Jake nodded, his excitement evident. “Whatever you want, baby. I’ve missed you.”

Kissing my way down his stomach, I felt my own skin start to heat and the pulse between my legs throb at the increase in Jake’s breathing. When I reached the low-slung waistband of his jeans, I traced the skin just above with my tongue, excited by the low, deep growl emanating from Jake’s throat.

His erection strained against his zipper.

“Let me help you with that.” I smiled up at him mischievously. “It looks painful.”

The look on his face almost broke me. His features were taut, his eyes fogged with desire, and everything in me wanted to answer it—just rip off his jeans and mine and jump him.

Patience was something I needed to practice.

Jake watched me, his intensity making me shiver with anticipation as I unzipped his jeans and pulled at the waistband of his boxers underneath. He tilted his hips off the bed, giving me easier access. I tugged his jeans and underwear down, pulling off his boots so I could remove his clothes completely.

He sat there, comfortable with his nakedness. And so he should be. I licked my lips, my eyes roaming his sculpted body and throbbing erection.

“I’m a lucky, lucky girl.” I grinned up at him, making him smile wryly back at me.

“I’m glad you think so.”

I shook my head as I stood up. “I know so.” I unclipped my bra, letting it drop to the floor. Jake’s eager eyes fastened on my naked breasts as my nipples tightened into hard buds.

Taking my time, I kicked off my boots, unzipped my jeans, and shimmied out of them. Wearing only my panties, I stepped closer so our legs touched.

Jake slid his hands up my outer thighs until they rested on my hips, his eyes devouring every inch of me. “I think you’ve got it the wrong way around.”

“What?”

“I’m the lucky one.”

I nodded solemnly. “Yeah, you are.”

He shook his head, seeming to marvel at me, a look that turned my insides to mush. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?”

I smiled cockily and pointedly at his hard-on. “I have an inkling.”

Jake laughed, biting his lower lip as he hooked a finger into my panties. “Are these leaving us any time soon?”

Nudging his legs apart so I could step between them, I lowered myself to the floor. “Eventually. I have something more urgent on my mind, though.”

“Charley,” he said, breath short, his dark eyes flashing with excitement. “You don’t have to.”

“When have I ever not wanted to?” I reminded him.

His groan filled my ears as I took him into my mouth, sucking lightly at first at his warm, salty taste. I licked the pre-cum from his tip, teasing him mercilessly with my mouth until he begged me to stop.

I gave him what he wanted, sucking him hard as I pumped the base with my fist.

When I knew he was close, I stopped.

His chest rose and fell in pants as he stared at me in disbelief. “Why?”

I stood, only to crawl onto the bed next to him. I kissed him softly. “Now do me, but don’t let me come. Let’s save that.”

Understanding, Jake asked, “Delayed gratification, huh?”

“Exactly.”

“It fucking hurts,” he smiled ruefully back at me.

“But it’ll be worth it.” I lay back on the bed and watched him as he pulled my panties down very slowly, torturously so. I was already turned on from going down on him and didn’t think it would take much to climax. Jake had a challenge on his hands to stop before it happened.

At the touch of his tongue on my ankle, I realized clearly he was up for pushing me to breaking point. He pressed soft kisses up my legs, alternating between the two, positioning them how he wanted, bending my knee so he could lick the crease behind it. I squirmed, my whole body tingling with anticipation. My nerves sparked, begging for fire.

He pushed my legs apart, crawling between them. My hips jerked at the feel of his mouth on the inside of my thigh. He scattered soft kisses along my skin, driving me crazy.

When he proceeded to lick the crease between my thigh and my sex, I whimpered his name pleadingly. Taking pity, Jake tickled me with the stroke of his finger seconds before his mouth came down on me.

I sighed in pleasure, lost completely to the search for satisfaction as Jake’s tongue circled my clit. I writhed against his mouth while he played me perfectly, his tongue moving down, sliding inside me.

I was barely aware of my cries to God, to Jake, my begging for more.

He returned to my clit, sucking it between his teeth, and I felt it coming. My body tensed, preparing for it.

And then Jake’s mouth was gone.

It took me a minute to blink through the haze of lust to realize what had happened.

Delayed gratification. I pouted at him as he kneeled between my legs. “You’re right. It hurts.”

“You’re telling me,” he said quietly and my eyes dropped to his dick. It strained toward his stomach, purple-red with need.

I shivered and spread my legs a little wider. “I’m all yours if you want me.”

Jake dragged his eyes over my body in a way that made my breasts swell. “Oh, I want you,” he answered, his voice thick. “I want you to turn over.”

“Over?”

“I want to see all of you. Now turn over.”

Immediately turned on by his commanding attitude, I let my sliding hair hide my smile as I rolled over onto my stomach for him. I rested my chin on my arms. “Now wha—oh…” I melted at the soft touch of his warm lips on my lower back.

“I love these dimples,” he muttered, his breath whispering over my skin. “When you wear jeans and a small tee, it shows off these sexy dimples just above your ass. Turns me on every time I see them.”

I grinned. “That’s good to know.”

And then all thought flew swiftly from my mind as Jake pressed kisses over my butt cheeks, his tongue licking lightly at my skin as he did so.

I began to writhe again as he licked the crease between the bottom curve of my right cheek and the back of my thigh. “Jake,” I groaned, deliciously surprised by the sensual assault.

Two fingers slid inside me and I clenched my hands into fists, arching my neck, raising my ass as he pumped those fingers slowly in and out. My body tensed.

“I’m going to come,” I whimpered, warning him.

“Not without me, you’re not.”

Suddenly, he had me on my back again, his expression fierce. He pulled me under him, his chest brushing mine while he gripped my thigh in his hand, parting my legs.

He thrust inside me and we both moaned at the feel of my tight inner muscles pulsing around him. Jake held still for a moment and that something magical that was always there passed between us. Eyes connected the whole time, Jake’s grip on my thigh tightened and he pulled back out only to surge back inside me so deeply, I cried out. I arched against his thrusts, meeting each one with a building urgency.

My muscles tightened, my body stiffened.

I came on a cry of his name, tears in my eyes as I stared into his, my hips shuddering against his with release as he continued to pump into me.

Jake’s jaw clenched and he tensed a second before he came, jerking against me, his warm, long, wet release flooding me.

“Fuck,” he panted, relaxing into me.

I wrapped my arms and legs around him, holding him close.

“Definitely worth it,” he mumbled against my shoulder. “Delayed gratification.”

I chuckled. “Oh, yeah.”

He kissed my collarbone and pushed up, easing his weight off me. I caught the note of seriousness in his expression and waited with bated breath. “Something happened here. I’m not pressuring you into going too fast, but I need you to acknowledge when our relationship is moving forward. I know I don’t deserve it, but it’ll stop me going crazy.” He smirked unhappily. “I’ve been going crazy wondering when you’re going to decide this is a bad idea, and I know I’ll have to live with that. But… I felt something with you tonight…”