Cuts Like An Angel (24 page)

He didn’t hide the heat as his stare locked on hers now. She fought for air as he barely said, “No. I need to see you.” He pushed the door slowly open and she stepped back, finally understanding what he meant. He wanted to see her.
Literally
.

How long had she wanted that very thing? Ages it seemed. So why was she suddenly terrified?

“Take it off,” he said.

William’s voice echoed in her head like a gong of guilt. She swallowed and took another step back. As though sensing her conflict his sparkly dark eyes rose, pleading, burning. “Take it off,” he said again.

Reckless hunger roughened his whisper as she fought to think past the heat and fear rolling through her side by side. She was mesmerized, riveted by the man before her. Stricken. Terrified with what was happening, right now, right in that moment. And why did he suddenly want this, need it? Something had set him off. Was it that woman?

Fire burned a trail through her stomach, acid mixing with desire. And yet, her limbs seemed ensnared by some spell as her hands lowered slowly, taking the towel with them as they did.

His gaze went quickly, greedily to her chest and the weight of it hit her nipples, making her whimper in surprise.

Bearing her nakedness to him like that … was like she peeled back her soul. The fear of what he thought had her breaths shaky and shallow as she stood there, completely bare before him now. Bare before his slow moving inspection paused now at the juncture of her thighs. His intense study felt just like a hot tongue, bringing a throb to her nipples and privates.

His hands seemed to absently rise to the buttons on his shirt. Those eyes finally made it to hers and locked hard to hers. The connection drew more whimpers, louder now. Helpless to what was coming.

And it was certainly coming. She had no idea what, only that it was.

Her mouth now dry, she licked her lips. It was her turn to stare at his bare chest. The phenomenon of muscle moved beneath his silky skin as he peeled off his wet shirt and dropped it to the floor. Her eyes followed the bright red lines lining his forearms, cuts that looked fresh.

When he stood there, she looked at him in dizzy wonder. 

Chapter Thirty-Two

Josh

Take it off … he heard the words like the distant echo of his thoughts suddenly come to life and spoken without him prompting. He breathed so hard as he stood before Rosie, her skin glistening with the water droplets and fuelling his desire even more. The slight tinge of pink to her complexion from the heat of her bath caused his heart to pound with longing. He could imagine what it would feel like to touch her … warm, wet … Shit. His head swam. His mind desperately clambering for him to stop this.

No. He wanted Rosie. She wanted him. It was past time to affirm that.

Shirtless, he stood there exposed like his very soul was showing, but he needed this. He needed to see her … to touch her. Her ragged breathing said she needed him too. He kicked his shoes off, standing on the wet tiled floor and not giving a damn about it. Her gaze fixed on his chest. The scars marring his skin—new scars, old scars … scars long since healed that he’d forgotten how he had acquired them.

“Josh …” she said softly, nervously. Her hands hovered to cover herself up.

He made his way to her, three steps. “Don’t.” He grabbed her wrists. His eyes locked with hers, need burned through him and set every fibre in his body alive. His erection pressed against the inside of his jeans, straining to for her. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this, Rosie. Say stop … tell me.”

“I …”

He stepped closer to her, the tips of her nipples brushing lightly across the light hair on his chest. “Say stop, Rosie,” he said, breathing hard, lowering his head to hers. “So beautiful, Rosie.”

She trembled close to him. Goose bumps breaking out across her flesh, across the top of her soft breasts. They ran all the way down her stomach. She went to touch him, her delicate fingers hovering around his hips, afraid to actually place them there.

“Do you want this, Rosie? Do you want me?”

She nodded after a slight hesitation. The emotions swimming in her eyes he couldn’t name, didn’t even care that he couldn’t. He just needed her yes.

“Say it. I need to hear it.”

He angled his head and locked gazes with her. It was there in her eyes, hunger and need. She breathed through lightly parted lips. “I want you, Josh,” she said weakly, like she’d fought the words.

He sucked in a breath and slammed his mouth against hers. No going back now, he knew this, she knew this. He kissed her with bruising force, pushing against her mouth, forcing her to open for it. She cried out, panting as he devoured her mouth, his need overtaking him. He had to hold onto it, but God, he wanted her too badly. He wanted her with every part of himself.

He grabbed both of her hands and pulled them to his belt, popping open the clasp for her. Her fingers brushed his skin as she tried to open his buckle gently.

