Scandalous 1 (Scandalous #1)(17)
Author: H.M. Ward

His voice was breathy, barely controlled, “I can’t. Abby, I can’t make you fall.”

“Jack,” I cupped his face in my hands, pulling it back up so I could look into his eyes. “I’ve already fallen. Nothing you do will stop that. Pushing me away only makes us both miserable. Paint me.” I whispered, pressing my chest to his, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. Before he could say no, I stepped away. Peeling off my shirt as I walked, I grabbed a brush and a can of paint. Jack’s eyes burned into me, I felt hot all over, my stomach twisting in knots. I dipped the large brush in red and drew a long stroke between my br**sts over my lace bra. The color clung to the fabric, seeping beneath it.

I dipped the brush again and again, putting on more colors and painting my upper body. Jack watched me, frozen, his jaw tense, arms folded like he was holding himself back. I didn’t stop. I ignored his warning. Dropping the brush, I allowed it to splatter on the floor at my feet. Lowering my hands, I slowly unbuttoned my jeans, sliding them down over the curve of my hips, revealing the white lace beneath.

Jack’s eyes locked on mine. They were pleading for me to stop, his voice was heavy with want, warning me, “Abby…” His voice was ragged, his breathing tight. His eyes watched me like he needed me, wanted me.

The jeans slipped off my ankle and I stepped out of them, bending over slowly, showing him the curve of my hips. I pushed the denim aside. I dipped my hands in paint, rising, and watching him. Ribbons of red and blue trailed up to my elbows as I held my hands in front of me. Sliding my fingers across my body, I slowly covered every curve in blue and red, painting over my pretty lace set without a second thought. Jack’s eyes watched me like a predator ready to pounce. The muscles in his arms twitched.

Breathlessly, I asked, “Which canvas?” There were several clean canvases laid out on the floor. Jack unfolded his arms for half a second and pointed. I followed his finger to the largest one in the center of the room. Moonlight spilled in through the window behind Jack, making him look ethereal. I stood in front of the canvas and glanced at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I barely had a voice, “Help me lay down. Jack…” I whispered his name, feeling it form on my swollen lips. Every part of my body was tingling, wanting him to touch me, to taste me.

For a moment he didn’t move. His eyes remained on my body, refusing to look in my eyes. Slowly, he pushed off the table he was leaning against as he had watched me cover my flesh in paint. He moved slowly, and stopped in front of me.

Heart pounding in my chest, I asked, “Help me fall, Jack,” and before he could answer I leaned back. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jack reached for me. His strong arms caught my body, linking around my waist, and pulling me back up toward him.

He was breathing hard, “Abby, you undo me. How could I tell you no when you act like that?”

Jack turned me toward him, his firm hands pressed into the soft skin at my back. “Then kiss me. Show me you love me.”

He hesitated, “What about your vows? What about…?”

“You’re the one person that’s perfect for me. As long as you know it, I trust you.”

“There’s no going back, Abby.” He closed his eyes, trying to speak—his body pressed into me, hard and wanting. Warmth covered my skin like fire, racing to my core.

“There was never anything without you.” I linked my arms around his neck and pressed my body flush to his, as I lightly dusted my lips across his mouth.

Jack melted in my hands. The wall that he put between us came crashing down. I gasped as he pulled me tightly against him, his lips pressing harder against mine, tasting me, testing me. His hands slid up and down my body, feeling the curves of my bare waist, sliding over the thin fabric that covered my butt. Paint covered his hands as he threaded them through my hair, his kisses becoming hotter.

Without a word, he swept me up in his arms and lowered me to the canvas. Covering my body in kisses, he pulled back, his face covered in paint, like mine. I smiled at him as he took the can of red and drizzled the paint across my chest. Placing the can down, he took the blue and poured it over my stomach. The paint was cool to the touch, sliding over my hot skin more sensually than the night before. Jack put his hands on me, stroking the paint with his fingers, with my body moving under his touch. Sighing deeply, my head was swimming. Jack pulled his shirt over his head, and removed his jeans. My eyes slipped over his body, wanting to touch it, taste it, and feel him inside me.

Jack laid himself on top of me, slowly sliding against me, paint spreading, mixing between us. He rolled off of me, and pulled me on top of him. Straddling his nak*d hips, I looked down at him, paint dripping from my hair. His hands reached up behind me, unclasping the once white bra. It fell away, and he cupped my breast in his hand, squeezing me gently. I leaned my head back, swaying. My h*ps began to move on their own as he touched me, making me moan his name.

Every spot on my skin was on fire. I wanted his hands, his lips, touching me, kissing me. I writhed under his touch, craving more, not feeling sated. Calling his name, I tried to pull him to me, but he whispered, “Not yet,” in my ear. Teasing me with his teeth, he nipped my neck and trailed kissed down my body, stopping at my panties. Lifting my bottom, he slid his hands underneath and pulled them off, tossing them aside.

