Vivian Arend - High Passion

She’d said she trusted him, but should she?

The fear that he wouldn’t be enough made him stare into the darkness for a long, long time.

He must have drifted off. It was the only explanation, because there was this incredible heat surrounding his cock. Wet pressure pulled him from dreams that involved entirely too much of Alisha’s eyes—turned blue with passion—staring up as she wrapped her perfect lips around his shaft and sucked him.

Only it wasn’t completely a dream. Her eyes were there in front of him, staring earnestly as the blood rushed to his cock. She’d separated their bodies far enough to wrap her fingers around his shaft as she worked him in a smooth steady pace that had his balls tightening and him blinking to regain consciousness.

“I’m taking advantage of you,” she whispered.

“Sweet Jesus.” Devon took a deep breath, attempting to muster up the strength to force her to stop. “Alisha, oh hell . . .”

She palmed him harder, her thumb skimming over the crest, slick from the come already slipping from him. “I woke up and wanted you, but I figured if I told you that, you’d offer all kinds of reasons why we shouldn’t fool around.”

“We shouldn’t,” he protested.

“See?” she asked. “I couldn’t bring myself to actually make love with you before you woke up—that would be rather creepy. I hoped a little . . . encouragement would be okay.”

His balls had no objections. His brain? “Alisha, hon, it’s too soon.”

Her lower lip stuck out slightly as she mock-pouted. “The doctor said I was supposed to go ahead and resume activities as soon as I felt up to it.”

Another pump of her fist down his dick dragged a groan from him. “You know he meant work.”

A devilish smile snuck over her face. “You feel up to it, don’t tell me you don’t.”

Devon shook his head. “You’re terrible.”

“Maybe, but I want you. I want to feel you touch me and make my body come alive with pleasure. Want to feel you inside me.”

The entire time she spoke she stroked, ensuring that his mental capabilities were far from full strength. Other than he’d caught that this was what she wanted, which was the only part that needed to register.

He couldn’t deny her anything. And sex? Even less could he say no to her wanting some sheet-tangling, sweaty action.

Only he wasn’t about to let her do the work.

He covered her hand with his own, stilling the urge to rut on her like an animal. He tightened their joint grip enough to ease off the need for release as he leaned in and kissed her.

Sweet lips met his, her tongue darting out to tease as she angled her head and pressed her torso forward. Devon soaked in her flavour, reveling in the gentle touch of her fingers as he set her hand free and she instantly set out to drive him mad. Tiny caresses flitted over his chest, his hips, her hands seemingly everywhere as she explored.

He concentrated on her mouth. On sucking her bottom lip, then biting lightly. On kissing the corners before sneaking along her jawline to her ear, the tender lobe tempting him as he rolled her under him. Every time he put his lips to her body she squirmed happily. Every nip or suck or lick elicited a delicious sound. Moans, little sighs. A fluttering gasp as he licked his way down her breast and took a nipple between his teeth.

He wanted to consume her one piece at a time. A slow, thorough feast that would let her know exactly how much she meant—

Devon froze for a second before lifting his gaze.

It wasn’t right, the emotions engulfing him. They’d said this was nothing more than itch-scratching of the best sort—a kind of shared pleasure between friends.

That wasn’t what he felt anymore, but damn if he knew how to tell her. Now he was scared to have her run screaming for all the opposite reasons than the other woman he’d been involved with. This was good, them together. It was more than good, it was right.

He didn’t want it to end.

Alisha stroked his jaw, rubbing her palm over the stubble. “That’s a serious expression.”

He rapidly changed tack to avoid having to answer the question in her eyes. “This is a serious business, making sure you’re satisfied.”

He settled more firmly, hips between her thighs as she opened to him.

“You more than satisfy me.” She arched upward, rubbing her mound against his cock, and another little moan escaped her as his hard length slid over her clit. “Hurry. We can get to the good part. I’m all warmed up.”

Her cheeks flushed to deep red, the faint light from the hallway making him wonder as he skimmed a hand down her body. He eased his fingers between their torsos, slipping through her folds effortlessly as wet heat coated him. “Well, that’s sweet.”

Alisha lifted her chin. “I told you I wanted you.”

“Were you playing with yourself, Alisha? Before you wrapped your hand around my dick and got me hard, did you put your fingers between your legs and rub your clit?”

Her eyes widened as he spoke, and then she nodded. Licked her lips. “Yes.”

“And now you want my cock? You want me to hold you in place while I fuck you?”

That tongue of hers snuck out again, and he swooped in and kissed her before she could retreat, their tongues twisting together until she moaned.

Devon breathed harder as he continued, his volume on the edge of a whisper, voice deep and husky. “I’m in no hurry to get to the finale. I like going down on you. I think I’ll take my time and go lick up all that sweetness you’ve warmed for me. Use my tongue until you’re squirming and screaming my name. Maybe a few times. Then we can get to the part where I slip my cock inside you and make you shout all over again.”

“Devon . . .”

She wasn’t breathing as easily anymore now, either.

He worked his way down her firm body, stopping to give her breasts a moment’s attention. Staying because he couldn’t stand to leave. The tips tightened to hard peaks, glistening with moisture as he alternated between tasting one then the other. Alisha thrust her hands into his hair and attempted to keep him in one place. Either that, or she was trying to pull him over top of her.

He wasn’t ready. Not by a long shot.

