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Honorable Intentions (The Landis Brothers #5) Page 15
Author: Catherine Mann

Hank’s eyes filled with       admiration, grasping her h*ps with a low growl of approval. “You are even       more beautiful than I imagined. And believe me, I have imagined you this way       more times that I can count.”

His hand stroked up again,       holding…

She looked down. He’d picked up       the feathered Mardi Gras mask, trailing in a silky teasing path, along her       leg, over her hip and higher until he stood in front of her      again.

Already gasping in anticipation,       she made fast work of his belt, his zipper, until he kicked away his khakis       and boxers. She grazed her fingers down the ridged six-pack of his stomach,       to his narrow hips, sliding over to encircle his erection, which strained       upward against his belly. Slowly, she caressed him, stroked him, working her       thumb over the pearly bead on top, slicking her hand. Watching his face, the       way he bit his bottom lip, sent a rush straight through her.

His jaw flexed with tension, his       eyes sliding closed for two heartbeats before he clasped her wrist and drew       her hand away. In a flash, he bracketed her waist and tossed her gently on       the bed.

Climbing up the bed, he       stretched over her, large and restrained all at once. And in his hand, he       still held the Mardi Gras mask. He stroked the feathers along her neck with       just the right amount of pressure to tantalize without tickling. Hmm…that       felt so unexpected and good.

Her head lolled to the side and       thank goodness he got the message to continue along her collar bone, back       and forth until goose bumps rose along her skin. He trailed the silky       softness between her br**sts, circling one then the other, again and again,       until she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out at the tingling       pleasure, to keep from begging him for more.

He flicked one taut nipple, then       the other. Back and forth, he drew patterns of pleasure along her skin while       she murmured a mix of pleas and demands. She gripped his arm, her head       pressing back into the pillow.

The feather skimmed along her       stomach, then around to the inside of her thighs, so close to teasing where       she needed him most. She gasped for air—for release—her pulse thundering in       her ears.

His fingers replaced the       feathers. Then his mouth. Her hands went to his shoulders, holding him in       place. Taking her pleasure. Her mind filled with all the ways she would       please him through the night.

The flick of his tongue, the       sweet subtlety of his touch drove her higher. Then she couldn’t think about       anything but the velvet feel of how he gave and gave to her, taking her so       close—

But she didn’t want to go alone.       He’d already done so much for her. She needed them to be partners in this       much as least.

“Hank,” she gasped, drawing him       upward until he stretched over her again. “Now. I want all of you       now.”

She arched her h*ps against him,       the thick length of him pressing against her. If she moved, adjusted, angled       him, she could have him inside her, flesh to flesh—

Oh, God! Her nails dug into his       shoulders. “Condoms… How could I have forgotten?”

She wouldn’t trade Max for       anything in the world, but the pregnancy had been an accident, the product       of a night when she and Kevin had too much to drink and got sloppy about       using birth control.

“You didn’t forget because you       just spoke up—” he cupped her face “—and I have that taken care      of.”

Rolling to his side, he reached       to the bedside table and opened a drawer. The box was still sealed, and she       realized he’d bought the condoms for this, for them.

She angled up on her elbows,       watching as he sheathed himself. Anticipation, and more of those nerves       pattering through her. So she looped her arms around his neck and drew him       to her, needing the forgetfulness she was damn certain she could find with       him. The thick pressure between her thighs chased away any      doubts.

Hooking her legs around his, she       urged him on, welcomed him inside her until he was heart deep. Her eyes       squeezed closed to battle back emotional tears because finally she had him,       after so long wondering and wanting, and the feel of him moving inside her       was even more than she’d anticipated. And yes, even more than she’d feared       because something this special made her rethink the rest of her      life.

Although the last thing she       wanted to do right now was make plans for the future. She wanted to live in       the moment, just the two of them, the scent of her lavender soap mixing with       his aftershave. The special blend of them clung to the air. She rolled her       hips as Hank thrust, their bodies syncing into a rhythm unique to the two of       them.

The sound of his voice in her       ear stoked her along with the slick glide of their bare bodies against each       other. So close, he took her to the edge again and again, holding back at       the last second until she clawed at his back, desperate for release       until—

Wave after wave crested over       her, shattering her with the intensity of bliss restrained for far too long.       A cry rolled up her throat, and he captured the sound with his mouth—or       maybe he was muffling the hoarse shout of his own release.

His arms folded, and he       blanketed her. Aftershocks trembled through her, through him, as well,       binding them all over again.

Slowly, awareness returned, bit       by bit with the cool gusts of air from a ceiling fan she hadn’t even noticed       before. Her hands roved over Hank’s body, a precious weight anchoring her to       the bed. Somehow, the mask had been crushed between them, but she couldn’t       bring herself to make him move so she could toss it aside.

For now, the masks were off       literally and symbolically. No past or future casting shadows.

Right now, she had Hank in her       arms, and she held on tight, scared as hell of how badly it would hurt to       lose him if she let herself care too much. Having had her heart shattered       once, she wasn’t sure she had the strength to risk experiencing that pain a       second time.

* * *

Hank sprawled nak*d on his bed,       working to catch his breath after round two with Gabrielle. She’d proved to       be equally as adept in playing with the mask and tormenting the hell out of       him.

Then satisfying the hell out of       him.

Being with her had been every       bit as world-rocking as he’d expected. Now he just had to work to make sure       she didn’t run scared. Because already he could see doubts and fears chasing       through her eyes.

Curled up beside him, which also       kept her face averted, she toyed with the feathered mask. “I hadn’t pegged       you for the playful type, but I like the surprise.”

“Glad to hear it.” He stroked       his knuckles along the small of her back, just above the sweet curve of her       bottom.

“You’re different here, away       from the squadron, more open.”

His father’s shadow wasn’t       lurking around each corner ready to ambush him here. “Everyone wears a       facade at some point.”

“Being bare is a scary thing,       being vulnerable.” She shivered and he tugged the satin comforter over her.

He tucked the covers around her       and pulled her back to his side. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

A choked laugh sputtered from       her. “No one can promise that. Life hurts.”

He knuckled her chin upward       until she had to look in his eyes again. “Are you hurting right      now?”

She shook her head. “No, of       course not. I’m happy and satiated and a little scared, but not sad. Not       hurting.”

“Good…very good.” He dipped his       head and kissed her, lingering until she sighed. “Let’s see if we can keep       you that way. I have a gift for you.”

“Another one?” She crinkled her       nose. “You’re going to have to get your business partner to invent a new       game if you keep this up.”

“Trust me.” He saw the       uneasiness in her eyes, the fear that he would give her something totally       inappropriate after they’d had sex. She really didn’t know him well at all.       But he intended to change that.

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Catherine Mann's Novels
» The Executive's Surprise Baby (The Garrisons #6)
» Yuletide Baby Surprise (The Alpha Brotherhood #4)
» His Heir, Her Honor (Rich, Rugged And Royal #3)
» The Maverick Prince (Rich, Rugged And Royal #1)
» Yuletide Baby Surprise (Billionaires And Babies #38)
» His Expectant Ex (The Landis Brothers #2)
» Rich Man's Fake Fiancee (The Landis Brothers #1)
» Honorable Intentions (The Landis Brothers #5)
» The Tycoon Takes a Wife (The Landis Brothers #4)
» Millionaire in Command (The Landis Brothers #3)