“No,” he whispered harshly, freeing her mouth for a moment and opening the belt himself.  He grabbed her hand and pushed open his jeans, pushing her hand down behind the band of his shorts. He guided her, wrapping her hand around him, holding it with his own. “Oh, God.” The words gushed on a single breath at the feel of her hands there … on him. He was so hard, his clothes biting into his erection. “Move your hand, Rosie.”

“What? Am I doing it wrong?” she tried to pull her hand back, worry etched on her face.

“No …” he grabbed her wrist and wrapped her fingers around him again, moving with her, showing her. “Like this,” he shuddered, sliding her hand up and down on him. He held her back with a hand and pressed her breasts into his chest. “Fuck,” he whispered. She was so hot and soft. He moved her hand back and forth then let go. She did it so perfectly.

Her breaths heated his chest and heart, filled with tiny moans of desire and worry. He slid a hand to the side of her head as he leaned down to bite along the soft skin of her neck. He nipped and licked gently, leaving a trail along her skin. The taste of her and the uncertain pace she moved along him drove his hunger to a reckless height. He opened his mouth wider and sucked her warm flesh, pulling it between his lips. Soon he was biting, harder and harder, his breaths ragged on his journey down.

His other hand found her breast and cupped it. “God Rosie,” he growled in hunger as he circled his thumb along her tight nipple.

“Josh,” she shot out in answer squeezing him harder.

Holding the small of her back, he pushed against her chest, leaning her until her breasts were accessible. He dove for her perky nipple, catching it in a greedy suck. He grazed the firm tip with his teeth then pressed into it with his tongue. Her cries were now moans, harsh and frequent, matching her grip and pace.

He released her breasts. “Tighter,” he ordered, moving quickly to the other. Squeezing with a possessive grip, he forced her nipple deep into his mouth. She shuddered against him, one of her legs lifting along his. He hadn’t even touched her there yet. Coming back to her mouth, he let go of her breasts, both of his hands stroking along her hair, gathering it together so that he could hold it in place at the back of her head. He squeezed and angled her mouth where he wanted her, biting along her lower lip. “Don’t stop,” he said as his name flew from her lips. Holding her hair with one hand, he trailed the other down, across the curve of her hip, digging his fingers into the skin below her buttock. He pulled, making her part her legs even more. “Have you ever touched yourself, Rosie?” he breathed against her mouth.

She nodded gently between moans.

“Tell me Rosie. Have you ever touched yourself?”

“Yes,” she said weakly.”

“When …”

“Josh …”

“Tell me, Rosie. Tell me how you do it.”

She pulled her mouth away from his, her eyes closed as he nipped along her lips.

“Do you slide your fingers gently along your body, Rosie?”

She nodded. Biting her lip.

Josh pressed his mouth to the line of her jaw. Scraping his teeth along her skin, he captured one of her hands and moved it between her legs. Pushed her fingers against the soft folds, he groaned out kisses right on her mouth, her panting mouth. “So hot,” he said, pushing her finger against her clit in firm, slow strokes, bringing her cries up several notches.

He continued to guide her touch while working to get out of the rest of his clothes. His erection pressed painfully, begging for release while her hand gripped him tightly still. Finally, free of his pants and underwear, he pulled her body harder to his. “Come for me, Rosie,” he shuddered, wrapping his hand around hers, helping her stroke him again while he pushed her fingers inside herself.

“Josh, Josh,” she cried, pushing herself against their fingers.

He captured her breast in his mouth again, circling the hard nipple with the tip of his tongue. Rosie was there, moving faster, flicking her hips and rubbing herself faster. Fuck she was so hot. So wet. He slid his fingers inside her, pushing deep and opening her. Each stroke they gave, their moans quickened with each breath. Her eyes clenched shut and her head fell back.

Josh was delirious with the sight of her on the edge, her brows drawn, she was right there, right there. “Did you imagine being touched? Was he talking like this?” he thrust their fingers into her, his thumb taking over with fast circles. She held on to his cock with both hands now, bringing his own strain of pleasure as she shuddered against him, the hot silkiness growing wetter as she came against their hands.

Her cries ebbed with every pant as her orgasm slowly left her. He watched her eyes flutter open and he pulled his fingers from her and brought her hand up. He’d waited so long for this. She watched him with hooded eyes as he opened his mouth and sucked each finger while staring at her. He pushed her fingers to her lips.” Open your mouth,” he said, sliding her fingers along her lips. She parted them with a light gasp and he pushed them in. “Taste it,” he said.

He slid his thumb in her mouth next. She was so fucking hot sucking him. He needed to be inside her. His body couldn’t wait another second. 

He pulled away from her so abruptly that she gave a startled gasp. “Josh?”

