“I love the way I feel in your hands too,” she breathed out against his lips.
He leaned back slightly, his stare spearing her. He moved his thumbs, caressing her nipples through her tank top. She shuddered slightly, a potent shock of pleasure shooting through her. She clamped her thighs together to alleviate the ache there, a soft moan escaping her lips.
“Shhh,” he soothed, even though he continued to rub her nipples with his thumb, agitating her nerves. “Does it feel good?” he asked, his breath whisking across her lips.
“Yes,” she replied through a tight throat.
“Do you have any idea how beautiful you look right now? How incredible you feel?” he asked, his thumbs continuing to rub her nipples. They were so sensitive to his touch, it was like a pinching pleasure. She bit off a moan, and then Asher was kissing her again, his mouth hungrier this time. He cradled both of her breasts in his hands, massaging her gently even though his kiss was fierce. Her hands moved anxiously on his back. She squeezed his rounded shoulder muscles and then his hard, defined biceps, the fire in her beginning to rage.
A spike of panic penetrated her intense, unprecedented arousal.
She broke their kiss, gasping raggedly against his seeking lips. “Asher, I feel so—”
“So fantastic, it’s almost unreal,” he muttered distractedly, nibbling at her mouth. She placed her hands on his sides, amazed at the feeling of his body, the strength coiling tight in him. She skimmed the length of his torso from the top of his rib cage to his waist, down and up and down, loving the slant from lean waist up to powerful chest.
“God,” he muttered, and his hand moved, slipping beneath her tank top. She froze at the sensation of him cupping her bare breast. He stilled too. Anticipation swelled high in her. He pinched her nipple gently. She almost jumped clear off the sand.
“What?” he asked sharply. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. It felt so good. I don’t know what’s wrong,” she moaned raggedly, seeking his mouth again. He pulled back slightly, studying her. He looked worried. Maybe he should be. She felt odd. Fevered. Dizzy. No . . . she was like a balloon being overfilled. The internal pressure was too much.
“I think I do. Luckily, it’s very curable,” he said suddenly.
He slid his hand between her legs, his manner striking her as matter-of-fact. Firm. Air rushed out of her lungs as he began to rub her sex through her shorts and underwear. She made a disbelieving sound as the friction inside her soared. A shock rippled through her flesh. His mouth moved on her neck and he spoke in a low, rough voice near her ear.
“It’s okay. Just let go, Laila.”
The feeling surrounded her, controlling her versus her controlling it. She made an anguished sound, twisting her hips against the pressure of his fingers. His free hand spread across her lower back and hip, keeping her steady while his fingers moved and agitated her flesh. The pressure built in her until she clamped her eyes closed in a hopeless attempt to stop it.
She shuddered in release.
He continued to touch her, even through the aftershocks. He pressed kisses against her ear and spoke to her. His deep voice melded with the sound of her pounding heart. It took her a few seconds to really interpret what he was saying.
“You’re so sweet. So warm. I feel your heat, even through your shorts.”
She drew up her knees abruptly, knocking aside his hand. She looped her arms around her knees and gasped raggedly.
What the hell had just happened?
“What’s wrong?” he asked, clearly startled by her abrupt action. He was obviously confused. But he couldn’t be as confused as her.
She pressed her forehead against her arms. She couldn’t speak, so she just shook her head.
“Laila?” The sound of disbelieving concern in his voice swelled her pain. He put his hand on her back and moved it in a soothing motion. “Didn’t it feel good?”
She nodded against her forearm, miserable. Suddenly, she couldn’t take it anymore. She began to stand.
“Hey . . . Hey, where’re you going?” he asked, sounding stunned. He caught her shoulders, halting her. She stopped trying to scramble off the beach and fell back on her butt, gasping. He touched her cheek. “Talk to me. Please. What’s wrong?”
“I’ve never done that before,” she blurted out. Her face pinched tight in acute embarrassment. His soothing hand on her back stilled.
“You’re never had an orgasm?”
“Yes, I’ve done that,” she mumbled, still clamping her eyes tight. She couldn’t believe it had happened. Now they were talking about it, which was almost as bad. “Just not . . . with someone.”
The silence felt like it lasted for an eternity, but probably was all of two seconds long.
“Oh. I see,” he said, resuming rubbing her back. His tone was even. Confident. It told her that he did get it. He wasn’t bullshitting h