Salvation (41 page)

The bedroom was dark. I was on Nate
’
s side of the bed closest to the door. It was ajar, allowing a narrow strip of light from the hallway in. I frowned, unsure whether I
’
d left it that way when I finally collapsed into bed around midnight.

With a deep sigh, I rolled over to face the windows and closed my eyes again. The unease faded, but a hum of recognition tingled my skin.
“
It
’
s because you
’
re in his bed,
”
I mumbled, rationalising why I sensed Nate
’
s presence.

But it didn’t go away. It grew stronger. When I heard movement from the corner of the room, I bolted upright, clinging the sheet to my chest.

“
Hey, beautiful.
”
A distinctly familiar voice came from the darkness. The shadow in one of the armchairs moved, edging forward. Gradually, his face filled the strip of light shining through the door.

“
Nate.
”
My shoulders dropped with relief.

He unfolded from the chair and came over, settling beside me on the edge of the bed.
“
It
’
s okay,
”
he whispered, stroking my hair reassuringly behind my ear.
“
I didn’t mean to frighten you.
”

I leant into his hand, reaching for his face in a similar embrace. It was rough with a dusting of overnight growth.
“
What time is it?
”

“
A little after five,
”
he murmured, his thumb brushing my cheekbone. He was still shrouded in shadow, but his eyes glittered in the dark.

“
What are you doing here?
”

“
Try keeping me away.
”
He shifted, drawing one knee up onto the bed, keeping his hand on my face.
“
It made no sense being there, when the only place I wanted to be was here, with you.
”

I climbed into his lap and wrapped my body around him, covering his mouth with mine. It was a languid, romantic kiss, the culmination of days of pent up desires, the violent passion we shared simmering beneath the surface. Love flurried around my stomach, every cell in my body revving with arousal and the physical desperation to be with him as he licked into my mouth the way I adored.

“
I thought I had to wait another day to see you,
”
I whispered, holding his face in both hands and covering it with relieved kisses.

“
Surprise,
”
he whispered back. And it was. He must
’
ve gotten on a plane not long after we spoke, and now, here he was. I wondered how long he
’
d sat in the chair before I woke. He tipped me back and stared at me without a word. I could barely see him, but there was something about his silence that niggled me
…
a feeling that all wasn’t as it seemed.

His thick cock pressed through his trousers, hard against my naked sex. The urge to make love grew, my muscles reflexing in hungry anticipation of having him inside me. My hips rocked of their own accord as I pulled him closer by the nape and grazed my teeth down his tensed jaw.

“
Go back to sleep,
”
he murmured, his breath welcome on my face.
“
I
’
m gonna grab a shower.
”
He lifted me off him and stood, moving away towards the closet.

I recoiled into the pillow, his rejection like a physical blow. Why didn’t he want me as much as I did him? When the light came on as he moved down the passageway, I got to see the man I
’
d missed terribly
…
the man who was saying one thing but doing another.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
I managed to choke out.

“
Nothing,
”
he said calmly, reappearing. It looked like Nate, but something was different. He was detached, growing more withdrawn and subdued with every passing second. The unbelievable beauty of his face was marred with worry, his brow drawn in, his jaw rigid. But it was the haunted look in his tired eyes as he studied me while unbuttoning his shirt that sent a chill across my skin.

He pulled the belt from his trousers and moved out of sight. I scrambled forward on the bed, craning my neck to see down the passageway.
“
Something
’
s wrong. Talk to me,
”
I pressed, even though I was dreading his response. I hoped absence had made his heart grow fonder, not make it forget.

“
There
’
s nothing wrong, Kara,
”
he scoffed.
“
You
’
re tired. Go back to sleep.
”

His outright lie infuriated me.
“
Don
’
t patronise me,
”
I snapped.
“
I
’
m not a fucking child.
”

He reappeared, barefoot, and stood in the hallway, his powerful frame illuminated like a halo surrounding him. He exhaled harshly and ran a hand through his already messy hair.
“
It
’
s been a strange week, that
’
s all. My mind
’
s fucked.
”

It didn’t sound like Nate talking. My heart beat furiously as I sat back on my heels, my palms damp as they rested on my thighs. The way he was closing off, shutting me out, took me back to the morning in my apartment and the rejection I
’
d felt. I drew a deep breath of courage, and cautiously asked,
“
Do you still want me?
”

He moved fluidly across the room until he was kneeling in front of me on the bench. He tilted up my chin and gazed into my eyes. No words.
Nothing
. His eyes smouldered dark and fervent, unable to conceal his true feelings no matter what his actions suggested.
“
More than I
’
ve ever wanted anything in my entire life.
”

I blinked and jerked my chin away to get a better look at him. I ran my hands down his bare chest, the connection between us charging through my fingertips. It was still there. That energy, only stronger, more concentrated, a damn near tangible force crackling with sexual tension. I angled my head so my lips brushed his.
“
Then prove it.
”

His hands dived into my hair, the force of his mouth crashing to mine almost knocking me backwards. I basked in his hunger for me, loving how he kissed me, firm and possessive, all-consuming. Any doubts I had absolved as I gave myself to him, my body telling him he owned me.

I broke free and shuffled backward to create some space between us. Using the fire in his eyes for courage, I reached for the hem of my chemise. With deliberate, exaggerated movements, I eased it over my head until I was kneeling nude in front of him, my hair tumbling down my back.

