Essence of Desire (33 page)

She exhaled slowly, thinking this was insane. Simply crazy. Their attraction to each other couldn’t be normal. But when he finally came to a stop in front of her, she felt the most intense physical connection ever to any man. And when he blatantly allowed his gaze to move from the top of her head to the soles of her stilettos, she realized that she had him just where she wanted him.

She had seen this dress in the store yesterday and had deliberately brought it to tempt him tonight. Tease him with it. Taunt him mercilessly. And then when she had gotten him hot, hard and nearly out of control, she would have sent him on his merry little way. But she could see by the tense jaw, flared nostrils and darkened eyes that she had misplayed her hand, miscalculated her strategy. Royce was a man always in control, even now when she could tell by all outward appearances, none that he was trying to hide, that he wanted her.

For a mere instant, she was afraid to move and then she dismissed the thought as ludicrous. She knew the vibes and had never felt troubled when they’d come from a man before. It was all a part of the mating ritual for humans. First she had set up her territory by inviting him over. Then to assure that she attracted his attention, she had worn this outfit. It had worked and now he had made his move. She could accept it or she could reject it.

She was going to accept it.

She wasn’t sure just what gave that fact away, made her decision obvious to him. It could have been the way she was gazing in his eyes with the same intensity that he was gazing in hers. Or it could have been that her heat was sending out a potent scent, one he could decipher. Whatever it was, they could not deny that at that moment they were bound by passion in such a way that neither could ignore. She wanted him. He wanted her. They both knew it. Like before they were thoroughly aroused.

Their passion was a mutual thing, like before.

She wasn’t sure who made the first move but she was certain it was her grabbing him by his shirt collar and pulling him to her. The next thing she knew his mouth had taken possession of hers in a way that made her moan as he proceeded to kiss her thoroughly, cupping her face while delving between her lips with a moist and firm tongue, while her hands slid up his chest, pulled up his shirt, needing to feel some skin. The moment her fingers came into contact with the crinkly hair on his chest, she actually heard him moan.

He pulled back and broke off the kiss and he held her within the intensity of his dark eyes. “You’ve accomplished just what you’ve set out to do, Michelle,” he whispered in a choppy voice. “You’ve driven me crazy.”

She intentionally licked her lips in a way she knew would drive him even more insane.

“You’ve done it now,” he warned.

And then his hands were everywhere, stripping off her outfit, nearly ripping if off her and within minutes it lay as a piece of scrap at her feet. She was left standing totally naked in front of him. And before she could catch her next breath, he reached out and placed his hands between her legs to touch her hotness, her wetness, to generate even more of it. Test her readiness.

“Royce.”

His name came as a hoarse whisper from her lips. He pulled back and began kicking off his shoes, removing his shirt and belt before unsnapping his jeans to ease them down his legs, followed by his briefs.

Then she saw the full extent of his engorged erection. She remembered it well. Recalled every second of the pleasure it had given her before. Remembered the nights following when she had been tempted to show up unexpectedly at his home to initiate a booty call, wanting a repeat performance. Now it was back, and as she reached out and clasped the full length of him, she thought further, right back into her hands.

She watched as Royce closed his eyes, heard the groan of tortured pleasure that rumbled forth from between tightly closed lips. At that moment, she knew that she was the one in control. The one in charge.

For now.

And just so he would let her remain in control for a while, she dropped to her knees in front of him, opened her mouth and took him in.

***

Instinctively, Royce reached out and grabbed hold of Michelle’s head with both hands, entwined his fingers in her hair while thinking this is one of the things he remembered most about that night. The satisfaction he got from her mouth on him. At the moment, he could barely think. He could only feel. And she was forcing him to feel the pressure of her mouth, lips and tongue as they focused on driving him over the edge in the most delectable way. He took it for as long as he could stand it and then he knew he had to drive her crazy with pleasure the same way.

He stepped back the moment she reached out and pulled her to her feet, and then eased her down on her back on the sofa. He started with her breasts, perfectly rounded and firm, the nipples fitting just right in his mouth. Branding her possessively.

His mouth then moved lower to her belly, placing wet kisses there with his tongue, bathing her tattoo that was of all things, two cherries. Something new she’d added since he’d paid this part of her a visit. He liked cherries. And used his tongue to lick and taste hers, along with her belly button ring.

Then he was there, between her legs and tasting her the same way she had tasted him, reacquainting his tongue with her flavor and knowing it would always be a permanent taste bud on his tongue. Pure feminine pleasure flooded her body and he could taste it, feel the vibration of her womb in his mouth. Then she lifted her hips up off the sofa and grounded herself against his mouth when an orgasm claimed her.

“Royce!”

He didn’t let up and he didn’t let go. His tongue remained planted deep inside her, tasting the satisfaction and pleasure he was giving her. And when the last spasm flowed from her body, he pulled his mouth away, needing to join his body with hers. Now.

He reached for his jeans off the floor to retrieve a condom from out of the pocket while glancing over at her. She was staring at him beneath long lashes with the most serene and satisfied smile on her face. The only times she had ever smiled at him that way were after he had given her complete sexual gratification. Her smile held him spellbound and for a moment he couldn’t seem to think. Just feel. A deep pressure seemed to take over his chest, consuming it as well as the furious beating of his heart.

He knew at that moment what he was sharing with Michelle was more than just lust roaring through his senses or having sex. It was more than passion sweeping him to another plane. It was more than just an intense urge to mate with her.