I knew the paint could cover every inch of our bodies and wash away, but when his lips trailed over my painted neck I wondered. As if Jack could read the thoughts running through my mind about the paint, he said, “It tastes like sugar, sweet like syrup. The paint can’t hurt you, Abby.” I gazed at him, elated. That was part of my plan that had been uncertain. I’d planned on trying to drag him back to the shower, but when his paint covered lips began to kiss me, my brain melted.

Pulse pounding in my ears, I trembled as Jack’s hand traveled up my thigh and slid between my legs. His lips brushed kisses on my neck, as his fingers moved inside of me. Jack’s eyes closed as he felt me, his breath ragged, “Abby.. .” He breathed in my ear, lowering his body to mine, keeping his hand between my legs, rubbing, stroking me gently. My back arched off the canvas, pushing into his hand harder. I needed him, wanted him. I called his name again, softly saying it over and over. He answered, “Tell me you want me, Abby. Tell me to take you and make you mine.” I could feel his beautiful smile against the side of my face.

I could barely breathe. Jack pulled his hand away, sliding it between my br**sts, circling the nipple with my wetness. Bending down he blew gently, making me shiver, before putting his warm mouth on my body. Trailing his tongue along the soft flesh, he licked and sucked, making me long for him even more.

Over and over I moaned softly, “Make me yours, Jack. Please. Take me.” My nails dragged across his skin when I couldn’t take it anymore. I would have done anything he wanted in that moment just to feel him inside of me. That was when Jack moved on top of me. He was so hard, his length pressing against me, sliding himself between my legs and pushing gently within me.

His hands in my hair, his lips at me ear, “Are you all right?”

I nodded, looking into his eyes. The pupils were wide and dark, consuming all the blue. His breath was sweet, drifting over my body as he looked down at me. The sheen on his skin, the sweat that glistened, made me want to slide my tongue over his entire body and feel him inside of me. My body shivered, doing things I didn’t know it could do, wanting things I thought I’d never want. And with Jack, I wanted every bit of it.

Jack moved slowly, like I was made of glass, but that wasn’t what I wanted. It felt like divine torture, as he slid in slowly, gently—barely pushing—careful not to hurt me. My mind was reeling, my skin slick and on fire. Every inch of my body wanted him. It was so carnal and raw that I screamed out, slicing his back with my nails as I pulled his chest tighter to mine.

Breathless, I said, “Take me, Jack.” My voice was firm, needing him—wanting him to move in me the way my body craved. I wanted to feel the force of his thrusts inside of me. I wanted him to push into me so hard that there was only Jack, and the two of us were one. His hands held my hips, his gentle thrusts inside of me stopping as I spoke. His eyes were like blue flames, flickering with heat I didn’t know he possessed. Desire glowed within their depths and only one thing would sate him, me. My words shattered him, stripping away any semblance of control he once had.

Jack, the man who was always in control, suddenly wasn’t. He moved faster, pushing into me harder and harder. Our bodies moved as one, sliding and thrusting, taking us higher and higher. My mind was blank, light, and free. There was only scent and skin, slick with need. The way he moved inside of me, the position of his hands on my skin, his breath in my ear as he pushed into me—it was ecstasy filling me in the form of Jack Gray.

“Come for me Abby,” he breathed in my ear. His smooth body moving against mine, his sweat filled my head, making me needy, making me spread my legs wider so he could push deeper. My body reacted to his movements, clutching against him as I came. Jack pushed into me twice more, slow and hard. He tensed, as I pulsated around him, drawing him into me. When his body relaxed, he fell onto me, kissing my face.

Covered in sweat, paint, and each other, I laid next to him feeling completely wonderful. His fingers threaded through mine, his lips pressing against the side of my face, in my hair and my lips. “Abby, oh my God.” Worry creased a line between his brows. He pushed himself up and looked down at me concerned, “Did I hurt you? I shouldn’t have done that to you. It was too much too fast.” He was shaking his head, but I put my hand on his cheek and he stilled, his face still full of worry.

“I’m fine,” I smiled. Every bit of my body felt like it was glowing softly, humming. “Jack, that was perfect. More than I thought it’d be.”

He grinned, sliding down on his side so he could look at me. “More than you thought? How long have you been thinking these kinds of things, Abby?”

I didn’t think it was possible, but I felt the blush rise to my face. Turning away, grinning, I started to roll over, but Jack pulled me back, locking me on the floor beneath him, pinning me with his arm. “From the look on your face, I would think quite a bit longer than would be considered, um, what’s the word I’m looking for…?” his voice trailed off as his smile deepened, leaning his head to mine, he said, “oh, yeah—prudent.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and pulled away a little, enough to see my full lips smiling sheepishly.

Smiling, completely sated, I said, “It’s not like I meant to. Sometimes thoughts would enter my mind. I chased them away with a Biblical broom, but they kept coming back when I wasn’t able to stop them.”

His dark brow arched, a crooked grin on his face in disbelief, “You dreamed about me?”

Squirming, I replied, “Sometimes, yes. The memory of you—of us—would light up in my mind making me rather hot and bothered for a preacher.” I smiled at him, loving every moment of this. When his face turned serious my stomach clenched. I wanted him happy, elated and carefree.