The Ivy House - By Drea Stein Page 0,72

take my time, really figure out what makes you tick.” His hand brushed in between her thighs, and even through the thick fabric of her jeans, he felt her body respond.

“That works,” Phoebe managed to say, as his hand hooked the waistband of her pants, and he pulled her towards him. She tried to reach for him again, but he moved out of the way.

She sat up and he lifted her shirt off and tossed it on the floor. His hands cupped the lacy fabric of her bra and he brushed his hands over them. Phoebe’s back arched and Chase unhooked her bra, tossing it to the side. Her breasts sprung free and he lowered his mouth to feast on them, feeling her come alive beneath them. Her hands held him close, and he started on the button of her jeans.

He took a moment, breaking free, and peeled them off one leg at a time, until she was naked except for her lacy cream underwear. He touched there, felt the evidence of her arousal, and peeled those off too. She was naked before him and he stroked her, watching as her head fell back and her hips rose to meet him.

Phoebe had never felt so wanton, so full of desire. So far, Chase had used nothing but his mouth and his hands on her, but her whole body was alight, tingling from his touch. Her hips angled up to him, as he stroked her sex, while his other hand brought her nipples to attention and his mouth ravaged hers, his stubbled skin brushing against the sensitive surface of her cheek.

Her fingers found the buttons of his shirt and she managed undo them, and she let her hands roam along his back, his chest, and his flat abdomen, and then she dipped below, found that he was aroused, hard for her, but still he kept up his assault, demanding that she do nothing but let herself be taken, and she did, riding the waves of pleasure until he slipped inside her and she wrapped her legs, pulling him deep inside of her, clenching around him, matching his rhythm as she moaned his name and he answered with hers. Then, she tumbled down into darkness, her body releasing as she felt his release wash over her.

Phoebe lay still, very still. Chase was on top of her, a dead weight that did not seem to want to move. His arm was on her stomach and she gently tried to wiggle free.

“Sorry,” he said and rolled over to the side, pulling her close to him. His hand stroked her hair and his mouth nibbled on her shoulder.

“I suppose that was worth the wait,” Phoebe said after a moment, after her heart stopped thudding quite so fast and the blood had receded from her ears.

His arms encircled her, pulling her in tight and close and, for a moment, Phoebe felt that she could stay like this forever, in the circle of his arms, happy and satisfied.

“It was for me,” he said, his teeth nipping at her ear.

Chapter 33

They got cold. And hungry. Night had fallen and the breeze from the open window had become downright cold. She felt herself shiver, and Chase got up, pulled the throw from the bottom of the bed over her, and started dressing. Her heart sank at the thought of him leaving, but she tried to keep her face from showing it.

He only buttoned two buttons and pulled his jeans up, leaving the top undone.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I heard your stomach growl.”

“Did not,” she started to say, just as it did so again.

One eyebrow went up.

“I’ll bring it up here,” he said. Phoebe looked around. Her comforter was a custom silk one that she’d designed herself and had shipped to her. As romantic as eating in bed sounded, she couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to it.

“Oh, no you won’t.” She pulled the blanket around her and swung her legs out of bed, hunting for her clothes. “No eating in bed.”

“Doesn’t that depend on the menu?” he said, pulling her to him. She wasn’t sure that they would make it downstairs, but then her stomach growled and he let her go.

“I’ll go set everything up,” he said and bounded from the room. Phoebe watched him go. The expression on his face was like that of a very happy puppy.

She took more than a moment, running a quick shower and finding a pair of casual linen pants, a