Chapter 209: Another passionate night
His hands caressed her waist, then moved upward, pushing her top over her head and tossing it aside. Zara gasped. She wasn’t sure it was from the sudden rush of cool air or from the heat of his gaze.
He watched her, scanned every inch of her body. "You are beautiful," he murmured hoarsely.
Zara’s face flushed red. Under his heated gaze, her body burned, her nipples hardening beneath the lacy fabric of her bra.
He leaned over and pressed his lips to her throat, trailing his kisses lower to her cleavage. Each kiss left her body burning. She arched beneath him, her fingers tugging at his hair softly.
He put his hands beneath her breasts and pushed the cups of her bra up. The sight of her bare curves made him breathless. "God, Zara...you are gorgeous." His voice trembled with the raw heat of his desire.
He lowered his head, closing his mouth around one bud while his thumb brushed circles over the other nipple.
"Mm..." A throaty moan escaped her mouth as pleasure coursed through her.
Her moans only added to his burning desire. Nathaniel’s mouth worked over her breasts hungrily.
Zara squirmed beneath him, her need for him intensified manyfold. "Nathaniel," she whispered his name.
"I am right here with you," he murmured, his lips brushing over her sensitive bud. His hand slid lower, lingering on the curve of her waist before going further down to her hip, his fingers skimming the line of her panties.
She twisted in anticipation, lifting her hips a little. His hand roamed everywhere teasingly, deliberately avoiding the place where she ached for his touch.
His lips curled into a dark smile as he sensed her hungry need. "So responsive." His kisses trailed down to her stomach, leaving a trail of fire.
Hooking his fingers beneath the edge of her panties, he tugged them down, slowly, deliberately. His gaze was locked onto her face, watching every subtle change of her expression as if it were the most beautiful scene he had ever watched.
Zara’s breathing grew frantic. She didn’t look away either. Instead, she locked her gaze with his as she reached for him, pulling at the waistband of his trousers.
His own breathing became shallow and rapid as he discarded his clothes in haste. He caught her hand and pressed it on his chest.
"Just feel it," he whispered. "This beats for you." Then, with urgency and need, he devoured her lips. He reached for the drawer, his hand fumbling to find the condom. Finally, he fished out a packet of condom and tore it open impatiently.
His fingers shook slightly as he slipped the condom along his hardening.
He lay her back on the pillow, his body aligning with hers. "Feel what you do to me." With a growl, he entered her.
At the fullness and the sudden electric impulse spreading through her, Zara’s breath caught momentarily, only to let out a throaty moan.
He set a punishing rhythm, yet his kiss was tender and sensual as if coaxing her to surrender to him completely.
Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him in.
"Never doubt what you mean to me." He thrusted deeper into her.
Zara cried, clinging to his shoulders. With each thrust, the heat built higher. When she couldn’t hold it back, she called out his name.
Her body trembled beneath him as the waves of pleasure tore through her. Nathaniel followed her, his body shaking from the powerful release. He gasped as he buried his face against her neck.
Nathaniel stayed inside her, unwilling to let her go. He feared she could shut him out again, say something that would hurt him. He put his hand on her cheek. "Zara..."
"Say nothing," she interrupted him.
He lifted his head slightly and looked into her eyes.
"I get it now," she said.
"Do you really?" His eyes held both doubt and hope.
Zara nodded. She had accepted the reality that Nora would always hold a place in his heart. It was the truth she had to live with.
She understood she had to live with the reality that he would never be able to forget Nora and that she would remain in his heart forever. But it was relieving that he had accepted her, giving her a place in his heart.
"As long as you need me, treat me well and respectfully, and don’t deceive me, I’ll stay," she said.
"I’ll never let you go." He sealed the promise with a fervent kiss.
He was hard again inside her as the kiss grew hotter and urgent. He started moving again with renewed passion, pulling soft cries from her lips.
~~~~~~~~~~
Zara’s slumber broke with the faint chirping of the birds. She stirred and fluttered open her eyes, only to find Nathaniel’s arm draping around her waist. For a moment, she remained still, watching him and relishing the warmth of his closeness. She then moved slowly, lifting his hand carefully to slip out. But her movements paused when her gaze caught sight of a blood stain seeping through the bandage.
Her heart lurched violently. ’He is bleeding.’
She flicked her gaze to him, alarmed. Nathaniel was still asleep, unaware of the pain.
Zara’s heart ached at the thought of him enduring the pain. She thought she would tend to his wound and change his bandage. Slipping out of the bed quietly, retrieved the first aid box and then returned to the bedside.
He was still deep in sleep, not aware of her movements. Putting the first aid box onto the side table, she sat down on the edge of the bed and gently took his hand. Her hands shook slightly as she unwrapped the bandage. Her breath caught when the wound was revealed to her.
There was a long cut on the back of his hand. The stitches were still fresh and looked ugly. The sight shocked her. Such a big cut – it definitely didn’t look like an injury sustained from a mere fall. It looked like a cut by a sharp object.
’Did he get into a fight? With whom?’ Doubt mingled with worry. ’Where did he go? Who did he fight with? Was he after Jaxon? Had Jaxon attacked him?’
Dread curled in her chest at the possibility.