Ripped (16 page)

“Holy shit,” I muttered, trying to take it all in. He was breathtaking, hotter than I ever remembered him being all those years ago, and it made me nervous that I wouldn’t live up to his expectations. “Your body’s amazing.”

“So is yours.” He sighed between kisses. We were down on the mattress with Bax’s leg over mine in seconds. “We can stop at any time, okay? No pressure,” he panted, his hand gripping my hip and guiding it up to meet his.

“I don’t want to stop.” I just managed to gasp as his hand slid down the front of my sweats.

“So wet,” he murmured against my lips.

Pushing up against his hand as his fingers found their way between my folds, I dropped my head back, his lips scorching my neck as they continued lower toward my chest. I’d fantasized about this for eight years, since Bax had left Boston and now that it was finally happening, I wanted to relish every moment. A firm hand slid inside the delicate lace of my bra, kneading my breast, making my nipple pebble under its touch. His hot mouth followed the path of his hand, and I moaned as his tongue languidly circled before his lips drew my nipple in.

The hand inside my sweats that had been slowly stroking my center increased in pressure, his fingers now delving inside me. I moaned again, louder this time as both hand and mouth worked on different parts of my needy body.

Fumbling in the half-light from the hallway, I ran my hand down Bax’s abdomen until I felt the top of his jeans. The button was already undone but I managed to unzip him and push the denim down far enough to feel the bulge inside. Tentatively I stroked his length, unsure how firm my pressure should be. Bax’s hand left my sweats and came to rest on mine. With considered guidance, he tucked our hands inside his boxers and wrapped my palm around his shaft, controlling my movements. He was so hot, the velvety head so smooth. Memories of what he liked came back and my confidence grew.

“That’s it, Jaz.” He kissed my neck. “Just like that.”

My hand slid up and down easily, his need lubricating my strokes. He pushed his jeans and boxers farther down his legs and kicked them off, then sat up and removed my sweats.

“That’s better,” he said on a sigh, his fingers dancing over my skin as they made their way back to between my thighs. Without the restriction of clothing, Bax widened my legs, hooking one over his, spreading me open. “You’re beautiful, Jaz,” he whispered, his hand never stilling. “I want to taste you. I’ve missed my sweet Jasmine.”

Before my addled mind could process what had just been said, Bax was above me, kissing and licking his way down my stomach. My body trembled in anticipation as he hooked his arms around my hips and pulled me toward his face. Hot breath blew against my wetness and I groaned, wriggling a little closer, trying to make contact.

His breath puffed against me once more. “You seem to want this almost as much as I do,” he said, hoarsely.

“I want it more.” I sighed.

I fisted his hair, and he let me guide his head down. One slow lick had me writhing, my back arching up from the mattress. It would have been embarrassing how quickly Bax had me teetering on the edge if not for the noises of pure pleasure he also made. For every throaty moan I made, he matched it with a hum of enjoyment as his face nuzzled closer, his licking and sucking increasing.

“Oh, God, Bax,” I groaned, pushing my hips up as my leg muscles spasmed. His fingers rubbed harder over my inner walls and a wave of pure ecstasy washed over me, pulsing through my entire body time and time again. I rode out the orgasm until Bax’s pressure lessened to gentle licks, his flat tongue savoring my taste.

My eyes were closed, my breath coming out in short bursts as Bax climbed above me. “I’ve missed the flavor of you. I used to dream about it, and now here you are. See? Dreams do come true.”

His hand came up to brush tendrils of hair from my damp brow. He kissed where the hair had been, his lips scorching my skin as it cooled. I slid my hand down between our bodies and took hold of his length that was pressed against my abdomen. He moaned at the slightest touch, so turned on by what he’d just done to me. “I want you inside me, Bax,” I whispered between butterfly kisses down his neck. “This is what I’ve dreamed about. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.”

Holding his weight on his forearms he lifted up just enough to position himself. As he gently pushed inside me, he sighed. “I love you, Jaz.”

It had been so long but I trusted Bax and knew he would never hurt me, so I managed to relax. Slowly, he went deeper until he filled me completely, then stopped for a moment. I pulled his hips down and lifted mine up, grinding into him.

“Give me a sec, Jaz,” he said hoarsely, his breath coming out in shallow bursts.

My legs wrapped around his hips, but I forced myself to hold still and give him the time he had asked for. Then slowly, he pulled almost all the way out and plunged back in. I whimpered as he did it again and again, his speed and force increasing.

One hand went under my hip and raised it, changing the angle as he drove in deeper, his loose hair brushing across my face and blending with mine.

Bax’s back rippled under my hands as I gripped with my fingers dug in until I slid them down to his ass, feeling the muscles tense beneath my palms with every thrust. I held on, using his body to leverage my own up to meet his. My head dropped back on the pillow, and immediately soft lips kissed around my jaw, finding my earlobe and sucking on it.

Torturous pressure built from my core and radiated down my body. “Bax, I’m close,” I whimpered.

He kissed my cheek, my nose, and across to my other cheek, before bringing his lips down to my mouth, our short breaths blending between our lips. His hips circled, the depth varying, and with every thrust I let out a little groan. I could feel Bax’s arms tremble, his body tensed beneath my hands. A guttural grunt in my ear told me he was barely hanging on. I cried out as another wave of pleasure coursed through my body, tensing every muscle in its wake. Bax’s body tensed too as his movements stilted, and he finally let his weight rest on top of me.

The cold air sent a chill over our sweat-covered bodies and Bax rolled off me and grabbed the quilt, pulling it over us and up to our chins. My breathing was yet to slow to normal as I lay on my back, staring up into the dimly lit room. Bax pulled me close into his side and kissed my damp brow. “That was worth waiting eight years for.” His lips brushed my skin as he spoke.

I snuggled in closer, still feeling him inside me. “Let’s not wait another eight years before we do it again.”

T
ODAY WAS
the day, I told myself as I finger-combed my hair and pulled it back into a hair-tie. We
would
find an apartment and we
would
move in together. I was so sick of Jaz’s curfew, and the fact that her landlords had locked her out when she was late had me seeing red. Did they not have any idea what a dangerous city this could be for a young gorgeous girl on her own in the middle of the night? If she hadn’t had me to pick her up and take her back to my place, she would have slept out on the front stoop in the freezing cold, probably dying of hypothermia in the process.

No, this was it. Today was the day, and we would pound the pavement and not stop until we had a place to call home.

I jogged the nine blocks to Jaz’s house to pick her up, grabbing a newspaper on the way. After much debate, we’d decided the area we wanted to focus on was Greenwich Village. It seemed to be where most of the dancers from the show lived, and there were plenty of one-bedroom and loft apartments for lease. Surely there had to be something that was clean with heating that was reasonably priced.

Jaz answered the door before I had a chance to lift my hand and knock.

“Were you waiting for me?” I grinned.

“Of course I was. Today is the day we find our dream apartment so there’s not a moment to waste.” She hooked her arm through mine, and we made our way to a little coffee shop on the corner where we could peruse the listings in warmth while enjoying a cup of coffee and a cream cheese bagel.

“So we have eight to see,” I said with a grin. “That’s pretty good. One of them has to be right for us.”

“Absolutely.” Jaz stood and pulled her pale blue beanie farther down around her ears. “Let’s do this. Let’s find us a home.”

We were on a mission, and as we strode purposefully toward our destiny, a quiet calm took over me because I knew it was going to be a good day.