Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

so that she straddled him. She hummed against his lips, breaking contact only long enough for them both to gulp a lungful of air before returning to his mouth with a different kind of kiss, this one luscious and full of movement. He ran his hands up and down the backs of her legs, brushing her inner thigh with his thumbs, a little higher, a little closer to where he really wanted to be on each upsweep.
    God . He could smell her arousal, all musky and sweet. Unable to wait, he yanked the pretty pink silk pajama bottoms down and plunged two fingers up into her warmth. She was tight and wet and she writhed against him, working herself against his hand.
    Abruptly she pulled away from his mouth to stare down into his eyes. ‘Any which way I can have you,’ she whispered. ‘And some ways I haven’t thought of yet.’
    It took him a few seconds to realize she was quoting him. He’d said those words. While they were driving up that morning. When he was being blunt. ‘Yeah? So?’
    ‘Have you thought of them yet?’
    ‘A few. More than a few. Why?’
    She leaned down and nipped his lip, making his pulse roar in his head. ‘Where are your condoms?’
    ‘One’s in my back pocket.’
    ‘So get it.’
    He pumped his fingers into her more slowly, teasingly. He could press his thumb to her clit and finish her off, but he liked seeing her this way. She glowed. She’s mine . ‘Then I have to take my fingers out of you and I don’t want to.’
    She leaned to whisper in his ear. ‘But then you can put something better in me.’
    She laughed breathlessly when he yanked his fingers free and rolled to one hip to reach his back pocket. He fell back on the mattress, ready to unzip his jeans when she stayed his hands. Shit . Don’t make me stop . Please don’t make me stop .
    He forced his voice out of his throat. ‘Do I need to stop?’
    ‘No.’ She moved his hand, grasped the zipper herself. ‘This is mine. Mine to do.’
    This was about power. About her taking back what had been stolen from her. By Beckett and Elkhart. By cancer. This was important. He linked his hands behind his head. ‘Just be careful. I, uh, didn’t take the time for shorts.’
    She was careful and she was slow. He was ready to beg when she finally got the zipper all the way down, freeing his erection, grasping it in her hand. She squeezed and his hips lifted off the bed. ‘God. Daphne.’
    With her other hand she touched his chest, sweeping him with her palm. Learning him. ‘You’re beautiful,’ she murmured. ‘Really.’
    He wanted to be. He wanted to please her. Wanted to be better than that prick of an ex-husband and any other men who’d touched her since her divorce. Men he hoped he never met because he might do violence. ‘If you could hurry, I’d really like that.’
    Her mouth curved. ‘You made me impatient. It’s my turn.’ With agonizing slowness she ripped open the condom wrapper and rolled it down him, her touch feather light. His eyes rolled back in his head.
    ‘Mother of God. If you don’t hurry, I’m going to take over.’
    ‘No you won’t.’ She slid off him and he pushed himself up on his elbows to protest. Except she’d shucked her pajama bottoms and was grabbing his jeans. ‘Lift.’ He did and she yanked until he was naked, then got on the bed still wearing her pajama top and crawled toward him. She leaned in, kissing him thoroughly. ‘You won’t take over because you know this is important. For me.’
    Her eyes had lost the glaze of passion and were now determined. He wound a lock of her hair around his finger. ‘Yes, I get that. But I want it to be good for both of us and you’re . . . out of the moment. Can I help ease you back in?’
    She tilted her head warily. ‘What did you have in mind?’
    ‘Straddle my chest like before.’ She did and he had to work hard to keep his hips flat on the mattress. She was open to him, glistening and wet. ‘Scoot closer. Closer.’ He could see the moment she’d figured it out. Her eyes widened and she blushed.
    ‘Mercy,’ she murmured.
    ‘No. None.’ He held his breath as she hesitated the last few inches. Then she grabbed the headboard and pulled herself forward until her knees slid off his shoulders and she was pitched forward, her lower legs pressed against his chest for traction. He could have lifted his head, but he waited. Waited . . . Waited until a growl rolled out of him. ‘Daphne.’
    Finally she relaxed her body, lowering until she