All of You (31 page)

Danny froze.

He’d known damn well that’s what Kat wanted and what he’d been offering, but second thoughts had begun creeping in.

“That’s not a good idea, Kat.” Danny searched the hazel depths of her eyes. “You think that now, in the heat of things, but…”

Kat tightened her hold on his wrist. “I want to. With you. Tonight. Now, Danny.”

Danny wanted it so fucking bad.

Her virginity.

Her body.

He wanted to take it, claim it, and keep it like the insane caveman she’d turned him into. But, deep down, he knew that wasn’t what was best for her. Despite loving her more than he thought possible – or maybe
because
of that love – Danny wanted better for her. And he wasn’t going to stop her from experiencing better by robbing her of something she could never get back.

Although, it was proving difficult to have a single rational thought with his hand down her jeans, her chest bared, and Kat gazing up at him with face flushed, eyes glazed over, and lips parted…

Begging him to fuck her.

Asking him to take something Danny couldn’t help but fantasize she’d been saving for him. Wanting to give him something Danny had been dying to have since the moment he’d met her.

She’s better than that, and you know it.

Too good for you.

Too special.

You’re dirty.

She’s clean.

You’re a nobody with nothing.

She is…

Everything.

Danny’s chest ached looking at her gorgeous body splayed beneath him…her beautiful face…

His breath caught at the affection shining in her eyes. Danny knew he’d never earn her love, but Kat cared for him. He saw it and felt it…knew she’d never engage in this stuff with someone she didn’t care for.

Or trust.

Behave in a way worthy of her trust, then.

Despite the huge fist in his throat, Danny smiled and said, “Let’s start with this, okay? Then we can talk about the other stuff. And don’t worry about coming now…” He nearly groaned when his eyes dropped to the damp spot on her panties. “You can come now
and
later.”

Danny met her eyes again, gazing into their depths…trying to communicate the words he wasn’t able to speak aloud.

I want to wring you dry. I want to fuck you so hard and so long you won’t be able to walk for a week. I want your throat raw from screaming my name and every muscle sore from me taking you any and every way possible.

Danny’s throat tightened, the emotions behind his lust suddenly bubbling up to the surface.

I want to love the hell out of you and marry the shit out of you. So I can keep you forever. So I can take care of you. So I can talk to you, taste you, and hold you anytime I want.

His stomach muscles clenched.

Because I don’t want anyone else to have you. Because the thought of not having you is driving me insane.

“
Danny?
” she whispered, her eyes wide. Kat searched his face, her brows low. “You okay?”

Danny almost laughed. Instead, he pushed all of those thoughts away and yanked her jeans down to her knees, leaving her adorably sensible teal cotton bikinis right where they were. Kat’s eyes latched onto his fingers as Danny slowly pulled the fabric aside to expose her glossy, swollen flesh.

“Do you know how beautiful you are, Kat?” Danny lifted his eyes to find her already staring at him. “How incredibly sexy and amazing?”

Kat shook her head slowly, eyes wide.

“Well, you are. And looking at you, like this…” Danny’s eye dropped back to her and very nearly groaned. “It
kills
me, sweetheart. Completely fucks with my mind. All I can think about is how much I want to touch you. And taste you. How good I want to make you feel.”

Danny began stroking her again, softly at first, and then with increasing pressure until Kat was back to moaning his name and lifting her pelvis to match his strokes. Danny slipped his finger farther in, dying inside at how tight and wet she was.

He continued plunging in and out of her, now sliding the pad of his thumb along her clit in rhythm.

“
Danny…
” Kat pushed herself up, wrapped a hand around his neck, and pulled their mouths together again.

Danny increased the tempo and Kat pushed against him in time until she abruptly pulled away.

“
Oh, my God!
” She buried her face in his neck and panted against his skin, the waves of her orgasm washing over her.

Danny kept his finger still inside of her, incredibly turned on by the feel of her body tightening and loosening around him again and again. He felt more connected to her than he’d ever felt before…more connected to her than he’d ever felt to
anyone
before, despite the fact they were both still mostly clothed.

A few minutes later, when Kat’s orgasm had passed and Danny had no legitimate reason to remain that way, he withdrew and wrapped his arms around her. When he felt Kat’s body was still trembling, he held her tighter.

Danny brushed a few strands away from the side of her face and gently kissed the top of her head. “You okay, sweetheart?”

She pulled back enough to meet his eyes and gave him a wry smile. “I hope you don’t think that gets you out of sex, Danny.”

‡

D
anny brows dropped.

Kat slid her hand down, between their bodies, until it rested on the huge, hard bulge in Danny’s jeans.

She squeezed gently, loving the way Danny’s head dropped back and his lips parted, eyes latched onto her mouth. “This time we
are
going to do something about this, Danny.” When he shook his head, Kat nodded. “Yes. We are.” She gave him another gentle squeeze.

Danny looked down, watching as Kat began rubbing him over his jeans.

“
We shouldn’t
,” he groaned out, betraying his words by pressing his erection harder against Kat’s hand. Danny met her gaze. “But…” He swallowed hard when Kat increased the pressure slightly. “Maybe you can just rub it for a while…if you don’t mind…” Danny groaned when she undid the button on his jeans.

Kat was shocked at the headiness she felt touching him like this. She’d never imagined sexually arousing someone would feel so empowering. Maybe the rush of power came from the knowledge she was arousing a man who had a great deal of experience in this area.

Or maybe it was just because it was Danny.

A man she was wildly attracted to.

A man she deeply…cared for.

