Chapter Thirty-Three

Expecting to be led up the stairs, Stephanie was surprised when Richie stopped in the living room once again.  Letting her hand go, he turned on the lamp in the corner and picked up a remote, turning on the fire place.  He turned back, the gold flecks in her eyes glowed in the dim light and her face was a mask of questions and confusion.  “You okay sweetheart?

She nodded, “yeah, but I thought… aren’t we… I mean we’re not…”.  She shut her mouth to cease the flood of nonsense falling from her lips.

He moved to stand in front of her, a slight smile playing across his full lips.  “You thought we were going upstairs?”

She nodded again, not trusting herself to speak.

Picking up her hand, he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her and pressing another button on the remote.  Quiet music surrounded them as he set the remote down and started to sway.  “We’ll get there, sweetheart, but I’m in no rush.  We’ve got the rest of the night.”  He didn’t want to chance scaring her off so he was going to go as slow as she needed him to.

Her mouth formed a pretty ‘o’ as understanding and another nervous shudder ran through her. Staring at the open vee of his shirt she bit her bottom lip.  Was she really ready to do this?  

She dragged her gaze up, over his adam’s apple, the slight indent in his chin, the lips that she knew were as soft as they were full; her gaze finally coming to rest on his.  His desire and intent were clear in the warm, soft brown and it had her trembling for a whole different reason.

It was time to see if she remembered how this intimate dance worked and if she was truly ready to move on with him.

Raising her hand, she slid her fingers lightly up his arm, the silk of his shirt not nearly as tantalizing as the muscles it hid.  Stepping closer she ran her fingertips gently across his neck, tangling her fingers into his hair and swayed gently with him.

Sensing that she was starting to relax, Richie pulled her closer, bringing her heart to heart and hip to hip with him.  He wanted her even closer.  Gazing down at her, the uncertainty was fading from her eyes, desire was taking over.  Sliding his hand slowly up her hip, his fingers slipped under her sweater, finding the smooth, warm skin of her lower back.  His thumb rubbed lightly back and forth as they moved in their lazy dance.

Goosebumps broke out across her skin at his feather light touch.  Lifting her chin, she slid her lips along his jaw, the stubble scraping enticingly across her lips.  She nipped lightly at the tiny indent in his chin.  She brushed her lips against his.  The kiss was soft, almost unsure in its gentleness. She closed her eyes against the rush of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.  Letting go of this last bit of her former self was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.  But, if she was going to truly move on, she had to leave Mark and her feelings for him in her past.  There was no room for three in this new relationship she was forging with this amazingly understanding man.

Richie eased back from her, studying her.  The war of emotions he could read in her face had him worried.  Was he pushing her too far, too fast?  Was she really ready?  He wanted nothing more than to be her savior, but he didn’t want her to regret her decision in the morning.  “Sweetheart, are you okay?”  When she opened her eyes, the clarity he found there spoke louder to him that any word she could have uttered.

She nodded.  “Yeah, I am.”  She tipped her head back so she could see his face.  “I really am.”

His mouth found hers again in a deep, lingering kiss.  His hands moved over her, slipping the sweater from her shoulders.  He followed the black cashmere down her arms, stroking her lightly. Her skin was like silk under his fingertips.  Tonight, finally, they would take this all important next step.  Tonight he wouldn’t be turned away.  Tonight there would be no ‘no’.  Tonight, everything between them would change.

Their mouths moved together, the flavor of their kisses changed from uncertainty to insistence. From doubt to desire.  From hesitation to hunger.  Her fingers uncurled from his hair and slid down his shoulders.  Unsteadily, they worked at the buttons, pushing each one slowly through its hole. A mantra of “it’s okay, it’s okay” ran through her head as his shirt fell open.  Pushing at his shirt, she let it drop down his arms as her fingers slid across his firm pecs.  Leaning in she pressed her lips to the middle of his chest, inhaling lightly before pressing her cheek to the warm skin.

Holding her close, Richie rubbed his hand lightly up and down her back before curling his fingers under the hem of her top.  Before he could raise it up, she stepped back, grasping his hands with hers.