Never had he been gripped in the clutches of something so profound. Never had he been shackled with more than physical need for a woman. He swallowed deeply as he tried clinging to the last semblance of denial, but it did no good. Why, he couldn’t help asking himself, although he knew the answer was beyond anyone’s comprehension and knowledge, especially his own.

Why now and why this woman?

An emotion flared deep inside of him as he moved back over toward her and leaned down and kissed her. The moment their lips joined he felt complete. Totally resigned.

He eased his body over hers and held her gaze. She was the only woman capable of feeding his desire to this extent. Make him lose control. The only woman he had to make his. Irrevocably. And whatever it took, he would make her feel the same way. She already desired him as much as he desired her, the look in her eyes proved that. But there was something else he now wanted more than anything. Her love. Just like he could admit that she had his.

He knew to accomplish that task meant stripping away a lot of her insecurities; especially those regarding men she felt would try and dominate her, change her into something she could never be. Take away her strength. He had to prove to her that with any relationship strength was shared. With them it would always be that way. Neither would dominate. They would use their strengths together.

He felt the heat of her skin pressed intimately to his and thought he could explode just from being this close to her, from breathing in her scent. But knew he wanted to be inside of her when it happened. He wanted to feel her clenching him tight and milking him for all it was worth. And he would make it worth her while. All night long. He would make love to her, somehow break through her resolve and hope that eventually at some point in the near future he would get through to her. More than anything, he would do whatever he could to convince her to go on the cruise with him.

Starting now.

Holding both of her hands in his, he raised them above her head before leaning down and kissing her as he slowly sank his body into hers, penetrating deep, stretching her to the limits. She accommodated him by stretching her thighs wider, then taking her legs and wrapping them around his waist. A guttural sound escaped him when he came to the hilt, knowing he was buried deep inside of her. Pure joy flooded his soul and for the first time he knew how it felt for a man to be inside a woman he loved. And he also understood why he had felt those sensations deep in his gut whenever she was around and why he’d become a jealous man.

“Hold on, sweetheart, I’m about to give you the ride of your life,” he said, still holding her gaze.

“Just wait until it’s my turn,” she countered.

He couldn’t help but chuckle. His woman just had to get the last word in. And she was his woman, he thought. And he knew that she would deliver on her threat.

“I can’t wait,” he whispered as he began moving the lower part of his body, thrusting in and out of her, over and over again.

Gazing down he watched her expression the same way she was watching his. He would pull out of her. Almost. Then push back in. Completely. She clenched her inner muscles, tried holding him captive but it was no use. He was set on a sensual path that would not be denied. As straight and narrow a path as it could get. He needed her. He needed this. They needed each other.

Fire raged in his blood, made his desire for her blaze, and his love all-consuming. Each stroke into her meant a yielding of his heart until he had nothing left to give. She had it all. And this was the only time she would start off fighting for control only to eventually relinquish it all to him. Willingly surrendering as he unleashed emotions in her that he knew she preferred kept under lock. But he intended to take all while giving all. He strove to do whatever he had to do to capture her senses, grasp her mind and push her over the edge of desire and eventually into love.

“Royce!”

“That’s it baby,” he whispered softly, leaning down close to her lips. “Don’t fight it. Surrender to what you’re feeling. ”

She did, and the moment he felt her body explode beneath his he leaned in closer and captured her lips, feasted on her mouth, mated with her tongue, while repeatedly thrusting in and out of her with a greed that wouldn’t ease up.

Then he was hit with his own explosion and released her hands to grip her hips, to lift them up so he could go deeper into her body still. He began soaring over the edge and beyond, taking her with him as he ascended the clouds, climbing higher and higher to another universe. And she was with him every step of the way. And he knew, at that moment, this was the way he would always want it to be.

Totally drained, Royce slumped against Michelle, making sure his weight wasn’t more than she could handle. Then he switched positions to make her more comfortable in his arms. Their bodies were sated and their skin damp.

“I’ll give you a chance to rest up, Royce.”

He pulled in enough strength to glance over at her. He couldn’t help but smile. She was trying to take back control. “I appreciate it.”

“And you owe me a dress.”

Now that deserved a laugh. “Was that supposed to be a dress?”

“Yes, I bought it yesterday.”

He drew a deep yet slow breath. It was as he’d assumed. “You bought it for me.”

She frowned. “I don’t buy my clothes for any man.”

“You made an exception with that one. Admit it,” he said with confidence in his voice. Before she could open her mouth to refute his words, he pulled her to him and captured that mouth with his.

Regardless of whether she admitted it or not, that dress was for him, although she’d probably purchased it assuming she could use it to get on his last nerve. It had. In addition to that, she had given him a boner that had to be satisfied. And it had gotten satisfied in the most earth-shattering way.

“If you still want to go out tonight then we can, but I prefer you wear another outfit.”

She met his eyes. “I don’t have a choice about wearing another outfit since you ruined that one.”

“I’ll buy you another one, not the same style though. I’ve never gone shopping for a woman before so it ought to be fun.”

She lifted a surprised brow. “You would go shopping for me?”

“Yes, since I can’t trust you to go on your own, not if the results are anything like that,” he said.

“Watch it. You’re beginning to sound territorial.”

“Am I?” he asked, although the look in her eyes told him she thought he was and didn’t care too much for the idea.

“Yes.”

He didn’t say anything for a minute and then. “That guy, the one you were sort of engaged to, the one who I heard was a mama’s boy. Wasn’t he territorial?”