to mention, being able to make him lose control had given her one hell of a power rush. She smiled, the taste of him lingering on her tongue. “And now that fuse is a bit longer.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“Well, I suppose there’s only one way to find out.” Her tongue slid out to wet her lips as she stood. She slipped her hands beneath the hem of his T-shirt, loving the feel of hard, rigid muscles and a light dusting of hair.
Eyes hot with arousal, he stared down at her as he gripped the back of his shirt with one hand, yanked it over his head, and tossed it to the floor. He was gorgeous, all powerful lines and chiseled muscle. She could practically feel the fire burning inside him. And at that moment, she wanted him more than she’d wanted anything in her entire life.
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his jeans, his gaze still riveted on her. “Take off your clothes. I want to see you.”
Wade watched, mesmerized, as Hope undressed. With a push, her pants dropped down to her ankles, and she swept them aside with her foot. The blouse came off next—no bra, dear Lord—and his jaw just about hit the floor at the sight of her in nothing but her plain white panties.
She was sculpted like one of those ancient Greek statues, with perfect breasts and a trim waist that gave way to the flare of her hips. Her arms were tanned, though the rest of her was pale. She stole his breath away.
It took a few seconds for Wade to find his voice. “Christ, you’re fucking perfect.”
She made an unladylike noise. “You don’t need to suck up. I’m already naked.”
Not quite, but once she ditched those panties, he was going to do everything in his power to keep her that way for as long as humanly possible. He wanted to explore every inch of her body, to find all of the secret places that made her moan, and sigh, and writhe against the sheets. A patient man, he was up for the task, even if it took all night.
Because he couldn’t be this close and not touch her, he cupped her breasts and pinched one nipple lightly while he sucked the other into his mouth. Her head tipped back, her mouth open in a moan, and he loved the feel of her fingers digging into his hair, a silent demand for more.
When her knees began to buckle, he scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Quickly, he ditched the rest of his clothes and stretched out alongside her. There’d be time for the shower, against the wall. Hell, he might even see if that little round table by the window was strong enough to support her weight. But right now he wanted to enjoy her on a nice, soft, comfortable bed.
Wade kissed a path from her lips to her chest, loving the salty sweetness of her skin all the way to the tips of her breasts. He slid one hand over her stomach and down to her mound, and it took a great deal of effort to stop from going farther.
“Yes?” he murmured against her skin.
A low, desperate moan slipped past her lips as she rocked against his hand. It wasn’t a no, but it wasn’t a yes, and he needed to hear the words.
He drew her nipple into his mouth, catching it between his teeth and tugging lightly. She whimpered, and he smiled. “Say it, Bones.”
Her throat muscles moved when she swallowed. “Yes. Please, I need more.”
A ravenous hunger surged through his blood at the pleading in her voice. He kept it in check as his hand slid lower, and he hissed out a breath at her unmistakable wetness. Control fraying at the edges, he stroked her lightly, and with a sense of near wonder, he watched as pleasure blossomed on her face.
One finger, then two, and her inner muscles clenched around him. The rich tang of her filled the air and damn near drove him wild. Eyes closed, she rocked against his hand, and when he stroked her clit with his thumb, her hips shot off the mattress.
All his life, he’d never felt so desperate for a woman. He wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he’d lose his fucking mind.
But then an inconvenient truth slammed into him like a ton of bricks.
“Shit.” He rolled onto his