Redemption (Forgiven Series) (21 page)

I wasn’t sure what had possessed me to suggest going home, but all I wanted at the moment was to be alone with Josh. Something about tonight had put me at ease. When he’d pulled up out front of the Staler Hotel, I was shocked. The idea that he had planned a whole night as a start over was the sweetest thing. What he didn’t realize was that I’d decided to put everything into this relationship before I showed up at his apartment.

Going to the bar pushed me over the edge. When I walked in the door and realized that he’d gotten all of our friends to show up, my heart sang. Josh had done so much just to have a fresh start with me, and I knew how lucky I was. Sitting on his lap I could feel how turned on he was, and when we were on the dance floor all I wanted was his hands on me again. Everything about our relationship was different for me. I wasn’t the type of girl to have a one-night stand, but I had. Even though we’d already slept together, Josh wasn’t trying to push me, and that was part of the reason why I was willing to give myself to him again. He wasn’t the person everyone thought he was. His reputation was founded in truth, and he hadn’t tried to persuade me differently, but I liked that he was willing to change for me.

The entire drive back to the apartment I watched him. Not able to keep my hands to myself, his breath hitched and he groaned when I touched his thigh. Instantly, the car picked up speed and we made it back to the apartment in record time. Josh jumped out, quickly moved to my side of the car, and had the door open and was helping me out before I had the chance to blink.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured as he cupped my cheek and lowered his face to mine, capturing my lips in a scorching kiss. I slid my hands up the firm muscles of his abs and chest, running them up his body to link them around his neck. Without warning he gripped my legs at the thigh, lifted me up and wrapped my legs around his waist without breaking the contact of our lips.

We moved towards the door, and he shifted my weight to one hand while the other dug into his pockets for the keys. My mind was a jumble of emotions as he walked us in to the apartment and pushed me up against the closed door. The desire to be with Josh again was overriding every other thing in my body. The feel of his tongue against mine made me buck my hips against his erection, and he tightened his grip on me. The things this boy could do to me with just the touch of his lips. He continued down the hall until we made it into his bedroom. Once he stood next to the bed, he slowly slid me down his body, never losing contact.

More than anything, I wanted to feel his skin against mine. A loose lock of hair fell in front of my eyes and Josh used a feather light touch to move it back behind my ear. Seizing the opportunity, I started to undress him. Adrenaline and need made my whole body tingle and my fingers shook as I unbuttoned his shirt, but I froze when Josh lifted his hands to place them over mine, preventing me from going any further. Heat radiated from my cheeks. I’d been so certain he wanted this… wanted
me
. The telltale prickle of tears stung my eyes, but before my embarrassment could take complete hold Josh lifted my chin and looked into my eyes. His pupils were so dilated that I could barely see the color of his irises and his jaw was so tight that I knew he was clenching his teeth hard. Those weren’t the reactions of someone who wasn’t interested. Emboldened by reassurance that he wanted this as much as I did, I shook off his hands and continued to undo the buttons, and my gazed fixed on his.

I leaned in and pressed my lips to his now exposed chest. His breathing sped up as I made my way down to the last button and when I pushed the shirt off his shoulders, I saw the dragon tattoo that started on his chest and snaked down his arm to his elbow. Neither of the other guys I’d been with had tattoos, and I was surprised at how sexy I found them to be.

Leaning forward I lightly touched my fingers to the head of the dragon, tracing its curves until I reached the end of its tail.

He covered my hand with his and closed his eyes. “You have no idea what you do to me,” he breathed.

Taking a step forward, I made sure that my body was flush with his. “Show me then,” I suggested.

His eyes snapped open and he studied me for what seemed like forever. “Are you sure?”

In answer, I placed my hands on his chest, caressing the tight muscles as I moved my body into full contact with his. He bent his head to capture my lips with his. I felt his hand slide down to the hem of my dress and as he slipped his hand underneath my skirt, I realized there was no feeling better than the feel of his skin against mine. His hand traveled up my leg sliding across the trim of my panties, creating goose bumps and causing me shiver.

The dress slipped over my head and Josh’s hands roved up and over my bra. Slowly, he lowered me to his bed, his lips touching the spot where my neck met my shoulder. The feel of his tongue licking across my shoulder to the strap of my bra had me fisting my hands in his hair. I gasped when he used his teeth to drag the bra strap down my arm. He let go of the strap to suck and kiss his way back up my arm and down my chest. “Josh, please, touch me,” I pleaded.

“I’d love to,” he whispered against my chest as he hand moved up my ribcage and around my back. He unsnapped my bra with one hand and pulled it off in one fluid movement.

“You are so fucking sexy,” he groaned.

His head lowered to one of my breasts, teasing the nipple with the tip of his tongue. The feeling sent tingling pulses throughout my body. I wanted him—no, I
needed
him to touch me lower. “Please, Josh,” I begged.

“Please what?”

“I need you,” I breathed, my hips moving against his legs, trying to get some much-needed friction.

His hand moved down to my panties. “Damn, so wet.”

Writhing beneath him, my body flamed as he licked a hot, wet path down my chest and across my stomach until he was stopped by the waistband. With the gentlest of touches, he slid them down my legs before kissing his way back up my inner thighs. The pleasure he was stirring in me was incredible and made my need for him reach levels I’d never experienced before.

When his tongue touched my clit I was done. My back bowed off of the bed as the desire exploded in me and I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from crying out. Looking up at me, his eyes darkened and he reached up to free my lip from my teeth.

“I want to hear you,” he teased.

“Josh,” I moaned.

“That’s better,” he whispered, continuing to tease me with his tongue.

