Page 7 of Vanessa’s Bravery

Vanessa shook her head, interrupting him, and shifted, until she kneeled on the bed, only inches from him. “No need to pay extra. I was hoping you would want to kiss me.”

The disappointment that had tried to rise when she’d shaken her head was instantly squashed by her words. Relief and delight spread in his chest. “I would have paid anything for a kiss from you.”

She lifted her hand to his face, sliding her index finger over his bottom lip. “And I would have never accepted it. I should be paying you.”

A surprised chuckle tore from his throat. “Then how about we call it even, and do what we both want to do?”

“That’s a good idea.”

“I have another good idea,” he added. “How about you pretend you’re my girlfriend, and you’re madly in love with me?”

Something golden flickered in her irises. “Yes, madly in love. I can do that as long as you can pretend that you’re madly in love with me. Can you do that, Cole?”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem.” No problem at all. Because already now, he could imagine how easy it would be to fall in love with a woman like Vanessa.

Cole put one arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. With his other hand, he brushed her hair back behind her shoulder, revealing her graceful neck.

“Kiss me,” she whispered. “Kiss me as if I were yours.”

Cole slanted his lips over hers and kissed her, while he slid his hand to the back of her head. Her lips yielded to his demand, and she parted them and welcomed him. He tasted her fresh breath, which reminded him of a meadow of wild flowers, the sun shining brightly. In his mind, a picture of innocence bloomed, even though he knew that the woman in his arms was anything but innocent. She was an experienced seductress, but the way she welcomed him, the way she kissed him back, didn’t conjure up the image of a woman who was being paid for physical pleasure, but that of a lover who truly saw him and accepted him. It was more than he’d expected.

Without haste, Cole explored her mouth, dueled with her responsive tongue, and pulled her body closer to his, so her breasts were crushed against his chest. She felt hot in his arms, or maybe it was he who was hot, because Vanessa’s response to his kiss was more passionate than he’d hoped. He didn’t care that she did this for money, and because he’d asked her to pretend she loved him, because all he wanted right now was to feel, not to think; to enjoy, not to question his fate. To lose himself in the arms of this beautiful woman and bathe in her tenderness and passion.

Vanessa’s hands were on him, eagerly opening the buttons of his shirt, while he touched her through the thin fabric of her gown. He wanted to take his time, but already now, he could barely control himself. All he wanted was to find out what her naked skin would feel like pressed to his. He didn’t protest when she rid him of his shirt, but when she put her hands on the waistband of his pants, he grabbed her wrists and stopped her.

She ripped her lips from his. “Let me touch you.”

As much as he wanted just that, he couldn’t allow it, or their passionate encounter would come to an abrupt end. “I wanna caress you first.”

He let go of her hands.

“Then touch me,” she whispered.

Still standing at the edge of the bed, he lifted her into his arms, allowing her to unfurl her legs, before he placed her down on the sheets. With her legs spread, she pulled him to her, and he braced himself over her.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured and reached for the top bow of her negligee. He undid the tie and brushed the fabric to the sides, revealing the top of her breasts, leaving her nipples covered by the thin fabric but not hidden from his view.

He brushed his fingertips along her cleavage, caressing her heated skin along the natural curve of her breasts, before he slid his fingers beneath the fabric to touch her nipples.

A sharp inhale pushed Vanessa’s chest toward him, and a soft moan rolled over her lips. He glanced at her face, and noticed that she’d pulled her lower lip between her teeth as if trying to stop herself from crying out. Pleased with her reaction, Cole dipped his head to one breast, and licked over the hard nipple, leaving the fabric damp and fully transparent, before doing the same to the other nipple.

Vanessa gripped his hips, trying to pull him closer, her pelvis tilting up, looking for friction. If he rubbed his rock-hard erection against her now, he’d come in no time, even with two layers of clothing between them. He had no choice but to resist.

“Patience.”

Cole untied the second bow, then the third, and pulled the negligee open. Again, he dipped his head to her breasts, and this time he licked over the smooth skin, while he captured her other breast in his palm, kneading it gently. He sucked her hard nipple into his mouth, loving the responsiveness of her firm flesh and the softness of her skin.

Her hands were on him now, stroking his shoulders, caressing the sensitive spot on his nape, while she thrust her breasts deeper into his mouth.

“Please, yes!” Her words were barely audible, her speech almost slurred as if she was drunk on the passion they shared.

He sucked her nipple harder, and she suddenly grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. Her eyes pinned him. “Bite me, Cole, please!”

“Bite you?”

“My breasts. Please…” she begged and dropped her hold on his hair.

Surprised by her demand, he lowered his lips back to her breast, and sucked the nipple into his mouth.