Rippled by Erin Lark Read Free Book Online Page B

other night?”
    I gave her question some thought, then said, “The one from the other night.”
    “Oh, good.” She set her hands in her lap. “I like that one a lot.”
    Now it was my turn to smirk. “Do you, now?” I brushed a few stray hairs from in front of her face until I could look right into her eyes, unblinking. Her cheeks darkened as she averted her gaze.
    You said you wanted her—why not now?
    It would be wrong of me to—
    All thought was lost when she reached out to play with my belt buckle. I swallowed and placed both hands on her wrists, stopping her.
    “We don’t have to—”
    “I want to,” she said before I finished. “I’ve wanted to ever since that kiss. Ever since the first night we held hands. I…” She shook her head, clearly frustrated with her words. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just… I need this. Just for tonight.”
    I placed her hands in her lap. “I don’t work like that. Not with you.”
    Are you listening to yourself? Take one night!
    Hell, I’d probably take just one hour and still be happy about it. “It’s not who I am.”
    Not who you want to be.
    “Two nights then.” She laughed, and I smiled.
    “One day at a time?”
    She nodded. If I was able to gain her trust just from one night, maybe then it'd be easier to work on controlling her shifts.
    “Does that mean I’m your sub then?” she asked.
    I shook my head and brushed her cheek. “No. You’re my equal.” After a long, suffocating moment, I set her hands back on my belt. “As you were.”
    With the room being as electrically charged as it was, it was a wonder we didn’t burst into flames. A long moment passed, and when Krista’s hands didn’t move, I moved them for her.
    Together, we traced the buckle of my belt, the golden paint smooth under our fingertips. She shifted her weight, sat with her knees beneath her, kneeling but not kneeling as she fought with the thick strap of leather.
    I brushed her cheek. Drew arcs with my thumb under her eye. Every breath, every move we made, was a test. Are we going too fast? Is this okay? Am I hurting you ? And with every moment that passed, she didn’t pull away. Determined as she was, she slowly pushed forward.
    I exhaled when the hiss of leather rang in my ears. Her digits moved to the button on my jeans, having a little less trouble with it than with my belt. Her hands shook when she tried to pull down the zipper.
    I took her hands in mine. “Are you sure?”
    She licked her lips—nodded. I let her go and placed one hand against the nape of her neck. I leaned in and pulled her closer. Our lips barely touched. Her fingers stopped moving, and she set a hand behind my head and played with the curls she found there.
    I closed my eyes and slowly coaxed her lips to part. Our bodies drew closer together, and somewhere outside my subconscious I could feel my pants going slack as she loosened them for me. It took everything I had not to get rid of all our clothes so I could touch her warm skin. Taste it. Taste her.
    Oblivious to the rest of the world, I unbuttoned her blouse, smooth peaks greeting me once the fabric was removed. I broke our kiss just long enough to lick at her jaw. Krista let out an exasperated sigh when my shirt didn’t come off fast enough—when she couldn’t get my pants past my hips.
    “Want some help with that?” I asked, trying not to smile at her frustration.
    “Please.” She sat back, but only long enough for me to remove my pants.
    As soon as they were out of the way, she closed in. It was almost as if she had suddenly remembered how everything worked. She had delicate hands—hands that could make any man fall to his knees if used correctly. And damn if she didn’t know what she was doing. Just like riding a bike. Memory or not, her body took all the right steps, or at least the steps I allowed it to take.
    I took a deep breath when she wrapped her fingers around my cock. Stroking it. Teasing it. I wanted nothing more than