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‘Uhnugh.’

She took a step towards him and leaned in, her gentle fragrance almost overwhelming. ‘I’ve not told you this, but I love seeing you speechless. It makes me feel like… I’m beautiful, or something really special.’

Her vulnerability dragged him past the impossibility of speaking. ‘You are.’ His words were rough as he reached for her, forcing his hands into gentleness as he cupped her face. ‘You are the most beautiful, special, beautiful woman I’ve ever been lucky enough to know.’

‘You said beautiful twice.’ Her voice was breathless.

‘If I said it two hundred times, it still wouldn’t be even close to accurate.’

‘Head over heels, Jamie. That’s how I’m falling for you. Hard and scarily fast.’

He kissed her deeply, pouring all of his love and want into the gesture, pulling her tightly against him until she was gasping. ‘You know it’s more than mutual.’

‘Then take me to bed and show me?’

His voice was gone again, stolen by the need and emotions in her eyes.

* * *

Amrita’s heart raced as Jamie lowered her into the pillows on his bed, his lips finding hers again before she’d had a chance to catch her breath. He pulled away, making her want to whimper and pull him back, but he moved his attention down her neck, and the softness of his lips against the sharp scratch of his stubble was so delicious that she let her head fall back while her fingers twisted and tugged at his shirt. It wasn’t fair that he still had so many clothes on when she so desperately needed his bare skin against her.

‘Jamie, please…’

Him pulling away from her was a few heartbeats of misery, but it was worth it to see him peel off his shirt, and the raw heat in his eyes when he paused to admire her before lowering himself back against her. He traced his fingers over her skin, along the lace of her underwear, leaving trails of hot goosepimples and tingles that he followed with his nose, tongue and lips.

She thrilled in his touch, letting him take the lead and set the pace he wanted, pushing them both into gasping, needy pleasure. His hands over her stomach interspersed with kisses and gentle nibbles pulsated heat through her, leaving it pooling between her legs and making her ache. He stroked and teased along the line of her underwear, making her squirm, and then down her legs. When he kissed and nibbled back up her thigh then moved to the other leg without paying attention to the spot where she really needed him, she whimpered in frustration.

He chuckled, his breath hot against her stomach as his fingers dipped below the lace. ‘Is this what you want?’

She nodded.

‘Tell me.’

‘Yes, Jamie. Please.’

‘I love it when you ask so nicely.’ His voice had dropped deeper, almost growling against her skin as he peeled off her underwear, taking far longer than was needed to slide them down her legs. The cool air against her most sensitive flesh made her squirm, but that was nothing compared to his nose and stubble rasping up her thigh and his lips closing over that delicate, needy, throbbing part and sucking.

He dragged whimpers from her on increasingly desperate gasps, driving her hotter and higher while she tangled her fingers in his hair, the bed sheet, anything to try and hold herself together while needing him to explode her into pieces.

He hummed against her as he slid his fingers into her, encouraging her to buck and grind against him, to lose her mind. He held her so tightly and sweetly – so safely – that it was easy to let go, and fold into quivering bliss. He stayed with her through the explosion, coaxing her through it with confident, easy strokes until she started to drift back down from the stratosphere where he’d rocketed her to.

She whimpered when he pulled away, and lazily watched him as he stripped off the rest of his clothes and rustled with the crinkly packet to cover himself. He stroked a couple of times, and her mouth watered. Then he was back with her, pressing her into the covers in the most delicious way, one hand stroking back her hair so he could kiss her more deeply while the other wrapped around her knee and drew her leg over his hip.

She wriggled obligingly, spreading herself wider and shifting to grind against him, needing the friction and silently pleading for him as she kissed him harder and hotter.

When he finally entered her, his movement was long, slow and deep – stretching her deliciously – but he didn’t immediately start to move; instead, he locked in place, stroking her cheek and watching her intently. The sensation of him being so deep, but not moving, was so intense that it made her shiver.

Her fingers shook as she touched his face. ‘Is everything OK?’

‘Perfect.’ He smiled at her before burying his face in her hair. ‘I just wanted to savour this moment. You. Is that OK?’

‘Perfect.’ She pulled him closer, tucking his head against her shoulder and just focussed on breathing in the moment and letting their shared sensations engulf her. The stretching heat and pressure of him was an intimacy on a level she’d never known before – and feeling his pulse throughout her body while her muscles fluttered around him left her throat tight and her body tingling all over.

She felt her breath catch, then restart in time with his as he relaxed into her, somehow feeling even deeper than before. Her heart slowed, falling in time with his, and he gently pressed kisses against her neck and cheek.

When it had almost become too much to bear, Jamie finally started to move – tiny, seemingly involuntary movements that made her own muscles clench and flutter – sweet relief quickly turning into its own decadent torture that pushed her higher while dragging her deeper into their shared sensations.

‘Jamie… please… more…’