writhed, cried out. He sped up, firing into her clenching heat at a pace that was now fed by nature.
He slid his palm down, found her hard, swollen clit and rubbed, matched his driving pace and gritted his teeth to hold himself back.
Her muscles tensed and clamped around him before her cry reached his ears. The firm, pulsing grip of her channel on his impossibly hard dick was his signal to let go. Follow. Dive into the waiting abyss and pray she was there for him.
His roar broke from his chest, muscles contracting into tight knots as the crest broke, poured from him to enflame his blood and funnel into a single outlet. He clenched her hips, pounded into her before grinding to a gasping end.
The world spun, his skin buzzed with energy and he dropped forward, searching for air to feed his lungs. His legs started to shake, and sweat weaved a path from his temple to drop on Jacqui’s back.
Her soft shudder vibrated through his hands, down his legs. Only then did he realized he still gripped her hips, his fingers starting to ache.
Shit. He lifted, chest heaving, and loosened his hold. Deep red marks outlined where each finger had been, and guilt punched him fast. They’d probably turn into bruises on her pale skin. Still, another part of him filled with pride and a protective rush at the thought.
He laid his hand over the red marks, fitting his fingers into the outline. One breath, two, then he eased out of her. She dropped to the couch, and he quickly swiped a tissue from the box on the end table and cleaned up.
She’d curled into herself, spine pressed against the back of the couch, eyes closed. He scooped her up with ease and carried her to his bed.
The sun had faded behind a cloud, and his room was bathed in the soft gray light that remained. He jerked the covers down with one arm and crawled into bed with her still wrapped in his arms. She stretched out, legs twining with his as she nestled into his side, head on his chest.
The silence eased around him, them, and for once he welcomed the peace it brought. He clutched her to him, kissed the top of her head, sex and arousal deepening her flowery scent.
“Thank you,” he whispered. Inadequate and lacking the depth he wanted. He could only hope she understood.
She mumbled something too faint for him to catch, inhaled and sagged into him, muscles going slack.
He kissed her head again, nuzzled her soft hair and smiled. Peace was a beautiful thing, and he treasured it as he let himself drift into a light sleep.
Chapter Twelve
A lazy, sleepy cloud held Jacqui captive. Warm from head to toe, she snuggled into the heat, sighing with the contentment that filled her. A hand slicked through her hair, tugged it away from her face to let it fall down her back. Soothing touch, calm strokes.
Wait.
Her brain snapped online in a hitch and stutter. The distinctive scent of sex mixed with Henrik rushed in on an inhale and had her relaxing again. Other details flooded in then. The hot length of him against her front. The bristle of hair where her thigh rested between his legs. The soft thud of his heartbeat and the rise and fall of his chest beneath her head.
“You’re awake.” His voice rumbled under her ear, low and unassuming.
Hmm. She stretched, pressed a kiss to his chest and twisted to look up at him. Her smile was lethargic like she felt. “Did I sleep long?”
His returning smile was light with soft humor. “Not long.” He kissed her forehead. “Thirty minutes or so.”
The sated sluggishness that wrapped around her limbs and made moving an unwanted task said it’d been a lot longer—or not long enough.
She folded her arms over his chest, rested her chin on top and peered back at him. “I’ve never passed out after sex.” Not even close. Cuddling and sleeping next to a man led to the intimacy she’d always avoided. Even so, she had no desire to get up and leave.
“Thank you?” He arched a brow, voice rising in hesitant question.
Her chuckle was light and barely heard. “I’ve never had someone do...that before.” She motioned to her backside, her ass clenching just thinking about how amazing it’d felt when he’d licked her there. She couldn’t get herself to detail the act out loud though.
His wry smile went with the quick tilt of his head. “I’ve never