“Just a minute,” he said scrambling for his jeans and getting annoyed at the way they had managed to tangle themselves up. He delved into his pocket, pulling out his wallet.

“What are you doing?”

“Just … give me a second.”

Her brow knitted together in a frown as she watched him. She then picked up the towel to cover herself.

“Shit.” He flipped through his wallet, his hands trembling with haste. He opened the middle part with notes in it, pulling them out.

“You’re going to pay me?” she asked confused.

“What? No,” he shot, throwing his money on the counter. “I’m looking for a condom.”

Her eyes widen with alarm. She yanked the towel around herself. “You carry condoms around in your wallet?” she asked, sounding insulted.

He threw his wallet on the side, defeated. “Well obviously not, bloody hell.” 

“Josh …”

“No,” he said firmly at hearing that
maybe we should stop
sound in her tone. This wasn’t stopping now. He wasn’t stopping just because he couldn’t find a damn condom. He grabbed her by the hand and barged ass-naked out onto the landing with her. He’d have some in his room. He pulled her with him, slamming the door behind her. He let her go long enough to dig through his drawers, throwing clothes out double time. She stayed behind him, arms hugging herself as he yanked open the bottom drawer next and was greeted with a jack in the box version of women’s undergarments.

“Jesus,” he muttered, pushing them to one side. Shit, she’d moved everything. He yanked open the next drawer, reaching right to the back and grasping the crushed box. His heart thumped in triumph as he pulled it out.

“You do this often?” Rosie asked, hurt clear in her voice.

“No,” he said, almost insulted as he stood again in all his stark and glory. “Look,” he thrust the box at her. “Sealed. Never used before.”

“Never used before? Geez thanks.”

“Rosie.”

“What?”

“Shut up, okay?”

She pulled her towel tighter around herself so that it dug into her skin and made her skin roll above the hem. “God, this better not be what you do with Maria,” she mumbled.

“Maria? God no.” He strode over to her, reaching for the towel. “Let go,” he said.

“Tell me first.”

“What?”

“Is this something you do all the time,” she demanded like she’d asked him ten times.

“No, I don’t,” he managed softly, slipping a hand under the towel and bringing his mouth to hers, kissing her hungrily. She tried to resist, determined not to respond. “Rosie …”

“I can’t if you…”

“There’s no one. Not a single bloody soul, now, let go of the towel.”

It took her a moment to release it and for a whole damn second he thought she was going to stay there and refuse to go on. That would be fucking great wouldn’t it? Stopping midway across the line they couldn’t uncross.

He walked her backwards towards the bed, stopping when her legs hit the base and she sat down. “Lie back,” he said, pushing her down by her shoulders. She shuffled back onto the bed, her legs bent at the knees. He crawled toward her, forcing her legs apart as he knelt at her feet. She stared at him, both her hands clutched together at her chin. “There’s only you Rosie. Only you in a long time.” He eased her legs open, running one hand down her inner thigh while he grabbed himself with the other. He watched her face fill with desire as she watched him stroke himself. He let his head go back for a moment, revelling in the feel of her eyes on him as he touched himself and brought himself back to complete hardness.

He brought his head forward and locked his gaze on hers, silent words of need passing between them. He slid his hand down and found the light strip of hair. Stroking his fingers lovingly over it he pushed apart her folds, his chest heaving with the sudden urge to taste her. 

Splaying his hands on her inner thighs, he pushed her open until her knees pressed into the bed and her secrets lay wide open before him. “God damn,” he gushed, staring at her there. Laying, he brought his mouth right near her, kissing the soft inner thigh as he slid his finger inside her. She lifted her hips with a moan and he nipped her skin. He worked his kisses all the way to her wet centre, pushing apart the soft folds.

“Oh my God,” she cried as he pressed his open mouth against her, tongue delving in. He groaned against her, the taste of her intense and overwhelming.

She pressed herself into the bed, and he opened his eyes, looking up the glowing skin of her body. Her head went back and her hands gripped the sheet. Fuck her breasts trembled with her shudders, nipples hard and perfect as she strained to open her legs wider, letting him in.

He sucked at her sweet essence until her cries drove him to the brink of orgasm. “God, you’re driving me crazy,” he whispered, grabbing the condom he’d put on the bed and ripping it open with his teeth. Still fingering her, he worked the condom onto himself, leaning to flick her clit with his tongue as he did.

She made these grunting sounds and latched her fingers onto his head, making him want to climb her and drive hard and fast into her. 

“You taste so fucking good,” he rasped, hurrying up her body.