He gripped her hips and helped guide her as he met her grind with slow thrusts and within moments, they were both nearing their edge. Layton reached down and pinched her throbbing clitoris, sending her hurtling into an epic orgasm that stole her breath and killed any semblance of lucid thought.
Layton tensed and shouted her name as he came, thrusting hard into her sheath until he’d spent his load. She fell forward against his chest and for a long moment just focused on catching her breath.
Was it normal to be so consumed with another human being? Not even with Riker, who she’d been certain she was in love with, had she been so perfectly in sync. It was a little frightening, to be honest, that she was already questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. Was it possible to fall so hard, so fast for someone?
“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked in a husky tone that sent shivers down her spine.
She drew up, smiling as she traced her finger down his fine, muscled chest. “I was just thinking that I don’t know what to do about you.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Well, there is what I should do and what I want...”
“And?”
“And what I want is in direct opposition with what I should do.”
“You’re talking in circles.”
“Yeah, welcome to my process.”
Layton tightened his hold on her, anchoring his hands on her bare hips. “There are no guarantees in life, babe. We take our chances with what we’ve been given and you either have to have the balls to just go for it or live in the shadows of your life, always wondering what might’ve been. You don’t seem to be the type of person who wants to live a half life. So grab life by the balls and squeeze.”
“So you’re saying I should just take a chance that you won’t hurt me like Riker did and just let Erik know that we’re testing the waters and then what?”
Layton caressed her cheek in a sweet gesture that plucked at her heart strings. “I’m not interested in a fling with you, Alexis. I’m not down with ‘testing the waters.’ I want the real deal.”
She bit her lip. “What if I’m difficult and you discover that I’m truly a bad girlfriend? I get grumpy. And moody. And Erik says that I’m a slob. Can you deal with that?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Was there nothing that she could say that would scare Layton away? “You’re asking me to trust you.”
“I am.”
“I’m not really all that strong in that department right now.” Her voice a tremulous betrayal of the anxiety twisting her nerves and making everything seem so dangerous to her heart.
He brushed a kiss across her lips. “Then let me help restore your faith.”
And there it was. She had to take a leap to find out if there was firm footing when she landed. Riker had been a painful life lesson, one she was determined not to repeat, but as far as she could tell, Layton and Riker were nothing alike. So what was holding her back?
“I’m scared.”
He gazed at her so tenderly that her heart nearly broke from the sweetness. Of course Layton was nothing like Riker. How could she even think that he was?
“We don’t have to make big decisions right this second. Just give yourself permission to enjoy whatever this is...at whatever pace we deem appropriate but just know that I’m ready for the real deal with you.”
“But what about Erik?” she asked, a little fearful of her brother’s reaction. And what would her parents say? Ugh. She could already see her mother rolling her eyes at another one of her impetuous decisions.
“Erik isn’t your warden,” he said firmly. “Whatever is happening between us...it’s private. No need for anyone else to weigh in with their opinions.”
She liked Layton’s no-wavering stance. He didn’t back down at the hint of pressure. A man like that was handy to have around. A man like that was husband material— Whoa, don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s no picking out the linens just yet.
Layton tapped her behind and she lifted off him so he could discard the condom. She giggled at the most inappropriate thought. “We can never let Erik know that we’ve had sex all over his house. He will freak out. He’s a bit of a germophobe.”
“And he lets his messy sister live with him?”
Alexis shrugged a shoulder. “He loves me.”
“Yes, he does. He’s a good man, which is why I’m not worried. He might be pissed at first but he’ll come around.”