Holding Strong. Lori Foster
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he told her. “It does interesting things to you here.”
Here being the breast that he continued to fondle so carefully.
“All this soft flesh.” He finally looked down at her, made a rough sound and bent his head to draw her in.
Putting her head back against the wall, Cherry held her breath to smother a groan. From the moment she’d met him months ago, Denver had epitomized the elemental male.
As a heavyweight fighter, he was big and so incredibly strong, with amazing biceps, tight abs and thighs that made her breathless. All of the fighters at the rec center were big and brawny, but other than Gage, Denver was the biggest.
All of it honed strength.
He had confidence down to a fine art, but he never bullied. In fact, she’d witnessed his very big heart overflowing with kindness and generosity. She loved watching the men work with the at-risk neighborhood kids, but because of his size it always seemed more amazing to see Denver tussle with a child, coach a youth or instruct a high school kid.
He could break the average guy in two, but he tempered all that strength with gentle control. Such a turn-on.
With his sense of humor, he made her laugh as often as he made her sigh with lust. But when it came to those things that mattered to him, he had laser-beam focus.
Working with kids.
Supporting his friends.
Training for the sport he loved.
She so desperately wanted him to focus on her, too. But after what had felt like a great connection, their interest mutual, each of them flirting with the other, he’d suddenly cut her cold and she had no idea why.
If they weren’t to have a relationship, she at least had to have this—the intimate knowledge of him, a memory to hold, a fantasy for the dark, lonely nights.
“Stay with me, honey.” He took her mouth again, keeping her from giving a reply.
Stay with him? She was here, in the moment, 100 percent.
As he deepened the kiss more, he smoothed his hand down her back...and into her jeans and panties.
She went to her tiptoes in surprise.
He rumbled in appreciation at feeling her body go flush to his.
Finally freeing her hair, he lifted his mouth and melted her with his heated gaze. “You have the finest ass I have ever seen.” As he spoke, he worked his fingers lower, cupping one whole cheek.
“Um...” Still up on her toes, she glanced toward the bed.
“Soon,” he told her. “Once we’re there, I’m done for, and I want this first time to last.”
It could last forever if he’d let it. But of course she didn’t say that. Just getting him to this point had taken a lot of work.
Lightning seared the dark night, illuminating the room for two seconds, followed by a crash of thunder that rattled the window. She felt all that turbulence deep inside, making her head swim and her knees shake.
Keeping her trapped in his sights, Denver brought his free hand around and opened the snap on her jeans.
Cherry held her breath as the material loosened. He eased down the zipper with excruciating slowness, then slipped both hands into her jeans to work them down her thighs.
Being mostly bare from the waist down was startling enough, but when he went to one knee, her heart almost popped out of her chest. She staggered slightly before his hands gripped her hips.
Looking up at her, he said with concern, “You okay?”
Denver Lewis was on his knees in front of her and her jeans were down.
Not wanting him to stop, she bobbed her head. “Yes. Fine.” In a frenzy of need. Taut with expectation. Incapable of more than one-word replies—but otherwise fine and dandy.
Unconvinced, he continued to scrutinize her. “You’re sure you’re not drunk?”
“Swear.” Yes, she felt a little dizzy and her headache lingered, but she knew exactly what she wanted.
Denver. This.
Now.
His hands never left her, but he settled back on his heels, a frown in place, and Cherry panicked.
“So help me, Denver, if you walk away now, I’ll...”
“What?” Tipping his head, he looked her over. “What would you do?”
Lifting her chin, Cherry said, “I’ll spread a rumor that you’re a lousy lay.”
His slow, crooked grin reassured her. “Can’t have that now, can I?” Giving his attention back to her body, he touched his mouth to her skin, nuzzling her belly, nibbling over to her hipbone while his hands coasted up and down the backs of her thighs. “You are so soft, and damn girl, you smell good.”
Again she wanted to melt, this time from sensation overload. His big hands continued to coast over her skin, lifting every so often to her tush to squeeze and cuddle. His lips were warm, his tongue teasing, and right through her skimpy panties he gave her a soft love bite.
Oh my God. Flattening her hands to the wall for support, Cherry stared down at him. She hadn’t lied about his light brown hair; it really was beyond sexy. But then everything about Denver was downright scrumptious. “I’d love it if you took off your shirt.”
He paused long enough to reach over his own shoulder, grab a fistful of material, and jerk the shirt up and over his head. He stood again, breathing a little more heavily, and murmured, “Your turn.”
So many times she’d seen his gorgeous body in no more than boxing shorts, but never before had she been given the opportunity to touch. She reached for him, but he caught her hands, kissed each palm, and lifted them high over her head.
“Keep them right there for me.” And with that, he lifted the hem of her shirt, drawing it slowly up and over her face until he caught the material between her elbows one-handed—pinning her there, all stretched out.
Hardly fair! “Denver—”
“I’ve thought about stripping you a million times,” he murmured. “Let me have my fun.”
He’d been thinking about stripping her? Oh. Well then... “Okay.”
“Good girl.”
She frowned, but with his palm playing over her from shoulder to hip as if savoring her, she couldn’t gather her thoughts enough to protest the ridiculous endearment.
Briefly, he came in for a hot eating kiss that left her shaking before levering back so he could open the front closure on her bra.
She heard the small catch of his breath as the cups parted, showing the inner swells of her breasts, but not quite revealing both nipples.
“So fucking stacked,” he whispered roughly, lowering his head to nuzzle aside the material with his mouth.
Going perfectly still, her pulse buzzing and her vision narrowing to the crown of his overlong hair, she waited—and felt his hot breath, then the touch of his hotter tongue...
And he sucked her in.
The vibrating moan came out loud and high as she stiffened, her muscles all going taut in a rush of pleasure.
“Relax.” He kissed his way to her other breast and drew that nipple into the damp heat of his mouth. At the same time she felt his fingertips lightly tracing over the crotch of her panties.
Frantic to touch him, Cherry struggled against the restraint of her shirt.
He released her, saying, “Take it easy,” while helping to free her hands. The second she could, she leaned into him, her hands everywhere, all