It wasn’t long before the pleasure became too much and it burst around me like a rainbow of colors before my eyes, making me dizzy and drawing tremors from my body. In my sated daze, I felt Josh move off of the bed, returning seconds later and placing himself between my legs, covering my body with his.

“I need you,” he groaned. He touched his lips to mine and slowly pushed inside of me.

The feeling of him stretching me had me lifting my hips to meet his slow but decisive thrusts as he slid in and out of my body. Time had lost all meaning and my thoughts were lost to anything but him, but soon I felt Josh’s pace quicken, and at the same time I felt the familiar build up in my body.

“I can’t hold on much longer,” I panted.

“Mmmm…” he groaned. “I want to feel you come around me.”

A few thrusts later and that is exactly what I did. The force of my orgasm pushed Josh over the edge and stole my breath. His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of me. Our bodies were slick with sweat as we lay there trying to catch our breath.

Josh recovered first and pushed himself up off the bed, putting his weight on his elbows on either side of my head. Brushing the hair out of my face, he placed a tender kiss to my forehead.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

My eyebrows drew in. “Why are you thanking me,” I asked.

“For trusting me. For believing that this was about more than sex.”

I looked up into his eyes. “Thank you for making tonight so special. I loved our do-over date,” I said with a smile.

He rolled over onto his back, bringing me with him. “I also happen to be very glad you chose to spend the night so I get to hold you in my arms while we sleep.

“This is exactly where I want to be,” I sighed as I sank deeper into his embrace, feeling my eyelids getting heavy.

As if sensing that I was about to fall asleep, Josh kissed the top of my head. “Get some sleep, Jersey.”

My eyes drifted closed and, as I lay there in Josh’s arms, I realized something. I couldn’t ask for more. Josh was everything I’d hoped for, but never really believed I would find.

The next morning I woke to a warm feeling of contentment. Josh’s fingers were sliding up and down my back in a lazy caress that was as much of a turn on as it was soothing. I lifted my head to see him staring down at me. Somehow through the night we’d managed to stay in the same position we’d gone to sleep in, and that was an odd feeling for me, since I normally tossed and turned throughout the night.

“Good morning,” he said, leaning down to press his lips to mine. “How did you sleep?”

“Morning,” I replied around a yawn. “Good, how about you?”

“You’re not very convincing when you yawn first thing after waking up,” he chuckled.

“Not really a morning person,” I mumbled into his chest. “Need coffee first.”

“I’m not really a morning person either, but I had a really good night’s sleep,” he winked.

I lifted my eyebrow at him since it was all I was willing to move at the moment. “Let’s just say I could get used to waking up to you every morning.”

Cuddling closer to his side, if that was even possible, I had to admit that waking up in Josh’s arms was pretty incredible. Even after being with Ryan for nine months I’d never spent the whole night with him, or any guy for that matter. “This is a first for me,” I admitted shyly.

He kissed the top of my head and admitted, “You’re not alone in that. You’re the only woman I’ve ever spent the entire night with.”

My body stiffened. It was no secret that he didn’t do relationships, but this was just another reminder that he’d been with a lot of women before me. His fingers slid under my chin and he tilted my head upward until I was looking at him. “Before you, I never wanted a woman to stay with me. Now… I can’t imagine anyone but you lying next to me.”

His candid words reminded me that I needed to try and trust him. Just because Ryan had cheated on me, didn’t mean that Josh would—even with his reputation. I nodded and returned my head to the crook of his neck. We lay there in silence for a while, his hand caressing my back, creating sensation everywhere he touched.

“You said that you don’t have practice today, right?” he asked, continuing to stroke his fingers back and forth across my skin.

“Right,” I answered. “Do you have something in mind?”

“I always have something on my mind,” he whispered suggestively.

I smacked him in the chest. “Something besides sex?”

“What’s more fun than sex?”

Mmmm… he had a point. “We can’t stay in bed all day, especially with Caleb and Angie right down the hall.”

At the realization, I froze. I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten about them last night. “Oh my God,” I breathed. They had to have heard everything.
Mortified
, that was the only word to describe my feelings.

“Jersey… Jersey,” he said, but I was so embarrassed that I didn’t answer “Lauren,” he called out in a louder voice. “They got home hours after we did. Besides, it’s not like they don’t know we’re together.”

“I know, but that doesn’t change—”

He covered my lips with his, halting any argument I was about to make. His lips were firm but soft against mine, and after a few moments he reluctantly pulled away.

“Don’t worry so much,” he said. “Even if they were here, it would be payback for all the nights I’ve had to put up with them.”

I rolled my eyes at his comment. “I’ll try not to worry so much then. So, back to my original question, what are we doing today?” I asked.

“How about… we… see if… Caleb and Angie… want to get breakfast,” he asked, his words punctuated with kisses as he trailed a path down my neck.

The feel of his lips made me want to do other things first. “Mmmm hmmm,” I moaned and, threading my fingers through his hair, I pulled his mouth up to mine. Quickly deepening the kiss, I heard a low groan come from the back of his throat.

“We can always do that in a little bit,” he murmured lowering his lips to my breasts and sending me soaring to new heights of pleasure.

A little over a month into our relationship, things between Josh and I were going really well. There were still times I worried about trusting someone, but then I would remember how wonderful Josh had been since our do-over date and I would force those feelings away. The hardest part had been dealing with the girls that continued to hit on him for the first week, not truly believing that he was seeing only one girl. It didn’t make a difference though, because Josh made it clear to all of them from the beginning that he wasn’t interested in anyone but me.