way, and when he pulled away, she knew he needed to hear it just as badly as she did. She forced her lips to form the words. “Dexy, I’ve always loved you.” The words reverberated through her. She clung to them, never wanting to lose the feeling of the truth as it settled into her bones.

His eyes narrowed and filled with so much raw emotion that she thought he might cry, which would only make her cry. Instead, he took her in his arms and kissed her until the air in his lungs became hers. He reached into the drawer next to his bed and grabbed a condom from the box. She stifled the gut-wrenching sadness that shifted through her—the wonder of how many women had shared his bed.

Dex slid the protective sheath on and searched her eyes again. She slid her eyes away, knowing he’d see right through them.

“Tell me, Ellie,” he whispered.

She closed her eyes. She couldn’t, wouldn’t ruin their moment with nonsense. She’d walked out on him four years ago. He had every right to be with anyone he wanted.

He cupped her chin and drew her eyes to his. “Tell me.”

“It was just a little spike of jealousy.”

He smiled. “Jealousy? Really?” He kissed her lips. “I like that.”

She pushed his chest and turned away again, embarrassed.

“Hey.” He positioned himself above her, pinning her with the intense emotions in his eyes. “Only you. I’ve never loved anyone but you.”

“Love.”
Dex loves me
. In her heart she’d always known he loved her, but lying beneath him, his heart beating against hers, his lips so close she could take him in another passionate kiss, it felt different. Bigger. More consuming, and she felt her heart open and drink him in.

“Love, Ellie. There’s been a few others. Lust, whatever, but never love. I’ve only ever loved you.”

THERE WAS A fine line between loving someone and smothering them, and with Ellie, Dex knew that line to be almost indistinguishable—and always fluid. He saw her smile fade after he’d told her he loved her, and he knew she anticipated him asking her the same question. Dex didn’t want to know if she’d had many lovers before him. She was with him now, and as far as he was concerned, that was all he needed to know. The women who had shared his bed had been few and far between. He’d been too busy working, and his heart had always belonged to Ellie. Hell, he knew it always would.

She cupped the back of his neck and drew his lips to hers. God, he loved it when she did that. She kissed him deep and hard, like she never wanted to stop, and he let her lead, because damn, she was a good kisser, and if she’d let him, he’d kiss her for hours before ravishing her body again. Her hand slid down his side, and she pressed against his lower back, sending a rush of heat through his groin.

She whispered against his lips, “Dexy.”

His name came off like a plea, and he took her in another greedy kiss as nerves got the better of him. He’d thought of Ellie day and night forever. What if they didn’t fit together as well as he’d hoped? What if she wasn’t fulfilled?

“Dexy.”

Her voice pulled him out of his worries, and the love and trust he saw in her eyes coalesced. He cast aside his worries and settled his hips above her, then slid inside. Deep. They both gasped a breath at the first stroke of their love. As Ellie’s head fell back with a gratified grin on her lips, he felt his heart swell. She met each of his thrusts with a lift of her hips and a slight gyration that sent a shudder right through him. Jesus, how could he have worried? Being with Ellie was a thousand times better than he’d ever dreamed—and boy had he dreamed. Her legs fell open, allowing him to thrust deeper, to push harder. To fill her so completely he would never want for more. Sexy little moans slipped through her lips, urging him faster. He felt her inner muscles reaching for him, tightening to hold him in. Her eyes closed, and her lips parted. God, she was beautiful. He settled his mouth over hers and forced himself to slow his pace, drawing out their lovemaking. He felt the muscles in her legs tighten and knew she was climbing toward the edge. She clawed at him, urging him deeper, faster, whimpering with need, but he kept up the torturously slow pace. He didn’t often get to see the Ellie he was with right then, the unguarded woman whose face was a mask of pleasure. Her hard edges and thick barriers had been cast aside, replaced with a softer, more feminine, vulnerable side.

“Ellie,” he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open.

“Look at me, El.” He kissed her again, and her eyes drifted closed again. “Look at me.” He needed to know she saw him and that she was thinking of him and not allowing herself to sneak away to her silent place. He wanted her to remain right there forever, with that hazy lust in her eyes and her feet digging into the mattress, her fingers clawing at his back.

“More,” she whimpered.

He felt her inner muscles pulsate just before she closed her eyes and his name spun from her lips as she clutched at him, breathing in short, hampered breaths.

“Yes. Yes,” she called in one long whisper.

Dex followed her over the edge, his body shuddering against her. Years of love carried his sweet release on and on. Sweat glistened off their bodies as they both gasped for air, satiated, spent, and together.

Finally together.

SUNLIGHT STREAMED THROUGH the curtains and streaked across Ellie’s body as she lay on her side against Dex. He knew last night was a gift, something to be treasured but not counted on. He’d heard his phone vibrating in the middle of the night and he hadn’t wanted to separate himself from Ellie. He knew that whatever it was, it would get him riled up, and for just one night, he wanted to be fully hers. He had his whole life to be owned by the PC gaming business. He had no idea how long he had with Ellie.

Ellie’s alarm sounded at seven thirty. She stretched her arms above her head and pushed her butt back, grazing Dex’s thighs. She stiffened—so did he. She whipped her head around and Dex felt a slow smile grace his lips. He’d expected her to startle.

She was Ellie, after all.

“Hey,” she said in a raspy, sexy voice that sent a jolt of lightning to his groin.

“Hey.”

“Did you sleep?” she asked.

“A little.” He ran his finger down her cheek, figuring he had about sixty seconds before she bolted from bed. He’d spent all night preparing for her quick retreat. He accepted that he couldn’t hold her back from whatever she needed to do. Even if that meant leaving him. Even if it would kill him to let her go. When she rested her head on his stomach, he drew his eyebrows together in confusion. She kissed his stomach and slid her hands up along his chest.
Christ
. He had no hope of hiding his desire.

He’d waited so long to love her, to touch her, and to be loved by her. Last night he felt like he was the luckiest man on the planet, and when he woke up and she was still beside him, he allowed himself a moment of revelry before remembering not to count on her. Now he fought against himself. He
wanted
to count on her.

Her eyes scanned his face. He watched, waited, telling himself not to be disappointed or hurt. Easier said than done. She lowered her lips to his chest again, and he had to run his hands through her hair. God, he loved the way her thick hair felt tangled between his fingers, the wild way it wiggled at the ends, like spiral curls that were too tired to hold their coil. He loved the way it framed her face when she hovered above him—like last night. Holy hell. Just thinking about it got him hard again.

He had to stop noticing things about her.
Dangerous territory
.

She inched up his body and placed her soft, perfectly bowed lips on his. He closed his eyes, breathing harder now, trying not to give in to his desires. Ellie was like a frightened deer. She might think she wanted to poke the bear, but when he reared up, she might take off into the woods and never look back.

“Open your eyes,” she whispered.