He sucked in a shaky breath, his hands flexing restlessly by his side. Nate could make me feel wanton and sexy with just one look. At that moment, when his deep blue eyes met mine, I could do anything
—
would
do anything
—
he wanted me to. No inhibitions. No self-criticism.

Just be me.

I ran my hands over my hips, inching further up my body, all the while fixing on his eyes, drawing on them for strength. My breasts were heavy, aching and straining towards Nate, like an invisible current was there. I moaned quietly as I cupped them, the tiny bit of relief not nearly enough to satisfy me.

“
Christ,
”
Nate hissed,
“
you
’
re more exquisite than I remembered.
”

Nate told me he needed the connection of making love to fully understand me, so I had to give him that now, to bring him back to me.

I reached for his hands and placed them on my breasts, encouraging him to touch me. The bewilderment in his eyes was barely perceptible in the dark. But it was there. He palmed them, tentatively, his thumbs brushing the puckered nipples. The small growl in his throat hardened them to a painful point.

“
Forget the shower,
”
I murmured.
“
I want you now.
”
My nerves were given away by my tremulous voice as I reclined back on the bed, my whole body a tangle of nervous energy as I waited with baited breaths for him to join me.

He moved fast, stripping off the last of his clothes before weighting me with his deliciously firm body. He captured my mouth, coaxing it open with gentle licks along my lower lip. His tongue slid inside and explored my mouth, making me physically long for it in other places.

“
I
’
ve been starved of you, Kara. I want under your skin, want to crawl inside your head. To possess you completely, as you have me,
”
he rasped against my throat, teasing the pulse point with the tip of his tongue.

“
You are
…”
I gasped, the combination of his mouth and hands on my burning flesh too strong to ignore,
“…
you
’
re everywhere.
”

I arched my back, urging the hand cupping my breast to give me more. He circled the nipple, softly moaning, before sucking it into his mouth. Heat washed over me as I strained upward, desperate for the warmth of his body touching mine. His tongue, hot and slick, drove me out of my mind. I shifted my legs, wet and needy for him.

“
Touch me,
”
I begged, clinging to his biceps.

“
Where?
”
His voice was gruff against my breast as he teased the other, lavishing it with as much attention.

“
You know where.
”
I was panting, writhing beneath him. The urge to come was so acute I was more than willing to do it myself if he didn’t get me off soon.

“
Tell me,
”
he purred, darkly.
“
I wanna hear you say it.
”

I moved his hand from my breast and placed it between my parted legs.
“
Here.
”
I pressed his middle finger into my damp, tender folds. A low groan resonated against my neck, his chest vibrating against mine.

I held him there, writhing with pleasure as his tongue invaded my mouth and he fucked me with his finger. He pushed in another, stroking the wall inside me, turning me on like never before. My hips moved, my clit rubbing his palm. I moaned loudly when he hit a particularly sweet spot. I threw my hands above my head, surrendering to his command.

“
I
’
m so fucking turned on, watching you, seeing what I do to you.
”
Nate
’
s voice, husky and rough, drifted through my senses.

“
Nate.
”
I climaxed without warning, shamelessly riding his fingers as my orgasm pulsed through me, my body convulsing beneath his.

“
God, I
’
ve missed that sound.
”
Nate
’
s thumb found my clit. He kept up the pressure, prolonging the climax, making it roll through me over and over. The needy surge for him inside me took over. I hooked my leg around his and coaxed him on top of me. He reared above me, eyes wild, full of lascivious thoughts. I reached between us, finding his thick cock, swollen and hot, and positioned the crown against my slick opening.

“
I need you, Kara.
”
He pushed gently, barely an inch inside me. My skin misted with a wash of heat.

“
It
’
s okay.
”
I hooked both legs around his waist and tilted my hips in encouragement. He filled me, then stilled at my gasp. I could feel every inch of him, his heat, his hardness
…
all of him, inside me skin-to-skin. Nate
’
s face was raw with emotion, wonder and admiration flickering in his eyes. I
’
d never seen him so unravelled, so unguarded. I
’
d never seen him more beautiful.

“
Kara.
”
The tremble in his quiet voice was excruciatingly revealing of his feelings. The sound slid, like a warm, comforting drink, through my body and seeped into my blood. He brushed his lips over mine.
“
Baby, you feel
…”—
he shook his head
—“
it
’
s unbelievable.
”

“
You are,
”
I whispered, consumed with him. I stroked his hair back from his eyes so I could see them.
“
Make love to me, Nate.
”

His mouth covered mine, drugging me with love, lust and a million other highs I never wanted to come down from. With unhurried, deliberate rolls of his hips, he gave me what I wanted.

“
I
’
ve waited all week for this,
”
he whispered against my mouth.
“
I won
’
t be without you again for that long.
”

Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn’t imagine my life without him either.
“
I
’
m scared you’re going to break my heart,
”
I blurted out of nowhere.

“
I can
’
t break it, baby. It
’
s already broken.
”
His forearms framed my head, his hands coming to brush the hair from my face as he moved inside me, his breaths coming heavier and deeper.
“
I
’
m going to fix it back together again. I promise you that.
”

In that moment, he owned me. He understood everything about me without having to hear it.