“Rich?”

He looked down at her, hoping she wasn’t about to stop him again.  “What’s wrong sweetheart?”

She bit her lip.  “It’s been a while since I got naked with anyone but myself.  I’m not sure what you expect, but I can tell you I’m no hollywood starlet.”

Easing his hands from hers, he again reached for the hem of her top.  “It doesn’t matter sweetheart.”  He drew her top off and tossed it to the floor with her sweater.  His own shirt landed on top of the growing pile.  His eyes traveled over her, “I think you’re beautiful.”  He reached for her again, drawing her toward the wide sofa.  

Kneeling at her feet, Richie picked up her left foot and slid his hand slowly up her leg, inside her pant leg, caressing the back of her knee before searching out the zipper on her boot.  Maybe next time he’d leave them on.  

Stephanie shifted restlessly on the couch.  His touch was making her achy and needy.  Her skin felt like it was on fire.  When she felt his mouth on her ankle her head dropped back against the cushion and an incoherent moan escaped her throat.

Dropping the boots, he crawled up the couch over her, dragging his fingers up her thighs, bumping over the zipper of her jeans, slowly over her stomach and up, to cup one full breast, his thumb skimming back and forth across the tip, urging it to its full hardness.  His lips skimmed over the soft swell of her breast that nearly spilled from a creamy lace cup.  She was all soft, delicious skin and slender, alluring curves.

His hands found all the spots that made her skin sing.  His mouth found the ones that drove her to the edge.  His fingers deftly flipped open the front closure on her bra and when his mouth sucked one rosy, hard nipple deep, her hips bumped up against the hard length of him and she broke apart under him.

Pulling his mouth from her breast he looked down at her. “Sweetheart?”  

She blinked her eyes slowly, trying to focus on his.  “Hmmmm?”

“Did you just...?”  Surprise colored his voice.  He had never made a woman orgasm with just his mouth on her breast before.

Her face flushed with embarrassment and she nodded.  “Yeah, sorry.  It’s been a while.”

He shushed her with a kiss.  “Don’t be sorry.”  He smiled down at her and puffed his chest out a little.  “That was a first for me.”

She chuckled and slid her hands up his arms.  “Really?”

He nodded and kissed her again.  “Yeah.  But let’s talk later.”  

His mouth moved with hers and his hand snaked down between them, finding the button on her jeans and popping it open.  He trailed open-mouth kisses down her neck and across her chest as he moved down her body.   He nipped down the soft, flat plane of her belly, dipping into the tiny dent of her navel as he stripped her jeans down her legs.  Moving back up over her, he dragged his tongue up the inside of her thigh, over the crease and along the lacy band of her panties. Looking up at her, his cock nearly burst through his zipper.  She had given in to all she was feeling, to all he was giving her.  

Peeling away the last barrier, he looked up to her face.  She offered no resistance.  He swallowed back a triumphant shout of relief.  She was truly going to be his.  She really wasn’t going to make him stop this time.  Dropping a kiss to the top of her mound, he slid his fingers through the tiny bit of dark hair and slipped one inside her.  She was tight.  He added a second finger.  She was hot. Using his thumb he found her clit and stroked her. She was wet.  He dipped his head and tasted her.  She was as sweet as he had hoped.  Pulling his hand away he stood and dug in his pocket before stripping off his jeans.  He needed to be inside her.  Now.

Her near sob had him hurrying to sheath himself and move back over her.  “Shhh,” he whispered. I’m here sweetheart”.   He aligned his hips and pressed forward, inching inside her slowly.  Her purr-like moan went straight to his cock and he nearly lost his control.   Closing his eyes against the intense pleasure, he gathered himself and gloried in how sweet and right she felt. He pumped his hips and felt her start to grip him tighter, she was nearly there again.  He lowered his head and he dragged his lips across her cheek.  “Sweetheart,” he murmured as he pumped his hips faster, “now baby, now.”

She gripped him tight as a vice as she took them both over into sweet, sweet oblivion.