For the first time in his life that he could remember, Raif didn’t know what to say. His breath caught in his chest, leaving it tight and aching. Much like another part of his anatomy. The silence stretched out between them.
“To be precise,” Shanal eventually said in a small voice, “I wished for you to make love to me.”
Every cell in his body urged him to seize the moment and take her up on her wish, but an unwelcome voice of reason whispered in the back of his mind. Why now? Was she looking for rebound sex? They hadn’t even touched on her reasons for leaving Burton at the altar, mainly because of Raif’s own reticence about hearing them. But whatever those reasons were, did he really want to be her rebound guy?
His hesitation must have communicated itself to Shanal because she suddenly ducked her head and drew away from him.
“I’m sorry. I’m being ridiculous. Probably too much wine. Don’t mind me.”
She started to get up from the couch, but his arm shot out, his hand clasping hers and pulling her back. He caught her chin between his fingers and lifted her face to his.
“Are you sure, Shanal? Is that what you really want?”
What the hell was he doing, asking her? She’d already said what she wanted and his body was certainly eager and willing to make her wish come true. A little too willing, if the current fit of his jeans was any indicator. He wasn’t going to let his hormones take over. If he—if they—did this, it would be for the right reasons. And why was he even considering this? Was it to assuage all those pent-up, lustful teenage dreams he’d suffered for so long, or did it have more to do with getting back at Burton Rogers? He thrust the idea of the other man to the recesses of his mind. Burton was not going to intrude on whatever this evening turned out to be. Shanal deserved better than that and hell, so did Raif. He’d wanted her for what seemed like forever and he was more than ready, but she had to be certain. She had to come to him freely, unreservedly, or not at all.
Time crawled to a halt as he waited for her response.
He barely heard her answer when it came, but the softly spoken “yes” was all he needed. He bent his head and caught her lips with his. What he’d planned to be a sensitive and careful caress turned molten as she kissed him back. Her arms snaked around his waist and she pressed her body up against his as if he was a refuge from all the fears she held deep inside. Maybe that’s all he was to her right now, but he’d take that, and more.
She was perfection in his arms. Her small frame fitted neatly against his. The softness of her curves melted into him as if the two of them had been carved from one piece. She moaned as he deepened their kiss, as his tongue met hers, as he caressed the roof of her mouth. Her hands found their way under his sweatshirt, tugging at his T-shirt until she touched his flesh.
It was everything he’d ever anticipated and yet not enough at the same time. They were too restricted here, and there was so much he wanted to do with her. So very much. He scooped her into his arms.
“Inside,” he growled. “I want to see you. All of you.”
“Yes,” she whispered in return, her hands reaching for his face and drawing him to her to kiss again.
She was heat and hunger and everything he’d always dreamed she’d be. The kiss they’d shared yesterday had been only a prelude to this moment—the denouement of years of fighting his feelings for her, of subjugating his desire for her. He made their way to his room in the dark, but once there, he laid her down on the bed and reached to switch on the bedside lamps, bathing the room in a warm golden glow. He didn’t want to miss seeing a single second of this.
He reached for her, guiding her clothing from her body, exposing her natural beauty to him and relishing the sensation as his palms and fingers caressed her skin and absorbed her heat, letting it mingle with his own. He skimmed his hands up from her tiny waist and over her narrow rib cage, then filled his palms with her breasts before bending down to take her nipple in his mouth. He rolled the peaked flesh with his tongue, pulling softly, feeling a pulse of satisfaction at the moan of pleasure that fell from her swollen lips.
“You are so beautiful,” he murmured against her skin.
The words may have been clichéd, but to him, at this moment, there was nothing better to be said. She was beautiful, and right now she was his. He had waited years for this moment and he wasn’t about to rush any part of it. He wanted to burn this night into his memory forever. And not just this one night, if he had any say about it. Every night from now on sounded just about perfect.