He pressed a kiss along the underside of one firm mound. Licked slowly along her ribs. He had to use distraction techniques to convince himself to leave her breasts, focusing on the treasure he headed toward next. The sweet scent of her desire drawing him onward.

His jaw brushed her belly, and she sucked in air, the rub of whiskers on his chin leaving faint red marks on her tender skin. Only she didn’t seem to object. He kissed her belly button. The top of her mound. Devon slid his palms down her thighs to her knees, then gently pressed her legs apart.

Gazing up her body was the most incredible sight. Her sex open to him, wetness shining on the soft folds as they opened. Her uneven breathing shook her breasts. Wetness shone on her lips from having licked them. Her eyes—

Her eyes trapped him. The fire in their depths lit a fuse that had nowhere to burn but through them both.

Like a trigger had been pulled, Devon exploded into action. He scooped his hands under her ass, lifting her hips and lowering his head in one motion. He’d moved deliberately until this point, but now he didn’t hesitate. Licked the length of her sex, drove his tongue into her. Lapped and sucked and feasted greedily as she writhed. Her volume escalated as he concentrated on her clit until she fisted the bed sheets.

“Devon, yes. Oh yes.”

He was up and over her in a moment, the condom jerked from the stash in the side table and rolled over his shaft faster than he thought possible. There was only one thing he needed, only one desire driving him. Only when he pressed the tip of his cock between her folds and the slick heat welcomed him in, he slowed again. Unwilling to rush. Savouring every second of that first moment of connection.

Alisha groaned her approval, lifting her legs and wrapping them around him. The change of angle allowed him to slip deeper yet.

He pressed up on his arms, hovering over her as their eyes met. He couldn’t look away, the hunger and passion mesmerizing him. He pulled his hips back so slowly his arms shook with the effort, but the fluttering of her eyelids was worth it as he hit her sweet spot. And again.

“So tight around my cock. So perfect.” Devon adjusted his position to open up room between them. “Lick your fingers.”

She frowned before lifting a hand to her mouth and touching her tongue to the tips.

“Wetter. That’s it. Suck them until they’re good and slippery.”

Devon rocked his hips fast enough to keep them both on the edge. The wet heat of her sex embracing his cock was so good he didn’t want it over too soon. The sight of Alisha twirling her tongue over her fingers was strangely erotic, especially since he had an ulterior motive.

“Good.” The word rumbled up from where he trembled on the verge of losing control. “Now touch yourself. Rub your clit until you come on my cock.”

Alisha’s eyes widened as she hurried to obey, the back of her warm fingers leaving a streak of moisture on his stomach. He could tell the moment she touched the sensitive bundle—the tension in her face grew, her rate of breathing picked up. Ragged and unsteady, her hand bumped his groin as they both quickened the pace. Increased the pressure. Alisha’s gaze remained pinned to his as her lips tightened into a pout, pleasure wrapping itself around her and then tearing her apart as she climaxed and took him with her.

“Alisha.”

Devon buried himself as deep as possible and froze, the snug fist of her sex constricting again and again, jolting his release through his balls and into the condom so hard he worried about blowing the thing apart.

Alisha closed her eyes, squeezing them so tight that if it weren’t for the smile twisting her lips he would have thought she was in agony. She dragged in a deep breath before exhaling like a runner finishing a long race.

He stared, unable to turn away, memorizing her face as she relaxed under him, fully sated. Her eyes slowly opened, long lashes fluttering as their gazes met. He wanted to say something. To make a joke to lighten the moment. Maybe tell her he was glad she was feeling better. Something.

Anything.

But no words came. None he could say aloud, because what wanted to escape was tender and caring, and far too close to telling her he couldn’t stand not having her in his life.

He’d gone and fallen in love, and that terrified him more than the most dangerous rescue he’d ever faced.

The snow that had fallen overnight had already melted into slush in the heat of the late October afternoon sun. Beside her Devon tapped his fingers impatiently on the door frame, but he didn’t say anything, not even as she took the corner too fast and had to pull the car out of a skid.

The usual heart-pounding adrenaline rush that accompanied getting a call-out had to be controlled until it could be used to a good purpose. She might have good reason to be extra excited this time around, but she was on the edge of being too riled up.

Neither of them talked—it was a short enough drive to HQ that they didn’t need to chatter—and they already knew the same basics about the coming rescue. Rehashing the meager details they’d been given over the phone wouldn’t change a thing.

The familiar pattern of getting herself into the right mind-set was easier in silence, and Alisha was grateful Devon seemed to enjoy the arrangement as well. Sharing a ride made sense. Showing up at Lifeline pissed off at each other? Wasn’t a good idea.

It was just over a week since she’d been released from the hospital. She was back to full strength. A couple of hard days at the gym and training with the team had blown the final cobwebs from her system. Physically she was ready.

Mentally, she had to face the challenge and see.

She wondered if Devon still had his doubts. She’d caught him staring at the strangest moments over the past week, his expression somewhere between a frown and confusion. When she’d had the entire team’s help loading and moving her things out of her old rental he’d been especially pensive, not to mention his constant glancing around as if expecting someone to pop out and demand they stop.

Well, that behavior she understood. Vincent hadn’t shown up again. Last she’d heard he’d returned to Toronto, but it wasn’t easy to believe. His ghost haunted her at the strangest moments, the echo of his words lingering in her ears.