Her hands skimmed his shoulders, his back, as if relearning his body before eventually settling on his hips.
His cock throbbed, but he held himself in check. Lifting his head, he watched her as he slid his shaft between her folds, testing her readiness. Slick, wet heat met him.
"Raven," he murmured, easing back so the head of his cock poised at her opening.
Her dark eyes met his, not a trace of fear in them. "I want you--"
He pushed inside with one fluid stroke. Again, he paused, arms shaking with restraint. She wrapped her arms around his back and her legs around his hips, nursing him deeper into her soft, giving body.
He buried his face in her neck, his hold slipping. "Fuck, baby??
"Noah."
That was all it took. His name on her lips, spoken in passion and not fear. A plea to give her what she needed. Damn if he could do anything else but give.
One arm worked between her ass and the mattress, angling her hips to take more of him. The other cupped the back of her head and held her against his rough kiss. He withdrew and pushed back inside, the glide slick and tight and hot. He tore his mouth away to suck in a ragged breath, dropping his forehead to hers.
He took her with slow strokes, and she met him with a moan, urging him on. She said his name, over and over. A plea. A demand. There was nothing better than hearing her say his name. Nothing. Sweat soaked their skin. Testing her, he drove into her a little harder, faster.
"Ah, Noah. Yes, yes, yes." Her nails raked his scalp. Her legs banded tighter, heels digging into his ass and urging him for more. She threw her head back, and the scent of rain mixed with musk surrounded them.
He grabbed the headboard with one hand to keep them from drifting as he ground into her. Again and again. With each punishing thrust, she grew more demanding, until her walls clenched around his shaft and she cried out, holding his head to her collarbone as she came.
He followed, driving twice more, and strained. Violent shudders wracked his body until he was completely drained. Spent, he tried to roll them to the side, but she held him firm.
"No. Stay like this. Don't??ove."
He rested the side of his face between her breasts and slid his arms around her, unsure of what, if anything, could be said after that storm. Her fingers combed his hair lazily, and he fell asleep just like that, with her holding him for a change.
Chapter Nine
How fitting her and Noah's last day together be Valentine's--a holiday they both despised and was the epitome of everything they rejected about romantic love. In the past, no matter who they'd been dating, she and Noah spent Valentine's Day together, usually watching an action movie in her apartment. Except this year, he demanded they do something different.
She glanced down at the dress laid out on her bed. This morning, she'd packed up her things and told Noah she'd return to her apartment after work. Their time was up. Other than a clench of his jaw and a tight nod, he had no response. She'd come home from the gallery to find the dress and a note. She'd tried to sever the physical aspect of their relationship cleanly, just as he'd wanted??s she'd wanted, even though a tiny part of her hoped??/p>
Wear this tonight. I'm taking you out.
How did he even know the right size? And shoes, too. A thin slip of a dress, it was ankle-length and dark red, with the neckline coming to a V between her breasts and a slit going up one thigh. It felt like silk between her fingers. The shoes were black heels and three thousand dollars. Both Nicole and Raven had sighed over the pair on their last shopping trip.
Since when did he buy her expensive gifts?
Sitting on the edge of her bed, she reached into her nightstand for the key to her jewelry box and wrapped her hands around a small leather-bound book instead. Drawing it out, she set it in her lap. Years ago, a psychiatrist had given it to her and told her to write her thoughts inside. Like a diary or journal, it was supposed to help her come to terms with her memories. She'd never written in it, the pages blank.
She glanced at the dress and then the book. What better time to start than now, when her feelings