hips thrust in slow, controlled motions, and restraint tightened his features as he examined my face. Sweat pushed out of his pores with each disciplined circling of his hips, and he ran a hand down the side of my ribs. “You okay?” he asked in a gravely voice.
I nodded. Using my heels, I pushed my hips up, meeting him in a deeper thrust. He hit the swollen knot deep inside of me, setting my nerve endings alive, tingling down my legs until my toes curled against the leather couch.
His thumb worked my clit, moving in quick circles, and the tension built inside of me, coiling and uncoiling, over and over again, until I thought I’d explode. It wasn’t fair—this was so freaking easy for some women.
I quickened my breaths, matching the faster rhythm in which he slid in and out of me. His hips rotated, flicking at the end of each thrust, claiming me, branding me, as tension and heat spiked in my body. Faster and faster he pumped, eyes on me in an intense stare that would every now and then be broken with a kiss.
“Shelby—I’m so fucking close…I don’t know if I can hold it. Are you—”
He quickened the movements against my clit, and I had to hand it to him…he definitely knew what he was doing. But I was nowhere near an orgasm yet. It felt amazing, and he was so sexy over me, inside me, slick with sweat.
“Shelby—”
Oh God. What do I say? Do I fake it, just to make him feel better? No, that wasn’t a solution. Do I just moan and then talk it out after? That would be good. The adult thing to do…talk it out, I mean. Not fake it. Oh, hell, how long have I just been laying here, staring at him with my mouth open? That’s real sexy.
“Shelby,” he grunted, crying out my name once more with a final thrust and shivering above me.
“I can’t come,” I shouted. “I never have.” I cringed as soon as the words left my mouth. He twitched, his orgasm pulsing inside of me, and with a shattered breath, his eyes grew wide.
“W-what?”
Well, fuck. Any of the other options would have been better than that.
Chapter Twenty
TATE
“You what?” No way had I heard that right. Pushing off from the couch, I sat back on my heels and studied Shelby as she covered her face with her hands.
“Oh God. I’m sorry. That was…I’m so stupid.”
“Uh…” For the first time in I didn’t know how long, I had absolutely nothing to say. “Just with me? Did I do something wro—”
“No.” She cut me off. After sitting up, she reached for her shirt. “I swear, it’s not you—it’s me.” Shelby groaned, throwing her head back, and the movement created the most sensuous curve to her neck. “God, that sounds lame, but it’s true. I’ve never been able to—not with myself, not with anyone.”
“Not even with yourself?” I repeated, quietly. I mean…didn’t everyone masturbate? I thought that happened early, even for girls.
She shook her head and squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” I held up my free hand and shook the cobwebs from my head. “Let me get this straight. You didn’t come. You can’t come. And you’re apologizing to me for it?” I laughed at the ridiculousness of that, and scooped a hand through my hair.
Her eyes widened.
“Shelby, you don’t need to apologize. Not for that. Not ever.”
“It feels like I should apologize. Because that was really hot. Right up until I ruined it.” She hugged the shirt into her body, covering her breasts. Gone was the confident girl who straddled me, licking her way up my neck. In her place was someone who needed a shield, a mask.
I gently took her hands in mine, and with a small tug, I pulled her back into my arms. Her skin was smooth against my fingertips, and I ran my hands up and down her spine. Damn, she felt good in my arms. Soft breasts pressed into my chest, and with each breath she took, they pushed into me harder. “Are you okay?” I asked quietly.
She nodded, not moving from where her cheek nestled into my neck.
“Do you want to talk about why?”
This time, she shook her head no.
“Okay.” I curled my arms tighter around her and cradled the back of her head with my palm. Blond hair tangled through my fingers, and I swept the strands from base to tip in soft strokes. Her body only tensed for a