Chapter 17 - BPOV
He cups my face in his hands, reading the expression of wonder, mixed with desire and longing cross over my face.
He doesn't even hesitate to bring his mouth back to mine, the weight of his body pressing me back against the bed.
My hands glide down his back, feeling the ripple of hard muscles beneath his under shirt, delighting in the delicious warmth pooling through the thin fabric.
His hands trace the curves of my body, fingers lightly brushing over my hips and thighs as I relish in the feel of his hands on me.
He takes his exploration downward, his eyes drinking in the sight of me as he moves, his nose brushing against the swell of my breast as he lowers his head.
Looking into my eyes, silently asking for permission, he hitches up the flowing fabric of my dress from the bottom hem, leaving me in nothing but my lacy panties.
He trails his lips along my stomach, feathering kisses along my navel and working his way to my hip.
I reach for him, my fingers fumbling for the buttons of his shirt, desperate to feel his naked skin against my own.
He reaches up to finish the job for me, ripping his shirt open from the chest down. I laugh softly as the buttons pop out of place, scattering to the floor and he grins in response.
He leans back, shedding the remains of his button-down, followed by the cotton undershirt, and my eyes dance over his sculpted torso with quiet appreciation.
We share a secret smile as he leans down again and I wrap my arms around his neck to pull him in for a kiss.
As we part once more, wonderfully breathless, we can't help the shy, delighted smiles that break out over our faces.
We continue sharing quick light kisses as he trails his lips to my neck. My eyes flutter closed, lips parting in breathless pleasure and I feel him smile against my skin, angling his head to continue his explorations lower.
He traces his tongue along my collarbone, and I shiver.
"I love you," he murmurs against my skin.
"I know, and I love you, too," I answer, drawing him back up to kiss me again.
From this point on, there is no more need for words; we have both wanted this for so long, and we won't regret it.