Regardless of where it was coming from and why, there was no denying the exhilaration she felt knowing her touch was exciting Danny.

Really
exciting him, if the colossal erection she was currently rubbing was any indication.

“Why don’t we go up to your bed, Danny?” When he shook his head, Kat asked, “Why not?”

His gaze latched onto hers. “Because if I get you on that bed, I
will
fuck you. More than once and in more than one position. And, trust me, you’re not ready for all that.” Danny eyed her mouth hungrily and exhaled a hard scoff. “Hell, I don’t even know if I can handle it.”

Kat smiled, slowly pulling his zipper down. “Oh, I’m pretty sure you can handle it. It’s not
your
first time, remember?”

He startled her by gently gripping her chin, forcing Kat’s eyes to meet his. “This is not the same. Not at all.” Danny searched her eyes. “You know that, Kat, right? That this is nothing like all of
that
…and that you are nothing like all of
them
?”

Danny’s impassioned tone and the forlorn look on his face ripped her heart to shreds. Kat thought about all of the women he’d been with – women he hadn’t loved and who hadn’t loved him. She thought about how horribly alone he must have felt all those years…how alone he must still feel.

Kat wanted him to know he never had to feel that way again. She wanted him to know that, no matter what happened between them in the future, he was wanted.

And needed.

That he was
loved
.

Kat accepted the silent acknowledgment with as much ease and confidence as she did anything she knew to be one hundred percent, unequivocally true.

No use trying to fight it, will it away, or reason her way out of it, because it was as true as any scientific experiment or mathematical equation she’d ever solved. Yes, she couldn’t
prove
it, but that intangibility took nothing away from the absolute certainty of her feelings.

Kat was wildly in love this crazy, confusing, damaged man – and probably had been from the moment he’d treated Stella (really, the whole family) with such incredible kindness after Nathan had briefly lost his way last year.

Kat had no plans to share that information with Danny or to factor her feelings into her future. Her future was too uncertain and involving Danny in it would only lead to a lot of pain.

For both of them.

But that wasn’t going to stop her from experiencing this with him tonight.

She couldn’t have stopped now even if she’d tried.

Kat turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist. Danny cupped her face and pulled her into his chest, his other arm enveloping her. Kat wound her arms around his waist and her eyelids closed, safe in his embrace.

They stood that way for what felt like hours, holding each other. The sensation of Danny’s strong, steady heartbeat against her cheek comforted her in a way Kat hadn’t known before. When he gently pulled her hair tie out and began running his fingers through her hair, tears filled her eyes.

Kat’s fingers curled into his taut back muscles. “Danny?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

Kat tilted her head back and met his eyes, brow quirked and lips curled. “You know, for a man whore, you sure are hard to get into bed.”

Danny laughed out loud. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled down at her. “Maybe I’m turning over a new leaf. You ever think of that?”

Kat huffed. “Just my luck.” She lightly dragged her fingertips up and down Danny’s spine, loving the way his eyes glazed over. “Well, can we at least go lie down in your bed?” Kat shifted on the table. “I think my butt’s asleep.”

A weird expression crossed his face. “Why don’t we hang out on the couch? When you’re ready to sleep, you can use the bed.”

God, the man could be obstinate and difficult when he wanted to be.

But there was no one –
no one
 – as stubborn as Kat when she put her mind to something, a fun fact Danny was about to learn the hard way.

“My leg is really bothering me,” Kat lied. “I need to lie down and stretch it out.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” A look of concern on his face, Danny grabbed onto her waist. “Put your arms around my neck.” When Kat did, he lifted her, turning her in his arms and slipping his right one underneath her bent knees. “Okay?”

Kat nodded and he made his way to the staircase.

For a woman who’d spent her entire life putting on a brave face, proving her independence, and shunning anyone who tried to get close to her, Kat was sure as hell enjoying this whole letting-her-guard-down/being-taken-care-of dynamic going on between her and Danny.

Kat was pretty sure it was because Danny made it seem like he was looking after her because he
wanted
to, not because she needed him to. Danny knew Kat didn’t need him to carry her, but he wanted to. There was a big difference between the two and he seemed to get that, somehow.

It was a lovely, unsettling thought that had Kat unconsciously tightening her arms around his neck.

Danny rounded the corner into his bedroom and walked over to the edge of the bed. He laid Kat down, but when he went to pull away, Kat tightened her arms around his neck.

She smiled up at him. “Not so fast.” Kat pulled him in and pressed a few soft kisses to his lips.

When Danny groaned and tried to pull away again, Kat slipped her tongue between his lips and slid it against his tongue slowly. Rhythmically. Until, with another groan, Danny began kissing her back.

A few seconds later, he’d positioned himself above her – on his forearms and knees, keeping his weight off her – Kat’s arms still wound around his neck as they continued kissing, licking, and nipping at each other.

Kat dragged her hands down his bare back, loving the feel of his hard muscles flexing beneath her fingers. She slid her hands around to his stomach and slowly made her way to the still-opened fly of his jeans.

She’d just slipped her fingers inside and against his erection when Danny reared back and grabbed her wrist.

Danny took in Kat’s unapologetic grin and quirked a brow. “Did you just trick me into bed, Kat?”

“Sure did.”

Danny laughed. “You little vixen.” Kat moved her fingers, brushing up against his erection. He inhaled sharply, searching her face as his smile faded. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Have sex?” she asked hopefully and Danny laughed again. Kat pinched his thigh. “No. Seriously.” She eyed the bulge in his jeans. “You obviously want to, too…”