Each word softened her heart, and every warm wisp of his breath against her ear made her quiver with need.
“When I left the penthouse the other night you wouldn’t let me kiss you,” he said, his lips mere inches from hers. “I promised myself I wouldn’t kiss you again until you asked me to.”
She drew a breath, desire gathering between her legs, throbbing wildly. Then she exhaled in a fast rush.
“Kiss me,” she begged.
In an instant, his lips touched hers, unleashing a trickle of warmth that rivaled a shot of fine brandy. She moved a hand to his cheek and relished the light prickles of his five o’clock shadow. And despite his tender touch, the hardness of his chest and roughness of his cheek reminded her he was all man.
He groaned softly and deepened the kiss. She parted her lips, inviting him to explore. She wanted to surround herself in his embrace. Her father’s behavior tonight had frightened her, hurt her, but Brody’s kiss made her forget about everything except this moment, the feel of his mouth on hers, the flick of his tongue and warm caress of his fingers on her cheek.
She slid her hand to the nape of his neck, allowing the soft hairs to tickle her fingers. She took hold and pulled the kiss deeper. Each time her tongue touched his, he made a low, growled sound in the back of his throat.
He lightly caressed the sides of her breasts with his thumbs, sending a pulsing charge through her system. It was the gentlest he’d ever been with her, a stark change from his rough, drugging kisses and eager hands. And as much as she was enjoying the kiss, she wanted more. She lowered her hand to the growing bulge in his trousers, but he moved it away and broke the kiss.
For a moment, her eyes wouldn’t open and her mouth wouldn’t close. She was held in transition, her body still tingling from his touch. As she slowly raised her lids, she saw the deep, glittering need in his eyes. Need that matched hers.
“Close your eyes,” he murmured.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Curious, she let her eyelids flutter shut. She heard a rustling sound, felt Brody move closer and lean forward, then gasped when his hand circled her ankle.
“Don’t move.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
She swallowed. Waiting. Sighing when he ran his big hand up her leg, bunching her dress between his fingers as he traveled north.
His touch suffused her with heat, made her pulse race. He glided his fingers along her inner thigh, leaving a trail of fire in his wake. And then his palm was pressed against her lace panties.
“What are you doing?” she breathed out.
“De-stressing you.” His tongue was suddenly on her ear, flicking against the tender lobe before suckling it.
Silent laughter shook her as her eyes popped open. “What’s with you and your need to touch me in public?”
He rubbed his palm over her pussy, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered, “Want me to stop?”
“God, no.”
“Good.”
He slid his hand into her panties and pushed one long finger inside her.
Hayden gasped, a bolt of pleasure sizzling up her spine.
“You’re always so ready. So tight and wet,” he muttered.
Before she could tell him that he was the reason she was always ready, he covered her mouth with his.
The kiss sucked the breath from her lungs, his tongue matching the strokes of his finger. Long, deep, languid strokes. When she started rocking her lower body against his hand, he released another groan.
“Fuck. I want to get on my knees so bad right now. I want to lick you up.”
A thrill shot through her. “What’s stopping you?” Her voice came out hoarse, shaky.
“It’d be too hard to explain if Bob walked in.” He slowly withdrew his finger, his lips brushing the side of her jaw in a teasing kiss. “This—” he pushed the finger back in “—is easier to hide.”
Hayden’s thighs were trembling now. She squirmed against his touch, pinpricks of pleasure dancing over her flesh.
“Let me hear that noise,” he said as he kissed her neck.
She knew the noise he meant. His favorite noise, as he always maintained. The one she supposedly made when she came. And Brody Croft was stupidly skilled at drawing it out of her.
He slid another finger into her aching pussy, kissing her, murmuring encouraging pleas against her lips, and then his thumb circled her clit and she exploded.
She cried out against his mouth, grinding against his fingers, her mind nothing but a big pile of mush while her body convulsed.
When she finally crashed back down to earth, she found Brody watching her with surprising tenderness.
“You’re gorgeous,” he told her, withdrawing his fingers and fixing her dress.
Her heart squeezed. She opened her mouth to thank him—for the compliment, the orgasm, the shoulder to lean on—but he didn’t give her the chance.
“Will you let me come home with you tonight?” he asked in a gruff voice. When she hesitated, he quickly added, “No big deal if you say no. I just thought I’d ask.”
He was so polite, so careful, when the heat in his eyes and his unsteady breathing told her he’d probably die from arousal if she said no. But it touched her that he’d asked instead of assumed.